The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 435 Response
Taiyuan.

The message was urgently sent by Lin Ruhai.

The barbarians conquered Liaodong and brought back a lot of detailed information. At this time, the Shanxi officials had not yet received the relevant official reports, let alone the specific details.

Wang Xin knew why Lin Ruhai valued it so much.

With a major incident in Liaodong, the imperial court can no longer focus solely on Datong, which will greatly reduce the pressure on both myself and Lin Ruhai.

Actually, I don't want it to be like this.

Just like how I didn't want to end up like this.

But since things had come to this, Wang Xin could only listen in silence.

"On February 15th, the barbarian tribe captured Fengji Fort. On the 16th, they defeated the Shenyang army. On March 10th, they set off for Shenyang. On the 12th, they besieged Shenyang and sent dozens of cavalrymen to scout across the moat to learn about the city's defenses. An officer from the city rushed out and killed four barbarian cavalrymen. The rest retreated. The barbarians suffered a minor defeat."

"The sixteenth."

"He Sixian, the general in the city, thought he could defeat the barbarians, so he led more than a thousand of his men out of the city to meet them in battle. However, he was surrounded by the barbarian army. Because the barbarian cavalry were in hot pursuit, He Sixian retreated from the east gate to the west gate, but still had no chance to return to the city. Finally, he was hit by dozens of arrows and fell from his horse to his death."

The speaker looked regretful, his face full of emotion.

Wang Xin was speechless.

As I listened, my teeth started to ache more and more.

The man was speechless and said, "General You, the commander of the West Gate, went to rescue them out of kindness, but he did not notice the danger of the situation. As a result, he could not return after leaving the city. He was surrounded by barbarian cavalry and was eventually shot to death. Two elite troops were wiped out outside the city. Shenyang was already short of troops, and after losing these two elite troops, it did not even last three days before being captured by the barbarians."

“That’s not the most ridiculous part.” The man didn’t know how to describe it. “The reinforcements from Liaoyang also set off, but Shenyang had already fallen, and they were attacked halfway there.”

"There are just too many coincidences."

Zhao Yong felt as if he were listening to gibberish and immediately said, "There's something wrong with this."

Wang Xin nodded.

Too many coincidences, then it's no longer a coincidence.

However, the specific secrets are probably unknown to outsiders; the secrets are buried in the long river of history.

In fact, wars have winners and losers, and there is no reason to be indignant.

But after hearing about the barbarians' actions after their victory, Wang Xin couldn't contain his anger. "My people have worked hard for years to save hundreds of thousands of disaster victims, and look what happened! They were all slaughtered in Liaodong."

Hundreds of thousands of people.

Given the barbarian ways, Wang Xin had to be certain that if the three or four million people of Liaodong fell into the hands of the barbarian tribes for a long time, probably less than one in ten would survive, and even a few hundred thousand would be hard-won.

Moreover, these hundreds of thousands of people had to rely on the barbarian tribes, serve as their slaves, and make countless military achievements and arduous deeds in order to have the right to live.

Although the general's words resonated with him, Zhao Yong couldn't quite understand the general's barely contained anger. He had never seen the general so out of control before, so he couldn't help but comfort him: "General, please calm down."

"What can I do if I don't calm down?" Wang Xin said with self-deprecation.

We can't exactly attack from Datong.

Even if I were to abandon my family and career, would my subordinates be willing?

Not to mention that the capital city would believe it.

The capital city probably thinks they are rebelling, using the pretext of resisting the barbarians to actually attack the capital. They would definitely defend the city to the death along the way. In the end, they didn't even manage to defeat the barbarians, but instead started fighting with the imperial army.

"Go back to Datong."

The imperial court is utterly incompetent. The new emperor's rule is even worse than when the retired emperor was in power. It seems that the emperor lacks the ability to stabilize the situation. With the passing of the retired emperor, the situation of the Great Zhou has not only failed to improve but has accelerated its decline.

This confirms the apocalyptic prophecy in the original Dream of the Red Chamber, confirming that the Great Zhou Dynasty will soon perish.

But surely we shouldn't have been wiped out by barbarians?
In this timeline, no barbarian figures like Nurhaci have yet risen to prominence. Instead, due to the influence of the Prince of Dongping, the various barbarian tribes maintained a certain degree of coordination, and it was the Prince of Dongping who took his place.
However, chess pieces can also become chess players.

If the Prince of Dongping makes a mistake and is overthrown by a pawn, it's not impossible that the barbarians could rise again through other means because of him.

Or did the refugee army in Shaanxi ultimately win?
For whatever reason, Wang Xin decided to stop waiting and quicken his pace.

Take Shanxi.

Taking over Shanxi is not the goal. By taking over the entire province of Shanxi, we can accelerate our own reforms, race against time with various forces, stand out before the disaster escalates, and suppress all sides with our strength.

Although the promotion of sweet potatoes will take time, the promotion by grain and vegetable markets, coupled with self-production and self-help methods, can solve most of the disaster situation.

Upon learning this, Zhao Yong was overjoyed.

As the power of Datong Town has expanded to its current state, the conflict with the imperial court has become irreconcilable. Not only is the military governor left with no way out, but everyone else is also left with no way out.

Who would willingly give up everything they have now?
Soon, the Jiedushi's office sprang into action again.

Taiyuan.

The Governor's Office.

"The Jiedushi Prefecture Office".

A new sign has been hung at the entrance.

Several veterans in military uniforms walked slowly down the street, staring at the gate of the Jiedushi Mansion again and again, their faces showing hesitation.

"Bahhhhh."

A group of people rode over on horseback and suddenly stopped as they passed several soldiers.

The soldiers were all quite old.

The youngest was in his forties, with a face full of wrinkles, which startled them.

"Is there a problem?"

"We are retired veterans," one person mustered his courage, but after saying half of the sentence, he didn't know how to continue.

Wang Xin suddenly understood.

"Come on, I'll take you in."

Since that was the case, the soldiers were delighted, thinking they had encountered a good general.

The guards behind Wang Xin looked at him with strange expressions.

"Oh, the former adjutant was Yao Baoshan," Wang Xin asked casually, then suddenly added, "The military governor's office said they would arrange jobs for you retired soldiers. Aren't you satisfied with the jobs they arranged?"

"No."

The veteran waved his hands repeatedly, "It's not that we're dissatisfied, it's just that we don't want to stay in Datong and want to go back to our hometown, so we came to ask if you could help us find a job in our hometown."

Wang Xin looked troubled.

The fact that there are so many trading companies in Datong does not mean that there are similar ones elsewhere.

"It might be a bit difficult, but don't worry, just tell the office first and register with them. Once you've registered, someone will surely try to find a solution. If you really can't do it, we can all discuss what to do together."

The veterans were speechless.

"Wow!"

The guards at the gate stood at attention, motionless.

The veterans were stunned.

Judging from the appearance of the general who brought them in, he must be someone of great importance.

"General!"

Upon entering the governor's mansion, an official greeted him respectfully, and Wang Xin nodded slightly.

The veterans were stunned.

One of them was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground.

“No need for that,” Wang Xin smiled. “Take them with you.” He pointed to one of his guards, nodded to the veterans, and left after saying goodbye.

The group stood there, stunned, and the guards did not urge them on.

"It's a pity we're old."

a long time.

Some people said with regret.

"Let's go," the guard said with a smile.

Only then did everyone resume their movements.

Wang Xin arrived at the main hall.

Soon after receiving news of the commander's return, Yan Zhongzheng and others rushed over. Everyone was quite busy.

Squeezing in time.

"Of the more than 34,000 retired soldiers, 10% were randomly surveyed, and the satisfaction rate was as high as 80% to 90%. Furthermore, the information has been disseminated to the retired soldiers that if they are still dissatisfied, they can return to the Jiedushi Mansion to apply for a job."

Yan Zhongzheng has also lost weight.

Everyone in the Jiedushi's mansion has lost weight.

Wang Xin revealed a satisfied look.

The Datong Army originally consisted of eighteen battalions, eight Class A battalions and ten Class B battalions.

Now, 30,000 elite troops from Taiyuan have been absorbed, and ten new Class B battalions have been added, while the original two Class B battalions have been upgraded to Class A battalions.

The entire army consisted of 28 battalions, including 10 Class A battalions and 18 Class B battalions.

The biggest problem is how to settle retired soldiers.

As long as there are enough job opportunities, no problem is a problem.

This is the importance of the economy.

Datong values ​​commerce and prioritizes people, resulting in thriving commerce, strong domestic demand, and a situation where many problems are no longer problems.

"The situation outside the pass is not too serious. Leaving 20,000 troops can maintain the current situation. Shaanxi is too busy to take care of itself, and the army has to deal with the refugee army. I heard the situation is not good, so we can leave only three battalions."

From inside to outside.

Only by settling internal affairs can we concentrate our efforts on external matters.

With the major threat from the Taiyuan army eliminated, there was no force in Shanxi that posed a significant threat to the Datong army. Shaanxi was also preoccupied with its own problems, and the area outside the Great Wall was gradually calming down. Therefore, it was necessary to deal with three directions.

One is Henan in the south, another is Xuanfu in the northeast, and finally Zhenbaoding in the east.

Henan had no border troops, only a small number of battalion soldiers, which could at most play a role in containing the Datong army. In addition, there was a buffer in southern Shanxi, so it was not in a hurry. This was also the reason why the situation was relatively stable after Datong captured Taiyuan.

If you lack the strength, what can you do besides watch helplessly?

The remaining one is Xuanfu, which belongs to the Nine Border Garrisons, and is also part of the Zhen Ding Prefecture and Bao Ding Prefecture in the capital region.

The threats from Zhengding Prefecture and Baoding Prefecture are significant, but there is an opportunity that can be exploited. Ding Yuan, the military governor of Ping'an Prefecture, has an extremely close relationship with the eldest branch of the Rongguo Mansion, and they are considered staunch allies.

However, they need to utilize the main branch of the Rongguo Mansion, and it's uncertain whether Lin Ruhai and Jia Zheng can handle Jia She.

Even if they can't handle it, the imperial court will become suspicious and won't place their hopes on the Ping'an Jiedushi (military governor). Instead, they will want the local authorities.

In other words, as long as Ding Yuan remains in the position of the Ping'an Military Governor, it will be most advantageous for him.

The real threat comes from Xuanfu.

Twenty thousand troops were left outside the pass, fifteen thousand troops were left in Taiyuan, a total of ten thousand troops were left in various places in the Taihang Mountains, fifteen thousand troops were left in Datong, and finally, twenty-five thousand troops were left in Tiancheng City, which was also the largest number of troops.

There were approximately 40,000 soldiers in Xuanfu.

So 25,000 troops are enough, but only enough.

This is the current situation in Datong.

Despite its rapid development, the country lacks a solid foundation and is facing natural and man-made disasters, making it seem as if it is racing against time.

This was the original situation.

Now that the barbarians have conquered Liaodong, the imperial court will certainly be on high alert and will not easily allow the capital garrison to leave.

But that's hard to say.

If the imperial court intends to eliminate them first, they are betting that the barbarians will not enter the pass. After all, there is still the Prince of Dongping in Liaoxi. His general plan is probably for him to recover Liaozuo.

After being ravaged by barbarian tribes, Liaozuo was recaptured by the Prince of Dongping.

The common people should be grateful to him.

In the process of recovering Liaodong, everyone from top to bottom became the people of the Prince of Dongping. So the entire Liaodong region naturally became the territory of the Prince of Dongping. In addition to the vast Nurgan region and other areas such as Doyan, although it was not part of the territory of the Liao Dynasty, its controlled area included the core area of ​​the Liao Dynasty.

Everyone has ambition, but the Prince of Dongping's methods were too despicable.

Wang Xin could not accept it.

But they could only endure it. If they wanted to change the situation and save more people in Liaodong, they had to develop as quickly as possible.

However, the gap was quite large, and Wang Xin lacked confidence.

Even so, I have no intention of giving up.

If we give up, what will happen to the millions of people in Liaodong?
They must be saved no matter the reason.

The inner courtyard of the governor's office.

"master."

The steward said worriedly, "The military governor has returned to Taiyuan. His return was quite sudden. Should the master go and pay him a visit?"

"I won't see anyone."

Tao Yi, who was looking at his book, shook his head vigorously upon hearing this, and then cursed, "You old bastard, all you care about is money, you're just coming up with stupid ideas."

The butler dared not say anything more.

Since the Datong Army entered the city, the master has stopped concerning himself with external affairs and dared not even handle matters in the yamen, leaving everything to the Datong Army.

If the master loses power, who will fawn over him?

However, the steward felt somewhat aggrieved this time. He was genuinely thinking of his master's best interests and wanted to make sure he could return to his hometown before losing his head in Taiyuan.

The butler left in frustration.

Suddenly they turned back.

"Why are you back again?" Tao Yi asked impatiently.

When the Datong Army was carrying out reforms in Taiyuan, many people came to him privately, but Tao Yicai was unwilling to get involved, showing great self-awareness.

"The military governor has come to visit you, sir."

The butler said with a complicated expression.

Tao Yi was speechless.

Although he was extremely reluctant to see Wang Xin, he dared not refuse to see him.

No fewer than a hundred officials died at Wang Xin's hands.

Such cruelty would surely be recorded harshly in history, but Tao Yi did not want to lose his life. He straightened his clothes and hurried to the front hall to see Wang Xin.

When Wang Xin met Tao Yi, they exchanged pleasantries.

"Private roadblocks are rampant throughout Shanxi, severely hindering trade routes. This is a very serious act of enriching oneself at the expense of the public. Such a phenomenon must not be allowed to exist. The governor's office should issue an order to completely eliminate this phenomenon."

As expected, no one visits the temple without a reason. Tao Yi smiled bitterly and said, "This matter cannot be stopped by a mere empty document."

The practice of setting up private credit cards has a long history in various regions.

The expenses of the government office were increasing. The first thing they collected was various exorbitant taxes and levies. Later, even these taxes and levies were not enough. At this point, they started setting up roadblocks on the roads to collect tolls from caravans.

Tao Yi, fearing that Wang Xin might not understand, explained: "Without these toll fees, the local government offices cannot be maintained. The reason why the military governor kept me around is that he hoped there would still be a governor's office in Shanxi to coordinate with all parties. Similarly, if the local government offices cannot be maintained, they cannot face the people one by one."

Wang Xin remained noncommittal, coldly scoffing, "That makes sense, but I'm afraid this money will ultimately not end up in the yamen."

"It has always been so."

Tao Yi told the truth, and he didn't care whether Wang Xin listened or not.

Wang Xin could roughly guess this person's attitude.

However, this man is the governor of Shanxi, and his status is extremely valuable. I do need him. If he can cooperate, the effect will be no less than that of ten thousand elite troops.

"Liaozuo has fallen."

Wang Xinwei revealed this.

It wasn't just about telling Tao Yi that he had more connections in the court than Tao Yi; this man was intelligent and could understand the reasoning behind it. The fall of Liaodong had far-reaching consequences, and it was by no means an isolated incident.

really.

The pottery changed color.

(End of this chapter)