Their souls were shaken; those high-ranking officials turned their gazes to Qiao Lian'er, re-examining her existence.
In the future, her status would be so high that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she held the highest position among officials. What was different was that she also controlled a powerful military force, so she could be said to have both internal and external strength.
What's even more different is that she's only sixteen years old.
The only explanation for obtaining these things is that they were ordained by fate.
How can someone like that not make others feel pressured?
Prince Pei was also a little stunned. In fact, he thought earlier that Qiao Lian'er was not good enough for Pei Er's background, but now he felt that Pei Er was a bit too good for Qiao Lian'er.
His second son was very opinionated and naturally wouldn't easily submit to others, yet he was willing to follow Qiao Lian'er. It turned out that it was because Qiao Lian'er had great potential that he admired her and was willing to risk his life without regret.
Qiao Lian'er was somewhat familiar with Tianhe Prefecture because she had been there several times to do jade business.
Among the eight prefectures that guard the capital, Tianhe Prefecture ranks in the middle in terms of economic strength and can be considered a prosperous place. However, its terrain and climate are somewhat complicated, and it is more prone to droughts and floods than other prefectures.
Although it was said to be a fiefdom for her, in reality, all land under heaven belongs to the emperor, and that piece of land still belonged to the imperial family. The emperor was merely entrusting her with the management and governance of that place.
But since it is her fiefdom, she has jurisdiction and a great deal of autonomy. As long as she doesn't make any mistakes, everything within Tianhe Prefecture is hers.
"Your Majesty." A first-rank minister rose, cupped his hands, and carefully began to speak: "This humble subject has something to say."
"you say."
"Your Majesty wishes to bestow upon Princess Feiluan the title of Princess Zhenguo. This old minister has no objection. However, Tianhe Prefecture is too vast, belonging to one of the sixty major prefectures of the Great Swamp Kingdom. In the long run, I fear that bestowing such a title upon the Princess Zhenguo may leave hidden dangers."
He paused, as if gathering his courage: "The harm caused by the feudal separatist regime is evident in history. Such a system has long been eliminated from this land, at least in Daze Kingdom. I do not doubt the loyalty of Princess Zhenguo, but I am only afraid that Your Majesty has set this precedent, and others will be tempted to act."
As soon as he said this, the ministers began to whisper among themselves and discuss the matter.
The emperor said, “I bestowed Tianhe Prefecture upon Princess Zhenguo as a reward for her many merits over the years. She is worthy of it. How can this be related to separatism?”
"His Majesty's move was indeed to reward Princess Zhenguo and to acknowledge her abilities. However, some people will never see it that way. They think that since Princess Zhenguo is in charge of a large prefecture and has almost complete control, they might as well do the same. This could incite resentment and discontent. If they were to disobey his orders, wouldn't that cause a lot of trouble? Especially those generals who have their own armies and are self-important, seeing this example will only make them bolder."
Then, two more ministers stood up and analyzed the pros and cons, their words clearly indicating their disagreement.
The emperor's expression grew increasingly grim. He had carefully considered his decision before making it. Qiao Lian'er was someone who could help him govern the country, so he would use her abilities to make his empire stronger and more stable. Her family would also prosper as a result, making it a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Over the years, he had long since figured out Qiao Lian'er's character. As long as you don't let her down, she will never betray you.
It can be said that Qiao Lian'er is a powerful tool; if used properly, it will do him no harm.
However, he couldn't say these things in front of all the ministers.
Prince Pei spoke up: "Your Majesty has his reasons for bestowing Tianhe Prefecture upon Princess Zhenguo."
"Prince Pei, please speak," the emperor said, showing some interest.
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