Chapter 141: Hidden Sharpness

Although Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang conferred titles on nearly a hundred meritorious families, he later used the Hu Weiyong and Lan Yu cases to persecute and kill many of them. By the Yongle era, barely one in ten of the founding heroes remained, with their prominence taken over by those who had risen to power alongside Zhu Di.

After ascending the throne, Emperor Yongle Zhu Di executed Fang Xiaoru’s entire family and killed a number of civil officials who refused to submit. However, he treated the highly accomplished military generals with great favor. Today, all the high-ranking officials in the Five Armies Command were dukes, marquises, and counts. Generals like Zhang Fu, who had outstanding military skills, served as commanders during campaigns and lived in the capital in comfort when not at war, while many other generals were stationed in various regions.

Compared to figures like Meng Shan, the Marquis of Baoding, who was stationed in Liaodong, Liu Sheng, the Marquis of Anyuan, who was in Ningxia, and Zheng Heng, the Marquis of Wu’an, who was in Xuanfu, Zhang Fu had made remarkable contributions in his four campaigns against Jiaozhi. Yet, since Emperor Yongle Zhu Di considered Jiaozhi far in the southwest and did not want to assign a trusted general like Zhang Fu there, Zhang Fu, though not holding a position in the Five Armies Command, still enjoyed greater favor than the other commanders. Now that he had recovered from illness and returned, he was often summoned to the palace, where he stayed despite not holding any official duties—this was even better than being actively in charge. That day, he returned home only at dusk.

Although the Gu family still lived in the Duke of Yingguo’s residence, it was naturally impossible for everyone to dine together every day. They each ate separately and would gather in the Gu family’s room after dinner to talk. Zhang Fu also attended every night. The Gu family had suggested several times that he was too busy, but he always replied with a smile that it was his duty to be filial to his aunt, which moved everyone who heard it.

After attending to the Gu family’s bedtime routines in the evening, everyone left the room. Zhang Yue saw his mother, Sun Shi, calling for him. Seeing Zhang Fu talking with his father, Zhang Zhuo, he took a deep breath and stepped forward, ready to find an excuse to speak. But then Zhang Fu suddenly turned his head.

“Brother Zhuo and sister-in-law, please go back first. I have something to say to Brother Yue. Let him come with me to the study now; I’ll send him back shortly.”

With that, Zhang Zhuo and Sun Shi had no choice but to leave. Dong Fangshi and Feng Shi watched Zhang Yue follow Zhang Fu, their eyes filled with envy as well as admiration. Thinking of how Zhang Yue had taken care of Zhang Fu during his illness, they felt somewhat relieved, but still couldn’t help admiring Zhang Yue’s good fortune. After all, with the Duke of Yingguo’s support in his career, his rise to success was only a matter of time.

Madam Wang never cared about matters outside. Since Zhang Fu had taken Zhang Yue to the study, she bid farewell to everyone and returned to her own room. The others also went back to their own homes. Lingxi, who had seen everyone leave gradually, turned back, pulled back the curtain, and entered the room. Holding a candleholder, she gently lifted the gauze curtain and saw that Lady Gu was still awake and not yet asleep. She placed the candleholder on the red carved rosewood stool beside the bed, then knelt on one knee at the edge of the bed and helped Lady Gu sit up slightly.

“Madam, the third young master has gone to the study with the Duke of Britain to discuss matters. Everyone else has left.”

Lady Gu was old and not used to going to bed early; she slept lightly in the middle of the night and woke up easily. Even as Lingxi propped a pillow behind her back, she pondered for a moment before asking, “Did the Duke of Britain say what the matter was?”

“He didn’t say clearly. He just mentioned there were some matters and said someone would send the third young master back soon.”

Lady Gu was old, and Zhang Fu treated her with the same filial devotion as if she were his own mother. Though she felt relieved, she knew this was merely out of the kindness she had shown to the three brothers back in the day. She didn’t want to rely on such merits to seek anything for her descendants. After all, Zhang Fu had already done so much to help them—even the family’s property in the capital was enough to support them for a lifetime.

“It seems he truly treats Brother Yue differently among the younger ones. Sigh, the Duke of Britain’s family has so many troubles. His mother passed away early, and his father died in battle. At that time, the youngest of the three brothers was only twelve. He fought on the battlefield to support his younger siblings, ensuring the Zhang family’s reputation remained intact, yet his brothers failed to manage themselves properly. If I had known then, I should have stayed longer so that Zhang Fu and Zhang Jie wouldn’t end up like this.”

“That’s true, Madam.”

Lingxi nodded in agreement. After chatting for a while and helping Lady Gu lie back down, she carefully tucked the blanket around her. Just as she was about to pull back the gauze curtain, Lady Gu suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly. Shocked, Lingxi looked down and saw that Lady Gu was staring at her intently. She quickly asked, “Is there anything else you need, Madam?”

“If Brother Yue really manages to pass the imperial examinations this time, then follow him.”

Gu Shi’s tone was unusually calm, yet her gaze was fixed intently on her loyal maid who had served her for many years: “A few years ago, some people outside also asked for you. Some shamelessly wanted to take you as a concubine, while others intended to marry you as a secondary wife to fill their household. I was reluctant to let you go back then, as I couldn’t do without you by my side. Now that I’m growing older and no longer as strong as before, I must find you a proper place to go. Yue Ge’s two maids are fine, but they’re still not as good as you. Considering the current state of the Duke of Yingguo, the Zhang family’s future prosperity depends at least on him. Jiu Ge is still young and needs his elder brother’s guidance.”

Lingxi’s face paled at that moment, and it took her a long time before she managed to utter, “Elderly Lady…”

“I’ve watched you closely over the years. You’ve always treated both the master and the young masters with respect, never acting selfishly. As for those outsiders, there’s no need to say more—your judgment surely disdains them. You once said you wanted to become a nun after serving me for a lifetime, but I don’t want such a decisive decision from you. Lingxi, I don’t misjudge people. Although you’re older, considering how many years you’ve been with me, he surely won’t treat you poorly. You’ll have someone to rely on for the rest of your life.”

Though these words came suddenly, Lingxi quickly regained her composure after her initial shock. Facing the irresistible force in her hands and Gu Shi’s unyielding gaze, she sighed softly in her heart. After taking a deep breath, she said resolutely, “I remember all the kindness the elderly lady has shown me. If you ask me to serve the third young master, I won’t hesitate. But if you ask me to… forgive me for being bold, but if the third young master is that kind of person, I’m afraid Qiuhen and Hupu would have already taken him as their husband.”

Zhang Yue followed Zhang Fu into the side passage. Seeing the woman carrying the lantern gradually moving farther away, with the maids behind her also keeping a distance, he knew this wasn’t the right time to speak. He began to ponder the words of Princess Chenliu from earlier that day. That young princess had a straightforward personality, and since she mentioned these things, they must not be baseless—her information should be reliable. However, Zhang Fu was known for being extremely cautious. Although Du Zhen wasn’t an ordinary outsider, some matters could be handled in various ways depending on the situation.

After leaving the second gate, the maids stopped and were replaced by several young servants. Finally, they reached the study. As soon as Zhang Yue and Zhang Fu entered, the door was tightly closed by the servants outside. It was then that Zhang Yue realized Zhang Fu had called him here to talk, not that he intended to bring up Du Zhen’s matter first.

Zhang Fu sat down in the grand armchair behind the desk, then nodded slightly at Zhang Yue to signal him to sit as well. Immediately afterward, he spoke bluntly without any hesitation: “I went to the palace to see the emperor today, and on my way out, I happened to meet the crown prince, and that’s when I heard some news. Your teacher, Du Yishan, used to be the governor of Shandong—something you should already know. Although it was the emperor’s appointment, it was actually at the Prince of Zhao’s request, who pointed out the chaos in Shandong and the need for a capable official there.”

Hearing this behind-the-scenes information, Zhang Yue was almost shocked enough to jump up from his chair. Managing to suppress his impulse, he quickly asked, “Uncle, I’ve also heard that Shandong isn’t peaceful these days, with bandits running rampant. The Provincial Judicial Commission is responsible for cracking down on bandits, while the Military Command is tasked with maintaining order in the region. If it’s just the Provincial Administration, even the most capable official might not be able to turn around the situation in Shandong.”

“So you know about this too.” Zhang Fu let out a deep sigh, his already furrowed brows knitting even tighter. “Imperial affairs are decided by those at the top, and it’s never harmful for subjects to get involved. Back in the day, Qiu Fu was ranked first among the meritorious officials, but his entire family was ruined after a disastrous northern campaign, partly because he had previously spoken rashly about who should become the crown prince. As for Xie Jin, he was just a minor civil official who brought disaster upon himself by overestimating his own intelligence. Although I share a brotherly bond with the Prince of Han and used to have frequent interactions with him, I never crossed certain boundaries. Even so, it almost cost your uncle his life.”

Zhang Yue knew he should listen more and speak less, so he remained silent and listened attentively. Sure enough, Zhang Fu soon explained the deeper motives behind the Prince of Zhao’s actions.

“The Prince of Zhao has long aspired to take the throne, but he’s inferior to the crown prince in literature and to the Prince of Han in military prowess. Moreover, he’s involved in many illegal activities, which is why the emperor has never favored him. Now that the Prince of Han is far away in Shandong, his chances of seizing the throne have diminished significantly. The crown prince is in Nanjing, acting as regent, while the Prince of Zhao is by the emperor’s side. He has changed a lot since before, and it’s no wonder he might develop other ambitions now. If Du Yishan goes to Shandong and suppresses the Prince of Han, the emperor may not be pleased. If he doesn’t suppress him, the Prince of Han’s tyranny could spark uprisings, putting him in even greater danger. Additionally, since Shandong is close to Beijing, it will bear the brunt of any conscription efforts, making it extremely difficult for Du Yishan as governor.”

If Zhang Yue had been worried before, now his worry turned into panic. Vaguely, he felt as though a name was trying to surface in his mind, but it was obscured by countless threads, making it impossible to recall at the moment.

“Although Du Yishan doesn’t side with any faction, he is quite famous among the civil officials in the capital. Besides, everyone knows he was your teacher. It seems that though I stayed out in the background, I was still played by others.” Zhang Fu stood up, took a few steps around, then turned and said, “Wei Qing, the commander of the Shandong military forces, once fought under my command. Although civil officials can’t command military officers, I’ve asked him to look after you a bit. I think it will be of some help, but it’s hard to say for sure. Also…”

“It’s certain that your name is on the list of candidates for the imperial examinations. The final examination will be even easier for you, so it’s already settled that you’ll pass this time. The safest path is naturally to become a scholar in the Hanlin Academy, but that noble route suits other civil officials and may not suit you, after all, you’re my nephew. Think it over carefully. If you want to be assigned as a county magistrate, that’s also an option. With me in the capital, even if you have little skill, no one will dare to dismiss you!”

It was the first time Zhang Yue had seen Zhang Fu display such confidence. Surprised, he also felt a sense of realization—although he usually kept a low profile, this was indeed the top military official under the emperor, Zhang Fu, the Duke of Yingguo, with an annual salary of three thousand dan!