Chapter 582: Chapter 87: That Year 19_2
Luo Shi’s title was hereditary and would descend a rank with each succession.
Even in death, this Martial Arts Master now had the ability to shelter his descendants for decades to co.
One could say he died a aningful death.
Li Fei recalled Luo Shi’s appearance in his mind and sighed.
Next ca the comndation of the similarly deceased Martial Arts Master, Mu Kairen.
As head of the Imperial Guards, he too was posthumously entitled as an Earl, with hereditary succession!
Such beginnings couldn’t help but make one anticipate the rewards to follow.
The next in line for rewards were Lv Wenxing and others.
Their group of twenty-nine had followed Li Fei to defend Chong City, then eliminated the “Twelve Xiao” and participated in the obstruction of Qing Yu True Master.
Although Li Fei was mainly responsible, they also played their part as ‘support’.
In the end, none of these n were promoted, but they all received substantial rewards:
Money, Elixirs, Protective Clothing, Abnormal Weapons, and the opportunity to access the Book Collection Pavilion to select Martial Arts techniques.
Lv Wenxing and others stepped out of the line to give thanks to the Emperor.
Upon gazing at the white-robed figure standing in the front, Lv Wenxing’s eyes burned with zeal, filled with anticipation.
The Emperor was known to be generous and benevolent towards his subjects, and this round of comndations had been even more generous than expected!
For just a small effort and risk, Lv Wenxing and others received such rich rewards; what then could Li Fei expect for his much greater efforts and accomplishnts?
The following comndation was for Chang Pengfei.
This man, also a Martial Arts Master and head of the Imperial Guards, had been ordered by Yun Shu to defend Bado City.
Fortunately, he did not encounter the reinforcing Imperial Camp Cavalry and easily defeated the enemy forces in Bado City, along with more than fifty Imperial Camp Cavalry and others, successfully holding Bado City.
In the end, Chang Pengfei was promoted by one rank, titled as a Viscount, and he also received rewards such as money, Elixirs, Protective Clothing, Abnormal Weapons, and the opportunity to select Martial Arts techniques from the Book Collection Pavilion, among others.
Next ca the awards for Ming Qi, or rather the Buddhist institution.
This order surprised many, for going by the rit earned, Li Fei would definitely rank after the Buddhist institution, so it would be unreasonable to reward them before him.
But the Buddhist institution’s action against Qingxu True Monarch was not done under the court’s orders, but rather a partnership.
Even if the court had not commanded, the Buddhist institution would have still taken action.
They couldn’t stand idly by and watch the Qingxu True Monarch establish the Eternal Dao Country!
Now placing the Buddhist institution’s rewards before Li Fei’s suggested that the reward wouldn’t be substantial.
However, the ultimate outco surprised many:
The Righteous Law Pavilion opened up thirty spots to the Buddhist institution, allowing Pudu Temple to appoint ten cabinet ministers and twenty Sitting Officials to manage the Buddhist temples throughout the land!
For years the Buddhist institution had been suppressed, the number of official temples not allowed to exceed one hundred and eight, all of which fell under local Governnt control.
It was only due to the increased need for Sha Qi that the court lifted this restriction, allowing the Buddhist institution to build one additional temple for every fifty sets of Sha Qi they manufactured and maintained.
But these temples were, likewise, regulated by the court.
Now that the court permitted Pudu Temple to participate in managing the temples of the land, it was openly delegating authority to the Buddhist institution!
It was a favor previously extended only to the Taoist sect!
Seeing the calamity of the Daluo Sect still fresh in mory, wouldn’t they fear a repeat of history?
Many Ministers within the Great Hall changed their expressions.
However, as the recent ‘assassination’ event had just occurred and the Emperor had ‘pardoned’ the officials, no one ca forward to oppose for the ti being.
Moreover, the Buddhist institution, having been suppressed for so many years, would need at least a century of operation to beco as entrenched as the Daluo Sect had.
What happens a hundred years later was of little concern to many.
After rewarding the Buddhist institution, the battle in Ming Province left only two people who had not yet been rewarded:
Yun Shu and Li Fei.
The State Preceptor Yun Shu’s status was well-established, already one of the top five figures in this empire, and he could not possibly move forward in rank.
Thus, what everyone was most interested in was Li Fei’s reward.
What kind of reward would the Emperor give to this peerless prodigy?
If the Buddhist institution, ranked third from last, had received such generous rewards, what would Li Fei receive?
Under the watchful eyes of all, the Imperial Eunuch actually put away the imperial edict in his hand.
Without waiting for the crowd to be shocked, the Emperor turned his head to look at the Grand Secretary sitting to one side.
Ye Ze’an stood up and bowed to the Emperor, then took out a new imperial edict, walked down from the dais, and turned to face the people.
The subsequent ennoblent would be announced by the Chief Minister himself!
This ant that the Chief Minister was privy to all of today’s rewards.
Although Ye Ze’an was not trained in Martial Arts, when he stood up, he still gave off an imposing aura, like a towering mountain, like a pillar supporting the heavens!
He opened the edict, his expression solemn:
“For more than five centuries since the founding of the Da Lan Dynasty, it has dominated the East Continent, with nations coming to pay homage.
I inherit the enterprise of my ancestors and shoulder the responsibilities of our ti, with the intention of unifying the world under heaven!
Without extraordinary heroes, such achievents cannot be established!”
Just the opening lines had surprised the ministers, causing an array of reactions.
From the mont authority was shifted from the Taoists, elevating the Buddhists’ status, and increasing the number of Sha Qi, many knew that the current Emperor harbored ambitions, and perhaps significant actions were to follow!
However, looking across the East Continent, the Grassland Royal Court to the east had already been shattered by the White Fla Army, completely losing their courage and submitting to vassalage.
To the south, the two great kingdoms in the desert, incited by the court to be enemies of each other for many years, were laden with conflicts and had no strength to invade the borders.
As for those small countries nestled in the steep mountains to the north, with their economies, institutions, culture, and military might all lagging far behind, they could only pay tribute annually and were not worth considering.
Only the West Continent across the sea and those Western Countries were the only real foes of the Da Lan Dynasty in this world.
Now that the Emperor openly declared his ‘intention to unify the world under heaven,’ for the first ti politically, he raised the ambition of a ‘Western Expedition,’ which was of significant implication!
Although the fortuity of the Da Lan Dynasty was currently damaged and its national power waned, making a ‘Western Expedition’ impossible in the short term,
the Emperor’s public articulation of this vision, at least, could inspire everyone, preventing the belief that the Da Lan Dynasty might soon fall.
Ye Ze’an continued to read from the imperial edict.
The following content was all related to ‘extraordinary heroes’:
“Today, there is a man nad Li Fei, a peerless hero of his generation, unmatched in elegance!
His bravery is as grand as the mountains; his resolve as firm as unyielding rock. With heartfelt sincerity, he has perford unparalleled services:
He was tasked with an investigation, facing the might of True Monarchs without compromising the court’s dignity.
He suppressed the rebels, recovered Chong City, and thwarted their sches.
Facing the rebel army alone, he slaughtered over fifty defectors of the Imperial Camp Cavalry!
In the face of danger, ordained by heaven, he fought against over a hundred defectors of the Imperial Camp Cavalry, rendering the rebels’ Array incomplete, as if gripping the enemy’s throat!
He led a team to annihilate the vile ‘Twelve Xiao,’ ridding the world of evil.
Charged with intercepting the rebel Qing Yu True Master, he destroyed his provisions, damaged his Flying Sword, and made a great contribution by bringing this rebel to justice.
Martial Arts has seven virtues, of which the foremost is to prevent violence and stop war, and to pacify the world.
For his cumulative rits, Li Fei is thus conferred — Marquis Jing’an!”
“…”
The vast Great Hall was now completely silent.
One after another, the important court ministers looked in astonishnt towards the young man in white at the center of the hall.
How old is this young man this year, eighteen? Nineteen?
Has there ever been a precedent for a marquis under twenty years old in the history of the Da Lan Dynasty?
The normally composed Li Fei also experienced a mont of daze upon hearing this outco.
He had thought that he might be handsoly rewarded this ti, but he never dread of such a significant honor!
Inside the Great Hall, golden sunlight shone upon the central pathway, casting Li Fei’s shadow long and stretched.
At this mont, it seed as though all the light was focused on him alone.
At the age of nineteen, he was made a marquis in front of the hall!
…
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