Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 278 Origin
Zhu Youtang's request was very effective.

Afterwards, Zhang Luan enjoyed Xie Qian's preferential treatment, and Xie Qian also gave him some guidance.

Having such a senior predecessor leading the way for Zhang Luan, even if he just stands beside Zhang Luan, is a kind of recognition for him.

Although this was just the behavior of Xie Qian alone, in the eyes of his colleagues in the Hanlin Academy, Xie Qian's recognition represented the recognition of the entire Eastern Palace lecture class.

This is how people in official circles are.

Even if you do nothing, others will try to figure out the reasons behind this matter. Now Xie Qian is clearly leaning towards Zhang Luan, which makes everyone in the Hanlin Academy think that Zhang Luan has someone to support him.

That day, Zhang Luan returned home. Unlike the depressed look of the past few days, he walked into the house humming a little tune and sat down in the main hall. He looked so proud.

"Dad, did you find a treasure?"

Zhang Yanling came in and asked curiously.

Zhang Luan smiled and said, "It's true that the clouds have cleared and the moon has appeared... Guess what, today, Xie Hanlin took me around the Hanlin Academy, introduced me to a few colleagues, praised me a lot, and then had lunch with me. When I returned to the Hanlin Academy in the afternoon, people were more friendly to me, and many people even took the initiative to greet me."

Zhang Yanling sighed: "What a fickle world!"

Zhang Luan was a little surprised and asked, "What did you say? Do you know how to speak? Shouldn't I be nice to me? Even if you say you should just follow the wind!"

"Dad, as long as you are happy!"

Zhang Yanling couldn't help but smile, and said, "I just don't know why Xie Qian suddenly looks at you differently... It seems that someone asked him for help behind the scenes, right?"

"Who? Li Zisheng?"

Zhang Luan asked with eyes wide open.

Zhang Yanling rolled his eyes. "Do you think the lecturer of the Eastern Palace would be influenced by Li Zisheng? It must be your son-in-law, the crown prince of our Ming Dynasty, who is helping you behind the scenes... Dad, your awareness is obviously not good enough. In the end, you can't even figure out who really helped you."

Zhang Luan asked, "Could it be the prince? I heard that the prince is quite dull and doesn't seem like the type to ask for help. Besides, even if Xie Hanlin holds an official position... it's not very high... Will the prince ask him?"

"What? Are you still not satisfied?" Zhang Yanling mocked, "Do you have to find a Hanlin scholar to support you before you feel you can gain a firm foothold in the Hanlin Academy?"

"Isn't that right?"

Zhang Luan seemed to be really taking advantage of the situation.

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Okay, Dad, if you can't figure out who has real status in the Hanlin Academy and who has the right to speak in the Eastern Palace, then you have been here in vain."

"Who are they? Tell me quickly."

Zhang Luan had not made any name for himself in the Hanlin Academy, so he had no intention of inquiring about it. But now that he had someone to rely on, he could not help but want to find out the truth from his son.

Zhang Yanling said: "Dad, although the Hanlin Academy is a place that emphasizes seniority, to see whether one really has status, we also have to consider the relationship with the prince.

"Just like many Hanlin scholars today, they will soon be lost in the tide of history in the future. On the contrary, some seemingly unknown tutors and lecturers will have a great chance of becoming high-ranking officials in the future."

"Do I need you to tell me this?" Zhang Luan asked, "Among them there are definitely some who will become the future prime ministers, but how can I judge their future achievements?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Didn't my son say that everything depends on how close they are to the Crown Prince and their position in the East Palace lecture hall."

"oh!?"

Zhang Luan became serious.

Zhang Yanling said: "In the lecture class of the Eastern Palace, some people are very detached, for example, Xu Pu, although he is listed in the lecture class of the Eastern Palace, he is not completing his daily teaching and is now working in the six ministries."

"I've heard of this person, and people in the Hanlin Academy always talk about him." Zhang Luan said.

Zhang Yanling continued, "Now the lectures in the East Palace are led by two people, one is Liu Jian, and the other is Xie Qian who promoted you. Originally, Xie Qian was not the leader, but after Li Dongyang came to mourn, Xie Qian led a group of people to teach. Even though he is not a bachelor now, do you think he will have a low official rank in the future?"

Zhang Luan's eyes widened: "You mean the prince is on the throne... um, huh?"

"Ah."

Zhang Yanling nodded.

"Who else?"

Zhang Luan asked curiously, "I heard that Cheng Minzheng, Wang Hua and others are also very knowledgeable. There are a few others, I can't name them at the moment, it seems there is Wang Ao, and someone like Zhang Yuanzhen who is not teaching in the East Palace now... Son, what will their status be?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Dad, I don't mean to make you look down on others, but in fact, we are a powerful faction. You just need to build a good relationship with Xie Qian. He is helping you now, so you can think of yourself as a member of his faction. It's always right."

……

……

Zhang Luan was admitted into the imperial court. Although the Zhang family had not yet reached the level of prosperity, there were signs in this regard.

On this day, Zhang Yanling's mother Jin's younger brother Jin Lu came to the Zhang family with his ten-year-old son Jin Qi and brought many gifts. However, because Zhang Luan was "editing books" in the Hanlin Academy, Jin Lu did not meet his brother-in-law. He was received by his sister Jin and her two sons.

"Brother, we have been in the capital for several months... When we first arrived, we were unfamiliar with the place and people, and our family had nothing and urgently needed help, but you were reluctant to show up. Now your niece has become the queen, and even your brother-in-law has become a high-ranking official in the court, and you just came here... What is this? Where can you let your sister put her face?"

At this moment, Jin also began to act like the mistress of a big family and started to scold her brother.

Jin Lu said with a bitter face: "Sister, isn't my brother very busy?"

"You were the one who said you were doing business in the capital. After we arrived in the capital, we wanted to use your connections and familiarity with the capital to help us settle down. Yanling, don't you think so?"

Jin looked at her second son.

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Yes, uncle... When we arrived in Beijing, mother often mentioned you and asked father to take us to the address you gave us to look for you. In the end, we couldn't find your whereabouts after asking for a long time. I don't know how confused and helpless we were at that time!"

Jin Lu was a little shocked after hearing this.

This kid is the same age as my son, and my son is still a snotty kid. How can this kid talk nonsense without even writing a draft?
Look at that lively little eye...

People are indeed different!
Jin said coldly: "Don't say that your elder sister is inconsiderate. Now our family has settled down completely. We have everything we need at home. We won't need you for a while, but you came here eagerly. There is nothing left for you... What do you think I, as your elder sister, should do?"

"Sister, you misunderstood."

Jin Lu said, "Brother, I didn't come here to ask for any favors, but to give gifts... You can see that the courtyard outside is full of gifts from me.

"Sister, my small business in my hometown couldn't continue, so I ran back to the capital. But it's even harder to make a living here. I was just bragging before, saying that I was doing well in the capital, but in fact I was nothing. Who would have thought... that I would cause trouble to you... It's all my fault that I'm incompetent."

Having said that, Jin Lu began to launch an emotional offensive and even slapped himself in the face.

Even if Jin was as hard-hearted as she was, she would feel bad seeing her brother compromise so much and even slapping herself in the face in front of her son.

"Okay, okay."

Jin hurriedly stopped him and said, "If you have any difficulties in the future, you can come and tell me. There is no need to pretend in front of others... Have you ever seen your brother-in-law bragging in front of outsiders? He is a phoenix, and he will rise to the tree sooner or later."

"Yes, yes, yes. I have said it all along. My brother-in-law is definitely not an ordinary person. He will pass the imperial examination sooner or later, and my sister will enjoy endless wealth and glory."

Jinlu was so envious.

In the past, he looked down on his brother-in-law Zhang Luan. Although he had the title of a student, his family lived in extreme poverty.

In the end, my brother-in-law didn't make a comeback through the imperial examination, but relied on his niece to achieve his current status. How can this be justified?

If he really relied on the imperial examination, I would definitely curry favor with him when he passed the exam. Why did he suddenly take over now when I couldn't even find the heels of my shoes? "Okay. Your brother-in-law is not at home, and it's inconvenient for us to stay for dinner with the women and children in our family."

Jin ordered, "Tell me your new address. I will send someone to contact you if there is anything later, or you can come to visit me on a suitable day."

"Okay, okay, I see that both of my nephews are very handsome, so I have a little gift for you."

As he spoke, Jin Lu took out two red envelopes from his arms, weighed them first, and after confirming their respective weights, he gave the heaviest one to Zhang Heling and the lightest one to Zhang Yanling.

Unexpectedly, Jin walked straight forward, snatched the two red envelopes without any hesitation, and then exchanged them between her two sons.

Jin Lu was stunned.

At first he thought his sister was going to return the red envelope to him, but he turned out to be just asking her two sons to swap it... He couldn't help but wonder, how could this mother be so partial?
Could it be that the eldest son of the Zhang family is not her biological son?

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Uncle, you are so polite. I think my little cousin is very energetic. We have something big to do in the next two days. Why don't we keep him here and take him out to play?"

"what?"

Jin Lu was bewildered.

You two are going to take my son out to do something “big”?
What's the big deal?
Jin looked at her nephew and nodded, saying, "Since Yanling has said so, then let your nephew stay with me for two days, and I will have someone send him to you later."

"Okay, Dad, I want to play with my two cousins, too. They look interesting."

Jin Qi had a runny nose, but when he saw two cousins ​​who were older than him, he immediately became interested.

Jin Lu smiled bitterly and said, "That's it. You have to be more tolerant. My son is...naughty and prone to getting into trouble."

"fine."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "We will naturally teach him and make him abide by his duties. Mother, Dad will not be back today. I have to go out with my eldest brother and may not be back before dark."

"You're not home all day, and I don't know what you're busy doing outside. If there's any danger, take a few more people out." Jin said with a stern face.

Jin Lu also relaxed at this time and was in the mood to enjoy the scenery.

He looked around the large mansion and was very envious: "Sister, you have been in the capital for less than half a year and you already own such a nice house. Is this a reward from the emperor?"

Jin shook her head: "No, it was given to me by someone else."

"Then the house belongs entirely to you? Judging from its width and depth, it's worth at least a thousand or several hundred taels, and it's possible to even sell it for two thousand taels..."

Jinlu was shocked.

Jin was a little proud.

You guys from my family used to look down on me and think I lost out by marrying you, but now you have nothing to say, right?
Zhang Yanling took the opportunity to make amends for his mother: "Uncle, we have another house outside the city, which is bigger and more luxurious than this one."

Although Jin was happy after hearing this, she was afraid that her son would talk too much and his younger brother would ask for benefits, so she rolled her eyes at her son.

Jin Lu swallowed his saliva and said, "Sister, you married well and have good vision. We, the Jin family, will have to rely on you more. I will stay in the capital and do some small business. I hope you can help me."

……

……

Jin Lu said goodbye and left, and Jin Qi was left behind.

The two Zhang brothers went out with their cousin, followed by several servants, led by Cao Zu, the foreman of the security guards who had been in the house for less than ten days.

Cao Zu is in his twenties this year. He was born into a family of sorcerers. When he heard that the Zhang family was prominent, he came to seek refuge with them.

Zhang Heling didn't have much knowledge and basically accepted everyone who came to him. In addition, Cao Zu knew some magic and had a strong urban aura and looked a bit ferocious, so Zhang Heling took him by his side to serve as his right-hand man.

Only Zhang Yanling knew that none of the supporters his brother had accepted could be trusted.

Especially Cao Zu, whose son Cao Ding would also become a servant of the Zhang family in the future. During the Zhengde period, Cao Zu was driven out of the Zhang Mansion due to the discord between Cao Zu and Cao Ding. Holding a grudge, he actually reported the Zhang brothers for treason. Although the matter was suppressed in the end, the Zhang family's reputation and status were also damaged.

Zhang Yanling knew that Cao Zu was not a good person, but he did not correct him too much.

In his opinion, no matter how hard you try to teach someone, it is impossible to teach them. But if something happens, Zhang Heling will know that the people he recruited are not reliable.

"My two cousins, where are you taking me? My father won't let me get into trouble." Jin Qi followed them out and asked as he saw more and more people gathering.

Zhang Heling said cheerfully: "I'll take you to do something big."

Zhang Yanling tilted his head and asked, "Cousin, what's your nickname?"

"Dad calls me Jindouzi." Jin Qi said.

"Okay Jindouzi, let me ask you, did you often get into trouble when you were in your hometown? Why did your father teach you like that?" Zhang Yanling asked in the tone of a strict father.

"I had a fight with my classmate in the school, and my father said that I was not cut out for study, so he stopped me from studying and planned to have me take the military examination in the future," said Jin Qi.

Zhang Heling said, "Sure, show us some of your skills."

Jin Qi didn't know that he was being played a fool by his two cousins, so he immediately got into position and showed off in front of everyone.

Zhang Heling shook his head after reading it: "Although each move is well-organized, it looks more like a show. If you want to fight, you can't just show off your moves."

Jin Qi's self-esteem was hurt by such criticism, and he quickly defended himself: "Cousin, you can't look down on me. I'm a very good fighter in my hometown, and people as old as you don't dare to fight with me."

"Golden Bean, don't be angry, my elder brother is just joking with you." Zhang Yanling said with a smile, "It's a good thing to have good kung fu. Let's go out and fight today, do you want to go?"

"Why fight? If I hurt anyone, Dad will definitely blame me."

Jin Qi was somewhat reluctant.

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "We are not afraid of hurting others, but we are afraid of being hurt... We are not going to hit some street thugs, but people with a certain status and position. Just go up and hit them. Even if there is a deviation, there will be someone to cover it... How do you think?"

"Well...ok then. Just us?"

Jin Qi obviously looked down on the people brought by the Zhang brothers.

Zhang Yanling said, "How can such a small number of people be enough? I will show you some powerful characters later. They have real kung fu and are all from martial arts families. If you have the ability, you can fight with them."

"I'm not afraid."

Jin Qi patted his chest, looking stubborn.

Zhang Heling grinned and said, "Great! I didn't expect that my mother would have such a good nephew. You will follow me and enjoy delicious food. After the fight today, I will take you to eat delicious fish and meat... Oh, by the way, what do you want to eat?"

"I heard the roast duck in Beijing is delicious."

Jin Qi immediately began to look forward to the celebration banquet.

Zhang Heling shouted, "Bah, you can eat anything, but don't eat roast duck... I love roast duck the most, are you trying to snatch it from me?"

Jin Qi said aggrievedly, "Can't you even give me a piece of meat to eat?"

Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "Behave well today and let your cousin give you a duck leg to eat..."

(End of this chapter)