Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 809 Time to Make Progress
Zhang Yanling left Beijing and headed south.

After Zhang Yanling left, Zhang Luan still did not participate much in court affairs, while Wang Yue focused on the daily training of the new army... The new faction of power was in a slump for a time, and the court was once again occupied by the "pure stream". Even at the first lecture after autumn, people from the Hanlin Academy began to tell Zhu Youcheng history, and they specifically mentioned the historical stories of the maternal relatives causing chaos in the country.

Yang Guozhong, Jia Sidao, and even Wang Mang and He Jin were all unearthed from the shadows of history by the people of the Hanlin Academy.

Zhu Youcheng was gentle by nature. Even though he could tell that the group was targeting the Zhang family, he remained calm and composed.

Only after the lecture ended did he say to Qin Chang, who was serving him, "Tell them that I have been feeling unwell recently, and that I will suspend the daily lectures from today until after the Empress gives birth."

If I don't like what you're saying, then I'll simply not listen.

"Your Majesty, how should the banquet be arranged today?"

Qin Chang meant that, according to the rules, most of the Hanlin officials who participated in the daily lectures on the classics were former lecturers of the Crown Prince, and they should be given a banquet and food.

Zhu Youcheng, with a stern face, waved his hand and said, "For the sake of thrift, there's no need for that!"

Forget about rules and regulations, the imperial court is short of money right now, don't you know that?

If you haven't eaten, go home and eat!

Then, a group of people from the Hanlin Academy, who were waiting to have a royal meal so they could continue their lectures in the afternoon, were told that they could leave the palace.

Xie Qian, puzzled, stepped forward and asked, "Eunuch Qin, why is His Majesty absent from the afternoon lecture?"

Qin Chang said, "His Majesty is not only absent from the afternoon banquet, but will be absent for some time to come! Scholar Xie, you are a smart man, is it necessary to ask why?"

Xie Qian could only pretend to be confused.

It was obvious that the emperor didn't like hearing anything that attacked the Zhang family, his maternal relatives. These officials, who had benefited from the emperor's ascension to the throne, were also trying their best to avoid direct conflict with the Zhang family. But there was one problem: they liked to talk about how maternal relatives were causing trouble in the country... It seemed subtle, but they were trying to subtly influence the emperor to "return to the right path."

Unfortunately, the emperor is stubborn and has now even overturned the table. What can they do?
Qin Chang then said, "Regarding the recent selection of cabinet ministers, Scholar Xie still has a chance to compete... I wonder if he is interested in joining the cabinet?"

"I don't want to! I won't fight!"

Xie Qian did not want to fall into the trap set by the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

How dare you, a mere eunuch, get involved in matters that are internal to the Hanlin Academy?

Even if you intend to win me over, I cannot fall into your trap.

Qin Chang smiled and said, "Actually, His Majesty is finding it difficult to choose between Scholar Li and Scholar Xie. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, Scholar Li has been observing mourning at home and has not returned to court. He is not very familiar with the court's policies, and having not seen His Majesty for so long, he cannot be considered close. In fact, Scholar Xie could be persuaded..."

"No, no, no!"

Xie Qian quickly replied, "The Imperial Academy has its own set of selection criteria, and there won't be any disagreements due to temporary differences... Besides, we're all serving the court, so what's the big deal about who gets promoted or demoted? If Binzhi has the opportunity to join the Academy and work for the court, I would be happy to see that..."

"it is good."

Qin Chang smiled and nodded, saying, "Scholar Xie, you are of noble character and integrity, which I admire. However, I must remind you that His Majesty has given instructions that after this selection of cabinet ministers, there may be no further selections for the next three years or even longer... I am asking this question because I do not want Scholar Xie to miss this rare opportunity."

"Um!?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Qian instantly sensed a deep sense of malice.

But upon reflection, it seems that the emperor's decision is not difficult to understand.

After the emperor ascended the throne, he successively replaced the cabinet ministers from the Chenghua era... Xu Pu, Zhang Luan, and Liu Jian had already been selected to join the cabinet, and if a newcomer were added, it would form a four-cabinet structure. Moreover, all four were newly appointed and were former lecturers in the Eastern Palace whom the emperor appreciated, and one of them even had a father-in-law.

If this pattern is set in stone, wouldn't it be logical that no further adjustments be made in the next few years?
But for Xie Qian and Li Dongyang, the choice they had to make was far too cruel...

Whoever isn't selected this time may not have another chance in three years...

The selection process for the Imperial Academy has always been like this: one person for one position. Whoever gets in early secures their spot, while the one who fails to be selected is in trouble. Three years later, there is a high probability that new talents will emerge in the Hanlin system. Even if you, Xie Qian, do not go to the Six Ministries and stay in the Imperial Academy, how can you be sure that you will not change your original intention after three years of hard work?

Three years later, the political situation has changed drastically, and it's uncertain whether anyone is even alive. How can anyone guarantee that they can enter the cabinet?
Have you been daydreaming too much?

After Qin Chang finished his "kind" reminder, he continued, "Recently, there have been more and more memorials in the court requesting His Majesty to take concubines, saying that His Majesty should expand his harem to increase his offspring. I wonder what Scholar Xie's opinion is on this? I remember you once advised His Majesty to prioritize filial piety and righteousness. If you are truly interested this time... Scholar Xie should know what to do, right?"

Xie Qian shook his head: "I don't know."

"hehe."

Qin Chang thought to himself, "At this critical moment, even if you, Xie Qian, want to pretend to be confused, I won't remind you."

You were just the head of the Crown Prince's lecture class for a while, what are you so arrogant about?

Do you know the saying "A wise man submits to circumstances"?

Actually, what you need to do is very simple. It is nothing more than bringing up the old matter again, showing an attitude of filial piety above all else, and asking the emperor that now that you have just ascended the throne and are in the period of mourning for your father, having a crown prince has already damaged your reputation. If you were to take in more concubines at this time, wouldn't you be ridiculed by the world?

Are you fighting for yourself?
Do not!
You are advocating for Confucian ethics and propriety, indirectly helping the Zhang family, which would give you an advantage in the selection of cabinet ministers. If you are unwilling to do so, then you can't blame others.

……

……

After autumn arrived, many matters in the court not only came to the agenda, but even entered the fast track.

That day, Zhang Luan received Xu Qiong, who had come to visit him, at his home.

Xu Qiong came with only one purpose: he himself wanted to join the cabinet and wanted to use this opportunity to obtain Zhang Luan's acting power in the cabinet. This would mean that two people from the same faction would join the cabinet, which would greatly benefit the party structure centered on Zhang's relatives.

Zhang Luan said, "It's rare that you brought this up with me, Shi Yong. I will definitely express my stance to His Majesty and strongly support your entry into the cabinet. However... to be honest, I don't have much influence in the court anymore, so I don't know if I can be of any help to you!"

After losing his son's assistance, Zhang Luan found that he didn't have much say in the matter.

No matter how good your relationship with the emperor is, it can't withstand his reckless actions.

In the year or so since he entered the court, he has hardly attended court sessions, and he is rarely seen in the various government offices where he works... Even though he has done many practical things for the court, as time goes by, many people have begun to forget his contributions.

Xu Qiong nodded: "Many things in the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War have been delayed recently... Although Wang Shichang has made great achievements in military and political affairs, he is more accomplished in the military affairs of the Nine Border Regions. As for the overall coordination, we still need you, Lai Zhan, to take charge."

The implication is that you shouldn't think that transferring Wang Shichang to the position of Vice Minister of War will help you win people's hearts.

No one would take a newly appointed Vice Minister of War seriously.

Wang Yue's talents were mostly demonstrated in warfare; he was completely clueless about managing the affairs of the Ministry of War.

On the contrary, you, Zhang Laizhan, may seem unassuming on ordinary days, but when it comes to important matters like overall coordination and scheduling, you really can step up.

"understood."

Zhang Luan said, "Recently, I will occasionally mention to His Majesty the need to raise a batch of military funds... It won't be long before Wang Weining is transferred to the Northwest."

Xu Qiong asked, "Has everything been settled?"

"Ah."

Zhang Luan nodded.

Xu Qiong was quite moved.

Although Zhang Luan rarely attends court, he is extremely knowledgeable about important matters of state.

The emperor would usually consult with the Zhang family first when he had something to say. With such political resources, it would be difficult for anyone with a little ambition not to monopolize the court.

Xu Qiong also fully realized that, at least with Zhang Luan, no political trend in the court was a secret, which would greatly help his future position and direction in the court.

Zhang Luan said, "Tomorrow I'm going to the palace to bring my wife back, and I'll take the opportunity to talk to His Majesty about your situation... Don't worry, I'll definitely help you this time!"
"With Yanling gone, I suddenly realized... it's really difficult to accomplish important things when there are fewer people around to help. In the past, I always stood on the side of righteousness and never considered my own problems. Now I realize that it's really impossible to do things without someone to help me."

Xu Qiong was filled with emotion.

You, Zhang Laizhan, have been in the court for so long, and now you finally realize you're all alone? Only now are you thinking of cultivating more allies?
Why did you go early?
"If there's any new information, I'll have Ruxue tell you."

Zhang Luan said, "The affairs of the Ministry of Personnel also need to be entrusted to you... Originally, His Majesty planned to transfer you to the Ministry of Rites as the Left Vice Minister, which would be a minor promotion, but now it seems that controlling the Ministry of Personnel is more important. Of course, everything depends on your wishes."

Xu Qiong felt greatly relieved and nodded, saying, "I will do whatever you say... Please help me take good care of things, I beg you!"

……

Zhang Luan was in high spirits after meeting Xu Qiong.

Because his son had told him to take good care of the family before he left, and the next day was the day he had agreed with the emperor to bring his wife back, he prepared to be a good husband, but before officially returning to his family, he went to the outer residence to indulge himself.

"Qi Niang, I won't be able to come over for a while."

As soon as Zhang Luan arrived, he explained the situation to Qi Niang, "Starting tomorrow, I will have to attend court every day and will no longer be as leisurely as before."

Qi Niang asked, puzzled, "First thing tomorrow morning?"

"Yes."

Zhang Luan said with a smile, "After being an official for so long, you should at least act like a courtier, right? You can't continue to work like this, only working three days and resting two... From now on, we'll just meet a few times a month, not too frequently."

Qi Niang laughed and said, "That's quite a few times."

"Look what you said."

Zhang Luan's expression turned slightly displeased as he questioned, "You want me to leave sooner, and you don't want me to live here with you every day, right?"

Lady Qi smiled and said, "I was afraid that Master would have to postpone his court appearance for another day..."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

Zhang Luan frowned and asked.

Qi Niang leaned closer and whispered, "Here's the situation: we just brought back a few women from outside. They all came here from Yingtian Prefecture. In a way, they're old acquaintances of the master... Will the master see them or not?"

"Who is it?" Zhang Luan asked, puzzled. Then he saw someone come in from outside, but he didn't recognize the person at first glance.

"you……"

Zhang Luan examined it carefully and exclaimed, "Hey, isn't this Peng Liushi?"
"Kowtowing to the master."

As soon as Liu entered, she kowtowed to Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan looked somewhat embarrassed and shook his head, saying, "I thought we would never see each other again in this lifetime, how could we... Madam, it's only been less than a year, why is it like this... Time waits for no one?"

Liu knelt there, covering her face and weeping.

With a smug look on her face, Qi Niang explained, "Master, you may not know this, but after they were stranded in Nanjing, they suffered a lot. They were originally going to be sold by the Nanjing Jiaofangsi to high-ranking officials and nobles to be slaves and servants, but it was precisely because of your past protection that they did not reach the point of desperation."

"what?"

Zhang Luan frowned.

Are these women having such a hard time after leaving me?
Qi Niang said, "Later, they made their way back to the Jiaofangsi in the capital. When I learned of this, I knew that you, sir, are a man of great loyalty and righteousness, so I took it upon myself to bring them back... There were thirteen women from the Peng family when they went south, and three of them are now gone."

"what?"

Zhang Luan was even more surprised now.

Three people died in one year?
Then it's not my fault, I'm the one who killed them?
Lady Qi continued, "Master hasn't come over these past two days. Yesterday, I went to the brothel to bring them back, and everything is settled now. Master, are you going to court tomorrow morning?"

Zhang Luan looked embarrassed and stood up, saying, "Well... let's forget it. It's not impossible to be late for court for two days!"

……

……

The next day, around noon, Zhang Luan went to the palace looking exhausted.

We passed through the Meridian Gate and the Golden Water Bridge without any obstacles. Instead of going to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, we headed straight for the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.

When Zhang Luan saw his wife and daughter at Kunning Palace, he was first given a cold shoulder... After all, they had agreed that he would come to pick them up earlier, but he didn't arrive until noon, which clearly meant he was just there to freeload lunch.

Why is Father so late?

Zhang Yu looked quite displeased.

Zhang Luan smiled apologetically and said, "Some things have delayed me."

Zhang Yu rolled his eyes at his father and said, "But His Majesty said you didn't go to court this morning... Didn't you say before that you wouldn't neglect court affairs recently? Why are you going back on your word?"

Zhang Luan glared at him: "When have I ever gone back on my word? Your brother has left the capital, and now all the affairs of the capital, big and small, depend on your father to handle them."

"You're my daughter, don't always talk to me like that! Even if you're the Empress, you still have to abide by filial piety and etiquette, right? I'm leaving, I'm leaving."

Ms. Jin asked with displeasure, "Don't you need to wait until lunchtime before leaving?"

"You've become addicted to eating for free in the palace?"

Zhang Luan turned the tables, his face hardening, and said, "Does the family need you for a meal? Can't you see the Empress has a problem with us?"

Kim remained silent.

Zhang Yu reminded him, "Since you're leaving, take your things with you."

"We don't need anything, we have everything at home... We won't take a single thing from the palace, lest people say that the Zhang family is undermining the royal family."

Zhang Luan, with an arrogant demeanor, saw his wife still holding the small wooden box and immediately stepped forward, shouting, "Give it back. We don't need this!"

Lady Jin frowned and asked, "These were gifts from His Majesty and the Empress, why don't you accept them?"

"you!"

Zhang Luan wanted to start cursing, but when he looked into his wife's eyes, he suddenly felt ashamed.

Why are you acting all high and mighty here?
His wife benefited from their daughter, while he received gifts from his youngest son. In fact, apart from Zhang Yanling and Zhang Yu, the rest of the Zhang family were basically freeloaders who just lazed around and waited to die.

Don't laugh at anyone.

"Let's go!"

Zhang Luan waved his hand and said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you these past few days, Your Majesty... I'll come to see you again when you give birth."

Zhang Yu said irritably, "What are you here to see me giving birth to?"

"oops!"

Zhang Luan quickly replied, "I misspoke. I will come when the little prince is born."

"Who said it must be a prince? Did Yanling say so?"

Zhang Yu asked with interest.

Zhang Luan said irritably, "You really are quite capable, one argument is worth two... Just like your brother! No one would believe you two aren't siblings... Alright, let's get going. If we don't leave now, His Majesty might run into us and give me some trouble... Hey, Madam, didn't you hear me?"

"Ah."

Jin's expression was displeased.

I haven't been home for a long time, and logically, we should be very affectionate when we meet again, but my husband doesn't seem to care much about me.

Not only did he arrive late to pick me up, but he also kept urging me to leave, which was not at all like a considerate husband.

But she was already used to it.

She originally married into the Zhang family because she coveted their official background. Over the years, she hadn't suffered much, and now she was even more privileged, with the Empress's daughter backing her up. In her middle age, she began to enjoy life.

(End of this chapter)