Chapter 721: No One Knows a Child Better Than Their Father, and No One Knows a Father Better Than Their Child

Wushi Ma Yi in Zengcheng County.

A ma yi, of course, was different from a shui yi. According to Ming dynasty regulations, a ma yi was set up every sixty to eighty li, equipped with between five and eighty horses, which were classified into three grades based on urgency. A shui yi, on the other hand, had between five and twenty boats, each with ten rowers, allowing for very fast travel. Wushi Ma Yi served as a gateway to Guangzhou Prefecture to the south, equipped with twenty horses, along with spacious inns for officials and couriers passing through—naturally a busy place at all times.

Apart from retired officials, the highest-ranking officials assigned to Guangzhou were those in the positions of dushi, fanzi, or niezi; the rest were lower-ranking officials. The postmaster saw many people coming and going. Yet, the group asking for directions at this moment left him utterly puzzled. If they weren’t officials, they clearly wore the large-patterned silk robes reserved for officials. If they were officials, they were merely asking for directions, seemingly with no intention of staying at the inn. Could they be imperial censors on secret inspection? The dozen or so attendants and guards were all robust—how could they possibly be on a secret mission? Puzzled, he decided to be cautious.

“Sir, heading west from Zengcheng County leads directly to Guangzhou Prefecture City, just over a hundred li away. Although nothing seems amiss here, many areas along the way have suffered from floods recently, leaving many people displaced. Even though the government is trying to provide relief, traveling at night is still unsafe. Though you have many people with you, it would be better to rest at the inn for one night.”

The middle-aged man, dressed in a plain silk robe with large patterns, who had assumed he was an official, couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. After thinking for a moment, he nodded. “In that case, I’ll follow the postmaster’s advice. We’ll stay overnight and set off early tomorrow. Cao Hu, go and get the travel permits.”

With that, the postmaster breathed a sigh of relief. Once Cao Hu brought out the travel permits from the brocade pouch, he immediately ordered the inn staff to accommodate the large group, while he rushed to the office to register. Upon opening the brocade pouch and seeing the thin travel permit, he gasped in shock.

It read: “Zhang Zhuo, a Grand Master appointed by imperial decree, in charge of governance.”

Having served as a postal officer for many years, he only had a superficial understanding of major state affairs, but he remembered clearly all the various minor official titles and ranks. Zhongfeng Dafu was a second-rank position, while Zizhi Yin was a third-rank position. Many famous officials throughout the land never reached such ranks even in their old age. This middle-aged man, who seemed to be in his early forties, actually held such a high position? Full of suspicion, he recorded everything carefully, then grew even more puzzled. Unless someone was in mourning, it was rare for a civilian official to have no official position, yet this man seemed to be merely observing national mourning. What was going on?

Zhang Zhuo realized his talents were not suited for officialdom, so he didn’t want to hinder his son’s career. After his son had been promoted to the second rank due to his merits, Zhang Zhuo gave up the idea of pursuing an official career. This time, he reported illness to the Ministry of Personnel, claiming to suffer from cold sensitivity, thus justifying his move to the hot climate of Guangzhou for recuperation. Although the lie was exposed by the censors, it wasn’t a minor issue. Even those like Gu Zuo thought Zhang Zhuo’s refusal to seek high positions for his son showed his integrity, so his subordinates naturally wouldn’t get involved in such trivial matters.

So, not long after Zhang Yue set off, he left his daughter Zhang Jing at the Duke of Ying’s residence to accompany Zhang Fu’s legitimate daughter Zhang Tian, instructing Zhang Fu and his wife not to reveal anything to Zhang Yue. He then traveled around, enjoying the scenery, and it took him over three months to reach Guangdong. Upon entering the province, he didn’t rush to Guangzhou but wandered around until the floods receded, after which he continued his journey. During this time, exposed to wind, sun, and rain, his skin darkened significantly.

“You really are something. Since you planned to go to Guangzhou together, why didn’t you even inform Yue first? If the whole family suddenly appeared before him tomorrow, wouldn’t he be shocked?”

“If we had told him earlier, we would have traveled together, and how could we have enjoyed the famous mountains and rivers along the way? You weren’t happy either during the journey, getting excited like a child at the Yueyang Tower! Our son is often stationed far away as an official and rarely gets the chance to be with us. Now that we’re going to Guangzhou for at least two or three years, since we miss him, why not come together?”

“We still need to take Jing with us. You left her with the Duke of Ying, causing the little girl to cry for a long time. That’s one thing, but you took Fu Er without her.” Lady Sun felt uneasy thinking that Hong Luan and Zhang Fu were in the next room. “Jing is just a girl. It’s fine if she learns needlework, but what’s the need for her to study literature?”

Zhang Zhuo was well aware of his wife’s petty nature, so he simply wrapped her in his arms from behind and said with a smile, “This is a good fortune laid down by Yue’s father-in-law back then. That Mr. Liang is an outstanding master; it can’t hurt for Jing to learn under him. We don’t expect her to become a great woman, but this experience will be beneficial for her in the future. Haven’t you always thought our daughter-in-law is gentle and sensible? If Jing can be like that too, won’t she be able to hold her own in her husband’s family? As for Hongluan and Fu… Now that the children are growing up, I don’t want them to develop extreme thoughts due to being neglected. You don’t know Yue’s elder brother’s temper—he’s such a spoiled kid, yet everyone still praises him. Even Chao, the eldest, still listens to him. It’s good for Fu to be guided by him. We don’t expect him to become something special, but he shouldn’t hold back the family either.”

“Hmph, you always push everything onto your sons!”

Sun Shi angrily shook off Zhang Zhuo’s hand. Seeing him smiling at her, she couldn’t vent her anger and could only glare at him fiercely. Zhang Zhuo knew well that she had a sharp tongue but a kind heart, so he began to coax her affectionately once again until the voice of his personal attendant came from outside. Only then did he release his wife and gently pat her hand.

“I’ll go arrange things with them outside first. We’re not here to act as retired officials this time. Although I’ve been preparing since before the New Year, it’s still our first time here, and we’ll likely be busy for a while. I can’t help my sons in other ways, but where I can contribute, I certainly can’t stand by idly.”

“Do you really think I don’t know you? Go quickly! If you come back too late, don’t blame me for locking the door. Go rest in the next room!”

Seeing Sun Shi’s annoyed expression, Zhang Zhuo couldn’t help but laugh as he left. When he lifted the bamboo curtain and stepped outside, he felt a bit hot. Wiping his forehead, he realized he was sweating profusely. Seeing his personal attendant standing at the steps, he asked a few questions and learned that the postmaster was still working in the post office nearby. So he walked over slowly with the attendant.

Although they were strangers, Zhang Zhuo, though lacking other skills in life, was quite adept at dealing with people. This trait had made him the most harmonious among his colleagues when he was an official. After chatting casually with the postmaster for a while, the latter believed him to be a high-ranking official who had come to Guangzhou to recuperate due to poor health, and gradually became less reserved in his speech.

“Although we’re both in Lingnan, Huguang has gradually prospered, while in Guangdong, only Guangzhou Prefecture is bustling; the rest are quite ordinary. To put it simply, I heard from the yamen that compared to the household registers from the 26th year of the Hongwu era, Guangdong’s population has actually declined. I really can’t explain why. Moreover, this flood isn’t as severe as those in previous years. It’s not that I’m being pessimistic, but it seems the provincial administration and various counties won’t be able to provide much relief. Our region just doesn’t have favorable weather conditions—hurricanes and storms strike as soon as summer arrives. Sigh!”
He had inquired quite a bit about Guangdong along the way, but it was the first time he’d heard about the population decline, so he paid close attention. After all, his son was the governor of Guangdong, while he was just an ordinary man and didn’t plan to ask too many questions. So he turned his attention to agriculture and commerce instead. By the time the conversation ended and he returned to his residence, it was already late. He first went to Hongluan’s room to check on his second son, Zhang Fu, before returning to his wife’s room.
There were 4,000 dan of rice left in the Yongfeng Granary of Guangzhou Prefecture.
There were 3,000 dan of rice left in the Guangji Granary of Qingyuan County.
There were 1,800 dan of rice left in the Jiliu Granary of Zengcheng County.
The loss and remaining grain figures reported by various counties were undoubtedly a major concern. Due to ongoing relief efforts and losses, the granaries in Guangzhou Prefecture and Zhaoqing Prefecture were nearing exhaustion. Even though the summer tax for the entire province of Guangdong was only 5,320 dan of wheat, could that cover the expenses? What about next year’s autumn grain?
That day, Zhang Yue, who had just returned to the yamen after visiting the military and judicial offices, was greeted by a messenger with a smile, reporting, “Sir, not long after you left this morning, your esteemed father arrived.”
The term “your esteemed father” stunned Zhang Yue. It was Peng Shisan beside him who reacted quickly, asking, “Young master, could it be Third Master has arrived?”
“It’s both of your esteemed fathers who have arrived, along with an aunt and a young boy.”
His parents had come, along with Hongluan and Zhang Fu? Surprised, Zhang Yue didn’t ask further and rushed into the yamen. After briefly explaining matters in the front office, he hurried to the back office. As soon as he entered the main room, he saw his parents sitting in the main seats, with Du Wan standing by to chat with them. Upon seeing him enter, Lady Sun immediately showed a joyful expression.
“Father, Mother, it’s really you two who’ve come!”

Seeing Zhang Yue approach with a mix of surprise and joy to pay his respects, Lady Sun ignored Zhang Zhuo and immediately pulled him up. After examining him from head to toe for a while, she said concernfully, “It took so much effort to get you well after spending the New Year in the capital. Now you’ve lost weight again, and your face looks darker. Although government affairs are important, you can’t neglect your own health. I’m still waiting to hold more grandchildren…”

Faced with his mother’s usual nagging, Zhang Zhuo felt helpless and quickly changed the subject, saying, “I didn’t tell you before because I thought I’d only ever live in places like Kaifeng, the capital, and Nanjing in this life. So I took this opportunity to take her on a trip around. Besides, she missed you, so we decided to come to Guangzhou to be with you. After all, I’m an idle person…”

“What, she misses him? Don’t you miss your son? Your grandchildren?”

Seeing Lady Sun glaring at Zhang Zhuo and Zhang Zhuo looking utterly helpless, Zhang Yue found it extremely amusing, but more importantly, he felt a sense of satisfaction and warmth. The heavy pressures from outside matters no longer seemed significant at that moment. It was nearly noon, so he naturally ordered someone to ask Sister Li to prepare more dishes and snacks. However, after chatting with his parents for a while, he noticed that Zhang Zhuo seemed to have something else to say to him, so he quickly made an excuse to go out alone with his father.

Outside, Zhang Zhuo said straight away, “Before my mother and I left the capital, the Empress Dowager summoned her once. She was very kind and friendly, but my mother isn’t good at paying attention to such things, so she couldn’t figure out what the hints meant. Once, the emperor suddenly visited the Duke of Ying’s residence incognito. I happened to be there and met him by chance. With Brother Fu by my side, I managed to handle the situation. The emperor even wanted to assign me a position, but luckily I declined, citing my lack of skills and knowledge.”

Having a father like Zhang Zhuo who was always there to protect him, Zhang Yue was naturally happy. But hearing this, he stammered, “Father, why go to such lengths? Even if it’s not a position with real power, you could take it for now. After all, you’re a legitimate Jinshi who has also served as a county magistrate before.”

“My original intention wasn’t this. At first, I just wanted to prove myself, but now that you’re here, why should I insist on those few key positions? There are only so many second- and third-rank positions available. Should I even appoint someone as a provincial governor? Enough, enough. As your son, you should understand my thoughts. Before coming to Guangzhou, I already sent two capable managers here to handle the business affairs. If you need money, use as much as you want. Actually, I came here at your uncle Yuan’s request. Though the capital is good, I can’t stay at home recovering forever. It’s better to come here—after all, we’re father and son fighting side by side, rather than watching you work from afar.”

Guangdong is in the far south, beyond even the emperor’s reach. Thus, ever since Zhang Yue took office, he has been extremely cautious, walking a tightrope. He can’t rely on the local Jinyiwei, and Yuan Fang’s spies are mostly in the Central Plains between Beijing and Nanjing. Zhang Fu’s reputation doesn’t help much here either; as a provincial governor, he can’t deploy a single soldier. That’s why he hasn’t been as aggressive or reckless as before. Precisely because of this, he feels even more grateful that his father has arrived in time.

“If that’s what Father says, then don’t blame me, your son, for assigning you tasks at will. The summer taxes in Guangdong have been paid, but there’s a shortage of grain in the market. I’ve already thought about this. Since Lian Sheng and Lian Hu stayed in the capital to take care of the family school and estates, and although Lao Peng seems rough on the outside but careful inside, he’s still not suitable to deal with certain people. I need you to send someone to contact some merchant firms. It’s meal time now. How about we discuss this in detail in my study after dinner? Oh, there’s one more thing I forgot to mention—Master Liu and his crew are currently in Guangzhou Port; they even helped our boss before.”

“Oh, Lao Liu is here too?” Zhang Zhuo nodded with a smile upon hearing this. “Good, with him back, I have an extra helper. With the long night ahead, let’s have a heart-to-heart talk as father and son tonight. I really want to hear your plans.”