Chapter 416: A Cold Face, But a Warm Heart

Although it had been over a month since Du Zhen started working at the Wenyuan Pavilion, he remained as reserved as ever. He avoided interacting with others unless necessary and continued to treat people in a detached manner. Yang Shiqi was used to this and didn’t pay it much attention. Yang Rong and Jin Youzi were both quick-witted individuals. Though they originally held positions in the Hanlin Academy, their relationship with Du Zhen was merely ordinary, so they naturally didn’t try to be overly friendly just because they were now working together. As a result, no rumors from the outside world reached Du Zhen’s ears at all.

That day was his shift at the Qianqing Palace. After the morning court session, he sorted the memorials sent by the Tongzheng Department according to urgency and importance. He had the eunuchs deliver them to the Qianqing Palace first, then quickly prepared himself before leaving the Inner Cabinet Building opposite the Wenhua Hall. He passed through Huiji Gate and the outer halls of the three main halls to reach Qianqing Gate. Civil and military officials from the six ministries and five provincial administrations needed to be announced before entering Qianqing Gate, but Inner Cabinet officials could enter and exit at any time with their official tokens. Thus, after being checked by the guards on duty, they were allowed through. When he arrived at the imperial steps, he happened to see the Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji coming down with his entourage, so he calmly stepped aside to pay his respects.

Zhu Zhanji stepped down the stairs. When he reached Du Zhen, he ordered that the formalities be omitted and then said with a smile, “So it’s Scholar Du on duty today. Grandfather just mentioned the military affairs in Jiaozhi to me. It seems you also contributed to the strategy for the Yuan Festival. No wonder it’s so thorough and careful.”

“Your Highness, I must admit that my military strategies are not as good as Yang Mianren’s. So I can’t really be considered to have provided any strategies. I merely offered some detailed suggestions regarding defense measures, and most of the key points were already there before. To be honest, the plan for the Yuan Festival is just a repetition of what Duke Yingguo and Minister Huang and others have said before—there’s not much innovation in it. What’s truly important is improving governance in Jiaozhi, encouraging Han and non-Han people from southwestern regions to settle there to strengthen Jiaonan, and carefully selecting descendants of the Chen family to hold positions such as Right Governor of Jiaozhi. Those are the real valuable aspects.”

Hearing such a harsh evaluation from Du Zhen, Zhu Zhanji was momentarily stunned before laughing. He nodded and said, “Scholar Du really doesn’t spare Yuan Jie any face. But whether it’s just repeating old ideas or lacking innovation, as long as it works, Duke Yingguo and Minister Huang surely won’t mind. In fact, they might even support Yuan Jie’s proposal. Jiaozhi keeps spending money and resources on military campaigns year after year. I think Zhang Yue’s memorial is quite valuable. Well, Grandfather is waiting for you. Go in.”

It was only after leaving Qianqing Gate that Zhu Zhanji slowly slowed his pace in thought. Zhang Yue’s memorial seemed straightforward, as if it entirely followed the methods of Duke of Yingguo Zhang Fu and Minister Huang Fu, only presented in a more organized manner. But he had already obtained a copy from Zhu Di and studied it carefully more than once, thus discerning the sharpness hidden beneath those plain words.

Zhang Fu went to Jiaozhi three times, each time swiftly quelling rebellions with decisive action. Li Bin, however, had spent four years to no avail, constantly exhausted from futile efforts. The reason was that Li Bin was far inferior overall and lacked the qualities of a great general. Even with the assistance of Chen Zhi from the Rongzhi family, he still fell short of Zhang Fu. Yet for such a small place as Jiaozhi, did it really have to send the Ming Dynasty’s top general there time and again? Moreover, he had vaguely heard that Ma Qi had once secretly reported to the emperor that some people were calling Zhang Fu the king of Jiaozhi—after all, that was also a matter of concern.

Huang Run, who was following Zhu Zhanji, saw his pace slow down further and waved his hand to tell the attendants behind to step back. Only then did he approach closely and jokingly say, “I just met Lord Du. Why didn’t Your Highness mention that Young Master Zhang once publicly refuted the absurd claims of a certain Jinshi? When the Emperor brought this up just now, it seemed he also thought Young Master Zhang still had a military mindset.”

“Scholar Du isn’t the kind to care about such things. It would be pointless to mention it,” Zhu Zhanji said, frowning slightly and his tone turning solemn. “The imperial examinations are a method for selecting officials, and the court has never prohibited scholars from discussing state affairs. Whether that Jinshi criticized Scholar Du’s knowledge or political views, it doesn’t matter. But making reckless accusations is despicable. Whether criticizing current affairs or officials, one should start with accuracy; otherwise, it shows a lack of quality. Though Grandfather was joking just now, he clearly didn’t agree either.”

Huang Run quickly nodded in agreement and accompanied Zhu Zhanji back to the study in the east wing of Duanben Palace. He ordered two eunuchs to accompany him in practicing calligraphy before quietly leaving. Before he could head to the Imperial Workshops, he suddenly saw Zhu Ning coming out of the main hall and hurried forward to pay his respects. Seeing Zhu Ning’s flushed face, he immediately thought of the princess’s marriage and smiled as he spoke up.

“Is the princess here to ask the Crown Princess for help in selecting future attendants?”

Zhu Ning had always been unfriendly toward eunuchs, but back when her father Zhu Zhu was imprisoned in the palace at the end of the Jianwen era, Huang Run was just a minor servant in the Imperial Workshops. She had taken good care of him on many occasions, which made her treat him differently from others. Now, seeing the old eunuch smiling slyly, she snapped irritably, “It was the Crown Princess who asked the Imperial Medical Bureau to prepare some medicinal recipes for me to take back so that Father can recover properly.”

“I see…”

Seeing Huang Run bowing cheerfully and about to leave, Zhu Ning called him back, “The capital is in the north, where it’s dry all year round, quite different from the climate in the south. You’re used to a warm and humid environment, but now you have to sleep on a heated bed—your body might not adjust well. Father is compiling a list of herbs for famine relief and has come across some ancient recipes for ointments. I just gave them all to the Crown Princess. Eventually, she will surely give them to the Crown Prince. If you think they’re useful, you might as well have someone prepare a dose.”

“That would be great! Thank you, Princess, for thinking of me!” Huang Run understood that Zhu Ning wasn’t giving them directly to avoid gossip, so he smiled even wider, his eyes narrowing. “I really can’t repay the Princess in any way. At most, I’ll burn an extra incense stick in the future, praying that she might find a suitable husband for me. Indeed, the weather in the capital is unpredictable. Right now, it’s raining continuously in the south, but here it’s been overcast for six or seven days without a single drop of rain, though there are frequent thunderstorms that are quite frightening.”

The sky was overcast, and Zhu Di’s expression in the Qianqing Palace was equally gloomy. Although he wasn’t as diligent in governance as his father Zhu Yuanzhang, he still personally reviewed all important memorials, and even those that weren’t that important would be carefully examined. Naturally, he also personally read all petitions from the princes. What made him furious at this moment was the memorial sent by the Office of State Affairs from the late heir of the Han Prince.

“He’s been dead for over half a month, and they only send this now? Zhu Gaoxu really knows how to hold things back! If it weren’t for the chief secretary Li Mo bringing this memorial, would he still plan to keep his son’s last writings? I’ll draft a reply to the Han Prince, stating that his heir Zhu Zhantan has just died, and he shouldn’t focus solely on establishing his concubine-born sons! Even if Zhu Zhanqi, the Prince of Shouguang, is a scoundrel, he’s still his son. A tiger won’t eat its own cubs. If he only thinks about killing his son, then he should remember how I spared him back then! Also, order the Ministry of Rites to send someone to release Zhu Zhanqi, the Prince of Shouguang, so he can properly show his filial piety and reform himself!”

With this matter weighing on his mind, Zhu Di did not show a good mood throughout the day, yet he handled state affairs swiftly. Du Zhen, who was on duty, along with Shen Du and the other two scholars responsible for drafting documents, wrote at lightning speed, finally keeping up with the emperor’s dictation pace. By the time they left as dusk fell, Du Zhen still wore his usual expression, while Shen Du was accustomed to the emperor’s temperament. But the two middle-aged civil officials, newly appointed as scholars less than two months ago for their elegant handwriting, were so shaken they could barely stand.

After leaving the Qianqing Gate, Shen Du greeted Du Zhen and then returned to the Hanlin Academy with his two colleagues, while Du Zhen headed straight to the Inner Cabinet. As it was already late, Jin Youzi and Yang Shiqi had left, leaving only Yang Rong still at his desk studying a map. Du Zhen returned to his seat and saw several more memorials on the table, so he sat down and began to go through them one by one. When he came across a report from Xuanfu regarding the Wulangha Three Guard Units, he frowned.

After a long while, Yang Rong, who had been looking up, noticed that Du Zhen hadn’t left yet. Seeing him deep in thought, he stood up and walked over. With a quick glance, he realized where the memorial came from and said with a smile, “Arutai has been repeatedly suppressing the Oirats and has greatly regained his strength. This time, he even captured dozens of civilians from Xinghe. The north is becoming increasingly unstable. It was just delivered. Brother Yishan, why not take it to the emperor now?”

Du Zhen then stood up and said bluntly, “Although it’s my turn to be on duty today, I only have a superficial understanding of military strategy. If the emperor asks, I’m afraid I’ll still need to summon you. Mianren, you’re skilled in military affairs and have accompanied us on two northern expeditions. I know it’s your turn to be on duty tonight. How about this: I’ll handle these matters here temporarily, and you take this military report to the emperor.”

Being on duty was a tedious task, but appearing before the emperor was a great opportunity for Yang Rong, as he believed no one in the Inner Cabinet could match him in military strategy. But seeing Du Zhen’s straightforwardness, he felt his earlier thoughts were somewhat pointless—if this cold-faced colleague had tried to scheme, things wouldn’t be as they were now. Even if Du Zhen hadn’t suggested it, he had planned to go with him to deliver the report to the Qianqing Palace, not considering that someone needed to stay in the Inner Cabinet at night. So he immediately agreed to exchange duties with Du Zhen, thanked him, and hurried out carrying the military reports.

Yang Rong was away for over an hour before returning, so it wasn’t until the evening hour that Du Zhen got home. Before even reaching the screen door, he saw Xiao Wu peeking out, which puzzled him. Upon arriving at the door, he asked, “The curfew is approaching soon. Xiao Wu, why haven’t you gone back yet?”
“Master, why did you return so late! Madam mentioned this in the morning—today is your birthday!”
Birthday? Du Zhen had been on duty in the Qianqing Palace all day and then spent over an hour working for Yang Rong in the evening, so he had completely forgotten what Qiu Shi had said during the morning court session. Even with Xiao Wu’s reminder, he didn’t think it was very important—after all, it wasn’t some special birthday; it happened once a year. When he entered the banquet hall and saw his wife, daughter, and son-in-law there, he glanced at Qiu Shi again.
“I knew Master would say that since it’s not a full birthday, there’s no need for fuss, so I didn’t even accept the gifts people sent. But I can’t just turn away my daughter and son-in-law, right? I told the old lady about the festival and brought Wan’er back to stay for a couple of days to celebrate your birthday properly. Who knew you’d return so late!”
Zhang Yue couldn’t help but laugh as well and quickly said, “The year before last, there were many troubles in Qingzhou during your father-in-law’s birthday, so we didn’t have time. Last year, you were ordered to inspect Nanjing directly and were away from home. If we don’t do this year, it would be unreasonable. As one family, my mother-in-law didn’t prepare a grand feast—she just cooked some simple home dishes according to the menu Wan’er prepared. The food is probably being heated right now. I specifically went to buy some birthday peaches. Wan’er made a set of clothes for you. Besides that, Xiao Wu spent the whole day learning how to roll noodles from someone. These longevity noodles are her doing—though I’m not sure if they’ll turn into lumps by then…”
“Son-in-law, don’t look down on others!” Xiao Wu shouted before noticing Du Zhen’s smiling lips. Feeling embarrassed, he quickly explained angrily, “She can even learn acupuncture—there’s no reason she can’t roll noodles well!”

Even though Du Zhen was usually cold-faced, his smile this time was hard to contain. Although Du Wan had gone through quite a few hardships with her large belly throughout the journey, seeing her father’s smile now made her feel it was all worth it. Mrs. Qiu’s eyes never left her daughter and son-in-law; now, with that kind gaze falling on Xiao Wu, she simply said to Du Zhen, “Sir, now that Wan is married and you refuse to take a concubine, you’re even unwilling to adopt a son. I really have no one to talk to here. Xiao Wu was entrusted to Wan by the late Duke of Rongguo. How about we take her in as our daughter? Wan’s room has been empty—perfect for her to move in. That way, I’ll have someone to think of as well.”

Xiao Wu never expected Mrs. Qiu to suddenly bring up such a suggestion and immediately became nervous. Having followed Du Wan for so many years, she had grown deeply dependent on the Du family and naturally hoped to have another set of parents. But thinking of Du Zhen’s usual stern demeanor, she felt uncertain and hesitant, speaking in a stuttering manner, far less confident than before.

“Sir, Madam… Madam just said it casually. Please don’t take it seriously… Besides… besides me…”

Du Zhen stared at Xiao Wu for a while before suddenly interrupting her with a smile, “What more is there to say? Your mother has already spoken. Why don’t you come and greet your father?”

“Um… Huh?”

Seeing Xiao Wu, who was usually so clever, stand there stunned, Du Wan felt both happy and sad. She quickly gave her a gentle push. “What are you standing around for? Hurry up and greet your parents!”

Although Xiao Wu had mentioned this before, Zhang Yue never expected Mrs. Qiu to bring it up now, let alone for Du Zhen to agree so quickly. Watching Xiao Wu approach, both surprised and delighted, to kowtow to Du Zhen and Mrs. Qiu, he suddenly felt someone grasp his hand. Turning his head, he saw it was Du Wan and smiled, whispering, “From now on, your in-laws will have one more daughter, and you and I will have one more sister.”

Soon, someone from the kitchen brought up dishes in a food box, ending with a large bowl of noodles. Though those longevity noodles, as Zhang Yue put it, looked more like lumps of dough, everyone was happy. After sitting down, Zhang Yue was the first to fill a cup and offer a toast. Du Zhen drank it in one gulp and then said with a smile, “Apart from you two wonderful couple, I’ve gained another daughter on my birthday today. Heaven is truly generous to me!”