Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 78: Chastity in Danger (4.2k)

In December, Li Song, Guo Tu and Cheng Pu left Luoyang and worked on making the Wanmin Umbrella. In order to seek Yuan Shu's help, Zhang Yu specifically asked Yuan Shu to allow the Runan Yuan family to sign the name.

When Yuan Shu first heard about the Wanmin Umbrella, he was both curious and surprised about this novel thing.

It should be noted that the Eastern Han society was actually very advanced in the means of reputation hype. Many filial and honest people and famous scholars were hyped up, including Wang Yun's early killing of eunuchs for fame, which was also a means of hype.

Due to the multitude of hype methods, a routine has actually emerged, such as comments, filial piety and other fame-making behaviors.

Today Zhang Yu took out the Umbrella of Ten Thousand People, which really elevated the Eastern Han Dynasty's means of hyping up its reputation to a higher level. This made Yuan Shu sigh that Zhang Yu's behavior was really not like that of a frontier boy. In terms of means of hyping up reputation, he was on par with the scholars in the Central Plains.

If Wang Yun could be released from prison because of the Wanmin Umbrella, his reputation would undoubtedly spread throughout Luoyang.

For the purpose of helping him, Yuan Shu allowed Zhang Yu to use the name of Runan Yuan family, but the person who signed the name could not be him, but a member of the Yuan family who was quite famous in Runan.

At the same time, Zhang Yu wrote letters to Zhong Yao and Yuan Mi, hoping that they would sign their names on the umbrella.

In order to create the Wanmin Umbrella, the Wang family mobilized almost all of their connections in Yuzhou, including the Xun, Zhong, Guo, Xin, and Chen families in Yingchuan, as well as the Yuan, Xue, and He families in Runan.

As for the signature of the three elders, Wang Yun's old officials helped him, and even bribed them with money to get the three elders to sign on the umbrella. Compared with the gentry, the three elders were more of a face-saving role.

When the Wanmin Umbrella was progressing smoothly, Zhang Yu and Wang Chen were able to visit Mrs. Cheng with the introduction of Yuan Shu.

Liujiu City, Mrs. Cheng’s residence.

Since Zhang Yu was welcomed into the mansion, because it was too big and had many rooms and corridors, he walked so much that he didn't even know the way home.

It was deep winter, and the weather was freezing cold, but once you entered the front hall, it was warm as spring. The hall was richly decorated, the furnishings were luxurious, and the floor was covered with soft blankets of very good quality.

There was a large screen in the middle, and behind the screen there were figures moving around, with occasional noises of laughter coming from the background. It was obvious that Mrs. Cheng was playing behind the screen with a group of handsome boys.

Across the screen, the attendant bowed and said, "Madam, Zheng County Magistrate Zhang Yu and Shaofu Assistant Wang Chen are outside seeking to see you!"

"Please welcome the two gentlemen!"

"promise!"

"Please!"

Zhang Yu bowed to the attendant to express his gratitude and walked along the carpet into the central hall.

But I saw two handsome young men playing Chupu with Mrs. Cheng. They were drinking and having fun, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

The rumored Madam Cheng is about fifty years old, but because she takes good care of herself, her skin is fair and tender, and her figure is well-proportioned, making her look like a middle-aged woman in her early forties. But if you look closely, you can still see wrinkles on her face.

"Your servant Zhang Yu pays his respects to Madam. I hope you can forgive me for disturbing you!" Zhang Yu said with a bow.

Madam Cheng played with the Chupu chess pieces in her hands and said calmly, "I originally had no intention of interfering in the affairs of the court, but I could not resist Yuan Gonglu's persuasion, so I have to see you two now."

"Take a seat!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Cheng!"

Zhang Yu straightened his posture, sat down at the table, and bowed respectfully again.

This time, Mrs. Cheng finally saw Zhang Yu's face clearly. His handsome face, high nose, and distinct facial features, coupled with his tall and sturdy figure, made Mrs. Cheng unable to help but take a few more glances at him.

As others said, Zhang Yu was indeed handsome and tall. Compared with Zhang Yu, the beautiful boy he raised was really pale in comparison.

Um~
Her gaze was very bold. Ordinary people, knowing what she did, would all look at her with contempt and disgust, as if she were a slut. But Zhang Yu was looking at her with interest, as if he was appreciating her beauty.

My appearance has faded, so how can I still attract a man like this?
With a little interest, Mrs. Cheng asked, "Can you drink?"

"I can drink quite well!"

"Bring some wine so that I, the two gentlemen, can have a drink!" said Mrs. Cheng.

"promise!"

"Why are you here to visit me?" asked Mrs. Cheng.

"My dear, the governor of Yuzhou, Wang Zishi, has been detained in the imperial prison by Your Majesty because he offended Chang Shi Zhang. It is deep winter now, and the prison is damp and cold. Your Majesty is old and I am afraid he will get sick. So I ran around and got the guidance of the governor of Henan. Now I have come to visit you, my dear." Zhang Yu said.

"Attendant Zhang?"

Madam Cheng frowned slightly and said, "I'm afraid I can't interfere in what happens to Chang Shi Zhang."

Hearing this, Wang Chen became a little anxious. Just as he was about to speak, he was stopped by Zhang Yu.

"I know Madam's current situation. If I had offended Attendant Zhang, I would not have dared to come to look for Madam."

Zhang Yu remained calm and said, "The case of Lord Wang is full of injustice, and the three ministers are fully aware of it. Lord Wang was initially sentenced to death, but after the intervention of the general and the commander, his sentence was reduced by one level and he is now imprisoned forever."

"Since you have the general and the commander to help you, why did you come to see me?" Mrs. Cheng asked.

Zhang Yu raised the wine cup and said with a smile: "Although you are a woman, your heart is with the Han Dynasty. Mr. Cui is a famous scholar in Hebei and served as the Minister of Justice. If it were not for your help, I would not be willing to pay five million to buy the position of Minister of the Court."

"Madam's help not only enriched the national treasury with five million yuan, but also helped to make virtuous officials worthy of their positions. In my opinion, if Madam were a man, she might be promoted to a high official!"

"And if Envoy Wang is a corrupt person, how dare I come to look for my wife!"

Mrs. Cheng raised her eyebrows slightly, seeming very satisfied with Zhang Yu's words.

Madam Cheng took a sip of the wine, leaving a faint red lip print on the rim of the cup, and smiled faintly: "It would be great if all scholars could talk like you. Now Mr. Cui was appointed as a minister for money, and he has been criticized by scholars a lot!"

Zhang Yu smiled and said, "Most scholars are vulgar, boastful and few have any talent. The reason why people criticize Cui Gong today is that they envy Cui Gong for being able to buy the three dukes with five million coins."

After a pause, Zhang Yu said self-deprecatingly: "I was appointed as a county magistrate as a palace official. Although I received Your Majesty's grace, it still cost me four million yuan."

Madam Cheng leaned slightly on the table, half leaning, and said with a smile: "If you had come to me at the beginning, you might have spent one or two million yuan and become the county magistrate."

"I just came to Luoyang and didn't know you, Madam!" Zhang Yu said, "I heard of your reputation today, so I came to pay a visit to you."

"Let's talk about what Wang Yuzhou did!"

Madam Cheng opened her rosy lips slightly, took a sip of the wine, and said with a smile: "Let me see if Wang Yuzhou is as you said, a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty."

Zhang Yu organized his thoughts and recounted Wang Yun's achievements in Yuzhou from beginning to end. He emphasized that Wang Yun offended Zhang Rang's officials because he was rectifying the administration of officials, and it was also because he searched for letters between Zhang Rang's followers and the Yellow Turban Army that he was worried about the country and so he submitted a memorial to Liu Hong.

As for the evidence, Zhang Yu said that the people of Yuzhou were making the Wanmin Umbrella for Wang Yun to prove his innocence.

Madam Cheng suddenly became interested again and confirmed, "My dear, what you said about the people of Yuzhou making the Ten Thousand People Umbrella for the king is true?"

"Don't dare to lie!"

Zhang Yu bowed and said, "The Ten Thousand People Umbrella is still in Yingchuan, and it will be delivered in a few days. If you don't believe in the Ten Thousand People Umbrella, you can send people to the counties of Yuzhou to look for it according to the surname on the umbrella. How dare Yu lie about this matter of public opinion!"

Madam Cheng nodded slightly and fell into deep thought. Seeing this, Zhang Yu said, "Madam, if you are worried about offending Chang Shi Zhang, why not invite His Majesty to your residence? Yu and the officials from Yuzhou will hold the Ten Thousand People Umbrella to meet His Majesty and explain to His Majesty the achievements of Envoy Wang in detail."

Madam Cheng suddenly understood something and said with a smile, "My dear, you are very smart. You know that Your Majesty trusts me, so you want to use me to convince Your Majesty that the Ten Thousand People Umbrella was sent by the people of Yuzhou."

"Madam is very intelligent. If she were a man, she would surely be promoted to a high-ranking official and serve the Han Dynasty!" Zhang Yu said.

After a pause, Zhang Yu suddenly smiled and apologized, saying, "Forgive me for my mistake. With your talent, even though you are not a man, you are still able to serve the Han Dynasty. Previously, I persuaded Lord Cui to invest in the appointment of three ministers, killing two birds with one stone. Now I have investigated the injustice of Envoy Wang and found a virtuous official for Your Majesty."

Mrs. Cheng covered her mouth and laughed, becoming more and more satisfied with Zhang Yu's eloquence.

Wang Chen was stunned. He knew his brother-in-law was sociable, but he didn't know he could do this. He could make an ignorant woman look like a patriot. What's more, his brother-in-law's words made sense.

My brother-in-law is good at martial arts, handsome, and also knows how to socialize. He is so cunning. Is this the kind of person that can be cultivated in the frontier environment?

"My dear, you are good at speaking, but I haven't agreed yet!" Mrs. Cheng said with a smile.

Zhang Yu raised the wine bottle and said with a smile: "Whether it succeeds or not, Yu is willing to listen to Madam's instructions. Yu toasts Madam, and I am sorry to bother you today."

Madam Cheng looked at Zhang Yu's beautiful face with her beautiful eyes and said, "From your accent, I can tell that you are from Bingzhou. I wonder what your relationship is with Wang Yuzhou?"

"I am not talented, but I was appreciated by the former prefect of Hongnong and became the son-in-law of the Wang family. Wang Yuzhou is my uncle, and this person is my brother-in-law." Zhang Yu said.

Hearing that Zhang Yu was married, Mrs. Cheng's heart became more and more excited, and she murmured, "He is Wang's perfect son-in-law!"

Seeing that Madam Cheng looked strange, Zhang Yu suddenly understood something and secretly complained in his heart. He wanted to convince the other party, not to really "sleep with" the other party. If he slept with the other party, he would probably lose his reputation. How would Wang Shi look at him?
Zhang Yu suddenly had an idea. He deliberately leaned forward to look at Madam Cheng, his expression showing a thoughtful look.

Mrs. Cheng thought her face powder had fallen off, so she subconsciously covered her cheeks and asked, "What's wrong?"

Zhang Yu was a little sad and said, "Madam looks exactly like an old friend of mine!"

"who?"

Zhang Yu took the initiative to approach Madam Cheng and said, "Madam, your features look exactly like my cousin!"

Zhang Yu sighed and said, "It's a pity that when the Xianbei went south to plunder, my cousin was killed by the Hu people."

Looking at Zhang Yu's tall and majestic figure, Mrs. Cheng couldn't help but think of something. She clamped her voluptuous legs together and asked, "Do I really look like your cousin?"

"I dare not lie!"

Zhang Yu said, "If she hadn't died then, my cousin would have been nearly thirty years old."

"Ok?"

Mrs. Cheng reflected on herself and asked, "I am much older than your cousin, how come we look similar now?"

Zhang Yu looked at Madam Cheng again and said with a smile, "I see that Madam looks like a woman in her thirties. How can I say how old she is? Moreover, Madam's features resemble those of my cousin. I dare not lie."

After saying that, Zhang Yu looked at the handsome young men on Madam Cheng's left and right and asked, "Are you two like this?"

"Correct!"

"As Mr. Zhang said, the lady looks like a woman in her thirties, and her complexion is very charming!" the handsome young man coaxed.

Although Wang Chen didn't understand what Zhang Yu was doing, he was amazed to see how Zhang Yu made Mrs. Cheng so happy.

Zhang Yu's sincere expression was slightly melancholy. He said, "I see you as if you were my own family. If you don't mind, I will treat you as my cousin. But if my words are rude, please forgive me."

Seeing Zhang Yu's melancholy expression, Mrs. Cheng felt distressed, but she was a little hesitant about whether to acknowledge Zhang Yu as her brother. After all, if she acknowledged her brother, she couldn't play with him.

At this time, the taller handsome boy understood the situation and the problem between the two, and said, "Madam, you came to Luoyang from Hebei, and you have few relatives around you. Now that Mr. Zhang is so brave and extraordinary, why don't you take him as your brother?"

After a pause, the handsome young man whispered, "Madam, you have been favored by His Majesty because of your mother, but this favor may not last long. Young Master Zhang was recommended by Yuan Henan. He is only young, but he has been promoted to the position of county magistrate. He is well-mannered and has great strategies. Madam, why don't you recognize him as your brother and help him in the future?"

These words made Mrs. Cheng realize that her wealth and status would not last long. If she did not show kindness to others, her children would be left without support if something happened to her.

Although the adopted brother is not close to him, he still has the title.

Moreover, even if Wang Yun did not have my help, with He Jin's help, he would probably be able to get out of prison. Now that I am helping Wang Yun, I have done a favor to Zhang Yu and the Wang family, isn't it a pleasure!
If we force Zhang Yu to stay because of greed, it may cause dissatisfaction on both sides.

"How could I not want to have a handsome brother?"

Mrs. Cheng smiled and said, "I don't know how to address my brother?"

"Yu Zi Ji An!"

Zhang Yu raised the wine cup and bowed, saying, "Greetings, cousin!"

Madam Cheng smiled, helped Zhang Yu up and said, "Just call me sister, why be so formal!"

"Congratulations madam!"

The handsome young man handed the wine bottle to Madam Cheng and said with a smile, "Madam, you will be loved by your younger brother from now on!"

"hehe!"

Mrs. Cheng was delighted, and Zhang Yu was also smiling. He didn't have to sleep with her, and he could still get things done, which was like killing two birds with one stone.

Besides being a homosexual, Madam Cheng's reputation was much better than that of the Ten Attendants, and she was considered neutral in Luoyang, otherwise Cui Lie would not have spent five million to buy the Three Dukes through Madam Cheng.

Now that I have this favor with Madam Cheng, I will interact with her more often in the future and maintain our relationship. If I want to be promoted quickly, I probably can't do without Madam Cheng's help.

Soon, Zhang Yu and Wang Chen left Madam Cheng's house.

Wang Chen was confused, and still couldn't understand how his brother-in-law and Mrs. Cheng got from talking about Wang Yun to recognizing siblings. Moreover, his brother-in-law left after recognizing his brother, and never mentioned the matter of the Wanmin Umbrella again.

"Ji'an, do you really have a cousin?" Wang Chen asked.

Zhang Yu shook his head and laughed, saying, "It's just nonsense. Yu has few relatives, so how can there be a cousin?"

"Then~"

Zhang Yu smiled bitterly and said, "I don't recognize Madam Cheng as my sister. I am afraid that I have to stay in her house today to make her agree to help my uncle."

In his previous life, he had been to many wealthy women and had been treated as sisters and brothers. It wasn't that he had a good relationship with them, but because he had the excuse of being sisters and brothers, he had a reason to interact with them in the future.

After a few visits or caring for each other, as the relationship deepens, many deals are done. Of course, if there is a conflict of interest, the "sister-brother" relationship will be as fragile as paper.

Today, I was able to successfully recognize her as my sister, thanks to the help of Madam Cheng's close minister. He knew that if Zhang Yu became Madam Cheng's lover, their status would be threatened, so it was better to sell himself off.

Wang Chen shook his head and sighed, feeling that after being in the capital for so long, he was not as good as Zhang Yu in this matter. It turned out that having a handsome face was indeed extraordinary.

"Book of Tang, Biography 6": At first, because Wang Yun reported Zhang Rang, the attendant of the emperor, for having an affair with the Yellow Turbans, Emperor Ling severely reprimanded Rang. Rang resented Yun and slandered him to Emperor Ling, who summoned Yun to be punished and detained him in the imperial prison. ... Madam Cheng was the tutor of Emperor Ling of Han. She loved men and often had beautiful young men serving her... Chen bribed her with money and made them his sister... Yun was finally able to get an explanation.

(End of this chapter)