La vida perfecta en la dinastía Song

Capítulo 27

Zhu Yu remained silent, but Prime Minister Zhu said sternly, “That tyrant’s foundation is not yet stable, but he is gradually controlling the military forces in the six northern provinces and Fujian. If we do not eliminate Junyu as soon as possible, and she and Meng Yuanjing’s faction grow stronger, the tyrant will have no more concerns, and I am afraid that the disaster of my Zhu family’s confiscation and extermination will be right before our eyes.”

“That kid is always going against us, he deserves to die a thousand deaths.” Zhu Gang sat down on the stool and then stood up again, laughing like a monkey. Ever since Jun Yu threw him off the stage at Shi Lan Ni’s auction, he had hated Jun Yu to the bone.

Zhu Yu gave him a cold glance, and Zhu Gang immediately shut his mouth, but winked gloatingly.

This was the first time Zhu Gang had ever seen his father scold his half-brother, who had been pampered since childhood, in such a way, and he felt extremely relieved.

A little over a month after the death of his eldest son, Zhu Yu was born. Prime Minister Zhu, having a son late in life and still grieving the loss of his firstborn, naturally doted on Zhu Yu immensely. To secure his son's position, shortly after the death of his first wife, he made Zhu Yu's mother his principal wife. Especially after Zhu Yu's triumphant return from chasing the Red Gold Tribe army across the vast grasslands, Prime Minister Zhu felt even more honored, praising his son for his remarkable feat as a young hero on his first campaign. Consequently, the entire household, relatives, and even distant relatives flattered and fawned over Zhu Yu even more.

Although both are sons of the prime minister, one is legitimate and the other illegitimate. In addition, Zhu Gang's birth mother is not particularly favored by the prime minister. A few days ago, she offended Zhu Yu's mother over a trivial matter and was scolded several times by the prime minister's wife, who was known for her harshness and "gambling because of her son's status." Zhu Gang's mother was angry but had nowhere to vent her anger, so she could only scold her youngest son, who only knew how to eat, drink, gamble, and whore, for being useless and not bringing her any honor.

Over the past few days, Zhu Gang's resentment towards his elder brother had reached its peak. Seeing that his brother had not only been severely reprimanded by his father but also slapped by him, he felt a great sense of relief and satisfaction.

Prime Minister Zhu looked at the bloodstains at the corner of his son's mouth and sighed deeply. This was the first time he had laid a hand on this son he had once been so proud of. He stood up, walked to the door, then stopped and said in a deep voice, "That painting certainly can't prove Junyu's innocence. What I care about isn't losing Lanxi's painting. I'm just afraid you'll follow in your elder brother's footsteps. Your marriage to the daughter of the Prince of Heyang is already arranged; you don't need to worry about anything. As for that Junyu, I don't care if she's a man or a woman; she must die."

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Chapter 79: Forced Marriage (1)

The drizzle had just stopped, and the flower branches trembled slightly. Lu Ling's steps were too hurried, and he accidentally bumped into a horizontal branch, splashing dew all over his head and face.

Junyu happened to come out of the study and hurriedly asked, "Lu Ling, what's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"

Lu Ling shouted, "Today I met a merchant in the restaurant who has business dealings with us. He came from Qinghai, and his caravan was robbed of everything. He barely escaped with his life. He said that the Chijin tribe has broken through the blockade of the Northwest garrison and reached the Qaidam Basin, and the Northwest garrison is suffering repeated defeats..."

Junyu nodded, already having made up his mind. Sure enough, the next day, the emperor summoned his ministers to discuss the military situation. In the harsh northwest, even among Prime Minister Zhu's trusted generals, few were willing to volunteer. Moreover, with the northwestern garrison suffering a major defeat, even fewer were willing to take the risk. Therefore, as soon as Junyu raised his request, the emperor was overjoyed and immediately granted permission, urgently ordering him to lead the troops out to war in two days.

Junyu had been cooped up in the spacious marshal's mansion for over a month, and his mind was in great turmoil. Now, he immediately perked up and instructed Sun Jia and Lu Ling to make all the necessary arrangements, and that they would set off in two days.

The day before the expedition, early in the morning, the steward announced a visitor, who turned out to be Qin Xiaolou. Qin Xiaolou had served in the Northwest Army alongside Meng Yuanjing in his younger days, and was familiar with the situation in the Northwest. Later, due to his military merits, he now held a position in the Ministry of War. Junyu was delighted to see him, and the two chatted about their experiences since parting at Qiansi Academy. Qin Xiaolou also shared his views and suggestions on the Northwest campaign. They talked until late afternoon before Junyu personally saw Qin Xiaolou off.

Just as Qin Xiaolou was about to take her leave, she suddenly seemed to remember something and said with a smile, "Oh right, tomorrow is the engagement day of Zhu Yu and the daughter of the Prince of Heyang. Did I send you an invitation?"

Junyu smiled and said, "Then I must congratulate him."

Qin Xiaolou shook his head, unconvinced, and said, "That kid has never gotten along with you since childhood. I didn't expect him to still be like this now that he's grown up. He knew you were in the capital but didn't send you an invitation. If Yuan Jing were here, we could have a proper get-together."

Junyu smiled, and Qin Xiaolou took his leave.

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Chapter 80: Forced Marriage (2)

As the last rays of the setting sun completely disappeared from the sky above the capital, a slight warmth had already crept into the air of late spring.

A man sat under the huge willow tree in the alley of the Marshal's Mansion, seemingly lost in thought.

Junyu strolled over and said with a smile, "Zhu Yu, congratulations. Would you like to come in and have a seat?"

Zhu Yu raised her head: "You only consider yourself a passerby in this mansion, so why are you pretending to invite me now?"

"Haha, I am unlucky, and may just be a passerby wherever I go."

Why did you volunteer to go to the extremely cold and harsh northwest battlefield?

"No matter what the battlefield, there will always be people who need to go."

Zhu Yu stared at her for a long time: "You hate the capital. You're worried about the situation of that 'Bokdo'. So you want to leave."

Junyu said coldly, "Zhu Yu, what do you mean by this?"

Zhu Yu stared intently at her: "You were fatally injured in 'Hanjing Garden,' yet you emerged unharmed from that secret passage a few days later. Besides the only Buddha tooth, tell me, what other miraculous elixir could have brought you back to life?" He sneered and continued, "Back then, we were all bewitched by the 'demonic sounds' of the Demon of Love, only Tuosang remained clear-headed and saved your life. How could someone like Tuosang write such love poems for any other woman in this world? Yet, as a 'Bokdo,' his heart was still attached to worldly affairs; how could this be the behavior of an enlightened monk?"

Junyu said loudly, "Yes, Tuosang destroyed the Buddha tooth because he saved me. But you underestimate Tuosang too much."

Zhu Yu sneered: "Did I underestimate him? No matter the reason, he shouldn't be so hung up on 'that woman.' It's laughable that the tyrannical emperor didn't punish him, the culprit, but instead ordered the hunt down of others. He is the one who deserves to die."

Junyu said in a deep voice, "Whether he deserves to die or not is not for you to decide."

Zhu Yu didn't answer for a while before saying, "Your father was an orphan. Your mother was an orphan. You are an orphan too. Right?"

"Yes, but so what?"

Zhu Yu laughed: "My father is laying down defenses everywhere, doing everything he can to kill you; those idiots and followers of the 'Thousand Machines Sect,' for their so-called stability, are even more determined to kill 'that woman' to sever 'Bokdo's' hopes—and at this moment, you actually want to go to the Northwest. Excellent, haha, it saves me the trouble of killing you again… Your father is an orphan. Your mother is an orphan. You are an orphan too. You have no relatives—"

Zhu Yu laughed wildly, but tears welled up in his eyes: "Even... even... after you die, no one will grieve for you, and no one will pay their respects..."

This was the first time Junyu had seen him like this. He remained silent for a long while before saying softly, "If I am already dead, why should anyone else grieve for me or even hold a memorial service for me?"

Zhu Yu suddenly stood up and ran away. After a few steps, he staggered and almost fell to the ground.

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Chapter 81: The Battlefield of Qinghai (1)

It was mid-June when the horses crossed the Qinghai border. Junyu accompanied only 10 elite cavalrymen, along with Sun Jia and Lu Ling, making a total of thirteen people. Meanwhile, 3,000 Phoenix elite soldiers led by Bai Ruhui were secretly en route to Xining Prefecture via a detour.

It was the height of summer, and the journey was filled with sandstorms and unbearable heat. After enduring fierce attacks from the Crimson Gold Clan cavalry, they saw few merchants and travelers along the way, and the area was desolate with exposed bones everywhere.

Although the great battle at the end of last year basically crushed the main force of the Hu King's army and drove them to the western border by Meng Yuanjing and Zhu Yu, the Chijin tribe's army suffered losses of less than half. Zhenmutier then united the scattered tribes and traversed more than 2,000 miles in the northwest. At its peak, it is said that the army could gather 100,000 iron cavalry to charge into battle and overwhelm the enemy with speed and momentum.

The Northwest garrison had never seen such a formation before. They were often routed at the first encounter, and as a result, Zhenmutier's power grew even stronger. He now controlled a vast area west of the Qilian Mountains, the Tianshan Mountains, and the western part of the outer grasslands.

As the horses were moving quickly, a fighting sound suddenly came from ahead. The group reined in their horses and saw that not far ahead, a group of monks in plain clothes were attacking a Western Region monk dressed in a yellow robe.

Monks usually use sticks and staffs, but many of these monks used knives, spears, swords, and halberds, and each move was deadly, clearly intended to kill the lama.

The monk was wielding a long iron rod, clearly a disciplined monk from some monastery. Although he was highly skilled in martial arts, he was already struggling to defend himself against the onslaught of a group of monks in plain clothes, and his iron rod nearly fell to the ground several times.

At that moment, a staff swept towards him, hitting his knee squarely. The Iron Staff Monk's legs buckled and he collapsed. To his left, a monk with black palms struck at the top of his head, while behind him, a sharp blade was thrusting towards his back.

The Iron Staff Monk closed his eyes and felt a void above his head. When he opened his eyes, he found that the attackers had retreated several steps, and in front of him stood a god-like youth.

The young man forced the monks to retreat with a single move. When the monks saw that more than ten riders in tight-fitting clothes were coming from behind, they dared not fight any longer and each dragged their weapons and left.

The monk with the iron staff immediately bowed and thanked him.

Junyu returned the greeting, and the Iron Staff Monk took his leave.

Under the cover of night, with horses' hooves clattering and people moving silently, the city gates of Xining Prefecture were tightly shut. Upon hearing the commotion and seeing the talisman, the veteran guards opened the city gates, and the group headed straight for the residence of Lin Baoshan, the General of Qinghai.

The General's Mansion was brightly lit, filled with the sounds of music and singing, and the noisy laughter and drinking games continued in waves.

The alluring courtesan in his arms was about to pour wine into Lin Baoshan's mouth when suddenly her vision blurred, and a group of people had appeared in the hall. The courtesan's hand trembled, and the wine cup fell, spilling all over Lin Baoshan's clothes.

Lin Baoshan was furious and raised his hand to slap her, but his hand suddenly stopped in mid-air. The courtesan had already been pulled away and was standing there in a panic.

The music stopped abruptly, and the actors and courtesans immediately withdrew. The drunken Lin Baoshan took the talisman and looked at it. He was already half sober: "The Marshal came so quickly."

Lin Baoshan was a general promoted by Prime Minister Zhu. He had already received a secret order from the court that a commander-in-chief would be coming to lead troops in the Northwest. According to the schedule, the commander-in-chief should not arrive until at least the beginning of July. Unexpectedly, he arrived half a month earlier.

Junyu glanced around the hall, which was filled with singing and dancing. The seven or eight generals who were enjoying themselves with Lin Baoshan immediately bowed in awe. Junyu waved his hand and said, "Order the three armies to assemble immediately."

Stepping on the sand of the vast, empty training ground, even in the height of summer, the night in Northwest China was cool and refreshing, and the training ground was desolate.

The bugles wailed, and soldiers poured onto the drill ground in small groups. It took the time it takes for an incense stick to burn for over ten thousand troops to finally assemble. Under the huge candlelight, the soldiers looked sleepy, their armor disheveled, and most moved haphazardly. Junyu casually pulled over a soldier whose armor was torn; his armor consisted of only a small iron plate lining the chest. She then passed over two more soldiers, who removed their armor. Junyu casually tore it open, revealing that they were wearing "paper armor" stuffed with paper fibers.

Under the candlelight, the soldiers' spears, daggers, and other weapons were dull and broken, looking like fire pokers or scraps of iron.

Lin Baoshan was a trusted general of Prime Minister Zhu. In recent years, the military budget of the Northwest garrison has far exceeded that of the Northeast army. Why is the equipment of the army so poor?

Junyu glanced at Lin Baoshan beside her, and Lin Baoshan turned his head away in alarm.

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Chapter 82: The Battlefield of Qinghai (2)

Junyu stood at the center of the platform and announced loudly, "The overdue wages will be paid within three days..." Before she finished speaking, a cheer erupted from below the platform. These soldiers had been owed wages for half a year, and seeing General Lin Baoshan's army living a life of debauchery and neglecting the lives of his soldiers, coupled with the constant threat of war and uncertainty, they were all already dejected and only cared about escaping when battle broke out. So when the newly arrived marshal promised to pay their wages within three days, how could they not cheer thunderously?

Junyu's voice pierced through the chaotic cheers, and the drill ground immediately fell silent, with only the empty night wind howling past: "When you joined the army, even if you sat idly by, you would never be shortchanged by a single penny, whether it was windy or rainy. This silver came from the taxes of the people. Now, the Crimson Gold Clan's iron cavalry is rampant, and the displaced people have lost their homes. We have been raising soldiers for a thousand days, hoping that you would kill the enemy and protect our people. If you are greedy for life and afraid of death, what use are you? Tomorrow at dawn, drill will begin on the drill ground. No one, high or low, will be exempt."

The makeshift, simple command post was brightly lit, and on the table was a very detailed military map, marked in red and black with all the strategic locations on the northwestern border and the terrain of the Red Gold Clan army's distribution.

The generals were astonished. Such a detailed battle plan was something they had never known about, even after years of stationing in the Northwest. Clearly, the new commander-in-chief had conducted very thorough investigations and made meticulous preparations along the way.

Jun Yu said, "Although the various towns in the northwest are said to have 100,000 garrison troops and 25,000 warhorses, they are scattered and cannot be accurately counted. In addition, they are isolated and cannot coordinate attacks from both flanks, which makes it impossible for them to resist the iron cavalry raid of the Crimson Gold Clan. Scouts report that recently, a part of the Crimson Gold Clan's army is advancing towards 'Wild Buffalo Gully,' where there are 5,000 troops stationed. They can deploy their formations in this way..."

The group of valiant warriors had never heard of such a formation before, and they were quite dismissive, shaking their heads in disapproval. Junyu didn't explain further; an army that had suffered repeated defeats had no confidence or self-respect. To get these warriors to obey completely, it was absolutely necessary to win several impressive battles.

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Chapter 83: Love Poems and Secret Lovers (1)

Five days later, the 3,000 Crimson Gold Clan cavalry indeed marched towards "Wild Buffalo Gully." Sun Jia led his 5,000 garrison troops in a night ambush, wiping out the 3,000 cavalry without exception. The Crimson Gold Clan army had always easily defeated the weakened Northwest garrison, and had never suffered such a heavy loss before. Zhenmutier was furious. To intimidate the Northwest garrison, he immediately dispatched 8,000 elite troops to intercept Sun Jia's force. However, they encountered 3,000 Phoenix Army soldiers who had taken a secret passage. This Phoenix Army, led by Bai Ruhui, included the renowned "Emei Vanguard." Zhenmutier's force had suffered a great loss before, and now, facing them again on a different battlefield, they fought fiercely all night. Under the encirclement of Sun Jia's force, most of the 8,000 elite troops were wiped out, with only a few hundred escaping.

For months, the Northwest Army had been unable to defeat the Red Gold Tribe. However, when news of the two great victories at "Wild Buffalo Gully" arrived, the group of previously unconvinced warriors were immediately convinced.

Although the Northwest Army boasted a force of 100,000, Jun Yu's investigation over several days revealed that many of these soldiers had become retainers of local generals or civil officials, and a significant portion were hired substitutes. Furthermore, the inaccurate counts of soldiers who died in battle or from disease meant the entire Northwest garrison numbered only slightly over 50,000. In terms of both absolute numbers and equipment, they were far inferior to the Crimson Gold Clan's army. Moreover, due to a lack of effective training, their combat effectiveness was practically that of vagrants.

Before this, Junyu had already learned that only one or two out of the thirty main generals in the Northwest Army were literate. Therefore, he would not promote "The Phoenix Military Strategy" here, but would instead explain the key parts of it that were suitable for the northern cavalry battle formations in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

When Bai Ruhui led the Phoenix Army into the city, Junyu was training 5,000 newly recruited peasant soldiers on the drill ground. The commanders leading the troops were Liu Zhiyuan, the deputy general of Xining Prefecture, and Zhou Yida, who had come from Yushu Town to report on his duties.

Junyu immediately summoned all the generals to a meeting and assigned them their respective defensive training tasks. According to intelligence from various sources, every winter is the time when the Crimson Gold Clan invades and plunders on a large scale, and this winter is the time for the two sides to have a complete showdown.

Upon receiving news of these two great victories, the imperial court immediately allocated a large sum of military funds. Junyu personally counted, reviewed, and arranged all the funds, distributing wages, providing relief to the deceased, and purchasing armor, warhorses, and sharp weapons. The morale of the Northwest army was greatly boosted, and the army's appearance was completely renewed.

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Chapter 84: Love Poems and Secret Lovers (2)

On the fifth day of the eleventh lunar month, heavy snow fell and the weather was freezing. A garrison at "Budongquan" was ambushed by a cavalry force of the Chijin tribe. After two days of fierce fighting, more than 9,000 of the 10,000 defenders of Budongquan were killed or wounded. By midnight, reinforcements from Golmud arrived, and the Chijin cavalry retreated without a fight, heading straight down to Yanshiping to join their 50,000-strong army. They then marched towards Panlong Mountain, and by the fifteenth day of the eleventh lunar month, the entire army had encamped in the valley south of the mountain. Once they crossed the poorly defended "Yushu Town" not far ahead, they could march directly to Xining Prefecture.

Zhenmutier had spent months investigating and discovered that the newly arrived commander of the Northwest Army was none other than his old nemesis, "Flying General of Fengcheng." These days, "Flying General of Fengcheng" was in Xining Prefecture conducting intensive training exercises for the Northwest Army.

Having fought against "Flying General of Phoenix City" many times, Zhenmutier knew how formidable he was. If Junyu were to train this ragtag group, the consequences would be unimaginable. Therefore, he had already made detailed plans to concentrate his superior forces to take Yushu Town and head straight for Xining Prefecture to eliminate his greatest threat, "Flying General of Phoenix City," in one fell swoop.