HNYWEF -Chapter 117 That Thing Again

In the fourth year of Zhenguan, the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

Dawn had barely broken when Zhou Hong opened the shop doors.

For the past few days, the smithy hadn’t been open. His brother didn’t speak, his nephew was bedridden recovering from injuries, and only he was left running everything inside and out.

Since it was Mid-Autumn Festival today, he figured the shop should open at least for appearance’s sake.

He swept the entrance with a broom, going over the same patch of ground again and again—the place where those Wa people had once knelt.

While he was sweeping, he suddenly heard the sound of hooves.

Not one horse. Several.

The clatter of hooves struck the bluestone road—distant at first, then rapidly approaching.

Zhou Hong looked up.

A carriage stopped right in front of the shop.

A black lacquered carriage, pulled by chestnut horses. The driver was a sharp-looking young man, dressed in clothing only seen in the imperial palace. Zhou Hong had seen such attire before—once, last year, when he passed near the imperial city.

His heart skipped a beat.

The carriage curtain lifted, and someone stepped down.

A man in a dark robe, wearing the kind of official hat only palace servants wore. Clean-shaven, about forty years old, holding two scrolls wrapped in yellow silk—objects that clearly weren’t ordinary.

Zhou Hong froze.

The man walked up to him.

“Is this the Zhou family iron shop?” he asked.

Zhou Hong nodded.

“Is Zhou Xiong, Master Zhou, here?” the man asked again.

Zhou Hong opened his mouth.

His mind raced, but nothing came out.

He dropped the broom and ran inside.

“Brother! Brother! Wake up!”

Zhou Xiong had slept late the night before and was still lying down. Hearing Zhou Hong’s voice, he opened his eyes—but didn’t move.

Zhou Hong rushed in, gasping.

“Brother! Outside… outside there’s an eunuch! He’s got… he’s got an imperial decree!”

Zhou Xiong’s eyes moved.

Just once.

Then he sat up, put on his clothes, and walked out.

At the entrance, he saw the man.

The eunuch stood there holding the yellow scrolls, smiling—a palace smile. Polite on the surface, but impossible to read beneath.

Zhou Xiong stopped in place.

He stared at the scrolls.

Then he spat.

The spit hit the ground, kicking up a bit of dust.

The eunuch’s smile froze for a split second.

But it quickly returned—even more courteous than before.

“Master Zhou,” he said gently, “this servant has come by imperial decree, bearing two edicts for you. Shall I—”

He glanced into the shop.

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

He just stood there at the entrance, staring at him.

Still unavoidable, those formalities, huh?

The eunuch waited a moment. Seeing no response, no invitation inside, no sign of respect or refusal—just silence—he smiled again.

“Then I shall read them here.”

He unrolled the first decree.

The yellow silk shimmered in the morning light, characters arranged neatly across it.

He cleared his throat and began reading.

“From the Imperial Secretariat: Heaven and earth establish order, and marriage defines human relations… Zhou Yi, son of Zhou Xiong, of pure nature and keen understanding, long nurtured in the teachings of rites and poetry, filial and respectful… Now, Our daughter Li Lizhi, gentle and virtuous… of suitable age and match… We hereby confer upon Zhou Yi the title of Imperial Son-in-Law, and wed him to Our fifth daughter Li Lizhi. Choose an auspicious date and complete the marriage. Respect this.”

The eunuch finished, rolled up the decree, and looked at Zhou Xiong.

Zhou Xiong stood motionless, expressionless.

After a pause, the eunuch opened the second decree.

“From the Imperial Secretariat: Rewarding virtue and merit is the principle of enlightened emperors… Zhou Xiong, of loyal and steadfast character, possessing great foresight and extraordinary ability… In times of hardship, you have rendered great service to Us. In the ninth year of Wude, sixth month, when We were poisoned and near death, you saved Us with your miraculous skill… In the early Zhenguan years, during the locust plague, your suggestion of raising poultry saved countless lives…”

The eunuch paused, then continued.

“Therefore, you are hereby granted the title of Founding Marquis of Jiuyuan County, with a fief of seven hundred households, a gold fish pouch, five hundred bolts of silk, and one hundred taels of gold. Respect this!”

He rolled up the second decree as well.

Holding both scrolls, he looked at Zhou Xiong.

Still no reaction.

Zhou Xiong just stared at the yellow silk in his hands.

The eunuch’s smile stiffened slightly.

Still, he forced it to remain and extended the scrolls forward.

“Marquis, accept the decree.”

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

Three breaths passed.

Then he reached out and took both scrolls.

He glanced at them briefly.

Then turned and walked back inside.

The eunuch stood frozen for a moment.

His mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to say something.

But then he remembered what Emperor Taizong had said—

“When you deliver the edict, no matter what he does, don’t interfere. If he accepts it, return immediately.”

He swallowed his words.

Instead, he bowed toward Zhou Xiong’s back.

“Your servant takes leave, Marquis.”

He boarded the carriage.

The curtain dropped.

The carriage rolled away, the sound of wheels fading down the street.

Zhou Hong stood at the doorway, watching until the carriage disappeared at the end of the alley.

Then he turned back toward his brother.

Zhou Xiong had already gone inside.

The two imperial decrees lay on the long worktable.

Just sitting there.

He stood over them, staring.

Expression unchanged.

Zhou Hong walked over and stood beside him.

He wanted to say something.

Opened his mouth.

But didn’t know what to say.

He wanted to congratulate him—but he could clearly feel his brother’s disgust toward those things.

So he just stood there.

With him.

Looking at the two yellow silk scrolls.

The sun climbed higher.

Light poured into the doorway, onto the worktable, onto the imperial decrees.

Bright. Blinding.