The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 112: Half of the Forest in Wangzi Camp
"I'm going crazy."

Qi Shannian banged on the door and shouted outside, "Come talk to someone. I'm so suffocated. Is there anyone here? Don't hide. Come out."

"Damn it."

Qi Shannian cursed.

"Damn general, how could he come up with such a way to torture people? He's driving me crazy, damn it." Qi Shannian paced back and forth in the clean and tidy solitary confinement room, and even Wang Xin couldn't help but follow him.

Shi Ping was holding a bamboo basket and staring at Qi Shannian quietly at the window.

"Goudan, you came here without making a sound."

"Come in quickly."

Qi Shannian noticed Shi Ping lying motionless, and his indifferent look made him extremely angry.

"You just scolded the general."

"I didn't scold you, it was just a catchphrase." Through the window, Qi Shannian reached out and knocked Shi Ping on the head. Shi Ping didn't dodge and let Qi Shannian knock him. He was beaten by him when he was a child.

Qi Shannian didn't use any force, but his movements looked scary.

After hearing Qi Shannian's explanation, Shi Ping reluctantly opened the door. Qi Shannian grabbed the bamboo basket and looked inside. Shi Ping brought a roast chicken and a pot of wine. Qi Shannian laughed so hard that he couldn't open his eyes.

He sat down on the bunk, lifted the quilt and the straw mat underneath, ate and drank, and kicked Shi Ping, scolding him with a smile: "You have a conscience, I didn't treat you in vain."

Spin couldn't help but grunt.

Qi Shannian paused, put down the wine and meat, lifted up Shi Ping's trouser legs, and saw black and swollen legs. He asked angrily, "Who hit you?"

"master."

Spin's eyes lit up.

Qi Shannian glared at him, put down his trouser legs, sat back on the bed and continued eating and drinking, no longer paying attention to Shi Ping.

The boy became depressed again.

"Don't be ungrateful for what you have. Coach Chen is here to teach you young people skills. And there's also Liu Tong. I heard he used to be a monk, a martial monk."

Qi Shannian raised his thumb as he spoke, sighing, "He used to be the head of the Jiedushi's personal guards. He was very capable, and he took the initiative to teach you because he was worried that you weren't capable enough to protect the general."

"I know."

Shi Ping was impatient. The young man hated to hear moral lectures the most.

"You know nothing." Qi Shannian was indignant, and couldn't help but kick Shi Ping. He enviously said, "Old man Shi doesn't care about you now. He's getting softer as he gets older. He didn't treat me like this before. Damn it, you always get good things."

Spin smirked.

"I am leaving."

"Don't go, stay and talk to me."

"I have to go practice Qigong later. If I'm late, Master Liu will beat me even harder."

Spin is gone.

Qi Shannian ate and drank his fill, then fell asleep drunk.

Is the general's way of managing people any good?
After thinking about it for a long time, Qi Shannian was still not sure.

War is dangerous, and your life depends on your belt. Everyone is hungry and cold, and you are just a poor man with no hope or ideas. You just have to live your life to the fullest.

Therefore, military law is very strict.

Whipping and beating with sticks are not the best treatment. They will cut off your ears and noses, put arrows through your body and expose you to public display, or even behead you. No matter what you think in your mind, you dare not even think too much. The fear of military law is so deep in your bones that you will instinctively obey the military order when it is given.

This is the norm in the military, and all generals do this.

Although solitary confinement is also very uncomfortable, it is not very strenuous compared to the traditional military methods. However, if someone is not afraid of it, it is not a big deal. If Shi Ping had not come to visit him frequently and brought the general's recognition, he would not have felt so comfortable.

The reason why I was able to stand out from the small soldiers is not only because I am brave enough to fight, but also because I am good at thinking.

Qi Shan thought a lot.

If you want to learn the general's ability to lead troops, you must learn it all. If you only learn the basics, you will not only fail to learn it, but you will be worse than what you already knew.

Just like this confinement.

If they only learned this confinement as a means to replace traditional punishment, Qi Shannian sneered with his eyes closed, and he was afraid that the army would be finished.

In fact, from all aspects, one set after another, they influence each other, such as military discipline, treatment, promotion, etc., with different degrees and severity, just like a general's fighting style.

Concentrate your strength on one point.

The overall strength is used to attack the other person's part.

Even though there were more soldiers, when facing the Wang Camp, the soldiers in front always felt that the soldiers of the Wang Camp were stabbing them in the back. They still felt wronged when they were about to die, and they didn't know what mistakes they had made to arouse public anger.

The general's ideas on military management, combat tactics, overall strategy, etc., were far superior to those of the entire Beijing camp.

Therefore, the Wang Camp was invincible.

Qi Shannian felt a little uncomfortable.

I want to learn but don’t know where to start. What I see is so complicated, and there are so many things I haven’t seen. I either learn it all or I miss some part, and the whole will be incomplete, and it will be worse than before.

Even his close associates who followed the general all day were like this, not to mention outsiders.

He also has the general's ability to judge people.

There is absolutely no way to learn it.

Qi Shannian started snoring. He had always been proud of his ability to think, but he didn't expect that he would fail. Fortunately, he was the general's confidant, so if he couldn't learn, then he couldn't learn. But Liu Tong was a very capable man, and he was the general's personal guard, so he only learned the basics.

Wangziying returned to normal.

No matter what part they were originally from, they were melted into one under the forging of the furnace. The Hexi Small Camp, the Wang Family Army, the Zhejiang Soldiers, the Beijing Camp, etc. now all have one flag and one command.

When the general is away.

Zhao Yong was responsible for emergency affairs of the entire camp, Liu Tong was responsible for training, Tang Ping was responsible for military discipline, Zhang Can was responsible for cavalry, and Zhuo Zhi was responsible for logistics. Each of them performed his duties. The small camp of two thousand soldiers was beautiful and clean to the extreme.

Zhu Wei, the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Army, came in person and found out that Wang Xin was not there. He left instructions for Wang Xin to see him when he returned.

After explaining, Zhu Wei read it again and then left silently.

I finally came back to Yangzhou, but now I’m leaving and I don’t know when I’ll be back next time.

After learning the news that Wang Xin had returned to Yangzhou, He Kuan and others all rushed over, hoping to meet the general and invite him to dinner. Finally, Lin Ruhai lent them his yard, and dozens of people came.

Wang Xin couldn't drink much, so no one urged him to drink, allowing the general to drink as he pleased.

Lin Ruhai had made no attempt to conceal the news of his departure from the position of Inspector of Salt, so Wang Xin reminded him, "Mr. Lin is no longer the Inspector of Salt. You should be more careful in your work on the Salt Road. No one will protect you anymore."

He Kuan raised his wine glass and said with a smile: "Even if Lord Lin is no longer the Imperial Censor of Salt, his influence is still there. Besides, there are so many of us, and we brothers have always been united, so we are not afraid of others."

Liao Rong, Li Qi and others didn't care much about it.

That's good. This time I went to the southeast to suppress the Japanese, and many things depended on the help of these old subordinates, such as money, food, horses, ships, etc. These things are not trivial matters. Without so many external forces, I would not be so calm.

"It's a pity that the general doesn't have time to go to Yangzhong Island again."

"I can't go. I left the barracks and have been out for a long time. I don't have much time. If it weren't for you, I would have left today."

"Mr. Lin invited a scholar who had returned to his hometown to retire. He persuaded him to move his family to the island. His brothers on the island farmed for his family, and he taught and educated the people on the island. He was very strict in his teaching. Perhaps in a few years, a top scholar would emerge from Yangzhong Island."

Li Qi felt sorry that the general could not go and would not be able to see the bustle of the island.

The island has become a paradise, and the brothers in the yamen often visit the island. Compared with the previous days, it is really unimaginable.

Not the top scholar.

This depends on talent, but the environment on the island is unique, with the advantage of being a first-mover. There is no need to worry about food and drink, and the children will have more than enough to eat and wear. If they study, there will always be one or two who will become successful. Wang Xin touched his chin and had some ideas.

Lin Ruhai cares so much about Yangzhong Island.

After five to ten years, a group of local forces emerged from the people in the yamen and the people on the island.

I am still very confident about this.

The people I brought with me are very united even at the local level, unless there is a conflict of interest.

Now that conditions are good, people no longer neglect anything just to have enough to eat. Now that they have enough food and clothing, they will naturally start to develop in a better direction. They are united, have land, and have people in the government.

With Lin Ruhai's vision, how could he not see it?

So he took action in advance?
It's not that he would snatch the person away from me, and he couldn't snatch him away, but if he did this, his favor would be so great. No matter whether it was the people in the yamen or the people on the island, who would not remember his kindness?

The more you read, the more successful you will be, and the more you may remember.

Half of them have the surname Lin.

Including this group of people in the yamen, although he is their general, Lin Ruhai is also their benefactor. What's more, Lin Ruhai is also his benefactor. In the eyes of these people, isn't he one of their own?

Forget it.

Lin Ruhai was good to him and he did not hold him back. Wang Xin knew how important a good teacher was. It was not difficult to hire a teacher, but it was difficult to hire a good teacher.

Good gentlemen have long been snatched away by wealthy families, and they are hard to come by.

It is a good thing not to care about this matter.

Wang Xin finally got drunk. The next morning, Lin Ruhai had dinner with Wang Xin. After dinner, Wang Xin was going back to Nanjing. It was estimated that it would not be long before the army would return to Beijing.

"If I had remained in my position as the Imperial Censor of Salt, the Emperor wouldn't have been too anxious. But now that the Emperor wants to use his own people, the Emperor will panic because he has nothing."

At the dinner table, Lin Ruhai taught Wang Xin how to understand the political situation.

"So next, the Emperor will definitely take action. But you must have seen the strength of the Retired Emperor. The Emperor has very few means to deal with it. His only advantage is his status."

After hearing Lin Ruhai's analysis, Wang Xin asked curiously, "Is Lord Lin considered to be on the emperor's side?"

Lin Ruhai smiled and said, "This isn't a child's game. How can you calculate it so clearly? Besides, even if they are the emperor's people, everyone has their own interests and needs. So what can we do about it?"

Wang Xin disagreed.

If it were me, I would know at a glance whether he was one of my own or not.

"Many people avoid the retired emperor because once they're in his presence, they can't hide. They can only obey him obediently, which is tantamount to offending the emperor." Lin Ruhai briefly explained the court situation and then reminded Wang Xin, "So when you arrive in the capital, you must keep your distance from Zhang Jifu. He has no choice, but you do. Don't let him drag you down. Do you understand?"

Wang Xin smiled and said, "So the prince is willing to be sent out to serve as the governor of nine provinces."

The title of Commander-in-Chief of Nine Provinces sounds impressive, but in reality he is an official responsible for inspecting the nine border systems. Although he has a high status and great power, he is no longer the chief officer of the army, which means he has lost his military power.

If I remember correctly, Wang Ziteng was later promoted to the Inspector General of Nine Provinces, and he went further and further on the path of being an inspector-in-chief.

If Wang Ziteng was a civil servant, this path would be fine. With local experience, he could be promoted to the Minister of Six Ministries in the future, and even have a chance to join the cabinet. However, Wang Ziteng was a nobleman, and this path actually restricted him.

In the past, I would gain experience in the capital and then return to Yangzhou after two or three years.

Now I can't go back to Yangzhou, and I don't know how long I will have to stay in the capital, so there are many things I need to know in advance, such as the situation in the capital, the Jia family, the royal family, and even the historians. If I want to find out clearly, is there anyone more suitable than Lin Ruhai in front of me?

"This matter is not that simple." Lin Ruhai pondered for a moment, and then said: "The four great families are united in honor and disgrace. I represent the Jia family in Jinling, but the people I recommend may not necessarily be from the Jia family."

Wang Xin said nothing.

My surname is Wang.

You can't even give up your surname. If you really do that, the Jia family won't dare to accept it.

Lin Ruhai didn't hide anything from Wang Xin just because of his identity. He said, "I just said that everyone has selfish motives, and Wang Ziteng has one too. The Jia family has really been in a mess over the years, and there are no young men to support the family. The Four Great Families can't just continue to decline like this, so Wang Ziteng stepped in to support the family."

This is true.

Jia Zhen, Jia She, and Jia Zheng.

Only Jia Zheng is slightly better, but letting Jia Zheng take over the helm of the four major families is tantamount to harming him because he is not capable enough.

So it was inevitable that Wang Ziteng would come forward.

Wang Xin understood some of the twists and turns within the Jia family.

Lin Ruhai continued, "No matter how well the governor of the Beijing camp performs, he will eventually have to return the position to the Jia family. So, he found another way. When the emperor was testing him, he gave up the governorship. This showed goodwill to the emperor and satisfied his plan to seize control of another place. He was promoted to governor of one of the Nine Frontiers. This governor would have the surname Wang, and the people of the Four Great Families would have nothing to say."

No wonder many people in the Jia family have complaints against the Wang family.

All kinds of weird stuff.

No wonder the Wang family became half of the Jia family.

From then on, the head of the Jia family was half of the Jia family's bloodline and half of the Wang family's bloodline, which could be considered a compromise between the nobles.

But Wang Ziteng failed to do it.

This is not considered as stealing a chicken but losing the rice.

The governor of the Jia family was gone, and Wang Ziteng had reached a dead end.

At present, the existence of the Four Great Families would be of greater benefit to him. Wang Xin deliberately asked with concern: "Can the prince's plan be carried out? Is there any progress?"

Lin Ruhai shook his head and said with a smile: "How can it be so simple? At that time, the emperor was very powerful, and Wang Ziteng was so bold and reckless that he wanted to speculate and profit from the conflict between the two sides, but now..."

Lin Ruhai didn't say anything else.

So not very good.

Although I don't know the reason for this matter, I know the ending. Wang Ziteng died of illness in another place, and the Jia family was also raided. At that time, Lin Ruhai had been dead for many years.
Lin Ruhai has done me a favor.

I have to take a good look at it and make preparations early. Maybe I will have to help Lin Ruhai when the time comes.

But I can't say these words.

Moreover, Lin Ruhai is still alive. He had died of illness before. Now that he is alive, with his intelligence, perhaps things will change.

It is still uncertain who is whose lifeline.

(End of this chapter)