Chapter 1273: A Fight Was Inevitable

By this point, the Tianqi Emperor could no longer contain his fury. His voice hoarse, he said, "Summon the Duke of Ying and the Duke of Ding here. At a time like this, only you and the noble houses who share the realm's fate with the throne can be relied upon!"

Wei Zhongxian coughed once and said, "My lord, the noble houses cannot be relied upon either. They no longer possess any of the fiery blood and fierce spirit of old. To preserve their family estates, they would do anything. They are cut from the same cloth as those civil officials. Right now, it is instead those stubborn, upright men like Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou who can be of use."

"I... We... We... have never treated them poorly. How could they, how could they..." The Tianqi Emperor was already so furious he had become incoherent.

"My lord need not worry overmuch. The rebel army is powerful, but they have no intention of occupying Northern Zhili. After the peace talks, they will take what they came for and leave. When that time comes, my lord can reorganize the court and train a strong army to exterminate the rebel bandits. That will be a restoration." Wei Zhongxian hurriedly supported the Tianqi Emperor and spoke to console him.

Hearing this, the Tianqi Emperor was so enraged he actually laughed. An unnatural flush spread across his face, and his voice turned somewhat shrill: "Those villains came this quickly this time. They will leave, and next time they come will be just as easy. Should I let those heartless, ungrateful scholars in the capital contact and collude with the villains, and next time simply open the city gates for them?"

"My lord, once Grand Secretary Sun brings the border troops back, the situation in the capital will stabilize. These people in the capital are unwilling to take provincial posts, so their reach is limited. However, this slave boldly asks that when the time comes, my lord show mercy and release Wang Zaijin from the imperial prison. Let him command a portion of the border troops. After all, he served at the frontier for a long time; everyone from top to bottom listens to him. This time, Wang Zaijin was tormented terribly by Zhao Nanxing and his faction. If my lord shows him grace and wins him over, he will certainly be utterly loyal."

"It all depends on you, it all depends on you, companion. Once we weather this crisis, We must thoroughly set things right. Otherwise, the foundation our ancestors left behind will be ruined in Our hands."

Listening to Wei Zhongxian's reasoning, the Tianqi Emperor's expression relaxed. Just as he was about to pat Wei Zhongxian on the shoulder, his body suddenly swayed violently. Had Wei Zhongxian not reached out to support him, he would likely have collapsed straight to the ground. His sudden loss of balance made several eunuchs in the corner hurriedly come closer. Wei Zhongxian swept a stern gaze over them and said in a muffled voice, "If anyone dares to wag their tongue about what just happened, they can try the iron brushes in the punishment room!"

"My lord should quickly return and rest. Arrange for the imperial physician to examine you and prescribe some medicine to replenish qi and calm the spirit. You must recuperate well." Seeing the Tianqi Emperor's weak state as he barely managed to stand steady, Wei Zhongxian suddenly felt his own heart panic.

Chaos already reigned everywhere in the capital. However, the outer court was ultimately not as efficient as the inner court. After Wei Zhongxian sent the Tianqi Emperor off to rest, edicts and orders were issued from the imperial palace to all quarters. The four great battalions of the Imperial Guard, the Warriors Battalion, and the much-criticized armed eunuchs began to take control of key locations. The overt and covert agents and spies of the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard also began to move. Meanwhile, the Capital Garrison, Shuntian Prefecture, the Five Wards Military Command, and other related offices were still bickering, but the city gates were at least closed.

"Venerable Ancestor, joyous news! The rebel troops that came are not a large force, just a cavalry unit of slightly over three thousand." Wei Zhongxian was handling affairs from all directions in the Directorate of Ceremonial when a managerial eunuch from the Directorate of the Imperial Horses came to report the good news.

Wei Zhongxian knew this middle-aged eunuch was keeping watch over at the Capital Garrison. This news was a military report. Slightly over three thousand rebels—that number truly meant nothing. Never mind the hundred thousand-plus troops on the Capital Garrison's ledgers; the four great battalions of the Imperial Guard and the Warriors Battalion alone numbered over ten thousand. Moreover, the capital was the second largest city in the realm, second only to Nanjing. Such a mighty city could not be taken by just three thousand men. But according to what Wang Zaijin had said, those Xuzhou rebels possessed giant cannons, a hundred times more powerful than the Great General Cannons, capable of breaching city walls. Yet even if they breached the walls, what could these three thousand men do...

Thinking of this, Wei Zhongxian's expression relaxed slightly. He immediately reacted, however, and stared at the eunuch delivering the report. "Did you scout this news yourself, or is it the Capital Garrison's own report?"

"It is the Capital Garrison's own report!"

"Get back there and keep watch immediately! If there is any movement to dispatch troops, report back by fast horse at once. No delay! Go quickly! I will remember your merit for this. There will be no shortage of benefits for you in the future!"

The eunuch, having achieved his goal, left hastily with profuse thanks. As he departed, Wei Zhongxian's expression had already turned very grim. He muttered to himself, "If they win this battle, it will stir up more trouble. But if they can win, then at least we can breathe easy!"

The Iron Knight Brigade of the Instruction Brigade, the First Regiment of Mounted Soldiers, and the mounted soldier companies of the First and Second Brigades selected soldiers proficient in horsemanship from five companies, totaling three thousand two hundred riders, and rushed urgently toward the capital.

Besides the Zhao Family Army's own horses, they also utilized spoils from Tianjin and Jinghai. With sufficient horses and sufficient supplies, the march was naturally swift and rapid. Furthermore, the four one-pounder light cannons and four three-pounder cannons did not slow the march.

When Wang Zaijin set out, the counties along the canal from Tianjin to the capital—Wuqing County, Xianghe County, and Tongzhou—had already learned of the government army's great defeat at Jinghai and the rebel army's capture of Tianjin. The passage of routed soldiers had already thrown them into panic. Everywhere, city gates were tightly shut, and local militias and able-bodied men were mobilized to defend the walls, terrified of being overrun by the routed troops or the Xuzhou forces.

The routed government troops, meanwhile, feared only that they were not fleeing fast enough. The Xuzhou army's marching speed far exceeded their usual understanding, so they could only push themselves to run harder, afraid that slowing down would mean being caught and encircled. This situation actually saved the Zhao Family Army cavalry a great deal of effort. There was almost no fighting along the way; they simply advanced along the river toward the capital. When they halted outside a city or county seat, the local authorities not only dared not organize any harassment or attack, but instead sent grain, fodder, and wine and meat as tribute. As long as the other side did not attack the city, all was well.

During this process, the Zhao Family Army cavalry actually earned considerable praise. When government troops passed through villages and market towns, it was like a razor scraping over them—the losses of women and property were severe. But when the Zhao Family Army cavalry passed through, they requisitioned supplies through fair trade and absolutely did not harass the locals. Comparing the two truly made people sigh with bitter laughter.

Wuqing County and Xianghe County were one thing, but Tongzhou was closely linked to the capital. When they saw the Zhao Family Army passing through, they dared not conceal it.

Moreover, while these Xuzhou troops initially seemed to raise dust that blotted out the sky, creating a massive show of force, when they passed by the city walls, it was discovered they were only slightly over three thousand riders. This number was not small, but in a place like the capital, it truly counted for nothing. Immediately, some bold individuals dared to rush to the capital to report the emergency.

The Zhao Family Army cavalry halted and began to regroup when they advanced to a position a little over ten li from the capital. There were quite a few estates belonging to the imperial family and noble houses in this area. Unlike the high walls and deep moats of Shandong and Henan, there were almost no defensive measures here. After all, the vicinity of the capital had not seen military disaster for nearly a hundred years.

Shi Manqiang and Ji Xiang selected one estate and sent men inside. The estate's steward and hired workers did not even have time to flee; they merely huddled in an inner room, thinking they would not be found. As for the grain, fodder, and other supplies, these had not been moved either and were all properly stored in the warehouses.

"The crops aren't even ready for harvest yet. Everywhere, people are struggling through the lean season. Yet this place is full of grain. It really is the capital."

Seeing how full the warehouses were, everyone sighed in amazement. But after questioning someone, they immediately understood the reason. Besides production, these estates also served as warehouses for the estate owners. The wealth and goods gathered from all corners of the Great Ming were stored in these estates, then later distributed for sale and exchange. After all, there was not much space for construction in the capital, and with so many eyes watching, many matters were inconvenient.

After setting up sentry posts around the estate, the main cavalry force began to rest and regroup. The estate's grain and fodder were requisitioned. The horses had expended a great deal and had to be fed until full.

The consumption of over three thousand men and over four thousand horses was enormous. However, they were not particularly worried about the expenditure, because there were many estates nearby. The people had fled, but the supplies had not been moved in time and could be requisitioned and replenished at any moment.

"The various enemy forces in the capital combined likely number no less than one hundred fifty thousand. Even counting only the combat-capable personal retinues, elites, and cavalry among them, there are probably over ten thousand. Our purpose in coming here is to ensure the court does not delay. That goal has been achieved. The most important thing now is self-preservation. We cannot let the enemy exploit an opening!"

"Shitou, you're being too cautious. The enemy's elites are only about the level of our third-rate battalions. Never mind that paper strength of one hundred fifty thousand—what are those ten thousand elites worth? If they dare come, we'll make sure they don't return. It'll save Big Brother some effort."

Shi Manqiang and Ji Xiang were close in age. When they spoke in private, they did not stand on ceremony regarding brotherly rank. From the estate's position, they could already see the mighty capital city. This made Ji Xiang incredibly excited, while Shi Manqiang remained composed.

"It's not caution, it's prudence. We cannot afford the slightest misstep in coming here this time. The victory or defeat, life or death of our force is a small matter, but the peace talks are the major issue. If we suffer a setback and make the court think it can still hold out, they will certainly be unwilling to negotiate peace and will gather troops again. We would have to expend more effort. If we cannot hold back and directly crush the city's defenses, the situation will spiral out of control into chaos, and Big Brother's control from start to finish will have been for nothing." Shi Manqiang spoke with earnest gravity.

A look of boredom appeared on Ji Xiang's face. He waved his hand and said, "Staying undefeated isn't hard. We brought ten cannons with us. Dragging them with horses, firing on the move—no battalion can stand against that."

These words made Shi Manqiang nod. Military officers not from the Zhao Family Army would find it hard to imagine what role firearms, especially cannons, could play in battle. Though they only had three thousand riders here and no heavy cannons, compared to the government army's cannons, the Zhao Family Army's artillery could move. Maneuvering and bombarding on the battlefield, the government army simply could not withstand it.

The two of them were discussing here, while Xu Yong, standing to the side, remained silent.

This book still has a long way to go. I have no intention of rushing to a bare-bones ending. Of course, I will continue to write Great Ming Warrior well.

Let me emphasize this first, to avoid any misunderstandings.

What is this notice? It's that I, Old Bai, need to adjust and rest for a while. I'm taking leave from September 1st to September 3rd. In September and October, I will strive for one update a day as a guaranteed minimum.

I can't say for sure that on some day when I'm in high spirits, I might do two or three updates... Of course, in such cases, I'll give a heads-up at the end of the chapter.

Old Bai is very tired. I know this is my personal matter, and emphasizing it is somewhat meaningless. But this month, I gritted my teeth and begged for monthly tickets to push myself, and finally managed to maintain a stable two updates a day for a month, persevering until now. I haven't let down everyone's support!

I know my own situation best. Once the mind and body grow weary, the stories told and the works created will also suffer a decline in quality. I've already vaguely sensed this personally.

Yuewen Group has given Old Bai such a stable creative environment, allowing me to write Great Ming Warrior. Everyone likes and supports it so much. I absolutely must finish it well, without letting my brothers and sisters have a single complaint, without leaving myself a single regret.

For this, I must adjust and rest. Those familiar with Old Bai know that my life is dull and uninteresting. At any time, I fear delaying my writing, from going out to traveling to even gatherings. For someone like me, with my mindset, to make the decision to take leave and adjust, you can see the state of my health...

I know I need to adjust, but I still feel very ashamed, very guilty. This makes me a bit uncomfortable, truly.

Here, I thank every brother and sister who subscribes, votes with monthly tickets, and tips me. Thank you for your support. I emphasize once more: this book still has a long way to go. I have no intention of rushing to a bare-bones ending. Of course, I will continue to write Great Ming Warrior well.

Also, it's the last day of the month, with less than ten hours left. If you don't cast your monthly tickets now, they'll go to waste. Cast them all for Great Ming Warrior, and lay a good foundation for the next battle!

Thank you to the old friends "Duan Yichen, Qi Sanwen, Yuan Heng Li Zhen, Feng Chui Yan Xue Man Tian" for your tips. Thank you all for your subscriptions and monthly tickets. Believe me, the support you give me is well worth it!