The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 315 Hoping for the Death of Allies

The Great Zhou Dynasty did not have a Guihua City.

In the third year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty in the original timeline, the Tumed tribe submitted to the Ming Dynasty, ending the more than one-hundred-year-long state of war between the two sides.

After the death of Anda Khan, the Third Lady presided over the construction of a magnificent and beautiful city with eight towers and glazed gold and silver palaces on the sunny side of Daqing Mountain and the banks of the Yellow River.

Before this, there was no such city on the grasslands beyond the Great Wall.

Tumed entered a long period of prosperity, and the herders, who were living a good life, named the city San Niangzi City in memory of San Niangzi.

Perhaps due to the flapping of a butterfly's wings, or the change of some insignificant figure, the outcome of the Tumu Crisis was rewritten, leading to the rise of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Under various causes and effects.

Wang Xin guessed this because the main prominent figures before Tumu Fort had not changed, except that Yu Qian failed to stop the southward migration faction, which led to a series of consequences.

At that time, the Mongol tribe led by San Niangzi had a harmonious relationship with the Ming Dynasty, and the stable trade between the two sides promoted prosperity. With the support of a large amount of manpower, material resources and financial resources, San Niangzi was able to build a beautiful city outside the Great Wall.

Wang Xin lacked such foundation.

Although Juzhongchang invested a lot, the merchants used their own money, unlike the government which spent money lavishly. Therefore, this city, which was also named Guihua, was more accurately described as an earthen city.

It's just a bit bigger, and many sections are made of brick.

Tall brick watchtowers were built at the four corners, much taller than the city walls.

The mortar used for brick walls was extremely strong and was the best material before the advent of cement.

Guihua City is surrounded by abundant water resources, including the Dahei River and the Xiaohei River, which originate from the Daqingshan Mountains, as well as the Honghe River and the Huihe River, which flow into the Yellow River.

Two water gates, one on the north and one on the south.

The river flowing down from Wengguan Mountain enters through the North Water Gate and exits through the South Water Gate, ensuring that even when the city is surrounded, there is no shortage of water.

Even if the Hu people cut off the water supply, there is still well water in the city that can be drunk.

Guihua City is not yet fully developed, unlike Yunchuan City, where the surrounding pastoral areas have been divided up and herders come to the city to trade every month, not to mention Zhenlu City, which was developed earliest.

Zhenlu City is now in the rear, and there has been no unrest there for a long time.

A peaceful environment greatly promotes trade.

Various merchants flocked to Zhenlu City, causing considerable trouble and disputes every day. However, Wang Xin did not simply ban them because of the numerous problems.

Actually, the most troublesome thing is talent.

"It would be great if the general were a military governor."

Zeng was so busy that he traveled back and forth, visiting several places, the furthest being Shuozhou, and then riding his horse all the way to Guihua City.

The fair-skinned scholar of the past is about to become a dark-faced man.

Wang Xin felt sorry for the person just because of the change in his appearance.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, there were requirements regarding appearance for officials. If someone was too ugly, the court would not grant them an official position. It was important that officials had to look like officials, and the common people accepted this. There was nothing they could do about it.

"It will probably be many years before I am promoted to Jiedushi."

It's relatively easy to get promoted when you're at the bottom, but the higher you go, the less real power you have, so you end up with more honorary titles.

Wang Xin laughed.

A military governor could establish his own government office.

I am currently a deputy commander and do not have the qualifications to establish my own office. Moreover, ordinary deputy commanders do not have the need to establish their own offices.

It seems unbelievable that he could lead a single route, have a large empire, and control several cities outside the Great Wall that were not officially listed by the imperial court, but such things are not uncommon.

Which military garrison doesn't have a few obedient and familiar subordinates?

For example, the same was true of the Liaodong military garrison at the end of the Ming Dynasty. There was a Gongtu tribe, which was a Shu tribe outside the Liaoxi Pass.

As a result, the newly appointed general, perhaps to make an example of the former general or to force the troops under his command to come closer to him, sent troops out of the pass to launch a surprise attack on the Gongtu tribe.

Unfortunately, the newly appointed general was all talk and no action, and he couldn't even defeat his opponent.

Wang Dazi, who was retaliated against by someone from the Tu tribe, eventually escalated the matter to the imperial court, which then sent someone to appease him.

Wang Dazi didn't want to break with the Ming Dynasty, since he could only make a living by trading with the Ming. He never thought of conquering the Ming. In fact, Nurhaci was an exception. So Wang Dazi received some compensation and then stopped his efforts.

This incident is precisely the famous Haliu Rabbit's triumph over the Gong Rabbit tribe for revenge.

The person involved easily escaped responsibility by relying on personal connections and continued to serve as his general, becoming one of the main people responsible for the defeat at Sarhu later.

In fact, this general was quite capable.

He was very capable during the Northwest period, specializing in long-distance raids. He was called Grand Tutor by the Mongols and almost became as famous as his predecessor Ma Fang.

Unfortunately, his stubbornness and inability to assess the situation led him to develop an arrogant and disdainful attitude in the Northwest. Even after moving to the Northeast, he failed to change his thinking and tactics, making one mistake after another until he made a grave error.

This is also a case that Wang Xin deeply regrets.

The Great Zhou Dynasty is too large.

One must never be arrogant. Anyone who becomes arrogant because of past achievements, even Guan Yu, will suffer a terrible defeat.

There are no invincible generals, only heroes who fight long enough.

Only by continuously fighting and growing can one endure.

Qi Jiguang was such a person.

Tactics were constantly being modified and adjusted according to the actual local conditions, which is why Qi Jiguang was able to win every battle and establish his reputation so great that the enemy would retreat at the mere mention of his name.

Upon hearing Wang Xin's words, Zeng Zhi smiled but did not respond.

At first, Lu Zhongheng recommended this person because he was curious about him, and he also found it too difficult to work at the Imperial Academy, so he came to work for Wang Xin.

At first, I didn't pay much attention, but gradually I began to feel the difference.

This method of establishing a foothold outside the Great Wall through a commercial model was refreshing to Zeng Zhi. Coupled with the fighting strength of the Western Army of Datong, if such a force were to rise, wouldn't having the support of this force behind him be a reliable reliance?
Although Jia Zheng was the son of a duke, he was only a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Works.

Therefore, Jia Zheng was not very powerful in the capital. Later, he had a daughter who was a concubine, which made him much stronger. In addition, with the support of the Datong Western Army, he had more leverage.

With fame comes confidence.

Over the course of several years, without making a fuss, Jia Zheng transformed into a powerful figure, gradually moving from an important member of that faction into the inner circle.

Wang Xin also knew what Zeng Zhi wanted.

Of course, it's not an ideal.

Not only Zeng Zhi, but many of the generals under his command did not harm the people in the slightest and strictly abide by military regulations, not because of ideals, but simply because of their loyalty to him.

If you can't even change all the people under your command, how can you change outsiders?

But I need someone to help me.

This is reality, isn't it?

Wang Xin loved the ideal state.

The Ming Dynasty was once called an ideal state by Western missionaries, which Indians disagreed with. Later scholars said that the ideal state in the eyes of Westerners referred to India. It's funny, but it was just a castle in the air. In reality, there was no such ideal state.

"This battle is over."

Wang Xin pointed to the distant mountains and rivers and sighed, "The people can live a peaceful life, and I have fulfilled my duty as a soldier."

Zeng Zhi looked in the direction Wang Xin pointed.

At the edge of the sky, the faint outlines of mountains and rivers emerge.

"The general believes that the people can live a good life after the war, but I'm afraid the general will be disappointed." Zeng Zhi felt somewhat complicated.

To be honest, he's smart.

The general before him was undoubtedly one of the smartest people he knew.

But sometimes the general's remarks were quite laughable.

Everyone has enough to eat, wear, sleep well, and enjoy a life of plenty.

Such words are just empty words, but the general seems to take them seriously.

Even the ancients knew this.

The principle that prosperity brings suffering to the people, and so does ruin.

Zeng Zhi said in a low voice, "If ordinary people want to live a good life, they should study hard, thoroughly understand the principles of the sages, and have a higher chance of achieving fame and turning their lives around."

Zeng Zhi's idea represents the mainstream understanding among scholars.

This is no small matter.

Changing one person, and through that one person changing a group of people—that's the spark that ignites a fire. But what you say may not be heeded by others. Wang Xin smiled and said, "I believe laborers are the greatest."

He once revealed a confused look in his eyes.

Wang Xin looked confident.

At first, he thought this was just a slogan.

After meeting many people, I changed my original viewpoint. Indeed, laborers are the greatest.

"In the far west, there is a country that is so rich that its people are unwilling to work."

"How is that possible?"

Zeng blurted out, thinking the general was joking, and couldn't help but laugh, "If that's the case, how can this country not perish?"

"Yes."

Wang Xin laughed and said, "So the people of this country are unwilling to work, and poor people from other countries come to this country to work. As a result, this country has changed, from its culture to its ideology, and even its people have begun to change."

Even though he knew the general wasn't telling the truth, Zeng Zhi was still curious about what would happen next and pressed on, asking, "Aren't the people of this country worried?"

Wang Xin shook his head.

“They are not in a hurry because they believe that these people who come to work in their country are certainly qualified to be the masters of this country.”

Zeng Zhi was unable to understand and stared at Wang Xin in shock.

Wang Xin calmly said, "In fact, China is the same. Since ancient times, whoever does the work will become the master of this land. In many periods, the Han people were unwilling to fight, but others would come to fight. So later, the Han people either took the initiative to learn how to fight or were passively wiped out."

Zeng Zhi thought for a moment and concluded that the general had not told the story well.

Those who determine history are always extraordinary people.

The common people were destined to be drifters.

“Governor Zhang has already ordered the Yongxing Army to march towards Fengzhou. General Hu should know the importance of this matter, and I guess he will act soon as well.” Zeng Zhi stopped talking about this topic and started discussing serious matters.

Wang Xin was not disappointed.

If it were easy, I would have studied literature long ago; why would I have chosen to join the army?

The military is still the best.

With a single command, who would dare offend the people?

Meanwhile, Zhang Can led twelve battalions, totaling over five thousand men, to the Xiaohuang River area to search for traces of the enemy.

Since losing Osaka, Uon's prestige has been greatly shaken.

To make matters worse, Darong did not survive and died that winter while coughing up blood. With Darong gone, many tribes left Unen to seek their own survival.

It was as if Uen would fail completely at any moment.

Unexpectedly, this young man persevered, enduring a year or two and weathering the most difficult times. By recruiting and winning over his followers, he began to rise again and attracted Wang Xin's attention.

Wang Xin was not upset.

There are so many heroes in the world.

To expect that all enemies are mediocre is wishful thinking.

However, the more enemies there are, the more trouble the Great Zhou will face, including its own own predicament.

Moreover, young people grow up quickly and learn from their mistakes. Even towards the Hu tribe from the Osaka region, they are very cautious and do not easily make too much contact. Therefore, no one knows how many men Wu En still has.

Therefore, Zhang Can took nearly half of his troops with him to minimize the threat.

Even if Wu En recovers his strength quickly, with the population flowing out of Daban, there will be at most ten thousand people. After deducting the elderly, women, children and infants, there will be about three or four thousand people who can fight.

If Zhang Can's five or six thousand men are no match for Wu En's three or four thousand ragtag troops, then there's no point in fighting the rest of the battle.

Wang Xin would lead his troops back to Datong and rely on the Great Wall fortresses to defend against the enemy.

Wang Xin is confident, and Zhang Can is equally confident.

After wiping out a small tribe, the soldiers cleaned up the battlefield, while Zhang Can surveyed his surroundings expressionlessly.

"Uen got away again."

Liu Ying arrived with a look of regret.

Ever since learning that Zhou Jun had appeared in the Xiaohuanghe area, Wu En ran away and had no intention of contacting Zhou Jun at all.

There were no roads, just a vast grassland where anyone could wander. Who knew which direction Uen went?

Zhang Can became even more cautious, even when facing Liu Ying, he didn't feel reassured enough to ask, "Have you asked clearly?"

Liu Ying didn't pay any attention.

"I asked many people, asking them separately."

Zhang Can couldn't help but sigh.

They're not even going to fight you; they've already started playing hide-and-seek. Zhang Can is most afraid of this kind of thing.

"Report!"

Sudden.

A soldier arrived.

“Our brothers captured several suspicious men. After interrogation, they said they knew where Uen had gone, but they would only reveal it if the general released them.”

Zhang Can grinned, revealing his teeth, and said happily, "These bastards, not only did we not catch them, but they even tried to bargain after falling into our hands. They actually wanted to go back alive."

He sneered as he looked at Liu Ying.

Liu Ying nodded, understanding Zhang Can's meaning, and took the initiative to walk away, saying, "Take me there." She then left with the guard.

soon.

Liu Ying brought back news.

We were all wrong.

"how?"

Seeing Liu Ying's expression, Zhang Can was shocked.

Liu Ying looked on with a sigh.

“We all thought Un would run north, so we kept heading north, but actually Un went south.”

"Is he courting death?"

Zhang Can was not frightened, but confused, thinking that Wu En was going to launch a sneak attack on the general.

Our general is very patient in battle.

Hoping the general will make a mistake is wishful thinking; the general actually prefers to fight a protracted war.

Whether it was the Mandarin Duck Formation in Jiangnan or the Cheying Camp that first arrived in Datong, the priority was stability, sacrificing speed in pursuit of stability.

Liu Ying knew Zhang Can had misunderstood, and said blankly, "He went towards Guanshan."

"Guanshan?"

Zhang Can quickly realized what was happening and cursed, "Damn it, he went to find Hu Liyong!"

Yongxing Army was Feng Yong's old guard.

Although they had served under Zhang Wenjin for many years, no one knew how effective the Yongxing Army was in combat, but its reputation remained.

As for the Western Army of Datong?

Even Liang Wuen dared not provoke him.

That leaves only Tiancheng Army, who are likely to pick on the weakest targets.

"This guy is getting more and more powerful," Zhang Can said with a chuckle. "We need to take care of him as soon as possible."

Instead of being anxious, they looked gloating.

Liu Ying shrugged repeatedly, trying to suppress the urge to laugh. She knew the general would be displeased, but she couldn't help it.

They don't have the big-picture perspective that generals always talk about.

The allies are eager for them to die, and they are even eager for the allies to die.

(End of this chapter)