Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 759 Unwilling to Be Subordinate
As Huai'en watched Liu Ji and his group depart, he felt a mix of emotions and drifted off into a daze.

It wasn't until I heard footsteps that I suddenly woke up and realized that someone was walking this way.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the person who had arrived was not a court official, but Zhang Yanling.

"Greetings, Eunuch Huai."

Zhang Yanling still wore that kind smile, with a childlike innocence, and behaved politely and respectfully to Huai En.

Huai En rose to greet him.

This time, the formalities were clearly more elaborate and solemn than before.

Huai En invited Zhang Yanling to sit down, only to find that there wasn't even a cushion available in the freezing weather, and they couldn't find one at the last minute.

Zhang Yanling was not offended and plopped down on the stone chair.

Huai En asked with a smile, "Second Young Master, I am about to depart. Is there anything you wish to say?"

Zhang Yanling nodded and said, "I am here on behalf of my father. He is seriously ill and unable to walk properly, so he cannot come out of the city to see you off in person. Therefore, he specially sent me."

"In addition to the previous prescription, my father has also prepared some over-the-counter medicines for you, hoping you will find them useful on your journey."

"Okay, thank you."

Huai En took the bag of medicine, feeling somewhat awkward.

Zhang Yanling had previously analyzed for Zhang Luan that if Huai En were to use his own life to frame Zhang Luan for causing the late emperor's death, then giving Huai En the medicine would be tantamount to giving him a pretext to spread rumors.

This gave Huai En a chance to turn things around.

But right now, the Zhang father and son seem unaware that Huai En might resort to such extreme measures. They could have simply turned a blind eye and waited for Huai En to die, but instead, they made a special trip to deliver the medicine.

Zhang Yanling asked, "Eunuch Huai, the dosage and instructions for use of the medicine have been written down and are in the bag along with the prepared medicine. If you forget anything later, you can write to inquire. These are not exactly cures, but I hope they will be of some help to your health."

The cheerful smile on Zhang Yanling's face clearly tells Huai En that even if we know you might have some ulterior motives, we don't care at all.

Everything is up to you.

Huai En nodded and then handed the bag containing the medicine to his family members who were waiting nearby.

At this moment, he seemed much more cheerful. He looked up at the sky and asked the question he had asked Liu Ji before: "Second Young Master, the weather is not very good today. Do you see the capital area as more gloomy or clearer than before? When will it rain?"

Zhang Yanling was sitting with his back to the capital, and he would have to turn around to see what was happening in the northern sky, but he didn't even turn his head. He just smiled and said, "The weather is so cold, why can't it snow next?"

Huai En said, "The problem is that spring has already begun."

Zhang Yanling shrugged and said, "Yes, as winter turns to spring, everyone hopes for a rain to help the crops in the fields. But perhaps the wheat that has just survived winter needs a snowfall? It's not always spring rain that brings a good harvest; snow can sometimes achieve the same goal. What's the difference between the two?"

"hehe."

Huai En couldn't help but laugh out loud when he heard this.

Zhang Yanling cupped his hands and said, "This junior has misspoke. I hope you will not take offense."

"Second Young Master, you are too kind."

Huai En's attitude softened further as he smiled and said, "I've been wanting to ask you this: for this Yellow River project, Li Zi Province can only provide the court with two or three hundred thousand taels of silver, which is a drop in the ocean compared to the overall expenditure on river management. What method do you have to complete the Yellow River's course change without the court spending a single penny?"

"Nothing more than earning money to supplement your income!"

Zhang Yanling replied, "Actually, I have many plans to make money. This year, the palace's textile factory will be expanded. Not only will weave cloth in the capital, but we will also develop workshops in Nanjing. In addition, we will appropriately increase the number of looms in Huguang, Sichuan and other places. All of these are textile factories established in the name of the royal family."

Huai En asked, "Why can't it be private merchants who set it up?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "The core of a textile machine is technology. It's best not to let this advanced technology fall into the hands of the people during the initial period. It's certainly not good for the country to hoard wealth, but right now, it's more convenient and efficient for the court to spend more money if the palace earns more silver. After all, His Majesty is a frugal person who doesn't care about personal gain. Only by concentrating resources can we accomplish great things!"

"Ah."

Huai En thought about it carefully and nodded in agreement.

If this had happened during the Chenghua reign, and the palace suddenly earned so much silver from weaving, Zhu Jianshen would have spent it lavishly on all sorts of extravagant things, and not a single tael of silver would have been used for the proper affairs of the court.

But now that Zhu Youcheng is in charge, the situation is different.

If the imperial court were to take the lead in weaving cloth and appoint officials at all levels to manage it, the silver obtained would nominally go into the government treasury, but who knows how much would end up in private pockets.

Even if the money went into the imperial treasury, the emperor could not freely allocate these extra funds when implementing certain policies. In fact, the money might mysteriously disappear or be put away in the treasury.

However, if this portion of the money were to be personally controlled by an impartial emperor, it would bring great convenience and provide the greatest assistance to the emperor in governing.

Zhang Yanling said, "The next step is mining. The coal mining in Xishan has already shown initial results. Now, not only Huizhou merchants want to take on the contract, but even Shanxi merchants want to participate. This is because the mining is being overseen by the imperial court, and anyone is qualified to participate, which means... it all depends on the price offered, and there is no factionalism involved."

"very good."

Huai En nodded approvingly and said, "Only by not favoring one over the other can one achieve great things."

Zhang Yanling asked, "Does Eunuch Huai still have any concerns? When you go to the Central Plains, please don't overwork yourself. You need to rest and recuperate..."

"fine."

Huai En smiled and said, "I'm recuperating, but I still like to take walks along the riverbank regularly to experience the local customs and culture. Even if I die here, it would be a kind of homecoming..."

Zhang Yanling exclaimed, "Eunuch Huai is truly magnanimous; he is an outstanding person!"

Huai En was not swayed by Zhang Yanling's flattery and asked directly, "Second Young Master, I would like to ask you... do you intend to become an official in the imperial court in the future?"

"It doesn't matter whether I accept the position or not."

Without hesitation, Zhang Yanling replied, "As a relative of the Ming Dynasty's imperial family, I share the fate of the nation. I have no selfish thoughts. Like my father, I only hope that my sister and brother-in-law are well, and that the Ming Dynasty is well. I hope that I can live a wealthy and peaceful old age in peace. So, does having experience as an official in the court really matter?"

Huai En smiled and said, "You Zhang family members all have the demeanor of reclusive masters."

It's practically like saying, "Is your whole family practicing Taoism?"
These words sound carefree, but it's hard to tell if they're just an act.

Zhang Yanling said, "Our family only knows to accept the will of Heaven and follow its destiny. We will not force anything and will never be bullied by anyone."

……

……

After Zhang Yanling left, Huai En remained seated in the pavilion, hesitant to get up and board the carriage.

"master."

An elderly man with a kind and honest appearance, who looked no younger than Huai En and was quite robust, appeared beside Huai En.

Huai En's expression was stern: "This boy is no ordinary person, and he is unwilling to be subordinate to others. You take my letter and stay in the capital. If anything happens, be sure to contact me immediately, and you can find the people I have painstakingly cultivated over the years to help you."

The old man asked, puzzled, "Sir, he said earlier that he had no desire for fame or fortune, and even talked about enjoying his retirement. Was it just an act to deceive people?"

"I don't know."

Huai En shook his head slightly. "If it were an ordinary person, even a seasoned scholar with a deep mind, I could discern their true intentions from their behavior. But with this young man, I can't see what his purpose is."

The old man asked, "Was he intentionally hiding it?"

"Can't tell."

Huai En continued to shake his head, "If it is really as he says, that he has no interest in fame or fortune, and just like his father, he can maintain his status as a maternal relative, seeking no merit but only avoiding mistakes. In the future, he will surely enjoy wealth and honor, live a life of luxury and comfort. Wouldn't that be better? Why is he so stubborn and always rushing to the front when something happens, without complaining about the hardships?"

The old man said, "According to what you've said, sir, he is ambitious."

"That's not right either."

Huai En looked puzzled and even scratched his head, frowning. "He must be doing this to achieve some purpose. Why would someone like him hand over his hard-earned money to the court without reservation and without any favoritism? Occasional gifts can be said to be acts of affection, but giving without regard to the cost just doesn't make sense."

The old man nodded and said, "Yes, there is no one in the world as generous as him. Moreover, he is far-sighted... perhaps he is planning for his future rise to power."

Huai En said, “That’s exactly what I’m worried about. He’s not seeking personal gain right now, perhaps because of the suppression from various factions in the court, which prevents him and his father from making progress. But what if, in the future, all the respected senior officials in the court pass away, and his father becomes the Grand Secretary, and he himself is also among the officials? Will he still be as humble and polite as he is today?”

The old man asked, "So, you mean we still need to be wary of him?"

"I don't know, I can't figure it out... Based on my experience of observing people all my life, I really don't understand how such a big oversight could have occurred in this child."

Huai En himself seemed quite conflicted. "How could someone in this world have such insight at such a young age? How could they be able to plan for the future of the Zhang family? And how could they act with such shrewdness? Simply describing it as extraordinary talent is hardly convincing."

The old man said, "Could it be that he has a master guiding him?" Huai En sighed, "That's the most terrifying thing... He has no one else behind him except his father. Although Zhang Laizhan also has the ability to pretend to be confused, it is insignificant in front of him."

The old man asked in surprise, "Are you saying that his father's skills are not as good as his?"

"Ah."

Huai En nodded heavily and said, "I am absolutely certain of this. From the beginning to the present and into the future, this young man will undoubtedly be the one leading the Zhang family's business and future. If I had to explain it, I could only say that perhaps it is a blessing from heaven that the Zhang family has been given such a prodigy, allowing him to learn without a teacher. Otherwise..."

The old man asked cautiously, "Then, sir, can this child be kept?"

"He is His Majesty's closest relative and the Empress's most trusted person. What can we, as servants, do?"

Huai En sighed, “His Majesty still needs this young man to stabilize the court. Moreover, not only has he not done anything to harm the Ming Dynasty, but he has also been working for the Ming Dynasty.”

The old man fell silent this time.

He clearly understood Wayne's mindset.

This was to prevent the Zhang family father and son from causing future chaos in the court, and to take action in advance to eliminate potential threats.

But they also understood that the father and son were the emperor's father-in-law and brother-in-law, and since entering the court, they had been working hard to revitalize the Ming Dynasty and had been helping Zhu Youcheng and his wife at all costs. They could not find any bad deeds on the father and son.

Huai En said, "What I fear is that the father and son will form a clique for personal gain, and we must be constantly on guard against Xu Qiong, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and others using this father and son to create a faction in the court and cause trouble. As for the rest... you should keep a close eye on it."

The old man asked, "Didn't that Taoist priest Li already leave the capital?"

"Yes, if the Zhang family father and son were willing to form a faction and harm the court, why would they send Li Zisheng away? But we still have to be wary of them. After all, Li Zisheng is a young and promising official in the court. If he also has merit in managing the Yellow River, it is not impossible for him to rise to the top of the court and take charge of the government in the future."

"In short... the Zhang family's influence on the court for the next few years or even decades is unstoppable."

……

……

Zhang Family Villa.

Zhang Luan was still recuperating, and when Zhang Yanling arrived, he had already been hiding in the courtyard for two days without going out.

"That's quite unusual."

Zhang Yanling asked in surprise, "Father, why aren't you confined to your quarters? You've suddenly become more disciplined?"

The father and son sat down, and Zhang Luan pointed to several flowerpots in the yard and said, "In the future, I will cultivate some special hobbies. This year, I will plant more flowers and plants so that I can cultivate my character."

"..."

Zhang Yanling listened in silence for a while.

He thought to himself, "So, you've gone from a frivolous monk to a vegetarian?"

Believe me, you bighead!

Zhang Luan warned, "You should stay away from outside. I heard you went to see Huai En? That old bastard has never been kind to us, father and son. We helped him return to the capital and treated his illness, but he's like an ungrateful wretch, always causing trouble for us. Now we've let him leave smoothly. He's really gotten off easy."

Zhang Yanling picked up a pastry from the table, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it haphazardly a few times, swallowed it, and then picked up a teacup and gulped down tea.

Zhang Luan asked, "Didn't you eat breakfast?"

"No."

Zhang Yanling replied, "I've been very busy lately, working through the night. I plan to have a long sleep when I get back... It's quieter at night, and my mind is sharper."

"Hey, what kind of behavior is that?"

Zhang Luan cursed and swore.

Zhang Yanling asked, "Father, how did you know I went to see Huai'en?"

Zhang Luan said, "Qin Ji came by earlier. He said that he hasn't officially taken over the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs yet. Do you think a future Grand Chancellor wouldn't keep an eye on us and on Huai En, who is about to leave the capital?"

"Oh."

Zhang Yanling nodded and said, "Just tell me what Qin Ji said, you don't need to explain so much to me."

"I'm afraid you won't understand, but actually, I just think about these things all day long when I have nothing to do. It's just me worrying about nothing," Zhang Luan replied, then said, "Eat slowly."

Zhang Yanling asked, "He didn't come just to tell you this, did he?"

"What else can I say? He just wants me to lead people to investigate Taicang and Tongzhou Granary. There are so many corrupt practices there, and the accumulated problems can go back fifty years. He can tell me all those old, rotten things. But when I ask him who the corrupt officials in the Ministry of Revenue are now, and tell me to find a direction to investigate, he stammers and can't answer."

Zhang Luan gets angry whenever this is mentioned.

Clearly, they were speechless at Qin Ji's evasiveness.

Zhang Yanling, however, disagreed, saying, "His Majesty entrusted you with the important task of investigating the case, isn't it just to ask you to come up with ideas on who to investigate? Why do you have to make things difficult for Qin Ji? Someone as kind-hearted as him is probably already thinking about how to grow flowers and plants after retiring, or find a grandson to take care of."

"Are you kidding me?"

Zhang Luan rolled his eyes at his son and asked, "That old eunuch will have a grandson?"

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "Do you think people wouldn't adopt a child to carry on the family line? Sometimes, eunuchs care more about their offspring and treat adopted children better than their own biological children."

Zhang Luan said, "That's true. If I didn't have two sons like you, I would have adopted one to inherit the family business. Don't glare at me, even a radish would be better than you!"

"hehe."

At this moment, Zhang Yanling realized how shameless the oppressive and belittling education of Chinese parents was.

I've already brought you wealth and honor in your old age, made you achieve such great success and glory, and made you a powerful minister in the Ming Dynasty. How dare you say such things? Don't you feel guilty?

Zhang Luan asked, "Then who should we start investigating? I've thought about it for a long time, and right now, the Minister and the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue are obviously untouchable. The people below them are just following orders, so investigating them... is a bit unreasonable."

"My thought is, should we do what we did with Sun Ren back then and find a few old guys who have retired and are about to die, and thoroughly investigate them?"

"Father, from what you're saying, we have to start the investigation from the people, instead of from the events themselves?"

Zhang Yanling asked with a smile.

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "I'm willing to do anything, but why do I feel like you're gloating? You're not going to help? I already told your brother-in-law that I'm not capable, so it's all up to you."

Zhang Yanling said, "I can only provide some directions for the investigation; you'll have to handle the actual work."

"What, do I have to do all the things that offend people? You just hide in the back, taking all the benefits and avoiding all the danger, is that what you mean?"

Zhang Luan instantly lost his temper again.

"cut!"

Zhang Yanling's expression was unfriendly. At this moment, he was exhausted and too tired to argue with Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan was somewhat intimidated at this point, and said helplessly, "My dear son, please give your father some advice. I also want to achieve something. To be honest, I don't dare to go back to the Hanlin Academy, for fear of being gossiped about and accused of occupying a position without doing anything. You see, I am a high-ranking cabinet minister, yet I have never set foot in the cabinet office, never communicated with my colleagues, and never even accepted their private invitations... Do you think I don't want to be respected?"

Zhang Yanling said, "Does being asked to investigate a case give you dignity? Or are you just unwilling to work and finding an excuse to push things onto me? Are you simply trying to hide in the background and enjoy a life of leisure?"

"Cough cough."

Zhang Luan felt somewhat embarrassed.

Because his little son seemed to see right through his ulterior motives.

Zhang Luan was never one to be trifled with. He didn't care much for fame and fortune, and he was thick-skinned. Even when others looked down on him, he remained an optimist.

As for serving as a cabinet minister, he was even more unwilling.

In terms of getting things done, he would always try to shirk responsibility. It wasn't that he was shameless enough to try to steal the fruits of victory; he could even attribute the credit to his son...

To put it bluntly, apart from being gluttonous, lazy, and lecherous, Zhang Luan doesn't have many other flaws. His greatest strength is his loyalty. He can't hold his tongue, but he'll stand up for you when it matters, showing a bit of chivalry.

Zhang Yanling said, "Father, in this case, a rift has actually developed between the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Eunuch. Mu Bin wants to investigate the case in his own way. He has already sent Qin Yun to see me before, and I gave him some pointers. So, from now on, whether it's Qin Ji or Li Rong who comes, you can just give them a perfunctory response."

"Especially Qin Ji, you don't need to care too much about his opinions, because he's just like you, he likes to shirk responsibility when things happen, and he always likes to find things for others to do!"

(End of this chapter)