Chapter 48: Morning Court
Lu Yun searched around inside the room, but aside from those strange things, he didn’t find anything he needed.
But he wasn’t discouraged. He sat cross-legged on the low couch, pondering where Lu Feng would hide the thing.
It shouldn’t be kept on his person. Lu Yun had just seen Lu Feng’s clothing from inside to out, all messily thrown on the ground. Nor should it be hidden in the bedroom, with so many women coming in and out; no one would feel at ease with that.
So, it should still be within this study room. Lu Yun closed his eyes and projected the room’s structure and furnishings in his mind, imagining himself as Lu Feng to see where he would hide the most secret thing.
Lu Yun slowly placed his hand on the low couch, lifted the soft cushion, and carefully groped around. Sure enough, he found an unusual seam.
Lu Yun was delighted in his heart. Everyone really thought alike!
He groped around on the low couch for a while longer and finally discovered a small protrusion at the bottom of the couch. Lu Yun covered the seam with the seat cushion and pressed down hard on the protrusion. He felt something under the cushion slowly opening. Once there was no more sound from inside, he lifted the cushion and saw a hidden compartment the size of a book.
Inside the hidden compartment was only a large envelope. Lu Yun picked up the envelope and shook it out, and a light deed fell into his hand.
In the darkness, Lu Yun clearly saw two large characters written at the top — deed!
Lu Yun was delighted in his heart and hurriedly looked further down. The joy on his face grew even stronger! He tucked the deed into his sleeve, put the envelope back in the hidden compartment, activated the mechanism, closed the compartment, and smoothed out the cushion. Finally, he stood up and carefully inspected everything to ensure no traces were left, then quietly pushed the door and left.
As he left the courtyard, he could still clearly hear the woman’s cries and Lu Feng’s vicious low roars. “******, ******…”
Lu Yun shook his head and didn’t turn back. Instead, he vaulted over the wall directly from the east courtyard and disappeared into Jingxin Ward.
.
The next day was the day of Grand Court.
In Great Xuan’s system, court assemblies were divided into regular court, Grand Court, and assembly court. Regular court was held every three days, Grand Court once each at the beginning and end of every month, and assembly court once a year on the first day of the first lunar month.
By regulation, capital officials of fifth rank and above could attend regular court. But usually, only the chief and deputy heads of the five provinces, six ministries, and eleven temples, along with the twelve guard generals, grand generals, generals of the left and right reserve guards, and left and right guard monitor offices, and the Censorate’s remonstrating officials regularly stood in court ranks. For someone like Lu Xin, the fifth-in-command of his office, though his rank was sufficient, he could only attend regular court when he had matters to report.
During assembly court, all capital officials of ninth rank and above, local prefectural and commandery heavyweights, tributary state envoys, and retired meritorious elders had to attend. The scene was extremely grand, the day when ministers under heaven paid court to His Majesty the Emperor.
Grand Court was between regular court and assembly court—more solemn than regular court but without assembly court’s extravagance, and without retired old cadres or foreign envoys. But capital officials of seventh rank and above could not be absent without cause, or they would be seen as scorning the sovereign and could face heavy punishment.
So that day at the fourth watch, Lu Xin got up to prepare for court.
Lu Yun and Lu Ying also came to attend to their father as he dressed. Lu Xin looked at his daughter yawning nonstop and his son with dark circles under his eyes, feeling reluctant in his heart. “Go back to sleep. The servants can attend to me here.”
Lu Ying smiled as she took over from the maid and combed Lu Xin’s hair. “Father is going to court; we’re all too excited to sleep.”
“Nonsense.” Lu Xin laughed and scolded. “This isn’t Father’s first time attending court…”
Lu Yun thought Lu Xin was referring to the incident one or two months ago. But he saw Lu Ying skillfully tying her father’s hair into a bun and inserting the pin, while lightly laughing, “Daughter was still little then and doesn’t remember clearly.”
Lu Yun was stunned for a moment. He hadn’t expected Lu Xin to have been a court official ten years ago. This was something he needed to ask about carefully—of course, not right now…
Once everything was ready, Lu Yun held Lu Xin’s official hat and escorted his father to the doorway. Lu Yun curiously asked Lu Xin why he neither rode a horse nor brought attendants, going to court alone.
“A fifth-rank official must have the awareness of a fifth-rank official.” Lu Xin chuckled. “Once Father is promoted, it won’t be too late to put on airs.”
“That day isn’t far off.” Lu Yun nodded knowingly.
“You’re always so full of confidence.” Lu Xin took the official hat, straightened it on his head, and said, “Hurry back and catch some more sleep.” Then he lowered his voice. “Where did you go last night, you brat…”
Lu Yun smiled without answering but softly said, “I heard the sect master will also attend court today.”
“Mm, the old sect master is recovering well. He asked the emperor for leave dismissal a few days ago, so he should appear at Grand Court today.” He happily sighed. “The old sect master is the pillar of our Lu Clan. The clan was in such chaos while he was ill for months. Now things can finally get back on track.”
“If the opportunity is right today, Father might chat with the old sect master about the congee kitchen matter.” Lu Yun then slowly revealed his true intention.
“Oh?” Lu Xin was stunned for a moment, then asked in a low voice, “Are you all prepared?”
“The banquet is set; just waiting for Father to invite the honored guest.” Lu Yun smiled and nodded.
“No wonder you were out like a night owl! So that’s where you were!” Lu Xin suddenly understood and gave a bitter smile. “Looks like Father has to shoulder another big black pot.”
“Would I harm Father?” Lu Yun rubbed his nose and smiled embarrassedly. “There are gains and losses. If Father wants to be an upright man, he’s bound to offend petty people.”
“You, you!” Lu Xin flicked Lu Yun’s forehead and, without asking how he had arranged things, laughed, shook his head, and left.
Watching Lu Xin leave, Lu Yun turned back and saw Lu Ying squinting as she looked him up and down.
“Elder Sister, what are you looking at?” Lu Yun felt a pang of guilt like a thief caught red-handed.
“With your cultivation, how could you have dark circles under your eyes?” Lu Ying stared closely at Lu Yun, as if she wouldn’t let him go without an explanation. “What exactly did you do last night?”
“Last night…” Lu Yun was at a loss for words. Could he tell Lu Ying that last night was his first time seeing real live erotica, and several scenes at that?
“You didn’t use that cultivation method again, did you…” Lu Ying lowered her voice, unable to hide the worry in her eyes.
“Uh.” Lu Yun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. So he had misunderstood. He laughed it off. “What are you thinking, Elder Sister? You know I have to keep a low profile in the capital.” He stretched lazily. “So tired. Let’s go back and catch up on sleep.”
“…” Lu Ying thought about it and agreed. Without Father to take the blame, her brother wouldn’t dare show his cultivation. Now she felt relieved. A wave of drowsiness hit her, and she yawned repeatedly. “Alright.”
.
Walking on the street, Lu Xin saw civil and military officials arriving in carriages or on horseback from all directions, exchanging bows and greetings, chatting and laughing as they headed toward Ziwei Palace in the northwest of the capital city.
Only when they reached the Heavenly Ascension Path did everyone stop talking. The officials on horseback or in carriages all dismounted to walk. The Heavenly Ascension Path was the imperial road to Ziwei Palace; only first-rank dukes and marquises or old ministers granted imperial favor had the qualification to ride carriages or sedans up it.
By the time Lu Yun and the others reached the main gate of the imperial palace, Ying Tian Gate, the palace gates were still tightly closed. Under the direction of Court of Diplomatic Relations officials, they separated into civil and military ranks by grade and stood in position. But one point: officials from aristocratic families, no matter how lowly their positions, always stood ahead of commoner officials. There were high officials among commoners too, like Minister of Works Gao Guangning, already a second-rank heavyweight, yet still standing behind seventh-rank aristocrats.
As for below seventh rank, there were no aristocrats at all, because aristocratic families, upon entering officialdom, started at minimum from seventh rank.
This was naturally a very awkward matter, so the few commoner high officials like Gao Guangning would dawdle until very late before arriving leisurely, just to suffer less humiliation. However, they absolutely dared not wait until the very end. That was the privilege of the seven dukes; even the four princes could not overstep it!
When the sun rose in the east and a myriad rays of dawn light spread across the Heavenly Ascension Path, eight double-horse carriages of various styles finally appeared slowly in everyone’s sight, escorted by guards in differently colored uniforms!
