The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 372 Showdown
The peasant uprising in Shandong occurred six months earlier than the military uprising in Datong.

Wang Xin arrived in Datong and quelled the mutiny in less than three days. In contrast, Hu Liyong, who was killed for failing to quell the mutiny, was a veteran general of the court who had served for many years and whose seniority was more than enough, regardless of his merits.

The civil unrest in Shandong has not yet been completely quelled.

Although the Beijing garrison defeated the rebellious disaster victims, it soon faced a more complex situation because the imperial court allocated very little disaster relief grain to the local areas, which was far from enough to help 300,000 disaster victims. As a result, more and more roving bandits appeared in the countryside.

These bandits were familiar with the terrain; they acted as civilians during the day and as bandits at night, making it impossible for government troops to distinguish them.

Zhang Jifu was furious.

He went to great lengths and made many concessions, including allowing Lin Ruhai to return to the capital, and finally managed to raise over 100,000 shi of grain for disaster relief. However, Liu Qi secretly informed him of this.

The total amount of disaster relief grain distributed locally would definitely not exceed 20,000 shi (a unit of dry measure).

Twenty thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) was not enough to provide the disaster victims with eight days' worth of food.

"No matter how you calculate the transportation costs, there shouldn't be only 20,000 shi left. The local officials are too lawless and infuriating!" Zhang Jifu's eyes were red, and he had lost all his former composure.

"The key issues are military spending and a shortage of military supplies."

Li Yuan reminded him.

Qingzhou Prefecture has a population of over 940,000, and at least 200,000 of them are disaster victims. It is the main disaster-stricken prefecture in Shandong Province. The surrounding areas combined only have 100,000 people. These 300,000 are undoubtedly disaster victims.

There are others affected. Li Yuan didn't expect it to become so troublesome. "Now the uncontrolled outflow of disaster victims is likely to have a greater and greater impact, leading to even more disaster victims. This uncontrolled sweep has unpredictable consequences."

To quell the unrest in Shandong, resources were mobilized from all sides, and over the course of more than half a year, expenses amounted to no less than 400,000 taels of silver.

Each disaster victim could receive more than one tael of silver per person.

Furthermore, military expenses amounted to nearly 200,000 taels of silver.

Not to mention the losses caused by the destruction by the disaster victims, the tax revenue of Qingzhou Prefecture is out of the question, and the losses in various places are no less than one million taels.

The annual amount that Qingzhou Prefecture paid to the imperial court was only 60,000 taels, plus the more than 40,000 taels that it kept for its own use. The highest amount it could pay in a year was just over 100,000 taels.

This was a large-scale popular uprising.

This means that Qingzhou Prefecture lost nearly thirty years' worth of revenue.

Think about it from another perspective.

For the next thirty years, Qingzhou Prefecture will be a money-losing business, yet it will still be a superior prefecture.

Moreover, after successfully quelling the militia, taxes would be waived, which would mean that all the taxes in Shandong would have to be paid out.

Even if they successfully reduce their military presence.

The two million taels of silver saved couldn't be kept either.

Zhang Jifu's face darkened.

If I had known this would happen, I should have used Wang Xin in the first place.

Regret.

"Mr. Ge."

"People from the Zhou residence have arrived."

Zhang Jifu was taken aback.

Zhou Daofeng sent someone to invite him.

Zhang Jifu felt a pang of unease knowing his mentor never sought him out, and hurried off.

Zhou Daofeng understood.

The retired emperor wanted to keep him under his watchful eye.

As for the retired emperor wanting to abandon his supporters after they've served their purpose, it's not that the retired emperor wouldn't be so cold-blooded, but rather that he lacked the means to do so.

After all, the situation is becoming increasingly difficult.

The emperor's inaction is what makes him contend.

Even though the retired emperor had the upper hand, he still had to keep fighting.

For an old man.

That's actually a bit too harsh.

"Teacher."

Zhang Jifu was no longer young; his beard had even turned white, yet he maintained the same respectful attitude as before.

Zhou Daofeng pointed to the chair next to him, "You must be tired too, sit down quickly."

After sitting down, Zhang Jifu looked at his mentor.

Zhou Daofeng sighed.

Although he was somewhat prepared, his mentor's attitude still left Zhang Jifu feeling depressed.

“We have no more bargaining chips to keep. The civil unrest in Shandong must be quelled.” Zhou Daofeng took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Zhang Jifu, who took it and his expression changed drastically.

Zhang Jifu stood up in surprise and said angrily, "How dare the Prince of Dongping do this!"

A letter from Liaodong.

It says that the Prince of Dongping conspired with the seven tribes of barbarians to assassinate the Commander of Liaodong.

"Does no one in the Liaodong Military Command know this?"

"So what if we know? Besides, there are already many of the Prince of Dongping's men here. And how could the Prince of Dongping have made a secret agreement with the seven tribes of the barbarians? The military force under the Liaodong Commandery simply cannot deal with them."

Zhou Daofeng's expression was solemn, and his tone was unsteady. "The Beijing garrison must return to Beijing immediately to take charge. If they are delayed, trouble will break out in Liaodong, and it will be too late to regret it."

Zhang Jifu felt a mix of emotions and was filled with resentment.

None of these nobles are easy to deal with; they'll do anything for their own benefit.

This is yet another instance of fostering bandits to enhance one's own prestige.

First there was Feng Yong, then Wang Xin; these military men were all like that.

After much deliberation, the best way to end the Shandong rebellion as soon as possible was either to send more troops to suppress it forcefully, or to allocate more food for disaster relief. Once the disaster victims were fed, who would still rebel?

But no matter which option you choose, you'll face the challenge of money and food.

There's another problem.

"If we increase the army to quell the rebellion, then we'll have to delegate authority to Zhu Wei."

Zhang Jifu was unhappy.

It's not that there aren't other great generals.

However, if the emperor doesn't relinquish military power, he won't interfere; but if he does relinquish military power, he certainly won't allow the military power of the Beijing Garrison to be handed over to outsiders. Therefore, Zhu Wei is the only option.

Zhu Wei enjoys high prestige in the Beijing garrison. If he is given military power, he will certainly be willing to do his best.

This way.

His plans completely fell through.

Why do unexpected things always go wrong when my plans are so meticulous?

Zhang Jifu shook his head and slowly said, "Wang Xin has agreed to return to the capital, and I intend to meet with him."

Zhou Daofeng was taken aback.

"You want to use him?"

"Let's take a look first," Zhang Jifu said, as if he had made up his mind.

Zhou Daofeng didn't have much contact with Wang Xin.

Although I've heard of this person's name many times, and now that he's grown up, "Although he has never supported the emperor, he's considered one of the emperor's people. The emperor won't agree to that, and aren't you worried?"

Zhang Jifu hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Let's give it a try."

Zhou Daofeng did not refuse.

The deep-seated problems are hard to reverse, and there is no room for maneuver in any matter.

It often reached its most intense point.

It's not that I didn't work hard, but that I was born at the wrong time and ended up with such a huge mess.

But I am the one who was mentored by him.

Zhou Daofeng had no choice but to make repairs under the Emperor Emeritus's rule. How could outsiders understand his difficulties?

Like pacifying the Japanese pirates.

The Japanese invasion should have been resolved twenty years earlier.

However, given the current situation in the palace, the Japanese pirates are bound to recur. Therefore, I can only do my best to prevent the Japanese pirates from being completely eliminated while also protecting the people in the southeast and minimizing the damage caused by the Japanese pirates.

The Japanese pirates weren't our puppets.

To achieve his goal, Zhou Daofeng had no idea how many nights he had stayed up or how much effort he had put into it.

"Bahhhhh."

This wasn't the first or second time I'd traveled from Datong back to Beijing.

However, each time I go back, the situation on the road worsens by 10%.

At first, you could still see disaster victims on the road, but later the number of disaster victims decreased, and many villages along the way were abandoned. Now, you can't even see a stray dog. Although it's not a thousand miles of deserted land, it is desolate and full of bleakness.

"quack."

Withered vines, old trees, and crows at dusk. The bark has been stripped away, leaving a scene of utter devastation.

Shi Ping thought any mountain gully was acceptable. Fortunately, he had brought a large number of men this time, with about fifty fully armed guards. They were not afraid of ordinary bandits, but they had to be wary of someone shooting arrows from the shadows.

Actually, it doesn't matter if you shoot a stray arrow.

Everyone was wearing armor, so unless shot in the face.

If there were such a sharpshooter among the bandits, would they still be ordinary bandits?

"Ugh."

Wang Xin sighed.

Natural and man-made disasters.

Natural disasters do occur, and they are indeed very serious, but man-made disasters are not insignificant either.

Many fields were not affected by the disaster, yet they were left abandoned and uncultivated. This was a way for people to evade taxes and corvée labor, preferring to flee famine rather than farm.

If the capital region is like this, what about other places?

After resting, eating, and replenishing his water supply at the post station, Wang Xin rode at full speed without lingering on the road and soon arrived in the capital.

"Let's go to the Lin residence first."

Lin Ruhai is returning to Beijing, so I must visit him.

If it weren't for Lin Ruhai, he wouldn't have been completely unable to get ahead, but who knows what would have happened? In fact, Lin Ruhai was his benefactor, who helped him immensely, especially in the beginning.

Lin Ruhai is not here.

Wang Xin wasn't surprised, since he hadn't informed him beforehand.

"Father said you would come, but he didn't know when you would arrive in the capital. He was talking about it yesterday, and I didn't expect you to arrive today." Lin Daiyu walked in from outside, and after seeing Wang Xin, she smiled and said, "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear."

"They don't call me 'uncle' anymore."

Upon seeing Daiyu, Wang Xin was quite surprised and quickly retorted.

Lin Daiyu sat down to the side with interest, "Still the same stubborn nature, no matter how old you are."

Wang Xin stopped teasing her and looked Lin Daiyu up and down a few times. Lin Daiyu became a little uncomfortable, and then Wang Xin smiled and said, "It seems you are happier at home than at the Jia Mansion."

This remark sparked a meeting with Lin Daiyu.

He said the same thing when he first came by boat.

“The Jia family mansion is ultimately not my own home.” Lin Daiyu was saddened for a moment, then suddenly laughed. “Now that you’ve been promoted to a high-ranking official, my father says he has to watch his step and says you’re something special. But I see you’re still the same as before.”

"Oh?" Wang Xin found it amusing.

If he used to act impulsively, now that he has thousands of officers under his command, even a sneeze from an innocent person would attract a lot of attention. How could he still indulge himself?

He's becoming increasingly serious and unsmiling.

“There have been some changes.” Lin Daiyu looked at Wang Xin for a moment, then nodded and said, “He has become a bit more melancholy.”

"Yes."

Wang Xin sighed, "The little girl who used to be so worried is gone, and a cheerful girl has appeared in her place. On the contrary, the handsome young man who used to be carefree is gone, and a stern-faced young man who is troubled by everything has appeared in his place."

"Pfft."

Lin Daiyu was amused and pointed her slender finger at Wang Xin, saying with a smile, "You're making me laugh again."

As the saying goes, her voice is as melodious as a nightingale singing in a valley, and her breath as delicate as an orchid exhaling fragrance. Her starry eyes sparkle with every glance, and her cloud-like hair hangs low when she is lost in thought.

Although he only regarded Lin Daiyu as his junior, after all, there was a huge age gap between them, and Daiyu was still young and not yet of marriageable age, he couldn't help but be slightly lost in thought.

Lin Daiyu was not surprised.

Many people become foolish after seeing themselves.

The servants in the mansion, as well as Baochai's brother, had seen her once before. She collapsed to the ground in front of everyone, but luckily Baoyu was being beaten at the time, and everyone's attention was on Baoyu, so no one paid any attention.

He couldn't help but feel a little smug.

Wang Xin wasn't like this before, but the atmosphere has inevitably changed slightly.

That being the case.

Lin Daiyu stood up and said with a smile, "Seeing you puts my mind at ease. It's not in vain that I've been thinking of you all this time. Please enjoy your tea. My father will be back soon."

After that, leave.

Wang Xin was speechless. This girl was actually mimicking his tone to tease him.

It seems.

Lin Ruhai gained a lot from this trip back to Beijing.

Although the capital and Nanjing were in the same country, their customs and atmospheres were completely different.

One is strict, the other is lenient.

The new schools in Jiangnan, with their emphasis on concepts like "the emperor alone" and "equality between women and men," and the idea that all women should study Confucianism, were very popular in Jiangnan. This created an environment where Xue Yan could take Xue Baoqin around, and even allowed women to study alongside men in schools.

If these shocking acts had occurred in the capital, they would have been considered treasonous and could easily have resulted in confiscation of property, exile, or even execution.

When Lin Ruhai returned to Beijing, he did not restrain Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu's every move exudes the charm of Jiangnan, unrestrained by the constraints of the capital. Behind this must be Lin Ruhai's deep love for his daughter and his unwillingness to let her suffer. However, Lin Ruhai must have had the confidence to do so.

If this return to the capital wasn't a resounding victory, how could he have the confidence to indulge Lin Daiyu so freely in the capital?

The word "纵" here is not used in a derogatory sense.

Jia Zheng didn't mention it in his letter, but he wanted to ask Lin Ruhai about it.

"Hahaha."

Before seeing the person, one can hear their voice.

after awhile.

Upon hearing Lin Ruhai's laughter, Wang Xin stood up and, seeing Lin Ruhai at the door, respectfully said, "Master Lin, it's been a long time."

"Good Wang Xin."

Lin Ruhai patted Wang Xin with a smile, "I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

He said something.

Lin Ruhai pulled Wang Xin to sit down again and said, "After you return to the capital, Zhang Jifu will definitely see you soon. This time, he will definitely try to win you over."

Lin Ruhai is still the same Lin Ruhai.

Their ability to manipulate people's hearts is still astonishing.

Wang Xin asked truthfully, "Why? If that's indeed the case, what should I do?"

“He has no other choice.” Lin Ruhai shook his head and said calmly, “You should just refuse him.”

This is somewhat unclear.

Wang Xin was a little confused.

Lin Ruhai said directly, "Now we must drive Zhang Jifu to a dead end. Only when he loses his composure and does more will he make more mistakes, and that's when opportunities will arise."

Wang Xin understood to some extent.

Lin Ruhai is going to help the emperor.

“Zhang Jifu couldn’t have been unprepared,” Wang Xin pointed out the problem.

Everyone knows the Emperor Emeritus is old, how could Zhang Jifu not know?
Why was he in such a hurry to consolidate military power? Wang Xin judged others by his own standards. If he were in Zhang Jifu's position, he certainly wouldn't care about the emperor.

The emperor wasn't without sons, and they were all still young.

Then the emperor falls into the water.

By supporting the young emperor's ascension to the throne, Zhang Jifu would essentially become regent, if not a regent himself.

"So we have to force him."

Lin Ruhai gave him a meaningful look.

Is it really time for a showdown?

It's ahead of schedule.

The original text states that it would be around next year, and it's clear that the emperor won. However, Lin Ruhai would have already died by then, so how did the emperor win?
It is now unknown.

Just as he was about to deal with Zhang Jifu, Wang Xin felt a little reluctant.

The two have come this far through a long and arduous journey.

If we were to say that Zhang Jifu had some bad habits, then he certainly had quite a few. As the saying goes, "If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked too." He was no less corrupt than others, but he did try his best to do things, though he did commit many bad deeds.

Comparison.

Jia Zheng was undoubtedly a good official.

Of course, Jia Zheng was able to do so because his family was wealthy, so he didn't need to embezzle money himself. Otherwise, the servants and expenses of the second branch of the family could not have been sustained for so many years by his salary and ancestral property alone.

But it's also quite rare.

At least Jia Zheng had the intention, and in fact he didn't embezzle.

(End of this chapter)