Free Web NovelChapter 1234: Chapter 1213: Testing Abilities (Part 2)
Their family was in Jiangnan, so why would they travel all the way, suffering together with those Jiangbei refugees to come to Luoyang?
Wasn’t it all for the sake of seeking a future?
There was no path more suited to letting them fulfill their ambitions and display their talents than an audience with Zhao Hanzhang; and Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t set any requirement about the status of those who came, so why couldn’t they go?
So they began to contact one another in private, planning to go by themselves the next day, without needing the Zhou, Lu, and Jiang families to lead them.
Let alone those who could read—even the illiterate were preparing to go; some even brought their own weapons, intending to perform at the banquet for Zhao Hanzhang, hoping to be granted one or two military posts.
Compared to the chaos on the Jiangnan Aristocratic Family’s side, the Jiangbei refugees were much more harmonious.
Wang Dao turned no one away; regardless of the family background they used to have, the family background they had now, or even if they had no family background at all and were just from commoner families—as long as they had some tangible skill, after asking a few questions about Jiangnan and Wang Dun, he would write down their names and agree on a time and place to meet the next day.
Wang Dao was busy from day to night, filling a thick stack of paper; he reviewed it once more, and only after confirming there were no problems did he set down his brush, sigh, and go to bathe and change.
Lying in the bathing tub, Wang Dao half closed his eyes and was just about to fall asleep when he suddenly jolted awake. "Damn, I forgot to visit the Great King both yesterday and today, and I haven’t reported the Great General’s banquet either."
Wang Dao was extremely vexed. He hurriedly climbed out of the tub and, pulling on his clothes, said to his attendant, "Quick, prepare the carriage, we’re going to the Langya Royal Mansion."
The attendant looked troubled. "Master, the curfew is already in effect outside. Crossing the streets without cause is illegal. The Imperial Guard patrolling outside are fierce; they don’t show any leniency at all."
Wang Dao asked sharply, "You’ve violated curfew before?"
The attendant hurriedly knelt. "Last night you wanted fresh fish soup, Master, and there was no fresh fish prepared in the residence, so we thought to buy some at a tavern or restaurant, but before we even left the alley we were seized."
Wang Dao: "...How did the Imperial Guard handle it?"
The attendant said, "Taking into account that it was our first offense and that we’d only just arrived in Luoyang and didn’t know the rules, they fined us a string of coins and gave us three strokes of the board before letting us go."
He added in a low voice, "It was only when we were punished that we learned that even people from the Eldest Princess Mansion and the Zhao Mansion, without a Token and a proper reason, will also be punished for breaking curfew; and from what people outside say, they’re punished especially heavily."
Wang Dao sat on the couch and asked, "What counts as a proper reason?"
The attendant said, "Fires, emergencies, serious illness or death and such can count as proper reasons; otherwise you must have a Token personally signed by the Great General. But I’ve inquired around—so far no one has ever used the Great General’s Token to pass during curfew."
Wang Dao: Nonsense. A good thing like that should naturally be used where it really counts. For someone who can get the Token, who would waste it on breaking curfew?
Wang Dao rubbed his forehead, a bit agitated. This was not Jiankang, after all; here he was constrained. He hadn’t gone to call on him for two days in a row, and he had failed to inform King Langya of such an important matter—who knew how much suspicion and overthinking this would cause him.
Wang Dao slapped his own head in anger, feeling he was far too forgetful—to have forgotten something this important.
The attendant bowed at the side, waiting for orders. Seeing that Wang Dao no longer mentioned hitching the carriage, he understood that his master also didn’t dare break curfew, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and continued to stand quietly with his head lowered.
In the end, Wang Dao did not go to see King Langya, but he was so anxious that he didn’t sleep the whole night. At first light the next day, he hurried out toward the Langya Royal Mansion.
When he arrived at the Langya Royal Mansion, King Langya had not yet gotten up.
King Langya met him directly in his underclothes in the bedchamber.
With an apologetic look, Wang Dao said to King Langya, "As I grow older I’m getting more muddle-headed. Ever since leaving the palace yesterday, I’ve been uneasy, afraid of messing up the first task entrusted to me by the Great General. I’ve been busy nonstop and only this morning have I found time to come pay my respects to the Great King."
King Langya truly wasn’t very pleased, but he didn’t show it. He smiled at Wang Dao. "Official business is more important. There’s nothing major on my side anyway."
He said, "From the moment we stepped into Luoyang, you and I have been nothing but colleagues and close friends. Everything else is already like clouds in the past."
They no longer had that layer of ruler and subject between them.
Wang Dao sighed and lowered his head in acknowledgment.
After the two chatted for a while, Wang Dao asked whether King Langya intended to attend Zhao Hanzhang’s banquet.
King Langya thought for a moment, then shook his head and declined. He had already pledged himself to Zhao Hanzhang, which was equivalent to handing all of Luoyang over to her. At this moment she wanted to meet the people of Jiangnan and discuss the governance of Jiangnan with them; if he showed up, wouldn’t it seem as if he were vying with her for power?
On the journey north, most of the unwillingness in King Langya’s heart had already faded; by now he had essentially let it go.
Wang Dao also felt it would be better for King Langya not to appear, so he rose to take his leave.
Just as he left, an invitation arrived: Zhao Hanzhang invited King Langya to attend the banquet at noon.
King Langya took the invitation uneasily, for a moment unsure whether Zhao Hanzhang wanted him there for the sake of gaining a good reputation, or because she intended to use the occasion to do something.
Sima Shao said, "Since we’ve come, we should settle in. Now that we’re in Luoyang, things like this are inevitable. Father, you should go."
So King Langya decided to bring Sima Shao and his brothers along.
Wang Dao was no longer someone he could rely on; his two sons were both clever, so he would bring them both. At the banquet, at least there would be someone to offer advice.
King Langya thought for a bit and decided to bring Diao Xie as well.
Yes, Diao Xie had also come to Luoyang with them, while Liu Kui had been left in Jiangnan to assist Zu Ti.
However, Diao Xie had firmly followed King Langya all along, so he had no achievements under Zhao Hanzhang; Zhao Hanzhang had not summoned him, and naturally there was no reward. He was just living in a side courtyard of the Langya Royal Mansion.
When he heard that King Langya wanted to bring Diao Xie, Sima Shao couldn’t help but remind him, "Father, General Zhao is a clean and upright person; I’m afraid he won’t like Diao Xie."
King Langya said, "I see Diao Xie as upright and magnanimous as well, also a clean and upright man."
Sima Shao: ...
