Chapter 47: The Hope of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Delivering a Letter into a Den of Thieves

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded silently and said,
“This boy is indeed remarkable, gifted with both ability and a touch of the divine. Most importantly, his character is commendable! Even if he were not to pursue the Dao, this child would still be a talent worth nurturing. It’s just a pity… he was born on Dragon Tiger Mountain!”

The emperor sighed with regret, while Zhu Biao appeared thoughtful.

He had underestimated his father’s appreciation for this child.

From the moment Zhang Yi appeared before the emperor, he had been considered a man of Dragon Tiger Mountain. At first, the emperor’s interest in using him was simply to glimpse fragments of the future to avoid misfortune and pursue fortune.

If this had been Zhang Yi’s only role, his identity as a Daoist and his origins on Dragon Tiger Mountain would not have troubled Zhu Yuanzhang.

Yet, the emperor’s regret over Zhang Yi’s origin precisely betrayed his desire to give him another identity, one he ultimately withheld out of concern for Dragon Tiger Mountain’s background.

The emperor’s intentions were clear enough…

Zhu Biao could scarcely imagine that, despite all the sarcasm and mockery, his headstrong father would still harbor such thoughts?

This showed that Zhu Yuanzhang valued Zhang Yi for more than his “immortal fate”—he truly cherished and wanted to foster his talent!

“I also believe,” Zhu Biao added, “that since Zhang Yi has given up inheriting the Zhang family’s celestial mantle, his ties to Dragon Tiger Mountain have weakened. With his abilities, it would indeed be a pity for him to remain just a Daoist…”

“Hmph! If he’s not a Daoist, what else could he be? The boy is hopeless at his studies—you’ve seen his handwriting, all crooked and wild, I can barely stand to look at it! And he’s full of tricks… If the Three Pure Ones won’t have him, who would? Do you suggest I keep him as a royal hound… No, he said he wouldn’t even be my dog!”

At the mention of this, old Zhu could not hide his indignation.

“Am I really that petty?”

Zhu Yuanzhang lobbed a treacherous question at Zhu Biao, who gave an awkward smile and hurriedly replied,

“That was just childish talk from our Zhang family brother—he meant nothing by it!”

“Hmph! None of you ever speak honestly to me. Enough—I won’t ask anymore!”

Suddenly, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a wave of ennui and began to ponder the matter. Ever since he met Zhang Yi, old Zhu had become aware of something:

A person’s origins and experiences profoundly shape their character, and no matter how wise, it is difficult to recognize one’s own flaws…

The emperor was stubborn, but he was not beyond listening to counsel. It was just that no one dared to speak with Zhang Yi’s candor, and even if they did, old Zhu’s most likely response would be rage—perhaps even death for the offender!

His insecurity, his bitterness toward the world, and his longing for familial affection were secrets hidden so deep within that even he never dared to touch them.

If anyone dared to expose those wounds, his wrath would be fierce.

There are many clever people in the world, and others surely saw through the emperor’s secret, but they also saw clearly that Zhu Yuanzhang was no Li Shimin, so they chose to keep their insight to themselves.

Only Zhang Yi, through a strange twist of fate, tore away old Zhu’s scab and let it fester in the sunlight.

It was painful, but it gave Zhu Yuanzhang a chance to confront the past he had long avoided.

Old Zhu, reflecting on this, took a deep breath.

“The emperor of the ages… Enough, I won’t stoop to your level, you little scoundrel… No, this grudge—I’ll have to settle it with you one day…”

Yet Zhu Yuanzhang was unaware that, for a man as reserved and inscrutable as he, his emotions were shifting across his face.

As an onlooker, Zhu Biao lowered his head and chuckled knowingly.

Kings fear others seeing the darkness in their souls, yet how they crave true understanding!

As the Zhang family brother once said, we are all mere mortals, forever rife with contradictions…

…

Zhang Yi was writing a letter home.

Though he had just sent a letter not long before, he was now impatient to relay Huang He’s suggestion to Zhang Zhengchang at once.

To use the emperor’s power to promote the smallpox vaccine—this was one of the few moments where the transmigrator, who had intended to be a mere bystander, truly wished to change history. Once, all Zhang Yi had were good intentions but little strength; now he found that, if Dragon Tiger Mountain was used wisely, it could be a powerful ally.

And perhaps it could even be Dragon Tiger Mountain’s hope! At the very least, the value demonstrated by the Zhang family could do much to alleviate the suspicions of that petty-minded monarch.

With handwriting as awkward as a dog’s scratch, in a script unfamiliar to him, he began writing to Zhang Zhengchang.

“Damn it, brush calligraphy is so hard!”

He wrote the letter for an entire day, finally producing a thick missive, which he asked Deng Zhongxiu to deliver to Dragon Tiger Mountain by urgent courier.

But trouble soon arose for the pair, for the old channels to Dragon Tiger Mountain had broken down.

The problem was simple: in the past, the Orthodox Daoist sect’s influence stretched across Jiangnan, with Dragon Tiger Mountain maintaining subordinate temples in every province and prefecture. As long as there was a set route, sending letters was easy.

But once the emperor began his crackdown, all monks and priests throughout the land were put under strict supervision.

Though exceptions were made in the capital and the emperor granted Dragon Tiger Mountain some privileges, the usual channels were lost amidst layers of restrictions.

“Brother Deng, do you remember where Brother Huang told us his family’s residence is in the capital?”

Zhang Yi had already heard from Zhang Zhengchang about the emperor’s control over the clergy, but even he hadn’t foreseen the situation becoming so dire. Clearly, once the emperor acted, the days of easy living for monks and Daoists alike were numbered.

“My father has no nerve—he could have enjoyed another five good years, yet he chose to self-destruct! Don’t you think so, Brother Deng?”

Unaware that Zhang Zhengchang was merely taking the blame for the emperor, Zhang Yi grumbled in mock seriousness.

Deng Zhongxiu looked embarrassed, but dared not agree. Fortunately, Zhang Yi’s main concern was the location of the Huang residence.

He had heard Zhu Biao mention it some time ago.

“Junior brother, I remember, roughly… Let me take you there!”

Deng Zhongxiu knew that simply telling Zhang Yi the address would not help him; the capital was far larger than Jiangxi.

The two made inquiries along the way, and with the help of some kind locals finally located the “Huang Residence.” Its position was discreet, and the entire compound looked unremarkable.

Zhang Yi and Deng Zhongxiu knocked on the front gate.

“Master, Zhang Yi is at the door…”

Inside the Huang residence, the emperor and Zhu Biao were nowhere to be seen.

A servant hurried off to the rear courtyard to report.

“That little immortal has come so quickly—everyone, change your clothes at once… Wait, you, go open the door, I’ll be there presently!”

Thanks to Zhang Yi’s arrival, the courtyard was in an uproar.

Zhang Yi and Deng Zhongxiu waited outside for some time, thinking perhaps no one was home and preparing to leave.

The door creaked open from within.

The man who opened it looked vaguely familiar to Zhang Yi—one of the acquaintances who had visited the Daoist temple with Uncle Huang.

“So it’s the little master! I, Gao Jianxian, greet you!”

Before the servant could speak, a steward-like figure hurried over.

He greeted Zhang Yi with the utmost respect.

“May I ask, is Master Huang or the young master at home?” Deng Zhongxiu asked on Zhang Yi’s behalf.

“The master and young master are out of town and have not yet returned. If you wish to see them, please come in and wait.”

“If it’s urgent, I will go fetch the master at once…”

Zhang Yi waved his hand and said,

“It’s not urgent—I just have a letter that needs to be sent to Jiangxi without delay. Our usual routes are no longer available, so we stopped by to see if Uncle Huang could help deliver it.”

“That’s easily done! Just give me the letter, and in a few days it will reach Master Zhang without fail!”

Seeing the matter resolved, Zhang Yi nodded his thanks.

“No need for such courtesy, little master!”

Gao Jianxian watched as Zhang Yi departed, then promptly delivered the letter into the palace.