CHAPTER 1311: CHAPTER 1311: RETURNING HOME IN GLORY

With Song Chongjin’s approval, He Changshou felt honored and quickly gestured for Song Chongjin to move his noble feet and proceed to the alley entrance.

As soon as he stepped out of the alley, Song Chongjin realized that the street outside had long been paved with yellow soil, sprinkled with water, and was exceptionally clean and tidy.

Both sides of the road were lined with people, and in the middle of the road, there was a small team with red silk sashes around their waists, beating gongs and drums. Behind them was a sedan chair also adorned with red silk, with eight brawny sedan chair carriers standing by.

Not far away, there were several energetic shop assistants holding high bamboo poles with long strings of firecrackers attached to them.

As soon as Song Chongjin appeared, it was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a pot of oil, causing an uproar.

In an instant, firecrackers rang out, and gongs and drums resounded.

He Changshou, leading a group of people, had long knelt before Song Chongjin, bowing deeply: "Greetings, Lord Song!"

The onlookers on both sides of the road were dumbfounded, seeing the town chief and others kneel and address him as a lord, they cluelessly followed suit, also shouting: "Greetings, My Lord!"

The sound spread far and wide, and those in the distance, unable to see what was happening at the front, just saw people kneeling and shouting greetings to the lord, and they too knelt down.

At this moment, the idlers behind the procession and those gossiping women were all dumbfounded.

Did even the town chief kneel to this person, is he truly an official now?

One after another, both fearful and wary, they kneeled down, especially those who had made snide remarks earlier, now trembling all over, prostrated on the ground, not daring to make a sound.

Song Chongjin had to try hard to remain solemn, though naturally, his face was dark, giving the impression that everyone owed him eight hundred taels of silver, and after being trained by Gu Changqing and Song Hong in the Capital City, he now stood there steadily, truly imbued with some official authority.

He simply nodded, indistinguishable in mood, saying: "You may all rise!"

Only then did He Changshou again shout: "Thank you, Lord Song!"

Then he rose.

The people behind him also shouted: "Thank you, Lord Song!"

The sudden noise startled the birds in the trees by the road, causing them to flutter skyward.

Old Granny Zhang, sitting in the cart, couldn’t stop grinning at the scene before her.

In the past, she had only seen such grand parades of top scholars returning home as depicted in opera, which was awe-inspiring.

But that was after all in the theater, just a few people.

Now, seeing her son-in-law, this spectacle, this style, looking at all the people kneeling throughout the street, now this is what you call returning home in glory!

With such a scene, such grandeur, when she returns to Qilidun, she can boast about it for a month.

Let those old women in the village see it too.

In the meantime, He Changshou had already invited Song Chongjin to sit in the sedan chair, and by tradition, he should be escorted with drums and gongs into the Confucius Temple, to pay homage to Sage Confucius, and then pass through the Kui Xing Gate.

Then all the neighbors should come forward to offer congratulations, seeking good fortune.

But where in this town is there a Confucius Temple and Sage Confucius? So He Changshou simply simplified it, just letting Song Chongjin be draped in red silk and green ribbons, sitting in the sedan chair, parading around the street.

Song Chongjin looked at the sedan chair tied with red silk, extremely resistant.

He Changshou kept persuading incessantly on the side, saying things like only this would make a grand impression, and even suggested that Song Chongjin lift the sedan chair curtains so everyone could glimpse Lord Song’s demeanor.

Song Chongjin’s mouth twitched, wishing to seal He Changshou’s mouth.

But he also knew that this was the proper way to return home in glory, and elsewhere they were only more exaggerated.

So, despite his unwillingness, he reluctantly got into the sedan chair.

Sitting stiffly, the sedan chair carriers then energetically hoisted the sedan chair, each standing upright, with the big red silk on their chests contrasting with their flushed faces, projecting a festive sight.

As the sedan chair slowly proceeded, passing the alley entrance, Wang Yongzhu saw Song Chongjin inside the sedan chair with a face of stiffness and hopelessness, laughing without any sympathy.

He even specially waved, seeing Song Chongjin look over, silently mouthed, "Good luck!" then stifled a laugh and lowered the carriage curtain.

Song Chongjin gritted his teeth in anger, wanting to retort, but as the sedan moved forward, it was inconvenient to turn back, so he let it go.

The folks by the road, whether vendors, those carrying burdens on foot, shop assistants at roadside workshops, or those early out buying vegetables, congratulated him heartily without exception.

Song Chongjin sat upright in the sedan chair, occasionally cupping his hand in thanks to the surrounding people.

Watching the sedan chair continue forward, the leading personal soldiers hurriedly gave a few orders, leaving half to guard the convoy, while the rest followed to protect.

Though this was Master Heir-Apparent’s hometown, now that his status was different, they could not afford to be negligent; should anything happen, they feared they’d have to apologize with their lives!

Wang Yongzhu knew that this street parade wouldn’t end anytime soon, and their carriage was blocking the alley entrance, preventing anyone inside from coming out and frightening those outside from coming in.

So he simply instructed them to turn the carriage back to the previous courtyard.

Since there was nothing else to do, Wang Yongzhu had someone guard the main gate, and called for Lord Du to come over.

Lord Du was still somewhat in a daze. Before this, he only knew that studying well meant acquiring a mansion of gold through books, and finding a beauty like jade through books.

And also, that the examination and imperial testing was the right path; if one succeeded, one could become an official and a minister.

In the Capital City, he saw the top scholar’s street parade every three years, but was too young to feel much, only envy and excitement.

But seeing this scene here today, he felt something different, though he couldn’t put it into words, but he knew it was different!

Hearing Wang Yongzhu call him, he came over somewhat absent-mindedly, saluted, and was invited to sit down.

Wang Yongzhu asked, "Having seen your little uncle’s street parade today, do you have any thoughts?"

Lord Du looked at Wang Yongzhu with some perplexity: "Little Master Aunt, I am somewhat puzzled. Why is it that in the Capital City, even when someone becomes a top scholar, people only watch for the excitement and express a couple of envious remarks?"

"But here, little uncle is not a top scholar, yet upon returning to his hometown, he commands such prestige! The people around don’t know him, yet they are genuinely happy for him and sincerely congratulating him! But why are some people showing such fear? Why is it like this?"

Wang Yongzhu raised an eyebrow, seeing that this child was not as incorrigible as his master implied.

Thus, he smiled and asked instead of answering: "Do you know why your father sent you out of the Capital City and your grandfather entrusted you to us?"

Lord Du hesitated a moment before saying: "It’s because grandfather and grandmother are getting old and need family around to care for them. Before, you, Little Master Aunt, were here, but you are about to go to Chicheng City with little uncle, and they will have no one by their side, so my parents were uneasy and sent me to Jing County."

Wang Yongzhu coldly chuckled: "Is that what your father told you?"

Lord Du bowed his head silently, tacitly agreeing.

"And you? What do you think?" Wang Yongzhu asked.

Lord Du said nothing, only looking down at his shoe tips.

"If you don’t speak, I won’t answer your previous question." Wang Yongzhu said lightly.

Lord Du struggled for half a day before muttering, "It was because Mother acted improperly, offending Little Master Aunt. Father wanted to teach Mother a lesson, and also to keep me away from her, fearing she would lead me astray, so he sent me to Jing County."