Zhang Tingyu, whose courtesy name is Hengchen, has a balanced character. It is already remarkable that he can navigate the officialdom where everyone is walking on thin ice with ease. He is a great Confucian of the Han Dynasty, Minister of Military Affairs, and the only Han minister worthy of enjoying the Imperial Ancestral Temple. It would be impossible without extraordinary abilities. I admire his work and conduct as a person! But in his later years, he was defeated by a "name". Yongzheng promised him to enjoy the Ancestral Temple, but in his later years, Qianlong tormented him in order to establish his authority and canceled it for him. However, after Zhang Tingyu died, Qianlong still admitted him to the Ancestral Temple.
Zhang Tingyu was a veteran of three dynasties and was trusted by Yongzheng so much that even Nian Gengyao, who was used to being domineering, had to show courtesy. Although Nian Gengyao has always been regarded as a confidant by Fourth Master, he uses this resource to help him. But Nian Gengyao couldn't wait for Fourth Master's support. He had been trying to climb up through various forces. For example, after he was promoted to the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, he immediately went behind the back of the fourth master to find the fourteenth master who promoted him, and went to the eighth master's house as a guest before even saying hello to the fourth master. Nian Gengyao was burning the fourth master's hot stove and the eighth master's cold stove at the same time. He only had his own interests in mind.
When Nian Gengyao came to give gifts to Zhang Tingyu, to put it bluntly, he wanted to find a shortcut for himself to get promoted and make a fortune. Zhang Tingyu came to see Nian Gengyao on an order to convey the emperor's wishes. How could a minister like Zhang Tingyu, who knew the rules of officialdom, accept his gift on such an occasion?
What Nian Gengyao gave to Zhang Tingyu was not gold and silver jewelry. He brought oranges from Sichuan, fans that Confucian scholars often gave each other as gifts when making friends, Shu brocade from Sichuan, and the Chinese medicinal gastrodia elata. It looks like just a random souvenir bought on the road, but it represents a piece of heart. Nian Gengyao knew that Zhang Tingyu was an honest official, but it didn't matter if he took these worthless things.
But Zhang Tingyu only kept Gastrodia elata. It's not that Gastrodia elata is a precious medicine. Zhang Tingyu accepted it and gave it a Hu pen as a gift. It was considered a courtesy.
As for other things, Zhang Tingyu means that you and I will be well. Fans seeking friendship, Zhang Tingyu means, you and I just need to respect each other, and the friendship between gentlemen should not form cliques for personal gain. Looking for a bright future for Shu Brocade, Zhang Tingyu means that you are in control of your own future, and the Holy One knows it well. Your performance is good, but I will not take credit for you.
Gastrodia elata is a medicinal material, and Nian Gengyao was also "looking for medical advice". Zhang Tingyu accepted it to show that he was willing to give some advice. The gift of Hubi in return was Zhang Tingyu's encouragement, but the premise was that Nian Gengyao had to get rid of his problems. In addition, Zhang Tingyu still wanted to give Nian Gengyao something to avoid given by his subordinate Nian Gengyao. He could see that Nian Gengyao was a rude person, and he was afraid that if he got the chance in the future, he would have trouble with him and cause a lot of unnecessary trouble. Therefore, accepting Gastrodia elata was purely helpless.
What a pity, what a pity, Nian Gengyao was extremely arrogant, and Zhang Tingyu extinguished her self-esteem with just a few words. In the end, Nian Gengyao failed Zhang Tingyu's advice and good intentions. At this moment, Nian Gengyao, who was generously giving gifts to seek a future, probably never imagined that many years later, he would become a frontier official who made everyone in the DPRK and Central Government fear him. Because of his arrogance, he was demoted again and again. In the end, the knife that made Yong Zheng decide to kill him was inserted by Zhang Tingyu.
From the passage of Nian Gengyao giving gifts, we can see Zhang Tingyu's resourcefulness. Zhang Tingyu's ability is enough to overwhelm Nian Gengyao and become a capable minister with outstanding achievements. However, later generations' evaluations of Zhang Tingyu felt that he had no merit. In fact, this was Zhang Tingyu's greatness.
He is very good at guessing the holy will and will not be arrogant. On this point, he is destined to be different from him and Nian Gengyao. No matter which emperor in history, he was wary of famous ministers. After all, Wang Mang usurped the throne and taught him a lesson. Zhang Tingyu firmly believes that silence is golden. You will say what you should say, and you will never say a word more than you should say. This point is mentioned in the novel Er Erhe.