The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 328 Exploring Spring is Not Bad

Chapter 328 Exploring Spring is Not Bad
Wang Xin was pleased with Tang Ping's anger.

Wang Xin could understand the Zhou family's dissatisfaction with him.

Wang Xin never understood what kind of emperor would be liked by the civil officials and other interest groups, and be called a wise ruler.

Anyway, Wang Xin knew very well.

Even though the situation outside the Great Wall is like this now, and the merchants have made great profits, in reality, the merchants don't like him and can't wait for him to leave.

No matter how big the cake is.

Ultimately, it all comes down to who eats more and who eats less; that's always the most important question.

"In just a few years, they have invested more than three million taels of silver in the area outside the Great Wall, and they don't even allow people to complain?"

Wang Xin said with a smile.

Tang Ping was unable to remain calm. He couldn't be as magnanimous as the general, and said resentfully, "Without the general, they wouldn't even have the opportunity to invest money."

"I think they can't do without us, and they think we can't do without them. In fact, no one can do without the others. Datong is in its current state because no one can be missing. It's a game of strategy, and you have to understand this principle."

Wang Xin beckoned Tang Ping to sit down.

Xue Baoqin was very sensible. She took her maid and left, making room for the two of them to talk.

Tang Ping still looked dissatisfied and resentful.

Wang Xin poured a cup of hot tea for Tang Ping, who reluctantly accepted it. After this exchange, all his dissatisfaction subsided, the atmosphere returned to calm, and Tang Ping calmed down considerably.

"I just feel it's not worth it for the general."

Tang Ping's voice choked with emotion.

Wang Xin patted Tang Ping on the shoulder.

"How can we say we have no clothes? We share the same robes with you." My greatest wealth over the years has been Tang Ping and his brothers, who are closer than blood brothers.

"There's no question of whether it's worth it or not; it's just something I'm willing to do."

Wang Xin explained, "Originally, it was said that it would cost one million taels of silver and be recouped within five years, but now it has become more than three million taels of silver, and it will take ten years to recoup the investment. It's not just the Zhou family that has complaints; which family doesn't?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Ping couldn't help but glance at the general.

"What are you looking at?"

Tang Ping thought his dishonest behavior made Wang Xin laugh in anger.

Tang Ping nodded sincerely and said in a sullen voice, "Regardless of anything else, it is indeed your fault, General. But I don't care about right or wrong. In any case, the Zhou family's dissatisfaction is unacceptable to you, General."

"You know shit."

Wang Xin cursed.

What can be done if ordinary people are unwilling to spend money?
The government helped with the spending.

Wang Xin has learned this tactic, and now he only uses it in the Great Zhou Dynasty to deal with wealthy households.

When I arrived in Datong, I had nothing.

The common people are so poor they barely have a life left, while only the wealthy have money. So, the only thing to do is to find a way to help the wealthy spend their money.

The rich contribute money, and the powerful contribute.

As for taking big steps, setting strict rules in advance, etc., so what?

Actuarial calculations, huh?

Didn't you understand the insurance scheme?

Since we've already invested a million taels of silver, why would we need another three million?
The break-even point, which used to take five years, has become a break-even point in ten years. But if you look at it from another perspective, after ten years, you'll have stable returns every year.

However, everyone was forced to sell their blood.

I heard that in order to protect their shares, the Zhou family even dug up the life-saving assets that their ancestor had left for his descendants, which were buried underground. Even so, the share price still dropped significantly.

Twenty percent of the army's soldiers are guaranteed to die.

The half-shares were held by the officers, and the merchants couldn't touch them.

The Xue family is now down to half its original share.

The Zhang and Li families each only have half a share left, while the largest family, the Zhou family, only has one-tenth left.

The root of the problem actually lies with the disaster victims.

Disaster victims were originally worthless; they could work as long as they were given food.

However, he couldn't create value with slaves back then. After doing some calculations, he convinced several companies. At that time, the share capital was only a little over 200,000 taels of silver, so everyone's profits were relatively easy to divide.

There are now more than 20,000 herder households alone, not to mention the large shareholders.

There are too many monks and not enough porridge.

Many people were dissatisfied with the original rules.

Why should the disaster victims receive so much?

According to the regulations formulated by Wang Xin, the disaster victims would repay their loans over twenty years, which would effectively reduce the profits of the merchants.

Reasoning with them won't work.

After a moment's thought, Wang Xin chose to believe Tang Ping.

"After I leave, there are three things you need to keep an eye on."

Tang Ping is no longer the honest and simple Yiwu miner he once was. He is still straightforward, but he is not stupid.

Once he was certain that the general wouldn't stay behind and didn't intend to take him along, Tang Ping didn't hesitate.

"General, please tell me."

Wang Xin's expression relaxed, and he was inwardly satisfied; Tang Ping was indeed loyal to him.

But that's not enough; you also need to be able to get things done.

"The contract between the herdsmen and the merchants cannot be changed. You are in charge of the area outside the Great Wall, and this matter must not be changed, as it concerns the foundation of the Western Army of Datong."

Tang Ping had served by Wang Xin's side for many years. Although he couldn't understand the ways of business, he had heard many of the general's theories.

Since the general was so certain, Tang Ping had no doubt and affirmed, "General, rest assured, as long as I am here, this matter will not change."

Wang Xin smiled, completely convinced.

"The military is prohibited from engaging in business and must not interfere in any matters other than military affairs."

Tang Ping nodded again, seemingly unaware of the potential benefits.

Everything can be related to military affairs; as long as you find a reason, you'll never run out.

Therefore, talent is the key.

Success is achieved through the people involved.

Many things require this specific person to accomplish; if you replace them, they simply cannot be done.

In terms of loyalty, some people are no less loyal than Tang Ping.

Or perhaps their personalities don't match, or their backgrounds aren't as good as Tang Ping's.

Regardless of whether Tang Ping vented his anger on the Zhou family, it doesn't change the fact that Tang Ping is the Zhou family's son-in-law.

With the support of the Zhou family and Tang Ping's own personality, he is the most suitable candidate.

"You're the last one."

Wang Xin looked at Tang Ping with a complicated expression.

Tang Ping was completely baffled by the look of his eyes.

Wang Xin sighed.

"Tang Ping, you are one of the brothers who have been with me the longest. For the sake of our brotherhood, no matter what your thoughts are in a few years, please keep the Datong model unchanged for ten years."

Wang Xin could only buy the herdsmen ten years.

Many things are actually decided by the people.

When they chose to back down, they understood the adage "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down," and their fate was sealed.

They resettled 100,000 disaster victims and secured the best possible conditions for them.

He himself was not the savior.

Just like during the reign of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Corrupt officials who covet money will be beheaded, but if they bully the people, the people can fight back.

They even encouraged every household to keep a copy of the Great Ming Code.

The methods by which corrupt officials bully the people should be clearly explained to the people, encouraging them to resist and bring the corrupt officials to justice.

And all of these will eventually vanish into thin air.

The less trouble, the better.

That's it.

Tang Ping was furious: "How can the general not believe me?"

A sense of anger at being distrusted by the general made Tang Ping unable to control his temper.

"Snapped."

He slammed his hand on the table instinctively and stood up angrily.

"Wow."

Hearing the commotion inside, Shi Ping rushed in and, after seeing the scene inside, was at a loss for what to do.

Wang Xin smiled and waved.

Shi Ping lowered his head and left.

Tang Ping sat back down dejectedly, his face dark and silent, sulking in anger.

"Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. There's no point in talking nonsense between you and me."

Wang Xin stood up, placed his hand on Tang Ping's shoulder, and without saying much, simply squeezed it hard.

"Ugh."

Tang Ping sighed deeply, not one to hold grudges, but rather with a look of melancholy.

When there were only a few hundred of us, although we were of lowly status, we were all of one mind.

Both happy and at ease.

They rushed to shield their brothers from arrows, and none of them had any selfish motives.

Now that his business has grown, Tang Ping can easily see that the atmosphere is no longer what it used to be.

Despite the current morale of the Western Army in Datong, Tang Ping believes without hesitation that Datong is still the best.

However, the brotherhood and camaraderie in morale are not as strong as before, and there is now a greater sense of self-interest involved.

“You’re about to stand on your own two feet, how can you still be so childish?”

Wang Xin found it both amusing and touching. Many people claim to have the heart of a child, but he himself was not; it was merely the education he received that changed him.

But Tang Ping, standing before me, seems to possess a childlike innocence.

Tang Ping stopped hesitating and said firmly, "These three points will remain unchanged as long as I live."

Wang Xin said no more.

The situation is still undecided, and I don't know what my next step will be.

Let's figure out the direction first.

～～～～～～～
Beijing.

Jia Mansion.

The end of the year was quite lively.

The eldest daughter in the family received many imperial gifts from the palace.

It's a matter of face for both superiors and subordinates. I heard that General Wang Xin, who used to live in the mansion, has made great contributions in Datong.

The news even spread throughout the capital city.

The claim that the Zhou dynasty pacified the Hu people in three years and that the Hu people feared the Zhou as if they were tigers greatly enhanced the prestige of the Zhou state.

Good things kept happening, and the Jia family was exceptionally lively this year.

At Grandmother Jia's place.

The Ningguo Mansion's You Shi, Jia Rong's wife, eldest daughter-in-law Xing Shi, and youngest daughter-in-law Wang Shi.

And his granddaughters-in-law Wang Xifeng and Li Wan.

Fruit platters and snacks were laid out, and a room full of stewardesses and maids served them.

In the inner room.

Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Xue Baochai, Lin Daiyu, Shi Xiangyun, and Baoyu are also present.

Everyone watched Xichun paint, with maids attending to her and various palettes of paints on the side.

The painting of the Grand View Garden is quite lifelike, though not detailed.

"It's a pity that Lin Daiyu's Xiaoxiang Pavilion always feels a little lacking."

Baoyu felt regret.

"Second brother, is it because my drawing doesn't look like him?" Xichun looked at Jia Baoyu with dissatisfaction.

Everyone always gave way to their youngest sister.

Baoyu quickly coaxed, "It looks just like it."

Xichun was a bit older and not as easy to coax as she was when she was little. She pressed on, asking, "Then why did you say it was wrong just now?"

Baoyu was flustered and incoherent, unable to explain himself.

You can't always tell the truth.

Shi Xiangyun was amused by Baoyu's appearance and burst out laughing.

This made Xichun even more unhappy, and she actually put down her pen.

"Actually, it's very similar, except Lin Daiyu isn't there; after all, the person is more beautiful than the scenery."

In his haste, Baoyu blurted out.

This drew everyone's attention.

Xue Baochai didn't laugh. She glanced at Lin Daiyu quietly, then calmly looked away, not paying any attention.

Yingchun, being the most honest, thought Baoyu was absolutely right and nodded repeatedly.

Tan Chun was also smiling.

Xichun gritted her teeth. Sister Lin was so good to her, so she couldn't stay angry, otherwise it would seem like she was targeting Sister Lin.

Feeling unwilling to accept this outcome, she rolled her eyes at Baoyu, then leaned towards Lin Daiyu and took her small hand in hers.

Lin Daiyu grew even more slender, like a willow branch. She held Xichun's hand firmly and glared at Baoyu with a hint of displeasure.

"You're all grown up now, how can you still talk nonsense?"

Baoyu lowered his head, all his former sharpness gone.

It's really boring.

Ignoring everyone else, she said, sounding aggrieved, "We've definitely grown up, and we're not as close as we were when we were little."

"Second brother, go ask the Ancestor what we're having for dinner today, see if there's anything good to eat."

Tan Chun suddenly interrupted.

Baoyu nodded subconsciously, without thinking much of it, and walked outside.

Once Baoyu left, the atmosphere in the room relaxed considerably.

Shi Xiangyun saw this and her face turned cold, though she felt quite indignant inside.

"Good news."

"Good news!"

"Lord Xin has been promoted again."

Suddenly, Zhou Rui's wife burst in, bringing good news.

Grandmother Jia was questioning Baoyu, feeling sorry for her beloved grandson, when she suddenly heard a commotion outside and was about to get angry.

After hearing what was said, his anger turned to joy.

Although the marriage between the granddaughter and Wang Xin has not been announced, it has already been arranged.

"Tell me quickly, what happened to Wang Xin?"

Everyone in the room listened intently, all very concerned about the matter.

Wang Xin was not the only guest associated with the Jia family.

However, Wang Xin was among the guests who left the Jia family mansion.

Moreover, they had moved out of the Jia family mansion less than a year ago.

With such a close relationship, everyone knows that Wang Xin's promotion is a great thing for the Jia family.

Zhou Rui's wife had anticipated this, which is why she dared to shout loudly and come in, hoping to save face for herself.

"Lord Xin has been promoted to general and is about to return to the capital. He will be the general of our Beijing Garrison from now on."

Zhou Rui's family said excitedly.

"How old is Master Xin? I remember seeing him once, but we were far apart and I couldn't see him clearly."

Yu asked in a low voice.

Although Wang Xifeng did not reconcile with Jia Lian, her life became a little easier.

First, Wang Ziteng obtained a position in the Five Military Commands.

Although it was a nominal position, it still carried the weight of seniority and rank, so he was appointed as the Right Commander-in-Chief of the Central Military Commission.

Add Wang Xin.

Although Wang Ziteng and Wang Xin were at odds, Wang Xifeng had a good relationship with both of them.

One was his uncle, and the other was from the same clan.

Therefore, you can't write two "王" characters in one stroke.

Although Wang Xifeng's status in the mansion has not returned to what it was before, she is still the mistress.

Moreover, Grandmother Jia liked Wang Xifeng and often kept her by her side.

Upon hearing You Shi's words, Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "Master Xin is only twenty-seven or twenty-eight, he's still very young."

"Yes."

Yu clapped her hands and exclaimed, "I do remember being young, and it is precisely because I was young that I can't believe it and doubt that I've remembered it wrong."

The general, who was twenty-seven or twenty-eight, was indeed incredibly young.

So it seems.

The Jia family had a concubine in the capital and a general of the capital garrison.

He has connections in the imperial court and among the nobility.

There are also people in the palace.

There are still people in the military.

With old friends scattered all over the place, things are truly thriving.

One glory and one glory.

The wives and girls in the house were all in high spirits.

"Tan Chun is really nice."

Grandmother Jia said something.

Madam You nodded; she had heard what Baoyu had said earlier.