The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 294 Marrying Wang Xin
Beijing.

Mei Mansion.

After the butler saw off the second master of the Xue family, he returned to the living room to find Mei Hanlin already seated at the head of the table, sipping tea and feigning ignorance as he asked, "Xue Yan is gone?"

"Reporting to Master," the steward said with a smile, "Master Xue has already boarded his own carriage, and his face looks very unpleasant."

Mei Hanlin smiled wryly.

Seeing that the master had not given any instructions, the butler quietly left.

Mei Hanlin stroked the armrest of the yellow flower chair.

From a poor scholar to the family fortune it enjoys today, everything was earned through his own hard work.

Only in a living room filled with fine wooden furniture and walls adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous people can one truly find peace of mind.

Only the Xue family
Knowing too much about his own embarrassing moments.

The old man of the Xue family is no longer here. I received a lot of help from him in the past. I don't know how much Xue Yan knows, or whether he will go out and talk nonsense.

Since Xue Yan took the initiative to visit me, he must have inquired about me beforehand. However, I did not come out to see him, and the housekeeper told me that I was not at home, so he was turned away.

Xue Yan is a smart man, but there are plenty of smart men out there.

The Great Zhou Dynasty has no shortage of intelligent people.

In terms of intelligence, Xue Yan's elder brother was not as smart as Xue Yan, but Xue Yan's elder brother had power that Xue Yan did not.

Power is everything.

The Xue family declined too quickly, mainly because the Jia family had fallen into decline.

Although the Jia family's facade hadn't collapsed yet, its influence was indeed waning. Those who had attached themselves to the Jia family were the first to fall from grace, and the Xue family, being the last of the four great families, was naturally the first to decline.

I had indeed considered joining one of the four major families before.

Isn't Lin Ruhai the same?

But is it still worth it for me to get on this ship now?

Thinking of the situation in the court, Mei Hanlin shook his head. Whether it was the retired emperor or the emperor, whoever held power in the future would rely on civil officials.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the emperor now listens to his uncle.

But when the emperor comes to power, I don't believe he won't be wary of Prince Zhongshun.

The emperor's own uncle, a prince, held a high position and great power, and then monopolized power. The emperor could still trust Prince Zhongshun. Such an emperor was a fool, and his failure was inevitable.

This is not the beginning of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

In the current environment, no matter who is in power, they will ultimately have to rely on civil servants.

Xue Yan was ridiculous, thinking that he could change his situation by getting close to a military officer, who was only a deputy commander. Besides, that person had a very close relationship with Lu Zhongheng.

Mei Hanlin frowned, forming a "川" (river) shape.

Being older is not an advantage, but a disadvantage, in the Hanlin Academy.

The Hanlin Academy preferred to train young people.

"I should visit Grand Secretary Zhang more often."

Mei Hanlin made up his mind.

He had no chance and couldn't afford to wait, unlike Lu Zhongheng and the others, who were young and had a high starting point. They could afford to wait, and the longer it dragged on, the more advantageous it would be for them, while it would be for him.

Despite the numerous risks, I'm afraid I won't even live to see Zhang Jifu step down; I'll be restless in the Hanlin Academy before he does.

Given his own status and position on Zhang Jifu's side, Wang Xin would be nothing more than a pawn.

Xue Yan, however, still had to rely on Wang Xin.

It would be a disgrace for my son to marry Xue Yan's daughter, and it would be of no help to my family at all. As for money, I'm willing to take the money. Do I need Xue Yan's help?

"Bastard!"

Xue Yan endured it the whole way.

I never expected Mei Hanlin to be such a despicable person.

When I was in Datong, I had never suffered such treatment. Those six months were truly enjoyable. Not only was doing business pleasant, but living was also enjoyable. I could do things according to the rules and didn't have to worry about what others thought.

Even Wang Xin, who never interfered in affairs, only set rules.

Everyone has to follow the rules, even he.

Don't be fooled by those in the court who say Wang Xin is a treacherous villain who never keeps his word; they are just using his actions towards the Hu people to attack him.

It seems that Mei Hanlin wants to call off the engagement.

"master."

Sulking with resentment, Xue Yan arrived at a shop in Hexi. He got off the carriage, and the shopkeeper came out to greet him.

It was the juniper from Changxing.

Have all the people we invited arrived?

Suppressing his displeasure, Xue Yan calmly asked.

"Everyone's here, wait inside."

Xue Yan nodded and led the way inside, waiting to see the scholars.

Wang Xin was promoted, and the number of official documents he needed increased.

However, Wang Xin had very strict rules.

His mannerisms are similar to those of Jia Zheng, the Master Jia.

When Jia Zheng was sent to serve as an official in a remote area, he brought some staff and clerks with him to help him. However, Jia Zheng did not allow his staff and clerks to ask for favors, which caused a lot of complaints, and many people left on their own initiative.

This year.

Whether they were officials, clerks, or even shop assistants in a merchant guild, they would secretly hoard needles and thread.

Who wouldn't seize an opportunity to make money?
Unlike Jia Zheng, Wang Xin was more capable and could manage people, so once the rules were established, he not only maintained them but also got things done.

However, we also encountered many difficulties.

His son had been treated so badly under his father's command that he was almost unrecognizable after a year or so. He needed to find an opportunity to bring his son back.

Wang Xin had no shortage of poor people around him, but he lacked people who could read, write, and write articles.

Du Song brought over five people, one of whom was a scholar, and the other four were students in their early thirties, with some in their early forties.

Xue Yan asked a few questions and then explained the rules of Datong.

"The salary will never be delayed, and it's quite high. However, the rules there are strict; you can't make money off others, and there's no opportunity to do so. If you're willing to go, you can leave with me in a couple of days. If you're not willing to go, I'll give you some tea money. It's not much, but it won't make you feel like you've made a wasted trip."

Everyone listened carefully and couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.

"This is outrageous! Do they think we're thieves? Such disrespect shows what kind of person this so-called General Wang is. He's just a brute who gets arrogant when he gets ahead." Someone got angry and started cursing.

Xue Yan smiled wryly, but wasn't angry, and gently tried to persuade him.

The man vented his anger, flicked his sleeve, and strode away, a smug look on his face.

As soon as he left, two other people followed him.

Another person asked a few more questions in detail. Although he didn't show any displeasure, he quickly cupped his hands in greeting and left without hesitation.

In the end, it was the scholar who stayed.

"I'm not good at socializing, my income is meager, and my family is waiting for me to eat. As long as my salary is decent, I'm fine with it." The scholar spoke the truth, and Xue Yan smiled, finally managing to keep one of them.

Otherwise, if there are none, it will be difficult to explain to Wang Xin.

Du Song led the man away, and the man went back to pack his luggage, saying he would come to the shop the next day and be ready to depart at any time.

Just then, someone arrived from Datong.

"Wang Xin is coming to the capital?"

Xue Yan looked surprised.

The person who came was Shi Ping, along with two companions.

Xue Yan quickly greeted the group and learned about the recent events in Datong, which filled him with even more emotion.

"The general has come to the capital this time to deal with Ou Yanhu, and also has something to discuss with Master Xue. So, knowing that Master Xue is in the capital, he asked me to come and tell Master Xue to stay in the capital and wait for the general, so as not to miss him."

Shi Ping smiled.

Xue Yan understood that Wang Xin had gone to the capital several times to quell the rebellion of the Hu people.

Although the matter of dealing with the Hu people was in Datong, the final decision and coordination still had to go through the imperial court. However, thinking about the changes in Datong in the past two years, Xue Yan couldn't help but sigh.

"If there's nowhere else to put them, let's leave them at the business."

Although Shi Ping was a personal guard, he was highly trusted and cultivated by Wang Xin, Xue Yan said, trying to win him over.

"No need," Shi Ping said, shaking his head. "Master Xue has nothing else to do. We still need to inform Master Lu, Master Zheng at the Jia residence, and Sister Ping before returning to Hexi Camp." Seeing this, Xue Yan did not try to persuade him to stay.

After seeing the group off, a thought suddenly popped into my head.

"How about marrying our daughter to Wang Xin?"

The sudden thought startled Xue Yan.

Although the Xue family was not bad before, that was then. Now Wang Xin is a deputy general, and he is bound to become a general in the future. If he were not too young, he should have been promoted to general by now.

As for the marriage agreement with the Mei family...

Judging from Mei Hanlin's attitude, if he were to come to Mei's door to announce the annulment of the engagement, Mei would probably not object.

Wang Xin probably wouldn't object.

Firstly, he had confidence in his daughter, even though she was a bit young, they could get engaged first. Secondly, Wang Xin needed the Xue family, and even more so, he needed her; the two of them could work together to get what they wanted.

It's just one thing.

Wang Xin's approach was too unconventional.

I'm afraid he won't last long.

Xue Yan was deeply troubled.

He mentioned that he had finally managed to invite several scholars, but they all ran away before he even met them, leaving only an old scholar who didn't even know how to maintain the friendship between classmates.

Wang Xin was indeed skilled at leading troops in battle, but warfare is not a long-term endeavor.

The Japanese invasion was quelled just like that.

Wang Xin was not neglected for a period of time. If it weren't for the Hu troubles, Wang Xin would have been left on the sidelines in the Beijing garrison.

Although I am not a person in officialdom, I have seen too much of what happens in officialdom.

The worst thing for an official is to be sidelined and ignored.

One sits there for a lifetime.

Many once-proud young people, who held high positions, were sidelined and wasted half their lives, their former achievements turning to dust.

Wang Ziteng and Wang Xin have fallen out.

Jia Zhen and Jia She also disliked Wang Xin.

Within the circle of the four great families, once Wang Xin's fortunes decline, he will inevitably be unable to remain.

Without the support of the four major families, who else could Wang Xin rely on?
No matter how capable you are, what good is it if the court doesn't use you?

The main problem is Wang Xin's behavior; no one can tolerate him. He has severed ties with officialdom, and I'm afraid he won't last long.

Despite their apparent support for Wang Xin, the Zhou family of Datong actually hoped for Wang Xin's downfall so they could seize the power he left behind. Such local bullies were not uncommon.

Xue Yan shook his head.

We'll have to take another look.

We mustn't rush things. My elder brother only saw Mei's talent and arranged the marriage early on, but he didn't see Mei's character.

Although Wang Xin is of good character and highly capable, what matters more is whether he can go far in the long run.

I can't make the same mistake as my older brother.

The Xue family has run out of capital.

Xue Yan sighed and sent someone to the Jia family to inform the young lady that the trip for the day after tomorrow had been cancelled.
-
Tubishan Villa.

Last time Ping'er went to see Jia Tanchun, Jia Tanchun took the opportunity to return the visit and came to Tubi Mountain Villa.

Since the villa was given to Wang Xin to live in, few people have come to this area. The main visitors are Wang Xifeng, Xue Baoqin, Lin Daiyu, and others. Jia Tanchun, on the other hand, took a good look around.

"I've arranged for a few old women to keep an eye on Second Madam's side. I've also reprimanded the original maids and had a doctor prescribe medicine."

Tan Chun told Ping'er.

Ping'er had known for a long time that she would visit Second Grandmother every day these days.

Since that day, Second Grandma's situation has improved a lot.

"After Second Madam recovered, Second Madam and I came together to thank Third Miss for her kindness," Ping'er said gratefully.

Tan Chun shook her head and declined, saying, "It's my duty, there's no need for thanks."

Qingwen felt the same way.

Being a housekeeper was her job, after all.

"Others may not know, but how could I not know?" Ping'er admired the Third Miss even more and said with a smile, "The Second Mistress's root lies not elsewhere, but in the gentlemen of the mansion. The Third Miss has taken a lot of responsibility for what she did."

Knowing she couldn't hide it from Ping'er, Tan Chun smiled and said, "Second sister-in-law has been good to us since we were little, and she has also taken good care of me. Now that she is not well, I will definitely repay her if I don't have the means, but I can't do much. I just hope that second sister-in-law will recover soon."

"We've done enough."

Ping'er said admiringly, "Third Miss is able to command people in this matter; most people can't do that."

Qingwen looked at Ping'er curiously.

I don't know what's so difficult about this. Although Miss Tan Chun was born out of wedlock, her maids still listened to her. Now that she's been ordered to manage the affairs of the mansion, does anyone dare to disobey her words and orders?

Tan Chun knew that Ping'er was clever. Although Qingwen was not as clever as Ping'er, she was diligent and was well liked by Wang Xin, so she treated both of them well.

I'm browsing around.

Xue Baoqin has arrived.

"Sister Ping, Big Brother is coming back."

Far away.

Xue Baoqin waved her hand, and only when she got closer did she see Jia Tanchun.

"Sister Tan Chun, you're here too."

Tan Chun smiled and said, "It's quite a coincidence that I came to see Sister Ping and Qingwen. If I had known you were coming, I would have come with you."

Upon hearing the news brought by Xue Baoqin, Ping'er disregarded everything else and hurriedly asked, "Who said that Master Xin is coming back? Is it true? When will he arrive?"

"The message my father sent through someone will probably arrive in three to five days, or at the latest six or seven days."

Upon hearing this, Ping'er and Qingwen couldn't hide their joy.

Tan Chun's expression was complicated, her eyes flickering, and it was unclear what she was thinking.

Ping'er and Qingwen were too busy being happy to notice Tan Chun's gaze. Xue Baoqin was busy answering Ping'er and Qingwen's questions.

Since Prince Teng lost power and caused repeated troubles, and finally made peace with Jia She, Jia Zheng realized that his life had become much better.

The reason is clear, but Jia Zheng does not hate Lady Wang.

After all, they had been married for many years, but their feelings for each other had become indifferent. There was no affection between them, and they were like strangers. As for the eldest son's actions and his nephew's wife's behavior, Jia Zheng disliked them but could do nothing about it.

My elder brother already has a lot of complaints about me, and if I were to give him any more pointers, he might turn on me.

Too many worries.

Jia Zheng lay in Aunt Zhao's arms.

Recently, the master has been coming often, and there are also matters concerning his daughter. Although the relationship between the mother and daughter is still not good, and they dare not be bad, there is nothing they are dissatisfied with. Aunt Zhao wholeheartedly rubbed Jia Zheng's forehead.

"I plan to talk to Wang Xin about my daughter's marriage during his trip to the capital."

Jia Zheng opened his eyes and looked at Aunt Zhao with a smile.

It was just as he expected.

Aunt Zhao was shocked and immediately pressed for answers.

"His style is just like mine. He doesn't like his subordinates making money. He's young and already a brigade commander. In fact, his power is no less than that of a general. In terms of both character and future prospects, he is no less than Tan Chun."

Jia Zheng said smugly.

It seemed as if it were already a done deal; he had found a top-notch son-in-law for Aunt Zhao.

"Would he look down on Tan Chun for being born out of wedlock?"

Aunt Zhao pursed her lips, her face full of worry.

“If others can’t explain it, he certainly can’t,” Jia Zheng said without hesitation.

Although he was only a minor official, he could speak up for Wang Xin in the court. He could also find people to mediate and suppress many impeachments against him, so as not to make things worse.

As long as things aren't weighed, everything is negotiable.

Although the Jia family was not as powerful as before, they still had an eldest daughter who was a concubine in the palace, a brother-in-law named Lin Ruhai, and connections with the emperor.

In fact, given the Jia family's prestige, even a concubine's daughter would have been able to marry into the family.

She married her daughter to Wang Xin for two reasons: firstly, Wang Xin was indeed capable, and secondly, she valued Wang Xin's character. She believed that her daughter would have a good life if she married him.

(End of this chapter)