Chapter 3: Attending court

Only after stepping out of the house's door did I realise exactly how big and how stunning 'my' mansion really is. However, I am unwilling to spend any more effort and money to pretty the place up further. Not to mention, these were obtained by raking in the wealth, sweat, blood and tears of the people, so there's really no meaning in continuing.

The sky has yet to brighten, so two pretty-looking servant girls are leading the road ahead, illuminating my surrounding in a faint glow with lamps. The clothes I was made to change into is a violet official robe, made from no doubt high-quality materials. However, was there any records of a corrupt official named Zhang Qinglian in history? Was there an upright official surnamed Yao? Exactly which dynasty and era have I arrive in?

I have no way to ask someone else about these matters. 'I' merely awoke from sleep as per usual. Nothing strange like being frightened awake happened, and I cannot use excuses other regularly come up with. I mean, has anyone heard of incidents where people randomly awaken only to lose their memory? Don't say that this corrupt official surnamed Zhang will definitely have a lot of enemies under the heavens. If the matter of 'me' losing my memories become known to the public, who knows how many people, whether it is within the court or in the wilderness, would carry their grudge-filled hearts and come after me with the intention to kill and devour ah!

Thinking about this, this Zhang Qinglian is thoroughly evil to the bones or else why would the heavens take away his soul when he fell asleep and give his body to me? Outside of the tall, heavy mansion gates that are lavishly decorated with carvings of birds of prey, a gorgeous sandalwood carriage inlaid with gold stood, the curtains made from blue arctic fox fur. Four identical-looking and equally spirited horses were bridled to the front of the carriage. Observing more closely, one can see the hooves of the horses are snow white. I can't help but be shocked once again. This Zhang Qinglian really knew how to boast his fortune, using four exquisite "Wu Yun Ge Xue^[1]" horses to pull a carriage. Even those dubbed as Masters of a Nation (emperors) would not necessarily have this as a means of transport!

At this moment, a lovely maid wearing black clothes comes forward, going on all fours on the snow-covered ground, waiting for me to step on her back in order to enter the carriage.

I stared blankly before indignation overflowed. What exactly is this Zhang Qinglian? Was he human or a monster?! Stepping on someone's back to mount a horse or enter a carriage is equivalent to trampling on that person's dignity! However, it is not rare to see ancient people doing so, but what's rare is stepping on a frail woman's back in order to get on the carriage! This genuinely is the actions of a vile and nasty bastard!

Before I transmigrated, I had been called a feminist by various people, and additionally, was one who chose to speak her mind.

"Stand up." I say to the woman kneeling on the ground.

Unexpectedly, the servant girl's complexion changed drastically, standing up only to grovel at my feet, kowtowing repeatedly. Body trembling like a lone leaf blown by a gale, crying but not daring to sob openly, merely pleading pitifully. "This slave is wrong, humbly asking Daren to spare this slave."

The poor her doesn't even know what she did wrong.

Sighing inwardly from the bottom of my heart, a feeling of powerlessness emerged within.

Suddenly, a woman clad in an amber coloured with ivory buttons lined-jacket over flower-embroidered dress came forward from amongst the crowd of servants, long hair combed to the point of shining, a pearl phoenix hairpin stuck through the bun on her head. Bowing deeply before me, she said: "Replying Daren, Jin'er woke up late today so Hong Feng took it upon themselves to switch the sedan chair to the carriage. Asking Daren to punish Hong Feng. This has nothing to do with Jin'er."

Staring at the woman, I unconsciously start to guess her identity. Seeing her refined appearance, she is already twenty-six or seven years old, but is still unmarried. The accessories on her person certainly do not belong to an ordinary slave's. But she also shouldn't be a member of the Zhang family as her clothes are too plain. Her tone was deferential, but carried no trace of fear or trepidation. On the contrary, she is neither servile nor overbearing…

Doesn't matter, she is most probably this mansion's housekeeper.

I speak amiably: "I am not blaming her (Jin'er) for anything. From now onwards, I don't want anyone acting like a stool in front of the carriage."

Who would have imagined the slave called Jin'er would lose her breath at my words, weeping openly while pleading more earnestly for her life. "Please spare my life!" The surrounding people lower their heads further, shoulder curling inwards.

The atmosphere doesn't feel right or good. The presumed housekeeper, Hong Feng, sighed faintly. "That girl Jin'er may not be all that smart, but she is honest and sincere. Don't know how she offended Daren…forget it. Please quickly get on the carriage. You cannot be late for court."

I suppose being late for Court is a heavy offence, with the lightest punishment being a reduction or forfeiting of salary, the heaviest punishment is execution. Not daring to test the theory, I leapt onto the carriage in one step. Even as it pulls away into the distance, I can still hear the faint sobbing of the Jin'er girl.

My mansion isn't all that far from the imperial palace, reaching it after crossing only two streets. The number of sedan chairs and horse carriages the various scholars and officials took to come here increased bit by bit. Finally, the massive copper and gold-plated doors of the palace appeared. With such a wonderful vision before me, my heart is also somewhat emotionally moved.

Suddenly, I realise that my carriage went past the crowd of carriages and sedan chairs, all of which halted before the smaller gates located to the east and west. The officials and scholars get down from their transport and entered those smaller doors but my carriage head directly towards the middle-most entrance at a swift pace. Cold sweat covered my entire body as I gulp in alarm. Even if I knew nothing about history, I would also be able to guess these doors are reserved only for the rightful emperor to enter and exit from. Is this damned carriage driver trying to kill me and exterminate nine generations of my family?

"Stop the carriage!" I inelegantly yelled, pounding on the wall of the carriage.

"Dog slave!" Lifting the curtain urgently, I scold the driver. "Are your dog eyes blind? Why are you heading in that direction?!"

The driver's face reveals a stunned expression and the ten-plus years old servant boy following along behind the carriage walk forward. "Haven't Master always been entering through this gate since four years ago, when you were conferred the position of Left Reserve Calvary General? You rode in the same carriage as the former emperor, who authorised you to go through the middle gates. Able to ride a horse inside, have an audience with the emperor whilst armed, not needing to pay respects afterwards."

This…a drop of cold sweat makes it way slowly down my forehead. The original Zhang Qinglian was really favoured. Was he possibly the previous emperor's favoured man? That was the only reason he dares to rely on this favour to act arrogant and prey on the citizens.

However, that emperor is now the former emperor. He still dares to behave like this. Doesn't he know how many important and favoured ministers in history finally died without a burial site because the favours they receive makes people jealous of them? In the end, was this Zhang Qinglian already planning to turn a new leaf or did he already lose sight of basic human principles?

But whatever the case may be, from today onwards, I will be here to help him correct all the wrongs he did.

Glancing around the place, it seems that the majority of people going through the eastern gates are officials of more academic appearance while a majority of those going through the western one are officials with large frames and strong builds. It is easy to tell the eastern side ones are civil officials while those to the west are military officials. Since I am apparently the Left Reserve Calvary General, then naturally, I will enter the palace through the west gate.

Having made up my mind, I instruct the driver: "From today onwards, stop the carriage at the west gate."

The cart driver was about to say something when the servant boy speaks up again. "Daren is someone who was appointed as Prime Minister by the previous emperor before he passed. As an esteemed scholar of Confucianism as well as the tutor to the crown prince, if you wish to enter through the side door, you ought to use the eastern gate dedicated to scholars. Why do you wish to enter through the west side?"

I paused, turning around to gaze thoughtfully at the boy. As I have come to expect, this servant is also pretty but possesses an intelligent glint in his eyes.

"What you have said is right. Enter through the east gate. Your name?"

The boy looks at me, flabbergasted, before adopting an about-to-cry expression. "Daren has even forgotten Xiao Lu's name? What's more, it's a name you personally picked for me!"

"Oh. Xiao Lu, how old are you this year?"

Xiao Lu's voice reveals his excitement clearly. "Daren, Xiao Lu is thirteen this year, and can now wait on Daren now. Older brother Chu Yan said Xiao Lu is born to a good life!"

My scalp feels numb. What in the world is he saying? "Xiao Lu, why do you wish to attend to me?"

The little boy blinks his large, innocent eyes. "Because Daren is beautiful, Xiao Lu likes Daren!"

Nope, this definitely will not do. Exactly what kind of logic are these kids learning? I will have to lead these young sprouts tainted by Zhang Qinglian down the right path. Displaying a kind smile, I said: "Xiao Lu, there are males and females in this world. Men ought to like good-looking women. I am a man, you are also a man, which is why Xiao Lu cannot attend to me."

"But how come those older brothers can?"

"Those…?" Urgh, that damned Zhang Qinglian! Exactly how many boy toys did he raise? Exactly how many sons of good families did he harm? "Er…that's because they did not study, so cannot tell right from wrong."

"Xiao Lu is also illiterate."

"Er…" I am becoming pretty engrossed in his smile. "Xiao Lu is very clever ah. Knowing so much despite being illiterate."

Xiao Lu embarrassedly scratched his head. "Mother said Xiao Lu has no good point other than having a good memory."

"Then does Xiao Lu wish to learn?"

With a warm smile spreading across his face, the little boy immediately nods his head happily.

Before I can say anything else, the carriage comes to a halt. Xiao Lu approaches me, taking my arm to assist me to go down. The driver was about to offer his back as a footstool but remembered the incident at the mansion once he sees my fierce glare, and eventually did not dare to try.

All the civil and military officials who saw that my carriage did not enter through the middle gate are greatly astonished and begin to discuss spiritedly amongst themselves. The instant I step down from my carriage, silence falls. Then, one after another, respectful calls of greeting came. A path opens before me, almost similar to the attitude displayed by my servants at the mansion. I courteously returned their greetings, smiling and nodding at everyone, saying, "Daren, please^[2]", and "Greetings, Daren", and various other polite words. That's the best I can do when I have no idea who was who. Surely there were few who secretly found my behaviour odd but don't wish to question me.

In the middle of social niceties, a small disturbance suddenly occurs amongst the crowd. A minister clad in blue robes emerges, seeming to be especially intimate with me. Stopping in front of me and not saying anything at all, he kneels on the ground and humbly kowtows three times. Using a loud and clear voice, the words he spoke were clearly sincere, from the bottom of his heart.

"Yifu Daren^[3], this child pays his respect to you!"

My heart stutters. This minister is at least forty years old, but is unexpectedly calling someone young enough to be his son as his foster father. For a minister of the Imperial Court to be so shameless to this extent, don't tell me this country's political situation has deteriorated so drastically!

Looking around, my fellow ministers all appear relaxed and peaceful. This scene is undoubtedly a common occurrence, but the glances that are cast at this blue-clothed minister varies. Some are admiring, some envious, some cynical, some disdainful. A forty over a robust looking man wearing vermilion coloured official robes snorted coldly, his face dark. "How shameless!"

The crowd parted before him as he flicked his sleeves and walk away. Another scholarly twenty-something official with a refined air in green robes follow behind. The remaining people neither move nor make a sound. Seems like those that left make up the opposing faction within the Court, and they appear pretty loyal. Then, of course, the remaining flatterers and fawners are those in my faction.

In actual fact, the words that older minister said before leaving are ones that I approve of, but the people he scolded includes me after all, thus I cannot openly agree with him in public.

Waiting until the leader of the opposing faction is far away, this lot of ministers begin discussing among themselves. "Gu Daren still acts so boorishly and his appearance so unkempt. To think he is the Minister of Rites!"

"That's right. He is also aiming to be an Imperial Censor. Could he possibly be thinking of following Yao Qianjin's footsteps?"

"Still, as the Crown Prince's teacher, the current Grand Tutor, how could he possibly misguide the emperor?"

Staring at these flattering ministers, the loathing in my heart keeps rising and I can't help but let out a few coughs. After that, I see my "precious son" bounding over, beaming. "Yifu Daren, there's no need to be angry at barbarians. This child has nothing but filial piety and an admiring heart for you. Just treat those despicable people with ulterior motives like a passing wind. A person whose conscience is clean does not need to worry about slanders. This child will also not take their words to heart."

I sincerely don't dare believe his words. This kind of person is also qualified to say "a person with a clean conscience has nothing to worry about"? If black and white is turned upside down to this degree, does this world still have reason ah? Being so shameless to this extent, I guess this friend of mine has long since made an art out of it.

Nevertheless, we still have to see if this person is capable or not, and if his heart is not that narrow, he cannot be taken lightly. Thinking until here, I observed my "foster son" closely. This man has delicate scholarly features, a thin moustache, friendly face and healthy skin. If I did not know he doesn't have a sense of shame, I would have treated him as some kindly senior, a righteous learned man. Really goes to show one cannot judge a person by appearance.

"Yifu Daren, is there a reason for avoiding to enter through the middle gate?" He most probably feels he is the best suited to ask me this.

Just as well he asked, as I have long prepared the answer. Clearing my throat lightly, I deliberately raised my voice loud enough so the others that left would still be able to hear. "Hehe, benguan^[4] might be young but has already accomplished my ambition. In addition to the previous emperor's favour, I became frivolous. I pursued a few scriptures in the past few days and finally realised my unjust actions, hence had the mind to correct my ways. Although I was pampered and loved by the previous emperor, I shouldn't be abusing my authority to offend the law." What I said are all sincere words unlike my son's.

The surrounding officials froze but immediately composed themselves again to react. Once again, I am hit by a wave of flattery from all sides.

Footnotes:

[1] 乌云盖雪: literally means "dark clouds covering snow". This description is used to describe cats (generally) that has pure white fur on their legs and white underbelly, but black fur covering the back.

[2] Giving way/gesturing for someone else to go first or walk ahead of you. It's a polite gesture towards those of similar or higher status (typically).

[3] Yifu Daren (义父大人): A very respectful way to call foster father.

[4] Benguan (本馆): the way high ranking officials address themselves.

Translator’s notes: Poor MC, dumped into this situation without even the cheat of receiving the memories of the original…˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚