"A guest has arrived."
"The esteemed Tian from Luting County leads the entire staff of the Luting County Government Office in venerating Old Master Zhang with three kowtows!"
"The filial son offers his thanks!"
"A guest has arrived."
"Zhou, the shopkeeper from Jianghuai Chain Fort representing the young master Li Jincheng, venerates Old Master Zhang with three kowtows!"
"The filial son offers his thanks!"
"The chief steward Hong Gang from the Yang Family of Fengyang represents the eldest son Yang Tiansheng to venerate Old Master Zhang..."
Liu Mang greeted the guests outside the mourning hall while Yang Ge kowtowed inside.
The one greeting had shouted hoarsely, and the one kowtowing had split his forehead.
In the spacious courtyard outside the hall where a wall had been leveled, fifty tables for the banquet were set amidst the mournful music, with teeming crowds mingling ardently. The fervent atmosphere of fireworks and human warmth dispelled the cold snap of early spring as well as the pungent aroma of ingot-shaped candles permeating the air.
Outside the banquet area, mourners had lined up from the tail of the village to the entrance, extending along the river levee, forming a seemingly endless dark mass. Many had not even entered the banquet area and instead formed an impromptu line in front of the unsupervised altar, placing their token of condolence before bowing three times toward the mourning hall from afar and then departing.
Some had left a handful of copper coins.
Some had left a small bag of millet.
No one organized these efforts, yet they came together like sands forming a tower, piling into two significant mounds...
They were all the common folk of Luting.
They knew that Zhang Mazi was kneeling inside the mourning hall.
Thus, they all came.
Thus, they did not go inside.
Hu Qiang wore the Nine-Tubes mask, originally intending to provide a plausible rationale for the unusual gesture of hundreds of strongmen from the upper right bureau collectively attending the old fisherman’s funeral.
But when the men from the upper right bureau all attended, how could the official families of the Luting County Government Office dare not to come?
Since the official families of Luting had come, the news spread throughout Luting...
Even though a year had already passed.
Yet the common folk of Luting still remembered Zhang Mazi, who had risked his life to seize grains from the three major grain merchants to aid them.
Perhaps they would always remember...
"An imperial edict has arrived!"
A spirited and modulated voice echoed from afar.
The dense crowd of people quickly parted left and right.
Suddenly, a great procession of brightly adorned guards and escort officers surrounding two figures dressed in crimson python robes strode through the banquet area: "Where is Yang Erlang?"
Instantaneously, everyone at the banquet hastily dropped their chopsticks, stood, and bowed deeply toward this group of divine messengers.
Kneeling before the coffin, Yang Ge heard the word "imperial edict" and furrowed his brows in confusion. Yet, without much time to ponder, he swiftly pulled Hu Qiang, still wearing the Nine-Tubes mask, to his feet and greeted them outside the hall.
Upon closer inspection, the one announcing the decree was Wei Heng, and the escort was Shen Fa, both familiar faces.
He bowed deeply, his voice lowered: "This humble Yang Erlang receives the decree!"
This humble declaration startled Wei Heng, who was just unfolding the imperial edict.
After hesitating for several seconds, he pretended not to hear and loudly proclaimed: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Yang Erlang, commander of the Northern Town Prefectural Commissioner from the fifth rank, embodies loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, intelligence, bravery, supports the country and its people, establishes remarkable achievements, and his father is hereby granted a posthumous... "
Wei Heng paused for a second, looked up at the spirit tablet on top of the hall, and continued loudly proclaiming: "Old Master Zhang is posthumously granted the fifth rank, bestowed with a semi-state funeral, one altar for rites, and 500 silver taels for funeral expenses. Yang Erlang is expected to exercise prudence, humility, establish merits, and serve the court loyally. Cherish this!"
Yang Ge raised his hands high: "This humble Yang Erlang thanks His Majesty for his profound grace, long live the Emperor, long live, long live!"
Upon hearing this, Wei Heng’s eyes twitched several times, exchanging a silent glance with Shen Fa.
Shen Fa subtly nudged him.
With a silent sigh, Wei Heng stepped forward, handed the imperial edict to Yang Ge with both hands, and softly said: "Lord Yang, being granted a father’s posthumous rank from the fifth rank and a semi-state funeral is unprecedented in His Majesty’s fourteen-year reign. You must not fail to repay this imperial favor!"
Yang Ge looked at him expressionlessly and whispered, "Or perhaps... Grandfather, should we take the imperial edict back?"
Listening to these almost treasonous words, Wei Heng’s fists clenched.
Seizing the moment, Shen Fa loudly exclaimed: "Long live our Emperor, long live, long live!"
The surrounding guards, banquet guests, hearing his call, repeated in unison: "Long live our Emperor, long live, long live!"
Three shouts of longevity marked the completion of the proclamation ceremony.
Shen Fa breathed a sigh of relief, bowed deeply, and said, "Grandfather Wei, may I rest for a moment to offer incense to the Old Master?"
Wei Heng glared at Yang Ge, his words bitten off in a low growl: "I’ll deal with you, you rascal, later!"
He led the procession away to the side.
They were the imperial servants, and without explicit permission, they could not offer incense to a subject’s kin, which would be inappropriate in ceremonial terms.
Shen Fa, standing outside the hall, took off his black gauze cap and python robe, wearing only a pale white undergarment, entered the mourning hall, took incense from the altar, and performed a junior’s last respects to Old Fisherman’s body.
Seeing this, Fang Ke, replacing Liu Mang as the greeter outside, loudly proclaimed: "Commander Shen of the Imperial Guards venerates Old Master Zhang with one bow..."
"The filial son offers his thanks!"
This modulated call nearly caused an uproar in the entire vicinity.
The commander of the Imperial Guards had personally come?
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Lord Yang truly had remarkable capabilities!
Inside the hall, Shen Fa helped Yang Ge, who had been kowtowing before him, and whispered, "Condolences and adapt to change."
Yang Ge wanted to say something, but the words reached his lips and he swallowed them back, sighing softly and bowing his thanks: "Thank you."