Chapter 649: A Series of Skilled Moves – Planning an Escape in Advance

Although they had earlier been thinking about causing a ruckus at the Imperial University, upon receiving the summons to go to the capital, everyone in the Han Prince’s mansion hesitated, especially Zhu Gaoxu. Though he was proud of his martial skills, the capital was not his territory after all. Zhu Gaochi was now the emperor, and he could easily find any excuse to detain him. If that happened, it would be foolish of him to go there willingly. After discussing it for a night and a day, he still couldn’t make up his mind.

Zhang Yue was sent to urge them on, but he wasn’t very diligent in doing so. It was Li Mo, the chief secretary of the mansion, who couldn’t stand by idly. He knelt in front of Xuanren Hall and pleaded with them. Coupled with Zhu Gaoxu’s unwillingness to stay passive, it wasn’t until the third morning that they finally decided on the departure date. The escort force numbered as many as two thousand men. Since this was a funeral procession, it wasn’t appropriate to travel by boat as usual, so they took the official road north, taking a long time before reaching Beijing.

Whether by design or coincidence, on the day before Zhu Gaoxu arrived in the capital—the 27th day when the mourning period ended—all officials had changed into their regular clothes. Thus, although the Han Prince was wearing mourning attire, he missed Zhu Di’s grand funeral—the tenth day after Zhu Gaochi brought Zhu Di’s coffin to Renzhi Palace, he sent Zhang Yue to summon him. Zhang Yue only took three days and nights to make the journey, while Zhu Gaoxu took a full fifteen days. This comparison clearly showed the difference in speed.

Though Zhang Yue was curious about how the brothers Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaoxu would meet, he was more concerned about the fact that he hadn’t been home for over two months. After reporting the details of his mission to Minister of Rites Lu Zhen, he immediately rushed home at full speed. Upon arriving at the West Corner Gate, he jumped off his horse, tossed the reins to the two gatekeepers, and strode inside. Just at the second gate, he saw a snow-white figure rushing toward him.

“Brother!”

Zhang Yue crouched down and picked her up. Seeing that Zhang Jing was wearing a white satin jacket with a front closure and a white silk skirt, with only two buns tied in her hair, he quickly took off his own coat and wrapped it around her. “How could you wait in the wind wearing such little clothing in such cold weather? You might get sick!”

Seeing Mother Cui chasing after him out of breath, he asked, “Why did you dress Jing in such clothes? Except that officials are required to wear plain clothes for 27 days, all other soldiers and civilians also need to do so for 27 days. Isn’t the time already passed? Besides, it’s freezing cold outside—she doesn’t even have a cloak to keep warm. Getting sick won’t be fun.”
“I’m wearing very thick clothes inside, all made by my sister-in-law. There’s no need for a cloak; you should wear one instead, brother!”
Zhang Jing jumped down from Zhang Yue’s arms, took off her heavy coat, and forced it onto Zhang Yue. Then she said firmly, “Sister said that during yesterday’s court session, all officials had already changed into festive clothes, except for the emperor, Grand Preceptor Yang, and Uncle Dalang, who still wore plain hats and linen clothes. The emperor praised Uncle Dalang for being more courteous than the six ministers, calling him a role model for all officials. So, Father said that with such praise, our family should also be careful and wear plain clothes. Those furs and cloaks should be put away for now and discussed later.”
Mother Cui quickly smiled and said, “It’s great that Third Miss remembered everything clearly. That’s exactly what happened. Our young mistress said that because of the Duke of Yingguo, countless eyes are watching us, so everyone from top to bottom must be careful. Father agreed, and none of the young masters and mistresses had any objections, so that’s how it was decided.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue nodded and walked away, holding Zhang Jing’s hand while deep in thought. Suddenly, he remembered that Zhang Jing had mentioned Father earlier, and Mother Cui had also spoken of Father. He immediately stopped and asked, “Jing, you just mentioned Father? Has Father arrived in the capital?”
“That’s right. Father has come. He said Uncle Eldest sent him to the capital to handle some matters. It’s a pity Mother didn’t come along.” Mentioning her mother, Zhang Jing felt nostalgic and frowned slightly before looking up and saying, “Brother, I miss Mother so much. When will we go back to Kaifeng Mansion to visit her? Ah, I forgot—I mentioned it earlier. Father left earlier, so let’s go see Sister first!”
Prompted by the girl’s words, Zhang Yue also thought of his mother, Lady Sun. Ever since they left Kaifeng, he had seen his parents infrequently, only managing to meet them a few times a year. Every time they met, Lady Sun would scold and admonish him as if he were still a child. Anyway, he wondered if his mother in Kaifeng would be worrying since his father had gone to the capital alone.

Before reaching his own courtyard, Zhang Yue saw someone peeking at the entrance over there, and soon after, he heard a commotion. Seeing several people coming out, with Du Wan at the front, he hurried over quickly. As they talked and walked inside, he quietly grasped her hand and squeezed it firmly. Du Wan tried to pull away but couldn’t, and since no one else seemed to notice, she let him do as he wished, though she gave him a disdainful look.

Entering the room with the heated kang, Zhang Yue tossed his cloak to a maid and then let her fetch water for him to wash his face and hands. After sitting down on the seat to the east of the kang, his wet nurse brought Xiao Jingguan forward to kowtow in greeting. Seeing the child kneel neatly and touch his forehead, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but laugh. He stood up and picked up the child and placed him on the kang.

“San San is taking a nap; it’s too cold, so I didn’t bring her here,” Du Wan explained. When she saw Qiu Hen and Hu Bo also coming forward to bow, she added, “There have been many matters outside these days, and plenty at home as well. My aunt can’t handle it all by herself, so my sister-in-law and I often go there to help. Most of the household affairs are taken care of by those two.”

Zhang Yue personally helped Qiu Hen and Hu Bo up, then said to everyone with a smile, “I’m away for long periods each time I leave. Thanks to you all for keeping the household in good order.” As he spoke, he teased Xiao Jingguan in his arms. Noticing that his son treated him like a stranger, he sighed and simply rubbed the child’s head before letting Du Wan take him away.

Although he had gone from the cold outside to the warm indoor space, his frozen hands and feet couldn’t warm up quickly. He unconsciously rubbed his hands. At that moment, someone handed him a plum-shaped hand warmer decorated with patterns of fortune, longevity, and health. Seeing it was Qiu Hen, Zhang Yue smiled and took it, holding it with both hands. He let out a long sigh and moved back slightly, leaning against the back of the kang chair.

“I’ve been on the go outside for almost three months; my bones feel like they’re falling apart. It’s rare to be able to lie around comfortably like this. By the way, has everything been okay at home these days? A few days ago, all the court officials’ wives had to go to Sishan Gate to mourn. Have you all managed to hold on?”

“It’s been okay. With my aunt’s reminder, we were prepared in advance. Besides, it was only three days. The four of us wives in the family are strong, so we managed to get through it. But since you’ve been either at the yamen or on the go outside, your brothers have been very worried about you. Needless to say, my eldest and second brothers are concerned, and my fourth brother even asked fellow scholars to keep an eye out for news. Oh, I forgot to tell you—those three of them all passed the provincial exams!”

These days have been incredibly busy, and Zhang Yue hasn’t had time to ask about this matter at all. Learning about it now is naturally a great joy. After inquiring about the rankings, he sighed and said, “My grandmother always hoped that Xiao Si would become successful and responsible. Since Xiao Qi is her nephew from her natal family, these two things alone are enough to comfort her. But Xiao Fang passing the exam is an unexpected blessing—he’s only sixteen after all. My great-uncle and his wife must also be happy… It’s just unclear how the imperial examinations will be arranged next year with the national mourning period in place.”

In the early Ming dynasty, the examinations weren’t strictly held every three years, nor were grand exams held for every coronation or celebration like in the Qing dynasty. So Zhang Yue wasn’t sure whether the examinations would still take place as scheduled next year. Du Wan, however, had heard something from her father and said with a smile, “Although it’s a period of national mourning, the imperial examinations are after all a way to select talents. The emperor won’t disregard them lightly. Many scholars have already gathered in the capital, so the examinations probably won’t be postponed. Besides, both my fourth brother and the other two are prepared for this. My fourth brother is at home today—he’ll come over shortly. If you’re worried, just talk to him directly.”

As Du Wan said, Zhang Jiu arrived soon after. The brothers naturally had a lot to talk about. In the evening, Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi returned. Although the 27-day mourning period had passed and they could now eat meat and drink alcohol, out of caution, they all drank tea instead of alcohol and sat together to talk after dinner. During the conversation, Zhang Chao suddenly remembered something and put down his teacup.

“Every noble who accompanied the emperor was granted white gold coins, agarwood, pepper, and other rewards, and the military officers who accompanied them also received their share. Previously, Peng Shisan refused to serve in government, but this time, due to his contributions in saving the emperor, the emperor promoted him to the rank of Qianhu in the Shence Wei and Shi Baihu. Because of his loyalty and righteousness, the emperor specially ordered that he not take up official duties and continue to serve the Duke of Yingguo. Not only him, but many other officers also received rewards. Since the Meng brothers were previously in Peng Shisan’s army, they asked the emperor not to give them immediate rewards but to allow them to stay in Danning, with rewards given later if they made further contributions. The emperor agreed to this.”

Zhang Yue felt greatly relieved. It was easy to accept rewards at that moment, but it was hard to guarantee no future issues. By showing their true intentions now, they laid the groundwork for the future—at least Zhu Gaochi would be less likely to hold them accountable for Meng Xian’s past actions. He immediately praised, “Good! Meng Tao and Meng Fan have finally come to their senses!”

“I told you, the third brother and we’ve never had the same way of thinking. I even thought they were slow-witted!” Zhang Qi helplessly spread his hands and sighed. “During the time you were in Shandong, many things happened in the capital. The first was that censors accused several high officials of not observing mourning rites, drinking and eating as if nothing had happened. There were nearly a dozen dukes, marquises, and other nobles, including the Duke of Chengguo, the Duke of Dingguo, and the Marquis of Xing’an, as well as Minister Guo of the Ministry of Revenue. At least six or seven other officials were also involved. In the end, the emperor pardoned the nobles and Minister Guo, but punished the rest. Still, many lost face because of this.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Jiu took over: “The second matter was that the King of Zhou submitted a request to come to the capital to perform sacrificial rites. The emperor refused, citing the king’s old age, and ordered an official to represent him. But the King of Zhou pleaded earnestly and submitted another request. Now, the emperor has allowed Princess Chenliu to come to the capital to perform the rites. According to my third uncle, there is a serious conflict between the King of Zhou’s heir and the King of Runan. This time, the King of Zhou sent Princess Chenliu along with his chief secretary to the capital—firstly because the emperor once favored Princess Chenliu, and secondly, probably to protect his descendants.”

Mentioning King Zhu Tu of Zhou reminded Zhang Yue of Princess Chenliu Zhu Ning’s instructions when he returned home to bury his grandmother. He hadn’t expected that the affairs of the King of Zhou’s family still hadn’t been resolved up to now. The three brothers then told him about various appointments and trivial matters that had happened these days. By the end, he was deeply puzzled, until Zhang Chao simply shrugged with a smile.

“It was Xiao Si who asked us to pay attention to these things. He said you’re always meticulous and would definitely want to know about them when you return. Instead of having you waste effort, we thought it would be better if we noted them down so you don’t have to spend as much time. Hey, I’m not saying it, but Xiao Si is becoming more and more like you.”

It was then that Zhang Yue understood why the information was so detailed. Seeing Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi exchanging smiles, and Zhang Jiu acting as if it were obvious, he felt an unusual warmth in his heart. Just then, he heard a servant’s voice from outside.

“Third young master, the third master has returned. He wants you to go to the outer study to talk!”

Since Zhang Zhuo had returned, Zhang Yue stood up. Before leaving, he turned to Zhang Chao and the other two brothers and bowed deeply before striding away. It was already the third hour of the evening, and a curfew had been in effect. As he walked outside, he wondered where his father had been all day. By the time he reached the study door, he had an idea.

After Zhang Zhuo passed the imperial examinations, he was assigned to serve in the south of the Yangtze River, and hardly ever stayed in this mansion, so he didn’t build another study. Whenever he returned, he naturally used Zhang Yue’s self-reflection chamber as a study. As soon as Zhang Yue stepped through the threshold, he saw Zhang Zhuo sitting in the armchair in the center, lost in thought. He stepped forward, called out “Dad,” and quickly bowed four times.

It had been over half a year since the father and son last saw each other. So Zhang Zhuo helped Zhang Yue up and examined him from head to toe before ordering him to sit down. Yet his expression remained tense. After asking about Zhang Yue’s experiences in the north, he expressed both comfort and concern, then let out a long sigh and fell silent.

After a while, Zhang Yue broke the silence in the room: “Did Dad come to the capital for Uncle Yuan?”

Zhang Zhuo and his son had always been straightforward with each other. Hearing Zhang Yue ask so directly, he hesitated for a moment before nodding. “With the emperor’s ascension, many things have changed. Your uncle Yuan can no longer serve as the commander of the Jinyiwei. He recently received an order to be transferred to the Left Military Governor’s Office in Nanjing, though the hereditary position of commander he was promised before remains unchanged. Now that the Jinyiwei headquarters has been filled with new people, he is busy packing to head south.”

Seeing Zhang Yue frown, Zhang Zhuo knew well that he understood the situation, so he said, “You don’t need to worry. He has already planned his backup. Plus, you arranged many people to assist him before, so he should be safe.”

Zhang Yue had always refrained from asking about his father’s relationship with Yuan Fang. Hearing Zhang Zhuo speak so casually about it, he could only sigh. Recalling what his brothers had said earlier, he couldn’t help but admire Zhu Gaochi’s years of patience. Now that he had seized power, his moves were perfectly timed. As he thought about this, he remembered his earlier assumption that he would only stay in the Ministry of Rites for a short time. Before leaving the capital for Le’an, he had met Yang Shiji, and he smiled inwardly.

Zhu Gaochi was certainly not like Zhu Di. Rather than stay here and draw attention, he naturally had to plan his departure early!