The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 85 Want it all

Lin Mansion in Yangzhou.

He Kuan, dressed in the uniform of a thousand-man commander, was able to sit down and drink tea this time, but he had some doubts in his heart that he was reluctant to ask. The master Lin in front of him was firmly seated as the Censor of the Salt Road. Who in the salt road government offices dared to offend him?

Everyone has to be polite, especially since Mr. Lin is the son-in-law of the Jia family.

The Four Great Masters of Jinling.

He Kuan didn’t know there was such a saying before.

Now that he has been working at the salt field for nearly half a year, he has learned news that ordinary people would never know in their entire lives, such as the existence of the Four Great Families in Jinling. These are no longer secrets to He Kuan. Thinking of his previous ignorance and fearlessness, He Kuan could only smile bitterly.

So He Kuan couldn't understand why Master Lin seemed to have aged several years in just a few months.

What's bothering you?

"You said you went to Yangzhong Island, but Wang Xin had already left with his men?"

Lin Ruhai did not look down on He Kuan just because he was a small captain. He asked him to take a seat and ordered the butler to serve tea before speaking to confirm.

He Kuan said truthfully, "I've already told Tang Ping in advance, but the general doesn't know the reason. I suspect the general is eager to make a contribution. After all, the general is now a commander, and the next step up will be to become a guerrilla."

Lin Ruhai remained silent.

He Kuan didn't think he was wrong.

"Tell me what you think." Lin Ruhai asked casually in a gentleman's tone.

He Kuan actually stood up obediently and stood with his hands behind his back, just like a student. If someone who knew him before saw his current appearance, they probably would not recognize him as He Kuan.

Lin Ruhai met many people in his life.

Wang Xin is a rare person, and Lin Ruhai doesn't think he will meet another one in his lifetime.

He Kuan, who was promoted by Wang Xin.

Lin Ruhai trusted Wang Xin's vision and had to admit that he was loyal and reliable.

There are those who are better at fighting than this man, but none of them are as clever as him. There are those who are more clever than him, but none of them are as good at fighting as him. Whether in the Wang family army or now in the salt field, he has done a good job.

Lin Ruhai thought he was a talented person and worth cultivating.

Although he was born in a humble family and held a lower official position, not as good as Wang Xin, it was not easy to be the second Wang Xin. At least he was easier to control than Wang Xin. With Lu Zhongheng as the main one and this person as the auxiliary one, he was both civil and military.

As for Wang Xin, Lawrence Lu might not be able to suppress him.

"Before, I didn't understand why the general accepted the disbanding of the Wang Clan Army. Now I understand the general's difficulty. Only by becoming a guerrilla general can he lead an army alone. Otherwise, the general can no longer protect the Wang Clan Army, nor can he resist the attacks from all sides."

There was no expression on Lin Ruhai's face.

He Kuan couldn't judge, and according to his own thoughts, he felt a little emotional and excited, "So disbanding the Wang family army and settling the brothers at the best time was actually the general's painstaking effort, but the general never revealed it to the brothers."

Lin Ruhai then smiled, with some approval in his eyes.

He didn't care about He Kuan's attitude.

If He Kuan can always remember Wang Xin's kindness, then he can also always remember his own kindness. This is what Lin Ruhai values, so he will not be angry because of He Kuan's attitude.

He Kuan thought he was right.

He said confidently, "General, you won't make the same mistake twice. This time, as a commander, you must make great military achievements while heading south. With these achievements, you can be promoted to guerrilla general. Then, you can lead an army all by yourself, and build it completely to your liking. It will definitely be a more powerful force than the Wang family army in the past."

During his years at the salt field, He Kuan understood a truth.

The more you do, the less it belongs to you. It is public property, and of course others can take it. So the more you do and the more you build, the more people will come to share it.

Under the pursuit of interests, sometimes the original people are harmed.

Therefore, it is impossible to get practical work done in official circles.

Don't do anything and don't make mistakes.

When doing practical things, there will be conflicts of interest, and then things will inevitably go wrong.

Therefore, seeking fame and reputation is the right path.

They don't do anything, but only talk about fame and do empty things. Then the fame becomes bigger and bigger, and there is no interest involved. In officialdom, people flatter each other, and there are people to carry the sedan chair, so they get promoted easily.

It’s great to be an official.

Enjoy the blessings and get promoted.

On the contrary, if you want to do something, you will lose your job.

Only by understanding this way of being an official, which goes against the principles of the world, can one understand how to be an official. He Kuan sometimes feels confused and doesn't know what is right or wrong. It turns out that this is the extraordinary way.

Lao Tzu cannot be described in words.

For thousands of years.

These smart people are really tight-lipped.

Lin Ruhai couldn't help but sigh. Wang Xin often said, "There are so many smart people in the world." Unfortunately, sometimes, too many people is not a good thing.

"The ducks know first when the river water warms in spring," Lin Ruhai said calmly, his words unspoken, like a village woman's casual chat. "I am that duck."

He Kuan listened carefully to Lin Ruhai's teachings with a respectful attitude.

"Which side falls, they must defend me to the death and not let the other side replace me. Which side gains power, they will try to replace me and use their own people to replace me. Only when both sides are not defeated, can I have a moment of peace."

No matter how calm Lin Ruhai was, the haggardness in his eyes could not be hidden.

"Wang Xin is a smart man, smarter than you, but you are better than him in one respect."

"I dare not compare myself to the general."

He Kuan looked embarrassed.

Lin Ruhai didn't care. He sighed and said, "You're not wrong, but you misjudged Wang Xin's intentions. He wants to suppress the Japanese pirates and get promoted, so he doesn't want to stay. He's worried that hearing what I say will only make him embarrassed, so it's better for him to pretend he doesn't know."

Wang Xin.

smart.

Unlike other smart people, he has a firm bottom line.

It is precisely because of this bottom line.

Lin Ruhai couldn't hate him.

Instead, I felt like laughing.

If you don't want to listen, then don't listen. Just pretend he doesn't exist. I just wish him good luck and hope he didn't make a mistake in choosing the right person and doesn't end up being sold out.

Lin Ruhai sighed.

If you don't want to go with the flow and want to ride the wave, why choose such a difficult path?

It would be great to help whoever wins.

The three parties in the Jia family are betting, and one of them will always win. If the Jia family is saved, everything will come back to normal. By then, everything will be calm, everyone will live in harmony, and the next century of wealth will begin.

Ying Tianfu.

A fishing village pier.

Xue Yan touched his son's head. The boy was a little unhappy and avoided him impatiently.

On a boat not far away.

Xue Baoqin also rolled her eyes and continued to look at her father angrily.

There are three ships docked outside the pier.

Two passenger ships and another large ship.

Several men were carrying wooden boxes filled with shells onto the ship. The sailors on the deck were busy with their own work. The helmsman was checking the trigger and the shearer was climbing on the mast.

There were also sailors who carried supplies such as hemp ropes, hand gun barrels, and magic arrows into the cabin one by one.

Many children were jumping around on the boat.

The fisherwoman on the beach brought dried fish, jars of pickles, etc., and reminded her husband to be careful on the boat.

"This is a good excuse to buy a bird gun and a Portuguese arquebus to leave Jinling and avoid the whirlpool that's coming. You can take your sister to the capital to seek refuge with your aunt. When I return, I'll send someone to pick you up."

Although his son is still young, he has been smart and steady since he was young, so Xue Yan is very relieved.

Although Xue Ke didn't want his father to go to sea, he knew he couldn't stop him. He suppressed his unhappiness and asked seriously, "The Hanlin family that my sister is engaged to is also in the capital. Since I'm taking my sister to the capital, should I go and pay them a visit?"

"It's up to you."

Xue Yan was relatively calm about this matter.

When my eldest brother was alive, the Hanlin family would not be as successful as they are today. My eldest brother was engaged to their family, and I had no say in my daughter's marriage. Although I was unhappy, I could not object to my eldest brother.

Now that the eldest brother is gone and my daughter is still young, the Mei Hanlin family's attitude has gradually become distant. I guess this family is snobbish.

Xue Yan was not surprised at all, he was just worried that his daughter would be wronged.

Xue Ke didn't understand his father's hesitation, and knowing that his father was unreliable, he didn't ask any more questions.

The servants of the Xue family boarded the ship to escort their son and daughter to the capital, leaving behind the large ship still waiting for the cargo. Watching her father's figure getting farther and farther away, Xue Baoqin began to cry.

Finally, she cried like a little girl, looking so pitiful.

Xue Ke didn't care either.

I just stood beside my sister and let her cry.

　Book recommendation: For those who like the Three Kingdoms theme and are more relaxed, I recommend reading "Struggling in the Bridge House, I Really Didn't Miss the Big and Small Bridges"

(End of this chapter)