Chapter 787: The Mu Kingdom’s Palace

Mengzi County is 480 li north of Kunming County in Yunnan Prefecture. Under the escort of Su Ming and others, Zhang Yue traveled slowly, passing through Ami Prefecture and crossing the Pan River. After three days, they rested overnight in Chengjiang Prefecture, then enjoyed the scenery of Dian Lake before finally arriving at their destination. Along the way, local officials and people came to offer food and greetings, showing extreme respect. Wherever the caravan went, everyone—officials, commoners, and merchants—made way for them. In each prefecture or county, they stayed at local inns or government buildings. Witnessing the power of the Mu family, Zhang Yue became even more aware that even the vassal kings appointed during the Hongwu era paled in comparison to the influence of the Mu family in Yunnan.

The waters of Cuihai Lake were shimmering and clear, with weeping willows swaying gently. The lake’s water never dried up, even in drought. Nine springs emerged from the water to the northeast. Locals once planted large fields of lotus flowers here. When the lotuses bloomed, the green waters contrasted beautifully with pink and white petals, creating a stunning sight—one of Kunming’s famous attractions. After Mu Ying washed his horses here, it was named Liuying, a place for military training. Later, when Mu Sheng undertook extensive construction, it became the largest branch of the Mu Kingdom’s palace. Mu Sheng loved this place so much that he spent most of the year here, rarely staying in his official residence in the city. Therefore, Zhang Yue and his party went straight there.

Since Zhang Yue was the Duke of Qian and not arriving as an imperial envoy, Mu Sheng naturally did not go to greet him personally but sent his eldest son, Mu Bin, in his place. Still, two rows of guards were stationed at the entrance, and with the crown prince himself welcoming them, the local people were naturally curious. However, since Zhang Yue was accompanied by Su Ming and a large group of bodyguards, no one could discern anything beyond what was visible, and they could only watch as the group entered the palace gates.

Though there was no official decree, the message had been clearly conveyed through intermediaries. So, Zhang Yue and Mu Bin proceeded inside and explained the purpose of their visit. Mu Bin had already guessed this and developed a favorable impression of Zhang Yue, who was around the same age as him. He abandoned his father’s earlier instruction to complain bitterly and instead stopped, bowed, and said, “Thank you, my dear brother Yuanjie, for telling me the truth.”

“You’re too kind, my elder brother. You’ve never left Yunnan before, and the journey to the capital is thousands of miles away. It’s safer to have someone accompany us. Besides, my father and uncles have troubled you for so many days; it’s me who should express my gratitude. I’ve traveled with your family’s soldiers all the way, and seeing how peaceful everything is and how the local people submit shows just how great the Mu family’s contributions are. You come from a military family, with deep expertise in military strategy, so that goes without saying. This time you’re going to the Imperial Academy in the capital for two reasons: to follow tradition and as a sign of the emperor’s favor.”

Although his late uncles Mu Chun and father Mu Sheng had studied in Nanjing during the Hongwu era, Mu Bin had never left Yunnan since arriving there. His parents were worried, and he could easily understand the deeper meaning behind being summoned to the capital—aside from the emperor’s suspicion, what other reason could there be? But after Zhang Yue’s words, he thought of another crucial point. Relying on bribing nobles to maintain the Mu family’s reputation couldn’t compare to making a good impression on the emperor himself.

Seeing Mu Bin’s polite expression turn warm and friendly, Zhang Yue knew he had understood his meaning and felt relieved. From his experiences along the way, along with what he had heard before about the Mu family owning vast lands in Yunnan, he understood that even the Mu family, known for their loyalty and bravery, couldn’t escape their status as a powerful clan. No matter what reasons Mu Sheng had for staying idle in Mengzi County in the past, or how much land the Mu family owned in Yunnan, only the Mu family could guard such a place with mixed ethnic groups living there. Moreover, the Si family in Luchuan remained a major threat on the borders.

Given this, what he needed to do was to reassure the emperor, rather than rashly uncovering the truth.

The main hall of the side courtyard bore the characters “Qian Ning,” written personally by Zhu Di after he ascended the throne and bestowed them on the Mu family’s mansion. Since Zhu Yuanzhang had already inscribed a plaque for the main hall of the Mu family’s mansion, to show respect for the founding emperor and avoid embarrassing Zhu Di, these characters were hung in the main hall of the side courtyard. After following Mu Bin inside, Zhang Yue offered incense and paid his respects beneath the plaque, then followed Mu Bin to the adjacent room, where he met Mu Sheng, the Duke of Qian, as a younger relative of an old acquaintance.

This was the first time Zhang Yue had met Mu Sheng. Mu Sheng was seven years older than Zhang Fu and was now approaching sixty; his eyes sparkled, and his thin face showed few wrinkles. He was dressed in a simple, slightly worn sky-blue shirt with golden patterns of prosperity, sitting upright. As he usually smiled rarely, even though his lips were slightly raised, he still appeared very serious. However, in just a few words, he mostly talked about his past battles in Jiaozhi alongside Duke Zhang Fu of Britain, mentioning nothing else. Most of the time, it was he who asked about the military situation in Jiaozhi, with Zhang Yue answering.

Mu Sheng usually spoke little to his subordinates, so naturally he didn’t say much when seeing Zhang Yue today. When Mu Bin, who was standing by, reminded him that it was nearly noon and time to eat, he nodded at Zhang Yue and said that someone from the military office had said there were still matters to report, so he asked his son Mu Bin to accompany him while he left first.

With his departure, Mu Bin felt much more relaxed. He smiled at Zhang Yue and said, “Young brother, you must have heard about our place’s pleasant spring-like weather all year round. The weather is nice today; it would be boring to eat indoors. The most beautiful part of Cuihai lies in its waters. You’ve been through hard battles and a long journey—how about going to the waterside pavilion to relax? I know you still need to meet your uncles, so I’ll have someone invite them to come as well. Since it’s for recuperation, it’s good to walk around outside.”

“That’s good. Then I’ll trouble my elder brother.”

Although there was a separate mansion of the Mu family in Cuihai, due to the rules set by Mu Ying earlier, the entire area was still used by local people and fishermen for growing lotus and catching fish and shrimp. Outsiders were not allowed in except during banquets for guests. Walking along the path lined with willow trees, under the bright sunshine and with the fresh spring breeze carrying the scent of flowers, Zhang Yue felt very comfortable. When he saw a group of servants leading several people over, he hurried to greet them. Although the father and son had only been separated for a few months, and Zhang You had been seriously injured in the battles in Jiaozhi and hadn’t recovered yet, Zhang Yue was worried. It wasn’t until he saw that everyone in the group seemed fine that he quickly stepped forward to pay respects.

Zhang Zhuo was always delighted to see his son. When the father and son met, he couldn’t hide his concern and asked many questions before remembering that Zhang You was still behind him. He quickly stepped aside. However, Zhang You merely smiled faintly without saying much.

The weather in Kunming is always spring-like throughout the four seasons, with gorgeous flowers blooming in every season. The same is true around the waterside pavilion now—red, purple, blue, yellow, a riot of colors, vibrant and fragrant. Coupled with the gentle, warm breeze, it’s truly a delightful sight that lifts one’s spirits. After the meal, Mu Bin, being sensible, had someone escort Zhang’s family back to their room before leaving. Zhang Chao chatted with Zhang Yue for a while, and when he saw his father Zhang You growing tired, he personally helped him back to his room to rest, leaving space for Zhang Zhuo and Zhang Yue.

“Having rested here for so long, Father seems a bit fatter and much more energetic than before in Jiaozhou Prefecture.”

“Everything here is taken care of meticulously. Besides He, the chief physician, the Duke of Qian also invited several other doctors to consult with him. Moreover, since your second uncle’s poison has been mostly removed, he’s not in as critical condition as before, so my burden is much lighter. I no longer have to worry constantly like I did in Jiaozhou Prefecture.”

At this point, Zhang Zhuo looked at Zhang Yue from head to toe and smiled, saying, “Although everything is going smoothly here in Jiaozhi under the Duke of Qian, you still look much paler than when you were in Guangzhou. That’s good. When we return to the capital, at least the censors in the Censorate won’t mock you for gaining weight after visiting Jiaonan… By the way, aside from that, there’s something I must tell you.”

Hearing his father joking with him, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but chuckle. But the mention of the Censorate wasn’t a pleasant memory, even though he had once held the title of Right Assistant Censor. However, Zhang Zhuo’s serious tone immediately made him stop daydreaming. He knew well that his father would never bring it up right away unless it was extremely important.

Sure enough, as soon as Zhang Zhuo finished speaking, Zhang Yue immediately frowned, hardly believing his ears. Fang Shuixin had not only run away last year but also safely made it to the Duke of Qian’s residence thousands of miles away! The most troublesome part was that his second aunt, Lady Dongfang in the capital, had resorted to the harshest measure—handling the funeral affairs right away, blocking the path for that mother and son to return to the Zhang family. But how could the wife of the Yangwu Marquis, who was now the head of the household, not consider what would happen if things were exposed?

Moreover, Fang Shuixin was dead. By the time Zhang You arrived in Kunming, she had already committed suicide by drawing her sword, the reason being that she heard from servants that Zhang You was critically ill!

“Yue’er…”

“What did your second uncle say?”

“Since your second uncle heard the news, he has become much quieter. After the burial, he hardly spoke at all and spent most of his time sitting in silence. Your eldest brother isn’t someone who is good with words; although we try to take him out to distract him, it doesn’t help ease his distress. And as you know, though he was lucky enough to survive this time, it’s best if he can walk with crutches from now on—his life is ruined…”
Although Zhang You said he had no regrets, Zhang Yue deeply understood what it was like for a warrior in his prime to suddenly be told he would spend the rest of his life in a worse state than an ordinary person—especially after learning of the death of his former beloved concubine at such a time. Though Zhang You wasn’t a man of extreme devotion, only the person involved could truly understand the pain of a woman killing herself for him. He thought Fang Shuixin must hate Zhang You, but he never expected her to love him so deeply.
Seeing Zhang Yue’s sigh, Zhang Zhuo spoke up, “I’m just mentioning this so you’re aware. Although the Duke of Qian covered this up, it’s better to be cautious. You must be tired after traveling for so many days—take a nap. Mu Bin has been packing since we received the news, but only after learning you were coming did he slow down, so you can rest for a couple of days before continuing. I need to stay here with your second uncle and eldest brother to recover for a while, so I won’t return with you.”
It was fine not to mention it, but once the word “tired” came up, Zhang Yue felt genuinely sleepy. No wonder—while in Jiaozhi, he had to handle military affairs and oversee grain shipments from Guangdong. After the battles, he was busy selecting talents, leaving him with little time to rest along the way. So, without hesitation, he saw his father off and returned to the bed in the inner room, falling asleep right away without even taking off his shoes.
He slept deeply and soundly. When he slowly woke up, sensing someone calling softly, he forced his eyes open to see bright candles lit in the room. In front of him was a pretty girl wearing dark green armor. Looking down at himself, he realized he was covered with a thin gauze blanket, and his shoes had been taken off sometime earlier.
“What time is it?”
“Reporting to you, sir, it’s now the hour of Xu.”
“The hour of Xu? It’s already this late!”

Hearing this, Zhang Yue, still drowsy, quickly sat up. Just as he was about to put on his shoes, the girl had already knelt down and personally put them on for him. Although he had grown up with servants attending to him and even had to rely on others to dress him in his elaborate court robes, Zhang Yue never liked to be served by strangers. Frowning slightly upon seeing the girl’s nervousness, he said nothing more and let her help him put on his outer robe and fasten his belt.

As he finished dressing, a maid silently pushed aside the sheer curtain and entered, followed by two young maids carrying small tables and a girl carrying a food box. When the meal was laid out, there was a pot of congee, four dishes, and two snacks on the table—all emitting a fragrant aroma that whetted the appetite.

“This was specially ordered by the lady. Sir has been working hard and came from a place plagued by miasma like Jiaonan. Eating too much meat could cause indigestion and harm his health. So the kitchen prepared Chicken Silk and Preserved Egg Drop Soup, along with four-colored side dishes and these whole-grain snacks, which are easier to digest than refined foods.”

After hearing this from the older maid, Zhang Yue remained silent for a while before nodding and saying, “The wife of the Duke of Qian is truly thoughtful. Go back and thank her on my behalf. I’ll pay her my respects after I’ve eaten.”

The maids and girls had been given specific instructions, so they readily agreed and quietly left. The older maid then helped arrange the dishes. During the meal, aside from the occasional clinking of utensils, there was no other sound. When he was about 80% full, Zhang Yue signaled for the table to be cleared. Just as he stood up, a call came from outside.

“Bai Shao, the young master wants you to go see him.”

Bai Shao, who was directing the two maids to clean up, froze upon hearing this. She bowed to Zhang Yue and hurriedly left. After she left and the table was cleared, a woman in her forties came in, saying that Lady Cheng had sent word that since he was tired from the journey, he should rest early and it was fine to meet again the next day. As she spoke, there was suddenly a commotion outside, but it was quickly silenced by several stern commands. Realizing that the rules here were strict and that such a disturbance would only occur if something serious happened, Zhang Yue grew suspicious. After the woman hurriedly took her leave, he pondered for a moment before deciding to go see his second uncle Zhang You and his father Zhang Zhuo to find out what was going on.