Some things may seem insignificant, but whether they can be viewed as major issues depends on how the person handling them operates.
Xu Rao went to the General's Mansion in the afternoon and talked with Wei Lang behind closed doors for a long time. Xu Rao left with a smile on her face. When Wei Lang saw Xu Rao off at the gate, he was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling. When the two of them arrived at the gate of the General's Mansion, they seemed to think of something again and stood in front of Xu Rao's carriage, lowering their heads and talking quietly for a while. Only then did Wei Lang happily see Xu Rao onto the carriage.
In the following days, Wei Lang arranged for one of his most trusted advisors, along with one of his deputy generals, to go to the capital with a memorial he had personally written.
It was already the twelfth lunar month, and this group of people hurried along, finally arriving in the capital before the Lunar New Year.
Before the deputy general and his staff even arrived in the capital, they were met by people from the Marquis of Jingbei's residence at a post station on the outskirts of the capital. Wei Lang had sent a letter home a few days in advance, which was sent via the post station. The post station was the fastest route from Hexi to the capital, and the letter would arrive in less than ten days. After receiving his son's letter, the Marquis of Jingbei thought for two days before coming up with the best solution.
As for how the memorial was submitted and how it was discussed in the court, on the day before the Lunar New Year, Chen Wufu, the most trusted eunuch in front of Emperor Liang Cheng, carrying a bright imperial edict, followed by a group of palace maids and eunuchs carrying trays of various rewards, came out of the palace and slowly walked along the cleaned and cordoned streets towards the Yongning Marquis's residence.
After everyone in the Yongning Marquis's residence dressed according to their rank, they set up an incense table, opened the main gate, and waited in the main courtyard to receive the imperial decree.
Lord Yongning was completely bewildered. Although as a founding father, he often received rewards from the palace every December, there had never been such a grand occasion. It was not a good thing, since the one delivering the decree was Eunuch Chen. Lord Yongning racked his brains but could not recall what he or his descendants had done recently that would make His Majesty the Emperor pay such attention to them.
The old lady, dressed in the official robes of a first-rank official, stood before the incense table, supported by Granny Shen. Marquis Yongning stood in front of her. Seeing his mother's calm demeanor, Marquis Yongning asked softly, "Mother, do you know what this is about?"
The old lady glanced at the Marquis of Yongning, looking down on him, and said, "How would an old woman like me, who spends all day in the backyard, know about these things from the previous dynasty? You don't need to worry, you'll know once Eunuch Chen reads out the imperial edict."
Chen Wufu entered through the main gate with a smile. Upon seeing the old lady, he quickly came over and bowed, saying, "Madam, I hope you are well. It has been quite some time since I last saw you."
The old lady turned to the side and said with a smile, "Eunuch Chen is currently enjoying great favor with the Emperor, but he doesn't seem to have much free time to come and sit for a while in my humble abode."
The old lady and Chen Wufu had known each other for many years. To be honest, when the emperor was still a prince, as his close attendant, Chen Wufu met with the old lady, a noblewoman who frequently went to the palace to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. Chen Wufu and Granny Lu were from the same hometown. Because of Granny Lu, Chen Wufu and the old lady had a very good relationship. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to exchange a few harmless jokes as soon as they met.
Chen Wufu smiled and said, "Now that everyone is here, let's announce the imperial decree first. After reading His Majesty's decree, I will come and properly congratulate the old lady."
Hearing Chen Wufu's words, everyone in the Marquis's mansion breathed a sigh of relief; it turned out to be a good thing.
The imperial edict throughout praised the old lady's excellent teaching, not only for her children and grandchildren, but also for the women of the household. Under her guidance, they were all patriotic and righteous. The youngest granddaughter, who accompanied her father to Hexi, did what she could to help the soldiers stationed at the border, donating the silk she used for making clothes to the soldiers as undergarments, earnestly practicing the noble idea that everyone has a responsibility for the rise and fall of the nation. Finally, the edict got to the point: to commend the old lady of the Yongning Marquis's household, a great deal of gold, silver and jewels were bestowed upon her. The most enviable item was a jade ruyi, which was said to be the current mother's favorite possession. The fact that the current emperor bestowed it upon the old lady of the Yongning Marquis's household was an unparalleled honor.
After Chen Wufu finished reading the imperial edict and giving out the gifts, he came over to congratulate the old lady. The old lady pulled Chen Wufu into the inner courtyard for tea. Chen Wufu smiled and said, "Please forgive me, Madam. I still have to go back to report to His Majesty. There will be plenty of time in the future. Please wait."
The people of the Yongning Marquis's residence escorted Chen Wufu to the main gate. After watching the carriage drive away, they returned to the residence and closed the gate.
The old lady looked at the things on the table, sighed, and said, "I was just thinking that our Ninth Miss didn't have any fabric to make clothes. I never imagined that she would bring back such a great deal of face for my great-grandmother. I saw this jade ruyi back then. Consort Shu loved to play with it. Who would have thought that it would become mine today?"
Looking at the things displayed in the main room of the front courtyard, Lord Yongning felt as if he were in a dream. He asked the old lady, "Mother, how could such a thing happen? What exactly did Rao'er and the others do in Hexi?"
Upon hearing this, the old lady snorted and said, "What are you doing? You, as the father, don't go and inquire, yet you expect me, as the grandmother, to do it?"
Everyone from the Marquis's mansion was guarding the front courtyard. Hearing the old lady reprimanding Marquis Yongning like that, they felt somewhat embarrassed. The old lady was pleased and looked at her children and grandchildren beside her, saying, "Our Marquis's mansion only came into being because we followed the late emperor in raising an army. In the past hundred years, how many noble families in this vast capital have perished? The few remaining Marquis's mansions can still stand firm in this Great Liang Dynasty. What is it that we rely on? It is our loyalty and patriotism, and our unyielding self-improvement."
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com