Chapter 114: An Outing (Part 2)

Zhang Jun first slowly nodded at the words, then slowly shook his head: "Yanxiu, if it were only that, then naturally I am being greedy, but now among the close ministers, I am the only one left idle..."

Liu Ziyu was slightly startled.

"Let's continue." Zhang Jun kept pouring and drinking for himself, finishing a cup before speaking while counting on his fingers. "Academician Lin is deep in scheming, solid in foundation, rarely speaks, yet repeatedly accomplishes great matters..."

Liu Ziyu immediately nodded and interrupted: "I know this well. For instance, after the Xiangyang affair was settled, none of the meritorious officials received a promotion in official post or assignment, but idle talk in the Privy Council says everyone actually got generous rewards... For the various commanders of the Imperial Guard Central Army, no reward is better than expanding their troops; for an academician like Lin who serves at His Majesty's side, no reward is better than His Majesty's trust... I hear that among the four or five in the Hanlin Academy now, the others combined don't stand duty as much as Academician Lin?"

"Correct." Zhang Deyuan replied in a low voice. "The several academicians who have come recently—Wang Tao (from the Prince of Kang's household) with his deep seniority, Shen Yiqiu with his elegant prose, Li Ruopu (Li Ruoshui's brother) with his family's loyal martyrdom—none can shake Academician Lin in the slightest."

Liu Ziyu pondered, then chose his words: "Actually, it's normal for His Majesty to cherish old ties. Academician Lin not only has recent notable merits but was also a close minister on Bagong Mountain... Deyuan, it's true His Majesty forgot the past after falling into the well, but he hasn't forgotten a single minister who shared his hardships after that fall."

"Correct." Zhang Deyuan pretended not to catch the continued admonition in the other's words, instead continuing while counting on his fingers, reeking of alcohol: "His Majesty does cherish old ties and has always treated the close ministers who shared his hardships generously... Just think—if Wang Boyan and Wang Yuan hadn't chosen to share hardships on Bagong Mountain, could they be so pleased today? If Yang Yizhong hadn't followed since the enthronement, could he have gained such trust from His Majesty? If Liu Yan hadn't entered palace service at Mingdao Palace, could he have risen with the tide? If Yuwen Xuzhong hadn't followed as a high minister during Han Shizhong's mutiny, could he have secured his place as one of the four chancellors? Even if Hu Mingzhong hadn't stripped off his clothes to show sincerity that day, could all his remonstrances be heeded? And isn't Chancellor Li's tacit understanding with His Majesty also from the grace of that handclasp and entrustment?"

Liu Ziyu sighed: "In that case, what more can you say? Has His Majesty only trusted these people and not you, Zhang Deyuan? Has he not given you high office, or not employed the men you recommended? Wasn't I recommended by you? Before I came today, weren't there many talented men blocking your gate? Weren't they trying to curry favor, hoping you'd look after them a bit at court tomorrow?"

"I know what you mean, Yanxiu." Zhang Deyuan's voice grew even more somber. "I have no grievance. As you and others say, at thirty-one I am Censor-in-Chief, holding a half-chancellor position, and His Majesty employs almost everyone I recommend—with such favor, what more can I say? But you don't understand, His Majesty's intentions are clear now, and I'm trapped in this post, unable to move..."

"What exactly do you mean, Deyuan?" Liu Ziyu finally grew impatient. "You keep saying you have no grievance, but all I hear is complaint, and I still don't see how you're trapped..."

"Actually, it's simple." At this point, Zhang Deyuan had no choice but to lower his voice and speak the truth after drinking. "I am precisely trapped here by His Majesty. Everyone above and below now understands that because of the chaotic times, His Majesty wants to stabilize the court to calm people's hearts..."

"Everyone knows that."

"Then let me ask you—what is the Censor-in-Chief for?" Zhang Jun asked himself and answered. "Originally, it's to restrain the chancellors and key court officials for His Majesty. In this situation, when I look ahead, whether at the chancellors or the heads of ministries and bureaus, unless they have obvious errors, all their positions are secure. Doesn't that mean the Censorate is completely useless?"

Liu Ziyu frowned slightly, clearly not having thought of this.

"Besides, Yanxiu, you don't know—Chancellor Xu and Chancellor Wang are close friends with Chancellor Zhang Que, who is recuperating in Huainan, and Chancellor Zhang and I have never gotten along. These days, Chancellor Zhang is reportedly worsening, so they've been pressing me hard." Zhang Jun continued with a sigh. "Thus, whenever His Majesty needs the Censorate to issue a directive, those two chancellors always bypass me directly to find Hu Mingzhong, while the other two chancellors pretend not to know. After all, Hu Mingzhong is also a close minister before His Majesty, and just as useful to him..."

"You mean Hu Mingzhong has you pinned down?" Liu Ziyu finally showed some reaction. "Then why not openly suppress him? You are the Censor-in-Chief, he is your subordinate, and a junior in your circle—it's perfectly justified..."

"That's another helpless point." Zhang Jun pointed to the sky with the reek of alcohol. "His Majesty is watching... Hu Mingzhong and I are both close ministers, both His Majesty's confidants. And before, Hu Mingzhong impeached me and Han Shizhong on official business. If I did this now, what would it look like in the eyes of His Majesty, who has shown me such immense favor? I can't show resentment, but is personal revenge acceptable? Even if I recommended Hu Mingzhong for a good post to push him out, do you think our shrewd His Majesty wouldn't understand?"

Liu Ziyu thought it over and also found it helpless, because the three parties in this matter formed a loop with two knots, both ultimately in His Majesty's hands.

"Those two chancellors are clever—they figured out His Majesty's thoughts and deliberately used Hu Mingzhong, that perfect choice." Liu Ziyu was silent for a long time before sighing. "But what harm is there in enduring a little? Others would be delighted to be stuck in the Censor-in-Chief position."

"Have you forgotten my ambition, Yanxiu?" Zhang Deyuan drank another cup, then waved his hand repeatedly. "I am a man of Sichuan. That day by the Yingshui River, after His Majesty spoke of us becoming a Marquis Wu, I resolved to become a Zhuge Liang in this life! The nation is in ruins, others are serving the country—how can I sit idle here?"

Hearing this, Liu Ziyu's earlier slight annoyance melted away, replaced by respect: "Then, Deyuan, what do you intend to do?"

"I want to resign my post and go out to govern a region like Zhao Yuanzhen (Zhao Ding)." Zhang Jun answered bluntly.

Liu Ziyu was not surprised, only smiled wryly: "You advised me to raise my sights and stay at the center, but now you want to run off yourself..."

"I advised you to stay because you are useful here—didn't the Xiangyang affair prove my words?" Zhang Jun was unperturbed. "But my staying at the center now is of no great use."

"You always have your reasons." Liu Ziyu's wry smile deepened. "So where do you plan to go?"

"I estimate that in another month or two, someone in Guanzhong will emerge to clean up the mess... With seven or eight commanders, there must be one or two who are either domineering or loyal and brave, right?"

"That's natural... You want to go to Shaanxi?" Liu Ziyu frowned slightly.

"I want to go to Sichuan-Shaanxi," Zhang Deyuan corrected. "His Majesty is most wary of civil officials leading military affairs. If I ask for Shaanxi now, he will surely refuse... But I am a native of Shu. If I ask to go to Shu to pacify it, following Zhao Ding's example of basing himself in Huainan to support Zhang Boying (Zhang Jun) by basing myself in Sichuan to support Guanzhong, His Majesty will have nothing to say."

"Then, when a domineering figure emerges in Guanzhong, he'll become your Zhang Boying?" Liu Yanxiu mused. "The logic holds, but there are still a few difficulties... His Majesty has you watching over Han Shizhong. After you leave, who will handle Han Shizhong?"

Zhang Jun's wry smile deepened: "That's another reason I'm asking to leave. Han Shizhong is the major general closest to Nanyang. His Majesty talks about 'waist and gall' all day—let him watch over Han himself. Times have changed."

"True." Liu Ziyu nodded lightly. "Then who will you recommend as Censor-in-Chief after you leave? Hu Mingzhong? It can't be Li Guang, can it? That man was Chancellor Li's staff—you need to be careful with such matters."

"I'm not so muddled as to let Li Guang take it, but recommending Hu Mingzhong doesn't sit well with me." Zhang Jun shook his head repeatedly. "Censor He Zhu, Secretariat Drafter Fan Zongyin, Minister of Rites Zhu Shengfei, Minister of Works Ye Mengde, Hanlin Academician Li Ruopu... These are all top choices. If His Majesty asks me, I'll just recommend them and let him choose."

Liu Ziyu was about to say that since His Majesty cherished old ties, how could these men compare to Hu Mingzhong, who had stripped off his clothes in the tent that day? But since it concerned the major post of Censor-in-Chief, as a close minister himself, he chose not to say more.

"If you go to Sichuan, Deyuan, and I cannot follow, have you thought of finding a suitable military staff officer to handle confidential documents in your headquarters?" With this thought, Liu Yanxiu changed the subject.

"I've already considered that." Zhang Jun raised his cup and drank again. "Zhe Yanzhi was exiled to Changhua Army (Hainan). I want to ask His Majesty to pardon him and then request him as a staff officer in Sichuan; for finance, equally important, I've also found someone. Going to Sichuan, I will definitely achieve something..."

Liu Ziyu knew the other had made up his mind and didn't want to say more, so he simply raised his cup to drink with him, maintaining their friendship.

Thus, the two men, seizing rare leisure, drank from morning until the sun slanted west before returning drunk together and resting directly at Zhang Jun's residence... However, before they had slept long, still not sober, a eunuch suddenly arrived with an imperial summons, saying His Majesty had an appointment and wanted them to leave the city in plain clothes as soon as possible.

The two rose groggily, heads heavy and dizzy. The eunuch had Zhang Jun's family find a mule cart to carry them out of the city, all the way to Baihe.

By then, the sun was still strong, but over a hundred people had already gathered on the embankment by the Baihe River—eunuchs, palace guards, imperial physicians, painters, not to mention several chancellors, several ministers, several Hanlin academicians, Secretariat drafters, and of course His Majesty's most favored close ministers, almost everyone was there.

And His Majesty Zhao himself wore only a loose linen robe with crossed collars, standing with Lady Wu, also in casual dress, under a large tree by the river... When he turned and saw his two drunken confidants climbing down from the mule cart, he couldn't help but laugh:

"Deyuan, Yanxiu, you two are truly excessive. Knowing the weather is fine today and the river scenery beautiful, you only drink and amuse yourselves, unlike me, who rarely gets out and still thinks of you!"

Zhang Jun and Liu Ziyu exchanged a glance, both awkwardly cupping their hands in salute. Liu Ziyu was fine, but Zhang Jun, a civil official who had drunk heavily, stumbled and nearly fell.

"No formalities today." Zhao Jiu raised his hand, signaling the eunuch to help steady the two drunkards, then laughed again. "It's like this—I've admired Grand Academician Su Shi's poetry since childhood, so today I've specially prepared a banquet to entertain several descendants of Grand Academician Su. But my learning is shallow, and I fear making a fool of myself, so I called you all to bolster my courage..."

Liu Ziyu was fine, but Zhang Jun instinctively sensed that His Majesty was up to something again... Because tomorrow was the major palace examination for appointing officials, a matter of utmost importance, at a critical moment—why gather key officials here today to entertain Su Shi's grandsons?

However, with the alcohol going to his head, Censor-in-Chief Zhang only felt a splitting headache at the thought and could only respond dizzily.