The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 399 Response
The death of the retired emperor is such a momentous event that no one dares to delay.

It didn't take long.

Under Wang Xin's instructions, the guards quietly invited Zeng Zhi, Zhang Yuncheng, and Yan Zhongzheng back without disturbing Tang Ping and his men. It wasn't that they didn't trust Tang Ping and his men, but rather that the fewer people who knew, the better.

The guards outside were on duty as usual.

In addition to the visible posts, there are also hidden posts, which are not particularly strict. Besides being able to move around in a small area, they can also occasionally exchange a few words.

"Ugh."

“You sighed again. If the higher-ups hear you, they’ll scold you again.”

"I don't want to either. Shi Ping and the others were released to lead troops, and hearing about their achievements is more painful for me than being punished. Just a few days ago, Battalion Commander Qi also achieved another merit." Wu Liang asked excitedly, "When can we be released?"

"No hurries."

His companion smiled and said, "Your martial arts have improved the fastest, and you were personally recruited by Commander Shi. Are you worried about not having a chance?"

"I'm almost twenty."

The beggar, who was once a young boy, still retains some traces of his former self, but his features have completely changed.

Wu Liang complained quietly.

My companions stopped talking. It's okay to say something occasionally, but if they're caught talking too much, they'll get yelled at by their superiors.

Now their Western Army has become the Datong Army, and their territory is not only limited to Datong, but also includes the three most fertile regions: the Qiantao area, the Xiaohuanghe area, and the Daning area, as well as even more extensive lands within them.

According to the scholars at the Marshal's Mansion, the total area covered is larger than the entire Shanxi province.

Everyone was excited.

How long has it been?

However, despite its large territory, most of the land is not enough to support the population. Even so, Datong has a population of 700,000 to 800,000. Not long ago, it also took control of Daizhou, which suddenly added hundreds of thousands of people to the population.

There is also a lot of arable land there, more than in the entire area outside the Great Wall.

Leaving aside the worries of the literati, these young men, fearless and naive, only wanted the governor's territory to be as large as possible, regardless of any external troubles.

The personal guard battalion numbered about a thousand men.

Although they weren't able to directly participate in the battle, they were still eager to go to the battlefield and make contributions.

With trembling hands, Zeng closed the window and solemnly instructed the guards outside, "No one is allowed to approach." Seeing the Lord's expression, the guards also became serious.

"Has the Emperor really passed away?"

Even after returning to his original position, Zeng was still unable to calm down.

This emperor and the retired emperor, who ascended the throne in their twenties and controlled the court for fifty or sixty years, knew from the time they could remember that the emperor was the sovereign, the ruler to whom they were loyal, the sovereign of heaven, earth, parents, and teacher.

Even after following the military governor for so many years, Zeng Zhi still felt as if he had lost his backbone and was completely disoriented.

But no one blamed him.

Zhang Yuncheng and Yan Zhongzheng also had complicated expressions.

Wang Xin can understand.

If it were me, the ideas I've been taught since childhood—the principles of heaven, earth, ruler, parents, and teachers, loyalty to the emperor, and patriotism—and the fact that there's an old man in the palace who has been this monarch since I was a child, from my youth to my maturity, is truly remarkable.

The mere presence of an elder is enough to inspire awe, let alone the fact that he is a monarch.

"We absolutely cannot afford to offend Zhang Jifu."

Zeng Zhi was the first to recover and calmly said.

“Yes.” Yan Zhongzheng stared at the empty tea table, where there used to be a cup of tea, and reminded everyone, “The hundreds of thousands of troops in the Beijing Garrison are now all in Zhang Jifu’s hands, not to mention that the court is full of his disciples and old friends.”

"Does Zhang Jifu dare?"

Zhang Yuncheng asked.

After realizing what had happened, Zeng Zhi quickly suppressed his old thoughts and became even more clear-headed. With a deep gaze, he lowered his head and said, "When the Emperor Emeritus was alive, there was the principle of loyalty between ruler and subject. Zhang Jifu really couldn't do many things."

The implication is that the fundamental principles of loyalty between ruler and subject have been lost.

Zhang Yuncheng did not refute.

Nobody is blind.

Zhang Jifu's men controlled everything inside and outside the capital, from the imperial court and the Beijing garrison to local authorities and even Taiyuan in Shanxi Province. They replaced his own confidants with his own trusted men.

Strictly speaking.

Aren't their military governor's offices also neutral, biased towards Zhang Jifu?

Especially after agreeing to Zhang Jifu's offer of a hand, the military commander chose to return to Datong instead of staying in the Beijing garrison, which offended the civil official faction of the four major families, making his stance even more distinct.

Why did the retired emperor keep the emperor around and allow Prince Zhongshun to run errands for the emperor outside, while Liu Ru always held the position of the second-in-command of the cabinet? Can't this be seen as a way to restrain Zhang Jifu?
When the emperor is powerful, he is suppressed; when the emperor is weak, he is spared.

What a masterful art of balancing!

He's dead now, and it's all over.

But he started something but didn't finish it.

What will happen to the emperor? What will happen to Zhang Jifu?
"If Zhang Jifu is truly audacious, can he win?" Zhang Yuncheng was uncertain and looked at Zeng Zhi, who seemed convinced that Zhang Jifu would win.

"No matter how you look at it, the emperor has no chance of winning."

Zeng Zhi shook his head.

He has been in charge of the affairs of the military governor's office for many years, and even recently, the question of who controls the army and who truly holds power is the cornerstone of everything.

If the Datong army had not obeyed the orders of the Jiedushi (military governor) with unwavering loyalty, how could the earth-shaking reforms within Datong have unfolded so dramatically?

It wasn't just the cooperation of the people, but also the military that played a crucial role.

Zeng Zhi frowned and said, "If the emperor were to regain power now, would all the civil and military officials in the court be in good shape? Would the emperor be able to trust them?"

indeed so.

Zhang Yuncheng was persuaded, speechless. "The sage left decisively, leaving behind a mess. But it may be a good thing. No matter who wins, the struggles of these years should have a result."

"uncertain."

The ending of the book reminded Wang Xin that after much thought, he finally understood something: "The information Lin Ruhai obtained was revealed by Eunuch Dai Quan. It is true that most of the civil and military officials in the court are Zhang Jifu's men, but the inner court has nothing to do with him."

"This"

Zeng Zhi was speechless.

Why would he think of the inner court? The inner court has always been controlled by the retired emperor, and for many years the inner court has been cooperating with the outer court.

“Eunuchs are the emperor’s servants, and Dai Quan’s attitude may not necessarily support Zhang Jifu.”

Wang Xin analyzed: "So Zhang Jifu was unable to control the news of the Emperor Emeritus's death. After all, he was a cabinet minister and was acting in the name of a subject. He couldn't just openly lead troops into the palace, could he?"

Even if the emperor were to fall into the water, it would still take time to arrange things.

If the news doesn't spread, Zhang Jifu can still buy time.

The inner court of the Great Zhou Dynasty also had twenty-four directorates, the Imperial Horse Ranch and Armory Bureau, the East and West Depots, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard under them. Would they be willing to listen to civil officials?
The retired emperor suddenly passed away.

Not only was the pressure on Zhang Jifu gone, but the pressure on the inner court was also gone.

Considering that Dai Quan's several adopted sons were all powerful eunuchs, how could they possibly be willing to work for Zhang Jifu? Which would offer more benefits: working for the emperor or working for a civil official?

Would civil officials really share their own interests with eunuchs?

No need to think about it.

The others were speechless. Zhang Yuncheng hesitated and said, "What the commander said is indeed correct, but the hope of winning is too slim. The capital garrison has more than 100,000 troops."

With an army of over 100,000 men at their command.

Even if the four princes and Jia Tong all supported the emperor, it wouldn't change the outcome.

“If Dai Quan could betray Zhang Jifu, why can’t others in the Beijing Garrison? By the same token, is it more profitable to be a dog of the emperor or a dog of a civil official?” Wang Xin retorted.

Historically, during the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, it was civil officials who led the troops.

Civil officials were in charge of leading troops into battle, while military generals were only entitled to obey the orders of civil officials.

However, even after the collapse of the Ming Dynasty, the warlords were still mostly military officers, with no civil officials involved. This was determined by their social status. "If that's the case, then it seems we can't easily refuse Lord Lin's proposal," Zeng Zhi said seriously. "Lord Lin isn't the Emperor's most trusted person, but even he has taken action. I believe Prince Zhongshun and Liu Ru must have gone all out as well."

That's correct.

It is clear that the faction supporting the emperor has gone all out.

The emperor's righteous cause, and the great benefits that can be gained by supporting the emperor now, including Zhang Jifu and his disciples who have been in power for decades, although their students and old friends are all over the court, they have also offended many people.

Therefore, Zhang Jifu's victory was far from being as certain as it seemed. On the contrary, if he thought he was invincible because of his obvious huge advantage, and did not go all out, or even cared about his reputation, he would often be overturned.

"Ugh!"

Yan Zhongzheng slapped his hands together and said regretfully, "If I had known, I wouldn't have sent the Western King's men to the capital. Now the situation is still unclear, and we've offended the Western King again."

Zeng Zhi and Zhang Yuncheng also felt the same way.

"My luck is a bit bad." As soon as he said it, Zhang Yuncheng realized how unlucky it was and quickly shut his mouth.

Everyone looked at Wang Xin's expression.

Wang Xin said calmly, “We have no regrets. No matter what the situation is, we will not support the Prince of Xining’s rebellion. They are located on the border. If they dare to have the intention to rebel, they will definitely collude with outsiders. Whether they succeed or not, they will become a great threat.”

Everything has two sides.

Ultimately, the outcome depends on one's own strength.

A blacksmith must be strong himself.

Wang Xin smiled, as if he had thought of something amusing. "It's a good opportunity to test whether Zhang Jifu's control over the capital is as solid as he appears on the surface."

Everyone looked at them with questioning eyes.

Wang Xin pointed to the map hanging on the wall of the Jietang Hall to the side.

"Yangwuyu".

"If Zhou Wen wants to take it back, it means he is still in the dark. And Zhang Jifu doesn't know that the news of the Emperor Emeritus's death has been quietly spread. This also shows that those who have decided to support the Emperor are more united and going all out."

Everyone suddenly realized what was happening, and their mood brightened instantly.

What I fear most is the unknown.

If we can get an accurate judgment from this matter, that would be the best news.

“If he doesn’t come to take it, we’ll just obediently guard Datong,” Wang Xin sneered. “If he does come, we’ll take the opportunity to devour him.”

As he spoke.

Wang Xin's gaze followed the map downwards.

The end times seem to have arrived.

The vast expanse of white earth is truly clean.

The retired emperor is unreliable, and the current emperor seems even less so.

Taking advantage of the current chaos, we should develop our foundation as solidly and extensively as possible. Wang Xin instructed, "Send someone to tell Lord Lin that as soon as Lord Lin and his men arrive in the capital, the Datong Army will be ready to provide support at any time."

Jia Zheng and his group were civil officials, and their biggest weakness was that they had no soldiers.

The eldest son of the Rongguo Mansion, Jia She, wielded considerable influence over the military, possessing not only his son-in-law, a military commander in the Beijing Garrison, but also allies like the military governor of Ping'an. However, the eldest and second sons of the Rongguo Mansion followed different paths.

Although both families belonged to the Rongguo Mansion, they were not on good terms, and in reality, they were not on good terms either.

Therefore, Lin Ruhai was very clear that they needed him, but he also knew that he needed them too, otherwise he would be in a very passive position in the court without his own people.

There will be a lot of resistance when trying to do something.

on the contrary.

If he does things on his own, the court will have great Confucian scholars to defend him, so that he can be seen as having rebelled and overthrown Jia Zheng and his ilk, or at least suppressed them.

He could clearly see the court's attitude towards him and whether they intended to take action against him.

Not like now.

They guess like a blind man, worrying too much before doing anything.

"Open the door."

A military officer shouted from outside Shili Pu.

"It can't be opened."

The local militia responded.

"Can't we just buy our own food?"

The military officer cried out in grievance.

He was followed by five or six hundred soldiers, who were in a sorry state, having lost their armor and weapons and had not eaten for two days.

"If you run out of food, go to Xinzhou. It's a big city with plenty of food, and you won't have to spend money to buy it, General," someone shouted after a while.

They absolutely refused to open the door or provide any food.

"Do you have any conscience?" the military officer cursed. "Are you just going to watch us starve to death?"

The soldiers behind him also started to clamor.

"General, you should save your strength and get to Xinzhou as soon as possible."

Looking at the tightly closed door.

Helpless and full of complaints, the group left and headed south to Xinzhou.

When they arrived in Xinzhou, the shop was still closed.

Despite the fleeing soldiers shouting themselves hoarse, the enraged soldiers began looting outside the city. The people outside the city were mostly poor, and now there were many more disaster victims. The area was already unstable, and now it suffered from the ravages of war.

Natural disasters, man-made disasters, and military disasters.

It was a situation where no one could help them.

"Soldier, this is our family's life-saving food! If you take this small bag away, we'll starve to death!" The man clutched the small bag of rations in his arms, refusing to let go, and pleaded desperately as he lay on the ground.

The two children were crying, wiping away their tears, and they couldn't see their mother.

"Let go!" the soldier threatened viciously. "I don't care if you live or die. If you don't eat, I'm going to starve to death."

"Fuck your grandma."

An impatient soldier at the door entered the shack and stabbed the soldier.

"what!"

The man let out a scream.

"father!"

"You deserve to die!"

A child ran to the man's side, frantically trying to cover the wound and stuff the intestines that had spilled out of his father's stomach back in. He was completely oblivious to the fear that had already spread all over the ground.

Another child, seeking revenge for his father, was kicked to the ground by the soldier who committed the crime, who then kicked the child hard in the head.

"OK OK."

The soldiers who were looting the grain couldn't stand it anymore and cursed, "What's going on here!"

"Pooh!"

The soldier who committed the crime spat at the terrified child who dared not utter a sound, and then left with him.

"father!"

"elder brother!"

The child had a delicate voice, a dirty face, except for a clean patch on his neck. He sat blankly in the filth on the ground, staring at his hands as if he were in a daze.

Yang Wuyu suffered a crushing defeat.

As the routed troops fled, the news spread along the way, and Taiyuan was abuzz with discussion.

(End of this chapter)