Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 363 Dressed in Fine Clothes and Riding a Spirited Horse
As the sun set, Lu Beigu left the Censorate carrying a pile of clothes that had been given to him to wear to court.

Because the morning court session will begin at dawn tomorrow, officials must go to the waiting hall in advance to await the court session. Considering the time spent washing up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and traveling, even officials living in the inner city must get up at the beginning of the Yin hour.

The Lu family's old residence was located on Chenzhoumen Inner Street in the southeast corner of the outer city, which was very far from the Forbidden City. Moreover, it had just been renovated and still had some lingering smells. Considering both health and time, Lu Beigu decided to spend the night at the front shop of Chengmingzhai in the inner city.

When I returned to Chengmingzhai, the shop was already closed.

Shen Kuo was still engrossed in studying some crystal mirrors at the table in the front bunk when he saw him enter carrying a bundle. Startled, he exclaimed with delight, "You brought it back already? What is your assigned task?"

“Li Xing, Attendant Censor of the Palace.”

Lu Beigu sat down opposite him and placed the heavy bundle of clothes on the chair next to him.

Seeing the hot tea on the table, he poured himself a cup. The spring evening was still a bit chilly, and he felt a bit of a draft.

"Li Xing, that's also a Palace Attendant Censor."

In the Song Dynasty, "Lixing" meant trainee or candidate. This post was a candidate for the position of Palace Attendant Censor. Although it contained the words "Lixing", its function was exactly the same as that of the Palace Attendant Censor, namely, "to correct the mistakes of all officials in accordance with the law and regulations".

Shen Kuo clicked his tongue in praise: "Being able to attend court is truly impressive! Even better than the Censor."

There is a very subtle institutional design here.

That is, within the Censorate, the Palace Attendant Censor, who is of a higher rank than the Supervising Censor, can attend court, and the Palace Attendant Censor, who is of a lower rank than the Supervising Censor, can also attend court, but the Supervising Censor cannot.

Because the function of the Censorate was to "inspect all officials and patrol prefectures and counties," and they were not court officials, they could not participate in the court assemblies in the main hall.

Of course, the loopholes for reporting on others could not be completely blocked. If the censors had anything to do, they could line up in the back hall for the emperor's summons during the court assembly.

Yes, in the Song Dynasty, court assemblies were divided into front hall assemblies and rear hall assemblies.

In the front hall court assembly, a group of officials would come to court and line up in the order of civil officials to the east and military officials to the west. The prime minister and the privy councilor would be the first to present their reports, followed by other officials in order of rank. If the presentations took too long and were not finished by the time Chenshi (7-9 AM), they would either be recorded and discussed at a later time, or they would go to the rear hall court assembly to discuss them.

The court assembly in the inner palace was no longer attended by a group of people. Instead, the emperor would have the officials line up as needed and then come in one by one to present their cases. The officials who participated included not only officials from the capital but also local officials and even eunuchs from the Inner Palace Secretariat.

After drinking a few cups of hot tea and sweating a little, Lu Beigu felt much more comfortable.

On his first day at the Censorate, to be honest, he was still a little tense the whole time.

"I need to go to court tomorrow, and living in the old house is probably too far from the palace and inconvenient to travel back and forth. How about I make do with you in the shop for a while? We can move back to the old house once it's been ventilated."

“Why not?” Shen Kuo disagreed.

Lu Beigu nodded. Friendship alone is not enough; indeed, an alliance of interests is the most reliable.

"Do you still need to hire servants for your old house?" Shen Kuo asked.

Lu Bei thought for a moment and replied, "It shouldn't be necessary for now. My family and my elder brother's family haven't separated yet. My elder sister-in-law is like a mother to me, and we also have two children. If we can settle down in the capital, I'm thinking of bringing them over from Luzhou."

"Oh, it's not a short distance. If you have the chance, it would be best if you went to pick me up yourself."

"I know."

Lu Beigu then asked, "Has your appointment document arrived yet?"

No. You did that on purpose, didn't you?

Shen Kuo pretended to be angry and slammed his fist on the table, saying, "Today we'll get the first and second class, and tomorrow we'll get the third and fourth class, and I'm in the fifth class, okay! I'll most likely be relegated to the second class, and what I'll get is probably the relegation notice."

"Is that so?"

Lu Beigu was a little embarrassed. He really didn't know these rules. He had received the document himself and subconsciously assumed that all the appointment documents for the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) had been issued today.

He then quickly changed the subject.

"Sigh, I have to go to court tomorrow, but I don't know anyone here, and I don't know what to do."

Shen Kuo replied, "I don't know either. You'll know if you go every day for a few days."

"Do we have to attend court every day?" Lu Beigu asked. "I didn't even dare to ask in front of Vice Minister Ouyang this afternoon."

“The Palace Attendant Censor is a ‘daily attendant’, so of course he has to go every day, but other court officials may not be able to.”

Shen Kuo explained: "I heard my late father say that there are three types of court officials: 'daily attendees,' 'six-day attendees,' and 'monthly attendees.' 'Six-day attendees' attend court every five days, while 'monthly attendees attend court on the first and fifteenth of each month.' This ensures that all government offices in the capital can present their reports regularly, without having too many people attending court at the same time, which would affect the progress of the proceedings."

"I see."

After explaining, Shen Kuo stretched out his hand and said with a grin, "Let me see this outfit first."

"What's so interesting about this?" Lu Beigu asked curiously.

However, he still moved the pile of clothes from the chair beside him to Shen Kuo's front.

"Hey, I'm just curious because I don't have it myself."

Shen Kuo took the outfit and examined it carefully.

This includes green official robes, turbans with extended legs, white floral silk undershirts, square-necked collars, green and yellow double silk sashes, rhinoceros horn belts, black leather boots, and so on.

The green official robe was the same as the one the Emperor had previously bestowed upon Lu Beigu, with no difference. Shen Kuo fiddled with the turban he had been wearing, even putting it on his own head.

"What's the significance of these two statements? Since someone in your family has held official positions, you should know, right?"

Lu Beigu pointed to Fang Xinqu's collar and the green and yellow double silk sash and asked.

"This is called Fangxin Quling, made of silk. After you put on your inner garment and official robe, put this over your neck and press it against the collar to prevent it from bunching up. It symbolizes the idea of ​​'heaven is round and earth is square.' You'll know once you wear it yourself. Once the belt is tightened, this inner garment will inevitably make the outer robe stand up."

Previously, when Lu Beigu rode through the streets on horseback, he wore a light yellow silk shirt with a green official robe. The silk shirt was very soft, so he did not have this problem.

This white silk inner lining is somewhat similar to a modern shirt, much more structured than a silk blouse, but its drawback is that it easily causes the collar of the outer robe to bulge outwards, which is unsightly.

"As for the sashes, they are purely decorative. Purple robes are paired with purple and yellow sashes, scarlet robes with scarlet and yellow sashes, and green robes with green and yellow sashes."

"Here, try them on first."

Lu Beigu began to put on the attire that symbolized his official status.

He first took off the green robe bestowed upon him by the emperor and put on a white brocade undershirt. The inner lining was of good quality, smooth and slightly cool to the touch, and did not feel tight against his skin.

Shen Kuo pointed out from the side: "The collar of this inner garment needs to be neatly arranged, otherwise the outer robe will look particularly dirty and wrinkled."

Upon hearing this, Lu Beigu tidied himself up and then put his official robes back on.

With Shen Kuo's help, it was much easier for Lu Beigu to put on the robe than he could do on his own. Shen Kuo helped him lift the collar of the robe, and Lu Beigu put his arms into the sleeves. The official robes were quite loose, but the cut was just right, and they made him look even more upright.

Then came the most important part: the square-shaped collar. Shen Kuo, standing opposite him, carefully put the square-shaped collar on Lu Beigu and then adjusted its position so that it rested properly against his chest.

After being put on, the collar of the official robe was indeed well secured, making it appear more neat and dignified.

Lu Beigu turned his head to look at the green and yellow double silk ribbon and smiled, "This is simple."

He first tied a gold lychee belt around his waist, which immediately accentuated the waistline of his official robe, making him appear even more broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, exuding a heroic air. The green and yellow silk sashes, once tied, naturally intertwined and hung down, swaying gently at his sides with his movements.

Finally, there's the turban with its legs spread out.

Lu Beigu carefully put it on his head, making slight adjustments to keep the hard wings that stretched out to the sides horizontal.

After putting it on, he felt his entire aura change.

Shen Kuo took two steps back, looked Lu Beigu up and down, and said with admiration in his eyes: "Imperial Censor Lu, what a fine demeanor! Wearing this outfit, your bearing is completely different!"

Shen Kuo went around behind him, smoothed out the wrinkles on his back, and straightened the wide sleeves, saying, "However, this official robe is meant to be dignified and elegant. You need to be careful when you move and not be too hasty, so as not to be impolite."

Then, he pulled Lu Beigu to the mirror.

"Take a look for yourself." Lu Beigu looked into the mirror.

The boy in the mirror wore a turban with his feet spread out, a green official robe, a square collar that sat neatly against his chest, a gold belt around his waist, and a silk sash hanging down.

In addition to the calm demeanor honed through the imperial examinations, he now exuded the majesty of a high-ranking official. Although still young, his attire clearly distinguished him from his former identity as a scholar in a blue robe.

"Clothes really do make the man, and gold plating makes the Buddha," he remarked.

“That makes sense,” Shen Kuo suddenly asked. “By the way, how are you getting there tomorrow?”

Lu Bei thought for a moment and said, "Let's hire a car. It seems inconvenient to walk there. We'll be covered in sweat and our clothes will be all messed up."

“Then you have to book in advance. It’s too early. If you go to the street at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), where will you find a driver?” Shen Kuo reminded him.

"Yes, yes, you're right."

Lu Beigu nodded repeatedly. Shen Kuo's reminder was good, otherwise he would have forgotten about this. Last time he went to the Forbidden City, he rode in Song Xiang's carriage. He had never hired a carriage before dawn.

He usually gets around at regular times and can always hire a car, but for such early hours, there are no cars available unless you book in advance.

"I'll go to the carriage shop on the corner and reserve one." Lu Beigu then turned to leave.

"Don't go, your outfit will scare people. I'll go instead. By the way, the gold lychee belt is really eye-catching. Did they also issue a rhinoceros horn belt?"

Lu Beigu rummaged through the bundle containing the clothing and found a rhinoceros horn belt, as well as two pairs of black leather boots.

"Let's use this one."

Shen Kuo turned his head at the door and said, "In the seventh year of the Taiping Xingguo reign of Emperor Taizong, it was stipulated that officials of the third rank and above should wear jade belts, those of the fourth rank should wear gold belts, those of the fifth rank should wear silver belts, and those of the sixth rank should wear rhinoceros belts. The gold lychee belts were made from the inner court and given to generals and ministers. Many officials did not have them, which made it too easy for them to arouse jealousy."

"Row."

Before long, Shen Kuo had booked a carriage for him and came back talking about it.

"But if you ask me, since you go to court every day, there's no reason for you to book a carriage every day. Why don't you just buy one yourself?"

Consultant Lu Bei asked, "How much would it cost to buy a horse and a carriage together? And wouldn't it cost money to feed the horse afterwards?"

Unlike Lu Beigu, Shen Kuo came from a proper official family. His grandfather, Shen Zengqing, had served as the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and his father, Shen Zhou, and uncle, Shen Tong, were both Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). From a young age, he accompanied his father on official journeys to various prefectures and counties, and he understood these matters of officialdom much better than Lu Beigu.

“Things are valued for their scarcity. Horses are scarce in the Song Dynasty, so their price is high. A regular horse costs over a hundred strings of cash, and a carriage costs several dozen strings as well. However, you don’t need to worry about feeding them. As a sixth-rank official, you will receive fodder at the end of each month, which is more than enough for daily transportation. The only problem is that if you buy a carriage, you will need to hire a driver. After all, I have never seen an official drive his own carriage.”

Goodness, the benefits of being an official in the Song Dynasty were truly comprehensive; they even provided transportation allowances, which would be equivalent to a gas card in modern times.

As for the fodder, Ouyang Xiu never mentioned it to him. It's likely that Ouyang Xiu either subconsciously overlooked it or thought it was insignificant.

"Where would I get that money? I'll save up my salary for three months first."

In order to buy back the old Lu family house last time, Lu Beigu had already withdrawn a large sum of money from Chengmingzhai's account in advance. At that time, he had agreed with Shen Kuo that he would not withdraw any more money until he had enough to make up for Shen Kuo's share of the profits.

In any case, he was too embarrassed to bring it up.

Moreover, Chengmingzhai has passed its initial boom phase. Although there is still a backlog of orders, it certainly won't be making as much money all at once in the future. In addition, there are costs for labor and land rent, so it will still be several months before Shen Kuo can receive his due dividends.

Shen Kuo saw through his thoughts and said, "Then consider it a loan from me, with five percent interest. How can a young top scholar not be dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse? Buy what you need."

"That's fine."

Lu Beigu immediately agreed, clearly wanting to buy his own carriage.

After all, the feeling of buying something now is completely different from the feeling of buying it later.

"Then go ask Huang Shi if he'd be willing to be your driver. I see him sitting in the warehouse all day, he must be pretty bored."

"I'll go ask."

When Lu Beigu found Huang Shi in the corridor between the front shop and the back warehouse of Chengmingzhai, Huang Shi was practicing horse stance while holding a burlap sack.

After this period of rest, his body seems to have recovered a lot. Although he still looks very thin, he is obviously full of energy.

"Take a break, there's something I'd like to discuss with you," Lu Beigu said.

Huang Shi put down the sack, wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, and said respectfully, "Please speak, my benefactor."

Lu Beigu got straight to the point: "Now that I have been appointed to an official position, I need to go to the palace to attend court every day. It is not appropriate to always hire a carriage. I am thinking of buying a carriage and finding a reliable person to drive it. I wonder if you would be willing to take on this role temporarily?"

He spoke tactfully, but he did have some reservations.

Huang Shi was once a skilled soldier and also possessed martial arts skills. Lu Beigu was afraid that Huang Shi would feel it was a waste of his talents to be a coachman.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Huang Shi showed no displeasure whatsoever. Instead, he said, "My benefactor, what are you saying! This shows you trust me! I'm overjoyed, how could I feel like I'm doing you a disservice?"

"To be honest, my benefactor, during my years in the Northwest Army, I saw too many men fighting and killing. Even someone as capable as General Di Qing, what happened to him in the end? In the end, it is those who wield the pen who decide the fate of this world."

Huang Shi continued with a touch of emotion, "Those of us who only know how to wield weapons, if we don't have the right opportunities, even if we risk our lives, it's hard to find a proper background. People say that the top scholar is the reincarnation of the God of Literature from heaven. The fact that my benefactor allowed me to follow him is a blessing that even burning incense can't bring me."

Lu Beigu heard his sincere words and knew that he was speaking from the heart, so his worries disappeared.

Having experienced life and death ups and downs, Huang Shi is no longer the martial artist who wanted to make a name for himself with his skills when he first came down from Mount Emei. He has a clear understanding of the ways of the world.

Indeed, this was the case. Lu Beigu became the top scholar at the age of eighteen, and his future was limitless. At this time, Huang Shi was his coachman and bodyguard. When Lu Beigu rose to a high position in the future, it would not be difficult to get him a military official position.

When he returns to his hometown at that time, he will truly bring honor to his ancestors.

However, Huang Shi's smile quickly faded, and a look of worry appeared between his brows.

He rubbed his rough hands together and lowered his voice: "A good man's ambition lies in all directions. It is my good fortune to be able to follow my benefactor. However, I still have an elderly mother at home in Jiaozhou, all alone. I really can't bear to leave her."

Lu Beigu immediately understood.

Huang Shi was a truly filial and righteous man, and it was precisely this filial piety that indirectly led to that disaster.

“This matter is easy. I will immediately write a letter to Li Pan, the military judge of Luzhou.”

Lu Beigu immediately said gently, "Judge Li and I have some acquaintance. I asked him to ask the local officials in Jiaozhou to take good care of your elderly mother and ensure that she has enough to eat and wear."

Upon hearing this, Huang Shi suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with incredulous gratitude, his lips moving but unable to utter a word for a moment.

Lu Beigu didn't say much. He turned around and went back to the front bunk. He took out paper and pen, thought for a moment, and then wrote down his thoughts in a flash.

The letter first reminisces about their past friendship, mentioning that he has now been granted an official position and expressing gratitude to Li Pan for his past care. It then mentions Huang Shi's loyalty, righteousness, and bravery, noting that Huang Shi is now with him, but his mother lives alone in Zhige Town, Jiaozhou. The letter earnestly requests that Li Pan ask the officials of Jiaozhou to take care of Huang Shi.

Li Pan is a shrewd man. He would be cautious about important matters, but he would never refuse a small favor that could earn Lu Beigu's gratitude.

After he finished writing, Lu Beigu read it to him.

Is this arrangement appropriate?

"Thank you so much, my benefactor. Now I have no more worries."

Lu Beigu was relieved that Huang Shi was willing to be the coachman. For him, an ordinary coachman was definitely not as reassuring as Huang Shi, who was both a coachman and a bodyguard.

With Huang Shi around, his superb martial arts skills are enough to protect Lu Beigu even if he faces a dozen or so ordinary thieves, as long as he has a long weapon.

In this way, Lu Beigu was no longer afraid of being harmed by villains.

Of course, the factional strife in the Song Dynasty at that time had not yet reached the life-or-death intensity of the later New Party and Old Party. Overall, it still maintained a basic level of dignity. Even if someone was defeated, it was rare for them to be driven to the brink of extermination, and the troubles would not involve their wives and children.

But in any case, it's always better to be prepared.

After all, he has a long road ahead of him, and the enemies he faces may not only come from the imperial court, but also from the martial arts world, or even from enemy countries.

(End of this chapter)