Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 425: Meat Eaters
Since both sides were interested in cooperating, the guests and hosts naturally enjoyed themselves and had a very pleasant conversation.

The Wei brothers, contrary to their previous arrogant attitude, became humble and enthusiastic. They not only took the initiative to cooperate, but also did not fight for too many rights in the cooperation.

When Wei Zhi learned that Zhang Dai was in charge of the matter and that Li Xia and others were only investing 10,000 strings of cash, he also said that his own home and land would be valued at 10,000 strings of cash, and that he could increase his investment as appropriate during the subsequent operation. As for the operation and management of the property, it would be entirely up to Zhang Dai, and they would not interfere without his permission.

These conditions were naturally extremely favorable to Zhang Dai. In his mind, the land of Tapi was more valuable than Fengqiyuan. The reason why Wei's Xiaoyao Garden could be acquired at a low price was due to special reasons, and he also had to guard against Wei Heng's revenge.

However, the Wei brothers took the initiative to cooperate. Although the price was exorbitant, they wouldn't actually have to pay a single extra penny, and they could also leverage the Wei family's other local resources. While this added a shareholder who would enjoy future dividends, the project was still in the pure investment phase, and considering dividends was premature.

Furthermore, Zhang Dai had a ulterior motive: his intentions in developing this tea garden were not entirely pure. He coveted the Wei family's Tapi Garden in the south of the city and harbored a somewhat reckless scheme. If things progressed to a certain stage and required more meticulous concealment, or if he were discovered and reported, the Wei brothers, as local strongmen, could provide more ideas and room for maneuver.

As for whether the Wei brothers would take the initiative to expose the truth and clear themselves of any wrongdoing, it's possible, but for them, it's definitely not the best option.

Because the two brothers were the real targets, plump and juicy, bursting with juice with every bite. If Zhang Dai were truly falsely accused of treason, the brothers would have conspired with him long ago, making it difficult to sever ties cleanly. Their opponents would be eager to extract as much gold as possible from them.

Moreover, their family had lived through the dynastic changes of the Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Wu Zhou and then back to Tang. They could hardly be said to be loyal to the emperors and the state. The true skill passed down through generations was the ability to sit on the fence and change sides with the wind. Helping whoever wins was a survival wisdom they believed in without wavering.

This collaboration serves as a prime example; their initial arrogance followed by obsequiousness was certainly not due to Zhang Dai's genuine sincerity. And the way to deal with such people is exemplified by the sages of our time.

That is, when you are weak or your plans are still uncertain, you might as well win them over and rely on their power and influence, and then kick them out without hesitation once the situation is settled.

Their father, Wei Anshi, went through the entire process, which is why the Wei brothers were so resentful and remained secluded at home for eight years after their father's death. Because, according to the normal procedure, marrying a princess and becoming a high-ranking official should have been their life's script.

With the cooperation agreement reached, the atmosphere of the conversation became more harmonious. However, since they had to attend the morning court session the next day, the banquet could only end before the curfew began in the evening. Zhang Dai and the other man got up to take their leave.

After seeing the two off, Wei Zhi returned home and said to his younger brother Wei Bin, "Now, through this incident, you have formed a friendship with Zhang Zongzhi and others, and you can often associate with them in the future. This time, Zhang Yan Gong's influence has been restored, and he can promote all those who are close to him. Even if he does not become a government official, his influence should not be underestimated."

Prince Xin'an has rendered meritorious service on the frontier and is now undoubtedly the most meritorious official of the imperial clan, with a bright future both in court and on the frontier. The sons of these two families are plotting together; their ambitions surely extend far beyond mere material gain. Keeping the abandoned garden at Tapi is pointless; giving it away is a worthwhile investment.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Bin nodded and said, "Brother, don't worry. I think Zhang Zongzhi is not an ordinary playboy from a powerful family. Although he is good at making money and his greed is quite inherited from his ancestors, he is not just greedy and despicable. He is also quite accomplished in other things. It is not difficult to get along with him."

"Moreover, some of his remarks have been quite adopted. I heard that at a banquet at the home of Vice Minister Pei of the Ministry of War the other day, Vice Minister Pei jokingly asked him to recommend worthy men for office, and he suggested that Pei Dunfu was suitable for the position of Assistant Minister of Personnel. Recently, Vice Minister Pei actually went to the province to discuss this matter with the Duke of Guangping, which shows that he also has great faith in this man. If Pei is promoted this time, Zhang Zongzhi will benefit even more."

After saying this, Wei Zhi gestured for Wei Bin to come closer, lowering his tone even further: "I will temporarily postpone my visit to Prince Xue with other matters. You should take this opportunity to visit Prince Xin'an's family frequently. If you win their favor, you can try to ask for their hand in marriage after the prince's triumphant return."

Prince Xue is vain and unrealistic, and his family affairs are complicated and unsettling. In his early years, he suffered greatly from the burdens of his relatives. Although the emperor was merciful and did not investigate further, he has many children and many marriage alliances, and it is unlikely that everyone will be self-disciplined. If Prince Xue cannot deeply understand this, it will be difficult for him to have a good end.

Prince Xin'an is steady and mature, with a virtuous family tradition. He has now rendered great service to the country, further enhancing his prestige. If he can win the favor of the prince, he will be far superior to Prince Xue! In the future, whether he attains a noble position through literary talent or seeks power through meritorious service, he will reap great benefits!

"But if we do that, won't we incur the wrath of Prince Xue?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Bin couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"What in this world is entirely beneficial without any drawbacks? If you want to pursue its benefits, you must also accept its drawbacks. As long as the gains outweigh the losses, the matter can be accomplished!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhi sighed and said, "You still have such doubts? Your understanding of matters is not as thorough as Zhang Zongzhi's. Doesn't he know that the infamous King Xue will be questioned by public opinion? Yet he still dares to offend King Xue, and what can King Xue do about it?"

My family is an old clan in Guanzhong, more than qualified to marry into the main family. However, the daughter of Prince Xue is neither extremely noble nor practically desirable. If there were truly a virtuous and suitable woman to marry into, my family would respectfully inquire about her. But now, we are unsuitable in all aspects, so what good would it do to accept her?" Prince Xue, as the current emperor's younger brother and a prince, naturally comes from a noble family. A marriage alliance with him would be the envy of many. However, for a first-rate family like the Wei clan of Jingzhao, it is simply not enough.

The women they desired were either from prestigious families of comparable social standing, to maintain the dignity of their aristocracy and avoid the ridicule of marrying into a family of lower social standing; or noble princesses, to enjoy the vanity of marrying a princess; or high-ranking officials like Prince Xin'an, who had real merit and power and came from respectable families, to whom they could receive support and promotion.

As for the Xue family, they were somewhat lacking, merely an alternative when there were no better options.

Regardless of the Wei brothers' plans, Zhang Dai was equally pleased. He had previously struggled to find a good location to manage a tea plantation, but unexpectedly, the two locations he had previously favored were approached in different ways, which greatly expanded the scope of his plans.

These changes actually reflect a principle: in the Tang Dynasty, especially during the prosperous period of highly centralized power, although there were powerful clans and other forces that controlled various resources, the allocation and flow of various resources mainly revolved around political resources.

Whether it was Wei Heng's forced sale of the estate at a low price due to his refusal to listen to reason, or the Wei brothers' initiative to curry favor and seek cooperation, these old money families only made concessions to varying degrees after Zhang Dai and his political faction had gained a clear advantage.

The Kaiyuan era was a golden age of imperial power. Under the rule of the Tang Empire, anyone who offended the majesty of the empire or violated the regulations of the court would be severely punished.

Under the glorious light of the powerful empire, whether it was foreign enemies such as the Turks and Tibetans, or the long-established aristocratic families within the country, anyone who went against the emperor's will would be met with a barrage of attacks.

Therefore, the emperors of the Tang Dynasty were skilled in imperial politics. With just a few manipulations of the court and personnel, they could profoundly influence the entire world and bring about dramatic changes in the situation. The ministers in the court were also keen to vie for power, because whoever gained power and position could wield enormous authority.

Unfortunately, this model cannot operate effectively in the long term, especially since the people in key positions cannot guarantee that they will always be wise, capable, and shrewd.

Moreover, due to the high concentration of power, the pain and burdens of those who are the true foundation of the entire imperial structure cannot be effectively conveyed to the higher-ups. Even if they do reach the ears of the higher-ups, their existence and voices have no influence on the advancement or retreat of power, so they are naturally not valued. All that the upper echelons can see is a prosperous and glorious era.

The consequence of this long-term isolation between the upper and lower classes is that once the various burdens and pressures of society exceed the limits of what the lower classes can bear, all this seemingly glorious thing will collapse on the spot!
The saying "those who eat meat are despicable" is not just a sour remark. Many people become arrogant after gaining power, have a very narrow understanding of the world, are unable to recognize and respect the existence of objective laws, and regard power as something they were born with that they can use at will without thinking about its origin, and are unwilling to use it in a standardized and moral manner.

Emperor Yang of Sui, for example, never understood until his death that exploiting people too harshly would lead to death, and that too many deaths and a lack of options would lead to rebellion. By abandoning himself to the masses, his death was naturally insignificant.

Therefore, Zhang Dai was not only keen on vying for power and profit in the court, but he also tried to make his actions reach more ordinary people.

Those who only scheme to climb the social ladder are at best mere dogs before the emperor's throne, seemingly wielding immense power, but capable of losing everything with a single whim of the emperor. Only by gaining sufficient support from below can one have the power to profoundly change the world.

As May arrived, the events unfolding in the political situation gave Zhang Dai a deeper understanding of the matter. On the first day of May, the day of the court assembly, the officials gathered at Xingqing Palace as usual to prepare for court, with several prime ministers also standing at the front.

However, just before the court assembly began, an imperial envoy suddenly arrived in haste, followed by a troop of Imperial Guards soldiers.

These people didn't say much when they arrived at the court. The envoy went straight to Prime Minister Li Yuanhong and Du Xian and whispered something to them. The two men, who were talking to their colleagues, changed their expressions immediately upon hearing what the envoy said. They then left the court under the guard of the Imperial Guards.

"Both of you have been removed from your posts!"

Someone in the court spoke up, and the others, seeing the two prime ministers being led away, all sighed with regret.

Although everyone had long anticipated that the two would inevitably be dismissed from their posts soon, witnessing the actual scene still evoked complex emotions: one moment they were standing at the head of the court, the next they weren't even allowed to enter the palace and were simply led away. The magnitude of this change in fortune was truly unbearable for ordinary people!
However, the crowd did not have time to dwell on the matter for long. Soon, their attention turned to the few people in the court who were expected to become prime ministers, and those people visibly became excited and eager.

(End of this chapter)