Font Size:
Lu Songli wasn’t wrong; Zhang Xian had a positive view of the Lu family.
Over the years, Zhang Xian had kept an eye on the developments in Chang’an and was well aware of Lu Desheng’s favored status. Lu Desheng was a close minister to the emperor and had consistently outperformed Yan Hua at the Imperial Censorate.
Each time he heard about Yan Hua being put in his place by Lu Desheng, it was one of the few consolations he had while stationed in the border regions.
On the night he received the news of Yan Hua’s execution by Emperor Kang Cheng, he got drunk. He had heard Yan Hua’s furious outburst and suspected that Yan Hua had become Lu Desheng’s scapegoat. In fact, among those who were executed, there were two who were Lu Desheng’s scapegoats.
He greatly admired Lu Desheng. Lu Desheng was a self-made man, with no family support or influential connections, yet he thrived in the court.
Everyone thought Lu Desheng would have a bad end, and Zhang Xian had believed the same. He thought that once Emperor Kang Cheng was gone, Lu Desheng would surely meet his demise.
To his surprise, not only did Emperor Kang Cheng die, but Lu Desheng was granted a life-saving talisman and left behind a will. Despite so many ministers being taken away by the emperor, Lu Desheng was still alive, albeit not in the most comfortable circumstances.
Zhang Xian took the letter from Yan Liang, who handed it over with both hands.
Zhang Xian quickly noticed that the envelope was addressed to “Zhang Xian, the Honorary Uncle,” which made him raise an eyebrow.
After opening and skimming the letter, Zhang Xian understood its purpose. He then read it more carefully a second time.
After finishing the second read, Zhang Xian sighed and smiled lightly.
As expected of Lord Lu’s son, the letter was well-written, with a good balance of formalities and emotions, and a gradual build-up. Reading through it, whether it was about building connections or asking for help, it was neither displeasing nor off-putting. On the contrary, it was quite persuasive.
Yan Liang was puzzled by Zhang Xian’s reaction.
“Take a look,” Zhang Xian handed the letter to him.
He pointed out the first paragraph: “Honorary Uncle Zhang Xian, your nephew sends his regards. I have heard my father mention your name…”
He noted the flattering words used, which highlighted some of his past characteristics. This was to establish identity and gain trust.
“Every time my father recalls the fragrance of the osmanthus trees, he remembers your past grace. I wonder if you still possess the same charm?”
This sentence was pure flattery, which Zhang Xian passed over with a smile.
In this letter, Lu Songli established the elder-younger relationship right from the start. She used her father’s praise to build rapport, leveraging her father’s esteemed position and age to create a sense of respect and affirmation, which would make Zhang Xian feel valued rather than offended.
Then she continued with, “My father often laments that your talents have been wasted…” mentioning her father’s regret over Zhang Xian’s circumstances, and then the downfall of the villain Yan Hua, stating, “Emperor Shizong has passed away and taken many ministers with him, including your former mentor Yan Hua,” making it clear that this nephew was entirely on Zhang Xian’s side.
Seeing this, Zhang Xian was pleased. Having left Chang’an at the age of twenty, if Lu Desheng wasn’t genuinely interested in him, a child of Lu Mingzhi’s age wouldn’t be so familiar with his strengths and experiences.
For instance, even Lu Desheng’s elder son, who was much more famous, didn’t know these details.
Moreover, Zhang Xian was generally reluctant to discuss his experiences in the border regions. Besides his trusted old subordinates, very few in the county office knew the specifics.
This section is another one of identity confirmation.
“Look at this part: ‘My father often said that one day, Uncle Zhang would surely be able to return to Chang’an, the political center, by his own abilities. Uncle Zhang might as well correspond with him. My father will be very pleased to receive your letter. I will also inform my father about the encounter with Uncle Zhang in Gunzhou this time.'”
This implies heavily that if he connects with Lu Desheng, the other party will certainly help him. However, it’s briefly mentioned, left to the reader’s understanding.
Then, the tone shifts, describing the difficulties faced by the younger generation and stating the plans to be carried out, asking if they could send troops for assistance.
Look at what he says: “If my lord thinks that I am still useful, please send a reply, and I will send a detailed plan later. If Uncle Zhang is not interested in the trivial matters of the younger generation, could you provide some small assistance, such as sharing information gathered by the government about Qinglong Village? I would be very grateful and look forward to your reply.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Liang nodded, “This letter is indeed well-written.” It’s substantive; although they haven’t met, this letter has won over Zhang Xian’s trust, which is impressive.
“What if I told you the writer of this letter is only fourteen or fifteen years old?” Zhang Xian added.
Yan Liang was surprised; such a letter was written by a teenager? He couldn’t help but ask, “Children from Chang’an are this impressive?”
Zhang Xian wondered if children from Chang’an were truly this capable. His eldest son was also fourteen, and while somewhat sensible, his methods were still quite immature.
He looked at the letter again; the warmth and compliments seemed sincere and genuine, and the requests at the end were not off-putting at all. Moreover, the things the other party wanted to do were also things he wanted.
If the other party could really come up with a plan to completely eradicate Qinglong Village, it would be worth trying.
“What do you think?” Zhang Xian asked his confidant.
“Why don’t I go meet them first, see their plan, and then decide?” Yan Liang suggested.
At this moment, Zhang Xian suddenly recalled the comments made by a so-called fortune-teller when he first entered office. After establishing himself, he had met a noble who helped him achieve smooth sailing career progression.
Zhang Xian thought to himself, this Lu family seems to resemble the noble described by the fortune-teller.
Even if eradicating Qinglong Village doesn’t result in an immediate promotion, he believes that removing this malignant tumor will lead to a stable and orderly environment in Tonghua County under his governance. With outstanding achievements and some support from within the court, promotion would be imminent.
Zhang Xian gritted his teeth and decided to take this seriously. “No, it’s better to be prepared. We need to ready our troops. This must be kept confidential. Those executing the task should be carefully vetted, and for uncertain messengers, it’s better to err on the side of caution. We must prevent any leaks!”
If the other party really provides a specific plan, he would cooperate! He would give it his all. After all, he had already failed several times in leading anti-bandit efforts personally—one more attempt wouldn’t make a difference! What if it succeeds?