The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 187 The Emperor Emeritus Wants to See You
The fog dissipated, and the sky cleared.

At the post station outside Zijing Pass, an old soldier in an oiled silk uniform was drawing water from the well when he suddenly heard the sound of hooves. He looked up and saw a rider galloping towards him. The rider had short hair and the horse beneath him had a shiny, magnificent coat. The man with the sword at his waist was truly awe-inspiring.

As they drew nearer, the man reined in his horse and shouted, "Is the guerrilla general from Yanmen Pass still here?"

The old soldier seemed not to hear him and continued drawing water.

Liu Tong asked several times without getting an answer, and said angrily, "Hey, are you deaf or something?" The man ignored him, so Liu Tong had no choice but to dismount, ignore the old soldier, and go into the post station to inquire himself.

After examining the waist tag and confirming his identity, someone told Liu Tong that the guerrilla general who came yesterday had not yet set off.

Liu Tong was overjoyed and rushed over.

The post station was neither too big nor too small, with several courtyards. When they arrived at one of the courtyards, there were quite a few people inside. Among them, a young man saw Liu Tong and quickly called out, "Uncle Liu."

Liu Tong looked over upon hearing the voice and recognized the person as the young bodyguard beside the general. He smiled and asked, "Little Stone, where is the general?"

"It's inside. I'll take you there."

The people around them were used to it and went about their own business. Some had set off early, while others were still fast asleep. Once they finished what they were doing, they continued on their way.

"General, Uncle Liu is here," Little Stone said.

Wang Xin looked up and saw Liu Tong, who looked travel-worn, and smiled, "I was worried I wouldn't be able to wait for you."

Liu Tong explained, "After I returned to Yanmen Pass, I learned that the general had already set off. Following the direction the general had set off, I searched all the way here. This morning at the post station ahead, I set off at dawn and finally caught up with the general."

After saying that, Liu Tong relayed the news from the capital and Lu Zhongheng's words to Wang Xin in detail.

"If only I had a telephone," Wang Xin thought to himself.

Fortunately, Lu Zhongheng and I had the same idea. After all, we were both taught by Lin Ruhai, so we thought of the same problem. We definitely can't give up on Datong easily.

Indeed, I am too young to replace Feng Yong, but even replacing half of him would be fine.

The reason for this was that the Yehu tribe frequently invaded Datong and even harassed Qizhou and other places. The court had been dissatisfied with Feng Yong for many years. It wasn't just a problem in Datong; the nine border regions all had problems to varying degrees.

Just then, the Beijing garrison had trained a group of soldiers who had experienced actual combat, so the imperial court sent them out.

Besides guarding against the Hu tribes, another purpose was to deter the nine border regions.

Lu Zhongheng grasped the key point, delving into the reasons for guarding against the Hu tribe, and found an opportunity to stay in Datong. The imperial court might not necessarily transfer them, but they couldn't gamble; they needed to move in that direction.

Not only should they continue to be rooted in Datong, but they should also make their achievements public and have the court acknowledge their contributions. As for whether they will be promoted, that's another matter.

In this era, intelligent people are extremely important.

In later times, the position of leader of a powerful force could be given to a dog without any problem. But that's not the case now. The value of intelligent people is too great. Just like now, many things require tacit cooperation between intelligent people in two different places.

It was also during the Great Zhou Dynasty that Wang Xin understood why people became increasingly simple-minded in the future. Because of the ease of communication, what was needed was efficient exchange, not just cooperation between clever people in two different places.

In short, intelligence is no longer important; effective communication is the key.

No wonder the saying "having connections in the court" has been popular for so many years; it's really useful. If you don't have connections in the court, you can't do anything about your own intentions and can only let others arrange things for you.

Unlike now, at least we can make our voices heard.

Of course, he didn't openly tell the court that he wanted to stay in Datong. Instead, he indicated to the court that he was willing to explain whatever arrangements the court made. As for how to do it, Lu Zhongheng had his own methods, which also shows the importance of a clever person.

Another key element is unity. If one side is not united, there is no way to achieve any tacit understanding. Instead, they will back down from each other, which will only make things worse and more difficult than helpful.

"You rest for a while, then head back to the capital to see Lu Zhongheng. Tell him that I plan to see Zhang Jifu after I return to the capital. He is now not only the Minister of War, but also a cabinet minister. He brought me back to the capital, so we can't just ignore him."

Liu Tong nodded to indicate that he understood, and then said, "I'm not tired. If the general has no other instructions, I'll set off now."

"What's the rush?" Although he knew Liu Tong was formidable, he was still human. Wang Xin instructed, "Sit down and rest." He then looked at his guards and said, "Why aren't you pouring tea for your master? Don't you have any sense?"

No sooner had Wang Xin finished speaking than a child ran out.

Liu Tong was not only a general, but also played the role of Chen Laotou, the former instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards. However, Chen Laotou was more experienced and met the needs of the army. Although Liu Tong also knew some martial arts, he was more skilled in his own authentic martial arts.

Old Chen and Liu Tong were both mentors to the young guards, and Liu Tong was also an important trusted general. Wang Xin laughed and said, "Liu Tong, you're not getting any younger, it's time to get married."

Liu Tong looked surprised, then realized what he meant and couldn't help but laugh, "If the general isn't in a hurry, why should I be?"

Wang Xin disagreed, saying, "You're three years older than me, how can you not be anxious?"

Liu Tong was stunned. Although everyone knew that the general was very young, his calm demeanor often made people forget his age. Liu Tong often subconsciously thought that the general was older than him.

Seeing that Liu Tong remained silent, Wang Xin smiled and said, "Do you have a woman you like? As long as you say which family you've taken a fancy to, and the young lady of that family doesn't refuse, I'll help you find a match. If my status isn't high enough, I'll ask someone with the right status."

Liu Tong felt embarrassed; this big, strong man suddenly seemed like a woman.

The young guards inside the room burst into laughter, and Shi Ping even laughed out loud. How dare these brats laugh at him? Liu Tong glared at them, and the boys all lowered their heads, not daring to let Liu Tong see their laughter.

"The general knows me. I joined the army to fight against the Japanese pirates after I came out of the temple. I've been busy fighting all these years." His voice trailed off as he spoke.

Wang Xin understood.

Sexual relations between men and women are human nature. Those who reject each other for inexplicable reasons must have a problem, whether it's a physical or psychological issue.

Liu Tong, a grown man, how could he not miss his wife? But having come from a temple, he subconsciously avoided the topic.

As his general, I naturally have to think things through for him.

"What kind of woman do you like? I'll ask the ladies of the Jia family to help me find one." Wang Xin added, "Let's make this clear first: if it works out, you can't let her down. In short, no matter what the future holds, you can't be the first to make a mistake."

Although Liu Tong was a little embarrassed, he still said in a low voice, "General, please help me decide. As long as she is a woman from a respectable family and can be a good wife and mother, she will be fine."

Wang Xin was speechless. Opening blind boxes was already difficult enough, and he didn't even have his own opinion. Oh well, what could he do? He was their general.

Liu Tong rested for an hour or so before reluctantly leaving. Actually, it would have been more fun to stay by the general's side, but the general liked to send them away, as if he were a father worried that his daughter would never get married.

Therefore, Liu Tong couldn't understand the general. Others wanted to keep their confidants under their control, but the general was eager to let them go one by one. Zijing Pass was located in Baoding Prefecture, which was next to the capital. Zhuozhou was the gateway to the capital. After arriving in Zhuozhou, they passed through Fangshan and Liangxiang, and then went to Lugou Bridge. After entering the capital, Wang Xin went directly to the Ministry of War.

"Go back to the Jia family and inform them." Wang Xin made arrangements and sent Shi Ping to tell Lu Zhongheng that he had returned to the capital.

In the past, when Wang Xin returned to the capital, he would first have to report to the Eastern Army Headquarters. But this time was different. Although he still retained his status as a member of the Beijing Garrison, he had already taken up a post in the Ministry of War and was also assigned to a post at Yanmen Pass. Therefore, he had to go to the Ministry of War to report.

Compared to before, Wang Xin's reputation had already grown to a certain extent in the capital. Many people had heard of him and he was one of the main figures in the Datong Incident.

Soon someone came to invite Wang Xin, informing him that Zhang Jifu wanted to see him.

Zhang Jifu was not only the Minister of War, but also a cabinet minister. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would be Zhou Daofeng's successor, and countless people wanted to pay their respects to him every day.

As soon as General Wang Xin arrived at the Ministry of War, Zhang Jifu sent someone to invite him. Many people with ulterior motives noticed this and secretly envied him.

Wang Xin had not yet finished his duties, so the officials opposite him dared not keep him. They smiled and made an exception for him, personally seeing him off. These government offices were all outside Chengtian Gate, but the cabinet was different; it was inside Chengtian Gate.

This was my first time entering Chengtian Gate and my first time visiting the Inner Cabinet.

Wang Xin looked around as he went. The officials leading the way were not unusual. They even pointed out what each place was. After entering Chengtian Gate, there was Duan Gate in front of him. After passing Duan Gate, there were the offices of the Six Ministries on both sides.

After passing through the Meridian Gate and then the Huiji Gate, they entered the Cabinet.

The inner palace seemed to have a unique connection to the heavens, and perhaps for psychological reasons, Wang Xin felt that the scenery here was quite grand.

"Mr. Ge."

Upon finally meeting Zhang Jifu, who no longer addressed him as "Minister" but as "Grand Secretary," Wang Xin took the initiative to bow and greet him.

Zhang Jifu asked Wang Xin to sit down and then looked him over.

"Why does Your Excellency view me this way?" Wang Xin asked with a smile.

Zhang Jifu finally smiled. Everyone else was afraid of him, but Wang Xin was not. Firstly, Wang Xin was truly talented, and secondly, he was insightful. If one thought that Wang Xin was just a military man who knew how to fight, then one was underestimating him.

The more this happened, the more Zhang Jifu felt regretful. He jokingly said, "You've become quite successful now. You have your own ideas and can even get people to speak up for you in court. You've really changed a lot in just a few days."

Wang Xin understood the source of Zhang Jifu's sentiments.

The Great Zhou Dynasty, after all, inherited the legacy of the Ming Dynasty, and thus shared many similarities with it.

For example, in the early Ming Dynasty, nobles and civil officials attended court. Nobles represented the military, and civil officials represented the civil. However, after the Tumu Crisis, nobles lost power completely, either voluntarily or involuntarily, and became mere background figures. They could only play a role in stabilizing the Beijing garrison, which also meant that military officials had completely lost their voice in the court.

Although the Great Zhou Dynasty did not experience the Tumu Crisis, the retired emperor suppressed the nobles, and in the end, the military generals also lost their voice in the court.

What does it mean to use civil officials to control military forces? Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang are typical examples.

The civil officials were in the imperial court, while the military officials were in the local areas. The civil officials made their voices heard and formulated plans and strategies in the imperial court, while the military officials fought according to the arrangements and orders of the court.

Not only Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang, but any faction would control a military force.

Just like the discord between Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen in Liaodong during the Chongzhen era, both sides had their own strategic plans and were backed by their own forces, seeking to gain control of Liaodong Town, since Liaodong Town was already the number one town among the nine border regions.

Wang Huazhen was a figure promoted by the Donglin Party, which controlled the court at the time. Therefore, even though Xiong Tingbi was a military commissioner, held a higher official position than Wang Huazhen and had more trust from the imperial family, he was still no match for Wang Huazhen in Liaodong. Wang Huazhen controlled Liaodong.

The ancients were not stupid at all; how could they not know the importance of controlling the army? They just didn't write it down in books.

The Donglin Party's defeat was fundamentally a military defeat. From the defeat in Liaodong during the Tianqi reign to the military defeat during the Chongzhen reign, it led to the defeat of the imperial court.

For example, during the Tianqi reign, every time the Donglin Party suffered a military defeat in Liaodong, the next step was for Wei Zhongxian to gain even greater power, eventually leading to a complete loss of faith in the Donglin Party.

Anyone who looks closely will see that a Grand Secretary with real power must control more than one military force. Only when a Grand Secretary controls more than one military force can the policy of civil control over the military be considered secure.

Does a cabinet without military backing really think it can make local military leaders obey with just empty words?

The royal family naturally supports the principle of civilian control over the military, because even the military force controlled by the cabinet is difficult to violate regulations, unlike the armies personally commanded by noble generals who can be easily directed.

Only after understanding these points could Wang Xin comprehend the source of Zhang Jifu's感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep feelings).

in short.

Ordinary generals cannot speak in the court, but if one can have someone speak on one's behalf in the court, even though one is only a guerrilla general, one is more powerful than many adjutant generals or even commanders-in-chief.

Think about it more carefully.

Zhang Jifu could tell that someone was speaking up for him in the court, which meant he saw through Lu Zhongheng, but that was not surprising.

Having fought his way through numerous trials and tribulations to become a high-ranking official in the Censorate and eventually rise to the position of Grand Secretary, he is undoubtedly a clever man. Even if he seems to have done some foolish things, he is definitely not as simple as ordinary people think.

It doesn't matter if you're seen through; what matters is having the right attitude.

"The situation in Datong is more complicated than I imagined. We have had to clash with Commander Feng again. To be honest, Your Excellency, Commander Feng has suffered considerable losses. Datong was never able to defend against the various tribes of the Hu people, and I am afraid the future will become even more worrying."

Wang Xin sincerely said, "If the court is unwilling to keep me in Datong, I humbly request that you first allow me to deliver a heavy blow to the various tribes of the Hu people, ensuring that Datong will be safe for ten years. Then the court can transfer me away, and I will have no regrets."

Zhang Jifu remained silent for a long time, giving Wang Xin a deep look.

Wang Xin wasn't afraid of Zhang Jifu's observation. He was upright and honest, and had nothing to fear from others looking at him.

"Go back." Zhang Jifu didn't know how to describe his feelings. He didn't believe it at all, but he couldn't help but believe Wang Xin's life story. He was really conflicted.

Wang Xin was not surprised and got up to take his leave.

"Don't go out these next few days. The Emperor Emeritus wants to see you. Someone will come looking for you then, so be ready at any time," Zhang Jifu instructed earnestly.

Wang Xin looked shocked.

Why would this legendary retired emperor want to see me? The difference in our social standing is too great.

(End of this chapter)