Chapter 241: Duke of Jin?

When the Princess of the Northern Tranquil Kingdom announced that Jia Jing had been ennobled as a First‑Rank Duke, Feng Jie felt dejected!

The sisters of the Jia Mansion, however, could not contain their joy; a First‑Rank Marquis had actually been promoted to a First‑Rank Duke, the title soaring straight to the pinnacle of martial merit—what an astonishing promotion!

A twenty‑one‑year‑old First‑Rank Duke—perhaps no one has achieved that since the founding of the Da Han Empire!

Tan Chun, Xiang Yun and the others exchanged glances, their eyes alight with excitement.

Aunt Xue thought to herself, "A First‑Rank Duke seems only one step away from being made a king?"

This truly is wealth laid out before her eyes!

Yuan Chun's plump face also flushed with a bright hue, her spirit wavering, the corners of her eyes slightly lifted—has Brother Jia Jing already reached such a stage?

Daiyu lightly placed a hand over her heart, her bright eyes sparkling, her gaze a little absent as if harboring a lingering, soul‑tethered reverie.

Baichai clutched the round fan in her hand tightly, a veil of misty rain clouding her eyes.

Nian Shilan's beautiful eyes flickered, a faint rouge spreading across her face.

Even Li, standing nearby, could not help but exclaim that being ennobled as a First‑Rank Duke truly places one at the very top of Da Han's martial merit!

What is even rarer is the depth of imperial favor that shines through.

Despite opposition from senior civil ministers, the Son of Heaven still exercised his sole authority to insist on the bestowal, showing how highly Jia Jing is regarded by the emperor!

One must recall that the Third‑Rank Duke of his own second brother was blocked by the civil officials at the time!

The difference here truly makes one think in dread…

Just as everyone was sighing, Princess Zhen of the Northern Tranquil Kingdom cleared her throat, her tone tinged with a hint of envy, and said:

"If we say that the First‑Rank Duke of the Champion Marquis truly deserves his title, though he has strong backing from my Prince, it is nonetheless conferred for his military merits, indisputable."

"What is truly rare, however, is the Duke title attached to the Champion Marquis—a unique honor in the Da Han Empire…"

Princess Zhen reiterated the strong support of the Northern Tranquil King.

At the same time, she could not help but feel a touch of envy toward Jia Jing's Duke title.

Even though her own matriarch is a palace Grand Consort and her husband a Prince, this title remains a distinction her family will never obtain.

How much the Son of Heaven trusts and values Jia Jing!

Everyone who heard this was stunned—so the Duke title is truly special?

Tan Chun, with elegant brows and eyes, a glint of spirit in her gaze, laughed first:

"Duke titles are usually a single‑character honorific, either based on the place of merit or the nature of the achievement."

"Third Brother earned his merit on the north‑western steppe, his deeds being the expansion and securing of borders. According to court custom, it should be titles like Duke of Wei, Duke of Ying, or Duke of Shuo."

"However, since the Princess says it is a unique honor, it must surpass those ordinary titles."

"I guess it could be named after great states like Wei, Qin, Jin, or it could be an ancient title such as Duke of Wei, Duke of E, Duke of Liang, bestowed upon famous generals or ministers."

These days, the few young ladies have been privately debating the matter, wondering what title Third Brother would receive if he were made a Duke.

Their guesses varied—some said Duke of Liang, some Duke of Shuo, some Duke of Wei, and others Duke of Wei…

All present fixed their gaze on Princess Zhen, each pondering, waiting for her to reveal the answer.

Princess Zhen smiled, not rushing to give the answer, but first praised Tan Chun, saying:

"Your family's Third Miss is truly quick‑witted and discerning; no wonder we heard the Champion Marquis would have her manage the household."

"Looking at her reminds me of the Jiangnan junior sister Zhen Chun; she also excels in the three arts and is likewise learned, graceful, and extraordinary."

"Now she's at the age for an arranged marriage, and the family is looking for a match for her!"

Princess Zhen alluded to the fact that the third sister of the Zhen family is still awaiting a marriage prospect, clearly hinting.

Daiyu, Baichai, Nian Shilan and the others set their faces stern, thinking silently: "Sure enough, it's about arranging a marriage—those schemers have shown their hand!"

However, Princess Zhen did not linger on the topic; she knew too many high‑born families were already eyeing Jia Jing.

Even though the Zhen family bears the reputation of being Jiangnan's foremost aristocratic clan, it still pales compared to the top‑tier families of Shenjing.

Moreover, her own matriarch, though a palace Grand Consort who once raised the former Emperor…

…is now over eighty, with little time left, making the Zhen family's future uncertain.

It is said that a decree has already been issued to investigate the void in Jiangnan…

A hint of worry flashed in Princess Zhen's eyes, and without further riddles she said directly:

"Third Miss's words, though not exact, are close! Some court ministers have suggested titles such as Duke of Shuo, Duke of Wei, Duke of Ding, or Duke of Jing."

"The Prince of Nan'an also proposed using great states like Qin or Wei as titles; my Prince suggested Duke of Wei, yet the Son of Heaven did not adopt any."

"In the end, the Son of Heaven himself drafted the title of Champion Marquis… First‑Rank Jing‑named Duke."

"Duke of Jin?"

Upon hearing Princess Zhen's words, everyone's eyes lit up, pondering the deeper meaning of 'Duke of Jin.'

Yuan Chun's plump, fair face broke into a smile, and she was the first to laugh at Jia Mu:

"Grandma, the Duke of Jin is truly a weighty Duke title, a few degrees more prestigious than our family's Duke of Rong."

"The character 'Jin' is taken from the State of Jin, one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring‑and‑Autumn period; the name itself carries legitimacy and a symbol of hegemony."

"It is not a title ordinary meritorious officials can obtain; clearly the His Majesty places immense trust in the Third Brother."

Yuan Chun never considered the 'Jing' character; she thought Princess Zhen's pronunciation was off and took it as 'Duke of Jin.'

The others, hearing Yuan Chun's explanation, also thought they had misheard!

It turned out to be the 'Jin' of the Five Hegemons, which sounded a bit like 'Jing'; the Princess's speech even carried a soft southern accent!

Beside her, Tan Chun's gaze sparkled as she laughed:

"The prestige of the character 'Jin' is not only because of the Jin state among the Five Hegemons! Historically, those granted the Duke of Jin title were mostly famous ministers and chancellors."

Next to them, Shi Xiangyun's round, apple‑shaped face beamed, eagerly adding:

"I know that too! The Tang dynasty's famed chancellor Pei Du quelled the Huai‑West rebellion and was ennobled Duke of Jin, hailed as 'Duke Pei of Jin,' a symbol of the Tang's resurgence."

"Also, the Tang official Han Huang, noted for his integrity, was granted the Duke of Jin title, known as 'Duke Han of Jin.'"

「They are all renowned ministers of an era; perhaps this title of Duke of Jin also implicitly conveys the intention of the revival of the Da Han Empire! 」

Shi Xiangyun, being tactful, didn't mention the equally ennobled treacherous minister Li Linfu and powerful minister Sima Zhao, and gained Lin Daiyu's approving glance.

Madame Xue beside her laughed and said:

「There are so many particulars in this title! If you hadn't told me, I really wouldn't have known! 」

This lighthearted banter should have been delivered by Feng Jie, the little expert at livening up the atmosphere, but now she is still immersed in the grief of losing the decree of Duchess of the State, unable to extricate herself!

Madame Xue had no choice but to do her best to help liven things up!

For a moment the atmosphere heated up, with continuous laughter and cheer.

Only Madame Zhen stared blankly: "???"

Her fair complexion twitched slightly twice, her face showing words she wanted to say but held back.

Jia Mu found her reaction a little strange and asked:

「Princess, is there something else you haven't said? 」