In the early morning.
Most of the men, women, old and young in Shimo Village have gotten up to feed chickens and ducks and take care of the crops.
Several men went to the fields together to clean up the weeds in the fields. This year's rice is growing vigorously and should be a bumper year. We can't let these weeds ruin it.
A man pushed aside the crops and suddenly shouted.
"Oh my god, a snake!"
"What? Where's the snake!"
"Be careful. As the weather gets hot, these guys like to move around in the fields the most."
In rural areas, snakes are most likely to be encountered in places like fields and ridges. Everyone didn't take it too seriously. They just became more careful. In places with deep weeds, they would knock on them with hoes in advance.
The man opened his mouth. Just now he clearly saw that when the snake left, it seemed to look back and glare at him. Maybe he was seeing things.
In the bamboo forest in the distance of the field, there were actually seven or eight colorful snakes coiled up, big and small. The big ones were as thick as a bamboo tube and two or three zhang long. The small ones were just as thick as a chopstick and about a foot long.
Before long, a three-foot-long, emerald green snake with two red eyebrows on its eyes emerged from the field ridge.
"Xiaoqing, have you found the trace of Little Six of the Gray family?" The largest mottled white snake suddenly asked in human language.
The green snake quickly climbed up a thin bamboo and coiled around it. A snake head hung down and let out a hissing crisp sound with its forked tongue. "No. The smell of that kid has disappeared. So has the smell of Huang Ying."
"Could this kid know that we're following him?"
"Impossible. He hasn't even reached a certain rank yet."
"What should we do?"
The several snakes were chattering in confusion. And they were not mountain spirits or wild monsters. They were the Willow Immortals of the Five Immortals family.
The largest mottled white snake immediately scolded the snakes to be quiet. Then it said, "Since we're here, we can't return empty-handed. Next, we'll split into two groups. I and Liuyu will respectively..."
"I want to act alone." The green snake suddenly said.
The mottled white snake looked at it and then nodded. It continued to arrange for the other snakes.
...
The six ministries' yamen are inside the imperial city of the Eastern Capital. This is not a place where ordinary people can enter.
Taihe Tea House is far away. Jiang Ming can only go to work by carriage. Fortunately, the Eastern Capital is a secondary capital and there are no grand or small court meetings.
With the guidance of the imperial city guards, Jiang Ming came to the front of the Ministry of Rites' yamen.
Lifting the carriage curtain, he saw that there were already three or four Ministry of Rites officials in green robes waiting outside.
"Quickly, quickly. The director is here."
The person in charge quickly ran to the carriage and cupped his hands. "This lowly official, Chang Gui, the clerk of the Host and Guest Department, respectfully welcomes Director Jiang."
The other three also cupped their hands and saluted. They were all officials of the Host and Guest Department.
Jiang Ming stepped forward and helped him up. "Lord Chang is too polite. I'm new here and still need the care of all the adults."
"Not at all. Lord Jiang, please. Lord Bi is waiting for you." Chang Gui said.
Jiang Ming walked into the Ministry of Rites' yamen side by side with him and asked, "Lord Chang, who is this Lord Bi?"
Chang Gui whispered, "He is our superior, the vice-minister, Bi Chengde, Lord Bi."
Under the Ministry of Rites are four departments: Ritual System, Sacrifice, Host and Guest, and Fine Cuisine.
Jiang Ming nodded. Then he entered the inner hall and followed Chang Gui to a room.
"This is it, Lord Jiang. Our Host and Guest Department is on the left. You can come directly later."
"Okay. Thank you, Lord Chang."
After cupping hands and saluting each other, Jiang Ming entered the room.
Chang Gui returned to the Host and Guest Department. He saw that the three officials who had greeted Jiang Ming earlier had all gathered around.
"Brother Chang, this new director is a bit too young, isn't he?"
"Yeah. What a pity."
Everyone knew that the director of the Host and Guest Department was not a good position at this time. No one would be jealous of Jiang Ming blocking their way up at this time.
As an old hand of the Host and Guest Department and the oldest one, Chang Gui just shook his head and said, "This matter is not something we can change. Next, let's try our best to help. Especially you, Zhou Kong."
The person named was a relatively dull man. Hearing this, he grinned and nodded.
He was the translator official of the Host and Guest Department. He was proficient in more than ten foreign languages and characters. But he was too introverted and had almost no sense of presence.
The other two were Fang Ji, the envoy for welcoming guests, and Jiang Pingzhou, the etiquette official. These were the officials of the Host and Guest Department. There were also more than a dozen clerks and minor officials.
And at this moment, Jiang Ming was having a heart-to-heart talk with his superior.
Bi Chengde was so afraid that he would run away. His words were mostly praises. He was even greatly amazed by the Romance of the Investiture of the Gods that Jiang Ming had told.
"You young people have so many wonderful ideas. Unlike me, an old bone, just waiting for the day to retire."
Everyone likes to be praised. Jiang Ming was naturally not stingy with his flattery.
"Lord Bi is in good health and is the pillar of our Ministry of Rites in the Eastern Capital. If you fall, we can't hold up this flag."
"Hahaha, you're overpraising. The pillar of our Ministry of Rites in the Eastern Capital is Lord Qin, not me."
"A single tree can't hold up. Lord Qin is. And so are you, Lord Bi."
"Hahaha, I dare not..."
Jiang Ming stayed in Bi Chengde's room for more than an hour before coming out with a smile on his face. Looking up at the sky, there should be only one more hour before it's time to eat, right?
Before long, he returned to the Host and Guest Department.
There was another round of flattery. Anyway, everyone gave him face. Jiang Ming was also happy with this.
Before they knew it, it was noon break time. The Ministry of Rites had its own cafeteria. After all, there was a Fine Cuisine Department. There was no need to waste it. People from our own department ate for free. But officials from the other five ministries had to pay silver.
Everyone from the Host and Guest Department came to a three-story building. This was where the Fine Cuisine Department was located.
"This must be the newly appointed Director Jiang? Oh, really young and promising. It's just a pity."
Suddenly, a man in his thirties sitting at a table said loudly.
Chang Gui whispered beside him, "Wang Mian, the director of the Selection Department of the Ministry of Personnel. The younger brother-in-law of the official in charge of the Ministry of Personnel in the Eastern Capital. There are often conflicts with our Ministry of Rites."
Jiang Ming nodded slightly. Then he looked at Wang Mian and cupped his hands. "I'm new here. If there are any deficiencies, I hope you can give me more advice."
Wang Mian took a bite of food and chewed it carefully. Then he said, "Naturally. I was the one who signed your appointment letter. Entering officialdom and immediately being at the seventh rank. Lord Jiang should make good use of this opportunity."
This was a bit of a slap in the face. After all, everyone tacitly knew what kind of position this director was. These words were equivalent to saying that it was me who pushed you into the fire pit.
"Lord Wang has worked hard. May your son be born without an asshole." Jiang Ming said with a smile.
Wang Mian's smiling face suddenly froze. Then his eyes became cold. But Jiang Ming had already turned and left, making him unable to vent his anger.
The officials from various departments who were watching the excitement around lowered their heads slightly and shrugged their shoulders lightly. But they didn't dare to go too far. After all, the Ministry of Personnel was in charge of the appointment and assessment of civil officials. Nominally, the Ministry of Rites was the first among the six ministries because scholars valued etiquette. But in fact, the Ministry of Personnel was the real first.
"Lord Jiang, you were too impulsive. That Wang Mian is arrogant and vengeful. The Wang family is also very powerful. It's better to avoid provoking him recently." After the five of them sat down, Chang Gui gently advised beside him.
Jiang Ming nodded casually. It wasn't that he deliberately made an enemy. But he couldn't back down from Wang Mian's 下马威 (intimidating move). Otherwise, it would be difficult for him to establish himself later.
Leaving aside the distant future, at least after what just happened, Chang Gui and the others became a bit closer to him in their behavior. On the contrary, they might distance themselves from him.
No one likes those spineless people without any personality traits.
In the afternoon, Chang Gui and the others took him to familiarize himself with various affairs of the Host and Guest Department. In fact, there was nothing much to do unless there were foreign envoys to receive.
When work was over, Jiang Ming got on Chong Heihu's carriage and slowly returned to the tea house.