The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 199 Accident
The place where ministers held court was called the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Attending court was like a company holding a general meeting. Unless the emperor was particularly diligent, he would usually only attend court on specific days. If the emperor did not like attending court, he might only have the opportunity to attend court on some special days.

When he was not attending court, he would usually hold small meetings with the cabinet in the Wenhua Hall. The Wenhua Hall gradually became the Crown Prince's bedroom and a place for studying politics. Now, it has become the emperor's bedroom and office.

It's also possible that it's at Huiji Gate, which is closest to the cabinet. The emperor, who was considerate of his subjects, often chose to work there. As for now, the retired emperor sometimes works at Yangxin Hall and sometimes at Huiji Gate, and the reasons are quite different.

As for attending court, it was the most formal official act, where the emperor would ascend the throne and receive the kneeling homage of all the civil and military officials. The emperor had attended court when he was young, but by the time he grew older, the Great Zhou Dynasty had not held court for a full ten years.

Even for grand ceremonies that absolutely had to be held, the retired emperor would usually appoint a member of the imperial clan to preside over them.

Before becoming a general, he knew nothing about these things. But as he rose through the ranks and became a military officer, these secrets that the court kept hidden and the people had no way of knowing became transparent to him.

Wang Xin followed several eunuchs into the palace. This was Wang Xin's second time entering the palace. The first time was when he went to the cabinet under Zhang Jifu's arrangement. The cabinet was inside the palace, although it was on the outermost layer, it still belonged to the palace.

My heart was filled with mixed feelings; I had finally come this far, step by step.

Once there's a first time, there will be a second. I didn't expect the second time to come so quickly, and even further away than the first.

Wang Xin dared not be negligent and remained respectful throughout, yet he could not control his own thoughts.

For example, becoming an official is really not difficult, especially becoming a mediocre official. Even a dog could do a better job in that position than a human. There's no need to go through numerous trials and tribulations to qualify for the position.

However, if they don't pursue this path, the consequence will be that powerful families will completely monopolize the upward mobility.

Even if powerful clans have a thousand virtues, they have nothing to do with ordinary people. The common people are merely slaves under the power of these clans and have no right to challenge the common people of the feudal bureaucratic era.

Therefore, sometimes, a saying is truly a profound truth.

There is no savior; the only one who can save you is yourself. This applies to everyone from nations to individuals. The only way is to keep fighting—fighting against heaven, fighting against earth, fighting against other people—and that's where the joy lies.

Having reached my current position, I have developed my own views on many things. At the same time, I have grown to admire many familiar things and people more than just their literal meaning.

Human behavior is determined by thought. Wang Xin, focused on his work while keeping an eye on the bigger picture, was confident and not particularly nervous despite it being his first meeting with the Emperor Emeritus.

The eunuch leading the way kept turning back to sized up the young military officer. Although his status as a guerrilla general was not bad outside, once inside the palace, he wouldn't even have the right to enter without the emperor's decree.

The young military officer was neither arrogant nor impatient, neither elated nor saddened, but calm and composed. The eunuch was amazed to see the shadow of Zhou Daofeng in him.

After passing through the gate, I realized this was the same place I had been to last time. Shortly after entering, I arrived at the courtyard of the Inner Cabinet.

But the eunuch didn't stop and continued walking inside. He didn't go to the next part of the place. Wang Xin became even more careful. He wasn't afraid of trouble, but he couldn't be reckless.

Upon arriving at the gate of a palace, a group of people could be seen in the distance.

Upon closer inspection, the two eunuchs were kowtowing frantically, as if begging for mercy. Before anyone could see what the old eunuch opposite them was doing, a junior eunuch grabbed the two eunuchs from the ground like a wolf and dragged them away, disappearing around the door.

Wang Xin didn't know what had happened, and his heart sank; he only felt displeasure.

"Grand Ancestor, this is Wang Xin." The eunuch turned to look at Wang Xin and scolded, "When you see the Grand Ancestor, why don't you kneel down and kowtow? Don't you know the rules?" No matter who Wang Xin was, the eunuch didn't take it seriously.

Ancestor?
That must be the highest-ranking eunuch in the palace, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, so it must be Dai Quan? The title isn't chosen randomly; since this person dared to call him "Ancestor" in front of everyone, it must be Dai Quan without a doubt.

This eunuch won't give me a straight answer. Could it be because I didn't slip him any silver? Back in Yangzhou, I relied on the God of Wealth of the Great Zhou Dynasty, so I didn't feel bad about spending public money. Now that I have to rely on myself, Wang Xin is reluctant to spend it, no matter if it's the King of Hell or a little devil.

If you give to this person, you'll have to give to that person. In the end, all the military funds you worked so hard to obtain will be spent on social obligations, leaving you with no confidence to fight. You'll just have to keep going down this path.

The advantage of not choosing this path is that you are brave enough to fight, but there are bound to be disadvantages as well. No one will take care of you. For example, a small matter right now may seem insignificant, but it can sometimes be fatal.

Wang Xin's mind raced with uncertainty, but he boldly stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "This humble general, Wang Xin, pays his respects to Eunuch Dai."

When the old woman heard Wang Xin's name, her eyes lit up. She quickly grabbed Wang Xin, looked him up and down, and smiled kindly: "Good, good, good. Do you know that I have helped you before?"

Wang Xin breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had guessed correctly, but soon he was completely confused and didn't understand what it meant.

Dai Quan said bluntly, "I have a godson named Mingli, who has spoken highly of you to me."

Wang Xin certainly remembered Mingli when he heard the name.

When I was still in the Hexi Camp, and I needed a place to practice the new army's artillery, the person in the palace, Mingli, treated me well, saving me a lot of effort and trouble.

However, Wang Xin wondered if he had guessed wrong. Dai Quan's intention was probably to make him appreciate his kindness and show him goodwill, but his behavior was too straightforward and lacked any substance.

But Dai Quan's performance was too conspicuous. Despite his advanced age, he acted like an impatient young man, making Wang Xin somewhat doubt his own judgment. After all, he was the eunuch's esteemed elder, a close confidant of the retired emperor; surely his abilities couldn't be this poor?
Never mind, since I can't figure it out, I'll just use some polite words to put on a good show.

A scholar might have been too proud to admit his status, but Wang Xin was unconcerned and respectfully said, "I have never forgotten the kindness of Eunuch Mingli, and I will always keep it in mind. However, I am just a lowly person and not worthy of your presence, so I dare not disturb you."

These words sounded pleasant, and everyone was satisfied. See, military officers are much better. If it were civil officials, each one of them, though not high-ranking, had a big temper, looking down on everyone. Last time, there were a few newly appointed scholars who hadn't even taken up official positions yet, only entering the Hanlin Academy, and they acted as if standing too close to them would sully their dignity. Although the guerrilla general wasn't much, they had heard a lot about Wang Xin's reputation in the palace. Since his attitude was good, the surrounding eunuchs' expressions improved, as if they had forgotten about the two eunuchs from earlier, and many even smiled.

Dai Quan held onto Wang Xin's hand tightly, saying, "You're a grateful child. Come on, our ancestor will personally take you to see the Sage. You must know that the Sage prefers peace and quiet, so speak softly so that the Sage can hear you clearly."

The person who was being kowtowed to by the two eunuchs just now didn't seem to be Dai Quan. Dai Quan was like an old man who was extremely obsequious to his juniors, as if he was afraid that they would not be filial, which made Wang Xin very uncomfortable.

Could this really be his level? So guileless, his thoughts written all over his face—he just couldn't believe it. But if it was an act, Wang Xin had to admit that this level of acting deserved an award for Best Actor. Anyway, he couldn't pull it off, so saying a few nice words was his bottom line.

Dai Quan, along with the eunuch from before, led Wang Xin further inside. The two eunuchs who had been dragged in earlier had vanished without a trace. Although the palace was magnificent and imposing, who knew how many lives it held? Wang Xin didn't like it.

After walking for a while, Dai Quan asked questions along the way, but suddenly his expression turned serious and he became taciturn. Even the eunuch from before dared not raise his voice. Wang Xin knew that they must have arrived.

"Wait here."

Dai Quan left a message and entered the palace gate. There were several guards at the gate, dressed in the uniforms of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

While both inherited the Ming system and retained the Jinyiwei (Imperial Bodyguard), there were differences. In the early Ming Dynasty, the Jinyiwei was actually an institution managed by civil officials, with 90% of its offices and functions being managed by civil officials.

The Imperial Guards, who were truly controlled by the inner court and were the infamous Jinyiwei described by scholars, were nothing more than temporary workers.

The position of Imperial Guard is not hereditary; they are extraordinary individuals recruited temporarily from the common people. Because they are recruited from the common people, they are less involved in worldly affairs and can be used as chamber pots. The Imperial Guards are the ones who do the things that offend people.

The Great Zhou Dynasty incorporated the Embroidered Uniform Guard and strengthened its military functions. Now, it is the largest military force in the capital besides the Imperial Guard, and it is completely controlled by the eunuchs.

In order to prevent eunuchs from seizing power, the Beijing Garrison was controlled by the Ministry of War, which was in the hands of civil officials.

The Beijing Garrison was strong, but only in external affairs, while the Embroidered Uniform Guard was weaker, but only internally. Their masterful balancing act was the fundamental reason why, even when powerful nobles like Prince Teng and Luo Ming rebelled after taking the lead, the retired emperor was not completely suppressed by the emperor.

Because the most powerful weapon within the organization was still controlled by the retired emperor.

To those who strive for perfection, the Emperor Emeritus's methods were not perfect. But Wang Xin knew that nothing in this world is ever perfect, and those who strive for perfection are bound to lose completely. Therefore, the Emperor Emeritus's methods were truly shrewd and experienced.

Considering the age of the retired emperor, an emperor who had no children of his own and was so old that he hid in the deep palace and dared not see anyone, yet he was able to keep the court firmly in his hands. Wang Xin did not believe that anyone could be more capable than the retired emperor.

Whether it's an emperor emeritus or an emperor, what matters to them is who can bring peace to the world.

As for finding a new savior? Wang Xin didn't know who the savior was, and he certainly wasn't one. If he thought he was the savior, it would mean he was the greatest villain in the world.

"General Wang, come with me."

Dai Quan beckoned softly from inside the door.

Wang Xin tidied his appearance and stepped into the hall.

The golden brick floor inside the hall shone like a mirror, and in the beams of light that shone through, dust motes floated like gold dust. The coffered ceiling was supported by golden nanmu pillars. Wang Xin could not see the scene inside the bright yellow curtains. At Dai Quan's prompting, he respectfully bowed and said, "Your humble servant Wang Xin pays respects to Your Majesty and wishes you peace and well-being."

"No gift."

After a while, an old voice came from inside the curtain.

Dai Quan, standing to the side, winked at Wang Xin, who stood respectfully with his hands clasped, motionless. Dai Quan breathed a sigh of relief, for although it was his first time meeting the sage, he had not done anything disrespectful.

"How dare you lead troops to rebel against Feng Yong!"

Hearing the voices from inside the curtain, Wang Xin glanced at Dai Quan, who nodded slightly. Wang Xin quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I have not acted recklessly. I remember the 'Ancestral Instructions of the Imperial Zhou Dynasty,' which states, 'Military officials guard the passes, while civil officials uphold propriety.' I guard the passes of the nine border regions, and more importantly, I uphold the laws of our ancestors. Everything I do is within the rules of the court, and I dare not overstep them even slightly. I beg Your Majesty's judgment."

Wang Xin didn't understand the Emperor Emeritus's thoughts, so he could only try his best to explain himself. Even if there was nothing wrong, if he didn't explain it well, it might turn into something.

It's true what they say, serving a ruler is like walking on thin ice. No wonder civil officials wanted to limit imperial power; it was a truly unpleasant experience. Military generals, on the other hand, could barely accept it because even without imperial power, they were still under the pressure of civil officials. It didn't matter who was pressuring them; besides, there was only one emperor, but countless civil officials.

"Have you not heard that Feng Yong is a military governor? Although he doesn't usually interfere with you, he has the power to command troops. You dare to lead troops to oppose him. One day, you might even dare to lead troops to oppose the imperial court. Isn't that audacious?"

Dai Quan was taken aback, not expecting the Emperor Emeritus to think that way, and that what he said made sense.

Wang Xin's heart sank. In truth, what the Emperor Emeritus said was not wrong. He couldn't just follow the court's reckless actions and act recklessly as well. He was a soldier protecting his country, not an accomplice to evil.

When I was in Yangzhou, I turned a blind eye to many things that the local bigwigs did, as long as they didn't go too far.

Similarly, the government's own requirements, such as "suppressing bandits," were met with a blind eye to those "Japanese pirates" who only made a living and were not completely devoid of conscience. The actual salt smugglers turned a blind eye to these people, disobeying the government's orders and even deliberately blocking other salt troop formations.

(End of this chapter)