Chapter 195

Jing Sheng Di said lightly:

"Oh! I must have misremembered!"

Jing Sheng Di's brief question made everyone present feel a jolt in their hearts, realizing that Xu Qianxue's official career was essentially over.

It wasn't that Jing Sheng Di forgot Xu Qianxue's age; he was hinting that the man was old and should retire.

Jing Sheng Di paid no heed to the dazed Xu Qianxue standing there, calmly looked at the others present, got straight to the point, and spoke with a hint of excitement:

Yu Lin Cheng almost fell after Ji An Marquis abandoned the city and fled, but thanks to Jia Zi Jie, Niu Jizong, and others leading the light cavalry who arrived just in time.

They led the Da Han Empire's elite troops in a life‑or‑death struggle, crushing over fifty thousand enemy troops, beheading the Northern Yuan commander Tuo Tuo Bu Hua, and capturing the Northern Yuan Crown Prince Ba Ya'er.

After enduring hardships, they finally turned the tide, preventing the tragic fall of Yu Lin Cheng and the loss of its people.

In this battle, Jia Zi Jie led from the front, slew commanders and captured flags, and commanded his Han Army elite to wound over twenty thousand Northern Yuan soldiers.

Not only did they completely rout this Northern Yuan invading force, they also greatly enhanced the prestige of the Da Han Empire's military!

As soon as Jing Sheng Di said this, the hall fell silent.

Only then did everyone understand why Jing Sheng Di was angry with Xu Qianxue: his flattery had backfired.

However, the crowd had no time to worry about Xu Qianxue; they were more alarmed by the information revealed in Jing Sheng Di's words.

How much time has passed?

The Northern Yuan's 80,000‑strong army has actually been defeated!

That's far too fast!

According to Jing Sheng Di, Jia Jing and the others must have marched day and night, just arrived at Yu Lin Cheng, then immediately faced a major battle, yet still managed to defeat a larger force with few troops and win a complete victory!

This is simply too hard to believe!

The dazed Xu Qianxue standing in the hall was so startled that the jade tablet in his hand almost slipped, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

So… did we win? Or was it little Jia Jing who won?

How could it happen so quickly?

Wang Ziteng's face also showed utter incomprehension: '…Didn't Jia Jing bring only two thousand light cavalry?'

With such a force, could they really crush a Northern Yuan army of over fifty thousand? Are the Northern Yuan troops really that fragile?

He admitted that after the Bashang Daying was reorganized, it indeed had a fresh appearance and the bearing of a strong army.

But the time is still short, and they are not heavenly soldiers; how could they possess such combat power?

Zhang Tingyu's originally drooping eyelids snapped open, his eyes full of surprise.

Although he had just thought perhaps there was more to this battle, at most he was thinking that Jia Jing's timely rescue prevented Yu Lin Cheng from falling to the Northern Yuan.

He could not even imagine that Jia Jing, with just two thousand light cavalry, could crush a Northern Yuan force of over fifty thousand, behead commanders, capture flags, and achieve instant victory!

Such a swift victory already borders on the extraordinary!

History is not lacking examples of 800 defeating 100,000, 20,000 defeating 420,000, 30,000 defeating 560,000, and 80,000 defeating 800,000.

But those cases all had corresponding tactical arrangements, or specific temporal and geographic advantages, and required considerable time—yours is far too fast!

Zhang Tingyu's face immediately clouded with worry; if Jia Jing gains such merit again, who in the court could possibly check him?

Wang Ziteng frowned, a hint of doubt in his expression, and stepped forward to say:

"Your Majesty! Is this pigeon‑carried report reliable?"

Wang Ziteng simply could not believe such a battle result, nor that victory could come so quickly; he doubted the authenticity of the military report.

After all, a pigeon‑carried message is not the same as a formal routine report.

At this point, no one had seen the severed heads or other proof from this battle, and Wang Ziteng instinctively suspected that Jia Jing might be inflating his military achievements to curry favor with the emperor.

The others in the hall, upon hearing Wang Ziteng's words, had their thoughts start to race.

Xu Qianxue wore an expression of agreement, and Wang Ziteng voiced the doubt he felt.

No matter how capable Jia Jing is, there's no reason for him to win this fast!

Jing Sheng Di remained silent, while Xia Shouzhong beside him darkened his stare, fixedly gazing at Wang Ziteng, and spoke coldly:

"Officer Wang! This pigeon‑carried message bears the signatures and seals of Niu Boye, General Feng, and others, plus a covert mark from our Imperial City Office's envoy in Yu Lin Cheng."

"Sir Wang, are you suggesting that we, together with Niu Boye and many others, are colluding with the Jingwu Marquis to falsify military information and deceive the emperor?"

"Furthermore, the routine reports from the northwest, the severed heads of Northern Yuan soldiers, and even the head of Tuo Tuo Bu Hua are already on the way to the capital."

"Since the truth will soon be known, is there any need to falsify the report?"

Xia Shouzhong's words left Wang Ziteng feeling chilled; Xia Shouzhong is the most trusted attendant beside Jing Sheng Di, and he dare not offend him.

When Shouzhong is in charge, my sleep is peaceful; he knows this as well.

If one were to claim that the Imperial City Office, Niu Jizong, and others conspired with Jia Jing to falsify military reports, that would be rather absurd!

Falsifying military information is no minor crime; who would risk their life and property to do such a thing?

Moreover, the battle results are already en route to the capital; falsifying them now would be exposed at a glance and serve no purpose.

Jia Jing's entire family resides in Shenjing; he has absolutely no reason to falsify military achievements.

But… is this victory actually real?

This makes it even harder for Wang Ziteng to accept!

Xia Shouzhong's remark left Wang Ziteng's face flushed red and then pale, at a loss for words.

Actually, the front line winning so quickly is not bad news for Wang Ziteng either.

Leaving aside that the court now has a victory over the Northern Yuan, which stabilizes the state and greatly boosts national prestige!

Just consider his constant preoccupation with reorganizing the Jingying; after this victory, he can promptly put that plan on the agenda!

But Wang Ziteng still feels uneasy in his heart and cannot accept the news that Jia Jing has won another great victory.

Know that he had been hoping that, once he became Minister of War, he could stand as Jia Jing's equal, or even surpass him.

As it turns out, he hasn't even begun reorganizing his forces, while the other side has already earned another great merit!

He clearly knew that once the northwest's formal report and Tuo Tuo Bu Hua's box of heads were sent to the capital, the court's rewards would certainly not be low.

Because of His Majesty's trust and Jia Jing's great merit in beheading generals and capturing flags, turning the tide, promotion and ennoblement after this battle are unstoppable.

Even so, with such military achievements, one could even rise several ranks, truly reaching the highest position among officials.

Even if Jia Jing is still young, His Majesty intends to protect him, and noble titles cannot be lightly granted.

But according to his estimate, once the northwest campaign is completely victorious, Jia Jing will at least be made a first-rank marquis, possibly even a duke.

Jia Jing is only twenty-one years old; if he were made a first-rank duke now, who could rival him in the court thereafter?

After Wang Ziteng was refuted by Xia Shouzhong, none of the officials in the hall doubted the report's authenticity any longer.

Yet the officials were still shocked by Jia Jing's swift victory.

After a long while, the Grand Scholar of Baohe Hall, Gong Dingzi, was the first to come to his senses, step forward, and offer congratulations, saying:

"Your Majesty! After this battle, with Marquis Jingwu present, the northwest will have no worries!"

It also shows that the Bashang Daying's troop reorganization has been effective, with a force of a hundred thousand troops now battle-ready.

Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has governed diligently; last year he scored a great victory over Liaodong's False Qing, and now he has again won a great victory over the Northern Yuan.

All this is thanks to His Majesty's wise decisions and proper employment of personnel, resulting in the soldiers' devotion, the pacification of our border garrisons, a blessing to the state and fortune for the people.

Your Majesty's martial prowess shines forth, rivaling Taizu and Chengzu; you are truly the restorer of our Da Han Empire—I congratulate Your Majesty, I congratulate our Da Han Empire!