Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 286: Seeing the big picture from the small details, sharing honor and disgrace

Anyi, the Palace of Chariots and Cavalry.

Early in the morning, Du Ji arrived at the Chariot and Cavalry Mansion, not to his own county hall director, but hurried to find Zhong Yao.

"military adviser!"

"Chief historian?"

Seeing Du Ji, Zhong Yao stepped aside to greet him and asked, "I wonder why you came here, Lord Bo?"

Du Ji asked, "Military Advisor, do you know that Lü Fan arrested the prince and detained him in Chang'an on the grounds that he had violated the prohibition order by drinking alcohol privately?"

Hearing this, Zhong Yao's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Do you know how many people the prince has been detained?"

Du Ji sat at the table and said, "Many people know about this. Since I arrived at the mansion, I have seen many officials in the mansion talking about this matter!"

Du Ji added, "Not only that, yesterday when I was resting at home, no less than ten scholars came to visit me, all of them were here to ask what the prince had done and asked me to intercede for him."

Du Ji shook his head and sighed, "How dare Lu Fan be so bold as to detain the prince in Chang'an and not allow anyone to visit him!"

Zhong Yao looked gloomy and sighed, "I first learned about the prince's affairs yesterday morning. In the afternoon, many people came to ask questions. It seems that the prince's affairs have a great impact."

Du Ji pondered for a moment and said, "Your Excellency is the father-in-law of a noble family, and you are not an ordinary person. Moreover, the Wang family in Taiyuan has many followers, such as Sun Zi, Cheng Pu, Li Song, Wang Chen, etc., who are either followers or children. Now that Your Excellency is detained in Chang'an, they will send people to intercede for him."

"I wonder what the military advisor wants to do?" Du Ji asked, "Do you want to issue an order to the Cavalry Office to ask Lu Fan to release the prince?"

Zhong Yao paced with his hands behind his back and said, "It doesn't matter what you and I think right now. What matters is your attitude."

"What do you mean, my Lord?"

Du Ji restrained his expression, and looked thoughtful.

"Military advisor, do you think that the detention of the prince was done by you, my Lord?" Du Ji seemed to have thought of something and asked in a low voice.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Seeing Du Ji's guess, Zhong Yao hurriedly stopped and said, "Whether it was your intention or not, you and I should regard this as Lu Fan's own doing and it has nothing to do with you."

"promise!"

Du Ji was not a fool. As the Chief Clerk of the Palace of Chariots and Cavalry, he had access to Zhang Yu's secrets.

Last time, Wang Hong secretly supplied grain and grass to the court, which violated political taboos. Even if Wang Hong was Zhang Yu's father-in-law, it would be difficult for Zhang Yu to ignore it. Moreover, if he did not investigate, wouldn't everyone be colluding with the Han Dynasty?

Not long after Lü Fan arrived in Guanzhong in the name of reconciliation, it was revealed that Wang Hong was detained for violating the prohibition of alcohol, which made Du Ji think of Zhang Yu. After all, Lü Fan was personally assigned by Zhang Yu, so it was inevitable that he had to shoulder some special mission.

But Du Ji was not sure. After all, there were many cases where the superior's intentions were misinterpreted by his subordinates.

For example, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the Hu people attacked the border, Youzhou sent troops to defeat them. In order to reward meritorious officials, the court gave a sword to the chief general. The chief general thought that the court was dissatisfied with his achievements, so he committed suicide with the sword. Later, the governor of Youzhou reported to the court to appeal for the chief general, and only then did he know that the court gave the sword not as a punishment, but as a reward.

"Lu Fan holds the seal of the Lord and supervises the ministers in Guanzhong. It is not convenient for the military advisor and I to interfere in this matter. It is better to wait for the Lord's order to be delivered." Du Ji said.

"It's easy for ordinary people to refuse, but if Madam interferes in this matter, it will be very embarrassing!" Zhong Yao said.

Du Ji frowned slightly and said, "The prince is the madam's father. If you interfere in this matter now..."

Before he finished speaking, he heard a servant knocking on the door and saying, "Military Advisor, the Madam and the eldest son are here to visit."

Zhong Yao and Du Ji looked at each other, couldn't help but smile bitterly, and said, "You came so quickly!"

Soon, Zhong Yao opened the door and saw Wang Ji and his son Zhang Luo outside the hall. They were wearing black skirts, outer robes, golden hairpins on their heads, and their pretty faces were lightly made up, which made them look both dignified and beautiful.

"How are Military Advisor Zhong and Chief Secretary Du?"

Wang Ji smiled sweetly and took her son to greet the two of them first.

"Greetings, Madam and Sir!"

Zhong Yao invited Wang Ji and Zhang Luo into the hall, bowed and saluted, and asked knowingly: "I wonder why you are here, Madam?"

Wang Ji looked around the hall and said with a smile, "Your Excellency has been able to win every battle in the wars outside, all thanks to you guys managing government affairs and providing military supplies. So I brought some snacks to reward you guys."

Zhong Yao bowed and thanked them, saying, "Taking care of government affairs and providing baggage are the duties of Yao and Du Changshi. I dare not complain about the hard work. Madam and Master, you have given me a food box, and I am very grateful."

Wang Ji asked the maid to bring the food box and asked, "When will you be able to return to Anyi?"

Zhong Yao said: "According to General Gongming's report, you will return to Jin in August or September."

Wang Ji frowned slightly, showing his embarrassment, and said, "It's only the middle of July now, and it will be at least twenty days before you return to Jin. I'm afraid it's too late!"

"I wonder if Madam has any urgent matter?" Zhong Yao had to ask according to etiquette.

Wang Ji smiled and said, "My father's birthday is coming soon, so I want to celebrate his birthday. Unfortunately, my father has been detained in Chang'an by Lu Fan for many days, so I wonder if Military Advisor Zhong can order Lu Fan to release my father!"

The words seemed to be a question, but Wang Ji's tone revealed that there was no room for doubt.

As Zhang Yu's wife, Wang Ji had a superior status and could even represent Zhang Yu at certain times. Now that Wang Ji's father was detained by Lu Fan, she couldn't just turn a blind eye, otherwise she would be too ashamed to see her own family.

Zhong Yao said, neither servile nor overbearing, "Madam, although I am in charge of the Chariot and Cavalry Department, I have no authority over Lü Fan."

"Why?" "Lü Fan holds your seal, and only you can control Lü Fan with your seal." Zhong Yao said, "Even if I want to help you, I can't help you now."

"Can I use my seal?" Wang Ji asked, holding up the seal that symbolized the rear house.

"The seal of the rear house is only valid in the mansion!" said Zhong Yao.

Wang Ji showed dissatisfaction on his face and said, "You said before that my seal could be used to mobilize troops and food. Why is it useless now?"

"Your Excellency said that when the enemy is approaching the city, Madam can use her seal to mobilize troops and food. However, now is a peaceful time, so Madam's seal is only effective in the mansion!" Zhong Yao explained.

Wang Ji's pretty face was slightly cold, and she asked, "Can Taigong control Lu Fan?"

Wang Ji pointed at Zhang Luo and said in a deep voice, "There is another young master here. I wonder if he can control Lu Fan?"

Upon hearing this, Du Ji immediately refuted and said, "Although the eldest son is the eldest son of the prince, he is not my young master. Moreover, even if the eldest son is the young master, he cannot exercise the authority of the prince."

Wang Ji's face was full of anger. She could accept that she could not issue an order without a seal. But Du Ji said that Zhang Luo was not necessarily the young master, which she could not accept at all.

In her eyes, if she hadn't married Zhang Yu, how could Zhang Yu have the foundation he has today? Therefore, Zhang Yu's foundation today has at least been helped by her, Wang Shi. Besides, when she was raising Zhang Luo alone in the difficult frontier, where was Zhang Yu?

Zhong Yao saw Wang Ji's displeasure and quickly replied, "The eldest son is smart and will become a great man in the future. However, there is a difference in status now. Within a thousand miles of Shanxi, the king and marquis are respected. Therefore, without the canonization of the king and marquis, even the Grand Duke has no power. Therefore, if the eldest son can exercise the power of the young king and issue the orders of the king and marquis, wouldn't it be a disorder between the upper and lower levels?"

Wang Ji looked at the two of them coldly and asked, "Then can my father be released?"

Zhong Yao hesitated for a while, and said: "Yao can write a letter to ask about the prince's current situation. But the Cavalry Bureau does not have the power to release the prince, so Madam, you'd better wait for a few days and wait for the prince to issue the decree!"

Since Zhong Yao understood Zhang Yu's intention, he would not disobey Zhang Yu because of Wang Ji. If he thought in a malicious way, if Zhang Yu was willing, he could change his wife. After all, the queen was respected because she was the emperor's wife. If she was not a wife, she would be a rich woman.

"Then please write a letter and ask!"

Seeing that Zhong Yao was unwilling to give in and instead asked her to wait for Zhang Yu's order, Wang Ji became depressed and could only ask Zhong Yao to write a letter.

"promise!"

While Zhong Yao was writing the letter, Wang Ji asked, "Who was the one who wanted to detain the prince? Did the prince have any decree in advance?"

Zhong Yao looked surprised and said, "Your Excellency has always respected the Duke. When he learned that the Duke was arguing with Zhang Liao, he immediately sent Lü Fan to Guanzhong to mediate. It was only because the Duke had always ignored the prohibition on alcohol that Lü Fan arrested him and detained him in Chang'an."

Wang Ji, who had calmed down a little, asked, "My father violated the order and drank alcohol, so he deserved to be punished. I just don't know why Lu Fan was detained?"

Zhong Yao pondered for a moment and said, "Perhaps Lü Fan knew that the prince's status was special, so he did not dare to punish him without authorization. Now he is detained in Chang'an, probably waiting for the prince to issue an order. Madam, don't worry, Lü Fan will not dare to treat the prince badly."

"good!"

Wang Ji came with high hopes but left with disappointment.

Watching Wang Ji leaving, Du Ji whispered, "Now I know why the Lord led the cavalry to inspect Daishuo?"

"Why?" Zhong Yao asked subconsciously.

Du Ji winked and said, "Although Madam lives in seclusion in her boudoir, she is very wise. If you return to Anyi and encounter the princes disobeying orders again, I am afraid that your harem will not be peaceful."

Before, Du Ji was not sure that what Lu Fan did was instructed by Zhang Yu, but now after meeting Wang Ji, Du Ji was 100% sure that Zhang Yu was behind Lu Fan.

Zhong Yao stroked his beard and smiled, emphasizing: "What Lu Fan did has nothing to do with you, you should be careful with your words!"

"Ok!"

After a long silence, Du Ji suddenly asked, "Does your Excellency resemble Emperor Gaozu?"

“Not really!”

"Like the Emperor?"

“Not really!”

"Is there anything similar?" Du Ji asked.

Zhong Yao smiled and said, "It's better if he's not like Ying Zheng!"

Zhong Yao's answer to Du Ji using Ying Zheng was a double entendre.

Firstly, although Qin unified the six kingdoms, it collapsed in the second generation. Therefore, unlike Ying Zheng, he could not hope that Zhang Yu would not make trouble after unifying the world and choose a good successor. Secondly, as the king of great unification, Ying Zheng did not treat his meritorious officials very well. Therefore, Zhong Yao hoped that Zhang Yu would be more kind to him.

"Ha ha!"

Du Ji pondered for a moment, and soon understood the deep meaning of Zhong Yao's words. He smiled and said, "After seeing this, how you treat Lu Fan will tell whether it is generous or not!"

"Seeing the big picture from the small details, Bo Hou has great wisdom!"

Zhong Yao said: "From now on, if Ziheng does not have the favor of the prince, he will have no place to stay!"

If there is to be mutual trust between the ruler and his subjects, there must not only be a personal relationship, but also interests involved, so that it can be sustained.

PS: My mother suddenly developed high blood pressure in the afternoon and was rushed to the emergency room of the hospital, which delayed the update time.

(End of this chapter)