Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 357 The Righteous Scholar of Longyou
Zhang Dai carefully reviewed all the registers and credentials of these people, and questioned them one by one to confirm that their identities were genuine and that they all had relatives or friends in the group who could vouch for each other.

His caution wasn't due to any prejudice against these people, but rather because he had offended quite a few, each with their own powerful connections. If they were to use underhanded tactics to frame him, he would be in deep trouble. And if these people were implicated, it would likely be a catastrophe.

Since there was no problem with these people's identities, Zhang Dai led them to Pingkangfang.

They also encountered some obstacles in Pingkang Ward. In the past, it was fine for Zhang Dai to come and go with a dozen or so family members and attendants, but now there was a larger group of soldiers, and they clearly had the air of soldiers. Naturally, the ward guards did not dare to let them into the ward casually.

Seeing the repeated setbacks, Chen Dong and the border soldiers who were on leave couldn't help but look uneasy, probably worried that Zhang Dai would be afraid of trouble and simply dismiss them.

Although things were a bit troublesome, Zhang Dai was not impatient. He first took the information of these people and went to the neighborhood office to find the neighborhood head and issue them a temporary pass.

In Chang'an, the ward chiefs were either appointed by the government or recommended by the residents. They were often respected elders or wealthy local figures. The ward chief of Pingkang Ward, however, was the chief chant leader of Bodhi Temple.

Zhang Dai initially doubted whether he had misheard, but seeing that everyone else seemed to take it for granted, he realized that he was making a fuss over nothing.

The chant master of Bodhi Temple, whose Dharma name was Zhiyong, was in his forties. He specially converted an outer wing of a monastery into a shop on Wuhou Street, where he was stationed to handle both temple and street affairs without any delay.

Since Zhang Dai had come in person, the wise and brave monk put aside his desk duties and carefully examined the household registration information of the soldiers. Then he personally wrote a pass and handed it to Zhang Dai, saying, "Young Master Zhang is a virtuous man in the court and a distinguished young man from a prominent family. He should know that the noble families in the neighborhood prefer to live in peace and quiet and do not like to be disturbed by visitors."

Therefore, these apprentices can work in the workshops, but it's best to avoid letting them wander off elsewhere. Their entry and exit must be at set times, and the number of personnel must be fixed…”

"Please rest assured, Master. Now that I have brought them into the monastery, I will naturally supervise them strictly and will not condone their behavior!"

Zhang Dai responded politely, but inwardly he sighed, increasingly realizing that the so-called prosperity of Chang'an was not equally open to everyone.

Even without illustrious military achievements, these border guards are an indispensable force in defending the frontier. Now, on their rotation leave back home, they face numerous restrictions. Once these men are gone and the Tibetan army marches into Chang'an, these restrictions will likely be lifted.

However, to put it another way, if an organization wants to maintain stability, it will naturally have various rules to maintain that stability, and different people within the system will have different roles and principles. If these border guards are able to break into Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, or even Chang'an, they will naturally be able to disregard the rules.

Putting these thoughts aside, Zhang Dai went out of the neighborhood to hand the pass to Chen Dong and also gave him some instructions on how to conduct activities within the neighborhood. Of course, he couldn't just let these people into the neighborhood and then ignore them; he would still arrange for his servants to supervise the work and arrange their meals and other matters.

It was already the end of the month, and Zhang Dai was on leave. Since he had nothing important to do at home, he stayed in Pingkangfang to oversee their work.

After arriving at the land, these people began to dig the foundation along the lines of the house layout that Chen Dong had drawn in advance, under his arrangement.

When breaking ground for a house, it is common to hold some ceremonies to ward off evil spirits. Zhang Dai had mentioned this to the monk Zhiyong, the chief of the Bodhi Temple, when he entered the neighborhood. Now, several monks from the Bodhi Temple came over with ritual instruments and chanted sutras.

Zhang Dai, of course, didn't understand any of this; he just watched the spectacle with amusement.

Pei Guangting's son, Pei Zhen, was off work today as usual. Seeing that construction had already begun at Zhang Dai's place, he came over and chatted with him: "Zhang Liu is currently hiring. When can we move in?"

"It should be about right before winter turns cold."

Zhang Dai watched the workers digging and replied with a smile.

In Chang'an after winter sets in, getting up at dawn to go to court is practically torture. On snowy days, one might even wish to resign from this dead-end official position and go home to sleep. Just thinking about it makes one feel a chill seep into their bones. This is one of the reasons why Zhang Dai wanted to buy property in Pingkangfang.

"By the way, I've been visiting your house a lot lately, and even your mother has been complaining. Do you know why?"

Pei Zhen couldn't help but ask again.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai couldn't help but admire Pei Guangting's tight-lipped nature. Their various plans had already reached the stage of substantial implementation, yet he hadn't revealed a single word to his wife and children, leaving Pei Zhen to ask him, an outsider.

Since Pei Guangting didn't say anything, he naturally wouldn't gossip about it either, so he shook his head and said, "You don't even know, how would I know these things! But one thing I can guarantee is that your father, Minister Pei, didn't come to my house to appreciate any kind of beauty or talent. Tell your aunt not to give me a cold shoulder when she visits again." The two chatted idly for a while, and before noon, the foundation of the main hall, the largest part of the project, had already been dug.

"Where did you find these laborers?"

Pei Zhen felt as if he had been in a daze for a moment, and when he looked again, he saw that the foundation of Zhang Dai's main hall had been completely dug. He couldn't help but stare wide-eyed in astonishment.

"You're supposed to be in charge of the Ministry of War, yet you can't see through these people's backgrounds?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai laughed and said, "They are garrison soldiers from the Longyou River source, Baishui and other areas, stationed around Chiling. They are most skilled at building beacon towers!"

Chiling is the dividing line between the Tang and Tibetan empires in Longyou. It belongs to the Qilian Mountains and served as the front line of the Tang-Tibet conflict. Both sides built a large number of defensive fortifications inside and outside Chiling to resist the other's attacks. Among these fortifications, the most famous one is called Shibao City.

Zhang Dai had reviewed the soldiers' registers. They were mainly garrison troops stationed in the western part of Shanzhou, belonging to several armies including Heyuan and Baishui.

Compared to the precipitous mountains and hard rocks of Chiling, the muddy ground of Pingkangfang was probably as easy to dig as tofu. With dozens of people working together, the foundation of the main hall, which covered more than an acre, was dug in just one morning. Of course, all of them were exhausted and drenched in sweat.

Zhang Dai had already arranged for his family to order food and dishes from the restaurant in the East Market. As the sun rose high in the sky, the restaurant in the East Market also sent over the ingredients, grills, and cooking utensils by oxcart.

When the laborers saw the three slaughtered and fat sheep and other abundant ingredients loaded on the oxcart, they couldn't help but swallow their saliva. Chen Dong hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Zhang Xielu is so kind. This meal must cost several dozen strings of cash."
The music commissioner, showing compassion for the soldiers, intended to provide them with ample meat and ensure they could exert their full strength. However, these were mostly rough, weak, and idle soldiers; a few flatbreads were enough to give them boundless energy. If their food rations were truly increased, they feared that after a day's work, they would not have enough to eat and would return home empty-handed.

"This midday meal is provided by the Lord as a reward for their hard work; wages will be paid separately. Tell these strong men to eat and drink as much as they want, as long as they don't miss their afternoon work, the Lord won't mind the food!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai smiled and said to Chen Dong, "Providing more food and supplies is not really about winning people's hearts."

Moreover, this small amount of food was nothing to him; it was a small favor, costing little, yet it greatly comforted the bodies and minds of these hardworking laborers—why not? His grandfather had plenty of money; if he didn't spend it soon, it would just accumulate bad luck at home!

"Hurry up and thank Young Master Zhang! Young Master Zhang is kind and generous, letting you eat and drink to your heart's content. The host provides the food, and wages will be paid separately!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Dong was overjoyed and immediately turned around to wave and call out to the soldiers.

Upon hearing this, the people scattered across the construction site immediately began to discuss among themselves, their faces filled with disbelief. Only after Chen Dong repeated the words did they applaud and cheer: "Young Master Zhang is so generous! We will certainly use all our skills to build you a sturdy house that is impregnable by a thousand armies and cannot be destroyed by bombs!"

Upon hearing the shouts, Zhang Dai was immediately exasperated. He waved his hands repeatedly, signaling the people to stop shouting. He was also relieved that there were only a limited number of workers. If there were hundreds or thousands shouting like that, even the Emperor in Xingqing Palace, which was across a neighborhood, would probably hear it.

These soldiers worked hard and had a real appetite. Several fat sheep were cooked and roasted, along with more than three hundred flatbreads and other dishes, which made up their lunch.

This was certainly due to the laborers' large appetites, but Zhang Dai also noticed that some soldiers were eating and taking things with them, each carrying several flatbreads under their clothes, so much so that their already tattered robes were sticking up.

Zhang Dai did not stop them, but he felt that carrying them around would delay their work and make them unpalatable after being soaked in sweat. So he got up and left temporarily, and ordered the innkeeper to bring over two hundred more flatbreads, instructing them to take them freely after work in the evening, and not to waste them by carrying them around in sweat and grime.

After giving these instructions, Zhang Dai went to Pei Zhen's house to cool off. Before they could even enter, Chen Dong caught up from behind and said to Zhang Dai, "Zhang Xielu is so kind and righteous that all his disciples are very grateful. They request that we continue working tonight and finish the house within the next month!"

Seeing the efficiency these people were putting in today, Zhang Dai believed they weren't exaggerating. However, after thinking for a moment, he waved his hand and said, "As long as they work diligently, that's fine. They work from sunrise to sunset, so there's no need to push them so hard. The daily wage is 150 coins, which will be paid after work. If I'm not here, my family members will handle the accounts and pay you accordingly!"

He wasn't planning to form an army for war; it was just a residence, so there was no need to work day and night.

After Chen Dong thanked him gratefully and left, Pei Zhen couldn't help but sigh, "At home, I thought that although Zhang Liu was of pure character, he was too impetuous, sharp and impetuous, and not good at getting along with those who disagreed with him. But seeing how considerate you are of these servants today, you really have a compassionate and gentle heart!"

(End of this chapter)