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Zhao Su, your miserable love affair1 has arrived ……
As Xu Jie’s protege, the pressure on Zhang Juzheng was immense.
Although he was shielded by his teacher’s wings and was minimally affected by this political struggle, this did not mean that he could completely stay out of it. Once his teacher, always his teacher2, putting aside the close relationship between teacher and student, Xue Jie and Zhang Juzheng still shared in the glories and in the defeats. If Xu Jie were to fall, Zhang Juzheng may follow suit and never recover. So when the Yan faction made a move, Zhang Juzheng had to stand by Xu Jie and help him deal with the other side’s endless tricks, and also think of ways to counterattack, so it was incredibly troublesome. It would be weird if he wasn’t tired.
He was silent for half a day before finally spitting out an inconsequential opening sentence: “…… I heard that his Majesty’s health is still serious, until now he has not improved.”
Zhao Su almost wanted to laugh, but held it back and followed the topic with a serious sigh: “It seems that way, it has been a month since the Prince of Yu entered the palace. It is really too lonely in this manor without its master, even Tutor Gao and the others don’t come very often.”
The two of them exchanged a few more idle words, Zhu Yijun had long been impatient to listen to them, and had run away to play. Zhang Juzheng then said: “After the beginning of autumn, the weather will begin to cool, all the demons and monsters will take the opportunity to come out.”
Zhao Su smiled faintly, “Winter in the Capital is longer than that of the South. The nights are long, piercing ice-cold, but no matter how long it lasts, winter must end one day, and when spring returns, everything will be bright again, da-ren mustn’t worry.”
Zhang Juzheng’s eyebrow twitched: “I’m afraid that before Spring arrives, there would already have been a great mess created by the cold winter wind wreaking havoc on Heaven and Earth.” The two of them continued to exchange some sharp words, as if they were just exchanging some casual pleasantries. Zhao Su was sitting there, in a bamboo-coloured ordinary day robes, with a face of jade and a relaxed attitude, he looked almost like an immortal. He was not like Zhang Juzheng who had to rush about day in and day out to fight and scheme everywhere, instead he was relatively open-minded so naturally he was confident and at ease, it was not hard for Zhang Juzheng to misunderstand him.
“Nature is the true law. Since the heavens created the four seasons, naturally they will not allow one of them to upset the balance.” There were several layers in Zhao Su’s words, and Zhang Juzheng knew that he was not referring to the blue sky above their head, but to the “heaven” in the Forbidden City.
“What if this ‘heaven’ already had its hands full taking care of other matters?” Zhang Juzheng intended to make things difficult for him.
“That is not for me a lowly official to speculate.” Zhao Su paused and added: “At this time, Secretary Xu is carrying a heavy responsibility and will certainly be summoned to the palace.”
Zhang Juzheng smiled: “If Shaoyong doesn’t mind, just call me Taiyue.”
Zhao Su did not shy away: “Da-ren is older than me, I should still address you as xiong-zhang, Taiyue-xiong.”
The two of them smiled at each other, after changing the greeting, the distance between them was instantly much closer.
“You don’t know, right now His Majesty doesn’t see anyone, not only teacher, but even Secretary Yan has also turned away at the palace gate.” Zhang Juzheng came closer to Zhao Su and said slightly helplessly.
Zhao Su was stunned, and then understood that the Emperor was making a statement: he didn’t trust anyone in the Grand Secretariat, including all of the high-ranking officials.
Prior to this, Yan Song had just resigned from office and Xu Jie had been impeached. In a fit of rage, Jiajing simply recalled Yan Song to the Capital to hold the two of them in check, it was a warning to both Yan Song and Xu Jie.
But the Grand Secretariat was, after all, the highest administrative institution in the country aside from the Emperor, and it wasn’t unlikely that either the Prince of Yu or the Prince of Jing would be able to rule independently of the Grand Secretariat in the future. Not to mention the fact that, due to Jiajing’s deliberate suppression, the two sons have had little contact with the imperial court, let alone actually getting their hands dirty.
Therefore, Zhao Su guessed that the Emperor would not be able to hold his authority for long, if his health improved, it would be fine, but if it deteriorated, the Grand Secretariat would definitely be summoned to the palace to clarify matters.
Therefore, neither Yan Song nor Xu Jie were in a hurry, they were both waiting for the Emperor to open up again first, which was also a sort of game between the imperial power and the Grand Secretariat. Regarding this point, Yan Song and Xu Jie’s position was the same, and a delicate balance was finally maintained between these three.
Zhao Su said, “Yan Shifan will have observed all twenty-seven months of his mourning period by next year?” The mourning period will be over and he will be able to return to the Capital to resume his duties. By then, Yan Song’s right and left hand will be back and it will be even harder to deal with the Yan Faction.
Zhang Juzheng nodded his head: “Although the Yan family’s father and son have done a lot of evil, Lady Ouyang was upright, it’s a pity ……”
Zhao Su did not see it that way. Lady Ouyang was also to blame for Yan Shifan’s arrogant and domineering nature today, and everyone in the Yan family, including the grandchildren such as Yan Shaoqing and the others were not completely innocent either. It is just that in this era, many people, although hating the Yan family’s father and son, still felt quite sympathetic and sorry for the Yan family’s Lady Ouyang.
Zhao Su finished for him, “It is a pity that Yan Shifan has neither learned from his father’s talent nor his mother’s benevolence, but instead is full of treachery and cunning, causing trouble. He is the tower of strength for the Yan faction, as soon as one thinks of the Yan faction, one will naturally think of Yan Shifan.”
The conversation getting to this point, Xu Jie and Yan faction were bound to fight to the death and their last breath. Zhang Juzheng was Xu Jie’s student, so naturally also stood in opposition to the Yan faction, Zhao Su did not try to avoid this topic again.
Zhang Juzheng gave him an approving glance: “That’s right, that’s what teacher and I have also said, but right now that he is still in his hometown observing the mourning period, so it’s almost impossible to find a handle3 on him.”
Zhao Su suddenly had an idea and suddenly felt as if he had a disordered messy ball of string but had at last found the head of that string, everything suddenly became clear.
“I don’t think it’s difficult.”
The Yan faction liked to make something out of nothing such as fabricating charges to falsely accuse others, they could naturally beat them at their own game, as for the charges, some work would still have to be done. Charges such as corruption and bribery or forming factions, were unlikely to bother Jiajing, only when it shook the foundation of his imperial rule, would it cause the Emperor to be wary and on guard.
As long as they were able to make a big fuss along these lines, even if Emperor Jiajing was dying, he would probably still get up to rid himself of Yan Shifan immediately.
Xu Manor, Study.
“What did he say?”
The weather was stifling and unbearable, even Xu Jie, who had made the Grand Secretariat his home, could not bear it, and had rushed back to his manor as soon as the shichen was up. The study was filled with several pots of ice, there were also maidservants holding fans left and right to him, which somewhat dissipated some of the heat.
“He said that Yan Shifan is domineering by nature, even if he is in mourning back in his hometown, he will not be willing to just leave things alone. He suggested that we send someone to check it out, they might discover something.”
Xu Jie acknowledged and then asked: “Then what do you think?”
Zhang Juzheng muttered quietly, “In my opinion, Zhao Su’s idea does seem to be quite logical, and as long as we find something that we can use against them, it will be enough evidence to bring down the Yan Faction.”
Xu Jie showed interest through a smile, “Zhao Shaoyong is giving us an idea and at the same time returning us the favour.”
Zhang Juzheng wondered, “What favour?”
“Last time I recommended you to enter Prince of Yu’s residence with him, he must still remember this favour.”
Zhang Juzheng understood and smiled slightly: “Teacher, isn’t this a good thing? It shows that Zhao Su is a smart person and knows what he’s doing, so it’s always more comfortable to make a friendship with such a person.”
“There is no such thing as permanent friends in the imperial court, what is good now may not be so in the future.”
“Would teacher like to send someone to check?”
“Naturally, previously you and I were confused, only concerned with dealing with His Majesty and Yan Song, forgetting that there is also Yan Shifan. Zhao Su has reminded me of this, Yan Shifan has a trusted confidante named Luo Longwen, from him, we will be able to find out a lot of things ……”
Elsewhere, Zhao Su had spent half the day with Zhu Yijun and did not leave the manor until the afternoon, only to run into Chen Yiqin just after he stepped out of the manor.
“Da-ren, are you here to see the princely heir?”
Chen Yiqin coughed:”…… Sort of.”
Zhao Su: “……” What do you mean sort of, da-ren can’t really lie.
“Where are you going?”
“I wanted to go back to the Hanlin Academy to get some books and records.”
Chen Yiqin took him by the hand: “So you’re not busy, come in with me first to see the little princely heir!”
Zhao Su was helpless: “Da-ren, I just came out from there.”
“That doesn’t matter, just count it as keeping me company, I have something to talk to you about later.” Chen Yiqin laughed and dragged him inside without saying another word.
Zhao Su had to accompany him inside again 一一 Seeing all the people he had just seen a quarter of an hour ago.
When the two of them left, he couldn’t resist asking, “What is it that da-ren wishes to talk to me about?”
Chen Yiqin seemed to want to say something, he said slowly, “Let’s find a quieter place to discuss.”
Seeing this look on the other’s face, Zhao Su also became a bit suspicious, thinking that it could be related to Prince of Yu or Emperor Jiajing?
The two of them went into the Zui Xian Pavilion and picked a corner where there were fewer people. Chen Yiqin ordered a few small dishes and talked to him about the origins of Zui Xian Pavilion, dragging things out for half a day before finally getting to the point: “You are nineteen this year, right?”
Zhao Su nodded in response, he was baffled.
Chen Yiqin looked him up and down until Zhao Su was starting to get creeped out, then he smiled and said, “Have you already set your engagement in your hometown?” Zhao Su was not feeling so good, but he said, “Not yet, a man should aspire to travel far and make one’s mark, forge a career before settling down and getting married, so I asked my mother not to arrange a marriage for me.”
Chen Yiqin first nodded and then shook his head: “That’s not right. It’s only natural that you want to forge your own career, but there are three things which are unfilial, and to have no posterity is the greatest of them4, you mustn’t make your parents worry about it.
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so this was all about matchmaking him?
“Da-ren, thank you for your guidance, so the reason you called me here was to……?”
Chen Yiqin smiled whilst stroking his beard and said, “My granddaughter5 has reached fourteen years old, although she is not an outstanding beauty, she is also well educated, virtuous and gracious. Since Shaoyong is still unmarried, and still not yet engaged, why not think it over?”
Zhao Su was stunned for a moment, “I come from a humble background, and I am the son of a concubine. I am afraid that it would be detrimental to your family principles.” As he spoke, he exhibited just the right amount of awkwardness, but he was honest enough to not give the impression that he was offering excuses.
Chen Yiqin’s face straightened and his words deep and powerful: “That’s not right. There are many officials up and down the imperial court who are concubine-born sons, as long as you are honorable and benevolent, the Chen family will not mind your background.”
In fact, ever since he arrived here, Zhao Su had rarely thought about this aspect of his life. In this era, all of the noble ladies with some status would not show their faces in public. Those such scenes of the hero saving the beauty and then falling in love at first sight could at most only appear in fiction, unless the woman was a pr*stitutes.
Zhao Su was a bit fastidious in the matters of love, and was unwilling to head to the low-grade br*thels to pass a night of pleasure, so there were even fewer options available for him.
A man and a woman, who have not met beforehand and only begin to get along after they are married, were, at best, giving each other mutual respect.
It’s not that there weren’t many couples who had a good relationship with each other, after all, there were a few, but there were more countless ordinary couples in this world, although they don’t have a deep relationship, they were on good terms with each other.
In ancient times, there was a system of wives and concubines – the legitimate wife was the matriarch of the household, she would often get the respect of her husband, rather than be favoured by him
Marry a wife for her virtue, marry a concubine for her beauty6, this was the tacit custom of ancient times.
What was even more tragic was to be like Hai Rui’s three wives, who were either kicked out or died violently under the domination of an overbearing mother-in-law.
The reason why he seldom thought about his marriage was that he found it difficult to find a compatible person here, so he would rather focus on his career first, it seemed that a career was more important for men.
But now that Chen Yiqin has mentioned his intention to betroth his own granddaughter to him, he couldn’t help but consider it.
In terms of relationships, he was not only his Fangshi7, but also a colleague, and even a friend despite their difference in age, so Zhao Su could not just perfunctorily dismiss the matter.
Zhao Su pondered for a moment and then cupped his hands together and said, “Da-ren, to tell you the truth, before da-ren mentioned it, Shaoyong had rarely considered marital matters. Matchmaking is made by parents’ order and on the matchmaker’s word8. I lost my father at a young age, but my mother is still present, and was the one who encouraged me to study hard, let me consult with her and then we can re-discuss the matter.”
He had no choice but to use his mother as a shield.
He made a reasonable point, and Chen Yiqin did not expect him to agree immediately, so Chen Yiqin didn’t make things difficult and agreed.
As a result, a day later, something happened that gave Zhao Su an even bigger headache.
When he ran into Zhang Juzheng at the Hanlin Academy in the morning, the latter smiled at him ambiguously for half a day.
In the afternoon, Xu Manor had sent someone over, to invite him to go over to the manor.
Zhao Su thought that the idea that he had given to Zhang Juzheng last time had encountered some issues with Xu Jie, but Secretary Xu received him in a peaceful manner and did not mention a word about it. Instead the topic of conversation covered inconsequential and trivial matters, and he even asked about who else was in Zhao Su’s family.
Zhao Su was not so self-absorbed to think that Xu Jie wanted to betroth his granddaughter to him, but the situation was rather bizarre.
Xu Jie listened to him as he was almost forced to list out his ancestors from the last eight generations, Xu Jie smiled and said: “Shaoyong, how about you let me matchmake you?”
Zhao Su’s head was full of black lines, what kind of luck9 was he having at the moment? Unfortunately, this luck came so suddenly that he couldn’t feel happy at all.