Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 410 Acquisition of the Villa
"Zhang Liu is truly a genius! Wei Heng is really willing to sell, really willing to sell!"

At dawn, Zhang Dai was heading to work when he saw Dou E riding towards him, looking excited. The young man reeked of alcohol and had a slightly drunken look in his eyes. He stopped his horse in front of Zhang Dai and shouted excitedly.

Zhang Dai was not surprised by this, and looked at Dou E with a smile, asking, "What was the final price agreed upon?"

"One thousand strings of cash! Wei Heng agreed to it for just one thousand strings of cash! I saw his eyes redden and his voice tremble when he accepted the price; he must have been heartbroken!"

Dou E said excitedly, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Zhang Dai: "What methods did you use to control Wei and make him sell this garden property, worth more than ten thousand strings of cash, at such a low price?"

"You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you, just remember that I always keep my word and there's no need to doubt me!"

Zhang Dai was happy to maintain a certain air of mystery about his extraordinary abilities and omnipotence in front of his friends. He then said with a smile, "Since we have already made a plan, let's go to the government as soon as possible and finish this deal quickly, so as not to cause any unforeseen complications or changes."

"Of course I understand. I came to find you this morning not only to tell you the good news, but also to arrange to go to the Jingzhao Prefecture together this afternoon to sign the contract! You still have to go back to your office to work? Then I'll go find Li Jiu first, and wait for you outside the Zhuque Gate this afternoon so we can go to the Jingzhao Prefecture together!"

Upon hearing this, Dou E nodded hurriedly and said that he now admired Zhang Dai to the point of complete devotion and would obey his every word.

"I won't go. You can keep the garden in your name for now. If Master Bi asks about it in the future, you can tell your elders that you weren't idle and that you managed to build a beautiful business without saying a word."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Dai said that he knew very well that no matter what the other party's reasons were for making such a sacrifice and concession, they must be extremely resentful. If they had the opportunity in the future, they would definitely try to take revenge.

The recent experience of Gen Kiyoshi, son of Gen Kengyo, has set a rule for all the spoiled brats in the capital region: if they abuse the power of their elders for personal gain, the maximum penalty is death, and they cannot even be considered for the Eight Deliberations.

Zhang Dai also had to be wary of the other party using this as an excuse to find fault and later falsely accuse him of coercing Wei Heng to sell the garden at a low price when his grandfather was the examiner.

After all, the Wei family was no ordinary family, and Yuwen Rong also had great power. Whether it was his success in becoming prime minister or his desire for revenge after seeing no hope of becoming prime minister, his destructive power was astonishing.

"This...this, you really trust me that much?"

Upon hearing Zhang Dai's words, Dou E's face lit up with excitement and a look of immense trust. He stared at Zhang Dai and said...

"There are some risks involved, let me explain them to you in detail first."

Zhang Dai certainly couldn't fool the fool Tuo Lei. If they wanted to work together for a long time, honesty was essential.

He dismounted and walked slowly along the street with Dou E, explaining his considerations in detail before saying, "If the Wei family continues to pursue this matter, you will inevitably face some trouble and criticism. If you refuse to agree to this, we can discuss it further."

“What is there to discuss! Zhang Liu, you provided the money and the wisdom, and you even helped us. Since you trust me, I will do my duty without hesitation! They may accuse you of abusing Zhang Yan Gong's power, but I have only ever been concerned with money and women in my life. What is there for them to fear? They will certainly not be able to falsely accuse me on this basis. It is fine to put this garden property in my name!”

After hearing Zhang Dai's explanation, Dou E immediately patted his chest and laughed as he spoke.

Sometimes, incompetence is a form of protection. Dou Xiguan, the Duke of Bi, was the maternal uncle of the current sage, but he himself had no talent whatsoever, and his brothers merely relied on this status to get by.

This is also one of the reasons why Zhang Dai chose Dou E as his intermediary. If Dou E were to use this as a pretext to cause trouble in the future, the person facing him would be the current emperor's uncle and cousin, as well as his future son-in-law, and would have no direct connection with Zhang Dai.

After discussing the matter with Dou E, Zhang Dai headed straight for the capital. Since Wei Heng had already made such a concession, the Ministry of Personnel would inevitably make corresponding changes, and he naturally needed to provide some feedback.

When good things happen, people are in high spirits. The thought that after acquiring the Wei Family's Xiaoyao Garden, he could officially start promoting the construction of the tea garden, even though the location was not his other favorite Wei Family's Tapi, the Fengqi Plain where Xiaoyao Garden was located was not far from the city and would be easy to manage, made Zhang Dai very happy.

As fate would have it, when Zhang Dai arrived at the Ministry of Personnel again, he saw Wei Heng walking towards him from the opposite direction. He immediately put on a friendly expression and raised his hand to greet him.

However, Wei Heng's mood was not as pleasant as his. His eyes were wide open, as if he wanted to spit fire from his eyes and burn Zhang Dai, that bastard, to death.

But how can fire spit from a person's eyes? The soldiers suffered even greater injustices and were nearly ruined, yet they still could not do anything to these instigators.

Although Wei Heng had also suffered considerable losses, his family was wealthy enough that he wouldn't have to worry about food today, especially since he would receive a thousand strings of cash from the land sale later. Zhang Dai pondered this in his mind. After entering the hall, he didn't rush to review the records, but instead summarized and organized his previous findings. Even if some things couldn't be done now, he could still prepare for the future.

In the morning, Zhang Shuo sent someone to summon Zhang Dai. After Zhang Dai entered the hall, Zhang Shuo said directly, "Yuwen Rong just came here and asked when you would leave. He is in a bit of a panic, probably because you have a hold on him. You should not stay here any longer. If Du Xian really intends to stop him, it would be best if he were to step in."

Zhang Dai knew that his grandfather was worried that he would be used as a pawn to cross the river, and wanted him to withdraw quickly before the situation got out of control, so as not to be used as cannon fodder when the conflict broke out.

"Lord Du's original intention was simply to serve the country and expand its influence. If Vice Minister Yuwen truly possessed such abilities, Lord Du would not have suppressed him so vehemently due to the struggle for power and position. His visit to my grandfather without paying a visit to Lord Du is indeed quite arrogant."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Dai spoke.

While Du Xian's sending himself was certainly intended to put Yuwen Rong in a difficult position, it was also a strategic move. More importantly, it was because his grandfather was taking the annual examinations; Du Xian himself didn't have the resolve to fight Yuwen Rong to the bitter end. After all, Yuwen Rong's ambition posed a threat to the entire group of prime ministers, not just to him.

Pei Guangting also sent someone to deliver a message, asking me to tell you to stop while you're ahead and not to push too hard, lest the others cause trouble.

Zhang added that while Pei Guangting and Yuwen Rong were indeed in competition, their ultimate goal was to become prime minister. If Yuwen Rong were made too uncomfortable, it would demonstrate that the prime minister still held considerable control over the political situation, which wouldn't be conducive to his eventual replacement.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai sighed inwardly. This ugly politics, indeed, has no eternal friends, only eternal interests.

His original intention in doing this was simply to vent his own frustrations and those of the people who had suffered unjustly, and to make the bad guys pay a price.

It is only because he chose to focus on the most critical fiscal issue in the country, coupled with the delicate power struggle between the various parties in the DPRK and China, that it has attracted much attention.

“I am but a lowly official, and I have neither the courage nor the ability to investigate further. Since my grandfather thinks I should leave as soon as possible, then I will leave. However, since Lord Du sent me here, I should give him an explanation when I return.”

Zhang Dai knew that the support he received from Du Xian was a crucial factor in his ability to act arrogantly in the Ministry of Personnel and force Wei Heng to make huge concessions. He couldn't just take the benefits and leave without giving Du Xian any explanation.

"I will handle Du Xian's affairs myself, so you don't need to worry about them anymore. Since the Kaiyuan era, there have only been two or three people who have held power in the country. After Xiao Song entered the court, he was already in an awkward position. The best course of action now is to retire gracefully and avoid any worries about the future."

When Zhang finished speaking, he couldn't help but sigh.

The political landscape is constantly changing, and no one can remain in power forever. Back then, Du Xian entered the court as a border official and became prime minister, enjoying unparalleled glory and ambition. He was eager to make a name for himself, but he soon became embroiled in endless personnel struggles.

Now, what they need to consider is no longer what to do within the current situation, but how to end things gracefully and avoid becoming stepping stones or tools for establishing authority for those who come after them. For example, Zhang Shuo almost suffered utter ruin last year due to a single misstep.

Now that Zhang Shuo had taken on the matter, Zhang Dai no longer needed to worry about it. Seeing that Zhang Shuo's desk was still piled high with files, he asked again, "Is the examination process still very busy?"

"It's almost over."

When Zhang said this, a hint of disappointment appeared on his face. The busyness of this period of time made him feel as if he had returned to the days when he was still the prime minister. But the examination was only a temporary task and would come to an end in March or April at the latest.

He composed himself slightly and then looked at Zhang Dai, saying, "You were admitted to the provincial examination this year. This is not due to favoritism from your relatives, but because you, as the head of the department, Wei Shaoqing, personally made the decision."

Zhang Dai chuckled upon hearing this. He had entered officialdom in the fifteenth year of the Kaiyuan era, passed the middle-high examination in the sixteenth year, and this year he had passed the lower-high examination, undoubtedly far exceeding the average level of officials.

Unfortunately, he couldn't take formal exams for the official positions he held concurrently. Otherwise, with his multiple positions, he could have accumulated the work experience that others would need several years to achieve in a year, and his official position would have risen rapidly!
Even so, with such qualifications, he is likely to be promoted again this year. Positions in the capital are already subject to frequent changes; one doesn't need to complete a full term before being moved.

Zhang Dai has outstanding work ability and excellent exam results. If he also gains the appreciation of his superiors, promotion will be a natural progression. As for where he will be promoted, he is also very much looking forward to it.

He then chatted with his grandfather for a while before getting up to take his leave. He returned to the hall to pack up and leave the Ministry of Personnel, where he could then focus on his various grand plans.

(End of this chapter)