Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 820 Childbirth
In front of the left gate of Chang'an, a father and son stood facing each other, their expressions solemn.

Wang Yue reached out and patted his son's head, saying, "Son, just now, I mentioned to His Majesty that I would like to transfer a thousand troops to my command to conquer the grasslands and resolve the border troubles in the north in one fell swoop."

"Father, why are you so persistent?"

Wang Shi frowned slightly and shook his head, saying, "There's absolutely no need for that... What can a mere thousand men do? Just to kill a few or even a few dozen enemies and gain some military merit... Isn't that far from your goal of conquering the world and drinking from the vast ocean?"

Wang Yue sighed, "Shi'er, you haven't seen the current situation clearly."

Wang Shi was speechless for a moment.

You, as a father, can only show off at home all day long, but why are you so stubborn and self-willed in front of the emperor? Do you think the emperor will listen to your nonsense?

Wang Yue glanced at his son and continued, "Uncle Zhang has led a new army south and caused great trouble in Nanjing. With only a few hundred soldiers, he has successively defeated several groups of bandits who have been entrenched in Yingtian Prefecture for many years and have long colluded with the government. He will soon lead his troops to the coastal areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang to fight against local armed forces such as smuggling pirates and accumulate experience in firearms warfare!"

Wang Shi asked curiously, "How did the new army's debut go so smoothly?"

"I never expected that the second young master of the Zhang family would be so daring at such a young age. I wonder if his father had warned him that while it is easy to quell the bandits in the south, it is much more difficult to untangle the complex relationships between them."

Wang Yue sighed, "But it is precisely because he is young and impetuous that he dares to take this step... Others cannot see through him, so he can throw a flurry of punches and leave the enemy at a loss."

Wang Shi said, "So... Father also wants to make a good impression in the north?"

Wang Yue first nodded, then shook his head, and said with a bitter expression, "I'm afraid that His Majesty only trusts the young imperial uncle in matters of the army, and not me!"

"The tribes of the grasslands are not yet aware of the progress in the development of new firearms by the Ming Dynasty. If we lead an army into the grasslands now, the achievements of a mere thousand men may be what tens of thousands of soldiers could not accomplish in the past! And the opportunity to achieve merit will not be as good as it is now in the future!"

"Father... do you think now is the best time to restore our family's title?"

Wang Shi realized then that his father had not acted impulsively.

It was precisely because Wang Yue assessed the situation and realized that if he didn't act now, he might not even have the chance to act later.

The emperor's decision to send Zhang Yanling to train troops in the south clearly demonstrates his utmost trust in his brother-in-law. This is because the shortcomings of the new firearms can be discovered in actual combat and addressed one by one. When fighting the Tatars, this will allow for a decisive and swift victory, leaving them defenseless.

Once the Tatars are terrified by the power of the Ming Dynasty's new weapons, they will definitely avoid anyone who leads troops beyond the Great Wall. They will not give you the opportunity for a strategic decisive battle.
You carried various firearms and chased the Tatars across the grasslands?
Wang Yue smiled bitterly, "Unfortunately, His Majesty firmly disagrees... If Zhang Xiaoguojiu were in the capital right now, perhaps he would have agreed."

Wang Shi asked, "Should we consult with Zhang Guozhang?"

"Don't you think your father is now trying to curry favor with the Zhang family?" Wang Yue glared at him coldly. "My son, you must understand that it is not shameful to be obsequious in the face of fame and fortune. For the future of the Wang family, even bowing down to others has its value. Integrity alone cannot revitalize the Wang family."

Wang Shi sounded very awkward.

You are a civil official, a scholar who passed the imperial examination and once served as Minister of War. Are you here praising those who are pragmatic and sensible as heroes? And you even use this to teach your son?
Have you no shame?
Wang Yue said, "However, I should indeed listen to your advice and go see that Zhang Guozhang... If he can support me, perhaps I will have the opportunity to make a name for myself before the young uncle of the Zhang family returns!"

……

……

Zhang Luan only remembered that there was such a person in his camp after receiving Wang Yue's invitation.

The one who delivered the visiting card was Shen Lu.

After all, Shen Lu had previously helped Wang Yue arrange to return to the court to serve, and with Zhang Yanling's help, Wang Yue's wish was fulfilled.

Wang Yue knew that Shen Lu was a key figure in Zhang Luan's inner circle, and that invitations were usually not delivered to Zhang Luan himself; only when delivered by a specific person could the purpose of a meeting be achieved.

"It's really troublesome."

Zhang Luan did not return to his residence to see Shen Lu; his visiting card was conveyed through his family.

At this time, he was living in his own villa outside the city, and he was in contact with his family through the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) who were protecting him. He didn't even tell Chang Shun his new address to avoid being found by his family.

Zhang Luan was incompetent at everything else, but he went to great lengths to enjoy a carefree and undisturbed life outside.

Qi Niang, who was serving nearby, asked with concern, "Is Master going to see that famous Wang Weining?"

Zhang Luan said unhappily, "Is Wang Yue really that famous? Even you think he's much better than me, right?"

“Sir, this is different.”

Qi Niang coaxed, "Master is a man of unparalleled supernatural power, whose knowledge of divination and prophecy is unmatched throughout history. Wang Weining is merely a civil official; how can he compare to you?"

Zhang Luan muttered, "I'm a civil official too, what's the difference?"

Qi Niang thought to herself, "You yourself are a relative of the emperor, a sycophant who rose to power through your close relationship with the emperor. Don't you have any idea about that?"

Wang Weining rose to his position through sheer ability, working his way up step by step. He was able to win many battles in foreign wars during the previous dynasty. However, he made a mistake in his stance and allegiance, which led to his being stripped of his title. No matter how high your title is, in the eyes of the people, you are no match for Wang Weining.

Zhang Luan said, “It wouldn’t have been a problem to meet him, but my son said that this man is always eager for quick success and instant benefits and loves to curry favor with the powerful. I’m afraid that if I’m flattered by him, I’ll be misled and hastily do things for him.”

Lady Qi smiled and said, "Is Master afraid of being flattered?"

"Even you, if you change your usual behavior and try to flatter me, you might have something in mind... Wang Yue's situation is probably not much different."

Zhang Luan said, "Helping you is nothing more than spending some money or doing some favors for you, a simple matter. But helping Wang Weining would require sacrificing face and going through a lot of trouble... Oh, by the way, what do you think he would ask for?"

Qi Niang said, "In the master's eyes, he only comes to the temple when he has a reason?"

Zhang Luan sighed, “This man has done it before… Last time, his goal was to become the commander-in-chief of the three border regions and lead troops in the northwest, so that he would have the opportunity to make a name for himself!”

"Look, he finally became the Vice Minister of War, but he hasn't had a chance to make any contributions, so he's come here again to ask for help..."

"Now that you mention it, sir, we really need to be careful," said Lady Qi.

Zhang Luan put the visiting card aside and said, "That's why you can't spoil someone who's eager to make a name for himself; you have to temper his ambition."

"So...we'll not see him for now! There are only two people in this world who can decide his future and destiny: His Majesty and my son. I have no right to control his future!"

……

……

Time flies, and it's already the sixth day of the ninth month.

Because of the sudden drop in temperature, Zhang Luan changed into a heavy set of clothes and leisurely arrived at the palace... because today was the big day for his daughter Zhang Yu to give birth.

This matter originally had nothing to do with him.

After all, there are midwives and female doctors in the palace who specialize in childbirth, as well as imperial physicians who are always there to take care of you, so nothing serious will happen.

However, Zhu Youcheng was uneasy about this situation since it was his first time experiencing it, so he summoned his father-in-law to the palace to discuss whether there was anything he could do.

Zhang Luan originally intended to bring his wife, Jin, along, but Jin absolutely refused to enter the palace with her husband.

According to Ms. Jin, her daughter was already married, and if the mother were to attend the childbirth, it would distract her and even cause gossip among her in-laws.

Zhang Luan scolded his wife, saying that Jin was old-fashioned, and then stopped insisting and went to the palace first.

Outside the Hall of Union.

The father-in-law and son-in-law each found a chair and sat down, patiently waiting for news from Kunning Palace. The reason they didn't call Zhang Luan to wait outside Kunning Palace was because of Zhang Yu's request... After all, childbirth is a somewhat embarrassing thing for a woman, and why should his father go outside to listen for any commotion?

Since you two, father-in-law and son-in-law, are so in cahoots and want to cheer each other on at this time, then you should stay far away and not disturb my childbirth.

"Father-in-law, how much longer?"

Zhu Youcheng appeared very nervous and couldn't help but glance at his father-in-law, who was dozing off with his eyes half-closed.

Zhang Luan didn't know in advance that his daughter was going to give birth. In those days, you only knew the exact date of delivery when your water broke. The due date was calculated by the midwife, and it couldn't be taken seriously.

So Zhang Luan rushed back from his villa outside the city, just to make a quick trip home to prepare.

Zhang Luan opened his eyes and comforted her, "It will take at least half an hour, but if it takes longer... it's hard to say... But Your Majesty, please rest assured, the children of my Zhang family have never had any health problems, and they will definitely be able to give birth smoothly."

"Ugh!"

Zhu Youcheng appeared very nervous, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. He said with a wry smile, "With Yanling gone, I've lost some of my confidence."

"He's young, not a royal physician, and has absolutely no experience with childbirth... What can you expect from him?"

Zhang Luan sighed, "But then again, that kid is something else. He promised to come back before his sister gave birth, but it's been several days now and there's still no sign of it."

Zhu Youcheng explained, "The delay was due to the Yellow River construction project."

"Oh……"

Zhang Luan suddenly realized, "He has already reported to His Majesty?"

"Yes."

Zhu Youcheng nodded. "After the autumn harvest, the autumn grain from various places began to be transported to the capital. The issue of military pay in the Northwest was also resolved satisfactorily. This summer's harvest from various salt fields has also come out. Due to the adoption of a brand-new salt-drying method, the profits are more than double those of previous years. Now that money and grain are being transported to various places, he has to keep an eye on it."

Zhang Luan muttered, "For the sake of national affairs, he doesn't even care about his own sister? If something goes wrong, the Zhang family will be finished?"

"Father-in-law, what did you say?"

Zhu Youcheng didn't hear clearly and looked over curiously.

Zhang Luan quickly said, "It's alright, it's alright. I was just saying that the kid can't tell what's important. Shouldn't he have returned to the capital earlier to ensure his sister's safe delivery before doing anything else?"

Zhu Youcheng said, "Didn't my father-in-law just say that Yu'er would be alright?"

"I……"

Zhang Luan was speechless for a moment.

I thought to myself, do you even know what diplomatic language is?

Do you even know what it means to be perfunctory?

I'm only saying this to put your mind at ease.
These days, when a woman gives birth, especially her first child, it's like she's walking through the gates of hell.
Besides, you and my daughter are both quite young. My daughter has been in the palace for so long, but she hasn't become any plumper. She's not even a pound of flesh on her body. How can she possibly have a baby?
As they were talking, a female official hurried over from behind.

Zhu Youcheng stood up to greet him and asked, "How did it go?"

When the female official saw the emperor, she was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she hurriedly kowtowed and said, "I have only dilated to three fingers."

"What's that like?"

Zhu Youcheng looked completely bewildered and turned to look at his father-in-law.

Zhang Luan explained, "We'll have to wait until we're all ten fingers... How should I put it? Cough cough! Never mind, let's just wait patiently for now."

Zhu Youcheng said, "Then how much suffering will the Empress endure?"

Zhang Luan turned his head to the side and said, "Concern leads to confusion... Your Majesty, if you are really worried, you can go and take a look now... Anyway, it's only three fingers, it's still a long way off."

"Then I'll go take a look."

As Zhu Youcheng spoke, he walked towards Kunning Palace.

Zhang Luan continued to sit there, legs crossed, completely treating the place as his own backyard.

Not long after, Zhu Youcheng returned dejectedly.

Zhang Luan rose to greet him and asked, "Has His Majesty seen him?"

"No."

Zhu Youcheng shook his head and said, "I just remembered that Yu'er said I shouldn't go near Kunning Palace today, at most I should listen to the noise at the gate. If I go in like this, she will definitely complain about me... Sigh, I'd better wait with my father-in-law."

Zhang Luan thought to himself, "You're really hopeless!"
How could he be so easily manipulated by a woman?

Think about me, Zhang, your father-in-law! When have I ever lost face like this in front of a woman?
"Is your father-in-law hungry?"

Zhu Youcheng suddenly asked.

Zhang Luan rubbed his stomach and nodded, saying, "It is a bit... After all, it's almost noon. Why don't we go have lunch first?"

Zhu Youcheng said, "Then I'll arrange for someone to prepare some food for my father-in-law... What would be a good choice?"

"When has it been?"

Zhang Luan seemed very impatient and waved his hand, saying, "Just eat whatever you have, but Your Majesty, you must eat more. Putting aside everything else, just take childbirth for example, it's hard work..."

"It was Yu'er who gave birth, what does that have to do with me?"

Zhu Youcheng looked puzzled.

Zhang Luan rolled his eyes at his son-in-law and said, "Do you think it's not hard for men when their wives are giving birth? The anxiety in their hearts can cause all sorts of unease, make them hungry very quickly, and sometimes even make them feel weak. Back when my eldest son was born, it was the Empress who..."

Zhu Youcheng smiled and said, "So, my father-in-law was just like me back then?"

"it's the same."

Zhang Luan said, "But when I found out it was a girl, I was so disappointed. I even told people that I had given birth to a money-losing child."

Zhu Youcheng immediately straightened his face and said with displeasure, "How can you say such a thing, Father-in-law?"

My darling wife, how could you call her a money-losing burden?
This is disrespectful to my royal family!
Zhang Luan said, "So you see, it doesn't matter what kind of child you have, having a daughter is even better. Didn't my family become rich and powerful because of that? So now I finally understand this principle... Your Majesty, do you understand?"

Zhu Youcheng was taken aback for a moment, then said, "I understand, I understand. Whether Yu'er gives birth to a little princess or a little prince today, I'll be happy. As long as the baby is born healthy! Father-in-law, would you prefer a grandson or a granddaughter?"

"hey-hey."

Zhang Luan grinned and said, "Is there even a need to ask? Of course it's my grandson."

If we have a grandson who will be made crown prince in the future, then the Zhang family's position will be secure! If it's a little princess... it's like giving future generations a chance!
What if you, the emperor, take another concubine and another woman gives birth to your eldest son? Wouldn't I then have no expectations left? How could the Zhang family maintain its decades of wealth and prosperity?
Ideally, my daughter would give birth to a prince in one go, so that your lineage can continue smoothly and my Zhang family can prosper forever!
However, on the other hand, neither of the previous two emperors' wives had children, and my emperor hasn't even taken a concubine yet. Could it be that things will really change for the Zhang family? Will a crown prince be born soon?
(End of this chapter)