Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 477 Zhang Zongzhi, a Model for Humanity

In some cases, no further explanation is needed; a single glance is enough to understand the general idea.

Seeing the way the Song family members were behaving, Zhang Dai understood that he wasn't welcomed by everyone in the Song family. But it didn't matter; his purpose in coming here wasn't with these people, so he didn't care whether they welcomed him or not.

Although Zhang Dai didn't care about these people, Song Zhuo couldn't be impolite, so he earnestly introduced them to Zhang Dai: "Sixth Brother, this is my uncle..."

After some introductions, everyone got to know each other briefly. Regardless of Song Hun and his group's attitude, they couldn't change the fact that they had been kicked out by their own fathers to greet guests. After some rather pointless small talk, they led Zhang Dai into the hall.

"This junior greets Lord Guangping! I have long wished to pay you a visit in the past, but I feared it would be too presumptuous. Now that I have been invited, I am truly humbled and honored!"

Upon entering the hall and meeting Song Jing, Zhang Dai's attitude changed from perfunctory to warm and respectful. He bowed deeply and spoke.

Seeing that the young man's attitude was relatively humble and friendly, Song Jing's pent-up anger dissipated slightly. He then nodded and said, "Zongzhi, there's no need for such formalities. You are a rising star with an increasingly good reputation. Your entry into this family has brought great honor to our hall. I served in the same court as your grandfather for many years, and I am very pleased to see that he has a worthy successor. Please sit down."

"My grandfather often spoke of stories about his colleagues with the Duke of Guangping. The noble character of the predecessors is admirable. It is an honor for us younger generations to follow in their footsteps and emulate their style. The Duke's family is full of outstanding talents, which is admired and envied by all the people of our time."

Zhang Dai casually offered a couple more compliments before finally taking his seat as a guest, politely declined by Song Zhuo.

After Zhang Dai took his seat, the other members of the Song family also took their seats. Regardless of their own feelings, they all behaved themselves in front of Song Jing and dared not act arrogantly or rudely.

Song Jing looked down at Zhang Dai, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke again: "When His Majesty made his eastern tour and stayed in Luoyang last year, although I remained in the capital, I also heard about the deeds of the Zhang family. At that time, Lord Zhang Yan encountered misfortune..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai frowned slightly, not understanding what Song Jing was trying to say: I've only come to your house as a guest, and I haven't even had a chance to sit down properly, yet you're bringing up my family's past?
"I invited the Zhang family's sons to my home today so that you could see what kind of people they are, worthy of being role models for humanity!"

Song Jing did not continue to dredge up the Zhang family's past. After using this to start the conversation, he pointed at Zhang Dai and said to his children and grandchildren, "Everyone's life experiences are different, but if you make a hasty judgment, it is nothing more than good or bad fortune."

The reasons why Zhang Yan Gong suffered misfortune last year need not be discussed for now, but Zhang Zong's actions in the matter are truly commendable. He was not at a loss due to the sudden family tragedy; instead, he bravely faced the crisis, displaying admirable courage. He did not focus on the gains and losses of his own family because of personal difficulties, but instead offered advice on governing the country, allowing the righteous voice of the people to reach the ears of the emperor…

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai's expression softened slightly, realizing that Song Jing was beginning to flatter him. His grandfather had already analyzed this situation for him, so he sat comfortably at the table, listening happily to Song Jing's praise.

Song Jing had also inquired carefully about Zhang Dai's past deeds. When talking about what the young man had done during the Zhang family's upheaval, his admiration was evident and not just a pretense.

“You disciples, some of you are the same age, others are older. If you were to encounter your own circumstances, you should ask yourselves if you possess the ability to respond in such a way?”

After praising Zhang Dai's deeds, Song Jing turned to his children and grandchildren and asked in a deep voice, his gaze first falling on Song Zhuo.

Upon seeing the attire, Song Zhuo quickly stood up, bowed his head, and said, "I have always heard of Zhang Liulang's deeds and have always felt inferior to him. I am very fortunate to have met him and to have received his recommendation. I will definitely take him as an example and strive to emulate his virtues!"

Song Jing was fairly satisfied with the answer, and then turned his gaze to his other children and grandchildren, who all stood up to express their admiration for Zhang Dai.

Hearing the Song family members praising him in unison, whether sincerely or not, Zhang Dai was very pleased. Of course, he did not forget to say a few words of self-deprecation: "Back then, I was short-sighted and acted on impulse with a childlike heart without much thought. Now, I realize that I was not entirely virtuous and beautiful, and I am truly unworthy of such high praise from the Duke of Guangping."

The Duke of Guangping is renowned in his time and admired by all. He is inherently unapproachable by evil spirits, and no villain would dare to frame him. The young gentlemen in the hall are skilled in conduct and have upbringings of impoverished character. They need not resort to such a desperate measure; they will naturally rise to prominence and fame on their own!

"Your childlike heart seems to possess the Way. Zongzhi's integrity and sincerity are admirable. Today, I must thank you for setting a good example for my children and grandchildren!"

Song Jing tapped the table with his fingers, signaling a servant to pour Zhang Dai a full cup of wine, and then raised his own cup in a gesture of respect.

"Many thanks to Lord Guangping for your wise words; they are like sweet rain to me. I will take them to heart and strive harder, hoping to receive even more rewards!"

Upon seeing this, Zhang Dai also raised his wine cup to give Song Jing a slight toast, and then they both drank it down in one gulp.

The Song family members present were all puzzled and secretly envious when they saw Song Jing praising Zhang Dai so highly. As Song Jing's children and grandchildren, they usually obeyed his teachings, but they had never received such praise before.

After praising Zhang Dai, Song Jing turned to his grandson Song Zhuo and said, "It is a good idea to emulate the virtuous. Especially since you have just been appointed and your colleagues are not unknown, you should be more mindful and self-motivated, and never neglect your duties. Also, remember not to let down this appreciation and promotion!" "Your son will certainly remember your teachings, Father."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhuo quickly stood up and expressed his opinion.

"And you all, when you see someone virtuous, think of emulating them and always remember this! There is no such thing as worldly fame and fortune by chance! Zhang Zongzhi is a rare talent of loyalty and righteousness, and I am very pleased that my grandson has been appreciated by him. But you should all examine yourselves and see if you have such good teachers and helpful friends around you, who can not only help you advance in your careers, but also teach you the way of the world and impart virtue through your actions!"

Song Jing then said in a deep voice, his tone and expression becoming increasingly serious: "Virtue and position complement each other; if virtue and position are mismatched, one will surely suffer the consequences! Anyone who wishes to achieve merit must first cultivate himself. If one's conduct is upright, one will achieve great things; if one's conduct is not upright, one will not last long."

Upon hearing this, all the Song family members in the hall nodded in agreement, creating a harmonious scene of "the elders earnestly teaching, and the children respectfully accepting the instruction."

At the same time, Song Jing's various expressions were exactly as Zhang Shuo had predicted, which made Zhang Dai secretly sigh that his grandfather really knew his contemporaries very well.

However, the shortcomings of Song Jing's admonition are also obvious. His high-mindedness makes it difficult to evoke genuine agreement. Perhaps these words are based on Song Jing's personal experiences, but Song Jing himself is no ordinary person, and his life experiences may not be applicable to others.

Another crucial point is that these members of the Song family may each feel that they have been hindered and harmed to varying degrees because of Song Jing's adherence to principles. Therefore, they may not only disagree with Song Jing's theory, but may even feel resistance and disgust towards it.

What talk of good teachers and helpful friends? If the Song family really listens to this, then isn't Song Jing himself the best teacher and helpful friend? Who else needs to teach and guide their children?
When Song Jing needs to elevate an outsider like himself to reinforce his family's upbringing, it means that the family's upbringing has collapsed, and Song Jing is well aware of this.

Zhang Dai had no intention of interfering in Song Jing's family education. He simply sat quietly at the table, patiently serving as a tool for Song Jing to discipline the children in the family, a tool that was destined to have no effect.

At the same time, Zhang Dai also noticed that Song Jing's sons were even more dismissive of this whole thing than his grandsons. This was evident in their attitudes towards him; Song Jing's grandsons were clearly more enthusiastic and curious about him.

The reason is quite simple: Song Jing's sons did not receive much help because of their father's official rank, or rather, they could have received more assistance based on Song Jing's official rank.

Song Jing's sons generally did not hold high official positions. Apart from his second son, Song Sheng, who served as the governor of Zhongzhou in Shannan, none of his other sons even reached the fifth rank. Take his fourth son, Song Hun, for example. He was about the same age as Zhang Dai's father, Zhang Jun, but he only served as the sixth-rank official, Honglu Cheng.

This is completely different from the Zhang family. Zhang Shuo's eldest son, Zhang Jun, served as the fourth-rank Zhengzhou Prefectural Governor, while his second son held the high-ranking position of Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant. Even his youngest son, who had just been released from his official post, was promoted to the sixth rank, and his position was much more important than that of the Grand Master of Ceremonies.

Song Jing was more qualified than Zhang Shuo, yet their sons' careers developed in vastly different ways.

If Zhang Shuo's sons were truly talented, that would be one thing. But the reason they resented Song Jing was simply because Zhang Shuo was more flexible and adaptable while Song Jing was more principled. Naturally, Song Jing's sons felt resentful and even disliked Zhang Dai.

As for Song Jing's grandsons, their relationship was not as close as that of father and son, so they did not have such a strong resentment for not receiving their grandfather's care. Moreover, their fathers were not doing very well either, so they had already gotten used to it. As for Zhang Dai, who was about the same age but was already a prominent figure in the capital region, they were naturally more curious and admiring.

Song Jing did not simply use Zhang Dai to reprimand his children and grandchildren. He then inquired in detail about the current affairs of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, especially the Assistant Director of Music, showing that he was not indifferent to the future of his disciples.

Aside from the fact that Consort Wu Hui was recommended for a position, Song Zhuo's appointment as Xie Lü Lang at this time was truly a coveted job.

In the second half of the year, there will be the sage's birthday celebration and the grand ceremony of visiting the Five Mausoleums. Zhang Dai and Ma Lizheng, the former Assistant Musician, have already made preparations for their respective duties. Song Zhuo's appointment at this time is tantamount to doing nothing.

Other members of the Song family, including Song Jing's youngest son, also coveted this official position. After hearing Zhang Dai's account, they couldn't help but show envy on their faces. But now that the matter was settled, they could only secretly admire it from afar.

Song Jing rarely entertained guests at home, and he hardly ever entertained them with any kind of entertainment. After Zhang Dai had been a guest for more than an hour, Song Jing felt that the time was right and got up to take his leave.

Song Jing did not invite him to stay for dinner. Upon hearing this, he instructed his disciples to see Zhang Daili out.

"Zhang Liulang, please wait!"

Just as Zhang Dai was bidding farewell to the Song family in the neighborhood and walking out of the neighborhood gate, a voice suddenly rang out behind him. He turned around and saw Song Jing's son, Song Hun, catching up from behind. So he reined in his horse and stopped by the roadside. When Song Hun stepped forward, he smiled and said, "Why does Lord Song want to keep you here?"

Song Hun approached breathlessly and said to Zhang Dai with a mysterious look, "I work in the same office as Li Shi. Would you like to hear me talk about something related to him?"

(End of this chapter)