Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 33: The Powerful Family Faces a Blind Situation
Temporary fences were erected on both sides of the street in front of the Zhang family mansion in Kangsufang, prohibiting people from entering or leaving. The sand embankment in front of the gate had already been trampled into pieces by iron hooves.

Armored and sword-wielding Jinwu Guards stood both inside and outside the gates, robbing the mansion of its former majesty and grandeur. Instead, it was enveloped in a terrifying atmosphere of impending disaster. The residents who had come to watch the excitement didn't dare get too close, standing at a distance on the street corner, pointing and commenting.

The mansion was in turmoil. While the Jinwu Guards who had entered the house didn't go on a killing spree, their attitude was definitely not friendly. They moved through the various areas of the house, brandishing swords and sticks, shouting and driving all the Zhang family members and servants they saw into the center of the mansion. Anyone who dared to resist would be beaten.

In reality, the Jinwu Guards' orders only included surrounding the Zhang family's home, prohibiting entry and exit, and searching the property; they did not include any punishment for any members of the Zhang family. However, these soldiers had long harbored resentment towards Zhang Shuo for having accompanied him during the previous Fengshan ceremony and received scant rewards. Now that they had finally had the opportunity to show off their power at his doorstep, how could they remain calm and restrained?

The Zhang family lived in this house, and some of the young men took advantage of their family's status to develop arrogant and dissolute personalities. At first, they did not take the soldiers seriously, and even glared at them and shouted angrily: "You thieves, do you know whose house this is..."

"If I didn't know, I wouldn't dare enter! I've been ordered to investigate, yet you dare to disobey? Do you really think this iron blade is just for show?"

A Jinwu Guard soldier nearby sneered upon hearing this, drew his sword, and beat the young man of the Zhang family to the ground with the back of the sword. Then he stepped forward and stomped on him. When he was exhausted and wailing and dared not resist anymore, he dragged the young man of the Zhang family, with blood oozing from his mouth and nose, to the central hall of the house.

By this time, the main hall of the Zhang family mansion was gradually filling up. However, these were not the high-ranking officials and scholars who used to frequent the house, but members of the Zhang family and servants who had been driven here from all over the house. Even Lady Yuan of Yan and Lady Zheng of Zhang Jun, who had always lived in the inner chambers, were not spared.

Zhang Shuo, Zhang Jun, and his son were still in Southern Province and not at home at the moment. Standing next to Lady Yan was a young man in his twenties, dressed in fine clothes. This was Zhang Shuo's second son, Zhang Yi, who accompanied his mother closely.

Yuanshi was driven to the central hall by the Jinwu Guards who suddenly broke into the house. Her face was frightened and haggard, but when she saw her children being brutally beaten and humiliated by these soldiers, anger rose in her heart again. She kept looking at her son Zhang Yi beside her, signaling him to step forward and dissuade such behavior.

The other members of the family were either commoners or held low positions, but Zhang Yi had been promoted to the fifth rank after the Fengshan ceremony, and this status was still somewhat intimidating.

However, Zhang Yi just frowned, with an angry and stern expression, and stood beside his mother with his head down and fists clenched. He was very emotional, but did not respond to the hint in his eyes at all.

Seeing her son remained motionless, Yuan Shi pushed aside the others in front of her and slowly approached the Jinwu Guard commander standing at the entrance of the hall, sword in hand. She said in a deep voice, "Excuse me, General, before you enter the house, is there a written judgment besides the imperial decree? What crime have the officials in the court sentenced my Zhang family members to? If the crime is truly unforgivable, the South Market is not far away, and execution is also acceptable. What is the punishment for assaulting and humiliating people in this house?"

"This general led the army here to act according to the imperial order. It does not involve any criminal offense. The soldiers are rough and unruly, and any offense was unintentional. The old lady is safe in the hall, and I will give her a warning."

Upon hearing this, the Jinwu Guard commander's face showed a hint of embarrassment. Zhang Shuo had been impeached by the Censorate in the imperial court today and was currently being interrogated in the Southern Province. The exact charges against him were still pending.

These Jinwu Guards entered the house only to monitor the family. Now they beat up the Zhang family members. If we really look into it, it can be regarded as lynching.

The general had previously indulged the soldiers in this behavior with the intention of taking the opportunity to vent his anger. When he heard Lady Yan's protest, he walked out of the hall and scolded them loudly, and only then did his similar behavior subside slightly.

"Mother, why bother getting angry with these soldiers? Once the storm is over, I will never let them go!"

When Zhang Yi saw that the general was still able to communicate effectively, his tense and stiff expression relaxed slightly. He quickly walked to his mother and whispered hatefully.

Yuan looked at her son, opened her mouth but said nothing. After returning to the hall, she said to the clansmen, "Your Excellency is loyal and diligent, and you know both inside and outside. If you encounter a minor disaster, there is no need to be afraid. Things may be difficult for a while, so you should all be at ease, gather the people in your own rooms, don't make a fuss, and don't say anything careless!"

After hearing Lady Yan's words, everyone in the hall felt somewhat relieved, and then they all went to their relatives and masters. However, at this moment, a slightly abrupt shout suddenly rang out from Zhang Jun's wife, Zheng: "Liu Lang is not here, Liu Lang is not here..."

"Shut up!" Zhang Gu, the head of the mansion, was quick-witted and quick-handed. He stepped forward and slapped the shouting maid.

Yuan also frowned and stared at Zheng, and whispered, "If you can't teach people, don't keep them around!"

"It is my fault for not being able to discipline my child properly. Please wait for the old lady to make the decision."

Zheng rolled her eyes at Su Qiniang, who had been slapped, and bowed to Lady Yan. Then she whispered, "It's just that these soldiers came in so aggressively, and they'll probably check to see who's missing from the clan. Are we going to bring more guilt upon our family just to cover up that bastard?"

"I'll tell you when you ask! My husband and son are both in prison. If they can't be pardoned, what good will it do to our safety?"

Yuan murmured, and seeing a hint of dissatisfaction in Zheng's eyes, she added softly, "Even if the entire family perishes, one or two should be left behind to collect the remains. A single grave will be shared by all, and a handful of earth will be added to your body! Human relationships are like a web. If he doesn't want to harm you, why tear him apart?" Zheng heard the anger in her mother-in-law's words and quickly bowed her head in agreement. However, when she saw her son Zhang Cheng, who lay anxiously beside her, resentment welled up in her heart. Even if one or two were to be left behind, why couldn't they be her sons? She had her own children, so why should anyone else give her a handful of earth?
Now the whole family is suffering here, but that evil kid is lucky enough to stay outside in order to build a monument for his deceased mother!
Zheng became more and more angry when she thought of this. She even recalled the fortune teller's verdict years ago. When she thought about the current situation, she believed it more and more. She couldn't help but secretly hate herself for being too kind before. If she had made up her mind to get rid of the evil seed earlier, perhaps this disaster in her family could have been avoided.

When people are in adversity, their thoughts tend to become extreme. Zheng already had prejudice and hostility towards the illegitimate son, and now she became even more upset. After the house was searched and the clansmen were sent back to their respective places, she summoned Su Qinnan and whispered to her.

"Isn't this inappropriate? Just now the old lady said..."

Su Qiniang's face immediately turned awkward upon hearing this, while Zheng frowned and said in a low voice, "There are over a hundred people in our family, who wouldn't want to live? If you don't make a fuss, who knows who will tell on her? Besides, that evil creature is a disaster-bringing nuisance. If we can seize the opportunity to finish him off, our family will be safe! You've always said your son wanted to seek a career in government. Now that this one's done, I'll arrange it for you."

"This, this, thank you for your grace, mistress." Su Qinnan heard that her mistress had made up her mind, so she didn't dare to refuse anymore. Moreover, she heard that the reward was quite considerable, so she immediately made up her mind and nodded in response.

Zhongshu Ling Zhang Shuo was impeached by the Imperial Censor Cui Yinfu, the Imperial Censor-in-Chief Yuwen Rong, and Li Linfu. His house was surrounded by Jinwu Guards, and the news quickly spread throughout the city.

After Zhang Luo realized that the situation was not good outside Kangsufang in the south of the city, he rode his horse north. When he crossed the Xinzhong Bridge and arrived at the north bank of Luoshui, he could even vaguely hear people on the road talking about things related to Zhang Shuo.

The impeachment of Zhang Shuo by the Censorate was made during the morning court session today, and now it is already late afternoon, and because Luobei is close to the imperial city, the news from the imperial city can reach here earlier. On the way, there are even people who describe the scene at that time in vivid detail, as if they had experienced it personally. It is unclear whether they really saw it or were just making it up.

People's joys and sorrows are not shared. What may be a calamity to some may be just a topic of conversation for others. If it weren't for the matter itself, Zhang Luo would have liked to stop and listen to the opinions and feelings of the people of Luoyang about it, but now he didn't have the mood or time for it.

To the north of Xinzhong Bridge lay the Caoqu and Xintan. Most of the grain ships and passenger and cargo vessels arriving from the east entered Xintan via the Caoqu, gathering and distributing people and goods. As a result, this area was the busiest in Luoyang City, surpassing even the South and North Markets, as both merchants and goods flowed through this area.

Although Zhang Luo's finery and impressive horsemanship might have drawn considerable attention, once he approached the canal, he felt like raindrops entering a river or fish swimming into the sea. The streets were bustling with people and goods, and the canal's floating bridge was especially congested. Zhang Luo had to dismount and lead his horse across, even silently reciting the lines of "Qi's Linzi, three hundred households..."

But this crowded and noisy environment also gave him a great sense of security, as he didn't have to worry about being tracked down by the Jinwu Guards and arrested on the street.

After squeezing out of the crowded Caoqu streets and alleys, the streets to the north were not so crowded, but they were still very lively, with people and horses still noisy on the streets. Zhang Luo even doubted whether the residents nearby could sleep at night. How could they bear it?

No wonder, whether it was Zhang Shuo, a minister of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, or Pei Du and Bai Juyi of the mid-Tang Dynasty, they all settled in Fangqu, Luonan. Luobei is lively, but it is also noisy and not very suitable for living.

Zhang Luo's destination this time was Qinghuafang. After squeezing out of Caoqu Street, he walked north for more than a mile and arrived there.

As soon as you enter the alley, you will be greeted by a bustling atmosphere of the city. Bakeries, restaurants, and even flag-gathering restaurants that are rare in other alleys can be found everywhere here. Although they dare not open their doors on the street, there are many servants outside the shops shouting to solicit business.

As soon as a wealthy man like Zhang Luo, dressed in fine clothes, entered the market, he was spotted by several people. Not only did they come up to him and try to hold the reins of his horse, but even several coquettish Hu girls came up to him and tried to make contact with him. The strong smell of spices and the sour smell of wine lees lingered on their bodies. Only when Zhang Luo glared at them and scolded them did they retreat in anger.

Qinghuafang is a comprehensive area that not only has residential functions, but also has restaurants, hotels, guesthouses and inns. There is also the Duting Posthouse and the official residence of the Zuo Jinwu Guard in the area.

Zhang Luo came to Qinghuafang, of course, not to play tricks under the lamp and think that he would not be caught by hiding in the lair of Jinwuwei. He came to look for the eunuch Niu Guier who had just impersonated him. The address he left was in Xiqu, Qinghuafang.

The current situation is complicated. Whether it is the disaster suffered by Zhou Liang's family or the Zhang family that has been caught in the quagmire of political struggle, it is not something that Zhang Luo can handle alone. The only person he can turn to is his aunt Wu Huifei in the deep palace.

Zhang Luo had previously dared to enter Henan Prefecture with Niu Gui'er's fish token, but now he didn't dare to trespass into the palace. It wasn't because he was afraid, but because he knew it was useless. Since Niu Gui'er had given him the fish token, he would definitely report it lost and cancel it upon returning to the palace, and then replace it with a new one to allow him to enter and exit.

Henan Prefecture couldn't verify the authenticity of the fish token, but the palace could. If Zhang Luo really wanted to use the fish token to break into the palace, he would undoubtedly walk into a trap and expose his own stupidity and frivolity. Then there was no need to expect Concubine Wu Hui to pay attention to him.

So after arriving at Xiqu, Qinghuafang, Zhang Luo began to knock on the doors of various houses and ask where Niu Guier's home was.

(End of this chapter)