Zhong Changrong looked at the new official document on the desk, examining it left and right, trying to find problems with it. But whether it was the writing or the format, he, a military general, couldn’t pick out any flaws.
Pretend not to understand it? That was impossible too. The Grand Tutor, being considerate of these military generals, had written it very plainly.
“Liang Qiang, son of Left Wing Army Chief Clerk Liang Ji, Vanguard Army Marquis, is to enter the capital to receive orders at the Ministry of War.” Zhong Changrong ground his teeth as he read it aloud.
Even the father’s name was written down. Even if he found another person surnamed Liang named Qiang from the vanguard army, it wouldn’t work.
“What right does that Deng Yi have—” Zhong Changrong grabbed the document to tear it.
The deputy generals hurriedly stopped him. “General, it bears the jade seal and great seal—it’s equivalent to an imperial edict. It cannot be desecrated.”
That’s right. By virtue of the Grand Tutor’s regency, in the current Da Xia, what the Grand Tutor said counted. Zhong Changrong indignantly slapped the document on the table.
“General, don’t worry. The young mistress must know about this,” a deputy general consoled. “The young mistress has a fairly good relationship with the Grand Tutor. Didn’t the young mistress say it was only accomplished with the Grand Tutor’s help?”
“That’s right, perhaps the young mistress hasn’t had time to write us a letter yet,” another deputy general said. “Perhaps this is also the young mistress’s intention.”
After Chu Zhao became Empress, the Grand Tutor had been very protective and even indulgent of the Empress. Besides hearing government affairs together with the Emperor and quelling the Prince Zhongshan incident, Zhong Changrong knew a bit more than others. Back when the young mistress had protected the young crown prince and fought her way into the palace, Deng Yi had guarded the palace gate and originally wouldn’t open it—it was the young mistress who persuaded him.
Even earlier, when the young mistress left the capital, it was also Deng Yi who brought her back.
The young mistress and Deng Yi had known each other early and their friendship ran deep. By all rights he should feel at ease, but—which of those sitting in such high positions in the court could truly make one feel at ease?
“General, we’re overthinking this,” a deputy general said. “We were only thinking that the Liang clan has grudges with the Chu clan, but the clan with even greater enmity with the Liang clan is the Xie clan. Grand Tutor Deng naturally doesn’t want to see the Xie clan grow powerful in the army, so he deliberately designated a Liang clan descendant.”
Everyone in the hall suddenly understood. Thinking of it this way, it made sense.
So that’s how it is. Zhong Changrong’s expression relaxed slightly.
“This is actually a good thing,” a deputy general said with a smile. “We don’t need to reconsider either. Just proceed according to what was previously agreed upon.”
A good thing? Everyone looked at him.
The deputy general smiled. “The Grand Tutor wants Liang Qiang to go, and the court’s official document lets us decide for ourselves. So we’ll have both Xie Yanlai and Liang Qiang go. This way the matter has nothing to do with us—it becomes a matter between the Xie clan and the Liang clan.”
Let them fight it out.
Excellent! Everyone in the hall laughed. Zhong Changrong also nodded. Then the young mistress could sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. He glanced at the documents on the desk.
However, his brow didn’t relax. After pondering for a moment, he looked up and ordered, “Summon School Captain Xie.”
……
……
Xie Yanlai strode into the hall, bringing a gust of wind with him.
“General Zhong, our Luo City—” he said angrily.
Before he could finish, Zhong Changrong interrupted him. “Yes, yes, I know. Your Luo City is very busy and very far away. Having you run back and forth is just me playing games with you.”
Xie Yanlai hooked his long leg and pulled over a chair, sitting down and saying lazily, “As long as the General knows. Since you’ve troubled me like this, I won’t hold it against you. Just assign us a hundred more military horses.”
“A hundred horses?” Zhong Changrong sneered. “So you can run around playing every day?” Seeing that Xie Yanlai was about to say something else, he slapped the table. “Stop talking nonsense with me. I called you here about something—regarding entering the capital.”
Hearing this, a trace of mockery flashed at the corner of Xie Yanlai’s mouth. The next moment he lowered his eyes to look at his fingers, saying, “Hasn’t the matter of entering the capital already been decided? What else is there to discuss?”
Yes, it had already been decided, but—Zhong Changrong seemed to drift off, not answering. After hesitating, he asked, “What arrangements has your family made for you?”
Family? Xie Yanlai glanced at him. “What do you mean?”
Since coming to the border army, he hadn’t returned. The Xie family hadn’t said anything either, just sent over a dozen servants to look after his daily life.
Zhong Changrong had been very vigilant and discovered that these dozen servants were carefully selected—capable in both civil and martial matters. Once when Xie Yanlai was trapped in a difficult battle with no news, the servants followed the soldiers to search for him and encountered an ambush. Three servants actually killed twenty Xi Liang scouts.
The Xie family sending these servants to Xie Yanlai certainly wasn’t just to attend to his daily needs—it was to assist him in establishing merit and building his career in the army, to strategize for him.
Zhong Changrong hadn’t driven away the Xie family’s servants, turning a blind eye. As long as what you’re strategizing for is establishing merit and building a career, it’s fine.
“Regarding this trip to the capital,” he looked at Xie Yanlai and asked, “What did your family say?”
Xie Yanlai said lazily, “What does entering the capital have to do with my family?”
Zhong Changrong impatiently slapped the table. “Don’t play dumb with me. For such a good opportunity, your family would have no arrangements?”
Xie Yanlai laughed even more. “This is a good thing?”
Of course this was a good thing—an imperial audience, an audience with His Majesty, merit evaluation at court, official titles and noble ranks! Zhong Changrong sneered. “Whether it’s good or bad, your family decides.”
Xie Yanlai smiled mockingly. “Then I don’t know. My family hasn’t said anything. My family doesn’t manage my affairs here.”
Doesn’t manage? Zhong Changrong was stunned and asked, “Your family didn’t tell you to go to the capital?”
“I came here by imperial command. Naturally I would return also by imperial command.” Xie Yanlai was impatient. “General Zhong, stop constantly bringing up my family.”
He raised his eyebrows mockingly again.
“Is the General so concerned about other people’s families? Does the General do everything by looking at other people’s families?”
After finishing his words, he saw that Zhong Changrong across from him didn’t curse back as usual. His expression didn’t even show anger, but rather an absent-minded appearance.
“Hey.” He had to irritably remind him.
Zhong Changrong made a sound of acknowledgment and glanced at him. “It’s nothing. You can return to Luo City.”
A trace of surprise flashed through Xie Yanlai’s dim eyes. He swung his long legs, but didn’t stand up and leave. Instead, he changed his sitting position.
“What’s going on?” He frowned. “Why are you telling me to return to Luo City again? Hasn’t the matter of entering the capital been settled?”