The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 348 has no other requests.
Xuanda University is like a pocket.

The deserts and plateaus outside the Great Wall in northern Shaanxi, and the boundless deserts beyond the Yanshan Mountains, form the edge of the former region, creating an enormous bag.

The traces of the Hu people have become less frequent. In the past few years, the Qiantao region, which has a population of over 100,000, has seen countless cattle and sheep gather together and eventually enter the interior through the mouth of the bag.

Such enormous profits attracted other businessmen very early on.

However, faced with a local power like Julongchang, especially with its three cities in the best areas outside the pass as its foundation and the contracts it has signed with more than 100,000 herders, other merchants could not shake Julongchang's foundation and could only act as itinerant merchants.

"Bahhhhh."

A group of riders returned from patrol outside.

The gates of Weiyuan Pass were wide open, and many caravans were waiting to enter the pass.

Where there are people, there is demand; where there is demand, there is business. As a result, many vendors appeared outside the city gates, mainly to provide services for caravans.

There were veterinarians, blacksmiths, and even more tea stalls and food shops.

An old man was playing the erhu, and his daughter was singing a little tune. Among the people drinking tea at the tea stall, some business managers were very generous, which made the father and daughter earn more money than they would in the interior of China.

"This old man really knows how to find a spot."

One of the men said enviously.

"That's to be expected. In this place of endless yellow sand, we've come all this way to eat sand. We should earn more than we do in the interior. The wind has aged us. Look at my hands."

The person speaking raised their hand.

People cannot be supported outside the pass.

They all had sallow, withered faces and dry, cracked skin covered in calluses.

The checkpoint, though outwardly relaxed but inwardly tense, appears to harbor many hidden dangers.

Inside the gate tower on the city wall.

Zhao Yong arrived here early in the morning, looking in the direction of Zhenlu City. The two places are far apart. Beyond Zhenlu City is Yunchuan City, and beyond Yunchuan City is Guihua City.

For many years, no trace of Hu people has been seen at Weiyuan Pass.

Has Liu Tong arrived yet?

Zhao Yong turned his head and asked.

"Reporting to Lord Tibiao, someone has been sent to invite them, and they should be arriving soon."

"That's what my subordinate guessed."

Zhao Yong knew this too, but he was a little anxious.

The decision to kill Tang Ping cannot be made alone; otherwise, he would not be able to convince his brothers. He must persuade Liu Tong.

Tang Ping's qualifications are there.

Unless Liu Tong, whose seniority is no less than Tang Ping's, also supports him, he would have a hard time explaining himself if he rashly killed Tang Ping. He was mainly worried that it would affect important matters.

Waited for a long time.

Despite his ever-changing thoughts, Zhao Yong felt increasingly confident as he gazed at the bustling caravans below the city.

General Luo Ming is indeed far inferior to the Commander-in-Chief.

The magistrate has the ability to turn the rotten into the miraculous.

Hexi Camp was originally just a lousy place like any other, but the General Commander rebuilt its spirit and led it to become a strong army.

Although trade with the people outside the Great Wall has existed since ancient times, it has always been a headache. The imperial court avoids it like the plague and wishes it could be completely shut down so as not to have any dealings with the Hu people.

It ended up in the hands of the general.

By turning waste into treasure, we have achieved today's prosperity.

The same goes for the market outside the Hexi Camp. I heard that the general didn't do much back then, he just did a few things casually, and then the Hexi market inexplicably flourished.

I understand the matters of war.

He didn't really understand the reasons for engaging in business, even though the general had explained many things before leaving.

Anyway, I just need to do what the commander-in-chief tells me to do.

With the three outer cities in hand.

With the addition of the Western Army of Datong, it's truly a formidable foundation.

If we allow others to run rampant, the current prosperity will likely soon become a fleeting, ephemeral spectacle.

Zhao Yong had seen far too many things like this.

"Bahhhhh."

Weiyuan Pass is a fortified pass.

The north gate leads to the outside of the pass, while the south gate leads to the inside.

On the other side, another group of riders arrived.

The gate was closed, but a passage was left open. No matter how many caravans came and went, this passage could not be used and was reserved specifically for soldiers.

Upon receiving Zhao Yong's message, Liu Tong rushed over from Zuoyun immediately.

After entering the pass, they quickly discovered the unusual situation inside.

First, the number of soldiers has increased.

Secondly, Liu Tong saw a grain convoy transporting grain.

"what happened?"

Upon seeing Zhao Yong, Liu Tong immediately asked, wondering what had happened.

Zhao Yong dismissed the people around him, leaving only two people.

"Tang Ping has betrayed us. I need to intercept and kill him. Do you want to help me?"

Liu Tong was stunned.

After Wang Xin disbanded the Yangzhou camp, Liu Tong went to Luo Ming's command and fought alongside Zhao Yong. Therefore, Liu Tong's relationship with Zhao Yong was no worse than his relationship with Tang Ping.

Later, in Datong.

Zhao Yong and Tang Ping didn't get along, and he was caught in the middle.

Liu Tong's voice suddenly became hoarse, and he spoke with difficulty, "How can you be sure that Tang Ping betrayed us?"

"No evidence."

Zhao Yong shook his head. "Tang Ping won't give me any evidence either."

There must be a plausible reason.

Liu Tong didn't know why things had come to this, and his expression became somewhat dejected.

Zhao Yong stared at the area outside the pass.

"The wealthy families are counting on Tang Ping."

"Zhou Wen is also counting on Tang Ping."

"Everyone is counting on him, that's the reason."

Zhao Yong withdrew his gaze, sighed, and said, "General should not have agreed to Tang Ping's marriage to the Zhou family in the first place."

"I know this."

Liu Tong explained it again.

Today is not what it used to be.

Zhao Yong did not change his mind; the commander-in-chief personally oversaw the operation.

Liu Tong could not accept it.

"If you make a decision based solely on the attitudes of businessmen, and you make a wrong judgment, you'll regret it later."

"So what do you think we should do?"

Zhao Yong threw the question back at him.

The Datong Western Army, numbering 12,000, is now divided into four divisions.

Zhao Yong, Liu Tong, Tang Ping, and Zhang Can each led a force, with Zhang Can taking more than half of the elite troops and stationing them outside the pass.

Then Zhao Yong and Tang Ping each guarded a pass.

Liu Tong was in Zuoyun. In fact, Liu Tong was under more pressure because he had to face General Zhou Wen every day. So, although Liu Tong could not accept it, he could understand Zhao Yong's feelings.

Zhao Yong, stationed at the most important pass, was able to defy the general's orders by relying on his position as a lieutenant general and the support of his brothers.

If Tang Ping were to strike from behind, Zhao Yong would indeed be unable to withstand it.

“I went to ask Tang Ping myself.”

Liu Tong made a decision.

"you"

Zhao Yong was about to object, but seeing Liu Tong's determined expression, he knew he couldn't refuse.

"If Tang Ping really betrays the general, then I will personally eliminate him," Liu Tong said bluntly. "If he has not betrayed the general, you must not act rashly."

With everyone gone, many things could only be learned through rumors.

"It's a bit risky."

Zhao Yong hesitated for a moment.

"It's alright. I know Tang Ping's abilities. I might not be able to do anything to him on the battlefield, but he can't escape my grasp in private." Liu Tong said calmly.

Liu Tong was originally the captain of Zhang Jing's personal guard, leading Shaolin monks. Later, he stayed in the Hexi camp for a long time with Chen Zhixing, the Tai Chi master and instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards, and was also involved in many years of war.

His skills were so extraordinary that Zhao Yong couldn't help but turn his face away.

If this man gets close, life and death are indeed in his hands. Fortunately, Liu Tong has a gentle nature; if he were more hot-tempered, everyone would be afraid of him. However, the general must have seen Liu Tong's strengths before entrusting him with the task.

As long as Liu Tong supports him, he will have the confidence to do many things, including intercepting and killing Tang Ping.

"In that case, I'll wait for your message."

Zhao Yong no longer hesitated.

Killing Tang Ping would cause a huge commotion.

However, if they go all out and make a big fuss, the court will be hesitant to act against them and will not allow them to manipulate the situation.

The general's decision not to harbor bandits demonstrates his high level of awareness.

They didn't have such high awareness; they wanted to show the court the consequences of forcing the Datong Western Army into rebellion, and see if the court would dare to do the same.

There are so many military leaders in the Nine Border Regions.

They only dare to bully the magistrate because he has a good temper.

Neither of them mentioned Zhang Can.

Zhang Can was initially ostracized and sent to the Beijing garrison. He was even bullied in the Eastern Army headquarters. It was only after the general rescued him that he was able to escape. In terms of temper, Zhang Can was actually the most irritable. Otherwise, the general would not have left Zhang Can outside the pass.

If Zhang Can is brought in, the situation may really get out of control.

After the two finished their discussion, Liu Tong felt heavy-hearted.

Things I almost forgot deep in my memory, things I once saw while serving under Governor Zhang Jing, all come back to me now, and they are all things about power struggles and scheming to fight for profit.

"Liu Tong is too indecisive; I'm afraid he won't be able to bring himself to do it."

Zhao Yong saw Liu Tong off, but he did not completely trust him.

"That?"

"Let's stick to the old plan."

Zhao Yong had a backup plan.

Tang Ping did not hide his itinerary from anyone. After returning from the capital, he first passed through Datong, where his home was located. His family members did not go to Tuanshankou with him.

The environment at Tuanshankou was harsh, and Tang Ping couldn't bear to see his young wife suffer.

Thinking of his wife and children, Tang Ping quickened his pace.

The soldiers around him had smiles on their faces.

The leader was promoted to the rank of brigadier general; they shared both honor and disgrace, so who wouldn't be happy?

Datong City hasn't changed much from before.

There were two main trade routes outside the Great Wall: one was to go directly south from Shuozhou into Shanxi, and the other was to go through Zuoyun, south of Datong, and through Zijing Pass, which was the fastest route to reach the Grand Canal and go south.

Both of these trade routes required passing through Weiyuan Pass.

The last route is through Tuanshan Pass.

After entering Tuanshankou, we arrived in Datong, then passed Xuanfu, with the capital as our destination.

I can already see my house.

Suddenly, a figure appeared at the street corner. The man was wearing a straw hat and looked like an ordinary farmer. He blocked Tang Ping's way. Tang Ping asked in surprise, "Why are you blocking my way, you rascal?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he realized something was wrong.

How could an ordinary person dare to block my way?

Just as he was about to prepare for battle, the man looked up, and Tang Ping froze, instinctively saying, "How did you get here?"

"Come with me."

Liu Tong said without hesitation.

Tang Ping was accompanied by only four personal guards, all of whom were elite soldiers on the battlefield. However, Liu Tong was not worried, especially since he had also brought his own men, though they were not needed at the moment.

"I'd like to see what you're up to."

Although he knew it was inappropriate, Tang Ping had no doubts and still went with Liu Tong.

We came to a secluded alley and entered a courtyard.

When did you buy this house here?

"I had someone rent it for me."

Hearing Tang Ping's tone, Liu Tong already had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Snapped."

After hearing Liu Tong's words, Tang Ping slammed his fist on the table in anger, stood up and shouted, "You, Zhao Yong, how dare you try to take advantage of me!"

"This is a misunderstanding."

Liu Tong quickly apologized.

Tang Ping not only returned himself, but also brought back a letter from the general.

In his letter, the general stated that he supports commerce, not businessmen. The army is meant to uphold the rules, not anyone who breaks them, including businessmen.

With the general's guidance, everyone knew what to do next.

What I fear most is the unknown.

Now that we have a direction, there's no need for us to be suspicious of each other.

"This matter is not over."

Tang Ping was still shaken. If it weren't for Liu Tong, Tang Ping was certain that Zhao Yong would have dared to harm him.

He doesn't believe in himself, and he doesn't believe in him either.

However, this time he was indeed less confident, since he had been tempted by beauty and married the granddaughter of a wealthy family.

"We really can't let it go like this."

With no more worries, Liu Tong looked at the general's letter and came up with a plan.

Beijing.

The Jia family sent two experienced midwives to Wang Xin's house. With these two experienced midwives, Wang Xin was still worried, but he felt much better.

Things are very different now compared to later generations.

A man's life is worthless, and a woman's life is worthless.

Men who went to perform corvée labor often never returned, and many women who gave birth also lost both themselves and their unborn children.

When it came to his own, Wang Xin couldn't remain calm.

"Qingwen, please deliver these flower baskets to the Jia family mansion," Wang Xin instructed.

Qingwen was busy tidying up the children's belongings.

Ping'er was due to give birth soon, and Qingwen was in charge of watching over all these things, afraid that nothing would be missing. Upon hearing Wang Xin's words, she said unhappily, "At this time, is Master's mind still on the outside world?"

This statement is illogical, but Wang Xin can understand Qingwen's meaning.

"You do not understand."

Inside, Ping'er, heavily pregnant, forced a smile and said to Qingwen, "Master Xin means well."

"Okay, I see."

Qingwen said no more.

Wang Xin went into the inner room and asked, "How are you feeling? Are you feeling any better?"

Ping'er, her face contorted in pain yet bearing a smile, gently stroked her large belly and said tenderly, "Still the same as always, you love to torment people, you're just like a little devil."

"Just wait until he comes out, then I'll teach him a lesson."

Wang Xin stepped forward to help Ping'er up.

"Pfft."

Ping'er was amused by Wang Xin and felt a little better, but then she suddenly hesitated again.

"You're being naughty again?"

What if it's not a son?

"If it's not, it's not. We'll have another one."

Wang Xin laughed.

He didn't say anything useless, but rather something effective.

in fact.

It would be better if it wasn't a son.

Wang Xin knew why the Jia family had been so concerned about Ping'er lately; many people were paying attention.

If it were a daughter, many problems wouldn't exist.

He still felt somewhat guilty towards Tan Chun.

Whether it was sending the sword before or the flower basket today, both were a bit too utilitarian towards this little girl. The former was to tell the court that Wang Xin had someone he cared about, and the latter was to dispel the Jia family's concerns.

A grown man like himself taking advantage of a little girl.

Wang Xin did indeed believe that he had done something wrong.

Ping'er was a shrewd person. She sensed the hesitation in Wang Xin's words and frowned slightly. She wanted a son but also hoped for a daughter. In the end, she sighed and said that she would be satisfied as long as the child grew up safely, whether it was a son or a daughter.

I have no other desires.

(End of this chapter)