newbobooks Chapter 509
Chapter 509
"Lord Zhou, His Majesty requests your immediate presence at the palace; he has important matters to discuss."
Zhou Chu was reading in his study when Huang Jin rushed in.
"Does Your Majesty know what His Majesty is concerned about?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu changed into his flying fish robe while looking at Huang Jin.
"Young Master Lin led the Tiger Army to Nurgan Commandery, leaving Datong without any decent garrison commanders. And Da, having somehow obtained information, gathered tens of thousands of Mongol cavalry, seized a significant portion of the grasslands north of Datong, and is now leading his troops straight towards Datong."
Huang Jin briefly explained the situation to Zhou Chu.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu's gaze sharpened. Judging from this, it seemed that Anda had colluded with those Shanxi merchants again. Anda's ability to obtain information about Lin Lu's movements so quickly must be due to someone tipping him off.
Lin Lu had just set off for Nurgan Commandery when Anda, who had been silent for nearly half a year, made his move. It would be strange if no one had tipped him off.
"Eunuch Huang, there's no need to worry. This is actually a good thing."
Zhou Chu finished dressing and looked at Huang Jin.
Huang Jin, who was originally very anxious, felt relieved after hearing Zhou Chu's words. He stopped asking questions and led Zhou Chu into the palace to the Imperial Study.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesty."
Zhou Chu bowed and said.
"No need for formalities, Hengqi. What is your view on the situation in Datong?"
After seeing Zhou Chu, Jiajing was no longer anxious and looked at Zhou Chu.
"I believe this is not a bad thing. If Anda had remained silent, he would have been a constant threat to our Great Ming. Now that Lin Zhixin is not focused on Datong, the fact that they received the news so quickly must mean that someone tipped them off. But for us, this is a way of luring the snake out of its hole."
Zhou Chu looked at the map and said.
When Jiajing heard this, he nodded.
"With your words, I am relieved. However, the Tiger Army is currently en route to the Nurgan Regional Military Commission and cannot return for the time being. Datong..."
Jiajing hesitated before speaking.
"Your Majesty need not worry. Before I left Datong, I had already instructed Lin Zhixin to train the Datong garrison. The Datong garrison is no longer the rabble it once was. With the addition of the Xuanwu Army, I am confident that I can annihilate Anda in one battle."
Zhou Chu pointed to the area north of Datong on the map and said.
Although the Xuanwu Army was more skilled in naval warfare, their training was not limited to naval combat. Their land warfare training was far superior to that of the garrison in Datong, since naval warfare involved more close-quarters combat, and the Xuanwu Army was a cavalry force that could be used immediately.
This is crucial on the grasslands. The garrison in Datong could hold off Altan Khan's attack without much difficulty, but if they wanted to counterattack or even pursue the Mongols on the grasslands, they would need the Xuanwu Army.
"Hengqi, who do you think is colluding with the Mongols this time?"
Jiajing's eyes flashed with a cold light.
Zhou Chu fell silent upon hearing this.
The merchants from Datong were basically all wiped out by Zhou Chu, so the fact that this situation is still happening now means that they are definitely not the original merchants from Datong. They are probably merchants from other parts of Shanxi who have gone to Datong.
Even the Prince of Jin's residence might be involved.
Of course, Zhou Chu couldn't say this without evidence.
Jiajing naturally understood this principle. In fact, he also had some doubts about the Prince of Jin's mansion. Previously, Jiajing issued an edict ordering all the princes' mansions to send their heirs or princesses to Yuyao to meet Zhou Chu, which represented Jiajing's opinion and showed that Jiajing wanted the princes from all over the country to participate in the coal mining business.
But the Prince of Jin's residence refused, which is quite intriguing.
This signifies that the Prince of Jin's mansion has chosen to stand with the merchants of Taiyuan and even the entire Shanxi province.
These Shanxi merchants made their living from coal mines, and now that Zhou Chu has discovered new coal mines near Xuzhou, it has dealt a fatal blow to them.
They cannot remain inactive.
However, Zhou Chu had encountered too many things during this period, so many that he didn't have the energy to pay much attention to what these Shanxi merchants were doing.
The fact that Anda was able to receive the news so quickly clearly indicates that someone colluded with the Mongols, and it's even quite possible that these Shanxi merchants actively colluded with them in order to intimidate the court and Zhou Chu, and force Zhou Chu and the emperor to compromise with them.
Jiajing would not believe that the Prince of Jin's mansion was not behind this.
"Draft an edict ordering Yu Hai to thoroughly investigate who in Datong City is colluding with the enemy. If he cannot find out, he will lose his position as a commander."
Jiajing looked at Huang Jin, his face full of anger.
Huang Jin hurriedly helped to draft the imperial edict.
After saying this, Jiajing looked at Zhou Chu.
"Hengqi, this great unity still depends on you and Yun Jin. Zhou Hengqi, listen to my decree."
Jiajing cleared his throat and said.
"The minister accepts the order."
"Order Zhou Hengqi, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to lead the Xuanwu Army and Lu Yunjin to Datong to guard Datong, block the invading enemy, and ideally annihilate these Mongols outside Datong City."
Emperor Jiajing proclaimed the imperial edict.
"I accept the decree."
"Speed is of the essence in war; you must set off as soon as possible."
Jiajing looked at Zhou Chu and said.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will take stock of the troops upon my return and set off immediately."
After Zhou Chu finished speaking, he left the Imperial Study.
"Your Majesty, this matter is probably not so simple..."
Lu Bing hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Are you trying to say that the Prince of Jin's mansion is involved behind this?"
Jiajing looked at Lu Bing and asked in return.
"I don't dare."
Lu Bing hurriedly bowed.
“What is there to be afraid of? The fact that the Prince of Jin’s Mansion did not do coal mining business with Hengqi back then made its stance clear. The Prince of Jin’s Mansion cannot escape responsibility for this matter. Originally, I was going to turn a blind eye and not stoop to the level of the Prince of Jin’s Mansion. Since they are so ungrateful, I will naturally settle accounts with the Prince of Jin’s Mansion after this matter is over.”
Jiajing sneered.
The emperor had the power of life and death over the princes' residences in various regions. With just a word from Jiajing, the Prince of Jin could be demoted to a commoner.
Jiajing was reluctant to do this, but he never expected that his forbearance would only lead to the Prince of Jin's family becoming even more ruthless.
"Your Majesty is kind-hearted, but the Prince of Jin's mansion and those Shanxi merchants are just like those civil officials. The more lenient Your Majesty is with them, the more they take advantage of you."
Huang Jin, who was standing to the side, also unusually expressed his opinion.
Huang Jin knew very well that it was inappropriate for Zhou Chu to say these words, and it was also inappropriate for Lu Bing to say them. Only he himself could say them. As the emperor's close companion who had grown up with him since childhood, it might be presumptuous of him to say these words, but His Majesty would not blame him.
“Huang Jin is right. I used to think that Heng Qi was too murderous and too ruthless to Mao Ji and others. But now I think that the more lenient we are with them, the more we are rewarded with their unbridled behavior instead of gratitude.”
Jiajing said with a cold glint in his eyes.
When Zhou Chu returned home, Yun Jin hurriedly came to greet him.
"Second brother, I heard something happened in Datong?"
Zhou Chu nodded.
"His Majesty commands you and me to go to Datong and guard it. We shall depart immediately. You shall go and reorganize the Xuanwu Army. We shall depart in one hour."
Zhou Chu looked at Yun Jin with a serious expression.
Upon hearing this, Yun Jin immediately realized the seriousness of the matter. Without saying a word, she went to the stable, led out her horse, mounted it, and headed straight for the Xuanwu Army's encampment outside the city.