Chapter 131: The Court Assembly

The shopkeeper led Wei Renshi to a small courtyard and said, "Sir, this residence is only used by our young master when he happens to visit Chang'an. Since it is not frequently occupied, it is not very large. Please, make do for now."

"That is perfectly fine," Wei Renshi replied with a smile. "Any place to stay is enough. By the way, I haven't asked your name yet."

"Oh, I wouldn't dare!" the shopkeeper quickly responded. "My name is Fang."

Wei Renshi nodded and said, "Manager Fang, I see that Brother Haiqing’s family business is quite substantial—it’s one of the leading firms in Luoyang, even managing sea-going vessels. Why does it seem so much smaller here in Chang'an?"

Manager Fang gave a bitter smile. "To be honest with you, sir, doing business in Chang'an is not the same as in Luoyang. Our Jiao family firm is centered in Luoyang. Here in Chang'an, we only maintain a storefront primarily to coordinate with our headquarters; we are essentially just a branch."

"Is business in Chang'an difficult to manage?" Wei Renshi asked curiously. "Chang'an is so prosperous; why would business be hard?"

Manager Fang shook his head. "Chang'an is indeed prosperous, but for a firm like ours without political backing, business is difficult. In this sprawling city, every major enterprise is supported by someone in power."

Wei Renshi nodded. It seemed he should not be in a rush to bring the Yimeng Pavilion to Chang'an.

"This courtyard is rarely used, and the young master visits only a few times a year, staying for mere days. Therefore, there are no servants stationed here," Manager Fang explained. "I will send a few people from our firm over later to assist you."

Wei Renshi shook his head. "No need. I am used to living without servants."

Manager Fang offered a few more polite gestures, helping Wei Renshi settle in. He told him that if he needed anything while in Chang'an, he should simply let him know, and then he took his leave.

Ma Weilong and Gou Er tidied up the rooms. Exhausted from their long journey, the three of them went to sleep early.

The next morning, Wei Renshi sent Gou Er to the address left by Scholar Zhang to inform him of their whereabouts. Not knowing how long it would be before he was summoned, Wei Renshi did not dare to wander too far, staying mostly within the small Jiao family residence. Even when he wanted to explore the city, one of them always had to remain behind, fearing they might miss a message.

However, Wei Renshi seemed to have been forgotten; there was no word at all. Bored, he spent his days wandering through the West and East Markets, eventually becoming quite familiar with them.

After nearly half a month, someone finally came knocking. It was an attendant from the palace, dispatched to summon Wei Renshi for an imperial audience in three days' time. It seemed Scholar Zhang had indeed reported his arrival.

Having no experience with such matters, Wei Renshi had no idea how to prepare for an imperial audience. He decided to visit Scholar Zhang a day early to seek guidance. As a Right Remonstrance Grand Master residing in Chang'an, Scholar Zhang was required to attend court himself and offered to bring Wei Renshi along.

That evening, Wei Renshi stayed at Scholar Zhang’s home. Before dawn the next day, he was awakened by a servant. Looking outside, it was still pitch black; the sun had not yet risen.

The servant led him to the front courtyard where Scholar Zhang was waiting. They hurriedly ate a few bites of food. The ward gates had not yet opened, and they had to wait. Soon, the sound of the morning drum echoed through the dark, but the sky remained as black as ink.

Scholar Zhang immediately hurried Wei Renshi into a carriage and told the driver, "Drive quickly! Do not let me be late for the morning court!"

The driver whipped the horses, and the carriage surged forward. As the ward gates had opened with the morning drum, they raced toward the imperial palace. Along the way, the sound of hooves filled the air. Wei Renshi gripped the side of the carriage to steady himself against the jolting, peering out through the curtain. In the dim light, he saw carriages chasing each other, with riders whipping their horses to dash past, all heading toward the Imperial City.

Wei Renshi turned to Scholar Zhang. "Are we really going to court, or are we going to war?"

Scholar Zhang laughed heartily. "You are quite inexperienced! I knew this display would shock you. Besides the 'regular attendees,' officials of the third rank and above attend court on the 1st, 5th, and 9th of each month, while those below the third rank attend on the 1st and 5th. When I am in Chang'an, I must attend on the 1st, 5th, 11th, 15th, 21st, and 25th. One dare not be late, or it is a grave offense. Since we must be inside by the hour of the Rabbit (5:00–7:00 AM), we must wait outside before then. However, since you currently hold only a title and no official post, you will not need to attend morning court after today unless the Emperor summons you."

"That is a relief!" Wei Renshi sighed, having only caught the last part.

The hour of the Rabbit? No wonder they call it 'dian mao' (marking the attendance)! Wei Renshi was speechless. The life of a Tang Dynasty civil servant was truly grueling; having to sign in by five in the morning—or face a lashing or demotion for tardiness—was a far cry from the modern-day bureaucrats who would stroll into the office long after breakfast, toothpick in hand.

When they reached the palace gates, many others were already there, having raced just as hard. They were busy straightening their robes or conversing while waiting for the gates to open.

"Ah, Remonstrator Zhang!" Just as Scholar Zhang stepped off the carriage and adjusted his robes, a voice called out. Several men approached and bowed to him. Scholar Zhang returned the greeting, and they began to chat.

Wei Renshi scanned the crowd and, besides Scholar Zhang, spotted a familiar face: Liu Yuxi. He was about to approach him, but a shout erupted from the palace gates. The crowd immediately stopped talking and formed two lines. Liu Yuxi could only smile at Wei Renshi before rushing to his place.

The palace gates opened slowly. Under the Vermilion Bird Gate, Imperial Guards in shining armor stood on both sides. Outside, the civil and military officials proceeded in two separate lines, faces solemn, clutching their court tablets as they walked respectfully into the Imperial City.

Wei Renshi followed at the very end, trailing the officials until they reached the hall. He had to wait outside until he was summoned to enter.