Chapter 654: Uncle and Nephew’s Plans

Since the national mourning began, Grand Tutor and Duke of Yingguo, Zhang Fu, had been extremely busy—handling everything from the new emperor’s accession ceremonies to pay homage to heaven and earth, to bestowing posthumous titles on the late emperor and empress with full honors, and to conferring titles on the empress using imperial seals and treasures… In short, he was engaged in the most honorable tasks, yet every action was under close scrutiny, allowing no room for error. Add to this the numerous military matters handled by the Central Army Command, and he became so busy that he didn’t even have time to return home.

That day, with all preparations complete, he was granted half a day off after meeting with the emperor. Though he was a grand tutor and duke entitled to travel in an eight-pole sedan chair, with the kings of Han and Zhao still in the capital, he preferred not to draw too much attention. Exhausted from recent days, he lacked the energy to ride a horse, so he switched to a heated sedan chair carried by two men and rushed home without any entourage. Just as they reached the entrance of Qingshui Hutong, the chair suddenly stopped. Lifting the curtain, he saw a long line of sedan chairs and carriages blocking most of the alley.

“Master? Should we take the back road?”

Seeing the bustling scene and imagining how crowded his home might be, Zhang Fu frowned. Then, an idea struck him, and he ordered, “Change course. Head to Wu’an Hou Hutong.”

His attendants immediately understood. The two porters adjusted the direction, and the others quickly turned their horses. When they arrived at Wu’an Hou Hutong, it was eerily quiet—two nobles living there were either stationed in Kaiping or Jiaozhi. Although the latter shared the same surname as Zhang Fu, they were still distant relatives. After all, news that Zhang Yue had been appointed vice governor of Yingtian Prefecture was already widespread, and anyone with a bit of sense knew this nobleman no longer held as much influence as when Zhu Di was alive.

Zhang Yue’s close relationship with the crown prince was also a factor that made it risky for others to associate with him. After all, the former crown prince had been Zhu Di’s favorite grandson, while the current crown prince was merely the second-in-line heir. Getting too close to him carried no benefits.

Though there were no guests, the two gatekeepers at the west gate of the Yangwu Bo’s residence still performed their duties diligently. Seeing someone approaching, one of them went out to inquire. Upon realizing it was Zhang Fu, he was shocked. After greeting him, he quickly sent someone inside to announce his arrival. Soon, the butler Gao Quan rushed out. Seeing Zhang Fu safely out of the chair, he bowed respectfully and ordered the main gate to be opened. Only when Zhang Fu waved his hand, saying there was no need for such formalities, did he stop and quickly stand by his side.

“It is said that the Duke of Ying is extremely busy these days. I really didn’t expect you to come. The third and fourth young masters happen to be at home; they’ll come out to greet you in a moment.”
Zhang Fu didn’t reply. Upon entering the west gate, he glanced around and saw that everything had returned to its usual state. He couldn’t help but think of the times when the Gu family was still there, and then of Zhu Di who had left, filling his heart with growing sorrow. It wasn’t until he heard voices again that he came back to his senses. Seeing Zhang Yue and Zhang Jiu, he pulled them up one by one.
These days, Zhang Yue had been busy arranging matters for traveling south, secretly meeting Cui Fanzhi, an official from the Ministry of War, to discuss espionage, gathering information about the Wan Shi Festival through various channels, recommending the old tutor the clan school had agreed to appoint, looking for a new one, and also considering the possibility of moving the capital to Nanjing… Though he was at home, he was even busier than in the government office. Now that he saw Zhang Fu, he didn’t need to inquire further at the Duke of Ying’s residence—after all, even Lady Wang rarely saw Zhang Fu these days.
“I was just thinking when I could visit the eldest uncle at home. I didn’t expect you to be free today.”
“No matter how busy I am, it’s nothing compared to those ministers and scholars who work day and night in the palace’s inner chambers. Today, I happened to have some free time. I originally planned to go home to rest quietly and recover, but before I even got there, I saw all this hustle and bustle. I really didn’t feel like dealing with those chaotic people, so I came here to hide away.”
As he spoke, Zhang Fu asked Zhang Jiu about the imperial examinations and encouraged him, saying, “The emperor has already discussed this with the scholars. The examinations next year will proceed as usual, and since it’s the first examination after a new era begins, it will be even more grand. Work hard, and be sure to return as a successful candidate!”
Zhang Fu carried great authority; even cousins like Zhang Xin and Zhang Zhuo feared him, let alone Zhang Jiu. After bowing in response, Zhang Jiu felt that Zhang Fu must have come to discuss something with Zhang Yue, so he excused himself under the pretext of going back to study. Once he left, Zhang Yue suggested, “If the eldest uncle wants to rest, please go to the room west of Ruiqing Hall. If you still have energy, why not come to my Zixing Studio?”
“Let’s go to your study then,” Zhang Fu replied without hesitation. Upon arriving at Zixing Studio, seeing Zhang Yue pull back the curtain himself, he casually took off his outer robe and handed it to Peng Shisan, instructing him to wait outside before stepping inside first. He had been here before, and now he felt a warmth enveloping him, with the scent of ink filling the air, prompting him to nod in approval.

“I thought you had suddenly changed to an official position outside the capital and would surely spend these rare few days before leaving to be with your wife and children at home. Who would have thought you’d be buried in books? Your wife, though young and polite, must be annoyed by now!”
Over the years, Zhang Yue had hardly ever heard Zhang Fu tease him like this. He was momentarily stunned before forcing a wry smile. “Your words are indeed true, Uncle, but I need an opportunity too. These days, you’re either in the palace or at the government office. Only my aunt is at home. Second uncle hasn’t remarried, and third uncle’s wife is sick, so naturally, my aunt has to turn to my wife. Now that you’ve run away, she’s probably still dealing with various official matters.”
After walking around the study, Zhang Fu sat down at Zhang Yue’s desk. Seeing him open a cloth bag and take out the teapot that had been kept warm inside, he poured tea and brought it over. Zhang Yue accepted it and took a sip before hearing those words, almost choking on it. After coughing twice, he glared at Zhang Yue, who was still smiling, then laughed again.
“It seems I’m still preventing you and your wife from enjoying a peaceful life. Very well, I’ll have your aunt apologize to you later! I came today partly to avoid the guests at home and partly to see you off in advance. I’m busy now, and I doubt I’ll have time when the day you leave arrives. As for this situation, I told you back then—I know you’re not the kind to stay patient, but I still had to remind you. I originally planned to promote you to governor of Yangzhou. The appointment as deputy magistrate of Yingtian Prefecture was decided by the Empress.”
Although Amber had met Empress Zhang at the Chongguo Temple that day, and Lu Feng had revealed those words afterward, Zhang Yue had been pondering about Emperor Zhu Gaochi and Empress Zhang, a couple who had shared hardships for decades. It’s said it’s easy to share hardships but hard to share prosperity. Even if he didn’t think this most noble couple in the world would follow that saying, he still found Zhu Gaochi’s unrestrained indulgence despicable. After all, Zhu Gaochi’s once diligent and cautious demeanor was deeply ingrained in the hearts of many officials.
So, he was only slightly surprised before asking solemnly, “Please teach me, Uncle.”

“Now, although the second and third brothers have both been promoted because of me, there are countless positions of commander in the capital, so it doesn’t really matter. Your father and your uncle are both civil officials, and if they hadn’t been in mourning, things would have been easier to arrange. As for you, with so many merits accumulated yet unrewarded—even just considering your services as an attendant—you should have been promoted by one or two ranks. That’s why there was quite a bit of discussion. After all, your father-in-law has little experience, so out of concern for avoiding conflicts, he couldn’t speak much. Most others suggested sending you as a prefect elsewhere, and some even proposed changing you to a military position… The emperor hadn’t made a decision at first, but after one night, he decided to appoint you as the deputy governor of Yingtian Prefecture, which is why there was that imperial edict.”

Zhang Fu casually took a pen from the inkstone, about to dip it in ink, but stopped. Instead, he dipped his finger in tea and drew a few strokes on the table before continuing, “The empress suggested appointing you as the deputy governor of Yingtian Prefecture. This was revealed by Eunuch Zhang from the Imperial Workshop. He also mentioned that the emperor intends to move the capital back to Nanjing. The ministers in the cabinet have strongly advised against this, so it’s just mentioned now, but it shows the emperor has this idea in mind. Moreover, in a while, the emperor is likely to send the crown prince to Nanjing to pay respects at the Ancestral Tomb.”

Even though he had been in official service for five years, compared to Zhang Fu’s over twenty years of experience, Zhang Yue only had a few hundred years of insight, not true experience. Listening carefully, he felt as if he was vaguely recalling something. When he heard the words “pay respects at the Ancestral Tomb,” he finally paled.

He took a deep breath before whispering, “The emperor has been the crown prince for over twenty years. Back when he and Emperor Taizong were in the north and south respectively, they could barely coexist peacefully. But whenever father and son, emperor and subject met again…” What followed was somewhat treasonous, so Zhang Yue could only gloss over it. “Now, the emperor believes he is still strong and vigorous, and the crown prince is also young and fit. So, if the crown prince goes to pay respects at the Ancestral Tomb, the emperor might leave the crown prince to guard Nanjing. Or the emperor might return to Nanjing himself and leave the crown prince to guard Beijing.”

“You’re quite bold in guessing. But I think it’s pretty accurate.”

Seeing Zhang Yue’s panicked expression, Zhang Fu knew right away that he had understood. He put down the pen and waved at him again. “Look, this is the water and land routes from Nanjing to Beijing. The water route is smooth, but the Grand Canal freezes during certain times, and floods and siltation can also occur. The land routes are official roads that are constantly repaired, but they’re difficult to use too if the weather is bad. In any case, these are the main routes between the two capitals. If the heir to the throne really has to live in separate places, these two routes become extremely important. I’m in the north, so…”

“So I’m in the south so that I can coordinate with the north and south,” Zhang Yue took a deep breath before saying to Zhang Fu, “I always thought Nanjing wasn’t necessarily a place for leisurely retirement, and now I’m even less willing to slack off. Uncle, rest assured. By the way, the Xiangcheng Lord who’s staying in Nanjing is my sister-in-law’s full brother…”

“After all, since some are concerned that the Xiangcheng Lord is an in-law of our family, he’s been assigned to guard Shanhaiguan. But having guarded Nanjing for many years, he still has some influence. Also, your aunt’s family is from the Huaiyang region, like Wang Xunliang, the Transport Commissioner of the Two Huai Regions whom you dealt with before.” Zhang Fu mentioned a few more names before adding, “However, most of our family members are in the north; in the south, we only have estates and businesses, along with plenty of wealth. The Han King stayed in Nanjing for a full fifteen years. The Crown Prince doesn’t dare to cultivate personal followers recklessly, but he’s different. In this city of Nanjing, it’s unclear who are the Han King’s loyalists. You once went to the south carrying the Imperial Sword, and your reputation still lingers to this day—use that to your advantage. I’ll have Peng Shisan accompany you; he’s familiar with the area.”

After further discussion, seeing Zhang Fu looking tired, Zhang Yue offered that there was a soft couch in his study, inviting Zhang Fu to rest there for a while. Extremely exhausted, Zhang Fu agreed and fell into a deep sleep shortly after lying down. Once he was settled, Zhang Yue quietly left. Seeing Peng Shisan yawning nonstop at the door, he called out to him.

“Uncle has already gone to sleep. Go rest in the room over there for now; I’ll have someone guard here.” Before Peng Shisan could refuse, Zhang Yue added irritably, “When Uncle wakes up, he might head off somewhere. How can you function if you’re not rested? This isn’t some other place—get some good sleep to regain your strength!”

With that, Peng Shisan couldn’t find any reason to object. He turned, peeked inside through the curtain, and then followed a servant inside. Zhang Yue also assigned two dependable servants to guard outside before leaving the courtyard. He quickly passed through the small gate on the east side, went around a screen wall, and heard Gao Quan’s voice coming from outside ahead.

“This time the Third Young Master is going to the south of the Yangtze River, having been promoted from the fifth rank to the fourth. There are few civil officials in this world who reach such a rank at such a young age. Who would dare claim it’s a disguised demotion? Being chosen for this position is your good fortune. Back when the old lady was still alive, selecting someone to accompany the Third Young Master to Shandong involved choosing one out of a hundred, and even then it was someone borrowed from the Duke of Ying’s household—there was no chance for you lot! Stay alert! Let me tell you, if I hear anyone whispering behind my back again, I won’t spare them!”

Zhang Yue stepped outside and saw a dozen people standing in the square courtyard, all dressed in plain blue clothes with simple sashes, heads bowed. Combined with Gao Quan’s words just now, he immediately understood what was going on. He gently coughed. This sound instantly woke up the angry Gao Quan, who rushed over, bowed, and forced a smile.

“Third Young Master, I thought you were with the Duke of Ying.”

Zhang Yue glanced at the servants and noticed many of them were unfamiliar. He then remembered that since Zhang Xin and Zhang Zhuo had taken people home to observe mourning, almost all the old household members had been taken away, and most of these were servants brought in later. Seeing several people avoid his gaze, he pointed at a few familiar faces.

“I’m not bringing so many people with me to the south. Just these six are enough. As the official in charge now, I don’t need to rely on them as much as before. Besides, I’m already familiar with official duties and don’t need their help for everything.”

After giving these instructions, he ignored the others and led Gao Quan to the central hall. His expression darkened: “In the future, when selecting household members, it’s better to have fewer rather than more. Try to take in as few volunteers as possible. These people only seek to gain protection under your roof. They’re picky when doing tasks, let alone showing sincerity. Find an excuse to send them to the manor to avoid causing trouble at home!”

Gao Quan had originally wanted to apologize, but upon hearing this, he was shocked and quickly agreed. When he went outside and saw many people smiling, he grunted inwardly. Zhang Yue rarely got angry at home, so these people had forgotten his reputation outside. After all, the brothers at home always followed Zhang Yue’s lead—they were really asking for trouble!