Chapter 198: Rewards

Chapter 198: Bestowal of Honors

Everyone in the hall saw Wen Huiyang step forward. The official from the Ministry of Rites, who was reading the imperial decree, paused and glanced subtly at Emperor Zhaoxin seated high on the throne.

Du Yunse sensed something and slightly clenched his hand by his side. However, in this setting, no one except Emperor Zhaoxin could speak freely.

Jia Hongyuan calmly asked, "Does Minister Wen have something to report?"

This brief sentence intensified the invisible pressure within the grand hall.

Wen Huiyang's expression remained unchanged. Holding his ivory tablet, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have a request for your grace."

"Speak freely."

Jia Hongyuan was unconcerned; everything here was under his control. A minor transgression by a capable minister was of no consequence.

Wen Huiyang exhaled. He could feel the gazes of Yun Se and Hua Nian fixed on him, sensing their anxiety, but he did not waver.

He had once been the Number One Scholar who dared to remonstrate directly with an enraged emperor, the spirited scholar who drew his sword to cut the tassel of a prince's hat, and the carefree wanderer who roamed the world alone on horseback.

Age had taught him to assess situations and endure, but it had not diminished his courage or his unwavering resolve.

He had waited too long for this day and could wait no longer. The righteous energy nurtured in his chest for twenty years was meant for a day of explosive action, not for compromise.

It was his long-cherished wish to be the one to open this matter, sparing the younger generation the risk of exposure should they fail.

Having come this far in his life, completing this task delayed for twenty years, he could say he had seen it through from beginning to end, with no regrets.

Wen Huiyang raised his head, looking directly at Emperor Zhaoxin, who awaited his words on the throne, and spoke the plea he had silently rehearsed countless times.

"Jia Heyan, once a noble prince, long plotted treason, deceived the emperor, and committed unforgivable crimes."

"Although he has been executed, his past misdeeds have not been fully investigated..."

"To demonstrate Your Majesty's benevolence and set an example of a wise ruler, I beseech Your Majesty to reinvestigate the cases Jia Heyan adjudicated over the past twenty years, to rectify wrongful convictions, to bring peace to the souls of the deceased and absolve their sins, and to seek justice for the living."

Jia Hongyuan, seated on the dragon throne, slightly furrowed his long eyebrows and leaned forward almost imperceptibly.

Wen Huiyang continued firmly, "My request is both for the public good and for personal reasons."

"In the past, I was aided by a member of the Mei family of Guzhu. The Mei family was convicted by Jia Heyan during the rebellion of Prince Fen, their entire family branded as traitors, their relatives and orphans scattered, a tragic and lamentable fate."

"Now that it has been revealed that Jia Heyan harbored treacherous intentions early on, the crimes he adjudicated during the rebellion of Prince Fen must be reexamined and not taken at face value."

Wen Huiyang faced the varied gazes in the hall, his words steady and resounding.

"I seek no official position, title, or monetary reward. If Your Majesty wishes to reward my service, I implore you to issue an imperial decree to thoroughly investigate the wrongful case of the Mei family, to find their surviving members, and to restore their status and family honor."

"Once the Mei family's grievances are redressed, I shall die without regret."

Wen Huiyang swept his wide official sleeves and bowed deeply, saying no more and refusing to return to his place, his silence expressing his determination.

Wen Huiyang was not only a renowned great scholar of Great Yu and the official who penned the accession decree but had also once taught Jia Hongyuan, effectively serving as his imperial tutor.

By stepping forward during the coronation ceremony, he sought to exchange all his merits for the emperor's reinvestigation of his benefactor's family's old case, to find and care for the family's surviving members. His reasons were just and would also enhance the emperor's reputation. From any perspective, Emperor Zhaoxin should not refuse.

Yet, Jia Hongyuan remained motionless and silent.

His silence made everyone in the hall uneasy, sensing an undercurrent of something amiss.

Wen Huiyang closed his eyes, shook his sleeves once more, and performed a deep bow, his forehead touching the icy floor. "Your Majesty, I humbly request that you reopen the investigation into the Mei Family's old case."

The grand hall fell silent. Emperor Zhaoxin's unusual behavior unsettled the officials. Just as Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse were about to step forward, Jia Hongyuan, seated at the highest position, finally snapped out of his reverie.

His expression was hidden behind the dangling beads of his imperial crown, making it impossible for anyone to discern his thoughts.

"Minister Wen, your loyalty and sense of duty are commendable. Naturally, I shall grant your request. The rewards for your merits have already been determined, and you need not refuse them."

Jia Hongyuan's voice was calm and steady, as he had grown accustomed to being an emperor who concealed his emotions.

Wen Huiyang's back was soaked with cold sweat, and only then did he notice the chill. He breathed a sigh of relief in his heart and bowed once more to express his gratitude.

In Wen Huiyang's estimation, the challenge in asking Emperor Zhaoxin to reopen the Mei Family's case stemmed from its ties to the major upheaval caused by Prince Fen. Although Jia Heyan had handled the case back then, it was the retired emperor who had assigned him to the task and ultimately approved his report.

If the new emperor wished to honor the retired emperor and uphold the principle of "a son not altering his father's policies for three years," then reopening the Mei Family's case would be impossible.

Thus, Wen Huiyang had chosen to make his request during the coronation ceremony, in full view of the court, leveraging his own merits and rewards to persuade the new emperor to grant his plea.

Wen Huiyang had tutored the new emperor when he was still the crown prince. In his view, this was the most opportune moment for success.

Fortunately, his gamble had paid off. Although the new emperor's reaction was slightly unusual, as long as justice could be served for the Mei Family, Wen Huiyang had no fear.

The official from the Ministry of Rites, tasked with reading the imperial decree, cautiously glanced toward the throne. After receiving Emperor Zhaoxin's signal, the reward ceremony, which had just begun, resumed.

Wen Huiyang was promoted to Academician of the Hanlin Academy, becoming its head, and was also bestowed the title of Senior Grand Master of the Second Rank. Emperor Zhaoxin evidently believed that the great scholar Wen Huiyang was best suited to remain in the Hanlin Academy for advanced academic research, which also aligned perfectly with Wen Huiyang's own wishes.

Following Wen Huiyang, the second to be rewarded was Azure Phoenix Lord. The imperial decree highlighted his achievements in exposing traitors' plots and safeguarding the retired emperor during the palace unrest. Azure Phoenix Lord was already highly esteemed, and the new emperor added the title "Guardian of the Nation" to his name, further elevating his status.

The third recipient came as a surprise—it was neither Du Yunse nor Wu Shen, but Qiu Huanian.

When Qiu Huanian heard his name called by the official reading the decree, he was momentarily stunned before stepping forward to accept it.

Azure Phoenix Lord had previously hinted to Qiu Huanian that the new emperor planned to directly grant him the title of County Princess. However, there was significant opposition from the nobility, who argued that there was no precedent for such a move, so the matter had been temporarily shelved.

Qiu Huanian had already steeled himself and remained composed, without any particular expectations. Thus, he was pleasantly surprised when he received the unexpected reward.

Jia Hongyuan's obstinacy was deeply rooted. While the nobility opposed the idea of a non-royal County Princess in the dynasty and sought to suppress Qiu Huanian, Jia Hongyuan outwardly compromised but secretly granted Qiu Huanian's family another Township Lord title.

Little Yang Yang, still crawling in his cradle and unable to walk, had already been granted a noble title.

Such a young child could not have earned any merit himself; the title was inherited from his father. According to the laws of the Yu Dynasty, only the children of princes and dukes could be granted the title of Township Lord.

Thus, while the title of County Princess was not fully realized, it was not entirely absent either, existing in a state of "quasi-conferred."

Jia Hongyuan was never sparing when rewarding his allies. Perhaps feeling that Qiu Huanian had been shortchanged in terms of titles, he compensated by being even more generous in other areas.

When Qiu Huanian was granted the title of County Princess under the Yuanhua Emperor, he had received no fief or income, only 200 acres of land. This time, however, Emperor Zhaoxin made the title of "County Princess" a reality.

Jixian County, formerly under Hejian Prefecture and now under Tianjin Prefecture, officially became his fief. Although the magistrate of Jixian County was still appointed and managed by the court, Qiu Huanian could retain a portion of the county's tax revenue, levy corvée labor, and utilize the land.

While the title of County Princess literally meant "lord of a county," there had never been a precedent in the Yu Dynasty for a County Princess to actually possess a county as a fief. Emperor Zhaoxin's reward was thus an innovation.

After the imperial decree was read, the veteran nobility and officials inside and outside the hall wore conflicted expressions, uncertain if their earlier opposition had been justified. Was it better to let Qishu County Princess hold the title, or was it more advantageous for him to have a fief?

—Both options seemed equally vexing.

Watching the rise of new nobles who would soon displace their status and seize their privileges and resources was an unbearable feeling.

Next to be rewarded were Du Yunse and Wu Shen.

As agreed, Du Yunse became the magistrate of Tianjin Prefecture, a third-rank position in the directly administered prefecture. The official announcement that the two prefectures would merge into Tianjin Prefecture also shocked many.

Wu Shen was made an Earl, with the title "Dingjiang," showing Emperor Zhaoxin's high regard and expectations for him. His future would certainly not stop at the rank of Earl.

Following this was a long list of individuals to be rewarded. Some were in the Fengtian Palace, while others were not present and would have the imperial decree delivered to them later for a separate reading.

Notably, Qing He was also granted the title of Township Lord for her meritorious service, with the additional title "Shichi." Her branch of the Chi Clan would not be implicated by the main family's issues, and her father, who held the rank of a provincial graduate, was graciously awarded a county magistrate position.

Shi Chen, the former Hanlin Academician, was replaced by Wen Huiyang and promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works.

Wen Huiyang was happy with his new job but felt a bit awkward since he'd taken it from a colleague. However, Shi Chen whispered to him in a low voice:

"I've wanted to move to the Ministry of Works for a long time. If it weren't for the Emperor needing me to observe and recruit new imperial examination graduates in the Hanlin Academy, I wouldn't have stayed in the position of Hanlin Academician for so many years."

"The Ministry of Works is currently supervising the construction of large ships. This move opens up great opportunities for me!"

Some folks are all about digging into ancient texts and academic stuff, while others are into the big world of manufacturing. Shi Chen was clearly the latter.

The reward ceremony lasted nearly two hours. As part of the grand celebration of the new Emperor's ascension, all deserving individuals were to be rewarded without exception. Qiu Huanian, standing at the back, felt his legs getting numb.

He glanced discreetly at the Azure Phoenix Lord standing slightly ahead and noticed that he too seemed lost in thought. Looking further up at Emperor Zhaoxin on the throne, his face was obscured by the ceremonial beads, making it hard to see clearly.

Wen Huiyang's sudden request in the hall today for Emperor Zhaoxin to redress the grievances of the Mei Family was something Qiu Huanian had not been informed of beforehand, nor had he prepared for it.

However, Emperor Zhaoxin had already agreed in court. The Emperor's word is final and can't be taken back. Qiu Huanian could rest assured for now and wait for the investigation results to come out.