Chapter 175

"Hoo."

"Comfortable!"

Liang Qu panted, his pores relaxed, and sweat poured out.

An unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

Just now, when he threw the monkey fist, it felt as if he had merged with heaven and earth in the dark, and blood qi surged out of his body continuously.

I don't know if it's because the weather is getting warmer and people aren't as easy to stay dormant as in winter, or if practicing martial arts can really change a person subtly.

Liang Qu had become much more self-disciplined than in those early days, and he had never slacked off in practicing fist techniques every day.

But he had never felt like this before.

Measuring it, the fullness of his qi and blood had actually reached the point where he could refine the Viscera Barrier!

"Did I have an epiphany?"

Liang Qu stretched out his hand and looked at his palm in disbelief.

Without any food supplementation, he had circulated a huge amount of blood qi without any feeling of deficiency, so there was only one explanation: epiphany.

Epiphany, the bridge to communicate with heaven and earth.

A mysterious realm that can be met but not sought.

The pursuit of countless people throughout history.

Even if Liang Qu threw another set of "new monkey fists" in his mind, he would no longer have the feeling of endless qi and blood around his body.

Closing his eyes and recalling carefully, a completely different monkey fist technique appeared in his mind, which was similar but different from the one Hu Qi taught him.

"Is that the fist technique I comprehended?"

"Congratulations, benefactor."

Liang Qu looked up.

"Master? Was that an epiphany?"

The old monk nodded: "Good."

Liang Qu was overjoyed.

Just one small epiphany saved him months of work, heading straight for the Viscera Barrier.

If only it could happen a few more times.

Bang bang.

The door knocker was knocked.

Liang Qu stepped forward and lifted the door bolt; standing outside was a scout in official uniform, giving him a vague sense of familiarity, as if he had just seen him.

"This Lord, I don't know what business you have?"

The scout peeked at the old monk, hurriedly retracted his gaze, and cupped his hands in salute.

"Lord Liang, I am Qi Zhiping, a Cloud Eagle scout. I have come here for two things: one is to announce the happy news that Marquis Weining has attained the Dao and become a Saint, and there will be a great amnesty for five days."

Liang Qu suddenly understood; he said why he felt the other party was familiar—he had seen him once last night.

"The second is to bring you a book of ennoblement. It was too late yesterday, and it was inconvenient to disturb you, so it was delayed until today."

Ennoblement?

Liang Qu was stunned.

Qi Zhiping took a gold-stamped document and a square seal carved with a small turtle from his bosom and offered it respectfully.

"Entrusted by the Ministry of Personnel, Lord Liang has made contributions by presenting the pinyin method, and is granted the title of Great Creation, bestowed with three hundred taels of silver, fifty bolts of silk, ten pieces of jade, and various corresponding utensils."

Great Creation title!

Liang Qu reached out to take the ennoblement book and the seal, his heart trembling.

He didn't expect that the so-called ennoblement was because of the pinyin method from before, and it was the Great Creation title!

The superior who read the imperial edict earlier said that his pinyin method hadn't been promoted yet and it would take time to confirm; once confirmed, the subsequent rewards would definitely not be stingy.

Liang Qu had waited for several months, and now he had finally waited for it!

Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron.

No matter which rank, it is very difficult to obtain in the Great Shun, and obtaining a title through military merit is almost the default only way.

But for better rewards and governance, the current Emperor set up three other ranks of titles below them.

Great Creation, Upper Creation, and Public Scholar—three ranks, corresponding to the seventh, eighth, and ninth ranks respectively.

The three ranks of titles are not hereditary and have no fiefs, but they can receive salaries corresponding to the titles, which is a symbol of honor and status.

Invention awards can possibly obtain titles; Liang Qu had a glimmer of hope for this, but he didn't expect to get the top-tier Great Creation title!

Titles are different from official positions; if you resign, you have no salary to take.

But with a title, the salary can be eaten until death!

And it doesn't conflict with official positions!

That is to say, from now on, Liang Qu can receive both a salary for the from-eighth-rank River Lord position and a salary for the seventh-rank Great Creation title!

Holding two golden rice bowls, the monthly salary alone is several dozen taels!

Qi Zhiping congratulated him: "Congratulations, Lord Liang. From now on, you are the Great Creation title holder. I run fast with one person and one horse, so I came one step ahead to tell you the good news; others should come to send rewards in the afternoon."

Liang Qu walked out of the room and bowed respectfully to heaven and earth to express the grace of heaven.

The last reward was an edict written by the Emperor himself, with Yang Dongxiong as the main reward object; Liang Qu was just incidental, so naturally there was a team of envoys to read the edict, notify in advance, and then welcome, with all kinds of ceremonies.

This time it was different; it was drafted by the Ministry of Personnel, confirmed by the Emperor, and finished with a checkmark, followed by sending people to announce it. It wasn't so serious and formal; one only needed to thank for the grace and take the title seal.

"Thank you, Lord Qi, for your hard work; please come in and rest."

"Lord Liang is too kind."

Qi Zhiping glanced at the old monk twirling beads in the courtyard and refused repeatedly.

Can't afford to provoke, really can't afford to provoke.

Liang Qu only thought Qi Zhiping was being polite, invited him three times, but was refused.

Helplessly, he had to give some silver as a "running fee," and then didn't go anywhere, focusing on waiting at home for the rewards.

In the afternoon, a six-person small convoy ground the bluestone slabs and stopped creaking in front of the Liang Mansion.

A full three large horse-drawn carriages; the leader jumped off the carriage, confirmed Liang Qu's identity, and the others got off one after another, moving the goods into the courtyard box by box.

Liang Qu opened the boxes and looked at them one by one.

Fabrics, jade, silver, and the rest were all daily utensils, including but not limited to tea sets, ink treasures, dining plates, wooden boxes, screens, porcelain...

Giving a title is completely different from giving an official position.

If you get an official position, except for extra rewards, there won't be so many "messy" things.

But if you give a title, the corresponding "decency" must also be given, and many common utensils must be equipped for you.

Now Liang Qu has truly upgraded his equipment; he had bought a lot of furniture before, but they were "cheap goods" after all, and now the whole thing is more than a notch "high-end."

It's really a happy occasion that makes one feel refreshed.

Martial path and career are both blossoming.

Liang Qu paced in the courtyard happily.

Great Creation title.

Hahaha.

Another golden rice bowl.

The neighbors passing by looked on, not understanding.

Adi heard the movement and poked her head out from next door: "Ashui, what's the situation? Are you moving?"

"Not moving." Liang Qu puffed out his chest, "Sister Adi, I did a good deed and got a Great Creation title!"

"Great Creation title?"

In the eyes of people with official status, the three-rank title is not very presentable.

But in the eyes of ordinary people, a title of the same rank is stronger than an official position!

While Adi was stunned, Liang Qu picked a few from the fifty bolts and hugged them to send to next door.

"Sister Adi, take a few bolts of cloth back and make some summer clothes for Little Shunzi and the others!"

Adi refused repeatedly: "Can't do that, can't do that; they were rewarded to you, how can we use them?"

The villagers were shocked and clicked their tongues in wonder.

"Incredible, incredible; I saw early on that Master Liang is a person with great ability and great skills! That's a title!"

"Master Liang is a famous figure in our Yixing Town! Look, Master Liang is now in Yixing Town, just like Master Yang in Pingyang Town in the past!"

Someone shouted at the top of their lungs: "Will Master Liang still be the chief sacrificer for the River God Festival this year? Everyone is looking forward to Master Liang bringing us good luck!"

"There's no sign of whether the River God Festival can be held yet."

"How can it not be held? That's a great disrespect!"

Liang Qu's heart moved, and he shouted: "It must! It must be held! Thanks to the villagers' kindness, I am naturally willing.

I know there are many people in Yixing Town now, and not everyone respects the River God, but we cannot forget our roots; at worst, we will hold it ourselves!

Villagers don't need to worry about the expense; rest assured, the bulk of the sacrifice costs will be covered by me alone!"

Liang Qu's status and power were becoming more and more unusual.

For the words he said, others had to weigh them.

Even to the point that...

In order to please him, even if they didn't want to hold it, they had to change to wanting to hold it.