The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 264: Not appreciative
royal palace.

The Ji Gate.

The palace was brightly lit by candlelight.

Zhang Jifu was the only person inside the main hall.

Zhang Jifu looked respectful, his previous arrogance gone.

The private audience, with even the eunuchs kept out, appeared to be an act of great favor, but in reality, it was a sign of discontent.

Although he had only been dealing with the retired emperor for less than a year, thanks to Zhou Daofeng's introduction, Zhang Jifu was very familiar with the retired emperor's habits.

The retired emperor was very considerate of his ministers' feelings.

When he is dissatisfied with someone, he will summon them for a private meeting.

Behind the curtain.

The retired emperor leaned against the imperial couch, wearing a loose Taoist robe. His face was covered with age spots, and his complexion was gaunt, making him look particularly eerie.

"Your ideas are all good, but you're too arrogant."

The retired emperor seemed to be making a comment about Zhang Jifu.

Zhang Jifu hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

The Emperor Emeritus seemed to see through Zhang Jifu's thoughts, chuckled twice, and said calmly, "Your arrogance is well controlled. For an ordinary minister, this is quite commendable. But you have the responsibility of the entire court on your shoulders. This little flaw, magnified in the eyes of countless people, becomes a fatal flaw."

Zhang Jifu was stunned and began to ponder.

The retired emperor nodded.

He truly deserves to be Zhou Daofeng's prized student.

He was only slightly inferior to Zhou Daofeng back then, and he will never be as good as Zhou Daofeng.

But there will never be another Zhou Daofeng in this world.

Although he has some shortcomings, he is still one of the best among all the civil and military officials in the court. There are not many people who can compare to him. Lin Ruhai is no worse than Zhang Jifu, but Lin Ruhai is not strong-willed and cannot become Zhang Jifu, and Zhang Jifu cannot become Lin Ruhai.

Zhang Jifu seemed to have come to his senses and took the initiative to admit his mistake, saying, "I underestimated the Prince of Dongping. Because of the Datong incident, I became complacent. It was my oversight."

"Ugh."

Did Zhang Jifu ever realize where he went wrong? The retired emperor suddenly felt utterly bored.

If we're talking about the affairs of the world, the retired emperor felt there was nothing he couldn't solve. Yet, after ruling for his entire life, in the end, he was entangled in many matters, and nothing could bring him any satisfaction.

what is the reason behind the scene?

The retired emperor has been pondering this matter recently and has come to a conclusion.

She has no son.

He was manipulated by palace maids in his childhood, which caused him to lose his abilities prematurely.

At the time, I didn't really care.

Although it was regrettable, I always felt that the world was in my own hands and that there was no problem I couldn't solve, so I started doing things one by one.

He suppressed nobles, consolidated military power, conquered the Hu people, suppressed the barbarians, dredged the Grand Canal, repaired post roads, built the Great Wall, promoted schools, and quelled Japanese pirates. He had a successful life, but in his old age, he failed in everything.

In suppressing the Japanese pirates, he almost lost his military power.

Although they ultimately defeated the emperor, they also lost a great deal.

"Liaodong is not only about the Prince of Dongping, but also about the scourge of the barbarians. Regardless of whether the Prince of Dongping was behind it, the fact that two thousand elite troops of the Beijing Garrison were wiped out in Nurgan shows how powerful the barbarians are."

The retired emperor snorted coldly: "The barbarian troubles in the northeast and the chaos in Datong, you want to consolidate the power of the capital garrison and deal with the border towns. You are too hasty. If others stumble, they can start over. But there is no such thing as starting over in national affairs. As a cabinet minister, you must consider things carefully and remember the principle that governing a large country is like cooking a small fish."

Zhang Jifu calmed down.

Although the Emperor Emeritus's words were a warning to himself, they also reflected his hope that he could shoulder the responsibility of governing the country.

Say a thousand words and ten thousand words.

The retired emperor needed them, master and disciple.

Zhang Jifu pondered for a moment, and after the Emperor Emeritus finished speaking, he said, "To repel external aggression, we must first pacify the internal situation. I have decided to first reclaim the military power of the capital garrison, thoroughly stabilize the court's situation, restore the tax revenue of the southeast, accumulate resources for one or two years, and then plan to conquer the border regions. Once the problems in the border regions are resolved, it will be a natural progression to then pacify the external regions."

The emperor didn't say anything.

The hall fell silent again, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Zhang Jifu awaited the Emperor Emeritus's decision.

Myself and Zhu Wei.

One of the retired emperors must be chosen.

Zhang Jifu believed that the retired emperor would choose him.

a long time.

The Emperor Emeritus finally spoke, his voice tinged with weariness, "Zhu Wei can go to the Five Armies Commandery, but the matter of the Beijing Garrison must not be neglected."

Zhang Jifu felt heavy-hearted and wasn't overly happy.

The military power of the Beijing Garrison was partly controlled by the Governor-General's Office and partly by the Ministry of War.

It originally belonged to the military administration department.

Because the Ministry of War wielded too much power, it was also an entity that needed to share power, but unfortunately, the Minister of Military Affairs was on the emperor's side.

Zhu Wei, the commander of the Eastern Army, was a man of the retired emperor. He also served as the Minister of War, which meant that the retired emperor completely controlled the Eastern Army through both civil and military means. The Eastern Army was also the strongest of the four armies of the Beijing Garrison.

Now I need to deal with Zhu Wei and cut off the hand that the retired emperor is using to interfere with military power.

The retired emperor was naturally unhappy.

However, in order to support him, the retired emperor was willing to make concessions. But if he failed, it would be different from Liaodong, which was outside the pass and would not have much impact on the situation inside the pass. The Beijing garrison was the key.

Therefore, the consequences of failure are severe, and the retired emperor will not give himself a second chance.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will certainly not disappoint you again."

Zhang Jifu solemnly assured him.

The retired emperor stared at Zhang Jifu from his bedside for a moment.

Suddenly spoke.

"We must keep a close eye on the emperor."

The emperor continued to make moves.

Contact the royal family and gain their support.

With Prince Zhongshun taking the lead in winning over the nobles, and Liu Ru remaining in charge of stabilizing the civil officials, the situation was like adding wings to a tiger, allowing them to proceed steadily. Although the results were not yet significant, they were enough to make people feel the sense of crisis.

Zhang Jifu didn't care much.

Talent is the most important thing.

What talented people could there be among the nobility? They're just a bunch of good-for-nothings relying on their ancestors' legacy.

Even if a few people like Wang Xin emerge, they will still come from impoverished backgrounds.

Only in the cold wind can one cultivate a tenacious spirit.

Seeing Zhang Jifu's expression, the retired emperor didn't bother to say anything more. Zhang Jifu was, after all, just Zhang Jifu, not his mentor Zhou Daofeng. Different people should be treated differently.

We cannot demand the same standards of Zhou Daofeng from Zhang Jifu; doing so would not only ruin Zhang Jifu but also cause us to make mistakes.

I no longer have the chance to make a mistake.

He doesn't seem like an emperor.

Despite making so many mistakes, more and more people are gathering around him, and these idiots are actually supporting such a fool.

Given the difficult situation, can he handle it well?

The retired emperor did not believe it.

The retired emperor waved his hand.

Zhang Jifu respectfully backed away.

The hall returned to tranquility.

There was no warmth whatsoever, only a chilling feeling, and no sense of security whatsoever. The Emperor Emeritus couldn't help but wrap himself tighter in the imperial quilt and narrowed his eyes.

You can't deny getting old.

Future generations will have their own blessings.

But the emperor is never someone you can trust.

Thinking about the current problems of the Great Zhou Dynasty, what methods should be used? Sometimes, even when you see the problems, you should start from another angle. Hitting the bull from the mountain is often more effective than directly confronting the problems.

The retired emperor couldn't help but smile.

I'm not afraid of fighting.

It's actually quite interesting.

After a short while, the Emperor Emeritus became drowsy and couldn't stay awake any longer. He sighed deeply, and all his thoughts vanished into nothingness.

Humans can't fight against fate.

Led by a eunuch, Zhang Jifu left the Meridian Gate. His family members were already waiting to help him into the sedan chair, and the group left the palace.

"master."

"Wang Xin is going to pay a visit to you tomorrow, sir. Should we postpone this appointment?"

Knowing that the master was busy, the steward of the manor followed beside the sedan chair, asking about the manor's affairs for tomorrow through the curtains of the sedan chair.

As the saying goes, even a seventh-rank official is powerful in front of the prime minister's gate.

Although Zhang Jifu was not the prime minister, he was the future chief minister.

Although the butler was tired, his spirit was still evident on his face, and although his tone was low, he exuded an air of arrogance.

Zhang Jifu, inside the sedan chair, closed his eyes to rest.

Listening to the butler's words, I thought of Wang Xin.

Wang Xin is extremely capable.

If this person is used well, it will have a very good effect. For example, in Datong, he was able to defeat Feng Yong. Although he had his own support behind him, he first had to establish himself before he could exert his strength behind the scenes.

"Don't push him away. When he arrives, bring him directly to see me."

Zhang Jifu's voice came from inside the sedan chair.

"I understand, sir."

The butler said respectfully.

Although Wang Xin was only a guerrilla general, the master valued him highly. The steward kept this in mind and knew how to treat Wang Xin next time.

Zhang Jifu finally returned to the Zhang residence.

People from the manor rushed over to serve him.

at this time.

Wang Xinping and his son had already gone to sleep.

Ping'er was too exhausted to serve Wang Xin, and Wang Xin wouldn't let her get up to serve him either. Ping'er, unable to stay awake any longer, was already fast asleep. Wang Xin put on his clothes, lit a lamp, and pondered in the candlelight.

The Great Zhou Dynasty was established after the Tumu Fortress Incident of the Ming Dynasty.

After decades of war, the Great Zhou Dynasty was finally established, and it has been a century since then.

Based on the timeline, the original timeline should be set in the mid-to-late Wanli period.

By the time of the Wanli Emperor, the Ming Dynasty was already terminally ill. It was only through Zhang Juzheng's reforms that the Wanli Restoration and the Three Great Campaigns of the mid-to-late Wanli period were able to be achieved.

The Great Zhou Dynasty had only been established for a hundred years.

It was another unified dynasty, so logically it should still be in its middle period.

However, the situation in the Great Zhou Dynasty was different.

The war in the Great Zhou Dynasty was relatively mild, and the population loss was relatively small.

The founding strength of the Great Zhou Dynasty was not strong enough, so it made many compromises. The four kings and eight dukes can be seen as generous rewards for meritorious officials, or as a sign that these officials had become too powerful to control.

On the contrary, it was the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang eliminated the powerful forces of the founding heroes, opening up channels for the middle and lower classes to rise in rank and securing a longer livelihood.

The Great Zhou Dynasty inherited the system from the Ming Dynasty.

Unlike the Ming Dynasty, which inherited the Song Dynasty system.

The Ming Dynasty and the Song Dynasty were separated by the Yuan Dynasty, a century's time, enough for people to sever their cultural roots. The founders of the Ming Dynasty were all born in the Yuan Dynasty, not in the Song Dynasty.

Although it follows the Song system, it is actually a selection of the best.

On the contrary, the Great Zhou inherited most of the Ming system wholesale. By the time of the Tumu Crisis, the Ming Dynasty already had many accumulated problems, and the Great Zhou inherited most of these problems.

Under various drawbacks.

There were also inherent weaknesses of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The power struggle between the retired emperor and the emperor, in particular, had a tremendous impact.

At the beginning of the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it launched eastern and northern expeditions.

After destroying the Tatars and Oirats and assimilating the Jurchens, a century later, not only did the northern barbarian troubles arise, but various barbarian tribes also rose up in Nurgan. Now, they even have the strength to wipe out two thousand elite troops of the Beijing garrison.

Although the reason behind this may be related to the Prince of Dongping.

However, the barbarians themselves would need sufficient strength to eliminate these two thousand elite troops of the capital garrison.

And the future Prince of Nan'an suffered a defeat.

Add the original text from Dream of the Red Chamber.

Scenes of the end times in various places.

Years later, even the capital city was plagued by major thieves, demonstrating the extent to which the local areas had become unbalanced.

and many more.

The situation in the Great Zhou Dynasty is not good.

Therefore, many issues must be considered.

This is a time of great contention. Western nations have embarked on a great voyage of exploration, commerce has been unleashed, and the beginning of a great liberation of productive forces has begun. However, the Great Zhou has fallen into war and missed its opportunity, which Wang Xin finds truly regrettable.

Since I'm here, I should leave something behind.

Whether for oneself or for the people of this land.

But these are just guesses; Wang Xin had no idea what would happen to the Great Zhou.

If the Prince of Nan'an suffered a defeat, yet he and his wife were still able to move around the capital as usual, it shows that the relationship between the Prince's Mansion and the royal family had not broken down, and that the court and the local authorities were still on each other's side.

The power struggle between the retired emperor and the emperor had clearly subsided, and the emperor ultimately prevailed.

Without internal strife, will the Great Zhou Dynasty return to stability?

Since we can't see it clearly.

Then let's focus on doing our own things well first.

Being poor cares themselves, being wealthy cares the world.

He blew out the candle, returned to the bed, and hugged Ping'er tightly. Ping'er's body was warm and soft.

Ping'er was held in her sleep and felt a chill.

She groaned unconsciously, half-asleep and half-awake, feeling Wang Xin's presence. She embraced him affectionately, and the two of them entangled together like an octopus.

Wang Xin found a comfortable position.

But there are still many worries.

It's not just about the Great Zhou Dynasty, but also about Prince Teng.

Since this person is treating me like a lifeline, they will not easily give up on dealing with me. What will they do?

It would be better if this person were dead.

This person should have died of illness on the way back to the capital, but unexpectedly, because of his own actions, he not only did not die, but also became a problem for him.

Wang Xin stopped thinking about it.

Ultimately, it's strength that matters.

Just like those two thousand elite troops of the capital garrison, if their strength overwhelmed the barbarian tribes, even if they fell into a trap, they wouldn't have suffered a crushing defeat.

That night.

Wang family.

In the study.

Wang Ziteng, who was behind the desk, looked increasingly gloomy after hearing Wang Ren's words.

"He brought shame upon himself."

Wang Ziteng coldly cursed Wang Ren.

This time, Wang Ren stopped trying to reason with him and said bitterly, "That Wang Xin is indeed a heartless and treacherous villain. He only cares about himself and has no regard for his clansmen."

"Uncle, please remove this person from the list."

Wang Ren made the suggestion.

Being expelled from the clan is a serious matter; it can affect one's future.

Who would want to use a lonely ghost who doesn't even have any clansmen?

"No hurries."

Wang Ziteng snorted coldly.

Of course I will deal with Wang Xin, but I need to find the right time. Expelling Wang Xin from the family genealogy now will hinder him, but it won't do much harm and won't achieve my goal.

Only by seizing the right opportunity to strike can one not only achieve their own goals but also ensure that the opponent has no chance of recovery, thus eliminating them completely.

"He was born an orphan, he only sees what's in front of him, he only cares about himself, he's a beast who was born but not taught."

Wang Ziteng cursed fiercely.

I gave Wang Xin enough opportunities, but this man really doesn't know how to appreciate them.

Wang Ren nodded repeatedly.

As for her sister saying that Wang Xin helped her with many things, it's just a trivial matter for a woman like her, nothing to brag about.

Wang Ziteng glared at Wang Ren with a sinister look and sternly instructed, "I'm going out of the manor in a couple of days. Keep a close eye on me and don't let anyone leak my whereabouts."

Wang Ren was startled.

Knowing that his uncle was about to take action, and knowing that it was of utmost importance, he dared not slack off.

(End of this chapter)