Chapter 768: Worry of Civil and Military Leaders

Since most educational officials in various provinces were now selected from the Hanlin Academy and did not hold positions such as educational supervisors or deputy inspectors, no separate offices were established locally. To avoid being disturbed by scholars, Shen Can simply followed Zhang Yue’s advice and moved to the back courtyard of the Provincial Administration Office. Yet he never expected that, after initially saying he would select a group of scholars who could excel in the imperial examinations, such a sudden change would occur.

“Sigh, nothing in the world is more unpredictable than this. I’ve heard that Jiaonan is plagued by miasma; even without rebellions, few officials who go there live long. Why go through such trouble?”

Zhang Yue had decided to set off the next day and came to bid farewell to Shen Can. Knowing his mentor cared for him, he could only force a smile and say, “Sir, publicly speaking, it was I who submitted the strategy for Jiaozhi, which led to my second uncle being sent there to defend it. Privately speaking, now that Lord Rongchang Chen Zhi has suffered a defeat and Jiaozhou Prefecture is in grave danger, with my father and second uncle trapped there, I surely can’t just sit idly by.”

“Once the imperial army arrives, they will surely relieve the siege of Jiaozhou Prefecture, and then they’ll be able to return safely…” As he spoke, Shen Can’s voice gradually faded, ending with a deep sigh. “I understand your concerns. Aside from the Duke of Yingguo, who has won victories time and again, the main army has been stuck in trouble until it was recalled to defend the capital. Only then, with Minister Huang Lao and your second uncle there to stabilize the situation, things seemed to improve. It’s a shame it all fell through now… Such a small region cannot be underestimated at all! Lord Rongchang’s rash decision ruined a promising situation—there’s no greater shame than defeat that brings disgrace to the nation!”

At this point, Shen Can couldn’t help but run his hand over his neatly trimmed beard, wanting to speak but ultimately remaining silent. In his view, among all the military nobles in the court, it was hard to find even a few truly capable ones—while those incompetent ones were even more arrogant. It might be better to let civil officials lead the troops.

Seeing Shen Can silent, Zhang Yue also sensed something. Since now was not the time to discuss such matters, he sincerely bowed and said, “Mr. Minwang, I surely won’t be able to attend this autumn examination in person. I hope you’ll select some capable talents for Guangdong. Lord Xiang, the Right Governor, is recovering well now. He is meticulous and impartial in handling affairs—please consult him whenever needed. I’ve been temporarily assigned to assist in military affairs, so it’s likely the Left Governor won’t be transferred here. You may continue to reside in this office. During your time in Guangdong, I hope you’ll take good care of my family.”

“Even if not counting your wife, she’s practically my student. Just because you call yourself Mr. Minwang, I still feel obliged to help. Go ahead without worry. I only hope the military campaign goes smoothly and you can return with the army as soon as possible!”

“Then I’ll take your good wishes, Mr. Minwang!”

Knowing that Vietnam was also in the tropics with rainy seasons in June, July, and August, Zhang Yue specifically instructed that more oilcloth be prepared when packing, to wrap all clothes and belongings in. He also bought mosquito repellent and various rain gear. During these preparation days, two groups arrived in the capital—one consisted of eight strong servants sent by Duke Zhang Fu of Britain, and the other was a few capable men secretly sent by Yuan Fang. With this, Mrs. Sun, who had been worried about a shortage of manpower, finally breathed a sigh of relief and took her family to Guangxiao Temple to pray for good fortune.

On the last night before departure, Zhang Yue took care of his mother. Back in his room, he couldn’t help but hug each of his children one by one, then gently comforted Qiu Hen, who was crying, and Amber, whose face was pale. Watching them leave, holding each other, he finally embraced his wife, Du Wan.

With no one else in the room, Du Wan, free from her usual restraint in public, leaned into his arms and held him tightly. After a long while, she softly said, “Go ahead without worry. I’ll take care of everything at home. Whether it’s my mother, the children, or anyone else, I’ll take good care of them…”

“With you here, I’m not worried about any of this.”

Suddenly, Zhang Yue released her and gently kissed her face. The flickering lights cast long shadows of the two embracing each other on the white wall, while the dark green silk curtains turned bright red. After parting after a while, Zhang Yue pulled his wife to sit by the bed and casually removed the curtain above them.

As the four city gates opened, Guangzhou awoke from its early morning silence. Though it was still early, the streets were already filled with pedestrians, and there were also quite a number of vendors. When a loud, rapid sound of horse hooves came from ahead, everyone rushed to the sides of the road until the group of over twenty people sped past, after which people returned to their original paths. Even the most observant couldn’t spot the figure surrounded by those people. Only the guards at Guide Gate, checking those leaving the city, noticed that this large group was all carrying official documents from the Provincial Administration Office, which raised their suspicions.

The distance from Guangzhou Prefecture to Nanning Prefecture was about a thousand li. Even on the main roads, one had to pass through areas inhabited by the Yao people, such as Dateng Gorge. So, despite Zhang Yue’s haste, everyone in his entourage remained vigilant. Upon arriving in Nanning Prefecture, they found that the capital of Guangxi was already crowded with soldiers, with military uniforms everywhere.

Since the commander in charge of Guangxi was usually appointed to suppress rebellions and was not a permanent position, often having to move around due to Yao uprisings, Nanning Prefecture did not have a commander’s residence. Liu Sheng, the Marquis of Anyuan, who had started coordinating troops here a few days earlier, moved into the Guangxi Military Command. With his arrival, the command naturally stepped up its defenses, and Zhang Yue and his group were stopped at the gate.

“The Marquis ordered that if you’re an officer, go see Commander Cui directly; if you’re a local civil official, go see the Provincial Administrator if you have business, otherwise stay back and don’t make noise here!”

Just as this young soldier finished saying these words, which had dismissed countless people before, a household general came out with two servants. This general had previously followed Liu Sheng to Guangzhou. Upon seeing Zhang Yue, he quickly stepped forward to greet him and said with a smile, “Lord Zhang, you’ve arrived so quickly! The Marquis thought we might have to wait two days for you, but here you are. The Marquis himself arrived in Nanning just two days ago, and the others will likely have to wait a few more days! He’s free now—let me take you to see him!”

Seeing the household general eagerly lead Zhang Yue inside, the young soldier was stunned. Noticing an older soldier who was also on duty coming out, he quickly asked, “Brother Liu, did you see the person who just went in? The two officials from the Provincial Administration Office came together, but the Marquis wouldn’t see them; the Inspector came to pay a visit, and still, the Marquis wouldn’t see him; even when Commander Cui came, they had to wait for a long time. Who is that young man who just went in so easily?”

“Who is this nobleman? Hey, I just happened to hear it when I came out—his surname is Zhang. Who could this nobleman be?”
More than ten days later, when they met again, Liu Sheng seemed to have accepted this sudden mission. He waved his hand, telling Zhang Yue not to be overly formal, then said, “The Duke of Qian has been ordered to lead troops to provide support. In addition to the tens of thousands under my command, he will bring another twenty thousand. Moreover, Commander Cui Ju has brought over three thousand cavalry. With that, we’ll have enough troops. Your former superior, Li Qing, the Minister of War in Nanjing, will probably arrive later. After all, he’s quite old and an official, so no matter how fast he travels, he won’t make it any sooner… Ah, by the way, your elder brother brought his men through Pingxiang to Jiaozhi from my place. Out of old friendship, I had people escort him there, hoping he can make it in time… Ugh, what nonsense I’m talking! I should really be wishing your second uncle a longer life!”
Hearing that Zhang Chao had already headed to Jiaozhi, Liu Sheng mentioned Zhang You. Zhang Yue quickly asked, “Is there any news from Jiaozhi? How is my second uncle now?”
“The rebels are causing trouble everywhere, making travel difficult and delaying news. Plus, since Chen Qia is in charge now, there are constant urgent reports. All we know is that Jiaozhou Prefecture is still stable. As for your second uncle, he didn’t mention anything, so I know nothing else,” Liu Sheng said with a frown. Suddenly, he stepped forward and gave Zhang Yue’s arm a firm pat. “Military officers aren’t like civil officials. Since you’re leading troops, you must always be prepared for such emergencies! It’s a pity that he, who’s been fighting for half his life, was betrayed outside the battlefield!”
Jiaozhou Prefecture couldn’t be described as deserted or bleak. After the defeat of the army led by Chen Zhi, the Marquis of Rongchang, aside from those who were killed or fled into the mountains in panic, some officers managed to save their men through great difficulty. Thus, starting a few days ago, thousands of defeated soldiers poured into Jiaozhou Prefecture. Chaos reigned, and the most concerning issue was the food supply in the city.
The elderly Minister Huang Fu, who had been ill for over a month, tried to manage affairs with his slightly improved health, but he finally couldn’t get up yesterday. Fang Zheng, who was in charge of military affairs, had been injured in a previous campaign. After returning, he was busy handling affairs but his old injuries flared up, leaving him barely able to sit at his desk to work. He couldn’t ride around to meet people either, so Chen Qia, who was temporarily in charge, was utterly overwhelmed.

Early that morning, he rushed to the commander’s residence. Although it had previously been strictly guarded against outsiders due to Chen Zhi’s orders, now that the Lord Rongchang was dead and the guards had no one to follow, they naturally wouldn’t hinder anyone anymore. They simply watched as the highest-ranking civil official in the city entered in a fury.

He rushed straight to Zhang You’s room before being stopped by Zhuan Fu. Glaring at this submissive servant, he calmed himself down before asking in a deep voice, “Who’s in there now?”

“Reporting to Lord Chen, it’s my third master,” Zhuan Fu replied, glancing inside. Seeing Chen Qia’s uncertain expression, as if he intended to burst in, Zhuan Fu warned, “Lord Chen, my master, when he had some strength last time, already explained all military affairs to you clearly. He even entrusted his personal guards to you for guarding and deploying. If I may speak freely, if my master hadn’t truly been too weak, he would have forced himself to get up to see you—after all, you know his condition! Instead of coming here, it would be better if you gathered the other officials from Jiaozhou Prefecture to make a decision!”

“If I could make a decision, I wouldn’t have rushed here to disturb the Lord Yangwu!”

Though their voices were low, they still seeped in through the cracks in the door and windows. Seeing Zhang You lying on the bed with a pale and dark complexion, barely able to force a bitter smile without uttering a word, Zhang Zhuo felt deep sorrow.

Since childhood, he had been the least capable son in the family. He watched his eldest brother, who was good at literature, hold himself in high esteem and enter the court early as an official. He also saw his second brother, who was skilled in martial arts, strive for excellence and carve out a difficult path as a military officer. Now, these two proud men were in such a critical condition. Recalling how his second brother often sent things back from outside in the past, his eyes gradually filled with tears again.

The doctors all said the same thing—Zhang You’s situation was one of endurance. The fact that he had managed to survive for a month and a half after being poisoned was already a miracle, but how much longer could he hold on?

“Open the door. Please let Lord Chen in.”

Hearing these words forced out, Zhang Zhuo was stunned. He then silently got up to open the door. Seeing Chen Qia’s uneasy expression and Zhuan Fu’s shock, he nodded and said, “My elder brother asks Secretary Chen to come in and talk.”

Although he had a lot to say, upon entering the room and seeing Zhang You even thinner than before, Chen Qia hesitated. He was not incompetent, but those scattered soldiers on the streets were beyond his control as a civil official. After all, the troops handed over to him by Zhang You were not ones he could simply take as he wished. If he tried to execute them to set an example, it would likely lead to rebellion. After much deliberation, he sat down on a chair by the bed and explained the whole situation in detail, then sighed.

“Lord Yangwu, it’s not that I want to disturb your recovery, but if we don’t solve this soon, the granaries of Jiaozhou Prefecture will be empty! Many of the local troops have deserted, and transporting grain to Yunnan won’t be resolved in just a day or two. I’m simply seeking a solution.”

Seeing Zhang You struggle to open his mouth without producing any sound, Zhang Zhuo quickly pressed his ear to him and listened carefully for a while before standing up and saying, “Minister Chen, my brother says those scattered soldiers are indeed a concern. Why don’t you have his personal guards go and suppress them? Once Peng Shisan returns, I’ll lend you more men.”

Chen Qia opened his mouth, about to say that if Zhang You’s personal guards were sent on such a task and something went wrong, he would have no remaining forces at all. After all, those troops were under Fang Zheng’s command and wouldn’t obey him. Just then, a voice filled with both shock and joy came from outside the door.

“Master, master! The eldest young master has returned from the capital, and he’s brought a court physician too!”

As soon as the words faded, a tall and strong man rushed in like the wind, bursting through the door. He staggered to the bedside, knelt down with a thud, tightly grasped Zhang You’s hand, and called out “Father” several times. Seeing Zhang You’s face shift from shock to joy, and glancing at Zhang Chao, Zhang Zhuo let out a long sigh. Seeing Chen Qia still standing there in shock, he had no choice but to pull him away.

Once outside, Zhang Zhuo saw two guards bringing in a middle-aged man in his forties. The man’s clothes were covered in blood, clearly from riding at full speed all the way. He must be the court physician. Behind him were several young men limping. Recognizing them as his own attendants, Zhang Zhuo left the others behind and stepped forward. Before he could ask anything, the man in front knelt down and kowtowed.

“Third Master, when we passed through Pingxiang, we heard that the court has ordered the mobilization of a large army. Marquis Anyuan has resigned, and the third young master will join the army to assist in military affairs!”