Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Conferred a title alone...
When I left Ying's house, it was snowing.
The two of them were silent; in fact, they hadn't exchanged much on the way here. Lin Qiuran felt uncomfortable, especially after seeing Mrs. Ying and the child. When she came out, she even gave Mrs. Ying some silver. Without a man in the family, the most important thing they needed was money.
Brother Ying died on the battlefield and even his body couldn't be brought back. The condolences we paid just now were only to the coffin filled with old clothes.
The bones by the Wuding River are pitiful, especially the person in the spring girl’s dream.
Walking out of the alley, Lin Qiuran couldn't help but look back. There was a thin layer of snow on the road, with snowflakes rustling. White flags were erected, and soul-guiding flags were fluttering in the wind.
The summoning tune drifted away. Lin Qiuran watched for a moment, then lowered his head. Xiao Xun waited quietly nearby. Seeing the snow falling heavier, and Lin Qiuran still not moving, Xiao Xun said, "Qiu Ran, let's go back."
Lin Qiuran nodded, "Let's go."
As they walked towards the carriage, Xiao Xun opened his mouth several times but said nothing, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Lin Qiuran could actually guess what he wanted to say.
Xiao Xun had died once before, and his family had believed him truly dead. Like Ying's mother, Sun had cried until her eyes were red and swollen for her son. Watching the Ying family prepare for Ying's funeral, Xiao Xun must have thought of himself, and even of how Sun and the others had gotten through it.
However, Lin Qiuran had just arrived and found out that she had a child. She didn't know Xiao Xun either, so she didn't feel anything about his death. It was good that Xiao Xun didn't ask.
After getting in the car, she asked, "Are you still going to the palace today?"
She saw that Xiao Xun was quite free now, but when she thought about it, she realized that he had just returned and must need to rest for a while before being assigned a position.
Xiao Xun nodded, "We have to go to the palace soon."
It will probably take a while to reward people for their contributions today.
When they got home, Xiao Xun packed up and left. Tang Yuan asked, "Mom, where did Dad go?"
Lin Qiuran said, "Your father has gone to work, and Mom also had to go out to work before. Everyone has their own things to do, and so do you."
Lin Qiuran said this because he hoped that Tangyuan would not object if he went to school in the future.
Tang Yuan nodded thoughtfully, "But I'm staying here now, Mom, so what should I do?"
Lin Qiuran glanced outside and saw that the snow was getting heavier. She said, "You can go play in the snow for a while, and then you can go ice skating with Lin Ming."
It's the twelfth lunar month now, and the ice is very solid, so you can go play on the lake for a while.
Tangyuan: “Okay!”
Seeing him happy, Lin Qiuran patted his head and said, "But not for too long. Look at the chilblains on your father's hands. Staying outside for too long will cause this."
Tang Yuan nodded vigorously. He even brought his own roller skate and asked Lin Ming to pull him. This roller skate had an iron pipe embedded underneath the template, which made it slide easily. If someone pulled it, it could run very fast.
Lin Qiuran arranged the dumplings and waited for a while but didn't see Sun. He asked the maid and found out that Sun had just gone out for a walk.
Lin Qiuran said, "Go out and look for her. Call the old lady back."
Xiao Xun entered the palace, anticipating that someone would come to read the imperial edict today. The emperor's reward was a top priority for the people, so his family members would definitely be present.
The maidservant followed instructions and went out to look for someone.
Lin Qiuran waited for about a quarter of an hour before Sun finally returned. Sun had been in the capital for a month and was already familiar with the city, so she was happy to go out and about these past few days.
Before entering the house, Sun brushed off the fallen snow on her body and asked, "Qiu Ran, what's the matter?"
Lin Qiuran was too embarrassed to talk about the uncertainty, so she said, "I have something to discuss with you."
When Sun heard that something was wrong, she hurriedly said, "Don't discuss it with me, don't discuss it with me! Just make the decision yourself."
After so many years, Sun has long understood that letting Lin Qiuran take charge of family affairs will benefit the family.
Lin Qiuran nodded. "Alright, if you don't make decisions on big things, why don't you make decisions on small things? What are we having for lunch? Do you have anything you'd like to eat?"
Sun thought for a moment and said, "How about we eat that ginger duck? I haven't had it for a long time. If you have shrimp, you can make some. I like glutinous rice balls."
Lin Qiuran smiled and agreed, and asked the maid to go out and buy things.
Lin Qiuran was reading a book and an account book in the house. After waiting for more than half an hour, Xiao Xun came back.
There was snow on his shoulders and his brows were cold. Lin Qiuran went up to him and asked, "How is it?"
Xiao Xun looked at Lin Qiuran and said, "We need to prepare the incense table. Someone from the Ministry of Rites will be here to read the imperial edict."
The imperial edict cannot be read casually. One must kneel down and face the direction of the palace to receive the edict. Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to the emperor.
The Ministry of Rites was still on its way, but Xiao Xun was riding back even faster. Lin Qiuran didn't have time to ask for details before immediately giving orders. She said to the maid, "Tell everyone in the mansion to go to the front yard. Set up the incense table. If anyone comes, make sure they are well entertained."
Lin Qiuran was watched by Lin Xia, who asked one of the maids to find the dumplings while the other prepared a purse.
After everything was ready, Lin Qiuran asked her to go to Shou'an Hall and tell Sun to change into appropriate clothes before coming back.
After explaining all this, she went to the mirror to fix her hair, then went back to the inner room to change her clothes.
Xiao Xun watched her busying around and said, "That's good."
Lin Qiuran ignored him. What did Xiao Xun know?
Tangyuan came back soon. He had been playing in the snow outside and his clothes and shoes were all wet. Lin Qiuran changed his clothes for him. When Sun arrived, the family went to the front yard together.
On the way, Lin Qiuran gave them a few more instructions, "Kneel down when the imperial edict is read, and kowtow after it's finished. Kneel three times and kowtow nine times, performing a grand ceremony. This is a good thing, so don't be too nervous. Just do what you do every day. But don't talk too much, don't ask too many questions, and don't look around."
Sun nodded, feeling anxious. The Xiao family was actually going to receive an imperial edict. It really was the ancestral tomb... No, the Xiao family had nothing to do with the old house now, so how could there be an ancestral tomb?
Tangyuan also nodded. He was sometimes naughty and playful, but he always listened to Lin Qiuran when he was serious.
Lin Qiuran and Xiao Xun held Tangyuan's hand. When they arrived at the front yard, all the servants in the mansion were there and the incense table was set up.
The gatekeeper had been guarding the alley entrance. Everyone waited in the front yard for a while. The gatekeeper came back and said to Lin Qiuran, "Madam! Sir! Someone is coming from the palace."
This was the first time he saw an adult in official uniform.
Xiao Xun, along with his wife, children and family members, knelt at the door and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
The Minister of Rites held up the box containing the imperial edict and said, "May the emperor be well and at peace."
Everyone stood up, and the Minister of Rites said, "Master Xiao, please accept the order."
Everyone knelt facing north in front of the incense table, while officials from the Ministry of Rites stood facing south. Lin Qiuran knelt behind Xiao Xun. After kneeling for a while, he felt a chill on his knees. He felt a slight discomfort in his heart, but it was suppressed by the bright yellow color of the imperial edict.
Seeing the imperial edict is like seeing the emperor.
Officials from the Ministry of Rites: "The Emperor, by the grace of Heaven, decrees:
I only recognize that commending merit and virtue is the grand ceremony of an emperor; loyalty and fulfillment of duty are the norm for a minister. You, Xiao Xun, have diligently worked day and night, conquering the barbarians. I hereby grant you the title of Earl of Dingyuan, with an annual salary of 600 dan (approximately 1,000 dan of rice), a reward of 1,000 taels of silver, 1,000 hectares of fertile land, a mansion, and a jade belt...
To honor your achievements, you should continue to be loyal and steadfast, and do not disgrace my command. I respect you! "
The voice of the official from the Ministry of Rites pierced through the snow and echoed throughout the front yard. When he finished reading the imperial edict, everyone in the palace said in unison: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace. Long live the emperor!"
Everyone performed the ceremony of three knocks and nine bows, and kowtowed three times each time they knelt. Lin Qiuran was a little worried about Tangyuan, but when she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Tangyuan was serious and doing it in a very professional manner.
In addition, winter clothes were thick, and after the ceremony, he stood up properly and did not act rudely.
Xiao Xun took the imperial edict, and the official from the Ministry of Rites bowed slightly. "Sir Xiao, the rewards are still to come. Some imperial edicts have not been written yet. I will leave someone to check the list of gifts. When you are free, please go and take a look. If you are not satisfied, please let me know. I have something else to do, so I will leave first."
Lin Qiuran winked at the maid, who handed a purse to the officials following behind, "Thank you for the trouble, gentlemen."
It's snowing today, and it would be a nice thought to have some hot tea with you later.
Xiao Xun walked two steps, then counted the rewards and sent them to the warehouse. He gave a gift list, and the family had to keep a copy to prevent it from being damaged.
Lin Qiuran asked the maid to take Sun and Tangyuan back first. Sun watched Lin Qiuran busy, her heart pounding. What is this "bo"? What does it mean?
Lin Qiuran was busy, so Tangyuan didn't go forward to disturb him and went straight back to the main courtyard.
Later, the items were delivered one by one, and it took a long time to count and register them. The maid served hot tea, and the gate was wide open. People from the palace came in and out, and the people in the mansion counted them one by one. There were already many items on the imperial edict, and there were also some that were not written on the imperial edict.
After Lin Qiuran explained everything, he returned to the main courtyard with Xiao Xun. The two of them also brought back the imperial edict, which must be kept safe. It was not that Lin Qiuran respected him too much, but in this era, if you don't show respect, it is easy to bring disaster.
The Sun family felt warm, but they still hadn't reacted in their hearts. Before Xiao Xun came back, the Xiao family was rich, but they were just ordinary people. Now that he was back, there was an imperial edict in the house.
What was sealed and what was the reward...
Sun's mind was still reeling from the events just now. Even when Xiao Xun and Lin Qiuran returned, she was still recollecting them. As she was thinking, she suddenly stood up. Lin Qiuran and Tangyuan looked over in confusion. Sun asked, "Qiuran, how much land did the emperor reward our family with?"
Sun Shi hadn't heard clearly about the other rewards, but she only remembered that there was land. Coming from a farming family, she was particularly concerned about this. Now, recalling what the Lord Proclaimed the Decree had said, if she had heard correctly, it was a thousand hectares of farmland. Sun Shi remembered that one hectare was one hundred mu, so that was one thousand times one hundred. How much land was that?
Lin Qiuran said, "The Emperor said he would reward me with a thousand acres of farmland."
Lin Qiuran didn't know much about court affairs. He only knew that the new emperor was on the throne for five or six years. For an emperor, this was just the beginning. He was slowly gaining control of government and consolidating the court.
The battles in the northwest were fought brilliantly, and the emperor was pleased, so he gave these rewards.
For the Xiao family, this was enormous wealth, but looking at Dai Viet, there were precedents for this.
Someone had once been made a marquis and prime minister, and the emperor had directly rewarded him with 5,000 hectares of fertile land, which was more than what was given to Xiao Xun. However, Xiao Xun was still very young and could make great contributions in the future, so this reward was also quite large.
When Lin Qiuran bought land before, he only bought 200 acres in three years, which he thought was a lot and enough for his family. Now he has a thousand hectares of land, and even his unit has changed, so his family has more assets.
Think about it, it's not just a title. Other noble families have accumulated decades or even centuries of experience and have a rich heritage. If Xiao Xun only has a title and nothing else, it would be a joke if it got out.
With so much more land this time, they definitely had to plant it in the spring. This gave Xiao Dashi an excuse to come to the capital. Lin Qiuran didn't know how to farm, so he had to hire someone. The climate in the capital was different from Yu'an, so Xiao Dashi would definitely have something to do when he came.
Sun looked dazed, her feet felt weak and she couldn't touch the ground. She felt like she was floating in the air. "How much is this?"
Tang Yuan said, "Grandma, it's 100,000 mu of land. If we calculate the harvest is 300 kilograms per mu per year, we can sell it for a lot of money."
Lin Qiuran said, "The arithmetic is correct, but it's not the right way to calculate. We can't cultivate so much land ourselves, so we have to hire people to do it, and then give them a portion of the profit as commission. There are also other things, big and small, so the profit we get is definitely not that much."
Lin Qiuran was given a large number of land deeds. These fertile fields were transformed into farms of various sizes, hiring farmers to cultivate and tend the crops. He could also raise dairy cows like the Anyang Marquisate and drink milk daily.
All these have to be arranged before the spring. There are many rewards and a lot of work.
Tangyuan nodded. He felt that he had to keep a close eye on this, otherwise if some money was lost at any step, he would get less.
This thought only flashed through his mind for a moment. He didn't need to worry about family matters, so he quickly forgot about it.
The other rewards were still being counted. Lin Qiuran smiled, thinking Xiao Xun was quite capable. She glanced at Xiao Xun, who also looked back at her, his face happy but not complacent.
Good.
With titles, rewards, money... Tangyuan's life will be easier in the future.
It was not easy for both Xiao Xun and her to come to the capital. One of them fought on the battlefield and made great military achievements to get to where he is today, while she did business little by little, made money and came to the capital to buy a house and a shop.
But Tangyuan, who was only three years old, already lived in the capital.
The things that happened in the past involved Lin Ming and Lin Xia. Lin Qiuran asked the maid to take Tangyuan to play in the yard for a while. Snowflakes were falling outside the house. Although it was winter, she had a feeling of a good harvest.
Lin Qiuran saw that there was still some time before dinner, so he called Xiao Xun over.
Xiao Xun: "What's wrong?"
Lin Qiuran said, "Did you forget? We have to go to the clinic today."
As she spoke, she glanced at Xiao Xun's hand.
Xiao Xun had forgotten about this matter, "Don't worry about it, it's just a minor injury."
Lin Qiuran: "But you said you couldn't sleep last night because you were itchy."
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