37 First Steps into the Zhang Mansion

The carriage train entered the city, weaving through various streets before pulling into the grounds of a grand estate. After disembarking, Wei Guangde followed his parents and elder brother, trailing behind their uncle as they entered the courtyard.

At the entrance, two well-dressed, middle-aged men were waiting. From the exchange of greetings with his uncle, Wei Guangde realized these were Zhang Shigui and Zhang Fugui, the sons of Zhang Qing, the Vice Commander of the Jiujiang Guard.

They were Wu Dong's maternal uncles. Once Wu Dong had paid his respects, Wei Wencai and Wei Guangde stepped forward in turn to address them as "Uncle."

"Splendid, truly splendid! Wu Shuang’s sons—what fine, upstanding young men," Zhang Shigui said, patting their shoulders with a warm, welcoming air. He then turned to Wei Meng with a smile, saying, "Brother Wei, you are truly blessed. With two sons—one a dragon and one a tiger—you have nothing left to do but enjoy your good fortune. By the way, Brother Wei, has your eldest son’s marriage been settled yet?"

Zhang Fugui then stepped forward, adding, "I had heard Zhan-kui mention that his two nephews were exceptional, but seeing them today, I must say their appearance is top-tier even in Jiujiang Prefecture. If he isn't betrothed yet, I would be happy to look into it for you."

"Fugui, Wencai is already betrothed to the daughter of Battalion Commander Liu," Wu Zhankui interjected.

"Liu Cheng? That’s not bad at all," Zhang Fugui remarked with a feigned tone of regret, as if he were genuinely disappointed to have missed out on playing matchmaker. "Although I haven't met his daughter, Liu Cheng is a fine-looking man; his daughter is likely just as charming. They make a well-matched pair."

"Enough, let us all go inside. Father is waiting for you," Zhang Shigui said. He then turned to his younger sister, Madam Wu, and added, "Go and pay your respects to Father first; Mother has been missing you dearly in the back."

As the group entered the house, Madam Wu led her children to kowtow to Vice Commander Zhang. Standing in the back, Wei Guangde watched the long line of people paying their respects and took the opportunity to survey the room. Although the Wei family held the rank of Company Commander and his uncle, Wu Zhankui, was a Battalion Commander, their home seemed quite modest compared to the Zhang estate.

It had been dark outside, so he hadn't seen much, but inside, the room was brightly lit by numerous candles. The house had clearly undergone renovations before the New Year; the walls were freshly whitewashed, and the doors and windows had been repainted, making the room look brand new. Only a slight mottled texture on the intricately carved beams betrayed the age of the structure.

As he entered, Wei Guangde caught the faint scent of sandalwood wafting from two bronze censers on either side of the hall, a fragrance that felt remarkably soothing. The main hall, where the Vice Commander sat, featured two grand armchairs flanking a large eight-immortal table. Below them were neatly arranged chairs and tea tables, likely crafted from high-quality sandalwood or rosewood. Small side tables were placed at intervals along the walls, each adorned with potted plants. The room was devoid of gaudy displays of wealth; its simplicity and cleanliness spoke volumes about the character of its owner.

When it was finally the turn of the two Wei brothers, they followed their father to pay their respects to the Vice Commander. Wei Guangde wasn't keen on the ritual of kowtowing, but in this era, it was the social standard. With no other choice, he joined his brother in performing the kowtow for the New Year. After all, the Vice Commander was his uncle's father-in-law and thus an elder.

Once the formalities were over, Wei Guangde retreated to the back and observed the Vice Commander. He was a man in his sixties, thin and withered, his face etched with deep wrinkles. He looked much like the other old men in the garrison, though his skin was fairer, likely due to a life shielded from the sun and rain.

As the adults spoke, Wei Guangde sat near the door, feeling rather idle. As a supporting character in this scene, he sat for a while until his cousin Wu Dong approached from the back. After paying respects to his grandfather, Wu Dong said, "Grandfather, Grandmother asked me to bring the Wei brothers in to meet her."

"Go ahead and take them," the Vice Commander said, waving them off as he continued his conversation with Wu Zhankui and Wei Meng.

Wei Guangde followed his cousin to the rear courtyard. Along with them came a young man from the Zhang family, likely sensing that there was nothing for him to do while the elders chatted outside. He was Zhang Hongfu, who appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen, slightly younger than Wei Wencai.

It was only in the back courtyard that Wei Guangde noticed the Zhang family seemed to have few heirs. Aside from Zhang Hongfu, there were only two granddaughters present. It seemed the two brothers had no more success in expanding their family line than his uncle did.

After paying their respects, Wei Guangde sat to the side, listening to the conversation, which had now shifted to his brother's recent engagement—a topic the women in the back seemed to find endlessly fascinating. Being still young, Wei Guangde was largely ignored, occasionally chiming in when appropriate.

Before long, a servant announced that the banquet was ready.

Finally, a decent meal. Breakfast at his uncle's house had been meager, and lunch on the boat had been lackluster. Enjoying his role as a background figure, Wei Guangde ate heartily, keeping his ears open to the conversation. He learned that his initial guesses were correct: Zhang Shigui had one son and one daughter, and his son, Zhang Hongfu, was being groomed to inherit his rank and follow his father into officialdom. Zhang Fugui had only one daughter and, lacking the stamina for the civil service, had turned to commerce, managing a large portion of the Zhang family's affairs. Though not an official, Zhang Fugui was far more familiar with the ins and outs of Jiujiang, his business dealings giving him a broader network among all walks of life.

After the banquet, the Wei family was shown to the guest rooms to rest, while Wei Guangde’s father was summoned to the study by the Vice Commander and Uncle Wu, accompanied by Zhang Shigui.