novelSusiti Chapter 51 Zhen Jiang's Persistence and the Choice of Marriage Partner!
Chapter 51 Zhen Jiang's Persistence and the Choice of Marriage Partner!
In Wuji, Zhongshan, the Zhen family's fortified village was decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, with red curtains hanging high, and the sounds of string and wind instruments never stopped from noon.
The fortress gates were wide open, and guests from all directions arrived in an endless stream. All those in Zhongshan County who had a past relationship with the Zhen family sent envoys to offer their congratulations.
The clan members all changed into newly tailored crimson brocade robes, greeting and seeing off guests with beaming smiles.
Even the tenants outside the fort received a dou of wine and two jin of meat each, and cheers echoed throughout the fields.
This grand ceremony was to celebrate Zhen Yan, the eldest son of the Zhen family, being appointed magistrate of Le'an County in Qingzhou for his military achievements.
During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Zhen adopted Liu Bei's strategy of using wealth to secure victory, thus relieving the royal army of worries about food and logistics.
Zhen Yan also led troops to assist in the battle and transported supplies and equipment, so he was awarded the title of magistrate of a county with a salary of 600 shi (a unit of grain) after the battle.
This is already a position equivalent to the Imperial Advisor and the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat in the Han Dynasty. If one can cultivate connections and assume the position of Imperial Advisor in the imperial court, and then be transferred to a local post, one could become a prefect with a salary of two thousand piculs of grain!
Moreover, Zhen Yan is only twenty years old!
He obtained this position so soon after leaving his hometown; his future prospects are limitless.
All the families in Zhongshan were full of praise, saying that the Zhen family had a worthy successor.
Meanwhile, the banquet in the main hall was in full swing. Someone couldn't help but inquire, "I heard that the Zhen family's reward for their wealth was actually a result of Liu Bei's scheme?"
Zhongshan was home to many wealthy merchants, but only the Zhen family distinguished themselves through military achievements. Naturally, this attracted many envious individuals. One of them immediately mocked, "Who is Liu Bei? A renowned scholar of the land! Everyone praises him for his strategic brilliance like Sun Tzu and Wu Qi, and his integrity like Yan Hui and Zengzi! I've just heard of his heroic and principled deeds. How could he possibly be related to a mere local strongman like him?"
"I think it's just that Zhen Shi, relying on her family's wealth, forced her way in, and the court just gave her a perfunctory dismissal."
"But I've heard that Zhen Yan served under Liu Bei?"
"So what? I've heard that Liu Bei is so powerful in Hebei that even Huangfu Fangbo feared his bravery and reputation and had to change his allegiance. Zhen Yan, despite his merits, was only a county magistrate in the end. Now, there are countless counties and prefectures in Ji Province, with more than a hundred counties under their jurisdiction. Which county magistrate can easily visit Liu Bei? Not to mention that he was just a commoner before! They may not have even met a few times."
Hearing these discussions in the front hall, Zhen Jiang puffed out her cheeks in anger, stomped her foot, and turned to walk back to the inner courtyard corridor.
Today she was wearing a dark blue robe with a moon-white fox fur coat over it, and the fluffy white fur around the collar made her cheeks appear even more fair and jade-like.
Her long, black hair was styled into a flowing bun and tied with a blue ribbon. A silver hairpin was worn diagonally at her temple, swaying gently with her puffed-up steps.
Seeing her standing against the wind and snow, looking sullen, her elder sister-in-law, Zhang, asked, "What happened? Why are you so angry, sister-in-law?"
Zhen Jiang then recounted what she had overheard behind the screen, saying, "It's all our fault for not heeding Liu Lang's words back then. If we had chosen the better plan and devoted our entire fortunes to relieving the country's crisis, we would at least be high-ranking officials by now. At that time, these people wouldn't dare to gossip here."
At this moment, Zhen Yu, who had just been scolded in the front hall, returned to the inner hall and happened to hear Zhen Jiang's words, and sighed as well.
"It's too late for regrets. We all thought he was just a madman spouting nonsense!"
Hearing the sigh, Zhen Jiang turned to her elder brother and asked, "Brother, Liu Lang said the Yellow Turbans would be quelled in a month. It has come true. What should we do?"
Zhen Yu felt nothing but admiration, both astonished and amazed, and exclaimed, "Truly a peerless hero! His heroic spirit and boundless ambition are unmatched!"
"It's no wonder that everyone in the front hall said that my Zhen family probably didn't have much of a relationship with him. If we were truly close to him, how could we let him leave without forming a bond? We should have either arranged a marriage or become friends to deepen our relationship."
Madam Zhang sighed softly and said, "People say that having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. My uncle has a discerning eye, and he wrote to us saying that he wants to marry his daughter to Liu Bei."
"It's a pity that we didn't recognize a hero back then, and only regarded him as a madman."
"Now that Liu Jun is famous throughout the land, I fear that if we try to form an alliance with him again, he may not even look at us."
Upon hearing this, Zhen Jiang's eyes welled up with tears, and her fingers clenched tightly inside her sleeve.
She also knew that Liu Bei's best option at this time would be to marry the daughters of renowned scholars, such as Cai Yong and Bian Rang. This would further enhance his prestige and earn him the respect and acceptance of aristocratic families.
But she refused to give up this good match easily. She bit her cherry lips tightly, looked at the snow falling outside the corridor, and said in a gentle but firm voice, "No, absolutely not! If Liu Lang is so heartless, he is not the loyal and righteous Liu Lang! He would never look down on my Zhen family and give up the marriage just because he has gained power."
The eldest sister-in-law, Zhang, opened her mouth but refrained from saying anything that might hurt her younger sister-in-law's girlish feelings—but Liu Bei had never promised to marry into the Zhen family, not even once.
That was just something my uncle said in a private letter.
Zhen Yu and she were a loving couple, living in perfect harmony. They could tell what she was thinking just by looking at each other.
When managing a family, one should listen more to the advice of elders.
Older gingers are more spicy.
My uncle's years of experience and keen insight are something that young people can hardly match.
If given the chance, we must try to salvage this mistake no matter what.
While he and Zhang were still trying to figure out if they could salvage the situation, several servants rushed into the inner court in a panic.
This enraged Zhen Yu. If a male servant were to disrupt the inner court in this way, wouldn't it be a disgrace to the family if he encountered any inconvenience to the female members of the household?
He was very strict in managing his household, and his family had always been known for its integrity. How could he tolerate such a thing happening?
Even Zhang and Zhen Jiang were startled and quickly hid behind Zhen Yu.
Zhen Yu shouted sternly, "How dare you! The inner court is the residence of the women. How dare you barge in without being announced, offending the Madam and her sister-in-law! What kind of behavior is this! Do you want to be punished with a cane?!"
Several servants hurriedly knelt down, the leader kowtowing repeatedly, his voice trembling: "Master, please calm down! Master, please calm down! It's not that we dared to disobey the family rules, but a major incident happened in the front hall. We couldn't find the master anywhere, so in desperation we dared to break into the inner court."
"Master, go and see! The Second Young Master has already drawn his sword and is about to draw blood!"
Zhen Yu's expression changed; something had happened in the front hall!
His second brother went on a military training trip, and his gentle and weak demeanor diminished, but his recklessness increased significantly.
How could someone draw their sword against another person during such a grand gathering of guests?
He then calmed his anger and hurriedly said, "Hurry up and lead the way."
When he rushed back to the front hall, he saw that the protagonist of the day, Zhen Yan, should have been wearing a crimson Shu brocade robe, receiving congratulations from guests from all directions, enjoying a moment of glory.
At this moment, his hair was disheveled, he held a long sword, his eyes were bloodshot, and there were scarlet bloodstains on the hem of his clothes.
Zhen Yu's expression immediately turned serious, and he demanded, "What happened?"
Zhen Yan immediately threw down his sword, pointed at a dissolute man in front of him, and said, "This fellow claims that we are currying favor with the powerful and using the name of heroes to achieve our own selfish ends."
"Furthermore, they slander us as charlatans who deceive the world and steal fame!"
Zhen Yu glanced at the other person; he was someone she knew, a concubine of the Cui family of Qinghe. He was fond of fine wine and Wushi San (a type of Chinese medicine), and often lived a dissolute life.
Only someone like that would speak so rudely when guests gather.
The other party had clearly overdosed on the Five-Stone Powder and, coupled with alcohol and sex, was still not fully sober. He was swaying and pointed at Zhen Yu, saying, "No...that's right!"
"Who is Liu Bei? A renowned scholar throughout the land! Even regional governors must pay him a respectful invitation! And you, the Zhen family, dare to claim to be his closest confidant? I think you are... you are just using Liu Bei's name to bolster your own family's power!"
Zhen Yu was too lazy to talk to such a madman, so he ordered his servant, "Take him to a side room and clear his head."
Unexpectedly, his behavior led the other party to believe that he, Zhen, was guilty and dared not confront them.
Instead, he became even more manic, pushing away the servants who tried to help him, and shouted, "Get away! I'm perfectly sober!"
"Then tell me, why is it that Liu Bei, a renowned scholar throughout the land and a figure of great prestige in Hebei, was only appointed as a mere Agricultural Commandant?"
"And your second brother, whose martial arts are inferior to mine, has obtained the position of county magistrate! Could it be that your second brother's martial arts, strategy, and integrity are even superior to Liu Bei's!?"
"You tell me!"
Zhen Yu was so angry that his face turned red. How could he explain in detail?
This was naturally due to the efforts of the Zhen family!
Otherwise, how could Zhen Yan's career have been so smooth? He became the head of a county at the tender age of twenty, and in the future, before he even reaches thirty, he will be able to take up a position in the central government and then become a regional governor.
Appointing a prefect at the age of thirty-something is enough to bring glory to one's family, no matter when.
This was originally a tacit political understanding among aristocratic families, an unspoken rule that benefited the eldest sons of each family.
But they were clearly the least favored by the concubines and illegitimate sons of noble families.
The poor and those from humble backgrounds have no way to advance in their careers, and they don't feel much about it yet.
But these illegitimate sons of noble families witnessed all of this firsthand, while they themselves had no chance of doing so.
The resentment of something so close yet unattainable is the most difficult to bear.
At this moment, he made it clear to everyone, which immediately drew ridicule from many people on the sidelines.
Zhen Yu suppressed his anger and said, "My second brother followed Liu Bei south to fight the rebels. He personally experienced the battles of Zhangshui and Xiaquyang, transported grain and fodder amidst arrows and stones, and supervised the laborers under the sword. Although he did not personally kill the rebel generals, none of his troops missed the deadline or ran out of food."
"This achievement, though not manifested in the slaying of generals on the battlefield, is crucial to the supply of grain for tens of thousands of royal troops and the weapons in their hands. Without the labor of transporting supplies, how could there have been the victory at the Zhang River? Without the continuation of the baggage train, how could there have been the capture of Xiaquyang? When Emperor Gaozu evaluated the meritorious officials of the early Han Dynasty, he also valued Xiao He highly. The court has its own rules for evaluating merits—how can you dismiss them with just a few words?"
Upon hearing this, the other party laughed wildly: "Good! What a fine analogy to Xiao He! But can you fool us, or even the world? If you truly have merit, let Liu Bei prove it for you!"
"Liu Bei is a renowned scholar throughout the land! If he approves, who in Zhongshan, or even Jizhou, would disagree?"
Zhen Yu gritted his teeth in anger. Liu Xuande was a renowned scholar throughout the land, and a prominent family in the state. Countless people wished to invite him for a chat. The number of famous scholars who came to visit him was so great that they could be carried by cartloads.
How could I possibly invite him to Wuji to clear my brother's name?
Moreover, he was also worried that he had offended this strong-willed man by not choosing the better option back then.
Seeing his clenched teeth and flushed face, the snickers in the hall grew louder, threatening to erupt into a full-blown roar of laughter.
Ultimately, these people didn't believe that Zhen Shi had any connection with Liu Bei, a renowned scholar in China.
If one truly had a past relationship but failed to seize the opportunity or recognize the heroes of this world, then laughing at them is only natural.
Just then, a warm and gentle voice rang out: "Bei, I have witnessed it with my own eyes. When I was in Quyang, Young Master Zhen led his troops to transport grain and fodder, traveling day and night without ever missing a deadline."
"If he had not delivered the arrows to the city walls in time, I and my generals would not have been able to breach the city in a day. I have personally reported this achievement to General Huangfu. If any of you have any doubts today, I will testify for Young Master Zhen at this moment."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone turned to look.
Liu Bei, wearing a black cloak with unmelted snowflakes still clinging to his shoulders, walked slowly from the direction of the fortress gate with a warm smile on his face.
Behind him followed Guan Yu, dressed in a green robe and heavy armor, his phoenix eyes slightly closed, his hand on the hilt of his sword, exuding an imposing aura without anger.
"Liu... Liu Xuande!"
Someone suddenly shouted out, and the whole room erupted in uproar.
The Cui family member who had been laughing wildly just moments before was instantly sobered up and staggered back a few steps.
No one in the hall dared to utter a sound of laughter; they all stared in disbelief at the doorway.
Liu Bei really did come to our door!
Zhen Yan was shocked and excitedly rubbed his eyes. The famous scholar Liu Jun, who was renowned throughout the country, had really visited Zhen's fortified village!
As if waking from a dream, Zhen Yu quickly straightened his clothes, stepped forward, and bowed deeply to Liu Bei in full view of everyone. He said excitedly, "It is an honor for the Zhen family to have Lord Liu personally visit my humble abode. I...I am so grateful that I am speechless."
Liu Bei returned the greeting and said with a smile, "Lord Zhen, there's no need for such formalities. I've come today for two reasons: first, to congratulate Zhen Yan, and second—to discuss important matters with you."
Upon hearing that Liu Bei had important matters to discuss, the scholars who had intended to approach him and present their visiting cards wisely stopped in their tracks.
But no one was willing to leave. Even if they had to wait there, they wanted to wait for Liu Bei to finish his work so they could take the opportunity to approach him and make his acquaintance.
Zhen Yu quickly extended his right arm and stepped aside to invite him in, saying, "In that case, Mr. Liu, please come into the main hall for a chat."
The two walked through the corridor and entered the inner hall.
The servant quickly brought over a charcoal brazier; the flames licked the rim of the copper basin, dispelling the chill in the room.
Then someone brought over some warm pepper wine and poured it into a lacquered cup, the aroma of the wine mingling with the fragrance of pepper.
Zhen Yu personally presented the wine cup to Liu Bei with both hands before sitting down and asking formally, "What important matter did Lord Liu just mention? As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse."
Liu Bei accepted the wine cup, drank it down as a sign of respect, and then said to Zhen Yu, "Lord Zhen, I have come here to borrow grain from the Zhen family."
"The food and clothing needs of the 170,000 surrendered soldiers are extremely expensive, but the state government's allocation is limited. After much consideration, the only one in Ji Province who can lend me a helping hand is the Zhen family."
Therefore, I have no choice but to take the liberty of visiting you and shamelessly ask for your help.
Upon hearing this, Zhen Yu was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, saying, "I thought it was something important that required Lord Liu to come in person. In the past, you taught me three strategies, but I failed to choose the best one, and I regret it now."
"Now that Lord Liu has come for the sake of 170,000 people, if my Zhen family were to make excuses, wouldn't we be ashamed of the sincerity you showed us back then? There are 30,000 bushels of grain in the granary; Lord Xuande, please take them as you see fit. Why bother with the word 'borrow'?"
Liu Bei shook his head slightly and said, "To be honest, 30,000 bushels of grain is indeed very valuable, enough to save tens of thousands of lives in the manor. However, for the 170,000 surrendered soldiers, it is just a drop in the ocean. It will be used up in a month."
"This..." Zhen Yu hesitated upon hearing this. It wasn't that he was unwilling to help, but rather that the Zhen family had just used their wealth and influence to assist the royal army in suppressing the Yellow Turbans. They had also used their connections to help Zhen Yan obtain the position of county magistrate.
They are indeed facing financial difficulties now, with little food and supplies left. If they need more food and supplies, they will have to raise more.
Liu Bei, thinking that he had doubts, immediately became enthusiastic and said, "Now I have another plan to tell Lord Zhen, which can bless the Zhen family with at least a hundred years of good fortune."
Zhen Yu immediately sat up straight, cupped his hands, and said, "I would like to hear the details."
"The Zuo Zhuan says: 'Being kind to the virtuous and good to neighbors is a treasure for the state.' This principle applies to governing a state as well as governing a family."
"As we traveled along the way, we saw that inside and outside the Zhen family's fortified village, the tenants were joyful, and the young and old were content. This was the result of generations of good deeds accumulated by the Zhen family, and it was also the foundation upon which the Zhen family established its family. However, Ji Province is vast, and it is not limited to Zhongshan County alone."
"After the 170,000 surrendered soldiers are settled, they will be scattered among the prefectures and kingdoms of Julu, Anping, Zhao, and Changshan, where they will cultivate the land and live in settlements."
"If the life-saving food for this time comes entirely from the Zhen family, then every household among these 170,000 people should be grateful for the Zhen family's kindness and virtue. This kindness and virtue will spread throughout the land of Jizhou."
"No matter who governs Hebei in the future, they will not dare to touch a prominent family that is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and benefits all directions. This is the true foundation of the Zhen family."
"Furthermore, these 170,000 surrendered soldiers will settle down and establish themselves. In thirty years, will there not be those who rise to high positions in the imperial court or become local officials with salaries of two thousand shi (a unit of grain measure)? These people are grateful to the Zhen family for saving their lives, so how could they not protect and safeguard the Zhen family?"
Upon hearing this, Zhen Yu was already somewhat tempted!
As Liu Bei said, the grace of saving 170,000 lives is enough to bless the Zhen family for at least a hundred years!
Liu Bei then said, "Moreover, this time there is no need for Zhen to sacrifice her family fortune to relieve the crisis by donating grain and funds. It is indeed a loan of grain, with interest calculated daily."
"Once the land reclamation is successful, at the autumn harvest, the harvest from the official land this autumn will be used as collateral, with an interest rate of twelve percent, and the principal and interest will be returned together. Lord Zhen, this is not only saving lives, but also a sure-fire way to make money."
Liu Bei believed that such a plan was bound to succeed!
Unexpectedly, Zhen Yu, who had been hesitant at first, now resolutely refused after hearing this.
He smiled and said, "Mr. Liu, the reason why my Zhen family has been able to establish itself for a hundred years is because of an ancestral precept passed down from generation to generation—never to blindly trust the words of the government."
"Since General Huangfu is in office today, he will naturally acknowledge this debt. However, the border troubles in Liangzhou are rampant. How long can General Huangfu remain the governor of Jizhou? Once the imperial court issues an edict summoning him back to the capital, will the successor to Jizhou still acknowledge this debt?"
"Including principal and interest, there could be hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain. If the successor becomes greedy and refuses to acknowledge the debt, how can my Zhen family possibly go to the prefectural government to beat the drum and appeal for justice? At that time, let alone the interest of 12%, even the principal will probably be gone forever."
Liu Bei's heart sank. Zhen Yu's words were indeed reasonable. Huangfu Song's position as governor of Ji Province was temporary. Once the situation stabilized, he would be summoned back to the capital. Even he couldn't guarantee whether his successor would acknowledge the debts left by his predecessor.
But at that moment, Zhen Yu's lips curled into a confident smile: "However, the Zhen family is still willing to do everything in its power to help! Thirty thousand bushels of grain can be loaded and transported tomorrow. As for the remaining amount, the Zhen family is willing to use all its resources to purchase grain from grain merchants from all directions."
Liu Bei was astonished. Was this a case of "the mountains and rivers seem to have reached a dead end, but then a new village appears amidst the willows and flowers"?
Why did Zhen Yu suddenly change so drastically?
At this moment, Zhen Yu rose, bowed to Liu Bei, and said, "Because we, the Zhen family, do not trust the government, but we trust you, Lord Liu. You are a hero of our time, a renowned scholar throughout the land. Today, we are giving our all to help you, not for the sake of Huangfu Chariot and Cavalry, nor for the sake of the Ji Province government, but only for you, Lord Liu."
"However, Yu also has a request—he earnestly requests that Mr. Liu grant it."
He straightened up, met Liu Bei's gaze, and solemnly said, "Back then, Lord Liu gave me a plan, saying that I should follow the example of Emperor Guangwu, like Liu Yang of Zhending, and give him tens of millions of coins in exchange for the reward of being enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as a general."
"Now I follow his example and wish to form a marriage alliance with Lord Liu. I am willing to offer my younger sister, Zhen Jiang, to serve you with a broom."
"This is not for exchange, but solely for the friendship between our two families, and it is perfectly legitimate. If you, Mr. Liu, can agree, the entire Zhen clan will do everything in our power to help you settle the surrendered soldiers and promote the official land. This kindness and righteousness will extend to our descendants, and we will never go back on our word."
Liu Bei couldn't help but turn to look at Guan Yu, who stood behind him with his hand on his sword. His strategist had indeed been right—they had to use the handsome man tactic!