Chapter 90: Can He Be a Barbarian?

"The twenty-second generation grandson heir of the Stone Corpse Kingdom Lord Caiyang A Qilong, who was personally enfeoffed by the Taizu Emperor, listen.

By the grace of heaven, the Emperor decrees.

The ancient sages and emperors, occupying the central region, how could they not unify the writing and tracks of ten thousand directions, and spread the sound and education to the four seas?

Looking at my cool virtue, I have been given a great name, and I have been given a king, so I should be given a generous order.

Specially grant you the name, Caiyang Shizhong.

Inherit the hereditary Dragon Tiger General, fiefdom in Zhihai Town, Siyang Commandery, Eastern Yue Sea Province, open the curtain and establish the army.

The bell tolls at the edge of the sun, the hero pushes in the middle of the sea; thinking of the pouring out of words, it is truly deeply admired... thus inheriting the blessings of Heaven.

It is granted to be a minister of sincerity, obedience, and loyalty.

Alright, Caiyang Longhu, you may receive the decree and thank the grace."

Dragon Tiger General, from the beginning of the Ming Song regime's operation, was a hereditary official title specifically granted to the heirs of barbarian tribes.

Although it was only the fourth rank.

But because it was the only general title granted by the court to barbarian tribes.

So it came with the privilege of opening the curtain and a fiefdom of one thousand households, which could be said to have both name and foundation.

What does this mean?

The barbarian kingdom lord enfeoffed by the Ming Song court had a rank equivalent to a prince.

The heir of the kingdom lord was equivalent to a first-rank official.

The eldest daughter or eldest sister, because of their special status in many barbarian tribes, was equivalent to a second-rank honorary official title,

And apart from them, the court did not recognize the political status of other barbarian leaders.

But the heir of a barbarian leader could inherit the Dragon Tiger General.

After opening the curtain, he could enfeoff officials up to the fifth rank.

Of course, this so-called fifth-rank official, because it did not need to be recorded by the military or personnel department and could take office, so the gold content was not as good as a militia officer.

But no matter how worthless it was, if it was investigated on the surface, the curtain official came from the "Great Decree" published to the world by the founding emperor of Ming Song.

Even the "current" Hezheng Emperor could not deny it.

So in the eyes of many barbarian leaders at that time, they still cared very much.

Under such circumstances, the space for operation came.

A certain barbarian tribe developed strongly under the right time, place, and people.

The court immediately enfeoffed the leader's brother or adult son as Dragon Tiger General.

And bestowed one thousand households of the barbarian tribe to the Dragon Tiger General as a basic foundation.

Of course, in this situation, the leader couldn't possibly cut his own "flesh" to feed the so-called heir enfeoffed by the court.

Nor would he divide the power in his hands.

And the barbarian heir enfeoffed by the Ming Song court couldn't immediately fall out with his older brother or father.

Some broad-minded wise men even exiled themselves for the future of the tribe.

But smart people who have no desires are a minority among the minority.

As time fermented, there would always be variables.

Even if there weren't, the court's payment was just an imperial decree.

It was truly no cost and no profit.

But times have changed.

At this very moment, just because Zhang Gui created a trick of "blood letter to save the king."

The Hezheng Emperor actually bestowed a fourth-rank Dragon Tiger General and a fiefdom of one thousand households.

It was truly inconceivable.

Stunned for a long time, Zhang Gui came to his senses, thanked the grace with gratitude,

"Caiyang Shizhong thanks the Emperor for his grace."

After standing up and taking the imperial decree, this time he was not stingy, and directly ordered people to take out a small box filled with gold from the ship's cabin.

He respectfully sent it to the hands of the eunuch who issued the decree.

His cheeks were flushed with excitement, but his eyes were full of doubt,

"I trouble the public to travel thousands of miles to sea for this trip, it is really hard work.

A little bit of heart is not a respect.

I traveled thousands of miles to save the king this time, just for a cavity of lone courage and loyalty, thinking about it carefully, it was really reckless.

No wonder His Majesty punished me heavily.

But just after removing my eighth-rank minor position, immediately followed by the grace of heaven..."

"Hey, Caiyang Longhu, what you are saying is two different things.

The one who was removed from office was Zhang Jiugui, the one who inherited the hereditary position is Caiyang Shizhong."

The eunuch who issued the decree interrupted Zhang Gui with a smile.

Zhang Gui cursed secretly in his heart after hearing this, but had to bribe two more boxes of gold kernels.

Afterward, he clapped his hands very frankly, "Public, forgive me, it's gone, it's really gone."

The eunuch who issued the decree laughed and didn't put on airs anymore, explaining like a whisper:

"To tell you the truth, Caiyang Longhu, you have luck on your body, and you have had a great fortune!

Originally, His Majesty felt that you were loyal to the country, and intended to punish you for being reckless and reward you for your loyalty.

Adding the title of 'Patrol Sea General of the Center' and the scattered title of 'Martial Righteous Doctor.'

As a result, I didn't expect that our Ming Song's Great Prime Minister, Great Chancellor Wu Gong Qinggeng, looked at you more and more unpleasantly.

He said a lot of nasty words, not only unwilling to add the title, but also wanted to put you to death.

He blocked His Majesty until he was speechless, and finally could only demote you to a commoner, and even implicated the military stockade.

This is where the first imperial decree came from.

Then, our inner court's Yang ancestor found that you, Caiyang Longhu, have a special status and even have a hereditary future.

It's just because the Stone Corpse tribe hasn't submitted a request for enfeoffment for decades, so it hasn't fallen into reality.

Since the decree is going to be issued this time, it's better to 'one bad and one good' and be done with it.

After all, the court shouldn't be too harsh on its subjects, only punishing and not rewarding.

In addition, hereditary official titles are the rewards of the previous emperor, as long as there are no mistakes, there is no need for the cabinet ministers of this dynasty to sign.

So finally, His Majesty decided on his own and issued the second imperial decree.

Hahaha.

His Majesty's grace to you is truly worthy of ten thousand deaths!"

"Patrol Sea General of the Center" is a fifth-rank official position, five small steps higher than Zhang Gui's previous eighth-rank colonel.

It is equivalent to directly crossing the huge threshold from low-level bureaucrats to middle-level bureaucrats.

Although it is still in charge of "Zhihai Stockade," the actual power is not different at all.

But with the scattered title of "Martial Righteous Doctor," the status is only one layer of skin away from the Great General of the Siyang Commandery Military Prefecture.

Plus the independence of the militia soldiers, it will be truly difficult to manage and serve in the future.

The reason why the Hezheng Emperor initially intended to reward Zhang Gui like this.

The purpose was to plant a small nail in the southern kingdom that looked loyal on the surface but was difficult for the local military prefecture to restrict, without wasting any effort.

As a result, Prime Minister Wu Qinggeng just wouldn't let him have his way.

After fighting back and forth, the other party was reasonable and restrained, and finally successfully counterattacked.

This burned the anger that had been held back for the past few days together, scorching the Hezheng Emperor until he gritted his teeth.

That was why when his first confidant, Chief Eunuch Yang Sanchun, offered the opportunity to immediately slap the group of officials in the face,

the Hezheng Emperor gave Zhang Gui an extraordinary grace.

Otherwise, let alone the Stone Corpse tribe's "not submitting a request for enfeoffment for decades."

Even if it were tens of thousands of years, with ten requests for enfeoffment every year, the hereditary title of Dragon Tiger General could not fall back onto the head of a Stone Corpse person.

Zhang Gui understood this point.

Therefore, after listening to the explanation of the eunuch who issued the decree, he silently thought in his heart:

"Worthy of ten thousand deaths.

Clearly, the Caiyang lineage of the Stone Corpse Kingdom, except for my mother and a few cousins, is just me left.

Why not directly enfeoff me as the Stone Corpse Kingdom Lord with the same title as a prince.

Clearly, he still has a count in his heart.

It's just that the battle between royal power and prime minister power allowed me, a small pawn who climbed onto the chessboard by chance, to get benefits across the river.

But no matter whether it is the Hezheng Emperor or Wu Qinggeng, they are still grasping the measure in their hearts.

But for me, the gain is already far beyond expectations and too sufficient!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 91 =====