Chapter 91: Each Brother Takes His Own Path

Zhang Xin, who was going to take up his post in Jiaozhi, only brought four strong and capable servants from the Zhang family, while Zhang Fu selected twelve experienced military men to accompany him. Their luggage was also extremely simple—aside from a few chests of clothes, there was only gold and silver that could be used at any time; all those cumbersome ornaments were left behind. Those who came to see them off were merely their own family members. Zhang Qing and Zhang Jiu, the siblings, cried bitterly, but could only helplessly watch their father’s carriage drift away slowly.

Zhang Chao, Zhang Yue, and Zhang Jiu had already completed their main task in Nanjing. Whether it was Duke Zhang Fu or anyone else, they had all done their best, and this was the best outcome anyone could hope for.

After seeing Zhang Xin off, Zhang Jiu followed Zhang Fu to handle the family’s affairs. It seemed as though he had grown several years older all at once, becoming more steady in his actions. Zhang Chao, aside from serving in the army, continued to hunt and socialize with the noble youths from various noble families, enjoying great popularity among them. As for Zhang Yue, he followed Mr. Du’s advice and stayed at home studying, rarely going out. The few friends he had would occasionally visit him, and he led a carefree life.

In the blink of an eye, the harsh winter passed, and it was now March, a time of bright spring sunshine. Everyone in the Duke of Britain’s household shed their winter clothes and put on lighter spring attire. Lady Wang had originally planned to buy new sets of clothes for the three Zhang brothers, but they all said their current clothes were sufficient, so she gave up on the idea. Since returning from Jiaozhi last winter, Duke Zhang Fu had not gone to serve at the Five Armies Command and had been living at home leisurely, enjoying the company of his three nephews.

One day, after dinner, while chatting over tea in the main room, Zhang Fu said with a smile, “The current commander of Jiaozhi is Li Bin, the Marquis of Fengcheng. He is also a renowned general. Since my brother You serves under him as a general, I have nothing to worry about. He gets along quite well with me, and I asked him to take care of my brother Xin as well—he agreed right away. Now, only the Jinxiang Garrison is still dealing with pirate problems, but the emperor has already ordered the local garrisons to deal with them. The world is much more peaceful now.”

Others might not mind hearing about pirates, but as soon as Zhang Yue heard the word “pirates,” he frowned. Before he came to the capital, Zheng He’s fleet set sail on its fifth voyage to the Western Seas. The Ming navy was stronger than ever, yet the pirate troubles along the coast of Zhejiang East remained unresolved. If they didn’t make a serious effort now, when the Ming army was so powerful, things could get complicated in the future.

Just as he was thinking about how to speak, Zhang Chao suddenly put down his teacup and stood up abruptly. With a serious expression, he said, “Uncle, I’ve been in the Shence Army for two months now. Although I’ve made many good friends, daily drills and training aren’t what I truly desire. I’ve practiced martial arts for years and always wanted to fight on the battlefield. My experience isn’t yet sufficient for major battles, but since the Wokou are causing trouble in eastern Zhejiang, I beg Uncle to let me go there to gain some experience, even as a simple soldier.”

Zhang Fu wasn’t expecting Zhang Chao to bring up such a request and was momentarily stunned. Zhang Yue, though familiar with Zhang Chao’s temperament, was also quite surprised, but he also felt a hint of admiration—progressing step by step in the Shence Army was far easier than striving for military merits in a rapidly changing battlefield. Moreover, compared to the Ming Dynasty’s northern and southern campaigns, defeating the Wokou wasn’t considered a great achievement.

“Brother Chao, you just turned eighteen after the New Year. It’s too early to go to the battlefield.”

“But Uncle first went to battle in his early twenties and wasn’t afraid at all.”

Hearing Zhang Chao’s defiant tone, Zhang Fu couldn’t help but laugh. Although he joined the army as a youth, his first real battle was at the start of the Jingnan Campaign in the first year of the Jianwen era, and he was already a deputy commander. After that, his father died in battle, and he failed to fulfill his filial duties. He returned to the battlefield before removing his mourning clothes and achieved many military feats. He had also had his moments of youthful vigor. Now, looking at Zhang Chao standing tall and proud, he finally nodded.

“If you’re so determined, there is indeed an opportunity!” he said, glancing at Zhang Yue with a slight smile. “Last time, your third brother happened to meet the emperor and mentioned that you could draw a strong bow weighing two stones and shoot arrows that could pierce targets from a hundred paces away. The emperor became curious and asked a few questions. In a few days, the emperor will inspect the Shence Army at the small training ground. If you can impress him with your martial skills, not only can you go to Jinxiang Guard in eastern Zhejiang, but you can go wherever you want!”

“Ah!” Zhang Chao’s face lit up with joy. After being happy for a while, he remembered Zhang Fu’s earlier words. He quickly turned to Zhang Yue, bowed deeply, and said earnestly, “Thank you, third brother, for your recommendation!”

Zhang Yue quickly helped Zhang Chao up and laughed, saying, “If elder brother can achieve his wish this time, you can thank me later!”

Zhang Jiu watched from the side. Suddenly, he stood up, bowed solemnly to Zhang Fu, and then said earnestly, “Uncle, matters regarding our father have been settled. I plan to return to Kaifeng in a few days. Although I’ve sent a reply, my grandmother and mother still don’t know the full details. Besides, I can’t keep causing trouble for you and your wife here. Now that our father is gone, as the eldest grandson of the Zhang family, I’ve failed to fulfill my filial duties for over half a year. It’s time for me to return to take care of my grandmother and mother, and to bring back the gold and silver that were sold.”

His words were perfectly appropriate, quite different from his usual impulsiveness. Zhang Fu was satisfied. Seeing Zhang Yue also stand up, he gently raised his hand to stop him. “I’ve already written to your aunt and planned to send you back in two months, Jiu. Since you’re so eager, it’s only right that you return early to serve your elders. But you, Yue, might as well stay in the capital. First, your teacher Du Yishan is now an official in the court, and second, it’s for your own future. I’ve already discussed this with your parents, and your aunt has agreed, so there’s no need for you to mention returning.”

Seeing Zhang Fu arrange the fate of the three brothers in just a few words, Lady Wang also stood up and smiled. “Over the past half year, you’ve all lived together, and I’ve come to see you as my own children. Initially, I wasn’t willing to let Chao and Jiu leave, but since one of you aspires to make progress and the other wants to fulfill his filial duties—both are proper motives—I won’t stop you. Over the time you’ve been in the capital, the three of you have shown unity in important matters. Your uncle and I are very pleased. Even if you part ways in the future, don’t forget your brotherly bond or that you belong to the Zhang family. Understand?”

It was only right to do so, and the three brothers naturally agreed in unison. On their way out of the main house toward Fangheng Courtyard, Zhang Chao glanced at the darkening sky and suddenly turned to Zhang Jiu. “Xiao Si, I used to dislike you, partly because of you, but mostly due to my own prejudice. In any case, it was my fault as the eldest brother. I leave all household matters in your hands. My second brother has a hot temper like mine—don’t take his words to heart.”

“Elder brother…” Zhang Jiu paused before stammering, “If you really go to Jinxiang Guard, be very careful. The battlefield is dangerous—wish you safe on your journey…”

Feeling as if he had said too much and off-topic, he quickly turned to Zhang Yue’s side, looked up, said, “Take care, Third Brother,” and then ran away as if fleeing. Standing there, Zhang Yue scratched his head in confusion, thinking it wasn’t as if they were leaving tomorrow—why rush to say things like “take care” now? Looking at the waning moon in the sky, he couldn’t help but smile. Anyway, this trip to Nanjing had made the relationship between the three brothers much closer than before, and just that made the trip worthwhile.