“Zhao Wenhua is shameless. As long as he’s urged troop deployment, he can brazenly claim the victory was achieved under his oversight, openly seizing the merit of being the overseer.”
“Whether Zhu Ping’an agrees or not doesn’t affect Zhao Wenhua’s claim to that merit. The only difference is that if Zhu Ping’an agrees, his claim is more legitimate; if not, it’s less so.”
“Trust me, when we achieve victory over the pirates, that Zhao will surely trumpet his overseer’s merit to the skies!”
Compared to Li Tianchong’s indignation, Zhang Jing was far more composed. Though he too criticized Zhao Wenhua, he did so with calm detachment.
“Then Lord Zhu shouldn’t let him claim that merit so legitimately,” Li Tianchong sighed.
The patrol reported that Zhao Wenhua and Hu Zongxian left the Zhejiang governor’s office smiling, clearly having gotten what they wanted.
Hearing this, Zhang Jing narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing.
For Zhang Jing, he absolutely didn’t want to see Zhao Wenhua smoothly claim the merit for overseeing the Zhejiang victory. In fact, he didn’t even want to see Zhao Wenhua at all.
Zhao Wenhua, a lackey of Yan Song, was unlearned and incompetent, yet he dared to meddle in Jiangnan’s military affairs. Since arriving in Jiangnan, all he’d done was chase money—extorting and demanding bribes, even from Zhang Jing himself! One could only imagine how greedy he was. If he could demand bribes from Zhang Jing, what chance did other officials or gentry have?
Suppressing pirates?
Zhao Wenhua came to Jiangnan for silver and to eliminate dissenters!
A man like him—incapable of success but adept at sabotage—should be driven out of Jiangnan to stop him from causing chaos and holding things back!
“Zhao Wenhua and Hu Zongxian spent so long at the Zhejiang governor’s office, even dining there. Was their only goal to get Zhu Ping’an to endorse Zhao Wenhua’s overseer merit for the Zhejiang victory?”
Li Tianchong’s voice slowly reached Zhang Jing’s ears.
“Zicheng, what do you mean by that?” Zhang Jing asked, frowning slightly.
“Governor, I’m not slandering Lord Zhu. Personally, I greatly admire and have high hopes for him. His civil and military talents surpass all his peers. But when it comes to Zhao Wenhua, we must be cautious.”
Li Tianchong spoke deliberately.
“Sometimes, the allure of wealth and luxury is more dangerous than a hail of arrows. Hu Zongxian is a case in point. He’s a rare talent—bold, resourceful, courageous, and strategic. Governor, you initially intended to entrust him with significant responsibilities. But what happened? He grew closer and closer to Zhao Wenhua, until today, they’re practically inseparable.”
Li Tianchong cited Hu Zongxian as an example.
He continued, “If Zhao Wenhua could sway Hu Zongxian, could he also sway Zhu Ping’an? If I recall correctly, Zhao Wenhua is technically Zhu Ping’an’s examiner. They entered the Zhejiang governor’s office in the morning and didn’t leave until the sun was setting. In all that time, Zhao Wenhua likely wasn’t just securing Zhu Ping’an’s endorsement for his overseer merit. He was probably trying to win him over as well.”
“Zicheng, have you forgotten how Zihou ended up in Jiangnan? He helped Yang Jisheng revise a memorial impeaching Yan Song. Though Yang didn’t use it, the matter leaked, offending Yan Song and his son, and the Yan faction. They retaliated, exiling him to a minor county in Jingnan as a magistrate. Zhao Wenhua merely presided over Zihou’s imperial examination—just an exam. Strictly speaking, he’s barely Zihou’s examiner, let alone a true mentor. As for connections, Yan Song is Zhao Wenhua’s adoptive father. Would Zhao Wenhua risk offending his adoptive father for a mere examinee?” Zhang Jing shook his head slowly after hearing Li Tianchong’s words.
Li Tianchong cupped his hands to Zhang Jing. “Governor, Zhao Wenhua isn’t someone you can judge by normal standards. He’s shameless and utterly self-serving. His loyalty to Yan Song and his son isn’t genuine—he’s loyal only to himself.”
At this, Li Tianchong asked Zhang Jing, “Governor, have you heard of the Hundred Flowers Wine incident?”
“I’ve heard of Hundred Flowers Wine vaguely. It’s some local wine used for weddings and funerals, similar to Daughter Red. But what does it have to do with Zhao Wenhua and Yan Song?” Zhang Jing shook his head, genuinely unaware of the story.
“It happened a few months ago. You’ve been busy with the pirate issue, so it’s normal you haven’t heard.”
Li Tianchong continued, “Zhao Wenhua recognized Yan Song as his adoptive father to gain a powerful backer. With Yan Song’s help, he secured a foothold in the Yan faction and the court. But his ambitions grew. I heard he aimed to enter the Grand Secretariat, to reach the pinnacle of power. To achieve this and win His Majesty’s favor, Zhao Wenhua presented Hundred Flowers Wine to the emperor, praising it extravagantly as if it were the immortal nectar of the Queen Mother’s Peach Banquet. To bolster his claim, he said, ‘My teacher Yan Song drinks it and enjoys longevity.’”
“His Majesty tasted it and found the wine excellent. Then he recalled Zhao Wenhua’s words, ‘My teacher Yan Song drinks it and enjoys longevity.’ Yan Song had been drinking it, hadn’t he? So, His Majesty issued an edict questioning Yan Song: ‘Hundred Flowers Wine, such a divine brew, why haven’t you shared it with me?’ Yan Song received the edict, both anxious and furious. Anxious because he’d never drunk Hundred Flowers Wine, and furious because Zhao Wenhua had ulterior motives, using him as a stepping stone. In a rage, Yan Song moved to purge him from the faction. In the end, Zhao Wenhua groveled pitifully at the feet of Yan Song’s wife, Ouyang Shi, begging for mercy. With Ouyang Shi’s intervention, he escaped Yan Song’s purge and resolved the crisis…” Li Tianchong recounted the story vividly, as if he’d witnessed it himself.
“Heh, Zhao Wenhua is indeed selfish to the core. If Yan Song ever falls, he’ll be the first to kick him while he’s down.”
Zhang Jing couldn’t help but laugh after hearing the tale.
“So, going against Yan Song and his son’s wishes to win over Zhu Ping’an? Zhao Wenhua is absolutely capable of it.”
Li Tianchong concluded.
He quickly added, “I believe in Lord Zhu Ping’an, but he’s young and may not be a match for an old fox like Zhao Wenhua. It’s not impossible he could be swayed. Could Zhu Ping’an end up like Hu Zongxian, aligning with Zhao Wenhua? Governor, we must take this seriously.”
“I believe Zihou won’t,” Zhang Jing said without hesitation. “Zihou has light in his eyes and the people in his heart, with His Majesty in his thoughts. He won’t stoop to their level.”
“Governor, I too believe Lord Zhu wouldn’t be easily swayed by Zhao Wenhua. But we must prepare for the worst. We’re responsible to His Majesty and to countless people. To be cautious, I suggest that until Lord Zhu clearly distances himself from Zhao Wenhua, we keep him out of the pirate suppression strategies and military operations.” Li Tianchong cupped his hands, speaking gravely to Zhang Jing.
Zhang Jing narrowed his eyes.
“This is also out of care and protection for Lord Zhu,” Li Tianchong added. “The Yan faction behind Zhao Wenhua has murky ties to the pirates, and they’re all scheming. To prevent the Yan faction from learning our plans and, to eliminate dissenters, leaking or deliberately passing information to the pirates, thus sabotaging the pirate suppression effort.”
