The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 362 Calculation
Wang Xin went to Datong.

With nothing to do in the Hexi camp, Jia Huan had no choice but to return.

Baoyu asked a few questions, but didn't pay attention to the reason why Jia Huan was going out to work. He only heard some news about Wang Xin, and then impatiently sent Jia Huan away.

Although they went to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

After Yingchun got married, Tanchun didn't play with her sisters much anymore.

Xichun was too young to see her two older sisters, so she simply stayed home.

Baoqin left with her father, and Xiangyun also returned to the mansion and won't be coming anytime soon. Baochai likes to preach, but Baoyu doesn't like to listen.

Lin Daiyu also distanced herself from him, unlike when they were children.

Seeing all the changes, Baoyu was anxious and worried. Although he didn't like Wang Xin, he still patiently tried to understand him. Only in this way could he have a chance to get closer to Lin Daiyu.

Aside from her own father, Lin Daiyu only paid attention to her unrelated uncle.

"Do you really think of me as a proper elder?"

Baoyu muttered to himself, quickened his pace, and soon arrived at Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

What is Lin Daiyu doing?

Baoyu went straight in, with Zijuan following behind.

Lin Daiyu leaned against the square table, her back straight, but two strands of hair, seemingly sorrowful yet not sorrowful, veiled her temples, and a trace of resentment lingered in her frosty eyes. A cool and aloof temperament emanated from her, making people want to get close to her yet dare not offend her.

Although they met every now and then, and he had been used to seeing each other since childhood, Baoyu was still stunned for a moment.

Afraid that Lin Daiyu would ignore him, Baoyu quickly said, "Lin Daiyu is becoming more and more capable, she can even do tailoring now, give these to me."

Baoyu pointed.

"It's just a lie to fool people, what are you going to do with it?"

Lin Daiyu's lips parted like cherry blossoms, glistening with dew; her teeth, like scattered jade, exuded a subtle fragrance. As she spoke, she reached out and gathered the contents into a bamboo basket beside her, then rose and handed it to Zijuan.

Zijuan then put the basket into the cupboard.

Baoyu was reluctant to leave, and couldn't help but look at Lin Daiyu again.

She simply stood there, yet her demeanor was like a secluded orchid in a quiet valley, her spirit like a plum blossom in the snow, her movements like graceful steps on water, and her posture like a fairy beneath the clouds. No matter how you looked at her, you could never tire of her, and the more you looked, the more mesmerized you became.

Baoyu couldn't help but step forward, "Sister, why are you so stingy? Don't you want to give it to me?"

Lin Daiyu ignored it.

Zijuan hesitated in front of the cabinet door, then smiled and said, "Why don't we give Master Bao a few? They're just paper cuttings, so he won't get angry."

"Will not."

Baoyu waved his hands repeatedly and explained, "How could I be angry with Lin Daiyu?"

Lin Daiyu did not speak, but sat down on the couch by the window.

Why weren't you with the old lady?

"The old lady was playing dominoes when I arrived, and I also heard news about Wang Xin."

Baoyu spoke up.

Lin Daiyu remained silent.

Every time, Baoyu would bring news about that person. I did care about him back then, but I was young then. Now that I'm older, even though he's my uncle in name, I still have to avoid suspicion.

Baoyu didn't notice Lin Daiyu's change and, as usual, took the initiative to say, "There's trouble in Datong, and the court is counting on Wang Xin. Wang Xin is quite bold, actually taking only five hundred soldiers to Datong to quell the rebellion."

Lin Daiyu then frowned slightly.

The Jia family has been busy with military affairs in recent years, both the eldest and second branches of the family have been.

Lin Daiyu didn't know much about the eldest son's side, but recently, because of Yingchun's marriage, she had only heard some things about him, such as the Commander of the Capital Garrison and the Governor of Ping'an.

The second wife's side heard more.

It was mainly Wang Xin.

Although she didn't know why, Lin Daiyu was somewhat surprised to hear that he was only bringing five hundred people.

However, I have a thought.

Lin Daiyu finally couldn't hold back and said calmly, "That person never suffers a loss, and no one can take advantage of him. Since he made a decision, he must have his own calculations. There is no need for outsiders to worry about him."

“Who would worry about him?” Baoyu said with a look of disdain. “He’s just a martial artist. If he weren’t Lin Daiyu’s uncle, I wouldn’t care about him at all.”

Only after saying it did I realize I had spoken out of turn.

She quickly added, "According to news from outside, Uncle has arrived in Jinan and his return to the capital is not far off. Lin sister will be able to see Uncle soon."

Lin Ruhai's journey back to Beijing was very slow, with many stops along the way.

"The old lady has already sent people to clean the Lin family's old house." At this point, Baoyu suddenly exclaimed, "Sister Lin won't move back, will she? Absolutely not!"

Lin Daiyu was somewhat lost in thought.

Ultimately, they were all living under someone else's roof. Yingchun got married, Tanchun was about to die, and Xichun, with her aloof nature, was left alone. Only Baochai was still around.

However, since it's just Bao-jie, we'll be separated after we go back. Although I'm reluctant, I can accept it.

The Lin family's old residence in the capital was also a noble family, but the father had no brothers or sisters and no relatives within five degrees of kinship. The old residence was left vacant, with only a few servants guarding it. Many years have passed in the blink of an eye.

I've never been there before.

Lin Daiyu was somewhat curious to see what the Lin family's old house looked like.

“I’ll go talk to the old lady and ask her to let my uncle move into our house. Lin Daiyu absolutely cannot leave.” Baoyu was anxious and desperately tried to come up with a solution.

“When Master returns to the capital for a long stay, how could he possibly stay at the Jia family mansion? He will definitely stay at his own residence. The old lady knows right from wrong and will not agree to your idea. Since Master has already arrived in the capital, Miss will naturally go there as well.”

Zijuan laughed.

Upon hearing this, Baoyu burst into tears.

Lin Daiyu was speechless. She looked at Zijuan and said, "Why are you teasing him like this?" Then she looked at Baoyu and said, "You're already upset about something that's not true. What if it turns out to be false? Wouldn't you have been upset for nothing?"

"My heart aches at the thought of Lin Daiyu possibly leaving."

Baoyu cried.

"Ugh."

Lin Daiyu sighed softly and said no more.

She was well aware of Baoyu's thoughts.

Everyone laughed at Baoyu for being unambitious, but Lin Daiyu didn't care. If they truly loved each other, they would naturally be inseparable, feeling like they missed each other for a day and wishing they could see each other every day. What was there to mock?

just.

She had no feelings for Baoyu.

Since there's no feeling, you shouldn't compromise. It's better to keep a cold face to avoid letting the other person keep hoping, which is not good.

Lin Daiyu had no intention of keeping anyone hanging on.

I'm just a little confused.

Lin Daiyu was feeling a little tired.

Fearing that Lin Daiyu would find him annoying, Baoyu reluctantly got up to leave, turning back every step of the way, looking pitiful. Even Zijuan couldn't bear to look at him and couldn't help but say, "Miss, Baoyu is so good to you."

Aside from the fact that she was originally assigned to a young lady by the Jia family, Zijuan genuinely thought Baoyu was a good person.

Baoyu has a good personality and a temper just like his master; he is never harsh on anyone.

He is also talented.

Although they were somewhat pedantic, these were high-ranking families who pursued officialdom through the imperial examinations, seeking fame and prestige. Their strong personalities were not desirable.

There was also a concubine sister.

Although the Third Miss is not related to Baoyu by blood, the two have had a good relationship since childhood. So, with a brother-in-law like Xinye, and with the marriage between them becoming even closer, the Miss will enjoy a life of happiness. Baoyu would never bear to make the Miss angry.

Living like this for the rest of one's life—how many women dream of it?

Zijuan thought about it seriously.

Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes. "I think you're just in a hurry to get yourself married off."

"Miss."

Zijuan was speechless.

“Baoyu is not bad either.”

Xue Baoqin did not go to the Grand View Garden, but instead went to Aunt Xue's courtyard.

Saying goodbye to my cousin.

“My elder brother is going back to Datong with Wang Xin, and Father is also going to Datong. I definitely want to go with him. The Jia family is becoming more and more boring. Also, sister, are you really not considering Baoyu?”

Xue Baoqin asked curiously.

Xue Baochai did not hide anything and shook her head, "Our family is different from other families; Baoyu is too soft-hearted."

“Baoyu is actually not bad either. Among the men I’ve met, Baoyu has many flaws, but they are nothing compared to his status. Moreover, his temperament is better than that of many men, so he can be considered a good match.”

Xue Baoqin had grown up a bit, and she now understood things that she hadn't paid attention to when she was little.

Although there was some discord between the first and second wives, Xue Baoqin believed that it was a matter between the two families. Business should be business, and personal feelings should be personal; they should be kept separate.

Strange to say.

Xue Baoqin has a clever and quirky personality, which makes her more and more popular with older people. Although Aunt Xue doesn't adore her as much as Grandmother Jia, she still likes Xue Baoqin very much.

Xue Baochai shook her head.

"Ok."

Xue Baoqin said no more. Although she didn't care about being jilted, she was still in a mess. "This time when I go back to Datong, my brother may not come back for several years. I may also stay in Datong. My father sees that I'm grown up and is not willing to continue taking me around. After this separation, I'm afraid the days I can see my sister will be numbered."

Xue Baoqin sighed.

Xue Baochai quietly pulled Xue Baoqin over, and the two sisters embraced.

"Although we are girls and have no choice in what we do, please don't blame your second uncle. He is really good to you. I envy you the most, and I don't know how many girls envy you."

Xue Baochai smiled.

There was a hint of sobbing in her voice.

"elder sister."

Xue Baoqin was already crying.

After a while.

Someone came to fetch her, and Xue Baoqin went out and got into a sedan chair.

Aunt Xue and her daughters returned to their room. Knowing that the two girls had been reluctant to part, Aunt Xue still looked worried.

“My son, your brother offended Wang Xin. Your second uncle scolded your brother. Although your brother regretted it, there is a devil in the family. Who knows what kind of trouble he will cause in the future.”

“Baoqin is a good girl, but your second uncle’s temperament and your brother’s wickedness are both problematic. However, you have been shrewd since childhood and should know that your second uncle has always been ruthless. Your father’s body was barely cold when your second uncle turned against the eldest son’s family for the sake of business.”

"Even the top executive got sick from anger this time. What are we going to do in the future?"

Aunt Xue was at a loss.

This year it's 30,000 taels of silver, and it will increase next year. The more money the Xue family earns, the more money they will distribute.

Xue Pan, having listened to someone, felt that Wang Xin was making exorbitant demands.

He was so out of his mind that he actually listened to the words of the new son-in-law of the Jia family's eldest son-in-law, who wanted to bypass Wang Xin and the Western Army of Datong and do business directly with the wealthy families of Datong. He hadn't stopped them before, and everyone was saying that Wang Xin had lost power.

Only the daughter and the CEO objected.

However, her son insisted, and she lost her mind and supported him.

Now Wang Xin wants to return to Datong.

Thinking about all this gave Aunt Xue a headache.

"Is it really as your second uncle said, that the eldest son's business is handed over to him, and the share in Datong is left to the eldest son's family in full?" Aunt Xue couldn't help but ask.

Such an important matter was actually sought from his unmarried daughter.

This would be unthinkable in other families, but Aunt Xue knew from a young age that her daughter was extraordinary and often had good ideas. She had been used to it for many years and didn't find it strange.

"Mom just said that Second Uncle is cold-hearted, so how can we still expect anything from him?"

Xue Baochai smiled.

Mom panicked, but I can't panic, otherwise Mom will worry even more.

"Second Uncle won't let us down, but he will definitely take over the business in our house. The businesses of the first and second houses were originally the same, but now they're mixed together. How can they be separated in the future? Second Uncle won't give up what he's already got."

Xue Baochai said calmly.

Aunt Xue nodded repeatedly, "We absolutely cannot let your second uncle get involved. That's what I thought back then, which is why I made the difficult decision to bring you and your siblings to the capital."

"What should we do?"

Aunt Xue was distressed.

The eldest son betrayed Wang Xin; would Wang Xin let him off easily?
Even if Wang Xin doesn't care, he won't trust the eldest branch in the future. Without Wang Xin's support, how can the eldest branch, an outsider, compete with others in Datong? Forcing it will only lead to a complete loss.

However, the Xue family's eldest and second branches are locked in a stalemate; if the eldest branch doesn't advance, the second branch will monopolize the cattle, sheep, and horses from the northern frontier in Jiangnan. By leveraging this network of connections, it won't be long before they can squeeze out the eldest branch and take over the entire family.

"Wang Xin will not give up on us easily."

Xue Baochai comforted him, saying, "Otherwise, Wang Xin wouldn't have taken the initiative to support our family in doing business outside Datong. He wanted both the eldest and second branches of the family to do business, and he didn't want to see my second uncle's family monopolize the market."

"Really?"

Aunt Xue was stunned.

Xue Baochai nodded without hesitation, “We don’t trust Second Uncle, so how can Wang Xin trust him? Second Uncle always handles business matters strictly, even with his own family. How much more so when he’s out in the world. Whenever there’s an opportunity, Second Uncle will try his best, which is why he has offended so many people. I remember when Father was alive, he often tried to persuade Second Uncle about this. And this is not something Wang Xin can accept.”

"That's good."

Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief; her daughter was right.

Wang Xin couldn't leave their family.

That's good.

Aunt Xue planned to tell her son.

Xue Baochai didn't say much, but there was a hint of worry in her eyes.

Although Wang Xin will not let the eldest branch of the family fall now, it does not mean that he will continue to support them in the future. The day he finds a replacement for the eldest branch will be the day when the eldest branch loses its business in Datong.

The reason he kept the eldest son's wife was that Wang Xin had not yet found a replacement worthy of his trust.

Maybe one or two years.

Maybe three to five years.

We'll find it eventually.

Without removing the thorns of today and restoring trust between the two companies, this cooperation is destined to be short-lived.

The eldest son's family doesn't have many bargaining chips.

Especially when the second branch expands rapidly, if the first branch cannot keep up, it will be swallowed up by the second branch. Even if the second branch ignores the first branch, the market in Gangnam will actively flow to the second branch.

This is what my father always says.

In business, there is no such thing as competing without competing; you have to compete with all your might.

He didn't listen to many other things, but he listened to this one sentence from his father.

Go all out in doing business.

Are we counting on Tan Chun?

Xue Baochai shook her head, feeling saddened by her own ridiculous thoughts.

The young lady I grew up with is already planning to beg others for help in the future?

From small to large.

I've never made a decision on my own even once.

Wang Xin did not rush to Datong, but stopped in Xuanfu.

Merchants have the best access to information.

In this era, businessmen are often more informed than officials; the bigger the business, the better their information network.

There is.

The essence of the Datong Mutiny was fundamentally the injustice suffered by the lower classes.

Wang Xin had no intention of launching a military campaign.

Even if they were rioting soldiers, Wang Xin's initial goal was to appease them.

However, the appeasement was not merely superficial; it meant truly governing everything and bringing it under one's control.

Zhang Dehui and Xue Yan.

The two of them arrived in Xuanfu together.

Wang Xin did not hide anything. Among smart people, there is only exchange. Wang Xin said frankly: "Juzhongchang also has business outside the pass. The merchants are making a fortune, but the people below are not getting enough to eat. This is not right."

Xue Yan retorted, "Although the merchants made a lot of money, the root cause was still the government. If the government hadn't been corrupt about military funds, Datong wouldn't have had a mutiny."

Xue Yan did not point this out to the court above.

Wang Xin nodded. "That's why I need both of you."

Xue Yan and Zhang Dehui looked hesitant.

The pressure these two companies are facing this time is different from what it has been before.

“I’m handling this personally, just so that your two families can continue doing business as usual and not merge with others. Although the pressure is great, is it greater than mine?” Wang Xin asked calmly. “People outside say that the four families are all in the same boat, and all suffer together. Is that just empty talk?”

"it is good."

Xue Yan immediately agreed.

That's the promise I wanted.

Zhang Dehui was helpless.

He has no say in the matter.

Wang Xin sighed; he didn't want to deal with fools.

Smart people know where their interests lie and only need to make good deals, so Wang Xin felt he could control things. But when dealing with fools, you really don't know what they'll do next.

There's a saying that goes something like that.

Not afraid of god-like opponents, but afraid of pig-like teammates.

Are we really going to let the second branch of the Xue family monopolize everything? Even knowing that this is creating hidden dangers, Xue Yan isn't stupid; he wouldn't be unaware of his own dissatisfaction.

Without full cooperation, the results will be diminished, and unexpected problems are more likely to occur.

If something unexpected happens, the saying "a hundred battles without victory" will be in question.

Wang Xin looked at Xue Yan.

Xue Yan, dressed in a long robe, looked completely at ease.

(End of this chapter)