Shen Jing pondered all night but couldn't understand why Emperor Zhou would be so bored as to make him attend court.
Great Zhou's palace gates opened at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM). Although Su Manor wasn't too far from the imperial palace, accounting for preparation time, Shen Jing was woken from his sleep just after the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), drowsily allowing himself to be dressed and washed.
This was Shen Jing's first time attending court, and while he didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse, it was a major event for the entire Su Manor.
Madam Su also woke up early to once again remind Shen Jing to pay attention to the rules of the imperial court.
Given that Shen Jing didn't have an official's robe, Madam Su personally helped him select a set of green scholar's robes.
In Madam Su's words, these clothes weren't flashy; standing among a crowd, he wouldn't easily be noticed.
To this, Shen Jing could only smile.
He was the only commoner in the entire court; could he really not be conspicuous?
Hmm, he wasn't exactly a commoner.
He at least had the title of a xiucai (a successful candidate in the imperial examination).
"No matter who speaks, always think it over a few times in your head before you say anything! When the situation is unclear, just play dumb..."
Before Shen Jing left, the worried Madam Su reminded him again.
"On the imperial court, never act on your impulses. A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm!"
Su Yourong also chimed in with a reminder.
"Young Master, you absolutely must control your mouth and never speak carelessly!"
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Chi Chi's face was full of tension as she couldn't help but remind him.
"Alright, alright!"
Shen Jing stopped them. "I'm going to attend court, not being escorted to the execution ground. Don't make it so tense! Go back to sleep, all of you!"
Saying that, Shen Jing waved at them and quickly mounted his horse.
Great Zhou had a clear regulation that officials attending court, unless specially permitted, must ride horses to court.
Du Heng brought Fan Qinghu, Shen Jing's guard, to accompany him.
Looking at the pitch-black streets, Du Heng couldn't help but sigh, "It turns out being a capital official isn't easy! It's not even winter yet! If it were winter, and there was a heavy snowfall, officials with poor health might catch a cold!"
"Isn't that the truth?"
Shen Jing nodded in agreement, "Otherwise, why do they say you only see the thief eat, but not the thief get beaten?"
He only knew that court officials rose early, but he didn't expect it to be this early.
He wasn't even that far; he only woke up this early because it was his first time attending court.
Officials who lived further from the imperial palace probably had to wake up this early every day.
Regardless of whether they were good officials or bad officials, enduring this every day was a kind of perseverance!
He had always thought that 'early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise' was just a slogan.
Now he knew, this was the three wishes of a beast of burden!
"You think His Majesty will cane you in court?"
Du Heng tilted his head and asked again.
"I..."
Shen Jing looked at Du Heng with a black line on his face. "If you can't speak properly, then don't speak! If His Majesty canes me, do you think you'll escape?"
Damn it!
This scoundrel was deliberately trying to annoy him, wasn't he?
Du Heng paused slightly, then chuckled dryly, "I had a dream last night."
"You dreamed I was caned?" Shen Jing asked.
"Hmm."
Du Heng nodded, looking at Shen Jing. "I dreamed His Majesty ordered someone to gouge out your eyes, gave you a good caning, and threw you a beggar's bowl. You looked as miserable as could be..."
Heh!
And it even rhymed!
Was this guy a rapper from Chengdu in his past life?
What kind of bizarre dreams did he have!
Shen Jing frantically complained in his heart, then glared at Du Heng again, "Before I'm gouged out, I'll first ask His Majesty to castrate you two to be eunuchs!"
"What does that have to do with me?"
Fan Qinghu ungraciously pouted, then pointed at Du Heng, "Just castrate him."
"Get lost!"
Du Heng was annoyed. "If I'm castrated, you won't escape either!"
The three chatted casually along the way and finally arrived outside the palace gates.
At this time, it was still dark, but officials were already waiting outside the palace gates.
Seeing Shen Jing in his green scholar's robes, everyone couldn't help but cast surprised glances.
"Who is that person?"
"Don't recognize him!"
"This person probably went to the wrong place, didn't he?"
"Surely not? Could he really go wrong all the way to the palace gates?"
Everyone sized up Shen Jing, whispering and discussing.
The people waiting here were all officials waiting to attend court.
What was a young man without even an official's robe doing here?
Looking at the whispering officials, Shen Jing knew without thinking that they must be talking about him.
Shen Jing dismounted, tossed the reins to Du Heng, and then bowed to the officials, "Shen Jing, a xiucai from Huaizhou, greets all sirs."
Shen Jing?
Hearing Shen Jing's self-introduction, everyone couldn't help but be slightly stunned.
"So you are Shen Jing!"
"You're Su Yourong's husband, aren't you?"
"I heard you fought with the Marquis of Pingnan's son as soon as you arrived in the capital!"
"You're the one who exposed Prince Ji's rebellion, aren't you?"
"What are you doing here?"
After they reacted, everyone looked at Shen Jing again.
Some were curious, some hid the hostility on their faces, and some spoke with a mocking tone.
Shen Jing chuckled, then bowed to everyone again, "His Majesty ordered this junior to attend court today. I wonder if any well-informed sir could tell this junior what His Majesty wants this junior to attend court for?"
Attending court?
Hearing Shen Jing's words, the scene immediately erupted in an uproar.
His Majesty actually ordered Shen Jing to attend court?
He had no official position or title, what kind of court would he attend?
This young man wasn't speaking nonsense, was he?
However, this thought appeared and was then rejected by them.
Who would dare to speak nonsense about such a matter? Were they tired of living?
Could it be that His Majesty intended to commend this young man in court?
Everyone's minds became active, guessing Emperor Zhou's purpose in having Shen Jing attend court, but no one answered Shen Jing's question.
They were all confused right now, so how could they tell Shen Jing?
Not to mention they didn't know Emperor Zhou's purpose; even if they did, they wouldn't tell Shen Jing in public.
Otherwise, if a charge of 'presuming to guess the emperor's thoughts' was laid upon them, they would be in trouble.
Of course, Shen Jing also knew that no one would tell him; he was just trying to shut everyone up.
Just as everyone was secretly guessing, a vermilion official's sedan chair appeared in their line of sight.
Seeing this sedan chair, many officials consciously bowed slightly.
However, some officials looked away, seemingly disdainful.
The sedan chair stopped, and an official in a purple official's robe stepped out.
This person looked to be about fifty-something, appearing slightly younger than Emperor Zhou.
"Greetings, Chancellor Yao!"
All the officials bowed.
Even those officials who had seemed disdainful earlier were no exception.
Moreover, it was not a perfunctory bow, but a proper, respectful bow.
There was no choice; Yao Jian's status was there.
According to etiquette, they had to bow when they saw Yao Jian.
"You all need not be so formal."
Yao Jian said, then noticed Shen Jing, who was conspicuously dressed. "Who are you?"
Before Shen Jing could speak, an official beside him eagerly offered, "This person is Shen Jing, a xiucai from Huaizhou. He is the son-in-law of Grand Tutor Su and claims that His Majesty ordered him to attend court today."
Shen Jing!
Yao Jian's eyes narrowed slightly. "So you are that scoundrel who ruined a major court affair for his own selfish reasons!"