The sun hung high in the sky; it was neither hot nor cool, and there was scarcely a breeze. The weather could truly be described as exceptionally good.
Seeing the fine weather, An Jing stepped out of the house, moving about in the yard, walking, stopping, stretching, and yawning—considering it her physical exercise.
As for Xiao Changyi, he sat at the entrance of the main hall, keeping an eye on the four children in the cradle while occasionally glancing at An Jing in the courtyard.
Occasionally, their gazes would meet unintentionally—one smiling like a blooming flower, the other with a slight curl of the lips—both feeling incredibly sweet inside.
Meng Zhuqing stood not far away, ready to cater to An Jing and Xiao Changyi’s needs with just a shout, but now, seeing them sweeten their day with mere eye contact, he felt their affection had reached a new peak.
It was enough to make anyone jealous!
It even made him yearn for matrimony, to share such affection with his own wife.
With this in mind, Meng Zhuqing sighed internally. If only his elder brother would marry off, then he could consider finding a girl to marry himself. But his brother’s face... Alas...
Just as Meng Zhuqing was lamenting in his heart, the sound of gongs and a strong male voice singing resounded—
"The Kylin County has a lady named An Jing, who discovered the coexistence of rice and fish, ’grain rice,’ white paper as raw material, and the use of wood ash and lime to sift through the grain to prevent locusts. Her merits are immense, hence she is especially appointed as the Seventh Rank Farmer Knight of Kylin County—"
The sound of the gong and the singing were clearly heading their way. The moment An Jing heard the first line, she hurried to Xiao Changyi’s side with a cheerful laugh, saying, "Husband, they’re here! I’m going to be an official! Haha..."
"Hmm," Xiao Changyi responded faintly, his tone unvarying, but the gentle warmth in his cool gaze was undeniable.
Since Xiao Changyi and An Jing didn’t want to reveal their imperial identities, the official who came to announce the joyous news had to come inside the courtyard to proclaim the imperial decree.
The County Magistrate of Qilin County also came along, and upon entering the courtyard, he and the announcer both lowered their voices and gave a grand bow to Xiao Changyi and An Jing.
The entourage that came to announce the happy news—including the singers, gong players, and sedan carriers—were all instructed to stay outside the courtyard.
The gong that was struck was a large one, carried by two and played by one, looking rather impressive. The total number of people who came to announce that An Jing had been appointed as a First-class Good Citizen was at least three times larger than before, which showed how significant it was to be an official in this place, brimming with face and status.
The sound of the gong being struck all the way from the county center attracted the attention of many who saw and heard it.
However, a woman being made an official was unprecedented and even unheard of, deemed extremely ludicrous; no one believed it. As a result, quite a few onlookers followed along, curious.
The people who ostensibly came to watch the excitement but actually to verify the truth of the matter also stopped outside the courtyard.
Normally, receiving an imperial decree called for setting up an incense table and kneeling down. However, Xiao Changyi was not one for such formalities. Not only was there no incense table in the courtyard, neither he nor An Jing knelt down.
The envoy, sent by the Emperor of Xiyun and forewarned by him, took no offense at Xiao Changyi and An Jing’s lack of ceremony. Instead, he opened the decree and read it aloud with great vigor.
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees, there is a woman named An Jing in Qilin County..."
Those outside the courtyard could not see the scene inside; they only heard the envoy reading out the decree appointing An Jing as a Seventh Rank Farmer Knight. Not until he had finished did they move from disbelief to complete belief.