Chapter 111: Three Promotions in a Row

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Flustered—just a little flustered, no, extremely flustered—like secretly trying to kiss a beautiful woman with closed eyes and failing, only to be caught red-handed by her grandfather barging into the room.

Only now did Zhang Qian finally understand why Old Fox Yang, a dignified Grand Secretary of the second rank, neither dealt with matters of state nor comforted the recently startled emperor, but instead took a long detour through half of the Daming Palace just to set a trap for him, a humble eighth-rank junior clerk.

If it were someone else’s grandfather, upon sensing that someone intended to steal his granddaughter, surely he would not have stood idly by.

The problem was, this accusation was terribly unfair! For heaven’s sake, Zhang Qian still hadn’t figured out whether the ruby-eyed young lady’s name was Qing Xing or Qing Qing, let alone held her hand or stolen a kiss!

Yet, he could not explain in front of so many people to Old Fox Yang that he had never done anything to the ruby-eyed girl.

Nor could he confess that his thoughts of abducting the ruby-eyed girl had remained purely theoretical, never put into action.

Zhang Qian didn’t even know how Old Fox Yang had detected his intentions toward the granddaughter. After all, this era did not have so many surveillance cameras, and Old Fox Yang was hardly a hacker capable of breaching a phone long disconnected from any network.

“Could it be that she truly likes me and has confided in her grandfather?” After a moment of panic, a bold hypothesis flashed through his mind like lightning, filling him with ecstatic joy.

“No, it’s impossible! We’ve only met twice in total, and spoken less than ten sentences combined!” In the next instant, his joy was replaced by despair and doubt, as if a heavy hammer struck his chest again.

“How then did Old Fox Yang sense my interest in his granddaughter? Or was it a careless remark on his part, and I am simply overthinking?” More confusion followed in rapid succession, making his head spin and rendering his limbs awkward and sluggish.

Biting his teeth to muster courage, he tried to glean some clue from Old Fox Yang’s face, only to be stunned to find the old man preoccupied with feeding fruits and preserved sweets to a giraffe!

“What exactly do you mean, sir? Could you be clearer?” Zhang Qian sighed in disappointment, desperately hoping Old Fox Yang would say a few more words, even if it was to trap him again. That way, he could subtly probe whether the old fox had truly discovered his secret intentions or if it was just a joke born of admiration for youth.

Yet, from the moment they settled the giraffe and returned together to Zichen Hall, Old Fox Yang never brought up the matter again. He did not even discuss whether the giraffe was a mythical auspicious beast. Any brief conversation they had concerned only state affairs, utterly unrelated to his granddaughter.

On the other hand, General Zhou Jianliang of Shuofang noticed Zhang Qian’s restless demeanor and suspected he was worried about being recommended by Old Fox Yang for a deputy post at the pastoral supervision office. As the two ascended the steps of Zichen Hall and had to maintain distance due to their rank difference, Zhou quietly leaned close and whispered comfortingly into his ear, “Don’t be afraid, Yong Zhao. That Grand Secretary Yang is an old retainer of the Empress Dowager. Although high in rank, his words do not always carry weight. Besides, when you risked your life to divert that strange beast just now, His Majesty was right here in Zichen Hall. Sending you to tend horses would dishearten all loyal and righteous men under heaven!”

“Thank you, Brother Zhou! Actually, tending horses isn’t so bad!” Zhang Qian responded listlessly, his mind still haunted by the image of the ruby-eyed girl mounting a steed and hastily riding away.

To become a consort to the Tibetan king, clad in open-crotch trousers, far away from her family and homeland—that feeling was hardly better than exile.

Old Master Bi Gou had been exiled thousands of miles but at least had family to care for him. When troubles arose, he could discuss with his wife and children to overcome them. The ruby-eyed girl, if she encountered difficulties in Tibet, might not even find a single person to support her.

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No wonder she had felt such sorrow upon seeing a little rabbit separated from its parents that day.

A lost rabbit might have simply wandered away from its nest temporarily. But she had been handed over by her parents under imperial decree, perhaps even proud to have been offered as a gift by the emperor to the Tibetans.

“The golden hairpin falls, clouds heap upon the temples; since parting from Emperor Chaoyang, no news is heard. Sent as a bride to secure the realm, unsure where the general will employ her.” Thinking of the ruby-eyed girl, possibly sent as a favored dowry bride by the emperor himself to the Tibetan king, while her grandfather Yang Lin held high office but lacked the courage to oppose it, Zhang Qian’s heart grew heavier. A poem written by the Tang official Chen Shanfu in the voice of a princess married off in peace also involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

If marrying off a daughter could end wars, history would not be filled with so many fallen monarchs. If the men of the Tang were incompetent, princesses sent to Tibet might not even have status, let alone a mere handmaiden as part of the dowry.

Those with cunning might survive by pleasing their husbands; those without would soon perish in confusion and pain. Her family dared not even inquire into her fate, pretending the daughter had never existed.

“Yong Zhao, stand here. You are a civil official, come stand with us!” Lost in thought, Zhang Qian was suddenly pulled back by Zhang Jiuling’s concerned voice. A hand firmly grasped his arm, dragging him away from Zhou Jianliang and leading him to join the ranks of the civil officials opposite.

“Oh, oh, sorry, it’s my first time attending a court session!” Zhang Qian stumbled but forced himself to recover, awkwardly bowing to those around him.

The group of officials and clerks in blue and light blue robes smiled and returned his salute, none noticing his odd behavior.

Clearly, all of them were minor officials who rarely had the chance to see the emperor up close, and all were equally nervous and excited. Tonight, many were as flustered as Zhang Qian.

The few who behaved normally included Zhang Jiuling, who managed the blue-robed officials, and seven or eight senior ministers dressed in robes combining blue, red, and hints of pale yellow or black.

Except for the white-bearded old fox Yang Lin, Zhang Qian could not match the names to the other senior ministers. They likely didn’t even know what he looked like, nor cared about his earlier awkwardness.

“Yong Zhao, His Majesty noticed your actions just now,” Zhang Jiuling whispered, surprised that normally composed Zhang Qian had faltered. Believing his nervousness stemmed from fear of offending the emperor, he quietly encouraged him, “After you and General Zhou diverted the exotic beast, His Majesty sent eunuchs to inquire about your names and records through me. You needn’t worry; the emperor greatly admires your loyalty and courage. Even if you behaved oddly today, no one will scrutinize you.”

“Thank you!” Zhang Qian took a deep breath, chasing away his chaotic thoughts and carefully observing his surroundings.

Compared to university lecture halls or amphitheaters, Zichen Hall was not large—perhaps enough to hold a meeting of one or two hundred people. The Tang court session was not as formal as portrayed on television. Civil and military officials stood in rows but, while the emperor rested in the rear hall, they whispered in groups of three to five.

In front of the throne, to the sides, were seven or eight silk-covered cushions, clearly for elderly ministers like Yang Lin or high-ranking trusted officials to sit, preventing exhaustion from long meetings.

At this moment, everyone had just entered and none of the pillars of the court were seated yet; like the minor officials below, they gathered and whispered.

Just as Zhang Qian found this amusing, the sound of bells and chimes rang out, followed by a resonant voice near the throne: “The imperial presence arrives, all ministers pay respects!”

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“We, your humble servants, greet the Heavenly Dragon Emperor of Ying Tian and wish him great health!” Several senior ministers immediately ceased their conversations, stepped aside, and led everyone in bowing toward the throne. (Note: “Heavenly Dragon Emperor of Ying Tian” was a title bestowed on Emperor Li Xian in 707 by Empress Wei.)

“May His Majesty be well! Please rise, all!” A loud voice came from near the throne, then to its side, revealing a burly eunuch who shouted on behalf of Emperor Li Xian.

Shortly after, a fair-skinned, plump man in his fifties, surrounded by small eunuchs, slowly approached the imperial desk. The senior ministers led the group in bowing deeply. The plump man smiled and returned the salute graciously instead of sitting down immediately.

“Is this really a court session?” Watching the emperor and ministers, Zhang Qian almost bit his finger in disbelief. No kowtows, no cries of “Long live the emperor!” He had wondered if kneeling would feel uncomfortable but no one knelt before the emperor. The plump emperor seemed unbothered, even returning the ministers’ salute with mock courtesy. (Note: The three kowtows and nine prostrations were not Tang court protocol, and cries of “Long live the emperor!” were reserved for rare grand assemblies. The author’s depiction is imaginative based on available sources.)

As Zhang Qian was still stunned, the eunuch presiding over the ceremony called everyone to take their seats. Zhang watched as the senior ministers confidently sat on the cushions while the minor officials knelt, sitting on their heels with backs straight.

Though called sitting, it was hardly more comfortable than kneeling. Seeing everyone poised so neatly, Zhang hastily bent his knees to follow suit. Yet before he could settle, Emperor Li Xian behind the desk smiled and spoke, “The two who bravely shielded me from the exotic beast just now, General Zhou and Clerk Zhang, rise and step forward so I and the other ministers may behold your valiant forms!”

“I am your humble servant Zhou Jianliang. I respectfully greet the emperor!” Zhou’s voice trembled with emotion as he leapt forward with twice the agility he showed battling the giraffe moments ago, bowing deeply about three meters from the throne.

“I, Zhang Qian, respectfully greet the emperor!” Following Zhou’s lead, Zhang also rose and bowed deeply to the plump man behind the desk.

“Please, no need for formalities, worthy gentlemen!” Emperor Li Xian’s voice lacked vigor but his mood was pleasant. Smiling, he waved both Zhou and Zhang to relax.

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Zhou stepped back a half pace and bowed again; Zhang followed suit.

This avoided much trouble and spared Zhang Jiuling from worrying about Zhang’s earlier misconduct before the emperor.

As Zhang Jiuling had quietly encouraged, Li Xian was very pleased with Zhou Jianliang and Zhang Qian’s heroic deeds. After a few casual remarks, he cited “many years of battlefield service and great contributions to the nation, loyal and courageous, unafraid of strong enemies,” promoting Zhou from a seventh-rank junior general to a fifth-rank lower Guo Yi Captain, and conferring upon him the honorary title of fifth-rank lower Ningyuan General. He ordered that after completing official duties, Zhou should return to Shuofang under the command of Grand Supervisor Zhang Renyuan.

Zhou’s near-fatal stand against the exotic beast was mentioned only briefly, as if unrelated to the promotion.

The small officials present had expected generous rewards for Zhou and Zhang but were astonished by the scale. Zhou leapt three ranks from junior seventh to junior fifth, skipping several levels. Envious, each privately regretted not having been the one to charge forward, even at the risk of being trampled, to spare themselves two decades of struggling at low office.

If even Zhou Jianliang, who barely fought the beast with no tangible victory, could rise so swiftly, then surely Zhang Qian, who had risked his life to lure the beast away with fruit and sweets, would ascend even faster.

Thus, after some quiet envy, everyone eagerly awaited the emperor’s decree on what grand honors would be bestowed upon the eighth-rank junior clerk Zhang Qian. Unexpectedly, the emperor did not follow convention.

After signaling the still-stunned Zhou to return to his place, he nodded slowly at Zhang and asked, “Minister Zhang, I saw your skillful method of luring the exotic beast. But do you know its origins? If so, please explain the beast’s background in detail to me and the ministers, so we may all clear our doubts.”