The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 430 Taking Action at the Beginning of Spring

Lin Ruhai was well aware of the composition of the dozen or so people in the Wenhua Hall.

Liu Ru and Tao Jie, among others, were staunch supporters of the emperor. Under the pressure of the retired emperor, they supported him for decades, including Zhang Jifu's reform of the Beijing garrison, which completely sidelined Tao Jie, the Minister of Military Affairs.

These people had suffered greatly, and they were also the emperor's most trusted men.

Then there were Zhu Zhenjie, Li Chengxian, and Li Yuan, who held high positions and, although they were considered retired emperors, still respected the emperor. Therefore, their power was not weakened but strengthened, with the aim of stabilizing the court as soon as possible and ensuring the smooth implementation of the emperor's personal rule.

However, this group was not trusted by the emperor either, at least not as much as the previous group.

The other is oneself.

Although he belonged to the emperor's people, he had the support of noble families represented by the Jia family, as well as civil officials who had suffered setbacks or lacked a foundation, such as Jia Yucun and Wu Wenhua.

The latter two also need to rely on the former's noble power, so their foundation is still the nobles.

After many years, Wu Wenhua and Jia Yucun finally rose to prominence. One became the Minister of War in Jinling, also known as the Grand Marshal, and the other became the Governor of Guangdong, becoming powerful regional officials. Below them were a group of lower-ranking civil officials.

The power of civil officials had already taken shape, and even the sons of the Jia family were going to participate in the imperial examinations one after another.

There's no point in relying on the eldest sons of the Ningguo and Rongguo mansions, nor have they made any plans in this regard. None of the sons of these two families are involved in the imperial examinations; only Baoyu and Jialan of the second son's family in the Rongguo mansion are diligently studying the imperial examinations.

I heard there's also a son born out of wedlock, who is also incredibly talented in his studies.

However, Lin Ruhai was certain that the second wife would never allow this illegitimate son to participate in the imperial examinations, and might even obstruct his studies, since his brother-in-law's wife was not someone to be trifled with.

While his wife was still alive, she often complained to him about this sister-in-law.

Jia Zheng was actually quite capable, but he was unwilling to compromise his integrity in officialdom. Otherwise, one could judge this by the results of his son's upbringing, which shows that he had his own methods, or perhaps this guy was simply blessed with good bloodline.

Not to mention his sons, even his grandsons are incredibly talented.

He spent the first half of his life toiling for the Jia family, but he never expected that he would have to toil for Wang Xin in the second half.

Lin Ruhai gave a wry smile.

Wang Xin was unwilling to go to Shaanxi on his own. Without Wang Xin's support, Lin Ruhai had no ability to lead troops, so he gave up the idea. Although he was dissatisfied with Wang Xin's rejection, he was not angry.

Given the current situation, if I remain in the capital, it will be essential for me to retain some military power.

Otherwise, how could they gain a foothold in the imperial court?

Even the eldest son's family knew to win over the army. Regardless of faction or official position, only by controlling military generals and holding some military power could one gain a foothold in the court; otherwise, one's words would carry no weight.

Lin Ruhai also wanted to control Wang Xin, but Wang Xin's power was too great, and he couldn't control him at all.

However, they would not allow others to deal with Wang Xin.

There's no reason to speak in the imperial court; only interests matter.

Lin Ruhai took the initiative to stand up and directly oppose Tao Jie.

Tao Jie was the emperor's staunch confidant and had served as Minister of Military Affairs for many years. He still maintained influence over the Beijing Garrison and was the emperor's main tool in controlling it. Faced with such a figure, Lin Ruhai had to explain to the emperor in person.

"emperor."

Lin Ruhai didn't dwell on Tao Jie's words and went straight to the emperor, saying, "Wang Xin is a gentle and mild-mannered person."

"Pfft."

Tao Jie deliberately laughed out loud, and said sarcastically, "So docile that you'd chop off the heads of court officials?"

“This was done by the people.” Lin Ruhai denied it outright, then admitted, “Wang Xin is also involved. How did the people learn about the law? It was he who taught them.”

"emperor!"

Lin Ruhai's voice suddenly grew louder, "Wang Xin's actions show that he still cares about the court. Now that the new dynasty has been established, it is the time to replace the old with the new and reform the old regime. The elimination of accumulated problems does not require the court to send a single soldier. I dare to vouch for him."

"Does my dear minister have such confidence in Wang Xin?"

Emperor Shunzheng asked curiously.

I dare not speak of other matters, but as for Wang Xin, unless absolutely necessary, he would never wreak havoc on the world. Lin Ruhai believed he had not misjudged him and firmly said, "I have confidence in Wang Xin."

Wang Xin is a difficult opponent.

From the first time his name was heard, people said that he was invincible and had never been defeated.

Now even the old fogies are dead.

That old geezer didn't like Wang Xin, but Wang Xin not only lived a more and more comfortable life, but his battle record was still amazing, and he had never been defeated.

Although he disliked this person, Emperor Shunzheng was also well aware of his own strength.

With the capital garrison still unsettled, military power in other regions not yet fully consolidated, and local warlords extremely unstable, the court was short of funds, making taxation a critical issue.

If Wang Xin can be successfully subdued and voluntarily relinquished his military power to the court, then the best outcome would be for the court to use Wang Xin to deal with other disobedient military leaders.

Emperor Shunzheng hesitated.

"emperor!"

Tao Jie, well aware of the emperor's weakness, quickly said, "The Prince of Dongping is unwilling to make his rebellion public, but instead uses the barbarians, blaming everything on them. Wang Xin is blatantly audacious."

"At most, he is instigating the people. The more he does this, the more it shows that Wang Xin dares not oppose the court." Lin Ruhai also saw the emperor's hesitation and, no longer afraid of Tao Jie, stood up for him without hesitation.

"The Prince of Dongping is a prince, a vassal king for centuries. The people of Liaodong only know of the Prince of Dongping and not the imperial court. Liaodong is only connected to the interior by the Liaoxi Corridor. His separatist rule will eventually become a major threat to the imperial court. Wang Xin is just a military governor. There are so many military governors in the Great Zhou Dynasty. We can easily subdue him without firing a single shot and make him a powerful tool in the emperor's hands. Why must we force him to the other side?"

Lin Ruhai feigned sudden realization, "Could it be that Minister Rong Zheng still holds a grudge against Wang Xin from back then?"

Reform of the Beijing Military Region.

Although Wang Xin was only a mid-level officer, he made great contributions to the suppression of the Japanese pirates, laying the foundation for Zhang Jifu's successful reform of the Beijing Garrison.

"You're spouting nonsense!" Tao Jie finally realized how formidable Lin Ruhai was and angrily accused him.

"My dear ministers!"

The emperor interrupted his ministers' argument, saying with a headache, "You are all my right-hand men. Discussion is one thing, but how can you start arguing like this? What kind of behavior is this?"

"I know the crime!"

Lin Ruhai voluntarily conceded.

Tao Jie, who was a step behind, felt increasingly disappointed. He had already experienced firsthand Lin Ruhai's sharp tongue, which allowed him to waver between the two factions for many years.

Fortunately, he had no son.

Otherwise, with their sharp tongues, the father and son would be able to run rampant in the court, causing endless headaches for everyone.

The emperor was very pleased with Lin Ruhai's sense of propriety.

"Let's discuss this matter again," the emperor said with a smile. "I have something I'd like to ask my ministers to consider."

Liu Ru sat in the chair, and upon hearing the emperor's words, he quickly opened his half-open eyes, wondering what the emperor was going to do next.

"I intend to change the reign title."

The emperor was in high spirits. "I've already thought of a reign title. I'll call it Jialong."

Whenever the emperor saw the words "Shunzheng" on the memorials, he felt extremely humiliated, as if they were reminding him of how he had spent the past few decades.

Liu Ru hesitated, then sighed helplessly.

The reign title Shunzheng had been used for decades and had acquired a great reputation. How many people in the world cared about the emperor's feelings? On the contrary, they had already accepted Shunzheng, and the name Shunzheng had deeply penetrated their hearts.

Removing the reign title from Shunzheng and replacing it with a new one was highly inappropriate.

Unfortunately, the emperor didn't even consult privately before presenting the proposal, indicating that he didn't want any opposition. "Your Majesty is wise!"

Lin Ruhai led the way in offering his congratulations.

Tao Jie was still thinking about how to voice his opposition in a way that would change the emperor's mind without making him angry.

The emperor was very amicable to his ministers after his personal campaign, but in reality, he was extremely sensitive.

Everything is fine. The emperor relies on everyone, but now serving him is like walking on thin ice; one cannot speak carelessly.

Upon hearing Lin Ruhai's words, Tao Jie felt like cursing inwardly.

After leaving the Wenhua Hall, Tao Jie caught up with the Grand Secretary on the road.

"Your Excellency, are you really going to let Lin Ruhai call a deer a horse?" Tao Jie's tone was unpleasant, implying that he was complaining that Liu Ru hadn't spoken up for him in the Wenhua Hall.

"Take things one step at a time, identify what needs to be addressed immediately and what can be put aside."

Liu Ru spoke slowly.

Although Tao Jie and he both supported the emperor and had maintained a tacit cooperation on many occasions when Tao Jie was the retired emperor, Liu Ru also knew that the retired emperor did not allow him to build his own power base, so Tao Jie was not one of his men.

Our current relationship with them is more like that of allies.

Tao Jie hesitated: "Does the Grand Secretary mean the Beijing Garrison?"

“There are some things we have not failed to see. For example, the Shaanxi peasant uprising was in full swing, with all the counties reporting emergencies and even the government troops being defeated. Although the situation was so dire, the court had no spare capacity to deal with it. Instead, it had to focus its limited resources on solving its own survival problem.”

As long as we capture the Beijing garrison.

With an army of 180,000 men at our disposal, reform is a piece of cake; once the local order is restored, taxes will be collected easily.

Tao Jie understood the Prime Minister's thinking and said worriedly, "Are we just going to watch Wang Xin run rampant in Datong? This man's strength should not be underestimated."

"You should reorganize the Beijing Garrison as soon as possible."

Liu Ru said calmly, "After the Beijing Garrison is reorganized, let's raid the Xue family's place first."

Tao Jie was stunned.

"Actually, the Jia family should also be raided, but since Lin Ruhai is still alive, we have to consider his feelings. However, the Ningguo Mansion can be raided, and as for the main branch of the Rongguo Mansion, we can decide whether to raid it later."

The four princes cannot be touched for the time being, but does that mean the nobles cannot be touched either?

If the Jia family were still serving as the military governor of the capital, then naturally they would not be able to be touched. However, wasn't the Jia family's position as military governor taken away by Prince Teng?

Tao Jie was a little confused by this.

"Didn't Lin Ruhai want to protect Wang Xin? If the Xue family is raided, what will Wang Xin do? I heard that the Xue family members have killed people and used their influence to settle things. Didn't Wang Xin do the same thing in Datong? Why is the imperial court doing the same thing? Can't Wang Xin stand it?"

Tao Jie was full of praise. It seemed that Liu Ru had been able to persist for so many years. He had originally thought that the retired emperor had deliberately kept him around, but it seemed that he had been too naive.

Liu Ru is indeed capable.

"When will the rectification of the Beijing Garrison be completed?" Liu Ru was more concerned about this matter.

"Zhu Wei is very obedient and extremely cooperative in the transfer of military power. With his attitude, the military administration took over the Beijing garrison much more smoothly. Recently, they have been supervising the process, and supervising the generals at all levels is also a process of absorption."

Tao Jie patiently reported.

Feng Tang, the commander of the Western Army, had close ties with the nobles and could be considered a neutral party.

The fact that the Northern and Southern armies are now under the temporary control of Prince Chungshun is, of course, unacceptable.

The military administration started with the Western Army. With Lin Ruhai's involvement, it was easy to deal with Feng Tang. Feng Tang actually needed this excuse. He was not close to the nobles and was just using them to show his attitude.

The Eastern Army goes without saying.

Zhu Wei's influence in the Eastern Army was undeniable. Although he was a man of the retired emperor, he was extremely at odds with Zhang Jifu. Therefore, after the retired emperor's death, he quickly made a choice between Zhang Jifu and the emperor.

Now he is doing a great deal of work to help the emperor consolidate the capital's military power, a contribution that is enough for him to establish himself in the new dynasty.

After taking down the Eastern and Western armies, then move on to the Northern and Southern armies.

"I'm just worried about Prince Zhongshun's attitude," Tao Jie said with a worried expression.

Liu Ru frowned. "He should be considerate of the emperor."

The emperor has already assumed personal rule. Initially, he did need the emperor's help to control the military. Now that the situation is settled, a sensible person should voluntarily relinquish military power instead of waiting for the court to take action.

Tao Jie shook his head: "I'm afraid he doesn't think that way."

Prince Chungshun was the emperor's uncle.

The emperor constantly mentions Prince Zhongshun, even though it's for his own reputation. But by doing so, isn't the emperor putting himself in a very difficult position?

Dealing with such relatives would incite hostility from the imperial clan, whose positions are hereditary. Tao Jie was unwilling to do so unless the emperor made his stance clear.

"If Prince Zhongshun doesn't object, the reorganization of the Beijing Garrison can be completed in no more than three months." Tao Jie hoped Liu Ru could help speak to the emperor and change his attitude so that he could take action.

"Three months." Liu Ru calculated the days, which was January of next year.

That was probably the first year of the Jiaqing and Longqing reigns.

If the court completely reclaimed control of the Beijing garrison in the first month of the first year of the Longqing reign, it would be considered a successful start and a good omen.

"understood."

Liu Ru agreed.

Tao Jie breathed a sigh of relief.

"The Xue family's businesses are all over the country, so it won't be easy to take action against them."

Everyone knows how wealthy the Xue family is.

This would not only eliminate Wang Xin's supporters but also cut off his financial resources. Without the Xue family's support, Wang Xin would be in serious trouble. Furthermore, the Xue family's wealth could be used to make up for the court's shortages.

"This matter has been entrusted to Zhang Wenjin," Liu Ru revealed.

"Zhang Wenjin!"

Tao Jie was completely convinced.

This man is already the governor of Datong, succeeding Feng Yong as censor. He knows Wang Xin inside and out, and is also very familiar with the Xue family. Moreover, he is the governor of Jinling, so having him take the lead is indeed the most suitable choice.

"Lin Ruhai, Lin Ruhai," Tao Jie laughed, "Even if you're eloquent, what can we do if we don't argue with you?"

Hearing Tao Jie's laughter, Liu Ru felt a little better.

Tao Jie has a straightforward personality.

I feel safe using it myself.

"We also have to be wary of Wang Xin resorting to desperate measures." After laughing, Tao Jie did not forget the main point. "Although we hope that Lin Ruhai's guarantee is true, what if he has misjudged him? Just in case, we still need to deploy heavy troops in Xuanfu and Taiyuan."

These techniques have all been employed.

However, everything depends on resolving the issue with the Beijing garrison.

"Let's have a good New Year and everyone calm down." Liu Ru pulled his hands into his sleeves; old people are more afraid of the cold.

Tao Jie said no more.

We'll get started next spring.

(End of this chapter)