Chapter 794: The Emperor Cannot Act Arbitrarily, Even the Wealthy Hide Their Worries

After stepping out of the carriage at Xiao Zhang’s residence, Lu Feng still couldn’t help but repeat that name, his face filled with deep anger. If before he had hoped to bring more wealth to his family so that his descendants could have a glorious entry in the family records, now he no longer had such thoughts. This time it was Zhang Yue who had suppressed him with forceful measures—what about next time?
The eunuchs from Jiaozhi in the palace hadn’t bothered to find any relatives for him; they had simply taken in adopted sons from the common people. He had seen them a few times and found them to be clever and agile. He had no full-blooded brothers; those back in his hometown were just cousins. Moreover, when his family was so poor they could barely make ends meet and he had to enter the palace to make a living, no one had taken care of his family. Now, they were even being exploited and almost turned into targets for others to attack him. If he had known this would happen, he might as well have learned from Wang Jin, Zheng, and the others.
Find an excuse to ask the emperor to change his surname!
Besides, what Zhang Yue had said made sense. With the situation so uncertain, he couldn’t just keep coming here casually. After all, he wasn’t as close to the emperor as Fan Hong, Jin Ying, Wang Jin, and the others. To others, Zhang Yue had done him a huge disservice—he came here to demand an explanation, only to end up in such a situation. But he could take this opportunity to act pitiful and rush to the emperor first to clear himself, then find the one who had played him and deal with them properly!
After dealing with those people, Zhang Yue finally stood up and stretched. It was already extremely hot in the capital. Ever since the incident in Nanyang Prefecture, he had been rushing nonstop, and now his body was covered in sweat and dirt, feeling sticky and uncomfortable.
After bathing and changing into new clothes, he took a short rest on the yellow bamboo recliner. Soon, someone reported that the palace officials had arrived—it was Wang Jin in person. He said he wasn’t there to deliver an imperial edict but just passing by. After pondering for a moment, thinking that since Wang Jin said so, he wouldn’t receive him in the main hall, he asked Gao Quan to lead him to the back courtyard.
Although it wasn’t the first time Wang Jin had entered this place, he had never set foot in the back courtyard. As he walked along, he saw bamboo and willows providing shade, with flowers everywhere. The winding paths were hidden among the greenery and fragrant grass, making him think that the Zhang family truly knew how to live well. This courtyard, at least half the size of the Yangwu Bo’s residence, still managed to create a sense of depth and elegance. When he reached the front of the inner study and saw Zhang Yue coming down the steps to greet him, he smiled and bowed.

Although it wasn’t an official order, Zhang Yue wouldn’t view this currently highly influential eunuch in the same light as before. After greeting him with a smile, he led him inside and said with a laugh, “Eunuch Wang, what a coincidence to run into you on your way here. As soon as I got home, Eunuch Lu blocked me and started accusing me. I’ve just finished dealing with that when you show up again.”

“I happened to run into Eunuch Lu right after leaving Donghua Gate. Truly, as the head of the Eastern Depot, he’s even better informed than us!”

Wang Jin knew he was highly trusted by the emperor, even surpassing Fan Jin and the others, so he didn’t think of creating any tension. With a slight smile, he changed the subject. He mentioned that the emperor would summon him to Qianqing Palace the next day and chatted a bit more before saying cheerfully, “Does Lord Zhang know that three days ago, Luo Qian, the Left Vice Minister of War, was demoted to Left Counselor of Huguang Provincial Administration for speaking against the emperor’s orders?”

Although provincial governors were no longer as powerful as they were at the founding of the dynasty, they still held significant authority. Therefore, when Zhang Yue returned to the capital, he knew he would likely secure a position among the vice ministers of the six ministries. Of course, if not for his youth, he might even have managed to become a minister. As for joining the Grand Council, not to mention his father-in-law’s health allowing him to serve another twenty years, even if not, it wouldn’t be easy for the “Three Yangs” to surpass him—after all, the ministers of the six ministries were already veteran officials from five dynasties, gradually stepping back from their duties.

Hearing this, he understood the implication. After all, at his age, becoming a high-ranking official abruptly might attract criticism, but since it was the Ministry of War, a field he was familiar with, others would have little to say. Moreover, that unfortunate vice minister of war had just been dismissed. Besides, Minister of War Zhang Ben was already seventy-two, considered one of the oldest officials in the court. However, since his family had traditionally been in charge of military affairs, would those civil officials agree to him returning to the Ministry of War?

But since he understood the implication, he thanked Wang Jin with a smile.

“Lord Zhang, I have served by the emperor’s side since he was still the crown prince—over a decade now. I don’t have many other ambitions; I just hope someone can truly share the emperor’s burdens. The members of the Grand Council are already veteran officials from three dynasties, and those in the ministries have served through five dynasties. Even if the emperor promotes young talents through the imperial examinations, they can’t compare in terms of experience to these old officials. Only Lord Zhang, though he passed the examinations in the 16th year of Yongle, lacks nothing in terms of qualifications and merits. When discussing matters in court, he can better understand the emperor’s perspective.”

These were words spoken from the heart, and Zhang Yue couldn’t help but be deeply moved. Indeed, Wang Jin counted on his fingers the advice given by the ministers over the past two years—ranging from objections to hunting and imperial tours to concerns about entertainment and succession—covering almost everything. Even an outsider like him found it overwhelming, let alone Emperor Zhu Zhanji. By the end, Wang Jin let out a deep sigh.

“The emperor has been on the throne for less than three years, yet gray hairs have already appeared at his temples. He faces many troubles daily. Before the New Year, reports came from the border that Arutai had allied with the Wulangha to invade. Just the mention of inspecting the border sparked widespread opposition in the court… Now that the crown prince has been born, the issue of succession has also caused a great deal of turmoil. Add to this the censor who carelessly caused trouble for us eunuchs, and it’s no exaggeration to say the emperor is at his wits’ end. That’s why I didn’t see you today but will tomorrow…”

At this point, Wang Jin paused, his voice suddenly becoming extremely low: “The emperor feels unwell and doesn’t want to be seen. It’s really helpless. If it weren’t for the fact that the three main halls cannot be rebuilt, the emperor wouldn’t have to hold court outside every day, without even a place to shelter from the weather. Just a few days ago, some people said that Jinling is a far better location than Youyan and suggested moving the capital back there.”

Although Zhang Yue was well-informed due to his location away from the capital, he still couldn’t grasp everything as vividly as those in the capital. Hearing these one after another, his expression grew increasingly serious, and his left hand instinctively tightened around the armrest beside him. At this point, it was no longer a matter of Wang Jin stopping by or not—it was impossible for him to say such things without Zhu Zhanji’s approval.

After talking at length and explaining clearly all the emperor’s instructions, Wang Jin brought up some other trivial matters before standing up to take his leave. Naturally, Zhang Yue saw him out. When they reached the second gate, Wang Jin, who had been talking the whole way, suddenly mentioned something seemingly casually.

“The crown prince was just born, and Consort Sun, who is quite weak due to her health, has been resting in Yongning Palace. The empress dowager and the emperor have asked Princess Ning to take care of the crown prince. Princess Ning usually seems gentle and amiable, but a few days ago she suddenly became furious and replaced half of the staff. This alarmed the empress dowager, who ordered Princess Ning to personally select two new attendants from the Inner Study Hall. Most of the maids and eunuchs were taken directly from Renshou Palace…”

He listened with his ear and remembered in his heart, but Zhang Yue remained silent the whole time. It wasn’t until Wang Jin was sent out of the gate and mounted her horse that he turned back and finally let out a long sigh. Ever since they heard of King Zhou’s death, he and Du Wan had discussed Zhu Ning’s future on many occasions—without a father, her elder brother would act as a father and her elder sister-in-law as a mother. Unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Zhang bypassed Zhu Youdun, the designated successor to the King of Zhou, and brought Zhu Ning to the capital. Just as she had been highly trusted during the Yongle era, Zhu Ning still handled things effortlessly in the palace, but it was unclear what she planned once her mourning period ended. In the Tang Dynasty, many princesses became nuns; in the Song Dynasty, many became Buddhist nuns, but the Ming Dynasty had no such rule.

Moreover, what exactly did the Empress Dowager and the emperor mean?

Since the emperor was summoning him the next day, Zhang Yue had to visit some relatives and friends. His uncle Zhang Xin was not at home, reportedly out visiting guests, and Zhang Jiu had not returned from the Hanlin Academy, so Lady Feng only invited him for tea and didn’t say much. At the YangwuBo (Bó) -> Lord or Master (in the context of a noble or high-ranking official’s residence)’s residence, things were even worse—Madam Dongfang dressed like a lay Buddhist practitioner, always carrying prayer beads and talking about Buddhist scriptures. Since Zhang Qi was also absent, he stayed for a short while before hurrying to leave. Only at the Duke of Ying’s residence did he feel a bit more at ease.

“Brother, you’re such a bad guy!”

After two years apart, Zhang Jing was no longer the little girl she used to be. Her features had matured, and she now resembled Madam Sun in her youth. After the formalities, she glared at Zhang Yue angrily, pouting and saying, “Mom, Dad, you, and sister-in-law left me here for two years without caring for me! And now that you’re back, where are Mom, Dad, and sister-in-law?”

Seeing the little girl’s teary eyes, Zhang Yue felt overwhelmed and hurriedly tried to comfort her. But perhaps due to his lack of talent for soothing children, the more he tried, the more she cried, eventually throwing herself on Lady Wang’s knees and sobbing. After a while, Lady Wang, along with Tian Ci and Tian Tian, pulled her away like adults, and she could only smile helplessly.

“Jing has always been clever and quick-witted. She’s only cried behind my back a few times. You, as her brother, are one thing, but her parents are truly heartless for leaving such a good child with me for so long! Luckily, I now have my own children, which have helped ease her loneliness. Otherwise, a child like her would surely develop resentment. By the way, I heard a funny story from the Lady of Anyuan Marquis—did you use the title of your eldest uncle to deceive people in Jiaozhi?”

Seeing Lady Wang’s amused and exasperated expression, Zhang Yue quickly laughed and said, “It was just a quick idea. After all, the prestige of being the eldest uncle is quite useful.”

“What tiger’s might? Now he’s just retired. The highest-ranking official, the foremost among nobles, the leader of all officials—his military honors have reached their limit. Other than overseeing the compilation of historical records, he can do nothing else. He spends his days in the Hanlin Academy and hasn’t returned yet.”
Although in the past Zhang Fu was either on military campaigns, guarding borders, or training troops, often away for years—even absent when she gave birth—he had indeed been away so much that Lady Wang had often wished he could stay by her side. Yet seeing him idle, focusing only on celestial observations, a military officer forced to deal with books and documents, made her feel very sad. But even border conflicts were usually minor battles; even in major wars, unless it was a matter of survival, how could the Grand Tutor, Duke of Yingguo, resign and go to war?
“Aunt?”
Hearing Zhang Yue’s call, Lady Wang snapped back to reality. She quickly covered her smile and changed the subject: “It’s good you’re back. From now on, stay in the capital and serve as an official. The emperor probably won’t let you travel around all the time. Your uncle once mentioned that there are several vacancies in the six ministries. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue are the most sought after, but the others are fine—as long as it’s not the Ministry of Works. Remember when I first met you, you were still a boyish youth, but now you’re about to become a minister!”
“If it weren’t for the protection of my uncle and aunt back then, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Does becoming a minister mean I’m no longer your junior?”
His words made Lady Wang laugh. Zhang Yue chatted with her for a while about household matters before asking about Liang Jin failing the examination. Learning that Liang Jin had fallen ill before entering the examination hall and thus couldn’t complete the three rounds, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but sigh. By the time Lady Wang suggested inviting his mother and wife to the capital, Liang Jin had already agreed. Zhang Yue nodded, thinking that someone who remembered Du Zhen’s kindness in saving his father and didn’t reject help from the powerful was truly someone worth befriending. He decided to have his son visit and learn from him once he returned.
At sunset, Lady Wang wanted to invite them for dinner, but Zhang Yue apologized, saying she had already planned to go to the Du family’s house, so she gave in. Just as she was about to send someone to see Zhang Yue off, the curtain outside was suddenly lifted, and Bi Luo, with her hair styled like a woman’s, rushed in. She bowed to Zhang Yue first and then stepped forward to whisper something. Lady Wang frowned at first at her behavior, but as she listened, her frown deepened.

“Second Master is becoming more and more like his father. His son isn’t useful, and now he’s married such a woman as a concubine. Does she think this British noble household is some kind of place!” Lady Wang was now quite old, and sometimes she couldn’t help getting angry. Before Zhang Yue could leave, she already lost her temper. “This court isn’t my master’s household. Coming here to ask for positions—how ridiculous! Saying I’m unpleasant—get lost!”
Zhang Yue, who had just arrived at the door, heard these angry words behind him and felt a stir in his heart. Once he left the courtyard, he heard someone calling his name twice. Turning around, he saw Bi Luo chasing after him. Bi Luo spoke a few words to the lady, saying that Lady Wang had sent her to convey a message ahead, and then she took over the task of accompanying Zhang Yue. However, after turning down the alley, she didn’t lead Zhang Yue to the front gate but instead went through a side door on the east side.
“Young Master Yue, please be understanding. Ever since Second Master married another wife last year, the household has never been peaceful. Now, even during festivals, the lady doesn’t bother to hold gatherings; she just asks people to send gifts as usual. Moreover, Second Master still holds the nominal position of commander, with little income but high expenses. That’s why his second wife often comes to ask the lady for favors, sometimes in rather harsh terms. The lady doesn’t want you to see her in trouble. After all, by seniority, she is also your elder.”
After hearing Bi Luo’s explanation, Zhang Yue finally understood what was going on. Father and son, Zhang Cui and Zhang Bin, had caused trouble during Zhang Fu’s serious illness, annoying Emperor Yongle, Zhu Di. Plus, after Concubine Deng died in a dispute among the concubines, they were completely sidelined. Who would have thought that years later, this family would start causing trouble again.