The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 310 Insult
The plan to quell the rebellion in three years was finalized with Zhang Jifu last year. The general direction remains unchanged, but the specific process is prone to change. Therefore, Wang Xin has to push things forward to avoid any unforeseen complications.

Who knows if the power struggle between the retired emperor and the emperor will suddenly disrupt the current stability?

So far, I have been dealing with various parties, putting in a lot of effort and resources, and the results have been quite good. Overall, things are developing according to my own ideas.

They left the capital.

Wang Xin rode his horse back to Datong.

The horse he was riding was a steppe horse, not a fine horse.

During the Han and Tang dynasties, advanced horse administration was implemented. For example, during the Han dynasty, a large number of superior breeding horses were introduced from Central and West Asia to improve East Asian horses. The Tang dynasty inherited and developed the Han system, and horse administration reached its peak.

They established vast national ranches, such as the Longyou Pasture Administration, which owned hundreds of thousands of official horses.

They also attached great importance to introducing foreign bloodlines, especially favoring superior horse breeds from Turkic and Persian regions, such as Turkic horses and Persian horses, for crossbreeding and improvement, thus cultivating the famous "Tang horse".

His physique, strength, and speed are all exceptional, making him a well-rounded fighter.

However, during the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols were rough in their horse breeding and not good at fine horse breeding. Due to the disorderly mixed breeding, the quality of horses in China began to decline.

They gradually lost their size and strength.

As for its super endurance, tolerance to roughage, excellent adaptability, and susceptibility to disease, as well as its outstanding performance in long-distance runs and harsh environments, these are all qualities that the "Tang Horse" also possesses.

Compared to those in mainland China, these are still considered good horses.

A group of nine people.

Wang Xin planned to return to Yanmen Pass first, and then inspect the western part of Datong from south to north to prepare for the great battle. Therefore, he needed to go to Zijing Pass first, and then leave the capital region through Zijing Pass and enter Datong, Shanxi.

Zijing Pass is located within the territory of Baoding Prefecture.

Many places in the Great Zhou Dynasty inherited the Ming system. Although the garrison system was abolished, the main source of militia was still in the local area, including the garrison locations.

Commanders and commanders of a thousand households held hereditary positions.

To compensate the officers, they were promoted, which is why there were so many military governors in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The military garrisons of the nine border towns were the most elite. There were also some important military garrisons in the interior. To the north of the capital was Xuanda, and to the south were Baoding and Zhending, where Zhenbao Town was located. In the Ming Dynasty, a general was established, and the general's office was located in Baoding.

Zhenbao Town General was promoted to Ping'an Prefecture Military Governor by the Great Zhou Dynasty.

At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was originally located in Anping County. In order to distinguish between the Ping'an Prefecture and the Ping'an Army, it was called Ping'an Prefecture. Later, when Daning fell, in order to protect the capital, the prefecture was renamed back to the original Baoding Prefecture.

After leaving Zhuozhou, Wang Xin arrived in Yizhou. Not long after, at the post station, several people were already waiting for him.

Two scholars dressed as intellectuals bowed very politely and said respectfully, "We apologize for disturbing you, General."

"You are?"

"My name is Gu Yingshi, and this is Xie Youcheng," the man said with a humble smile.

Gu Yingshi? Xie Youcheng?
Wang Xin hadn't heard of him before, so he politely cupped his hands in greeting, "Mr. Gu, Mr. Xie."

"Don't dare, don't dare."

Gu Yingshi hurriedly said, "We two serve under Ding Yuan, the military governor of Ping'an Prefecture. Our lord has a deep connection with you, General, and has specially ordered us to wait here. We earnestly request that you take the time to come and have a chat with us."

Wang Xin understood; it turned out to be Ding Yuan from Ping'an Prefecture.

Wang Xin was unsure of Ding Yuan's final fate, but Jia She and Jia Zhen were exiled for crimes including associating with officials outside the capital and forming cliques for private gain.

There is no such thing as civil officials making friends with officials outside the capital; on the contrary, civil officials mainly make friends with officials outside the capital.

Only civil officials are prone to committing taboos when they associate with local military generals.

Especially the nobles and officials in the capital.

Moreover, the relationship between Ping'an Prefecture and the Jia family is indeed extraordinary, mainly due to Jia She. These two should have many unspeakable secrets, or at least be allies.

"I have important business to attend to; I'll go apologize next time."

Wang Xin refused.

The two men were not surprised and did not give up. They said sincerely, "Although you are only a deputy general, you lead a separate route. Apart from having fewer troops, your position is not much different from that of a military governor. Moreover, Commander Ding has a deep relationship with you. Why turn him away?"

Wang Xin really didn't want to see him.

When we're young, we always hope for accidents, thinking that good things will happen. But later we realize that accidents are mostly bad things.

Ding Yuan's desire to see me for no apparent reason must mean he wants something from me.

It's better not to meet. But once we meet, should I agree or not?
Having already offended Wang Ziteng and Feng Yong, if he were to offend Ding Yuan as well, he would completely alienate the Ningguo Mansion and the main branch of the Rongguo Mansion. It wasn't that he was afraid of them, but rather that he was worried that they might ruin his plans in their anger.

These people may not amount to anything, but they can definitely cause trouble.

"What does Commander Ding want to do with me?"

Wang Xin frowned and asked.

Gu Yingshi quickly smiled and said, "I heard that the general proposed to pacify the Hu in three years. This is not related to our Ping'an Town. However, the general has a history with Ping'an Town, and it is only right for the general to support and help each other. It is not advisable to stand idly by."

Xie Youcheng didn't talk much; it was Gu Yingshi who did.

Wang Xin glanced at Xie Youcheng.

Now that things have come to this, there's no way to shirk responsibility; we can only deal with things as they come and see what Ding Yuan is up to.

The two men breathed a sigh of relief.

The next morning, the group left the post station and headed to Baoding Prefecture.

Around noon, after crossing the Yi River and disembarking at the ferry, a group of soldiers were already waiting. After confirming their identities, the thirty-odd soldiers, disregarding the astonishment of the surrounding people, all knelt down on one knee.

"Greetings, General Wang!"

"Get up."

"Here."

Wang Xin waved his hand. "Let's go."

Quickly lead everyone away.

In the book, it takes Jia Lian half a month to travel to and from Ping'an Prefecture, which is exactly the same as the journey from the capital to Baoding Prefecture.

Wang Xin and his entourage departed from Yizhou and entered Baoding Prefecture on the afternoon of the second day.

Baoding Prefecture and Datong Prefecture were completely different.

The city of Datong had many soldiers, and Datong Prefecture was located in the interior, under the jurisdiction of the prefect. The city was also much more prosperous, not to mention the difference in population.

Wang Xin's entry into the city was so commotion that he was quickly brought to the Jiedushi's residence.

Shi Ping and the others were quite nervous, but Wang Xin didn't think anything would happen.

The Great Zhou Dynasty still held considerable authority, and even when Feng Yong was on the border, he dared not rashly intercept and kill Prince Teng.

Moreover, Baoding Prefecture is located in the interior and is also part of the capital region. I have never had any contact with Ding Yuan, so there is no reason for him to harm me, and I cannot bear the consequences.

Compared to the military governor's mansion in Datong, the military governor's mansion in Ping'an is noticeably less imposing.

When he entered the city, the officials were the ones maintaining order. It can be seen that the city was still mainly controlled by the prefect. Even though he was a military governor, Ding Yuan did not have any real power. So he was only better off than ordinary military officers in the interior.

Seeing the big picture from small details, Wang Xin drank tea in the hall and made his guesses.

Hearing footsteps outside the door, knowing that the person in charge had arrived, Wang Xin put down his teacup and looked towards the entrance.

"Hahaha."

Before seeing him, I heard his laughter, a hearty and cheerful voice.

The first person to appear at the door was dressed in plain silk clothes, around forty or fifty years old, with a smile on his face. After seeing Wang Xin inside the house, he warmly stepped forward.

"It really lives up to its reputation."

Before Wang Xin could speak, the man had already taken Wang Xin's hand and said with admiration, "I have always heard of the general's reputation. Meeting you today is truly delightful. We are from the same family, and we should get closer in the future."

"It should."

Someone behind that man laughed.

It was none other than Jia Lian and Wang Ren.

"Why is Second Master Lian here? And you too?" Wang Xin asked curiously.

"To wait for Grandpa Xin."

Jia Lian bowed in greeting.

Wang Ren bowed his head respectfully. Wang Xin nodded, seemingly aware that the Jia family and Wang Ziteng were behind this. He then ignored Jia Lian and Wang Ren and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Commander Wang Xin greets Commander Li."

"Eh."

Ding Yuan waved his hand and said amicably, "Why should we be so formal? Let's go somewhere else to have tea."

Wang Xin did not refuse.

Ding Yuan took Wang Xin to the Ping'an military camp.

The Great Zhou now has twenty-two military governors, which seems like a lot. There used to be even more. The most crucial point is that the military governor of the capital garrison was abolished, as was the military governor of Datong, which was abolished only a few years ago because of Wang Xin.

Ping'an Town's jurisdiction stretches from Zijing Pass in the north to Guguan Pass in the south, covering a total length of 390 kilometers, with a total of 34,697 officers and soldiers.

The original quota for the Datong military garrison was 120,000. Regardless of the current actual quota, it is clear that the Ping'an military governor was not as powerful as the Datong military governor.

No wonder Wang Ziteng wanted to compete for the position of military governor of Datong. After all, he had already lost a lot of benefits by giving up the position of military governor of the capital garrison. He couldn't possibly compete for the position of military governor of a small town.

Wang Xin didn't care what secrets they were trying to keep; he treated them as guests.

Shi Ping, Shi Tou, and the others couldn't help but watch. Although it was better than the Beijing garrison back then, it wasn't much better.

I kept hearing noises, and there turned out to be a stage over there.

"Where did this opera troupe come from?" Wang Xin asked curiously.

A play was being performed on a stage in the distance, and a large crowd of soldiers and officers were listening below, with many soldiers leaving their seats and lying on the stage.

"I heard that Uncle Xin likes to have his soldiers sing to boost morale, while Uncle Ding prefers to have them watch plays," Wang Ren whispered as he leaned closer. "They're usually the kind of plays about overlords, which the soldiers enjoy watching."

Wang Ren's voice carried a hint of ingratiation.

Wang Xin had already guessed the purpose of inviting him here.

It's nothing more than trying to win them over.

As long as you have value, others will be willing to win you over.

No matter how much Wang Ziteng hates himself, he can't do anything about it and needs him instead. As for Jia Lian's appearance, it seems that Wang Ziteng has gained Jia She's approval in the past year or two.

This situation was probably created by Jia She to facilitate Wang Ren's intervention and ease the tension between himself and Wang Ziteng.

Wang Xin sighed.

Self-interest always comes first.

Wang Xin increasingly understood the significance of this statement. He and Wang Ziteng had no deep-seated hatred for each other, yet their feud was so intense, entirely due to conflicting interests.

Wang Ziteng needs his own interests and the interests he wants to pursue. Since their interests are in conflict, how could they possibly let go of the conflict because of a few words or the involvement of certain people?

Wang Xin looked at Ding Yuan in front of him, wanting to figure out the man's attitude.

Ding Yuan seemed to sense Wang Xin's gaze, turned around and smiled, "You are a rising star in the army, and I am your senior. It's great to finally meet you today. How about we have a drink, watch a show, and make friends?"

Why not?

Wang Xin smiled and said, "I'd rather obey than be overly respectful."

"it is good!"

Ding Yuan laughed loudly, turned his head away, and ignored him.

Maintain a clear stance and remain neutral.

Upon seeing Ding Yuan and his group, the soldiers at the front quieted down and returned to their positions.

Ding Yuan and Wang Xin sat down at the front table, accompanied by Gu Yingshi, Xie Youcheng, Jia Lian, Wang Ren, and others.

Ding Yuan and Jia Lian were at the same table.

Several plates of fruits and snacks were laid out on the table, and a person sat to one side, facing the stage.

As a deliberate arrangement, Wang Xin and Wang Ren sat at the same table.

Wang Ren glanced cautiously at Wang Xin, but Wang Xin pretended not to notice and focused intently on the stage.

The opera "Blocking Forgiveness" was being sung on the stage.

Also known as "Battle of Tutai" or "Jiangdong Bridge".

It is a traditional opera about the Battle of Poyang Lake between Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang. It tells the story of how Kang Maocai and Chen Youliang had sworn brotherhood. Kang Maocai ambushed Chen Youliang at Tutai, but after reminiscing about their past relationship, he couldn't bear to capture him and let him go.

It seems unintentional, yet also intentional.

Ding Yuan, who was at the next table, spoke up, as if he were having a casual chat with Jia Lian.

"The case involving the imperial censor who was on inspection a while ago was suppressed thanks to the magistrate's talent; otherwise, who knows how much trouble it would have caused."

"It's just my duty, Uncle Ding, don't worry about it."

"Even so, our two families are actually one family, but we cannot take gratitude for granted. The military rations in those warehouses are not actually the fault of the people below. The court often delays payment, and the men below also have to support their families."

As their military commander, I couldn't just watch them starve to death. I had to obey the imperial laws, and I also had to take care of my men. To outsiders, I was a military governor, and they thought I was very powerful, but in reality, I had many unspeakable grievances and was just a wife caught in the middle, suffering from both sides.

Ding Yuan truly treated Jia Lian like family, not as an outsider.

Wang Ren listened with envy, then turned back to look at Wang Xin with a wronged expression.

Wang Xin, of course, knew what Wang Ren was thinking.

Just as many people cannot understand Hai Rui, they cannot understand themselves.

I am certainly not a blindly loyal person.

However, many things cannot be done simply because one wants to act impulsively.

Being poor cares themselves, being wealthy cares the world.

If you don't have the ability, the skills, or the opportunity, that's fine too.

Now that I have the ability, skills, and opportunities, I have an inescapable responsibility to take on these duties, and many things are no longer my private matters.

This is a foolish act in the eyes of many outsiders.

Who would sacrifice their private interests for the sake of public interests?
Just like the conflict between herself and Wang Ziteng, the reason why Wang Ziteng was so angry was because he simply couldn't understand her. It was clearly a good thing for everyone, so why did she refuse him?

Wang Xin turned his gaze away from the stage and met Wang Ren's eyes.

Wang Ren was startled.

As if in anticipation, everyone became excited, their lips trembling slightly, as if waiting for Wang Xin to speak.

"The matter of Datong."

Wang Xin spoke slowly.

When Wang Xin brought up Datong, Wang Ren's eyes lit up, and even Ding Yuan and Jia Lian lowered their voices to listen quietly.

"Go back and tell Wang Ziteng not to count on it."

Wang Xin didn't reject Wang Ziteng because of him, but because there was really no money to be made in Datong.

Datong is actually quite lucrative.

As long as you press it, you can extract some oil.

People who live near mountains live off the mountains, and people who live near water live off the water.

Of course, those who live near military towns will exploit soldiers.

Wang Xin himself also needs to exploit Datong. If he doesn't exploit them now, he will in the future, and eventually, he will fall out with the wealthy households.

He was only exploiting Datong in order to support more people.

Instead of being like them.

All for their own benefit.

This is the fundamental contradiction between the two sides that cannot be reconciled.

"Granny!"

Too shocked to his core, Wang Ren roared incoherently, unable to contain himself any longer.

Xin's gaze was like a knife, coldly sweeping across the room.

(End of this chapter)