"Shuang'er is not here?"
As they neared the Golden Terrace, Liang Xiao finally discovered the problem.
Only Xiao Shuangzi was present, where was Princess Ning Shuang?
At this moment, Xiao Qing gazed at the approaching Liang Xiao, her eyes filled with longing.
The yearning and worry of half a year transformed into deep affection, a gaze of devotion.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, your humble servant Liang Xiao has completed his inspection of Jiangnan, and I have not disgraced my mission!"
Liang Xiao suppressed his inner doubts. As he approached Xiao Qing and was about to bow, Xiao Qing took his hands.
Feeling the softness and warmth from his palms, Liang Xiao's heart jolted.
It felt just like touching Shuang'er's hand...
"My minister, ascend the terrace with Us!"
Xiao Qing merely smiled, gazing at Liang Xiao, and excitedly pulled him onto the Golden Terrace.
At this moment, Dugu Qun, He Wanli, Ouyang Ji, and others were furious.
While the Grand Minister of Personnel was indeed the highest-ranking official of the second rank in the Great Qian Dynasty, it was hardly grounds for them, all second-rank officials, to kneel!
Liang Xiao glanced at Liang Qing, Luo Changfeng, and Luo Qingxue in the distance, nodded slightly, and then followed Xiao Qing onto the Golden Terrace.
The ground was covered with gold bricks found at Fierce Tiger River, with some also piled in the center like building blocks.
"Golden Terrace..." Liang Xiao mused inwardly.
"Reporting to you on the Golden Terrace, my ambition is to carry the jade dragon to die for you." At this moment, he finally understood Li He's sentiment.
Liang Xiao, of course, still carried the modern consciousness of freedom and equality. However, in this world, to go against the tide, to promote modern systems when productivity was insufficient, would only be like pulling seedlings to help them grow, counterproductive.
He was not cut out to be an emperor. While the power of an emperor ruling the world was enviable, defending the realm was harder than founding it. An emperor who bore responsibilities and was diligent in caring for the people was truly exhausting.
In this life, Liang Xiao did not want to be so tired, so tired that he had no time to spend with his family.
Since that was the case, to have someone with whom he could share his life, a brother… to be a monarch, seemed not so bad, perhaps?
Xiao Qing consistently held Liang Xiao's hand, even when leading him up the terrace, she held his right hand.
Upon reaching the Golden Terrace, Xiao Qing gripped Liang Xiao's hands even tighter. Though her heart was filled with a thousand words, she suddenly didn't know where to begin.
Everyone present, besides Liang Xiao, suddenly felt like a slight hindrance, preventing her from catching up with this scoundrel of an elder brother without reservation and acting spoiled.
"We shall bestow upon him a present that will go down in history!"
With her mind resolute, that slight feeling of hindrance vanished. Xiao Qing then announced in a clear voice, "My minister, you have worked hard..."
"This hardship is but a tiny fraction of Your Majesty's efforts, and even less than that of the Prime Minister and the General of Cavalry!" Liang Xiao responded solemnly.
The surrounding soldiers and civilians praised him!
Such a response gave ample face to the emperor and his two superiors!
The General of Cavalry in the Great Qian Dynasty was of the first rank, and the current General of Cavalry, while officially holding the first rank, was actually in a de facto position of the highest rank.
As for the Prime Minister, there was no need to even mention it.
Wang Canghai and Lü Yi looked at Liang Xiao with satisfaction.
They cared not for face, but Liang Xiao's demeanor indicated he had not become arrogant; at critical moments, he still adhered to propriety!
"However, the merits of my minister are sufficient to surpass all ages past and present!" Xiao Qing declared loudly.
"Your Majesty's decree: The merits of the Marquis of An Guo are sufficient to surpass all ages past and present!"
Eunuchs from various regions began to announce Xiao Qing's words, lest the soldiers and civilians in the distance could not hear.
Most of the crowd nodded, deeply agreeing.
The effective prevention of smallpox alone was enough to ensure his place in history!
Not to mention the salt administration reform, the curved-shaft plow, contract taxes, the settlement of civilians through land reclamation, and the defense of Luzhou...
"We are indebted to Your Majesty's sagacity!" Liang Xiao replied.
Seeing her elder brother being so obliging, Xiao Qing's heart bloomed with joy, though she maintained a stern expression.
"My minister need not be modest; We have always rewarded merit, and furthermore, We must also heed the will of the people!"
"Minister Liang, Liang Xiao, hear the reward!"
At Xiao Qing's command, Ding Wuyi took the imperial edict handed by Ning Xuejun and read it aloud for all to hear.
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The sage and virtuous official of this dynasty, the Grand Minister of Personnel, the Vice Minister of Works, the General of the East, and the Marquis of An Guo, Liang Xiao, your humble servant, possesses unparalleled talent and has repeatedly achieved remarkable feats. Furthermore, you entered Jiangnan, quelled chaos, and pacified the populace, and moreover, you have brought the remnants of the Great Heng Kingdom under submission, resolving the issue once and for all, which greatly pleases Us! Now, merit shall be rewarded!"
"Hong Jie, the leader of the Great Heng Kingdom's remnants, led a thousand people to surrender and further offered counsel to assist the nation, his sincerity is evident, and his loyalty is commendable! He is appointed as the Grand Advisor of the Imperial Court, enfeoffed as a Marquis, with a stipend of one thousand households, and rewarded with one thousand taels of gold! The remaining people of the Great Heng Kingdom shall receive their respective rewards within seven days!"
"Duke Gongsun Ye, the Marquis of Ding Guo, guarded Jiangnan for thirty years, led troops to defeat enemies, and his labor and merits are immense. He is promoted to General of the Guards and rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold! Zhuo Zifang assisted the late emperor in overseeing Jiangnan and also helped Minister Liang pacify the populace. He is rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold!"
"Minister Liang's contributions encompass the entire realm. He is granted the additional title of Grand Protector, with an increased stipend, and he may personally select five thousand households. He is rewarded with one hundred thousand taels of gold. From this day forward, he is officially granted special privileges, similar to those of the founding Prime Minister Zhuo Mingfeng: to enter the court without formal salutation, to enter the palace without hastening, and to ascend the throne with sword and shoes!"
"It is decreed that on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, His Highness the驸马 (son-in-law of the emperor) Minister Liang shall marry Princess Ning Shuang. The wedding shall be simple, without a banquet; all officials shall only present congratulatory gifts, and extravagance is forbidden. The other five princesses shall discuss their wedding dates with Minister Liang themselves! Respect this decree."
The hearts of the assembled crowd leaped with every word Ding Wuyi read.
Granting official titles and noble ranks to Hong Jie, the leader of the Great Heng Kingdom's remnants, was to appease them, which was understandable.
Gongsun Ye, who had diligently served for thirty years before being promoted to General of the Guards, and Zhuo Zifang receiving a reward of gold, posed no significant issue.
Liang Xiao, who a year ago had no official standing, was now granted the additional title of Grand Protector, placing him among the three highest officials, a position of the first rank!!
Dugu Qun and the others turned ashen, yet they dared not openly protest against the will of the populace.
Now they understood why Xiao Qing had come to personally welcome Liang Xiao outside the city, and why they were made to kneel before him. It turned out Liang Xiao was about to be granted an even higher official position than them. Although the Grand Protector's actual authority was less than theirs...
But who would dare to voice an objection? It was likely that before Xiao Qing could reprimand them, they would first be met with disdainful glances and scolding from the surrounding soldiers and civilians!
Wang Canghai and Lü Yi had already discussed this with Xiao Qing, so they showed no particular reaction.
Liang Qing, Luo Changfeng, and Luo Qingxue were stunned into silence.
Grand Protector... Wasn't Liang Xiao now the youngest of the three highest officials in history?
Liang Xiao was also surprised.
Ascending the throne with sword and shoes... weren't these privileges the actions of Cao Cao?
However, the history of the Great Qian Dynasty was different. There had always been a Commander of the Shadow Guards protecting the monarch, so ascending the throne with sword and shoes primarily symbolized honor and favor.
Xiao Qing gazed at Liang Xiao, who was equally stunned, and rejoiced in her heart: Surprised, aren't you?
The Great Liang Kingdom also had someone granted the title of Grand Protector.
The Marquis of Zhen Guo, Qin Feng!
Xiao Qing did not intend to emulate the Great Liang Kingdom's generous treatment of Qin Feng to treat Liang Xiao. After all, Liang Xiao's contributions to the Great Qian Dynasty far surpassed Qin Feng's to the Great Liang Kingdom.
Rather, it was that only the title of Grand Protector was available to grant him.
Grand Tutor and Grand Preceptor were not positions for young men, and only Grand Protector did not have such strict restrictions.
Liang Xiao, returning to his senses, glanced at the beaming Xiao Qing. His heart filled with emotion, and he finally knelt down in public.
As Liang Xiao knelt, everyone present also knelt, including the four chief ministers.
"Your humble servant Liang Xiao expresses his gratitude for Your Majesty's profound grace! For my Emperor, for the people of Great Qian, I shall exert my utmost, until death itself! If there are any treacherous officials or rebellious traitors, the entire realm shall strike them down!"
Liang Xiao's powerful oath resounded far and wide, drawing gasps of admiration: What a magnificent declaration of "exerting my utmost, until death itself"!
Liang Xiao already possessed the privilege of not bowing to the emperor a year ago. His kneeling in public now was to emphasize and swear allegiance to imperial power, to declare to the world: I, Liang Xiao, am merely a subject of the Great Qian Dynasty. All that I do is for the sovereign and the common people!
The four chief ministers could not help but marvel at Liang Xiao's understanding of the situation.
This act, firstly, indirectly demonstrated the emperor's discernment in recognizing talent; secondly, it prevented Dugu Qun and others from slandering Liang Xiao for having too much power; thirdly, it reassured the hearts of the Great Qian military and populace, reminding them that, in the final analysis, it was the emperor who bestowed upon them the title of Marquis of An Guo!
At this moment, Xiao Qing wished she could rush into Liang Xiao's embrace. Gazing at him, she clasped his hand and whispered, "My minister, return to the palace with Us."