"Imperial decree?!" Zhou Bai also said with some doubts.
However, he knew that there was a high probability that it was a good thing. If he had committed any taboo crime, the people coming to notify him now would not be his family members, but soldiers with full armor.
Without hesitation, Zhou Bai arranged his clothes under the service of the maid, sprayed perfume, and hurried to the gate of his ancestral home to greet him.
Originally, according to the general procedure, before receiving the edict, one needed to bathe and change clothes, burn incense and pray the day before, and set up an incense table in the hall.
The next day, the messenger is asked to enter from the middle door. The person receiving the decree stands beside the incense case, and the messenger stands in front of the case to announce the decree.
But after three hundred and twenty-five years in Daxu, more than a dozen emperors had been changed. All the systems had long been superficial, and even the ritual of delivering decrees could be weakened.
The eunuchs who come out of the palace to deliver orders can be simpler if they want to be simple.
So in front of a temporary incense table set up by one party, the imperial edict began to be conveyed. Below, Zhou Bai and the clan leader all knelt down in order.
No imperial edict has ever been to Hongni Township. They all have different ideas. No one knows how the emperor thousands of miles away knows about a small Zhou clan.
There were many soldiers, and the distinguished guards scanned everywhere, suppressing the whole place into silence.
The emperor, who was entrusted to heaven, issued an edict: "Herein lies Zhou Bai, a man of gentle nature, highly respected by Yonghe, and well-known. However, there are bandits on the Ping Cang Road, and the crimes are heinous. Bai is not afraid of chaos, and his marksmanship is unparalleled. I have killed fifteen bandits and have made great contributions to the defense of the country. I am grateful to you for your civil and military service. It is appropriate to commend me to show your virtue. I am now conferring you the title of Yunqi Lieutenant and bestowing you with robes and jade belts. I appreciate this!"
In the eunuch's sharp announcement, all the Zhou people were shocked. They had heard that Zhou Bai met a strong man when he returned to his hometown, but they did not expect him to be so fierce.
Kill fifteen people in formation? Even if it was shot with a bow and arrow, that would be outrageous.
But isn't the knighthood a bit too heavy-handed? It's strange that killing ordinary bandits wouldn't be enough for the emperor to issue a decree to knight him.
"Zhou Bai, please accept the order and thank me!"
Zhou Baike didn't care what the tribesmen's mentality was. He happily accepted the imperial edict and the corresponding knighthood documents. Zhong Wei quickly stepped forward to hold the robe and jade belt.
Starting from today, he is Daxu's Yunqi Lieutenant, enjoying the treatment of an eighth-grade official.
With this status, he had the confidence to sit down and talk even when facing the county magistrate Ji Hongzhe.
It's a pity that the imperial edict did not mention hereditary substitution, nor did it mention the reduction of rank, which also meant that his Yunqi Lieutenant was only a lifelong knight.
However, the regretful thought only lingered for a moment, and was quickly extinguished. Before rebirth, the giant Daxu had long been torn apart.
In this case, there is no need for hereditary substitution. In the future, he will seal himself, so why should he seal it?
There were thousands of thoughts in his mind, but Zhou Bai had a smile on his face. He handed the imperial edict to Ji Hongzhe to offer, while he took the cloth bag handed by Chen Zhongbang, and then invited the eunuch who delivered the edict to take a walk outside.
"The tired angel traveled so far to deliver the message to me. Please accept the carriage fee."
"Zhou Yun is a great knight. He was awarded the title of Lieutenant Commander at the age of fifteen. He might actually be awarded a fifth-class title in the future..."
Others didn't know why Zhou Bai, a young man, could chat with the white-faced eunuch in the palace for so long. They only saw that the two had known each other for many years since they came back from the outside.
"My lord, please go slowly. If you come to Pingcang again in the future, please give me a chance to be a host." Outside the archway of Hongni Township, Zhou Bai led everyone to say goodbye. Both parties showed a harmonious and regretful attitude.
"Zhou Yun, ride back. The villagers don't know how to raise such a handsome man like you. It's a pity. I hope I can give you another chance to deliver the message next time!" The eunuch who delivered the message really said something in his heart at this time. Well, look at how the timid senior officials of the Zhou clan look like the same clan as this high-spirited young man.
Without saying anything more, a group of majestic armored knights protected the eunuch and flew away without even being able to rest for one night.
There are other tasks. It is not easy for people in the palace to go out. Traveling so far is not just to award a lieutenant to a scholar.
Dong Dong Dong~
The sound of the dragon horse's hooves was like thunder, but it made the Zhou people breathe a sigh of relief.
Their faces were red, and when they dispersed back, they couldn't help but glance at the unshakable leader of the Zhou clan.
Everyone knew that even if Zhou Bai failed to pass the examination in the future, he would be able to firmly control the power of the Zhou clan with the title of Yunqiwei alone.
It has been many years since the ancestors of the third generation promoted people to serve as officials. Only now did the Zhou clan have an official position: Zhou Bai.
As soon as he turned around, Zhou Bai called Chen Zhongbang: "The eunuch's name is Wang Xiu, and he is also from Dingzhou. I will collect his information when I have time, and specially create a file for storage. This line must be maintained."
"Yes, lord. This is how relationships are managed. It may be of great use in the future. It's just for intelligence collection. You can see if a special agency should be set up." Chen Zhongbang immediately agreed and revealed an idea that Zhou Bai had always hidden in his heart. .
Zhou Bai thought for a moment and said: "It's not possible yet. We don't have the right manpower and we don't have enough funds. Let's put it on the schedule and wait for the opportunity."
Before the two of them finished speaking, a deacon ran over from the dispersed crowd: "Master Bai, the clan leader said that the expenses for entertaining the angels and attendants just now can be reimbursed within the clan."
It turns out that the three hundred taels that Zhou Bai gave to Wang Xiu just now, as well as the money and food that Chen Zhongbang and others paid to install a group of soldiers and followers behind, were all expenditures from the inner government account.
Zhou Mingxuan may have done this because he was worried that the government would not have enough money, or he wanted to show his favor to him.
Zhou Bai smiled after hearing this, shook his head and said: "Go and tell the clan leader that public affairs are public affairs and private affairs are private, and the inner government can still maintain its operation."
The deacon was stunned after obeying the order. Seeing Zhou Bai's firm attitude, he had no choice but to leave.
However, this also reminded him that the inner government's accounts may not be enough. Zhou Bai looked at Chen Zhongbang with an inquiring intention.
Chen Zhongbang was standing next to him, so he naturally understood what Zhou Bai was asking. His face, which was originally filled with joy for Zhou Bai's title, suddenly fell. He smiled bitterly and said: "After this, the inner palace is really empty, with a total of twenty-three, two, and five left." Ten coins may not even be enough for next month’s salary.”
"In this way, you go to the county town in the next two days. In addition to getting the samples of the Suihan Collection, you also go to the county office to get back the silver reward from Yunqi Lieutenant. The first reward of a hundred taels of silver, plus this month's salary, should be able to We will wait until the Qi family gets the dividends." Zhou Bai also had a headache at this time and reluctantly came up with a way to support him.
The stall still started too quickly, but if we can’t afford it, it won’t be able to lay a solid foundation.
He clearly remembered that the Xiangxing Fifty Years Catastrophe would begin, and by then there would be no such ample preparation time.
One deacon was sent away, and another deacon came, sent by the clan leader. Being knighted was a big deal, so he was asked to go to the clan temple to offer sacrifices to his ancestors.
This Zhou Bai had no reason to refuse, not to mention that it was time for him to have a showdown with Zhou Mingxuan.
This title can save him half a year, as he does not have to wait for the exam to fully integrate the family's power.
As Yunqiwei, who can fight for the position of leader of the clan, and who can oppose it.
