The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 270 Herding a Flock of Sheep
When Wang Xin returned to Tubi Manor, Ping'er and Qingwen rushed to greet him.

"The house that Second Madam found through someone is truly excellent," Qingwen emphasized, afraid that Wang Xin might not take it seriously.

"How to say?"

If it weren't for the woman, he wouldn't really care. Seeing the two of them so excited, it seemed they were very satisfied with the house they had found. Since they were satisfied, he didn't need to spoil their fun.

Wang Xin smiled, looking quite interested.

Unlike Qingwen, Ping'er smiled and said, "The original owner of that house was a merchant. Because he was getting old, his business became difficult, so he decided to sell his property in the capital and return to his hometown to retire. The house is still new, less than ten years old. He didn't want to make money and only asked for 370 taels."

"It is indeed cheap."

Wang Xin suddenly understood.

Houses in Dongcheng District are unaffordable, not to mention Zhongcheng District, where many areas are unavailable even with money.

The South District is not as good as the East and Central Districts, but it is worse than the West District.

Four hundred taels is the average price.

Qingwen rolled her eyes, thinking Ping'er was speaking too slowly, and said urgently, "It's the third courtyard."

"Only three hundred and seventy taels for a three-courtyard house?"

Wang Xin was indeed somewhat surprised this time.

It would cost 400 taels to buy a two-courtyard house, and a three-courtyard house would cost at least 500 taels.

Although Wang Xin handled a large amount of money, he kept public and private matters separate. He never considered the money and grain in the public treasury to be his own, so more than a hundred taels of silver was indeed not a small amount for him.

Wang Xin hurriedly asked Ping'er, "More than a hundred taels of silver, many ordinary families can't earn that much in a lifetime."

If the reason isn't clear, it's better not to take advantage of it.

Ping'er quickly explained.

The only drawback of that courtyard was that it wasn't facing the street.

Courtyard houses facing the street would have storefronts, ranging from two to four rooms. With these storefronts, one could either run a business or rent them out to others, ensuring that one's descendants could establish themselves in the capital and not worry about making a living.

The merchant rented a storefront in the capital, and at least half of the money he earned through hard work ended up in the landlord's hands.

He did want a courtyard house facing the street, but unfortunately, no one was willing to sell such a house; it was expensive but unsellable. Now that he's old and doesn't have the energy, and his children and grandchildren are studying in their hometown, he can't stand being alone in the capital, which is why he decided to sell the house.

Even so, it's still very cheap at only 370 taels.

Wang Xin understood immediately.

Qingwen continued, "The master originally planned to bring his family to live here, but later he was afraid of interfering with his children's studies, so only the merchant and a few servants lived there. The merchant was meticulous and kept the house well-maintained, no different from new. Although it was not on the street, it was quiet and pleasant, and there were two wells in the courtyard."

Qingwen listed all the benefits one by one.

Since everything was agreed upon and Wang Xin had made his decision, and since he didn't have time himself, he said, "Then please ask Feng to help me to the end. Ping'er, you can tell Feng that I'll treat everyone to a meal later."

"Since we've invited you, there's no going back. Setting a date shows our sincerity."

Ping'er covered her mouth and laughed.

Wang Xin shrugged and said helplessly, "I'm really busy. I have to rush to Tongzhou tomorrow and I don't know when I'll be back. I might even go directly to Datong. How can I give you a specific time?"

The Hexi Camp needs to be modified to prepare for retaining only two hundred elite troops in the future.

News from Zhang Jifu's side could come at any time, probably within the next few days. Wang Xin wasn't sure if he could manage to arrange it all; otherwise, he wouldn't have entrusted the important matter of buying a house entirely to Wang Xifeng.

Ping'er and Qingwen were somewhat disappointed.

They were only lively when Master Xin was home; when he wasn't, they always felt something was missing.

Just like the old women say, life only comes with a man.

Ping'er blushed slightly, feeling reluctant but unable to stop him, since Master Xin was about to do something important.

Unlike Ping'er, Qingwen was straightforward and said, "They can't just go to Datong without saying goodbye. They should come back to see us before they leave."

He and Qingwen were nominally master and servant, but in reality, he treated Qingwen as his own sister.

In this era of low productivity and lack of livelihood, it was difficult for a girl to support herself independently outside. So she stayed at home to help with housework. When Wang Xin heard Qingwen's reluctance, he did not think that Qingwen was being unreasonable.

"I'll try my best," Wang Xin said, but he didn't agree.

Qingwen nodded, knowing that Master Xin meant what he said and would definitely come back if he wasn't really too busy.

Jia Zheng's face betrayed his deep melancholy.

It's just that I went to see my brother-in-law once, it shouldn't be such a big deal.

Wang Xin saw it all, but didn't show it.

Jia Zheng was probably afraid of Wang Ziteng. It wasn't obvious at first, but as Wang Ziteng returned to the capital, Jia Zheng could no longer hide it, even when facing the already disgraced Wang Ziteng. No wonder Jia Zheng was afraid of his wife.

I remember the only time he joked in public in the original text was when he was afraid of his wife.

After a while.

Jia Zheng finally sighed and told Wang Xin his attitude when he met Wang Ziteng.

"It's strange, why is Prince Teng keeping an eye on me?" Wang Xin frowned.

I have never offended Wang Ziteng.

Even if they disagree, there are plenty of people who disagree with Wang Ziteng. Does that mean they all have to fight to the death?
Wang Renlai intervened to mediate, and Jia Zheng also stepped in.

The fact that Wang Ziteng's attitude was so hostile shows that he regarded him as an enemy.

What resentment what?
There is no hatred without a cause.

What does Wang Ziteng want to get from me?
"This..." Jia Zheng was stunned. He had never thought about this question before. He only knew that the two were not on good terms and their relationship was becoming increasingly strained, even to the point of becoming enemies. It turned out that this was not the case.

Wang Ziteng initially became the leader of the four major families, holding the position of military governor of the capital garrison, and was won over by the retired emperor.

Later, they sided with the emperor.

Finally, the retired emperor turned the tables again. Prince Teng made contact with Prince Zhongshun in the Nine Borders, plotting to establish a united front and deal with Feng Yong, the military governor of Yongxing, but he failed again.

You can have one but not two.

Two failures left Prince Teng without leverage and also caused him to be ignored by the emperor.

The retired emperor met with his ministers only a few times, choosing the Huiji Gate as the venue. He claimed it was to take care of the ministers and avoid making them suffer, but in reality, it was to block the Wenhua Hall. The emperor already had few opportunities, so how could he waste his time on Prince Teng?

So now, Wang Ziteng has his eye on him, which is nothing more than the Datong Western Army.

Although the matter of the Western Army in Datong is shrouded in secrecy, those who are qualified to know it will certainly know. Wang Ziteng is not qualified to know it now, but he is still a member of the four major families.

If Jia Zheng knows, then Jia She and Jia Zhen will also know.

Whether Lady Wang and the others knew or not depended on luck.

If Madam Wang didn't know, then how did Prince Teng find out?
It's either Prince Zhongshun's or someone else.

Considering Prince Teng's situation, Prince Zhongshun would probably not take the initiative to meet with this person.

Wang Xin pondered for a moment, his mind a jumble of thoughts. After thinking for a while, he asked Jia Zheng, "I wonder how your master and the Zhen brothers next door are doing lately?"

I never expected Wang Xin to ask this.

Jia Zheng hesitated.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

People like them each do their own thing, and no one ever stops them.

Although Jia Zhen is the clan head, he is a junior. He wants to maintain the old noble and kinship ties, and whatever he does is his business. Similarly, no one will object to him listening to Lin Ruhai's advice and choosing to become an official in Wenjing.

Having each chosen their own path, it's best for them to go their own way, except to avoid competing with each other.

In this way, not only will the resources of the manor not be shared, but the family can fully support the path that each of its members chooses.

Jia Zhen became the person in charge of the nobles in both mansions.

After his daughter-in-law died, people from all the noble families in the capital came to pay their respects; that was the effect.

My elder brother had connections in the military when he left.

They kept each other informed.

They usually share information they learn outside with those inside the manor, but rarely leak information about what happens inside the manor.

Wang Xin awaited Jia Zheng's reply.

According to the results, the main branches of the Ningguo and Rongguo mansions failed, just like Wang Ziteng, and were utterly defeated.

Wang Xin was indeed somewhat curious.

What did they do to suffer such a crushing defeat?

As for accusations of bullying the people or embezzlement, these are just ways to fool the people. For thousands of years, there have only been officials who were purged for choosing the wrong side, never officials who were purged for embezzlement.

If Jia Zheng could tell me, I wouldn't necessarily help the Ningguo Mansion and the main branch of the Rongguo Mansion through the crisis, but I would like to help Jia Zheng more. If I could know the reason in advance, I might be able to help him.

More importantly, we need to find out who leaked the information to Wang Ziteng.

Jia Zheng thought and thought, considering Wang Xin's talent and age, and also the marriage of his daughter that he had discussed with Aunt Zhao the day before.

She felt her daughter was too young and was afraid of being ridiculed.

Aunt Zhao, however, was enthusiastic.

Hearing her praise of Wang Xin, Aunt Zhao, who had also heard of Wang Xin's good reputation in the garden, became very enthusiastic and urged him on. Thinking of this, she realized that Wang Xin might become her son-in-law. Jia Zheng no longer hesitated and whispered, "They've been getting close to Prince Zhongshun these days."

Prince Chungshun is now the emperor's pillar of support.

Logically speaking, Jia Zheng and Lin Ruhai were also the emperor's men, and they were aligned with Prince Zhongshun.

But things shouldn't be viewed that way.

Zhang Jifu and Zhu Wei were both loyalists of the retired emperor, yet they still fought fiercely against each other.

Prince Zhongshun later seized on Jia Baoyu's weakness, causing Jia Zheng considerable embarrassment. This shows that the people under the emperor's command were not all in harmony; at the very least, Prince Zhongshun and Jia Zheng did not get along.

Jia Zheng was of low status, and even if the emperor was currently short of people, he would not be interested in Jia Zheng.

So, was Prince Zhongshun at odds with Jia Zheng or with Lin Ruhai?

Although Lin Ruhai had already died by then, his influence would not simply vanish. Some people would switch sides, while others would support someone else, such as Jia Zheng.
After Lin Ruhai's death, Jia Zheng's officials suddenly prospered.

It was played out twice.

Unfortunately, Jia Zheng lacked the ability and failed both times.

Even Wang Ziteng, as the leader of the four great families, could not withstand two defeats, let alone Jia Zheng. Yet Jia Zheng made a third comeback, which shows that civil officials have indeed risen to prominence, far surpassing the power of nobles.

Wang Xin made his own deductions.

He asked, "Have they decided to pledge allegiance to the emperor?"

There's still one thing I can't figure out.

If they had surrendered to the emperor, why did the emperor still confiscate their property and exile them?

Discarding the bridge after crossing the river is a major taboo.

Jia Zheng shook his head and said, "They are still observing the Emperor Emeritus."

understood.

Wang Xin suddenly understood.

This is using the emperor to get the retired emperor to offer more bargaining chips.

The emperor was not a generous person.

At such a critical moment, the two were suppressed and lived in constant fear. Their behavior of using the emperor as a stepping stone would not be surprising in the future, as it would lead to the emperor confiscating their property and exiling them.

Actually, Jia Tanchun was slightly wrong.

Diligence and hard work are certainly useful.

But a family like the Jia family...

It is certainly not something that can be quickly defeated by being lazy and unwilling to work hard, nor can it be something that can be achieved by being diligent and hardworking.

Political alignment is the key.

In officialdom, it's all about choosing sides.

Who belongs to whom?

Who stepped forward?

As the tide rises, so does the tide.

However, I was still somewhat disappointed. I couldn't figure out where Wang Ziteng got this information from, nor was I sure what gave him such confidence. Even if he met the emperor and gained his support, so what?

Could he possibly be stronger than Zhang Jifu?

As long as Zhang Jifu supports him, only one person can change the outcome.

That was the retired emperor.

How did Wang Ziteng regain the Emperor Emeritus's trust and favor?

Impossible.

"We still need to find someone to mediate with Wang Ziteng. Putting aside everything else, it's always unsettling to have him on our minds," Jia Zheng said, taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat and calm his emotions.

The main problem with Wang Ziteng is that we can't figure out his confidence.

Another factor is his identity. It's like stepping in dog poop on the street. Dog poop can't hurt you, but it might make you feel disgusted all day and ruin your mood.

"Although it's infuriating, I'm not afraid of him. At worst, we'll make a scene, and it won't amount to much."

I don't want to cause trouble, but I'm not afraid of trouble.

Especially now that the matter of the Western Army in Datong has been settled, I no longer need to tolerate it. If Wang Ziteng still dares to act recklessly, what harm is there in teaching him a lesson?

Wang Xin said calmly.

Jia Zheng was taken aback; Wang Xin's attitude filled Jia Zheng with envy.

She couldn't muster any backbone when facing Wang Ziteng.

It really was Wang Xin.

Faced with such a junior, one can't deny the adage "I'm getting old."

Remembering Aunt Zhao's initiative, Jia Zheng suddenly felt a surge of interest. It wouldn't be bad to take her as a son-in-law. Baoyu was a scholar, while his son-in-law was a warrior. Even Ruhai valued him.

Wang Xin bid farewell to Jia Zheng and returned to Tubi Mountain Villa.

There's probably nothing wrong at the Jia family's residence.

I will return to Tongzhou tomorrow and probably won't go back to the Jia family mansion. I will return to Datong once the imperial court issues an official document to finalize the matter of the Western Army in Datong.

I don't know when I'll be able to come back.

Although he promised to eliminate Ou Yanhu within three years in front of Zhang Jifu, who can say for sure whether he can actually do it?

War is not child's play.

Even if you are confident.

Therefore, Wang Xin planned to spend the night at Tubi Mountain Villa to have a good time with Ping'er, so that he wouldn't be bored to death when he returned to Datong.

As for taking Ping'er to Datong, Wang Xin had not considered it.

He did not object to his subordinates bringing their families to Datong; on the contrary, he was very supportive.

However, as the commander-in-chief, he was young and had to be careful about many things. Maintaining a good image among the soldiers was one of the guarantees of morale.

Wang Xin was getting impatient.

This body is in such good condition, it seems to never get tired.

result.

"Big brother!"

Xue Baoqin jumped out.

She rushed over as soon as she knew Wang Xin was back, and pitifully grabbed his hand, pleading, "Tomorrow, big brother, please take me out for a walk."

Wang Xin was speechless.

Why did this girl come here?

Seeing that Wang Xin wouldn't budge, Xue Baoqin shook his arm and said coquettishly, "Big brother has always been kind to me, I know he definitely won't refuse me."

"Ok."

Wang Xin sighed.

His father worked so hard for him and even entrusted his children to him. He couldn't possibly be worse off than Xue Yan, could he?
When Xue Baoqin was with her father, she was not locked in a "cage".

The thought came to mind: "cage".

Wang Xin then thought of someone else.

Whether you're leading one person or two, it's still leading.

"Go ask your sister Lin if she wants to go out together tomorrow."

"That won't work, will it?"

Xue Baoqin wasn't stupid. Because of her father and the fact that she was a guest of the Jia family, the Jia family didn't pay much attention to her. Even if the servants talked behind her back, Xue Baoqin didn't care.

Sister Lin is not a guest of the Jia family.

Would the old lady agree?

"Go ask her first. She wants to go out. I'd like to see who can stop her," Wang Xin said calmly.

"You guys go too."

Wang Xin then looked at Ping'er and Qingwen.

"Really?"

Qingwen had been holding back for a long time. Xue Baoqin was a young lady, and she was just a maid. What right did she have to compare herself to her? But when she heard Wang Xin speak up, she could no longer hold back and wanted to jump up.

"It's the same whether you're herding one sheep or a flock of sheep," Wang Xin joked.

If it were anything else, Qingwen would have retorted long ago, but now she became very obedient and didn't say anything back.

(End of this chapter)