Early the next morning, Shen Yi, who had been promoted, went to the palace to express his gratitude to His Majesty the Emperor as usual. However, this time, he was not able to see His Majesty the Emperor. He just kowtowed in Deqing Palace and went home.
This is also a good thing.
After all, it was normal for a fifth-rank official to come to the palace to express gratitude and not see the emperor. It was abnormal for Shen Yi to be able to see the emperor instantly just by entering the palace.
After meeting the emperor, he had to rehearse every word or even action several times in his mind, which was really tiring. Moreover, Shen Yi really had nothing to say to the emperor now, and the emperor probably had nothing to tell Shen Yi.
It's better not to meet at all.
When a eunuch came to Shen Yi and said that the emperor already knew about it, Master Shen left alone and prepared to go home from get off work.
Just as he turned around to leave, he saw an old man in scarlet clothes walking out of Deqing Palace. With the support of Eunuch Gao, he walked out of Deqing Palace.
It was Zhang Jing, the old prime minister.
When the old man was in office, he was awarded the rank of Prince's Young Master, so he was ranked from the first rank. Although he has stepped down now, he still has the treatment of the first rank. Therefore, he wears the crimson official uniform that symbolizes the fourth rank and above. But because the old man is now
Without his position, he is just wearing a simple red robe, and the robe no longer has the patches that symbolize his position.
Maybe, but the old man didn't wear it...
Seeing the old man walking out of Deqing Palace, Shen Yi, who originally wanted to turn around and leave, hesitated for a moment, then went forward to greet him, bowed his head slightly to the old man, cupped his hands and said, "Old Prime Minister."
Zhang Jing looked back at Gao Ming, who was supporting him, and said with a smile: "Eunuch Gao, you have a lot of things in the inner court, so there is no need to give me this old bone. If you are really worried, just let Mr. Shen give me a gift."
."
Zhang Jingjing smiled pointedly and said, "Anyway, he has nothing to do now."
Gao Ming took a deep look at Shen Yi, then nodded slightly to Shen Yi and said, "Then I'll help Dr. Shen."
Shen Yi nodded to Gao Ming, then walked to Zhang Jing's side, stretched out his hand to support the old man, and said with emotion as he walked: "I thought that this junior had already gotten up early enough, but I didn't expect that as soon as this junior entered the palace, the old prime minister had already
After meeting His Majesty."
Zhang Jing raised his head and looked at the sky, then glanced at Shen Yi with a smile but not a smile, and said, "It's already midnight, and it's not too early for Bachelor Shen to get up."
Shen Yi smiled awkwardly and did not answer.
He has always had the habit of sleeping in. Entering the palace was not a big deal anyway, so he didn't get up particularly early.
"I heard San'er mention that Dr. Shen doesn't get up very well in the morning."
As he walked, the old man smiled and said: "In the past, this was nothing, but from now on Dr. Shen will serve in the imperial court, and Mr. Shen of the Ministry of War is a real fifth-rank official. You will not be able to escape any court meeting."
When Shen Yi heard this, he smiled helplessly: "Fortunately, we don't have court meetings every day. I can still get up despite gritting my teeth."
The major court meetings are held every ten days, and the minor court meetings are held every five days. It is not impossible to persist.
However, it is quite abnormal during the imperial gathering. According to the rules, you have to wait at the palace gate before dawn. Some people who live far away may have to leave for the palace just after midnight.
Fortunately, a certain emperor in Dachen reformed the Xiaochao meeting. The Xiaochao meeting started at Chen time, so there was no need to get up particularly early.
Thinking that he might have to get up at three or four in the morning, Mr. Shen felt a headache.
He was already thinking about how to change the time of the court meeting.
While the old man and the young man were talking, they had already left the palace and walked to the imperial city. Zhang Jing glanced sideways at Shen Yi and asked, "Your Majesty, you have been a little neglectful of Mr. Shen recently, haven't you?"
Shen Yi looked calm and said with a smile: "It's not a cold shoulder. If I have to say it, I can only say that His Majesty treated the juniors too well before."
"That's good if you think so."
The old man said calmly: "For you, this is naturally not a good thing, but it can't be a bad thing either. It just happens to be an opportunity for you to clearly distinguish your responsibilities."
"Otherwise, Mr. Shen, you are the same age as His Majesty, and His Majesty treats you too close and kindly. Over time, you may feel in your heart that you and His Majesty are friends."
"This kind of thinking is absolutely unacceptable."
The old man stopped and glanced at Shen Yi.
"If you don't abide by your duties as a minister, if you are not careful, you may be in danger."
When Shen Yi heard this, his heart trembled, and he quickly lowered his head and said, "Junior, let me teach you."
Seeing that he was about to reach the entrance of the imperial city, the old man turned his head and glanced at Shen Yi, and said quietly: "Your Majesty has allowed me to beg for my remains and return home."
"Thanks to Dr. Shen's reminder, otherwise I would still be addicted to the fantasy and be unable to extricate myself."
"Don't dare..."
Shen Yi quickly shook his head and said: "Young man is ignorant, just talking nonsense, and showing off in front of the Prime Minister..."
"No."
The old man said silently: "Some things are so confusing to the authorities that they have to be revealed by bystanders."
Having said this, he paused, then looked at Shen Yi and said with a smile: "Just now, His Majesty asked me why I insisted on returning home. I told Your Majesty that it was you, Shen Ziheng, who persuaded me."
Shen Yi was stunned. Before he could react, the old man continued: "It should be a good thing for His Majesty that I leave Jiankang."
"This credit goes to you, Shen Ziheng."
Having said this, the old man clasped his hands behind his back and walked towards the entrance of the imperial city: "If you really annoyed His Majesty because of Zhu Gui's matter... then this credit should be considered as compensation for San'er by me.
"
After saying this, the old man walked out of the gate of the imperial city.
Outside the Imperial City, the Zhang family's carriage was already waiting. When they saw the old man walking out of the Imperial City, someone immediately stepped forward to help him and carefully helped the old man onto the carriage.
Before getting into the car, the old man glanced back at Shen Yi for the last time, and then left in the carriage.
Shen Yi, on the other hand, stood silently for a moment, then exhaled a long breath and stepped out of the imperial city gate.
Directly opposite the entrance to the Imperial City is a wide street.
It was already early morning. Shen Yi was walking on the street of Jiankang and looked around the streets of Jiankang.
At this time, the New Year is approaching, and the atmosphere in Jiankang City has already begun to have some New Year flavor. Peach charms and Spring Festival couplets are sold everywhere in the streets and alleys, as well as some firecrackers.
Of course, only some of the expensive firecrackers here contain gunpowder. Most of the firecrackers are dried bamboo. When burned during the Chinese New Year, there will be a crackling sound, which can be heard.
Shen Yi wandered around this street and bought a few small things to entertain children and put them in his sleeves, ready to take them home for his eldest son to play with.
He had just bought two gadgets and was about to go home when he suddenly heard a sound of shouting.
Old Shen raised his head and followed the sound, only to see seven or eight servants paving the way for a large sedan in a rather domineering manner on the street.
These servants were quite vicious and quickly cleared a path on this main road to allow this big sedan to pass.
Even Shen Yi was pushed aside by passers-by and watched as the large eight-person sedan slowly walked toward the imperial city.
Shen Yi was playing with a rattle in his hand at the moment. He glanced at the stall owner with a smile and asked: "Brother, whose sedan is this, so domineering?"
Shen Yi came to the palace in the morning to thank him. He was naturally wearing official uniform. Hearing this, the stall owner looked at Shen Yi with a strange look, and then said cautiously: "Looking at the master's outfit, he should be a fifth-rank official, but I don't know him."
This sedan?"
Although Shen Yi is newly promoted to a fourth-grade Zhongshun doctor, the new official uniform given to him by the Ministry of Civil Affairs has just begun to be customized. It is estimated that Mr. Shen will have to wait until the spring of next year to wear the crimson official uniform that symbolizes status.
Therefore, he is still wearing the uniform of a fifth-rank official.
Mr. Shen smiled and said: "I was not in Jiankang before, but I was transferred to Jiankang in the past two years."
"That's not surprising."
The stall owner bowed slightly, lowered his head and said with a smile: "This sedan is the sedan of Mr. Yang."
"Mr. Yang has been retired for many years. It's normal that you don't know."
The common people at the feet of the emperor like to gossip about things in the court. The stall owner became more energetic and added: "I have been setting up a stall on this street for many years. I used to often see Yang Xiangye's sedan chair. Tsk... you are
I don’t know, but Prime Minister Yang was so powerful in the past few years that when his sedan was crossing the street, the Imperial Army would clear the way for him!"
Shen Yi smiled and nodded, reached out and took out a row of copper coins from his sleeves and paid the money. After thanking him, he stood up and left.
After leaving, Shen Yi looked back and glanced at the eight-person sedan chair that was already moving further and further away.
If nothing else...
Yang Jingzong also wanted to submit a petition to resign and return to his hometown.
Tsk…
Mr. Shen sighed deeply in his heart.
His hands and eyes are really good, and his ears and eyes are smart...
