Chapter 182 Family members, what should we pay attention to during the first morning court session?
The third quarter of an hour in the morning is about three o'clock in later times, a time when even the roosters don't crow!
Ou Zanghua was awakened by Liu Qing: "Husband, get up, today is your first morning court, you can't be late!"

"Um me!" Before Ou Zanghua could say a single curse word, Liu Qing covered his mouth with one hand.

The girl came closer and whispered, "My husband, hold it in. You told me that the morning court system is a rule set by Emperor Taizu."

Seeing her husband nodded, Liu Qing let go of her hand with a smile.

Next, with the cooperation of Liu Qing and Qu Feiyan, Ou Zanghua changed into the red robe of a fourth-rank civil servant, combed his hair neatly, and put on a black gauze hat.

Then the two women pushed him out of the back house and handed him over to Xiang Danian and Mu Gaoweng who were waiting in the living room.

According to the provisions of the "Great Ming Code", there are strict regulations on the number of attendants that officials can bring with them when traveling: the first rank has ten attendants, the second rank has eight attendants, the third and fourth ranks have six attendants, the fifth rank has four attendants, the sixth and seventh ranks have three attendants, and the eighth and ninth ranks have two attendants.

As a fourth-rank minister of the Ministry of Rites, Ou Zanghua cannot lose this standard.

So in addition to Mu Gaoweng and Xiang Danian who drove the carriage, there were four other followers escorting them along the way.

When Ou Zanghua arrived at Duanmen, a large number of officials had already gathered there, chatting in groups of three or five.

In fact, the court built many court rooms in the imperial city, and officials usually sat in them according to their ranks, waiting for the palace gates to open.

As a preferential treatment for close ministers, special direct rooms were set up inside the Duanmen Gate. To the south of the Youquemen Gate was the direct room of the Jinyiwei, and the three rooms below were the direct rooms of the Hanlin Academy.

When waiting for court, the Grand Secretary sits in the north pillar, the other scholars sit in the middle pillar, and the rest sit in the south pillar.

In addition, there are five straight rooms on the left side of Duanmen, also known as board houses, where officials from the Zhanshi Mansion, Zuoyouchunfang and Sijingju lived.

When Ou Zanghua walked over with the ivory tablet, many officials looked at him.

The look in his eyes was so strange that Ou Zanghua was a little confused.

At this time, a patrol censor came over and handed Ou Zanghua a sign-in sheet, asking him to write down his official position and name.

As soon as Ou Zanghua finished writing, the inspector added two words below - "late"

"Am I late?" Ou Zanghua asked in confusion.

The inspector glanced at the young Junior Minister and said expressionlessly, "It is recorded in the Etiquette that all civil and military officials who attend the morning court must arrive outside the Meridian Gate at 3:00 pm! May I ask when did Minister Ou arrive?"

"I lost my way in life for a short while, so I wasted some time. Can you give me another chance?" Ou Zanghua asked with a wry smile.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, unless it was one of the very few emperors, being late was just being late. You would just be fined and asked to write a letter of apology and that would be it.

But my Da Mengchao is different. If we are late, we will be punished with a stick.

Just when the Inspector was about to refute, a fourth-rank official came over. This man had a pale face, but a heroic look between his brows, and his posture was straight and upright, like a pine or cypress.

"Mr. Ou Keqing didn't arrive in time because I didn't notify him in time. Ahem, so this is excusable. If the censor wants to register, please register my name! Ahem."

"Xia Keqing, this doesn't match"

"Ahem. Please be accommodating, ahem."

The Inspector was speechless as he looked at Xia Sheng, who was standing straight yet shaky.

He felt that if he did not agree today, the former Minister of the Ministry of Rites would fall in front of him.

In desperation, the inspector had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Please take care of yourself, Mr. Xia. This will not happen again!"

"Thank you very much," Xia Sheng smiled and bowed in thanks.

After the Inspector Censor returned the gift, he quickly turned around and left. He didn't want to be known as someone who 'pissed off the Nine Ministers'.

Xia Sheng looked back at Ou Zanghua, smiled and said, "We finally meet, Mr. Ou Keqing."

"Zang Hua greets the senior!"

Ou Zanghua clasped his hands together, bowed to Xia Sheng and said, "Thank you for your help, Senior."

"No need to be so polite, it's just a small matter."

Xia Sheng waved his hand and said nonchalantly: "Sometimes being in poor health is good, right? Ahem."

This person is the former head of the Honglu Temple, Xia Sheng, whose courtesy name is Jingxi and pseudonym is Dong'an. He is from Hainanwei, Qionshan. He became a Jinshi in the third year of Hongzhi reign of Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty. He once served as Shaoqing of the Shangbao Division and Qing of the Shangbao Division in Nanjing.

"Senior Xia, please be careful. If you really can't make it, please ask for leave!" Ou Zanghua looked at Xia Sheng's thin appearance and hurriedly supported him.

"Hey Okerin, don't worry about it. I'm used to it."

Xia Sheng said cheerfully, "If you plant beans, you will get beans. If you plant melons, you will get melons. My grandfather and father died young, and I am lucky to be alive today."

Ou Zanghua looked embarrassed. Senior Xia didn't need to be so frank. But from what he said, his poor health should be a genetic disease, which was incurable in ancient times.

Xia Sheng took Ou Zanghua into the central room, where many big men were already standing.

It was with Xia Sheng's introduction that Ou Zanghua got to know seniors such as Liu Kai, the Minister of Taichang Temple, Peng Li, the Minister of Taipu Temple, Yang Tan, the Minister of Guanglu Temple, Lu Duo, the Chief Academician of the Imperial College, Yue Lingshuang, the Minister of Yuanma Temple, and Xu Yuankai, the Minister of Shangbaosi.

These ministers looked at the energetic Ou Zanghua and all smiled gently.

Ou Zanghua couldn't help but look at Yue Lingshuang twice more. The old man's name always reminded him of an old friend who was far away in Nanjing.

As for the Chancellery and the Hanlin Academicians
This dynasty held the position of one person, the famous Father of Saints, the Number One Scholar of the Ming Dynasty, Wang Hua, who also served as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

However, this great man was persecuted by Liu Jin and retired. Now in his seventies, he can still read and entertain himself and serve his centenarian mother in his hometown. This is really a great blessing in his life.

After Liu Jin was executed, Wang Hua was reinstated.

He is one of the few big guys at the scene who can sit and wait for the morning court to begin!

He looked at Old Wang who was in high spirits, and then at his own Xiao Xia who was in a listless state.

Ou Zanghua thinks Lao Wang should give up his seat to Xiao Xia
By the way, speaking of Lao Wang, why don’t I see Xiao Wang?

"Bo An," Xia Sheng recalled for a moment before saying, "I remember that he returned to Beijing in June and took up the post of Director of the Seal Inspection Department of the Ministry of Personnel. He did not need to attend the morning court."

After these words were spoken, Ou Zanghua and Xia Sheng both showed envious expressions.

Officials in Beijing don’t have to attend morning court sessions, how comfortable!

The Imperial College's chief priest Lu Duo smiled and said, "You guys should calm down and avoid being recorded by the censors. Besides, how can a sixth-rank official attend the morning court?"

"I also have a sixth-rank position as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Can I not use it?" Ou Zanghua approached Xia Sheng and asked jokingly.

Xia Sheng shook his head and said in frustration: "No, I tried."

"hiss!"

Peng Li, the Minister of Imperial Household, looked back at Xia Sheng and said, "If Jingxi really can't bear it anymore, you can go back home and rest. His Majesty knows your situation and won't blame you."

"Thank you Lord Peng for your concern. I can still bear it." Xia Sheng bowed and thanked him with a very free and easy smile.

Not long after, the big drum on the Meridian Gate Tower was struck, and the civil and military officials lined up. When the bell rang, the palace gate slowly opened.

Ou Zanghua mingled among the officials and after crossing the Jinshui Bridge, he regrouped in the square.

Only after the whip was blown could the ministers continue forward and arrive at the Danchi of Fengtian Gate, where they would stand facing each other on both sides of the imperial road and wait. The civil officials would be the left group and the military officials would be the right group.

The next step is to wait for the emperor to appear.

Ou Zanghua stood in the team, feeling a little emotional. It would be great if this could be broadcast live. With a title like 'I recall the time when I attended the morning court in December of the sixth year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty', it would definitely attract hundreds of thousands of night owls to come in and watch.

Just as Ou Zanghua was lost in thought, the eunuch Zhang Yong from the Imperial Household Department came out, swept his whisk, and said in a loud voice: "Pass on the emperor's order!"

"Long live the emperor!" Civil and military officials seemed to be used to it and performed the kneeling and three kowtows ceremony with ease.

"I feel unwell, so I will adjourn the court today. All the ministers should perform their duties, stay in their positions, and fulfill their responsibilities. Do not be negligent. I order you to do so!"

"I!" Ou Zanghua was stunned, and the swear words were on the tip of his tongue, but luckily he caught a glimpse of the Inspector General out of the corner of his eye and managed to hold it back.

After Zhang Yong finished speaking loudly, he wanted to run away without waiting for the ministers to react.

But who could have imagined that Yang Tinghe, who was in his prime, would sneak in among the elderly cabinet ministers.

Old Yang suddenly stood up and rushed forward, grabbing Zhang Yong's sleeve and shouting, "Eunuch Zhang, Your Majesty has not attended a single morning court this month. If Your Majesty is feeling unwell, please tell me directly!"

Zhang Yong had a look of agony on his face. As a result of being delayed by Yang Tinghe, he was surrounded by five cabinet ministers and also by the ministers of various ministries.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "This Yang Ge Lao, it's easy to catch a cold in cold weather, Your Majesty."

Yang Tinghe turned around and asked, "Where is the director of the Imperial Hospital?!"

"I'm Li Zongzhou, the director of the Imperial Medical Bureau." A middle-aged Confucian scholar walked out from behind the civil officials, bowed with a somewhat helpless look on his face.

"Please, Master Li, come with me to see the Emperor!"

Li Zongzhou's elegant face was almost wrinkled into a bitter gourd, but the ministers, the chancellors, and the assistant ministers were all staring at him, so he had no choice but to bow and say, "This humble official is willing to meet the emperor together with you gentlemen."

Led by Yang Tinghe, the group marched towards the Emperor Zhengde's bedroom in a mighty manner, but Ou Zanghua and Xia Sheng fell behind.

Xia Sheng couldn't walk fast because of his poor health, and Ou Zanghua felt that these people were bored, wouldn't it be better to cancel this anti-human morning court? !
(End of this chapter)