The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 255 Xue Baoqin, Who Is Different From Others
The capital city of Shendu.

Wang family.

Wang Ren stormed into Wang Ziteng's study, his face initially filled with rage. But upon seeing Wang Ziteng's appearance behind the desk, his anger vanished instantly.

"what's up."

Wang Ziteng looked up, knowing that his nephew must have something important to say.

Wang Ren hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Since my uncle returned to the capital, the court has not assigned him any official position, which means he has been left idle, no different from the fallen nobles in the capital. What use is a title if he is left with nothing?

Such a large family, though not as numerous as the hundreds of mouths in the Jia family, still had about a hundred members. Could they possibly live off a single salary?

Moreover, without a real position, there is no real power.

Wang Ren hadn't expected his uncle to look so haggard, and he didn't dare tell him the news.

"Say it."

Wang Ziteng lost his patience.

Wang Ren braced himself and said, "That Jia Lian is a complete scoundrel. He actually chased after Feng Yatou with a sword. If Feng Yatou hadn't run fast, she might have been killed by him. This is outrageous!"

"What's going on?" Wang Ziteng frowned.

"I heard it was because of money. Luckily, Feng was quick-witted and ran to the old lady of the Jia family for help. The old lady intervened and saved Feng. Uncle, what should we do about this?"

Wang Ziteng closed his eyes.

If no one is killed, then the situation can be either serious or minor.

Bigger things have bigger ways of doing things.

There are ways to handle minor issues, such as laughing it off as a marital quarrel.

Even ordinary couples don't resort to knives and guns when they quarrel; that could kill someone, and each family would have to give an explanation.

In the past, Wang Ziteng would have frowned deeply.

But it has to be now.

Prince Zhongshun abandoned himself and turned to win over Jia Zhen and Jia She.

Unexpectedly, the Jia family has now become a highly sought-after household.

Although most of the nobles in the capital did not have real power, they had a lot of influence and high reputation. The reputation of Ningguo Mansion was just right to win over the old nobles, and with Jia She there, it was unexpected that this man had actually won over Ping'an Town.

One of the most powerful military garrisons in the Gyeonggi region was right under the Emperor Emeritus's nose.

You can't turn against each other.

Wang Ziteng said calmly, "The young couple is having a disagreement. The old lady of the Jia family is a sensible person. With her looking after her, Feng'er will be fine."

Although Wang Ren understood his uncle's decision, he was still somewhat unwilling to accept it.

If the women of the Wang family are bullied like this and we just let it go, what will happen to my aunt and the others in the future?
Wang Ren was genuinely worried and couldn't help but say, "I'm afraid Feng'er won't be able to make it through."

Her in-laws don't like her, and her husband hates her too.

Her family couldn't help her.

Wang Ren didn't even dare to think about it.

The once domineering Feng girl, how will she survive in the Jia family from now on? It might not be long before she's driven to her death by anger. In short, her ending will not be good.

The two aunts were better off.

The eldest aunt was, after all, the second wife, with her legitimate son by her side. Jia Zheng was also a gentle man, so even if he didn't like the eldest aunt, he wouldn't bully her.

My aunt is now the head of the Xue family's main branch, and she doesn't have to worry about what others think.

Wang Ziteng said ruthlessly, "We all prosper together, and we all suffer together."

I had just finished speaking when I suddenly felt a little dazed.

Back home, people used to say that the four major families were all in the same boat, and that they would all suffer together. Wang Ziteng had heard this since he was a child, so he didn't take it to heart.

Now that the Wang family has fallen so low, they can't even protect the women in their own family, leaving them to be bullied by their husband's family.

Wouldn't that mean everyone would suffer if one of them were to suffer?

But why have the four great families fallen to their current state?

Historians were the first to distance themselves from other schools of thought.

Then there are the Wang family and the Jia family. The two families were originally related by marriage for generations, but it seems that they are about to become sworn enemies.

There's also Xue Yan.

The head of the second branch of the Xue family never visited the Wang family after arriving in the capital.

"Am I really wrong?"

Wang Ziteng shook his head.

I did nothing wrong.

Although I have devoted myself to the cause of the four great families for my own future, wouldn't it also benefit the four great families if I stood out?

It's pitiful that he spent half his life scheming for the four great families, only to end up worse off than before, betrayed and abandoned by everyone.

They have no conscience.

It's just that they've lost power.

"I heard that the second branch of the Xue family went to Datong?" Wang Ziteng suddenly asked.

Wang Ren was also aware of the current situation of the Wang family.

Even though he felt sorry for Wang Xifeng, how could he compare to the future of the Wang family? Wang Ren knew his own limitations and could only rely on his uncle. He couldn't wait for his uncle to turn things around as soon as possible, so he had been diligently gathering information these days.

Wang Ren replied, "I heard that Wang Xin acted as a go-between in Datong, and the local bigwigs started a business together. He even invited Master Xue to invest. But Master Xue never came back. He's been in Datong these days."

"He doesn't think of his own family when there are benefits, but instead wants outsiders to benefit. How could our Wang family produce such a spendthrift son?"

Wang Ziteng guessed that Xue Yan had gained a great benefit.

If there weren't some incredibly great benefit, why would Xue Yan abandon his business in the south and stay in a place like Datong for months?

If that's the case, why doesn't Wang Xin think about his own family?
He still has the surname Wang.

To speak of hatred.

Wang Ziteng hated this man even more; he was a complete ingrate and utterly unethical.

"Uncle is right."

"I don't hate anyone else, not even Jia Lian. I don't hate him much. I just feel sorry for Feng. But Wang Xin is the one I hate so much I want to grind my teeth."

Wang Ren looked on with hatred.

Wang Ziteng quieted down.

"No matter what, this boy can gain a foothold in Datong, and we may still have to rely on him. For the sake of the Wang family, we should try to improve our relationship with him and let him do his part for the Wang family."

Wang Ren remained silent.

Wang Xin is decisive and not someone to be trifled with. Even when his uncle was powerful, he was turned away by him, let alone today.

Wang Ziteng sighed.

There is no other way.

A fallen phoenix is ​​no better than a chicken. If the Wang family cannot change its current situation, it will soon become one of the impoverished nobles in the capital, only able to fawn over others and get scraps by flattering them.

Not every family has the heritage of the Jia family.

Thinking about how the Jia family has gone through so much and is still admired by everyone, while the Wang family, which has only failed to accomplish one thing, is facing such a huge crisis.

Although the Jia family was the head of the four great families, it was indeed more powerful than the Wang family.

In reality, the difference is incomparable.

Wang Ziteng couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

I should have strengthened my relationship with the Jia family more deeply and explored their resources more thoroughly. I didn't do enough and borrowed too little power. If I had been stronger back then, I might have been able to bring down Fatty Feng and the situation would have changed dramatically.

Wang Ren has one advantage.

Not assertive in personality.

Seeing that her uncle had made up his mind, although she hated Wang Xin in her heart, she was able to put it aside quickly and said with a smile, "Then I will go and see Wang Xifeng, comfort her, and tell her what you have to say."

Wang Ziteng nodded.

She already knew that Wang Xin was on his way back to the capital.

Wang Xin's men rushed back to the capital ahead of time to inform the Jia family of his return, citing the reason as reporting for duty.

In fact, many officials from other places come to Beijing.

If you want to get promoted, how can you do it without someone speaking up in the court?

No matter how well you perform in your local area, it's not as good as having someone say a word in the imperial court; no matter how badly you perform in your local area, it's not as good as having someone say a word in the imperial court.

Good or bad fortune lies in the imperial court.

Therefore, benefits from various regions were transferred to the capital, and officials flocked to the capital, with simple pretexts for their visits.

Wang Ren, having received Wang Ziteng's arrangement, went to the Jia residence the next day.

Although there are roads through the Yanshan Mountains from Datong, they are quite difficult to travel.

There were long stretches of road without towns, but there were post stations along the way.

The post stations were used for military purposes.

Wang Xin did not choose to use his status to occupy the post station, but instead chose to camp in the wilderness.

Xue Baoqin was traveling in a horse-drawn carriage, along with her luggage.

The rest rode horses.

The group consisted of twenty or thirty people, all fully armed and clearly from military backgrounds, so no one dared to mess with them.

With thorough preparation, the trip was not tiring at all; in fact, it felt like a vacation, which delighted Xue Baoqin.

Zheng Hao and the others were used to the general's style and were not surprised that he would not take advantage of a situation. They puffed out their chests and looked proud.

They passed a deserted temple with broken doors and windows, which ordinary people dared not enter, fearing it might be a den of bandits. But Wang Xin and his men had nothing to fear.

It should be the robbers who are hiding from them.

Shi Tou led his men to guard the general and others, while Shi Ping swaggered in with a few brothers.

They searched thoroughly inside and out, but found no trace of anyone.

"In that case, let's spend the night here," Wang Xin instructed upon hearing Shi Ping's inquiry.

Everyone's faces lit up with joy.

We spent both nights in the wilderness, and although we had tents, they were not as comfortable as this deserted temple.

Even though this abandoned temple is dilapidated.

Without Wang Xin's instructions, the boys had already taken the initiative to clean up and clear a clean area.

Xue Baoqin slept in the innermost part, with a piece of cloth hanging up to cover her.

Then came Xue Ke, Wang Xin, and then Shi Ping, Zheng Hao, and others.

Stone and several brothers lived outside, and were also responsible for guarding the area.

After traveling for many days, some people didn't care, while others wanted to take a hot shower.

It's quite simple.

They gathered some branches, took out a clay pot from their luggage, and went to the nearby stream to fetch some water.

It can boil water to replenish the team's water supply and also provide bathing facilities for everyone.

The young lady of the second branch of the Xue family did not stay hidden in her boudoir, but appeared in public every day, which everyone was used to.

The general treated Xue Baoqin like a younger sister, and everyone else did too.

The room next door was cleaned, and hot water and other necessities were prepared.

Xue Baoqin was well-behaved and sensible. She tried her best not to bother others with things she could do herself, which made her very likable.

Wang Xin nodded and took a walk in the courtyard.

It was still early.

However, after days of travel, it's not easy to find such a good place to stay, so preparing to spend the night in advance is a good choice.

Everyone is happy.

Some people went out hunting to see if they could have a meat feast that night, while others chatted idly, and still others washed the horses and fed them concentrated feed.

"Crash."

The sound of running water could be heard from the inner room from time to time.

Xue Baoqin was still taking a bath.

It wasn't that Wang Xin didn't trust the personal guards he had brought with him.

The young man was infatuated with her.

Besides, Xue Baoqin has grown up and is no longer just a little girl like she was when she was a child.

The girl in the making has grown into a beautiful young woman.

So Wang Xin took a walk in the courtyard to avoid anything bad happening.

Many things can be decided in a single thought.

As a general, I not only have to take good care of the people below on the surface, but also have to think about the details.

Like parents.

We also need to prevent children from making mistakes.

After a while, the sound from the inner room gradually faded away.

"Squeak."

The door was pushed open.

In fact, the main gate was already rotten, and the oil paper on the windows had long since disappeared.

So they hung a piece of cloth from the inner room, thinking it would protect against honest people but not scoundrels.

Xue Baoqin didn't think too much about it. Her little face was flushed, and she was still damp. She put on her new clothes again and put on a blue floral cloak.

"Big brother."

"Go warm up quickly, be careful not to catch a cold."

Wang Xin was speechless when he saw Xue Baoqin's appearance. Although she had grown taller, she still had the temperament of a child.

In such cold weather, aren't you afraid of getting frostbite?

"I'm not cold."

Xue Baoqin pouted; she wanted to stay in the courtyard with her older brother.

I've been traveling so much these past few days that I haven't had time to play, and it's not even evening yet.

Although it was a dilapidated temple, Xue Baoqin found it amusing.

There are familiar faces all around, so I'm not worried at all.

"You just took a shower, so you're still warm. If you wait until the heat dissipates and you feel cold, it will be too late, and you'll easily get sick."

Xue Yan entrusted his children to me; he was a smart man, and I couldn't let him down.

His children must be taken good care of; they cannot be neglected.

Xue Ke is alright, but Xue Baoqin, although sensible, still requires more attention and care.

Wang Xin pulled Xue Baoqin and quickly went to the next room.

The room next door is actually a large hall, which is quite spacious.

There was a campfire burning in the middle, and with the air blowing in from all sides, it didn't cause any problems.

really.

Upon entering, a wave of warmth washed over her, and Xue Baoqin couldn't help but move closer to the campfire.

He crouched down, his cloak falling to the ground, and reached out his hand towards the campfire.

A fragrant aroma wafted by.

"General, we've shot down a deer."

The hunters who went hunting earlier have returned, and they've actually caught a deer.

They weren't greedy; one deer was enough for everyone to have a meal, plus the dry rations in their bundles.

"You're really lucky," Wang Xin couldn't help but exclaim, he hadn't expected to be so lucky.

Contending for supremacy in the Central Plains.

Because there used to be many deer in the Central Plains.

Therefore, before the Han Dynasty, there were many texts about deer. However, with the population growth in the Tang and Song Dynasties, deer in the Central Plains gradually became scarce.

Even in the Great Zhou Dynasty, deer were rarely seen by humans and were extremely rare.

There are still quite a few deer in the Liaodong region.

Including ginseng.

There used to be ginseng in Datong.

During the Ming Dynasty, Datong traded ginseng with the mainland, but ginseng became extinct due to over-exploitation.

Where there is a market, there is demand.

Driven by profit, merchants from Datong searched far and wide for ginseng, eventually finding it in Nurgan, near Liaodong, and obtained it from the Later Jin dynasty.

"We'll have roasted venison tonight." Wang Xin turned to look at Xue Baoqin.

I'm worried that Xue Baoqin will say something like, "Lu Lu is so cute."
"Great! We're going to have something delicious tonight!"

Xue Baoqin clapped her hands happily.

The boys nearby couldn't help but be infected by the enthusiasm, and their serious faces unconsciously broke into smiles.

Wang Xin nodded.

Fortunately.

Xue Baoqin was indeed different from others; she was a lovely little sister.

There is strength in numbers.

The deer was quickly cleaned and hung over the campfire to roast.

Wang Xin personally oversaw the process, watching the heat and constantly rotating the deer to prevent it from burning.

Spices are also included; with these spices, roasted meat can truly be considered a delicacy.

The fragrance quickly spread throughout the temple.

Xue Baoqin had a sweet tooth.

Wang Xin couldn't stand it, so he cut off a piece and handed it to her.

"Hot, hot, hot."

Xue Baoqin shifted her hands back and forth like a frightened little rabbit.

This caused the entire hall to burst into laughter.

Xue Baoqin then realized what was happening and said angrily, "Big brother, you did this on purpose."

"Haha."

Wang Xin smiled and shook his head, "I was just worried you were too hungry."

Xue Baoqin was skeptical at first, but then began to believe it.

"You're so greedy."

Wang Xin said another sentence.

Enraged, Xue Baoqin bared her teeth and brandished her claws.

"The deer are ripe."

Wang Xin quickly replied.

Everyone gathered around, waiting for the general to distribute the meat.

"Humph."

Xue Baoqin was sullen, but she couldn't hide it for long. When she tasted the delicious venison, her big eyes blinked and she ate just as much as the others.

Wang Xin liked Xue Baoqin's unpretentious personality, which is why he was willing to spoil her.

(End of this chapter)