Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 306 A Letter to the King

Without Zheng's presence, the air in the Zhang family mansion felt much fresher. Of course, it could also be a psychological feeling brought about by the removal of the sorcery curse.

People always have to look forward, and Zhang Dai, in particular, knew what he would face and solve in the future, so he was even less likely to stand still and hesitate.

Zhang Jun quickly packed his bags and left home. From then on, his younger brother and sister became Zhang Dai's responsibility, and judging from Zhang Jun's expression, it seemed that he intended to add even more burdens.

Zhang Dai wasn't afraid of taking responsibility; he just hated that people who should have worked together with him had become obstacles and burdens. As long as the personnel matters could be straightened out, he wouldn't be afraid of the size of the responsibility.

Moreover, his grandparents are still alive and well, and other members of his clan are helping to take care of them, so he doesn't need to drop out of school or go on strike to stay home and look after his children.

Time quickly passed to early June, the day when Zhang Dai was to go to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to assume his new post.

He gets up early in the morning, first checking on Zhang Yu's recovery, then holding and soothing his younger sister Zhang Juanjuan, who had woken up early and was being noisy, before washing up and having breakfast. Although it hasn't been long, it has already become a habitual routine in his daily life.

After he finished breakfast, his family members who were going out with him were already ready, and then they went out together.

Just as Zhang Dai spurred his horse into the street, several men strode briskly towards him; they were Jiang Xingwei and several of his elite soldiers.

"I remember that I was to take up my post as Grand Master of Ceremonies today, and I rushed here to escort you after the city gates opened. Fortunately, I am not too late!"

Jiang Xingwei hurriedly came to the front of the horse and said to Zhang Dai with his hands clasped.

"You walked here, didn't you have horses to get around?"

Seeing that their faces were covered in sweat, Zhang Dai asked them a question.

It is now the height of summer. There may still be some coolness at dawn, but it will quickly become very hot once the sun rises in the morning. To get from Qinghuafang in the north of the city to Kangsufang, one has to cross most of the city, and it is inevitable to be exhausted and drenched in sweat.

Jiang Xingwei wiped the sweat from his face and then sighed, “We do have horses, but the living quarters in the city are cramped, and people can barely stretch their legs. There is no place to keep horses, so we can only temporarily keep them in temples outside the city. It is inconvenient to go in and out to get them. It would be better to use our feet instead of horses.”

After hearing this, Zhang Dai pondered for a moment, then sent someone home to summon Ding Cang and instructed him: "Go and ask the steward of my household if we have any vacant houses near Qinghua Ward. If so, prepare one; if not, rent one for the Jiang family to stay in. No need to charge rent."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingwei was overjoyed, but he quickly lowered his head and said, "How could I dare to bother Sixth Brother with such a trivial matter!"

“It is indeed a trivial matter, not worth mentioning. You helped me teach Ge Yanchang a lesson that night, so you deserve a reward. I forgot before, so I will make up for it with this.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai spoke up again. To be honest, if it weren't for the past entanglements between Jiang Xingwei and Yingniang, there would be no harm in simply giving him a mansion. However, he still had reservations about this person, and if he wanted to gain his complete approval, he would naturally have to work even harder.

"Thank you Rokuro, thank you Rokuro!"

Jiang Xingwei was originally from Luoyang, and upon returning to the capital, he naturally wanted to settle down again. If he could befriend the Zhang family, a powerful local clan, the benefits he would receive would go beyond just political support. Seeing that Zhang Dai had finally shown him goodwill, he was very excited.

Zhang Dai then had his family bring out several horses for Jiang Xingwei and his companions to ride. As they traveled, he noticed that Jiang Xingwei looked exhausted and had bloodshot eyes, so he smiled and said, "Have you already suffered the revenge of Lord Geng?"

"I was ordered to clean the armory of the garrison the other day, but was suddenly intercepted by ten thousand cavalry. Fortunately, my comrades rescued me for a while. There are also scoundrels lingering around the neighborhood trying to test me. I must be vigilant day and night."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingwei sighed, but he dared not complain too much to Zhang Dai. He quickly added, "Even without the instructions given by Liu Lang, these former disciples of the Northern Gate would not treat us well. Fortunately, our duties do not overlap at present. Even if Lord Geng wanted to harm us, he could only use these underhanded tricks. As long as we are careful, there is nothing to fear. Compared with patrolling Chiling Haidong and hunting down Tibetan spies, it is far less dangerous."

Wang Maozhong, serving as the Palace Attendant Supervisor, oversaw both the inner and outer stables, giving him broader authority and a say in the deployment and arrangement of the Left and Right Imperial Guards. Ge Fushun's authority, on the other hand, primarily rested within the Ten Thousand Cavalry, placing him in a separate system from the Imperial Guards.

In other words, the two had fallen out over their children's marriage and were no longer as close as before. Otherwise, if these border guards had rashly entered the North Gate Guard system, they would have been even more ostracized and attacked, making it even harder for them to gain a foothold.

Of course, if it weren't for the previous events, the border guards probably wouldn't have entered the palace guards. Overall, although Gao Chengxin did a pretty terrible job, it wasn't entirely without positive significance; at least it pried open a crack in the tangled personnel situation at the North Gate.

“These officials at the North Gate are just bullying others because of their past merits and rewards. It is the will of Heaven that you border guards are appointed to the palace. Even if they are dissatisfied, what can they do? Does keeping a yellow dog under the window mean that we don’t need to add an iron bolt to the door? If the yellow dog barks wildly and neglects its duties because of this, it will be this iron bolt on the door that kills it in the future!” Seeing that Jiang Xingwei was still somewhat dejected, Zhang Dai smiled and said again. When it comes to making empty promises, he is quite professional now. Fearing that this guy would be discouraged if he did not see any change in personnel, he first gave him a pep talk.

As expected, Jiang Xingwei nodded excitedly upon hearing this, saying, "Sixth Brother is absolutely right! The Imperial Guards are of utmost importance, so naturally the capable rise and the incompetent fall. Those slave officials at the North Gate are completely gone..."

"It's fine to keep these words in mind, but one should be careful what one says!"

Seeing that he was getting carried away, Zhang Dai quickly reminded him in a deep voice, "The guards at the North Gate don't need to be particularly strong in martial arts. The inner palace isn't a battlefield of swords and horses, and the emperor doesn't need to fight on the front lines. If you were to have the courage of ten thousand men, would the emperor feel at ease keeping you in the palace all day?"

If these border guards think that they can eliminate these people by virtue of their military skills, which far surpass those of the soldiers at the North Gate, then they are sorely mistaken.

If such thoughts were clearly expressed, not only would they be unacceptable in the North Gate, but even attempts to defect would be impossible; they would only be sidelined or even disposed of under some pretext. Ultimately, the North Gate needs stability, not a place for any lone hero or self-aggrandizement.

Jiang Xingwei had not been in court for long and might not have grasped the meaning, but upon hearing Zhang Dai's words, he quickly lowered his head and said, "I have remembered your instructions, Sixth Brother, and I will never speak recklessly in front of others!"

To be honest, apart from his character, this guy is very satisfactory in every other aspect, such as his tact, ability, and courage. After all, he rose from a poor soldier to a fifth-rank imperial guard general, and he didn't do anything like political opportunism or coups in the Imperial Guard. He relied on his solid skills and hard work.

Zhang Dai couldn't help but sigh inwardly that no one is perfect. Then he thought of Jiang Xingwei's old superior, Wang Jun, and asked again, "What is your personal relationship with General Wang of Hexi? Can you write a note about it?"

"Does Liu Lang wish to make the acquaintance of General Wang, a man of great talent and skill? It's a pity that Liu Lang was traveling when General Wang entered the capital. If you wish to send a letter, I can do so on your behalf. However, General Wang is very busy with official duties, and it is uncertain when he will reply."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingwei quickly replied.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai realized that his relationship with Wang Jun was merely casual, probably just that of a superior and subordinate, and he wasn't sure if Wang Jun would take his letter seriously.

However, considering that Wang Jun would be ambushed and killed by the Uyghurs this autumn due to carelessness and underestimation of the enemy, causing a major change in the situation in Longyou and Hexi, and then years of continuous fighting between Tang and Tubo until Prince Xin'an Li Yi captured Shibao City, which brought the situation back to stability, and that the current situation had not yet occurred, Zhang Dai wanted to try again to see if he could turn the situation around a little.

He had previously tried to suggest that the king be summoned to court and replaced by someone else, but firstly, he was of low status and his words carried little weight, and secondly, the king was currently a man of outstanding merit and a good choice to guard the border, so it was difficult to change his mind so easily. Therefore, nothing came of it.

Now he intends to exert direct influence on the King by writing a letter to him, reminding him to be wary of the Tibetan retaliatory offensive this autumn and to guard against the Uyghurs' covert attacks.

However, it must be clear that the King had long been aware of the unrest among the four tribes, including the Uyghurs, which is why he took a series of actions against them. Zhang Dai's reminder was not something he was unaware of.

Therefore, Wang Jun's murder was ultimately partly due to his personality, rather than a lack of understanding of the situation.

Sending a letter wasn't particularly difficult for Zhang Dai. If it could remind the king to strengthen his defenses and prevent an ambush, that would be ideal. Even if it ultimately couldn't be avoided, Zhang Dai wouldn't regret not having done enough.

So he said to Jiang Xingwei, "I truly admire General Wang greatly, but it is a pity that I have never had the chance to meet him. I hope that when General Wang comes to court again to report the victory, I will have the honor of meeting him. I will write a letter to him to establish a connection, and I would appreciate it if you could send it to General Wang for me. If it can be delivered before autumn, that would be even better!"

"Don't worry, Liu Lang, I will definitely handle this matter properly!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingwei nodded hurriedly and said, and after a moment he couldn't help but sigh, "Lord Zhang Yan has made numerous meritorious contributions on the frontier and has implemented countless benevolent policies in the court. He has served as both a general and a prime minister, reaching the pinnacle of a minister's career. He is truly the envy of everyone! If you, Sixth Brother, wish to follow in your ancestors' footsteps and dedicate yourself to frontier service, I, though unworthy, am willing to introduce you to all the brave warriors I have encountered and made acquaintances on the frontier during my more than ten years of military service!"

"That would be wonderful. To bring peace and stability to the country and to display one's might in foreign lands is the lifelong ambition of every man. If one can achieve this, what more could one ask for!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai smiled and said that he was really looking forward to Jiang Xingwei introducing him to some heroic figures in the future.

As they spoke, the group had already arrived outside the imperial city.

Jiang Xingwei was currently serving as a guard, but he took half a day off to escort Zhang Dai. This escort trip was very rewarding for him, and their relationship improved considerably.

After escorting Zhang Dai into the capital, he took his leave with satisfaction, while his few disciples remained to serve him, waiting outside the capital with Zhang Dai's servants for Zhang Dai to finish his shift.

(End of this chapter)