Chapter 2433 Conferment
Manbao smiled and said, "I know. Look at this. The travel expenses they give are one more ingot than those given by the Duke of Pi's Mansion."
Manbao opened his purse and gave one to Liu Sanniang.
Liu Sanniang did not refuse and put it in her purse.
Manbao got on the carriage and returned to the side door of Zhou's house. He took out a silver coin and gave it to the driver, "Take Sanniang back to the palace."
The driver didn't want to accept it, so Manbao smiled and said, "Take it. I have a happy event today, so consider it as wedding money."
Upon hearing this, the driver immediately took the money and saluted Manbao with a smile, "Congratulations, sir, on your promotion."
Obviously, almost everyone in the palace knew what happened at the morning court.
Manbao smiled and nodded, letting him and Liu Sanniang leave.
Manbao and Doctor Zheng said that they could go back to the palace tomorrow, but Liu Sanniang obviously couldn't do that because she still had to work.
After watching their carriage go away, Manbao turned around. The concierge who had opened the door and was waiting there for a long time came forward to help Manbao carry the medicine box. "Miss Man, Mr. Zhou, Mrs. Zhou, and Grandma Zhou are all at home."
In the past, the side door of the Zhou family was always closed. Old Lady Liu considered that the house where the Zhou family lived was located through this side door, and was afraid that the gatekeeper would leak information if he was not careful enough. Therefore, the gatekeeper would stay inside and would not know until someone outside knocked on the door.
But since the doorman was punished by Bai Shan last time, he changed his job. Old Madam Liu chose three people with tighter mouths to guard the side door together. The door is open most of the time. Like the doormen of other families, they will sit on the doorstep and watch people coming and going on the street. Now the Zhou family even knows how many trips the Du family next door has made in a day.
As Manbao entered the house, Old Zhou, who was sitting not far from the gate, made eye contact with her. He immediately put down his pipe, ran up and asked, "Why are you back at this time?"
Manbao looked up at the position of the sun and realized that the people notified by the palace should not have arrived yet, so he said, "Dad, our family has a happy event today."
Old Zhoutou, "You got promoted again?"
Manbao: "...it's not really a promotion."
"Oh," Old Zhou's voice dropped after raising it, and he said with some disappointment, "Is this another reward from the emperor?"
"Dad, you know so much."
Old Zhou said proudly, "That's right. This is what your grandmother Liu said. She said you have made great contributions this time and asked us to make preparations in advance. I thought you were going to be promoted again. I was thinking that if you were to be given official land again, could you choose one closer so that we can grow vegetables..."
"Although I didn't get promoted, I was knighted."
Old Zhou didn't quite understand, "What title?"
"Miss Man, someone is coming from the palace." Before Manbao could explain, the doorman guarding the side door hurried over.
A young eunuch followed him in. Seeing Zhou Man standing there with his medicine box, he smiled and said, "Master Zhou is home too. That's great. The imperial edict will arrive in a quarter of an hour. Please get ready."
Manbao politely agreed and asked the doorman to notify the steward to open the door.
Then he dragged her father back to prepare to receive the imperial edict, "Get mother here too, and quickly prepare the things to receive the imperial edict."
It was not the first time for the Zhou family to receive an imperial edict, so they were quite experienced. Old Zhou did not have time to ask what the imperial edict was, and hurried to prepare the incense table with Qian. By the time they were ready, the person who announced the edict had arrived.
This time it was an official from the Ministry of Rites who announced the decree, followed only by eunuchs.
The other party was not familiar with Zhou Man, but was quite polite to him. After smiling at Zhou Man, he began to read the imperial edict.
Manbao led a group of people from the Zhou family, both young and old, to kneel and listen to the imperial edict. After it was read out in long text, no one could understand the meaning of the imperial edict except Manbao and Zhou Lixue and Zhou Ligu who were on leave at home.
"...Gentle, upright, respectful, and virtuous, with a clear conscience, well-versed in etiquette and morality, a benevolent doctor, humble and respectful, and having rendered meritorious service to the state, I now honor you as the Holy Edict and enfeoff you as the Lord of Liyang Township..."
Zhou Lixue and Zhou Ligu were both stunned, but the imperial edict was not yet finished, continuing: "Rewarding the virtuous and meritorious is a tradition of the imperial court; honoring the virtues of relatives is also the deepest affection of a son... Zhou Jin is the adopted father of Zhou Man, editor of the Chongwen Academy and imperial physician of the Imperial Hospital. He is benevolent and charitable, and treats people with integrity... I hereby appoint him as a Fengzheng official, to bring honor to the family and enhance their happiness in their later years."
Now Manbao was stunned. She looked up at the official from the Ministry of Rites in surprise. So this was the main reason why the official from the Ministry of Rites came to announce the decree?
But this wasn't the end. The person holding the imperial edict paused, swallowed, and continued, "Mother has labored tirelessly, and her righteousness and education are combined; the court has shown great favor, and rituals place greater emphasis on honoring than on commendation... Qian is the adopted mother of Zhou Man, editor of the Chongwen Academy and imperial physician of the Imperial Hospital. She is wise, righteous, gentle, respectful, and courteous... Hereby, she is specially conferred the title of Lady of Luojiang County, honoring you with the splendor of the imperial crown and robe, to forever mark the family's legacy."
With tears in his eyes, Manbao kowtowed respectfully to the imperial edict and said sincerely, "Your Majesty, thank you for your grace!"
The official announcing the decree smiled and folded the imperial edict, handed it to Zhou Man with both hands, and said with a smile: "Master Zhou, congratulations."
He bowed to Old Zhou, who still didn't understand what was going on, and called out, "Doctor Zhou, I'll come and ask for a glass of wine later."
Manbao immediately said, "I'll go to the Ministry of Rites to send out invitations."
When the official announcing the decree heard this, he burst into laughter and agreed without hesitation.
Manbao only prepared a purse, but it was obviously not enough. Fortunately, Zhou Lixue and Zhou Ligu were smart and had quietly retreated. They directly pulled Xiao Qian away and whispered, "Mother, we need two more red envelopes and copper coins. Take out as many copper coins as you have at home. We will give them a few strings to the people outside later."
Xiao Qianshi: "...give so much?"
"Oh, mother, this is not just an imperial edict, it conferred titles on three people."
Xiao Qian was confused, but she still took her son to get the money. While Manbao was talking, they took out a bag of money to divide.
The eunuchs and guards who followed him just refused and stuffed the money into their arms. They said it was wedding money and it would be bad if they didn't take it.
Everyone dispersed happily.
Old Zhou finally spoke up, "Has this gentleman been drinking? Why is he calling me doctor?"
Zhou Lixue: "Grandpa, His Majesty has just appointed you as a Fengzheng official."
Old Zhou's heart trembled, a little scared, "What is this for? No wonder I seemed to hear my name just now."
Manbao immediately comforted him, "Dad, this is a favor, a title."
Zhou Lixue had already shouted, "Grandpa, didn't I always say that I would become an official in the future to earn an imperial edict for my mother? This is the imperial edict. You have been appointed as a Fengzheng official by my sister-in-law. From now on, you will also be a person of rank. You don't have to kneel when you see the county magistrate. People will call you Master."
Old Zhou's eyes widened in surprise, and he felt a little dizzy. After swallowing for a long time, he asked, "Why, why is it me who got the favor? What about your mother?"
(End of this chapter)
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