Chapter 126: Heaven’s Will

Under the Ming dynasty system, eunuchs in the palace were organized into twelve supervisory offices, four departments, and eight bureaus—collectively known as the Twenty-Four Yamen. The term “eunuch” actually referred to the leaders of these offices. Although the Secretariat, which had been at its peak during the mid- and late Ming periods, was now the foremost among the twelve supervisory offices, Emperor Yongle, Zhu Di, was full of energy. The Grand Council served merely as a consultative body, and eunuchs were not allowed to interfere in government affairs. Thus, at that time, there was no distinction between eunuchs in charge of official seals or those in charge of drafting documents. Even prominent eunuchs like Zheng He and Zhang Qian always acted with great caution in front of high-ranking officials.

Zhang Qian’s voyages to the West were not as grand or as far-reaching as Zheng He’s, but he visited Borneo in the sixth, ninth, and tenth years of Yongle’s reign. Upon returning, he brought back the Eastern and Western Kings of Sulu as well as the Dung Kingdom envoys. His knowledge and eloquence were extraordinary, and he acted with decisive efficiency. When he returned with Zhang Yue to the Duke of Yingguo’s residence, he immediately ordered his servants to purchase various supplies and instructed Zhang Yue on the various matters related to the mourning period. Finally, when he reached Zhang Fu’s residence, he stopped in his tracks.

“I used to work in the emperor’s residence. Once, I angered the emperor and deserved to be punished with whips. Lady Zhang was kind and generous. She interceded on my behalf, citing my past contributions, which helped calm the emperor’s anger. Because we shared the same surname, she also showed me extra favor. Yet now, even before I could see her again after returning from the West, she has passed away so young.”

Zhang Yue had not expected such a backstory. Seeing Zhang Qian standing there, sighing deeply, he didn’t know what to say. As he hesitated, he saw the imperial physician Shi Quan coming out of the side room, looking grave.

“Has Lady Zhang really died?” Shi Quan, who was already a stern and reserved man, grew even darker in expression upon seeing Zhang Yue nod. After a long silence, he finally sighed helplessly, “The Duke of Yingguo’s condition has improved slightly, but it’s uncertain whether he can bear this shock. Well, I’ll go in with the third young master and act as needed. As for you, Eunuch Zhang…”

“The imperial physician and the young master may go in together. I am here by the emperor’s order to assist in managing the Duke of Yingguo’s household, so I won’t go see him,” said Zhang Qian. After a pause, he added, “But if anything happens, I’ll share the responsibility with you.”

In this world, there are many who share blessings but few who share hardships. At first, when Zhang Qian suggested staying outside, Zhang Yue didn’t think much of it, but with those extra words, it became truly rare. Even Shi Quan, who was entirely absorbed in medicine and ignored everything else, showed some respect. At that moment, Zhang Yue knew that any words of thanks would be empty; he simply nodded at Zhang Qian and turned to enter the house.

Having been bedridden before, Zhang Fu was now fully awake and alert. A maid was sitting by the bed, having just finished feeding him bird’s nest porridge. Seeing someone enter, she quickly stood up and bowed. When Zhang Yue waved his hand gently, she swiftly packed up her things and left the room. Seeing Shi Quan following behind Zhang Yue, Zhang Fu couldn’t help but laugh.

“My illness isn’t a big deal. You don’t need to drag Doctor Shi along every time you come to visit.” His gaze then fell on Shi Quan behind Zhang Yue, and he sighed, “Because of my illness this time, the Imperial Medical Academy has been overworked—this is really too much. Especially Doctor Shi, who has almost lived here with me. I feel quite guilty.”

“As the pillar of the Prince of Yingguo, it’s only right for me to do my best.”

Shi Quan’s medical skills ranked among the best in the Imperial Medical Academy. Though he wasn’t good at flattery, Zhu Di highly valued his skills. He had treated many princes and officials in the past. Zhang Fu, however, was usually in good health—this was the first time he was sick. Used to the arrogant princes and nobles, Zhang Fu’s words surprised and impressed Shi Quan even more. After responding with a smile, he added, “I’m not boasting, but with proper care, by next spring, the Prince of Yingguo will be back to being an excellent archer!”

“Very good! Then I’ll take Doctor Shi’s kind words to heart!”

Seeing Zhang Fu in such high spirits, Zhang Yue tried several times to speak, but the words always stayed stuck in his throat. He couldn’t help but complain inwardly about Emperor Yongle—other bad news could be handled indirectly, but such tragic news couldn’t be joked about; it had to be delivered straight away! But the saying “better a short pain than a long one” was true, yet would it work for Zhang Fu, whose condition had just started to improve?

Although Zhang Fu was talking to Shi Quan, his gaze occasionally drifted to Zhang Yue. Seeing him hesitating with a troubled expression, he stopped talking. After a long while, he asked softly, “What is it, Brother Yue? Do you have something to tell me?”

“Uncle, there is indeed something… and it’s bad news.” Zhang Yue didn’t expect Zhang Fu to be so perceptive even while ill. At that moment, he could only take a deep breath and force himself to say, “A letter came from Nanjing, saying… saying that my eldest aunt has passed away.”

In that instant, Zhang Yue’s heart seemed to rise to his throat. He stared at Zhang Fu without blinking, fearing he might collapse upon hearing the tragic news. Shi Quan, standing nearby, already had several gold needles in hand, ready to rush in for emergency aid if needed. He was also wondering whether the maids had prepared the herbal medicines as instructed. Yet, as the two worried, Zhang Fu merely sighed deeply and did not collapse as they had expected.

“Her illness has been going on for days and weeks. I had been preparing for this day all along. Who would have thought it would happen at such a time?”

Though he said this, Zhang Fu’s face showed unmistakable sorrow, and he turned his head toward the tent. For a general, the most important thing is to remain calm even in the face of disaster—yet that applies on the battlefield, in the command tent where military strategies are decided, not at home. When his father, Zhang Yu, died in battle, he had never shed tears before, but now he cried for the first time in his life. Yet afterward, he had no time to comfort his siblings. Before even removing his mourning clothes, he followed Zhu Di to the battlefield, because if Zhu Di lost, the Zhang family would face extermination.

Later, his sister entered the palace as an imperial concubine, while he fought battles across the country. Naturally, some in the court attacked her. His two younger brothers were naive, and his sister, as an imperial concubine, had always been in poor health but still bore the greatest pressure—she was unable to bear children and had no one to bring her joy. She had endured so many hardships for him and the Zhang family, but now she could take it no longer.

Facing the green curtain, he couldn’t help but whisper to himself, “Sister Hui, it’s my fault… I’m sorry.”

Watching Zhang Fu’s back tremble slightly, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but think of his mother and sister in Kaifeng. He had always thought of Zhang Fu as wise, calm, and low-key, always composed. But even men don’t shed tears easily—only when they’re truly heartbroken. Even the strongest men have moments of vulnerability, and Zhang Fu was no exception. Not daring to offer comfort, he gave Shi Quan a subtle signal.

As a court physician, Shi Quan was accustomed to life and death, so he wasn’t as moved as Zhang Yue. He stepped forward, bent slightly, and gently placed one hand on Zhang Fu’s right wrist. After examining it for a while, he said in a low voice, “Duke of Yingguo, the dead are gone, but the living remain. Please grieve in moderation. Your condition is showing signs of improvement now. If your grief causes further changes, not only your family but even the emperor will be worried. The pulse at your wrist is sluggish; after taking the medicine, you should rest for a while first.”

Only then did Zhang Fu come back to his senses. Seeing Zhang Yue’s anxious face by the bed and Shi Quan’s serious expression, he nodded slightly. When a maid brought the medicine outside, he drank it without hesitation and then lay down, falling into a deep sleep shortly after.

Witnessing this, Zhang Yue’s eyes widened in shock. Eventually, Shi Quan pulled him away. Outside, seeing that Zhang Qian was still there, he swallowed hard and asked Shi Quan, “What’s the actual situation with the First Uncle? Why did he fall asleep right after taking the medicine? Is he really asleep or…?”

“It seems the Duke of Yingguo was prepared. Although his pulse is sluggish, there aren’t any major fluctuations,” Shi Quan said, interrupting Zhang Yue’s growing agitation. He continued, “I added ingredients that calm the mind to the medicine, so he can sleep well. Don’t worry; these medicines are beneficial for his illness. It’s better for him to sleep rather than worry too much. As for the rest, no matter how much we think about it, it’s useless. The Duke will naturally understand the pros and cons.”

Zhang Qian, standing below the steps, nodded repeatedly. After checking that the Duke hadn’t had any severe reactions, he let out a long sigh, bowed, and went to arrange everything. With him leaving, Shi Quan returned to his office to record the medical case and consider how to adjust the prescription. Thus, only Zhang Yue remained in the corridor.

“Good. This time, I probably won’t be the only one questioned…”

Since the Consort was of high rank, her death required formal procedures handled by the Ministry of Rites. Zhu Di ordered that her funeral be conducted according to the rituals for Consort Chengmu of the Taizu era. Although the ill Duke of Yingguo, Zhang Fu, strongly refused, Zhu Di insisted and bestowed numerous precious medicines, gold, silver, and silk on him. Considering that Zhang Fu was grieving while ill, Zhu Di ordered the court physician Shi Quan to report on his condition daily. Eventually, several censors could no longer bear such excessive favoritism and submitted memorials to advise against it. Yang Rong and others also stepped forward to speak gently, and only then did Zhu Di stop.

As autumn gave way to winter, after the twelfth lunar month, Zhang Fu’s condition improved day by day. By the end of the year, he was even able to walk around, bringing great joy to his family. Since both Lady Wang and Zhang Fu’s brothers were in mourning, they could only send letters to Beijing; no one could come over for a while. Thus, in that large mansion, Zhang Yue was the only Zhang family member in charge of everything. Thanks to his strong physique, Zhang Qian stayed for a few more days, and things mostly went smoothly.

Yet, as Zhang Fu’s health improved, another concern remained in his mind—Liang Qian was still locked up in the Jinyiwei prison. Yuan Fang had promised to find out what had happened, but so far there was no news. He still didn’t know who had betrayed him, and even his attempts to visit Du Zhen proved fruitless.

It turned out that fate had its own plans. Although Zhang Fu survived this ordeal, his own issues remained unresolved. Du Zhen wasn’t a god who could predict everything, so he naturally didn’t know who the traitor was.

Amidst the heavy snowfall, a new year was about to begin.

Volume 4: The Road to Success
A favorable wind carries me high into the clouds. Yet on Zhang Yue’s path to success, too many people wanted to help him, which turned into a significant challenge. Faced with an irritable, suspicious, and capricious emperor, which outstretched olive branch should he choose?