Chapter 166

"...We have heard that praising the virtuous and rewarding great merit is a universal principle since ancient times. The Marquis of Wu'an has quelled rebellion and destroyed traitors; his divine martial prowess is unparalleled. He has protected the Great Yan amidst the swaying storms, and We greatly commend him. We confer upon him the title of Grand Commandant, with an appanage of five thousand four hundred households, and his noble rank and fief shall continue from generation to generation without end..."

This edict conferring the title of Grand Commandant came suddenly, directly appointing Qin Shaozong as Grand Commandant without any prior hint.

The Grand Commandant was among the highest-ranking officials in the Outer Court, second only to the Emperor. Along with the "Chancellor" and the "Grand Secretary," they were known as the Three Excellencies. Although they were said to be equals, the Grand Commandant, who controlled military affairs, was implicitly the foremost of the Three Excellencies.

When Dong Zhou held absolute power over the court, he naturally wouldn't let the position of "Grand Commandant" fall to anyone else, so he held the post concurrently. However, he favored civil affairs over military ones. Compared to the murderous aura of a military officer, he preferred the elegant title of Chancellor. Therefore, he ordered people to address him externally as "Chancellor Dong."

Now that the powerful Chancellor had fled, both the positions of Chancellor and Grand Commandant were vacant.

Dai Li thought to herself that this Empress Dowager Wang was quite imaginative.

Rather than being forced to confer titles, it was better to grasp the initiative in her own hands. And the meaning of "his noble rank and fief shall continue from generation to generation without end" was: the meritorious subject's noble rank and fief would be passed down from generation to generation, never to be cut off.

But Grand Commandant was only an official position, not a noble rank; only kingships and the twenty ranks of nobility were. Qin Shaozong was only appointed Grand Commandant for quelling the rebellion and destroying traitors this time. Logically, there was no need to mention a noble rank, as it was not a new conferment.

The edict not only mentioned it but also added the phrase "from generation to generation without end," implying that he would forever be a subject, from generation to generation, which could be considered a combination of grace and authority to keep him in a subordinate position.

After the edict was read, Qin Shaozong cupped his hands to express his gratitude, only saying, "Thank Your Majesty for your appreciation," without any intention of kneeling.

The officials on both sides remained silent; no one dared to jump out and find fault. The young emperor sitting above was wooden and dull, while the woman listening to the government from behind the bead curtain seemed furious, causing the bead curtain to sway slightly as she touched it. But in the end, she said nothing, only ordering people to continue reading the edicts.

Next was the edict conferring a title upon Dai Li.

"...The so-called prosperity of the state relies entirely on the fragrance of virtuous vessels. The keel waterwheel appeared in the countryside, bestowing grace upon the roads; this is truly the merit of Lady Dai. Her exemplary virtue and splendid conduct can inspire the customs. Today, We confer upon her the title of Lord of Wuling with an appanage of two thousand five hundred households, and a fief in Wuling, to commend her labor..."

Hearing Wuling, Dai Li was stunned.

She knew there was a high probability that conferring a lordship would come with a fief, but she hadn't expected her fief to actually be in Wuling.

The Wuling of this era, because of its many mountainous and hilly areas, had agricultural technology that was backward compared to the Central Plains. Consequently, grain production was limited, and the population was relatively sparse.

But these were not that important; the important thing was that Wuling was in... Jingzhou!

This fief was deep in Jingzhou, in the territory of that Liu of Jingzhou. It was equivalent to digging a piece of meat out of Liu Zhan's stomach to give to her.

She had been made a lord and had a fief, but it also seemed like she hadn't. It was just a nice-sounding title, making her one of the rare female lords of the Great Yan Dynasty, but she had no real power. After all, the fief was in Wuling, too far away for her; she couldn't reach it at all.

Dai Li lowered her eyes. Just as Qin Shaozong had done earlier, she copied his answer now, only thanking the holy grace without kneeling.

Whether it was because they thought she was too arrogant, or because it was rare for a woman to attend court, or for some other reason, Dai Li only felt more gazes falling upon her.

The officials were lined up in the luxurious and grand hall. Although it was morning and the sunlight was bright, a murky mist seemed to rise around them.

In the eyes of the dark figures whose bellies were round and fat from feeding on the fat of the people, green light flickered. They were resentful, fearful, greedy... like hyenas drooling foul saliva, wanting to share the food, yet afraid to approach.

Dai Li turned her head to take in the officials on both sides.

Yes, it wasn't her illusion; they were indeed all fat-headed and big-eared, their belts dragged down quite a bit by their fat bellies.

The conferment of rewards was not yet over. Next to receive a title was Nangong Xiong. He was given the position of Chancellor, unexpectedly standing alongside Qin Shaozong, one civil and one military, together ranking among the Three Excellencies, faintly showing a posture of rivalry.

As for the military officers under the command of the two men, Empress Dowager Wang also picked a few and gave them some painless rewards.

After the court session ended, the palace banquet followed.

The female family members of various households had already received notice and entered the palace at the appointed time. The court officials moved to the Southern Palace, where the upcoming palace banquet would be held.

Shi Rongyue did not follow Qin Yanzhou and Qin Qinian to listen to the conferment of titles, but she and Nangong Zijin were brought over for the latter half of the palace banquet.

The imperial city was exquisitely grand in every way; the beams were made of cloud-top sandalwood, the floors were paved with white Buckingham jade, and there were bright pearls and water jade serving as lamps everywhere in the halls, vividly displaying the word "luxury."

Men and women were separated into different rooms; the women were in the east, and the men in the west. The east was hosted by Empress Dowager Wang, while the west was managed by the young emperor's maternal uncle, Wang Tianchuan.

"Second Aunt," Shi Rongyue brought Nangong Zijin over.

Dai Li was in the first seat below, and the two young girls sat in the positions following hers.

The standard of the palace banquet was very high, with both cold and hot dishes. Beef, which was rare for ordinary wealthy families to see, was like cabbage here; every long table had a plate of it.

In addition, there was tea chicken, meat splashed with sauce, stir-fried shrimp roe, fragrant braised eel, and boiled pigeon soup. It truly included everything flying in the sky, running on the ground, and swimming in the water.

Empress Dowager Wang seemed unwell; she hastily ate her meal, said a few polite words, and unexpectedly left early.

As soon as she left, the atmosphere immediately became a bit more lively. Dai Li, who was already the center of attention, was like a piece of fragrant meat entering a wolf pack; people kept coming up to her table to strike up a conversation.

Not accepting calling cards?

Fine, then we'll talk at the palace banquet.

A woman with a face as round as a jade plate came forward with a wine goblet, smiling broadly. She introduced herself as the wife of the Grand Master of Ceremonies, surnamed Jiang. "Marchioness... No, I should call you Lord of Wuling or the Grand Commandant's wife. You have just arrived in Chang'an, and I imagine there are many places you are not very familiar with. I wonder if I might have the honor of being your guide and answering some questions for you."

The official position of the Grand Master of Ceremonies was very high, second only to the Three Excellencies. Coming forward this time, Jiang Peilan's posture was very low.

But Dai Li still refused, smiling and saying, "I'm afraid I won't have free time recently; maybe later."

The fact that she wanted to leave Chang'an was currently only known to Qin Changgeng. Even Zhouzhou didn't know, and she certainly wouldn't tell outsiders.

Whether Dai Li's "later" was true or false, Jiang Peilan immediately agreed anyway.

After Jiang Peilan, the mistresses of various households continued to find topics to chat with Dai Li, either inviting her to tour Chang'an together, recommending some treasured places in Chang'an, chatting about children, or flattering Qin Shaozong and the Northern Army...

Dai Li only felt a faint fragrance floating around, her eyes full of swaying golden lotuses. In the end, she couldn't take it anymore and left the banquet on the pretext of needing to use the restroom.

A foul place like a restroom wouldn't be right next to the banquet hall. Dai Li took Nianxia out of the Eastern Hall and followed a palace maid for about thirty paces before reaching their destination.

After using the restroom, Dai Li didn't want to go back so quickly, so she dismissed the accompanying palace maid and wandered around casually to catch her breath.

She walked aimlessly for a long time. Through the corridor, she saw two somewhat familiar figures approaching from a distance; both were noblewomen who had frequently spoken to her at the banquet earlier. Dai Li immediately felt a headache coming on, really not wanting to deal with them, so she took Nianxia back a few steps and hid in the corner of the palace.

"She really is lucky. Taking her son with her into a second marriage, she still managed to snag a husband like that. Tsk, she clearly comes from a rustic background, yet now she climbs over our heads, almost ascending to the heavens in a single step."

"She didn't choose him. I heard he sought her out himself. To marry her, he even broke a promise—it seems it was his first time going back on his word in all these years. But don't look at how unmatched her spotlight is now, ignoring us when we speak to her; in the future, she might just be swallowing a whole lot of bitter water."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Her beauty is at its peak right now, truly crowning the capital, but what about in ten or twenty years? And men, well, they are all the same. When they see a prettier wildflower outside, they all want a taste. With all these gentle, submissive, beautiful, and fresh young women throwing themselves at him one after another, ready to be eaten just by opening his mouth, why wouldn't he?"

"That's true. Remember so-and-so back in the day? Childhood sweethearts with her husband, deeply in love, and they even said her husband would never take a concubine. Look at them now. I heard the Marquis of Pingliang's courtyard just welcomed its fifth young beauty. There will always be someone young and beautiful in Chang'an. When her beauty fades with age, where will her place be? She'll mostly just hear the new girls laughing, not to mention..."

The two seemed to exchange a look, as if they both thought of a certain aspect.

"Without a child, it's never secure. Besides, getting pregnant again at her age is very dangerous. Giving birth would cost half her life; she might even report straight to King Yama, saving herself the next ten years of glory altogether."

"Indeed. With two sons in the family not born of the same mother, it will be a life-and-death struggle in the future..."

"Ah!" one of the noblewomen suddenly exclaimed.

The other was startled. Just as she was about to complain to her friend, she saw the other's face turn pale as gold paper. Her heart skipped a beat, and she tremblingly looked over as well.

Not far away stood a stunningly beautiful woman in grand attire. Who else could it be but the very subject of their secret gossip?

Dai Li carefully looked at the faces of the two women. Without saying a single word, she left with Nianxia amidst the terrified pleas of the two women.

Nianxia was furious. As she passed by the two, she deliberately bumped them hard with her shoulder.

When had these noblewomen from prominent families ever been so offended by a maidservant? Their faces looked ugly for a moment, but they dared to be angry but not speak out.

"Didn't she go back early? Why... why is she wandering around here? It's over. I finally managed to enter the palace with my eldest brother and sister-in-law. If they find out, I'll definitely be in deep trouble."

"I told you long ago to be careful with your words and actions outside, but you just wouldn't listen. How do we clean this up now?"

"That's so unreasonable of you to say. You clearly chimed in with me just now."

...

Dai Li returned to the banquet, her expression the same as before.

Seeing her return, the noblewomen flocked forward to strike up conversations with her. Dai Li mentioned a few details about the appearances and clothing of the two women she had just encountered, and immediately someone reported their family backgrounds.

One was the sister-in-law of the Prefect of the Shangfang, and the other was the wife of the Prefect of the Capital Sikong. Both the Prefect of the Shangfang and the Prefect of the Capital Sikong were official positions managing royal affairs. In a situation where the ruler was strong and the ministers weak, these two positions would rise in status accordingly. But if it were the other way around, they would not be so popular or valued.

Dai Li gave a slight nod, indicating she understood. When others curiously inquired further, they only got the remark, "These two have rather loose tongues," with no other evaluation.

There were quite a few shrewd people present. Hearing this, they immediately knew what was going on. They quickly agreed, their minds turning secretly.

They weren't important people to begin with, and now that the state of affairs had half changed, one needed to act even more carefully. They absolutely could not associate with those two families in the future...

As the golden sun slanted to the west, the grand palace banquet slowly came to a close.

After the banquet, the crowd dispersed and returned home.

The group returned to the manor. Just as Dai Li was about to step down from the carriage, she heard Qin Qinian and Qin Yanzhou whispering outside.

"Second Brother, Chang'an is truly extraordinary. How about we go out to explore the markets tomorrow? The treasure pavilions here must be incomparable to Yuyang's. We might even find a few good weapons."

"I have classes tomorrow, so I'm afraid I won't have free time. Don't you have classes?" Qin Yanzhou replied.

"I do, but only in the morning. Because Mr. Sheng didn't come to Chang'an, my afternoon classes are canceled, hehehe." The youth's tone became noticeably merrier towards the end.

Qin Yanzhou suggested, "Actually, you could talk to Mr. Cui and have him schedule your afternoon time as well."

"No way. Why would I ask for hardship when things are fine? I'll just leave the afternoon open for now and wait for the teacher to arrange things. Shh, Father is coming. We can't talk about this." Qin Qinian quickly shut his mouth.

Dai Li emerged from the carriage. "Whether he heard it or not, I certainly know about it now."

Qin Qinian shuddered all over, as if struck on the head with a club. He pleaded, "Mother..."

Dai Li responded with an unreadable tone.

At this time, Qin Shaozong, returning in high spirits from riding, approached. His gaze swept over his two sons, pausing slightly on Qin Qinian, making the latter break out in a sweat. However, he didn't say anything, only asking Dai Li, "Did you enjoy the palace banquet today, Madam?"

He and the two brothers had been dining in the West Hall on the other side and were unaware of the situation in the East Hall.

Dai Li said truthfully, "It was like entering a vegetable market. It felt as though I was the only one selling ingredients, and everyone was itching to come to me with money in hand."

Qin Shaozong chuckled. "A fitting description."

The wind direction changed at that moment, and Dai Li suddenly caught a strong whiff of alcohol. She first sniffed towards Qin Shaozong, then turned to look at the two brothers. The setting sun reflected on their faces, dyeing them a shade of orange-red, making it impossible to tell their original color.

"Have you all been drinking?" she asked.

Qin Shaozong was probably quite relaxed today. He said boldly, "How can there be no drinking on such a joyous day? Boys cannot be raised like girls secluded in their boudoirs, not touching a drop of alcohol. How will they share joy with thousands of soldiers in the future? Madam, do not be so restrictive."

Dai Li looked at Qin Yanzhou. The young man stood quietly, his left ear, untouched by the sunset, also bright red. She twitched her lips, casually said a few more words, and then left under the pretext of taking a walk to digest her meal.

But though she claimed it was to digest her meal, Dai Li wasn't just taking a stroll. She didn't even bring a maidservant, going alone to Nalan Zhi's courtyard.

Seeing Dai Li visit at sunset, Nalan Zhi showed surprise but swiftly invited her into the room and brewed tea for her. "May I ask what brings the Lady of the house to my humble abode in person?"

"There are some matters weighing on my heart that I cannot figure out no matter how hard I think. I could only come to bother you, Sir, to seek an answer. I hope you will tell me everything you know truthfully." Dai Li knelt and sat opposite him at the low table.

Nalan Zhi sat upright and proper. "I will certainly tell you everything I know."

Dai Li said, "Because of various past events, I once asked you, Sir, to guide Zhouzhou, to help him step out of his isolated island and blend in with people. You did an excellent job; he indeed became much livelier later on, and I will be forever grateful to you. After Zhouzhou reached his crowning age of adulthood, he told me that you changed your previous teaching style and started lecturing him on the Book of Changes, the Great Learning, and the Book of Rites. When I learned of this, by coincidence, I had the chance to ask the Marquis face-to-face if your actions were instructed by him. He admitted it, but he told me, how could the son of the Marquis of Wu'an only know a few words?"

Daili took a deep breath. Sir, do you think that is all there is to it? Are these principles of cultivating oneself, managing the family, and governing the state really just for practicing calligraphy, without any ulterior motives?

The small stove brewing tea beside them emanated a warm mist. After Daili's words fell, the only sound in the room with its wide-open doors was the bubbling of the boiling water.

Silence, a silence that made Daili's heart tremble, began to spread.

After a long while, she heard a sigh.

There probably are, Nalan Zhi said.

In that instant, all of Daili's hesitation, struggle, fear, and unease... all those complex emotions twisted together like a rope were suddenly plunged into ice water, and then poured right over her head.

The golden hairpin at the woman's temple trembled ceaselessly.

She opened her mouth, but on her first attempt, only a breath of air came out. Her throat was parched to the extreme, as if a fire were burning inside. Only on her second attempt did Daili find her voice. Sir, what do you think Qin Changgeng is planning?

She no longer cared about addressing Qin Shaozong respectfully as the Marquis in front of an outsider.

Nalan Zhi shook his head and said, Whether in employing people or marching into battle, the Lord's actions have always been unconventional. He dared to use a branded criminal like myself; he also dared to lead troops along treacherous mountain paths, deep into uninhabited lands, and finally descend unexpectedly upon the rear of Bairi Pass. Therefore, I do not know the answer to your question. As a subordinate, I can only follow orders.

Before Daili married Qin Shaozong, she and Nalan Zhi had spoken often about refining fine salt, and over time, they had become good friends.

Now, Nalan Zhi offered her a heartfelt truth, Whether the Lord is doing this intentionally or not, the path of Chongle will not be an easy one to walk.