Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 330: One word to remember: Greed

Zhang Luan returned home that night, drunk. When he got home, he sat in the main hall and found that the light in the study across the street was still on.

Zhang Luan then went over and saw his second son writing and drawing there.

"I thought Dad wasn't coming back tonight."

Zhang Yanling said without turning his head.

"I originally didn't want to go back, but there's nothing good to stay for." Zhang Luan said, "Li Zisheng left for something tonight, so why am I still standing there?"

Zhang Yanling was a little surprised. He turned sideways and squinted at his old father, as if asking, you can do whatever you want there, there are all kinds of beauties for you to choose from, isn't that good?
Zhang Luan said, "Son, you were not here today. The Duke of Ying sent someone to deliver some silver to me, asking me to personally deliver the yellow coral and the mirror to him the day after tomorrow. He might host a banquet in his house to entertain me."

"Oh."

Zhang Yanling nodded, responded, and continued to write his own things at his desk.

Seeing that Zhang Yanling didn't respond, Zhang Luan became anxious and asked quickly, "Should we go?"

Zhang Yanling replied: "Li Zisheng should have some advice for you, right? What did he say?"

"He wanted me to go, and he told me some secrets of the palace that I didn't know before."

Zhang Luan asked, "Son, do you want me to talk to you? What are you writing?"

"Storybook."

Zhang Yanling answered first, then explained: "Jiang Cong came to our house earlier. You were not at home, so I came out to receive him. He mentioned that Your Majesty has been in a bad mood recently, and the need for a dialogue book has increased."

"Then why is Jiang Cong here? Isn't he the eunuch of the Eastern Palace?"

Zhang Luan asked in surprise.

Zhang Yanling put down the pen in his hand, looked at Zhang Luan and said, "It doesn't matter who runs errands in the palace. It's possible that Qin Chang and the others gave the task to Jiang Cong...

"Dad, if you have something to say, just tell me. What secret is it?"

Zhang Luan immediately told his son the story he had heard from Li Zisheng.

At the end, Zhang Luan still had some emotion: "It turns out that many people suspect that the prince is not your Majesty's biological son. The prince is so kind and filial, but he is still suspected. It's really... people's hearts are not as they used to be."

Zhang Yanling asked, "Father, if you were a powerful official in the court, would you want the crown prince to ascend the throne?"

"Of course I hope so." Zhang Luan said as a matter of course, "The prince is such a good person. In the future, the Ming Dynasty will definitely not be as chaotic as it is now."

"What if you, father, are one of the corrupt officials? I mean, what if you are Liang Fang, Wei Xing, Wan An, Liu Ji, or those who are corrupt and pervert the law and block the way for people to speak out, or for example, Li Zisheng, the number one favorite minister of His Majesty... what would happen?"

Zhang Yanling looked at his cheap father with a meaningful look and asked.

Zhang Luan hesitated: "What do you mean? Are you saying that even Li Zisheng might hinder the crown prince from ascending the throne?"

"exactly."

Zhang Yanling said as a matter of course, "Logically speaking, the people who least want the prince to ascend the throne should be the powerful figures who are currently doing well in the court. Because everyone knows that a new emperor appoints new ministers, not to mention those who rely on the emperor's favor to ascend to the throne."

Zhang Luan muttered, "Then I shouldn't go to the Duke of Ying's mansion. It's too dangerous. Li Zisheng has bad intentions."

Zhang Yanling smiled.

"Dad, we are in a state of confusion right now. You cannot see the future development and do not know whether the crown prince will ascend the throne smoothly. That is why you are wondering what will happen in the future and thinking about your own future and destiny."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "But...if everything is set and you can't change it no matter how hard you try, then why are you still worrying about it?"

Zhang Luan asked in surprise, "You mean to say that the crown prince's ascension to the throne is destiny, it's destined by God, and I can rest assured, right?"

"I didn't say that." Zhang Yanling said, "I meant to say, why are you wasting your energy? As Li Zisheng said, he already knew that there are many people who dislike the crown prince and are afraid that he will retaliate after he takes the throne. But they alone cannot influence the overall situation of the crown prince change."

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "But what if they rebel? For example, they mobilize the troops of the Beijing camp, or the palace guards. Isn't it said that the palace guards are still in the hands of Liang Fang's followers?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "I just said that the Four Tengxiang Guards are in their hands. In fact, the palace guards are under the control of different meritorious officials, and they are all generals trusted by Your Majesty. They have no clear political stance. Outside, the Five City Military Department and the Beijing Camp may influence the situation in the capital... But in fact, the stance of the Jinyiwei commander is also very important."

"Is that Zhu Ji who gave me the gift?" Zhang Luan asked.

"Ah."

Zhang Yanling said, "The status of the Jinyiwei in the court is different from that of the palace guards. Their actual authority is higher than that of ordinary guards, and they have the power of life and death. However, the Jinyiwei needs to rely on the approval of the Criminal Department to do things, so the criminal department officials will have a certain influence on their work."

"Huh!?"

Zhang Luan was confused and asked, "Why did I hear that the officials in the Criminal Department are just for show? As long as the imperial edict is approved by the emperor, the Criminal Department has no right to interfere."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "But with this additional procedure, the Jinyiwei will be more restrained in their work, and it will become a constraint, right? Dad, after listening to Li Zisheng's words, are you now worried that your son-in-law will not be able to ascend the throne?"

"Can I not worry?"

Zhang Luan sat there, sighing, "Our family's current wealth and status are all obtained through our relationship with the Crown Prince. Of course, your father does not deny your achievements. But in the future...only when the Crown Prince ascends to the throne can we bring honor to our family. Otherwise, it is not certain who will recognize us in the future."

Zhang Yanling said, "Then you should go meet Zhang Mao. It is said that since the current emperor ascended the throne, he has been firmly suppressed by the Duke of Baoguo and has always wanted to stand out. He is very supportive of the crown prince."

Zhang Luan said: "If that's the case, then I'll do as you say. But is there anything special about meeting him?"

"hehe."

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "This man is principled, but he is very... greedy."

"greedy?"

Zhang Luan frowned.

"Yes, he is greedy. He likes to enjoy himself and is eager for power. To put it bluntly, he is a qualified powerful official in the prosperous times. He only cares about his own little piece of land and will not overstep his boundaries. But in terms of character... he is not necessarily that good. But Dad, you have to know that people who are greedy for fame and fortune are the best at scheming...

"To put it bluntly, he is not bad in ability, but he lacks the experience of leading troops in battle."

Zhang Yanling gave Zhang Luan a detailed analysis of Zhang Mao's situation.

Zhang Luan asked: "How do you know?"

Zhang Yanling smiled but said nothing.

Wang Shizhen once made a very accurate evaluation of Zhang Mao: "...he was the richest man in the East Palace, with hundreds of people in the back court, all wearing silk and satin..."

"… and he had no other talents in his life, except to be kind and respectful."

As a duke, the ostentation he created was almost comparable to that of the emperor, and he himself possessed enormous wealth. After taking charge of the Beijing camp, he liked to appoint people based on personal connections, and his acts of corruption and abuse of power were countless. But because he was a duke, no one would pursue his crimes as long as he did not commit treason.

To put it bluntly, the emperor did not like to check whether a person was a corrupt official. As long as he was capable and loyal enough, everything else could be ignored.

But if your political stance deviates, you will be charged with all kinds of crimes, including corruption and abuse of power.

Zhang Luan said, "I'm afraid that if I go, others will slander the prince, saying that he wants to seize military power and so on."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Dad, you don't need to worry about this now."

"Why?"

Zhang Luan asked.

"Because you're not qualified."

Zhang Yanling said, "Even in the eyes of His Majesty, the Crown Prince is not qualified." "Ah?"

Zhang Luan suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

Why am I not qualified?
Zhang Yanling said, "If you go to Zhang Mao's house, people will think you are going to discuss rebellion with Zhang Mao. How fragile do you think the court is? You, an unknown father-in-law of the crown prince, can shake the foundation of the emperor's rule with just a few words. Isn't this pure nonsense?"

"This……"

"In your majesty's eyes, the prince is nothing. Your majesty has considered all the ways in which the prince is unlike him and has pointed out many of his faults, but your majesty has never worried that the prince will rebel.

"So, even if the prince went to Zhang Mao's house in person, His Majesty would not take it seriously, let alone you going there just to deliver tribute."

Zhang Luan asked, "Then why should I go? Would it be embarrassing?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "You need to get to know Zhang Mao in advance, build a good relationship, and slowly establish a deep friendship. You can even tell Zhang Mao that you can speak well of him to the Crown Prince and help him suppress the Duke of Baoguo. You can say whatever you want. It's all empty talk anyway. Isn't that good?"

"I……"

"Dad, the more others look down on you, the greater your discretion will be, because even those who look down on you now know that the prince is standing behind you. When the prince ascends the throne, they will be unable to curry favor with you."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said what Zhang Luan loved to hear the most.

Zhang Luan suddenly realized and nodded, "I understand. The more they look down on me now, the more they will flatter me in the future."

"That's right."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "So don't worry that Zhang Mao will give you the cold shoulder. If he doesn't want to get close to you, he won't let you come to him in person.

"I think Zhang Mao will treat you with courtesy this time, because he also wants to pave the way for the future of the Duke of Ying's Mansion after the crown prince ascends the throne. He cannot normally get close to the crown prince, so he can only get close to you who has been very popular in the court recently."

Zhang Luan had a smug look on his face: "Yes, I have been working for the prince recently. Everyone knows that the prince listens to me. I am helping him wholeheartedly. It's great, it's great."

……

……

The next day, Zhang Luan personally brought yellow coral and glass mirror to Zhang Mao's house.

Although Zhang Mao did not go out to greet him in person, he still went to the second gate to meet him after he entered the mansion.

"Laizhan, I've heard of you a long time ago. We both have the surname Zhang. Maybe we were a family five hundred years ago."

Zhang Mao walked forward quickly, personally took Zhang Luan's hand and led him to the inner courtyard, smiling and saying, "Come on, come on, come with me to see my house, and taste the fine wine from the Western Regions that I just got."

Zhang Luan was very surprised.

Is the Duke of England so courteous and approachable?

As they were talking, the two of them walked into the yard.

But there were a dozen servants lined up neatly on both sides, like soldiers being inspected.

Zhang Mao said, "Today, I have distinguished guests to entertain. You should show your best attitude and serve all the fine wine and food. Anyone who neglects me today will be severely punished... Remember, from now on, Zhang Honglu is my old friend. You can treat him as half of your own master."

Zhang Luan thought to himself, what's the point of putting on this show in front of your own servants?
"My Lord, you are too polite."

Zhang Luan said respectfully.

"Hey, Lai Zhan, I am a few years older than you, so it's better for us to call each other brothers. You can just call me Ting Mian. We will work in the same court in the future, so we have to be close... Let's not be so formal."

Zhang Mao acted in a familiar manner, which made Zhang Luan even more at a loss.

The host and the guests came to the living room, where a dining table had already been set up. Soon, wine and food were served, including chicken, duck, fish, meat, and other delicacies from the mountains and the sea. Zhang Mao invited Zhang Luan to sit down, filled the glass in front of Zhang Luan with wine, and then filled his own glass. The two of them clinked glasses first, ate the food for a while, and then started chatting about family matters.

Zhang Mao said, "Laizhan, you see, my place has been quiet for a long time. I have long forgotten how crowded it was in the past. Everyone thinks it is glorious to be a duke, but I am really not as good as a future noble relative like you... You are the future of the Ming Dynasty."

While drinking, Zhang Luan thought, what future? No matter how awesome I am, it’s good enough for me to command a battalion of troops under you. How dare you envy me?
"How many children do you have?"

Zhang Mao asked.

"Two sons... and two daughters." Zhang Luan replied.

Originally, he just wanted to answer that he had two sons, but then he thought again, it was because of his outstanding daughter that the Zhang family had its current power and status, so how could he not bring his daughter along?

Zhang Mao smiled and said, "You are not as good as me in this respect."

Zhang Luan thought, isn’t this nonsense?
Before coming here, my son told me that you have a lot of wife and children, and you probably almost forgot how many sons and daughters you have, right?
"Speaking of which, as a duke, you must leave more offspring to prepare for emergencies. If there is a war on the border, others will not go, but our Zhang family can't fall behind. I always tell them that whenever there is a war in the country, you must rush to the front."

Zhang Mao looked proud.

Zhang Luan thought to himself, this is true. If the Ming Dynasty court had to rely on the common people for protection, everything would be over. And you nobles who have been here for generations will definitely risk your lives to keep your power and property.

"But...Alas!"

Zhang Mao suddenly sighed heavily.

Zhang Luan asked, "Brother Tingmian, are you in trouble?"

Zhang Mao said: "My eldest son passed away early. Now my second son, Zhang Rui, fought on the battlefield in his early years. He has my style, but unfortunately in the past two years... he has been suffering from a long-term illness and has not been to the battlefield for a long time."

When Zhang Luan heard this, he thought, so your son is sick?
Or your second son?

"Laizhan, do you know that the most important thing for inheriting the title of nobility in our Ming Dynasty is to have the ability to take up a sword and mount a horse to defend the country. If you are a sickly person, I am afraid..."

Zhang Mao looked at Zhang Luan eagerly, meaning, can you understand what I mean?

Zhang Luan hesitated and said, "I... don't know much about this."

Zhang Mao smiled and asked, "You don't know? Then do you know the history of the inheritance of the title of Duke of Ying?"

"Um!?"

Zhang Luan looked confused.

It seemed like he really didn't know, but in fact, Zhang Luan's son had already done homework for him before he came.

Zhang Mao was the eldest son of Zhang Fu, a famous general in the Jingnan Campaign. In fact, Zhang Fu had a legitimate eldest son named Zhang Zhong. When Zhang Fu died in the Battle of Tumu, Zhang Zhong was still alive, had reached adulthood, and had given birth to his eldest son.

As the eldest son of a concubine and only nine years old at the time, Zhang Mao should not have been the heir to the title.

However, Zhang Zhong was born with a disability. In addition, the mother of Zhang Zhong's eldest son Zhang Jie was from a lowly family. It was very likely that Zhang Jie was not Zhang Zhong's biological son. All of a sudden, Zhang Fu's eldest son and grandson both lost their legal inheritance rights. In the end, Zhang Mao got a big bargain and inherited the British Dukedom as the eldest son of a concubine.

Zhang Mao said: "My son has been ill for a long time. He has been treated by doctors but to no avail. I heard that you are a great doctor. I wonder..."

Zhang Luan thought to himself, damn, you invited me to your house. I thought you wanted to get close to me, but it turns out you wanted me to treat your son?
It's really shameless of you to say that.

Zhang Luan seemed to be in a dilemma: "I will...think about it later."

"Well."

Zhang Mao heard the perfunctory tone in Zhang Luan's words, so he didn't take it too seriously. He smiled and said, "How about letting my son come to visit you later and let you give me a thorough diagnosis?"

"it is good."

Zhang Luan agreed casually but didn't take it to heart at all.

(End of this chapter)