Chapter 537

"Your Majesty, your humble servant humbly believes that such a reward is truly too excessive!"

Inside the great hall, a Ministry of Rites official arched his hands and said.

Hearing this, the Marquis of Xiangyang blew his beard and stared, saying:

"This lord, if merit is not rewarded, how can the boys in the army be expected to give their lives? If merit is not rewarded, who will risk their heads to fight future enemies? Could it be you?"

That official was not intimidated and questioned:

"Gu Hou! Is this merit solely the work of the Xu and Gu family disciples? Without thousands of cavalry intimidating them outside the city, how would the thieves have opened the city gates to surrender?"

"Could it be that the Guangjie Army, the newly trained cavalry, and the soldiers under the Zheng family who rushed a hundred miles have no merit?"

The Marquis of Xiangyang stood up from his seat, one hand on his waist, and pointed at the official with the other: "I never said that!"

The official ignored the Marquis of Xiangyang, stood up, bowed, and arched his hands:

"Your Majesty, rewarding merit should be based on true evidence; it cannot be based solely on the words of a few people!"

"If we are to discuss it, if it weren't for the decisive action of the Huangchengsi's little Director Zhao in sending people to deliver the message, how could Fifth Brother Xu have reached Beizhou at the fastest speed?"

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Anguo, sitting in the front position, nodded several times and said while sitting and arching his hands:

"Your Majesty, your humble servant also believes that we should not reward merit based on the materials in the Great Warehouse as Minister Huangfu said! The military supplies stored in the Beizhou Great Warehouse, even if the thieves used them, how much could they use?"

The Marquis of Xiangyang looked at the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Anguo: "You..."

The Emperor glared, with quite a bit of prestige: "Hmm?"

The Marquis of Xiangyang immediately shut his mouth and changed his words: "They wouldn't use them, but wouldn't they burn them?"

"Then why didn't they burn them?"

"It is because the Xu family child killed the person who wanted to burn the supplies right in front of everyone! The personal guards of the Feng and Gu families can all testify!"

"Ha! To get more merit, who wouldn't exaggerate the urgency of the situation and their own actions?!"

The Marquis of Xiangyang's fingers trembled: "You!"

After gasping for breath several times, the Marquis of Xiangyang shook his head:

"The one who entered the water on a cold winter night wasn't you, the one who killed enemies in the city surrounded by enemies wasn't you, the one who decisively captured the thief leader's lair with a dozen people wasn't you; now that it's time to discuss merit, you're here!"

"You're not seeing someone else's son achieve merit, and then seeing your own useless child, and getting jealous, are you!"

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Anguo heard this and also stood up: "Say that again?"

"I said you old fool..."

The Marquis of Xiangyang glanced at the Emperor, glared at the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Anguo, and sat back in his seat angrily.

The Emperor looked at a piece of paper that Zhao Zilong had placed on the table and said: "Old General Bo, what do you think?"

Hearing the Emperor's question,

the silver-haired old general, who had been sitting among the civil and military officials, stood up and arched his hands: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the detailed report from Beizhou has not yet arrived, so your humble servant cannot make a rash judgment!"

The Marquis of Xiangyang frowned and looked at Old General Bo, who had a good relationship with him, and was about to speak.

Old General Bo continued: "But, regardless, the descendants of the Xu and Gu families are decisive, firm, and courageous!"

The Emperor smiled, waved his hand to signal Old General Bo to sit down, turned his head to look at Xu Minghua and Gu Yankai, and said: "Xu Hou, Marquis Ningyuan, what about you two?"

Xu Minghua stood up, bowed, and arched his hands: "Your Majesty, this involves my humble son, so your humble servant cannot say much!"

Gu Yankai, after Xu Minghua finished speaking, bowed and arched his hands in the same way and said: "Your Majesty, your humble servant has the same thoughts as Xu Hou!"

The Emperor nodded to signal them to sit down and said again: "Xiao Xiao Gongye of Lian, how do you think these two children should be rewarded?"

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Lian stood up and arched his hands:

"Your Majesty, your humble servant believes that both the Ministry of Rites official and the Marquis of Xiangyang make sense!"

"The merit does not lie entirely with the two children; the various armies that rushed to Beizhou also have merit! However, the ones who played a major role were these two children!"

"Military rewards also have distinctions like first to ascend, breaking the formation, etc.; it just depends on how they are rewarded!"

"But! Just like what a certain colleague did, to recklessly speculate about children who have achieved merit for the country, the intention is too vicious!"

The Marquis of Xiangyang looked at the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Lian with admiration and sincerely gave a thumbs up, shaking it incessantly.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Hanguo bowed to the Emperor and said softly: "Xiao Xiao Gongye Lu, for the sake of your grandson's sworn brother, you really can say anything!"

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Lian bowed slightly, with a smile on his face, looked at the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Hanguo, and said: "Xiao Xiao Gongye Han, brother, I have even worse things I haven't said yet!"

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Hanguo: "You!"

After speaking, the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Lian ignored the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Hanguo, bowed to the Emperor, looked at the nodding Emperor, and sat back down.

"Xiao Xiao Gongye of England, what do you think of this matter? Speak!"

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of England stood up, bowed, and arched his hands: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

After pondering for a moment,

the Xiao Xiao Gongye of England turned his head to look at the officials in the court and said: "Your Majesty, your humble servant doesn't have many thoughts! It's just..."

Emperor: "Hmm? Just say it!"

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of England bowed slightly and said: "It's just that your humble servant cannot help but recall that a few days ago, it was also these colleagues in the court who were here, but everyone's face was full of sorrow!"

"Everyone's sorrow had different contents!"

"I still remember Old General Cao saying that Beizhou City had high walls and deep moats, and it would definitely be difficult to capture for a long time!"

"Other colleagues who heard this, those in charge of the purse, were even more sorrowful, because the military supplies stored in the Beizhou Great Warehouse were not only damaged, but the rewards for the soldiers before the siege and the pensions for those killed in action after the siege were two more large expenditures!"

"How much money is this, roughly?"

As he spoke, the Xiao Xiao Gongye of England looked at Minister Chen of the Ministry of Revenue beside him.

Minister Chen stood up, bowed to the Emperor, and said: "Your Majesty, Xiao Xiao Gongye, this depends on how many soldiers are deployed."

Old General Cao, who had not spoken, bowed slightly to the Emperor and said: "Surround them with ten, attack them with five; at least thirty thousand soldiers are needed."

"Then the rewards would be at least over fifty thousand guan!" Minister Chen bowed and said.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of England nodded and said: "Hmm! But the military report says that the thief leader in Beizhou City is forcing men to have their faces tattooed and is preparing to organize commoners to defend the city walls; thirty thousand soldiers, I don't think it's enough!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall nodded.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of England continued:

"The best choice for the Xu and Gu family disciples when they heard the message from the Huangchengsi was to ride fast back to the capital and report this matter personally!"

"Regardless of the outcome in Beizhou, the two of them would have had the merit of delivering the message! But the two children didn't make that choice; instead, they rushed toward Beizhou, disregarding their own lives!"

"My lords, what kind of loyal heart is this?"

The Marquis of Xiangyang nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes! Well said!"

"Moreover, on the battlefield, the military situation is urgent! If the thief leader stays in the city for one more day, how many commoners will be coerced by the thief leader and his minions into becoming thieves and harming the lives of our Great Zhou boys on the city walls?!"

"The more thieves there are, how much more difficult will the subsequent siege become?"

Old General Cao, sitting on the side, sighed with emotion.

The Marquis Yongyi, Xu Minghua, also looked pained.

These two had seen too much life and death while attacking Bai Gao in the Northwest.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of England looked at the expressions of the old generals like Bo and Cao and said: "The decisive action of a few people to enter the city to suppress the rebellion and capture the thief leader is not just the merit of reducing the damage to military supplies that several people just mentioned!"

"There are some things hidden in the dark that you all should see clearly!"

"First to ascend, breaking the formation, beheading the general, seizing the flag—the four great military merits are all deserved by Fifth Brother Xu, Gu Yuan Erlang, and their subordinates."

"After this battle, the laughter of His Majesty and the colleagues that night is still echoing in my ears! How is it that after a few days, there are these arguments?"

"As stated above, Your Majesty, your humble servant believes that they should be heavily rewarded!"

The Emperor looked at the expressions of the officials in the hall and waved his hand at the Grand Eunuch.

The piece of paper that had been placed on the Emperor's imperial desk was taken to the officials by the Grand Eunuch.

"The content on the paper is what was translated from the secret codes left in the thief leader's room in Beizhou by the captured Northern Liao spies."

The paper was passed around among the officials.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Hanguo on the side nodded: "Actually, actually it really was an order to burn the military supplies; how could it be burned..."

The Minister of Works whispered: "Xiao Xiao Gongye, there is fierce fire oil in the Great Warehouse."

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Hanguo was stunned for a moment and then nodded repeatedly.

After passing the paper to the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Ling on the side, the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Anguo stood up, bowed, and arched his hands: "Your Majesty, the sinister intentions of these Northern barbarians are clear to all; your humble servant suggests that our Great Zhou should launch a major campaign against Liao next year!"

Hearing this, the Emperor pondered without speaking.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of England and others, who had previously suggested digesting Bai Gao and dealing with Northern Liao slowly, could not say anything against it after Northern Liao gave Great Zhou such a big slap in the face.

After thinking for a long time, the Emperor said: "We will discuss this matter later!"

"Ministry of Rites, send a letter of reprimand to Yelu Sun."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Several people who have border trade with Northern Liao..."

"Your humble servants understand!"

The officials on the side bowed and said.

"Regarding the rewards for the Xu and Gu family children, Xu Hou, Gu Hou, what do you two think should be done?"

After the Emperor finished speaking,

Gu Yankai bowed and arched his hands: "Your Majesty, my humble son is a descendant of the Great Zhou nobility and military generals; serving the country is his duty. As for how to reward him, please let Your Majesty decide!"

Xu Minghua nodded repeatedly while Gu Yankai was speaking, and then said: "Your Majesty, Zaijing's ability to go to Beizhou was in accordance with Your Majesty's decree, and his ability to have the merit mentioned by the Xiao Xiao Gongye is also due to Your Majesty's great fortune; your humble servant also asks Your Majesty to decide."

The Emperor shook his head with a smile and said: "You two are good, I know!"

At this moment,

a eunuch walked over from the back hall and whispered a few words in the Grand Eunuch's ear.

The words conveyed by the eunuch made the Grand Eunuch frown slightly, and then he glanced at Gu Yankai.

"What is it? Speak!"

The Emperor, seeing this, said.

The Grand Eunuch whispered a few words in the Emperor's ear.

Listening to the Grand Eunuch's whisper, the Emperor nodded in appreciation while smiling and said:

"Oh? Hahahaha, this child is indeed filial! Gu Hou, your second son has been well-taught!"

Gu Yankai bowed again in confusion and arched his hands: "Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for the praise, but your humble servant does not know why Your Majesty says this!"

The people in the hall also looked at the Emperor one after another.

"Haha! Gu Hou, your second son sent a eunuch from the Prince's side to tell me that if he really has any merit, he begs me to convert it into a title of honor for his birth mother, your wife, Da Niangzi Bai!"

"He is a good child with filial piety!"

"Good!"

Hearing the Emperor's words, the officials in the hall looked at Gu Yankai in surprise.

Some whispered to each other,

Grand Tutor Yu nodded to Gu Yankai and praised:

"Gu Hou, the Gu family really knows how to teach their children!"

Minister Li arched his hands: "Filial piety is the most important of all virtues; the Ningyuan Marquis mansion has a deep family tradition and knows how to teach people! Admirable, admirable!"

Northwest of Bianjing,

a thousand miles away in Xingqing Prefecture,

in the backyard of the Dingzhou Magistrate's Yamen,

in a study heated by a floor furnace,

Gu Tingyu, who was sitting behind the table correcting official documents, stopped the writing brush in his hand,

and then he began to wrinkle his nose and squint his eyes incessantly; after "distorting his face" for a few breaths:

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"

Hearing the sound, Youqing hurriedly walked in: "Master, what's wrong with you!"

Gu Tingyu shook his head in confusion.

Youqing looked at his master, who was wiping his nose, and said: "How about I go and boil a bowl of cold-dispelling medicinal soup for you!"

Gu Tingyu sniffed his nose and waved his hand:

"No need, I just don't know why I sneezed a few times! Perhaps it's because the gifts I sent to Bianjing for my younger brothers have been received, and they are thinking of me!"

"Master, when I came, the Madam and the Da Niangzi gave me strict instructions! I'd better go and boil some medicinal soup; it's better to be safe than sorry!"

Youqing said softly.

Gu Tingyu continued to look at the official documents on the table and said: "Hmm! That's fine."

Inside the Great Zhou palace,

Gu Yankai looked at the smiling Emperor behind the imperial desk,

hurriedly turned to the side,

and with an expression of overflowing smiles, he arched his hands repeatedly and said:

"Xiao Xiao Gongye, no, no!"

"Tutor, you flatter me, you flatter me!"

After two unfinished sentences and a few light shouts,

Listening to the compliments from the officials around his relative Gu Yankai,

and Gu Yankai's humble replies,

Marquis Yongyi Xu Minghua licked his lips somewhat awkwardly.

Looking at Xu Minghua's appearance,

the Emperor thought of something, smiled, and said again: "Xu Hou, it's a pity that your wife's title of honor is already a First-Rank State Da Niangzi, otherwise I think your son would likely have the same plan as Gu Yuan Erlang!"

Xu Minghua hurriedly bowed and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the praise! Your humble servant is ashamed!"

"Hahahaha!"

The Emperor laughed again.

Many years ago, Xu Zaijing saved the Prince Zhao Fang in the palace,

and Xu Minghua, who had achieved merit in the Western Army, was directly promoted from the Western Army to be the Commander of the Tianwu Army, one of the four upper armies of the Bianjing Imperial Guard.

Sun Shi was also promoted to a title of honor.

Later, Xu Minghua was appointed as a great general in the Northwest.

First, he launched a surprise attack and captured the area of Bai Gao Hou Qu;

then he ordered the Li brothers to subdue the armies of several military divisions in the north of Bai Gao;

and he also took advantage of the great victory to capture the crucial Keyi Gate fortress!

One merit after another had long ago raised Sun Shi's title of honor to a First-Rank State Da Niangzi.

Xu Zaijing's merit had nowhere to be used.

After laughing, the Emperor said: "Let your Han Wulang study hard; perhaps in the future, there will be one more plaque in the Xu family ancestral hall."

"Your humble servant obeys the decree!"

Xu Minghua bowed and said.

Everyone in the great hall was a shrewd person; hearing the Emperor's words, after some deliberation, they already had a clear idea in their hearts.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Anguo, the Xiao Xiao Gongye of Hanguo, and others had grim expressions.

The Xiao Xiao Gongye of Lian, however, stroked his beard with self-satisfaction, with a smile on the corners of his mouth and thoughtful eyes.

Several civil officials in the hall,

looking at Gu Yankai and then at Xu Minghua, seemed to have expressions of being unable to choose.

In the afternoon,

in the Empress's sleeping palace,

after watching Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and Lu Zezong leave, Zhao Fang was slightly unhappy, and the Empress smiled: "Fang'er, if you want to play with the brothers, I will proclaim them into the palace when the time comes!"

Zhao Fang shook his head and said: "Mother, Jing Ge'er and the others still have to study!"

The Empress smiled with relief.

Watching Zhao Fang continue to stare blankly at the teacup on the dining table, the Empress said: "Fang'er, what are you thinking about? Tell Mother?"

Zhao Fang raised the corners of his mouth, shook his head quickly, and said: "Mother, nothing! Your son is just thinking about future matters."

"You clever little thing!"

Xingguo Lane,

Ningyuan Marquis mansion,

in the main hall of the front courtyard,

the Grand Eunuch who had proclaimed the decree had already left,

and the maids and nannies were moving the incense table and other items back into the house.

Gu Tingyi pursed her lips with a smile, standing beside Da Niangzi Bai, looking at her brother, who had a proud expression, with a smile on her face.

Pingmei stood on the other side of her mother-in-law, also with a smile on her face.

Da Niangzi Bai, who was between the two, already had tears in her eyes at this moment; looking at her youngest son, Gu Tingye, she said in a somewhat reproachful tone: "Ye'er, why are you so willful! It was not easy to achieve merit, and you didn't ask your father or me about the Emperor's reward before you..."

Chang Mama, beside Da Niangzi Bai, wiped away a tear, smiling through her tears: "Madam, our Ye Ge'er is a filial child! What good child wouldn't think of their mother!"

Gu Yankai suppressed the corners of his mouth and said: "Hmph, this time, although he was a bit willful, but... it's okay!"

Gu Tingye lifted his robe, knelt before Da Niangzi Bai, looked straight at her, arched his hands, and said: "Mother! Elder Brother was able to get you a title of honor, and I can also get your title of honor raised!"

Da Niangzi Bai's tears fell like rain, and she sobbed: "Silly child!"

Gu Tingyi also pursed her lips; noticing her sister-in-law Pingmei wiping her tears, she smiled through her tears.

Gu Yankai took a deep breath: "This, it's a good thing, why are you all crying! Really..."

(End of chapter)