Chapter Forty-Four: I Have High Hopes for You

Chapter Forty-Four: I Have Faith in You

Today, Zhang Qian was practically sent straight to his grandmother’s house. And the worst part of it all was how utterly unjust it was! Heaven could bear witness: ever since he took over the manor, Zhang Qian had been preoccupied with concocting perfumes, medicated balm, and universal ointment—his three indispensable “talismans” for survival. He hadn’t had the least bit of time to concern himself with the affairs of the manor, let alone direct Steward Cui and those wicked servants to seize a tenant’s cattle and daughter!

But no matter how innocent he was, there was nowhere he could go to lodge a complaint! It was out of the question to drag the steward and those two ruffians to the magistrate and demand compensation for defamation! The steward was his employee, the servants were bound to him by lifetime contracts—including their descendants! Whatever these three did was counted as his responsibility; in the Tang Dynasty, that was only natural.

“A misunderstanding, Elder He, Elder Zhang, and Imperial Physician Sun—this is all a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!” Even though he was mortified to the point of wishing for the earth to swallow him whole, Zhang Qian could only steel himself and do his best to explain. He didn’t expect Elder He and Elder Zhang to believe him completely innocent; he simply hoped he wouldn’t be left with the reputation of an unscrupulous moneylender who bullied men and preyed on women!

These two literary giants might not wield much official power at the moment—and certainly had no direct authority over Zhang Qian—but their influence with the pen, both now and for generations to come, was as formidable as a legendary dragon-slaying sword! If either of them went home tonight and penned an article titled “The Tyrant of Weinan,” Zhang Qian wouldn’t just lose his foothold in the Tang Dynasty; his infamy might haunt him for ten thousand years.

“I only took over the manor around mid-last month, and since then I’ve been busy figuring out how to prepare medicine from my master’s recipes, so I haven’t paid much attention to what’s been happening on the estate. I never imagined that a moment’s neglect would lead to such a terrible mistake. I…” The basket on his back was so heavy that Zhang Qian could barely straighten up, and the slanting sun above his head was so fierce it left him drenched in sweat and struggling for breath.

The soft earth beneath his feet offered no support, leaving him unable to steady himself, let alone summon the courage to meet the scrutinizing gaze of He Zhizhang and Zhang Ruoxu.

As a fan from thirteen centuries in the future, Zhang Qian truly didn’t want to disappoint his idols. He was even more unwilling to see the image he had painstakingly cultivated as a disciple of the Mohist school crumble in an instant.

Yet, his usually quick tongue was clumsy beyond measure at this moment, and his typically steady mind was a tangled mess. What should have taken only a few words to clarify, he went over again and again, explaining for half the time it takes incense to burn, and still failed to make sense of it. He only succeeded in attracting the watch dogs from neighboring farmhouses, who barked incessantly at him through the crowd of attendants.

“In any case, I truly didn’t order anyone to do this.” After all, he was only twenty-two; no matter how precocious, maturity had its limits. The more he explained, the more aggrieved he felt, and the more aggrieved he became, the more confused his logic. In the end, he simply wiped his face—whether sweat or tears, he wasn’t sure—and swore fiercely, “I am neither so shameless nor so depraved! I can swear to Heaven: if I had even the slightest knowledge of this, let me be struck by lightning! If you two elders don’t believe me, all I can do is offer my sincerest apologies!”

With that, he bowed deeply to He Zhizhang and Zhang Qian, shouldered his bamboo basket, and staggered away.

“Young master, young master—we all know it wasn’t you! Don’t be upset!” Zi Juan hurried after him, reaching out to grasp Zhang Qian’s arm. “Young master is the kindest person in the world; he would never do anything so heartless. Young master won’t even spare Zi Juan an extra glance…”

---

“My young friend, why are you in such a rush? Your manservant hasn’t brought the universal ointment yet!” He Zhizhang’s voice followed him from behind, like invisible hands steadying Zhang Qian beneath his arms.

“Elder…” For a moment, Zhang Qian could hardly believe his ears. Eyes red, he turned back in confusion. “Elder, are you really calling me?”

In his mind, after today’s events, even if he could clear himself, He Zhizhang and Zhang Ruoxu ought to cut ties with him. After all, he’d only chatted with them for a little over an hour—it wasn’t enough to earn much trust, and certainly not enough for them to risk their reputation for the sake of a bottle of universal ointment.

“If I wasn’t calling you, is there anyone else who promised to give me universal ointment?” He Zhizhang walked forward with a teasing smile in his eyes. “What’s the fuss? I haven’t lost my sight. If you’d known about this, you would have kept quiet; why bring me along just to see you embarrassed?”

“This…” Zhang Qian was both moved and ashamed, realizing that after all his painstaking explanations, He Zhizhang had summed it up in a single sentence.

“I was just wondering this morning who the new master of the neighboring manor was—he’s been here so long and never shown his face.” Zhang Ruoxu grinned with the satisfaction of a fox that had just stolen a chicken. “I never expected it to be you, young Zhang!”

“You mean—you live nearby as well?” Once again, Zhang Qian could hardly believe his ears, his smile more pitiful than a cry.

Had he known that Zhang Ruoxu lived nearby, he wouldn’t have needed to explain so desperately just now! Those who lived in the area would know the former manor lord’s surname was Ren, and that the steward and servants were all leftovers from the previous owner. As the new master, Zhang Qian had only just taken over and hadn’t yet familiarized himself with everything. It was only natural some mistakes occurred.

“Not only is Shi Weng’s home nearby, but my own manor isn’t far from here either!” Sun Anzu was the last to walk over, pointing gleefully to a slightly elevated estate across the way. “By my reckoning, Shi Weng and I are both your neighbors! Only Ji Weng didn’t buy property near Chang’an—his heart always yearned for his hometown!”

“You live nearby too?” In an instant, all Zhang Qian’s grievances melted away, leaving only astonishment and embarrassment. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? If I’d known both elders lived close by, I…”

He meant to say he wouldn’t have needed to work so hard explaining himself, but quickly changed tack. “I would have brought gifts and paid my respects right away!”

“Now that you know, it’s not too late!” Sun Anzu smiled at him and waved his hand. “Let’s not talk about that! The manor was given to you by Lord Ren, wasn’t it? I knew he wouldn’t shortchange his savior. Though he’s not much of a scholar and is ruthless in business, he’s a man who repays kindness. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone all the way from Chang’an to save his life that day. However…”

He suddenly dropped the smile and grew solemn. “However, now that the manor is yours, you must take care in how you manage it. With your abilities, I believe you could make your way in Chang’an even without property. But since you have this estate, you mustn’t let your subordinates run amok. Otherwise, your profits will dwindle, and the trouble will multiply!”

Though the words were stern, Zhang Qian felt as if a stone had dropped from his stomach. He quickly stepped back and offered a formal thanks. “Your advice is most sound, Elder. I am grateful. I will see to it that such things never happen again!”

“Well, Ji Weng, didn’t I say this young friend has a good temperament?” Pleased with Zhang Qian’s attitude, Sun Anzu went a step further and asked He Zhizhang with a smile.

“Impulsive, careless, eager to distance himself yet neglectful of others’ reactions!” He Zhizhang, his earlier lenience gone, now frowned and scolded in a low voice. “If you were my student, I’d give you a hand-spanking to remind you not to be too hasty in all things! Still—considering you’ve only just left your master and are without support, your blundering is understandable.”

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“I accept your teaching!” Knowing He Zhizhang was not nitpicking, Zhang Qian bowed respectfully.

“That’s enough, Ji Weng. If he panics so much over a minor matter, it proves he cherishes his reputation like a feather.” Zhang Ruoxu, who had taken a liking to Zhang Qian, worried he might be too discouraged and become overly timid in the future, so he interjected with a smile. “In life, one doesn’t need to be too clever, nor overly shrewd—but one must treasure one’s reputation. Otherwise, what’s the use of attaining high office? When power is lost, one becomes a battered drum for all to beat. Better to live honestly and cleanly, and at least have no regrets when looking back and forward.”

“You, Zhang Shifu, always have a point!” He Zhizhang shot Zhang Ruoxu a look; whatever further admonitions he had were swallowed back.

“It’s not a point, it’s an insight. These days, living in glory is not as valuable as living freely.” Zhang Ruoxu was unperturbed, stretching his arms and gazing around. “Young friend, your home is closest. After this long walk, we’re parched. Would you be willing to invite us for a cup of tea and a few snacks?”

“I would be honored!” Once again, Zhang Qian was overjoyed, bowing so deeply his hands nearly touched the ground.

He Zhizhang and Zhang Ruoxu are coming to my house for a meal!

Both at once!

And they asked for it themselves—I didn’t even have to invite them!

What an honor!

Heaven, thank you, I’ll never curse you again!

…

He was so elated that he barely noticed how he returned home, which leg he stepped through the door with first, or what he said upon entering. As for asking He Zhizhang and Zhang Ruoxu to write calligraphy, he forgot completely.

It wasn’t until after tea and dinner, after dazedly gifting his guests with perfume, medicated balm, and universal ointment, after seeing them off and wandering back to the main hall, that his mind finally cleared a little.

“Young master, Steward Cui and Zhang Ren, Zhang Fu, all three are outside kneeling and asking for forgiveness!” Zi Juan glided in, delivering a cup of sobering tea and softly reporting.

Each word fell into his ears with crystal clarity.