Chapter 253: Morning Court
After returning home, Qin Luoxia prepared a bedroom for Zi Congheng.
He didn’t feel like a guest at all.
Because the Jiang Family was also organizing things themselves.
Everyone was essentially moving into this residence at the same time.
Newcomers of the same period.
At Jiang Mianmian’s strong request, Brother Chong lived next door to her.
Zi Congheng didn’t speak, but he had lived in the Jiang Family for a while when he was young.
Qin Luoxia still remembered the child’s preferences.
Bed sheets and quilt covers had to be solid-colored; if they were floral, he definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep. The child would count the flowers on them, and if one side had more, he would be uncomfortable.
She chose dark blue, laid down a thick mattress, and scented it with charcoal fire.
Watching her own little brat bouncing around in front of her, Qin Luoxia missed Aunt Yin a bit.
Although she managed the household now and didn’t need Aunt Yin to teach her, and could say she handled it with ease.
But Mianmian, this one, still needed Aunt Yin to watch her.
Otherwise, she would keep hovering in front of her eyes, making her dizzy.
Qin Luoxia personally made the bed, touching it to ensure it was dry and warm before considering it done.
The room was quite simple.
Bed, desk, bookcase, wardrobe, bathroom.
The windows were ample.
The layout was the same as Mianmian’s.
Qin Luoxia was cleaning, while Jiang Mianmian was chattering on the side.
“Mother, I need another jar. My brother has a little flower turtle. Mother, why don’t you make a nest for my Little Tree too? I don’t want a jar; get me a box of soil.”
Qin Luoxia glared at her daughter. Who puts a box of soil in a room?
“I think you look like a jar. Take Brother Heng to the courtyard to stroll and digest, don’t run too far.”
Jiang Mianmian heard the address ‘Brother Heng’.
Suddenly, she felt that she had Little Heng and Little Tree beside her; she had both ‘horizontal’ and ‘vertical’, one horizontal and one vertical, perfection.
This pun was terrible…
She turned to look at Mother, whose large eyes were glaring at her. If Brother Chong weren’t here, Mother’s big palm would have slapped her.
It wasn’t easy; arriving in the capital, one had to keep their tail tucked in outside, and at home, one had to keep their tail tucked in as well.
Zi Congheng walked in the courtyard behind Little Mianmian, looking at her arrogant gait, always feeling as if a long tail had grown behind her.
An arrogant sway.
Zi Congheng turned to look at the trees beside him, not looking at Mianmian anymore.
But his mouth opened slightly, wanting to laugh.
He endured it very seriously.
Jiang Mianmian walked around the courtyard with Brother Chong.
It was cold, but there was no wind.
It was slightly freezing, but jumping around made it fine.
Zi Congheng was originally wearing something a bit thin, but after arriving home, Aunt Qin added a cape for him.
With the cape added, he looked even better.
Usually, he liked to walk alone at night, walking very calmly.
But at this moment, there was always someone in front who liked to talk while walking.
“Brother, have you attended any parties in the capital? What parties are fun?”
“Brother, when do you go to school every day?”
“Brother, do you do morning exercises when you get up? If so, let’s do it together.”
“Brother, after so many years, do you still dislike green onions? My Mother likes to put green onions in noodles when she makes them. If you don’t like it, tell Mother first.”
…
The sky was very dark.
The light and shadow in the courtyard were flickering.
She kept chattering endlessly.
White mist came out when she spoke.
Zi Congheng walked calmly.
There was always someone in front who liked to jump while walking.
Unknowingly, they walked several laps.
Digestion finished.
Mianmian brought Brother Chong back to the room.
Mother had already organized the room.
It was very warm and tidy.
The jar was set up, but the soil she wanted wasn’t there.
“Tomorrow, let Mianmian accompany you to pick up your little flower turtle,” Qin Luoxia said.
“Thank you, Auntie,” Zi Congheng said, keeping a straight face, but still politely.
He received a kind pat on the head from Qin Luoxia.
At the same time, she pulled her daughter’s head and left.
“Why aren’t you sleeping yet? What are you guarding?”
“Mother, Brother Chong is so handsome, too handsome.”
“Don’t say this to your father; your father will get jealous.”
The next day, in the middle of the night.
The sky was not yet bright.
Properly the middle of the night.
But Jiang Changtian got up.
Qin Luoxia also got up.
To tidy up for her husband.
It was a bit like when they lived in Kaner Village and went to work at the Herb Preparation Bureau in Ming County.
Always getting up early and leaving in the stars and moonlight.
Never thought that after working so hard for so many years, they would still have to get up early and leave in the stars and moonlight.
At that time, Jiang Changtian was at the bottom of the county government.
Now Jiang Changtian was at the bottom of the Imperial Court.
Seeing the dark circles under her husband’s eyes, he slept late last night and talked with Mr. Gang for a long time.
Qin Luoxia rolled a hot hard-boiled egg around her husband’s eyes.
She changed him into his official uniform, brought dry rations, and didn’t dare let him drink too much water, worrying he would want to relieve himself.
If he wanted to relieve himself during the court session, it would be embarrassing to death.
Many officials were afraid of embarrassing themselves, so they didn’t eat or drink.
So most officials had stomach problems.
There were some differences; before, they had to walk to work.
Now they could take a carriage.
Jiang Changtian sat in the carriage and drove toward the Imperial Court.
At the same time, there were many wheel sounds on the street.
Officials from all directions were taking carriages to gather at the Imperial Court.
Today was the Great Court Session, and the Emperor would attend.
So the officials were also gathered exceptionally neatly.
After sitting in the carriage for about an hour, they arrived at the gate of the Great Court.
Carriages lined up in a long queue.
Jiang Changtian’s carriage couldn’t enter the front, so it could only stop on the periphery; he still had to walk a distance.
From the carriage, they started ranking by seniority.
The carriages of the big shots could drive straight in.
The big shots’ carriages parked a bit inside, with special parking spaces; they just had to walk a few steps after getting off.
Ordinary officials’ carriages were very far outside, no parking spaces, temporary stops; they had to walk immediately after getting off the carriage.
It felt quite messy.
Like a market selling officials.
Everywhere were officials, wearing official robes of various colors and patterns.
High-ranking ones, everyone scrambled to greet them.
Little officials were ignored.
Some socially adept officials would enthusiastically chat everywhere.
But most of them just stood by themselves.
Jiang Changtian walked in the tide of officials.
Seeing so many people.
His heart blossomed with joy.
Don’t know why, seeing so many people, so many people with many schemes, so many people who had passed the exams, his heart thumped, happy, excited.
There was a kind of joy and familiarity, like a fish entering the center of the water.
Seeing everyone felt very kind.
Perhaps he hadn’t seen so many colleagues for a long time.
In Jingzhou, eventually, the colleagues didn’t play together.
At first, everyone was quite friendly.
Jiang Changtian had a shy appearance.
The sky was not yet bright.
Morning light.
Faint light.
Jiang Changtian stood there like a scroll of painting.
He wore his rank’s official uniform quite handsomely.
Making people want to take a few more looks, wondering if they wore it wrong.
Some old officials yawned.
The ribbons on their hats swayed.
Some crafty old officials squinted, sizing up others.
Some socially adept officials looked for people to chat with everywhere, full of energy.
Some officials who had too rich a nightlife last night had blue eye bags, their legs soft.
And around Censor He, there was no one within six zhang.
Jiang Changtian stood there, a newcomer, outstanding in appearance.
No one paid attention to him for the time being.
There was some whispering.
There were no secrets in officialdom.
Ordinary little officials were ignored by no one.
But if you have a special background or something else, everyone knows it.
Here were all human spirits.
A Commander from a small place who came from the Rebel amnesty, because his political achievements were particularly good, he mixed into the court session.
No background.
Their Rebel leader Great Marshal Zi died not long ago.
He couldn’t make any waves now.
Rebels don’t rebel, have no soldiers in hand, just wait to be boiled to death.
Anyway, no future.
After all, this is officialdom, not a romance, looking good is useless.
When you are in a high position and have power, whatever you look like, you are handsome.
Jiang Changtian observed everyone’s expressions very obediently, very much like an isolated, shy newcomer.
When Meng Qingshe arrived, this was the scene he saw.
He could stand in the front, but he stopped and walked to his in-law’s side.
He exchanged greetings enthusiastically with his in-law, wanting to support him.
Jiang Changtian and Meng Qingshe stood together; it seemed like Meng Qingshe was the one who came from the Rebels.
Meng Qingshe’s voice was loud and rough.
Jiang Changtian was soft-spoken and very gentle.
Old General Meng led a large army to guard the frontier and was a powerful general with soldiers in his hands.
Nowadays, the Emperor is old and suspicious; if you show that you want to be friendly, your future is finished.
The default in the court was a bunch of civil officials criticizing General Meng, picking on faults.
The Emperor came out to do good deeds and rejected them.
Although rejected, if the criticism was good, the Emperor would also promote them.
The result-oriented approach was to criticize General Meng and distance oneself from General Meng, then one could get promoted.
Seeing Meng Qingshe go over to greet Commander Jiang.
Other officials moved a little further away from the two of them without a trace.
Suddenly, they heard a bell ringing.
Seeing all the officials hurrying inside.
Jiang Changtian also pulled Meng Qingshe and walked inside.
Meng Qingshe walked at the back and shared his experience: “Brother, you walk slower, stand behind here, when the court is dismissed later, we can be the first to run, not blocking the carriage.”
Jiang Changtian looked at his in-law, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
He really was born into a good family.
“Okay, Brother Meng is truly wise, the idea is extremely thoughtful. However, I am new here and have never seen what the Emperor looks like. I want to get closer; it would be good to see the Emperor’s face, so I can show off to Xia Mei when I go back,” Jiang Changtian said shyly.
Meng Qingshe thought, isn’t it just wanting to see what the Emperor looks like, this must be satisfied, so he took Jiang Changtian and squeezed inside, clatter, clatter, clatter, squeezing several officials away.
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