The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 350 The Power Is in My Hands
This winter is particularly cold.

After Zhai Wen and the officials of Datong saw Zhang Wenjin off as he left the city, they waited in vain for Zhang Wenjin's sedan chair. They couldn't wait to return to the city, as getting back to their warm houses and warming themselves by the fire was the most important thing.

It gets colder in the north earlier than in the south.

Border regions get colder earlier and have harsher climates than the north; otherwise, they wouldn't be border regions, unless the dynasty's military might was defeated and it was powerless to suppress the surrounding areas.

Fortunately, despite its many problems, the Great Zhou Dynasty remained the suzerain state of the vassal states.

Therefore, Datong gets colder earlier than other places, unless it is a place further away than Datong, such as Liaodong and Nurgan Commandery, or Daning, which was once directly under the rule of the Great Zhou.

"not bad."

Sitting in the sedan chair, Zhai Wen glanced around casually as they passed the city gate. Although some poor people were thinly dressed and shivering from the cold, huddled together and walking briskly through the streets, they were generally fine.

"Fortunately, Wang Xin persisted in the Northern Expedition."

After lowering the sedan curtain, Zhai Wen sat back down, reflecting on the changes in Datong over the past few years.

Despite being the poorest and coldest place, it has become a "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall," and is even more comfortable and stable than many places in the interior. Although the environment is harsh, people can still survive, and at least 100,000 people, including the elderly, women, and children, have survived as a result.

So this is what Wang Xin was pursuing?
He's just a brute.

Is it truly the heart of a child?

Zhai Wen shook his head, feeling somewhat sentimental. In any case, he couldn't learn it, and he didn't believe there would be another Wang Xin. The principles in books are just that—principles. Only those who have been foolishly obsessed with reading would believe the principles in books.

Even so, meeting such a person, and actually getting him to accomplish something significant, while also benefiting from it, is certainly not a bad thing.

pity.

That's it.

After thinking for a moment, Zhai Wen did not go home after entering the city, but instead had the sedan chair bearers carry him to the main branch of Juzhongchang.

Juzhongchang was not a traditional business, but a new business formed by a group of merchants who pooled their shares. Although it was a new business, it was very large in scale, especially outside the Great Wall, where it monopolized three markets.

However, the new business also has its shortcomings.

Due to a lack of distribution channels, the bulk of the profits were distributed to traveling merchants, such as the Xue family.

Relying on their connections in Jiangnan and with the Western Army of Datong, the Xue family could sell a horse for more than 20 taels of silver when transporting it to Jiangnan, while Juzhongchang could buy it from herdsmen for 3 taels of silver and sell it for only 6 taels of silver outside the pass.

Juzhongchang's gross profit is less than a fraction of Xuejia's.

"Lord Zhai, what brings you here?"

Upon seeing the sedan chair stop at the entrance and recognizing the official who had alighted, a shopkeeper from the business rushed out to greet him respectfully, saying, "Please come in and have a seat."

"Have your caravans set off for the capital yet?"

"Already set off."

Are there any left that arrived before the Lunar New Year?

"What a coincidence."

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "The last caravan will depart the day after tomorrow."

Zhai Wen nodded.

He planned to give Wang Xin a gift.

Wang Xin neither accepted nor gave gifts. Such an unconventional person could not survive in officialdom. Unexpectedly, by chance, he ended up where he is today.

Sometimes, once you get the beginning right, the rest becomes much easier.

The difficulty lies in the very beginning.

If you do not accept gifts.

Once you've made it through the tough times and gained that reputation, it can become a label that's disadvantageous in some ways, but from another perspective, it can sometimes be a unique advantage, provided you've actually made it through.

This is a dead end.

You can't get ahead without giving gifts. But if you've already given gifts, why pretend to be high and mighty? It will only cause you trouble.

Although he didn't know how Wang Xin had initially managed to do it, Zhai Wen was determined to lose money this time, since even if he gave Wang Xin a gift, Wang Xin wouldn't reciprocate.

If we suffer a loss, so be it.

Wang Xin refused gifts. Living in the capital was not easy, and with children, he had no choice in anything. Ultimately, he had to think more about his children. As his friend, I should consider his needs.

Zhai Wenxuan selected some valuable paintings and calligraphy that were easy to sell, worth about six or seven hundred taels of silver, and entrusted Juzhongchang to send them to the capital.

This kind of thing is commonplace for businesses.

Zhai Wen's task was simple, but Zhang Wenjin's was more troublesome. He had to transport hundreds of large carts of goods to the capital, and the goods were priceless. Juzhongchang dared not make a mistake.

The fact that this commission was given to Juzhongchang indicates that Juzhongchang's status has been recognized.

Even if it's a merchant firm that Zhang Wenjin trusts more, he wouldn't dare entrust it to someone if they weren't powerful enough.

Zhang Dehui has been in Datong for half a year.

After a busy period, things have finally started to look promising.

He personally led a caravan away on the same day as the caravan from Juzhongchang. One caravan passed through Tiancheng City, then Xuanfu, and entered the capital through Juyong Pass. The other caravan passed through Guangchang County, entered Baoding through Zijing Pass, and then went to Tianjin via the Grand Canal.

Cities such as Yangzhou and Huai'an along the southern end of the Grand Canal are important distribution centers for livestock trade.

It is also an important distribution center for various industries.

Such a transportation environment destined these cities in the Jiangnan region to have developed economies and a greater proportion of commercial exchange and trade than other places.

Juzhongchang tentatively expanded its business channels into the capital. Only by establishing a firm foothold in the capital could the profits there be sufficient to support Juzhongchang's expansion into the surrounding areas. This process was slow but steady.

However, the market reaction was not significant.

Every year there are new businesses, and every year there are businesses that close down. We don't mind having more or less businesses.

People are focused on their own lives.

Wang Xin had taken leave these past few days and did not participate in the regulations for the year-end troop deployment and inspection of the four armies of the Beijing Garrison. These regulations were like patches, but they had become mere formalities, and Wang Xin did not want to waste his time.

He now only hopes that the mother and child are safe, or that the mother and daughter are safe.

"Nothing will happen, Master Xin, don't worry."

In the delivery room.

Experienced midwives directed the process, some boiled water, others supported Ping'er, and still others prepared various tools, including a rolling pin.

Wang Xin had seen rolling pins before. Although he was annoyed and subconsciously thought the method was crude and inferior, he also knew that even in later generations, experienced doctors would use something similar to rolling pins to crush a pregnant woman's abdomen in an emergency.

Wang Xin had confidence in the technology of future generations, but lacked confidence in the technology of the present, so he could only hope for things to go smoothly.

"please."

Wang Xin cupped his hands in a very polite gesture.

The old woman from the Jia family was stunned for a moment, but quickly went into the room. Ping'er couldn't help but call out again. Half an hour had passed, and the midwife's forehead began to sweat. In the cold weather, everyone in the room was covered in sweat.

He's just a child.

In ancient times, given one's social status, what did one child matter? Why worry about not having children?

Wang Xin sat quietly.

In the past, Wang Xin did not like children, and even felt disgusted by them, even though he himself had been a child once. But selfishly, he thought that he was no longer a child.

But what makes humans human is their unpredictability.

Otherwise, if we act like animals, relying solely on instinct, what's the difference between humans and animals?

This is also what makes humanity great.

Therefore, facing one's own unborn bloodline, the only place in the world where one can devote oneself entirely, this feeling creates a bond in the world for a person.

So even though they know there will be unfilial children, it doesn't stop them.

It's like longing for love.

Even though there are so many unsatisfactory things in the world, it still cannot stop people from yearning for love.

Be a responsible person.

The poor should cultivate their own virtue, while the rich should help the world.

Be a happy person.

Overwhelmed with well wishes, Wang Xin stared intently out the window.

at this time.

Several more people arrived at Wang Xin's door. The butler hurriedly came out to greet them, apologizing and explaining that they had brought gifts entrusted to him by others, and left instructions. The butler personally saw them off.

Most of them came from Datong, and some came from Jiangnan.

There are quite a few in the capital as well.

"In previous years, there weren't many New Year's gifts to receive in the manor, but this year is strange." The steward, along with his men, counted and stored the gifts, leaving a gift list for Wang Xin to review at any time, and couldn't help but sigh.

New Year's gifts from all over the country have already filled two warehouses.

The steward calculated in private that the total amount was no less than three or four thousand taels of silver, with the largest being several hundred taels, and some miscellaneous items, mostly cloth and silk.

"The eleven garrisons of Liaodong, Jizhou, Xuanfu, Datong, Taiyuan, Yansui, Ningxia, Guyuan, Gansu, Zhenbao, and Changping comprise seven of the nation's elite troops, totaling 800,000 men, with an annual military expenditure of seven million."

"The Beijing Garrison comprises two of the nation's elite troops, totaling 120,000 men, with an annual military expenditure of 1.4 million taels of silver."

"The results of the discussions among the various units on this troop reduction were that, except for Liaodong Garrison, Datong Garrison and Taiyuan Garrison, the remaining eight garrisons were reduced to 30,000 troops each. Liaodong Garrison retained 100,000 troops, Datong Garrison retained 100,000 troops, and Taiyuan Garrison retained 60,000 troops."

cabinet.

Li Yuan, the Vice Minister of War, read from the booklet.

Zhang Jifu remained calm, while the expressions of the others present varied.

This troop reduction is quite significant, decreasing from 800,000 to 500,000, a reduction of 300,000.

The largest reduction in troops is in Taiyuan, which originally had 120,000 soldiers, but has now been reduced to 60,000, which means a reduction of 60,000, or half.

Secondly, there is Liaodong Town.

The total number of troops in Liaodong was 150,000. Considering the instability of the Donghu and Man tribes, as many as 100,000 were retained, but 50,000 were still reduced, which was only 10,000 fewer than in Taiyuan.

As for Datong Town, which also had 120,000 troops, it suffered the smallest reduction, with only 20,000 troops being cut.

Like the four military towns surrounding the capital, namely Jizhou, Xuanfu, Zhenbao, and Changping, which originally had 50,000 troops, only 20,000 troops were reduced.

The officials present began to speculate.

The significance behind this list.

"The world is in turmoil, and the Prince of Nan'an has suffered a defeat at the front and is seeking the court's assistance. Should we reconsider reducing the number of troops at this time?" Minister of Military Affairs Tao Jie frowned and cautiously offered his opinion.

The imperial court still hasn't figured out the situation in Yunnan.

How exactly the fighting started, and whether there was any conspiracy involved, is too remote, and it's even outside of Yunnan. The memorials from the border regions are varied, and there's no consensus. "The Prince of Nan'an said that the court's opinion should be the priority. Since that's the case, I'll take the lead and seek peace as soon as possible, at any cost."

Zhang Jifu remained calm.

Everyone was shocked.

Some people immediately objected.

"I have heard enough of the arguments and reasons for advocating war. To be honest, the Great Zhou Dynasty is incapable of bearing the burden of war. If we insist on starting a major war at this juncture, I believe everyone here knows the consequences."

Zhang Jifu's attitude was firm and his tone clear, leaving no room for others to speculate.

Tao Jie's brows relaxed.

Zhang Jifu's pleas for peace were a good thing, as they damaged his prestige. As for the war in Yunnan, that was a minor matter. Could Tao Jie find some opportunities by damaging Zhang Jifu's prestige? He did not object.

However, his not leading the opposition does not mean he will not incite others to oppose it afterward.

Everyone appeared amicable on the surface, but they all knew what was going on and were each pursuing their own agendas.

Those who opposed the plan hoped that Zhang Jifu would do a good job first, and Zhang Jifu's people naturally did not oppose him. Therefore, the arrangement to ask the Prince of Nan'an to sue for peace was passed very easily.

The atmosphere in the cabinet became increasingly strange.

The written record was of no concern; the eunuchs, who were listening to the proceedings, were astonished that such a crucial matter had not caused any disturbance.

The more this was the case, the more the old eunuchs among them closed their eyes to rest, determined never to show their faces.

It was as if I could smell the calm before the storm.

Also present were the commanders of the Five Military Commissions. Although the Five Military Commissions was an office revived by the retired emperor, its responsibility was to manage the army of the entire country. Therefore, their presence was perfectly legitimate, as it involved matters concerning the army of the entire country.

However, both Feng Yong and Wang Ziteng were self-aware enough to remain silent to avoid humiliating themselves.

Upon hearing the news from Datong, Feng Yong and Wang Ziteng couldn't help but look up, only to find that the other was staring at them. They quickly looked away, both thinking of that troublemaker, Wang Xin.

If it weren't for that bastard, Datong Military Town would definitely have been among the first to be downsized this time, ranking in the top three.

Feng Yong couldn't help but think of it.

That scoundrel didn't want Datong Military Town himself, nor would he let anyone else have a say in it, yet he gave it away to Zhang Jifu for free. Therefore, among all the troops Zhang Jifu reduced, Datong Military Town was the least affected.

As for factors related to war.

In recent years, which year hasn't Liaodong Garrison been at war? They've already reduced or dismissed as many as 50,000 men, barely managing to cope. This time, Liaodong Garrison will probably be furious. Let's see how Zhang Jifu handles it.

That bastard was extremely obedient to Zhang Jifu, yet he didn't pledge allegiance to him. Feng Yong couldn't quite understand it.

"Wang Xin is not suitable to lead the right flank of the Eastern Army."

After discussing the nine border garrisons, they moved on to the Beijing Garrison.

The Beijing garrison needs to be expanded.

From 120,000 to 180,000.

This was the Emperor Emeritus's decree, leaving no room for discussion. Zhang Jifu had no choice but to accept it. So how should they expand? Should they directly increase the number of troops in each unit, or should they establish two new armies?

Some people support the former, while others support the latter.

Let's talk about the specific generals who lead the troops.

Zhang Qi repeated his old tune, targeting Wang Xin.

Among the civil and military officials present, the third rank was the lowest.

Jia Zheng was not qualified to participate, and even if Wu Wenhua were in the capital, he would not be qualified. However, Wu Wenhua has now been transferred to Guangdong and promoted to governor, making him a second-rank official. It is a pity that he was not given the title of vice minister, otherwise he would be a full second-rank official.

The rest, including Zheng Guoliang, were not qualified, just like Jia Zheng.

This is also a weakness of Jia Zheng and his group. The higher-ups lack people from their own faction. Otherwise, they wouldn't have treated someone like Jia Yucun, who joined halfway through, as a treasure and cultivated him with such care. Essentially, they have no one else to use.

As for cultivating junior officials, there's no need to cultivate them.

Previously, Wang Xin's name would not appear in such high-level formal occasions, but things are different now.

Normally, Jia Zheng and his allies would definitely speak up for Wang Xin. When someone speaks up and there is controversy, many things will be left unresolved. This is the significance of having connections at higher levels.

Someone instinctively looked at Wang Ziteng.

It was also a matter of luck, since it was a military matter and there was a military officer present. Although he didn't have the right to speak, he could sometimes fight for his rights. It all depended on whether Wang Ziteng was willing to fight for his rights.

Zhang Jifu did not look at Wang Ziteng.

Wang Ziteng remained calm and showed no intention of speaking up for Wang Xin.

Some people are puzzled.

However, if no one speaks up for Wang Xin, then it seems that Wang Xin is in trouble.

Feng Yong was overjoyed.

It would be best to completely destroy Wang Xin. I need to go and see him properly later, humiliate him, and vent my hatred. If possible, I would like to tear Wang Xin to pieces to completely quell my anger.

After a while.

Just as Zhang Qi was about to speak, someone spoke up.

"Wang Xin is very suitable."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Zhu Wei.

Feng Yong and Wang Ziteng both glanced at Zhu Wei, only to see Zhu Wei say earnestly, "Since taking office, Wang Xin has been diligent in everything he has done, and there has not been a single bad thing. Why is Imperial Censor Zhang slandering Wang Xin?"

Everyone was taken aback; these words were quite serious.

Zhu Wei bluntly added, "Could it be because of the disaster victims in Imperial Censor Zhang's hometown?"

Zhang Qi was both incredulous and indignant at having his scars exposed in public. Suppressing his anger, he shouted, "This is for serving the ancestral temple above and continuing the lineage below. To be alone and lonely is not a good omen. Wang Xin is still unmarried. What does he seek?"

Zhu Wei was also taken aback.

Wang Xin's unmarried status is indeed a weakness. In the past, when he was of low status, his voice was weak, which was understandable, but so many years have passed.

“Wang Xin is already engaged and will be married soon.” This reason was rather weak, and Zhu Wei quickly added, “Since Wang Xin joined the army, he has been busy with war and has neglected his marriage. Imperial Censor Zhang should understand.”

Thus, Zhang Jifu interrupted Zhang Qi, saying that there was no point in continuing.

Zhang Qi was very surprised.

The reduction and expansion of the Nine Garrisons and the Capital Garrison is not a new thing. Over the past six months, Zhang Jifu has put a lot of effort into it, and the matter was finalized before the New Year. After the New Year, the court will officially promote it.

Planning takes six months, implementation takes a year, it goes through a year of repeated revisions, and the final six months are spent wrapping things up.

Three hundred thousand troops will be reduced over three years.

Three more years of remediation.

After six years, the imperial court had money, and many things became easier to handle.

afterwards.

Zhang Qi stayed behind, and seeing this, Zhang Jifu sighed.

"We cannot afford to fall out with Zhu Wei at this time."

Zhang Jifu offered an explanation.

"Why?"

Zhang Qi asked in surprise, "Who is Wang Xin to Zhu Wei? Would Zhu Wei really risk everything for Wang Xin?"

"Will do."

Zhang Jifu is beyond question.

"For Zhu Wei, protecting Wang Xin meant protecting the Eastern Army. Otherwise, if Wang Xin were taken away, no one would be able to stop the conflict between him and me. Therefore, to protect the Eastern Army, we must first protect Wang Xin."

After Zhang Jifu's explanation, Zhang Qi understood the crux of the matter.

"Was this Wang Xin's idea?"

Zhang Qi could hardly believe it.

Zhang Jifu remained silent.

There's half a sentence he didn't say himself.

That means if he wants to take down the Eastern Army, he must first deal with Wang Xin.

Eastern Army.

It is essential to keep it under your own control.

As for the question Zhang Qi had just asked, Zhang Jifu hesitated.

This is unlike Wang Xin's style. Wang Xin's actions were unpredictable and left no trace, rather than the meticulous and cunning style of ancient times. It is more like the work of a scholar.

Etiquette and law are the guiding principles, while politics are the application.

Having a family is a common concern for high-ranking officials.

Widowers may be able to remain single temporarily, but those who remain unmarried for life are almost nonexistent. Moreover, marriage is an essential choice for maintaining patriarchal traditions, building social networks, and fulfilling social responsibilities. The reasons Zhang Qi listed were not fabricated out of thin air.

However, Zhu Wei will definitely fight to the death to protect Wang Xin.

"Just like that, we're releasing Wang Xin?"

Zhang Qi was somewhat displeased and said unhappily, "Isn't that too easy on him?"

The world is short of money.

But if you want to get things done, you first need to raise money.

As for where the money comes from, it depends on the urgency and importance of the matter. Let the people suffer a bit, get through this difficult time, and then pay it back. In a few years, things will be peaceful again.

These hardships will be forgotten by the people themselves after a few years.

Everything was fine until Wang Xin caused trouble, making the capital uneasy. We spent a lot of time settling the refugees and quelling the rumors, and in the end, we had to take the blame ourselves.

Zhang Qi felt bitter and resentful, saying, "I was also worried about the Grand Secretary. I was busy running around and finally managed to maintain a good situation. But he always steps forward to play the good guy, making it seem like he was the one who worked so hard to maintain the court's situation."

If the overall situation of the imperial court is not maintained, the people of the world will suffer. People like him may seem to care for the people and use the guise of doing what is best for them, but in reality, he is a cancer on the world.

If one only wanted to be a good person, would there be any need for him? A military man so eager for fame and harming the country—his ambition is so great that we must be wary.

“Can Zhu Wei protect us for a while, or for a lifetime? Don’t be so impatient.” Zhang Jifu patted Zhang Qi on the shoulder and slowly said, “In the end, it still comes down to what our mentor said: use power to guide, but the overall trend is in our hands.”

"Row."

"When that day comes, I will certainly teach Wang Xin a lesson."

Zhang Qi said no more.

Wang Xin dared to tarnish her reputation; Zhang Qi wished she could skin him alive.

(End of this chapter)