The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 420 The New Four Great Families
"mother."

"I want my mother."

The children on the carriage were crying and screaming, one of them screaming the most pitifully.

"shut up!"

"Who dares to make another sound?"

The escorting driver brandished his whip, cracking it fiercely in mid-air with a loud bang that frightened the children so much that they dared not jump off the cart, huddled on the flatbed with tears in their eyes.

The flatbed cart had a guardrail on each side and was pulled by two horses. Eight or nine children were sitting on the cart.

There were a total of seven carriages and about fifty children.

They were all children working at the trading post.

The older ones were thirteen or fourteen years old and could help with the work. The more sensible ones listened to the driver's instructions and looked after the younger children. The younger ones were three or four years old. In addition to the seven flatbed carriages carrying people, there were three other carriages loaded with luggage and other items.

They were going to Datong to be sent to the Boy Scouts to be raised.

It's safer over there.

I heard that the children there can read and write.

"Woo!"

The woman choked back tears and lowered her head, not wanting her children to see her cry, fearing they would disobey. She wasn't worried about the coachman, who was a colleague at the trading post; she was only concerned that the children would miss her.

"How could I bear to part with my children?" the man said sadly. "Don't cry, mother. If you cry, the children will be even more reluctant to leave."

It's all because I'm useless.

If I had worked harder and acquired more skills in the past, I wouldn't be separated from my family today.

Although the Hu people have been attacked many times and we rarely hear of them anymore, who can guarantee that we will be safe along the way?

There are still risks.

It's just that the risk is much lower than staying at the trading post.

With the trading post under their watchful eyes and under their protection, even knowing the risks were high, they felt reassured.

This parting is thousands of miles away, and who knows when we'll meet again.

"Mother!"

"mother!"

Amid the children's cries, the convoy receded into the distance, until only faint shadows remained, and eventually, it disappeared from sight altogether.

"Okay everyone."

The manager clapped his hands. "Go back, stop looking."

The crowd left reluctantly, some even straining to see, though they couldn't see anything.

The manager understood everyone's sorrow and comforted them, saying, "This is a good thing. The trading post is providing the money, and the governor's office is providing the labor to help you raise your children. Don't you trust the governor's office?"

"No one distrusts the Jiedushi's office."

A woman choked up and said, "I'm just afraid something will happen on the road."

"What a coincidence," the steward said with a smile. "The military governor will be returning to Datong soon, and he will surely be able to help out."

Hearing this, everyone felt a little better.

Besides their trading post, there were also agricultural reclamation teams in the surrounding area. Even if there weren't any, they would always provide support. No trading post hadn't come into contact with agricultural reclamation teams, because these teams traveled much further than the trading posts.

Trading posts were driven by profit, while agricultural reclamation teams were driven by survival.

Wherever there is a glimmer of life, agricultural reclamation teams will appear, while trading posts will only appear where there is profit to be made.

The children from the agricultural reclamation team stayed in Datong from the beginning, so the people were not opposed to it.

Caravans of vehicles transported children to Datong.

"Have you taken a count of how many people are working at each trading post?"

Lu Zhongheng stayed in Daning for two days, experiencing the changes in Daning, especially the many unfamiliar things, which amazed him. He also asked Xue Ke, who was beside him, about them.

Zeng Zhi and Zhang Yuncheng both stayed in Datong.

Even Zheng Ang can't do without it.

Although Xue Ke was young, everyone in the Jiedushi Mansion knew that he was shrewd and an extraordinary young man. He understood the deeper meaning in Lu Zhongheng's words and said knowingly, "The agricultural reclamation team and ranch team, including the children's corps, have about 220,000 people. The trading post employs about 100,000 people."

Even excluding children, the number of people employed by the trading post was no less than the population controlled by the Datong Military Governor's Office.

Aren't you worried?

Lu Zhongheng found it somewhat incomprehensible.

"Why should we worry?" Xue Ke countered. "Throughout history, it has always been officials who force the people to rebel. If no one forces them, how can anyone rebel? Since they won't rebel, what is there to worry about?"

Lu Zhongheng felt as if he had returned to Datong.

These past two days, Xue Ke has been taking me around, deliberately showing me certain things.

What exactly does Wang Xin want to do?

"Let's go back."

Lu Zhongheng and Xue Ke returned and finally met Wang Xin that evening.

With Jose defeated and Erdun surrendered, the two largest powers were gone, and the remaining tribes were severely weakened. With Erdun leading the surrender, more and more tribes lost the will to resist. These past few days, besides meeting with merchants from various places, he has also met with the various tribal chiefs, and agreements have been reached between them.

Daning will soon return to complete peace.

Seeing the weariness on Wang Xin's face, Lu Zhongheng suddenly bowed and cupped his hands in congratulations, saying, "Your Excellency, the military governor's army is strong and your people are united, so when will you rebel?"

Xue Ke was stunned.

Jia Huan's eyes lit up, and he looked at the military governor with excitement.

Wang Xin was also taken aback.

This person's words are inexplicable; Lu Zhongheng is not that kind of person.

Yes.

Advancing in the name of progress, going against the grain, is a test of oneself.

"Wait for the day when the water flows into the channel."

Wang Xin said calmly.

Lu Zhongheng froze, sweat beading on his forehead, and quickly tried to think of a solution.

Is Wang Xin really going to rebel?

how is this possible.

Lu Zhongheng couldn't catch it and didn't dare to look up.

Xue Ke and Jia Huan dared not raise their voices. Jia Huan held the pen, unsure whether he should take notes, since this shouldn't be official business.
"Don't be nervous." Wang Xin patted Lu Zhongheng on the shoulder.

Lu Zhongheng slowly straightened his back, calmed his emotions, and looked at Wang Xin with a complicated expression.

He felt as if he didn't recognize Wang Xin.

"I have over 50,000 elite troops. Allow me to say with pride, wherever my sword points, they will fearlessly annihilate the enemy in front of them, because they trust me."

Wang Xin spoke such treasonous words so casually.

What's frightening is that Lu Zhongheng knows Wang Xin wasn't lying.

"Why is this so?"

Lu Zhongheng said bitterly, "If the military governor rebels, I dare not say that the court will definitely win, but I am sure that the people of the world will suffer the most. It will be detrimental to everyone."

“So I’m holding back.” Wang Xin nodded. “I don’t support Lord Lin going to Shaanxi to suppress the disaster victims, and I certainly won’t agree to send troops to help Lord Lin.”

"I see." Lu Zhongheng suddenly realized.

If that's the case, using the disaster victims to weaken the court's strength, given Datong's geographical location and Wang Xin's power, it would indeed be a place where one could attack or defend. Lu Zhongheng asked, "I'm afraid the disaster victims in Shaanxi are not capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of the governor."

Lu Zhongheng cited the Shandong peasant uprising as an example.

“You’re mistaken.” Wang Xin said speechlessly, “Lord Lin stayed in the capital to plan for Shanxi for Datong in the court. I support you going to Taiyuan to serve as the prefect. If it weren’t for your lack of prestige and qualifications, it would be even better if you could directly serve as the governor of Shanxi.”

Lu Zhongheng was having trouble keeping up with Wang Xin's train of thought, his eyes filled with confusion.

"The New Four Great Families".

"Based on the principle of universal harmony."

Wang Xin pointed this out.

Lin Ruhai's new four great families still revolve around the Jia family, but it seems Wang Xin could make a change.

Take bigger steps.

It's not that Wang Xin necessarily needed the name of one of the Four Great Families.

However, if one wants to take over Shanxi without breaking with the imperial court, the only feasible approach to such a wishful thinking plan is to have the four new great families pave the way for one's success in the imperial court.

Make full use of the emperor's rash move to reform the Beijing Garrison.

The retired emperor reformed the Beijing Garrison several times, taking advantage of the reforms to completely control it. What kind of prestige did the retired emperor have?
What he could do, the emperor might not be able to do.

Moreover, half of the Beijing Garrison is controlled by Prince Zhongshun. The fact that the emperor wants to reform the Beijing Garrison without going through Prince Zhongshun is why Lin Ruhai wants to leave the Beijing Garrison and completely change his original plans.

"The New Four Great Families?"

Lu Zhongheng looked at Wang Xin in disbelief.

Finally it dawned on me: Wang Xin also has the surname Wang. Why are all people with the surname Wang like this?

Wang Ziteng is not going to say anything more.

I thought Wang Xin wouldn't do this, but I didn't expect it to come to this, that he would have to push Jia's name behind his own and let Wang's name take the first place.

"The New Four Great Families?"

Xue Ke murmured to himself.

Jia Huan looked on with admiration, thinking that only someone as upright as Jiedu could live a truly fulfilling life.

"The New Four Great Families?"

Beijing.

Lin Ruhai looked blankly at Lu Zhongheng.

Lu Zhongheng looked helpless.

(End of this chapter)