Chapter 822: The Empress Dowager’s Hard Work, the Emperor’s Stratagems

In the evening, in the East Warm Pavilion of Renshou Palace.
Empress Dowager Zhang had never favored luxury. After Zhu Gaochi’s death, she moved to Renshou Palace, bringing along all the eunuchs and servants. Since the capital had been moved, there were no empress dowagers or concubines in the palace, so Renshou Palace had remained unused. After Zhu Di’s death, most of the concubines were buried with him. Thus, when she moved there, Renshou Palace had almost nothing; even the Imperial Supply Bureau couldn’t procure what was needed in time. It was Empress Dowager Zhang who brought over a few old pieces of furniture she was accustomed to using, then ordered that all other furnishings be kept simple. Now, the East Warm Pavilion was filled with items that were neither new nor old; the only thing bright was the few fresh flowers in vases on a small table in the corner.

“Back when this place was still Beiping, not long after you got married, the Duke of Ying led the army to Danning. Soon after, the Southern Army surrounded the city. Empress Renxiao personally led us to the city walls. Do you still remember?”
Hearing Empress Dowager Zhang bring up those old memories, Lady Wang was momentarily stunned, then nodded with a sense of lingering fear. “How could I forget? Things are better now. Back then, I often had nightmares—dreaming that the city had fallen and enemies were rushing in, only to wake up. I was just a new bride then and had never seen such chaos. But Empress Dowager Zhang, along with Empress Renxiao, remained calm throughout. Among us who went up to the city walls wearing armor, many were scared to tears. It was you who comforted them one by one.”

Even after so many years, Empress Dowager Zhang still remembered climbing the city walls to fight alongside Empress Xu, who was then the Princess of Yan. The dense arrows, the deafening shouts of battle, the splattered blood and flesh… When she woke up in the middle of the night with no one around, she could always recall those terrifying scenes. These hidden truths of the court were hard to talk about now. Even though Zhu Ning was close to her, he had not experienced those events. The only one who could still talk about them a bit was Lady Wang.

“It’s been so many years. When I think back now, it seems like it was just yesterday. In the blink of an eye, only a few people are left; many have already passed away. Add to that the generals who died in those years of war—there are countless of them. When Emperor Renzong was alive, he often sighed to me about your father being talented in both civil and military affairs, yet sadly unable to assist the emperor. Later, he posthumously conferred the title of Prince of Hejian on him… Incidentally, December 25th is the anniversary of the late Prince of Hejian. The emperor has ordered the Ministry of Rites to send someone to offer sacrifices. If not for the complicated rituals, I would have wanted to join in offering incense. At that time, I could only offer my respects from the palace from afar.”

Upon hearing this, Lady Wang quickly got up to express her gratitude. During the Jingnan Campaign, her father-in-law Zhang Yu and Zhu Nengqiu both served as high-ranking generals of the five armies. However, her father-in-law died in battle, and although he was posthumously granted the title of Duke at the beginning of the Yongle era, it was not an hereditary title. Thus, Zhang Fu initially held only the rank of Earl, until he was finally made a Duke for his services in Annam. People would often say, “A tiger father produces a dog son.” Yet, compared to Zhu Neng, who died during the campaign in Annam and was posthumously granted the title of Prince of Dongping, Zhang Yu fell short by one step and was not honored with a royal title until the Hongxi era, when he was posthumously enshrined in the imperial ancestral temple. When she learned of this, Zhang Fu specially held a ceremony in their ancestral hall to pay homage, and she still remembered her husband’s expression at that time.

Although it was Emperor Zhu Gaochi who issued the order to change the title, Lady Wang understood well that since Empress Dowager Zhang was involved in state affairs at that time, such a decision could not be made without her consent. Now that Empress Dowager Zhang had spoken, it proved this point.

“However, in October the emperor will personally inspect the borders, and the Duke of Yingguo will have to accompany him, so he likely won’t be able to stay at home. It will be a burden on you then. If there aren’t enough people, the palace can assign more from the Imperial Secretariat to help. As for your relatives and in-laws, you can also ask a few trustworthy ones. This is a grand ceremony to confer the posthumous title of King Zhongwu of Hejian, so it must be held with proper solemnity.”

Although she had already heard about the emperor’s inspection of the borders, it had remained unresolved. Now that Empress Dowager Zhang mentioned it, Lady Wang realized it was a firm decision. She felt uneasy for a moment but quickly replied with a smile, “My husband is just over fifty now, in the prime of his life. If the emperor doesn’t take him on the inspection, he might even be displeased. Don’t worry, Empress Dowager. I’ve already found suitable people among my relatives and in-laws to help. If there are still not enough, I’ll have to boldly ask you for assistance.”

After speaking to Lady Wang, Empress Dowager Zhang felt reassured. She asked who she had chosen to help, and upon hearing it was Lady Sun and Lady Du, she nodded in approval. “One is your sister-in-law, and the other is your niece-in-law—both are reliable people. I’ve met Zhang Yue’s wife several times; she’s young and polite, truly fitting for a family of scholars. As for your sister-in-law, I haven’t met her yet. You might invite her to the palace when you have time. By the way, is your cousin still recovering?”

When Empress Dowager Zhang asked about Zhang Zhuo, Lady Wang was slightly surprised but still nodded. “He’s been weak since childhood, and his health has indeed not been good. Even Zhang Yue, when he was young, was like his father. It was only by practicing martial arts from a young age that he improved his health.”

“I see. Although the court does allow officials to retire for illness, continuing like this isn’t a solution. You must know there’s a lot of criticism in the court, and the censors are always on the lookout for faults. The Ministry of Revenue is currently cutting expenses, and it will be troublesome if someone raises an issue. It’s time to make a decision when the time comes…”

As Empress Dowager Zhang spoke, her eyes were fixed on Lady Wang’s expression. Seeing her pause briefly before quickly nodding in agreement, without any sign of pleasure, only confirmed her suspicions. Court officials held a higher status than those in local positions. Zhang Yue had returned to the court as a vice-minister of the second rank, a promotion that even ordinary local officials would covet, but it was harder to arrange something similar for Zhang Zhuo. After all, he lacked enough experience, and he couldn’t be sent back to serve as a governor again. Fortunately, Zhang Zhuo also didn’t want to stand in the way of his son’s career, so he claimed illness and stayed at home. Now, retiring on this pretext brought satisfaction to everyone.

After discussing official matters, Empress Dowager Zhang chatted casually with Lady Wang about family affairs. Just as they were talking about their children, a messenger announced the emperor’s arrival. Lady Wang quickly stood up, which puzzled Empress Dowager Zhang.

Upon entering the warm chamber, Zhu Zhanji saw Lady Wang bowing in greeting, so he dismissed his anger and asked her a few gentle questions. After she left, he went forward to pay respects to Empress Dowager Zhang. At that moment, Empress Dowager Zhang gave a subtle signal to those around her, and as everyone left the room one after another, she asked, “Why are you so angry? Don’t forget your promise to me earlier—that you would never lose your temper in front of officials. Remember, self-restraint and adherence to propriety are signs of virtue. Letting emotions show on your face is never a good thing.”

“Mother, I certainly remember,” Zhu Zhanji said, taking a deep breath before his expression relaxed slightly. “Just now, Lu Feng came to report that Zhang Yuanjie encountered a thief last night when he returned home. After taking the stolen items, he learned they came from the former residence of Princess Yongping, so he immediately informed the Jinyiwei. The Jinyiwei and the Eastern Depot went to inspect the place today, only to find that Li Maoqing had committed suicide! More than two thousand taels of gold and over twenty thousand taels of silver were found in his house, all officially minted. All his servants have been arrested and questioned, but nothing has been uncovered yet!”

Princess Yongping had been convicted during Zhu Di’s reign. Zhu Gaochi despised her for her connections with the Princes of Han and Zhao, and he never pardoned her even after ascending the throne. It was only after Zhu Zhanji took the throne that he reluctantly granted Li Maoqing, a bastard son of Li Rang, an official position. Such an insignificant person now faced such a mysterious incident, which naturally filled him with shock and anger.

Empress Dowager Zhang had little memory of Princess Yongping and couldn’t help frowning. “I recall that after she hanged herself, Emperor Taizong executed all her maids and wet nurses and ordered a search of her home. Almost all the items from her time as a princess were taken back to the palace. How much reward did you give Li Maoqing when you appointed him to an official position?”
“Ten thousand strings of cash, along with a few old items returned.”
The Ming emperor was usually extremely stingy when rewarding relatives of lesser importance, often settling for large sums of cash. Li Maoqing clearly fell into this category. Hearing Zhu Zhanji’s reply, Empress Dowager Zhang frowned in thought for a moment before asking directly, “Since he encountered the thief by chance, why not just hand him over to the Xicheng Military Command?”
“The Eastern Depot has already submitted evidence. It says Zhang Yuanjie originally intended to hand him over to the Xicheng Military Command, but the man was bold enough to try to bribe him with money and even brought four gold ingots with him. Being cautious, Zhang thought they might be officially minted gold ingots, so he took the man back first and sent people to investigate. Turns out, the place the man pointed to wasn’t related to the case at all, so they notified the Jinyiwei. In desperation, the thief confessed that the gold came from the former Princess Yongping’s residence.”
“Was he really a thief?”
“No. The Eastern Depot used torture, and he confessed that he was working for someone there. The gold was given to him by a supervisor who asked him to hire a hundred or so strong men in the suburbs. He knew nothing else. Strangely, among the servants imprisoned from Princess Yongping’s residence, there was no such supervisor he recognized. Moreover, after verification, those gold ingots were indeed part of the more than two thousand taels of gold. Aside from the original hundred taels of gold returned, the rest had unknown origins. With Li Maoqing dead, it’s becoming harder to investigate this matter.”
Recalling that October was the time for border inspections, and although troop deployment and other arrangements were already in place, with the Ministry of Revenue having sufficient funds, Empress Dowager Zhang was already uneasy about Zhu Zhanji leading troops abroad. Now, she felt even more inclined to dissuade him. Yet before she could speak, Zhu Zhanji spoke first.

“Mother, I have made up my mind regarding the border inspection. The old city of Danning has just been rebuilt, and now it serves as a stronghold deep in Tartary, able to coordinate with Kaiping and Xinghe. Yet it remains an isolated place; without constant deterrence, it could face the same fate as Xinghe in the past. On this trip out of the capital, I am accompanied by the Duke of Yingguo, a seasoned warrior. With his support, and since it’s not my first time in battle, I should be safe along the way. Besides, there’s also Zhang Yuanjie. Back in the capital, with Mother in charge and Yang Shiqi’s prudence, if anyone tries to cause trouble in my absence, Mother will surely be able to control the situation.”

“The Duke of Yingguo should accompany you, while Zhang Yuanjie is better left behind.”

Seeing Zhu Zhanji appear momentarily stunned, Empress Dowager Zhang spoke earnestly, “In the past, Emperor Taizong often relied on him but held back his rank, allowing him to prove his abilities without becoming arrogant. But times have changed. Although the Zhang family is full of talented people, the most important ones, after the Duke of Yingguo, are him. One commands the troops, the other is in the Ministry of War—military and civil roles, with countless eyes watching. In the past, since the Duke of Yingguo handled administrative affairs, his promotion to the Ministry of War didn’t raise any objections. But this border inspection is different. Keep Zhang Yue in the capital and take Minister Zhang Ben with you to train him in managing the Ministry of War.”

As she spoke, Empress Dowager Zhang stood up, walked a few steps, then turned and said, “If you let him accompany you on the border inspection, among so many nobles and ministers, he might stand out too much. Emperor Taizong could bypass others to use him because he ruled for over a decade without fearing criticism. But at your prime, doing so could hurt people’s feelings. I know you’re young and prefer using young people, perhaps feeling weary of the elderly. But the old ministers have many followers and connections; you must not disrupt them based on your personal preferences. Just as when reviewing land records later, their dignity must be preserved.”

Leaving De Sheng Ji, Zhang Yue rushed home, finally returning before the midnight curfew at three in the morning. Yet as soon as he entered, the butler Gao Quan told him that Lady Wang had arrived first, had dinner at home, and then left. Learning that he had missed Lady Wang, Zhang Yue hesitated briefly before entering through the second gate without asking further. After walking a few steps, he heard the sound of doors being closed and locked behind him.

Returning to his room to change, with Du Wan’s help, he removed his bright red silk official robe with scattered flower patterns and the golden buckle belt, and carefully took off his black gauze hat. Then he asked Du Wan, “Do you know why my aunt came today?”

“After dinner, my aunt seemed to have something to say to Mother, so she sent me back first. I only saw her off before leaving, and she didn’t reveal anything. But from Mother’s expression, it seemed both happy and melancholic—I have no idea what was said.”
Hearing this, Zhang Yue became even more curious. After changing into casual clothes, he went with Du Wan to their parents’ main room. As soon as they entered, they saw his father standing and his mother sitting. Just as he was about to go forward to pay his respects, Zhang Zhuo waved him over, signaling him to talk in the adjacent room. Glancing at his mother sitting there, he quickly followed.
The room was a small study, with books and decorations on the shelves. There was a cedar desk and cedar armchairs, and a bamboo screen separated the entrance—this was where Zhang Zhuo would read and relax after returning home. When Zhang Yue entered with him, he saw his father sitting at the desk and couldn’t help asking, “What did Aunt say? Why is Mother so unhappy?”
“It’s nothing serious. Your mother doesn’t know whether to be happy or upset.” Seeing Zhang Yue’s confused expression, Zhang Zhuo continued, “Your aunt came straight here from the palace. The Empress Dowager asked her to convey a message. In our dynasty, there’s a system for those on sick leave—once the deadline passes, they must retire. It seems my time has come too. You have a bright future ahead, so by retiring now, though my salary from the Ministry of Revenue will be lower, it will prevent others from using this as an excuse.”
“Retire? But Father, you’re not even fifty yet!”
“In the Song Dynasty, some censors retired in their early forties. Compared to them, I’m still older—so what’s there to worry about?”
“But…”
Although Zhang Zhuo said this, Zhang Yue still felt uneasy and couldn’t quite express what he wanted to say. At that moment, Zhang Zhuo stretched comfortably and glanced at the items on the shelves. “Retiring is a good thing. I won’t have to worry about the Ministry of Personnel assigning me sudden tasks, nor will I have to worry about others causing trouble. Besides, when you reach the first rank or even above, surely the court won’t neglect your father when bestowing honors.”
At that moment, Zhang Yue felt warmth fill his heart, and he nodded firmly. “Father, rest assured. I will surely bring the greatest honor back for you both.”
“Isn’t it true that people judge a father by his son? With a son like you, I’m happy to retire.”
The father and son looked at each other and finally laughed together.