The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 307: Unmoving as a mountain
Beijing.

Jia Mu's Courtyard.

The maids were all sitting or standing in the covered walkway, chatting quietly by the wooden railing.

Jia Zheng and Lady Wang were inside the room.

"This matter is a bit rash. After all, she is still young. Although it is an engagement, there are bound to be some awkward situations." At this point, Grandmother Jia sighed and changed the subject, "However, Third Sister is, after all, born out of wedlock."

Upon hearing the words "born out of wedlock," Jia Zheng's lips twitched, but he ultimately held back.

Madam Wang remained calm.

Grandmother Jia sighed, “I have always liked Third Sister. Among my legitimate granddaughters, apart from those who entered the palace, she is the most outstanding. It’s just that I’m afraid outsiders are blind and care about whether the child is born of the principal wife or a concubine, which has hindered her. I heard that Wang Xin has a good reputation and has lived in the mansion for several years. His character is indeed good. I will accept this matter.”

Although Grandmother Jia knew that the mansion was not as prosperous as before, it was recovering quite well for the time being.

The eldest granddaughter was a concubine.

The lintels of the Ning and Rong mansions are still standing.

The Shi family dared not disobey him, and although the Wang family had a prince named Teng, they ultimately did not have any serious conflicts. As for the Xue family, although they had allied themselves with the Jia family, it was not bad to just put on a show.

The son-in-law, Lin Ruhai, is filial, and the granddaughter is even more remarkable.

In a few years, when she gets older, she might have the advantage of being close to the Jia family and marry Baoyu, which would benefit the Jia family. Or perhaps some ideal man will emerge and she will have a promising future, becoming another Lin Ruhai.

It seems that the Jia family's influence and prestige have been at their peak in the last two or three years.

The last time they were in such high spirits was when Prince Yizhong was alive.

So even though she knew Wang Xin was a good person, Grandmother Jia was still somewhat dissatisfied. However, Tan Chun was indeed an illegitimate daughter, and in the eyes of outsiders, they were a good match. Some people might even think that the Jia family had gotten the better deal.

In the eyes of those who look down on illegitimate daughters, the Jia family made a huge profit by exchanging an illegitimate daughter for a son-in-law who would become a great man.

A wise child is better than his mother.

Jia Zheng also knew of Grandmother Jia's concerns, and said with a smile, "We found a good husband for Tan Chun, better than the others. Besides, Wang Xin is indeed a good man with great potential."

"I heard this person is going to lead troops into battle, and I also heard that he acts arbitrarily and has offended many people. Could it be?"

Grandmother Jia was not an old woman who was out of touch with the world; she had inquired about Wang Xin during this period.

Jia Zheng nodded. "As a military general, it's inevitable that Wang Xin will lead troops into battle, especially since things have been quite unsettled in various places these past few years."

Grandmother Jia grew increasingly worried, while Lady Wang, who was standing to the side, remained silent.

Jia Zheng quickly said, "But it is precisely because of the unrest that there is room for warriors to use their skills. As Mother said, Wang Xin offended some people, but he has achieved what he has today simply because he can fight, and the court has no choice but to use him."

"He was lucky, too."

Grandmother Jia understood.

Otherwise, what good are all those skills if there's no place to use them?

This person is of good character and also has good luck, which made Grandmother Jia feel much more at ease.

Although it had already been agreed upon, Grandmother Jia still had some concerns.

Unlike when daughters were married off in the past.

Back then, I was increasingly satisfied with Lin Ruhai, and over the years, Lin Ruhai has not disappointed me.

The Jia family was clearly a military family that had contributed to the founding of the country, yet they were able to carve out a niche for themselves in the civil service. The credit for this achievement belonged to Lin Ruhai, and Grandmother Jia was well aware of her son's abilities.

When Jia Zheng saw his mother's change in attitude, he knew that the matter was completely settled.

The entire conversation was between the mother and son; Lady Wang remained silent. After the couple left, in a deserted corridor, Lady Wang called out to Jia Zheng.

Jia Zheng stopped and turned to look at his wife.

Madam Wang asked directly, "Are you still angry with your elder brother?"

Jia Zheng showed displeasure.

"You asked for Wang Ziteng?"

Wang Ziteng used to be selfish and self-serving, so I spoke well of him to ease the dissatisfaction of the Ningguo Mansion and my elder brother towards him.

After suffering a setback, he went to curry favor with the Ningguo Mansion and his elder brother.

Although he didn't intend to compete with his elder brother, so many years had passed and things had come to this point, yet Wang Ziteng still went there without considering him at all.

Moreover, Lin Ruhai failed to return to the capital, which caused considerable discontent among the emperor. Prince Zhongshun became increasingly powerful, even suppressing Liu Ru. As a result, Wang Ziteng considered siding with Prince Zhongshun.

One or two items.

Over time, Jia Zheng, who considered himself to have a good personality, couldn't help but feel dissatisfied with Wang Ziteng.

Madam Wang shook her head. "Wang Xin is still a member of the Wang clan. Even if he doesn't get along with my elder brother, he still has the surname Wang. Since Master values ​​this man, we should help him more so that he can see clearly which side is truly good to him."

"Haven't I helped him enough?"

Unexpectedly, it was for the sake of his own household. Jia Zheng was caught off guard and subconsciously retorted.

After realizing what had happened, her complexion improved considerably.

Jia Zheng softened and said, "He spent a lot of time and effort on the northern expedition during his return to the capital. Tomorrow, I will go to the Hexi camp with Wu Jun, the supervising censor of Zhejiang Province, to see him. With Wu Jun's help, Wang Xin will be more than grateful to me."

When Lady Wang heard the name Imperial Censor Wu, she glanced at Jia Zheng with surprise.

This Imperial Censor Wu was no ordinary man; he was the Supervising Censor of Zhejiang Circuit, a civil official of the fourth rank, with a distinguished reputation, and a very influential figure in the capital within Lin Ruhai's circle.

Madam Wang was no longer worried and said confidently, "You persuaded him to step forward. If Wang Xin understands the implications, given his character, he will surely remember your kindness."

Jia Zheng looked smug.

I wanted to see this through to the end, and that's how I treated Wang Ziteng before, but he disappointed me greatly.

Over the years, Jia Zheng initially received Wang Xin out of respect for Lin Ruhai. The more he interacted with him, the more he appreciated him. Now that his daughter wanted to marry him, he naturally wanted to give him more resources.

If the northern expedition to Datong goes smoothly and he truly manages to quell the Hu rebellion in three years, with this kind of experience, he will definitely be able to become a general of a town in the future. He can also become an admiral by gaining more experience, thus making up for the shortcomings of his branch of the family.

In literature, there is Lin Ruhai; in martial arts, there is Wang Xin.

With these two protecting them, even if the second son of the Rongguo Mansion is useless, he will definitely be able to live a life of wealth and leisure.

Day two.

Tongzhou.

In the early morning, a thin mist, like gauze, gently shrouded the riverbed paved with bluestone slabs.

Early morning boats creaked past, and the boatwomen, sleeves rolled up, deftly carried baskets of fresh water chestnuts, still glistening with water droplets, onto the dock. The teahouse on the shore had just taken down its doors, and the waiter, yawning, moved a few benches to the water's edge, waiting for the first group of customers.

The livestock market in the west has opened.

The air was filled with the sounds of cattle mooing and horses neighing, and the distinctive smells of hay and livestock.

The vegetable patches outside the moat of Tongzhou are lush and green.

The farmers bent over, carefully cutting the dew-kissed greens and radishes, and neatly stacking them into baskets. Their shoulders were bent from carrying heavy loads, but their steps were light as they hurried to the dock.

The lush green vegetables in the baskets will be transported to the capital via the canal.

This is the convenience brought about by being located at the gateway to the capital.

The vast capital city supported a large population.

The Eastern Army headquarters was stationed in Tongzhou City. The military camps outside the east of the city were the left flank of the Eastern Army, and the military camps outside the west of the city were the right flank of the Eastern Army. The barracks of the right flank were connected in a row, and there was a separate camp area on the far west side along the canal.

It's like a quiet place in the middle of a bustling city.

Four soldiers guarded the camp gate. Unlike other places, the soldiers here stood straight and motionless, their eyes and ears scanning the surroundings, giving people an extremely solemn feeling.

A dozen or so people stood at the camp gate, seemingly making comments.

The soldiers had already spotted them, glancing out of the corner of their eyes at this group of strangers who, though dressed in civilian clothes, couldn't hide their official airs.

One of them was Jia Zheng.

"This is Hexi Camp."

Jia Zheng was speaking to him on the left, with Lu Zhongheng beside him. The leader was about forty years old, younger than Jia Zheng, but with a dignified look, clearly the highest-ranking person among them.

"These soldiers are indeed a sight to behold, standing motionless, but isn't this kind of torture of soldiers too harsh?"

The man said with a frown.

Jia Zheng was stunned.

He thought it looked pretty good, but he hadn't thought about the problem.

Lu Zhongheng reacted quickly and laughed, "Senior Wu, you may not know this, but I have heard Wang Xin say that more sweat in peacetime means less blood in wartime. That's why Wang Xin was very strict in leading his troops, in order to temper their morale and will."

"Can the soldiers handle it?"

The man was worried.

There were many places guarded by soldiers, not only military camps, but also many government offices.

But this was the first time that person had ever seen something like the Hexi Camp.

How many people could withstand this kind of treatment?

He was thinking that too much of a good thing could be bad. “Unlike other places, Wang Xin uses elite troops and won’t use mediocre ones,” Lu Zhongheng tried his best to explain.

Good and bad.

It's not even a simple touch of the lips.

If you say it's good, it's good; if you say it's bad, it's bad.

Lu Zhongheng didn't know if this approach was good or bad. In any case, Wang Xin had never lost a battle so far, and he couldn't explain it so directly, otherwise Wu Wenhua would easily feel that he was contradicting him.

Wu Wenhua smiled and said nothing more.

Lu Zhongheng and Jia Zheng exchanged a glance and breathed a sigh of relief. The other officials behind them looked on with interest, peering into the unusual Hexi Camp from the doorway.

The ground at the campsite was clean and tidy.

It is flat and neat, making it pleasing to the eye.

Although the barracks were spacious, the window sills were still spotless, and the oil paper on the windows was intact, showing that they were well maintained.

"May I ask what brings you here?"

A sentry officer emerged from the barracks, dressed neatly, and approached politely to inquire.

"This is the Supervising Censor of Zhejiang Circuit. This is Hanlin Academy member Mei. I am Jia Zheng, Assistant Minister of Works."

Jia Zheng stepped forward and said bluntly, "Have Wang Xin come out to greet us."

The sentry recognized Lu Zhongheng, having seen him speak with the general before, but the general did not recognize him. As for Jia Zheng, the Assistant Minister of Works, the sentry had heard of him before.

His family, including a general, came from one of the four great families and had relied on the Jia family for many years in the capital.

"Please wait a moment, everyone. I will go and inform the general immediately."

The soldiers who were with the sentry stayed behind to accompany him, while he himself ran back.

soon.

Wang Xin was driven out of the camp.

There were seven or eight officials and several attendants, making a group of more than ten people. Although their ranks were not high, their status was not low.

Especially the head censor, Wu.

If I'm not mistaken, this person is the governor who recommended Jia Zheng in the original Dream of the Red Chamber.

At that time, Jia Zheng was serving as the educational commissioner in Guangdong, and this person was the governor of Guangdong.

This person is currently only a supervising censor of Zhejiang Province, which means that it won't be long before he is transferred to a post outside the province and promoted to governor of Guangdong Province, becoming a second-rank provincial official. He is indeed much better than me.

Wang Xin took the initiative to go up and bow.

He was a third-rank military officer, while the other party was a fourth-rank civil official.

In terms of their identities and positions, the other person's status and authority are actually higher than their own.

The man looked Wang Xin up and down with interest for a few moments, then burst into laughter.

Just as Wang Xin was about to look at Jia Zheng and Lu Zhongheng, the man stepped forward and said with a smile, "Since I took charge of Zhejiang Province, I have heard a lot about General Wang's good reputation because of Taizhou Prefecture. Seeing him today, it is indeed true that talents emerge in every generation."

"Don't dare."

Wang Xin didn't know this person, but he was polite to him.

After exchanging pleasantries, the group arrived at the barracks. The room was simply furnished, and everyone took their seats.

Wang Xin had someone bring him tea.

The Northern Expedition was not a matter of simply having Zhang Jifu's support and expecting everything to be fine.

There are things to do at the top and things to do at the bottom. Nothing can go wrong, or it will become a real headache.

An army marches on its stomach.

This includes rewards for meritorious service and compensation for soldiers who have died in the line of duty.

Everything needs to be planned in advance.

We can't let the soldiers bleed and weep at the same time.

Those who make meritorious contributions will be promoted.

If you want to get promoted, someone has to acknowledge your contributions.

Who doesn't want to be a simple person and do things as they please?

Regardless of the era, interpersonal relationships are indispensable for being a person and doing things; society is essentially the sum of interpersonal relationships between people.

If you can't resolve interpersonal issues, you won't be able to adapt to society, and you're destined to have limited achievements and be unable to solve many problems.

With the help of Jia Zheng and Lu Zhongheng, I have already saved a lot of energy and trouble.

Moreover, the Imperial Censor Wu in front of us is indeed someone of great importance. Both Jia Zheng and Lu Zhongheng can only lag behind. With his help, it would be entirely beneficial to us at present.

I just don't know what kind of person he is. Jia Zheng said he's alright, but what kind of "alright" is he referring to?

Wang Xin sipped his tea, deep in thought.

Looking at the furnishings, no one in the room expected that the room of a high-ranking military officer would be so "simple".

Some people scoffed, thinking it was an over-the-top act.

Some people shook their heads. As a military general, he was highly capable, young, and didn't love money. How could he reassure his superiors? In the end, he was still immature and not steady enough.

The atmosphere in the room gradually became heavy.

Jia Zheng and Lu Zhongheng exchanged glances, neither of them feeling comfortable speaking.

Wu Wenhua looked at Wang Xin with deep eyes, as if he could see right through him.

"When I was in the capital, the officials from Zhejiang talked most about the generals' ability to fight. They said they were invincible and could not win any battle. To be honest, I didn't believe it."

Wu Wenhua smiled indifferently: "But everyone says, especially the people in many places, that the general's men are heavenly soldiers and generals, unafraid of thunder and rain, unmoved by lightning, and each one of them stands tall and upright."

As Wu Wenhua spoke, the other officials gradually became stunned.

Jia Zheng and Lu Zhongheng's expressions gradually stiffened.

Wang Xin raised his eyebrows, revealing a casualness that seemed to lack composure, and laughed, "It's all just hype. Let's scare the enemy first, and scare as many as we can."

Wu Wenhua was stunned.

"Pfft."

One official couldn't help but burst out laughing, and the others couldn't hold back any longer.

They were talking about something incredibly trivial just now.

Wu Wenhua was half-believing and half-doubting, and smiled as he pointed at Wang Xin, unsure of how to begin.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a clap of thunder sounded.

Everyone in the room was startled, even Lu Zhongheng shuddered.

"Thunder on the summer solstice".

Wu Wenhua was the first to react, muttering to himself, his face blank for a moment.

"Thunder first, then rain; it's probably just a light drizzle."

"It's a pity," an official lamented.

It hasn't rained for a long time, and when it finally does, it's just a light drizzle. It looks like it will be rainless for a long time again. What will we do about this year's disasters? It's going to be another tough time. Nobody's having an easy time.

Wu Wenhua sighed.

I got up and went to the door, watching the light rain falling from the sky.

soon.

Wu Wenhua narrowed his eyes.

The officials following behind him also quieted down.

"One or two."

"One or two."

"one two three four."

Two rows of thirty-odd soldiers jogged back to camp in the rain, unhurried and calm, while the soldiers at the camp gate remained motionless, letting the rain fall on their bodies, as if nailed to the ground like iron pillars.

The empty camp, which only housed a few dozen people, exuded a chilling atmosphere.

Wu Wenhua subconsciously turned around and glanced at Wang Xin.

Wang Xin lowered his head and drank his tea.

(End of this chapter)