Zhang Chao understood everything being said around him. Was this reincarnation? But the constant talks and reports that his father's underlings made to his father in front of him alarmed him. Demonic hordes? Favour of the Gods? What was this world? The city name was definitely familiar. Luoyang.
Luoyang was the ancient capital of China in the period of the Han Dynasty, which was later sacked and razed to the ground by the warlord, Dong Zhuo, as he fled the incoming coalition army led by Yuan Shao. The Han Emperor then managed to flee the clutches of Li Jue and Guo Si and returned to the capital but was later forced to leave by the warlord, Cao Cao.
However, he heard nothing about the Han court, but simply heard talk again and again about the Council of Elders who were putting more and more pressure on the Zhang clan to do more even though the family was barely keeping their head above the water.
In fact, to Zhang Chao, this was a clear case of favouritism. Yet, he knew that wherever he was, his past life was now all for nothing. Zhang Tie was his father, the head of the Zhang clan.
The clan specialized in caravan protection and escort against demonic creatures and bandits. The family's fortune has dwindled as more and more clans muscled into the business and the clan struggled to diversify as most of the other clans kept a monopoly on their businesses.
However, as demons became tougher, the clan's escort business was directly affected as merchants dwindled from other cities and the clan had to make the scope of the escort area smaller in order to avoid the far tougher demons. Yet, other clans banded together to operate in those areas, effectively cutting up the share of the Zhang clan.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
The elders, on the other hand, seem to want the Zhang clan to do more about the contribution to the city, be it finances or security against the demonic forces, yet, are seemingly not handing more lucrative contracts and projects down to the clan.
As Zhang Qin nursed him, she would often sigh and tell the young Zhang Chao, who was not supposed to understand, the problems of the clan and how she is sorry that his crib couldn't be made of more lavish items like how the Li clan plastered the crib's exterior with flakes of gold while his own was a simple wooden crib with a comfortable hand-me-down blanket.
As three months went by, Zhang Chao learnt to differentiate the footsteps of the servants and his parents. Zhang Tie's footsteps were akin to stomping while Zhang Qin's was soft and elegant. Zhang Chao learnt when his father went to work and timed his cries accordingly, almost like clockwork, based on the shadow of the potted plant that sat in his room. So much so, that the servants themselves knew when he was going to ask for food or a change of clothes.
On the fourth month, as Zhang Qin and Zhang Tie entered the room exhausted.
"Pa, Ma..."
The two parents froze as Zhang Chao uttered the words from the crib.
The two rushed over, Zhang Qin almost tripping over herself as she reached the crib. She lifted the baby up and her eyes widened.
Zhang Tie was beside himself with excitement.
"One more time! Zhang Chao! You can do it!"
The baby obliged.
"Pa... Ma..."
Zhang Qin's eyes swelled with tears.
"This one is a smart one... It is just four months!" Zhang Tie roared with laughter as beads of tears rolled down his cheek as he held his wife and gently caressed the forehead of Zhang Chao. Zhang Qin kissed the child's forehead gently and whispered, "All our hopes are on you, okay?"