The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 408 The way out
Given the strength of the Xue family's business, it wouldn't be difficult for them to hire several large ocean-going ships to transport sweet potatoes northward.

But how were the sweet potatoes transported to Datong?

Three or four thousand bushels of sweet potatoes cannot solve Datong's problems. For an individual, it is a huge amount, but for Datong's current population of one million, it is nothing, not to mention that Wang Xin still has to solve the problem of even more displaced people.

Even if it's not 100,000 shi, a tenfold or more would be fine.

This year, 40,000 to 50,000 shi of sweet potatoes were planted, covering an area of ​​about 100,000 mu. According to the people of Fujian, even considering the poor soil, the harvest should be around 50 to 60 million jin.

Let's go with 50 million catties.

If all 50 million catties are used for seed, that's 700,000 to 800,000 mu.

Datong was short of food, not lacking food.

Therefore, of the 50 million jin of surplus sweet potatoes, only 30 million jin were used for food. Adding one or two pieces of sweet potato to each meal of porridge or rice could solve the food problem for 200,000 to 300,000 people.

By the year after next, it will be able to solve the food and clothing problem for a million people.

It won't take ten years.

The problem of food and clothing for the whole country can be solved.

"Am I dreaming?" Lu Zhongheng looked at Wang Xin in disbelief. It was such a fantastical story, and it was only because it came from Wang Xin's mouth that Lu Zhongheng was so sure of it, otherwise he would never have believed it.

“Really.” Wang Xin’s face was thin, but his eyes shone.

With its infrastructure and commerce combined with sweet potatoes, Datong has completely solved its shortcomings. All that's left is time. What we need to do is carefully protect this process.

“The people from the Xue family business went to Fujian in person, and they truthfully reported back how the people of Fujian cultivate sweet potatoes. Everyone said the same thing, so we can’t lie to them all.” Wang Xin originally planned to write a letter to Lin Ruhai himself, but he didn’t expect Lu Zhongheng to come to Datong.

With Lu Zhongheng involved, the results will be even better.

"The main problem now is transportation. The situation in the capital is unclear, and the situation in other places is also unstable. The sweet potatoes transported to Datong absolutely cannot be damaged, otherwise it will be delayed for a year. This disaster has lasted for two years, and many people's savings have been almost depleted. We must get supplies next year."

Wang Xin explained patiently.

Tens of thousands of bushels of sweet potatoes could be transported by vehicle, with each vehicle carrying seven or eight bushels, or a dozen or so. It wasn't that more couldn't be carried, but many sections of the road couldn't bear the weight, and the vehicles were prone to damage.

Therefore, transporting thousands of carts back and forth requires the deployment of nearly 10,000 people.

With such a large scale, even if the transportation is done separately, the risks will increase significantly. Wang Xin worriedly said, "Anyone can grow sweet potatoes, but I'm afraid that others will waste this resource and delay the process, so I must arrange it myself."

“That’s true.” Lu Zhongheng agreed, if the effects were indeed as Wang Xin described.

"So I plan to start promoting it from Daning. This way, the journey north from Dagukou is the shortest and it will be much less risky to enter the Datong Army's territory. Besides, there are still many agricultural reclamation teams there."

"Daning."

Lu Zhongheng hesitated.

The actions of the Datong Army in Daning have aroused the vigilance of many people.

Although the banner of the Datong Army was not raised, and it was the actions of various merchants, the imperial court was not deaf. It knew that the soldiers hired by the merchants were all from Datong and were organized units, not individual actions.

However, the court was plagued by deep-seated problems and fierce internal strife, leaving it no time to address these issues.

It's one thing to not care, but I'll still do my part to stop Datong.

Before Zhang Jifu's downfall, some people casually gave their subordinates some tacit approval, which brought great trouble to Datong and forced Wang Xin to take drastic measures.

“The Emperor has Lord Lin who can speak on his behalf, but Lord Lin can’t be too obvious about it for your sake.” Lu Zhongheng looked up at Wang Xin and asked with concern, “Can you reconcile with the Jia family?”

"How come I didn't know I had anything to do with the Jia family?" Wang Xin blinked.

Seeing Wang Xin's state, Lu Zhongheng felt relieved.

“You’re not in the capital, so there are many things you don’t know,” Lu Zhongheng said with a smile. “Although the emperor is in charge of the government, there are many things that he can’t just decide to do as he says he is. He’ll be in a lot of trouble, and all the various factions won’t be quiet. They will all try to gain a foothold in the new dynasty or try to get through the crisis.”

Wang Xin understood Lu Zhongheng's meaning and guessed his purpose in coming. He took the initiative to say, "Go back and tell Master Zheng and Lord Lin that I, Wang Xin, am not a villain."

Lu Zhongheng nodded. "It is precisely because I believe in your character that I am able to stand before you."

Although there were some unpleasant moments among everyone, the couple still had their disagreements. It's not terrible to have disagreements; everyone should try to find common ground while respecting differences. What's most worrying is when things escalate into a bitter feud, with both sides willing to suffer losses.

"I'll leave the affairs of the capital to you, Brother Lu."

Wang Xin solemnly cupped his hands in greeting.

The whip is beyond reach.

Once outside of Datong, who can Wang Xin command?
There are probably more people who are dissatisfied with him.

No official could remain silent after hearing about their own reforms in Datong.

“You must also be mindful of your actions. If things go too far, the court may make a firm decision, or the emperor may be angry. In that case, I’m afraid no one will be able to speak up for you.” Lu Zhongheng was very worried that Wang Xin had changed.

"Do not worry."

Wang Xin said as usual.

Datong was actually the same as the Later Jin.

Despite its formidable strength, it still relies heavily on trade with the interior of China.

Datong's businesses, once they left the mainland, were like fish out of water.

The mainland can separate from Datong, even though the losses would be significant, because political security outweighs economic development.

Given the current situation, Wang Xin needs the mainland market even more.

Otherwise, Datong wouldn't even last three months.

Unless you learn about the Later Jin.

Since normal business and trade are impossible, the only option is violent robbery. Even if it comes at a huge cost, it's still better than waiting to die.

This is the worst-case scenario.

Wang Xin certainly didn't want things to deteriorate to that point, so he didn't want to break ties with the court. However, he wanted to protect his own interests, so his relationship with the Jia family became crucial.

It's not just about cooperation on sweet potatoes, but also about protecting and supporting Datong.

Lu Zhongheng left satisfied.

At this time, Wang Xin had already been in Wutai County for three days.

Fourth day.

The city gates of Wutai County were finally opened.

Wutai County is very poor, belonging to a lower-level county. The county town has a population of only two or three thousand people, a large proportion of whom are officials and their families, as well as butchers, grooms, merchants and other groups who do business with these people.

The entire Wutai Mountain area has only about 30,000 people.

Mountainous areas retain more moisture, and given the current natural disasters, they are more suitable for promoting sweet potatoes than ordinary county towns. In addition, the area has a small population and plenty of barren land in the mountains.

In ordinary county towns, farmland with water sources is still mainly used for traditional crops.

People can't just eat sweet potatoes.

On the river.

Two boats were moored in the river.

“Zhang Jifu is dead. He killed several of his leaders, and the rest of his family members were exiled.” Wang Xin stood at the bow of the boat, looking at Zhou Wen, who looked haggard, and said calmly, “I have already used my connections to at least protect Zhang Jifu’s family.”

The situation in the imperial court has not yet settled, and Wang Xin does not know whether more people will be implicated, but some people will inevitably be the first to be affected.

For example, Zhou Daofeng, and Zhou Wen in front of us.

"That's enough to live up to the expectations of the Grand Secretary."

Even at such a critical juncture, he was still willing to waste his favors, which showed that Wang Xin was indeed benevolent and righteous. Zhou Wen said bitterly, "Do you know what the court's arrangements are for me?"

They also needed to inquire about information from Wang Xin.

Wang Xin was somewhat taken aback, but quickly realized that Zhou Wen's attitude was clear. Wang Xin smiled and said, "They probably won't be able to stay."

"Will I die?"

"do not know."

Wang Xin shook his head and said truthfully, "Although the emperor has been emperor for twenty years, he has only now begun to rule in his own right and can resume his true nature. How to treat you depends on the emperor's decision."

Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots, kill the chicken to scare the monkey, or raise a high level of importance but let it go lightly.

Who could know? “Actually, I’m not even sure what the emperor thinks of me. Luckily, I still have people in the capital working for me and I can speak to the emperor.” Wang Xin said calmly.

Zhou Wen could see Wang Xin's confidence.

I just don't know what this confidence is directed at.

Are the people in the capital able to protect him, or are they not afraid of the court targeting him?

I can understand the former.

The latter type of person doesn't quite understand.

The Datong army was formidable, but it only had a little over 50,000 troops. The Great Zhou had a million troops, not to mention the righteous cause it held, its vast territory, and its superior position. Moreover, Wang Xin was not an ambitious man.

Given his steady approach to things and his accurate judgment, under these favorable conditions, he is likely to be able to establish himself under the new ruler.

Zhou Wen no longer hesitated and said dejectedly, "After I go back, I will disband the army and let each unit return to its own camp. Without the resistance of the Taiyuan army, I believe the governor of Shanxi will not dare to cause trouble for the military governor."

The Taiyuan army can only pose a threat to the Datong army when they are grouped together; once they are dispersed, they pose no threat.

The process of regrouping requires time and resources.

“If Admiral Zhou has nowhere else to go, he can come to Datong,” Wang Xin promised. “Admiral Zhou will still be the General of Datong.”

Wang Xin did not intend to offer any generous rewards.

Zhou Wen was a military commander, but returning to Datong would mean a demotion. Compared to the benefits that his secret defection brought to Datong, many people would probably find it hard to understand, but Wang Xin insisted on this.

Zhou Wen opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, gave up trying to persuade him, and silently nodded.

Zhang Jifu and his disciples suppressed the emperor for over twenty years as the retired emperor.

For over twenty years, the emperor had been plagued by anxieties and nearly suffered a mental breakdown. Now that he had finally pulled through, he was not about to let the master and disciple, along with their former students and associates, off easily.

Zhou Wen did not trust the emperor.

He preferred to pledge allegiance to Wang Xin rather than risk Wang Xin's reputation.

Since Wang Xin dared to promise to take him in, he was willing to take the gamble.

However, it seems that Wang Xin is more confident than he thought.

Also.

If he successfully annexes Taiyuan and controls two towns, both of which are major towns in the country, he will be the most powerful military governor in the Great Zhou Dynasty, surpassed only by the capital garrison.

"It won't be easy to annex Taiyuan Town, even with my help," Zhou Wen warned.

Wang Xin nodded.

Taiyuan Town isn't made of wood; of course, they obey the imperial court's orders.

Even though Zhou Wen was a commander, he couldn't change that.

However, with Zhou Wen's cooperation, he finally had the opportunity to annex Taiyuan Town at the lowest possible cost.

Zhou Wen was indeed sensible.

I was right about this person.

A few days passed.

Camp on the banks of the Xinshui River.

Zhou Wen drew his longsword and chopped off a corner of the table, angrily cursing, "When the Datong army attacked Ningwu Pass last time, we were defeated, not because of our own fault. Your Excellency is using this to delay supplies, not knowing that you will only make yourself a laughing stock."

The generals inside the tent dared not say a word.

Recently, there have been many rumors circulating in the military camp, with many believing that the admiral is about to lose power.

No one wanted to follow such a leader, and many people began to plan for their own future, or even wanted to take his place.

The camp was in a state of panic, and supplies from the rear were repeatedly delayed.

The number of fleeing militiamen is increasing day by day.

Zhou Wen said angrily, "With supplies not arriving and morale low, the situation is so critical that I have no choice but to order the troops to set off tomorrow and return to their posts."

Yao Baoshan and the others thought the admiral was just saying that in a fit of anger.

When they realized that the admiral was serious, everyone hurriedly began to dissuade him. Even General Jiang Heng earnestly said, "You must not disperse. If you disperse, our Taiyuan army will be finished."

"Then go ask the governor for grain. If you deliver the grain within three days, I'll comply," Zhou Wen sneered.

Jiang Heng was stunned.

Did the admiral discover his underhanded actions?
The imperial court will definitely make a move against the commander-in-chief. It's better to strike first and plan ahead. Maybe I can really take his place and become the commander-in-chief of the Taiyuan army. I felt a little numb, but I forced myself to say, "I will definitely try my best."

Zhou Wen ignored him.

Jiang Heng dared not delay. After leaving the main tent, he immediately led his trusted men back to Taiyuan City on horseback.

Only half a day after they left, Zhou Wen issued military orders to set off to all units.

The troops on the opposite bank of the river gradually withdrew.

Many people were helpless and even furious. Unfortunately, after Jiang Heng left, no one could oppose Zhou Wen. They could only lead their troops to retreat in resentment. Since things had come to this, it was better to retreat sooner rather than later, lest the Datong army on the other side take the opportunity to attack.

The Datong army did not cross the river.

After the Taiyuan army left, they sent a detachment across the river to take over the main camp on the other side and seize advantageous terrain.

This operation lasted nearly half a month.

Although the war lasted only a short time, Datong also suffered huge costs and risks. Continuing the war would require more resources, as well as the construction of roads in various places, especially the reclamation of wasteland in mountainous areas.

Many people don't understand the point of doing this. Spending one or two years and expending huge amounts of manpower and resources to reclaim wasteland in the mountains, how can you grow crops on such a large amount of wasteland?

If it were possible to plant them, it would have been done long ago; there wouldn't be a time like today.

Blue sky and white clouds.

Beyond the Great Wall.

Jose led more than a hundred elite warriors of the tribe on a long and arduous journey, and finally arrived at the place where Erttun was located.

After Ou Yanhu's death.

The army of over 100,000 men was torn apart and turned on each other.

To avoid the sharp edge of the Datong army, Jose, Erteton, and others moved all the way to Daning, defeated the local tribes, and established a foothold. They then traded with the Great Zhou under the banner of their former tribes, gaining a place to recuperate and rebuild.

In just three to five years, the tribe has seen a significant increase in newborns.

"According to information gathered by the merchants, a conflict has broken out between Datong and the Taiyuan army in the south. The Datong army has withdrawn a significant number of troops. This is our opportunity, and we cannot miss it."

Jose said solemnly.

Erttun scratched the back of his head, hesitated for a moment, and then mustered up his courage to ask, "I heard you've been contacting quite a few tribes lately. How many men can you send?"

"It adds up to no less than eight thousand."

"That's a bit too little."

Ertdon was somewhat disappointed.

When Ou Yanhu was alive, he led hundreds of thousands of people to migrate south.

Today, the combined population of all their tribes is only thirty to fifty thousand.

This also includes some original local tribes.

A large number of merchants came to Daning to develop the region. While this brought trade, it also brought conflict. Many people worried that it would attract the attention of Zhou's army, giving them an opportunity to retake Daning.

"Enough."

Jose counted on his fingers as he told Datong Army about the military situation outside the Great Wall.

Merchants filled the desert.

It brought a lot of information about the Hu people to the Datong army, and also brought information about the Datong army to the Hu people.

Profiting from both sides.

(End of this chapter)