No one cared about Ji Zhibai and the Left Prime Minister's party. Not only were the scholars in the palace celebrating, but the other cities in the capital and Jingguo were also celebrating. The fireworks were dazzling, and the sound of firecrackers was even louder than the Spring Festival. 【
Ever since Jingguo was established, it had been losing territory. There were grassland barbarians in the north, Wu Guo in the west, and Gyeongo in the south. Fortunately, the East Sea Dragon Palace did not occupy land. Otherwise, Jingguo would be one less state.
In the past, when Jingguo was at its peak, it could barely take back one or two prefectures from Gyeongo or Wu Guo. However, Fang Yun's feat of taking back a state was unprecedented.
To the entire human race, a state was not as important as a battle poem. However, to the people of Jingguo, this state was extremely important.
This was especially so for Jiangzhou, which was on the north bank of the Yangtze River. Although Jiangzhou and Xiangzhou were separated by the Yangtze River, many residents of the two states were related by marriage. After Xiangzhou was taken away, the two states were completely at odds with each other. Fathers and sons were separated, brothers were separated, and even couples were separated. Hundreds of thousands of relatives and friends were completely cut off.
As the two states were at odds with each other, only a small number of scholars could travel between the two states to see their relatives. Ninety-nine percent of them could only look at the Yangtze River and sigh.
Every time there was a big festival, countless people in the areas near the Yangtze River would release lanterns into the river to express their grief.
Today, the most popular item in the shops in Jiangzhou was fireworks and firecrackers. The second most popular item was Fang Yun's Longevity Tablet!
Xiangzhou had been gone for decades. Many people had passed away, but their children and grandchildren still remembered the wishes of their fathers and ancestors. Fang Yun had helped them fulfill their wishes, so of course, they would treat Fang Yun as their benefactor.
At night, the banquet in the capital's palace was coming to an end.
If it was a normal banquet, the elderly, women, children, and those who did not like banquets could leave. However, no one left today.
This was because there was a great reward for taking back a state.
On the night of the third day of the second lunar month, there was only a small crescent moon in the sky. The moonlight was dim, but the palace was as bright as day.
The scholars in the capital were seated in different parts of the palace according to their positions and statuses. In front of the Heavenly Palace Hall, there was a large dragon chair, and the Empress Dowager and the young monarch were sitting on it.
After the eunuch gave the signal, the people all over the palace returned to their seats.
The faces of the Left Minister's party were dark. They did not say a word. Their gazes were incomparably complicated.
As for the others, they were all looking forward to it. He looked at Fang Yun enviously.
When the palace was completely quiet, the eunuch placed a conch for transmitting sound on the table in front of the Empress Dowager.
Not long after, the Empress Dowager's voice sounded above the capital.
"Duke Zhenguo Fang Yun went to Gyeongo alone and fought ten people. In the end, he won Xiangzhou and fulfilled the long-cherished wish of Jingguo. The Great Ancestor once ordered that whoever seized a prefecture would be conferred the title of King. The county will be handed down for three generations. However, this battle did not cost a single soldier or a single pawn, did not harm a single person or a single civilian; this is an outstanding achievement. Aijia will discuss this with the various ministers. Reward the third generation! The throne of the Fang Clan has not been easy for six generations! "
Fang Yun stood up and saluted, "Thank you, Monarch, thank you, Empress Dowager!"
Everyone stood up. They chanted "Long live the Monarch" and "Long live the Empress Dowager".
Finally, the Empress Dowager said, "After the banquet, please go to the Cabinet. Personally choose the fief. "
"Hiss …" Countless people gasped. The words "personally choose the fief" were more important than the reward of the third generation.
This was because there were nearly a hundred counties in a prefecture. They varied in size, wealth, and importance. If it was up to the Cabinet to decide, the final decision would be to choose a medium-sized county. But now, Fang Yun could choose at will.
The Left Minister's eyelids were drooping as usual, but when he heard the words "personally choose the fief", he suddenly opened his eyes. He was about to speak when he immediately looked at Ji Zhibai.
Ji Zhibai understood and hurriedly stood up. He shouted, "Absolutely not! The laws of the ancestors cannot be violated! "
He Ludong immediately said, "Why do you say that? The Empress Dowager has already issued the decree. It is a heavenly law and cannot be changed! "
"This matter has not been discussed by the Cabinet, so it cannot be made into a decree! If it is made into a decree, it will overturn the laws of the country. It will be a disgrace to the ancestors and the people! The laws cannot be violated! Etiquette cannot be ignored! "
Minister Kang Ha-chuan said, "The Empress Dowager has already communicated with the Old Man. The Old Man feels that this matter is not important and agrees with the Empress Dowager. However, since there are people who oppose, we need to consider further. Ji Zhibai, you can leave for now. Left Minister, what do you think? "
Mount Liu frowned slightly, then returned to normal. He slowly stood up and said, "If the Empress Dowager and Minister agree, I will not oppose. However, I don't know what the other members of the Cabinet think."
Assistant Minister Si Yueqing immediately stood up and said, "I oppose!"
The Minister of Personnel followed and said, "I oppose!"
In the end, the people of the Left Minister's party and the Prince of Kang's party all came out to oppose.
Fang Yun kept looking at the Left Minister, feeling rather envious. This was the importance of nurturing one's own faction. This kind of opposition to a meritorious minister of the country would definitely cause the people's support to plummet. If there were any slip-ups, it would affect the Left Minister.
However, there was no need for Mount Liu to make an appearance. His henchmen would stand up for him and not let him suffer any losses.
This was one of the important reasons why Mount Liu had remained standing. Every time his position was shaken, there would definitely be someone suitable to take the blame for him.
Minister Kang Ha-chuan glanced at the Left Minister Mount Liu with an odd expression, then said slowly, "Just two hours ago, I received a joint letter from the officials of Xiang Province. They said that the people of Xiang Province want Fang Xusheng to choose their counties as his fief. Dozens of counties have already received the Ten Thousand Citizens Book. The civil officials of the various regions have also displayed their abilities in the fight for the fief, almost fighting with each other. As a last resort, the officials of Xiang Province strongly requested that Fang Xusheng personally choose his fief. Otherwise, it would definitely lead to civil unrest. "
Fang Yun had not expected something like this to happen. He couldn't help but glance at Mount Liu again. He thought to himself, This is the crafty old Mount Liu after all. If he had taken the initiative to oppose, the minister would definitely have been able to make him lose all face and gain the initiative in other aspects.
Since Mount Liu had not fallen for his trap, Kang Ha-chuan had lost interest. He couldn't be bothered to fight with Mount Liu's subordinates, so he decided to just speak of the matter.
The officials of the Left Minister's faction and the Prince of Kang's faction all felt lucky. Who would have thought that something like this would happen? The people of the various counties were actually fighting to become the subjects of Fang Yun's fief.
In the past, when the title of Prince was bestowed, the people of the various counties would definitely oppose it with all their might. This was because the Prince held the most power in the fief, and even national law was secondary. Many of the Princes' clans abused the common people and ran amok in the county, and no one could control them. Thirty years ago, in Wu Guo, there was even an incident of an entire county rioting. Because that Prince's reputation was too terrible, in the end, the Wu Guo court had no choice but to move that Prince's fief to a remote and desolate area.
However, after thinking about it carefully, the officials couldn't help but sigh in admiration at the people's sharp eyes. Fang Xusheng was no ordinary Prince. As a resident of Fang Xusheng's fief, he would definitely have a higher status than the people of other places. Moreover, Fang Xusheng had the hearts of the people. His goal was to become a Half-saint, so he would only treat the people of his fief well. He definitely wouldn't scrape three feet of the land.
The people of the fief of the various Saint Clans of the Human race almost never had to worry about food or clothing. Who didn't have a descendant of a Saint Clan as a childhood friend? If something really did happen, they would definitely be able to talk to the people of the Saint Clans and easily resolve the matter.
Only now did some of the officials come to their senses. After all, Chen Sheng had received his fief over a hundred years ago, and everyone had already forgotten about the enormous benefits.
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