Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 133 County Magistrate (Part 2)

Su Xiaoci's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered, though a barely perceptible hint of embarrassment flashed in her eyes.

He picked up his teacup, took a small sip to conceal his displeasure, and then changed the subject, saying, "Nephew, you are too modest. The title of Duke of Lu is well-deserved. The current situation in the court is delicate. With His Majesty's favor, you will surely thrive in the court in the future."

Lü Shang said softly, "I have only done my duty as a subject, and everything depends on Your Majesty's wisdom. In the future, I will certainly abide by my duty and live up to Your Majesty's expectations."

Seeing this, Lü Yongji spoke up at the right moment, saying, "Minister Su, my son is young and has been fortunate to achieve what he has today thanks to His Majesty's favor. I hope that you will continue to guide him in the future."

Su Xiaoci laughed heartily, slammed his teacup down, and said, "Lord Qi, you are too kind. Nephew Lü is young and promising with a bright future. I have to go to the residences of other generals after delivering the imperial edict, so I will not bother you any longer."

Lü Yongji and Lü Shang hurriedly got up to see Su Xiaoci off, escorting her to the gate of the mansion.

After Su Xiaoci's carriage had driven away, Lü Shang turned to Lü Yongji and said, "Father, Su Xiaoci's gesture of goodwill is clearly intentional. I wonder if the person behind him is the Prince of Jin or the Crown Prince?"

Lu Yongji sighed and said, "Naturally it is the Crown Prince. Su Xiaoci is not only the Minister of War, but also the Left Guard Commander of the Crown Prince. He is the person the Crown Prince trusts the most."

The Crown Prince's Left Guard Commander, who is in charge of the Eastern Palace's guards, would not have been entrusted with such an important position unless he had absolute trust in Su Xiaoci.

Upon hearing this, Lü Shang frowned and said, "So, Su Xiaoci's overtures are actually to win over the Crown Prince's faction. No wonder you kept shaking your head. The Crown Prince and Prince Jin are secretly vying for power, and if we get involved, we could suffer a great disaster if we're not careful."

Lu Yongji said quietly, "That's right. Although the Crown Prince holds the position of heir apparent, the Prince of Jin is good at catering to the wishes of the two emperors. These two factions are fighting openly and secretly, and each has its own supporters. Although our Lu family is an in-law, we come from a very low social class and dare not get involved."

"Shang'er, I know you are now favored by the Emperor and are making a name for yourself in the court, becoming a target for various parties to win you over. But we must remain clear-headed and protect ourselves wisely, that is the right path." Lü Yongji stared intently at Lü Shang with a deep gaze and a solemn expression.

"Crown Prince, Prince of Jin,"

Lu Shang shook his head, feeling a great headache. The struggle between the two factions was already beginning to show signs of brewing. And this was only the beginning. Once Princess Lanling was married and the Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin became his brothers-in-law, it would be difficult for Lu Shang to remain uninvolved.

In fact, there were more than just these two factions in the court. Yang Jian and Dugu Jialuo had five sons and five daughters. After establishing the Sui Dynasty, Yang Jian enfeoffed his sons as kings and appointed them to important positions in various regions to consolidate the rule of the imperial family.

Emperor Yang Jian believed that the brothers had a natural blood bond and were both born to Dugu Jialuo, so they should support each other and there would be no situation of fighting for the throne and killing each other.

Therefore, Emperor Yang Jian granted immense power to his sons. Prince Yang Guang of Jin was appointed Governor-General of Bingzhou, Grand Pillar of State, and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat of Hebei Circuit, stationed in Taiyuan. Prince Yang Jun of Qin was appointed Governor of Luozhou and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat of Henan Circuit, stationed in Luoyang.

Yang Xiu, the King of Shu, was appointed as the General Governor of Yizhou, Grand Pillar of State, and Minister of the Southwest Circuit, stationed in Chengdu. It was only because Yang Liang, the King of Han, was too young to govern a region that Yang Jian would have sent him to a local post.

When Lü Yongji and Lü Shang returned to the mansion, as soon as they stepped across the threshold, a gust of wind swept through, carrying a few withered leaves that chilled them to the bone.

Lü Yongji raised his hand to signal Lü Quan to close the mansion gate, and then said to Lü Shang, "Shang'er, come with me to the study."

Inside the study, Lü Yongji sat in a carved armchair, looking at the imperial edict in his hand. He sighed heavily and said, "Duke of Lu County, I didn't expect the Emperor to be so generous, granting you the title of Duke of Lu, the founding duke." "I am Duke of Qi, and you are Duke of Lu County. Our Lü family now has two titles. With these two titles, our Lü family may not be able to claim a lineage of dukes and marquises for generations, but we can certainly share the prosperity of the nation."

Upon hearing the phrase "sharing the fate of the nation," Lü Shang laughed and said, "The imperial edict says that I have a fief of one thousand households in Lu County. I remember that there are two Lu Counties in our Great Sui Dynasty. I just don't know whether the Emperor has granted me the title of Duke of Lu County in Shandong or Henan."

The Sui Dynasty had a vast territory, including two Lu counties, each a strategic location with its own unique character.

One is the old Lu region of Shandong. After the Chu state conquered Lu, Lu County was established there, and it maintained a strong Confucian tradition throughout the Qin and Han dynasties. In the fourth year of the Kaihuang era, the emperor decreed that Lu County be renamed Wenyang.
One is located in Henan Province. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, it was originally called Lushan County. At the beginning of the Kaihuang era, it was renamed Lu County and was under the jurisdiction of Guangzhou. It connects Jingchu in the south and Heluo in the north, making it a vital passage for north-south travel.

These two places represent a thousand-year-old cultural heritage and a strategic transportation and military location.

Lu Yongji tapped his fingers lightly on the desk and said, "It should be Lu County in Henan. Lu County in Shandong has been influenced by the Kong family since the pre-Qin period. The Kong family is deeply rooted in the area and their influence is intertwined."

"Today, many descendants of the Confucius family hold official positions both inside and outside the court, and their students and former subordinates are scattered throughout the land. Lu County in Shandong is practically the Confucius family's private domain. Where can the emperor find a thousand households to grant to you?"

Lü Shang seemed to understand something and said, "Father is absolutely right. I have heard that the place where the Confucius family teaches, Xingtan, is bustling with students every day. Many of them take up positions in various prefectures and counties after completing their studies."

"The Kong family used this opportunity to build extensive connections in officialdom, creating a complex and intertwined network of relationships."

Lu Yongji nodded solemnly and said, "Not only that, the Kong family's farmland in Lu County, Shandong Province, stretches for hundreds of miles."

"The grain they harvested each year was piled up like mountains. With their abundant wealth, they not only supported many retainers, but also frequently sponsored local gentry, and enjoyed extremely high prestige among the people."

"This gave the Kong family immense influence both in the imperial court and among the common people. Even local officials had to pay a visit to the Kong family before taking office."

Lu Shang frowned and said, "In this way, the affairs of Lu County in Shandong are almost entirely under the control of the Kong family, which is practically equivalent to a vassal king."

"The Kong family is far more terrifying than any feudal lord; they have a powerful ancestor!"

Lu Yongji's gaze was deep. He raised his hand and gently stroked his chin, saying slowly, "I do hope that the thousand households His Majesty has granted you are in Lu County, Henan. It is a vital passage between the south and the north, and its commerce is extremely prosperous."

“Merchant ships thronged the area daily, carrying silk and tea from the south, and furs and horses from the north, all of which were transshipped and traded there. The dock taxes alone amounted to an astonishing sum.”

Lu Yongji tapped his fingers lightly on the table and said, "That is why all the magistrates of Lu County have achieved remarkable political achievements during their tenure."

"To ensure their stable business operations, local merchants offer countless sums of money to the government every year. Our family has been granted the title of Duke of Lu County. In addition to the taxes from the fiefdom of one thousand households, we may also have the opportunity to participate in the management of local commerce and profit from it."

(End of this chapter)