June 20th is an auspicious day for building a gate and starting ground, with bright stars shining brightly across the gate.
On this day, the first ray of morning light shone weakly from the horizon, and a hint of coolness descended on the world with the dawn. Summer mornings always make people feel energetic. Zhu Ping'an took Liu Mu, Liu Dadao and the other two out of Linhuai Marquis Mansion early in the morning and headed straight to the Imperial Observatory.
The sun is rising and the horses' hooves are galloping briskly.
Gray courtyards, winding flagstone streets, brick walls covered with moss, rouge and powder shops open for business, and breakfast shops full of people coming and going... ...
The morning in the capital city gradually woke up, and the leaves of the willow trees along the road began to stretch out under the morning light.
When Zhu Ping'an and the other two arrived at the Imperial Observatory, it was not open yet. Zhu Ping'an, Liu Mu and Liu Dadao had breakfast at a nearby breakfast shop.
The waiter wearing a white towel welcomed them into the store warmly. Zhu Ping'an and the other two ordered three bowls of sweetened bean juice, a plate of side dishes, and a basket of fried dough sticks, and started eating at a table by the side of the road.
A bite of fried dough sticks, a bite of side dish, and then a sip of soy milk, the feeling of happiness explodes the moment the stomach is filled.
Coincidentally, after breakfast, I just walked out of the shop and saw the Imperial Observatory slowly opening its door.
Liu Mu and Liu Dadao were waiting outside. Zhu Ping'an went into the Imperial Observatory alone, registered and signed, and the gatekeeper took Zhu Ping'an to see Zhang Siming.
"Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable, I calculated with my fingers and the number one scholar is about to arrive." Zhang Siming, who was fat and big-eared like Maitreya Buddha and dressed in a gray and white Taoist robe, came up with a smile on his face and made a seal with his fingers.
Nonsense, today is the day to replace the warehouse door, so of course I have to come, Zhu Ping'an complained in his heart, with a smile on his face he took two quick steps, cupped his hands and said: "Haha, your humble official is here to trouble Lord Zhang again."
"No trouble, no trouble. Mr. Zhuangyuan, please sit for a moment. I will ask someone to pack up the magic weapons and then go to Taicang." Treasurer Zhang shook his head with a smile.
"Thank you, Lord Zhang." Zhu Ping'an bowed to express his gratitude.
"Why are you being so polite, Mr. Number One Scholar? I haven't even thanked you for your article 'Kneeling Before the Buddha for Three Thousand Years' the day before yesterday. Once this article was published, it swept away the haze of Taoism and allowed Taoists like us to hold our heads high. This article alone is better than the contributions of thousands of Taoists in preaching and teaching." Minister Zhang waved his hand and said with a smile.
"Lord Zhang, you are too kind. Ping'an is really unworthy of it. I know my own worth very well." Zhu Ping'an shook his head seriously.
“Haha, top scholar, don’t be so modest. I am not the only one who says this. And it’s not just that. Many people think that your work ‘Kneeling Before the Buddha for Three Thousand Years’ is better than Yuan Maozhong’s ‘The Black Turtle in Luoshui Offers Its First Omen.’” Zhang Siming looked at Zhu Ping’an and said with a smile.
Well
Not really.
Zhu Ping'an smiled bitterly and shook his head. Yuan Wei's couplet was very popular and everyone knew it. The flattery reached the pinnacle.
"That's true. There are several adults in Wuyi Palace who say so." Zhang Siming smiled and looked at Zhu Ping'an again.
Don't.
Zhu Ping'an shook his head when he heard this.
Yuan Wei is a conceited person. He has always disliked me. If he comes back from inspecting the border and hears this kind of statement, he will be even more angry with me.
But I know the history. Yuan Wei's Qingci is unique and he is very favored by Emperor Jiajing. This guy is being promoted at an unprecedented speed. Don't look at him as just a bachelor of imperial studies now. Within ten years, this guy will be appointed as the Prince's Guardian and the Minister of Rites, and then he will quickly enter the cabinet and be called the "Qingci Prime Minister" together with Li Chunfang, Yan Ne, Guo Pu and others.
It is definitely not a good thing to be disliked and treated unfairly by such a promising and narrow-minded person.
After a few pleasantries, Zhang Si ordered someone to pour Zhu Ping'an a cup of tea, asked Zhu Ping'an to wait for a moment, and then went out to tell people to prepare the magic tools.
About two cups of tea later, Zhang Siming came in and said that the instruments had been prepared and they could set off for Taicang.
When Zhu Ping'an and Zhang Siming went out, they saw the magic tools prepared by Zhang Siming. The so-called magic tools were incense, candles, paper money, cinnabar, brushes, Taoist talismans, peach wood swords, bells, black dog blood, sheep blood, cow blood and other things.
In addition to Zhang Siming, there were two other Taoist priests from the Imperial Observatory who went to Taicang together. These two Taoist priests were much more professional and sage-like than the fat and big-eared Zhang Siming. According to Zhang Siming, these two Taoist priests were also officials of the Imperial Observatory, and were the ninth-rank Five Senses Supervisors, and were "talents" selected from famous Taoist temples.
Zhang Siming sat in a carriage, and the other two Taoists sat in another carriage, looking at the magic weapons.
Zhu Ping'an got hold of Zhang Siming's carriage and prepared to go out and ride a horse again.
As soon as the carriage left the gate of the Imperial Observatory, Zhu Ping'an saw Bloody Sword and more than twenty Dongchang men waiting outside the gate, each leading a horse.
The Bloody Sword had an expressionless face as he stood straight in front of the door. He was wearing a white official uniform and a black cloak, with a scarlet sword hanging from his waist and a badge with the words "Dongchang" on it.
Behind him, the Dongchang guards were also wearing black cloaks. They were divided into two rows, holding their swords in their right hands, and standing silently behind the bloody sword.
There was no sound at all, and they were like statues, emitting endless coldness.
A man's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.
Zhang Siming, who had been smiling all the time, couldn't hold back the smile on his face when he saw the Bloody Sword and other Dongchang men.
All the people passing by here on the road kept a distance from it, not daring to breathe, and walked quickly around it.
Liu Mu and Liu Dadao, who were waiting outside, were also very afraid. They led their horses in front of them and did not dare to look directly at the Bloody Sword and other people from the East Factory. When they were in the village before, they had heard a lot about the fierce reputation of the East Factory and the Jinyiwei, such as the eighteen kinds of torture, killing without blinking an eye, killing is not against the law, etc. It can be said that the factory guards are the existence that makes the common people tremble with fear. Liu Mu and Liu Dadao are considered brave. Ordinary people would have wet their pants if they stood there.
"Good morning, Captain Zhang, and good morning to all the staff." Zhu Ping'an got off the carriage and greeted Bloody Sword and others.
"Good morning, Lord Zhu. I have come here on the orders of the Emperor. We will follow your instructions in everything and will not dare to disobey." Captain Zhang bowed and replied with a gentle smile.
"No one dares to disobey the master's order." Two rows of Dongchang guards shouted in unison.
This morning, Emperor Jiajing ordered Huang Jin to send a team of people to wait for Zhu Ping'an's orders. The one sent by Huang Jin was the Bloody Sword.
Zhu Pingan was overjoyed when he heard this. With the people from the East Factory standing by to frighten him, he couldn't ask for more. He bowed to Captain Zhang and the others and said, "I dare not give you any orders. I will need the assistance of Captain Zhang and the other staff today."
So the group of people headed towards Taicang in a mighty procession.