Chapter 174: Dragon and Phoenix Bring Auspiciousness (4k)

Not long after, Qi Yuhua came over holding a small bowl of bamboo shoot and pork noodles; although the portion was small, the tender bamboo shoots on the noodles emitted a fresh fragrance. Zhang Jian had actually given up grains, but he really enjoyed this process.

He was even more willing to savor such deliciousness.

Qi Yuhua was very skilled in cooking, as if she had studied it specially, and could whip up all kinds of delicacies effortlessly.

The breakfast items were all different—besides the bamboo shoot and pork noodles, there were double-delicacy noodles, soft mutton noodles, inserted-meat noodles, five-flavor porridge, seven-treasure porridge, and various pastries, making Zhang Jian exclaim that he had struck treasure.

At this time, Qi Yuhua also noticed the several volumes of ancient scriptures on Zhang Jian's desk, and upon seeing them, she said.

"Husband, I observe that you seem to enjoy reading these kinds of classics. These scriptures look rather dull and passive; if one reads too much of them, it is inevitable to be affected..."

Qi Yuhua was well aware that these scriptures easily influence a person's temperament.

She had heard of some secretive methods: in some great families, the senior wife, worried that the heir's inheritance rights might be affected, would secretly have the family's concubine-born sons exposed to these scriptures from childhood, causing their personalities to become distorted, and even gradually leading them to renounce the world and become monks.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian immediately laughed and said.

"Wife, rest assured—with a beauty like you by my side, how could I possibly abandon you!"

As he spoke, Zhang Jian reached out and pulled Qi Yuhua into his embrace. The many maidservants nearby, seeing this, instinctively lowered their heads and dared not look around.

After the couple laughed and played, having finished breakfast, Zhang Jian then went on time to the Wen Ti Yuan to 'clock in for work'.

When Zhang Jian entered the office of the Wen Ti Yuan, he noticed that Chen Xiuming and others had already arrived early and were busy at work.

After not seeing each other for over a month, this 'good colleague' had become noticeably thinner in the face, with a hint of fatigue and anxiety, as if always burdened with worries.

Zhang Jian had previously not understood why, but after occasionally overhearing Chen Xiuming chatting with a few editors, he finally grasped the situation, and for this, Zhang Jian was glad to be idle.

Upon Zhang Jian entering the office, the minor clerk Lin Dong hurried forward to brew him a cup of fragrant tea.

This minor clerk was quite adept at reading people's expressions.

Zhang Jian took a slight sip, and his expression also showed a hint of a smile.

At this moment, inside the office, the several editors no longer had the leisurely ease of former days.

Back when Zhang Jian first arrived, although the editors entered the office, they would inevitably gossip about the 'major events' in the court, and only after half the day had passed would they enter a working state.

Now, having changed their former habits, Zhang Jian still found it somewhat unfamiliar.

However, shortly after Zhang Jian stepped into the office, Huang Liangzhong ordered someone to come and summon him.

Huang Liangzhong told him that for tomorrow's grand court assembly, he had made preparations, ready to formally perform his duties as a reviser at the early court, recording the important matters of the court.

As for the original Chen Xiuming, he was to devote all his energy to compiling the《Great Qian Compendium》, and for the time being could not 'divide his attention'.

For this matter, Zhang Jian naturally could not shirk responsibility.

This was also his first time participating in the early court, and he felt a sense of novelty.

"This Zhang Xiuzhuang is truly 'blessed with good fortune'—to have won the favor of Director Huang so quickly, truly a smooth official career!"

"Who let people be more 'diligent' than you all? Zhang Xiuzhuang even takes his rest days within the Wen Ti Yuan! How could he not be popular?"

Behind the scenes, many officials of the Wen Ti Yuan were whispering and discussing.

Zhang Jian glanced at these officials, his expression sneering, and then said calmly: "Gentlemen, if we are to talk about effort, we should recently mention Chen Shixiong—Chen Shixiong is truly our role model. To help the Emperor complete the《Great Qian Compendium》as soon as possible, he has exhausted his mind and energy, neglected sleep and food. This ten-day period, has there ever been a time when he did not stay later than I? I propose we all take Chen Shixiong as our example—eating the emperor's stipend, bearing the emperor's worries, we ought to do just so!"

Zhang Jian spoke with a smiling countenance.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiuming beside him was somewhat dazed, until everyone turned their 'strange' gazes toward him, at which point his mouth twitched.

Yet he still gathered his spirits and said.

"Zhang Xiuzhuang overpraises me. I have studied the sages' books for many years, enjoying the grain and silver stipends bestowed by the court each year, yet I have never done even half a bit of practical service for the court—truly, I am ashamed!"

At this moment, his face was full of righteousness.

This scene only made the other editors of the Wen Ti Yuan look strangely.

Who Chen Xiuming is, they know better than anyone; yet now, it seemed as if someone else had taken his place.

Only the two newly arrived editors, Wang Qingzhou and Peng Yuan-shou, hearing this, felt a sudden solemn respect, their eyes showing admiration.

The younger Peng Yuan-shou even had both cheeks flushed red, unable to help but want to cheer for Chen Xiuming, this senior of the imperial examinations.

As for the other editors who remained silent, they all understood clearly, each one staying quiet and mute.

This mute fool—they had him figured out.

On the second day, before the fourth watch had even ended, Zhang Jian was already up early making preparations.

In the court of the Great Qian, both inside and outside, it is actually a very arduous thing for high officials to attend the early court; the early court takes place around the fifth watch, which converts to roughly three or four in the morning, when one must rise.

After all, there is still a considerable distance between the inner city and the imperial city.

Moreover, one cannot gallop on horseback at full speed.

The best method is therefore to ride in a sedan chair, where one can even rest briefly inside.

However, Zhang Jian faced no hindrance—being a cultivator, his energy is always abundant.

"Wife, just rest well—there's no need for you to get up and attend to me!"

Getting down from the luo bed, Zhang Jian noticed that the beautiful concubine beside him was also waking up dazedly, so he gestured for her to continue sleeping, not to worry.

The two concubine maids in the side room, hearing the movement, hurried out to attend.

One brought hot water to help Zhang Jian wash up, while the other wanted to step forward to help him dress, but Zhang Jian stopped her.

"Yuyao, Qu Lian, you two don't need to busy yourselves—go rest instead!"

The two beautiful maidens, hearing this, dared not really leave, but could only stand to one side awaiting orders.

During this time, they gradually came to know some of the master's daily little habits.

This master does not really need attendance; most things he does independently.

Zhang Jian looked at the two lovely maidens, his expression giving a faint smile.

In this era, concubine maids are actually harder-working than ordinary maidservants—not only must they keep watch, but whenever the mistress is indisposed, they must step forward at any moment to attend, including warming the bed.

When the master and mistress have no need, they must still take turns on duty, and cannot sleep too deeply!

The rules are strictly enforced.

Harder than working from five in the morning to nine at night—unless one day someone stands out, is promoted to concubine.

At this time, the beautiful courtesan on the couch was indeed exhausted, muttering a few words before falling asleep instantly.

Outside, Zhang Lu had long been waiting with a torch in hand, and he was full of spirit, still smiling.

"My lord, shall we ride in a palanquin or on horseback?"

Zhang Jian let out a light snort upon hearing this.

"Of course we walk!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lu's face immediately fell—this "going to work" wasn't Zhang Jian's duty, but his.

……

When Zhang Jian stepped into the Chengtian Hall, the sky outside was just beginning to lighten, and many civil and military officials were already filing in.

Dressed in a blue robe among many officials in crimson and purple, Zhang Jian stood out, but with a censor from the Censorate watching him closely, the officials merely glanced at him before taking their seats and closing their eyes to rest.

The military officers fared slightly better, being naturally strong and energetic, while many civil officials looked exhausted, some forcing themselves to stay alert.

After entering, Zhang Jian first asked the gate guards about his seat, then found it.

His seat was on one side of the Chengtian Hall, where there was also a small desk with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, plus a chair—his treatment was quite good.

The Chengtian Hall was filled with heavy dragon and tiger qi, so Zhang Jian dared not circulate his Spirit Eye to look around; at this moment, his attention fell upon his own destiny pattern.

Since his wedding, he had noticed that all three of his destiny patterns had changed, as if an endless flow of fortune was continuously merging into them, prompting their transformation.

Especially the first destiny pattern, Dragon Markings and Phoenix Grace.

After merging with this flow of fortune, within it seemed to appear a dragon form and phoenix shadow.

It gradually transformed from bluish-green to a woven purple and azure, with purple occupying the majority.

As for the other two destiny patterns, the scales of the Crimson Virtue True King destiny pattern—manifested as a purple-backed red carp—became increasingly clear, with red dragon patterns appearing on them, and the carp's whiskers turning into something resembling dragon whiskers.

The destiny pattern of Questioning the Tripod Mountains and Rivers gradually condensed and manifested the appearance of a small tripod.

The source of this change seemed to be Qi Yuhua.

The phoenix destiny returning nourishment—indeed, he had benefited greatly.

With the transformation of the three destiny patterns, Zhang Jian's speed in swallowing and exhaling the spiritual mechanisms of heaven and earth had also improved, thus benefiting indirectly.

At this moment, Zhang Jian was not gathering spiritual mechanisms for cultivation within the Chengtian Hall, for this place was a key focus of the state gods' attention—truly a gathering of myriad deities—and he naturally would not easily expose his foundation.

Just then, Zhang Jian's expression stirred; he noticed threads of divine rhythm coming from the side hall, as if myriad deities were attending, the dragon and tiger qi roaring, and a youth in a black-and-yellow imperial robe emerged from the side hall, yawning.

The Emperor Jingwu had arrived.

Then Zhang Jian began his role as the meeting secretary, brush in hand, recording each agenda item of the court assembly, including the remarks of every senior official.

In fact, after picking up the brush, Zhang Jian realized this was a position of special power: many remarks, if he wished, could be slightly "beautified," and perhaps when the emperor looked again, they would become points in favor of a certain official.

The same phrase, used well, though meaning much the same, could create a very different context.

If a certain official offended the emperor in the Chengtian Hall, and if he wished, he could also add a few strokes in key places, so that when the emperor looked again, his expression might soften, or perhaps he would reconsider and save that official's career.

But being new to this, Zhang Jian remained conventional, taking notes as impartially as possible.

Zhang Jian noticed he was not the only one taking notes in the hall; besides him, there were two others—those two were scribes, whose duties differed from his.

At this moment, after the various prefectures' major and minor affairs had concluded, the many civil and military officials began to gather around the final matter for discussion.

This was also one of the matters the officials cared about in today's morning assembly: since entering summer, various provinces had gradually shown omens of locust plagues.

The crops just sown in the commanderies were about to harvest, but now they faced a locust outbreak—reduced yield was inevitable, and even total failure possible.

This locust disaster had appeared suddenly.

Many officials believed it might be the work of evil demons and heretical paths, and they repeatedly urged the Daoists of the Dongshen Guan to find a way to resolve it.

At this moment, in the court, Emperor Jingwu frowned and looked toward the Daoist Jingming.

"Master Jingming of the Dao, I recall that during the late emperor's reign, a locust plague also broke out; afterward, several elders of the Dongshen Guan skilled in the Beast-Controling Dharma were dispatched, commanding a million birds to fly north and resolve this disaster. Can we again invite several elders to come forward and perform the rite, following the old precedent to resolve such heavenly and human calamities?"

Daoist Jingming stood before the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers.

Behind him were the Minister of Justice Zhuang Ying and the Grand Commander Chu Ping.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Chen Gongren had recently been on sick leave, still recuperating at home, and had not attended the morning assembly.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Jingming felt somewhat embarrassed.

Sending a few elders from the Dongshen Guan to resolve the locust plague was not difficult, but he feared it might be a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain.

Now, the defenses of Jingdu City were already insufficient; withdrawing even one elder elder could create a defensive gap.

Moreover, the locust plague carried danger; sending only one elder might not be safe—several elders needed to be dispatched together for the mission to proceed safely.

Yet he could not refuse this matter.

After all, it concerned the state.

"Your Majesty, let this humble servant handle it—the Dongshen Guan will resolve this for Your Majesty, so the people may avoid disaster!"

At this moment, another official in a red robe stepped forward and said:

"Your Majesty, besides this, there are also demons and monsters taking advantage of the heavenly and human calamities to deceive the populace, spreading rumors harmful to the court. These demons and monsters have each formed some Daoist sects—for example, the Fire-Worshipping Sect, the Qingping Dao Sect, the Three Yang Dao, the Red Lotus Dao, etc. Please, Your Majesty, issue an edict to ban these illegal sects!"

This was an official in charge at the Temple of Ancestral Worship.

Earlier, when Zhang Jian heard someone mention the Red Lotus Dao, he raised his eyebrows.

He remained expressionless; as the Daoist master behind the Red Lotus Dao, he naturally knew well its rate of development.

Relying on last year's drought and frost disasters, the Red Lotus Dao had indeed developed rapidly.

Especially after revising its doctrine, upholding the brightness, love, and mutual aid of fire, it had gathered many drifters and refugees, helping them out of hardship.

These drifters and refugees naturally felt a fondness for the Red Lotus Dao.

Of course, while they felt great affection for the Red Lotus Dao, they harbored great hostility toward the government.

Although the Red Lotus Dao had now become a purely Daoist sect organization, if any change occurred, it could indeed sweep across the provinces.

Emperor Jingwu slightly nodded and said: "What Minister He Ai said is indeed correct; I will have the Literary and Arts Institute draft an edict to ban these folk sects, and also order officials from the Celestial Observation Terrace to travel to various regions for inspection. If there is disharmony, we shall jointly command local authorities to dispatch troops and forcibly disband these sects!"

After the Xuandu Sect rebelled, Emperor Jingwu had become very wary of the existence of such Daoist sects.

Listening to the many suggestions from the court officials, Zhang Jian knew that it was not only the Red Lotus Dao; other major Dao sects would soon face trouble as well.

However, since he had obtained firsthand information, he could naturally let the Red Lotus Dao avoid the blow.

The means he used were still nothing more than dividing the whole into parts, dispersing the core members of the Dao sects.

The foundations of these Dao sects were those displaced commoners; as long as the court of the Great Qian dynasty did not resolve the issue of land annexation and the rise of powerful clans, these Dao sects would still be able to rise again from the ashes quickly.

Even, the more they burned, the fiercer they became.