Chapter 260 Reward with a Title
When an emperor takes a huge advantage of a commoner, it is still because she is willing to give it to you for the sake of Da Qi and to recognize you as the emperor, especially when the thing she offers is of real use.
What will happen to the emperor?
The one sitting on the throne before me would - very much want to make amends.
Sang Luojin's papermaking technology could not be made public. Even if the emperor wanted to reward her before, he could not find an opportunity to do so. Now that the opportunity had come to him, the idea of compensation naturally came to his mind.
The last topic before the afternoon court was dismissed was raised by the emperor himself, "All the ministers, please discuss how to reward the Sang family of Daxingzhuang."
This was what the civil officials were best at. Immediately, some people came out to express their opinions. Some said they wanted to commend the emperor, while others said they wanted to reward him with silver. The emperor sat on the throne and listened to the opinions of several ministers. They all said they wanted to reward him with fields, land, silk, and silk. He just smiled, saying neither good nor bad. He turned around and pointed to Zeng Ziqian: "You are the head official of Shezhou, and you know the merits of the Sang family the best. Tell us what you think."
Zeng Ziqian was not stupid. He understood the emperor's meaning of the achievement he mentioned in an instant. He quickly weighed the points in his mind and guessed what the emperor wanted. Then he stepped out and praised everything from the curved plow to the yam planting to the pig castration method. Then he turned to the main topic: "I think that the things Sang has figured out this year, the curved plow and the pig castration method alone have contributed to our Great Qi. It is absolutely not enough to reward her with silver, silk, and a hundred acres of land. I dare to suggest that she be rewarded with a title. For a woman, the title should be the lowest rank, the county lady. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Title!
Give a common peasant woman a title???
All the court officials were stunned, even some of the emperor Li Yu's close confidants were dumbfounded and speechless for a moment.
The emperor asked Zeng Ziqian to bring it up, wasn't he too bold to do so?
This is different from the fact that Fan was granted the title of a third-rank lady. Fan herself was of high birth, and most importantly, her husband was Zeng Ziqian. A husband's honor brings him honor, and it has always been the case that the wives and mothers of ministers are granted the title of ladies of high rank.
But what is a county lady? Princesses, county ladies, county ladies, and county ladies are usually given to the royal family members, while county ladies and county ladies are given to the daughters of meritorious officials. When the Great Qi was newly established, were there many meritorious officials and new nobles? Many meritorious officials who followed the emperor to conquer the world were given titles, but there was no one who was given a title to the daughters and sisters of meritorious officials.
In other words, there were no county lords or township lords in Da Qi at all!
Now there is a peasant woman who castrates a pig and is given the title of a local lady?
Before the emperor could speak, a court official already jumped out and said, "I object!"
"Historically, the title of marquis is given for military merit, and the county lady and the county lady are all daughters of meritorious officials. If a woman who changed the plow and butchered pigs is given the title of county lady, wouldn't the county lady of our Great Qi be a joke? It's so easy for common people to be given titles, what Lord Zeng said is too frivolous!"
Zeng Ziqian asked in return: "Which one do you mean is easier? Is it easier to make a curved plow, or is it easier for the people of Daqi to raise a pig and get nearly 100 kilograms of meat every year?"
The court was filled with verbal battles. The emperor watched for a while and raised his chin: "Mr. Xue, tell me, is it appropriate to confer the title of Xiangjun on Ms. Sang?"
When the ministers who had not expressed their opinions heard that the emperor had mentioned Xue Yan, their eyelids twitched.
Although Xue Yan had not said anything, he did not hesitate at all when the emperor called him. He stepped out of the line and bowed before saying, "I agree with Mr. Zeng's proposal. The most important thing for the country is rewards and punishments. Although Sang is a peasant woman and her family has no high-ranking officials, she is willing to study agriculture and sericulture, and she never keeps her gains for herself. She has made contributions to the court twice within a year. Although she has not made any achievements, she has made contributions to the country and benefited the people. I think Sang deserves the title of a county lady, and this is also the most appropriate reward at this time."
"Oh?" The emperor raised his eyebrows slightly: "Where should I start to talk about the most appropriate?"
"The country is newly established and there are many things to be done. Your Majesty is eager to seek talents. Sang, a peasant woman, has made great contributions and has been awarded a title. You only employ people based on their talents, so why worry about not having talents?"
This time, before the emperor could name anyone else, the left prime minister stepped out and said, "In ancient times, people would pay a fortune for bones. I think what Lord Xue said is very true. I also request that Sang be granted the title of county lord."
"I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
…
As soon as several important officials came out, there was a wave of seconding of the motions.
The emperor was satisfied.
"Well, a thousand gold coins worth of bones. I will follow your advice and confer the title of fifth-rank county lord on the Sang family of Shezhou."
The drafting of the decree will be done by the civil servants. The tribute from Shezhou is for the people. The yam will be planted in the imperial farm after the spring. The pig slaughterers brought by Zeng Ziqian will stay in Chang'an temporarily. Starting tomorrow, the pig slaughtering law will be implemented in the counties around Chang'an.
After the court was called, the emperor returned to the imperial study in a particularly good mood. On the way, he instructed Cen Xi to send all the tribute from Shezhou, except the pigs and yams, to the imperial study for him to have a look.
I was very curious just now, what is fermented bean curd and how to eat vermicelli?
When the eunuchs brought the things, he even washed his hands. The eunuchs opened the boxes one by one for him to see. The emperor picked up a jar easily, opened it, and put a piece of fresh jerky into his mouth.
When Cen Xi saw the jerky, his eyelids twitched, and then he thought of the newly appointed county lord.
Sure enough, his previous guess was actually correct.
Daxingzhuang is amazing.
Just then, the emperor generously stuffed him a can of meat jerky: "It tastes good, this can is a reward for you."
Cen Xi exclaimed and thanked him quickly for the reward.
The Emperor has gone to see some other new things.
…
Outside the Taiji Hall, it was past the usual time for the officials to leave the palace after the court session.
On this day, Shezhou was the biggest winner again. Those who had previously laughed at Zeng Ziqian for getting no reward this time now walked away from Zeng Ziqian. It was not that he got no reward, but he was rewarded with a county lady, which was not a high rank, but she was a baroness!
Not to mention Zeng Ziqian's own future, anyone with eyes could see that the emperor was satisfied, and promotion was a sure thing after the three-year term was up. Even the Meizhou governor left a good impression in front of the emperor.
Zeng Ziqian just smiled and waited for his grandfather and grandson to leave the palace together.
He did not stay in the capital for long. He only rested for one day, and returned to Shezhou the next day with the angel who announced the decree.
…
It was the seventeenth day of the twelfth lunar month when the second angel arrived at Daxingzhuang. It was the end of the year, farm work had stopped, and every family had a relatively free time.
The twins are now almost three and a half months old. Unlike when they were just born, they were not so small. Sang Luo took good care of them. The two little ones have gradually grown up and can already babble. Especially Ayao, who laughs when she is tickled and is very lovable.
Chen Lie doted on his two children. He made a stroller cradle for them according to the drawings drawn by Sang Luo, and took advantage of the little time after school every day. When the weather was good, the two little ones could be pushed out from time to time to bask in the sun and add to the fun in the village.
As soon as the Shen family's cart came out, Lu Erlang and Chen Dashan made one for their daughter and son in the same way. This way, Sang Luo would not be tied up and unable to get out. When the sun was good in winter, she, Feng Liuniang, Zhou Ge, and the other three families would often take their children for a walk together.
Of course, most of the time, they stayed outside the Shen family's house, because in the morning there were often children reading, or Shen Ning or Xu Wenyin acting as little teachers.
The four little ones loved to join in the fun. A-yao couldn't sit yet, so she was happy to lie in the stroller and paddling with her hands, babbling along. Even Qianbao, who was usually quieter than his sister A-yao, would prick up his ears and listen carefully, his pair of black eyes looking very bright.
Nanny Zhong arrived at this time and said that there was a reward from the court and the angel had already arrived at the governor's mansion and would come here half an hour later.
After hearing this, Shen Ning didn't even attend the class. He put down the bamboo slips and left the pavilion: "Angel? Another imperial edict has arrived?"
Aunt Zhong smiled and said, "That's right."
This time, there was no need to borrow the incense table from the Xu family. The Shen family had everything they needed and they were experienced. Sang Luo handed the two children to Shen Ning, and asked Qin Fangniang, Wei Lingzhen and others who were also basking in the sun to help them move and carry things. She also asked Aunt Zhong and the angels, and even prepared the red envelopes for the rewards.
Chen Lie and Shen An were called away from school for the second time by people from the governor's mansion, and for the same reason, so they returned home to receive an order.
Is the imperial edict cabbage?
Twice in one year.
Not to mention that all the teachers and classmates were dumbfounded, Chen Lie and Shen An were also stunned. However, they knew they could not delay any longer, so they hurriedly asked for leave from their teachers and went home. When they returned to Daxing Village, because of the angel procession, countless villagers from the surrounding areas crowded into Daxing Village to watch the fun.
At the end of the fifth year of traveling through time and space, Sang Luo received the imperial edict for the second time. This time, it was a eunuch who came, not an imperial envoy. She guessed that it should be a reward for the method of slaughtering pigs. She thought about the reward of silver, silk, land and fields. The only thing she didn't guess was that she became the Lady of Da Qi? ! !
The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, decreed that after the string of praises at the end, she should be a fifth-rank lady?
Everyone in the Shen family, except the two babies in the stroller, was stunned.
What did the angel who delivered the decree read out later? He did not enjoy the fiefdom, but could receive 40 taels of silver and 40 hu of rice as salary every year, and the emperor also granted him a county mansion in the capital?
The imperial edict, the hairpins and the ceremonial clothes were all held in front of her. Sang Luo was still dizzy and her heart was pounding fast. The group of people including Mrs. Chen who were crowded outside the door of the Shen family to watch were so wide open that their mouths could hardly close. An egg could be stuffed into their mouths.
The eunuch who delivered the decree smiled and said, "My lord, please accept the decree and thank the emperor."
Sang Luo suddenly realized and hurriedly accepted the order to express her gratitude. She also took the hairpin and ceremonial clothes held by the eunuch. Chen Lie handed the prepared red envelope to the leading eunuch in due time, and Shen An took care of the rest of the eunuchs who followed.
The eunuch who issued the decree had received Cen Xi's advice, and treated the Shen family very politely. He took the red envelope and put it into his sleeve with a smile, saying: "The Xiangjun's mansion still needs to be repaired, and some regulations need to be changed. Xiangjun can go to the Ministry of Revenue to receive it when he comes to Beijing tomorrow."
Sang Luo thanked him, not knowing how Chen Lie had treated him well and sent him away. She pinched her cheek and looked at Chen Ning who was helping to hold things beside her: "Am I a village lady?"
Shen Ning was even dumber than her: “Sister-in-law, pinch me.”
Sang Luo hadn't pinched it yet. Among the group of people including Chen Pozi who came in as soon as the angel left, Xu Wenyin helped to pinch it. She pinched herself with one hand and Shen Ning with the other: "It's not a dream..."
Chen Lie sent the people back, and the couple placed the imperial edict on display. They stared at each other in the south room in a daze, and then laughed together.
Chen Lie said mischievously: "Congratulations, madam."
The news that Sang Luo was named Lady of the Country spread like wildfire in Shezhou. For the first time, the common people knew that if they worked hard to farm and raise pigs, as long as they could really figure out the tricks, they could actually gain title and get rich!
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