Chapter 689: On the Road

Hiring private troops was a strict taboo for civil officials in the court, but it was quite common among military generals. Since the Han and Tang dynasties, generals often kept their own personal troops, especially those in the Tang dynasty’s regional military commands. In the early Ming dynasty, although Emperor Hongwu Zhu Yuanzhang was wary of powerful nobles as if they were thieves, it was still common for top-ranking nobles to maintain seventy or eighty retainers. Emperor Yongle Zhu Di was even more lenient toward these nobles, so from Duke of Ying Zhang Fu down to lower-ranking officers, everyone had a number of loyal personal troops and retainers.

While it was true that such people were loyal, they were not easy to control. After borrowing dozens of men, Zhang Yue left them all at Duke of Ying’s residence for Peng Shisan to train, while he focused on arranging the route and other details. On the day of departure, he met up outside the city with Zhu Zhanji, who had arrived under disguise, along with more than a dozen soldiers from the imperial guard, and Yuan Fang and his four attendants. The group set off immediately.

Zhu Zhanji was initially uneasy about using these nobles’ retainers instead of the brave soldiers from his own guard who had served him for years. However, after two days of travel and seeing how disciplined and obedient these men were, he was surprised. That night, while camping outside Huai’an city in a dense forest, after Zhang Yue reported that everything was arranged, Zhu Zhanji praised him.

“Yuanjie, you really know how to choose people. Each of these is highly capable, and most importantly, you know how to use them effectively. Even my own guard soldiers, who have served me for years, aren’t necessarily as disciplined as them. It seems that families of military origin really do raise such excellent people.”

Although Zhang Yue understood that most of Zhu Zhanji’s praise was not meant to imply anything else, he didn’t want the crown prince to harbor any doubts. So, after apologizing, he sat down next to Zhu Zhanji.

“Your Highness’s praise is well-deserved, but such people are already rare among the nobles. After all, Marquis Mu is not Duke of Qian. These men were sent from Yunnan—there are only so many, and no more can be found. As for the Xu family, they also only have a few retainers left. Many of the others were retainers who followed Duke of Ying to Jiaozhi; after aging, they were kept on the estates. Having experienced deadly plagues and battles, they are all top-notch fighters. Even so, it took Old Peng two days of training to get them under control.”

“Again, Peng Shisan?”

Zhu Zhanji couldn’t help but lift his head. In the light of the torch, he saw Peng Shisan arranging night patrols. Recalling the rumors he had heard upon returning from Danning, and also that this man had refused his father’s offer of an official position, he felt even more acutely how rare talent was. So he pointed with his riding crop and said, “I remember him achieving many feats under the Duke of Yingguo in Jiaozhi. Later, he followed you in defending Xinghe, and he also fought against the Wulangha and Arutai in Danning. A mere thousand-household rank is utterly unworthy of his achievements. Even if he doesn’t want a formal position, at least he should be given the title of Commander Deputy. By the way, regarding subduing them through training—was it really through his real martial skills?”
“That’s right. It wasn’t just Old Peng; my four bodyguards almost all fought against them in turn. After all, these are all the true confidants of their respective families. They don’t care about eloquent words but only about strength in action…”
After chatting with Zhu Zhanji for a while longer, as night deepened, Zhang Yue had no choice but to send them off to rest. He then returned to his own small tent and, by the dim light of an oil lamp, began studying the map. After scanning the area around Shandong twice, his gaze shifted to the two most crucial locations.
The entire itinerary and places to stay along the way were arranged by Yuan Fang. He never explained why they didn’t stay in cities or inns, and no one asked questions. The servants followed orders without question, while Peng Shisan and the four men led by Niu Gan all obeyed Zhang Yue. As for Zhang Yue and Zhu Zhanji, both of them adhered to the same principle: whenever something was unclear or uncertain, rather than exhausting oneself trying to handle it poorly, it was better to leave it to experts in the field.
After four days of travel, the group finally passed Xuzhou, with just a few dozen miles left before reaching Shandong. Traveling day and night, it posed no major problem for the strong servants, but it was quite exhausting for Zhu Zhanji. Ever since he had attended the emperor’s funeral in the Danning army, he hadn’t been through such strain for quite some time. And that occasion was completely different from this one—after all, he had a large army to rely on, and the situation in the capital was entirely under control. Now, already feeling somewhat anxious, he naturally didn’t dare relax his vigilance. Thus, when Zhang Yue suggested stopping at Hanzhuang by the canal that night, he hesitated.

Regarding his hesitation, Yuan Fang explained with a smile, “Your Highness, rest assured. Hanzhuang belongs to Yanzhou Prefecture, while this is the seat of the Lu Kingdom’s government. Although the King of Lu does not interfere in politics, he has always enjoyed a reputation for virtue. Moreover, since this place is close to Nanjing but far from the capital, it is not highly valued by the Han King. Besides, Lord Zhang mentioned earlier that there are people to support us in Hanzhuang. So, it’s fine for us to stay here for one night.”

Since they had already arrived and the journey had been safe, Zhu Zhanji, though somewhat hesitant, ultimately said nothing more. As they neared Hanzhuang, Zhang Yue sent Zhang Bu ahead to scout the area. Only after receiving news did he order Peng Shisan to lead everyone to stay put temporarily, planning to enter Hanzhuang in groups after the hour of Hai. He and Yuan Fang, along with a few elite troops, escorted Zhu Zhanji to an inn that had been prepared in advance.

Hanzhuang was the first intersection of the northern-southern land routes and the canal waterways within Shandong. Benefiting from its location on the main road, it was originally a fairly prosperous town. Since the Huitong River was dredged and opened up, it became even more bustling. At night, lights from boats could still be seen at the docks, but the town had only a few scattered lights—most people had already gone to bed, with only one inn still open. Hearing noise outside, a young clerk in the inn raised his head groggily. Seeing a dozen people rush in, he was stunned for a moment before quickly stepping forward to close the door, asking no questions.

While he was busy with this, Zhang Yue led Yuan Fang, Zhu Zhanji, and Chen Wu upstairs. Upon entering the guest room, before Zhu Zhanji could react, someone stepped forward quickly. Though confused, since Zhang Yue hadn’t introduced him, he simply stood silently behind Zhang Yue.

The person was Hu Qi, still dressed as his previous staff member. After stepping forward, he didn’t even glance at the others before bowing respectfully to the ground and reporting, “Sir, I arrived first and gathered some information. Along the official road from Yanzhou Prefecture to Dezhou, inspections by the patrol stations are much stricter than usual. Moreover, there have been troop movements in Tianjin Wei these past few days, creating a tense atmosphere. Many people trying to go to Dezhou have been detained.”

“There’s more to it.” Though he didn’t lift his head to look around, Hu Qi caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye that the person behind Zhang Yue was staring at him. He continued, “The governor of Jinan suddenly fell ill, and now an acting governor is in charge. Everyone is dissatisfied, so the government office is in chaos. In the past few days, even the posting of notices in the counties around Jinan has stopped. Although the inspection authorities have stepped in, no one has the energy to pay attention. There are also many unfamiliar faces in the towns along the canal, but so far, no patrol officers have harassed the passenger and merchant ships on the river.”

These details might seem trivial, but to those who knew the truth, they carried significant implications. Zhang Yue stood in front of Zhu Zhanji, his expression unchanged, though he understood that his concerns were not unfounded. After pondering for a while, he asked Hu Qi, “Are there any ships currently anchored at Hanzhuang that can be mobilized?”

“There are ships—four salt ships from the Fang family in Shandong, which set out from Yangzhou, and one merchant ship heading to Beijing. Both types of ships happen to be on their way, but they’re loaded with salt and not suitable for carrying passengers. Moreover, since Your Excellency and the Fang family are old acquaintances, and you’ve dealt with them before when ordering salt, many people are aware of this relationship, which could lead to trouble. The merchant ship, on the other hand, has some connection to the Prince of Lu, so it has the necessary permits, and with proper connections, it can travel unimpeded.”

After hearing this, Zhang Yue asked more detailed questions about the outside situation before sending Hu Qi away. Once the door was closed, Zhu Zhanji turned to Zhang Yue and asked in a low voice, “Yuanjie, it seems the land route ahead is difficult to use. Do you plan to take the water route?”

“Your Highness, earlier I asked you to join me on my return to the capital to visit my ailing father, hoping to reach the capital quickly. That plan was only half of it. Since the Empress ordered the Duke of Ying to send word that my father is seriously ill, she surely intended to use this as a cover. But nothing stays secret forever—there are too many people in the capital with many mouths, and news can’t be kept hidden. Moreover, since I borrowed people from the noble families in Nanjing, I’m not entirely sure the news won’t leak. Besides, I’m too conspicuous on my own. If someone controls that land route in Shandong or waits patiently for us to stumble into a trap, all our efforts will be in vain.”

After a brief pause, Zhang Yue explained, “As soon as I heard the news, I sent someone rushing to Shandong day and night. This person is fairly reliable, and since he’s unaware of the details, he’s the perfect candidate to gather information. According to him, the land routes in Shandong are now under strict surveillance. With inspection posts set up along the way, using money or status to get through won’t work anymore. So from here onward, traveling to places like Dezhou by land is extremely risky.”

Seeing Zhu Zhanji deep in thought and silent, Zhang Yue added, “It seems they were already on guard against us abandoning the entourage and heading straight for the capital, which is why they controlled the land routes. However, since we only rest for three hours each night, their information probably isn’t as up-to-date yet. There may be inspection posts on land routes, but few checkpoints on canals. Especially ships that don’t need to stop for food or water can travel smoothly along the canals. As long as others still think we’re continuing north with the same number of people, Your Highness can take the water route to Tongzhou. It may take a few extra days, but it’s safer—after all, even the military officials in places like Tianjin might not be reliable. I anticipated this, so I already sent five people to Han Village to wait and escort Your Highness by boat through Shandong.”

At this point, Zhu Zhanji had no choice but to nod. He certainly knew Zhang Yue wasn’t lying. When his grandfather Zhu Di rose in rebellion, many generals in places like Tongzhou surrendered at the first sign of trouble—some because of his reputation, others because they had already received substantial benefits. Now, with Zhu Gaoxu having been in Shandong for several years, it was unclear how many officers he had won over. It was only natural for Zhang Yue to be extremely cautious. In the face of such great rewards and power, who could guarantee that no one would leak information or shoot a hidden arrow at him?

“If that’s the case, Chen Wu and I will go aboard with Yuan Qing and the others. How will you fill the gap left by just the three of us?”

Seeing Zhu Zhanji had made up his mind, Zhang Yue replied with a smile, “Since Your Highness will only bring Lord Yuan, Eunuch Chen, and the others, things will be easier. Along the way, I had many people wear conical hats and deliberately kept Your Highness at a distance from the servants, so that in case of trouble, we could mix in and confuse things. I’ve already prepared substitutes here. When the time comes, we can have them wear conical hats as well, so no one will be able to recognize them. Since we’re here now, we won’t need to camp in the wild anymore. We’ll stay in Hanzhuang tonight, and starting tomorrow, I’ll take them to stay for one night each in Yanzhou Prefecture, Tai’an Prefecture, and Jinan Prefecture.”

Zhu Zhanji was not the kind of person to hesitate. Hearing that Zhang Yue had already arranged everything, he simply nodded. Leaving Yuan Fang and Zhang Yue to continue discussing, he took Chen Wu out of the guest room. At that moment, Hu Qi immediately came forward and led him to a guest room in the corner, then stepped back.

Having stayed in the wilderness for several days, Zhu Zhanji couldn’t help but sigh deeply as he sat on the clean and tidy bed. Chen Wu, sitting beside him, couldn’t resist asking in a low voice, “Your Highness, we only have five people with us, and they’re not even part of Your Highness’s personal guard. Isn’t this… too risky? Although Lord Zhang is someone you admire and is from the Zhang family, I’m still a bit worried about entrusting such important matters to him.”

“It’s good that you’re concerned, but you don’t need to worry about this.” Zhu Zhanji glanced at Chen Wu. Seeing that he was still worried, he said calmly, “Although the capital is under the control of the Empress Dowager, matters like troop deployment and defense still rely on the Duke of Ying. If the Empress Dowager can trust the Duke of Ying wholeheartedly, why can’t I trust Zhang Yue? Over the years, I’ve helped him several times, and he’s helped me many times as well. Now, if he can just ensure my safe arrival in the capital, isn’t that more valuable than any merit from supporting the Han King? From the first time I met him, I knew he was sincere and trustworthy.”

“If Your Highness says so, then I have nothing more to suggest. Still, I think Lord Zhang’s claim that the military officials in Tianjin and other places may not be reliable seems a bit exaggerated.”

“Better to assume they are guilty than innocent!”

After saying those ten words, Zhu Zhanji fell silent. With Chen Wu’s help, he washed up, washed his feet, and went to bed. Lying on the relatively soft bed, he couldn’t help but reflect—his grandfather, Zhu Di, had once swept across the land with great ambition and a group of generals; that was indeed a remarkable feat. But after ascending the throne, he immediately weakened the power of the princes, clearly not wanting others to take advantage. Ironically, some still failed to see the situation clearly and sought glory by following him.

Zhu Gaoxu often compared himself to Li Shimin, but in his eyes, that was nothing but an empty-headed fool!