Volume 1: Kyoto Winds and Clouds Chapter 4: Family Reunion The Angel Arrives
The governor laughed loudly and said, "I thought it was something! You're still young, but as a good son of the Han family, how can you not drink wine? Your several older brothers have been fed wine with chopsticks by me since they were young! You haven't tried it because..."
The governor suddenly stopped, looking at Ji Yu with some embarrassment. Ji Yu seemed to have not heard what the governor said, or he was eager to drink and ignored the governor's words. All that could be heard was Ji Yu laughing: "Father, what are you waiting for? We'll pay our respects to our ancestors, then open the feast. I've often heard people talk about the flavor of wine, but I don't know how it really tastes. I'd love to try some!"
"At such a young age, he's already so good at drinking, and when he grows up, he'll be even more impressive!" The county magistrate hadn't spoken yet, but his wife tapped Junyu's head lightly, her actions and expression full of doting love. As for Junyu's older brothers, although they felt some jealousy, people tend to favor the youngest child, and as older brothers, there was nothing they could do about it. Moreover, Junyu's oldest brother was already over twenty years old, and his second brother had also reached that age; his oldest brother had even been selected as a filial and incorruptible official, so it wasn't worth competing with a child of five or six for favor. And Junyu's third brother was only slightly older than him, but he too had always been spoiled rotten. Now that Junyu was normal again, he gained another playmate, and his joy was already overflowing; how could he possibly think about competing for favor?
As for the father's title, it is inherited by the eldest son, and Jiyu's existence will not threaten anyone in the family! Of course, this is in a peaceful era. If it were a chaotic era, it would be troublesome because during peacetime, the inheritance of titles is specified by the imperial court according to the eldest son, but in a chaotic era, the imperial court has no restraining power. If the father favors the younger son, he may leave the family business to the younger son! At that time, several children will fight over what their elders left behind!
A family was happily sacrificing their ancestors and were about to have a feast, when suddenly a servant rushed in shouting, his flustered appearance making the governor furious. It's worth noting that official families often emphasize demeanor and temperament, and even servants are no exception. The governor looked at the rushing servant coldly and said: "What kind of manner is this?"
Seeing the governor get angry, the servant immediately knelt down. In ancient times, the master who beat a house slave to death was fined at most, and the governor, with his dignity, beat a house slave who had made a mistake, might not even need to pay a fine! Seeing the servant calm down, the governor felt quite pleased with himself, he picked up his teacup and took a sip, speaking slowly and deliberately: "What's going on, tell me!"
The servant heaved a sigh of relief, seeing that the governor had escaped his wrath. To avoid further anger from the governor, the servant also adopted the governor's slow and deliberate tone: "Reporting to Your Honor, there is an imperial envoy arriving from Luoyang!"
"Angel, and the bird man! Just don't know if it will fly!" Hearing the two words "angel", Ji Yu secretly laughed in his heart, but Tai Shou suddenly stood up and said: "Why didn't you say so earlier! Quick! Take a bath, change clothes, burn incense to wait for the angel!" Ji Yu saw that his father was so nervous, suddenly reacted, and realized that the angel of ancient times did not have as many meanings as in later generations. The angel here refers to the emperor's envoy, no wonder Tai Shou is so tense!
"I was just about to say that, but you interrupted me before I could!" The servant muttered under his breath and looked at the flustered governor with some relief. But he didn't dare say more, or else the governor would crush him like a stink bug. Seeing the servant still standing there in a daze, the governor waved his hand for him to go prepare for the reception of the heavenly envoy's affairs.
"Zhuang'er has recovered, but I haven't..." The county magistrate felt a bit guilty. He had originally wanted to celebrate his son's recovery, but unexpectedly something urgent came up, leaving him in a difficult position!
"Father!" Ji Yu interrupted the Taishou: "The bond between father and son is not just for a moment! Please hurry to welcome the heavenly envoy, if you keep them waiting, people will think you are being lazy, that wouldn't be good!" Eunuchs are close officials of the emperor, if they offend them, even the best official would be framed by them every day and won't be able to bear it, this is not like a gentle breeze.
Although Ji Yu knew through the conversation of his subordinates that he was in the Han Dynasty, he did not know which emperor was in power. After all, he had lost four or five years and didn't have the mood to understand these things. To say something depressing, Ji Yu still doesn't know what his surname is until now, only knowing that his single name is Zhang, courtesy name Ji Yu, and nickname Jue Er!
Seeing his son being so sensible, the governor couldn't help but feel a little moved. However, he also knew that those eunuchs were not good people, so he patted Ji Yu's head and left. The governor's wife saw that Ji Yu seemed to be worried, so she smiled and said: "Ji Yu, why worry? Although your father is only a marquis, our family is the orthodox Han clan relatives, you and your several brothers are all in the genealogy, and have jade discs! In terms of generation, your father is actually the uncle of the current emperor!"
"As mother said, if I see the emperor, should I call him imperial brother?" The county magistrate's wife and Eldest Brother and Second Brother of Ji Yu looked at each other in dismay, they did not expect Ji Yu to be so presumptuous. As for Third Brother of Ji Yu, he was still young and didn't understand what an emperor was. Seeing that his mother and brothers were all stunned by him, Ji Yu suddenly flipped over and jumped down from the couch, running while saying: "Mother, I've never seen a heavenly messenger, I'll go take a look!"
Ji Yu's third brother saw Ji Yu rush out and hurriedly followed. The county magistrate's wife failed to catch Ji Yu but blocked the old three, she said to Ji Yu's eldest brother and second brother: "You quickly go and watch Xia Jueer, don't let him make trouble!" Ji Yu's eldest brother and second brother rushed out in a hurry, at this time, Ji Yu had already arrived at the front hall!
Actually, the angel didn't come that quickly. The governor's authority was too great. Before the angel even arrived at the city gate, someone would have already come to inform him, and the imperial edict would have been issued early on. Of course, if there were people who obstructed this process, then it would be a different story!
When Ji Yu rushed to the front hall, the governor had already made preparations to receive the imperial edict. Suddenly, he heard a noise at the door and turned his head, only to find that his own young son was peeking into the hall. Originally, the governor wanted to let Ji Yu go back, but things happened coincidentally, and the heavenly envoy walked in at this moment. The governor couldn't take care of his son anymore and could only glare fiercely at Ji Yu. How could Ji Yu be afraid? He just stuck out his tongue at the governor and looked towards the heavenly envoy!
To be honest, the eunuchs of the Han Dynasty were much stronger than those of later generations. At least they were stronger than those in TV dramas who wear eunuch costumes and look weak and feeble. It's worth noting that the role of eunuchs was not only to serve the nobles in the palace but also to take charge of various labors within the palace. If all eunuchs looked like women, who would do the hard and laborious work? Take, for example, the eunuch Zhong Liang used by Emperor Ling of Han. This man was robust and skilled in martial arts, with no difference from men except for one thing! As for this eunuch who proclaimed the imperial edict, although he wasn't a sturdy man with a strong back and waist, he looked quite majestic, only his skin seemed to be very smooth and white to an abnormal degree.
