Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 383 Emperor Ming's Outing
Ge Yanchang naturally didn't believe that Zhang Dai had just handed over some confidential document, but he also knew very well that if this guy seized on something and made a big fuss, he would probably be in deep trouble as well.

Wang Shouzhen, the son of Wang Maozhong, is a typical example. The pressure on the imperial guards is already quite heavy. If he causes any trouble here and disturbs the emperor, he will ruin his future for a moment of pleasure, and then it will be too late to regret it.

Therefore, after thinking for a moment, Ge Yanchang waved his hand to stop his subordinates from taking any further action, and then waved his hand again to order: "Take these two men to another place for detention for the time being, and introduce them to the authorities after interrogation!"

Seeing that Ge Yanchang dared not be unreasonable anymore, Zhang Dai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had been so busy today that he had miscalculated. He should have first sent Jin Huan with his token to Consort Hui to inform her and ask her to send someone to guide him, instead of bringing A Ying to Hua'e Tower himself.

If he had simply run into these guys, Zhang Dai would naturally not be afraid. He knew that these guys at the North Gate were all all bark and no bite. They were usually very fierce and aggressive, but they were only so unrestrained when facing those who were powerless to fight back. If they encountered someone who could pose a threat or cause them any harm, they would first become timid and restrained.

Ultimately, these people are nothing more than cowardly bullies who prey on the weak and rely on the powerful for their own gain.

However, with Aying by his side, Zhang Dai was hesitant to act rashly, fearing that Aying might be offended. So, he shielded Aying with his side and was driven by the guards of the North Gate to stand in the shadows beside the palace gate, waiting for a familiar eunuch to come and go before asking him to announce his arrival.

Aying followed Zhang Dai, not particularly frightened, but worried about her husband. She whispered as she came to his side, "I never imagined that being an official would be so dangerous, with so many wicked people making things difficult for you..."

Zhang Dai felt somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this. He had simply offended too many people, and it was inevitable that he would encounter trouble in the dark. An ordinary official would not have encountered such disputes or obstacles.

Ah Ying was still muttering to herself, "That Jiang is also serving in the palace. If I am kind and respectful to him, will he take better care of Ah Lang?"

"It's just the work of petty people, so don't be too nervous. Just follow your own heart and don't try to please anyone. I, Jiang, am now in court and I still need your help!"

Zhang Dai's words were not an exaggeration. When Jiang Xingwei and other border soldiers entered the court, they originally had the Hexi Army and the commander-in-chief Wang Jun as their backing. However, a few years ago, Wang Jun was still intercepted and killed by the Uyghurs, which caused a major change in Longyou and Hexi. Naturally, Jiang Xingwei and other border soldiers who entered the court were further marginalized and their situation became more and more difficult.

The two men spoke quietly, while Ge Yanchang continued to sizing them up with a sinister look. He naturally wouldn't send anyone inside to ask for permission; he intended to obstruct Zhang Dai's entry, preventing him from entering smoothly. After all, whatever mission this guy was on, it was always better for him to carefully carry out his guard duties!
As the place where the emperor stayed, Hua'e Tower was always bustling with people coming and going.

Not long after Zhang Dai and A Ying were blocked outside, another carriage with curtains descended, escorted by male and female attendants. The carriage stopped, and a beautiful young woman in Taoist attire and a jade crown stepped down; she was none other than the Princess of Yunyang County.

After the county princess alighted from her carriage, her servants stepped forward to examine the talisman. She had not been standing in front of the palace gate for long when she noticed Zhang Dai and his servant, who were being held captive to one side of the gate. She immediately ordered her attendants to bring Zhang Dai over there.

"You must be very busy tonight, why are you lingering here, brother?"

When Zhang Dai was brought over, the Princess of Yunyang asked with a smile.

Zhang Dai glanced at Ge Yanchang, whose expression had become somewhat tense, but did not complain. He simply smiled and said, "I have some free time now, and thanks to His Majesty's grace, we officials have been granted permission to each bring one member of our family to attend the ceremony. Aying is my close family member whom I have relied on since childhood, so I wanted to invite her to come and experience the splendor. However, things are chaotic outside, so I wanted to temporarily send her to Consort Hui's residence. I am still waiting for the palace guards to inform me."

Aying knew of the Princess of Yunyang, and quickly stepped forward to bow gracefully, saying, "This servant Aying greets the Princess."

"Your colorful dress is very beautiful; please don't let it get dirty."

The county princess first had someone help Ah Ying to prevent her from bowing, then carefully examined the girl before speaking again: "Tonight is a busy night, and the palace guards are probably too lazy to keep up with the news. Brother, please entrust this beloved maid to me and go now. I will return her to you safely later."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai looked back at Aying, who quickly nodded and said, "My lord, please go and attend to your duties. I will respectfully follow the princess's instructions and will not be impolite or offend her."

Zhang Dai naturally trusted the county princess. He was also worried that staying any longer would cause him to miss his official duties. Hearing that Aying said the same thing, he bowed to the county princess again and said, "Then I will trouble the county princess. After I finish my duties tomorrow, I will come to bring my family." With the county princess of Yunyang leading the way, Ge Yanchang naturally dared not make things difficult for them, and the group entered the palace smoothly.

After seeing Aying follow the county magistrate's party inside, Zhang Dai did not linger there any longer. He simply gave Ge Yanchang, whose face was gloomy, a deep look before leaving.

Behind every magnificent and prosperous scene lies the meticulous creation of someone. Not long after Zhang Dai returned to the Hanlin Academy, he was ordered to lead a group of musicians and actors to Furong Garden ahead of others, and to take the opportunity to inspect the newly erected painted stage.

After confirming that everything was in order, he hurriedly returned to Xingqing Palace to await orders. Since the covered walkway leading directly from Xingqing Palace to Qujiang Pool was not yet completed, they could only travel back and forth through the streets. In the still somewhat chilly spring night, both men and horses were drenched in sweat.

As dawn breaks, a new day begins. February has been filled with continuous rain, but fortunately, the weather is kind today; the sun rises in the eastern sky, and the warm spring sunshine will soon grace the world.

After daybreak, the prime ministers who were stationed at Daming Palace led the court officials to Xingqing Palace to respectfully invite the emperor. Zhang Dai also followed the officials of the Secretariat to the outside of Hua'e Tower. His grandfather, Zhang Yue, as the Left Prime Minister, and Prime Minister Xiao Song, who concurrently served as the Minister of War, led the Secretariat officials on the left and right, respectively, and naturally looked very pleased with himself.

After everyone arrived outside the Hua'e Tower, the heads of various departments and high-ranking officials of the third rank and above were first summoned inside to receive food. Other officials, however, did not receive such treatment and had to wait outside until they reached the Furong Garden before being served food.

Zhang Dai did not wait idly outside the garden. As he also held the official position of Xie Lu Lang, he naturally had to lead the band to perform music and ceremonial accompaniment throughout the Emperor's procession.

So he followed those bigwigs quickly into the Flower Calyx Tower, then took his place on the side of the hall, holding a ceremonial flag and presiding over the music. While watching the musicians play their rhythm, he also watched the high-ranking officials enjoy their breakfast in the hall, secretly hoping that these guys would choke on the spot, so that these miserable beasts of burden who could only watch but not eat could vent their grievances.

Unfortunately, those old guys who had reached such high positions were all very experienced. They ate their breakfast slowly and it took them almost an hour, so naturally no one behaved improperly in the hall.

Around nine o'clock in the morning, the courtiers finally escorted the emperor out of Xingqing Palace. By then, the long street outside the palace had already been cleared, and imperial guards were stationed along the street. The courtiers rode their horses behind the emperor.

Even the Crown Prince did not have his own ceremonial guard. He rode alongside Prince Ning and other members of the imperial clan at the rear of the imperial carriage. The officials of the Eastern Palace were scattered among the court officials according to their ranks, and were placed at the very back of the officials of the same rank. They could be said to have almost no presence.

As the holy carriage entered the long street, the people who had been separated on both sides of the street rushed to greet it, shouting and cheering. The cheers resounded throughout the city. The holy man also frequently ordered the carriage to stop and waved to both sides of the road, which naturally triggered a new round of cheers and worship from the people.

As Zhang Dai walked through the procession, he was deeply moved by the scene before him. He hadn't had the chance to witness the travels of other Tang emperors, but he could see the heartfelt reverence and respect that the people of Chang'an held for their current emperor.

This is understandable. Since the death of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, the Tang Dynasty has been in constant turmoil, with emperors being deposed and reinstated several times, and the Tang Dynasty even faced extinction at one point.

Although Emperor Zhongzong of Tang was hailed as the restorer of the dynasty after the Shenlong Revolution, his actions were truly uninspiring. Ultimately, the Tang dynasty achieved a true revival and reached a new peak under the rule of the current sage, so it was only natural that the people of Chang'an worshipped him.

Even though Emperor Xuanzong of Tang indulged in various abstract ideas in his later years, later generations still showered the Kaiyuan era with praise, making it an indelible cultural memory. Emperor Xuanzong thus enjoyed greater tolerance. As an emperor, he was undoubtedly fortunate.

Hearing the various shouts and cheers on the long street, Zhang Dai couldn't help but sigh. No wonder Emperor Xuanzong of Tang did not leave Guanzhong for more than ten years in the later years. This guy really enjoyed a great home advantage in Chang'an. If he hadn't used a large army to knock on the gate and scare him away, it would have been difficult to succeed in a mutiny in Chang'an with a small number of elite troops.

The sage was naturally unaware that someone so close to him was contemplating such disrespectful thoughts. Of course, even if he were aware of this, his sons and brothers would be at the top of his list of suspicions, not a young man like Zhang Dai.

At this time, the Qujiang Riverbank in the south of Chang'an was already packed with people. As the imperial carriage arrived at Furong Garden, cheers erupted like a tsunami, wave after wave, and even the water in Qujiang Pool was rippled by the sound waves.

(End of this chapter)