Chapter 685: If the ruler shows kindness, what should the subject do?
Appointed as the crown prince at the age of thirteen and made the heir apparent at twenty-five, Zhu Zhanji had long been regarded as the future ruler of the country, so he naturally understood well the art of employing people. Yet knowing how to use people did not mean he could actually do so—most of those assigned to him were sent by his grandfather and father, emphasizing proper conduct and etiquette; any slight mistake could lead to their removal. As a result, only the eunuchs around him were truly close to him. Now, with such sudden changes, using eunuchs was too conspicuous, and he needed someone trustworthy to act as a coordinator and liaison.
Undoubtedly, only Zhang Yue met his requirements.
Hearing that Zhang Yue had proposed a sea route, he fell into deep thought. Zheng Wang and Wang Jinghong were both in Nanjing at the moment, along with the main army, so departure could indeed happen at any time. However, the slow pace of sea travel was not acceptable to him. After carefully considering Zhang Yue’s suggestions regarding personnel deployment, he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back before suddenly turning around.
“We’ll decide on the route later. I’ll tell Minister Huang that people like Zhao Jin, Wei Zhiqi, Zheng Wang, and Wang Jinghong should all be left to you for coordination. You mentioned the Jinyiwei earlier…” Recalling all the news he had heard in recent days, he set aside all concerns and said word by word, “The current commander of the Jinyiwei, Yuan Fang, is a reliable man. Go see him immediately. He’s smart and should know what to do. The current commander, Wang Jie, is utterly incompetent—his abilities are far inferior to Yuan Fang’s! If he earns merits this time, perhaps I can let him take charge of the Jinyiwei again in the future!”
At that moment, Zhang Yue felt that all his previous efforts had not been in vain. Overjoyed, he quickly bowed in response, only to feel hands helping him up. Looking up, he saw Zhu Zhanji staring at him intently, so he stood straight.
“Liu Guan is nothing but a greedy and arrogant scoundrel. He relies on his position as the Left Censor-in-Chief to avoid confrontation. In these extraordinary times, I needn’t give him any face. Using the matter of the Suzhou governor, we might as well give him a stern warning. I recall you saying you know some scholars from Suzhou, and that many gentry from there have come to Nanjing to offer their services. Arrange for them to block Liu Guan’s house and create a disturbance. I’ll send him back to the capital right away, avoiding another problem in Nanjing. Yuan Jie, you have already accomplished many great feats since the late emperor was alive—being granted a first-rank official position would be well-deserved. Although my father was generous in rewarding civil and military officials, he was stingy with you. But I remember everything clearly, and I certainly won’t treat you unfairly tomorrow.”
“If Your Highness says so, I truly feel ashamed.” Zhang Yue gently withdrew his hand and smiled, saying, “Emperor Taizong and Your Highness have both shown me great kindness and often accepted my advice, allowing me to serve the country. As the saying goes, a man will die for those who understand him—I don’t feel treated unfairly. At this critical moment, I can only do a little to repay Your Highness’s repeated support.”
Just earlier, Zhu Zhanji had spoken partly from sincerity and partly out of imperial cunning. Hearing Zhang Yue’s reply, he was even more convinced he had not misjudged him. He nodded firmly and said, “Good! If that’s the case, I’ll leave all the important matters outside to you! Take this—this is the Nine-Dragon Amulet bestowed upon me by my grandfather. Every senior minister and eunuch knows it. With it, those people will surely trust you completely.”
After leaving the palace, Peng Shisan, who had been waiting there, came forward to greet him. Once in the carriage, Zhang Yue briefly explained the situation and sent Peng Shisan to borrow men from the guard headquarters and several noble households. After Peng Shisan left, he couldn’t help but take out the Nine-Dragon Jade Amulet to examine it closely. The amulet was only half the size of a palm, made of smooth and delicate Hetian white jade, with nine lifelike flying dragons intricately carved on it. What was even more remarkable was a faint red thread running through all the dragons’ bodies, resembling blood vessels. After a while, he put the amulet back in his bosom, his mood finally calming down.
“Go to Da De Silk Shop at the small training ground!”
It was nearly noon, and the sun grew increasingly scorching. Pedestrians on the road sought shade under trees, and the carriage was naturally stuffy. As they neared the small training ground, Zhang Yue jumped out of the carriage. On both sides, shops lined up one after another—restaurants, teahouses, etc., were mostly full of customers, while cloth and rice shops were also bustling with business, presenting a scene of peace and prosperity. Thinking of how chaos might reign in the capital if something happened, causing mourning banners to cover the land and cries to fill the air, he couldn’t help but sigh.
It had been many years since he last visited this place. So when he got out of the carriage in front of Da De Silk Shop, he saw that not only had the sign and couplets been changed, but the shop had also expanded from three rooms to five. Inside, the staff had changed as well. Just as he was about to speak, the shopkeeper rushed over respectfully and invited him inside.
It was still those winding corridors and halls. When he lifted the bamboo curtain and entered the central room, he saw the person sitting in the corner. He felt a sense of daze, as if suddenly transported back many years ago. Yuan Fang was still wearing a sapphire-blue robe and a high headscarf, but the lingering cold aura from before had vanished without a trace. After a brief hesitation, he stepped forward quickly and sat down across from Yuan Fang.
Yuan Fang picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Zhang Yue. Seeing him drink it down in one gulp, he smiled and said, “From the way you act, it seems the Crown Prince has given you full authority to persuade me, this once-powerful commander of the Jinyiwei. Come, tell me what generous terms he has offered. Surely the Crown Prince disdains those incompetent people these days. He must be promising to let me take back control of the Jinyiwei once this is done, right?”
“Nothing can escape Uncle Yuan.” Having been in a rush all morning, Zhang Yue’s throat felt parched, so he poured himself another cup of tea and drank it before explaining everything in detail. Finally, he said, “It seems Uncle Yuan’s previous caution impressed the Crown Prince. Coupled with the turmoil caused by Liu Guan, it made him think you are trustworthy.”
“It’s only natural to act this way in this position.” Yuan Fang showed no trace of pride. After taking a deep sigh, he nodded and said, “The Jinyiwei in Nanjing is in chaos right now, and the capital is preoccupied with the emperor’s serious illness, leaving no time to deal with other matters. But if I agree to the Crown Prince’s request and manage to do what even the actual commander of the Jinyiwei might not be able to—control the Jinyiwei at will—then the accusation of using it for personal ulterior motives will stick forever!”
Hearing this, Zhang Yue suddenly realized his mistake. He regretted being so happy that he had forgotten the most crucial thing. If Yuan Fang could still command the Jinyiwei even without holding the position, it clearly meant the Jinyiwei remained under his control even without him. If he assigned secret agents, others would be even more suspicious. Thinking of this, he sighed in distress.
Seeing Zhang Yue’s remorse, Yuan Fang knew exactly what he was thinking, so he stood up and said, “I’ve already given orders. No one in Nanjing will dare to spy on you anymore. Since the Crown Prince sent you to see me, it’s too obvious to just talk here. Hurry up and take some silk to meet some people, then come to my house in the evening. It’s rare for us to be able to sit together legitimately. No one can criticize us this time—come and have dinner with me.”
Since Yuan Fang had spoken so, Zhang Yue readily agreed. Leaving the Dade Silk Shop, he hurried off to several places without pause, meeting several important figures—Zhao Jin, the Minister of Punishments in Nanjing; Zheng Wang and Wang Jinghong, eunuchs in charge of defense in Nanjing; and Wei Zhiqi, the commander of the local military forces. Since Wei Zhiqi was purely a military man, he did not clarify the situation, but he openly told the truth to the first three. Upon hearing that the emperor was seriously ill and had urgently summoned the crown prince back to the capital, Zhao Jin was shocked but immediately agreed to do his best to maintain order in Nanjing. Zheng Wang and Wang Jinghong, hearing that imperial troops might be deployed, were even more excited and agreed without hesitation.
Thus, by evening, Zhang Yue arrived smoothly at Yuan Fang’s residence in Xinjie Kou. He got out of the carriage and knocked on the door. Soon, the two black-painted doors were opened, and a gray-haired head appeared, scanning him from head to toe. After he introduced himself, the other party showed little reaction, mumbled something before going inside to report, leaving him standing at the door. After a while, a long-serving attendant in green clothes quickly came out and politely invited him in.
Outside the second gate, everything was lifeless, but inside, it was full of vitality. As he stepped over the threshold, Zhang Yue saw the evening sunlight shining on the two large willow trees, casting a golden glow on their lush branches. Yuan Fang, dressed in gray cloth clothes, was crouched there tending to the plants, wearing an ordinary conical hat. When Yuan Fang stood up and nodded in greeting, Zhang Yue stepped forward and bowed to greet him, exchanging a few words. Yuan Fang washed his hands in a tin basin handed to him by the attendant before inviting him inside.
It was Zhang Yue’s first time at Yuan Fang’s home, so he couldn’t help but look around. Although it wasn’t completely bare, the furniture and furnishings were simple, exuding a sense of leisure. As soon as he sat down in the chair opposite Yuan Fang, two attendants entered—one carrying a food box and the other holding a jar of wine. After arranging the dishes on the table and opening the clay seal, the two quietly left.
Since he was at Yuan Fang’s home, Zhang Yue felt free to act and quickly filled two wine bowls from the jar. But before he could speak, Yuan Fang suddenly asked, “You had advised me those same words when you sent me to Nanjing back then. Things have indeed turned out as you predicted. If it weren’t for having watched you grow up, I might think you truly have prophetic abilities.”
Faced with such a question, Zhang Yue could only force a wry smile. Yet he still remembered Yuan Fang’s words from the afternoon, so he changed the subject and asked, “Since Uncle Yuan said that acting rashly would only arouse suspicion, what do you plan to do? With the Crown Prince speaking so clearly, simply refusing seems even less appropriate.”
Yuan Fang picked up his wine bowl and took a sip. Hearing this, he laughed, “If I refuse, wouldn’t that be a waste of your efforts? As long as it’s not me giving the order and the Jinyiwei responding instantly, there should be no problem. Since you’ve already made thorough arrangements, my task will be simple. No matter which path the Crown Prince chooses, just take me with you. Having been in the Jinyiwei for so many years and handling countless missions, I’m familiar with the geography from Nanjing to Beijing, as well as the Jinyiwei stations along the way. As for dealing with all kinds of people, I’m even more experienced. Once we enter Shandong, it’ll be my turn to take action!”
Seeing Yuan Fang speak so confidently in such an indifferent tone, Zhang Yue, caught off guard, choked on the wine he had just drunk. People in the south preferred yellow wine, which was usually slightly sweet, but the sip he had just taken tasted like fine wine from the north. After finally recovering, he couldn’t help asking, “What if the Crown Prince takes the sea route?”
“Have you really considered having that noble Crown Prince take the sea route?”
Caught off guard by this question, Zhang Yue was speechless. Although he advocated lifting the ban on sea trade, he was well aware of its drawbacks—slowness. Even if the monsoons were favorable, traveling along the coast to Tianjin required bypassing the Shandong Peninsula. Moreover, the treasure ships had made six voyages to the West but only one to the East. So, his suggestion to take the sea route was actually not his real intention.
“It seems nothing can escape Uncle Yuan’s notice.” Zhang Yue awkwardly picked up a chopstick full of bean sprouts, chewed them twice, and swallowed before raising his head to say, “Le’an is adjacent to Qingzhou, and the Gaojiagang Inspection Station further back is backed by the Bohai Sea. The Prince of Han has been in Shandong for many years. The former commander, Lord Liu Zhong, has now been replaced, and the new commander has been in close contact with him for years. It’s unknown how many military officials in Shandong have been bribed by him. If anything goes wrong, it’s very likely that the entire province will cooperate with him…”
“If that’s the case, with elite naval forces appearing, the coastal defense stations against pirates won’t dare to act rashly. By then, Le’an will be isolated and helpless. Your plan is truly clever!” Seeing Zhang Yue nod repeatedly, as if saying “You understand me,” Yuan Fang felt both annoyed and amused. “So, you suggested the sea route to the crown prince so that he would think of this? Once he sees the usefulness of the navy and realizes the great profits from lifting the sea ban, he’ll surely continue with the old policies of the Yongle era, keep Zheng He and Wang Jinghong in charge, and those two will inevitably be grateful to you?”
“You’re truly wise; you see through it all at a glance.”
“If it weren’t for me being involved in many of these matters, how could I see through your scheming?”
Yuan Fang joked and scolded him, then discussed things further with Zhang Yue. After everything was planned out, he raised his wine cup. Seeing Zhang Yue knowingly lift his cup and gently touch it against his own, he couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction. “Your father is proud to have a son like you! Very well, leave the safety of the crown prince to me. But since you’re the one who came up with this plan, you need to be careful. The Han King’s threats aren’t something to be taken lightly—don’t recklessly gamble! Remember, the crown prince is also in danger this time!”
Zhang Yue drained his cup in one gulp, then stood up with a smile and said, “Uncle Yuan, rest assured. I wouldn’t agree to this if I weren’t confident. Everyone only has one life, and I certainly won’t risk it.”