The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 256 Seeking an official position
Beijing.

Ningguo Mansion.

The archery range below Tianxiang Tower.

Dressed in silk, Lian Zining watched the noble sons around her holding an open-air gathering without any restraint and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The arrow path is very wide.

Lian Zining couldn't forget the archery range he first saw at Ningguo Mansion.

The archery path is not a place for shooting arrows, but rather a terrain shaped like an arrow. Therefore, the old Duke of Ningguo named this place the archery path. It did not have any profound meaning; it was originally used as a place for the clan's children to practice martial arts such as horseback riding and archery.

Tianxianglou was a place for observation and rest.

Lian Zining believed he could even guess what the old Duke, who had spent his life on the battlefield, imagined when he built this archery range.

The young men were sweating on the archery range, some riding horses, some shooting arrows, and some practicing martial arts. The elders of the clan watched the young men below from the Tianxiang Tower, stroking their beards with satisfaction and smiling.

They also discussed important matters of the court and planned for the future.

Lian Zining couldn't help but shake her head.

No wonder the old saying goes, "A great legacy is wasted if the descendants are not ambitious."

The Jia family, with its vast wealth and prestigious status, could have easily surpassed others if any of its members had strived for success in either literature or martial arts. Unfortunately, not a single member of the Jia family was willing to do so.

The second master of Rongguo Mansion is quite good, but unfortunately his talent is limited. Although he can support the second branch of the family, he cannot support the Duke's Mansion.

"Hey, old hand, what are you doing? Come on."

In the distance, a person outside the gambling table waves.

"I'm coming."

"Why are you rushing me?"

Lian Zining hurriedly went after her.

Although the title of Marquis of Pingyuan was hereditary, by the time of Lian Zining, he was only a second-class baron, and had long since lost his official position. He was living off his family's wealth and had no surplus money.

Lian Zining was unwilling to be alone and maintained the relationship for many years, spending more than she received, so she was actually very short of money.

"Why didn't you go and say hello to that idiot Xue?"

A companion reminded him.

Lian Zining pretended to be rich, placing bets cautiously, not daring to let anyone see her poverty, which made her life miserable.

His companion didn't expose him, but kindly informed him.

Lian Zining looked at him with disdain.

Of course he knew the most eye-catching young master of the Xue family in the venue.

This person is very generous.

As long as you can please him, even a little bit of oil peeking out from between his fingers is quite lucrative.

But what kind of status does the Xue family have?

If it weren't for the Jia family's prestige, what right would he have to be part of their circle? Now he even has to flatter the Xue family. Others may say nice things to him, but behind his back they call Xue Pan a fool. But isn't this behavior itself utterly despicable?

His companion sighed, "You're always so stubborn. You always think you can't let go of something that's cheap and easy to take advantage of."

The other day, Lian Zining was running around the Eastern Army Governor's Office so diligently, wasn't that just flattery? He's all talk and no action.

Lian Zining didn't care. Despite her years of hard work and repeated requests for help, she was unwilling to lower herself to appease that fool Xue.

Ningguo Mansion is bustling with activity these days.

It was originally a playground for the children of various families, but now it's even better.

Besides the Jia family's in-laws, many sons of former noble families also came. They were mindful of their status and unwilling to accept free meals from the Ningguo Mansion. They brought their own cooks, led sheep and slaughtered pigs, and each family took turns hosting.

The vast Ningguo Mansion became a favorite place for the sons of noble families.

There were no elders to take care of them.

Jia Zhen was the head of the Jia clan and the head of the Ningguo Mansion. Since he led the way in indulging in pleasures, no one else could restrain him.

"pity."

Jia Zhen looked down from the window of Tianxiang Tower.

The archery range was filled with groups of three or five people, some with their servants, some drinking with actors, some around gambling tables, and some talking quietly. They were all the sons of noble families that the common people outside knew.

Behind closed doors, within the Ningguo Mansion, one is no different from a customer in a brothel.

"is a bit."

Jia She also sighed and said with emotion, "Although Prince Zhongshun values ​​the two of us, it is ultimately just a title without substance. Our Jia family is not lacking in titles."

The Jia family was no different from the young masters downstairs.

Seeing Lian Zining cowering and unable to even afford gambling, Jia She felt bad while discriminating against Lian Zining.

Lian Zining thought he had found a good way and dragged him along, but in reality he wanted to use the name of the Jia family to elevate his status so as to impress the Eastern Army Commander and get a job. In the end, he got nothing.

After meeting and exchanging pleasantries, they didn't even bother to ask for a second meeting.

Lian Zining's predicament is also the predicament of the Jia family.

However, the Jia family was simply very large and powerful.

Every family has sutras that are difficult to recite.

“Outsiders see our Jia family as incredibly prosperous, but in reality, it’s not easy,” Jia Zhen said with a bitter smile. “Our estate manager has sent far less grain this year, and I’m afraid we won’t even be able to feed ourselves next year.”

Jia She's face darkened.

The Rongguo Mansion is another example.

The Liaodong region has experienced early and cold weather in recent years, and even the fertile land around the Daheishan and Xiaoheishan mountains in Beizhen has seen reduced yields in many areas.

Otherwise, he would force his daughter-in-law, Wang Xifeng.

After hesitating for a moment, Jia She tentatively asked, "How about I go to Ping'an Town?"

Prince Zhongshun is now trying to win over the Jia family.

What did the Jia family possess that Prince Zhongshun valued?

One factor is the prestige of the two Duke's mansions. Although they are both old noble families, their influence is strong, and their popularity is a kind of power. In other aspects, the greatest advantage should be Ping'an Town.

The most important military town in the Gyeonggi region.

The Jia family also had other connections, such as the General of Yuehai, but these were too remote to influence the court, so they were not worth Prince Zhongshun's attention.

If the Jia family decides to align themselves with Prince Zhongshun, then they must act as intermediaries between Ping'an Town and Prince Zhongshun, rather than simply offering empty words of support.

If such a choice were made and the Emperor Emeritus found out, he would surely harbor resentment towards the Jia family.

Jia Zhen shook his head, rejecting Jia She's suggestion.

“That’s true. After all, the emperor has nothing. If we pledge allegiance to him, it might be detrimental to us,” Jia She said.

"not only that."

Jia Zhen laughed and said, "Wang Ziteng suffered a crushing defeat, while Lin Ruhai remained as stable as Mount Tai. We should learn from Lin Ruhai, not from Wang Ziteng, who cut off his own escape route."

Jia She looked displeased.

Only one person can inherit a title, and there is only one Rongguo Mansion.

Over the years, the eldest son's wife has been suppressed by the second son's wife.

The main reason why the second branch of the family was so powerful was that Lin Ruhai supported Jia Zheng.

However, Jia She did not refute it.

He had to admit that Lin Ruhai was too formidable.

He was able to maintain a balance between the retired emperor and the emperor, and he had people who belonged to the emperor. If the retired emperor were to pass away one day, a new emperor would bring a new court, and even in a new dynasty, Lin Ruhai would be able to get by.

Wang Ziteng was indeed very powerful in previous years.

But as it turns out, Wang Ziteng's approach didn't work.

“Even the strongest steel will break, and the hardest leather will crack.” Jia She nodded in agreement, saying, “Let’s take advantage of the opportunity to contact Prince Zhongshun to elevate our status and see if we can gain some benefits.”

Jia Zhen smiled, "That's true."

After a while, Jia Zhen thought of something and said, "Speaking of which, there is someone in your household who has truly mastered Lin Ruhai's teachings."

"Who?"

"Wang Xin."

"he?"

"The Eastern Army Commander's Office, which Lian Zi Ning sought but could not obtain, is said to be highly valued by the eldest son of the Zhu family. There is also Zhang Jifu, and it is even said that the Emperor Emeritus praised him. These are all important matters that outsiders value, yet this person remains aloof."

Jia She's face darkened.

He didn't have a good impression of Wang Xin and said unhappily, "There isn't a single good person in the Wang family."

“Wang Ziteng is domineering, and this fellow is also domineering. They can’t see eye to eye. I heard he’s back?” “He’s back. He’s with Jia Zheng.”

What does he want to do with this sudden return?

Upon hearing Jia Zhen's question, Jia She pointed to the window and said calmly, "People die for wealth, birds die for food; it's all about seeking official positions."

Jia Zhen suddenly realized what was happening and couldn't help but laugh.

"Unfortunately, this person is neither here nor there, and his cleverness backfired."

"Humph."

Jia She snorted and said disdainfully, "He used to be of low status, so it wasn't difficult for him to get promoted. Now, if he wants to take a step forward, he has no one in the court to support him, so he can't take a single step. He has no one to rely on, so naturally no one supports him."

A carrot and a pit.

There are countless people waiting behind each official position.

Wang Xin is now a guerrilla general, and the next step would be to become a brigade general. Although he is not as powerful as a general, he is still a general who can command a region on his own.

Such an important position could not possibly fall into his lap without connections in the court.

No matter how great the achievement, without someone to support you behind the scenes, it's just an achievement.

Jia Zhen knew about the affairs of the Rongguo Mansion, but he did not get involved.

He was secretly pleased with this.

Because of his bad reputation, the two branches of the Rongguo Mansion were at odds, which made his position as clan leader secure. Otherwise, the heads of the two branches of the Rongguo Mansion were his elders, and he would have had a hard time facing them.

In short.

Prince Zhongshun worked tirelessly for the emperor and valued the Jia family's standing among the nobility. Naturally, the Ningguo Mansion was at the forefront, and his own status rose accordingly.

Ten years east of the river, ten years west of the river.

How can we stabilize the situation?

The Rongguo Mansion has a large population and great power, and it also has many talented people to recruit. This Wang Xin is someone we could try to win over.

Because of his discord with Jia Zheng, Jia She disliked Wang Xin and felt there was no need for him to distance himself from him.

The only reason Prince Zhongshun valued Jia She was because of his relationship with Ping'an Town. If he could win over Wang Xin, given Wang Xin's talent and the fact that Wang Xin was also a general in the capital army, he could succeed.

Jia Zhen had an idea.

I don't intend to consider that Jia She might be unhappy.

"Waiting for a better price?"

After listening to Jia Zheng's words, Wang Xin vaguely understood.

Prince Zhongshun was the emperor's uncle and naturally supported him. So, when Prince Zhongshun won over the Ningguo Mansion and the eldest branch of the Rongguo Mansion, and the emperor took control of the government, he confiscated the property of the two families but spared the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion.

So when Wang Xin heard Jia Zheng describe the recent situation in the capital, he was a little puzzled, thinking that it was because of his own actions, like the flapping of a butterfly's wings, that something had changed.

However, Wang Xin no longer thought so.

Jia Zhen and Jia She clearly wanted to use Prince Zhongshun to elevate their own status and gain practical benefits from the retired emperor.

The concept of neutrality doesn't apply to either the strong or the weak.

Neutrality now is tantamount to supporting the retired emperor.

Upon hearing Wang Xin's description, Jia Zheng exclaimed, "Yes, that's absolutely true."

"Waiting for a higher price is not a good choice."

Wang Xin was speechless.

Jia Zheng's eyes revealed a probing gaze.

Wang Xin bluntly stated, "The conflict between the retired emperor and the emperor is so deep that it has reached an irreconcilable point. Without a buffer, there is no room for negotiation."

Jia Zheng frowned; he hadn't thought that far ahead.

Many people used to remain silent.

Wang Xin thought of Lin Ruhai.

Lin Ruhai is holding out for a high price because of his meticulous planning over the past ten years, which is a skillful maneuver akin to walking a tightrope.

Otherwise, who wouldn't want to be like Lin Ruhai?

Everyone knows that the emperor represents the future. Unless the retired emperor deposes the emperor, who knows if he can withstand any further turmoil, given his advanced age.

So, someone like Lin Ruhai.

He belongs to the emperor, but he can gain the trust of the retired emperor. When the two need each other, Lin Ruhai has a unique value. Who wouldn't want this kind of relationship?
It's like a unique racetrack.

It has massive traffic, but others can't replicate it.

Even Lin Ruhai can no longer be as detached as before. It's not that Jia Zhen and Jia She can't learn from him, but they've already missed the opportunity.

The conflict between the retired emperor and the emperor had not escalated to the point it is today in previous years. Only by finding an opportunity to act then could there be a slight chance of success.

If the emperor were to discover what Jia Zhen and his associates were doing, he would undoubtedly consider it a betrayal, or even an insult to him.

It's no surprise that the future emperor sought revenge.

"Even so, I'm afraid I can't persuade him." Jia Zheng sighed.

Wang Xin was too lazy to care about the internal affairs of the Rongguo Mansion.

My return to the capital this time is not for the Jia family's affairs; the future of the Jia family is not important.

"I heard that Zhou Daofeng is retiring and returning to his hometown?"

"pretty close."

"I plan to visit Zhang Jifu directly."

Jia Zheng was stunned and couldn't help but scrutinize Wang Xin.

Wang Xin felt uneasy under their gaze.

"what happened?"

"I hardly ever get to see Grand Secretary Zhang these days, but you seem to be able to do it so easily."

It turned out to be the case.

It wouldn't be difficult for me to meet Zhang Jifu.

It was difficult for Jia Zheng to meet Zhang Jifu because, in Zhang Jifu's eyes, Jia Zheng was worthless, and naturally, he was unwilling to waste his time on him.

But I am different.

His own reputation was indeed far inferior to Jia Zheng's.

However, he was able to influence what Zhang Jifu wanted to do, so he was of great value.

Looking at Wang Xin's confident expression, Jia Zheng had nothing to say.

Lin Ruhai was like that back then.

Having learned about the situation in the capital from Jia Zheng, Wang Xin felt more confident, but the information gathered by Jia Zheng alone was not reliable enough.

Just as Jia Zheng said.

People who wanted to see Zhang Jifu were as numerous as fish crossing a river.

I cannot waste this opportunity; I must go all out to achieve my goal and make Zhang Jifu fulfill his promise to me.

Jia Zheng saw Wang Xin off.

Wang Xin did not return to Tubi Manor, but instead sought out Shi Ping.

"Go to the Yangzhou Guild Hall and contact Lu Zhongheng for me. I'll visit him tomorrow and ask him to make time for me."

"Here."

Shi Ping bowed and left.

The Yangzhou Guild Hall was no stranger to Shi Ping.

Where is Xue Ke?

"He took Miss Xue to his aunt's place and hasn't returned yet."

Wang Xin glanced at the room.

This time is different from the past.

Wang Xin brought more than twenty men, most of whom were assigned to the Hexi Camp, leaving only Zheng Hao, Xue Ke, Shi Ping, and Shi Tou.

Two civilized and two martial arts.

Hearing Zheng Hao's explanation, Wang Xin was relieved.

Xue Baoqin had been wild since childhood. Despite being a maid, she was in good health and did not suffer from headaches or fevers along the way. After delivering the person to their destination and completing her task, Wang Xin felt relieved.

(End of this chapter)