Chapter 259 The Zhang Ting Siblings' TV Drama...
Yang Shou smiled.
The scars on my face have all faded.
He raised his clumsy hand to show it, and smiled sincerely: "These are my true feelings. If Dingguo and His Majesty still need me in the future, I will certainly defend the border without hesitation. But now... Tianniang and Zhong'er also need me, and I have let them down."
Thanks to my cousin's steady stream of military rations and reinforcements over the past few months, the soldiers have been much more energetic in battle, and many battles have been quelled. The prisoners they captured are still being held in jail, waiting to be dealt with after the military merits are tallied. My younger brother is now stationed elsewhere, and Dingguo has had an unusually peaceful winter this year.
Now that Yang Shou no longer has a purpose, he really wants to go home and cherish his wife and children, as well as his youngest daughter whom he has never met.
Qi Chengming carefully observed his cousin's reaction, confirmed that he was telling the truth, and felt relieved.
The two brothers reminisced for an hour and were still not done with their conversation, so they enjoyed a pleasant drink with the food and wine hastily provided by Eunuch Zhang. Qi Chengming then recounted his experiences over the past few years in a general way, so that his cousin would have a better understanding of his situation.
Yang Shou recounted a few exciting battles, but the rest of the time he listened to his cousin. He had more memories of horseback riding and wilderness from childhood, and years of traveling to various places in harsh cold and scorching heat had made him less eloquent. Now, returning to recount this, such a tender side made Yang Shou stutter a little.
"Since becoming emperor, I dare not drink too much. It's only because you, my cousin, are back today..." Qi Chengming sighed, his face flushed, as he leaned against the low table and poured out his grievances since ascending the throne. The burden on his shoulders was now heavier, carrying the weight of the entire Dingguo Kingdom. Even with the relaxed feeling of being slightly tipsy, Qi Chengming did not want to let drunkenness interfere with his duties.
Yang Shoujin, adhering to his duty as a subject, simply picked up a few bites of food and ate silently, listening to the whole thing without saying a word.
Qi Chengming noticed that his cousin really liked the plum stewed pork dish, so when he left the palace, he specially instructed the imperial kitchen to make another one the next day and send it directly to his residence.
It's really strange.
Zhang the Grand Eunuch worked as a cook at the former Minister of Rites' residence for a few years. I don't know what he learned, but that man loved to eat so much that his culinary skills improved considerably.
Zhang Da, the eunuch, still has a superior culinary skill compared to his apprentice Zhang You, which has aroused Zhang You's sense of crisis. Look—these past two days, he has been cooking different dishes and serving them up. Plum stewed meat is Zhang You's new technique.
Their open and covert struggles only made Qi Chengming even more fortunate in his culinary pursuits.
After his cousin left, Qi Chengming also left the side hall and went to the other side of the hall where he usually lived, where he fell asleep as soon as he was drunk.
He was half-dead from exhaustion, but he still remembered to instruct Gan Tang: "Wake me up in an incense stick's time and summon Zhang Ting over."
Being an emperor is too tough; there are always things to do. But Qi Chengming admits that he is a worrier by nature. The thought of the whole country waiting for him to rebuild makes it hard for him to sleep, and he can only go to sleep grumbling.
"Yes." Gan Tang replied steadily, then couldn't help but frown and urge, "Your Majesty... please take good care of yourself."
Since ascending the throne, when has His Majesty ever slept a full three hours? Even immortals don't endure that kind of strain. Even Gan Tang is worried sick and can't bear to watch any longer.
"Isn't this taking care of myself?" Qi Chengming asked with a bittersweet smile. If he weren't taking care of himself, he wouldn't even be able to get a nap right now. To be blunt, as long as his health bar doesn't drop to zero, he's practically invincible no matter what he does. Tsk tsk, a nuclear-powered beast...
Qi Chengming's consciousness was fading. He made fun of himself in his mind as he fell asleep.
Gan Tang remained silent. She and Shi Shuang quietly helped their emperor remove his outer robe and boots, lower the curtains, and then went out.
Their emperor's habits have always been different from others. Even after becoming emperor, he did not like to wear bright yellow clothes, and he even ordered that the palace should not be filled with gold and dragon patterns, which are very eye-catching, as if he wanted to blatantly write the word "noble" on his face.
For the entire ten days, the embroidery workshop worked day and night to complete the work. They still didn't quite understand His Majesty's temperament, so they could only guess at his preferences and first made several robes in various colors, including vermilion, black, and ochre, for use in court. Fearing that His Majesty was young and liked to dress up, they then quickly made light-colored casual clothes in plain blue, moon white, aquamarine, and lake blue.
At this moment, Gan Tang placed a light green robe with a frosty undertone on the bedside before quietly going out to give instructions to His Majesty.
Fifteen minutes later.
Zhang Ting, who had been hastily summoned, was already waiting in the side hall, looking quite energetic. After waiting for a while, he saw His Majesty walk in silently and sit down on the couch. Upon closer inspection, the young new emperor looked sleepy, his eyes devoid of any luster.
"..." Zhang Ting suppressed a laugh, and while the palace maid was pouring tea, he diligently took a cup of tea himself.
Whether it was when he was in Liuzhou or later when he came to the capital, he had never spent time with the new emperor in private like this, nor had he ever met Brother Qi... He was actually like this at home.
The new emperor was willing to show him this, a level of intimacy that was unique to them in private. Zhang Ting was overjoyed inside, but his face remained calm as he tried his best to appear composed and steady, waiting with his hands at his sides for the new emperor to give him important instructions.
He knew his advantage lay in being a trusted confidant personally rescued by the new emperor, a brother in name only. He was also a genuine candidate for the imperial examinations, ready to be appointed to any post he desired. However, his disadvantages lay in his youth and low rank; everyone feared he was inexperienced and unreliable.
Now, finally, the new emperor is going to give him some instructions!
Qi Chengming took the warm handkerchief that Shishuang silently handed him, pressed it to his face to try and wake himself up, gave her an appreciative look, and then started chatting: "Brother Zhang, how did it go with your promise to take your sister back to her hometown to visit relatives?"
Zhang Ting was taken aback.
Even the old form of address, "Brother Zhang," was brought up. Zhang Ting's tense shoulders relaxed, and he answered without spoiling the mood, "Grandmother's health has never been very good. She was seriously ill at one point and thought she didn't have much time left, so she urged me to take Xian...Ya'er back. She's of age and it's time for her to get engaged."
"Still call her Xian-jie in front of me," Qi Chengming continued, showing concern for them. "And then what?"
To be honest, Zhang Ting was quite uneasy. In the past, Brother Qi would occasionally check on his family, but now that the new emperor had just ascended the throne—and was he so busy—it was unreasonable for him to be specially summoned to inquire about his family.
Zhang Ting was terrified!
He quickly added, "My godmother said she wanted to find a suitable husband for Xian'er in the capital. So I declined on behalf of my sister, since the capital is better than our hometown. Besides, I didn't trust my grandmother's choice, so I only brought her dowry back."
"My cousin also went back to visit our grandmother this time. He fell ill at the beginning of the year and missed the imperial examination this year; he'll have to wait until next year's special examination. My uncle seems to have been reprimanded in Yulin Prefecture, supposedly because his achievements in recent years have been mediocre..."
Encouraged, Zhang Ting gradually lost his inhibitions. Once he started talking, he couldn't hold back; he had so much to say.
Aunt Liu, who started as an "aunt," became a "distant relative" and then a "godmother." Over the years, she genuinely loved his younger sister and treated him like her own son. Zhang Tingda deeply respected his godmother and had no intention of entrusting his sister's marriage to his aunt or grandmother again. After explaining things clearly during his recent visit, he decided to lay everything out in the open.
My sister's dowry needs to be prepared. How do we plan to allocate the funds? Zhang Ting is now an official. What about the assets that were originally divided up from the eldest son's family?
The remaining benefits of the Zhang family's official position were inherited and used by his uncle's family, which was fine. Now that he has gained power and is a favorite of the Crown Prince (at that time, the new emperor had not yet ascended the throne), the Zhang family must give him an explanation for what remains.
Although the old grandmother had been ill for many years and was even more confused, she dared not remain confused at this point. She mustered her strength and, with the elders and villagers as witnesses, presided over the division of the family property.
The rights and wrongs of the past are hard to distinguish. Zhang Ting and her siblings were not born of the principal wife, and had no biological mother to leave them with private money and dowry. So the old grandmother made a list of the Zhang family's assets and handed over the majority of the land, estates, shops, etc., to Zhang Ting's eldest son's family in a 70/30 split. She would stay in her hometown and be supported by her eldest son's family until the end of her life.
The remaining three-thirds of the Zhang family's fortune were left to Zhang Rui's family. Based on the expenses incurred in supporting Zhang Rui's official career over the years, this three-thirds was essentially exhausted.
On the day of the family division, Zhang Ting saw that his cousin's smile was more like a grimace than a cry, yet he kept coming over to him to curry favor, his words sincere and without a hint of complaint.
“Brother, those past grievances were all due to our ignorance…” My cousin offered a heartfelt, albeit subtle, apology that day. “We made you suffer, and from now on, the entire Zhang family will obey your orders…”
Zhang Ting listened with a mixture of joy and sorrow, his thoughts racing, yet ultimately feeling neither joy nor sorrow, as if the suffering of his past life had finally faded into the distance. He ignored his cousin's conciliatory words and turned away, no longer caring about his cousin's anxious pleas…
“I know my grandmother didn’t distribute the assets fairly.” Zhang Ting shrugged in front of the new emperor, disregarding his image, but his voice was filled with mixed emotions. “Back then, my grandmother tacitly allowed my uncle’s family to take all the family’s assets, ignoring the mistreatment my sister and I were subjected to. Now that I’ve gained power, she’s giving me all the family property to appease me.”
This isn't about snobbery or currying favor; it's just common practice within the family: whoever holds power controls the Zhang family's discourse, and all resources will be tacitly poured into them. It was his uncle back then, and now it's his turn. His grandmother deliberately ensured that his uncle's family received nothing, so he could see how miserable they were now, giving him a chance to vent his anger and prevent him from harboring resentment and seeking revenge later, especially if that revenge was ever more ruthless.
After all, he was still his grandmother's own son, and she still cared about him.
"So you forgave him?" Qi Chengming asked deliberately.
"No way!" Zhang Ting pursed his lips. His dark eyes had been shining for a while, but in this instant they were still black and icy. "I will never forgive them."
In the years before Prince Rui became Crown Prince, his uncle Zhang Rui dared not harass or target him, but fearing retaliation, he went through several twists and turns to get involved with some unknown prince while serving as an official in Yulin Prefecture. His reprimand this year alone shows that his official career was not smooth, and his gamble had failed. After Prince Rui became Crown Prince, Zhang Ting secured a position in the Crown Prince's Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Upon returning, he was met with such enthusiastic flattery from his cousin, and only then did his uncle's family's attitude change significantly.
It is clear that a person's status and position are earned by themselves.
Not only did Zhang Ting refuse his cousin's apology and attempts to make amends, he also intended to continue to ruthlessly trample his uncle's family underfoot, ensuring they had no hope of ever rising up again! He wanted them to experience a taste of what he had suffered in his previous life.
"That's right!" Qi Chengming couldn't help but clap his hands twice upon hearing this, feeling completely relaxed.
He was the one who saved Zhang Ting back then, and the subsequent developments were like watching a TV series. Now, it's finally time for the finale and the reckoning. Qi Chengming has been keeping an eye on things, but he hasn't had time to ask. He doesn't want to see some kind of happy ending like "dumplings being made" at Zhang Ting's house. Those who are his should be returned to him in a triumphant manner!
Having finished the conversation, Qi Chengming had a general understanding of the situation. He returned to the main point and said fairly and impartially, "Putting aside his scheming, Zhang Rui's talent is quite good. In the past few years, the officialdom in Yulin Prefecture was a mixed bag, making it difficult to navigate, and I was powerless to intervene. Zhang Rui was able to maintain stability and remain in Yulin Prefecture for several years with his shrewdness and resourcefulness... that's already quite remarkable. That's why he was only reprimanded this year."
"Your Majesty means..." Upon hearing this, Zhang Ting hesitated and felt somewhat uneasy.
Qi Chengming didn't mince words with him and bluntly explained: "A new broom sweeps clean. I intend to clean up the officialdom, but this could easily cause unrest. Zhang Rui is a good vanguard... Whether you can seize the opportunity depends on yourselves."
Thinking three steps ahead for every one step he takes, Zhang Rui was the pawn Qi Chengming had carefully considered, whose demands were perfectly suited, and whom he planned to use in the future. With any other trusted confidant, Qi Chengming would have hesitated, fearing they would easily become cannon fodder in the heat of battle. But this was both a crisis and an opportunity; Zhang Rui had taken the risk, and therefore had a chance to stabilize his position and turn things around.
So Qi Chengming approached Zhang Ting to give him a heads-up.
After ascending the throne, all his subjects were his subjects. Qi Chengming favored Zhang Ting, but he would not suppress Zhang Rui completely for Zhang Ting's sake. If Zhang Ting wanted to continue to trample his uncle's family underfoot in the future, he would have to rely on his own efforts.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ting's eyes blazed with ambition, filled with fighting spirit. He certainly wouldn't expect the new emperor to unjustly dismiss other officials for his sake. Besides, he had just been appointed to the salt tax office, and everything was in need of rebuilding.
Let them fight it out some more...
Zhang Ting calmly bowed and expressed his resolve in a firm and powerful tone; the young man bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, I will never fail you!"
"Alright, Brother Zhang!" Qi Chengming quickly helped him up and patted him on the shoulder twice. "Don't keep bowing like that. We're talking."
Zhang Ting sat back down with a silly grin, feeling somewhat embarrassed. The new emperor still didn't like their airs. He felt respect and gratitude in his heart, but he tried his best not to show it on his face, and tried to treat it as if it were just a friendship from back then.
Qi Chengming changed the subject: "There's still no word from the wet nurse. As for Xian'er... could you ask her for me if she still wants to work for Bishu, regardless of whether she gets married or not?"
Zhang Ting was stunned, her mind almost going blank.
"This..." Zhang Ting hesitated for a long time, his face full of confusion, "Xian'er is managing the craftsmen's households with Aunt Bishu, isn't that..."
It wasn't that he hadn't yet made a name for himself in the exams, and his younger sister was left alone in the capital with her godmother, which was awkward. So the new emperor kindly asked her to help out with some chores.
This year, Zhang Ting followed His Highness the Crown Prince on his campaigns, keeping him extremely busy. He only heard a little bit of what his sister was doing – wasn't that just her usual pastime?
From what the new emperor says...
-----------------------
The author's note: Since he had just ascended the throne and wanted to promote his confidants and grant them official positions, how could he forget Bishu?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com