Primordial Era: A God-Level Choice, Possessing Zhao Gongming at the Start.

After several rounds of drinks, the feudal lords were all slightly tipsy. Just as they were about to get up and bid farewell to Emperor Xin, Emperor Xin suddenly looked at Jiang Huanchu, the Marquis of Dongbo.

"May I ask, Lord Dongbo, how many sons do you have?"

Jiang Huanchu was completely bewildered by Di Xin's question.

He had several sons, what was their relationship with Emperor Xin?

Although he was puzzled, he still answered honestly.

"Your Majesty, I have thirty-four sons."

Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials in the Longde Hall secretly clicked their tongues in amazement. These marquises and lords truly lived up to their reputation as local emperors.

The number of these children far exceeds that of the current king.

Thirty-four, no less than thirty-four.

On the throne, Di Xin smiled faintly and turned to look at Marquis E Chongyu of the South, asking the same question as before.

"Lord Nanbo, how many sons do you have?"

Marquis E Chongyu of the South answered honestly, "Your Majesty, I have eight sons in my family."

"Only eight children? Marquis Nanbo, you'd better work harder."

Di Xin made a joke and continued to look ahead.

Marquis Ji Chang of Xibo remained expressionless, but inwardly he was already feeling uneasy, and a sense of foreboding arose within him.

The grand banquet was proceeding perfectly well, so why would Your Majesty ask such a question?

Fortunately, Di Xin did not question Ji Chang afterward, but instead pressed the Marquis of the North, Chong Houhu.

Chong Houhu had a hint of pride on his face. "Your Majesty, I have sixty sons and twenty daughters, making a total of eighty children."

hiss!

A collective gasp filled the entire Dragon Virtue Hall!

I thought Jiang Huanchu was already outrageous enough!

Unexpectedly, the Marquis of the North was more prolific than the Marquis of the East.

She actually fathered more than sixty sons; she was truly vigorous in her old age and her skills were still sharp.

Di Xin smiled and gave a thumbs up, "As expected of the Marquis of the North, you are truly vigorous despite your age!"

Chong Houhu chuckled, "Your Majesty flatters me."

After speaking, Jiang Huanchu, E Chongyu, and Chong Houhu all looked at Ji Chang.

When it comes to having children, they are far inferior to that old man Ji Chang.

Ji Chang, that old fellow, had over a hundred sons. Who could compare to him?

After questioning the three major feudal lords, it was Ji Chang's turn next.

Ji Chang stepped forward, embarrassed, his face slightly flushed.

"Your Majesty, I have more than one hundred sons."

"Whoosh!"

These words were like cold water being poured into a frying pan of oil.

The entire Longde Hall erupted in chaos.

Apart from the feudal lords who remained calm and collected, all the civil and military officials looked at Ji Chang in disbelief.

The Marquis of Xibo didn't look particularly robust, but I never expected him to be so fertile.

He had more than a hundred sons, more than all the civil and military officials combined.

On the throne, Di Xin stood up and clapped, exclaiming in admiration.

"I only have two sons, but the Marquis of Xibo has more than fifty times that number. It turns out that our Marquis of Xibo is the one who is the most unassuming."

Ji Chang forced a smile and apologized, "My sons are all good-for-nothings; how can they compare to Your Majesty's children?"

Di Xin waved his hand, "Marquis of Xibo, don't be modest. Everyone knows your strength."

After speaking, he pondered for a moment, then asked with a smile, "With so many sons among you, who will inherit your fiefdoms after you pass away?"

Now, not only were the feudal lords completely bewildered and at a loss, but even the civil and military officials were dumbfounded.

Has Your Majesty taken the wrong medicine today, according to ancestral teachings?

After the death of the king, his eldest son succeeded to the throne, while his other sons were enfeoffed as feudal lords.

When a feudal lord dies, his eldest son inherits the fiefdom, while the other sons are at most given some gold and silver treasures.

To be rewarded with a lifetime of wealth and honor—this has been the rule since ancient times.

The Marquis of Xibo felt an even stronger sense of unease, and had no choice but to step forward despite his reluctance.

"Your Majesty, according to ancestral teachings, after we pass away, the eldest son of the legitimate wife will naturally inherit the title and be granted a fiefdom. As for the other sons, they will simply be granted wealth and honor."

Unexpectedly, Di Xin shook his head more and more. "I have been reading through ancient classics and I feel that this ancestral instruction is not good. A few days ago, the physicians Fei Zhong and You Hun offered a very ingenious plan. Would you all like to hear it?"

"I would like to hear the details."

The four vassal kings all bowed in unison.

Fei Zhong and You Hun exchanged a glance, feeling their legs go numb and a sense of despair creeping over them.

The issuance of the Edict of Grace would inevitably offend the feudal lords.

But with the arrow already on the bowstring, there was no choice but to release it. The two stepped forward, barely managing to maintain their composure.

"We two have a plan for Your Majesty, called the Decree of Grace."

"The Edict of Grace? What is that? I've never heard of it."

The feudal lords and officials all showed expressions of doubt.

Ji Chang's expression remained unchanged, but his heart suddenly clenched, and he felt increasingly uneasy.

The central government bestows favors upon the feudal lords, but is this favor truly the favor the feudal lords desire?

Having made a start, the decision to extend grace was now a done deal. Fei Zhong and You Hun were no longer nervous, and their speech became increasingly fluent.

"The Edict of Grace, as the name suggests, is an act of bestowing favor upon the feudal lords. From this day forward, upon the death of a feudal lord, the eldest son of the legitimate wife will still inherit the title, but the other sons may also divide up a portion of his territory and become marquises."

Fei Zhong and You Hun were both eloquent, and they managed to express the essence of the Edict of Grace in just a few words.

The entire Longde Hall was completely silent.

The civil and military officials stood there, stunned, their eyes wide open, pondering the situation for a long time.

As for the four feudal lords, it was as if a thunderclap had exploded in their minds.

So this is the Edict of Grace!

This favor is not given to the feudal lords or the eldest son, but to all the sons other than the eldest son.

Today, the four great vassal kings each dominate their own territories, minting their own coins, collecting their own taxes, and building their own armies.

In a sense, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it an independent kingdom.

However, this bestowal of favors undermined the power of the feudal lords from the very foundation.

No matter how large the territories of the feudal lords were, they would eventually be divided up.

Most importantly, this is an open and aboveboard strategy.

The rivals of the feudal lords did not come from the central government, but from their other sons besides the eldest son of the principal wife.

The four warlords looked at each other, their expressions changing drastically!

Meanwhile, those minor lords were staring intently at Fei Zhong and You Hun, wishing they could devour their flesh, sleep on their skin, and tear them to pieces.

Wen Zhong sat half-reclined on the grand chair with his eyes closed, resting, while constantly twirling the King-Beating Golden Whip in his hand.

If these feudal lords agree today, that's fine; if they don't agree...

Ji Changqian chuckled and said with difficulty, "Your Majesty, primogeniture is an ancient system. I'm afraid this edict of favor will be difficult to implement."

Ji Chang vehemently resisted the Edict of Grace!

What a joke! It was only after several successive vassal kings that Xiqi became the number one vassal state.

If the so-called "Decree of Grace" were implemented as Di Xin said, Xiqi would cease to exist in a few decades, which Ji Chang could not tolerate.

Di Xin smiled. "What's unsuitable about it? It's a fiefdom, and the throne will still be inherited by the eldest son of the legitimate wife. It's just that a small portion will be given to those sons of concubines. Surely the Marquis of Xibo won't be reluctant to part with it?"

Ji Chang's scalp was practically tingling with anxiety; his brain cells were working at lightning speed, but no matter what he did, he couldn't come up with a way to break the deadlock. (End of Chapter)