After the Lantern Festival, it is almost the end of the first month. As the old saying goes, the first month is the new year, but now time passes day by day, and in less than three or two days, the new year will really come. But for the world
For the common people, it makes no difference whether it is a new year or not. Life is still going on like this. And the big shots in the capital of God have finally arrived at the end of the first month of the first lunar month. They want to see it, but they are not willing to see it.
Arrived at the court meeting.
This is the first court meeting in the fifteenth year of Tianjian, and it is also the first court meeting hosted by Emperor Liang himself. It is a rare court meeting. Officials in Shendu, regardless of their official positions, must participate in this court meeting.
Therefore, before dawn on this day, Chen Chao left the academy and came to Zuowei Yamen. For this court meeting, Zuowei commander Song Lian, as the chief officer of Zuowei, naturally had to attend the court meeting, and as deputy commander
Chen Chao, the emissary, also had to accompany him to the yamen. A yamen servant had already sent him the official court uniform. Although Chen Chao had not worn the court uniform, the Ministry of Rites would not make any mistakes. They had already measured Chen Chao's size.
Although the navy blue official robe is a bit loose, fortunately, Chen Chao has a slender figure. Even wearing such a court uniform, he still does not look bloated. On the contrary, he has a different style. Song Lian, who is used to wearing casual clothes on weekdays,
At this moment, suddenly wearing such a court dress seemed out of place.
He pulled it casually a few times, but didn't care too much. Instead, he focused his attention on Chen Chao, nodded in appreciation and said, "It's really good-looking. Heroes come out of young men. It seems that it won't be long before your boy can truly succeed in Daliang Chao."
There’s a place for it.”
Chen Chao didn't have the time to think about these things, but asked hesitantly: "The Great Chao Meeting? Why haven't I heard of it?"
As the commander of the left guard, Song Lian has a high official rank. He actually does not participate in court meetings on weekdays. However, this court meeting is different from ordinary court meetings. It is only held a few times in almost a year, except for the one before the New Year's Eve.
Apart from that one, which is the first meeting in the spring, the Great Court Meeting is actually very troublesome. In the past, His Majesty the Emperor could not hold it, but when the current Emperor ascends the throne, there will only be two meetings throughout the year.
Most of the three major court meetings, and this one at the beginning of spring, will be specially canceled to avoid such trouble.
"If you think about it carefully, this grand court meeting in the spring of this year has not been held for at least seven or eight years in the past. Perhaps it is because His Majesty has something important to announce, so it is only held this year. But don't worry, our guardian envoys have always stood by
In the corner, no one will pay attention."
As Song Lian spoke, he led Chen Chao out of the Zuowei Yamen and boarded the carriage.
The two sat opposite each other in the carriage. After the carriage drove forward a few streets, Chen Chao opened the curtain and saw many similarly dressed carriages slowly heading towards the imperial city.
Song Lian glanced at it and said casually: "It's hard to say how many officials there are in Shendu, but there are at least several thousand people. Once a big meeting is held, the carriages of these officials alone will probably cover the Shendu.
It's such a big blockage, not to mention Your Majesty, even I find it troublesome."
Chen Chao looked at the slow-moving carriage with an unsightly expression on his face. Especially when he reached for his waist and failed to touch the handle of the knife, he felt even more uneasy. He wanted to bring a knife with him to attend the court meeting.
, I'm afraid that even if Chen Chao becomes a figure like the Northern General, there will be nothing he can do.
Song Lian could see that the little guy sitting opposite was a little restless, so he took the initiative to comfort him: "Don't think too much, can you die if you attend the court meeting? Today's court meeting is attended by His Majesty, and there are also many big monks guarding it.
Even if you are here, don't worry, you won't die."
Chen Chao nodded, but soon said helplessly: "I don't know what's going on. I feel like the knife is not around, but I just feel a little uneasy."
Song Lian laughed and said: "You are exactly the same as when I left the Northern Army. After I left the Northern Territory, I returned to the capital of God to be the commander of the left guard. I also had to carry a knife every night.
I could sleep with it in my hand. When we were on the Great Wall, God knows when those monsters would begin to attack the city. When the trumpets sounded outside the military tent, they would immediately pick up their swords and walk to the top of the city. That was really...
How do you say that?"
Chen Chao paused and said with a smile: "Be prepared for the danger."
Song Lian nodded fiercely, "That's what I mean, but after staying in Shendu for a long time, I got used to it. Although Shendu is not really peaceful, it is much better than the Great Wall in the north. There is no need to do it every day.
I was worried and tied my head to my belt. I originally thought I was used to it, but this time I returned to the north and suddenly had to live like this again. Damn it, guess what? I haven't gotten used to it at all."
Chen Chao suddenly asked: "How are the monsters in the north different from the monsters in the country?"
Chen Chao had also killed monsters in Tianqing County for several years before, and he had a lot of dealings with monsters. He just thought that the monsters within the Liang Dynasty should be different from the monsters outside the country.
Song Lian nodded and said: "If one day you go to the Great Wall in the North and see those monsters, you will know that there is no comparison between the two. To be honest, if I were the guardian, I would throw you to the North
We have gone to the border, but it is a pity that the guard envoy regards you as a treasure and does not dare to let you die there."
Chen Chao laughed it off.
Song Lian tugged on his official robe again, feeling a little uncomfortable, but said casually: "By the way, I'm going to get married to your sister-in-law, why don't you find a day for us?"
"I'm not a magician on the street. Sir, could you please stop looking for someone to tell fortunes just to save a few bucks?" Chen Chao had a headache.
Song Lian waved his hand and said, "I don't believe that. I only let you choose a day because I saw that you helped me such a big favor. Why are you bothering me?"
Just as Chen Chao was about to speak, the carriage suddenly stopped suddenly and the carriage shook. Song Lian immediately asked, "What's wrong?"
The coachman's voice soon came in, "Sir, there is a fork in the road ahead, and there is a carriage that won't let us go. How about we let them go first?"
Song Lian frowned and was about to ask the coachman to give way, but before speaking, he happened to look along the curtain opened by Chen Chao. After seeing the mark on the carriage opposite, Song Lian asked with a gloomy face: "It's us
Who came first?"
The groom hummed.
"Then what else should I give up? Move forward."
Song Lian waved his hands a little irritably, his mood obviously getting a little bad.
Chen Chao also noticed the mark on the carriage and asked hesitantly: "Is it Youwei's carriage?"
Song Lian snorted, "It's just that bastard Ye Dayuan. Damn it, do you think our left guard is easy to bully?"
The security of the divine capital has always been guarded by two guards on the left and right. Each of the two guards guards half of the divine capital. The official ranks of both parties are equal and they both obey the orders of the guardian. They should have a good relationship, but it seems that Song Lian and the commander of the right guard have a good relationship.
Bad relationship.
Chen Chao asked curiously: "Is there a gap between the master and the right guard?"
Song Lian shook his head and sneered: "Nothing else, I just have some grudges against Ye Dayuan, that bastard."
Chen Chao was a little curious, but Song Lian seemed unwilling to say more and only said one thing about Chen sesame and rotten millet.
Chen Chao stopped asking any more questions.
However, Song Lian didn't say much. At this moment, the carriages of the two parties refused to give way to each other. For a time, the carriages of officials from the two streets were blocked here. At first, the officials complained a little, but when they saw clearly who the two parties in front were,
After leaving the carriages of the left and right guards, they both closed their mouths in a sensible manner.
The right guard side is fine, but they really don't dare to mess with the left guard side. They used to hunt ghosts in the divine capital, but they have already put everyone in danger. Now they really don't dare to take the initiative to get involved.
Under Zuowei Yamen's nose, they are not people like Zaifu, so being targeted by Zuowei is not necessarily a good thing.
There were only two people sitting in the carriage over there, a middle-aged man with an ordinary face. Even though he was wearing formal court clothes, he actually looked like a farmer at the moment. This man was the commander of the right guard, Ye Dayuan.
Another thin middle-aged man, who is now the deputy commander of the right guard, Yao Dao glanced outside the carriage, then turned his head and said with some hesitation: "Commander Song is unwilling to give in, should we take a step back?
Commander Song is now in front of the guarding envoy, and he is a red man. We..."
Ye Dayuan's face was expressionless, "I just want to suppress him and let him know that there is no difference between me and him."
Yao Dao smiled bitterly and reminded softly: "On the night of Xia's family, the guardian envoy didn't call our right guard."
That night, the big shots were actually looking at the situation in Shendu, but small people like them actually saw what they could see. Anyway, they now understand a truth, that is, the two guards on the left and right of Shendu today.
The defender is obviously more interested in the left guard.
"Not to mention Commander Song, everyone knows that Chen Chao is the most important person in the eyes of the Governor at the moment. He is probably also on the carriage at this moment. Do you want to think about it again?
"
Yao Dao looked at Ye Dayuan and persuaded him earnestly: "It's okay for us to fight for priority. If the news reaches the ears of the guardian envoy..."
Ye Dayuan's face was ugly, but he still said indifferently: "How has the Lord Guard ever taken care of such a trivial matter?"
Yao Dao stopped talking and remained speechless.
After a while, Ye Dayuan still waved his hand.
There are some things that he really wants to compete for, but it doesn't seem to be suitable at this moment.
Yao Dao was overjoyed and breathed a sigh of relief. Now at the right guard, he actually thought about many more things every day than the commander Ye Dayuan.
"Give Way."
…
…
As the right guard gave in, this minor episode passed. The left guard's carriage kept moving forward, and finally arrived outside the palace gate. Then it drove into a special parking place, and the two of them got out of the carriage.
, they saw Ye Dayuan and Yao Dao behind them. Song Lian and Ye Dayuan looked at each other. The emotions in their eyes were different. They looked away. Song Lian looked at Chen Chao and said: "When I see that guy Ye Dayuan in the future, especially
When you want to do things with him, remember to be careful, this guy is a master who can stab you in the back."
Chen Chao nodded and didn't ask any more questions. Anyway, he believed that Song Lian would not lie to him.
The two of them followed the courtier in front and walked towards the palace gate. However, the courtier in front seemed to take a few steps forward intentionally or unintentionally, and the courtier behind him took a few steps slower intentionally or unintentionally, so that the left guard was thrown away.
The two of them were separated.
Song Lian looked up and down and joked: "It seems that you have offended these courtiers all over the place. They are a little afraid of you."
Chen Chao looked innocent, "I just followed the guardian envoy's wishes to catch a few ghosts. To be honest, who did he offend? It was the master from the academy. How could he offend them all?"
Song Lian smiled and scolded: "You really don't know or you are pretending that you don't know. A master in the academy has to be related to many courtiers. It's a good thing you had to lock him in prison before, but now I'm afraid
Most of the civil servants think that you are crazy and a mad dog. If you take the path of a civil servant, I am afraid that this will be the end of you. You will suffer the consequences of this officialdom."
Chen Chao rubbed his cheek and asked: "What should we do now? We can't ask the officials to kowtow to them and confess their guilt, right?"
Song Lian shook his head, "That's not necessary. In our line of guardian envoys, promotions do not go through the official department. It is only the guardian envoy who has the final say. If you become a guardian envoy in the future, only His Majesty will be able to control you. Don't worry.
, but I advise you to keep your tail between your legs in the city from now on. If those poor literati really want to write some articles to scold you, you can’t just kill them with one knife, can you?”
Chen Chao didn't know whether he heard it or not, but he just said to himself: "Xiaguan doesn't have any tail. If you want to scold people, they may not be Xiaguan's opponents."
Song Lian was in a daze, and then he remembered that Chen Chao, who first came to Shendu from Tianqing County, scolded the old woman outside Fang in the lobby of the Ministry of Punishments until she vomited blood.
Later, at the academy lakeside, this boy even made the students there speechless.
Speaking of swearing, this kid really doesn't seem to be afraid of anyone.
While the two were chatting, suddenly there was a red official robe waiting for the two of them among the courtiers in front.
Song Lian was startled, looked at the man, and raised his eyebrows slightly.
The man waited for the two of them to come to him, and then said with emotion: "We haven't seen each other for a long time, and now you two have become like rats on the street."
Song Lian laughed and didn't take it seriously.
The man looked at Chen Chao, smiled and said, "Long time no see."
Chen Chao quickly handed over his hand and said, "I have met Mr. Han."
The person in front of me is none other than Han Pu, the minister of Dali Temple who was in charge of the case of Chen Chao's murder of several Qigong practitioners. Speaking of which, if Han Pu hadn't been willing to help him delay the time, what would have happened to that case?
Hard to say.
Han Pu walked side by side with the two of them and said with a smile: "Who would have thought that such an unusual-looking young man could really come out of my prison alive? Why, do you want to see it again now?
Look, let’s revisit our old place?”
Chen Chao smiled bitterly and waved his hand: "If possible, I would never want to set foot in such a place in my life."
Han Pu smiled, but didn't say much. He just asked: "How are you with that girl now? Have you thought about when to get married?"
Chen Chao was startled. He never thought that Han Pu would ask about such a thing.
For a moment, I didn't even know how to answer.
Han Pu smiled and said: "I don't know how many young handsome men like Xie's talented daughter. I even heard that many young generals in the north are interesting. Now that the war in the north has stopped, they may not know when
I have to come back and snatch this girl from you."
This is the truth. If a woman like Xie Nandu didn't like Chen Chao, but Chen Chao happened to like her too, in fact, everyone from the prince to the heirs of all the ministers would have done it intentionally.
"But I think that girl's temperament is unusual. Most young people should look down on her. Being so close to you, is there something special about you?"
Han Pu smiled and spoke. He didn't look particularly angry at the moment. He was just like an ordinary street corner uncle, chatting casually with Chen Chao.
Song Lian frowned and said, "He is still a child, what are you talking about?"
Chen Chao was also confused, but he vaguely felt that the words "outstanding" were not good words.
Han Pu smiled and said, "You have to grow up."
Song Lian snorted coldly and said no more.
Han Pu patted Chen Chao on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Today may be a little different. You are really watching. This is your first court meeting. Study hard. Maybe you will be indispensable in every court meeting in the future."
After saying this, Han Pu quickened his pace and separated from the two of them.
Chen Chao was still a little confused and didn't quite understand what Han Pu meant when he suddenly appeared and said these words.
Is it a good relationship?
But it also seemed too rude and too direct.
Song Lian didn't take it seriously. There were only a few courtiers in the civil and military dynasty who could be called lonely ministers. Han Pu was one of them. He was famous for not forming factions or making friends. Even if he really thought that Chen Chao was good
, it is not easy for the two of them to talk to each other to this point. To become his friend is probably as difficult as becoming a guardian envoy.
The two of them quickly walked a lot in the imperial city, and finally in front of a long corridor, the two of them walked towards the row on the left. In this row, they were all military attachés.
However, Chen Chao soon saw a familiar face in front of the team.
Chamberlain Li Heng.
This chamberlain, who was most trusted by the Emperor of Liang, was in charge of all matters in the palace. Even the courtiers with some status in the court had to call this chamberlain "Eunuch Li" with great respect. No one expected that this time
He actually appeared here in person during the great court meeting.
Song Lian kept his eyes straight and followed the team forward, but Chen Chao found that Li Heng was sizing him up.
Li Heng's eyes were soft and without any sharpness. Chen Chao smiled at him, and the latter smiled back, but when the two passed by, there was no communication.
After passing through this corridor, the civil and military officials stopped talking. Now that they were about to arrive at the square in front of the imperial meeting, no one was talking anymore.
Extremely quiet.
…
…
When Chen Chao and Song Lian arrived at the square, just as Song Lian had said, the two of them and the other military attachés of the Guarding Envoy line were standing in the most remote corner.
However, with the difference in official rank, their positions were re-ordered. As one of the two people with the highest rank in the line of guardian envoys after the guardian envoy, Song Lian naturally stood behind the guardian envoy, and then the ones behind him were
Ye Dayuan, the commander of the right guard, had a rather unhappy look on his face, but at the moment the guards were all in front, so he naturally did not speak.
Chen Chao originally wanted to stand in front, but after seeing the deputy commander of the right guard, he took the initiative to stop and let the opponent move forward.
Yao Dao was startled, but he did not step forward. Instead, he lowered his voice and said, "Deputy Commander Chen is young and promising, so he should be in the front."
Chen Chao glanced at Deputy Commander Yao beside him and said humbly: "Master Yao is the senior, and the juniors dare not compete for the lead."
The two men have the same official rank, but Chen Chao did not call himself a lower official.
Yao Dao thought for a while, but did not continue to speak. He just walked past Chen Chao and stood in front of him.
Chen Chao didn't say anything. At this moment, he was just looking around. There were rare court meetings a few times a year, and the officials around him might not see them every day. Now he could only remember a few, but they were always
Good thing.
As more and more officials came to the square, the huge square was almost full of people.
But at the front of the officials, in the row of civilian officials, is naturally the Prime Minister, and the guardian envoy occupies the head of the military attache, but the other row makes way for an empty seat.
Chen Chao thought for a moment and knew that the position was for the general who had not returned from the north.
As officials arrived one after another, the entire square became quiet.
Emperor Liang didn't like complicated matters, so the imperial meeting could almost be skipped. However, if some officials were ignorant and caused trouble on this day, the consequences would be serious.
In the first few years when Emperor Liang ascended the throne, there were officials who did not know etiquette during the court meetings and were directly executed with a cane in court.
Naturally, everyone is very cautious about this kind of thing that involves death.
After all the officials had arrived, the chamberlain who was responsible for the counting took the list and walked past one by one. After asking each official's name, the statistics were completed.
Li Heng walked out of the hall, looked at the officials in the square, and shouted loudly: "Xuanbei Territory General Xiao Hezheng!"
Hearing this, all the officials in the square were shocked.
General of the North, shouldn't he be guarding the North on the Great Wall of the North at the moment? Why is he back in the capital of God now?
The guard's expression was calm, as if he was not surprised by the news.
Chen Chao looked over there curiously. He was very curious about the only unparalleled martial artist among the top three warriors in the Liang Dynasty who had never seen him before.
The rest of the officials had a lot on their minds. They thought about a lot of things that were going to happen today, but they didn't expect that the first thing that happened was that the Northern General returned to the capital of God.
If the general returned to the divine capital, then who is guarding the northern border now?
If the demon clan launches another massive attack at this moment, can the northern border be defended?
If it hadn't been for a large court meeting today, I'm afraid many courtiers would have come out to remonstrate at this moment.