Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 314 Qilin and Crowbird are from different genera

"Good that you understand! The rules of the temple are not your concern, but mine! The handling of personnel matters is none of your business!"

Upon hearing Zhang Dai's reply, Xue Tao's anger subsided slightly, but he then let out a cold snort.

Zhang Dai was dumbfounded upon hearing this. What did I understand? I clearly said that I, the top scholar in the imperial examination and the first in the palace examination, am not some kind of singer-songwriter. You must be blind! What the hell did you hear that?
Xue Tao ignored the silent Zhang Dai and sat back down at his desk. He then summoned a government official and said slowly in front of Zhang Dai, "Go to the Taile Department and release Lei Sibao outside the hall. Give him two pieces of silk for treatment of his injuries."

After saying this, he raised an eyebrow and looked down at Zhang Dai with a hint of defiance. Upon seeing this, Zhang Dai swallowed back the words that were about to come out. This guy was much like his father; both were the kind of clueless fools who couldn't communicate effectively.

The Xue family of Hedong was also a representative of the Guanzhong gentry, and the Xue family was a family that professionally intermarried with the Li family.

Xue Tao himself was related to the current emperor by marriage, being the father-in-law of the crown prince. His uncle, Xue Guan, married the daughter of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin; his cousin, Xue Shao, married the daughter of Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi; and his younger brother, Xue Jing, married the daughter of Emperor Ruizong Li Dan. Although all of them met tragic ends, they still frequently married into each other's families.

The Xue family, despite being relatives of the emperor, had no prominent figures in the court, which speaks volumes about their overall competence. One could even argue that if they truly possessed exceptional political talent, Emperor Xuanzong would likely not have considered them as in-laws, and certainly wouldn't have chosen a woman from their family as his crown princess.

So Zhang Dai was a little confused by Xue Tao's actions. You are the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and I am the Assistant Musician. Our official positions are vastly different. What is there to be proud of if you suppress me? Moreover, the dispute is about whether a drunken actor with poor skills should be punished.

Could it be that I guessed wrong, and this drunkard isn't the saintly father, but your father?

Despite his inner complaints, Zhang Dai didn't say anything more. Wise people act logically and methodically, and Zhang Dai wasn't afraid to discuss the matter at hand and argue his points based on reason.

But with this kind of stubborn person, you never know how he'll react next. And given the huge difference in their status and position, if you continue arguing, you'll only end up hurting yourself.

Adhering to the principle that a wise man doesn't fight a losing battle, Zhang Dai obediently suppressed his temper. But that didn't mean the matter was over. "You wait until my men arrive, and then we'll see if I don't deal with you!"
"I still have unfinished cases to attend to, and the Jixian Academy has a newly compiled volume of etymology that I need to retrieve and present to them. If you have no other instructions, I will take my leave now."

He knew in his heart that staying would not lead to anything good, so it was better to leave now. So he started making up stories again.

Upon hearing this, Xue Tao's eyes turned cold, and he immediately said, "The various departments of the Imperial City each have their own procedures. If the judge is in the right, even the Grand Secretary of the Southern Province cannot interfere lightly. Now that you have joined the Imperial Household Department, you must be self-disciplined and vigilant, and you must not divulge any confidential information. If you violate this rule, you will be severely punished!"

What secrets could the Court of Imperial Sacrifices possibly have that couldn't be discussed with others? This guy was just worried that Zhang Dai would go out and complain to his parents.

Zhang Dai had not originally intended to do so, but upon hearing the threat, he cupped his hands and said, "This humble official will remember your teachings, and will never divulge any personnel matters outside the department. If I violate this rule, I am willing to accept punishment."

Xue Tao stared at Zhang Dai with that dignified gaze for a moment before gently waving his hand to dismiss him.

After leaving the Dushi Hall, Zhang Dai took the Taichang examination records he had supervised that day back to the Xielu Lang Zhishi Hall, instructed the clerks to file them, inquired about the progress of some ongoing matters, and told another Xielu Lang, Ma Li, to notify him immediately upon his return. Then he got up and left the office, going straight home.

Not long after he arrived home, Zhang Yue also returned home, summoned him into the hall, and asked with a smile, "How does it feel to be in your new official position? Are you able to handle the people and affairs in your office?"

Although he had a less than pleasant day with his superior Xue Tao, there were no other issues or disagreements. Zhang Dai didn't want his grandfather to worry too much, so he replied with a smile, "My colleagues in the temple all know who I am. They have been very kind to my grandfather because of their respect for me. It's just that Minister Cui's concern is excessive and his authority is intimidating, which is a bit of a nuisance to me."

“Cui Rizhi is just like that. He likes to use his power in front of others, but he doesn’t realize that going too far is as bad as not going far enough. He makes people keep their distance and resent him, and he loses their respect.”

After hearing Zhang Shuo's evaluation of Cui Rizhi, Zhang Dai nodded secretly. See, he wasn't unaware that there was a problem with what he was doing, he just didn't think there was anything wrong with what he was doing.

He wasn't just reporting good news and hiding the bad; after thinking for a moment, he said, "Does Grandfather know what kind of person Xue Tao, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, is? Today, when he entered the hall to report on matters, his answers were stiff and not very approachable."

"I have never worked with Xue Tao, but I've heard people say he's not very good. Although he comes from a prestigious family and enjoys the honor of being related to the emperor, he's nothing but a sheep in tiger's skin, all show and no substance. He has neither benevolence nor the talent to establish a dynasty. He's just a wastrel who wastes resources while holding a position. There's no need to pay him any mind." Zhang Shuo said with a smile after hearing this. Although he had many flaws in his character and behavior, his talent was undeniable. He had risen from humble beginnings to become a high-ranking official and general, achieving remarkable feats. Naturally, he looked down on Xue Tao, a parasite who lived off his family's influence. Hearing that such a person dared to show disrespect to his beloved grandson, his evaluation was somewhat harsh.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Although this fellow is not capable of accomplishing anything, he does possess some ability to obstruct others. When I see him tomorrow, I will give him a few words of advice. Qilin and crows are not of the same kind. It is acceptable for him to be a usurper and to enjoy the credit without contributing, but to bother others in his spare time is just asking for trouble!"

"He's the Crown Prince's father-in-law!"

Seeing Zhang Shuo's completely dismissive attitude towards Xue Tao, Zhang Dai couldn't help but speak up again. Even if Xue Tao were a pig, let alone a member of the Hedong Xue clan, becoming the Crown Prince's father-in-law and future imperial father-in-law, his grandfather seemed utterly dismissive.

There's no need to take it to heart.

Upon hearing this, Zhang simply smiled and said, but did not elaborate further, probably feeling that Zhang Dai did not need to know these details at the moment.

Even if his grandfather hadn't said it in detail, Zhang Dai could sense that he didn't take the Crown Prince seriously, let alone the Crown Prince's father-in-law.

This disdain wasn't just a clever tactic of ignoring the crown prince while remaining loyal to the emperor; it was a genuine lack of concern. Compared to his lukewarm attitude towards the crown prince, he paid more attention to Prince Zhong. Take his uncle Zhang Ji, for example; although he held the official position of tutor to the crown prince, he frequently associated with Prince Zhong.

Historical records also state that Zhang Yue once commented that the Prince of Zhong resembled Emperor Taizong in appearance, which was a blessing to the nation. Such words may seem like the boasting and lies of some shameless individuals, but the close relationship between Zhang Yue's family and the Prince of Zhong is beyond question.

Historically, Zhang Ji married the Prince of Zhong's half-sister, and Zhang Guang became the Prince of Zhong's tutor. These relationships were all established during Zhang Yue's lifetime. Therefore, it can be said that aligning with the Prince of Zhong was a family development strategy determined by Zhang Yue during his lifetime.

The outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion not only caused a decline in the fate of the Tang Dynasty, but also led to the loss and dispersal of many historical records. The various revisions and additions made after the mid-Tang Dynasty were filled with political considerations and purposes, and also made many interpersonal relationships in the prosperous Tang Dynasty more complicated.

The portrayal of figures like the Loyal King as a pitiful, defenseless, and innately innocent saint who spends his life divorcing his wife and waiting for a windfall is clearly unfair.

Consort Wu Hui spent her entire life scheming and committing countless evil deeds, finally managing to win over the Crown Prince. However, on the eve of her victory, she died from the overwhelming psychological burden. This is truly fantastical; if she had such limited mental fortitude, could she have persevered for so many years?
Zhang Dai didn't think he needed to explore any historical mysteries. He simply believed that the succession to a regime was the underlying logic of various personnel developments, and if this point wasn't taken seriously, no amount of fussing would make a difference.

Take Li Linfu for example. No matter how much noise he makes, as long as he doesn't solve this most important underlying problem, it will all end in a dead end.

Zhang Yue certainly had such political awareness, and his disdain for the Crown Prince reflected his pessimism about the Crown Prince's future, at least he did not believe that the Crown Prince would have a chance to smoothly inherit the throne.

Zhang Dai was not the type to easily admit defeat, and his grandfather's attitude gave him even more confidence. So when he returned to the Taichang Temple office the next day and learned that all three of his superiors were there, he felt even more emboldened.

He first went to the Dushi Hall to pay his respects to the several officials. Seeing that they had no other instructions, he then said that he would continue to supervise the studies of the actors in the Taichang Temple that day.

Cui Rizhi and Wei Tao were unaware of yesterday's events. After all, it was merely a courtesan; whether or not he should be punished was a matter for which anyone could offer advice, and would be seen as causing trouble over a trivial matter. Xue Tao, on the other hand, actively inquired and intervened, which would be considered a lack of tact.

Cui and Wei naturally didn't care about this, as supervising the actors' studies was the duty of the music supervisor. However, Xue Tao stared intently at Zhang Dai after hearing this, his eyes filled with a hint of intimidation.

Zhang Dai paid no attention to this. He returned to the office, picked up his textbooks, and headed towards the Imperial Music Bureau. As he walked into the bureau, he noticed that the actors were looking at him strangely, even with a hint of contempt and mockery.

This is all quite normal. After all, who would respect an official who can't even discipline or punish actors?
Even if an emperor is reduced to a puppet, he can be beaten at will; if a powerful minister is chased under the bed, he can be beheaded at will. People fear you because you have the power to reward and punish, not because you are inherently ruthless.

After settling into the hall, Zhang Dai immediately beckoned to a servant and instructed him, "Summon Lei Sibao, the actor from yesterday. Today I will personally supervise his performance! If he is competent, reward him; if he is not, punish him!"

(End of this chapter)