Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 857 Unreasonable
Qin Chang left the palace overnight.

He wanted to report the latest battle situation in the Northwest to Zhang Luan, and even wanted to persuade Zhang Luan, in a private capacity, to attend court the next day and listen to him recount the great victory at Yinshan in front of the emperor and his ministers and colleagues.

However, it was not easy for Qin Chang to see Zhang Luan.

The city gates were already closed.

To leave the city, one had to rely on connections and networks, and even then, one had to go through Dongzhimen, then circle around most of the city before finally reaching Zhang Luan's residence outside the city. Since one couldn't go directly to his door, one had to send someone to inform him.

Fortunately, Zhang Luan had many Imperial Guards around him, all of whom were in charge of security. Given Qin Chang's status, it wouldn't be difficult for him to send an Imperial Guard to deliver a message.

After a long time, Zhang Luan sent someone over.

It wasn't Zhang Luan himself who came; he simply invited Qin Chang to come outside the courtyard so they could meet and have a chat.

"My master was surprised to learn of our arrival and said he needed to tidy up before coming out." Although the person was dressed in men's clothing, she looked like a gentle woman. "This way, sir."

"Ah."

Qin Chang was very polite.

Even a seventh-rank official is only allowed to enter the prime minister's gate. As for Zhang Luan's gatekeeper, it's impossible to determine his rank. The key is that Zhang Luan is elusive and rarely seen. If he wants to see Zhang Luan in the future, he will have to rely on these people to mediate between them.

Therefore, Qin Chang was very polite and even prepared a small gift.

An official in the inner palace gave gifts to the servants of a high-ranking official...

Qin Chang himself felt helpless, but the reality was that the emperor only trusted Zhang Luan.

Whoever gains the emperor's trust is the boss; this has been true throughout history.

Finally, outside Zhang Luan's residence, Qin Chang saw Zhang Luan, whose clothes fluttered in the wind, giving him an air of otherworldly elegance.

"It's fucking cold."

The first words Zhang Luan uttered upon meeting him instantly dispelled his ethereal aura.

Qin Chang stepped forward and bowed: "Father-in-law, it was my rudeness... but I was ordered by the Emperor to deliver a message, and I had no choice but to disturb your peace... I hope you will forgive me."

"Know, know."

Zhang Luan replied politely, but his expression was quite impatient, as if to say, "If you had come to visit alone late at night, not in the name of my son-in-law, the emperor's daughter..."

Do you think I'd even bother seeing you?
Zhang Luan invited Qin Chang into the courtyard hall. After they sat down, a maidservant came in to serve tea and added two lamps.

Qin Chang peered at Zhang Luan by the light of the lamp.

Zhang Luan asked curiously, "Is there something on my face?"

Qin Chang smiled and said, "Zhang Guozhang, you look very well lately. It seems you are not unwell."

"Yes, I haven't been sick recently."

Zhang Luan asked, "Why do you say that, Eunuch Qin?"

Qin Chang said, "I have another task to do when I leave the palace this time, which is to summon Qin Ji to the palace... He looks quite unwell lately."

"Qin Ji is getting old after all."

Zhang Luan said, "People develop many health problems as they get older. Oh, I'm not saying you're old, I'm just saying, Qin Ji... sigh! He's destined not to enjoy life. You know, he only had two years of peace and stability, and then he's like this..."

Qin Chang said helplessly, "Life is unpredictable, these are His Majesty's golden words. But Eunuch Qin should now be considered to have no worries and can truly put down the heavy burden in his heart."

"Yes, His Majesty has ascended the throne, consolidated his position, and secured a good marriage. Now, even the Crown Prince has been born, ensuring the succession of the empire. The future is promising!"

Zhang Luan suddenly realized something and asked in surprise, "Huh? How did we get to this point... Is this the big deal you were talking about? Is it necessary to go there in person?"

"No, no, my trip here is to report good news from the Northwest."

Qin Chang hurriedly informed Zhang Luan of the news that Wang Yue had won a battle at the northern foot of Yinshan Mountain.

Zhang Luan, acting like an outsider, casually remarked, "Wang Weining is certainly skilled at leading troops... but let him win, what does it have to do with me?"

Qin Chang said, "Aren't you going to court tomorrow? After all, Wang Yue's victory this time was entirely due to your strong recommendation to return to court..."

"It is not me, it is my son."

Zhang Luan corrected, "I cannot accept such credit. Besides, it all comes down to His Majesty's accurate selection of personnel... However, although Wang Yue's victory in this battle was great... it seems... it did not meet the strategic expectations, did it?"

……

……

After meeting Zhang Luan, Qin Chang was walking back past midnight. Although he had called for the city gates to be opened, he could not return to the palace and could only return to his private residence.

Unexpectedly, as soon as they arrived at their own door, they saw a carriage parked there, along with a number of attendants.

Qin Chang did not rush forward, but first sent someone to investigate the situation. After all, he had just moved, and even if an official from out of town dared to offend him and want to visit him, he might not be able to find his house accurately. The person on the other side was obviously "prepared".

But when he saw the two familiar faces under the lantern, one was Li Rong and the other was Xiao Jing, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"what happened?"

After a brief greeting, Qin Chang inquired.

Li Rong smiled and said, "Ke Gong just returned from the Huanghuai region. He was on his way to report to His Majesty, but he got back to the city rather late, so he took this opportunity to visit you first."

After Zhu Youcheng ascended the throne, Xiao Jing and others were exiled to help Li Zi Province manage the Yellow River, taking over the job of the deceased Huai En.

Qin Changdao: "Has the Yellow River river engineering been completed?"

"Not bad at all."

Li Rong answered for Xiao Jing, saying, "Now that even the person in charge of river management has left, what are we leaving our people there for? Are we just waiting for trouble to arise so we can take the blame for them?"

This convinced Qin Chang.

Li Zisheng himself has already run away, and if Xiao Jing remains in Huanghuai to supervise, then Xiao Jing will become the person primarily responsible.

Li Zisheng and Zhang Luan are the ones who deserve the credit and fame, so why should we, the officials, have to take the blame when there's a possibility of us being held responsible?
The effort and the reward are clearly disproportionate.

……

……

The three of them went into the courtyard together.

Xiao Jing specifically asked, "Is there no one in the palace to serve?"

"With Dai Yi and the others here, along with a few kids from the study, nothing will go wrong."

After answering, Li Rong continued, "Speaking of which, His Majesty is now diligent in his duties, which has greatly eased the burden on the Directorate of Ceremonial, a blessing for all the people. Eunuch Qin, were you visiting Zhang Guozhang earlier? I heard that Wang Weining achieved a great victory at Yinshan, truly a cause for celebration!"

Qin Changdao said, "That Zhang Guozhang was clearly not satisfied with the result of this battle. He seemed to think that Wang Yue had held back in this battle."

"what?"

Li Rong asked in surprise, "Why do you say that? Could it be that Zhang Guozhang is dissatisfied because no one from the Zhang family personally participated in this war?"

Qin Chang shook his head and said, "Currently, troops have also been dispatched from the northwest Datong direction. The number of troops secretly mobilized is not large, but the second young master of the Zhang family personally led the troops out of the pass... It seems that the Zhang family is determined to get involved with the military and political affairs of the northwest." Li Rong glanced at Xiao Jing and found that Xiao Jing's eyes were obviously avoiding his gaze.

Li Rong said, "That's true. The Zhang family could have avoided getting involved... They're already at the pinnacle of their positions. Even that young imperial uncle could have risen to a high rank in the court through his father's connection with His Majesty, perhaps even receiving a noble title. Why did they have to lead troops into the grasslands at this time? Aren't they just asking for trouble?"

Qin Chang nodded and said, "Winning is certainly good, but what if we lose? It would be only natural for Zhang Guozhang to be impeached and dismissed, and it would even be difficult for the young imperial brother-in-law to maintain his position in the court in the future."

"hehe."

Li Rong shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Leading troops into battle is not just something on paper; it also involves the risk of life! If the army is defeated and dies on the grasslands..."

Qin Chang and Li Rong clearly had no idea what the Zhang family father and son were up to.

Two big sticks, pretending to be strong, but all they do seems to be useless.

He's already at the pinnacle of his position, why does he still have to make a fuss over nothing?
Did they think the Zhang family's rise was too rapid and wanted them to fall from power sooner?

Li Rong asked, "After Wang Weining withdrew his troops, does that mean that Zhang Yanling's army was left alone on the grassland?"

"No."

Qin Changdao said, "There's also Li Zisheng leading troops into the grasslands, taking the old road of Nai Daning. Even so, he doesn't have many men under his command! It's hard to imagine what the young imperial uncle of the Zhang family will have to go through on the grasslands! He has neither the prestige of Wang Yue nor many troops under his command; it seems that all he has left is His Majesty's favor and his own courage."

"Alright, let's not talk about him anymore... Kegong, after you come back, take a good rest. Once you've fully recovered, then I'll ask His Majesty to assign you a task."

Qin Chang was somewhat distant from Xiao Jing.

The three of them seemed to be sitting together intimately discussing matters, but because Xiao Jing was a man of Shang Ming, the former Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial and Director of the Eastern Depot, and formed his own faction, coupled with Xiao Jing's own abilities and qualifications sufficient to become the Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial or even the Director of the Imperial Seal, Qin Chang was very wary of him.

"I'll do whatever you want."

Xiao Jing appeared very respectful.

Qin Chang stood up and said, "It's getting late. If there's nothing else, let's call it a day and go back to rest. Tomorrow, once the palace gates open, we must hurry back. His Majesty will be discussing Wang Yue's victory with the court officials at the morning court session, and we will be needed to accompany him."

Li Rong realized that Qin Chang had given him the order to leave, and quickly asked, "Do we need to...do anything more with Zhang Guozhang?"

Qin Chang said, "His Majesty said on the surface that he wanted to ask Zhang Guozhang for his opinion, but in reality, he just wanted to inform Zhang Guozhang of the current state of the war on the grasslands."

"If I'm not mistaken, that young imperial brother-in-law... will cause some trouble next. Without Wang Yue, there's no one to cover for him anymore, and he'll step into the limelight, his future uncertain!"

……

……

After meeting Qin Chang, Zhang Luan felt a renewed concern for his youngest son and sat there for a long time, lost in thought.

Looking at the sky outside, Zhang Luan shook his head and sighed, "It was better before, when the whole family was together, carefree. Now we're all scattered in different directions, with only wealth and glory to show for it."

The women who came out with him, dressed in men's clothing and serving him, all thought it was ridiculous.

You are now one of the most powerful ministers in the court, yet instead of assisting the emperor in controlling the government, you're here complaining without any real reason? You have wealth and honor, yet you still feel dissatisfied. What about us?

Could it be a casualty of your power?

When Zhang Luan returned to the courtyard, Qi Niang and her men were waiting with lanterns.

"Master? Is there something important?" Qi Niang was eager to get involved in court affairs, but Zhang Luan needed to see guests from the palace, so she couldn't be the one to receive them.

Zhang Luan pointed to the direction of the lit house and said, "Let's go inside and talk... It's better to have more lights on, the brighter it is."

At this moment, Zhang Luan seemed to be very afraid of being in the dark.

Upon entering the hall, he saw exquisite tea and snacks laid out on the table. He sat down, picked one up, and popped it into his mouth. After a bite, he found it quite delicious and ate a few more bites before asking, "Who made these? They're quite tasty..."

Lady Qi smiled and said, "Madam Liu just came over and brought some snacks for the master to try."

"Who?" Upon hearing this, Zhang Luan quickly spat out the pastry in his mouth. "Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! That old woman, she wouldn't have poisoned me, would she?"

Qi Niang had a smile on her face, as if to say, "So you're this afraid of death now?"

Zhang Luan seemed to realize his loss of composure and said with shame, "Ever since I was stabbed in the back with a hairpin last time, I have lost trust in those women who harbor resentment... There's nothing I can do about it. When you're in a high position, you have to be on guard against others stabbing you in the back at all times."

Qi Niang said, "No, I let them eat it first to make sure it was not poisonous before bringing it over for you to enjoy, sir."

"What if the poison is hidden inside the sandwich?"

Although Zhang Luan felt somewhat relieved, he remained defiant, saying, "They've already been given their freedom, so why is Liu coming back? Isn't she doing just fine living outside?"

Zhang Luan has recently "changed his ways".

The women he had initially kept in his courtyard, he lost interest in after a while, and returned them all to their freedom.

This included the Peng Liu family, who had previously returned from Yingtian Prefecture to seek refuge with him.

Zhang Luan displayed benevolence and righteousness, but he couldn't move anyone except himself. Even Qi Niang felt that he was doing something useless, pushing those women out of the way, which might just make it easier for them to murder their great benefactor.

In the face of power, who will remember your good deeds?
You don't need to win people over with virtue; you just need to use your power to make them afraid.

“They have no means of livelihood outside and struggle to survive. They have to come back every few days to beg for something, otherwise they really can’t live,” Qi Niang explained. “Although I have repeatedly emphasized to them that since they have left this courtyard, their marriages and other matters have nothing to do with the Zhang family, they mean that they belong to the master in life and in death.”

"Pah! Am I supposed to take care of them in their old age and see them off when they die?"

Zhang Luan muttered in dissatisfaction.

Qi Niang laughed and said, "Actually, it's just to make a living... They're used to a life where everything is done for them. You give them freedom, but they can't be truly independent. Every grain of rice, every piece of firewood, and even a bowl of water costs money. They've become detached from the city and can no longer integrate into it."

"Ah."

Zhang Luan nodded.

Qi Niang said, "They are all waiting to pay their respects to the master... Should we let them come in and kowtow to the master to show their filial piety?"

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "Liu is older than me, so who should be filial to whom?"

“You are the master, and they are the servants; naturally, they should be the ones to show you respect,” said Qi Niang. “We can’t just come and bring some snacks and then take away our means of survival. Wouldn’t that be too easy on them?”

Zhang Luan waved his hand and said, "The people have already been sent away. The manor no longer treats them as its own people... Since they are outsiders, just consider it as lending them money to make ends meet."

Qi Niang appeared very decisive: "Then we have to make them return it! Otherwise, everyone will think that the master is an easy person to talk to, and they will take advantage of us."

"I've already said I'm not interested in them."

Zhang Luan was getting impatient. "My son is fighting a war on the grasslands right now, surrounded by dangers, and I'm still playing around here... These women are like spilled water, I'd rather they all flow away!"

Qi Niang said, "I understand your feelings, sir. What I mean is, even if you don't really do anything to them, you should still call them in to serve you tea and wash your feet. Even if it's just making them kneel and listen to your lecture, it would be a favor to them, so that they would truly be yours in life and in death."

Zhang Luan frowned and asked, "Is that necessary?"

Qi Niang nodded and said, "It's very necessary. Even if they leave this courtyard, they can't escape the Zhang family's protection. So we have to let them know that if they want to get survival supplies from the master, they have to give up some things... Otherwise, they will come every day and annoy the master."

Zhang Luan sighed, "Qi Niang, I can see now that you harbor resentment towards that Liu Shi. How did she offend you to make you hold such a grudge?"

“Every time she comes, I feel like you want to make her feel ashamed, but for some reason, when she encounters difficulties, she always has to come to you?”

Lady Qi smiled and said, "The Peng family was once incredibly powerful, and its members bullied men and women. I myself was also humiliated by them. Moreover, she understood that when faced with dire circumstances, asking relatives and friends for help was useless; on the contrary, it was her enemies who could spare her life! That's human nature!"

(End of this chapter)