Chapter 708: To Compete or Not to Compete

In the outer court, there were the Six Ministries and the Censorate; in the inner court, there were twenty-four agencies including the Twelve Supervisory Offices, Four Bureaus, and Eight Departments. This was the system of internal and external checks that had been in place since the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. However, while there were numerous civilian and military officials as well as external officials to dispatch, the eunuchs sent from the palace were still in the minority. As a result, the four key departments in the palace—the Bureau of Ceremonial, the Bureau of Imperial Use, the Bureau of Imperial Horses, and the Bureau of Inner Officials—fought fiercely for power, just as the central eunuchs in charge of defense were also in high demand.

Now, due to an action taken by Wang Jin, a eunuch from the Bureau of Imperial Use, all the senior eunuchs in the palace became restless—because Wang Jin handed over all the bribes he had obtained from Qin Huaijin, the eunuch in charge of the Guangzhou Maritime Administration, to the emperor. It was obvious even to the simplest-minded that someone would have to take over that position. Initially, Wang Jin seemed most likely to appoint someone from his own camp, but he instead acted as if he wasn’t interested, drawing ridicule from others who saw him as cowardly, while they all wanted to place their own people in that lucrative position.

After all, in the palace, there was Liu Yongcheng, who had served three emperors, Fan Hong, Jin Ying, and Zhong Huai, who had been close to Zhu Gaochi, as well as Huang Run and Wang Jin, who were most trusted by Zhu Zhanji. Their struggles for power and intrigues were no less intense than those among the ministers in the Six Ministries and the Cabinet. With Wang Jin stepping back, others were naturally overjoyed.

At that moment, Wang Jin, mocked as a coward, returned from the Qianqing Palace to the Bureau of Imperial Use. As soon as he entered the main room, he reached into his left sleeve with his right hand and pulled out an object. After examining it carefully, his face lit up with joy.

It was a silver token about half an inch square and an inch long, with the characters “Sushen” clearly engraved on it. Moreover, the emperor had bestowed upon him the courtesy name Runde—a honor unmatched by any other eunuch. Compared to this, wealth and other material things were trivial. Those who couldn’t see the situation and only thought about making money couldn’t guess the emperor’s intentions, but Wang Jin understood, so he recommended a candidate no one else had in mind.

He didn’t want to deal with those rigid officials in the Cabinet, nor did he wish to, but by doing a favor for Zhang Yue, he would surely be remembered for it!

Twenty-seven months of mourning had passed, and Zhang Xin returned to the capital from Kaifeng. After reporting to the Ministry of Personnel, he began waiting for an available position. To his surprise, thanks to the recommendation of Minister of Rites Lu Zhen, he was easily appointed as the Left Vice Minister of War! With his career progressing smoothly and his family having officially separated residences at the beginning of the year—although his new home was more than half the size of the Yangwu Bo’s residence—he no longer felt like a burden to others, and he was naturally quite proud. That day, he received even better news, so after much deliberation, he took advantage of an early dismissal from office to visit Zhang Fu at the Duke of Yingguo’s residence.

Although he had always been in good health, the sudden changes in weather a few days earlier caused Zhang Fu to catch a cold, so he decided to stay home and rest. Yet, as the Grand Tutor and Duke of Yingguo, his illness caused a great stir. Not only did Empress Dowager Zhang send people to check on him and bring medicine, but the emperor also sent imperial physicians to examine him. Not only relatives and friends but also many strangers came to visit and bring gifts. Unable to deal with everyone, he ordered that only important people be allowed in, turning away the rest.

Leaning back on the pear-blossom bed, he looked at Zhang Xin, who seemed full of confidence, and couldn’t help but remind him, “You used to be the Right Vice Minister of Works, so you may not be familiar with military affairs. Being a Vice Minister of War is no easy task. Now that I am in charge of the Military Command, my younger brother is in Jiaozhi, my younger brother-in-law is in Guangdong, and you’ve joined the Ministry of War. Add in my second and third sons, and the word ‘prosperous’ is far from enough to describe such favor. Your son has already achieved much, so remember to keep a low profile in everything you do.”

Zhang Xin had been exiled to Jiaozhi in the past due to being scapegoated. Hearing Zhang Fu’s serious admonition, he felt uneasy but still agreed. Since Zhang Fu brought up his son, he handed over Zhang Jiu’s record of achievements and said with a smile, “The Hanlin Academy holds exams once a month. Jiu was talented before, but now he is even more diligent, always scoring at the top. By the end of three years, his grades will surely be among the best. Whether he stays in the academy or is assigned to one of the six ministries or the Censorate, it will be fine—there’s no need for me to worry.”

“In my opinion, it would be better for him to seek an external position rather than stay in the court.”

Zhang Fu blurted out a remark. Seeing Zhang Xin’s tense expression, he thought for a moment and understood his intentions, sighing inwardly without wanting to say more. Yet even though he didn’t wish to talk, Zhang Xin had come with a request in mind. After drifting off to other topics, Zhang Xin gradually revealed his true purpose: “Today, Minister Li Qing of the Ministry of War was transferred to Nanjing, leaving the position vacant. It’s unclear who the emperor will appoint to fill it.”

Hearing this, Zhang Fu’s heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Zhang Xin, then closed his eyes. After pondering for a long time, noticing Zhang Xin staring at him intently, he grew even more annoyed and chose not to engage further. Only when Zhang Xin, unable to sit still, suggested he rest and left did he firmly grip the edge of the wooden bed, gazing blankly at the palace lantern hanging from the ceiling.

Lady Wang had assumed Zhang Xin would stay for dinner since he came in the evening, but he left so early. Earlier, she had overheard a maid say Zhang Xin seemed unhappy when he left, which worried her. She ordered her maid to wait outside and went in with the medicine bowl. Waving her hand to dismiss the waiting maids, she sat down on a small stool in front of the pear-blossom bed and placed the medicine bowl on a nearby table.

“Sir, was there some dispute just now?”

Hearing Lady Wang’s voice, Zhang Fu snapped out of his scattered thoughts, sat up straight, and took the medicine bowl. Holding the bowl of thick liquid medicine, he recounted Zhang Xin’s request and couldn’t help but sigh.

“He was exiled in Jiaozhi for many years. After returning to the capital, he had to return home due to mourning duties. Anyone would have a stronger desire for fame and success; no wonder he can’t see things clearly. The position of vice minister of the Ministry of War seems just one step away from minister. At just over fifty, how could he not want to advance further? But the Zhang family already has a duke and an uncle, and Zhang Jiu is also favored by the emperor. If he focuses solely on climbing the ladder, he might end up regressing and even jeopardize Zhang Jiu’s future.”

Zhang Xin had started his career as a top scholar and initially served as an official in the capital. Lady Wang had always been close to his family and admired Zhang Jiu’s intelligence. Hearing Zhang Fu’s words, she was shocked and quickly asked, “Since he’s been reinstated and promoted to vice minister of the Ministry of War, surely it’s because of his talents? Besides, with the minister’s position vacant, it’s only natural he’d be interested.”

“He had achieved some merits before, which is why he was promoted to vice minister of the Ministry of Works. But after being demoted to Jiaozhi, what merits did he have left? The Ministry of War is not like the Ministry of Works; among the six ministries, it ranks only after the Ministries of Personnel and Revenue. He had little insight into military affairs, yet he was recommended by Lü Zhen and thus appointed as vice minister. Little did he know that such a position made it easy for others to find faults with him. I know he’s not satisfied—since the second branch produced a count, if the third branch’s Zhang Yue makes more efforts, he will surely achieve success in the future. He also wants to show that the main branch of the Zhang family isn’t without brilliance… But he doesn’t realize that life isn’t that straightforward!”
Thinking of how Zhang Xin used to often visit his residence to talk with him full of ambition, Zhang Fu shook his head even more. Both of them were in their fifties, with no outstanding achievements or reputations left from before—how could it be so easy for them to rise to prominence? If they were wise, they should focus on their children, nurture the next generation, and firmly hold onto their current positions. Look at Zhang Zhuo—having received an imperial title because of Zhang Yue, he now simply pretends to be ill and stays at home, not even going to the Ministry of Personnel to request a reinstatement. That’s what a wise person would do!
The couple talked for a while. Lady Wang saw that Zhang Fu seemed somewhat disheartened and didn’t dare say much more. However, she planned to talk to Lady Feng properly another day. After she left the room, Biliu quickly came over, saying that Eunuch Zhang Qian had come to visit. After thinking for a moment, she went back in and reported it. Seeing Zhang Fu nod, she immediately ordered him to be brought in.
Zhang Qian was also in his fifties now. Although he still held the title of a palace eunuch, he no longer handled any affairs and spent his time living in his residence outside. Even though he and Zhang Fu were old acquaintances, he rarely visited. So, seeing him dressed in a neat plain silk robe with a Zhuge-style headband—except for the lack of three strands of beard on his chin—he looked exactly like a teacher, which made Zhang Fu laugh.
“What brings you here today?”
“Of course, it’s the wind from above.” Zhang Qian was cautious in the palace but didn’t feel the need to be formal around Zhang Fu. Seeing the Duke of Yingzhou frown on the couch, he stopped beating around the bush. After sitting down, he spoke directly, “I originally planned to retire and spend my time in peace, but yesterday an unexpected visitor came, saying that Zheng Wang Jinghong, despite his age, still cared about sailing, and that I was wasting my time at home doing nothing. That person recommended me to take charge of the Guangzhou Maritime Administration. After thinking it over, I agreed. I just came from the palace, where I met the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.”

Hearing this, Zhang Fu was greatly surprised. After asking, he learned it was Wang Jin’s recommendation. There was no harm in considering it, and since Zhang Qian had welcomed foreign envoys in Guangzhou several times and was well-versed in such matters, he couldn’t help but smile. “If you just sit around idly, others will inevitably take advantage of you. Having such a task isn’t bad—though for you, it might be a demotion. Besides, with so many people vying for power, it’s possible you’ll end up reaping the benefits. Be careful of hidden threats.”

“I naturally avoid such things. I’m just here to let the Duke of Ying know, and to ask your horse to look after me a bit too, so I won’t be devoured by those ruthless people.” With a joking remark, Zhang Qian then spoke seriously, “I came today because the Empress Dowager and the Emperor asked me to check on your health. The Duke of Ying is a renowned general who has never been defeated. It’s not good for him to stay out for so long. You must know that although the Han states are now stable, the world is still not peaceful. As the Commander-in-Chief, you can’t give up so soon—after all, you’re not like me, who’s just an idle person. The Emperor also asked me to inquire if you need any favors from your brothers or family members. Please consider carefully.”

“Favors from brothers or family members?”

The Emperor’s sudden remark forced Zhang Fu to think carefully. As he pondered, Zhang Qian interjected, “Your two younger brothers both hold military positions—either as guards or attendants. They were granted these positions as favors by Emperor Renzong when he ascended the throne. Since then, they haven’t been moved. I know they might not be to your liking, but since the Emperor has asked, go along with it to avoid their constant complaints. Also, you have three cousins.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Zhang Fu shook his head firmly. “My second and third brothers are both incompetent. They almost caused trouble due to their ambition back then. If I grant them high positions now, it would only make things worse. I’d rather let other relatives benefit than have them take advantage and speak ill of me. If favors must be given, I certainly won’t recommend them.”

At that moment, he suddenly remembered Zhang Xin’s hint. Ignoring Zhang Qian’s expression, he got out of bed, slipped on his shoes, and stood up. He paced back and forth a few times, then stood there, lost in thought, staring at the curtain at the door. After a long while, he slowly returned, offering a wry smile to the astonished Zhang Qian. “Every family has its own troubles. I’m overthinking things and embarrassing you. This little issue has troubled me for days. I’ll go to the Commander-in-Chief’s office to handle things tomorrow. I can’t let you make a trip for nothing.”

Zhang Fu had not been back on duty for even three days when an official order was issued appointing Zhang Qian, a eunuch from the Imperial Surveillance Bureau, as the head of the Guangzhou Maritime Administration. Though this seemed unreasonable, since the emperor said Zhang Qian had frequently traveled to the West and dealt with foreign nations, no one dared object. Even those powerful eunuchs who had initially fought fiercely for this position became as listless as deflated balls.

That day, Zhang Fu was summoned by imperial order to accompany Liu Yongcheng to the Qianqing Palace. Along the way, he noticed Liu Yongcheng walking with a hunched back and speaking in a weak voice. He never paid attention to the intrigues among the eunuchs and forgot about them after the audience with the emperor. When Zhu Zhanji asked about military affairs in the north and south, he answered in detail. After about an hour of conversation between emperor and subject, the familiar question finally came up.

“As is well known throughout the world, you are unparalleled in loyalty and bravery, and you have also made significant contributions to stabilizing the country. Now that I am selecting officials, are there any of your brothers who deserve favor?”

Zhang Fu, who had spent nearly three days thinking about this at home, bowed slightly and replied formally, “My younger brothers, Zhang Fu and Zhang Jie, have already been granted military positions and serve in the imperial guard. However, both are extravagant and lack talent. Granting them further favors would not be convincing. My cousin, Zhang Xin, who serves as vice minister of war, is highly respected for his virtue and ability and is capable of taking on important responsibilities.”

Zhu Zhanji frowned slightly before relaxing again. “Zhang Xin… is he the brother of Zhang Youzhi, the Marquis of Yangwu, and the uncle of Zhang Yue, the governor of Guangdong? I recall Lu Zhen recommended him; he is currently the right vice minister of war. I even met his son at the Hanlin Academy before—quite a capable young man. Well, since he has such a good reputation, I will meet him when the time comes.”

Seeing Zhu Zhanji agree, Zhang Fu breathed a sigh of relief. When Wang Jin escorted him out, he chatted casually as they walked. When they reached Yuntai, he stopped and said to this emperor’s trusted eunuch, “Eunuch Wang is the emperor’s closest confidant. Please do me a favor regarding what happened just now. My cousin has two sons; the elder has already entered official service, but the younger still has no position. If he could be granted a hereditary military position, it would bring comfort to the spirit of my late aunt.”