The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 192 Refusing to admit defeat

Wang Ren left with a cold face. When Jia Zheng returned, he was worried. He saw Wang Xin drinking tea as if nothing had happened, but he had no other thoughts. He just felt that Wang Xin was too arrogant.

Jia Zheng is simple-minded, which is evident on his face.

If it were anyone else, it wouldn't matter, but with Jia Zheng, he had indeed received favors from him in the capital. Not to mention the Jia family's estate, he had also helped him in the court.

Therefore, Wang Xin laughed and said, "Why should you be troubled, Lord Zheng?"

Jia Zheng had always had a good impression of Wang Xin, and with Lin Ruhai's request, he treated Wang Xin as one of his own. He reminded Wang Xin, "Wang Ziteng has a volatile temper. If you refuse him like this, I'm afraid he will be dissatisfied with you."

There were some things Jia Zheng didn't say.

Wang Xin put down his teacup. Even among the four declining families, each had their own thoughts. Fortunately, he hadn't sided with Zhang Jifu or Zhu Wei. If he had, it would have been good to take shelter under their big trees, but he would have lost his initiative.

Wang Xin, however, disagreed with Wang Ziteng, saying, "Your Excellency has been busy traveling around all these years, making countless plans, but you only have eyes on those above and have neglected those below. Your foundation is not solid, and all your scheming will be in vain."

Upon hearing Wang Xin's words, Jia Zheng was suddenly stunned.

It sounds like ordinary talk, but upon closer reflection, it is exactly the life of Wang Ziteng, which Wang Xin has thoroughly described in just a few words.

Wang Xin truly didn't care about Wang Ziteng. If Wang Ziteng had any leeway, would Jia She, with his audacity, dare to treat his daughter-in-law that way? Wang Xin didn't believe that his own daughter-in-law and son were ganging up on her without Jia She's approval.

This is a common problem among their children, and also a common problem among many people who have escaped the lower class. Many young people only look at those above and don't care about those below, believing from the bottom of their hearts that power only comes from above.

Jia Zheng didn't believe that Wang Xin, at his age, could come up with such a reasoning, and quickly asked, "Did Lin Ruhai teach you this?"

Wang Xin did not deny that Jia Zheng had the same flaw, but because he retained a trace of benevolence in his heart, he went further than Wang Ziteng and the others, and Jia Zheng still had value.

Lu Zhongheng is too young and it is not appropriate for him to show off his talents at the moment. He should not only avoid making a name for himself, but also keep his abilities hidden.

Lin Ruhai is not in the capital. Putting aside whether Jia Yucun is reliable or not, he is still in Jinling. Of the four great families, only Jia Zheng can attend court. As for Mei Hanlin and others, they are allies of the four great families.

Allies are allies, but that's another matter.

The four major families are not just allies. Even if there are internal conflicts, they can no longer distinguish between themselves and others. They share the same fate, and they will suffer together. So even if there are conflicts, they will put up with them for the sake of their overall interests.

The main reason is that Jia Zheng is relatively gentle, conscientious in his work, and has a deep respect for human life. Such a person is more suitable to represent him in the court than Lin Ruhai. Therefore, Wang Xin wanted to make Jia Zheng feel at ease.

Jia Zheng felt much relieved. At this moment, Zheng Hao returned.

Early in the morning, Zheng Hao went to invite Lu Zhongheng. Lu Zhongheng was observing politics at the Hanlin Academy. Although no one was restraining him, he himself dared not overstep his bounds. Others did not say anything, but they were all watching him closely.

So, after noon, when they had some free time, they went to the Jia residence with Zheng Hao.

Jia Zheng took the initiative to leave, and Wang Xin also used Jia Zheng's living room as an excuse for the steward to bring up tea again. This Master Xin was now considered half a master, and he had to be served even more carefully.

Lu Zhongheng sat down, drank some tea, and then asked, "What are your plans?"

Wang Xin shook his head: "I don't feel well."

Lu Zhongheng put down his teacup, frowned, leaned forward, looked at Wang Xin, and asked seriously, "Did I miscalculate?"

Thanks to the excellent teamwork between myself and Lu Zhongheng, the market in Hexi has grown to its current scale in just one or two years. Although the right timing, location, and people are all indispensable, and it's not just due to my efforts, but also to the favorable timing and location of Hexi, the results are indeed gratifying.

Wang Xin trusted Lu Zhongheng and wasn't worried about offending him, so he said frankly, "You want me to be in charge of at least half of Datong as a military officer. That's a good idea, and I like it, but I feel it's a bit risky."

"How is it not safe?"

"Without precedent to follow, if you and I were to push forward on our own, we would not only be willing but unable, but we would also ruin the original good situation."

Lu Zhongheng was somewhat displeased after hearing Wang Xin's explanation.

This guy is young and impetuous.

He gained fame in his youth and did whatever he wanted. When he reached the appropriate age, he followed the crowd and passed the imperial examinations without hesitation, ranking among the top and even entering the Hanlin Academy, becoming a rising star in his region.

However, Wang Xin didn't explain much. He believed it was best if he could figure things out, but if he couldn't, there was nothing he could do.

Lu Zhongheng suppressed his dissatisfaction and explained, "I understand your concerns. It's a wise saying. With our combined abilities, even if there's no precedent for this, don't we have an 80-90% chance of success?"

"I either don't fight at all, or if I do fight, I will definitely win," Wang Xin said.

Lu Zhongheng frowned. He hadn't expected Wang Xin to be so cautious, lacking any of the boldness of a young man. In his opinion, this matter was not difficult. Even the Emperor Emeritus wanted to summon Wang Xin. How could he not succeed if he seized such an opportunity?
Lu Zhongheng said helplessly, "Excessive caution is no longer caution."

Wang Xin did not refute, because matters in the court were different from those in war.

As the saying goes, there are no fixed tactics in warfare, just as water has no fixed shape. In the end, it is still the weapons that speak for themselves. On the contrary, it is in the imperial court that human nature is most unpredictable. That is why it is said that it is easy to conquer the world, but difficult to govern it.

With such a lack of information and an unfathomable understanding of human nature, although I wanted to stay in Datong, given the current situation, there seemed to be no good way to do so, and I could only leave it to fate.

Feng Yong accepted the court's arrangement and obediently returned to the capital, which meant it was his turn to suffer.

Compared to Feng Yong's "flaws," Feng Yong handed over a complete Datong to the court, much like Li Chengliang in history, who accepted the court's order, gave up everything in Liaodong, and chose to return to the capital. Therefore, before the situation in Liaodong collapsed, the court praised him highly.

The same applies now.

If a guerrilla general dares to confront a military governor, people will think, "What arrogance will I have when I overthrow the military governor? Will I even tolerate the imperial court?"
But if Feng Yong does not accept the return to the capital, the situation will be different. The court will rely on him, and he will be the general who can turn the tide.

They had no choice. Back in Datong, they either accepted Feng Yong's demands, were controlled by him, and worked their way up to seniority over several years, or refused, and that's how things turned out.

These figures can only be described as ruthless and capable, able to take things on and let them go, and willing to give up when the situation is not right.

Don't be fooled by Feng Yong's current loss of military power; he's actually even more difficult to deal with now. He's so decisive, but if given the chance, he might make a comeback someday, and perhaps even more powerful. Seeing Wang Xin's hesitation, Lu Zhongheng said helplessly, "You should hurry up and see the Emperor Emeritus. After that, everything will be up to fate. Whether it's good or bad depends entirely on the Emperor Emeritus's will."

After thinking for a moment, Lu Zhongheng lowered his voice and reminded him, "Even if the Emperor Emeritus uses you, he will definitely suppress you to death and will not give you a chance. Don't underestimate the Emperor Emeritus's wisdom."

Wang Xin nodded, having no doubt about Lu Zhongheng's reminder.

The Emperor Emeritus's methods are so sophisticated that they have suppressed the powerful nobles who control the military to this extent. I am not so foolish as to think that I can get rid of many constraints just because I am favored by the Emperor Emeritus.

Lu Zhongheng's reminder was correct, which is why many things need to be clarified.

Wang Xin wanted to ease the tension with Lu Zhongheng, so he brought up the matter of Wang Ziteng again.

After listening, Lu Zhongheng said disdainfully, "This person is too clever for his own good."

Lu Zhongheng could curse, but he couldn't curse himself. Wang Xin didn't speak, but Lu Zhongheng persisted, "Do you think everyone else is stupid? Just ignore him."

Lu Zhongheng's anger was justified. Even if his idea had a low success rate, as Wang Xin worried, it was still feasible. On the contrary, Wang Ziteng's idea was entirely for his own selfish interests, disregarding the interests of everyone else.

No wonder my mentor had a bad opinion of Wang Ziteng. Over the years, Wang Ziteng has worked hard to lead the four families and has risen to where he is today. He has worked hard, if not made great achievements. But in my mentor's eyes, he has played a bad role.

This person is indeed selfish. Conflicts are inevitable in any group, and there will always be instances where someone sacrifices their own interests for the greater good. As long as things are handled carefully, the problems are minor.

He only had his own interests on his mind. Although the four families were supposed to share both prosperity and adversity, his actions were disgusting. Lu Zhongheng almost forgot how angry he had been earlier.

Seeing that Lu Zhongheng had shifted his dissatisfaction, Wang Xin breathed a sigh of relief.

The two discussed a few more things before saying goodbye. Wang Xin saw Lu Zhongheng off and then instructed Liu Tong to take Zheng Hao to the Hexi Camp, where there were barracks, which was the place they should be going.

Although the Hexi Camp was transferred to Yanmen Pass, the camp was still there. Some elderly and weak people, like Old Man Shi, were left behind to look after the camp, which put the market at ease. The Hexi market was like a piece of fat meat.

Tongzhou City doesn't have many powerful forces, and the Hexi Camp is strong, so it can protect itself. If the Hexi Camp leaves completely, someone will definitely come to make a move.

Merchants fear instability most. If someone changes the person or the rules change, many people might withdraw. Once the market's prosperity ends, the upward momentum disappears and the market price drops rapidly.

In every industry, it's a matter of either moving forward or falling behind; it's rare to find a situation where things remain stagnant.

After returning to the estate, Zijuan arrived the next day, but Lin Daiyu was nowhere to be seen.

Lin Daiyu had invited him to dinner before and had visited the estate. Since she had come once, he wondered why she wasn't coming again.

Zijuan asked with a smile, "Did you read the booklet that was delivered yesterday, Master Xin? Are there any errors?"

Before Qingwen and Ping'er could react, Wang Xin understood and said with amusement, "So you were afraid of making a mistake, which is why you didn't dare to come to see me and sent you to inquire." Qingwen and Ping'er also understood and were amused by Lin Daiyu's little scheme.

Seeing everyone laughing at her young mistress, Zijuan, being the most protective of her mistress, quickly said, "It's all because of Master Xin. Everyone else gives way to the young mistress, but it's only Master Xin who bullies her every time, that's why the young mistress is afraid of Master Xin."

Ping'er didn't understand the connection and gave him a strange look. "Master Xin isn't that kind of person."

Wang Xin quickly said, "What you're saying sounds strange. Who bullied her? It's clearly because she didn't want to lose."

Seeing that Wang Xin was getting anxious, Zijuan smiled and said, "Master Xin still hasn't told me whether the young lady's booklet is correct or not?"

"Exactly right!"

Upon hearing Wang Xin's reply, Zijuan patted her chest.

What Master Xin said earlier was indeed correct. My young lady was unwilling to lose to Master Xin. Her strong-willed nature prevented her from coming; she insisted on figuring things out first, because if she was wrong, Master Xin would really laugh at her.

"I'm leaving."

"Sister Zijuan, won't you play a little longer?" Qingwen was reluctant to let her go.

Before Zijuan could speak, Wang Xin cut her off with a single sentence: "She's in a hurry to go back and tell Daiyu that when Daiyu comes with her, you'll have even more playmates."

Zijuan rolled her eyes and left happily.

Qingwen waited anxiously, "Will Miss Lin be here later?"

Lin Daiyu had not yet arrived, but a guest from afar had arrived.

"Excuse me, is this the Jia family residence?"

"you are?"

At the entrance of the Jia mansion, Liao Rong, covered in dust, introduced himself and, upon learning his origins, the servants dared not delay.

Wang Xin rushed over.

At this moment, Liao Rong had already been invited to the living room. Upon seeing the general at the door, a familiar figure, he jumped up with a "whoosh," even moving his chair, and excitedly went up to kowtow.

"General, I've arrived."

"Why did you come? You must have had a long journey."

Wang Xin was delighted to see his former subordinates and quickly pulled Liao Rong to sit down. The steward then brought tea, snacks, and food.

Liao Rong didn't forget the important matter either. He carefully took out a letter from his pocket, respectfully handed it to Wang Xin, and explained, "This is a letter from Master Lin, who asked me to give it to the general."

(End of this chapter)