I meet all the requirements for becoming a god in this world!

Chapter 252 The Emperor Arrives!

When the door to Laiyun Hall was pushed open, Cheng Laiyun was sitting at his desk reviewing the first batch of approvals for the implementation of the new policies.

Hai Wuyai poked half his chubby face in, winking and announcing, "Boss, they've arrived!"

Cheng Laiyun put down his pen, straightened his clothes, and strode towards the entrance of the yamen.

He had been waiting for this day for a long time. Ever since he sent out the marriage certificate, he had been counting down the days, wondering when his sister's family would arrive in Beijing.

At the entrance of the yamen, Qi Dazhuang's nine-foot-tall figure stood out conspicuously in the crowd.

He was looking up at the gilded plaque of the Regent's Office, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

Cheng Lingqiao stood beside him, Zhao Huaili held Hu Zi's hand with one hand and carried a bundle with the other, while Granny Zhao followed at the back, looking up at the two stone lions at the entrance, muttering to herself.

As Cheng Laiyun stepped out of the gate, he immediately saw everyone.

His gaze was unfocused.

Scenes from the past floated into my mind.

"Come on, Yun!!" Qi Dazhuang rushed up, grabbed his shoulder, and looked him up and down several times.

Looking at Qi Dazhuang in front of him, Cheng Laiyun smiled:

"Dazhuang, you've gotten even stronger."

"Hehe! I'm fine, but you, how come you've lost so much weight?"

Qi Dazhuang looked at Cheng Laiyun and smiled sheepishly.

The two brothers didn't say a word, they just hugged each other tightly.

Cheng Laiyun then turned to Cheng Lingqiao, and their eyes met.

Cheng Laiyun spoke up and called out "Sister".

Cheng Lingqiao's eyes reddened.

She reached out and straightened Cheng Laiyun's official robe collar, then patted the dust off his cuffs.

"Good fortune."

Her voice was still as gentle as ever: "You've lost weight."

Cheng Laiyun wanted to speak, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he stared blankly at Cheng Lingqiao, unable to say a word.

Grandma Zhao squeezed up from behind, circled Cheng Lai three times, and looked him up and down.

Then, tugging at his sleeve, he looked at Cheng Laiyun with a serious expression and asked, "Just how many people does the Regent's Office actually oversee?"

"Does working in a government office mean you get to eat meat every meal?"

……

Cheng Laiyun's lips twitched slightly, then he smiled and said:

"Nearly a thousand people, and they have meat at every meal."

Grandma Zhao circled him again, then suddenly slapped her thigh, turned to Cheng Lingqiao, and called out:

"Oh my! The insignia on Lai Yun's official robe is even bigger than the one worn by the prefect of Qingzhou. From now on, he'll be walking sideways in the capital!!"

"Mother!" Zhao Huaili felt somewhat embarrassed.

Everyone laughed, including Cheng Laiyun. He bent down and whispered in Granny Zhao's ear that he would have someone send her a jar of braised pork hock from the imperial kitchen.

Granny Zhao was taken aback at first, then excitedly patted Cheng Laiyun's shoulder and said, "You have to keep your word!! Otherwise, this old woman will sit at the gate of the Regent's Office and refuse to leave."

Cheng Laiyun nodded repeatedly.

He then called Hai Wuyai over and instructed him to take Granny Zhao to get a jar of braised pork hock.

Then.

Cheng Laiyun led the group into Yuntang and had tea served. He then chatted with Cheng Lingqiao about wedding preparations.

Just then, Granny Zhao pushed open the door and came in carrying a jar of braised pork knuckle, followed by a figure with a clear blue sky.

Xu Miaozhen was dressed in a moon-white casual outfit today, her hair loosely tied up with a jade hairpin, a few strands of hair hanging down beside her ears, and a gentle smile on her face.

She was worried about Granny Zhao carrying such a heavy jar by herself, so she accompanied her all the way.

Although Cheng Lingqiao and Zhao Huaili had never met Xu Miaozhen before, they instinctively stood up upon seeing her extraordinary presence.

Grandma Zhao glanced back at Xu Miaozhen, then at Cheng Lingqiao, and asked in a low voice:

"Qiao Niang, this fairy is..." Cheng Laiyun stood up with a smile, walked to Xu Miaozhen's side, and introduced her to Granny Zhao and Cheng Lingqiao:

"Sister, brother-in-law, this is my master—the fourth elder of the Mo Sect, Xu Miaozhen."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Laiyuntang fell silent.

Grandma Zhao dropped the jar of braised pork knuckle from her hand with a "clatter," splashing sauce all over the ground, but she didn't care.

His legs went weak and he knelt down, repeatedly shouting, "I have offended the gods! I have offended the gods!"

She knelt on the ground, clasped her hands together, and bowed repeatedly to Xu Miaozhen, murmuring:

"This old woman is blind and doesn't recognize a great man."

"I originally thought the Fourth Elder of the Mo Clan was an old woman with a full head of white hair. Because Lai Yun was handsome, she took a liking to him, and Lai Yun didn't dare to resist, so she agreed to marry him!"

"I never expected her to be such a young fairy, she looks like she stepped out of a painting! I'm so sorry, I hope the fairy will forgive me."

……

Hearing his words, everyone almost burst out laughing.

Cheng Laiyun's lips twitched. He was about to say something when he saw Xu Miaozhen step forward, bend down, and help Granny Zhao up from the ground.

Her voice was gentle and soft: "Grandma, there's no need for that. Laiyun is my disciple, and I am Laiyun's master. We're all family, so there's no need for any conflict."

Granny Zhao was helped to her feet by Xu Miaozhen. Her hands were still trembling, and she kept repeating, "Fairy, you really are a fairy."

Xu Miaozhen helped Granny Zhao sit down in a chair, and then personally poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her. Granny Zhao's hand trembled as she took the tea, and she didn't even notice when a few drops of tea splashed onto her knees. She just kept staring at Xu Miaozhen's face, murmuring, "So beautiful, even more beautiful than in a painting."

Cheng Lingqiao stood aside, looking at Granny Zhao's appearance, smiled and shook her head, stepped forward and bowed to Xu Miaozhen, calling her "Elder Xu".

Xu Miaozhen held her hand and said with a smile that Sister Lingqiao was too kind. Laiyun often mentioned her to her, saying that her sister had raised him since he was a child and was the person who loved him the most in the world.

Cheng Lingqiao's eyes reddened again at these words, and she repeatedly said that Elder Xu was the benefactor who brought her good fortune.

Xu Miaozhen shook her head, her tone still gentle and soft: "Sister, just call me Miaozhen."

Qi Dazhuang stood to the side, smiling憨憨地.

Just as he was about to say something, another figure walked in from the entrance of the hall.

Xu Jiayin, dressed in a pale yellow casual dress, carrying two plates of freshly roasted caramelized melon seeds, stepped across the threshold with a smile.

Before she could even speak, Qi Dazhuang had already reflexively straightened his back, placed his arms at his sides, and bowed to Xu Jiayin in a standard subordinate's salute. His voice was as loud and clear as if he were reporting official business to a superior in the magistrate's office: "Greetings, Miss!"

He had worked as a martial arts instructor at Xu's Cloth Shop for many years, and he had been bowing to Xu Jiayin for many years; this instinct was ingrained in his bones.

Even now that he is the Left Guard of the Qingzhou Prefectural Office, he still can't change his ways when he sees Xu Jiayin.

Xu Jiayin was startled by his shout, almost dropping the plate of melon seeds in her hand. She then rolled her eyes and said:

"This is the Regent's Office, not a cloth shop. Why are you calling me 'Miss'?"

Qi Dazhuang straightened up, scratched the back of his head, and chuckled sheepishly.

"In front of Miss Xu, I will always be the martial arts instructor of Xu's Cloth Shop."

At this point, he seemed to suddenly realize something and quickly changed his words:

"No, no, you should call me 'sister-in-law' now."

The moment the word "sister-in-law" came out...

A blush crept onto Xu Jiayin's face, and her voice became barely audible:

"We're not officially married yet." With that, he placed the dish of melon seeds on the table, turned, and took Cheng Lingqiao's arm, blushing as he said:

"Sis, I'll show you where we live. Let's ignore these jerks."

As he spoke, he and Cheng Lingqiao fled outside as if they were escaping.

Cheng Lingqiao smiled as she was pulled outside. When they reached the door, she glanced back at Cheng Laiyun and then at Xu Miaozhen, unable to hide the smile on her lips.

……

On the day of Cheng Laiyun's wedding, Yongning Street in front of the Cheng family mansion was crowded with onlookers from early morning.

The firecrackers went off for a full half hour, and the main gate of the Cheng residence was wide open.

The gifts from all the officials and civil servants piled up from the gate all the way to the screen wall in the front yard. The list of gifts was so long that even several accountants couldn't keep up with copying it all at the same time.

Twenty tables were set up in the front yard, ten tables in the middle yard, and a separate elegant seating area for the women in the back yard.

Zhao Huaili and his mother-in-law got up before dawn to get busy. Cheng Lingqiao helped organize the women in the inner courtyard. Hu Zi changed into a new outfit and ran errands inside and out, delivering things with the excitement of a little colt.

Zhao Huaili stood at the front gate to greet guests. Today, he had specially changed into a newly made dark blue silk robe, which was tailored for him a few days before coming to Yun. The fabric was crisp and the stitches were fine. After putting it on, he looked at himself in the bronze mirror for a long time before daring to go out.

But even now, standing amidst the courtyard filled with officials in crimson and purple robes, he couldn't help but rub his hands together nervously. Every time someone approached, he would anxiously ask Qi Dazhuang who this person was, what rank he was, and how to address him. Qi Dazhuang was also dressed in a new, sturdy outfit today, and the nine-foot-tall man exuded an imposing aura.

But every time an official walked toward them, his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

His hand unconsciously reached for the magistrate's token at his waist...

He discovered that every official here was far superior to his boss, Zhou Linghe…

The colleagues from the Regent's Office were the first to arrive.

Liu Yundu and Tang Lu walked in side by side. Liu Yundu still had that calm and collected demeanor, while Tang Lu's loud voice immediately drew everyone's attention as soon as he entered the courtyard.

He saw Cheng Laiyun standing at the entrance of the main hall to greet guests from afar, strode over, and patted Cheng Laiyun on the shoulder with his large, fan-like hand:

"Haha! Brother Cheng, with this grand display today, you've made the entire Regent's Office look good."

Cheng Laiyun stumbled from the slap, then smiled and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, saying:

"Brother Tang, have a few more drinks later."

Tang Lu laughed heartily: "That's for sure."

Brother-in-law Zhao Huaili watched Cheng Laiyun chatting and laughing with the imposing general, his legs beginning to tremble. He whispered to Qi Dazhuang, "Who is this man?"

Qi Dazhuang lowered his voice: "This is one of the four inspectors of the Regent's Office, a fourth-rank official, one rank higher than the Chief Military Advisor of Qingzhou."

Zhao Huaili gasped and quietly took half a step back.

Next came Geng Yan and Xun Meng.

Geng Yan walked in, fanning himself with a folding fan, a smile on his face. He walked up to Cheng Laiyun, closed the fan, and took out an exquisite gift box from his sleeve, handing it to him.

"This is a special product of the Northern Territory, Frost Jade. It has been engraved with patterns. Wearing it can calm the mind and improve eyesight. Consider it a gift for my three younger siblings."

He paused, then opened his fan and lowered his voice to add:

"Inspector Cheng, after losing to you at the martial arts arena last time, I thought about it for several days. Did you use the power of the Colossus or the Ink Clan's inscription to receive that sword strike from me?"

Cheng Laiyun took the gift box and said with a smile, "Guess."

Geng Yan paused for a moment, then tapped Cheng Laiyun's shoulder with his fan and shook his head: "You brat."

He walked away with a smile.

Xun Meng followed closely behind, still with his usual stern expression. He leaned his heavy sword against the door, cupped his hands in a respectful bow to Cheng Laiyun, and pulled a heavy iron box from his robes. Inside was a short sword, its blade engraved with intricate patterns. "I forged this myself, using Northern Border Black Iron. It's not particularly precious, but it can cut through iron like mud. I'm leaving it as a souvenir for Inspector Cheng."

Cheng Laiyun took the short knife with both hands and said with a smile:

"Brother Xun's kindness will be remembered."

Xun Meng nodded, said sparingly, "Today is a joyous occasion, so let's not stand on ceremony," and then turned and took his seat.

Zhao Huaili and Qi Dazhuang stood at the door watching the four imposing inspectors file in. Before they could even close their jaws, they saw two official sedan chairs stop at the door.

The sedan curtain was lifted, and Yu Qingzheng stepped down from the first sedan chair. He was dressed in a scarlet official robe, with a jade pendant bearing the inscription of the Ink Gate hanging from his waist. His beard and hair were gray, but his steps were steady. As he walked along, all the officials in the courtyard stood up and bowed.

He walked up to Cheng Laiyun, looked at the disciple dressed in bright red wedding attire, and remained silent for a moment.

Then he reached out and patted Cheng Laiyun hard on the shoulder: "You brat, you've finally acted like a grown-up today."

Cheng Laiyun felt a slight thud on his shoulder from the pat, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his face. He took a half-step closer and lowered his voice:

"Master Uncle, you mustn't scold me today; the entire court is watching."

Yu Qingzheng snorted and stroked his beard:

"I'll let you off the hook because it's your wedding day." He then pulled a brocade box from his sleeve and handed it over, adding:

"This is the jade pendant with inscription that Miaozhen wore when she was a child. I kept it for her when she entered the family, and I am returning it to her today."

Cheng Laiyun accepted the brocade box with both hands, his expression becoming solemn, and bowed deeply to Yu Qingzheng.

Yu Qingzheng waved his hand, but Cheng Laiyun clearly saw that he pressed the corners of his mouth down several times before he could stop them from turning up when he turned to take his seat.

Yu Qingzheng had just stepped across the threshold when Xie Yuheng emerged from the second sedan chair.

He wore a faded blue scholar's robe, a cloth belt around his waist, black cloth shoes, and carried a fishing rod in his hand.

It wasn't the one given to him by his second senior master of the Mo Sect; it was an old fishing rod that he had used for many years.

A few drops of water still clung to the tip of the pole, clearly indicating that it had just come from the pond.

He walked up to Cheng Laiyun, handed him the fishing rod, and said in a calm tone:

"This fishing rod has been with me for over thirty years; it's even older than the one I used when I was teaching Emperor Jianye in the Imperial Study."

"Later, I personally witnessed you emerge unharmed from the illusionary mist from the Chengtian Gate tower."

"After I came back, I felt that this fishing rod should be given to someone else. Here you go." Cheng Laiyun took the fishing rod with both hands, not knowing what to say for a moment.

He bowed deeply to Xie Yuheng:

"Thank you, Grand Tutor. I will keep this fishing rod safe. When you have time to come to my residence to fish, I will make you some tea."

Xie Yuheng nodded and slowly stepped into the house.

Zhao Huaili and his mother-in-law had just finished arranging seats for the two big shots, Yu Qingzheng and Xie Yuheng, and before they could even catch their breath, there was another commotion at the door.

"The Crown Prince has arrived!!!"

The Crown Prince was dressed in a bright yellow casual robe today, without any ceremonial guards, only accompanied by Xiao Zhuozi as his attendant. However, when all the officials in the courtyard saw his bright yellow robe, they all stood up in unison.

The Crown Prince ignored the officials who rose to pay their respects and walked straight to Cheng Laiyun. Just as Cheng Laiyun was about to bow, the Crown Prince grabbed his arm.

"Zhongjie, today is your joyous day, there's no need for such formalities."

He looked at Cheng Laiyun dressed in a bright red wedding robe, and raised an eyebrow with a comical smile:

"When you were a study companion in the Eastern Palace, you wore a black official robe every day. This is the first time I've seen you in red. It looks better than black."

Cheng Laiyun cupped his hands in greeting: "I wore black for the convenience of handling the case, and red because I simply couldn't refuse today." The Crown Prince laughed a few times, took out a brocade box from his sleeve and handed it over: "This was chosen by me and the Crown Princess. It's not anything valuable, but it has a good meaning—a pair of jade pendants symbolizing love, wishing you a long and happy life together."

Cheng Laiyun accepted the gift with both hands and was about to express his gratitude when the Crown Prince took his seat.

Granny Zhao stood under the eaves, watching the prince's bright yellow figure from behind, and almost dropped the braised pork knuckle in her hand again.

She grabbed Qi Dazhuang's sleeve, her lips trembling as she asked, "Was that His Highness the Crown Prince? Was that the guy who patted me on the shoulder earlier His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Qi Dazhuang swallowed and nodded.

Grandma Zhao took a deep breath, turned to look at Zhao Huaili, and asked in an almost exhausted tone:

"Just how many important figures has Huai Lilai gotten to know in Beijing over the past few years?"

Zhao Huaili opened his mouth, but before he could answer, a loud announcement came from outside the door.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

???

!!!