Chapter 99: The Filial Son Weeps at the Grave

Three days later, in the morning, the continuous drizzle temporarily ceased. The members of the Xu Family took the opportunity to lead the brothers Zhang Yunxiu and Zhang Jingxiu straight toward the location of the Xu Family ancestral graves.

The Xu Family ancestral graves were located in the suburbs northwest of Huating County. While Xu Jie was still alive, he had specifically sought out a Feng Shui master to examine the site, determining it to be a land of good fortune.

Xu Jie was overjoyed, sending men to purchase all the land surrounding this plot and relocating all his ancestors into it.

After Xu Jie died, he was naturally buried there as well.

Before they had even walked into the cemetery gate, the steward in charge of guarding the grounds came forward with a smile, fawning over the three Xu Family leaders at the front: "Eldest Master, Second Master, Third Master, all the offerings have been prepared by the priest; we were just waiting for you to arrive."

Xu Fan nodded, waving his hand to signal the men of the household to change into mourning clothes, then strode inside.

Although Zhang Yunxiu and Zhang Jingxiu were not the main figures, because the two represented the current Grand Secretary, even walking in the middle, they still drew envious gazes from those around them.

Those present today, besides the descendants of the Xu Family, also included officials from Songjiang Prefecture and even Yingtian Prefecture.

Among them, some had once received favors from the Xu Family and coming here today could be considered repaying that debt; of course, more were there to probe the actual situation of the Xu Family.

Facing the scrutiny of the officials on both sides, Zhang Yunxiu did not look aside, only walking straight ahead.

When they reached the cemetery where a tall tombstone stood, Buddhist chants suddenly rang out.

A middle-aged man wearing hemp clothes and a white robe, with a yellow rope tied around his waist, stepped out, plopped down onto the ground, and wailed.

"Oh, my old Grand Tutor, why have you left us like this? You left these descendants behind—isn't this just making them suffer heart-rending grief day after day?"

"Our Great Ming has lost you, just like a great hall missing a stone pillar."

"My old Grand Tutor, oh, my old Grand Tutor..."

The voice was sorrowful and melodious, and combined with his appearance of snot and tears, it instantly infected a large crowd of people.

"What a filial son and virtuous grandson."

Zhang Yunxiu sighed in secret admiration.

The next moment, Xu Fan stepped forward a few paces, helped the middle-aged man up, and comforted him: "Magistrate Wei, having this heart is enough. We all know, we all know what you mean."

Magistrate Wei's eyes were filled with tears; he shook his head and said in a hoarse voice: "The Grand Tutor was decades older than me. I don't have the good fortune like the Xu Court Chamberlain to have such a father. It's just that when Grand Tutor Xu was alive, he once taught me a few things. The ancients said, 'A teacher for a day is a father for life.' For a son to wail at a father's funeral and kowtow in respect is only natural and right."

Having said this, he prepared to kneel and wail again.

Xu Kun and Xu Ying hurriedly stepped forward, flanking this Magistrate Wei, and said: "Magistrate Wei, you must take care of your health. You are the parent-official of our Huating; you cannot ruin your body by crying here."

"With the Grand Tutor having passed away, this official is torn with grief and wishes he could follow the Grand Tutor."

The three Xu brothers exchanged a glance and together supported Magistrate Wei to the side.

At this time, Xu Yuanchun, as the eldest grandson, walked at the very front.

He turned his head and gave a wink to Zhang Jingxiu and his brother. Zhang Jingxiu pulled his brother, who was still in a daze, and stepped forward a few paces to the very front.

The three stood side by side, and servants had already handed over incense.

Standing with his back straight, Xu Yuanchun's eyes turned red, and he said with a trembling voice: "Grandfather, the Grand Secretary has sent the young masters to see you. The young master on the right, Zhang Yunxiu, has now also become Ruoxi's husband and is one of our Xu Family. Down there, you must protect our family."

After finishing, he stepped aside to make room.

Zhang Yunxiu stared at the grave in front of him, where a Grand Secretary of the Great Ming Dynasty was buried.

He had once been suppressed by Zhang Cong and, under the authority of Yan Song, had endured for nearly twenty years before finally toppling the Yan Party in one stroke and ascending to the position of Grand Secretary.

Looking at the entire official career of this Grand Secretary, it could be described with a single word: "Endure."

Endure, retreat, accumulate strength, and then deliver a thunderous blow to the enemy.

Bowing three times, Zhang Yunxiu inserted the incense into the bronze tripod in front of the grave, then retreated to the side with his brother, waiting quietly for the others participating in the memorial to offer incense.

The few monks at the side of the grave chanted non-stop, and the pleasant Buddhist chants reached their ears.

It made one's whole body feel comfortable, as if bathed in a spring breeze, floating as if ascending to an immortal realm.

For a moment, the whole world seemed to quiet down, with only the Buddhist chants exploding outside. Suddenly, Zhang Yunxiu felt a tap on his back. He looked back and saw it was none other than the wailing Magistrate Wei from before.

"Director Zhang," Magistrate Wei said respectfully, having already wiped away his tears.

"Something the matter?" Zhang Yunxiu asked coldly.

"You have been in Huating for nearly five or six days, and this humble official has yet to see Director Zhang. I wonder if Director Zhang could do me the honor of gathering at my humble residence today?" Magistrate Wei ignored Zhang Yunxiu's cold attitude and said fawningly.

"My schedule is tight; I am afraid I do not have that much time," Zhang Yunxiu refused directly.

Seeing Zhang Yunxiu's cold attitude, Magistrate Wei grew anxious, his speaking speed unconsciously quickening: "Director Zhang, I heard you have the intention to go to sea. I accidentally obtained a map from a boatman's home, which is said to be a Sea Chart left behind by Eunuch Zheng when he went to sea back then."

"Really?" Zhang Yunxiu became interested at once.

"I cannot guarantee its authenticity, as it is quite old, but if Director Zhang wishes to see it, I can gift it to you."

Magistrate Wei spoke with great tact, his voice soft and gentle, and he consistently referred to himself as "this humble official" rather than "this official," keeping his posture very low, which made one feel extremely comfortable. After some back and forth, Zhang Yunxiu's attitude softened. He smiled at Magistrate Wei and said softly: "Since Magistrate Wei has invited me, I cannot dampen your spirits."

"Then this humble official will respectfully await Director Zhang's arrival at my humble home tonight," Magistrate Wei said, his goat-like beard twitching and his small eyes smiling until they were almost slits.

"Magistrate Wei is too kind," Zhang Yunxiu nodded in reply.

The memorial service lasted until the end of the Shen hour, with the blood-red sunset struggling not to fall.

Once the crowd dispersed, the officials who had participated in the memorial gathered around, blocking Zhang Jingxiu, asking after his well-being and making small talk.

"Young Master Zhang, do you still remember me? The year before last, when I went to the capital to report on my duties, I even went to the Grand Secretary's residence to pay my respects."

"Is the Grand Secretary's health well? Was the old mountain ginseng I sent of any use?"

"I have heard that the Grand Secretary is a master of calligraphy. I wonder if the young master could request a piece for me? I would like to hang it in my office to constantly express my longing for the Grand Secretary."

"..."

Looking at the flushed faces and hearing the noisy sounds around him, Zhang Jingxiu felt as if his head were about to explode.

He could not handle it and was just about to turn back to find his fifth brother, only to discover that he had already slipped away.

"Hey, hey, don't pull my clothes, don't crowd, don't crowd."

Taking advantage of the moment he turned his head, a crowd of officials surged up. Zhang Jingxiu used a massive amount of effort before finally breaking out of the heavy encirclement with the help of Xu Yuanchun.

The moonlight moved onto the high buildings, and the dark night shrouded the earth.

Inside Magistrate Wei's residence in Shitou Alley, the lanterns had long been lit, with palace lanterns glowing one after another.

Magistrate Wei sat upright at the rosewood eight-immortal table, quietly waiting for Zhang Yunxiu's arrival.

County Magistrate Wei's original name was Wei Ming; he was not a scholar who had passed the two levels of the Imperial Examination, but merely a recommended scholar. At the age of thirty-two, he participated in the Metropolitan Examination and failed once again.

Consequently, he simply gave up the idea of the Imperial Examination and registered his name with the Ministry of Personnel. In the fifth year of the Longqing reign, he finally obtained a vacancy and became a County Assistant in a county in Guangdong.

After that, he spent another six years working his way up from County Assistant to County Magistrate.

Three years ago, he was transferred from his previous post to Huating County; such a fertile and wealthy place was, in any case, a promotion.

Now that his three-year term was up, if no accidents occurred, he should be promoted to Prefectural Assistant (a rank of 6b). But he had a premonition that his political career was also coming to an end.

After all, not everyone was like Hai Rui, who could reach the rank of a third-grade high official with only the status of a recommended scholar.

In order to climb higher, he racked his brains to curry favor with the Xu Family, seeking only to latch onto the Xu Family and have them lobby on his behalf.

The subsequent appearance of Zhang Yunxiu allowed him to scout out a new target.

That the Xu Family could still possess such prestige now was mostly due to the authority of the current Senior Grand Secretary.

Currently, Zhang Yunxiu was not only a newly minted advanced scholar but also a close attendant to the Emperor. With such status added, it was foreseeable that Zhang Yunxiu could speak to the Emperor.

In this day and age, if an official has no one backing their chair, they might as well wait to be the scapegoat.

Since he had to find someone, he would find the greatest backer.

Just as he was thinking this, a burst of footsteps suddenly came from outside. Wei Ming collected his thoughts, hurriedly stood up, and went out to the dining hall to welcome him, smiling: "Oh my, for Director Zhang to grace my humble home, my humble home truly shines with brilliance."

"Magistrate Wei, you still call this a humble home?" Zhang Yunxiu let out a strange cry, scanned the dining hall, and couldn't help but mock, "Just this chair of yours is probably worth half a year of your salary."

"It was all a gift from friends, all a gift from friends; it's not worth much money." Wei Ming waved his hands repeatedly and invited Zhang Yunxiu to sit down.

Zhang Yunxiu lifted his robes to sit, glanced at Wei Ming, and then began to speak to himself: "They say, 'A clean magistrate for three years, one hundred thousand taels of snow-white silver.' I didn't quite believe it before, but looking at it now, it seems the saying is not without foundation."

Stung by this, Wei Ming's face twitched, but he still accompanied it with a smile and said: "Although my clan is not considered wealthy, we do run some small businesses in Suzhou. While I am an official away from home, the clan leader provides me with much support."

As he spoke, he picked up the wine pot to fill a cup for Zhang Yunxiu, then sat back in his original seat and poured one for himself as well.

"Looking at your decorations here, I can't help but think of someone," Zhang Yunxiu smiled, then suddenly continued to press him.

"Who?" Wei Ming asked curiously.

"Wanping County Assistant, Zhao Lin. Along with his elderly mother, a family of five all squeezed into three tile-roofed rooms, and every month he only takes that meager salary from the imperial court to support his wife and children."

"Director Zhang, this statement is incorrect." Wei Ming directly threw out his own point of view, "The people should have welfare, and officials should also have welfare. Otherwise, who would become an official? As long as the people under one's rule are peaceful and their lives are prosperous, even if the 'parent official' eats delicacies every day, he is still a good official."

"Conversely, if the people are displaced and selling their children, then even if the official eats chaff and wild vegetables every day, he is still a foolish official, a muddled official!"

"So that's how it is, Magistrate Wei must be a good official then." Zhang Yunxiu's attitude softened slightly as he asked teasingly.

"I wouldn't dare claim to be a good official, but I, Wei, have a clear conscience," Wei Ming replied with his neck held high.

"Hahaha, a good 'clear conscience.' Come, Magistrate Wei, I toast you a cup."

(End of chapter)