In the early morning, a thin layer of morning light enveloped the sky above Liuhe Town, as if sprinkling a layer of golden light on the town. The Jiangnan town with white walls and green tiles was covered with a layer of golden gauze, like a noble and graceful girl.
On the bluestone path at the entrance of Liuhe Town, County Magistrate Zhang, Chief Secretary Yao, and Dianshi Li stood at the front, looking forward to the distance. Behind them were a group of dismissed clerks holding various welcome gifts in their hands.
Today was the earliest day they had ever gotten up. As soon as the dawn began to break, they arrived at the town entrance.
They did this in order to welcome the distinguished guest invited by County Magistrate Zhang - Eunuch Qian Xuqian.
The morning light burst out, and the eastern sky seemed to be on fire. A patch of red and a patch of golden slowly spread, then turned into a fish belly pale, and then the morning sun showed its head like a shy girl after being called for a long time.
The sun is rising.
County Magistrate Zhang, Chief Secretary Yao and others watched a complete sunrise at the town entrance.
Not only that, they also watched the sun rise higher and higher from the morning sun, becoming brighter and brighter.
Until noon.
Liuhe Town had woken up a long time ago. Many people who were entering or leaving the town saw County Magistrate Zhang and his party, and they couldn't help but linger on them for a few more seconds. Are they waiting for someone? So grand? !
The sun was still rising, slowly approaching the center.
All the people who had gone out of town to do business came back. When they saw that County Magistrate Zhang and his men were still at the town entrance, they couldn't help but look sideways and smack their lips in amazement.
"Brother-in-law, it's already this late, why hasn't Master Qian come yet? Didn't he say it was this morning?"
Li Dianshi stood for a long time until his legs were numb. The sun was too hot, and passers-by looked at him strangely. He was already impatient and could not help complaining to Zhang Xiancheng who was standing beside him.
"That's right, it's almost noon, why hasn't Master Qian come yet? Did he forget?!"
The clerks could no longer hold back, and when they heard Li Dianshi's complaints, they could not help but join in.
Compared to the impatient Li Dianshi and others, Yao Zhubu stood where he was, gently waving his folding fan, looking very calm.
"Hmph! You don't even have this much patience?! You still want to make friends with a noble person?! In the past, Uncle Liu visited Zhuge Liang three times before he invited him to come. Now I just made you wait a little longer, and you can't stand it?! How can you accomplish great things!"
County Magistrate Zhang snorted coldly and glanced at everyone, paying special attention to Li Dianshi.
"Yes, yes, Master Zhang is right."
The clerks nodded repeatedly and regained their spirits.
Everyone continued to wait at the entrance of the town.
The sun continued to rise, and it was only an hour away from noon. The late autumn sun was very scorching, and Zhang Xiancheng and others who were waiting at the town entrance could not help but sweat. Li Dianshi and others were in their old ways again, and began to complain. In fact, Zhang Xiancheng could not help but feel a little doubtful and wavered at this time. He paced in place with a worried look on his face. Could it be that Eunuch Qian really forgot? ! Or did he remember the time wrong? !
Just when County Magistrate Zhang and others were about to give up, they saw a gorgeous sedan chair appear in their sight.
This was a sedan chair carried by four people. It was very gorgeous, and there were four guards with swords on both sides.
As soon as he saw the sedan chair, County Magistrate Zhang's eyes lit up.
He recognized this sedan chair. Eunuch Qian was trapped in the mountains. When he went to visit him, Eunuch Qian rested in this sedan chair.
"Hurry, hurry, cheer up, Eunuch Qian is here. The one sitting in the sedan chair coming over is Eunuch Qian." County Magistrate Zhang said to Li Dianshi and others while adjusting his clothes.
"Ah, Eunuch Qian is here."
"Eunuch Qian is finally here."
Everyone was excited, finally their wait was worth it.
From a distance, before the sedan chair came near, County Magistrate Zhang, along with Chief Yao and a group of others, went to greet it.
"Eunuch Qian has arrived, and we are so sorry for not welcoming you in person." County Magistrate Zhang came to the front of the sedan chair and said while bowing.
All the clerks followed suit, saying words of welcome, and bowing like shrimps.
The four men carrying the sedan chair were dressed in green eunuch uniforms, and each of them was a handsome young eunuch.
The sedan chair was put down in front of County Magistrate Zhang and others, and a eunuch in front bent over and opened the door of the sedan chair with his fingers pinched.
"Haha, I am just a humble eunuch, how can I be worthy of such a great honor?"
A shrill laugh came from the sedan chair, and then a hand holding a snow-white embroidered handkerchief stretched out from the sedan chair. The eunuch in front gave it a helpful hand, and the owner of the sedan chair stepped down.
This was a young eunuch with delicate features and a smile in the corners of his eyes, about eighteen or nineteen years old, dressed in a purple eunuch's uniform. The material of his clothes was obviously several grades higher than that of the young eunuchs carrying the sedan chair.
This person is Eunuch Qian Xuqian.
"He deserves it, he deserves it. Eunuch Qian serves the emperor and has made great contributions. If Eunuch Qian does not deserve it, who else can?" County Magistrate Zhang and others hurried forward to compliment him.
"Haha, I'm just a servant. It's only because of the blessings of my ancestors that I have the honor to help His Majesty share his worries and serve the Imperial Concubine." Eunuch Qian put the embroidered handkerchief to his lips and laughed, his voice was very shrill.
County Magistrate Zhang and others hurriedly complimented him again and then presented the gifts.
Eunuch Qian glanced at the gifts. Well, a stack of banknotes, a plate of silver ingots, a plate of pearls... This gift is very valuable. The smile on his face was even brighter. "Oh my, look at what you are doing. This is making me make a mistake..."
Although Eunuch Qian said no, his eyes were shining as he looked at the gift and he had no intention of looking away.
"No, no, Eunuch Qian has been sharing His Majesty's worries, and has traveled thousands of miles to the south of the Yangtze River to purchase gold, treasures and pearls. We are humble, but our generations have been blessed by the emperor's grace, and we also want to do our bit for His Majesty. These are our thoughts, and we hope that Eunuch will help us." County Magistrate Zhang said, bowing his waist and taking the lead.
"Yes, yes, Eunuch Qian, we also want to do our best, and we hope that Eunuch Qian can help us." A group of clerks spoke out one after another.
"Oh, so that's how it is. You didn't tell me earlier and I almost misunderstood you. Since you also want to serve His Majesty, I can't be so unkind as to stop you from fulfilling your filial duties. I will take the initiative to accept your kindness and help His Majesty solve his problems on your behalf."
Eunuch Qian held the embroidered handkerchief between his fingers, half-covered his slightly curved lips, smiled and nodded, signaling the eunuch who followed him to accept all the gifts.
"Thank you very much for your help, eunuch." County Magistrate Zhang thanked him repeatedly.
"Thank you very much for your help, eunuch." A group of clerks followed suit to express their gratitude.
"Okay, okay. We're all here to help His Majesty solve his problems." Eunuch Qian smiled and waved his hand, his eyes curved into crescents.