Chapter 499: Settlement After the Fact, Yet Still No Peace
Arutai retreated in haste, and Xuanfu City once again returned to its prosperous state of music and celebration. The people, who had been initially panicked, remembered that Xuanfu was the strongest fortress among the nine border regions—no matter if the Tartars invaded, they would remain safe. Thus, merchants continued to buy low and sell high, and ordinary people went about their daily lives as usual. Only the military officers at all levels dared not slack off.
Marquis Wu’an Zheng Heng returned after seven years, still with his decisive and strict personality. Morning roll calls could not be delayed—otherwise, punishment with a military stick awaited, regardless of who it was. After enduring that, they still had to go out for drills and duties. As a result, the sound of horse hooves early in the morning became a common sound in Xuanfu City.
Wang Guan, the imperial officer in charge, no longer acted as arrogantly as before. Xu Heng was already a third-generation meritorious official, yet only a count, while Zheng Heng had truly joined the army from the start and ranked fifth among those who contributed to quelling the rebellion. Aside from the rising star, Duke Yingguo Zhang Fu, none of the first-generation nobles could compare to him. What made Wang Guan even more wary was that Zhang Yue, who had been trapped in Xinghe, not only managed to return successfully with honors but also gained the title of governor in charge of military affairs in Xuanfu—no longer just the infamous imperial envoy in charge of logistics.
Wang Guan was unhappy, but Lu Feng breathed a sigh of relief. Although he wasn’t the most powerful imperial officer in the capital, he still held considerable influence, especially since he headed the Eastern Depot, earning respect from everyone. Yet in Xuanfu, he faced constant obstacles. The Jinyiwei struggled greatly to exert control, thoroughly searching the entire city but catching only scoundrels—no spies at all. On top of that, he had to deal with Hai Shou’s sarcastic behavior day after day.
At the second hour of the si period that day, after Cheng Jiu dressed him in a bright red brocade robe embroidered with qilins and put a mink hat on him, he left with a copper hand warmer, thinking about what to say when he met Zhang Yue. He had already sent a message to Yuan Fang. Surely, that skillful commander of the Jinyiwei could come up with a plan. If only a few soldiers from here could be transferred away and replaced with a few capable ones, taking advantage of the current lull in military activities, he believed he could turn the situation in Xuanfu around. After all, wasn’t there also Zhang Yue?
Thinking of this, he hummed proudly, “Young men are like rabbit lambs born in humble burrows, stepping into the hunting ground for the first time. I, on the other hand, am like an old pheasant with weathered feathers, experienced in battle. Having faced bows, arrows, and spears, I’ve never fallen behind. How can I waste my prime years just because ‘in middle age, all is over’?”
Hearing these nonsensical lyrics, Cheng Jiu almost couldn’t help but laugh. Managing to hold back, he jokingly asked, “Sir, you seem in high spirits today. Just a few days ago, you said it was too cold to go out early in the morning!”
“Today is different from before. Don’t you understand?” Lu Feng casually picked up a glove and slapped it on Cheng Jiu’s head before laughing. “With the elite troops of the Jinyiwei approaching and Zhang Yue returning to oversee Xuanfu, why should I not be happy? That wretched Hai Shou will have to scram this time. Without his backing, I believe I can turn the situation around!”
“But Lord Zhang is only in charge of military affairs…”
“Wang Guan is an imperial-appointed official in charge of defense. As long as Zhang Yue is handling military affairs, he’ll still have plenty of opportunities to deal with him!” Lu Feng, who had already planned everything carefully, leaned lazily against the soft blue-and-white cushion and said nonchalantly, “Although there aren’t many good people among the Jinyiwei in Xuanfu, with enough silver, I can still make a difference. If I’m not mistaken, just as Zhang Yue arrived in Xinghe, the Tartar army suddenly besieged the city—this might not be a coincidence. If it really is Wang Guan’s doing, then he can expect the same fate as Huang Yan! Zhang Yue may seem gentle on the surface, but he’s actually a ruthless man. After all, there’s a saying: ‘We’ll settle accounts later.’”
Cheng Jiu didn’t agree, but seeing the fierce glint in Lu Feng’s eyes, he quickly pretended to be confused. It seemed this master had been suppressed severely in Xuanfu these days and might try to frame someone even if there was no real reason. After all, who could blame that eunuch in charge for his shady background?
This time, Zhang Yue returned from Xuanfu with a light entourage, much faster than when he went there carrying supplies last time. However, after being besieged in the icy weather for over ten days, his body was weakened. Even after taking the pills he carried, he still felt dizzy. Seeing this, Lian Sheng and Lian Hu, who were with him, grew even more anxious than during the siege and quickly consulted Hai Shou. They delayed for a night to see a doctor, helped Zhang Yue take a hot bath, and only set off again early the next morning.
Since Zhang Yue rarely got sick, the Lian brothers had no chance to take care of him. On the carriage, they could only keep wringing out towels and make sure the foot and hand warmers inside stayed well-ventilated. It wasn’t until Xuanfu came into sight that Lian Sheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He gently pushed Zhang Yue and said, “Young master, are you feeling any better? We’re almost there. Maybe we shouldn’t rush to meet those officials as soon as we enter the city.”
“It’s probably just a cold. There’s no need to avoid seeing anyone!”
He slept drowsily the whole way. Feeling a bit more energetic, Zhang Yue sat up slightly and ordered, “Go cook a bowl of brown sugar ginger soup later and drink it while it’s hot. Cover yourself with a blanket to sweat it out—that’s all. It’s just that I was too stressed a few days ago, and now all those symptoms have shown up. It’s no big deal. Remember, don’t tell anyone I’m sick. There’s no need to worry others over such a trivial matter. Hold on until we finish meeting everyone, then go back and sleep until dawn!”
“Not to mention the great danger you faced in Xinghe, last night the water in Wanquan was as thick as yellow mud. If the family found out, the young mistress might not say anything, but the madam would surely explode in anger! How dare the servant and the eldest brother tell anyone you were sick?”
Lian Hu forced a smile, fetched the brocade robe from the side, and helped Zhang Yue put it on. He then hurriedly combed his hair and put on the black gauze hat. In the end, he couldn’t help but complain again, “It would have been great if we could bring a maid like last time we went to the south. Whether it’s Sister Lingxi or any other sister, they’d take better care of us!”
“Shut up! This is official business, not a picnic!”
After scolding the two troublemaking brothers irritably, Zhang Yue ignored them further. He thought it was fortunate he had stayed in Wanquan overnight; otherwise, his disheveled appearance would have made it impossible for him to meet people. Adjusting the hem of his robe, he took a moment to admire the brocade robe with its large floral patterns. It had to be said—the emperor was never stingy when it came to rewarding people, but he was extremely tight-fisted when it came to tangible things. Even giving him the title of governor was already quite generous.
Since Meng Jun was busy with official duties and had to stay in Xinghe temporarily with Yue Jiayuan, the commander of the Xuanfu Left Guard, it was Zhou Bailing who led the remaining soldiers from the capital to escort Zhang Yue and Hai Shou back. The other wounded would be sent to Wanquan once the weather warmed up. Just as the group arrived at the north gate of Xuanfu, people who had been waiting there came forward to greet them. Among the officers from the general’s office, Lu Feng’s outfit adorned with qilin patterns stood out sharply, as if showing off to everyone, “I’m the supervisor of the Eastern Depot! I’m the emperor’s confidant!”
Hai Shou felt uneasy seeing Lu Feng’s bright outfit. Since his task was only to deliver Zhang Yue to Xuanfu, he had no interest even in staying in the city for a while. After giving a brief greeting, he rushed back to the capital with his entourage. Without this eye-catching figure around, Lu Feng no longer needed to avoid suspicion, smiling so broadly his eyes squinted.
“Hearing that you’ve returned safely, we got up early just to wait for you here in this windy place for an entire hour. Knowing that Marquis Wu’an has other plans for noon, we reserved a nice place for dinner tonight to welcome you and ease your worries. Of course, there are also a few important things I need to discuss with you!”
All the earlier words were nonsense; the last sentence was the most crucial. So Zhang Yue didn’t hesitate and readily agreed. Ever since he learned from prisoners that there were tens of thousands of bushels of grain stored in Xinghe Fort, he had harbored a concern, which grew into growing resentment over time.
As for Xinghe’s matter, it was temporarily settled. If he didn’t settle accounts, it would be unfair not only to himself but also to those soldiers who had died. Moreover, he would never believe that Wang Huan’s death and the slander against him had no connection!
Since he was a newly appointed official and his rank was higher than Zhang Yue’s, Marquis Wu’an Zheng Heng naturally wouldn’t go to the city gate to greet him personally. Instead, upon hearing that Zhang Yue had arrived, he went to the second gate of the general’s residence to welcome him. The two families lived next to each other, and Zheng Heng, who had once been the commander of the rear army, saw Zhang Yue frequently at court meetings and in daily life—so they were extremely familiar with each other. As soon as Zhang Yue bowed, Zheng Heng immediately helped him up.
“I won’t say much else. Since the emperor has assigned you to oversee military affairs in Xuanfu, I’ll give you two days to rest. In two days, there will be a grand parade at Xuanfu’s training ground involving the three towns of Xuanfu, as well as the Wanquan, Huailai, and Huai’an guards—about 70,000 people—all standing the whole day. After that, there are matters related to grain storage, military equipment, and military farming, all of which are related to military affairs. You’ll likely be very busy.”
Lu Feng couldn’t interject and, after thinking for a moment, smiled and found an excuse to leave first, giving Zhang Yue a wink before going. With him gone, Zheng Heng felt even more at ease and adopted an authoritative tone: “It’s already quite good that you performed so well on your first battle. If not for you delaying Arutai, the Oirats probably wouldn’t have sent envoys, and the bad situation might not have turned into something good. You seem pale—probably from catching a chill. Drink a bowl of ginger soup first, and at noon I’ll have the cooks prepare some warm home-cooked dishes for you. I also have other things to discuss with you!”
Lunch was served in the small garden hall of the general’s residence. After drinking a bowl of ginger soup, Zhang Yue felt much less tired. Faced with the large bowls of home-cooked dishes prepared by the cooks, he enjoyed his meal with great appetite. As the dishes were left in disarray, Zheng Heng suddenly spoke up, “Since you are the governor of Xuanfu, there are some matters I need to discuss with you. Someone has reported that Wang Guan has secretly passed military information from Xuanfu to the Eastern Palace.”