Chapter 832: The Mountain Chief’s Brother-in-law

Seeing Zhang Yue pondering in silence, Zhang Qi grew anxious. He himself had nothing to worry about, but having served in the army for so long, he had many close friends. With rumors circulating outside, he feared that if the court launched a thorough investigation, not only would his associates be implicated, but chaos might also arise in the army. As the one to expose the truth, Zhang Yue might not end up well.

Thinking of this, he grew even more nervous and instinctively grabbed Zhang Yue’s hand. “Third brother, don’t act on impulse. This is different from before. If things get out of control, no matter how famous you are or how much the emperor and empress dowager trust you, great trouble will surely arise…”

“Second brother, am I that reckless?”

Zhang Yue helplessly interrupted Zhang Qi. Seeing his urgency, he briefly mentioned the key points of today’s events in the Wenhua Hall before continuing, “If I really wanted to ignore everything, I still wouldn’t be able to suppress those people. It seems that my earlier suggestion to enforce strict rules for military succession was too naive. The problems are deeply rooted. One approach is to cut through the chaos swiftly, while another is to take a gradual approach. For now, the latter seems safer.”

“I know that… My mother has nagged me about this time and again, saying that since I’m destined to inherit a countship, I should mingle more with the sons of noble families. It was following them that I picked up some bad habits. It took me years to change them. It’s easier for me to associate with ordinary officers. Among them, some are better fighters than me, while others are weak. Third brother, since you’re in the Ministry of War, you should show them some consideration. If a family has only one son who’s weak and lacks financial support, and he can’t inherit a military position when he grows up, won’t all the merits of his ancestors be wasted? What will support the family then?”

“It’s not that simple, second brother. Think about why the founding emperor established such strict rules. Was it not because he saw what happened when the Mongol Empire collapsed and feared the army would become useless in the future? The Mongol cavalry was famous worldwide, but they were still driven out of the Central Plains. Ultimately, it was due to corrupt politics and internal strife, but the army itself also failed—especially the high-ranking officers. How many of them cared about martial skills when they were content with wealth? Besides, relying on ancestral merits isn’t the proper way…”

Zhang Qi had no chance against Zhang Yue; after a few words of debate, he was defeated and quickly waved his hands, saying, “Okay, okay, I’ll go back and persuade them. Don’t lecture me with these big principles—my head hurts… Ah, it’s already so late? I can’t stay any longer; if I don’t go back, my mother will nag again. I’m leaving now. I need to get up early tomorrow to request leave and return to the camp. Third brother, if you need anything, just send someone to find me!” After saying this and saying goodbye to Zhang Zhuo, Zhang Qi quickly made his escape. Zhang Yue couldn’t help but laugh silently, then turned to Zhang Jiu and gave him a few instructions, mainly asking him to keep an eye out for him at the Hanlin Academy—in modern terms, to influence public opinion—and he also taught him some talking points. It took a full fifteen minutes before Zhang Jiu finally understood and took his leave. Now, only Zhang Zhuo, Zhang Fu, Fang Jing, and Jing Guan remained in the room. Zhang Zhuo had remained silent until then. Now that the two brothers had left, he smiled and said, “Governing a large country is like cooking a delicate dish. I used to fail to grasp its subtleties, but now that I’m away from politics, I can see clearly—it all comes down to mastering the right degree of heat. Yue, you’ve really improved by learning when to act decisively, when to advance, when to retreat, when to hurry, and when to slow down. But you’re right—after all, one is a military general; if they can’t fight, what right do they have to call themselves a general?” At this point, he glanced at the sturdy-built Zhang Fu and smiled, saying, “Fu, you should put more effort into learning martial arts from now on. You should know that your eldest brother was able to win the emperor’s favor because your third brother casually mentioned him in front of the emperor. Favoritism isn’t a problem as long as you have real skills—you can truly help your third brother.” Being young, Zhang Fu naturally didn’t understand all these complex things but simply remembered them in his mind and quickly nodded. Meanwhile, Jing Guan suddenly blurted out, “Dad, I’ll help you too when I grow up.” Although Zhang Fu was a concubine’s son, Zhang Yue always judged people by their character. Seeing his pure nature, he was pleased and praised him for being sensible. Hearing Jing Guan’s words, he found it amusing that the little kid was acting so mature. Smiling, he patted his son’s head and then turned to Fang Jing, saying, “Xiao Fang, come with me to the study. I have something to tell you.”

Zhang Zhuo had already heard Zhang Yue mention the matter of marriage before. Although he liked this young man in his heart, if he were to become his daughter’s son-in-law, it was no longer a joke. Fang Jing was already a successful scholar, but his family’s fortunes had declined, and with no backing, he seemed an unsuitable match in the eyes of ordinary people. However, given his daughter’s lively nature, only a sincere and steady person could bring her under control. So, seeing Fang Jing leave with Zhang Yue, he got up and went to the east room.

His son had first hinted at it to him, so he needed to go and inquire about his wife’s feelings personally. As for his daughter… Zhang Jing couldn’t hide her thoughts, so it would be better to let Du Wan ask her opinion. Though marriage was arranged by parents and matchmakers, living together was a matter between the couple; they couldn’t just force them together.

It was bitterly cold at night. As soon as he stepped out of the room with a brazier, a gust of cold wind hit him, stinging his face. Zhang Yue pulled his lamb-fur robe tighter and saw an old woman carrying a lantern approaching. He took the lantern from her and ordered, “You don’t need to follow. Just leave the gate open.”

Turning around, he noticed Fang Jing was dressed too lightly, so he sent someone to fetch a thick woolen coat. After seeing Fang Jing put it on, he carried the lantern and continued forward. Once they left the courtyard and entered the alley, it became even quieter, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing behind them. Just as they turned the corner, he heard a voice behind him.

“Brother Zhang San, it’s all my fault today…”

“What nonsense? It was my oversight. I thought everyone would know you and wouldn’t have malicious intentions. Who would have thought Shang Yong would be so bold? Luckily, he only knocked you out. If he had been more ruthless, I would truly regret it.” Zhang Yue turned around and saw Fang Jing with his head lowered. He reached out and pulled him forward.

“One mistake teaches us a lesson. Be more cautious in the future. There’s no need to be so depressed.”

Fang Jing regained some energy and walked a few steps beside Zhang Yue before lowering his head and saying, “I really didn’t expect the official world to be so treacherous. When I was working in Guangzhou with Xiao Li and Xiao Rui, I encountered various intrigues, but I’ve never seen anything this blatant. Things escalated to such a large scale… Why? He even lost his life!”

“Why do you think the assassin wanted to kill him?”

“Need I say? There must be some hidden issues with the military selection process. He resorted to extreme measures to cover up the bigger problems. Since he failed to assassinate you, he simply silenced him. Even the assassin didn’t expect him to not have time to escape.”

Zhang Yue then slowed down, smiled at Fang Jing, and said, “You were knocked out this morning, yet you can think of such things by evening. It seems that hit wasn’t in vain—you’ve grown! But, Xiao Fang, you’re kind-hearted and pure, yet since you’re determined to pursue the imperial examinations, going through this experience isn’t a bad thing. You must remember that the officialdom is the darkest place in the world. Even if you merely study at the Hanlin Academy or the Imperial College, you’re likely to avoid political intrigues only with difficulty.”

“I understand. My elder brother also told me that,” Fang Jing said, lowering his head and pondering for a moment before looking up. “At first, I took the imperial examinations just to fulfill my elder brother’s wish. But now, after seeing so much with you all, that motivation has faded. I really want to follow in my elder brother’s footsteps and see the world. I also want to study thoroughly those foreign studies I organized in Guangzhou… Brother Zhang, please don’t laugh at me. I’m not someone with great ambitions to begin with.”

Seeing Fang Jing’s anxious expression, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but smile. Not everyone in this world aspires to hold high positions and have everyone obey at their command; otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many who choose to avoid official careers and instead focus on writing books or teaching. So he said nothing but nodded, signaling Fang Jing to keep walking. Once they reached the Second Gate and followed the east-west path to Zixingzhai, he ordered hot water to be brought in and took out his usual purple clay teapot. After preparing tea, he gave Fang Jing a cup while taking another for himself and sitting down.

“Aspirations aren’t measured by size, only by presence or absence. Since you already have thoughts and aren’t discouraged by today’s events, why would I laugh at you? In that case, will you take part in the imperial examinations in three years?”

“Of course,” Fang Jing replied promptly, nodding again and smiling. “I’m still young. While others remain students even in their old age, I’m already a juren. Why not try again? But this time, no one will be competing with me. I plan to make more friends at various study associations, exchange ideas, and learn more about local customs and literature. If I pass, great; if not, I’ll still gain more experience.”

Seeing Fang Jing’s sincerity, Zhang Yue’s last concern dissipated, and he had another idea. He said, “In that case, there’s something I’d like to assign to you during these three years. You must be aware of the Zhang family’s study. Because of the low fees, the teachers there are highly knowledgeable and of impeccable character. Plus, with so many people enrolling these past few years, there are always those who want to send their children there. At first, I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, so I kept the number of students limited. But now, I think it’s time to change that.”

“Change it? By enrolling more students?”

“It’s not just about admitting more students. I think Jingguan and Tianci, along with the others, are stuck at home studying and practicing martial arts, with too little exposure to the outside world. The descendants of noble families go to the imperial academy to study, but that’s only after they reach adulthood. Before that, they have private tutors at home, and those who teach martial arts are their own family guards. I want to expand the clan school so that they can attend classes there every other day, giving them the chance to meet peers. Staying at home without knowing anything about the outside world is certainly not good.”

Fang Jing’s family declined when he was still young. Although his elder brother protected him back then, he still understood what hard life was like. Thinking of Jingguan and the others, who were born into privilege and surrounded by people at home, yet had very few opportunities to experience the outside world, he agreed with Zhang Yue’s idea after careful consideration. But when Zhang Yue spoke further, he was stunned.

“If we expand the clan school and use the name of the Zhang clan school, that wouldn’t be good. So I think we should turn it into a proper academy. I plan to suggest to Lord Liang that he also give lectures there. But if it becomes a formal academy, someone will need to manage it. Xiao Fang, would you be willing to give it a try?”

Fang Jing’s eyes widened instantly, and he stammered, “If it really becomes an academy, I’m still so young…”

“Although it’s called an academy, it won’t even compare to the local schools in prefectures or counties, let alone those academies in the south. It will be slightly better than basic private schools for enlightenment. After all, the students we aim to enroll are just children who have just begun learning reading and writing, not scholars who can write excellent essays. So we don’t need a great scholar to be the head teacher. Therefore, I plan to limit enrollment to those under fifteen years old, just children, so as not to draw too much criticism. You’re around their age, and with my support, what could go wrong?”

Seeing Fang Jing become interested, Zhang Yue pressed him further, and finally, Fang Jing agreed. At that moment, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but smile slightly, thinking that what was called an academy was actually a true elementary school. More needs to be discussed regarding the curriculum. Fortunately, since he was using the pretext of establishing schools for literature and martial arts, there shouldn’t be too much opposition.

“I’ve bought the two houses next to the Menlou Hutong Academy; this place is sufficient. As for funding for the students, we can’t continue to draw from the family funds as before. I’ll have Lian Hu acquire twenty hectares of land for educational use, and both the academy and the land will be registered in your name. Don’t refuse right away—this must be done.”

Since there were still many matters to discuss, the two of them talked while writing on paper, and before a pot of tea could even be finished, they hadn’t had time to refill it. Time passed unnoticed until calls came from outside, reminding Zhang Yue to check the water clock. Upon seeing how late it already was, he went out to give orders and then returned, patting Fang Jing on the shoulder.

“Don’t go home tonight. Have them prepare a guest room for you.” Without waiting for Fang Jing to respond, he suddenly asked, “There’s one more thing I want to talk to you about. You’re already quite old. If your parents were still alive, your children would likely be running around already. If you have any plans, it’s better to tell me now.”

“I…”

“Don’t use your brother as an excuse, nor say that your career isn’t complete. Your aunt has already asked me to keep an eye on you. Your elder brother wrote earlier, saying he’s earned considerable profits over the years and is ready to marry Miss Xi Er. He also asked me to prepare a house and land for your marriage, planning to settle the accounts with me once he returns to the capital.”

Fang Jing was stunned speechless. All his possible excuses had been blocked by Zhang Yue—what else could he say? Yet, to his even greater surprise, Zhang Yue then asked a question that left him utterly shocked.

“My third sister is also getting older. Would you be willing to become my brother-in-law?”