Chapter Ten: A Moment of Enlightenment

Home is a place where one can safely shed their armor and disguises, stretch their limbs, and soothe their exhaustion.

After a late-night meal with Guo Nu and Ren Cong, followed by a comfortable hot bath, the alcohol in Zhang Qian's belly had completely evaporated. He slept soundly and woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and full of vitality.

According to the imperial decree from Li Xian, the Directorate of Armaments needed to relocate to the Forbidden Park of the Weiyang Palace in the near future, a task involving complex logistics. However, with capable aides like Guo Nu and Ren Cong, Zhang Qian did not need to be tethered to the site every day. Thus, after breakfast, he gave his two juniors some "face-to-face instructions" and shooed them off to work. He then picked up two gourds of newly brewed white spirit and strolled leisurely toward Zhang Ruoxu’s estate.

"Oh, what brings you to an old man's home today, Vice Director? Aren't you afraid the Emperor might summon you again, only for the eunuchs to find you missing from all of Chang'an?" Zhang Ruoxu had always been carefree and disliked standing on ceremony; no sooner had they met than he began teasing him without a hint of reserve.

"I am hardly Xie Anshi; does the Emperor really fall into a panic the moment I am out of his sight? Besides, this place is not that far from Chang'an city." Zhang Qian smiled, placed the spirit gourds on the ground, and bowed respectfully to Zhang Ruoxu. "It has been many days, Uncle. How have you been?"

"Well, I was doing fine, but seeing your spirit gourds, I am doing even better!" Zhang Ruoxu stepped aside and returned a half-bow. He then rushed forward impatiently, snatching up the hemp rope tied between the two gourds. "I ran out just last night and was fretting over whether I should go beg at your place. I never expected you to have such a keen connection with me, Yongzhao. Come, come, let’s go to the main hall, set up a table, and share a few cups."

"Please excuse me, Uncle. I had a drink with friends yesterday and my head is still a bit fuzzy; I cannot join you today!" Zhang Qian was startled and quickly stepped back, explaining with a smile.

Drinking with a lush like Zhang Ruoxu was never a matter of "a few cups." Once the drinking started, it usually continued until the gourds were drained or one of them collapsed. Zhang Qian was young and strong, capable of recovering after a night's sleep, but if an old drinker like Zhang Ruoxu collapsed too many times, he might eventually fall into a slumber from which he would never wake.

"Why, now that you are a Vice Director, do you look down on this retired old man?" Zhang Ruoxu, failing to understand his good intentions, immediately feigned a cold face and curled his lip.

"How could you say that, Uncle? If I looked down on you, would I have come here uninvited early in the morning?" Zhang Qian replied, his face flushing as he cupped his hands. "It is just that these two gourds are a new blend, meant for quiet sipping by the lamp, not for a boisterous gathering. Keep them and enjoy them slowly. If you crave company, we can invite Senior He, Senior Sun, and Jiling another day, and I will have a barrel of Peach Blossom Wine sent over so we can all drink to our hearts' content!"

"A new blend?" Zhang Ruoxu’s attention was instantly diverted. He pulled the stopper, took a deep sniff, and beamed. "Hmm, it actually has the fragrance of lotus. The lotus is the gentleman among flowers; it is indeed not suited for a rowdy crowd." As he spoke, he could not resist his own cravings. He took a small sip straight from the gourd, closed his eyes, savored it for a moment, and sighed. "It is not as crisp as the Chrysanthemum White, but it has a unique character. As for the aftertaste—I don't mean to be picky, Yongzhao—this lotus brew falls quite short of the Chrysanthemum White."

*'It's only thirty-eight percent proof. There's too much water, and it hasn't aged long enough,'* Zhang Qian thought to himself, though his face remained filled with respectful admiration. "Impressive, Uncle. You are truly insightful. Since yesterday, I’ve felt something was off about this lotus brew, but I couldn't put my finger on the aftertaste!"

"Still, it is far better than the Liu Ling Drunk, especially in winter," Zhang Ruoxu said, offering a soft word of encouragement, not wanting to criticize after receiving a gift.

Zhang Qian felt a pang of guilt. After a moment's thought, he made a quick promise. "Uncle, if you prefer the Chrysanthemum White, I will have Ren Quan send a barrel over once I return."

He had specifically diluted the lotus wine to thirty-five or forty percent, fearing that Zhang Ruoxu and the others could not handle high-proof spirits, but he had overlooked the greatest flaw of diluted wine: the watery taste. The aftertaste on the tongue was especially noticeable, whereas the sixty-percent Chrysanthemum White used the high alcohol content to mask the dilution. (Note: Old drinkers can tell the difference.)

"The Chrysanthemum White is certainly good, but how can I, an old man, accept such a costly gift from you?" Zhang Ruoxu’s voice came from across the table, carrying a tone of rather insincere coyness.

"If you enjoy the contents of the cup, Uncle, it is only right that I provide them. I have set up new distillation furnaces, and I can produce over a hundred pounds a day; I have plenty to spare for you!" Zhang Qian replied with a smile, mentally setting a new goal for himself.

He decided he would stop distilling alcohol and then diluting it with water. Upon returning, he would find a way to improve the process to ensure that after two rounds of distillation, the spirit would reach forty percent, and after three rounds, sixty. That way, the flavor would be mellower and worthy of the palates of elders like He Zhizhang and Zhang Ruoxu.

"Since you put it that way, Yongzhao, I will accept it with a thick face!" Zhang Ruoxu, unaware that he had inadvertently moved someone to improve the quality of Tang Dynasty white spirits, was satisfied with the promise of a full barrel of Chrysanthemum White. "As it happens, the younger generation back in my hometown sent me a cart of dried fish recently. It’s nothing precious, but it is fresh. When you leave later, I’ll have my servant push half a cart over to your place!"

"Many thanks, Senior!" Knowing that this was the nature of the old drinker—to never take advantage of anyone—Zhang Qian did not decline and bowed in gratitude.

"Stop with the bowing! If your waist doesn't get sore, mine certainly does from returning them!" Zhang Ruoxu waved him off, took one more reluctant sip of the lotus wine, and placed the gourd on the desk beside him.

"Uncle, I have just entered officialdom and there is much I do not understand. I would like to ask for your guidance." Knowing the man's temperament, Zhang Qian did not beat around the bush and turned to the main topic.

"Guidance? What do you mean, Yongzhao? You know, I’ve spent half a lifetime drifting in the sea of officialdom and haven't held a position as high as yours in two months!" Zhang Ruoxu looked surprised, his eyes widening as he gave a bitter laugh. His former position had only been a military advisor in the prefecture of Gunzhou. When he retired, he was granted the honorary title of Cavalry Commandant based on his merits—a title that sounded impressive but carried no actual post or salary. Asking him to guide a rank-eight clerk was one thing, but guiding a rank-five Vice Director was truly the blind leading the blind.

However, Zhang Qian did not believe that rank equated to wisdom. He smiled and bowed again. "Please do not be so humble, Uncle. My position as Vice Director is a paper-thin facade; it counts for nothing. Besides, what I want to ask you about today has nothing to do with the Directorate of Armaments."

"Paper-thin? What do you mean?" Zhang Ruoxu’s attention was instantly captured. He frowned and asked in a low voice, "Is your position a fake? I heard from Old Ji that you saved the Emperor’s life at the risk of your own, and every civil and military official present saw it."

"The position is real, but it is different from the usual Vice Director," Zhang Qian sighed and told the old drinker the truth. "Although I am a rank-five official, I hold no concurrent post in the Ministry of War. I don't attend court sessions; I am only responsible for manufacturing crossbows, armor, and distilling alcohol for the Ministry."

"Have you offended someone? You are only allowed to work, not participate in state affairs?" Zhang Ruoxu’s reaction was intense. But he quickly realized his question might be too heavy a blow to Zhang Qian. He smiled, shook his head, and lowered his voice again. "Actually, that is for the best. It saves you much trouble. Look at Old Ji; for years he has only been a Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, living a carefree life. Thanks to you and your contribution of gunpowder, the court promoted him to Palace Secretary, and he complained about the workload, waiting a long time before finally taking the post."

"Senior He is a man of a free spirit; he is a model for me," Zhang Qian replied with a smile.

"The current court is... chaotic." Zhang Ruoxu looked around and lowered his voice further. "It is as chaotic as a pot of porridge. Factions attack one another without regard for right or wrong. Even Bi Longze was sent to the Directorate of Waterways as an envoy to build waterwheels in the capital region upon his return. You have no roots or foundation; why get involved? If I were you, I would be overjoyed to not have to attend court! Don't go looking for trouble. These days, the more you say, the more you err. And you can't play dumb in front of the Emperor!"

"Uncle is right. I also feel that speaking less and doing more is the proper way," Zhang Qian agreed.

"I’m glad you see it that way! It is not easy; if I were your age, I’d be very unhappy!" Zhang Ruoxu felt relieved and praised him with a smile. However, seeing the lingering anxiety on Zhang Qian’s face, he hesitated for a few heartbeats before asking, "Is there something else, Yongzhao? Speak your mind. I may not have been a high official, but I am not entirely ignorant. Perhaps I can offer some advice!"

"Then I shall trouble you, Uncle!" Zhang Qian stepped back and asked earnestly, "I have a colleague who may be of royal blood. We have grown closer lately, and he has even bought a share in my Six Gods Trading Firm..."

Some matters were better discussed with an old hand like Zhang Ruoxu than with Guo Nu or Ren Cong. Of course, the best choice would have been Yang Lin, but his status was too high, and Zhang Qian could not reach him.

To his surprise, Zhang Ruoxu’s focus was much like Guo Nu’s. Before Zhang Qian could finish, he interrupted in a low voice, "Did he pay? Or did he just talk big and trick you out of a free share? If it is the latter, you must be careful. Human greed is never satisfied..."

"He not only paid, but he also gave me compensation!" Zhang Qian gave a wry smile, then recounted the story from the beginning—how he met Li Qi and what happened during their drinking session yesterday—in meticulous detail.

At first, Zhang Ruoxu frowned, but soon his brow smoothed, and his face lit up. By the time Zhang Qian finished and expressed his concerns, the old man was laughing so hard his eyes disappeared into his wrinkles, his white beard shaking as he tapped the table. "Yongzhao, who told you that associating with the royal family ends in disaster? Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the descendants of the Emperor Gaozu and Taizong alone must number in the hundreds. That’s not counting the brothers and kinsmen of Gaozu. If no one associated with them, how would they live?"

"This..." Zhang Qian, filled with thoughts of the struggle for the throne and secret decrees, was left speechless.

"Rest easy. Associate as you see fit. You could even become sworn brothers, and nothing would happen. A lowly official in the Household Department is likely just a distant branch of the Gaozu lineage. He has no qualifications to touch the throne." Seeing Zhang Qian look "stupid" for once, Zhang Ruoxu laughed even harder, unable to stop himself from wiping his eyes. "And even if he did, so what? You are an official of the Tang. If a member of the royal family asks you a question, can you hide and ignore them? Besides, Zhang Yongzhao, do you hold military power?"

"Uncle, you jest. As a Vice Director of the Directorate of Armaments, how could I hold military power?" Zhang Qian flushed and shook his head sheepishly.

"Are you as wealthy as a kingdom?" Zhang Ruoxu teased, refusing to let him off the hook.

"How could I be!" Zhang Qian shook his head with a bitter smile. "My Six Gods Trading Firm has just opened, and the medicine I’ve put on consignment has yet to attract a single buyer!"

"Can you decide on your own to give away the gunpowder, armor, and crossbows from the Directorate of Armaments?" The questioning continued, leaving Zhang Qian quite embarrassed.

"The alcohol has no set regulations yet, and everything else must be sent to the Ministry of War’s warehouse periodically. I have no authority to use them!"

"Are you full of stratagems, calculating ten steps ahead? Can you influence the Emperor’s decisions at court? Or are you a master of divination who can foresee fortune or calamity?" Zhang Ruoxu rolled his eyes, pressing his advantage.

"None of the above!" Zhang Qian admitted, his face burning.

"Then aren't you just worrying about nothing?!" Zhang Ruoxu stood on his tiptoes and patted him firmly on the shoulder, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. "To meddle in royal affairs, you need the skill and the qualifications. As you are now—a rank-five Vice Director who doesn't even qualify to attend court—and you think others are trying to rope you in? Wake up! You truly have an imagination! If you have the time, you’d be better off brewing more spirits so you can at least satisfy my cravings!"

"And what about making money for the Shuofang Army?" Zhang Qian, though flushed from the pat, persisted with his inquiry.

Zhang Ruoxu patted him again, his spirit suddenly soaring. "Go ahead! If the Emperor is displeased, he will only be displeased with Zhang Renyuan, not a small shrimp like you. Besides, if you can help the country solve its problems, the Emperor will be too busy rewarding you to punish you. If the court were really that foolish, who would dare to work for the country in the future?"