Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 796 Good reputation
Since Zhang Luan's visit to the palace, rumors have suddenly spread throughout the capital.

Neither the government nor the public knew where this rumor came from...

Rumor has it that the emperor has already discussed with his father-in-law Zhang Luan that at some point in the future, Zhang Luan will personally lead troops to the northwest to command the new army and wipe out the grasslands in one fell swoop.

The news spread very quickly.

Because it came out of nowhere, the court officials initially thought it was just a common rumor that would naturally die down after a while.

But as the rumors intensified, many people spoke with such certainty and detail that it seemed as if they had seen and heard it with their own eyes and ears that people in the court began to discuss the possibility of this matter.

The main problem was that the emperor was too enthusiastic about using the new weapons.

Zhu Youcheng not only found people to train the new army, but also personally went to inspect it. Furthermore, he adopted a delaying tactic on the appointment of the commander-in-chief of the three border regions, leaving it unresolved for a long time, as if he was doing it on purpose, waiting for a suitable time, such as when Zhang Luan recovered from his illness, before appointing the commander-in-chief.

And it is highly likely that Zhang Luan went to lead the troops.

Given the emperor's absolute trust in his father-in-law over the past year, this seems to be the standard answer.

Subsequently, some officials from the Censorate brought up the matter publicly during the court assembly, using hearsay as a pretext.

Contrary to his usual behavior, the emperor showed no intention of discussing the matter further, instead gesturing for Qin Chang, Li Rong, and others to change the subject.

When he discovered that some court officials were being aggressive and unwilling to back down, Zhu Youcheng became displeased and immediately ordered Qin Chang to adjourn the court session.

In this way, the rumor seems to have become a far more accurate prophecy.

The emperor's attitude in this matter is very intriguing, making people feel that Zhu Youcheng was willing to promote Zhang Luan, but the timing was not right yet, and he would make a decision after the new army was trained.

After the court session ended, Wang Shu was surrounded by a large group of people, all of whom wanted to get more inside information from Wang Shu, the Minister of Personnel.

But Wang Shu was unaware of this.

As the emperor's teacher, Grand Secretary Xu Pu also chose to avoid being questioned by a few people.

……

……

Xu Pu led Liu Jian back to the cabinet office, where Xiao Jing, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was already waiting.

"Eunuch Xiao."

The two men stepped forward to greet each other, "Shall we go in and have a talk?"

"No need!"

Xiao Jing waved his hand and said with a smile, "His Majesty has sent me to inform you that the officials' speeches in court are sometimes too chaotic and disorganized, which is a headache. Please make sure to suppress those inappropriate voices. Also, His Majesty hopes that there will be less criticism of Zhang Guozhang in court recently."

Liu Jian explained, "The rumors originated from the common people, not from malicious attacks by people in the court."

Xiao Jing nodded and said, "His Majesty is aware of this as well. But perhaps these rumors are precisely because someone is dissatisfied with Zhang Guozhang? Less suspicion and misunderstanding will reduce or even eliminate public dissent, won't it?"

Liu Jian was very unhappy to hear this.

From what you're saying, are you implying that we criticize the court's decisions too much, leading the people to believe that the emperor is using his father-in-law to intimidate the corrupt officials?
Are all civil officials in the imperial court villains?
To put it bluntly, the emperor and his father-in-law are the real family? And we're all outsiders?
Xiao Jing continued, “Your Majesty has previously intended to increase the number of cabinet ministers. There are two candidates: Li Dongyang and Xie Qian, both of whom are Your Majesty’s teachers.”

"As scholars of the Hanlin Academy, their talents are naturally excellent. Please make your own judgments as soon as possible and see who is the most suitable. If all goes well, His Majesty will bring up this matter in the court assembly in the next two days."

Xu Pu frowned and asked, "The summoning of scholars to the cabinet only happened a few days ago, why are you adding more candidates again?"

This means that Zhang Luan and Liu Jian have only been in the cabinet for a short time, and the cabinet affairs are not that busy at the moment. There is no reason to increase the number of cabinet ministers to reduce the burden on the existing staff.

Besides, if things get really too busy, it wouldn't be a problem to temporarily bring Zhang Luan over to make up the numbers.

Xiao Jing shook his head and said, "This is His Majesty's will. Please consider it yourselves... I'll take my leave now!"

Before the cabinet ministers, Xiao Jing appeared very humble and respectful, and immediately bowed and left.

……

……

at the same time.

Zhang Luan was living an exceptionally comfortable life, spending every day in a world of pleasure.

That day, he returned home, a rare occurrence, to prepare for the reception of guests that his son had arranged for him.

Zhang Yanling told Zhang Luan that he couldn't keep avoiding outsiders. People in the court needed to know that he was still alive, so he had to come out and meet guests from time to time to participate in the decision-making of certain matters in the court. But Zhang Luan was obviously very lazy. Even if he came out to meet people once every ten days or half a month, he felt that this was a very big burden.

When he entered the study and saw the mountain of visiting cards piled on the table in front of him, he looked surprised and turned his head to ask, "Are these all people who want to pay their respects to me?"

Chang Shun, who was attending to him, replied respectfully, "Yes, sir, we are trying our best to keep guests away from the house. For some reason, you haven't been paying much attention to court affairs lately, and you seem to be retired, but we still can't stop so many people from coming to visit us."

Zhang Luan said, "Who said I'm unemployed? I'm still a Grand Secretary, Vice Minister of Revenue, Academician of the Hanlin Academy, and Director of the Imperial Medical Academy. I have a whole bunch of titles, each one impressive. Hey, you're starting to sound more and more like a lowly official in front of the Prime Minister's mansion in a play... You haven't started taking bribes, have you?"

"I swear to God, no."

Chang Shun quickly explained, "Besides, I'm just a lowly servant working in front of your residence. Even if you were the prime minister, wouldn't you still be talking to you?"

Zhang Luan pondered for a moment and agreed. He leisurely picked up a few visiting cards from the table, casually opened them, glanced at them, and shook his head with a sigh: "It's a pity that I'm just a nominal official. Do you really think I have that much power? Besides, I'm still recuperating and want to have some peace and quiet for a few more days."

Chang Shun asked, "Then... is the master currently an official, or not?"

"This one……"

Zhang Luan himself couldn't answer the question.

While he is said to be holding an official position, there are currently two full-time positions for the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue in the court. Ye Qi has not resigned and is still handling daily affairs.

To say he didn't become an official...

In name, he had returned to office, and the emperor issued an edict to the court and the public, saying that Zhang Luan was currently sharing the burden of the country... This left Zhang Luan himself feeling conflicted.

"What difference does it make whether you hold an official position or not? You still have to face so many unpleasant things in this world."

Zhang Luan shook his head with a helpless expression and said, "Go and call Shen Ruxue over. I don't want to see anyone else, just an old friend."

"Also, have the kitchen prepare some good dishes. Just serve tea; I take care of my health and can't drink alcohol. Let's chat over tea."

……

……

There was no wine at the banquet.

Shen Lu never expected that he would be treated so well by Zhang Luan today, and that he would even be given a meal.

And the banquet was quite grand!
After Shen Lu took his seat, he glanced at the table full of dishes and asked curiously, "Lai Zhan, what's this today...?"

Zhang Luan recounted in detail how his son had forced him to come out and meet guests.

"Oh dear, it was my nephew who sent you out to entertain guests? It's quite something..."

Shen Lu thought to himself, "You're such a blockhead!"

Your son won't let you out, so you'll just keep hiding like a coward, right?
Has anything happened in the Central Plains recently?

Zhang Luan asked a question, then immediately made a self-deprecating remark, "I'm too lazy to ask others. If you know anything in the future, just tell me every few days. Consider it as you finding out news from the court for me."

“You can’t do that. As an important official of the court, how can you be so negligent?” Although he said this, Shen Lu was very happy in his heart.

Every time Zhang Luan came before, he would put on that half-dead attitude, making Zhang Luan feel that he was a very incompetent liaison.

Zhang Luan now at least seems to regard him as a confidant.

Shen Lu said, "Recently, there has been a lot of talk in and out of the capital that His Majesty is preparing to appoint you as the commander-in-chief of the three border regions, to lead troops to the northwest to conquer the Xiongnu and pacify the grasslands."

"What? Where did such an outrageous rumor come from?"

Zhang Luan frowned and asked.

"No? Or... are you unwilling to say?"

Shen Lu was also very curious.

He initially didn't quite believe the news either.

He knew Zhang Luan's lazy and unreliable nature all too well. Could the emperor really entrust such an important matter as fighting a war to someone like that?
But as the rumors spread, and some even became well-founded, Shen Lu also felt that the emperor might have just used Zhang Laizhan as a front, while actually sending Wang Yue and Zhang Yanling to lead the charge...

Anyway, the battles will be fought by Wang Yue and his men, and Zhang Luan can just wait to claim the credit.

Zhang Luan categorically denied it: "Absolutely not! When did His Majesty ever say such a thing to me? That's just too ridiculous!"

Shen Lu said, "They all say that His Majesty told you this in person when you entered the palace last time."

"Ahem... His Majesty told me to my face that I myself don't know, but they know perfectly well, is that right?" Zhang Luan said with a wry smile, "So some people's lies are so unreliable..."

Shen Lu was finally relieved: "So it really was just a rumor! But recently these rumors have shown signs of getting more and more rampant. But then again, Lai Zhan, you have a really good reputation among the people... It seems that the people have high expectations for you to lead the troops!"

"What? They still have expectations?"

Zhang Luan was quite puzzled, "How come I... have a reputation among the common people?"

Shen Lu laughed and said, "Lai Zhan, you shouldn't underestimate yourself. Just look at how you promoted the new salt permits and had Yanling vigorously innovate the technology at the salt fields to increase the production of official salt and lower the price of salt. At the beginning of the year, you also had Minister Li win a great victory in the Northwest, and recently you've been training new soldiers. There's a whole new atmosphere in the capital..."

"Now the people have transferred all their love and respect for His Majesty to you! They all feel that it is because of your meritorious service in assisting His Majesty that we have such a prosperous and thriving life."

Zhang Luan pointed to himself and asked, "Really?"

He was also confused.

I'm just slacking off all day, yet the people have such a high opinion of me?

Before, I thought you were just fooling me, trying to get me to come out and manage the government as soon as possible so that you could support the officials who depended on me. Now I realize... that the people are really so easy to "fool". I just did a few good deeds and they think I'm a living bodhisattva?
Shen Lu sighed, “Speaking of which, the officials in the court have long been out of touch with the people. Who has ever truly cared about the lives of the people? Only you, every time you do something, it seems calm and uneventful, but it is always for the benefit of the people and is recognized by them. Perhaps that is why some people think you are at odds with the world.”

"How can I not understand? On one hand, you're going against the world, and on the other hand... you're gaining the approval of others?"

Zhang Luan asked, puzzled.

"Yes."

Shen Lu said, "Because some people just can't stand seeing others do well. They only care about their own future and completely disregard the lives of ordinary people. But you are different... Take honeycomb briquettes, for example, which are very popular in the capital recently. Didn't you come up with them?"

What kind of coal?

Zhang Luan asked, his mouth agape.

Shen Lu laughed and shook his head, saying, "Oh dear, it's obvious that Yanling is promoting honeycomb briquettes in your name. Honeycomb briquettes are..."

"Stop it, stop it!"

Zhang Luan waved his hand and said, "I don't need to understand what you're talking about. I finally understand. Many of the good deeds that Yanling did have been attributed to me... I'm taking credit for my son's work! Alas, I have no face to face my son. I am so ashamed!"

"Lai Zhan, you..."

Shen Lu was speechless.

Zhang Luan said, "However, regarding the matter of going to the Northwest to govern the army, even if His Majesty had not mentioned it to me, I would never agree to it."

"If you don't have the ability, you must not try to show off, otherwise you will repeat the Tumu Crisis, which will harm both yourself and others!"
"I'm just that honest! If anyone in my Zhang family is to achieve anything in the military in the future, it will undoubtedly be Yanling!"

……

……

The first true military factory in the Ming Dynasty has opened.

The first batch of more than 600 craftsmen were all trained by Zhang Yanling when he was making muskets and cannons.

Almost everyone had learned detailed manufacturing techniques from Zhang Yanling, and what they were doing in the new factory this time was manufacturing some standard machine tool parts and assembling them.

Most importantly, flintlock muskets can now be mass-produced.

The biggest advantage of this new type of firearm is that it eliminates concerns about the effects of rain and humid environments, allowing it to be fired anytime, anywhere.

On the day the military factory opened, Zhang Yanling originally planned to have Zhu Youcheng preside over the ribbon-cutting ceremony, but the emperor caught a cold and did not come, so the ribbon-cutting ceremony was cancelled.

However, after Zhu Youcheng recovered from his cold, he personally inspected the arsenal and conducted live-fire exercises with a flintlock musket. Its powerful firepower made Zhu Youcheng realize why his brother-in-law was so determined to develop firearms.

After the inspection, Zhu Youcheng led Zhang Yanling out of the factory.

"Yanling, even someone like me, who isn't very strong, can't even ride a horse, and is prone to illness, can easily shoot down a fierce warrior a hundred paces away with this thing. I can't even imagine what kind of effect this thing would have if it were used on the battlefield."

Zhu Youcheng said with emotion.

Zhang Yanling said solemnly, "Having new firearms is not enough. We must take the initiative and nip the enemy in the bud."

This has always been Zhang Yanling's guiding principle: we cannot remain holed up and refrain from venturing out, clinging to the small territory of the Ming Dynasty and ignoring developments outside.

If the Tatars and Jurchens cannot be dealt with in one fell swoop, the Tatars may very well make a comeback at some point in the future, not to mention the rise of the Jurchens more than a hundred years later.

With powerful firearms, you must expand outwards to accumulate capital and even conquer the world. Then, the Ming Dynasty will no longer be a remote and isolated ancient civilization, but a fierce tiger feared by all nations and civilizations around the world.

Zhu Youcheng nodded: "I also hope to pacify the grasslands as soon as possible, but I don't know how many years it will take. Also, it seems that the scale of this military factory is not large enough at present."

As he spoke, Zhu Youcheng raised his head and looked at the factory buildings he had been longing for.

He knew that with this place, he would no longer have to be a conservative monarch who was deceived and fooled by his civil officials. He could even expand his territory and build a powerful empire that far surpassed the Han and Tang dynasties.

Zhang Yanling said, "Then brother-in-law, why don't we set a two-year deadline? Within two years, we must establish the formidable reputation of the Ming army on the grasslands."

“We can first set a two-year plan, and then, looking further ahead, a five-year plan to completely pacify the grasslands. In these five years, we will not only attack the grasslands, but also completely conquer the foreign tribes in Liaodong and other places.”

"it is good."

Zhu Youcheng nodded and asked, "Should this plan be presented to the imperial court?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "I think the civil officials in the court will not agree with our actions. In their view, this is a waste of resources and manpower, and not worth advocating. But I think we should have ambition. With such good firearms and a famous general like Wang Yue, why not make good use of them? Sticking to the old ways is not advisable!"

"Everything is up to you."

Zhu Youcheng was like a young boy who had just received his favorite toy; he didn't have much of a concept of specific expansion plans.

He simply felt that his brother-in-law made a very good point.

It seems that as long as he follows in his brother-in-law's footsteps, he can achieve the reputation of a wise and unparalleled ruler. Why not take a gamble?

(End of this chapter)