Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 476 Burdened by Fame

Zhang Dai had anticipated that Song Jing's invitation was not simply for gratitude. However, he wasn't particularly afraid of meeting Song Jing.

Even if Song Jing was dissatisfied with this matter, he couldn't blame himself at all. His children and grandchildren had their own fortunes to live by. He couldn't arrange their future in every way, nor could he forbid them from associating with the fashionable people, which is why this happened.

If Song Jing complains about this, who will want to associate with his children and grandchildren in the future? This is not called being honest, but rather being ungrateful.

Nevertheless, after returning home, Zhang Dai still told his grandfather that he was going to visit Song Jing's family and inquire about any precautions he might need to take.

"My grandson actually tricked Song Jing!"

After learning the whole story, Zhang couldn't help but burst into laughter. He then said, "This old man is so straightforward that he's almost pedantic, and he's getting worse with age. He's gradually deviating from the norm. Your recommendation of his grandson for an official position will certainly not please him. The fact that he didn't stop it is quite suspicious. It seems that he's gradually losing his ability to discipline his children."

He lived a life of integrity and uprightness, and his character remains unchanged to this day, which is truly admirable. Wouldn't it be a pity if his later years were ruined by the unruly and indulgent behavior of his children and grandchildren? You few should not rely on clever tricks to harm others; be sincere and humble when you visit him this time. He is burdened by his reputation and will admonish his children and grandchildren; he will surely elevate you to a higher status than most.

Zhang Dai himself was unsure how to approach Song Jing's home, but his grandfather provided him with a very thorough analysis.

Throughout his life, Song Jing upheld integrity as his foundation, especially during the turbulent reigns of Emperor Wu and Emperor Zhongzong, where he maintained his upright and unyielding character. This demonstrates that integrity was his true nature, and he remained steadfast whether he was wandering the world or serving in the imperial court.

After the An Lushan Rebellion, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang ridiculed him for "selling his integrity," but this was merely the man's own shameful attempt to save face. As long as everyone was muddled and unclean, his status as the number one idiot wouldn't seem so conspicuous.

However, maintaining integrity throughout one's life is extremely difficult. As one's reputation and position rise, more and more people will try to win over and corrupt them, drawn by their fame and power. To resist these temptations, one can only become increasingly ruthless and unapproachable.

Zhang said that Song Jing's talent only increased with age, which was not mockery but admiration. Their former superior, Wei Yuanzhong, also enjoyed a lifetime of renown, yet ultimately failed to maintain his integrity in his later years. Song Jing's ability to stick to his style as he aged was a truly admirable quality!
However, the reason why Song Jing's character is so valuable is that very few people can do it, including his children and grandchildren.

Before this, Song Jing could still strictly discipline his children and grandchildren by virtue of his authority as a feudal patriarch. However, this time, Zhang Dai recommended his grandson for an official position through Consort Wu Hui's words, which undoubtedly created a breach in the Song family's personnel defenses. How could the other members of the Song family not be tempted?

If people's hearts are lost, it will be difficult to lead the team.

Song Jing had served as prime minister several times and governed for many years, so how could he not understand this principle? Since the breach had already been created, we had to find a way to plug it. Even if we couldn't plug it, we had to try to delay the time of the dam breaking down.

So, the obvious conclusion then emerged: Zhang Dai was exceptionally outstanding, an exception!
Song Jing could easily advise his children and grandchildren: If you make friends with someone as outstanding as Zhang Dai, that's fine. But if you mistakenly befriend someone bad and then cause trouble, you're asking for trouble!

Zhang Dai wasn't afraid to confront Song Jing face to face, and after hearing his grandfather's analysis, he felt even more confident and returned to his own quarters with peace of mind.

When he returned to the room, he saw Ah Ying and the others sitting around a table, on which sat a pair of jeweled gold armlets. He smiled and asked, "What are you doing fiddling with these things?"

These gold armlets were indeed valuable, but they weren't anything rare in his household; Ah Ying herself owned several. Zhang Dai simply assumed that the group had taken them out to clean and admire them in their spare time.

"These are not household items; they are gifts brought by the young master of the Song family who visited today!"

As Ah Ying stood up to greet him, she explained with a smile.

"A gift from Song Zhuo?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai couldn't help but become curious and leaned over to take a look.

He himself had little knowledge or research on jewelry and the like, but seeing that the pair of armlets were made of gold and gemstones and had a rather exquisite design, he said with a smile, "Song Zhuo is really too kind to send such a generous gift."

"That young master Song really went to great lengths to thank you, Ah Lang. This armlet is an old style from decades ago, not a modern piece. If it weren't for a family member's collection, it would be hard to find in the two markets."

Upon hearing this, Ah Ying replied with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai picked up the bracelet again and examined it closely. He indeed found many subtle signs of age, suggesting that its original owner had cherished it and would frequently polish and admire it. Although Song Jing was known for his integrity, his official rank was first-grade, and his annual salary and various rewards alone constituted a very considerable income.

It wasn't surprising that Song Zhuo, as Zhang Dai's grandson, presented him with a valuable gift as a token of gratitude. However, the fact that this gift carried such a profound historical and emotional weight was somewhat unexpected for Zhang Dai.

The primary purpose of gift-giving is naturally to make the recipient happy. However, no matter how deep your feelings are for a gift, the recipient cannot feel them. You may say it's a family heirloom, but the recipient can only see the value of the gift itself.

The fact that Song Zhuo presented this as a gift suggests that he had no better choice; the bracelet must have been a treasured possession of a relative. It seems that Song Zhuo, as Song Jing's grandson, is also quite strapped for cash!

Zhang Dai certainly didn't discriminate based on wealth or poverty. When he first arrived in this world, his life was far more difficult and impoverished than Song Zhuo's was now. Moreover, his help to Song Zhuo wasn't for any material reward.

"That's very thoughtful. I'll prepare a suitable gift tomorrow morning and return it to you. I don't want social obligations to become a burden."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Dai added, "Song Zhuo's generous gift shows that he is at least a grateful person."

Since that's the case, there's a basis for further acquaintance and cooperation. Zhang Dai plans to observe for a while longer before attempting to entrust a portion of his personnel and business to Song Zhuo's name.

His rapid advancement in officialdom meant he couldn't possibly get along with everyone; his opponents included both upright gentlemen and cunning villains. Furthermore, his personal network of connections was considerable, so anyone seeking to sabotage him would certainly find a target and a pretext for attack.

The reason he recruited Pei Zhen, Li Xia, and others to run the business together was not because he wanted them to contribute capital, but because their family backgrounds could help Zhang Dai bear some pressure and provide him with some protection. Song Zhuo served a similar purpose.

The next morning, Zhang Dai sent a visiting card to Song Jing's home, indicating that he would visit in the afternoon, while he spent the morning at home handling his own affairs. After noon, he took the gifts that his family had prepared and went straight to Song Jing's home.

Song Jing also took a day off today to stay home and wait to entertain Zhang Dai.

Such treatment was undoubtedly very high. It should be noted that Song Jing could be considered the most important person in the court at present. He was the only civil official in the court to be granted the honorary title of Grand Master of the Three Departments. Even Zhang Yue was only a special official of the second rank.

Moreover, Song Jing was an upright and dignified person who never fawned over those in power. The fact that he was willing to take a day to receive Zhang Dai at home surprised everyone in the Song family.

Since Song Zhuo was appointed as the Assistant Musician, the atmosphere within the Song family mansion has become rather subtle and complex. Some family members who had sought this position for their sons were naturally disappointed, but many more were concerned about Song Jing's opinion on the matter—whether it meant he would relax his control and restraint over his family members.
Therefore, on the day Zhang Dai visited, many members of the Song family tacitly stayed home and did not go out. Zhang Dai alone would not have been of such great influence, but more importantly, everyone wanted to see if Song Jing's attitude towards others would change.

Long before Zhang Dai arrived, Song Jing was already sitting in his guest hall, accompanied by a number of his descendants, each with their own thoughts. When the servant reported that Zhang Dai and his party had entered the neighborhood, Song Zhuo immediately stood up and said to Song Jing, "I will go out to greet Zhang Zongzhi."

"You guys go too!"

Song Jing raised his hand and pointed to his sons, Song Hun and the others, who were also sitting in the hall.

Upon hearing this, Song Hun was taken aback, then said somewhat reluctantly, "Zhang Dai is just a junior member of the Yan family, there's no need to elevate him like this..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw his father's face darken, so he swallowed back what he was going to say and said to his younger brothers and nephews in the hall with a bit of a temper, "Zhang Dai has secured a good job for our son, which is a great favor to our family. You all come with me to greet him and do not be disrespectful to our benefactor!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd was naturally indignant, but seeing that Song Jing, who was sitting above, had an unfriendly expression, they all obediently stood up and followed Song Hun and the others slowly towards the front courtyard.

Song Zhuo, of course, dared not be negligent. He quickly stepped out of his house, descended the steps, and raised his hand to help Zhang Dai ride. Zhang Dai hurriedly dismounted and said with a smile, "How could I accept such a generous gift from Young Master Song!"

"Of course! My grandfather is waiting at home and has instructed me to respectfully invite Liu Lang into the main hall and not to be impolite."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhuo replied with a smile, while raising his hand to gesture towards his home.

At this moment, Song Hun also arrived at the gate with his family members, but instead of going out to greet them, he stood inside the gate, each with a mysterious smile on their lips, looking down at Song Zhuo leading Zhang Dai up the steps.

(End of this chapter)