Zhang Cheng was really struggling to make a decision. He knew that his older brother, Zhang Ping, was ambitious enough to besiege the city even if his own child was tied to the wall, let alone ten. But he was not his older brother.
He was simply a brother of his elder brother. At the same time, Zhang Mao had always held him, his uncle, in high regard.
Could he really order the siege on the city after confirming Zhang Mao's identity? Was he asking for his own death?
Zhang Mao was the legitimate son, so he didn't have the authority to disregard Zhang Mao's life or death. If he ordered the siege without considering Zhang Mao's welfare, even if it was for his elder brother's great cause and nothing was wrong, he would be criticized for his heartless disregard of family affection. This would become an unerasable weakness that others could use against him in future power struggles if his older brother eventually succeeded.
