The Succession Struggle in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 134 Goal Achieved, Xue Family Seeks Aid
Lu Yinghui's choice to meet Lin Ruhai at the Lu family home was absolutely brilliant.

Because this is Lu Yinghui's home, it is the place he is most familiar with.

Meanwhile, the Lu family is now surrounded by people sent by Lin Ruhai, so Lin Ruhai is not in danger.

The fact that Lu Yinghui chose this place to meet shows that he put a lot of thought into this matter, and it also demonstrates his sincerity in inviting Lin Ruhai.

Tu Chengyu asked, "Did he say when we would meet?"

Lin Ruhai replied, "They said we'd meet this afternoon."

There's enough time this afternoon.

Tu Chengyu said, "Since you've already made the appointment, why don't you go and see what he has to say?"

Lin Ruhai asked, "When I go to see Lu Yinghui, does His Highness have any instructions?"

Without hesitation, Tu Chengyu said, "Just do what we planned before. If what Lu Yinghui said is beyond our plan, reply to him on the spot if you can make the decision. If you are not sure, we can discuss it again when we get back."

Tu Chengyu also said that he wanted to entrust this matter entirely to Lin Ruhai.

However, Lin Ruhai clearly had concerns. He said, "This matter is of great importance, and I'm afraid I can't handle it alone. I would like to ask Your Highness to allow Mr. Quan to accompany me to see Lu Yinghui, so that I will have someone to discuss things with."

Quan Wenwei can be considered Tu Chengyu's strategist, and in some ways, he can represent Tu Chengyu.

This time, it was inconvenient for Tu Chengyu, the person in charge, to appear in the meeting with Lu Yinghui.

Therefore, Lin Ruhai came up with the idea of ​​inviting Quan Wenwei to go with him. In this way, Quan Wenwei could help him come up with ideas at critical moments, and Tu Chengyu's people could be directly involved.

Lin Ruhai's caution wasn't due to any ulterior motives; he simply wanted to accomplish this task more effectively.

He knew very well that Lu Yinghui's request to see him at this time was most likely because he had no other choice but to turn to Tu Chengyu.

Lu Yinghui's defection would inevitably bring Tu Chengyu considerable benefits.

These benefits were given to Tu Chengyu by Lu Yinghui, and as an outsider, he couldn't easily make the decision. That's why he thought of bringing Quan Wenwei along.

Tu Chengyu had no idea what Lin Ruhai was thinking.

However, since Lin Ruhai wanted to bring Quan Wenwei along, Tu Chengyu did not refuse, after all, it was better for two people to work together than to fight alone.

He said, "Since you want Mr. Quan to go along, then let him go."

Upon hearing that Tu Chengyu had so readily agreed to his request, Lin Ruhai quickly said, "This humble official thanks Your Highness for granting my request. If Your Highness has no further instructions, this humble official will go and make the preparations immediately."

Everything was going according to plan, so Tu Chengyu had nothing more to say.

He nodded and said, "I have no further instructions. You may continue with your work."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ruhai got up to say goodbye and left.

As soon as he left, Tu Chengyu called Xiao Xuanzi over and asked him to go and tell Quan Wenwei about what they had just discussed, so that he could also be prepared.

Upon hearing the instructions, Xiao Xuanzi immediately ran out to carry them out.

They all left, and only Tu Chengyu remained in the room.

Tu Chengyu, who had been so serious just moments before, clenched his fists with joy and waved them several times in the air.

He wasn't going crazy; he was just happy to see that his plans were about to succeed.

From the moment they began plotting against the salt merchants, dividing and weakening the twelve salt merchants had always been the most important part of their plan.

For example, from the very beginning, taking advantage of the close relationship between Lin Ruhai and Wei Yuncai, they secretly promised Wei Yuncai various conditions and instigated him to fight against Lu Yinghui.

Furthermore, after catching the Lu family smuggling salt, they held back their actions, intending to use this incident to incite infighting among the salt merchants.

Whether through negotiation or by spreading rumors, all these methods are aimed at this goal.

Now that the Lu family has taken the initiative to come and request an audience, it can be said that this goal has been achieved to a certain extent.

Although we haven't met with the Lu family yet, and we haven't discussed what conditions the Lu family would offer for their surrender.

However, Tu Chengyu believed that the Lu family was not faking their visit this time.

This is not Tu Chengyu's blind confidence, but a judgment based on the current reality.

Given the Lu family's current situation, if he doesn't side with Tu Chengyu, his family might very well be divided up by others.

Lu Yinghui was well aware of this situation, so he dared not play tricks on Tu Chengyu in this matter.

It was precisely because of this judgment that Tu Chengyu was certain that Lu Yinghui no longer trusted the other salt merchants.

Lu Yinghui's distrust was enough to create a deep rift within the small group of salt merchants.

Then Tu Chengyu could take advantage of Lu Yinghui's defection to continue to divide and weaken the enemy and sow discord.

Perhaps this would allow them to dismantle the entire salt merchant force, thus easily resolving the problems related to salt administration.

With such a good thing happening, do you think Tu Chengyu wouldn't be happy?

Just as Tu Chengyu was feeling happy, Jia Lian, who hadn't appeared in front of him for several days, suddenly came to request an audience.

From the moment they left the capital, Jia Lian was constantly at Tu Chengyu's beck and call, being bossed around like a whim.

This young master of the Jia family was used to a life of luxury, always being waited on by others; he never had to serve others.

In Tu Chengyu's view, even if Jia Lian is a hard-working person, he still needs a period of time to adapt.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he left Beijing, Tu Chengyu assigned him a task, which he carried out without a single complaint.

Throughout the rest of the trip, he worked tirelessly and handled everything exceptionally well.

This made Tu Chengyu look at him with new respect, and he gradually began to regard him as one of his own.

Now that one of his own people had come to see him, Tu Chengyu naturally had no reason to avoid him. Xiao Xuanzi went to relay a message to Quan Wenwei, and Tu Chengyu then had Xiao Xing'er bring Jia Lian in.

Upon entering, seeing Jia Lian's furrowed brows, Tu Chengyu couldn't help but ask in confusion:
"Jia Lian, what business do you have with me?"

After bowing, Jia Lian said, "Your Highness, I have come to ask for your help."

Hearing that someone was asking him for help, Tu Chengyu's doubts deepened, and he asked:

"A cry for help? Tell me, how can I help you?"

Jia Lian said, "This humble servant would like to ask the imperial physician who accompanied the prince to examine someone."

It turns out someone was sick.

However, during this period, everyone was staying at the Lin residence, and Tu Chengyu hadn't heard of anyone getting sick.

He asked curiously, "Who is sick?"

Jia Lian said, "Your Highness, it is a relative of mine who is ill."

Tu Chengyu thought to himself, "Isn't Jia Lian's relative the Lin family? Could he have other relatives in Yangzhou?"

He asked, "Where did these relatives come from?"

Jia Lian replied, "They came from Jinling and are currently in Yangzhou. Moreover, my relatives are also acquainted with Uncle Lin."

The Jia family had relatives in Jinling, and they were also acquainted with Lin Ruhai.

Tu Chengyu thought for a long time, but could only think of one company.

He asked, "Is it the Xue family of Jinling?"

Jia Lian replied, "Your Highness, it is indeed the Xue family."

Upon hearing that it was indeed the Xue family, Tu Chengyu became serious.

It wasn't because of the Xue family's reputation, but because Tu Chengyu happened to want to use the Xue family.

Now that he suddenly heard that someone in their family was sick, Tu Chengyu naturally had to take it seriously.

He asked, "Who in the Xue family is ill?"

Jia Lian replied, "He is my wife's uncle."

Wang Xifeng's uncle-in-law is Xue Baochai's father.

This is the current head of the Xue family, and also the person Tu Chengyu is planning to use.

If something happens to him, the Xue family will basically be ruined, and Tu Chengyu won't be able to use him anymore.

As for why Tu Chengyu needed to use the Xue family, that involves the salt merchants.

In Tu Chengyu's plan, he was definitely going to snatch a portion of the business from the salt merchants.

However, as a prince, Tu Chengyu could not personally engage in business, and he would eventually have to return to the capital.

In this way, he would have to find someone to manage the businesses he had seized.

However, in the Jiangnan region, Tu Chengyu had no acquaintances other than the Lin family.

As the Salt Commissioner, Lin Ruhai was unlikely to help him with business.

In the end, having no other choice, Lin Ruhai recommended the Xue family to Tu Chengyu.

However, at first, Tu Chengyu did not want to use the Xue family.

From his memories of his past life, he knew that Xue Pan of the Xue family was a complete idiot. He couldn't even protect his own family business, so how could he be expected to do anything for him?

However, after Lin Ruhai explained, it turned out that the current head of the Xue family was still Xue Pan and Xue Baochai's father.

Xue Pan's father, Xue Xu, was not as simple-minded as his son; on the contrary, he was a very shrewd businessman.

Such a capable person is not only a royal merchant, but also has some indirect connection with Tu Chengyu, and is also strongly recommended by Lin Ruhai.

Although Tu Chengyu knew that this man might not live for many more years, he decided to make do with him for the time being since there was no one else available.

At worst, when Xue Xu becomes incompetent, Tu Chengyu will have trained capable people himself, and then it won't be too late to replace him.

To Tu Chengyu's utter surprise, Xue Xu fell ill as soon as he arrived in Yangzhou, before he even had a chance to meet him.

Moreover, the fact that Jia Lian rushed to him in such a hurry to fetch the imperial physician shows that Xue Xu must be quite ill.

Tu Chengyu couldn't help but wonder if Xue Xu in the book died at this time.

Unfortunately, Tu Chengyu was not very familiar with this part of the book and did not know the exact time of Xue Xu's death.

With these jumbled thoughts flashing through his mind, Tu Chengyu asked anxiously, "What illness does Xue Xu have? How is he now?"

Jia Lian replied, "Your Highness, I do not know what illness Xue's uncle has, I only know that he is currently unconscious."

"The Xue family consulted several doctors from Yangzhou, but none of them could help, so they asked me to ask Your Highness for help."

Upon hearing that Xue Xu was in such a state of illness, Tu Chengyu dared not delay.

He said, "I will have Xiao Xing'er go with you to give the imperial physician a message, so that the imperial physician can go with you."

Upon hearing that Tu Chengyu had so readily agreed to his request, Jia Lian immediately bowed and expressed his gratitude.

Then he hurriedly took Xiao Xing'er to fetch the imperial physician.

(End of this chapter)