Chapter 767: The Tree Wants Peace but the Wind Keeps Blowing; The Son Wants to Care for His Parents but They Are No Longer Here

When his sister was born, Jingguan was still young and didn’t feel much. Now that there was a younger brother, whenever he had free time after class, he would try every means to get close to Qiuhen, often gazing at that little one with wrinkled face in a daze. Since Qiuhen had pleaded earnestly, and Du Wan had silently agreed due to her own past experiences, the Zhang family did not hire a wet nurse this time. Qiuhen recovered well during her postpartum period, so she had plenty of milk, and her son, Duanwu, was born chubby and healthy.
“Is this my brother? He’s so tiny…”
“Tiny? When you were born, you were even smaller than him!” Amber, seeing Jingguan standing on tiptoes to look at the sleeping child in the crib, gently pinched his cheek and said with a smile, “Don’t forget your sister just because you have a brother. These past few days, it’s been hot, and your sister has developed many heat rashes. She keeps complaining. As her elder brother, shouldn’t you go see her? Also, though your mother and younger wife aren’t here, you might as well go see your father—he’s been in a bad mood these days.”
“I go to see my sister every day. I even gave her a bottle of floral water this morning! But my father’s expression is really frightening. Mother told me not to disturb him,” Jingguan replied, puffing out his chest. Then, curiously, he stared at Amber’s face before suddenly exclaiming, “Second concubine, you smile more now than before. You look even prettier!”
Qiuhen, who was busy embroidering a belly dress, couldn’t help but laugh. Seeing Amber freeze momentarily and Jingguan pull a face before vanishing in a flash, she joked, “Look, even he’s noticed! Ever since you returned from Qiongzhou Prefecture, your complexion has gotten better day by day. Everyone is happy to see that! Alas, it used to be the most peaceful of times…”
“The master and the second master are blessed by heaven; nothing will happen to them!” Amber cut her off before Qiuhen could finish speaking. She then clasped her hands together and murmured a few words. Suddenly, she turned to Qiuhen and said, “Now that you and your child are safe, how about we invite your mother and younger wife to Guangxiao Temple to offer prayers and ask for blessings? Those fortune-telling sessions worked out perfectly last time. Why not ask for a blessing of safety this time too?”

While the two sisters were discussing how to go to Guangxiao Temple to offer incense and pray for peace, Jingguan, who had run out of the courtyard, nearly collided with Zhang Yue at the corner due to carelessness. Looking up, she saw that Zhang Yue’s expression didn’t seem very good, so Jingguan quickly bowed obediently, called out “Dad” softly, and then lowered her head, waiting for reprimand. But after a long while, she felt a hand gently stroking her head.

“Fathers and sons are connected by nature… All that chaos has separated so many families…”

“Are you thinking of Grandfather, Dad?” Ever since being severely scolded by Du Wan until her wrists ached from practicing calligraphy, Jingguan no longer dared to speak up even if she overheard something occasionally. But seeing his rare expression, she couldn’t help but say, “Grandmother misses Grandfather too. I once saw her crying quietly in the room when no one was around. When I went in and told her Grandfather must be fine, she hugged me and cried for a while, wetting my clothes. Dad, when I grow up, I’ll become a great general and lead an army to conquer that place!”

Hearing that his mother, Lady Sun, was secretly sad, Zhang Yue felt a heavy weight in his heart. But upon hearing the childlike words at the end, he couldn’t help but smile. He tapped the boy’s head lightly with his finger and said, “You’re quite talkative. Who told you that a great general can lead troops?”

“Don’t all novels tell it that way?” As soon as Jingguan spoke, he realized he had revealed himself. Before Zhang Yue could scold him, he quickly knelt down and honestly said, “Dad, don’t blame others. I heard from Master Xiao Fang. I begged him to take me and Uncle Liu to go see it. He refused at first but agreed after much persuasion. It was there that I learned where Jiaozhi is and that the Duke of Yingguo won many battles there.”

“Who taught you to take credit for others’ actions and exaggerate their merits?”

Seeing Jingguan jump in fright and look up at him pitifully, Zhang Yue found it even funnier. He pulled him up, though his expression remained stern. “Even if you don’t say anything, I know. Master Xiao Fang is an honest man, and Uncle Liu is even more so—always following rules and afraid of causing trouble. Only you, who appear honest and simple on the surface, are full of schemes. I won’t believe it if you say it wasn’t you who instigated this…” At the end, he suddenly laughed. “Little rascal, do you think others don’t know about your schemes?”

“Huh?”

Only then did Jingguan realize that his secret was not a secret at all. He immediately hung his head and followed his father obediently. Seeing him return to such a honest demeanor, Zhang Yue spoke as they walked: “It’s not that one must spend all day studying at home and obeying rules, nor is it that only those from noble families who know poetry and etiquette are considered learned. One must read extensively and travel widely; only by gaining broad knowledge can one truly pursue learning. Your grandfather and uncle both traveled across the country. At your age, it’s fine to go out and play occasionally. Besides, haven’t you learned quite a bit? Otherwise, how would your mother have agreed?”
“So mother already knows…”
They say strict fathers and kind mothers, but Zhang Yue was busy with official duties outside. Though he often returned to the back courtyard for meals and rest in the morning, noon, and evening, he didn’t interfere much with his studies. Instead, Du Wan was the one who supervised strictly. This strictness wasn’t in scolding or punishing, nor in the quality of his work, but rather in his dedication. Thus, Jingguan was afraid that his secret outing with Zhang Fu to Fang Jing’s place would be discovered by his mother. After muttering to himself, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As they neared the study, Jingguan was thinking about sending his father away first and then going to confess honestly to his mother, so as to avoid being reminded of it later. But unexpectedly, Zhang Yue stopped suddenly and naturally reached out to take his hand.
“Dad?”
“Weren’t you always curious about the differences between Dad’s study and your study? I’ll show you today.”
Confused, Jingguan followed Zhang Yue to the study. In his spare moment, he glanced at the three big characters “Self-Reflection Studio” above before entering. The study was filled with the scent of books and ink. High bookshelves could be seen behind cloth curtains, but there wasn’t a single person in sight. Before he could think further, Zhang Yue led him to the innermost room, which was completely empty except for two mats on the wooden floor.
Could it be that his father spent his free time meditating here like a monk?
“This is where I studied back then with the Duke of Ying. Come, sit down.”
After Jingguan sat down properly, Zhang Yue sat cross-legged across from him. Seeing the boy staring at him, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. What he had experienced back then wasn’t precociousness—it was rebirth. But now, with a half-brother and a son at home, that was true precociousness, far from the carefree nature of Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi when they were young. As members of a noble family, enjoying wealth and honor from birth came at a cost. Hadn’t Zhang Chao almost caused trouble because of his willfulness?

“Father might go to Jiaozhi on a trip.” His young son was not a soulmates wife, so Zhang Yue tried to speak plainly. Seeing Jingguan’s startled expression, he added, “If I go, although there will still be you, Master Xiao Fang, and brothers Rui and Li at home, they aren’t surnamed Zhang after all. By then, it will only be you and your sixth uncle left. You know your sixth uncle’s temperament, so remember—you are your grandfather’s eldest grandson and my eldest son.”

At first, he was shocked, then confused, but upon hearing the last part, Jingguan unconsciously puffed out his chest and said loudly, “Don’t worry, Father. I will definitely protect Grandmother, Mother, and the aunts, and take care of everyone!”

Zhang Yue was taken aback. He had meant something else, but seeing the confidence and determination on the boy’s face, he quickly realized his mistake and nodded in encouragement. “With such a heart, you truly are a fine man of the Zhang family!”

The word “fine man” made Jingguan’s face turn red. He sat upright on his knees and said word by word, “Father, please give me any orders you have. I will definitely carry them out one by one.”

Since it was the birthday of Yu Liang’s elderly wife at the prefecture office that day, Zhang Yue was in a bad mood and didn’t feel like socializing. He simply sent a generous gift and asked Du Wan to go congratulate her alone, not intending for Lady Sun to accompany her. But though Lady Sun was worried about her husband, she still didn’t want her son to appear disrespectful and insisted on going to the prefecture office with Du Wan to offer congratulations. Although everyone was polite during the banquet, as soon as they returned from the lively place, she immediately dropped her forced smile and, holding Du Wan’s hand, stepped into the office slowly, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Seeing a daughter-in-law coming out to greet them at the second gate, she asked directly, “Where is Yue?”

“Madam, it seems the young master took Jingguan to the study.”

The word “study” made both Lady Sun and Du Wan pause. Du Wan was about to offer to go check, but Lady Sun took her hand and said, “I wonder what plans Father has this time. Let’s go take a look.”

Since the mother-in-law had said so, Du Wan left only Mother Cui to follow, helping Lady Sun head toward the study. When they reached the entrance of the courtyard and saw no one serving at the study door, Lady Sun couldn’t help but mutter a few words. After walking in, she heard Jingguan’s voice faintly coming from inside.

“Be filial to Grandmother and Mother, take care of the people around you, respect your sixth uncle and aunts, and guide your younger brothers and sisters… Father, is this all you want me to do? I thought I’d be as impressive as you!”

“Simple? I still told you to study hard, practice writing, and keep fit—have you forgotten all of that? Don’t underestimate these things. There are some things I believe you can definitely do, but for others, it’s already good if you can do half of them. You only see how imposing your father appears; you’ve never seen him in a helpless state. Do you think our family has always been free from worries? Remember, if something happens and you can still do these things, then you’re truly a man!”
Outside, Lady Sun listened to this confusing conversation inside and was stunned. She had originally only been worried about her husband, but after hearing Zhang Yue’s words, she felt a sense of foreboding and couldn’t help but glance at her daughter-in-law: “Wan’er, did you hear what Yue said? I feel like there’s more to it than it seems.”
Others might not know the situation in Annam, but Du Wan did—not only that, she had even read Zhang Yue’s draft memorials and remembered many of the phrases by heart. Yet, seeing Lady Sun’s bloodshot eyes, she dared not bring up the topic for fear of upsetting her mother-in-law. She mumbled something to cover it up, then helped her into the study, coughing loudly as a reminder. Seeing Lady Sun call Jing Guan in and give further instructions to Zhang Yue, she couldn’t help but turn away to hide the tears in her eyes.
After more than a year of peace, no one wanted any more upheaval. If it weren’t for the court possibly refusing to allow Duke Zhang Fu to lead another campaign; if it weren’t for Zhang You being poisoned and on the verge of death, forcing his father-in-law Zhang Zhuo to go; if it weren’t for Zhang Zhuo being in Jiaozhou Prefecture, where chaos could lead to unpredictable consequences… why would Zhang Yue volunteer to assist with military affairs? With Zhang You likely to die and the second branch of the family losing its head, how could Zhang Yue not think of the sorrow of wanting to support one’s parents but not being able to?
A true man can choose not to do some things, but there are others he must do!
The news of the defeat of Chen Zhi’s 30,000-strong army not only shook Jiaozhou Prefecture but also shocked the imperial court. Zhang Yue had once paid attention to matters in Jiaozhi when he was in the Ministry of War, but since Zhang You took office and Huang Fu returned to power, thinking that the impact had already passed and that Li Li was dead, he stopped paying much attention. As for the others in the court, Jiaozhi had attracted attention during its periods of rebellion, but once the wars subsided and there were fewer tributes, it fell out of focus. With these urgent reports followed by such a crushing defeat, how could it not shock people?

After another fierce struggle and several hours of deliberation in court, the pro-war faction ultimately prevailed. Thus, messengers carrying the delayed military orders rushed for days over eight hundred miles from the capital, delivering them to various locations—the Nanjing Ministry of War, the governor’s office in Guangxi, the Guangdong Provincial Administration, and the residence of the Duke of Qian in Yunnan. Naturally, when this document was opened, it brought sorrow to everyone, not just some happy and some sad.

Li Qing, the Minister of War in Nanjing, was worried that at his age, he might have to die in a foreign land. Mu Sheng, the Duke of Qian, was concerned about having to deploy twenty thousand troops from his command and also raise military provisions. Liu Sheng, the Marquis of Anyuan, was annoyed that his bad luck had struck again, forcing him to embark on another southern campaign. Zhang Yue sighed, realizing that the court still couldn’t let go of Zhang Fu, and he truly didn’t know how to tell his mother.

Hearing that loud clatter, he could only remain silent.

“Fine, you two are fine! One is filial and respectful, the other loyal to the emperor—both have abandoned me!”

Seeing Lady Sun break a porcelain cup and angrily utter those words before suddenly rising and going inside, Du Wan glanced at Zhang Yue and hurried after her. Yet Zhang Yue, with a troubled expression, waited outside for a short while before seeing his mother come out, tears on her face, and walk straight up to him, suddenly hugging him as she had when he was a child.

“It’s mother who was wrong to blame you… I don’t expect anything else—only that you and your father can return safely!”