Chapter 316

Listening to Huang Huang Hongcang read the imperial edict, everyone in the Jia family in Rongxi Hall was filled with unspeakable shock, almost losing their composure.

Even Jia Mu, who was so old and couldn't kneel for long, remained kneeling blankly until Huang Huang Hongcang finished reading the edict, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Jia She and Lady Xing's faces turned pale instantly after hearing the edict. Jia She was full of jealousy, looking down at Jia Cong kneeling in front.

He remembered the rebellious son he had scolded and beaten every day out of resentment for not being able to inherit the prefecture in previous years, who had actually become a Viscount.

Jia She's heart was full of anger and injustice. How could this be? This beast was only so young, yet the Emperor granted him such great grace. How could this beast deserve it!

He couldn't even touch the Lady Rongguo Prefecture, yet this beast actually got the Ningguo Prefecture. It truly made him want to die of anger!

Jia Zheng's brain buzzed after hearing the edict that Jia Cong was granted the title of Silver-Blue Grand Master, added the Silver Seal and Blue Ribbon, and granted the title of Second-Class Viscount of Lord Weiyuan.

The Jia family truly produced a heaven-sent son. Cong-ge'er was granted the title of Silver-Blue Grand Master, which was a Grade 3 civil official rank, and was also granted the title of Second-Class Viscount of Lord Weiyuan—both civil and military benefits!

He... he hadn't even reached the age of twenty, yet he could be like this. This is incredible. The Jia family will revive its family status from now on, blessed by the ancestors to have lowered such a hero!

At this moment, Jia Zheng seemed unable to hear the burning words behind, such as the Iron Certificate and Imperial Edict, and hereditary forever, completely controlled by the emotion of ecstasy.

Lady Wang, kneeling behind, was almost dizzy with jealousy after hearing the edict. She looked at Jia Baoyu kneeling beside her, her eyes full of injustice.

Last time, the Imperial Clan Court proposed to let Jia Cong be the heir of the Lady Rongguo Prefecture, which almost let this boy get the Lady Rongguo title. Fortunately, it was denied by the Old Lady in the end, which made Lady Wang breathe a sigh of relief.

He wasn't even adopted into the Ningguo lineage, so why was the Ningguo Prefecture still rewarded to him? Knowing that the luxury of the Ningguo Prefecture was even greater than that of the Lady Rongguo Prefecture, she felt unconvinced in her heart—truly unconvinced!

This scene was something Huang Huang Hongcang was used to.

Huang Huang Hongcang was a third-rank high official. Anyone he summoned to grant rewards was of no low rank or grade, exceeding ordinary grace, and the families receiving the rewards were mostly inexplicably happy.

Jia Lady Lian also looked at Jia Cong in shock. I haven't inherited the title yet, but this boy has become a Viscount first. This is also good; in the future, both brothers will be titled nobles, which is quite decent to say.

But no one expected that the Emperor's grace would exceed their expectations...

At this moment, Huang Huang Hongcang wanted to see the young man's reaction to receiving such imperial grace—what kind of wild joy and loss of composure he would have, after all, those Jia family members receiving the edict were all somewhat out of sorts, not to mention a teenager.

Would lower the title and salary, so that it would be convenient for the Emperor to grant grace.

The list of rewards submitted by the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel that day had Jia Cong's title as Second-Class Viscount of Lord Weiyuan, descending hereditary title, which was also the conventional practice for the authorities to formulate titles and honors.

But he didn't see the scene he imagined. Although Jia Cong had joy on his face, his expression was respectful and high-spirited, and he couldn't find any loss of composure or wild joy.

But he never expected that only two months later, this boy would be granted a Viscount title by the Emperor himself...

According to the expectations of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel, based on Jia Cong's great merit in wiping out the Jurchens, the Emperor would grant extra grace of three generations of non-descending titles on top of the descending hereditary title, which would be just right.

If it weren't for his young age and shallow military background, even a Marquis title could be discussed. Being granted a Second-Class Earl title, although it was considered grace, was not out of line considering his merit.

Huang Huang Hongcang saw that after he finished reading the imperial edict, these people of the Jia family looked as if they had been frightened, still kneeling there blankly, estimating that their hearts had been deeply shocked.

It was just that Jia Lady Lian's unreliable thought, if Jia She knew about it, he would likely be beaten to death by his father.

In his view, although Jia Cong was young, he was brilliant in civil and military strategy, dazzling, and had performed meritorious deeds repeatedly in Liaodong. The great victory at Qiu Qingyuan Collection was a battle that almost destroyed the country, a glorious and sweeping victory.

But Huang Huang Hongcang, as the Vice Minister of Rites, was the right-hand man of the Grand Minister of Rites Guo Guo Youchang, so he naturally knew some of the inside story of the title granting here.

It had to make this old official who had spent half his life in the officialdom look at him with new eyes.

He couldn't help but nod slightly. Charging into battle to kill the enemy and beheading thousands of troops, his demeanor and spirit were indeed extraordinary. Compared to those people in the Jia family, they could not be discussed on the same level, and it was no wonder the Emperor...

"Viscount of Lord Weiyuan, receive the edict!"

"Subject Jia Cong, kowtow to thank the Emperor for his great grace, Long live, long live, long live the Emperor!"

Jia Cong knew that his sweeping away of the Jurchens in Liaodong this time was eye-catching, and being granted a title was inevitable, but his own estimation was basically the same as Jia Mu's.

The possibility of being granted a first-class Viscount title was the greatest. After all, it was now a prosperous age, and the merit of extermination was not related to the survival of the country.

Moreover, his age and qualifications had congenital deficiencies, and the current Emperor had a reputation for being stingy with titles. A first-class Viscount title was just right in size and length, and it should be just like that.

In his own speculation, although he could be granted an Earl title for his merit, the possibility seemed not high, but he never expected that Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao would grant him an Earl title and add the grace of hereditary forever.

This was truly an unexpected joy for him, so he called out "Long live, long live" very sincerely.

At this time, Jia Mu let Sister Yuanyang and Sister Hupo support her back to Rongqing Hall.

The scene of the edict-receiving in Rongxi Hall was too shocking, and Jia Mu's brain was still a mess, and she hadn't recovered until now.

In Rongqing Hall, the wife of the Marquis of Lady Bao Ling, Lady Chen, the wife of the Marquis of Marquis Zhongjing, Lady Li, Wang Wang Xifeng, Li Li Gongcai, and other female relatives were already waiting there.

They naturally already knew the content of the edict received in Rongxi Hall.

Wang Wang Xifeng's expression was somewhat dull. A while ago, she was still acting pitiful in front of Jia Mu, racking her brains not to let Cong-third take away the title of her branch.

She didn't expect that only a short time had passed, and Cong-third had earned a Viscount title himself, which made Wang Wang Xifeng feel very uncomfortable. Cong-third was going to heaven.

Li Li Gongcai was holding Jia Lan's little hand, whispering instructions, mostly telling him to take his Third Uncle as an example, and finally be able to earn an imperial mandate for her in the future.

Xue Xue Yima also heard the news that Jia Cong was granted a Viscount title, and her heart couldn't help but burn, so she hurriedly went to Rongqing Hall to offer congratulations to the Old Lady.

Xue Baochai was originally talking with her sisters in the Qingzhi Studio, but she was dragged to Rongqing Hall by Xue Xue Yima to offer congratulations.

Xue Baochai was originally unwilling to go. She was intelligent and sharp, so how could she not know her mother's thoughts? It was nothing more than Cong-brother being granted a title, and her mother having ideas.

Among these sisters, only Xue Baochai was not so happy and excited about Jia Cong being granted a title.

Because she knew very well in her heart that Jia Cong was now a Viscount who was hereditary forever, and how many people's eyes were fixed on him.

Would he marry the daughter of an imperial merchant? Only a noble lady from an official family like Sister Lin could match him. Her own thoughts had become incomparably slim.

At this juncture, she really didn't want to join the fun in Rongqing Hall, letting people see her thoughts and asking for trouble.

It was just that Xue Baochai couldn't resist her mother's insistence. After all, she was always filial, so she followed reluctantly.

Lady Chen, the wife of the Marquis of Lady Bao Ling, and Lady Li, the wife of the Marquis of Marquis Zhongjing, were busy offering congratulations to their aunt, and their words praised Jia Cong as if he were about to bloom.

Lady Chen's eyes searched the hall, and she couldn't help but feel secretly angry in her heart. Where did this girl Shi Xiangyun run off to again? Running around at this time...

Jia Mu saw Xue Xue Yima bringing Xue Baochai over to offer congratulations. Xue Xue Yima was full of joy, as if she herself had been granted a title, while Xue Baochai on the side had no happy actions, just standing silently to the side.

Jia Mu looked at the outstanding Xue Baochai and sighed secretly.

(End of chapter)