The Moon in the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 712 Rewarding according to merit (Part 5) K
Ying Zheng looked at Cai Ze and said loudly: "Lord Cai has been loyal to the Qin for four generations. He is the backbone of the Qin and has made great contributions to the Qin. You are extremely wise and have stabilized the Qin's power."

"I hereby confer upon Cai Ze the title of Duke of Huaiyuan, a hereditary title, with a fief of 5,000 households in Shuntian; I shall confer upon him the title of First-rank Guanglu Dafu, and the title of Taizi Taifu, and confer upon him the title of First-rank Imperial Concubine; the Imperial Academy shall compile a biography for you, which shall be spread throughout the country, and a monument shall be engraved in his hometown to record his biography, and a memorial archway of loyalty and righteousness shall be erected."

When Cai Ze heard these rewards, he was so moved that tears flowed uncontrollably and he prostrated himself to express his gratitude.

He couldn't help but recall his experiences in his youth, and looking at his glory today, he burst into tears.

When he was in Yan State, he was not valued and had talent but nowhere to display it; when he went to Zhao State, he was expelled by Zhao State and was like a stray dog; when he went to Wei and Han, he was robbed by bandits and was so destitute that he almost lost his life.

Only in the Great Qin can one obtain everything one has ever dreamed of, even everything one dared not even dream of. All of this is the grace of the Qin monarchs of all generations, and the grace of Your Majesty!

Cai Ze kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead hitting the cold ground repeatedly, making a dull sound, almost breaking. But everyone envied him, their eyes full of jealousy and yearning.

After Ying Zheng ordered Sang Ruoyu to help Cai Ze get up and return to class, he looked at Zhong Cang.

His mentor had been loyal to him for thirty years, and was willing to sacrifice everything, even himself, to support his mentor wholeheartedly.

Ying Zheng's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a warm smile, and whispered: "Zhong Cang Ting Feng."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Cang immediately walked out of the office with steady steps, knelt on both knees, performed a great salute, and said loudly: "Your servant Zhong Cang awaits the title." Zhong Cang is now the Minister of Personnel, a first-rank Ronglu doctor, a Palace Scholar, a Jianzhang Palace attendant, and a Zhangtai councilor.

Ying Zheng said loudly: "Zhong Cang is my mentor, and has served the Qin Dynasty for four generations. He is loyal and steadfast, has worked hard and made great contributions, has stabilized the country, comforted the people, provided food and money, and governed the country fairly. Who else can be better than you, my dear minister?"

"I hereby confer the title of Duke of Duanfang on Zhongcang, which shall be hereditary and undiminished for generations, with a fief of 8,000 households in Dingtao; I shall also confer the title of First-rank Guanglu Dafu, and the title of Grand Tutor, and confer the title of First-rank Imperial Concubine on his wife."

Ying Zheng's face was serious, and he continued in a loud voice: "My master was born in poverty, but he never gave up, was strong and unyielding, and made extraordinary contributions to our Great Qin. He is a true hero and a real man! The Hanlin Academy compiled a biography for you, which was spread all over the world. A monument was engraved in his hometown, and a loyalty arch was erected."

"The sea is vast because it can accommodate all rivers, and the cliff is strong because it has no desires. I now give you the surname of Hai."

"Posthumously confer the title of Marquis Youfang on our ancestor!"

Ying Zheng's voice echoed in the hall, and everyone could hear it clearly.

This is a reward that makes everyone envious and jealous.

Zhongcang, now renamed Haizhongcang, heard about Ying Zheng's reward, and burst into tears, which slowly slid down his wrinkled cheeks and dripped onto the cold ground.

He thought of the decision he made to go to Zhao State that year. It was undoubtedly the most correct decision in his life and also his greatest luck.

It is not a disgrace to be born in a humble family. Only when one can bend and stretch can one be a real man. A hero has great ambitions and good strategies. He has the ability to contain the universe and the ambition to swallow up the world.

But although a man has the ambition to reach the sea, the process is slow and the journey is difficult. However, rivers always flow into the sea, but life's ambitions are often difficult to achieve, which makes people regret for the rest of their lives.

There are many good horses, but there are few good horse trainers. Therefore, even if you have a good horse, it will be humiliated by the hands of slaves and die in the stable, and you can only be depressed for the rest of your life.

How many people in this world are like him, born in poverty and with ugly faces, and even though they put in a lot of effort and study hard, they still waste their lives in mediocrity?

Today, he has proved everything.

A hero is one who is indomitable and constantly strives to improve himself.

What does it matter if one is born poor and humble? What does it matter if one has an ugly face?
As long as you work hard, persevere and meet a wise master, you can still be praised for generations!

After the king's world affairs, he won the name after his life.

Zhong Cang kowtowed heavily and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Your Majesty, I, Hai Zhong Cang, would like to thank you for your grace! Long live your Majesty! Long live your Majesty!"

After Hai Zhongcang was helped back to the train, Ying Zheng said loudly: "Wei Liao, listen to the order."

Wei Liao came out of the class and bowed, saying loudly: "Your Majesty, Wei Liao, awaits the title." Wei Liao is now the Minister of War, a first-rank Ronglu doctor, a Palace Attendant, a Grand Secretary, a Jianzhang Palace attendant, and a Zhangtai councilor.

Ying Zheng praised loudly: "Your Excellency is my right-hand man, you are good at maneuvering and planning, and you can win the battle thousands of miles away. There is no one else but you. I can unify the world, but you are my master."

"We hereby confer upon Wei Liao the title of Duke of Yingrui, a hereditary title, with a fief of 5,000 households in Bianliang, and confer upon him the title of First-rank Guanglu Dafu, and the title of Taizi Taibao, and posthumously confer upon his wife the title of First-rank Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Academy will compile a biography of you, which will be circulated throughout the country, and a monument will be engraved in your hometown to record your biography, and a loyalty memorial arch will be erected."

"Your Excellency is a man of great talent. You have written thirty-six chapters on the Art of War, which you have specially named Wei Liao Zi. Ten thousand copies have been printed by the Imperial Library and spread throughout the country."

"I hereby grant you the right to change your surname from your side branch or close disciple, to inherit your name, pass on your name, and worship your incense."

Wei Liao was deeply moved when he heard Ying Zheng's reward. He secretly sighed that he had misjudged the emperor in the past. The emperor in front of him was truly a sage king!

Wei Liao now has no children. He had only one son in the past, who died long ago. His wife also died long ago, leaving him alone. Now he only has a goddaughter, Zi Nu, and two apprentices.

Now Ying Zheng has granted him permission to find a successor to inherit his family business and incense, which is truly a great favor.

Even though he was Wei Liao, he didn't want the incense to be cut off, especially now that he had brought honor to his ancestors, ennobled his wife and children, and left his name for eternity, it couldn't be cut off.

Ying Zheng then conferred the title of Duke of Zhongxian on the Imperial Censor, Wei Zhuang, as a hereditary title, with a fief of 5,000 households in Lantian, and promoted him to the title of First-Rank Guanglu Dafu, and to the title of Junior Teacher, and conferred his wife the title of First-Rank Imperial Concubine. The Hanlin Academy compiled a biography of Wei Zhuang, which spread throughout the country, and a monument was engraved in his hometown to record his biography, and a loyalty memorial arch was erected.

The Minister of Justice Zhang Tang was conferred the title of Duke of Suyi, a hereditary title, with a fief of 5,000 households in Yiqu, and was given the title of First-Rank General of the Cavalry, and the title of Junior Protector, and his wife was conferred the title of First-Rank Lady of Imperial Concubine. The Hanlin Academy compiled a biography of the minister, which spread throughout the country, and a monument was engraved in his hometown, and a memorial archway of loyalty and integrity was erected.

Yang Duanhe, the Right Imperial Censor, was conferred the title of Duke of Xuanwu, a hereditary title, with a fief of 5,000 households in Shaoliang, and was given the title of First-Rank General of the Cavalry, and Junior Tutor, and his wife was given the title of First-Rank Lady of Imperial Concubine. The Hanlin Academy compiled a biography of him, which spread throughout the country, and a monument was engraved in his hometown, and a memorial archway of loyalty and martial arts was erected.

Then it was Wang Jian's turn. This old man was always taciturn, low-key and honest everywhere except in the army. He did not look like the Left Grand Commander of the Governor's Office who held great power.

Ying Zheng smiled slightly and said majestically: "Wang Jian will be conferred the title."

Wang Jian's heart tightened, and he secretly took a deep breath. Although he tried to remain calm on the surface, he was actually far from being as calm as he appeared. After all, this was a critical moment related to the family's wealth and prosperity for generations.

Wang Jian walked out of the group steadily, knelt on his knees and bowed deeply, saying respectfully: "Your Highness Wang Jian, I await your enthronement."

Ying Zheng said in a clear voice: "My dear king, you have been a soldier for decades, fighting for our Great Qin. You have led millions of troops and won every battle. You have conquered every city and conquered every city. You destroyed the Three Jins like destroying a dead tree and pacified the Kingdom of Jingchu like sweeping away the autumn frost. You have made great contributions to our Great Qin. You are loyal to me and serve me wholeheartedly! You are my confidant and brother."

"I now confer upon you the title of Duke of Zhongwu, a title which shall be hereditary and unbroken for generations, with a fief of 8,000 households in Pinyang! I shall confer upon you the title of General of the First-rank Cavalry, and the title of Junior Protector, and confer upon you the title of Lady of the First-rank Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Academy shall compile a biography of you, which shall be spread throughout the country, and a monument shall be engraved in your hometown to record your biography, and a Zhongwu Memorial Arch shall be erected."

Wang Jian was shocked when he heard such a generous reward.

There was a time when being granted a title of nobility was an unattainable luxury for him, but now he could obtain the hereditary title of Duke.

This veteran who had fought in many battles and killed countless enemies also showed his true feelings at this moment, with red eyes and tears filling his eyes.

He prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowed heavily, and shouted: "Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful! Your Majesty's kindness is so great that I will never be able to repay you even if I die for generations! Long live Your Majesty!"

Ying Zheng smiled and said gently: "My dear, please get up quickly. If you don't let me down, I will never let you down."

After Wang Jian returned to class, Ying Zheng turned his gaze to Meng Wu and said, "Meng Wu is waiting for the title."

Meng Wu, who had been extremely excited for a long time, nervously wiped the sweat from his palms on his thighs. The sweat almost soaked his robe.

This great general who had led hundreds of thousands of troops to fight on the battlefield and remained calm even when seeing millions of corpses lying on the ground, was now really nervous and excited, even though he was now the Right Grand Marshal of the Governor's Office.

He walked out quickly, prostrated himself with a thump, and shouted, "I am the minister of honor."

Ying Zheng sighed and said, "Lord Meng is my right-hand man. When I first ascended the throne, Jinyang rebelled and I relied on Lord Meng to help me quell the rebellion. Lord Meng has devoted his entire life to the Qin Empire and will not stop until his death."

"You have left me here to help me unite the world. You have worked tirelessly and made countless contributions. Your son has also worked hard for me. The Meng family has been loyal to me since they joined the Qin Dynasty. This story will be passed down through the ages and will surely be a model for future monarchs and ministers." "Today, you will be posthumously conferred the title of Duke Suzhong on Marquis Wucheng. The Imperial Academy will compile a biography for you and spread it throughout the world. A monument will be engraved in your hometown and a memorial archway of loyalty and martial arts will be erected."

"Mengwu shall be conferred the title of Duke of Jingzhong, and his title shall be inherited by his descendants without interruption. His fiefdom shall be eight thousand households in Liyang! He shall be promoted to the rank of General of the First-rank Cavalry, and Junior Tutor, and his wife shall be promoted to the rank of Lady of the First-rank Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Academy shall compile a biography of you, which shall be spread throughout the country. A monument shall be engraved in his hometown to record his biography, and a memorial archway of Zhongwu shall be erected."

As soon as Ying Zheng finished speaking, Meng Wu prostrated himself on the ground, his eyes filled with tears as he kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty is so virtuous that I will never be able to repay you with my life. I will serve you until death! I will never let you down. Long live your majesty!"

After Meng Wu left, Ying Zheng looked at Nian Duan, a smile appeared on his face, and said: "Nian Duan, please accept the title."

Nian Duan's heart suddenly tightened. She never expected that there would be a reward for her. She didn't have time to think about it. She walked out quickly and bowed to the ground: "Your Highness, Nian Duan, listen to the reward."

Ying Zheng said loudly: "Although you have never made any contributions to our Great Qin on the battlefield, you have worked hard for more than 30 years, forgetting to eat and sleep, and spent all your energy to write works such as "Yin Yang Jiao Sheng Lu", "Ben Cao Tong Jian", "Wan Yao Hui Dian", "Yuan Qi Nei Jing", and "Jiu Sheng Ben Ce". You also came up with a method to prevent and treat plague. You have saved countless lives and have done immeasurable merits!"

"Your merits are not shown in the court, but are known to the world. Heaven has the virtue of loving life, and the greatest merit is to benefit the world and save the people."

"Saving lives is the foundation of medicine. It is cultivated with rituals and music, and protected by kindness."

"I now confer upon you the title of Duke of Tzu Chi Wen, a hereditary title that will last for generations, with a fief of 10,000 households in Shouchun. I confer upon you the title of First-Rank Guanglu Dafu, the title of Taibao, and the title of Medical Saint. All your works will be prefixed with your name Tzu Chi Wen. The Imperial Academy will compile a biography of you, which will be circulated throughout the country. A monument will be engraved in your hometown to record your biography, and a Tzu Chi Zhaowen memorial archway will be erected."

Nian Duan was stunned when she heard the reward, and hesitated whether she should accept it. At this moment, she heard Ying Zheng's voice: "Accept it. Today is not the time to be humble and courteous. How should the ministers deal with it?"

After hearing this, Nian Duan had no choice but to bow down and shout: "Your Majesty, I thank Your Majesty for your grace. Long live Your Majesty."

She really felt unworthy of it, as Ying Zheng had given her too much.

She couldn't yet imagine that Ying Zheng was thinking about his own daughter.

Her son is a prince, so she doesn't have to consider her position as a duke. Ying Yi is the most favored, so he is not worried. But the princess's child can only be given an official position through imperial grace. Even if he is given a title, how high can it be?

For the sake of Ying Yi's children, the position of Duke was reserved for Ying Yi.

It is also a way to build momentum for future belief planning.

After conferring titles on the ten dukes, Ying Zheng began to confer titles on the noble marquises.

The first one is Yan Jin. Although his contribution is not the greatest and his official position is not the highest, he is the first.

Ying Zheng shouted loudly: "Yan Jin."

When Yan Jin heard the call, he walked out quickly and bowed deeply: "Your servant Yan Jin is here!" He came out to respond to the call instinctively. Over the past few decades, he has developed an instinctive reaction.

He could never have imagined that there actually was such a person as himself, and that he was called by that person after he was conferred the title of Duke.

He was born in a humble family and did dirty work, so he really felt that he would never be awarded a high title. Ying Zheng had been very kind to him, and he was very satisfied with his current life.

Ying Zheng looked at Yan Jin, whose hair was almost completely white and whose face looked very old and weathered, and sighed in his heart. This confidant who had been with him since childhood was about to leave him.

Yan Jin is nearly seventy years old this year. He has been fighting for half his life, and he is considered to be very old to be alive now. This is also thanks to the frequent elixirs given to him by Ying Zheng. But even so, Yan Jin's energy has not been as good as before in the past two years, and many affairs have been gradually handed over to others.

Time is such a terrible force that nothing in the world can resist it.

When we first met, he was a shrewd and capable middle-aged killer, but now he has become an old man.

Time has engraved the traces of existence on him.

Ying Zheng said slowly and gently: "You have been with me for more than 30 years. You have been attentive and loyal to me. You think about what I think and what I miss. If you were not with me, I would have had a very hard time when I was young."

"When I was young, I told you that I would lead you to create a peaceful world, so that there would be no more disputes in the world. When that time comes, I want to enjoy the peaceful world with you."

"More than 30 years have passed in a flash, and you have grown old."

"His Majesty."

Yan Jin was deeply moved when he heard this. He looked up at Ying Zheng with tears streaming down his face.

Ying Zheng smiled and sighed, saying: "The world of peace has come, and you are getting old, but fortunately it is not too late."

Yan Jin kowtowed heavily, and the sound of his forehead hitting the floor could be heard clearly by everyone in the hall.

"I, your humble servant, am fortunate to serve Your Majesty. It is my great honor and blessing. I only regret that I cannot follow Your Majesty for generations to come and serve you at your beck and call." Yan Jin was already sobbing, and anyone could hear his absolute loyalty and reluctance to leave Ying Zheng in his words.

There was a hint of melancholy in Ying Zheng's smile, Yan Jin's life fire was almost extinguished.

Ying Zheng said loudly: "I promised you that when I conquer the world and wipe out all the dust, I will give you a surname and let you live a decent life."

"Today I will give you a surname!"

"Yan Jin, from now on, your surname is Wei Zhong!"

"My dear minister, you will be the Marquis of Zhongwei from now on, and your title will be inherited by your family without interruption. Your fiefdom of Dingyang will be 2,000 households. You will be promoted to the second-rank general of the state, the crown prince's junior protector, and your wife will be promoted to the second-rank lady of the imperial court. Your eldest son will be appointed as the commander of the Xuanyu Guard, and your second son will be appointed as a Hanlin scholar."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty"

Yan Jin kowtowed continuously, sobbing incomprehensibly, but he only called out "Your Majesty" with sobs in his mouth.

In the court, countless people looked at Yan Jin with envy and jealousy. No, now he should be called Wei Zhong Yanjin, Zhongwei Hou Wei Zhong Yanjin.

He was insignificant in the past, but now he is a marquis who shares the same fate with the country of Qin!
The greatest achievement is to follow the emperor, and the greatest merit is to rescue him.

Ying Zheng's trust and affection for Wei Zhongyanjin are unique and one-of-a-kind.

But this is something that others can never envy, because he has been following Ying Zheng wholeheartedly since he was three years old. Ying Zheng even trusts him, not his own wife or son.

Ying Zheng waved his hand and asked Sang Ruoyu to help Wei Zhongyanjin, who was crying so hard that he couldn't stand up, back to class.

Next, Ying Zheng conferred titles of nobility on Zou Shi, Tian Guang, Xiangli Sheng, Gongshu Chou, Zhang Han, Li Xin, Gai Nie, Wei Zhuang, Yao Jia and twenty-one other people with outstanding contributions. Their ranks varied, and their fiefs ranged from one thousand to two thousand households. The titles were all hereditary and passed down from generation to generation. Many of them were also given preferential treatment and were granted honorable titles and official positions.

The Ministry of Rites was responsible for conferring titles on those below the rank of Marquis, as they were not qualified enough for Ying Zheng to confer titles personally at the grand court meeting.

All dukes were given another 1,000 gold pieces and 1,000 pieces of silk, and marquises were given 500 gold pieces and 500 pieces of silk.

Finally, Ying Zheng awarded a large jade sceptre to all dukes and marquises. The descendants of a duke who held this jade sceptre would be exempted from death three times, and a marquis would be exempted from death once.

This reward moved all the ministers so much that shouts of "Long live the emperor" instantly rang out in the hall, and the sound echoed for a long time.

After Ying Zheng conferred titles on his ministers, the entire court was filled with joy. The very few officials who did not receive titles looked at these people who were destined to go down in history with envy in their eyes.

To accomplish the king's affairs, to win reputation during life and after death. Your Majesty is never stingy in bestowing promotions, wealth and honor, a name passed down in history, honor to the ancestors, titles for wives and children.

Your Majesty is truly a holy monarch!
We can share the wealth even more by sharing the adversity!

(End of this chapter)