The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 259 Turmoil
Early the next morning.

On the appointed day, Wang Xin went to the Yangzhou Guild Hall to visit Lu Zhongheng.

Lu Zhongheng was an honest official.

The "qing" in "qingliu" is not the same as the "qing" in "qinglian" (incorruptible).

High status, low real power, great potential, so he stays at the Yangzhou Guild Hall. The Yangzhou Guild Hall also needs young talents like Lu Zhongheng to be in charge, which indicates the rise of a local power.

This also shows the fact that civil officials formed cliques.

Lu Zhongheng can utilize the Yangzhou Guild Hall, and the Yangzhou Guild Hall can also utilize Lu Zhongheng, including Lin Ruhai, who is far away in Jinling.

This is the root of the problem of officials protecting each other.

However, when I saw Lu Zhongheng today, he was clearly in a bad mood, and his smile was very unpleasant.

Wang Xin didn't stand on ceremony and asked directly, "What's wrong with you?"

Lu Zhongheng did not hide anything. Although his tone was calm, Wang Xin could hear the suppressed dissatisfaction in his voice.

"Speaking of which, it is related to the Xue family."

"The Xue family?"

Wang Xin became curious.

Do you know this person, Mei Hanlin?

Like Lu Zhongheng, Mei Hanlin was a member of the Hanlin Academy and belonged to the Qingliu faction.

The Qingliu faction was only known among officials; outsiders were unaware of it and had little opportunity to come into contact with it.

Wang Xin didn't know most of the Hanlin Academy members, nor did he know them.

There are more than two thousand officials of all ranks in the capital. These are only those who are in the capital. If you include those who are not in the capital and who go to other places on official business, there are even more.

However, Mei Hanlin was different.

"In-laws of the second branch of the Xue family?"

"That's the man."

Lawrence Lu nodded.

"He ostracized you?"

Wang Xin guessed.

Lu Zhongheng glanced at Wang Xin in surprise, then nodded again.

Wang Xin understood perfectly.

The eldest son of the Xue family, who had passed away, had helped Mei Hanlin during his lifetime, much like Zhen Shiyin had sponsored Jia Yucun before he passed the imperial examination. At that time, Mei Hanlin had not yet passed the imperial examination either.

Later, Mei Hanlin passed the imperial examination and entered the Hanlin Academy, where he suddenly became wealthy.

The eldest master of the Xue family needed Mei Hanlin's reputation, while Mei Hanlin, who had just started his career, was even more lacking in wealth and other support. Therefore, the two sides hit it off and arranged the marriage.

The marriage agreement between Xue Baoqin, the legitimate daughter of the second branch of the Xue family, and the son of Mei Hanlin.

after that.

The eldest patriarch of the Xue family has passed away.

The Xue family's power is also declining day by day.

Based on the trajectory of the future, Mei Hanlin will break off the engagement.

This shows that Mei Hanlin was a despicable person.

In fact, Mei Hanlin was quite old, and the Hanlin Academy was not a place where one could necessarily rise to prominence; it was just the highest starting point, not the final outcome. The more this was the case, the more anxious Mei Hanlin became.

A carrot and a pit.

Opportunities are limited, so Mei Hanlin will inevitably suppress newcomers.

New scholars like Lu Zhongheng.

Wang Xin was not surprised that the two sides were at odds.

However, Wang Xin still wanted to confirm one thing, so he asked, "What kind of character does Mei Hanlin have?"

Lu Zhongheng shook his head.

But he didn't say much.

Wang Xin did not press the matter further.

Lu Zhongheng thought this person was of poor character. If it were just Lu Zhongheng's opinion, he wouldn't be biased. However, considering Mei Hanlin's behavior in the original text, it had already proven to be true.

This person is unreliable.

I need to find a way to dissolve the marriage between the Xue family and this person.

Firstly, Xue Yan was an important business partner of his, and his affairs were closely related to his own. If Mei Hanlin became his in-law, given Mei Hanlin's despicable character, a conflict might break out between them someday.

Everyone says that profit is the most important thing.

But how do we interpret it?

Ultimately, it depends on the person.

Like most investment institutions in later generations, they often look at people more than projects when making investments.

Be close to virtuous ministers and keep away from petty men.

This principle is never wrong.

Just like myself.

There will never be any ungrateful scoundrels among the people around me, or even those who promote me.

Mei Hanlin was an ungrateful and despicable person.

Next is Xue Baoqin.

I really like Xue Baoqin.

The reason he kept her by his side recently, besides keeping Xue Yan in check, was also because he treated her like a younger sister.

Given this, knowing it's a pit of fire, of course we won't turn a blind eye.

However, Xue Yan might not understand his own thoughts.

Xue Yan had no idea about Mei Hanlin's character.

Currently, for the Xue family, especially the second branch, the marriage agreement with the Mei family is highly beneficial to the second branch.

This matter requires further consideration.

Lu Zhongheng was unaware of Wang Xin's thoughts and did not want to get entangled with Wang Xin on this matter. In Lu Zhongheng's view, this matter had nothing to do with Wang Xin, and it was already quite good that Wang Xin was willing to share his hatred of the enemy.

He smiled and asked, "Did you arrange everything at the front lines during your trip back to the capital?"

"It went relatively smoothly and was resolved quickly, but the imperial court was the exception."

Wang Xin also laughed.

Without hiding anything too much, she recounted the agreement she had made with Zhang Jifu six months ago.

Lu Zhongheng understood, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

A capable person will thrive anywhere.

Zhang Jifu was the future Grand Secretary, and in fact the head of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No matter how many people tried to curry favor with him, they had no chance, but Wang Xin was able to negotiate with him.

Why?
ability.

Since joining the army, this man has been invincible in battle and has achieved victory in every attack. His greatest asset is his unity and solidarity with his subordinates.

Even Zhang Jifu would value this person.

Lu Zhongheng couldn't help but ask, "You really don't plan to side with Zhang Jifu?"

"It's not that I don't want to seek refuge with him, it's that he won't accept me."

Wang Xin smiled wryly.

"Could the rumors be true?" Lu Zhongheng's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

"What rumors?"

Wang Xin became curious.

Although the Hanlin scholars held no real power, they were closest to the central government. They were the first to know about any developments in the court, which further highlighted their importance.

Lu Zhongheng lowered his voice and said softly, "Rumor has it that the Emperor Emeritus intervened, which is why Grand Secretary Zhang gave up on bringing you to his side and making you one of his people."

"You mean the Emperor Emeritus values ​​me?"

Wang Xin could hardly believe it.

“Otherwise what?” Lu Zhongheng felt it was more and more likely, and his expression became serious. He reminded him, “You need to know that it was Zhang Jifu who brought you back to the capital. There’s no reason for him to suddenly stop using you.”

Now, the room fell silent.

Wang Xin and Lu Zhongheng both began to ponder.

Being favored by the retired emperor meant immense wealth and honor.

But a new emperor brings a new court.

The retired emperor is too old.

The emperor and the retired emperor had a strained relationship. If the emperor were to assume full power, the retired emperor's ministers would likely not have a good ending. Even if they escaped unscathed, their future would definitely be affected.

Lu Zhongheng frowned deeply.

The best thing is for my mentor to maintain his extraordinary status.

Although he did not hold any official position after entering the Hanlin Academy, he could build his reputation and accumulate experience there. Therefore, he was not in a hurry to be transferred to another post and waited for the best opportunity.

But it was Wang Xin.

It's too eye-catching.

There's no way to hide it. If the retired emperor takes a liking to him, how can Wang Xin possibly refuse?

Although they may be highly valued in the short term, it is not good for the future.

Moreover, Wang Xin is in charge of military affairs and is an important person to his mentor. He might go beyond his mentor's plans and disrupt the deployment.

Is there anything we can do to utilize this?

While Wang Xin hesitated, he wasn't too bothered by it. What did future risks matter? Getting what he needed first was the most important thing; who knew what the future held?

"And one more thing."

Wang Xin spoke up, noticing Lu Zhongheng's worries, and thus stopped discussing Zhang Jifu's matter, instead inquiring about the wealthy families of Datong.

This is Lu Zhongheng's advantage.

With the central authority at your back, you can get the information you want.

really.

After listening to Wang Xin's explanation, Lu Zhongheng thought for a moment, his expression relaxed, and he replied, "The Vice Minister of War did mention it to Grand Secretary Zhang; I only heard it from others."

Speaking of which, Li Yuan, the Vice Minister of War, was also Zhou Daofeng's man before.

Later, for reasons unknown, Li Yuan and Zhou Daofeng became quite distant.

With Zhang Jifu concurrently serving as Minister of War, many people speculated that it was due to his official position. However, Lu Zhongheng didn't quite believe it, thinking that Li Yuan couldn't possibly be such a short-sighted person.

It is for this reason.

It was only when Li Yuan, the Vice Minister of War, took the initiative to speak to Zhang Jifu that many people took a second look and paid more attention to him.

"So the person Li Yuan was talking about was your subordinate?"

I don't remember his name anymore; he was just a junior officer. He wasn't originally qualified to let Zhang Jifu hear his name, but since Li Yuan intervened, it certainly wasn't just a promotion.

"This person will probably be promoted to Zuo Ji."

Low starting point, easy to upgrade.

Even after being promoted three ranks, he was still only a junior officer, not a proper general.

Li Yuan could handle this matter without going through Zhang Jifu if he was willing to, and the fact that he went to Zhang Jifu so seriously shows that he didn't want any accidents to happen, which makes it even safer.

Lu Zhongheng carefully told Wang Xin his guesses and the information he had heard.

Wang Xin breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems that wealthy people still pay attention to manners when dealing with officials.

Zhou Shiming was the main contributor.

It seems that Li Yuan owes the Zhou family a great debt of gratitude, which is why he is so devoted to their affairs.

Li Yuan was the Vice Minister of War.

That's the power of big spenders.

Nobody knows which powerful figure might be behind the wealthy individual.

What they themselves couldn't do, the Zhou family could.

Since Tang Ping is fine, the others probably won't be either. Wang Xin was worried that he might end up being the one who dragged things down. He took this seriously.

Lu Zhongheng was also very curious.

After hearing Wang Xin's explanation, Lu Zhongheng was speechless and reminded him, "I really don't know where your confidence comes from. Do you trust your subordinates so much?"

"I have always trusted my people."

Wang Xin smiled calmly.

Lu Zhongheng didn't believe it.

Then, thinking of Zhang Wenjin from Datong, Lu Zhongheng hesitated again.

Others may not know, but Lu Zhongheng has heard of it.

Six months ago, Wang Xin and Feng Yong returned to the capital together. During this time, Zhang Wenjin not only wanted to incorporate the Yongxing Army, but also wanted to take the opportunity to swallow up Wang Xin's men. However, he ran into a tough nut to crack with Wang Xin, which made people doubt Zhang Wenjin's abilities.

This is a classic case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead. It would have been perfect to just gather the Yongxing Army, but they had to do something completely unnecessary, greedily taking Wang Xin's men.

Therefore, when Wang Xin said he had confidence in his subordinates, Lu Zhongheng would have thought anyone else was arrogant, but when it was Wang Xin, Lu Zhongheng didn't dare to say it.

Having obtained the information he wanted from Lu Zhongheng, Wang Xin no longer hesitated and planned to send someone to visit Zhang Jifu.

Lu Zhongheng got up to see him off.

Wang Xin stopped him.

"It's too conspicuous for you to see me off, I'd better go out by myself."

Lu Zhongheng was stopped and brought back, but no one forced him to continue.

Right now, I'm hiding in the abyss, waiting for my chance to make a name for myself and soar to great heights. This process is also the most dangerous, and the safest course of action is to avoid causing any trouble.

Leaving the Yangzhou Guild Hall.

A group of people dressed in silk robes stepped aside to make way for them.

Wang Xin nodded and smiled as he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

Two of them looked familiar; they were merchants from the Yangzhou Guild Hall. Wang Xin greeted them again before taking his leave.

"who is he?"

"Wang Xin."

"Is he Wang Xin?"

"I didn't expect him to be so young."

They were all businessmen.

"Wasn't it him who helped build the Hexi market?"

"I never expected a martial artist to have such insight."

"Don't underestimate him; he's extremely formidable."

"He's just a guerrilla general."

A middle-aged man in his thirties, unconvinced, inquired instead: "I've heard that this person collaborates with the local tyrants in Datong and monopolizes the business outside the Great Wall. Have you heard anything about that?"

"The Xue family is most familiar with this matter."

Some people knew a little about it, so they introduced it to everyone.

Yangzhou merchants tend to stick together.

Communicate what is needed.

"What, is Master Qi interested in participating?"

Someone asked a middle-aged man in his thirties.

The man shook his head.

"I learned about this from Tiancheng City. I have a relative who works in the Tiancheng Army."

After listening, everyone realized just how big the business opportunities were in Datong.

Should we participate?

Qi Dongjia sneered and mocked, "Since this person has made western Datong so impregnable, as if he doesn't allow outsiders to interfere, even if you want to participate, you will definitely not be able to."

"Does he not want trade routes in the mainland?"

"This man has won over the Xue family and monopolized the trade routes in the interior. How could he easily give up such lucrative profits to others?"

This is true.

Trade in Datong is not something that can be accomplished in just one or two months.

Since General Wang Xin did not contact the Yangzhou Guild Hall, it means he did not intend to bring Yangzhou merchants with him.

"It seems we'll have to miss out," someone lamented.

"joke."

"Without Butcher Zhang, are we going to have to eat hairy pigs? Datong isn't just in the west; there's also the Tiancheng Army." Qi Dongjia revealed a confident smile.

Everyone was moved and understood Qi Dongjia's idea.

The first person to eat a crab doesn't necessarily get to eat the biggest crab.

Markets are like battlefields.

Nobody should blame anyone.

"This matter requires careful consideration. Our Yangzhou Guild Hall has a close relationship with General Wang, so we should at least save some face for him," an elder advised.

However, the thought of the substantial profits has many people tempted to take advantage of the opportunity.

If there was no opportunity before, so be it. But now that the door is open and there are ready-made methods, we can just follow them. Are we just going to give up?

Several people glanced at Qi Dongjia.

Qi Dongjia nodded.

This isn't the right place to talk. Let's discuss it later.

Instead of returning to the Jia family mansion, Wang Xin went to the Zhang family mansion in person to submit his visiting card.

Although he was only a guerrilla general, the steward of the Zhang family knew Wang Xin and did not neglect him. Instead, he personally came out to greet Wang Xin and told him that his master was not at home, and that he would personally deliver Wang Xin's visiting card to his master.

Wang Xin knew that Zhang Jifu was extremely busy and most likely not at home, so he thanked the steward and went back to wait for news.

Once communication with Zhang Jifu goes smoothly, I can return to Datong and, according to my plan, build the Datong Western Army, gather resources and strength, and make a big splash outside Datong Pass.

The western part of Datong is actually quite large.

Moreover, although the population in the western part of Datong is limited, there are no fences between different areas, so it can still absorb people and expand business opportunities.

The Hetao region is not designated.

That's why I value the Xue family so much.

While monopoly is not a good method, in order to maximize profits and exert the greatest advantage in a short period of time, it is necessary to monopolize the trade routes in the interior through the Xue family.

Only in this way can one acquire a large amount of wealth.

Without financial support, no one can manage. Instead of returning to the Jia family mansion, he went to Tongzhou.

along the way.

Wang Xin rode his horse, with Shi Ping and others following beside him.

Before we knew it, we had arrived at Hexi Camp.

(End of this chapter)