After Zhang Xuan left Zhijin City, he wandered around for two days to see if there were any big monsters here, but found nothing. He thought to himself: This imperial city is an important place in the capital and is full of righteousness. Those monsters and monsters should not dare to come, which will harm me. Several days of work were wasted!
When he returned to Xiema Post, the post officials saw him and greeted him with smiles. Their appearance completely changed. They took him to meet Meng Liang and Jiao Zan attentively, and then set up a sumptuous banquet for him.
Zhang Xuan said to Meng Liang and Jiao Zan: "You two, you emperor's servants are treated differently from ordinary people. You always get delicious food and drinks wherever you go!"
Meng Liang was startled at first, and then explained: "Master Zhang misunderstood! This grand ceremony is specially made to apologize to you. Those blind post officials have greatly neglected you, and I gave them a hard scolding. I wish I could beat you." It made them look for teeth all over the floor. After my scolding, they realized their mistake, and that's why we had this feast."
"Ah, that's it, brother, I'm serious about it!" Zhang Xuan said, "These guys really deserve to be beaten. They've always turned their nostrils in the air and watched what others do. How can they get away with it if they don't teach them a lesson?"
When he said this, he thought of the fifth prince and his entourage, with a feeling of gritted teeth.
When Meng Liang saw this, he mistakenly thought that Zhang Xuan was angry because he was ignored by the post officials, so he privately asked the post officials to donate some money to Zhang Xuan to appease Zhang Xuan's anger towards them.
Zhang Xuan looked at the pitiful expressions of the post officials and deliberately refused to accept their gifts, but he was afraid that they would feel uneasy because of his rejection, so he reluctantly accepted them.
Early the next morning, the three of them set out on the road and arrived at the palace at noon.
Meng Liang and Jiao Zan took Zhang Xuan to an empty room in Honglu Temple and let him rest there for a while.
Zhang Xuan wondered: "You two, I'm here to see the emperor. Why did you bring me here? This Honglu Temple has a weird name. What does it do?"
Meng Liang smiled and said: "Master Zhang, Honglu Temple is an institution specially designed by the imperial court to receive foreign guests. Before you go to see the emperor, the officials of Honglu Temple must teach you some interview etiquette to prevent you from being rude after meeting the emperor. I don’t know where to put my arms and legs.”
"Haha, you are looking down on me!" Zhang Xuan responded with a smile, "I have seen a lot of those big monsters, so what's the point of meeting the emperor?"
After hearing his nondescript metaphor, Meng Liang suppressed his laughter and said, "My hero, please stay patiently here while we two brothers go back to the hospital so that the manager can arrange a meeting between you and the emperor."
After that, he took Jiao Zan and left.
After the meal, an official led by E Guanbo came in, followed by a young woman holding a food box in her hand.
The official greeted Zhang Xuan and turned to motion for the woman to put the food box on the table.
The woman understood, put down the food box, and opened the lid. The fragrant food smell was immediately released, making Zhang Xuan swallow his saliva.
After the woman placed the tableware, she bowed and left. The official extended his hand and said politely: "Master Zhang, please!"
Zhang Xuan nodded and made a gesture of invitation.
After that, he sat across from the officials and ate. Officials are quite reserved, their movements are small, and their behavior is very measured. Zhang Xuan didn't care, he wolfed down the vegetables in the nine-color box, and his mouth was full of oil.
Apparently, the official originally planned to chat with Zhang Xuan while eating, but when he saw Zhang Xuan eating like this, he had no choice but to bury his head in his meal.
After Zhang Xuan filled his stomach and put down his bowls and chopsticks, the official spoke: "Master Zhang, please introduce me. My name is Tian Huang. I am the protocol officer of Honglu Temple. I am responsible for teaching you the etiquette of meeting the emperor."
"Ah, it turns out to be Brother Tian, disrespectful and disrespectful!" Zhang Xuan hurriedly bowed his hands and saluted, "It's not a big deal to meet the emperor. You don't need to be so nervous. Just tell me some basic rules. Mr. Emperor. If you call me here from afar, you won't have to worry about etiquette or etiquette, so you don't have to waste your time."
"This -" Tian Huang was speechless when he heard this, but he couldn't be speechless. He smiled awkwardly and said, "Master Zhang, it is not so easy to see the emperor. Even we officials in the palace cannot see the emperor all year round. Not a few. You are lucky enough to meet the emperor. This is a very honorable thing and should be taken seriously. You must not be careless!"
Seeing that Tian Huang was so serious about his affairs, Zhang Xuan couldn't bear to brush off his kindness, so he had to patiently learn the court etiquette.
In the evening, Meng Liang and Jiao Zan led Zhang Xuan into a magnificent guest room and ordered the palace servants serving here to serve Zhang Xuan well.
Zhang Xuan quietly asked the palace officials about the name of the emperor, but the palace officials were reluctant to tell them. It was not until Zhang Xuan used strong intimidation methods that they finally revealed it.
Ah, it turns out that this arrogant guy is named Sima Letian!
Hearing this name, Zhang Xuan pondered its meaning, while rolling his eyes and looking at the palace people. He thought, although this name is a bit noble, it is so high that people dare not mention it. The palace people I don't want to mention it. It should be because there are regulations in the court that do not allow anyone to call the emperor by his first name.
Thinking of this, Zhang Xuan suddenly became angry for some reason and said to himself: "Sima Letian, Sima Letian, you damn guy, you have spoiled the fifth prince like this. It is very likely that the country you think is stable will be destroyed by him." Destroy it, hum!”
The palace people vaguely heard what he said, and they were too frightened to raise their heads.
At midnight the next day, Tian Huang accompanied a very strict official to the guest house.
"Master Zhang, this is Mr. Chen, the young minister of Honglu Temple!" Tian Huang introduced.
"Hello, Mr. Chen, nice to meet you!" Zhang Xuan said, clasping his fists and saluting.
Master Chen nodded and said, "Master Zhang, I will take you to see the emperor now. Are you ready?"
"What is there to prepare for?" Zhang Xuan responded calmly, "The emperor is a human being, and we are also human beings. Why should we be so nervous when meeting people? I think you just complicate something that is originally very simple."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Chen agreed with Zhang Xuan's statement from the bottom of his heart, but he had to complain: Brother, you have to bow your head under the roof of others. This is an eternal truth. If anyone doesn't bow his head, he will definitely get a bloody head. No one wants such harm!
If Zhang Xuan was his subordinate, he would definitely teach him a lesson with a straight face, but Zhang Xuan was a guest invited by the emperor, and he was not qualified to teach others a lesson. At most, he could only give advice.
After thinking about it for a while, Master Chen took Zhang Xuan to see the dear emperor Sima Letian without even giving any advice.
Zhang Xuan originally thought that the emperor would meet him in a magnificent hall, but unexpectedly Master Chen took him into an extremely ordinary small courtyard.
There was such a courtyard in the palace, which was beyond his imagination.
After entering the courtyard gate, Mr. Chen coughed lightly.
Perhaps after hearing Lord Chen's cough, two palace maids with smiles on their faces ran out of the main room. One of them said, "Master Chen, are you here?"
While talking, he looked at Zhang Xuan.
Mr. Chen nodded and took Zhang Xuan to the main room. As soon as he entered, he knelt down with a plop and said, "I bow to the emperor!"
While speaking, he secretly glanced at Zhang Xuan, only to see Zhang Xuan cupping his hands towards the emperor. He thought to himself: You damn guy, do you just hand over your hands to everyone you meet? I, an important official of the imperial court, have to kneel down when I see the emperor. You are just a country boy, but you are standing there with such a big air, how outrageous!
While thinking about it, he pulled on Zhang Xuan's trousers.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Xuan didn't listen to him at all and still stood upright.
But I heard the Prince Sima Letian say: "Ai Qing, please be free! Daxia Zhang is an expert outside the world, and he doesn't pay much attention to the common etiquette in the court. You should stop doing those little tricks!"
