Chapter 900: Continuous Performances

The air was filled with sweet scents as red dresses fluttered in the wind. Though high-ranking officials could issue orders to have official courtesans perform songs and dances in their homes, and though nobles sometimes kept courtesans at home as well, and though civil officials of all ages loved to show off their poetic talents by leaving verses for famous courtesans during private gatherings… at public events, people’s desires were always at their peak. Just as after that piece of music ended, the amounts offered as rewards kept rising. Although Liu Zhong’s gold bracelet was valuable, it wasn’t considered top-tier. After that performance, the dancers from the imperial theater stepped aside, replaced by the official courtesans from the 16th floor.

Though these performers were far less skilled than the former, there was no rule saying one couldn’t perform without selling their body, so the crowd below became extremely noisy. Meanwhile, in Zhang Yue’s best booth, bamboo curtains were drawn, and someone stood at the door, naturally drawing less attention.

Zhang Yue, who was supporting Liu Zhong, finally stopped when he heard Zhang Jue’s threatening words. Having served in government for many years and faced countless situations, he had mastered the art of controlling his emotions and rarely showed anger in public. But now, as he turned around, his face was icy cold as he stared at Zhang Jue.

At first, Zhang Jue could still meet Zhang Yue’s gaze confidently, but since Zhang Yue said nothing and his gaze remained as stern as before, Zhang Jue gradually felt overwhelmed. After all, he came from a noble family and had only once truly handled matters—delivering an order to the Prince of Le’an Han, an experience that ended in humiliation. How could he compare to Zhang Yue, who was younger but had more experience? Unconsciously, he began to look away, trying to avoid that piercing stare. Realizing there was no way to avoid it, he gritted his teeth in defiance.

“What are you staring at me for? Don’t think just because you hold a high position and the civil and military branches aren’t under your control that you can do anything to me. Besides, I’m your elder—can’t I give you some advice?”

“Uncle Jue is indeed my elder, and I must listen if you want to teach me. But…” Zhang Yue paused. Seeing that Liu Zhong, whom he was supporting, moved slightly, as if regaining consciousness, he said calmly, “But if you’re going to teach someone, please don’t forget one thing—only if you yourself act rightly can you teach others with authority. Some things aren’t unknown to everyone.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, Zhang Ke regretted them immediately. Though he resented Zhang Yue for rising to prominence despite being a junior, while he, a descendant of a meritorious official, never had a chance to stand out, he wasn’t sure he could handle dealing with this troublemaker. Over the years, many people had crossed paths with Zhang Yue and met bad ends—ranging from Zhang Bin, who tried to seduce a girl and was nearly beaten to death by Emperor Taizong for his lewd behavior, to Li Maofang, the Marquis of Fuyang, and Zhu Zhanqi, who nearly became the heir to the Han dynasty, along with countless other officials who all ended up badly. If Zhang Yue truly didn’t regard him as an elder, perhaps even his elder brother Zhang Fu wouldn’t help him.

Therefore, when Zhang Yue spoke in a mocking tone about certain matters, he immediately remembered his mission to deliver orders to the Han Prince’s mansion. His previously arrogant expression turned pale in an instant. Although he was confident those matters wouldn’t be exposed, if Fang Rui had indeed done something at the Han Prince’s mansion, he might know about it. Besides, Zhang Yue wasn’t someone to be underestimated. For a moment, he deeply regretted meddling in this mess after hearing Zhang Yue’s words, but he had to put on a brave face.

When Zhang Yue said his last words, the Prince of Yue’s expression also changed slightly. It wasn’t until he saw Zhang Ke looking at him with a mix of tension, regret, and anger that he realized those words probably weren’t meant for him. Just then, he saw Zhang Yue turn his head toward him.

“Your Highness, it’s not that I refuse to drink with you. To keep things secret, one must not do anything that could expose them. After all, this place isn’t suitable for drinking. Moreover, drinking requires the right state of mind—two people drinking together should be carefree, but I doubt I can achieve that in your presence. Thanks to Lord Liu today, I got to hear a beautiful melody; I’m already satisfied.”

“Zhang Yue!”

Seeing Zhang Yue turn to leave again, the Prince of Yue suddenly stood up, dropping his reserved demeanor. He was about to question what those last words meant when he heard the door curtain being thrown open by Zhang Yue, followed by a few words drifting down.

“As for Brother Xiao Fang’s matters, Uncle Jie doesn’t need to worry. He used to be an official in the prince’s court, but there were records of him in the Jinyiwei. He followed the crown prince; when his advice was ignored, he angered the nobles. He was dismissed long before the rebellion by Han Shuren. Disheartened, he traveled abroad several times. In recent years, he even assisted Eunuch Zheng of the Imperial Secretariat in handling some affairs in the West. Eunuch Zheng had reported these matters before, but others were unaware—yet the court’s records are complete. His real offense was the incident during the imperial examinations ten years ago, but his uncle had already settled it for him. Now that he has lost his status, it balances things out.”

It was only then that Zhang Jie realized what Duke Cheng’s words meant. Instinctively, he glanced at the Prince of Yue, only to find that this noble imperial cousin also seemed rather dazed. Watching Zhang Yue carry Liu Zhong downstairs, his mind was in chaos, and he couldn’t utter a word for a long time. Finally, he looked at the Prince of Yue, who had been standing there the whole time, took a deep breath, and forced a smile as he stood up.

“Your Highness, there are some matters at home. It’s almost curfew now, so I must take my leave…”

Zhang Jie’s hasty departure didn’t draw much attention from the Prince of Yue. What concerned him more was whether Zhang Yue’s words earlier were just in anger or if he had already realized something. Moreover, he had ordered people to keep an eye on Zhang Yue and followed him intentionally, but it wasn’t until now that he remembered why Zhang Yue had so conveniently invited Liu Zhong to drink together. After all, Liu Zhong was one of the few remaining military generals who had once served in Shandong. Could it be that Zhang Yue had planned this in advance?

The more others thought about it, the more alarmed they became, but Zhang Yue couldn’t care less. In March, the south was already in spring, but the nights in the north still carried no warmth. As soon as he stepped out of Tianxian Tower and was hit by the cold wind, half of the heat in his body dissipated. After walking a dozen steps, he stopped and glared at Liu Zhong beside him.

“Liu, can you stop pretending to be drunk?”

It wasn’t until he repeated it that Liu Zhong, with one hand heavily on his shoulder, let out a low sigh before muttering, “To end up in such trouble just because of drinking… What bad luck. Let’s walk further away; people upstairs can see us from there.”

The weight pressing on his shoulders lessened, and Zhang Yue’s steps became lighter. After walking far away, he turned back and saw that Tianxian Tower was completely hidden by the eaves of the restaurant ahead, so he finally relaxed his grip. Sure enough, Liu Zhong stood firmly, then stepped into the shadowless area, cleared his throat, and wiped his forehead with his hand.

“Damn it! I ordered so many dishes, and they all went to others… At least we gave them the private room; naturally, the skills at handling money also went to them! Speaking of which, it seems the King of Yue is targeting you. What did you do to provoke him?”

Zhang Yue glanced at Liu Zhong, thinking that if the person in Tianxian Tower really had done something wrong, they probably wouldn’t feel uneasy. Maybe they would take action tonight—of course, if they hadn’t done anything wrong, and since they were just a vassal king, why would they insist on keeping him for drinks? Could it be that they thought such a place was suitable for gatherings? It was fortunate that Liu Zhong had dragged him there today; just his background alone was likely enough to make the King of Yue ponder for a long time. As for Zhang Jie…

How wise the Duke of Rongguo, Zhang Yu, and the Duke of Yingguo, Zhang Fu, were across two generations—yet there were still such stubborn and self-righteous people!

“Nothing much. Just a little argument over pride. I guess the King of Yue heard some rumors.” After thinking it over, Zhang Yue decided to downplay it. While supporting Liu Zhong as they walked forward, he said casually, “Originally, the King of Yue was just going to be a vassal king, but now that things have changed, he must be upset, so he naturally sees malice in everyone.”

Liu Zhong was a military officer. Back in Qingzhou, he had managed to hold onto his position as commander, then advanced through merit and was sent to guard a frontier area. Apart from his title, he had sufficient experience and knew well not to meddle in imperial affairs—he wasn’t a civil official, nor was he a high-ranking noble like Duke Zhang Fu who could participate in state affairs. Why bother with that? So, when Zhang Yue gave a vague answer, he didn’t ask further. When they reached the small tavern at the end of the alley and met up with his attendants who had been waiting there, he stretched out his hand and shook Zhang Yue’s firmly before parting.

“It’s been many years since you rose from a seventh-rank county magistrate to a third-rank official in the capital. I’m getting old now. Without saying more, others may envy you, praise you, or hate you… But for me, there’s only one thing to say: you’re someone I can trust, and working with you is enjoyable! Young Zhang Yue, you still have a long road ahead. Take care!”

Zhang Yue held Liu Zhong’s hands, covered with rough calluses, and couldn’t help but smile as well. “It’s me who should say this to Old Liu. If not for your help years ago, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Going to Gansu, I don’t know when we’ll see each other again. Please take care!”
“Alright, a real man doesn’t worry about such trivial things. I’m off!”
Liu Zhong suddenly released his hand, gave Zhang Yue’s shoulder a firm pat, then leaped onto the horse brought by his attendants. With a flick of his whip, he rode off without looking back. Seeing his attendants follow on horseback, Zhang Yue tightened his robe and, surrounded by his followers, walked toward his own horse.
In his life, he had parents, wife, and children; mentors and elders; close friends and colleagues with deep bonds… Though he hadn’t lived a carefree life, he had been quite fortunate!
It was already curfew. As soon as Zhang Yue left Tianxian Tower, he noticed almost no one on the streets. He wondered whether those indulging in pleasure would stay in the entertainment districts all night or if they were well-known figures already registered with the Military Affairs Bureau. In any case, his group rode fast home, avoiding encounters with the Military Affairs Bureau officials and thus saving themselves trouble. Yet recalling that Shuntian Prefecture had complained about rising thefts and public dissatisfaction, he naturally felt dissatisfied with the current level of surveillance by the Military Affairs Bureau.
But once he stepped into his home, these distracting thoughts were put aside for now, to be addressed the next day. It was already the first hour of thethe hour of the pig hour. Although the nightlife in the alleys of Huanghua Fang had just begun, for a family like the Zhangs, it was time to turn off the lights and rest. Zhang Yue knew his parents must already be asleep, so he wouldn’t disturb them. Du Wan, who was pregnant and under constant watch, surely also slept now, so he didn’t go to her either. He went to check on the child at Amber Autumn Trace, but since he still had matters on his mind, he ended up returning to his study outside and ordered Lian Hu to be brought in.
The butler, Gao Quan, was old. Though he hadn’t retired, he had handed over most of the complicated tasks. So Zhang Yue had long assigned Lian Sheng to assist while learning the ropes. Lian Sheng wasn’t particularly clever or brave, but he was honest. In previous years, he had handled the accounts of the family’s estates flawlessly, earning trust naturally. Now that the clan school had become a small academy, most of the tasks Lian Hu used to handle had been assigned to Fang Jing, leaving him idle.

Since childhood, Lian Hu had been quicker-witted and more agile-minded than his elder brother Lian Ji. Realizing that Zhang Yue was too busy to attend to family matters and that the young mistress disliked scheming people, he chose to stay honest and quiet. It was only after being asked by Zhang Zhuo to accompany him on a few outings that he truly understood why the master preferred to retire rather than hold a high-ranking official position. Now, standing in front of Zhang Yue, his heart was in turmoil, unsure whether this was good or bad news.

“Young master, did you call for me?”

“I heard that your family has four children in total, including boys and girls?” Seeing Lian Hu nod nervously, Zhang Yue opened his mouth to say more but then smiled. “Everyone in the family says you and your wife are very affectionate—it seems true after all. Your family has been serving as retainers for three generations. Your elder brother has been highly praised by the Guan family and is likely to become the steward in the future. As for you, although the small academy isn’t government-run, it’s still on the path to becoming an official position. Managing those school lands alone is somewhat beneath your abilities.”

“Young master, I never meant to show disapproval!” Lian Hu was shocked and quickly knelt down. “I’ve been a bit idle lately, but I wouldn’t dare to be picky…”

“Why are you so nervous? Who said you disapprove?” Thinking of his encounter with the King of Yue today, Zhang Yue paused briefly before giving orders. “You’ve accompanied your father on a few trips, and he has spoken highly of you, saying you have talent for this work. Recommend someone to handle the school lands, and from now on, focus on following your father. Although there are managers and supervisors at that place, they’re not family retainers and can’t be trusted as much as you. Since both you and the eldest son of your elder brother are now following Jing Guan, send the rest of the children to learn to read. We can arrange something else for them when they grow up.”

Hearing this, Lian Hu was stunned. Once he came to his senses, he hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude, overjoyed. Meanwhile, Zhang Yue behind the desk sighed helplessly. After all, his father was approaching an age when he should retire, and it was necessary to select capable people to learn these skills. Moreover, business operations by officials had been banned since the Hongwu era. Though it was now mostly a formality, it was still important to be cautious lest someone exploit this rule for trouble. There were too many people watching their family these days.