Chapter 221: and ===GLOSSARY===

After hearing the Prince of Yi's words, Zhao Guogong immediately understood why he had sought him and Cao Guogong this time.

I and Liu'an Marquis Wang Zhi have been close friends; Wang Zhi now commands the local guard troops of Jiangnan, and any move there cannot be done without his support.

Cao Guogong, meanwhile, is related by marriage to the Prince of Nan'an, and their friendship is deep.

Don't look at Cao Guogong now siding with the Jingnan lineage; in fact, if we count properly, the Li family ought to belong to the founding lineage's martial merit.

Only because Cao Guogong's ancestors achieved great merit in the Jingnan campaign, and later his family grew ever closer to the Jingnan martial merit, was he counted as part of the Jingnan lineage.

This is also why Cao Guogong could easily befriend Jia She at first, drinking and enjoying themselves together, because their ancestors had once belonged to the same lineage.

Likewise, this is the reason why the Cao family has marital ties with the Prince of Nan'an's mansion.

Zhao Guogong lifted his cup, took a shallow sip, pondered for a moment, then said:

"We must rely on Cao Guogong to exert influence on the Prince of Nan'an's side! As for Jiangnan..."

"Now that the Qianqing Palace's prestige grows daily from successive victories in the northwest, the New Policies must not be allowed to succeed under any circumstances!"

"Liu'an Marquis Wang Zhi controls the Jiangnan guard posts; if we let him secretly pull some strings..."

"... when Jiangnan is thrown into chaos, not only will the New Policies be obstructed, but the prestige of the Qianqing Palace will suffer."

"... it will also drive the Jiangnan gentry clans into opposition with the current court, forcing them to cling to the Retired Emperor's boat—killing two birds with one stone..."

Zhao Guogong's eyes flashed with a hint of ruthlessness, clearly indicating his intent to strike hard.

Prince Yi Zhu Yù understood Zhao Guogong's intention: nothing more than shifting the conflict between the court's New Policies and the scholar-gentry onto ordinary commoners and military households.

To incite the ignorant populace to rise up and cause trouble, making the court hesitant to act, thereby losing popular and local military support.

He thought it over, and in the end still shook his head and said:

"Just give lip service while opposing in secret! Best not to involve innocent civilians. If a major disturbance erupts, it will be hard to contain later."

"For now, that side is powerful; we should mainly adopt a wait-and-see approach."

"The New Policies harm the interests of officials and scholar-gentry everywhere, and what's more, the current emperor intends to audit years of deficits—these are all offensive policies!"

"Public sentiment and time are on our side; we might as well wait a bit, there's no need to rush..."

…………

Not mentioning the plots of Prince Yi and Zhao Guogong etc., but speaking of the interior of the Shenjing city's palace gardens.

Qianqing Palace main hall.

Emperor Shengsheng, attended by Xia Shouzhong, had just finished his midday meal, and was sipping tea while reviewing memorials.

After being nourished by a period of victorious reports from the northwest, Emperor Shengsheng's complexion visibly improved.

The usually unsmiling Emperor Shengsheng would often show a few more hints of smile on his stern face.

This made the days of the eunuchs and palace maids throughout the imperial palace much easier.

Even a little sweep eunuch from the northwest who, while sweeping the floor in Qianqing Palace, sang a northwest folk tune that Emperor Shengsheng heard, he did not rebuke.

Instead, he specially permitted the little eunuch to sing when alone; Emperor Shengsheng said he liked hearing sounds from the northwest, whether joyful or sorrowful.

Meanwhile, Xia Shouzhong, who attended nearby, had no trace of worry on his face these days; his fair complexion always bore a faint smile, as if he were happy whenever Emperor Shengsheng was happy.

At this moment,

Golden sunlight fell upon the roof ridge of Qianqing Palace's main hall, and the glazed tiles reflected a golden gleam.

Emperor Shengsheng looked at a memorial from the newly appointed Eastern Pavilion Grand Scholar Fang Congzhe for a while, his expression grew somewhat cold, and he said displeasedly:

"Zi Jie has won successive victories in the northwest, his military exploits are outstanding; he not only captured the Northern Yuan Khagan Batu Mongke, but in one fell swoop pacified the century-long frontier troubles of our Great Han."

"For such great merit, I merely wish to promote him to a first-rank duke, raise him to Senior Second Rank General of the Cavalry, and add the title of Duke of the State; why then do so many civil officials memorialize in opposition?"

"What's more, even this Cabinet Grand Scholar Fang Congzhe has memorialized spouting nonsense that Zi Jie is too young to be heavily ennobled!"

"When did the court ever bestow rewards based on age rather than merit? I see him as merely envious of talent and ability, utterly lacking magnanimity!"

Xia Shouzhong stood by the pillar with hands at his sides, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Since Jia Jing's victory reports arrived one after another in Shenjing, the court above and below has been in an uproar over his ennoblement, and it's been nearly two months without a final decision.

The civil officials seem to have united, all unwilling for Emperor Shengsheng to grant Jia Jing too heavy a reward.

Previously the civil officialdom split into Zhejiang, Qi, Chu, Kun, Donglin factions, etc., but on the issue of ennobling Jia Jing, those factional divisions disappeared.

As if they had privately reached a consensus, they all memorialized in unison saying the reward must not be too generous.

Moreover, some censorial officials even memorialized impeaching Jia Jing for holding too much military power in the northwest, buying over the troops, appearing unlike a subject, and harboring hidden dangers, etc.

This matter greatly displeased Emperor Shengsheng.

Since the second victory report of Jia Jing's overthrow of the Northern Yuan court arrived, Emperor Shengsheng had once proposed to the Cabinet that Jia Jing be promoted to a first-rank duke, raised to Senior Second Rank General of the Cavalry, and granted the title of Duke of the State, but he received no positive response for a long time.

Although several Cabinet Grand Scholars did not openly oppose, none expressed support either.

Unexpectedly, the newly appointed Eastern Pavilion Grand Scholar Fang Congzhe, not long after his promotion, took the lead in memorializing his opposition to heavy ennoblement.

A hint of hesitation flashed across Xia Shouzhong's fair face; logically, Emperor Shengsheng's will should be his will.

Moreover, before Jia Jing set out on campaign, he had presented Xia Shouzhong with gifts; now he ought to step forward and speak a few good words for Jia Jing.

But the three ranks of ennoblement proposed by Emperor Shengsheng are truly too high, leaving him somewhat doubtful and unsettled for a moment.

This first-rank dukedom is already nearly the utmost a subject can attain; higher than that only a princely kingship remains.

The Senior Second Rank General of the Cavalry need not be mentioned; it is precisely the substantive pinnacle of military office in the Great Han.

Since the founding emperor, a First Rank General and a First Rank Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces have been tacitly not granted to subjects!

And the title of Duke of the State need not be mentioned; it is already the highest rank of merit in the Great Han, equal to First Rank, with no higher merit office above it!

Although Zi Jie's merit is indeed great, if we bestow these three ranks—duke, general, and duke of the state—wouldn't His Majesty fear that there would be nothing left to grant later?

Xia Shouzhong considered a very practical problem: what if Jia Jing achieves further merit in the future?

Surely we can't just directly make him a king for a minor achievement, can we?

Apart from the four different-surname kings enfeoffed at the founding of the Great Han, no princely title has been granted in all these years; a kingship absolutely cannot be lightly bestowed!

Or put more directly, unless, like the founding emperor's dying instruction, we pacify the false Qing in Liaodong.

Otherwise, if one seeks a kingship by any other means or through merit, the entire court will attack and oppose it.

Therefore, the civil officials' disagreement with granting too high a title has its reasoning.

Even if judged by military merit, Jia Zi Jie's contributions indeed merit these rewards, but many matters cannot be considered solely on merit.

Xia Shouzhong even thinks that perhaps slowing the bestowal of honors now would better protect Jia Jing.