TFWYH – Chapter 887 Sarcastic and Uncomfortable

“Yes!” Whenever Huangfu Yi mentioned Old General Chen, his heart was filled with admiration.

“That old man is still as formidable as ever. Brother Mu Rong will know once you meet him.”

“Then I really must get to know him properly!”

Mu Rong Hong nodded. He was curious about these two generals he had never met before and was already looking forward to befriending them.

After everyone finished touring the villa, Mu Rong Hong and Huangfu Yi pointed out a few more areas that could be improved before the group finally left.

After returning to the capital, Huangfu Yi immediately entered the palace and told the Emperor about the martial arts instructors.

The Emperor had absolutely no objections. In fact, he couldn’t have been happier. He immediately waved his hand and approved the proposal.

It would save him from being pestered by those old men every day, constantly clamoring to return to the battlefield.

How old were they?

They had worked hard their entire lives. How could he possibly let them go back?

The battlefield?

Don’t even think about it!

What if they died without even leaving a complete corpse?

When you’re old, you have to admit you’re old. Stop throwing yourselves into danger!

If they really had nothing to do, they could always help nurture the next generation of Tianchao!

And so, the Emperor practically couldn’t wait to write several imperial edicts and toss them to Huangfu Yi, ordering him to go deliver the decrees.

The several old generals at home were still thinking about what kind of rhetorical tactics they should use tomorrow to persuade the Emperor to let them return to the battlefield.

Then the imperial edicts arrived.

The old generals who wanted to return to the battlefield and die wrapped in their battle robes: “…”

Grand Tutor Ji, who had absolutely no desire to return to the battlefield and only wanted to die peacefully of old age: “…”

F**!*

It didn’t matter how unwilling they were. The imperial edicts had already been issued.

Thus, the next day, with Grand Tutor Ji at the head, several old men could only make their way reluctantly to the Ministry of Revenue.

When they arrived, Jin Buhuan happened to arrive as well, and the two groups ran into each other.

Jin Buhuan stared at the seven or eight old generals before him.

None of them needed to raise their voices to command respect, and every one of them radiated the murderous aura of a veteran who had spent decades on battlefields.

His eyes widened like copper bells.

What on earth am I seeing?

Wasn’t that the legendary Grand Tutor Ji?

And wasn’t that the famous Old General Chen, known as Tianchao’s Guardian Deity?

And the others…

Old General Li, Old General Zhu, General Sima…

This… this…

Jin Buhuan’s legs immediately went weak.

If the disciple beside him hadn’t supported him, he would have fallen flat on his face.

“Jin Buhuan, Patriarch of the Jin Family, pays his respects to the esteemed generals!”

Cold sweat poured down Jin Buhuan’s back as he hurried forward and bowed deeply to the old generals.

However…

Grand Tutor Ji frowned and stared at him for a moment before turning to Old General Chen.

“Who is this?”

“Don’t know.”

Old General Chen maintained his expressionless face before turning to General Sima.

“Do you know him?”

General Sima curled his lips.

“No. Which family is the Jin Family?”

Old General Li said, “Never heard of them!”

Old General Zhu added, “There aren’t any officials in Tianchao surnamed Jin. He’s probably some commoner from somewhere.”

…

Jin Buhuan’s eyelids twitched violently, and the little man in his heart was jumping up and down in rage.

You old rascals! How could you possibly not know the Jin Family?

You’re deliberately humiliating me!

But…

He didn’t actually hold an official position.

Technically, he really was just a commoner…

No!

He was a common citizen, not some “lowly peasant.”

Sob, sob…

Jin Buhuan smiled bitterly and cupped his hands toward the old generals.

“Several esteemed generals, the Jin Family is one of the Ten Great Families. I came to the capital five years ago, and I even met several of you at a palace banquet.”

“Oh!”

Grand Tutor Ji suddenly understood.

Then his brows furrowed.

“Then you’re even more lacking in proper etiquette.”

Jin Buhuan was completely bewildered.

He had absolutely no idea what he had done wrong.

Old General Chen glanced at him indifferently.

“Patriarch Jin, we are all official servants of the imperial court. You are merely a common citizen. When a common citizen pays respects to an imperial official, you should kneel three times and kowtow nine times. You should also refer to yourself as ‘this commoner,’ not ‘I.’”

General Sima stroked his beard and let out a long sigh.

“After all, he comes from the countryside. Unlike us, who serve as officials in the imperial court, it’s only natural that he doesn’t understand proper etiquette. Brothers, please be a little more understanding.”