Chapter 182: with translation of chapter title

Night fell, within the imperial palace lamps blazed bright as day.

Before Chongyuan Hall, on the vast square, hundreds of tables and chairs were set out.

Civil and military officials, imperial clans and nobles, took their seats in order of rank.

Palace maids carried exquisite dishes and fragrant wine, weaving through the crowd.

Graceful court music echoed between the halls.

A scene of prosperous peace filled with song and dance.

Guo Rong took off his armor, donned a reddish-yellow dragon robe, and sat high on the vermilion steps of the great hall.

To his left and right were Empress Chai and Chancellor Fan Zhi.

As the banquet began, Guo Rong raised his cup and rose to his feet.

"Officials."

His voice, relayed by the inner attendants, reached everyone's ears clearly.

The square fell silent in an instant.

"This northern campaign crushed the Northern Han and Khitan allied forces, exalted the might of our Great Zhou! This is the greatest victory since our dynasty's founding!"

"This cup of wine, I, toast to all soldiers who sacrificed for the state!"

Having said that, he poured the wine from his cup onto the ground.

"The second cup of wine, I toast to all who fought bloodied, triumphantly returned, and earned merit!"

He filled his cup again and drained it in one gulp.

"Your Majesty is sagacious!"

The officials all rose and followed suit, draining their cups.

"Good!" Guo Rong set down his cup, smiling, "Today is a victory feast; I will confer rewards according to merit!"

"Read the edict!"

An elderly eunuch, holding a scroll of bright‑yellow Imperial Edict, walked to the center of the vermilion steps.

Everyone held their breath and pricked up their ears.

They knew the main event was coming.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

The elderly eunuch's thin, sharp voice rang out across the square.

"Commander of the Palace Vanguard Zhang Yongde, brave in battle, skillful in command, shall be ennobled..."

"Commander of the Tiger‑Victory Army Li Wanchao, who charged forward and repeatedly achieved extraordinary feats, shall be awarded a hundred taels of gold..."

One by one, the names of martial officers who had earned merit on the battlefield were read out.

The rewards were nothing more than promotions, titles, or gold, silver, and land.

The martial officers whose names were called, faces flushed with pride, stepped forward one by one to give thanks.

After the martial officers were done, it was the civil officials' turn.

Everyone's gaze, without prior agreement, fell upon Wang Hao.

They were waiting to see what reward this newly favored figure before the emperor would receive.

Even Li Jinjin held his cup, eyes narrowed, fixed on Wang Hao, wondering how high Guo Rong would raise him.

The elderly eunuch cleared his throat and continued reading:

"Minister of Agriculture Wang Hao, during my personal campaign, assisted the chancellor, stabilized the court, his merit is immeasurable. Though a civil official, he is deeply versed in military strategy, plans from within the tent, wins victories a thousand li away. In the Battle of Gaoping, my ability to crush the enemy relied entirely on Minister Wang's eight‑character maxim, perceiving the opportunity first."

Such praise cannot be considered anything less than high.

"Wins victories a thousand li away" is the highest accolade for a strategist.

Hearing this, Li Jinjin unconsciously tightened his grip on the cup, his knuckles whitening.

He felt that Guo Rong would next announce appointing Wang Hao to the Privy Council.

However, the elderly eunuch's following words left everyone astonished.

"... I have considered, Minister Wang's talent is truly a pillar of the state. To assign such talent to the Ministry of Agriculture would be a slight."

"Therefore, I specially promote Wang Hao to Minister of Rites, rank three, upper grade, overseeing state ancestral temple rites and sacrificial music, while retaining his post as Minister of Agriculture, additionally granting him the title Guanglu Doctor, bestowing a purple‑gold fish‑bag, and allocating five hundred households as his fief. Let it be done!"

After the edict was finished, the officials present, whether drunk or sober, were in a frenzy of speculation.

Minister of Rites?

Guanglu Doctor?

What the heck is this?

Some clueless junior officials were still whispering to each other.

"The Minister of Rites is also a third‑rank senior official! Equal in rank to the Minister of Agriculture, but sounds more pristine?"

"Yes, and he was also granted Guanglu Doctor, an extremely high honor among civil honorary titles! His Majesty truly showers extra favor on Lord Wang!"

But a kind‑hearted person sitting nearby would roughly explain: "The Ministry of Rites handles ancestral sacrifices and music; Guanglu Doctor is merely an empty title with a pleasant name. These two posts, frankly, are sinecures for retirement."

They carry no real authority, still completely excluded from the core circle of power.

From overseeing agriculture, sericulture, and commerce, providing logistical support for the northern expedition's armies, and even being able to influence the battlefield at critical moments, the Minister of Agriculture now receives an additional burden, being put in charge of heaven‑worship and ancestral rites at the Ministry of Rites.

How is this a reward?

In a previous dynasty, given Wang Hao's present achievements, he could already have been made a marquis; yet now he is merely spinning in two pristine third‑rank offices.

Some couldn't help wondering if the emperor was being petty; thinking this, they turned their gazes toward Wang Hao.

They wanted to see how this great meritorious subject of the Great Zhou would react after being treated thus by the emperor.

Would he be shocked? Angry? Or unwilling?

Yet Wang Hao's face remained the same calm expression, without a ripple.

It seemed that the name read out in that Imperial Edict had nothing to do with him at all.

He slowly rose from his seat, walked to the center of the square, facing Guo Rong on the dragon throne, lifted his official robe and knelt down.

"Subject, Wang Hao, thank Your Majesty for your heavenly grace."

Hearing his calm thanks, Guo Rong's guilt in his heart kept intensifying!

"Your Majesty trusts this subject so much. I am moved to tears, and will surely not betray Your Majesty's trust, exerting my modest strength for the rites and music education of our Great Zhou."

After saying that, he respectfully kowtowed three times.

These words both expressed gratitude for the emperor's solicitude and showed his attitude of being content with his new post, without any complaints.

On the dragon throne, Guo Rong looked at Wang Hao kneeling below, feeling a mix of emotions.

He knew Wang Hao understood him; he knew his purpose in doing all this was not to guard against him, but to fear the Wang Family.

And now he has accepted the ennoblement in the wisest way, also expressing his loyalty.

He left no grounds for criticism for himself or anyone else.

Such temperament, such forbearance, made Guo Rong, while feeling it thorny, also couldn't help but feel a hint of admiration.

"Lord Wang, rise." Guo Rong's voice sounded somewhat weary.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Wang Hao rose to his feet and silently returned to his seat.

Li Zhongjin watched this scene, first stunned, then his face showed undisguised elation.

He raised his wine cup, offered a distant toast to Guo Rong, then drained it in one gulp.

Guo Rong, well done!

That Wang-surname fellow, you've finally kicked him out!

Without that Wang Family brat behind you giving you advice, I wonder how long you can last as emperor; if not for him, you would have died long ago on the road of the emperor's personal campaign.