The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 216 Being taken advantage of
The July sun was blazing.

A convoy of vehicles pulled up at the gate of the Feng residence. Workers rushed out from inside to help unload the goods and carry them into the mansion. The two young masters of the mansion, along with several stewards, personally supervised the process.

The most valuable items had already returned home with Feng Yong, but among the other goods, gold and silver alone amounted to a million taels, not to mention the incalculable treasures.

It wasn't until the afternoon that all the goods were put into storage and counted.

Feng Yong sought refuge from the summer heat in the pavilion of his mansion. The pavilion had windows on all sides, allowing a breeze to blow in from time to time. Because of his plump figure, Feng Yong was very sensitive to the heat. The ice chest in the middle of the hall was filled with freshly replaced ice, and two young and beautiful maids were fanning him. However, he was still very annoyed.

"Father."

A young man entered, carrying a booklet bound in cowhide. He knelt on the mat and said with a smile, "My son has already counted them, and the number is correct."

Unlike his father, the young man wasn't too unhappy about returning to the capital. The prosperity of the capital was incomparable to Datong; it had everything and so many things to do, making it far more interesting than Datong.

Seeing his son's happy face, Feng Yong raised his hand and waved. Thinking his father had something to say, the young man got up and walked over with a smile.

As her son's face drew closer, there was a "slap".

The two maids trembled with fear, but dared not move, still fanning themselves. They were brought back by the master from Datong, and if they angered him, they might be beaten to death.

The young man covered his face, knelt on the ground in panic, and dared not look up at his father, for fear of being beaten again.

Seeing his son's good-for-nothing behavior made Feng Yong even angrier. He cursed, "Is this all you've got? You eat my food and drink my water, but why don't you think about your son? Can your son rely on you in the future?"

The young man knelt on the ground, without saying a word.

Feng Yong took a couple of breaths and then said earnestly, "As the saying goes, wealth doesn't last three generations. How can you get by without power? It's fine if you eat, drink, and enjoy yourself; you can only spend a little money. But you can't be content with the status quo."

The young man then said, "I have no choice. When we were in Datong, Father always had things to do and I did them all well. Now that we've returned to the capital, Father has nothing to do, so what can I do?"

"I bet you'd rather stay in the capital. How could you possibly remember Datong?"

"My son remembers Datong, but he has no chance to go back. Wouldn't that be even more painful?"

"Who says there's no chance?"

Hearing his father's words, the young man looked up and asked curiously, "Does this mean Father can go back to Datong?"

Staying in the capital is fine, going back to Datong is also fine. Father definitely wants to go back to Datong. The young man knew the current situation and felt it was unbelievable. If his father had the chance to return to Datong, he would be angry to see him so attached to the capital. The young man understood why he had been beaten.

"Talk to me nicely, instead of resorting to violence." The young man grumbled inwardly, but dared not show it.

Feng Yong picked up the bowl of frozen plum juice on the table, and without using a spoon, drank it all in one gulp. The coolness went straight to his heart, and he felt refreshed and invigorated. He laughed and cursed, "That dog Wang Xin thought that being a lackey of a civil official would bring him good fortune. Little did he know that civil officials are the most shameless. Now he's been used and discarded."

"Haha." Although he had also suffered a loss, seeing Wang Xin suffer a loss made Feng Yong feel that he had not suffered a loss, and he couldn't help but laugh.

The young man knew what his father was referring to: the rebellion of the barbarians in the Hetao region.

"Will this affect my father?"

"What else can I influence?" Feng Yong said indifferently.

No matter how prestigious the Five Military Commands Office is, it's just for show. What matters is real power. If he can't return to Datong, even if he gets into the Five Military Commands Office, he'll be nothing more than a clay idol.

On the contrary, Wang Xin was a rising star in the eyes of the court, and I had heard that he had caught the eye of the retired emperor.

It's as if no one had ever caught the Emperor Emeritus's eye back then. It's just that this person is so young, so young that it makes people jealous. He's only in his early twenties, and he has so many opportunities ahead of him.

Unlike myself, I don't have any opportunities to waste.

"My son heard from others that the imperial court has agreed to let Wang Xin return to Datong," the young man whispered.

The young people believed that the unrest in the Hetao region wouldn't threaten Datong. Aside from the Yongxing Army left by their fathers, Datong also had the Tiancheng Army, which, together with the local garrisons, was more than capable of holding off the barbarians. In previous years, no one wanted to expend their strength, so often they were just going through the motions.

If things got serious, the strength of Datong Garrison would be enough to deter those outside the Great Wall; otherwise, the Shanyu tribe wouldn't have been so obedient to my father all these years.

The Hu people are unreasonable; they only respect strength. Whoever has the biggest fist and can beat them into submission will obey. Treating the Hu people like dogs is the best approach. Reward those who obey with a bone; kick those who disobey. If they can't be tamed, kill them and eat them.

Having grown up in Datong, the young people there have a clear understanding of the situation in Datong and beyond the Great Wall.

Feng Yong was still satisfied with his son, but unfortunately he was too busy with military affairs to discipline him properly. His son grew up in the care of women, where he was waited on hand and foot, and was weak-willed, greedy, and unable to endure the hardships of military life.

Feng Yong sneered, "Zhang Wenjin is a scoundrel. That's why I've been suppressing him. He's good for nothing and good for nothing. Now that Datong has fallen into his hands, what good is it if Wang Xin returns to Datong?"

The young man's eyes lit up, and he looked at his father with admiration. His father was right.

The young man clapped his hands and couldn't help but laugh, "With Zhang Wenjin keeping him in check, it won't be easy for Wang Xin to do anything. He can only listen to Zhang Wenjin. Zhang Wenjin is even more timid than his own son; he's just all talk and no action."

“That’s not all.” Feng Yong said disdainfully, “Zhang Wenjin is quite capable. In the past month or so, he has probably already set his sights on Yanmen Pass.”

He had been receiving messages from people about the Yongxing Army.

Putting aside other matters, Zhang Wenjin's actions regarding human nature were swift, accurate, and ruthless. He indeed dismantled the Yongxing Army, which he had built up over a decade ago, in just a few moves. If it weren't for the Hu people causing trouble, he really wouldn't have had the chance.

Although he was furious at his subordinates' disloyalty, Feng Yong was also more confident.

This confidence still comes from Zhang Wenjin.

What about Wang Xin?
I just don't believe it. He left his army just like me, and he's only been leading troops for a few years. Does he think he's so special? Are all his men loyal and unmoved by external things?
Even after Wang Xin returned to Datong, his subordinates were won over by Zhang Wenjin.

Given Zhang Wenjin's character, Feng Yong didn't believe that Zhang Wenjin could resolve the issue with the Hu people. If Zhang Wenjin could resolve it, then he would have no chance; if he couldn't, then he would have a chance.

Feng Yong sighed, "A loss may turn out to be a blessing in disguise."

"Father, what do you mean by that?" The young man couldn't understand, so he asked for clarification.

Feng Yong laughed smugly, "Wang Xin's ability to return to Datong seems like he's the one who benefited, but he's actually the one who suffered a loss. My inability to return seems like I'm the one who suffered a loss, but I'm actually the one who benefited. Heaven is on my side."

"Hahaha."

Feng Yong couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Seeing his father so confident, the young man was also pleased.
-
After reaching an agreement with Zhang Jifu, Wang Xin did not delay. He took his personal guards and Zheng Hao, who had been staying in the capital for a long time, and the group hurriedly returned to Datong. The hot weather on the way delayed them considerably. After leaving the town and entering the mountains, they found a large tree by the roadside providing great shade. Shi Ping and the others led their horses to drink water and let them graze on some grass by the roadside.

Zheng Hao leaned against the tree root, turned his head, and said to the general sitting on the rock next to him, "General, there's no need for us to rush now."

Wang Xin was drinking water while holding up a leather bag.

Wang Xin never drank raw water. He always carried enough water bags on his journeys, filled with boiled and cooled water. The first thing he did upon arriving at the next town or post station was to change the water in his water bags.

While drinking water, Wang Xin wiped the sweat from his forehead. Hearing Zheng Hao's words, he understood what he meant, shook his head and smiled, "Although August and September are the peak season for the Hu people to enter the pass, everything is done without preparation. We can't fight a battle without being prepared. We'll be busy with the following matters, so there's no time to waste."

Having fought against himself, the Chanyu would not make the same mistake again. Through the Chanyu, Ou Yanhu would also understand his own fighting style.

The situation outside the Great Wall has changed for Datong, and it is different from what they knew before. So Datong is practically blind, while the Hu people, because of their past understanding of Datong, know everything about it. This is very dangerous.

Since Ou Yanhu dared to cause trouble, he must have had the confidence to do so.

Wang Xin never underestimated his opponents, which is a major taboo in military strategy. Even when dealing with Japanese pirates, he went all out, let alone enemies from the north. Historically, the Central Plains were defeated by the north, but rarely by the south.

Zheng Hao hesitated, remembering his grandfather's advice to be liked by everyone and not to offend others, and to always keep his mouth shut. He struggled with his inner conflict.

Seeing this, Wang Xin smiled and said, "Speak your mind."

Zheng Hao no longer hesitated and said worriedly, "Governor Zhang is cunning and has probably already taken action against Yanmen Pass. Now that he has let the general go back so easily, he may be planning to make the general take the blame. If things change on the battlefield, he will push the responsibility onto the general."

Lu Zhongheng and Jia Zheng both disagreed with Wang Xin returning to Datong now. Zheng Hao had seen him at the Yangzhou Guild Hall and couldn't let go of the matter.

"I see," Wang Xin smiled. It seemed that Zheng Hao was biased towards the Hexi Camp, which was why he was so anxious about the Hexi Camp. At least in this direction, everyone in the Hexi Camp had come this far.

Only by uniting as one can we remain invincible; the victorious side is always more united than the defeated side.

Seeing his general's dismissive smile, Zheng Hao, who was offering his first piece of advice, felt a sense of defeat and retorted defiantly, "Am I wrong?"

Seeing that Shi Ping and the others had returned, and that noon had passed and they could continue their journey, Wang Xin stood up, patted Zheng Hao on the shoulder, and said, "Trust the brothers."

After saying that, he went to give instructions to everyone, leaving Zheng Hao standing there. Zheng Hao looked at the general's back. The general was indeed someone who would not use those he doubted and would not doubt those he used. If he could become someone the general trusted, he would gain the general's complete trust.

You can know a person's face but not their heart. The general's actions may win people's hearts, but they may also make him easy to be taken advantage of by villains.

I need to be careful for the general's sake.

Zheng Hao followed, while Shi Ping and Xiao Shitou each led two horses. Shi Ping led the general's horse, and Xiao Shitou led the horse for the clerk Zheng Hao.

The young guards had already endured enough hardship since childhood, so what hardship was it compared to the journey they were on? On the contrary, Zheng Hao had become a burden to the team, needing to be looked after, which made Zheng Hao feel very embarrassed.
-
When Zhao Yong returned to Yanmen Pass, he learned of Tang Ping's recent actions and was furious, but he managed to hold back. It was only when he saw Liu Tong return from the capital that Zhao Yong's mood improved considerably.

"What exactly happened outside the pass?" Liu Tong asked immediately.

There were many conflicting opinions and various versions of the story, including the claim that some non-Han people had entered the pass. Liu Tong couldn't tell the difference, but Zhao Yong, who had returned from Datong, should know the most.

Zhao Yong explained it again, and after listening, Liu Tong sighed inwardly. "When we arrived in the Dabansheng region with the general, we saw that Namo Bisheng was very powerful and the strongest tribe. I never thought that it would be gone just like that."

Zhao Yong's expression was solemn. He nodded and said, "The one who can deal with Mo Bisheng must be stronger or more cunning than him. In short, Ou Yanhu should not be underestimated."

Liu Tong laughed and said, "No matter who he is, he is just a defeated opponent in front of the general."

He had served as the captain of the personal guard of Jiedushi Zhang Jing and had also served under Luo Ming. Both of them were of higher status than the general, and their power was incomparable. Their abilities were also not bad, but neither of them could compare to the general.

Seeing Liu Tong's confidence, Zhao Yong said seriously, "I have a different opinion from you. On the contrary, I don't want the general to come back."

Liu Tong's smile gradually froze, and a hint of hesitation appeared in his eyes.

Zhao Yong is not that kind of person.

Thinking back to when they worked together under Luo Ming, Liu Tong still trusted Zhao Yong and asked, "Why?"

“Ouyanhu’s merger with the Shanyu tribe poses a significant threat, and Zhang Wenjin is hoarding our supplies. We are running low on food supplies, and we also lost a lot of resources in the last battle outside the Great Wall. We still haven’t replenished our gunpowder and lead bullets.”

One problem after another was raised by Zhao Yong, and even Liu Tong became worried.

The wagon camp built by the general, although powerful in firepower, also incurs enormous costs. If Zhang Wenjin is a good official worthy of their trust, the general's return is indeed a good thing. But if this person deliberately causes trouble, then things will be complicated.

"Sigh." Liu Tong couldn't help but sigh as well.

"What's wrong with the imperial court these days? They're fighting so fiercely, and it's so hard to get anything done."

Zhao Yong chuckled coldly twice, but remained silent.

Sudden.

Someone came running in, panting, "Report! The general is back. He was at Shimen Gorge when we received the news, and he should be back at Yanmen Pass in four or five days."

Zhao Yong and Liu Tong looked at each other in dismay. They had just said they didn't want the general to come back, but now the general was about to return.

Upon hearing the news of the general's return, the two couldn't help but smile.

"I'll pick it up!"

"Let Tang Ping go."

Zhao Yong sneered, "The general is back. Let's see what Tang Ping has to say now."

Liu Tong started to have a headache.

Although Tang Ping and Zhao Yong's relationship wasn't great before, it wasn't this strained as it is today. Liu Tong thinks it's just a misunderstanding between them, a lack of mutual trust. However, once the general returns, the misunderstanding will be easily cleared up.

"I'll go with Tang Ping," Liu Tong said with a smile.

Zhao Yong no longer refused.

There are many situations that I can't handle, but when it comes to a general, it seems like the general can solve any problem. Forget it, let the general worry about these things, I'll just be responsible for following the general's orders and fighting the war.

(End of this chapter)