Chapter 758: Wish Finally Fulfilled

Although it was no longer the era when only exiled officials from the Tang and Song dynasties would serve in Hainan, it still remained a place with severe shortages of officials assigned through the Ministry of Personnel. Compared to other provinces, prefectures, and counties, Qiongzhou Prefecture endured unbearably hot weather all year round, and the buildings in Chengmai County were naturally in disrepair. Compared to the government offices in Nanhai and Panyu counties under Guangzhou Prefecture, they could even be described as dilapidated.

Entering through the eight-character wall and reaching the main gate, the first screen in front was in tatters; the patterns on it were barely recognizable without close inspection. The tiles on the courtroom’s roof had been repaired several times, and the surrounding walls lacked bricks and tiles, appearing uneven. Due to the skirmish over a month earlier, streaks of dark red blood could still be seen on the walls inside and outside—there hadn’t even been time for repainting.

Zhang Yue was led into the relatively clean and tidy main hall. After dismissing the others, the county magistrate of Chengmai, in his fifties, immediately knelt down. His blue robe, washed so much that its original color was no longer visible, hung on the ground, making him look less like a county official and more like a poor teacher with few students.

“Your Excellency, I first mistakenly allowed people with ulterior motives to stay in the county office, thinking them to be officers from the military command. I also listened to their one-sided accounts and invited several Li tribal leaders to the Charity Temple in the name of the county office. Later, the county office was nearly raided, and even after news of the Li people’s unrest spread, I was unable to suppress it, forcing Your Excellency to come in person. I deserve death.”

When they first met at the post station that morning, Zhang Yue had noticed that this magistrate was not only dressed excessively simply but also seemed distraught. Now, seeing him kneeling on the ground, he frowned deeply before finally saying calmly, “Although you have made mistakes and shown incompetence, I am not here to punish you. Get up and sit down so we can talk.”

Still, it took a while before the county magistrate of Chengmai slowly stood up, trembling. In the official world, rank determined status, not age. He was more than twice Zhang Yue’s age, yet his rank was four ranks lower than Zhang Yue’s. By ritual standards, he should have knelt when meeting him and reported matters while kneeling. Moreover, feeling utterly terrified as a guilty man, his knees naturally refused to bend. So even though Zhang Yue told him to stand up, he remained half-sitting on the chair, constantly glancing at Zhang Yue’s expression. It was only after reporting the situation in Chengmai County truthfully that he shifted his posture.

“You must have already heard from Yu Shiyu about our previous agreement in Sanliudong.” Seeing the elderly county magistrate nod repeatedly, Zhang Yue paused before ordering, “You are a temporary county magistrate and not in charge of pacifying the Li people. Since you’ve never dealt with them before, you don’t need to worry about this matter. However, the issue of three-season and two-season rice cannot be delayed—the best planting time has already passed. As an official, you must keep this in mind and implement it starting next year…”

For the county magistrate of Chengmai, who had been anxious for over a month, every word Zhang Yue said was like a blessing from heaven. He nodded at each word, eager to memorize them all. Even after Zhang Yue finished speaking, he remained attentive, until he saw his superior about to leave. Then he hurriedly stood up, went to the entrance of the county office, and called for two guards, intending to arrange a carriage to see him off personally.

“No need to see me off. Take care of matters in the county office—there’s no need to go to such lengths for formalities,” Zhang Yue said as he walked toward the door. Suddenly stopping, he turned to look at the county magistrate’s attire, his gaze finally resting on the embroidered belt. “Also, while frugality is a virtue, going too far can have the opposite effect. You come from a wealthy family—wearing a few fine clothes won’t allow others to slander you. Integrity as an official is important, but competence is just as crucial!”

As Zhang Yue left, the county magistrate’s legs trembled slightly. Even the officials and commoners in his own county didn’t fully know about his wealthy background. How could Zhang Yue, who had just arrived, be aware of his family’s situation?

Once in the carriage and out of the alley, upon reaching the courtyard where Zhang Bu was renting a house, Zhang Yue took off his black gauze hat and official robes, putting on a plain dark blue cloth shirt without any patterns and a tall cloth cap. He left only with Zhang Bu and Hu Bo. Since the Qiu family’s courtyard was just a short distance away, the three of them walked there. When they arrived at the Qiu family’s door, two well-behaved sons were already waiting, immediately leading them inside without a word.

Compared to the dilapidated county government building, although Qiu’s family mansion also appeared old in Zhang Yue’s eyes, it didn’t show much signs of decay. The first three people to greet them in the front yard were, aside from Qiu Guoyong, whom he had seen before with gray hair and deep wrinkles, the other two, who seemed to be brothers, also had aged faces. Yet, their once-white silk robes still gave off a hint of their former elegance. When they raised their hands to bow and then tried to kneel, Zhang Yue quickly stopped them. Only after entering the main hall and seeing the two Qiu family members step back did he bow in return.

Qiu Guoyong was startled and quickly said, “Sir, how dare we accept this?”

“The Zhang and Qiu families have been friends for generations. You three are my elders, so this is merely a personal courtesy,” said Zhang Yue, sitting down calmly after bowing. “But since there are imperial laws, even the Duke of Ying cannot act too ostentatiously. That’s why I sent Zhang Bu to visit you earlier, carrying some messages from the Duke of Ying. As for the reason of my visit, I believe you already understand. Gu Xingzu’s misdeeds caused a huge uproar and cost the Qiu family several loyal members. Yet because of this, the emperor remembered the Qiu family’s past loyalty, and things finally turned out better. It was Emperor Taizong who exiled the Qiu family back then, as it was considered a grave crime of defeat, so the exile order couldn’t be overturned. However, in the future, the Qiu family can openly buy land and property in Guangdong.”

When Zhang Bu came to borrow people before, Qiu Guoyong had hesitated. After all, being exiled to Hainan meant losing all their servants, who were their only remaining assets. Over the years, they had spent most of their money sending it to the capital to try to avoid punishment, while also having to guard against local officials suspecting them of ulterior motives. But now, this decisive action led to these words, causing his emotions to surge. He suddenly stood up, knelt facing north, and kowtowed three times heavily. Almost at the same time, his two brothers also knelt down, weeping as they bowed.

Amber, standing beside Zhang Yue, had not lifted her head since entering the Qiu family’s compound. Still, if not for her face, washed with potions and appearing waxen pale with dark circles under her eyes, anyone would have been shocked by her ashen complexion. Now, seeing the three men fall to the ground, her heart tightened even more. She took a deep breath and bit her tongue hard to maintain a calm expression. At that moment, she saw Zhang Yue stand up as well. He turned to glance at her, then subtly squeezed her hand, which helped her calm down a bit, allowing her to force a smile.

After a long while, the three elders—unclear whether they were paying homage to the emperor or their late father—finally stood up, supporting each other. Seeing that Zhang Yue had also risen, Qiu Guoyong wiped his tear-streaked eyes with his sleeve and bowed deeply to him again. “Our entire family has been struggling to survive, barely getting by. Even when the officials from Chengmai County came, we dared not neglect them. Thanks to this imperial grace, our whole family can now leave openly, without having to operate in secret. Though this great kindness comes from the emperor, it is also thanks to Lord Zhang’s generosity.”

“There’s no need to thank me. If not for the Duke of Yingguo interceding before the empress dowager, this would never have been possible.”

Qiu Fu had once been a staunch supporter of the Prince of Han. Since the Prince of Han had attempted rebellion, if it were Zhu Zhanji himself, out of resentment, the Qiu family would surely not have fared well. However, Zhang Yue interceded on their behalf with Zhu Zhanji, and Zhang Fu gently asked the empress dowager for mercy. Although they couldn’t be allowed to return and hold official positions, some freedom could be granted, and the emperor eventually agreed to this. After all, Zhang Fu had previously resigned from his position as commander of the central army, and Zhang Yue had made significant contributions in Guangdong. Asking for such a favor surely wouldn’t hurt his reputation.

Hearing this, Qiu Guoyong and the others thanked him repeatedly, almost to the point of mentioning offering ancestral tablets like ordinary people do. So when Zhang Yue set three rules—reminding them to limit the number of businesses, plots of land, and hired laborers, and to avoid being too ostentatious—they all agreed readily. In the end, Qiu Guoyong glanced at Zhang Yue’s expression and cautiously asked, “Given such an important matter, we plan to gather all our family members to offer sacrifices at the ancestral hall. I was wondering…”

“The official imperial edict should still be on its way. This is just early news I’ve received. So if you plan to hold a formal ancestral sacrifice, wait until then. But since the Qiu and Zhang families have been friends for years, if you all agree, I’d like to pay respects at the grave of the late Qiu patriarch.”

At this moment, thinking of how after the defeat, his father’s bones were scattered across the grasslands and could no longer be found, with only an ancestral tomb in Nanjing, another one built here, Qiu Guoyong almost shed tears again. He deeply appreciated Zhang Yue’s kindness and quickly nodded, saying, “Of course this must be done. If my late father knew how much effort you’ve put in for him, he would surely be overjoyed even in the afterlife. But since the ancestral tomb is outside the city, and you are of high status, we must not cause a stir. Let’s all prepare thoroughly and go to the tomb to pay our respects tomorrow, how about that?”
Zhang Yue, having encountered many greedy people who always wanted more, though his words were sincere, he also intended to test whether the Qiu family would use this opportunity for their own gain. He was naturally satisfied with Qiu Guoyong’s attitude. This time, he had secured a pardon for the Qiu family—first to repay Qiu Fu’s kindness in seeking a title for Zhang Fu, and second to fulfill Amber’s wish to visit the ancestral tomb. Using the Qiu family’s Wuyue Trading Company was the least important factor. After all, they already had the most reliable person in that regard.
No matter what kind of allies or master-subordinate relationships exist, none are as reliable as the bond between father and son.
“Very well, I won’t stay longer to avoid any further matters from the county office. You should know where I stay; have someone inform me once everything is done.”
The Qiu family’s tombyard was located east of Chengmai County. Since moving here, several family members had died from acclimatization issues. Moreover, although Qiu Fu, who died in the north, also had an ancestral tomb in Nanjing, they couldn’t visit it now that they were far from home. Thus, maintaining the ancestral tomb became an urgent priority. Finally, the brothers of Qiu Guoyong’s generation, who had once been constantly scheming against each other, united for once. Each branch contributed money to find a feng shui-friendly burial site and purchased 800 acres of land around it as sacrificial land.
At that moment, Zhang Yue stood in front of Qiu Fu’s ancestral tomb holding incense, with Amber and Zhang Bu behind him also performing their rituals. After the ceremony, he stepped back quietly, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Almost all the nobles conferred titles at the beginning of the Hongwu era had perished, and several more had died during the Yongle era. Titles could be inherited, but they could also be taken away—so could wealth and power. Even if Qiu Fu hadn’t died in that northern campaign, he might not have survived the subsequent power struggles. Between two evils, being exiled and then pardoned was the best outcome. If Qiu Fu had survived until the end of the Yongle era, the Qiu family might have been doomed forever.
“Sir…”

Hearing the voice beside him, Zhang Yue finally came back to his senses. He said to Qiu Guoyong, who had warned him, “I want to take a look around here. It’ll be good for me to report back to the Duke of Ying later. You can wait outside the cemetery.”
Although the request seemed odd, the Qiu family could finally live openly, so Qiu Guoyong naturally didn’t mind. He gave a gesture to his two brothers and a few trusted servants, and they all stepped back. Once they were all gone, Zhang Yue ordered Zhang Bu to keep an eye on the situation before taking Amber’s hand.
“Let’s go find your parents’ graves.”
The Qiu family’s graves were all joint graves for couples. Only three people from Qiu Guoyong’s generation had passed away, so they quickly found the unremarkable tombstone and the modest grave. Perhaps because there were no direct descendants, the grass in front of the grave had grown tall, with no signs of worship. Seeing Amber kowtow in front of the grave in a dazed state, Zhang Yue bowed first, then placed the flowers and greenery he had picked earlier on top of the grave before kneeling beside her.
“Now that you’re here with all your heart, that’s the best comfort for them. Besides, you often offer sacrifices to them at home during festivals. The dead are gone; the living are what matter most. Since your wishes have been fulfilled, let’s put aside those concerns and live well from now on. That way, your parents will be happy down there, right?”
“Mm, I understand…”
Nodding firmly, Amber still couldn’t help leaning into Zhang Yue’s arms. Tears blurred her eyes, but she felt completely at ease. Zhang Yue gently patted her back, glanced at the faded tombstone, and then comforted her, “Silly girl, stop crying. What if someone sees you like this when we leave?”
When Amber finally stopped crying and raised her head, Zhang Yue quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped her face. Seeing that the yellow makeup hadn’t been washed away by the tears, he felt relieved. Holding her up, he bowed deeply in front of the grave before turning to her and saying, “Everything’s done. Let’s go home.”
Hearing those simple words—“go home”—Amber felt an indescribable emotion fill her heart. She nodded firmly. Turning in Zhang Yue’s arms to look at the tombstone again, she couldn’t help whispering one last time.
“Dad, Mom, your daughter has left!”
Volume 16: Turning the Tide
A sudden upheaval—how terrifying. Which hero will be able to turn the tide?