Chapter 54: Those Seeing Them Off

The once bustling Zhang family mansion was now deserted, with few visitors even from poor relatives who came to ask for favors. Yet many branches of the Zhang family coveted this century-old household. Although Zhang Xin had been taken away by the Jinyiwei, Zhang You was not only a fourth-rank general but also held a powerful position as a deputy general, while the third son of the Zhang family was a successful imperial examiner. Thus, despite their various schemes, they could only watch from behind the high walls and scheme in their hearts. Meanwhile, the governor of Kaifeng, the Jin family, had many visitors with ulterior motives.

Behind the Zhang family’s main gate was a row of shops of all kinds—pastries shops, cutlery stores, cloth shops, and second-hand furniture stores. These houses belonged to the Zhang family but were rented out to their descendants who had no official positions, charging rents ranging from a few hundred to several thousand coins per month—a rather generous treatment among servants. As a result, this back street was always lively.

One day, three carriages suddenly appeared from the dark wooden gate, followed by a dozen servants dressed in uniform. The elders and children selling goods in the nearby shops began whispering among themselves. When several girls in red and green, two neatly dressed maids, three lavishly dressed youths, and the famous tall steward of the Zhang family appeared at the back gate, everyone exchanged glances and figured out what was going on.

With such a grand display, it seemed the three young masters of the Zhang family were heading south!

Many gathered to watch, while others quietly slipped away to report the news elsewhere. The Zhang family members, however, had no time for that. They had already said goodbye to their relatives earlier. Now, Zhang Jiu boarded the middle carriage with Fang Cao and Yao Xiang, while Amber Qiuhen and two older maids boarded the rear carriage. Zhang Chao and Zhang Yue insisted on riding horses, unwilling to sit in the stuffy and bumpy carriages. Steward Gao Quan had no choice but to reluctantly take one by himself.

When the family members set off, they usually needed several chests of clothes and belongings, but due to the urgency, each of the three carriages carried only one large chest besides the passengers. Once everyone and goods were on board, the coachman shouted and cracked his whip sharply, and the carriages set off immediately. The people on either side mounted their horses as well, and within moments, the dozens of people left the back street.

From Kaifeng to Nanjing, one can take the land route or the water route. However, the land route involves a bumpy journey of over ten days, while the water route is much more comfortable and secure. Moreover, there are numerous water routes from Kaifeng. Six-masted sailboats in these days are sturdy and lightweight, and their speed is not much slower than that of carriages, making them the best choice for traveling south.

“Dad and Uncle Third still wanted to see us off to the dock, but I said it wasn’t necessary. This is just a trip to Nanjing, not a battle. What do you think, Third Brother? A true man should travel far rather than just read many books. This is finally our first time leaving home.”

Zhang Yue glanced at Zhang Chao, who was clearly excited, and thought that while he and his father Zhang Zhuo didn’t really care, by the time everyone returned from Nanjing, Zhang You would have already gone to Jiaozhi. It was unclear when these two father and son would see each other again, yet Zhang Chao seemed oblivious to this. It was hard to tell whether it was because father-son bonds were weak these days or due to Zhang Chao’s carefree nature.

Of course, he was also glad to see Zhang Chao able to shake off the shadow of the annulment.

“By the way, I mentioned last time that I wanted to take you on a boat ride, but I never got the chance. This boat also comes from Guangfu Ji. After the flood last time, Grandma specifically asked Uncle Third to buy a new one. It’s said to be improved and more stable when sailing on large rivers. It’s a pity that Eldest Sister, Second Brother, and Second Sister are not here; otherwise, everyone could…”

Zhang Chao didn’t finish his sentence because he suddenly realized that this wasn’t a leisurely trip for fun but a journey to Nanjing with a serious mission. He scratched his head awkwardly and said to Zhang Yue, “Third Brother, in any case, I’ll follow your lead this time. My nature tends to be reckless, so please remind me if there’s anything I need to pay attention to.”

Zhang Yue naturally knew that his eldest brother had always been doted on by his second aunt, Lady Dongfang, and hadn’t even left Kaifeng city at the age of seventeen. This was his first time traveling far. Although Zhang Chao was careless in his habits, his straightforward and bold nature was still there. Zhang Yue simply smiled and agreed, thinking that dealing with that little fourth brother would likely be much harder than dealing with his eldest brother.

The group arrived at the dock, where the captain and sailors who had been waiting prepared to greet them. Yet suddenly, a man in green dashed forward, bypassing the others, and smiled at Zhang Yue before handing him a letter. He refused to reveal who had asked him to deliver it and then vanished quickly. Zhang Yue, puzzled, intended to open the letter, but when he looked up, he saw a familiar figure moving among the large ships. He immediately pulled Zhang Chao aside.
“Brother, do you think that’s Little Seven?”
“Indeed, it is. How could he be here? I’ll see him board the ship first; you go and say hello.”
Seeing Zhang Chao and Gao Quan directing people onto the ship, Zhang Yue hurried over to Gu Bin, who was looking around on the dock. When he reached behind Gu Bin, he called out. When the latter turned, Zhang Yue asked, “Little Seven, what are you doing here?”
“My father heard that you and your cousin are heading to Nanjing, so he sent me here urgently. I didn’t expect to arrive just in time!” Gu Bin smiled slightly before solemnly taking out a cloth bag from his chest. “Over the years, our family has benefited greatly from your father’s kindness, and you’ve helped me several times. Now that the Zhang family is in trouble, we can’t offer much help, but my father asked me to give you this.”
Zhang Yue felt a bit embarrassed and tried to decline, saying, “We’re family; there’s no need for such formalities…”
Before he could finish, Gu Bin interrupted, “I know your family isn’t short of money. Inside is a token and a letter from my father. When my father was young, he helped a nobleman who is now very powerful in Nanjing. My father said he might never leave Kaifeng and wouldn’t need it, so he asked me to give it to you. It was over a decade ago, and it might not help much, but it’s worth trying.”
Holding the cloth bag, Zhang Yue didn’t know what to say for a while before finally expressing his sincere gratitude to Gu Bin. When Zhang Chao returned, they exchanged more pleasantries and thanks before seeing Gu Bin off at the dock entrance. As he watched Gu Bin’s retreating figure, Zhang Yue thought that his grandmother had never shown kindness to Gu Bin’s family, and though his own father had only done them a small favor, they still wanted to repay it. Indeed, not everyone in the world was untrustworthy.

At that moment, another carriage rushed over and stopped not far in front of him. Thinking that no one else would come to see him off at this point, he took Zhang Chao by the hand, ready to turn around and go back to the boat. Suddenly, a voice filled with extreme urgency came from behind.
“Wait!”
Turning around, Zhang Yue spotted a somewhat familiar figure jumping down from the newly stopped carriage, leaving him stunned. Though he couldn’t tell at first which of the twin sisters the handsome young man was, it was undoubtedly someone from the Jin family. He could even hear Zhang Chao grinding his teeth beside him and see his fists clenched tightly.