Chapter 656: Imperial Bestowal
Chapter 656: Imperial Bestowal
25th September 2017
In the Xuan Shi Hall within the Southern Palace of the Imperial Palace in Luoyang, Emperor Ling of Han sat majestically on the main seat, attended by Zhang Rang. The hall was filled with civil and military officials standing silently.
At this moment, from the Emperor down to the assembled ministers, all eyes were fixed on Lu Haikong.
Facing this attention from all sides, Lu Haikong remained remarkably composed, standing silently and calmly in the face of it all.
His composure at this moment caused many ministers who had previously held a poor impression of him due to his background to slightly change their opinions.
Of course, among those watching Lu Haikong, there were not only those who admired him but also those filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment. Take He Jin, for example. Though he didn't show it on his face, the look in his eyes as he gazed at Lu Haikong was far from friendly.
Emperor Ling of Han didn't notice the gazes and undercurrents below. After stating his purpose for the day, he stood up, pointing at Lu Haikong with a hint of excitement on his face.
"This loyal minister, do you all know who he is? He's the one who repelled the Wu Xian army of four hundred thousand, killed the three tyrants of the Yellow Turbans, and suppressed the Yellow Turban Rebellion. In just one year, he has achieved great merit for me. This is my trusted and beloved general, the Governor of Liangzhou, Lu Haikong!"
"Tell me, what should I bestow upon Governor Lu for his great service?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Haikong stepped forward, clasped his fists, and bowed, "Your Majesty, this is merely my duty. I dare not ask for any reward."
"Nonsense! This is what you deserve! You are my lucky and divine general. I will not only reward you, but I will reward you greatly!" Emperor Ling of Han responded with great enthusiasm.
His mood at this moment was incredibly excited. He wanted to heavily reward Lu Haikong and let all the civil and military officials know that Lu Haikong was his trusted and beloved general. At this moment, Emperor Ling of Han wanted to show off his beloved Lu Haikong to everyone.
"Why are you all standing there in a daze? Speak up! What reward should Governor Lu receive?"
As Emperor Ling of Han spoke, the officials and generals below couldn't help but stir.
Although they knew that Lu Haikong was highly favored by Emperor Ling of Han, they hadn't expected the Emperor to favor him to such an extent. The tone and words he used, his excitement, and his affection for Lu Haikong were all too clear. At this moment, even if the Emperor said he wanted to marry his daughter to Lu Haikong, few below would be surprised.
However, at this moment, none of the ministers spoke. Instead, they turned their gazes towards He Jin, their eyes filled with mockery. It was clear they were waiting to see He Jin's reaction.
Before Lu Haikong's arrival, He Jin had openly declared his intention to deal with Lu Haikong. Now, they wanted to see how He Jin would respond.
In response to this situation, a hint of coldness flashed in He Jin's eyes, but his face remained unchanged.
Emperor Ling of Han's favor towards Lu Haikong far exceeded He Jin's expectations. However, this situation wasn't necessarily a bad thing for him.
He Jin looked around and, seeing no one stepping forward, he took a step forward and bowed to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, I believe that Governor Lu's military achievements are grand, and he has greatly contributed to Your Majesty and the Han Dynasty. He deserves a grand reward. I suggest bestowing upon him the title of Marquis of a County and rewarding him with ten thousand taels of gold!"
As soon as He Jin finished speaking, everyone was stunned.
Had he gone too far? The ten thousand taels of gold could be easily overlooked, but the title of Marquis of a County was no ordinary rank. Even the 'Twenty-Eight Generals of the Cloud Platform' from the early Han Dynasty, who were almost equivalent to ministers, only held this title. It was an extremely high rank. Had He Jin lost his mind?
What surprised them even more was Emperor Ling of Han's response. After He Jin's suggestion, the Emperor's face showed dissatisfaction, "Isn't the title of Marquis of a County a bit too much? Forget it, let it be so!"
It was clear to everyone that Emperor Ling of Han was displeased at that moment. He only reluctantly accepted it because Zhang Rang, standing beside him, subtly reminded him that going any further would be inappropriate. Witnessing this, everyone gained a deeper understanding of the Emperor's affection for Lu Haikong.
At this moment, Lu Haikong reacted swiftly. Regardless of whether he was happy or unhappy about the title bestowed upon him, he needed to decline it. Lu Haikong immediately began to downplay his achievements, claiming they were insignificant.
At this moment, Lu Haikong felt exhausted by the situation. He had to decline something he clearly desired, but he had no choice. Such is the way of life.
Of course, if anyone knew Lu Haikong's current mental state, they would probably want to slap him.
As Lu Haikong declined, Emperor Ling of Han directly and authoritatively bestowed the reward, "Enough, that's it. Lu Haikong, hear your reward!"
"Wait, Your Majesty, wait!"
Before Emperor Ling of Han could finish speaking and the reward was officially bestowed, several ministers below immediately stepped forward.
In the past, they chose to remain silent, not wanting to get involved in the disputes between the consort clan and the eunuchs. But now, faced with this situation, the old relics felt they had to step forward.
Lu Haikong, a mountain bandit from the Eunuch Party, had some merit, but what virtue or ability did he possess to be granted the title of Marquis of a County?
This was against the ritual system and even more so against the rules, so at this moment, they had to step up.
The Elder Grand Secretary, Yang Zui, trembled as he stood up and said, "Your Majesty, Lu Haikong, the Inspector of Liangzhou, has indeed achieved great military merits. However, he has a flawed background and has only served in office for less than two years. Although he has military merits, his qualifications are insufficient. Your Majesty, please do not bestow the title of Marquis of a County upon him."
Upon hearing these words, Han Lingdi's face darkened instantly. He was already dissatisfied with granting Lu Haikong the title of Marquis of a County, and now this old man even objected, not even granting Lu Haikong the title. How could Han Lingdi bear this?
Han Lingdi was about to slam the table and stand up, but at this moment, numerous ministers stood up in agreement with Yang Zui.
This situation was a direct challenge to Han Lingdi's authority. Seeing this, Han Lingdi's face grew darker, and he was on the verge of erupting.
"Your Majesty, since all the esteemed officials believe that this subject's qualifications are insufficient to assume the title of Marquis of a County, this is my fault. I humbly request that Your Majesty revoke this bestowal!" Lu Haikong spoke up at the right moment, bowing to Han Lingdi.
Hearing these words, He Jin's expression brightened. Lu Haikong had made a bad move. In this situation, it was not the time for Lu Haikong to back out. He should have stood by Han Lingdi. His current actions were clearly aimed at Han Lingdi.
As expected, when Han Lingdi saw Lu Haikong stand up, he was so enraged that he almost stood up. His gaze turned cold: "Lu Haikong, do you dare say such a thing?"
Facing this situation, Lu Haikong showed no fear and looked directly at Han Lingdi.
"Your Majesty, do you remember the words I spoke when I first saw Your Majesty?"
In the 16th year of the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, I read a book in the Xuan Shi Dian (Hall of Spiritual Government) and saw no mistakes in it.
Han Lingdi was taken aback, and then a memory flashed in his mind: a young man pointing at a map of the Han Empire, passionately declaring that one day, he would make every inch of land under the sun his domain.
Recalling this, Han Lingdi's face softened: "Of course I remember!"
"Then, I humbly ask Your Majesty to believe in me. One day, I will surely establish an unparalleled achievement for Your Majesty!"
"At that time, I want everyone to acknowledge my worthiness for this title without a word, and I want the people of this dynasty to remember this day. I want the people of future generations to see who the true wise and decisive ruler is!"
Lu Haikong bowed and a surge of iron and blood energy rose from his body as he spoke loudly.
As Lu Haikong spoke, Han Lingdi's face turned from dark to red, deeply moved.
Lu Haikong's words stirred Han Lingdi's blood, and he stood up: "Well said! This is my divine general! This is the spirit that a young man should have! I am greatly comforted, I am greatly comforted!"
Han Lingdi was so excited that it took him a while to calm down. He looked at Lu Haikong, and a flash of brilliance appeared in his eyes.
"Since this is the case, I will keep the title of Marquis of a County for now, but the rewards must still be given!"
"Lu Haikong, hear your rewards!"
Lu Haikong stepped forward and bowed: "This subject is here!"
"I bestow upon you the title of General Who Conquers the North and Governor of Bing Province. I reward you with ten thousand gold and grant you a national treasure!"
Upon hearing Han Lingdi's rewards, the entire court was stunned. They had already thought it was excessive for Han Lingdi to grant Lu Haikong the title of Marquis of a County, and they were just happy to have argued it down. But now, Han Lingdi directly bestowed the titles of General Who Conquers the North and Governor of Bing Province, which were even more excessive than the title of Marquis of a County.
The General Who Conquers the North was a high-ranking general, and the Governor of Bing Province was an even more prestigious position. With these titles, Han Lingdi had directly created a powerful official. He Jin was dumbfounded. He had been preparing to speak up to keep Lu Haikong, but now what could he say? What could he possibly say?
Although He Jin couldn't speak, Yang Zui could. Lu Haikong's title of Marquis of a County had already displeased him, and now he was even less pleased. He was about to stand up in objection.
However, before he could speak, Han Lingdi waved his hand: "That's enough. Let's end it here. Dismissed!"
After saying this, Han Lingdi completely ignored the court officials and left the Xuan Shi Dian without a second glance.
Throughout this process, Lu Haikong was slightly dazed because, at the moment Han Lingdi announced his rewards, a system prompt had already popped up for Lu Haikong!
"You have been granted the titles of General Who Conquers the North and Governor of Bing Province by the Imperial Court. Do you choose to abandon your identity as a mountain bandit and accept these titles?
Ps: Changing your identity may bring about changes in your profession, buildings under your command, troops, and more. Please consider carefully!"
This system prompt not only presented Lu Haikong with a choice but also put before him a question that had been on his mind for a long time...
(End of Chapter)
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