Chapter 766: Bad Omens

Suddenly, a messenger was sent from Jiaozhi. The next day, Zhang Yue’s father, Zhang Zhuo, left in a hurry with a dozen men. This naturally couldn’t be hidden from the officials under the Guangdong governor. Though they didn’t understand what exactly had happened, Zhang Yue, who was usually approachable, became much quieter and often lost in thought—something everyone noticed. After several days of discussion, many people’s guesses gradually converged on the truth.
If it was serious enough to prompt the family’s elders to make a personal trip, it must be that General Yang Wubó had encountered trouble!
Zhang Yue saw others’ speculations but said nothing, merely continuing to handle affairs quietly. He would always comfort his worried mother during morning and evening visits. A month passed without further messengers from Jiaozhi, but the communication channels his father and Yuan Fang had established with the capital remained smooth, with messages arriving every two or three days. From the court sending a physician along with Zhang Chao to rush south; to heated debates among officials, with Marquis Anyuan Liu being the top candidate for general; to Duke of Ying Zhang Fu volunteering for the role, causing a stir in the court… Occasionally, some ministers who failed to read the situation would suggest that the imperial court was too barren and needed concubines to continue the lineage, only to be reprimanded and demoted. In short, no decision could be made.
When Zhu Di was still alive, he hadn’t felt much about it. Now, compared to the founding heroes, there were truly too few great generals among those who had contributed to quelling the rebellion. Duke Cheng Zhu Neng could be counted as one, but sadly he died young. Duke Qi Qiu Fu was another, but his defeat in the northern campaigns proved he was merely the best among the worst. Duke of Ying Zhang Fu rose to prominence through three campaigns in Jiaozhi, being both brave and strategic, yet now it seemed unlikely he could serve as a military commander again. As for the other marquises and counts, the first generation was either old or dead, while the second and third generations were far inferior to their predecessors. As for Marquis Anyuan Liu, who was widely expected to become the new general in Jiaozhi…
He was truly afraid that this brave but lackstrategic elder, with whom he had a long-standing relationship, might make a mistake due to underestimating the enemy—history provided clear examples of such failures!
“Teacher.”
Zhang Yue, who was reviewing documents and lost in thought, suddenly heard a few soft calls and quickly snapped back to reality. Seeing Li Guoxiu before him, he put down his pen and asked, “What is it?”

“A messenger from outside reports that someone has arrived from Guangxi. The person claims to be a messenger from the general’s office and is waiting in the side room east of the Bo Shui Hall.” Seeing Zhang Yue frown, he quickly added, “I saw the master deep in thought, so I went over and peeked through the wooden lattice window. There are three of them in total—two seem to be attendants, while the leader is tall, strong-featured, with broad eyebrows and big eyes; he looks very imposing and doesn’t seem like an ordinary messenger.”

Glancing at Li Guoxiu, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but smile and say, “You’re quite clever.”

Although he had once been on good terms with Marquis Anyuan Liu Sheng, they had little contact since Liu Sheng was transferred to Guangxi. Unlike Gu Xingzu, who always tried to assert the authority of the general, Liu Sheng rarely sent official documents for consultation, let alone sent messengers—this was the first time such a thing had happened. After thinking carefully, he instructed Li Guoxiu, “Stay here. Later, together with Zi Qin, go through these documents one by one, keep your copies, and I’ll review them later before making a decision. If anyone comes and asks for my decision immediately, have them wait; otherwise, tell them to go see Lord Xiang.”

Leaving the main hall, Zhang Yue walked along the central axis of the front yard of the Administrative Office, passed through the second hall, and then went around a side door—this led to the three rooms in the Bo Shui Hall designated for receiving messengers from all directions. Usually, servants would be here preparing tea and other things, but this time both servants were standing at the entrance of the courtyard, looking around. Upon seeing him, they hurried over to apologize, saying that the arriving man was too domineering and had driven them away. Hearing this strange story, Zhang Yue became even more suspicious.

When he reached the door of the side room, he saw a man in his early thirties standing there like a pillar, somewhat familiar. As he got closer, the man immediately pulled back the curtain and bowed. Zhang Yue immediately remembered having seen this man at Marquis Anyuan’s residence in the capital. His gaze quickly turned inside the room. Although his eyes were momentarily unaccustomed to the darkness, he still quickly recognized the person sitting in the center and was shocked.

“An…” He swallowed the other two words that came to his lips, stepped forward quickly, and bowed deeply. Then he said with a wry smile, “How could uncle come in person?”

“Do you think I wanted to come?” Marquis Anyuan Liu Sheng was known for his straightforward nature. Hearing this, he replied irritably, “If it weren’t for the constant unrest in Guangxi and all the troubling news, why would I have to disguise myself and make such a secret trip, even at the risk of being accused by censors or reported by the Jinyiwei?”

As he spoke, he waved for Zhang Yue to come closer, stared at him for a long time, then complained, “I tell you, Little Zhang Yue, this time I really have to settle accounts with you. Back when the King of Han rebelled, I volunteered to go, but you just led a small group and resolved the matter, taking away my chance to show off my skills. Now that I’m ready to retire in peace, you suddenly pull Gu Xingzu down from his position, forcing me to resign as the commander of the Right Army and go to Guangxi, a place full of barbarians, to defend it. Now that your second uncle has trouble, if you recommend me to go to Jiaozhi, we’re done for! Beheading those Annam barbarians won’t earn much military merit—it’s pointless!”
When Liu Sheng hadn’t yet been granted a title, he had already gone to Jiaozhi with Zhang Fu. Naturally, he was more suitable than other nobles to be stationed there, but he himself was far from willing. He spoke bluntly, yet his heart was transparent. Back when Emperor Yongle, Zhu Di, was still alive, he was in charge of the capital troops. Aside from Duke of Yingguo Zhang Fu, he was the most favored. Moreover, he was already a marquis. Going to Jiaozhi again meant not only no hope of being promoted but also uncertain return to the court. Fighting in places full of jungles or rivers was simply not enjoyable!
No matter how hard Zhang Yue tried to think, he never expected Liu Sheng to hold a grudge like this. All he could do was force a bitter smile. People without self-interest were already rare, and Liu Sheng, who had risen to the rank of marquis, was certainly not a simple man. So, after understanding Liu Sheng’s intentions, he simply shrugged and told the truth.
“Uncle helped me a lot in the past. Our families are both old friends and related by marriage, so I won’t say anything vague. After hearing about Jiaozhi, I submitted a memorial to the emperor, proposing two measures. One was to ask Duke of Yingguo to take command of the troops to attack Jiaozhi.”
After speaking so much, Liu Sheng was drinking water to moisten his throat. Hearing this, he almost spat out the water. He put down his teacup and stared wide-eyed, “What? You actually recommend Duke of Yingguo? Don’t you know your eldest uncle is already a Grand Tutor? He ignores all other military matters just to rush to Jiaozhi. Don’t you think this is overreacting?”
“Uncle, where else in the world is there still chaos now?”

Seeing Liu Shengwen freeze, Zhang Yue began counting on his fingers: “The three tribes of the Oirats in the north sometimes fight among themselves and sometimes unite against Arutai, leaving the situation chaotic. Although there are still occasional raids on Kaiping and Danning, their intensity is less than before. The Jurchens in Liaodong are also quite peaceful under the Nurgan Commandery. Since the Shenwei ships set sail for Japan, there have been no more Japanese pirates along the coast. In the Western Regions, the enfeoffment of Buddhist kings and other matters are all stable. As for other regions, though there are occasional uprisings or rebellions, they remain sporadic. In comparison, the situation in Jiaozhi is the biggest military issue lately… It’s not that I’m overthinking it, but I’m afraid real chaos might break out there. Since the people there fear the Duke of Yingguo like a tiger, then send the person they fear the most!”

At these words, Liu Sheng was left speechless. Zhang Yue then remembered that the messenger had mentioned earlier that the person in charge of military affairs had been replaced by Chen Zhi, the Marquis of Rongchang, who had a rift with Zhang You. He couldn’t help but sigh. “Actually, the situation in Jiaozhi shouldn’t be this bad. With proper defenses, it might not even be necessary for the Duke of Yingguo to go. But since I heard that the deputy commander, the Marquis of Rongchang, now holds military power, I can’t help but think of the worst. Most of the troops in Jiaozhi are stationed along the Jiaozhou region. I’m afraid the Marquis of Rongchang might launch a reckless attack to claim credit, only to fall into an ambush… Uncle, since the Yongle era, the few times our army suffered defeats were either due to being outnumbered and surrounded or from rash actions that led to ambushes, resulting in ultimate failure!”

Liu Sheng, who had fought in Jiaozhi, battled Japanese pirates, and led the central army on northern expeditions, usually disdained discussing military strategy with civil officials. Yet Zhang Yue was different from those who only talked tactics on paper, and he did listen to what was said. He didn’t take a second-generation noble like Chen Zhi seriously. Thinking of how pustulous Chen Zhi looked, he even nodded.

“You’re not wrong. Just because your second uncle is seriously injured and Huang Fu is seriously ill, it doesn’t necessarily mean we need to be so anxious. But if someone like him is in charge of the troops, it might really cause trouble… But I’m not trying to dampen your spirits—likely, the court won’t agree to letting your great-uncle go on the campaign!”

Zhang Yue certainly knew how difficult this situation was. Just as recorded in historical texts, after two defeats at the beginning of the Xuande era, Grand Tutor and Duke of Yingguo, Zhang Fu, also failed to get the chance to lead troops into battle. Left with no choice, he could only watch helplessly as Jiaozhi was abandoned. And this was only the beginning—later, when Kaiping was abandoned as well, Zhang Fu failed to play any significant role. When Emperor Yingzong ascended the throne, although Zhang Fu was the foremost meritorious official, he no longer had any authority to make decisions. Thus, this great general perished at Tumu Fort, and the noble families were never able to recover, turning the Ming Dynasty into a realm where civil officials and eunuchs vied for power.

Yet, Zhu Zhanji treated Zhang Fu with much more kindness now. Moreover, he clearly stated in his memorials that if one thought it was unnecessary to use a sledgehammer to kill a chicken, only to end up raising a tiger that would become a threat, then it would be extremely difficult to use the sledgehammer to kill the tiger.

Just as he and Liu Sheng were at a loss for words, a voice suddenly called out from outside. The next moment, a slit was opened in the curtain, and a household soldier standing outside stuck his head in and whispered, “Master, Lord Zhang, there’s a messenger from Jiaozhi!”

“Call him in!”

“Hurry and let him in!”

Although Liu Sheng was the guest, he now took charge, shouting almost simultaneously with Zhang Yue. Before long, a disheveled man stepped over the threshold—he was one of the attendants who had gone to Jiaozhi with Zhang Zhuo. Upon seeing outsiders upon entering, he was momentarily stunned. Only after Zhang Yue urged him did he quickly step forward and present a letter with both hands. Zhang Yue didn’t mind Liu Sheng approaching to take a look. He took out the letter, unfolded it, and scanned it from left to right. His expression immediately froze.

“I tell you, young nephew, you really have a knack for bringing bad luck…”

Hearing these words, unclear whether they were an expression of regret or complaint, Zhang Yue rubbed his temples with his right thumb and middle finger and said irritably with a bitter smile, “All I regret now is thinking that my second uncle, Zhang You, could handle everything properly in Jiaozhi, so I didn’t push harder to get Lord Rongchang back to the capital and appoint someone else as deputy commander… Who would have thought he would rashly launch an attack and suffer defeat! He’s a count, and my second uncle along with Minister Huang can still hold him in check, but Ministers Chen and the others can’t do anything!”

“Need I say more? What are those talkative civil officials good for?”

Although Lord Rongchang, Chen Zhi, had suffered a great defeat this time, Marquis Anyuan, Liu Sheng, still spoke with disdain for those civil officials. It wasn’t surprising—he had joined the Jingnan uprising back then and fought battles across the country. During that time, those civil officials were either planning from safe places or studying at home for the imperial examinations. Now, they had gradually taken over key positions, which naturally made him resentful.

Angrily, he walked away from Zhang Yue, not even glancing at the messenger whose face was filled with shock and doubt. After taking a few steps with his hands behind his back, he turned around and said, “Now that things have come to this, it’s not appropriate for me to stay any longer. I’ll be heading back. If the emperor appoints the Duke of Yingguo, then everything will be fine. But if it’s me… I won’t say anything else. I’ll definitely send for you to join me then! So, do you dare or not?”
“What’s there to fear?”
Uncle Zhang You’s fate was unknown, and now his father, Zhang Zhuo, was already in Jiaozhou Prefecture. Zhang Yue felt utterly confused. Hearing Liu Sheng’s words, he replied without even thinking. When he saw Liu Sheng’s stern expression change to a smiling one as he stared at him, he immediately realized what had happened.
“Uncle, why use such tactics to provoke me? In my memorial, I already mentioned that either the Duke of Yingguo should lead the troops, or if another commander is appointed, I would volunteer to assist in military affairs.”
“As expected of a Zhang family member—so responsible!”
Liu Sheng strode over, gave Zhang Yue a satisfied pat on the shoulder, and then left without another word. With his departure, the other two accompanying generals hurriedly followed. In an instant, only Zhang Yue and the messenger who had returned with the news were left in the large room. Zhang Yue asked a few questions about the situation there and learned that Zhang You’s condition was very poor. Fortunately, he had previously asked Governor Fang Zheng to take charge of military affairs in Jiaozhou, which had helped preserve some strength. This made him sigh even more deeply.
Needless to say, those who had raised the rebellion flag must have been preparing for this for a long time.
Seeing Zhang Yue’s expression change constantly, the attendant finally couldn’t hold back and asked cautiously, “Young master, do you really intend to volunteer to go to Jiaozhou? Things there are completely chaotic. Jiaozhou Prefecture is still okay, but in other places, bandits are running amok!”
“It’s still uncertain whether I’ll go or not,” Zhang Yue replied indifferently. Then, looking at the attendant, he ordered, “Remember, don’t tell anyone about the person you just met. My wife might want to see you later as well. Send a message in and wait for further instructions before resting. You’ve worked hard on this journey, and your contributions are significant. I won’t reward you with anything now, but I will promote your family member in the future.”
The attendant, who had been filled with fear throughout the journey, was now overjoyed. He quickly knelt down and kowtowed before leaving satisfied. Only after he left did Zhang Yue gently pat his forehead and mutter to himself, “I only hope Uncle and Father are safe. Amitabha!”