Chapter 898: Relationship Does Not Depend on Distance

The Zhang family thrived because of Duke Rongguo Zhang Yu and became even more established thanks to Duke Yingguo Zhang Fu. During the Hongxi era, Zhang Yu was posthumously granted the title of King of Hejian, and as a result, three generations of his ancestors were also honored as Dukes of Rongguo. Thus, all relatives within five generations of Zhang Fu’s lineage were elevated in status, reaping the benefits. The Zhang family had originally been a prominent clan in Xiangfu, with some members later relying on Zhang Fu for support, and yet another group following Lady Gu, the wife of Marquis of Yangwu, to the capital. By now, the Zhang surname had become one of the major families in the imperial capital, with many boasting that they were direct descendants of the Duke of Rongguo.

Yet the two other families who were truly direct descendants of the Duke of Rongguo were filled with anger whenever the term “direct descendants” came up. On the ancestral worship day on the 25th day of the 12th lunar month, Zhang Fu and Zhang Jue arrived precisely on time, completed their duties, and left immediately. Even the New Year’s Eve reunion dinner was skipped under some pretext. It was no wonder they were so resentful—now everyone in the capital knew they were merely relying on their ancestors’ influence and had no real power, so even those who used to come to them for favors no longer did so.

Zhang Fu could tolerate this situation—just thinking about how he had almost married his daughter to that wretched Li Maofang, the Marquis of Fuyang, made his spine tingle with dread. Since his daughter was now happily married and his son held a mediocre, unimportant position, although he resented not being given any responsibilities, he could only endure it.

But Zhang Jue was different. He had always looked down on Zhang Fu’s lack of achievement. In his eyes, if it weren’t for not having the same opportunities as Zhang Fu, he would not be in his current situation. So when trouble arose in Luchuan, Yunnan, he submitted a petition to lead troops there, but it was rejected. When the emperor went on a northern tour, he tried every means to join, hoping to find an opportunity to earn merits, but he wasn’t included in the entourage either. Earlier, when Zhang Yue submitted a petition regarding military examinations and weapons, Zhang Jue also wrote one, but all his efforts vanished without a trace, leaving not even the slightest ripple.

Sitting in his study now, looking down at his loyal servant kneeling below, Zhang Jue could almost spit fire from his eyes. Holding the inkstone in one hand, he suppressed his anger repeatedly, finally managing not to throw the heavy object away. After a long while, he managed to utter, “You lost that man—didn’t you try to find him?”

“I did!” The servant knew well how his master’s temper was, so he kowtowed twice more before speaking in a sobbing voice, “But that guy is extremely cunning. He sent someone to deliver something to the Sihai Inn and then disappeared. Worse, his wife simply checked out of the inn right away. I led men to chase after her, but…”

“What ‘but’?!” Zhang Jue slammed the table forcefully before shouting angrily, “Then you shouldn’t have started with that woman! A mere woman—just capture her and spread word about it, and won’t her husband show up?”
“But she actually went straight to Duke Cheng’s Shijing Garden!”
Zhang Jue was already furious, but upon hearing the name Shijing Garden, his anger intensified even more. His elder brother Zhang Fu was on good terms with Duke Cheng Zhu Yong, and he had also made efforts to gain Zhu Yong’s favor. Yet, whether it was because Zhang Fu had said something or because Zhu Yong looked down on him, he couldn’t make any progress through gifts or anything else, let alone get a recommendation. Every time he saw Zhu Yong and Zhang Yue getting along so well, he was furious but couldn’t do anything about it. Now, it turned out that the woman of the Fang family’s eldest son could even gain the protection of Duke Cheng Zhu Yong!
“This world really has no justice!”
He could only think such things to himself and couldn’t show it on his face. So, after taking a deep breath, he pondered carefully. After much thought, he believed that Zhu Yong must have been deceived. If he could expose the truth, Zhu Yong would surely ignore that cunning Zhang Yue in the future. Thus, he quickly made up his mind.
He had received the information from the King of Yue and had carefully had it verified—how could it be false?
Calm down, he ordered the servant to leave, then sent for his son Zhang Jin. Zhang Jin was only slightly younger than Zhang Yue but currently held only the title of a guard without any actual position. Though he wasn’t as degenerate as Zhang Bin, the son of Zhang Fu’s second wife, who indulged in drinking, gambling, and other vices, he also showed no great promise. So, after scolding him harshly when his son came in, Zhang Jue’s expression softened.
“Go change into some clothes and come with me to pay a visit.”
As the saying goes, the father is a hero, and the son is a brave man. Zhang Jue wasn’t one to stay idle, and Zhang Jin naturally wanted to climb the ladder to a better position. So, he often tried to gain influence among his colleagues. Unfortunately, the guards were all sons of nobles who hadn’t yet seized power—fine for fun, but useless for actual work. Thus, he could only place his hopes on his father. At this moment, ignoring the scolding he had just received, he quickly asked, “Father, which household are we visiting?”
“We’re going to Duke Cheng’s Shijing Garden!”

Shi Jingyuan? Zhang Jin’s eyes lit up. After agreeing, he hurriedly left to get ready. He knew well that although Duke Cheng, Zhu Yong, was famous for respecting scholars and officials, he was usually cold and indifferent to the sons of nobles like them. Even with his own family, it was only because of the long-standing friendship between the Zhang and Zhu families that he was slightly more lenient. After quickly changing into clothes suitable for guests, he returned. Knowing his father was in a bad mood, he didn’t dare ask too many questions. It wasn’t until they mounted their horses and set off that he finally heard an instruction.
“Be clever later and watch my cues. If you handle today’s matter well, your Uncle Zhu will realize who in the Zhang family is truly trustworthy.”
These words sounded subtle. Zhang Jin’s heart skipped a beat. He thought of Zhang Yue, who was young but already held a high position, and felt both envy and admiration. He quickly nodded firmly.
Among the Zhang family members, Duke Ying, Zhang Fu, would always travel in a sedan chair during winter due to his rheumatism, while Zhang Xuan preferred warm, windproof mules because he was cold-sensitive. On the other hand, Zhang Jie wanted to show the martial spirit typical of noble sons and rode a horse whenever he went out. Now that spring had arrived, the weather in the capital was still extremely cold. The strong wind blowing across the face while riding felt like a dull knife cutting into flesh. When Zhang Jin dismounted in front of Duke Cheng’s Shi Jingyuan, he felt his face had gone numb from the cold. It wasn’t until the family members who came to greet them led them into a warm pavilion that he felt better.
After serving the tea, the two servants left to wait outside. Zhang Jin waited for a long time without seeing anyone and grew impatient. He asked softly, “Father, could it be that Duke Cheng won’t see us?”
“It’s hard to say usually, but this time… I’ve already told the butler it’s an extremely important matter. I’m sure Duke Cheng will come to see me!” Zhang Jie picked up his teacup and took a sip, then noticed his son’s anxious expression. Annoyed, he scolded, “Don’t look so worried. It makes people think you’re immature! Zhang Yue may be cunning, but he’s also very good at pretending. He always puts on the most appropriate expression no matter who he meets. You should learn from him!”
Outside, Zhang Yue had originally come with Zhu Yong. After Zhu Yong dismissed the servants in the corridor, the two happened to overhear this conversation as they reached the door. Zhang Yue couldn’t help but laugh silently, then turned to Zhu Yong and said softly, “Uncle, since they say so, I’d better not go in. Otherwise, they might be upset.”

“I rarely get a day off, and yet so many people keep coming to my house. Sigh.” Zhu Yong shook his head helplessly, then nodded. “Don’t worry about that matter. After all, several fleets heading to the West and Southeast Asia have their help. What’s it to take in someone? Besides, they’re also your future in-laws. I’m curious to see who dares to ignore me!”
Zhu Yong had always been straightforward. With things having come to this, Zhang Yue naturally bowed and left immediately. Though he didn’t know what Zhang Jie and his son were here for, he never had any good feelings toward these two uncles, so avoiding them was the best option. Thinking back to the plans he had made when sending Fang Rui away, he let out a soft sigh. Fortunately, he was used to planning ahead; otherwise, things could have gotten bad if they really lost their temper this time.
After Zhang Yue left, Zhu Yong pulled back the curtain and stepped inside. Seeing Zhang Jie and Zhang Jin stand up to greet him, he gave a faint nod. “Someone came to report that you and your son have urgent matters for me? You know that there are limits to what I can do for you. All military appointments are decided by the Ministry of War. Although I am the commander of the Central Army, my power is limited to leading troops. Besides, Brother Jin’s martial skills are rather weak. Even if you’re as determined as you are, it’s easier for me to agree.”
Accustomed to Zhu Yong’s tone, Zhang Jie simply forced a smile, while Zhang Jin’s face turned red. He wanted to stand up and leave right away, but he dared not move due to his father’s presence. After Zhu Yong finished speaking, Zhang Jie waved his hand and said, “Elder brother, I’m not here today because of Brother Jin’s matter. I know you’ve already done a lot for his military position. This time, it’s truly important… I heard that a woman came to your residence yesterday?”
“A woman?”
Zhu Yong immediately became alert, recalling what Zhang Yue had said earlier. After pondering for a moment, he pretended to be confused and shook his head. “There are so many people coming and going in my garden. Many people come to visit your sister-in-law every day. How could I possibly remember every single person?”

Hearing this, Zhang Jue felt even more certain of his judgment, so he immediately put on a serious expression. “I knew it—Elder Brother must have been deceived. To be honest with you, here’s what happened: that woman from yesterday is a tricky person. Her husband is a distant relative of my sister-in-law… Well, to put it simply, he’s Fang Rui, Fang Jing’s brother! Back when Brother Yue’s sister was promised to Fang Jing, I thought it was inappropriate, but my elder brother and sister-in-law didn’t care at all. It wasn’t until a few days ago that I heard that Fang Rui used to serve as an official in the prince’s mansion and was even a confidant of the crown prince…”

The more Zhang Jue spoke, the more excited he became, until he finally stood up. “How can someone who has committed such a grave crime be a suitable match for Jingya? Moreover, now that woman has even come to Elder Brother’s residence—doesn’t that just invite trouble for you?”

Zhang Jin, who was standing by, saw Zhu Yong frown first, then show no sign of surprise at all. He sensed something was wrong. When he saw his father speaking angrily while Zhu Yong casually covered his mouth and yawned, he realized his father had miscalculated this trip. Since he couldn’t find a way to warn him at the moment, he could only cough loudly, but Zhang Jue didn’t even notice.

Finally, Zhu Yong lost patience waiting for Zhang Jue to stop talking. The lid of the teacup hit the cup, producing a clear sound. Seeing Zhang Jue finally stop talking sensibly, he put down the teacup and said with a half-smile, “It’s impressive that you’ve found out so much about these matters. I should thank you for your enthusiasm. But think about it—your elder brother is such a shrewd man. If Fang Jing’s brother really had such a criminal record, how could he step in to act as a matchmaker?”

That single sentence left Zhang Jue speechless. Zhu Yong then stood up smoothly. “Besides, didn’t you also say to Jin Brother at first that Zhang Yue is the most sensible person? If he wants to marry his sister, there are eighty or a hundred eligible young men in the capital—why wouldn’t he choose carefully? As for that woman, she has some connections with my sister-in-law in Nanjing; she’s not an outsider.”

With each word Zhu Yong spoke, Zhang Jue’s expression grew more surprised, until he was utterly astonished. He watched helplessly as Zhu Yong nodded and made an excuse to leave. Only after he was gone did Zhang Jin call out several times. In a daze, Zhang Jue finally came back to his senses, but without his earlier confidence. He slumped back into his chair.

“Father, we…”

“That cunning brat… I just won’t believe it…”

Zhang Yue, who had left Shijingyuan early, naturally had no idea what others were plotting behind his back, but he was somewhat curious about the purpose of Zhang Jie and his son’s visit. However, as soon as he entered the Ministry of War’s headquarters, his scattered thoughts were set aside. In the Ministry of War, it was the first stop for military officers from other regions coming to the capital to report for duty, and it was also where officers waiting for assignments to go to local areas had to obtain the necessary documents. In the past, he had left all such matters to the senior minister Zhang Ben; now that there was a deputy minister in charge, he handed them over to Xu Kuo. As a result, the high-ranking officials praised his humility, and the military officers, facing an elderly man with white hair, felt less resentful. Only a few officials familiar with Zhang Yue’s true nature knew that he was simply tired of official formalities and preferred to slack off.

When he entered the main gate, a clerk came forward to report that Deputy Minister Xu had important matters to discuss with him, so he went straight there. There, he happened to meet someone coming out. Upon seeing each other, Zhang Yue was instantly stunned.

“Liu… I guess I should now be called Deputy Commander Liu!”

It was none other than Liu Zhong, the commander of Shandong who had been assigned there after Zhang Yue passed the imperial examinations. During the suppression of the Han separatist rebellion, it was Liu Zhong who had assisted him throughout. Later, he first served in the military governor’s office and then was stationed in a local area. Now, he held the position of deputy commander in Gansu—his lack of a formal title was simply because Liu Zhong did not possess a noble title.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhong immediately smiled and nodded at Zhang Yue. “Just now I asked Lord Xu why I couldn’t see you, and he evaded the question, saying it was because of your respect for the elders. But in my opinion, it’s just laziness. I won’t be in the capital for many days; I’ll be leaving in a couple of days. You don’t need to see me off. How about you treat me to a meal tonight as the host?”