The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 332 Gaining Recognition
"Wang Xin, you actually decided to go back to the capital."

Zhu Shenggong looked utterly incredulous.

Wang Xin laughed and said, "The imperial court ordered me to return. How could I possibly disobey the imperial decree?"

"That's true, but the imperial court isn't run by one person. Zhang Jifu can't control everything. There's always a way. You're being too quick."

Zhu Shenggong personally came to welcome Wang Xin.

After meeting Wang Xin, I had so much to say.

"In the end, it's better to take a step back than to argue back and forth."

"With your temperament..."

Zhu Shenggong shook his head.

For the position of military governor, Wang Ziteng first sold out the Jia family, then became a henchman for Prince Zhongshun, and fought to the death with Fatty Feng. What was his purpose?
Wasn't it the same thing that the father and son had a big fight with Zhang Jifu?

Wang Xin revealed a gentle smile.

In fact, this is fine.

No matter who it is, if they don't feel threatened or sense their own aggression, they won't be on guard.

However, there were reasons why I was willing to do this from the very beginning, when I was in Yangzhou.

If you promote someone yourself, you can know their face but not their heart.

When people leave, the tea is cool.

This is inevitable.

Therefore, no one wants to be the one to benefit others.

But I'm different.

His men have followed him for so many years and have deep feelings for him. They risked their lives for him on the battlefield. If he were to be wary of them, he would be a terrible person.

So I'm really willing to give it up.

Whether the benefits fall into his own hands or into the hands of his subordinates, he doesn't really care, as long as the profits don't go to outsiders.

"Let's go, my father is waiting to see you."

Zhu Shenggong said no more and warmly took Wang Xin's hand.

Wang Xin was a man who did not care about personal gains or losses.

Such a person is extremely talented and wins every battle in leading troops. They have no personal interests to contend with and bring the greatest benefit to their superiors. Who wouldn't be happy to have such a person working under them?
Zhang Jifu has made a fortune through Wang Xin in recent years.

The victory in pacifying the Hu tribes further enhanced Zhang Jifu's prestige, not to mention his easy control of the Datong military town through Wang Xin, who readily relinquished his position.

Zhu Shenggong was very envious.

We shouldn't have let Wang Xin go in the first place.

Fortunately, Wang Xin returned.

"Governor-General."

Upon seeing Zhu Wei, Wang Xin immediately stepped forward and bowed.

Zhu Wei got up in the living room to wait, showing his respect for Wang Xin. Zhu Wei was very satisfied with Wang Xin's attitude and invited him to sit down.

The butler personally brought tea, and Zhu Shenggong accompanied him below.

"Everyone says it's a pity you came back," Zhu Wei said bluntly, his voice as loud as ever. "But I don't see it that way. You came back at the perfect time. Do you know why?"

Wang Xin was taken aback; Zhu Wei wasn't one to boast.

There must be a reason why he said that.

However, I haven't heard any news about this.

Wang Xin stopped thinking about it and honestly replied, "Reporting to the Commander, I do not know."

"Hahaha."

Zhu Wei couldn't help but laugh and said with emotion, "These past few years have passed, but you, Wang Xin, haven't changed at all. You still have the same personality you had when you first arrived in Beijing."

"The governor has changed."

"Oh?"

Zhu Wei looked at Wang Xin with a probing gaze, wanting to know how Wang Xin viewed him.

Wang Xin truthfully replied, "The Governor has become much more amiable, making me feel like I'm basking in a spring breeze. Before meeting the Governor, I was still feeling uneasy."

"My father is getting old, and he has indeed become a bit more talkative."

Zhu Shenggong explained with a smile.

“You’re a smart man, different from others. I’ve always valued you.” Zhu Wei sneered, “Although I’ve been promoted over the years, it’s actually Zhang Jifu who’s trying to suppress me.”

Zhu Shenggong was interrupted by his father, and knowing that his father did not like his explanation, he lowered his head and said no more.

Looking at Zhu Wei, who still had his edge, Wang Xin knew that Zhu Wei indeed still had confidence.

"pity."

Zhu Wei snorted coldly, "Zhang Jifu can't cover up the whole sky. With the Emperor Emeritus around, he can't touch me in the slightest."

“The Governor is right. The Emperor Emeritus trusts the Governor the most.”

Wang Xin agreed.

Given the Emperor Emeritus's intelligence, he certainly knew that Zhang Jifu could not completely control the military, nor would he allow it.

Zhu Wei was a backup plan left by the retired emperor.

There should be more than one such backup plan.

“Zhang Jifu wants to reduce the number of troops, and the nine border garrisons will be the first to be affected. However, the Beijing Garrison will not only not be reduced, but will be expanded. So it’s just right for you to return to the capital.” Zhu Wei said calmly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

Wang Xin was stunned.

There are no secrets in officialdom, and he hadn't heard a word about such a major event.

"is this real?"

Wang Xinming knew he shouldn't ask that question, but he still wanted to confirm it.

Zhu Wei didn't take it seriously.

Zhu Shenggong smiled and said, "It's true, but not many people know about it."

What trouble has the imperial court encountered?

Disarmament is such a major event that it could cause serious problems if not handled properly. Therefore, troop reduction is rarely initiated unless absolutely necessary. It can only be a case of a problem arising from the imperial court. Wang Xin was neither surprised nor surprised.

Zhu Shenggong's pupils contracted.

No wonder his father said he wasn't as smart as Wang Xin, but Zhu Shenggong felt relieved.

A person with Wang Xin's temperament is incapable of accomplishing great things.

In this respect, I am far inferior to myself.

Zhu Wei looked at him with admiration and said with a smile, "It's not a matter of money or supplies."

Sure enough.

Wang Xin was not surprised.

"Although the war in Datong cost two or three million taels of silver, it was not a lot. The court should not be in such a difficult position. I heard that there is a war in Yunnan. The emperor is far away, so it is not necessary to force the court to such an extent."

Although the unrest in Liaodong is escalating and showing signs of getting out of control, it hasn't yet reached the point of being completely uncontrollable. Looking at the country as a whole, things remain stable, despite many long-standing problems. So why the need for troop reductions?

"The deep-seated problems you speak of are going to be the death of the imperial court."

Zhu Shenggong laughed and said, "Last year, the court received a total of more than 16 million taels of grain and silver. This year, it only received more than 14 million taels. Although the difference is less than 2 million taels, the deficits in various places have been paid up. Everywhere is starving and desperately in need of food."

The imperial court's annual taxes and expenditures are crucial to the nation's survival.

Wang Xin certainly knew this.

Of the more than 16 million taels last year, 7 million were used to pay the military salaries of the nine border regions. Half of the money was transported from Taicang to Beijing, and the other half was transported from the civilian population. 4 million were used for the salaries of the Beijing garrison, the expenses of the imperial family, the salaries of the Beijing garrison, etc., and 5 million were retained locally.

The local government's revenue of five million taels was already insufficient to cover its expenses, and the newly collected funds were not enough to make up for the arrears from previous years.

The other 11 million taels of silver, which is related to the officials' performance record, would not be less under normal circumstances; they would only target the 5 million taels of silver stored locally.

These days, they've started to decrease.

Now, a full two million taels of silver are missing.

In other words, the imperial court didn't even have enough money to support the military pay of the nine border regions, and it also had to make up for the arrears owed by the local governments.

The key issue is that not only are local expenses increasing year by year, but the deficits are also growing year by year. The same is true for the Nine Border Regions and the capital, both of which are in deficit.

"Was the disarmament Zhang Jifu's idea?"

Wang Xin wanted to confirm this matter.

Zhu Shenggong nodded. "Zhang Jifu made the suggestion privately. The Emperor Emeritus initially disagreed, but Zhang Jifu's attitude was quite firm, so the Emperor Emeritus relented. However, he did propose expanding the Beijing Garrison."

The total number of troops in the nine border regions was nearly 800,000, which was reduced to 500,000 over three years.

The Beijing garrison has a strength of 120,000, which needs to be expanded to 180,0

On one hand, there's a reduction of 300,000 troops, and on the other hand, an increase of 60,000, which means an actual reduction of 240,000 troops. The annual military pay for 240,000 troops is at least one to two million taels of silver. Adding in monthly rations, travel expenses, armor, weapons, etc., more than two million taels of silver can be saved every year.

Open source and reduce expenditure.

Saving more than two million taels of silver in one go, Wang Xin couldn't help but say, "Zhang Jifu certainly has guts."

"Do you think it's feasible?"

Upon hearing Wang Xin's words, Zhu Wei asked cautiously.

Wang Xin shook his head.

Zhu Wei was immediately confused and stared at Wang Xin, waiting for him to explain.

Wang Xin bluntly stated, "The accumulated problems are those at the top, what does it have to do with those below? Grand Secretary Zhang has the determination, but unfortunately, it's only the determination to target those below. I don't have a good feeling about this kind of reform."

Everyone knows that it's easiest to manipulate subordinates.

But what kind of deep-seated problems could the people below have?
The root causes of these problems all lie above.

The emperor is good; the fault lies always lied with the ministers. How can the emperor and father be wrong? This is the biggest lie and the biggest cancer of Confucianism.

This is why Zhang Juzheng was so remarkable.

His reforms were truly aimed at officials and wealthy households. Even without mentioning the performance evaluation system and land survey, the Single Whip Law would have affected the interests of local officials, gentry, and clerks.

They genuinely knew they were going to die.

When his friends advised him, Zhang Juzheng calmly faced his future fate.

It affects the interests of the people.

The common people will only wail a few times; they won't cause any real trouble. As long as they cover their ears and bear it, it will pass.

If you touch the interests of those in power, you'll really have to bleed.

Since the higher-ups aren't being touched, what's the big deal if 240,000 soldiers are cut? Does that mean the privileged class won't be greedy for the more than two million taels of silver saved?
Pity.

Wang Xin believes that now is indeed a crucial time for reform.

Although many troubles arose, the imperial court was still able to resolve them.

Like Ou Yanhu.

If this trouble is left unresolved and Ou Yanhu continues his smooth sailing, it's hard to say what will happen in the end. At least it won't be like this time, where the Great Zhou has resolved this problem, and Datong will not face the danger of the Hu people for at least ten years.

Minor disturbances may not be eliminated, but major crises will not occur.

The most suitable person with the best chance is Zhang Jifu.

pity.

Zhang Jifu was not Zhang Juzheng after all.

There was only one Zhang Juzheng; after his death, there was no more Zhang Juzheng in the world.

Wang Xin no longer hesitated.

“Returning to the capital is indeed a good thing. I will certainly do whatever the Grand Commander asks of me in the future,” Wang Xin said without any politeness.

He now has the qualifications.

Zhu Wei wanted Wang Xin's attitude. Although he didn't know if Wang Xin had come to a realization, it didn't matter. He just wanted Wang Xin to protect the Zhu family and ensure that Zhu Shenggong would inherit his position.

"Go to the right flank. Cheng Hong has been gone for two or three years, it seems like he was left there specifically for you."

Zhu Wei's words had a double meaning.

Cheng Hong was on the emperor's side. When Prince Zhongshun chose to return to the capital, the retired emperor wanted to cut off his supporters, so Cheng Hong was dismissed.

Liu Ding, the commander of the left flank, was a man of the retired emperor.

He cannot move.

The retired emperor wouldn't let him touch it, but Liu Ding was also dissatisfied with Zhang Jifu.

This is also why Zhu Wei did not break ties with Zhang Jifu and instead took a step back to the Five Military Governor's Office.

Otherwise, the Eastern Army would risk falling into the hands of others. Even at the risk of a complete falling out, Zhu Wei would not easily back down and would fight Zhang Jifu to the end.

No one else had the confidence to turn against Zhang Jifu, except for Zhu Wei.

Because he was backed by an emperor emeritus.

However, Zhu Wei's words were rather strange, and Wang Xin couldn't help but ponder them.

Could Zhu Wei have any intention of currying favor with the emperor?
Zhu Wei was being too enthusiastic towards him. Was it just because Zhu Wei needed him to help control the Eastern Army? Or was he also feeling uneasy because the Emperor Emeritus was old and showed no signs of deposing him?

Either the east wind prevails over the west wind, or the west wind overpowers the east wind.

As long as the emperor remains the emperor, sitting in that position, who would dare to act recklessly, and who wouldn't have grumbling in their hearts?

Lin Ruhai's judgment was spot on.

They have an incredibly accurate grasp of human nature. Six months ago, they saw through Zhu Wei's thoughts and pointed him down a path. It's truly terrifying.

They left the Zhu residence.

Wang Xin rode on his horse, accompanied by four bodyguards.

A group of five riders.

As long as Zhu Wei voices his support, and given that he was originally a lieutenant general in the Hexi Camp of the Eastern Army, he would at least have an 80% chance of winning.

Zhang Jifu wanted to implement reforms, so there was no need for him to target him. He hadn't stood in Zhang's way; on the contrary, he had done Zhang a favor. Even if Zhang was concerned about public opinion and not wanting to discourage his subordinates, Zhang wouldn't take action to suppress him.

Furthermore, Zhu Wei had previously yielded to him, so Zhang Jifu couldn't go too far. This time, he would probably give Zhu Wei some face.

The Emperor Emeritus agreed to Zhang Jifu's reform demands on the condition of expanding the Beijing Garrison. This shows that the Emperor Emeritus still cared about Zhu Wei, and that he was still astute and knew his own power base.

We must never loosen our grip on the gun.

The more problems arise, the more we must tighten our grip on the military.

If you can't solve the problem, you can eventually deal with the person who created it.

Faced with such an opponent, how did the emperor, who was at a disadvantage, turn the tide?

Or rather, Zhang Jifu's reforms failed.

Or perhaps the conflicts within the Great Zhou Dynasty had become irreconcilable, to the point that no matter how many methods the retired emperor employed, they could not resolve the situation, thus giving the emperor a chance to turn the tide.

There are too many clever people in the world, and clever people love to speculate.

Therefore, the emperor was never short of people who could offer advice and strategies.

Upon arriving at the Jia residence, Wang Xin met Jia Zheng, who knew that Wang Xin was going to see Zhu Wei that day and had been waiting for news.

"how?"

"It's not a big problem."

"great."

Jia Zheng was overjoyed; his anxiety finally subsided.

Zhu Wei still wields considerable influence in the Eastern Army. If he does not agree to Wang Xin becoming the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Army, this matter will inevitably fail.

Just as Jia She wanted Jia Lian to go to Datong, he also saw that even if Wang Xin left the Western Army in Datong, his influence in the Western Army in Datong would still be enormous, at least in the short term.

Jia Zheng and Lin Ruhai supported the emperor.

Lin Ruhai supported the emperor, and because of his choice of timing and his tactful actions, he successfully navigated between the retired emperor and the emperor, becoming an important link in the emperor's side.

Many intelligent people recognized Lin Ruhai's value.

Having served as the Salt Commissioner for many years, it was difficult for him not to attract attention.

For those who were unwilling to disobey the retired emperor but wanted to curry favor with the emperor, Lin Ruhai was the best choice.

This is the nature of Lin Ruhai's circle.

The downside is that the retired emperor doesn't like it, and the emperor isn't very close to it either.

So much so that Prince Zhongshun's reprimand of Jia Zheng stemmed from his disapproval of their circle's excessive opportunism, their lack of dedication to the emperor, and also reflected the underlying tensions between the civil and military officials.

Prince Teng sided with Prince Zhongshun.

Jia She and Jia Zhen used the emperor to curry favor with the retired emperor.

Meanwhile, Wang Ziteng got involved with Jia She and Jia Zhen.

That's politics.

Often, we are intertwined, each containing elements of the other.

So how can I establish myself on the right flank of the Eastern Army?

It is impossible to go along with the corrupt practices.

Wang Xin's gaze gradually hardened.

The mountain does not come to me, so I go to the mountain myself.

Even if he becomes a general, he will still be Wang Xin, and he will still do what he has to do.

(End of this chapter)