Morning.

The roosters in the backyard of the Changping Post Station had not yet crowed, but outside the station, it was already bustling.

The officials of Honglu Temple were bustling back and forth. A blue-robed official was shouting, "Move the carriages and horses onto the road, don't delay the time!"

"Where is the Marquis of Wuxiang and the Yulin Army, why haven't they come out yet? Go urge them, just say that the temple minister will be here soon, we have many important matters to discuss, so we don't end up making the temple minister wait for them later..."

A clerk from Honglu Temple hurriedly ran upstairs, arriving at the door of Room C and knocked loudly: "Mr. Chen, you need to hurry, Lord Li is pressing."

In the room, Chen Ji calmly replied, "I'll be right there."

He stood inside the room.

On the wooden rack in front of him was a basin of water just delivered by the clerk, steam rising from it, and beside it was a neatly folded new official robe, with a black Flared-Corner Futou and a black leather belt laid on top.

Chen Ji dipped a cloth into the scalding hot water, carefully wiped away the dust while avoiding the injuries on his body that had not yet healed.

He then put on the official robes one by one.

Underneath was a white gauze-lined robe with a blue-edged collar. Over it was a high-collared, right-lapped crimson gauze robe, decorated front and back with a plain gold square badge embroidered with a Qilin design. On his head was a black lacquer Flared-Corner Futou, its two corners spreading out horizontally, each one foot two inches in length.

This was Chen Ji's first official robe, and the first one was a red robe.

At this moment, Lord Li of Honglu Temple seemed to be losing patience, and hurriedly ran upstairs, advising Chen Ji through the door: "Mr. Chen, you are to ride at the very front later. We'll enter the city through Desheng Gate and then proceed to Beian Gate via Desheng Gate Street..."

Chen Ji furrowed his brow, adjusting his collar as he asked puzzledly, "Enter through Desheng Gate in the inner city? Why not through Guangning Gate in the outer city? I remember envoys are supposed to enter the capital through Guangning Gate."

Through the door, Lord Li patiently explained: "There have been some disturbances in the Imperial Capital recently, the people are agitated. If you escort Princess Liyang through Guangning Gate, I'm afraid it will cause trouble."

Chen Ji said in a deep voice: "This time, the Jing Dynasty sending envoys to our dynasty is an act of offering a city and seeking peace, a good opportunity to demonstrate the might and dignity of our court. Regardless of any commotion among the common people, we ought to set things straight with a proper demeanor."

Lord Li was somewhat impatient, "This is decided by the esteemed superior, speaking to me is of no use. Going through Guangning Gate, we'd pass through Guangning Gate Street, Market Street, and Luoma Market Street, where all sorts gather. If someone incites the people to cause trouble, that would be a problem. If the people, in a frenzy, kill Princess Liyang, neither of us could bear the responsibility, we'd both lose our heads."

Chen Ji retorted in a deep voice: "Then why not go through Anding Gate? Desheng Gate is the gate for expeditions; Anding Gate is the gate for triumphant returns. Our Yulin Army fought off the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and Mo Blade battalion outside the pass, why not allowed to march through Anding Gate?"

Lord Li said helplessly, "Mr. Chen, don't make it difficult for me. The Yulin Army's unauthorized expedition led to the death of sixty-seven men. How can that be considered a great victory? How can that be considered a triumphant return? Besides, coffins have always been carried through Desheng Gate. You're bringing the coffins back to the capital, so it's best to just go through Desheng Gate peacefully, isn't it?"

Chen Ji was silent. Although the Yulin Army went out of the pass unauthorized, it was indeed to intercept for him.

It was their duty, yet it's not wrong to say those sixty-seven men died because of him.

Standing outside, Lord Li of Honglu Temple softened his tone: "Mr. Chen, we just follow the rules as they are set, and there won't be any mistakes. You have achieved great merit this time; it's supposed to be a good day for accolades in the capital. Still, it's better to follow the rules so as not to jeopardize your future... Perhaps you could reconsider? But you need to be quick, as the temple minister will be here shortly."

With that said, Lord Li turned and went downstairs, leaving Chen Ji alone in the room.

Chen Ji brushed the official robe on his body. This was his second time coming to the Fengtai Post, the last time he returned from Guyuan, having no official position and no official robe, following at the end of the procession into the capital under the orders and guidance of Honglu Temple officials.

This time he was the Marquis of Wuxiang, wearing an official robe, entering the capital at the front of the procession.

Yet, it seemed nothing much had changed.

...

...

At this moment, the sound of carriage wheels pressed against the hardened earth road wafted up from downstairs, coming closer.

Standing in front of the carriage, Lord Li called out loudly, "Temple Minister, you've arrived."

The temple minister, dressed in a red official robe, was helped down from the carriage. He glanced at the carts parked outside the post station: "Why are the coffins all parked on the road?"

Lord Li explained: "These are the coffins of the fallen Yulin Army soldiers, which the Marquis of Wuxiang wishes to bring into the capital with him."

The temple minister frowned, "Dragging coffins into the city is probably not proper. Moreover, these coffins are in such poor condition, bringing them into the capital would make it seem like the court neglects its soldiers. They should be left in Changping County, for their parents to claim."

Lord Li said in a low voice, "That's probably not appropriate; the Yulin Army is filled with dandies, their kinfolk..."

The temple minister said slowly, "No worries, I've reviewed the list of those killed in action, there is no one above third-rank. Does the court really expect us to change the rules for them?"

Chen Ji walked to the window, opened a slit, and looked down, only to see Zhang Xia on horseback blocking the officials of the Honglu Temple: "The coffins here all contain the bodies of the Yulin Army who died in battle welcoming the envoy, and they are to enter the Imperial Capital with the Yulin Army later!"

The temple minister impatiently waved his sleeve: "I've had enough bothers today, don't entangle here... Where is the Marquis of Wuxiang?"

The official whispered, "Changing clothes inside the Fengtai Post."

The temple minister walked toward the Fengtai Post: "Take me to him. Now that the envoy from the Jing Dynasty has come to our court and the envoy has died, only leaving behind Princess Liyang. Even so, there's no state letter, nor any ceremonial escort from the Jing Dynasty. How is he fulfilling his role as a ceremonial envoy? This is against protocol."

However, as soon as he stepped over the threshold of the Fengtai Post, the temple minister stopped in his tracks, seeing the Yulin Army standing in armor in the main hall of the Fengtai Post, all staring at him coldly.

The next moment, footsteps came from the stairs.

The temple minister looked up and saw Chen Ji descending in a red official robe, his face expressionless.

The Yulin Army turned their heads to look too; it was their first time seeing Chen Ji in a red official robe. But even in the red official robe, Chen Ji did not seem like a civil servant; he looked more like a powerful minister ready to ascend to the court with sword and boots.

His sharpness was all too evident.

Chen Ji walked down the stairs, casually saying, "Does the temple minister plan to teach me how to be a ceremonial envoy?"

Intimidated by the aura, the temple minister suddenly softened his tone, changing his words, "When envoys from both courts meet, the exchange of state letters must precede a ceremonial escort of one hundred and twenty li, according to centuries-old protocol. Now that the protocol has been broken, naturally, one must find a way to make amends..."

Chen Ji stood firm in front of the temple minister and interrupted, "Pay your respects."

Titles are rewards for merit, offices are divisions of duty.

Officials are 'authority', but titles are 'nobility'.

Officials above the third rank need salute dukes, marquises, and earls, but not viscounts or barons. Officials below the third rank must salute all titled nobility; this is the order, the hierarchy.

The temple minister of Honglu Temple is only Standard Fourth Rank; even the temple minister needs to salute Chen Ji, let alone the temple minister himself?

The temple minister's face turned ashen as he looked at the Qilin Badge on Chen Ji's chest, finally cupping his hands in salute, "My lord."

Chen Ji brushed past him: "Officers of the Ministry of Rites, don't forget the courtesy next time."

He stepped out and mounted his horse: "Set off, bear the coffins, take Anding Gate."

The Yulin Army was invigorated, responding in unison, "Yes!"

The temple minister instinctively moved forward to prevent him, "Marquis of Wuxiang, absolutely not! Today, it's set by the high-rank to go through Desheng Gate; how can you change it at will?"

Chen Ji looked ahead, "That's what you decided, when did I agree? The Yulin Army died welcoming the envoy, defeating dozens from the Mo Blade Camp, how is it not a triumph? They exited through Desheng Gate; since it's a triumph, they should return through Anding Gate."

The temple minister darkened his face, "Marquis of Wuxiang acts so recklessly, aren't you afraid of being impeached by the Imperial Censor, ruining your future?"

Chen Ji tightened the reins, looking down at the temple minister, "Just try."

The temple minister was speechless.

Chen Ji laughed heartily, shaking the reins with both hands, "Onward!"

The ceremonial procession escorted Princess Liyang as they set off, leaving the officials of the Honglu Temple standing at the entrance of the Changping Post Station.

Princess Liyang wore a deep blue Pheasant-Feather Robe sent by Honglu Temple today, embroidered with twelve layers of pheasant bird patterns in gold thread. She draped a Red Gold Brocade over her shoulders, wore the Seven Treasure Pearl Pendant, tied the Jade Valley Gui around her waist, and adorned the Nine Phoenix Four Phoenix Crown on her head.

This was the grand attire for a princess' court assembly, with the Pheasant-Feather Robe and Brocade.

Princess Liyang watched the back of Chen Ji on horseback, gazing at the colorful Qilin Badge on his back, praising, "The Qilin does not bow, walking the world with unmatched grace. I hadn't realized before how valiant Mr. Chen is, even our Jing Dynasty rarely sees such men."

Qi Zhenzhuo scoffed, "What are your Jing Dynasty men compared to? You haven't seen my master breaking through Anding Gate that day, where liquor flags fluttered by the roadside, and spectators jostled for space, with Prince Fu leading the horse, even the champions wrote poems for him, and the Imperial Examination Hall was overshadowed — that was truly valiant."

Princess Liyang lamented, "It's truly a pity I didn't witness that myself after hearing you tell it."