Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 210 Hereditary Title, Wang Shao Granted the Title of Earl! (Bonus Chapter 4)

"quiet--"

After about a hundred breaths, the eunuch, having received instructions, gave a long shout, interrupting the discussion.

Then, he continued singing:
"The Emperor decreed to the Minister of State:"

I consider you a pillar of the state, a pillar of the nation, and a trusted advisor to the monarch.

Gu Tingye, Marquis of Ningyuan and Commander-in-Chief of the Cavalry and Infantry, comes from a family with a long tradition of military strategy and unwavering loyalty. Previously, when the Western Xia rebelled and the Longyou region was thrown into turmoil, Gu Tingye cut off their supply lines at a vital choke point, conquering two prefectures and expanding the territory by a thousand miles. His brilliant strategies perfectly aligned with the imperial plans, and his outstanding achievements surpassed all other armies.

Today, a special certificate is awarded to recognize the honor.

He was specially granted the title of General of the Cloud Banner, concurrently serving as a Privy Councilor and Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Cavalry, with an additional fief of one thousand households, a five-courtyard residence, ten hectares of imperial estate, thirty sets of precious armor, three fine steeds from the Western Regions, a silver tally and fish-shaped pouch, and was awarded a purple robe and gold belt.

His mother, Bai, was posthumously honored as a Lady of Virtue, and his wife, Sheng, was posthumously honored as a Lady of Virtue.

The Ministry of Works was ordered to inscribe an iron certificate inscribed with "Pillar of the State, Loyal and Diligent" to commemorate his family's meritorious service.

Yu Xi!

Wherever the banners point, they mark a glorious achievement in history; may the enduring legacy of our efforts forever solidify our solemn vows.

Awesome! "

As the top person after the commander-in-chief, Gu Tingye's reward was undoubtedly generous.

Land, property, and imperial titles are secondary; what truly matters is the appointment of those with real military power.

The three official positions were: General of the Cloud Banner (rank 3), Co-signatory of the Privy Council (rank 3), and Commander of the Imperial Guard Cavalry (rank 4).

Among them, the title of General Yunhui is a nominal one and not worth mentioning; the truly important positions are the other two.

The duties of the Privy Council include signing documents and signing documents.

With this official position, one can participate in the political affairs of the Privy Council.

The Commander of the Imperial Guards was a true military officer with real power.

Over a century of national rule, the army grew increasingly bloated, eventually accumulating hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Of these, approximately 800,000 were Imperial Guards.

These 800,000 were mainly distributed in circuits, prefectures, counties, as well as Bianjing and the frontier, and were under the jurisdiction of the three major government offices: the Palace Guard, the Cavalry Guard, and the Infantry Guard.

These three major offices are the highest military command institutions of the Imperial Guards, which oversee more than a hundred units including the Sun Guard, Heavenly Martial Guard, Dragon Guard, and Divine Guard, and are organized into four levels: garrison, army, command, and capital.

One capital has 100 men, one commander has 500 men, one army has 2,500 men, and one garrison has 25,000 men.

Above these are the three Imperial Guard Commands.

Among them, the Palace Guard Command does not have a commander, while the Imperial Guard Cavalry Command and the Imperial Guard Infantry Command both have a commander and a deputy commander. Together, these five people usually constitute the five deputy envoys of the Privy Council.

Previously, Gu Tingye served as the Commander of the Cavalry and Infantry, which was the top leader at the "army" level.

Currently, his position as the Commander of the Imperial Guards is the third-highest rank in the "Si" (司) system.

In theory, from the moment he took office as the Commander of the Imperial Guards, his only real superiors were the five Deputy Privy Councilors.

As for those who co-signed matters of the Privy Council, they were more inclined to be familiar with the Privy Council's affairs.

At the age of twenty-eight, he was ranked first in the same tier as the Deputy Privy Councilor, a position that could be described as extremely popular!
Gu Tingye blushed deeply and bowed heavily, saying, "Your subject Gu Tingye thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"

Zhao Ceying smiled and nodded calmly.

As the new emperor, he needs to consolidate his control over the military.

Winning over the heroes who helped expand the territory is the best option!
Among the several heroes who made significant contributions to the expansion of territory, Gu Tingye was the most outstanding.

The civil and military officials looked at each other, all secretly frowning.

It has been nearly a year since the Emperor ascended the throne.

Judging from the Emperor's daily conduct, many people believe that he is more inclined to smoothly transition the old ministers from the previous emperor's era.

As a result, today it truly gives people the feeling of "a new emperor, a new court".

Jiang Zhao, 30 years old, is a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

Gu Tingye, 28 years old, is the Commander of the Imperial Guard Cavalry.

If nothing unexpected happens, Wang Shao, Zhang Ding, Zheng Xiao, and the like will also receive substantial rewards.

The emperor was also twenty-eight years old.

They're all from the younger generation!

"The Emperor decreed to the Minister of State:"

The eagle soars high, its strength lies in its ability to crush enemies with a mere glance; the tiger's might proclaims itself, its value lies even more in its ability to quell rebellions across the land. You, Commander Yao Si, are the bravest in the army, your loyalty shines as bright as the sun.

Today, a special certificate is awarded to recognize the honor.

He is hereby granted the title of General of Loyalty and Martial Valor, and specially enfeoffed as Earl of Haifeng County, with a fief of one thousand households, and is bestowed with three hundred taels of gold, five hundred bolts of brocade, a residence of thirty hectares, and five sets of mountain-patterned armor.

Yu Xi!

You should prepare your horses and hone your skills, so as to continue the sharpness of the eagle and falcon; inscribe your achievements on bronze vessels, so as to never forget your lofty ambition.

Awesome! "

General Zhongwu, a nominal fourth-rank official.

The Earl of Haifeng County was a title held by nobility.

However, no matter how low one's rank, one is still a count.

伯！
The civil and military officials looked slightly surprised.

Who would have thought that Yao Si would actually be granted the title of Earl?
It should be noted that last time, the person who was granted the title of Earl was second only to the commander-in-chief. This time, the reward is unexpectedly generous!
At the head, Jiang Zhao and his teacher exchanged a glance.

Han Zhang held his tablet and nodded calmly.

Sure enough, it worked!
Jiang Zhao felt a sense of relief.

He always spared no effort in securing credit for his subordinates.

It was just a trial, but the emperor actually approved it?
"The Emperor decreed to the Minister of State:"

Expanding territory depends on winning decisive battles in an instant; guarding a region is even more important than pacifying the area.

Wang Shao, a scholar of the Privy Council, Earl of Taiyuan, and Grand Master of the Palace, was resolute, resourceful, loyal, and diligent in serving the country. He twice expanded the territory and was a meritorious official in opening up new frontiers.

This special honor is hereby bestowed to demonstrate this special privilege.

He is hereby granted the title of Earl of Zhennan, with a fief of three hundred households, the title to be hereditary and perpetual, to share in the prosperity of the nation.

Yu Xi!

Before the bronze vessels and sacrificial vessels, may the dynasty endure forever.

Awesome! "

Before he finished speaking, all the civil and military officials were in an uproar.

Hereditary succession, sharing the fate of the nation?
Except at the beginning of the dynasty, the country almost never bestowed imperial edicts or hereditary titles throughout its hundred-year reign.

Some were stripped of their titles, others of their iron certificates.

He did not bestow any reward upon them.

This time, they actually gave him an extraordinary reward?

Many military officers and nobles looked at the Grand Secretaries, only to find that they all had calm expressions.

Clearly, this matter had been discussed beforehand.

On the steps of the imperial palace, Zhao Ceying paid no attention.

Wang Shao is no ordinary fighter.

This man's talent in commanding troops and strategizing is almost on par with that of Marquis Ningyuan, Gu Tingye.

He readily agreed to allow such a talented individual to seek a hereditary title and thus delve into the art of military command.

Moreover, Wang Shao's merits were indeed worthy of being granted a noble title.

Both territorial expansions were undertaken by the group of people who made the greatest contributions.

Wang Shao expanded the territory of Xihe by opening up four prefectures, making him the most meritorious general after the commander-in-chief.

If it weren't for Yao Si, who killed the ruler of Western Xia in battle, Wang Shao would have been the second most meritorious commander after the general.

The two expansions brought the territory to a total of thirteen prefectures, equivalent to at least two circuits.

When Emperor Taizu established his dynasty, there were only thirteen routes. The two expansions were equivalent to opening up one-sixth of the Great Zhou territory.

Among meritorious officials, granting them a hereditary title without fail is not excessive, is it?

Jiang Qing is a civil official who has already been appointed to the cabinet, so he cannot be granted a hereditary title.

Gu Tingye holds the title of Marquis of Ningyuan and even possesses an iron certificate of merit.

Yao Si, who had killed the ruler of the Western Xia Kingdom, was granted the title of Liujue, which can be considered as bestowing a noble title upon him.

The true hereditary succession naturally fell to Wang Shao, who voluntarily became a military general.

He was a great contributor to the expansion of the territory twice. He was granted a title of nobility for his expansion in Xihe. He should have gone even further in his expansion in Xifeng.

Of course, it also carries a sense of compensation.

Even if someone transitions from a civil to a military position and is granted the title of earl, their social standing may not necessarily rise.

"Your subject, Wang Shao, swears to serve Your Majesty to the death!"

Wang Shao blushed, his eyes filled with tears, and he bowed deeply.

Jiang Zhao, Gu Tingye, and he were the three giants who pioneered new territories.

Among them, Jiang Zhao was a prominent family in Huaizuo, and the Jiang clan was a respected family in Huainan, belonging to the hereditary system of scholars.

Gu Tingye was the Marquis of Ningyuan, in charge of the imperial edict, ensuring the prosperity of his descendants for generations.

Only he, from a humble background, would have had no hope of changing his fate if it weren't for Jiang Ge Lao's whim of conscripting troops.

Now that he has been granted a hereditary title, he can be considered to have a foundation of wealth!

Zhao Ceying nodded with satisfaction.

"Your Excellency, the Emperor decreed:..."

One after another, bestowal of honors and imperial edicts were proclaimed.

About half an hour later, the imperial edict was read aloud.

Zhao Ceying stood up and looked directly at the officials:

"I have prepared a royal banquet to welcome back the meritorious officials who have contributed to the expansion of our territory."

"All officials, proceed to the Hall of Imperial Arches!"

All the civil and military officials bowed in unison.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

(End of this chapter)