Chapter 587

Before Meng Tian annihilated the Xiongnu, Jiuyuan Commandery was only barely conferred as a commandery to make up the number of six. This commandery was actually somewhat unworthy of its name, not only with a sparse population but also with a small territory.

So after Zhao Gao was conferred as the Governor of Jiuyuan Commandery by Ying Zheng, Zhao Gao was unwilling. In order to regain everything he had lost, Zhao Gao finally chose to betray the Qin state and collude with the Xiongnu. Afterward, he also received the lesson he deserved and was killed by Su Xuan.

The position of Governor of Jiuyuan Commandery was therefore left vacant.

Now, Meng Tian was conferred as a marquis, titled "Marquis of Jiuyuan," and the meaning was self-evident.

"Is it to express dissatisfaction with Zhao Gao, and to show appreciation for Meng Tian?"

Su Xuan’s eyes flickered, guessing secretly.

The Governor of Jiuyuan Commandery, Zhao Gao, was a traitor, but Meng Tian’s title was "Marquis of Jiuyuan," which meant that the real problem was not "Jiuyuan," but the person.

Of course, if Zhao Gao were still alive, he would have something to say.

What was the Jiuyuan Commandery I managed at that time like? No people, no land. I was completely in a state of being exiled, and I could only use the name of the Governor to do things like lining my own pockets and forming cliques.

And what about Meng Tian? Meng Tian annihilated the Xiongnu, directly pushed the Qin state’s border to Touman City north of the Yinshan Mountains, and occupied the Xiongnu’s ancestral land. The territory of the current Jiuyuan Commandery is much larger than before. Although it will be split sooner or later to create a few new commanderies, even after splitting, the new Jiuyuan Commandery will be much larger than the original one.

Among the civil and military officials, there was no lack of smart people.

Combined with the news learned earlier that the Governor of Jiuyuan Commandery, Zhao Gao, colluded with the Xiongnu and was executed.

Now, Meng Tian was conferred as the Marquis of Jiuyuan by Ying Zheng, which naturally was not because Ying Zheng disliked Meng Tian. On the contrary, this was supreme favor, announcing to the ministers that the crime was not Jiuyuan, but Zhao Gao.

The eyes of many people looking at Meng Tian were suddenly different.

Even without mentioning the title "Marquis of Jiuyuan," Meng Tian being conferred as a marquis was also a remarkable thing.

It should be known that there were not many people in the Qin state who had been conferred as a marquis so far.

Not to mention the Wang family, where both father and son were military merit marquises. Now Li Xin and Meng Tian had been conferred as marquises one after another, and they had both made great contributions. One annihilated the Regarding Baiyue, and the other annihilated the Xiongnu. It is estimated that in the future, the difficulty of wanting to be conferred as a marquis will become higher and higher.

After everyone spent some time digesting the surprise brought by Meng Tian’s conferment, Ying Zheng looked at the National Master Su Xuan beside him, and Su Xuan nodded gently.

Ying Zheng understood.

Immediately, he ordered someone to announce the second imperial edict.

Upon learning that there was another imperial edict, many civil and military officials listened intently.

The first imperial edict was Meng Tian’s conferment, so what was the second one?

Soon, they knew.

The sharp voice of the eunuch sounded and fell into everyone’s ears.

"Feng is to sacrifice to heaven, Chan is to sacrifice to earth!"

"Ascend to Feng to report to heaven, descend to Chan to remove from earth, change the surname to become king, achieve peace, must Feng Taishan, Chan Liangfushan, name it, heaven’s mandate to be king, make it rule all living things, report peace to heaven, report the merits of all gods."

"This is the grand ceremony of kings since ancient times."

"Now, the Qin state has unified the world, east to the immortal mountain Penglai, south to the land of Regarding Baiyue, west to the ancient country of Many Loulan, north to annihilate the Xiongnu, opening up unprecedented territory. The Emperor’s merits have exceeded the Three Sovereigns, and his virtue covers the Five Emperors. He should naturally perform the Fengshan ceremony to report to heaven, earth, and human gods!"

As soon as these words came out, the whole hall was shocked.

Many ministers did not know what Fengshan represented at all, but just because they did not understand did not mean that the Confucianists did not understand.

The Confucianists were very proficient in many rituals, especially the founder of Confucianism, Confucius, who highly admired the set of things from ancient times and longed for society to return to that era. So, they were very clear about what Fengshan was.

Under the explanation of the Confucian officials, many people suddenly knew what Fengshan was.

It is said that the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of ancient times all performed the Fengshan ceremony.

They did not expect that Ying Zheng was actually preparing for Fengshan.

Some Confucianists were just about to speak, saying that Fengshan was not a small matter and hoping that the Emperor would think twice, but when the words reached their lips, they froze.

What qualifications did he have to say such things?

With His Majesty the Emperor’s merits, could he not perform the Fengshan ceremony?

The previous imperial edict was not all boasting.

East to the immortal mountain Penglai; south to the land of Regarding Baiyue; west to the end of the quicksand, annihilating the country of Many Loulan; north to repel the Xiongnu, making the Hu people dare not go south to graze their horses.

These were all solid achievements.

In terms of territory, the current territory of the Qin state had already exceeded the territory during the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of ancient times.

Whether the Emperor’s "virtue" exceeded the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors was unknown for now, but in the current world, he had indeed achieved unprecedented merits and was indeed qualified to perform the Fengshan ceremony to report such merits to heaven, earth, and human gods.

After the Confucianists realized this, they closed their mouths one after another.

Compared to dissuading His Majesty the Emperor from performing the Fengshan ceremony, they soon thought of another thing.

The last Fengshan ceremony recorded in history was separated by who knows how much time and years, and many rituals regarding Fengshan had long since disappeared in the long river of time.

Therefore, if His Majesty the Emperor were to perform Fengshan, he must re-establish the corresponding rituals.

When it came to the establishment of rituals, no one was more proficient than their Confucianists.

This Fengshan ceremony might be an opportunity for the Confucianists.

They must perform well.

The celebration banquet for Meng Tian’s return came to an end.

With the end of the banquet, the two imperial edicts that Ying Zheng ordered to be read at the banquet were also spread out.

One was Meng Tian’s conferment as a marquis.

This matter did not cause much of a sensation in the world. Meng Tian annihilated the Xiongnu, and it would be strange if he were not conferred as a marquis. Speaking of this, many people could not help but think of Li Mu of the past.

In the past, Li Mu of the Zhao state had defeated the Xiongnu in the Yanmen region and annihilated one or two hundred thousand Xiongnu troops, but he was not conferred as a marquis, which was truly a pity.

It was no wonder that these people thought so; it was really because before Meng Tian, the best record against the Xiongnu was created by Li Mu.

They did not know that Li Mu was actually not dead and was currently stationed in Touman City in place of Meng Tian, deterring all alien scoundrels.

And when the second matter, that Ying Zheng was preparing for Fengshan, spread, the movement it caused in the world was much greater than the first one.