Chapter 166 She's Lucky
"...It is said that praising virtue and rewarding meritorious service is a universal principle of ancient times. Marquis Wu'an quelled rebellions and suppressed traitors with unparalleled martial prowess, protecting the Great Yan from the brink of collapse. I greatly commend him and hereby grant him the title of Grand Commandant with 5,400 households, bestowing upon him a fiefdom that shall be passed down through generations..."
The imperial edict conferring the title of Grand Commandant came suddenly. Without any prior indication from Qin Shaozong, he was directly granted the title of Grand Commandant.
The Grand Commandant was one of the first officials in the outer court to be appointed after the emperor. He was one of the Three Dukes, along with the Chancellor and the Grand Censor. Although they were ranked equally, the Grand Commandant, who was in charge of military affairs, was in fact the de facto head of the Three Dukes.
Dong Zhou wielded immense power in the court and naturally wouldn't allow the position of "Grand Commandant" to fall into the wrong hands, so he took on the role himself. However, he valued civil officials over military ones, and preferred the elegant title of Prime Minister to the menacing military officer, so he instructed people to address him as "Prime Minister Dong."
Now that the powerful minister has fled, the positions of prime minister and grand commander are now vacant.
Dai Li thought to herself that this Empress Dowager was quite resourceful.
Rather than being forced to grant additional titles, it's better to take the initiative. The phrase "to grant titles and fiefs, to ensure their perpetuation through generations" means that the titles and fiefs of meritorious officials will be passed down through generations, never to be interrupted.
However, Grand Commandant is merely an official title, not a noble rank; the titles of King and the twentieth rank of nobility are. Qin Shaozong was only granted the title of Grand Commandant for suppressing the rebellion, so there was no need to mention any noble rank, since it wasn't a newly conferred title.
The imperial edict not only mentioned it, but also added the phrase "never to be interrupted for generations," implying that the person would always be a subject, generation after generation, thus using both kindness and power to keep him in a subordinate position.
After the imperial edict was read, Qin Shaozong bowed and expressed his gratitude, saying only "Thank you for your appreciation, Your Majesty," without any intention of kneeling.
The officials on both sides remained silent, none daring to voice any criticism; the young emperor at the head of the table was dull and listless, while the woman ruling from behind the curtain seemed extremely angry, causing the beaded curtain to sway slightly. But in the end, she said nothing, only ordering the imperial edict to continue being read aloud.
Next came Dai Li's imperial edict of investiture.
"...The prosperity of the nation depends entirely on the enduring legacy of virtuous deeds. The dragon-bone waterwheel, now a common sight in the countryside, bestows its benefits upon the roads; this is truly the achievement of Lady Dai. Her noble character and exemplary conduct can inspire the people. Therefore, she is hereby granted the title of Lady of Wuling, with a fief of Wuling, for a total of 2,500 households, in recognition of her merits..."
Upon hearing "Wuling," Dai Li was stunned.
She knew there was a high probability that the lord would grant her a fiefdom, but she hadn't expected her fiefdom to be in Wuling.
Because Wuling in this era was mostly mountainous and hilly, its agricultural technology lagged behind that of the Central Plains, resulting in limited grain production and a smaller population.
But none of that matters. What matters is that Wuling is in... Jingzhou!
This fiefdom is deep within Jingzhou, in Liu Jingzhou's territory. It's like taking a piece of flesh from Liu Zhan's belly and giving it to her.
She was granted the title of Queen and a fiefdom, yet it seemed she didn't truly possess it. It was merely a title, making her one of the few female rulers of the Great Yan Dynasty, but she held no real power. After all, her fiefdom was in Wuling, too far for her to reach.
Dai Li lowered her eyes. She copied Qin Shaozong's actions just now, only thanking the emperor for his grace, without kneeling.
Whether it was because they thought she was too arrogant, or because few women attended court, or something else, Dai Li felt that more eyes were being focused on her.
Inside the luxurious and grand hall, officials stood in rows. Although it was morning and the sunlight was at its peak, a murky mist seemed to rise around them.
A group of dark figures, their bellies bulging from the people's hard-earned money, had green glints in their eyes. They were filled with resentment, fear, and greed... like hyenas, their mouths drooling with a foul stench, wanting to share the spoils, yet they were too afraid to approach.
Dai Li turned her head and took in the officials on both sides.
Yes, it wasn't her imagination; they were indeed all fat and bloated, their belts hanging down quite a distance from their enormous bellies.
The bestowal of titles was not yet over; next to receive an appointment was Nangong Xiong. He was appointed Prime Minister, placing him alongside Qin Shaozong as one civil official and the other military official, both ranking among the Three Dukes, subtly creating a power struggle between them.
As for the military officers under their command, the Empress Dowager also selected a few and gave them some insignificant rewards.
After the court assembly, a palace banquet followed.
The women of each household had already been notified and arrived at the palace on time. Meanwhile, the court officials moved to the South Palace, where the upcoming palace banquet would be held.
Shi Rongyue did not come to the ceremony to receive the imperial decree like Qin Yanzhou and Qin Qinian, but she and Nangong Zijin were brought over for the second half of the palace banquet.
The imperial city was exquisite and grand in every aspect, with sandalwood beams on the roof, platinum and jade floors, and pearl and jade lamps throughout the palaces, making the word "luxury" the most vivid description.
The men and women were separated into different rooms, with the young woman in the east and the young man in the west. The east room was overseen by the Empress Dowager, while the west room was overseen by Wang Tianchuan, the young emperor's maternal uncle.
"Second Aunt." Shi Rongyue brought Nangong Zijin over.
Dai Li sat in the first seat below her, while the two little girls sat in the seats directly below her.
The standards for palace banquets are very high, with both cold and hot dishes. Beef, which is rarely seen in ordinary wealthy families, is served here as common as cabbage, with a plate on each long table.
In addition, there is tea-tea chicken, braised pork, stir-fried shrimp roe, braised eel with a fragrant aroma, and pigeon soup. It has everything that flies in the sky, runs on the ground, and swims in the water.
The Empress Dowager seemed to be unwell. After a hasty meal and a few polite words, she left early.
As soon as she left, the scene became more lively. Dai Li, who was already attracting attention, was like a piece of delicious meat entering a pack of hungry wolves, with people coming to talk to her at her desk.
Not accepting invitations?
Okay, then I'll strike up a conversation at the palace banquet.
A woman with a face as round as a jade plate stepped forward with a smile, carrying a wine cup. She introduced herself as the wife of the Grand Master of Ceremonies, surnamed Jiang. "Lady of the Marquis... no, I should address you as Lady of Wuling or Lady of the Grand Commandant. Since you are new to Chang'an, there must be many places you are not familiar with. I wonder if I may have the honor of being your guide and answering your questions?"
The position of Grand Master of Ceremonies is very high, second only to the Three Dukes. This time, Jiang Peilan adopted a very humble posture when she came forward.
But Dai Li still declined, smiling and saying, "I'm afraid I'll be too busy lately, maybe later."
Only Qin Changgeng knows that she wants to leave Chang'an; even Zhouzhou doesn't know, and she certainly won't tell anyone else.
Whether Dai Li's "later" was genuine or not, Jiang Peilan immediately agreed.
After Jiang Peilan, the matriarchs of each household continued to find topics to chat with Dai Li about, whether it was inviting her to travel to Chang'an, recommending some good places in Chang'an, talking about their children, or praising Qin Shaozong and the Northern Army...
Dai Li felt a subtle fragrance wafting through the air, and her eyes were filled with the sight of golden lotuses swaying in the breeze. Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore and left the table under the pretext of needing to use the restroom.
Such a filthy place as the toilet wouldn't be right next to the banquet hall. Dai Li led Nian Xia out of the East Hall and followed the palace maids for about thirty steps before reaching their destination.
After using the restroom, Dai Li didn't want to go back so soon, so she dismissed the palace maids who accompanied her and wandered around on her own to catch her breath.
She wandered aimlessly for a long time, and as she passed through the corridor, she saw two somewhat familiar figures approaching. Both were high-ranking noblewomen who had frequently spoken to her at the banquet. Dai Li suddenly felt a headache coming on and really didn't want to deal with them, so she took Nian Xia a few steps back and hid in a corner of the palace.
"She's really lucky. She remarried with a son and managed to find such a husband. Tsk, he's clearly from the countryside, but now he's climbed over us. He's practically reached the top in the world."
"She didn't choose him. I heard she picked him herself and even broke her promise to marry him. It seems to be the first time she's gone back on her word in all these years. But don't be fooled by her current high status and her indifference when she talks to us. Who knows what kind of bitterness she'll have to swallow in the future?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"She's in her prime now, truly the most beautiful woman in the capital, but what about ten or twenty years from now? And men, they're all the same; they'll try their luck with any pretty wildflower they see. These women who come knocking on your door one after another, all tender, beautiful, and fresh, you can just open your mouth and have them, why not take advantage of them?"
"That's true. Back then, so-and-so and her husband were childhood sweethearts, deeply in love, and she even said her husband would never take a concubine. Look at her now, I heard that the Marquis of Pingliang has recently taken in his fifth beautiful concubine. There will always be young and beautiful women in Chang'an. But when they grow old and their beauty fades, where will she be? Most of the time, you'll only hear the laughter of new brides, not to mention..."
The two seemed to exchange a glance, as if they were both thinking of the same thing.
"Without children, there's always a sense of unease. Besides, it's very dangerous for her to get pregnant at her age. Giving birth to a child would take half her life; she might just go straight to the King of Hell, and she'd miss out on those next ten years of glory."
"That's true. The two sons in the family are not siblings; they'll be locked in a life-or-death struggle from now on..."
"Ah!" one of the noblewomen suddenly exclaimed.
The other person was startled and was about to complain to her friend when she saw that the other person's face was as white as gold paper. Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked over tremblingly as well.
Who else could that gorgeous woman in a fancy dress not far away be but the subject of their secret gossip?
Dai Li carefully examined the two women's faces, said nothing, and left with Nian Xia amidst the two women's frightened pleas to stay.
Nianxia was furious. As she passed the two women, she deliberately shoved them aside with her shoulder.
The noblewoman, born into a prominent family, had never been so offended by a maid. Her face turned ugly for a moment, but she dared not speak out.
"Didn't she go back long ago? Why is she wandering around here? Oh no, I finally managed to get into the palace with my elder brother and sister-in-law. If they find out, I'll be in deep trouble."
"I told you to be careful with your words and actions in public, but you wouldn't listen. How are we going to clean this up now?"
"What you're saying makes no sense. You clearly responded to what I said just now."
...
Dai Li returned to the banquet, her expression unchanged.
When the ladies saw her return, they all came up to her and chatted with her. Dai Li mentioned the appearance and clothing of the two people she had just met, and someone immediately told her their names.
One was the sister-in-law of the Imperial Workshop Commander, and the other was the wife of the Chief Minister of Works. Both the Imperial Workshop Commander and the Chief Minister of Works were official positions that managed royal affairs. When the ruler was strong and the ministers were weak, these two positions would rise in status, but if the situation was reversed, they would be less popular and valued.
Dai Li nodded slightly, indicating that she understood. Others, curious, inquired further, but only received the comment, "These two are quite talkative," without any further evaluation.
Many of the people present were astute enough to understand what was going on as soon as they heard it, and they immediately chimed in, while secretly pondering their own thoughts.
They weren't important people to begin with, and now that things have changed so drastically, we need to be even more careful. Those two families must never have any contact again...
As the sun set in the west, the grand palace banquet slowly came to a close.
After the banquet, everyone dispersed and went home.
As the group returned to the mansion, Dai Li was about to get off the carriage when she overheard Qin Qinian and Qin Yanzhou whispering outside.
"Second brother, Chang'an is truly extraordinary. How about we go sightseeing tomorrow? The treasure pavilion here is definitely not comparable to Yuyang. Who knows, we might find some good weapons."
“I have to attend a sermon tomorrow, so I’m afraid I won’t be free. Don’t you have to attend a sermon?” Qin Yanzhou replied.
"Yes, I have to go, but only in the morning. Since Mr. Sheng didn't come to Chang'an, I'm exempt from afternoon classes, hehehe." The boy's tone became noticeably cheerful as he spoke.
Qin Yanzhou suggested, "Actually, you can talk to Mr. Cui and ask him to schedule your afternoon time as well."
"No way, why force myself to suffer? I'll just leave this afternoon free and wait for the master to make arrangements. Shh, Father's coming, this can't be discussed." Qin Qinian quickly shut his mouth.
Dai Li stepped out of the carriage. "Whether he heard it or not, I know about it."
Qin Qinian shuddered, as if struck by a blow to the head. He pleaded, "Mother..."
Dai Li responded with an ambiguous tone.
At this moment, Qin Shaozong, who had ridden back in high spirits, approached. His gaze swept over his two sons, lingering briefly on Qin Qinian, who was drenched in sweat. However, he said nothing, only asking Dai Li, "Did you enjoy the palace banquet today, Madam?"
He and his two brothers were having their meal in the west hall on the other side, unaware of the situation in the east hall.
Dai Li said truthfully, "It's like entering a vegetable market. It seems like I'm the only one selling ingredients, and everyone is practically begging to come to me with their money."
Qin Shaozong chuckled, "That's quite fitting."
The wind shifted, and Dai Li suddenly smelled a strong odor of alcohol. She first sniffed at Qin Shaozong, then turned to look at the two brothers. The setting sun cast an orange-red glow on their faces, obscuring their original colors.
"Have you all been drinking?" she asked.
Qin Shaozong was probably in a very good mood today, and said in a hearty manner: "How can we not drink on such a joyous day? A man cannot be raised like a lady in a boudoir. If he does not drink a drop of alcohol, how will he celebrate with thousands of soldiers in the future? Madam, please do not be so reserved."
Dai Li looked at Qin Yanzhou. The young man stood quietly, his left ear, which wasn't visible in the setting sun, was also bright red. She tugged at the corner of her mouth, said a few more words casually, and then left under the pretext of needing to digest her food after the meal.
But despite saying she was going to digest her food, Dai Li wasn't just strolling around. She didn't even bring a maid and went to Nalan Zhi's courtyard alone.
*
When Dai Li arrived at sunset, Nalan Zhi looked surprised, but he readily invited her into the house and made her tea. "May I ask what brings you to my humble abode, Madam?"
“There are some things weighing on my mind that I cannot understand. I have come to trouble you, sir, to try to find an answer. I hope you will tell me what you know.” Dai Li knelt down opposite the desk.
Nalan Zhi sat upright, "I will definitely speak frankly and without reservation."
Dai Li said, “Because of past events, I once asked you, sir, to enlighten Zhouzhou, to help him leave his isolated island and integrate into society. You did a very good job, and he indeed became much more lively afterward. I will always be grateful to you. After Zhouzhou came of age, he told me that you had changed your previous approach and were teaching him books such as the *I Ching*, the *Great Learning*, and the *Book of Rites*. When I learned of this, I had the opportunity to ask the Marquis in person if you had done so at his behest. He admitted it, but said to me that he was the son of the Marquis of Wu'an, how could he only know a few characters?”
Dai Li took a deep breath. "Sir, do you think that's all? Is the way of self-cultivation, family management, and governing the country really just for practicing calligraphy, without any other ulterior motives?"
Steam rose from the small stove beside them as they brewed tea. After Dai Li finished speaking, the only sound in the room, with the door wide open, was the gurgling of water.
A silence, a silence that chilled Dai Li to the bone, was spreading.
After a long while, she heard a sigh.
“There should be,” Nalan Zhi said.
In that instant, all of Dai Li's hesitant, struggling, fearful, and uneasy emotions—all the complex emotions twisted into a rope—suddenly plunged into icy water, which then poured over her head.
The gold hairpin beside the woman's temple swayed incessantly.
She opened her mouth, but the first time she only managed a breath; her throat was extremely dry, as if it were on fire. The second time, Dai Li finally found her voice, "Sir, what do you think Qin Changgeng is thinking?"
She no longer cared about addressing Qin Shaozong as "Lord" in front of outsiders.
Nalan Zhi shook his head and said, "Whether it is employing people or waging war, our lord has always acted unconventionally. He dared to use a criminal like me who had been branded with tattoos; he also dared to lead troops to take mountain roads, venture deep into uninhabited areas, and finally parachute down behind Bai Ri Guan. Therefore, I have no idea about your question. As a subject, I can only follow orders."
Before Dai Li married Qin Shaozong, she and Nalan Zhi had many conversations about refining salt, and they became good friends.
Now, Nalan Zhi spoke frankly to her, "Whether the lord intends it or not, the path of Chong Le is not easy."
Author's Note: Here I am, still begging for nutrient solution! [Hands clasped in prayer]
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