Li Guang nodded and said:
"Your main task this time when you return to Narcissus Town is to bring your sister-in-law and Li Nan back to the capital. From now on, they will be living in the capital."
"Your humble servant obeys the decree."
"Besides that, there are a few other things that need your attention."
Next, Li Guang summoned the eunuchs who were waiting outside to his study.
"There are two letters here that you must personally deliver to Brother Zhao and Magistrate Wang. In addition, there is an imperial edict that you need to convey."
After Li Guang finished speaking, the eunuch handed a package to Ouyang Nan and said, "The letter and the imperial edict are here. Please keep them safe, Lord Ouyang."
Seeing that Ouyang Nan had accepted the gifts, Li Guang got up to take his leave.
Seeing Li Guang leave, Ouyang Nan returned to his study and opened the package to check it.
The two letters are handwritten by Li Guang. The imperial edict is open and unsealed, so it can be opened and read.
Ouyang Nan was very curious, so he opened the imperial edict and was overjoyed when he saw its contents.
Early the next morning, Ouyang Nan went to the Hanlin Academy to ask for leave. Since it was an assignment arranged by the emperor, the court had already arranged a team for him. Ouyang Nan then led the team away from the capital to Shuixian Town.
More than ten days later, Ouyang Nan returned to Shuixian Town, exactly one and a half years after his last return.
Ouyang Nan's return to Shuixian Town on official business was accompanied by a formidable entourage. The presence of several large yellow dragon banners in the procession indicated that the group was carrying out an imperial mission.
As soon as Ouyang Nan arrived at the town entrance, Zhao Xian received the news that he had been sent back by Li Guang to handle important matters.
The family left the Marquis's mansion and came to the gate to greet him. Before long, Ouyang Nan's entourage arrived.
Upon seeing Zhao Xian, Ouyang Nan quickly dismounted and approached Zhao Xian to pay his respects.
"Brother, it's been a long time. How have you been?"
"Everything is fine at home, don't worry. Judging from your entourage today, I know it was the Emperor who sent you back. How is the Emperor?"
"His Majesty is doing well. He misses his brother and family very much. He is returning home this time to handle important matters according to His Majesty's arrangements."
“Alright, you must be tired from your journey. Let’s talk inside the manor,” Zhao Xian said.
"Brother, wait a moment. There is something important to do. Let's finish it first before we enter the Marquis's mansion."
After Ouyang Nan finished speaking, he glanced at everyone and nodded when he saw that his family was all there.
Ouyang Nan turned around and took something from an official behind him. Everyone recognized it as an imperial edict.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Ouyang Nan unfolded the imperial edict and spoke loudly:
"All receive the imperial decree."
Everyone immediately knelt down, and some onlookers, seeing that it was an imperial edict, also quickly knelt down.
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees..." Ouyang Nan began to read the imperial edict.
A familiar scene unfolded: Ouyang Nan, the orphan who had once been taken in, was now an official of the imperial court, reading an imperial edict to the Zhengyang Marquis's family.
Zhao Xian did not expect that Ouyang Nan would announce the imperial edict as soon as he returned, before even entering the room. This must have been arranged by Li Guang.
Thinking about this, Zhao Xian felt a sense of anticipation.
In ancient times, imperial edicts were filled with platitudes at the beginning, while the real content was revealed later.
"..."
"Zhao Xian of Shuixian Town was promoted from Marquis to Duke and further enfeoffed as Duke Protector of the State."
"His mother, Li Chun'e, was granted the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady."
"His second younger brother, Zhao Xiaosheng, was appointed as the Grain and Cotton Commissioner of the Ministry of Revenue, holding the rank of sixth grade."
..."
Many people received honors and rewards from this imperial edict. Even Magistrate Wang, though not promoted, received a generous reward. The old man wasn't present today, otherwise he would have been ecstatic.
After Ouyang Nan finished reading the imperial edict, everyone thanked the emperor for his great favor, and Ouyang Nan gestured for everyone to stand up.
The whole family was overjoyed. Ouyang Nan walked up to Zhao Xian and excitedly spoke.
"Brother, congratulations."
"Today is a joyous day, let's set off firecrackers to celebrate."
Soon, firecrackers went off in front of the Marquis's mansion, and clusters of fireworks shot into the sky and bloomed.
Next, everyone entered the Marquis's mansion. After they were seated, Ouyang Nan began to recount the events that had occurred in the capital over the past few months.
Only then did everyone learn about the situation after Li Guang ascended the throne, and that the old emperor's condition had improved and he was recovering, which relieved them all.
"A few months ago, His Majesty received a small wooden box for nourishing medicine. All of this was arranged by a deity. With such divine assistance, His Majesty will surely enjoy prosperity for the people and strength for generations to come."
“Brother, here is another letter written to you by the Emperor himself.” After saying this, Ouyang Nan handed a letter to Zhao Xian.
Zhao Xian took the letter, opened it, and read it carefully.
After reading the letter, Zhao Xian smiled and said:
"This is a family letter. His Majesty misses the past very much and wants to go back to it, but it is no longer possible."
After Zhao Xian finished speaking, he handed the letter to Li Xue.
Just then, a soldier came to report that Magistrate Wang had come to visit.
"Please invite Magistrate Wang," Zhao Xian said.
Soon Wang Zhibo was invited in, and upon seeing Zhao Xian and Ouyang Nan, he quickly bowed and paid his respects.
"Greetings, Duke Protector of the Nation, Lord Ouyang."
Zhao Xiangan had just received the imperial decree and was granted the title of Duke Protector of the Nation when Wang Zhibo came to congratulate him.
“Magistrate Wang, you’re too kind. There’s no need for such formalities,” Zhao Xian said.
At this moment, Ouyang Nan walked up to Wang Zhibo and said, "It's good that you've come, Magistrate Wang. I have a personal letter from the Emperor here, which he asked me to bring to Magistrate Wang."
"If Magistrate Wang accepts this letter, I won't need to go to the county office."
Wang Zhibo was overwhelmed with gratitude and at a loss for words when the emperor wrote him a letter.
To receive a personal letter from the Emperor when I was just a minor county magistrate—what an honor!
Wang Zhibo took the letter from Ouyang Nan. The handwriting on the envelope was strong and powerful. This was the first time Wang Zhibo had seen Li Guang's calligraphy, and he was very excited.
Before Li Guang ascended the throne, the two had a few conversations about the construction of the southern irrigation canal in Zhengyang County, but apart from that, they did not have many opportunities to contact each other.
Today I suddenly received a handwritten letter from the emperor, but I don't know what it said.
Wang Zhibo intended to take the letter back to the county office to read it later, but at this moment he was a little impatient, so he opened the letter and read it carefully.
In his letter, Li Guang did not use the language of a monarch, but spoke as a close friend, praising Wang Zhibo's contributions over the past few years.
Li Guang did not deliberately conceal his future governing ideas; he would further strengthen development in important areas such as politics, military affairs, economy, and culture.
Li Guang wanted to use Zhengyang County as a pilot area to develop Shuixian Town into an important town of the Northern Dynasty.
Wang Zhibo is a rare talent in the Great Northern Dynasty. The Emperor asked him to use his brain, gather ideas from all sides, and take multiple approaches to develop Shuixian Town into a unique and important town in the Great Northern Dynasty within three to five years.
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