Chapter 913: The heart of heaven is hard to measure

Da Zhou Palace, Ganyang Palace, rear hall warm pavilion.

On one side of the imperial desk was a white jade longevity double-eared tripod, diffusing milky white dragon saliva secret incense. The refreshing smoke curled slowly, haloing a dark and deep charm.

Chen Mo was an old minister of two dynasties, floating and sinking in the officialdom, experiencing wind and rain, an old glutton rolling in the officialdom. After hearing the Emperor's words, he immediately understood the deep hidden meaning.

The leakage of the military depot was the source of the Mongol invasion and the beginning of the poison. It could not be tolerated, but the primary task of the imperial court was not to punish the criminals, but the victory or defeat of the Mongol-suppression war.

Jia Cong defeated the Mongol remnant elites outside Love Shenjing, which was the first victory of the Mongol-suppression war, turning the decline since the breaking of the Qiu Xuanfu town. Therefore, he was greatly praised and promoted by the Emperor.

This move was not only to promote the rising star, but also to use this to expand the morale of the Mongol-suppression. The Emperor also took this opportunity to dismiss the Duke of Qi, Chen Yi, who was involved in the leakage case.

Jia Cong thus became the Deputy Commander of the Mongol-suppression, and had become the number two figure of the army at the three northern passes. Coupled with his illustrious military merit, he was crucial to the entire Mongol-suppression war.

The old affairs between Jia Cong and his uncle Jia Zheng were known to everyone in Love Shenjing. It is said that because of his biological mother, Jia Cong was abused by his biological father and legitimate mother when he was young, and could hardly survive.

Thanks to his uncle Jia Zheng's care and protection, he was able to be raised and educated. Although they were uncle and nephew by name, they were like father and son, with deep affection, different from ordinary uncles and nephews.

The former deputy commander Chen Yi had already been convicted and dismissed, and the uncle who succeeded as deputy commander had committed a serious crime again; the imperial court's face was ugly, the court and the public would inevitably have criticisms, and the morale of suppressing the Mongols would inevitably be damaged.

And the Xue family had lived in the Lady Rongguo Mansion for many years. In the eyes of outsiders, they were like one family. Xue Pan was involved in a major case, and the Feng Yuan case was exposed. Two crimes combined were difficult to forgive.

Jia Cong was the Deputy Commander of the Mongol-suppression, commanding soldiers to conquer and fight for the country. Several people in his family were guilty. The imperial court appointed generals, which would inevitably have the flaw of being muddled and unclear.

Governing the country is like cooking small fresh fish. It is necessary to reward and punish clearly, but more importantly, to weigh the pros and cons, control the overall situation, and guide people's hearts. A difference of a hair can lead to a thousand miles of error. Chen Mo deeply understood this mystery.

……

However, Jia Zheng's involvement in the Jia Yucun case had entered the documents of the Ministry of Personnel and the Three Judicial Offices, and it was already difficult to cover up. If his crime was not punished, it would be difficult to block the mouths of the world.

Although the Emperor asked him about the method of punishing Jia Zheng, he actually asked about the compromise method because of the overall situation. Chen Mo was quite intelligent, and after just a little thought, he had a countermeasure.

He said, "Reporting to the Emperor, in the opinion of this official, Jia Zheng's involvement in the Feng Yuan case, due to private feelings, gave birth to the idea of bending the law, and his official virtue has a question of accountability, which cannot escape the punishment of the law."

"But he was ultimately an accomplice in this case. Jia Yucun was an official in charge. If his character was upright and he was clean as an official, how could he commit the evil of killing people for no reason because of a letter from Jia Zheng?"

"This case of bending the law was born, and in the final analysis, it was Jia Yucun who profaned the national law, catered to the powerful in the capital, and used it as a stepping stone for his own official career. He is the main culprit of this case."

"Jia Zheng is not the main culprit, and according to the law, he should be dismissed and investigated, and his crime should be deeply investigated. It is just that Jia Zheng is a descendant of Lady Rongguo, and his official position is unusual, not from the imperial examination."

"His official position was the imperial edict of the Retired Emperor when the Duke of Lady Rongguo was critically ill. The Retired Emperor pitied the loyalty and bravery of the Duke of Lady Rongguo, so he bestowed Jia Zheng with the title of Master and promoted him to the Ministry of Works."

"Jia Zheng's official position is the Retired Emperor's generous grace. If he is removed from office and convicted, it will hurt the Retired Emperor's holy virtue. In the opinion of this official, Jia Zheng's fault is not the same as Jia Yucun's crime."

The Emperor nodded slightly and said, "What Chen Guo Aiqing said is very true. Jia Zheng's official position is the legacy of the former minister, the grace of the Retired Emperor. I am the Son of Heaven, and I should respond with filial piety."

Chen Mo said, "The Emperor is wise. In the opinion of this official, Jia Zheng's fault can be suspended from office and reflected in the mansion first. After Jia Yucun's case is concluded, he will be punished by demotion."

"This can show the court and the public that officials who lose their virtue and touch the thunder pool of the law, even if they are descendants of the Duke and relatives of the meritorious aristocrats, will not be forgiven and will be punished without slack."

The Emperor said, "Chen Guo Aiqing handles things in an old-fashioned way, weighing the left and right, not wronging or indulging, which is considered appropriate. The scale of Jia Zheng's punishment will be planned by you and reported to the imperial front."

As soon as his words fell, he couldn't help but look at one side of the imperial desk, where a northern map was spread out, on which a striking red line was marked with a vermilion pen, extending all the way to the three northern passes.

The Emperor thought of the memorial passed on by the Marquis of Marquis Zhongjing from outside the city, and his heart couldn't help but beat. Thinking of Jia Cong, who was leading the army north without stopping to wipe out the Mongol remnants in Wawu Town...

……

Four miles north of Yaoshan Station, the mountain barriers are towering, the withered trees and decaying grass are lush, and the world is boundless. The ten-mile military camps of Da Zhou and the Mongol remnants each confronted each other from afar.

In front of the two armies, two groups of people, numbering more than 10,000, were charging and fighting, trying their best to annihilate the other side. This kind of bloody scene happened almost every day.

In this day-after-day fierce battle, the military camps of both sides had been broken, but they had tried their best to snatch them back. The bloody struggle was endless.

Three days ago, Liu Liu Yongzheng, a Assistant Regional Commander of Da Zhou, led 20,000 elite troops at dawn to launch a charge on the left wing of the Mongol remnant military camp, which was the largest offensive of the Zhou army since the confrontation.

The Mongol remnant army once showed disorder. Khan Khan Anda was calm and composed, mobilizing the central army and 30,000 troops on the left wing to carry out counter-attacks against the Zhou army's surprise charge.

The two armies fought fiercely for nearly an hour. Khan Khan Anda commanded calmly, not only stabilizing the right wing and central army of the military camp, but also quickly regaining the decline and stabilizing the left wing of the large army.

Just as Khan Khan Anda was mobilizing troops to counter-attack, Liang Liang Chengzong, who had been watching the battle, seized the opportunity and sounded the gold to retreat. Liu Liu Yongzheng did not linger and led the army to retreat quickly.

In the past few days, the Zhou army's offensive was very active, taking the initiative to seek battle, and the momentum was fierce. Khan Khan Anda watched the situation, did not advance rashly, moved step by step, and the two sides were deadlocked, each with wins and losses.

……

On the observation tower of the Mongol remnant central army camp, Khan Khan Anda led Aleitang and other generals to watch the fighting in front of the formation, but his eyes fell more on the magnificent Zhou army camp in the distance.

Aleitang on the side said, "Khan, the Zhou army's formation seems to have changed."

"I have been paying close attention for the past few days. The Zhou army is actively seeking battle, and the momentum is fierce, but their strength is declining day by day."

"It looks like they are strong on the outside but weak on the inside, and they seem to be lacking in strength. Although the smoke in the Zhou army camp has not decreased, looking with a telescope, the movement of soldiers in the camp seems dull."

"Could it be that after Chen Yi was transferred away, their strength has been reduced again? That's why they took the initiative to launch an offensive, trying to cover up, confuse our army, and maintain the defensive posture of the confrontation."

Khan Khan Anda said, "Three days ago, they used 20,000 elite soldiers to launch a surprise attack, which forced us to be fully prepared. After that, they quietly reduced their strength to maintain the war situation."

"Liang Liang Chengzong is indeed a general who is good at planning. This trick of confusing the enemy is played very skillfully, but the state of being strong on the outside but weak on the inside can deceive people for a day, but it cannot be deceived for a long time."

"For the past few days, I have been climbing the tower to look at it after sunset. Behind the Zhou army's large camp, there are often torches moving at night, and they are heading north to the three northern passes. The shape is very hidden and strange."

"Although the number of torches is sporadic and the number is not large, and the momentum is not very eye-catching, it is enough for night marching lighting. It must be the Zhou army taking advantage of the night to retreat south!"

"Aleitang, you are right. Their offensive has increased in the past few days, which is to cover up, release smoke for the large army to retreat to the three northern passes, confuse our army, and succeed."

"Since the deputy commander Chen Yi was transferred away from the front line, the Zhou army has shown a decline. They are just supporting it by force. It must be that Manhai led troops to stir up trouble in the pass, which has become a thorn in the side of the Zhou army!"

"We are deadlocked with the Zhou army at Yaoshan Station, sparing no effort to consume troops and food, creating an opportunity for Manhai. After a lot of planning, it has finally achieved results, and it is time to turn the guest into the host."

"Pass my military order, today's battle will be handled as usual, and no flaws can be revealed. At dawn tomorrow, 10,000 troops will be sent from both the left and right wings to surprise and charge the two wings of the Zhou army's large camp."

"I will lead 20,000 elites to take the middle road directly. The Zhou army's strength is transferred out, and the inside is empty. This battle will definitely succeed. Order the rear army to build more siege equipment and prepare to attack Yuanzhou."

"Send a military order to Qiu Xuanfu Town, ordering Batu to sit in Qiu Xuanfu, and transfer 20,000 elites to support the south quickly. The siege of the three northern passes requires more sufficient troops to deal with..."

……

Two hundred miles east of Yuanzhou, in the dense jungle of the Xiang Yunyan Mountain foothills, a considerable Zhou army, with war horses like clouds and rolling wheels, is marching north quickly.

Jia Cong took a dozen personal guards, climbed a high mountain rock, looked north with a telescope, and clearly saw the continuous military camps covered like clouds on the wilderness in the distance.

Jia Cong said, "The large army has passed the Yuanzhou area. Jiang Xiao Liu, pass my military order, camp on the spot, bury the pot and cook, and collect the smoke and fire to prevent the traces of the large army from being leaked."

Through Ai Li said, "Jia Yuzhang, this is close to the Mongol remnant army's camp. Within two hundred miles, the Mongol remnant scouts are patrolling, which must be very frequent. We must prevent the traces from being detected by the enemy."

Jia Cong said, "You are right. I let the large army camp on the spot to deduce the map. We cannot take the path Manhai took again, so as not to be detected by the enemy."

"This time we have to go deep into the dense forest for fifty miles to the east, and then lead the army to detour north, which is a foolproof strategy to achieve the surprise army plan."

Waiting for everyone to camp and rest, Jia Cong looked back at the moving crowd in the dense forest. The scale of the large army had long exceeded the six thousand Divine Machine Camp.

Since the large army approached the vicinity of Tongzhou, several troops had secretly merged into the six thousand Divine Machine Camp from the directions of Tongzhou and Yuanzhou.