Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 145 Chariots and Cavalry, General of the Flying Cavalry

Qin Zhangtai.

Weiyang Palace.

The emperor's carriage slowly drove in.

The prime minister's secondary carriage followed closely behind.

On the right are dozens of civil officials, including Dong Yun, Guo Youzhi, and Chen Zhen, who are dressed in black robes and wearing two-beam Jinxian hats, and Chen Zhi and Li Yi, who are wearing one-beam Jinxian hats.

On the left are Zhao Yun, the General Who Guards the East, Wei Yan, the General Who Guards the North, Wu Ban, the General Who Pacifies Bandits, Chen Shi, the General Who Pacifies Bandits, and dozens of other military officials including Guan Xing, Zhao Tong, Jiang Wei, and Fu Qian.

As the imperial carriage rolled over the tracks beneath the Vermilion Bird Gate, it arrived at the Weiyang Palace of Qin Zhangtai.

As the Han officials accompanying the emperor gazed upon the rammed earth foundation of the main hall, which had stood majestically for four hundred years despite the wind and rain, and upon the bluestone steps polished smooth by the passage of time and the footsteps of the ancients, a sense of grandeur and pride arose spontaneously within them.

The horseman in charge of driving the horses helped the emperor, who was dressed in imperial robes, down from the carriage.

The emperor did not enter the palace directly, but instead turned around and took the arm of the prime minister who had just alighted from the carriage from the dragon-riding attendant's hand, and entered the palace together with the prime minister.

At the palace gate, the attendants, who had been working day and night to adjust the order of court sessions for the civil and military officials who were on the Northern Expedition, led each of them into the palace.

All civil and military officials stood in their designated positions.

Newly surrendered Rong and Di leaders, who were still unfamiliar with etiquette, such as Yang Tiao, Yang Qianwan, and Lei Ze, were even dressed in barbarian attire when they entered the palace under the guidance of the attendants.

No matter how barbaric these Rong and Di people were in their daily lives, once they entered this magnificent and ancient hall and were placed alongside the civil and military officials of the civilized nation, they dared not utter a sound, for fear of disrupting the solemn and dignified atmosphere.

In fact, weren't all the Han civil and military officials who received special favors from the late emperor the same?
For them, who had never seen Chang'an or Weiyang Palace before and could only glimpse the splendor of the ancient Han Dynasty in old books, Chang'an and Weiyang Palace were like sacred sites.

The return of the Han emperor to the old capital and the re-ascension to the old palace were of great and extraordinary significance.

But for those officials who were fortunate enough to accompany the emperor into the old capital and to ascend the old palace again, it must have been a momentous occasion that they would cherish for the rest of their lives.

Not only that, but even now, the military officials who made contributions to the Northern Expedition are feeling both nervous and excited.

After all... with the Di people of Guanzhong pacified and the Western Capital recaptured, the emperor returned to the old capital and ascended the old palace, and this Northern Expedition came to a complete end.

And shouldn't the most important note in this finale be the reward for meritorious service?

As expected, after a series of elaborate formalities, Dong Yun, the chief official of the central court, received the imperial edict from the jade tray held by the emperor's attendant. He then proceeded to the assembled civil and military officials of the outer court, solemnly proclaiming:

"General Zhao Yun, the Guardian of the East!"

The old general, dressed in red robes and wearing a pheasant-feather hat, immediately stepped forward, bowed, and lowered his head.

"I believe that Heaven has ordained the Han dynasty, and that it must rely on valiant ministers. At this critical juncture for the nation, we rely on loyal and brave men who will fight valiantly to defend our territory."

"General Zhao Yun, who was in charge of the Eastern Garrison, followed the late emperor in the early days of the dynasty and made great contributions. During the Battle of Dangyang, his righteousness was as firm as metal and stone. I was young and inexperienced, and faced many difficulties. I relied on his loyalty and courage to overcome dangers."

"Now, following me on the Northern Expedition, in the Battle of Gukou and the Battle of Xiegu, we defeated the Wei army with a small force, beheaded Cao Zhen in Xiegu, defeated Zhang He in Chencang, and in the Battle of Xinfeng, we braved arrows and stones, charged into battle and broke through enemy lines, thus enabling the royal army to achieve victory and the old capital to be restored."

"Now I hereby promote you to General of Chariots and Cavalry, grant you the authority to command troops, enfeoff you as Marquis of Dangyang, and bestow upon you a set of silver armor, two imperial horses, and a jade belt to recognize your outstanding achievements."

After Dong Yun finished speaking, all the civil and military officials in the hall were astonished, and all were overjoyed for General Zhao.

Upon hearing this imperial edict, the military officials with meritorious service were both surprised and delighted, unable to contain their excitement.

It should be noted that in the Han Dynasty, above the Four Garrison Generals, there were also the Four Directional Generals.

Further on, there were the Four Garrison Generals and the Four Directional Generals.

Above that are the General of the Guards, the General of Chariots and Cavalry, the General of the Flying Cavalry, and the Grand General, and finally the Grand Marshal, the highest military official.

Previously, the court and the public had been speculating that, given the General of the East's military achievements, he would not be promoted to only one rank, becoming a General of the Four Directions, when it came time to reward his merits.

Even being promoted two ranks and elevated to the rank of General Who Guards the East was not enough.

Therefore, it is more likely that he will be promoted three ranks and become a general of the four directions.

Among the titles of the four generals, the title of Left General, which was given to the late emperor as "Left General" with an additional rank, was the most favored by the officials in the court and the country.

The political significance of the general's title held by the late emperor is self-evident.

As for being promoted four ranks in a row, there is a possibility that he could be promoted to the rank of General of the Guards.

After all... the feat of recapturing Xijing and restoring the old capital was already an unprecedented achievement.

Perhaps the greatest achievement will be the war to unify the world in the future.

But now, Zhao Zhendong has directly skipped the ranks of Four Generals, Four Garrisons and Four Directions Generals and Guards General, rising five ranks to become a Chariot and Cavalry General of the Great Han!

This could not help but amaze the ministers, and it could not help but make the military officials with military achievements have endless imaginations.

After all, Zhao Zhendong's promotion of five ranks in a row probably indicates that the emperor indeed intends to reward him handsomely for his achievements in returning to the old capital.
The conferment of titles also needs to be discussed. The General Who Guards the East was previously the Marquis of Yongchang Pavilion, but now he has directly skipped the title of Marquis of a Township and been conferred the title of Marquis of Dangyang County...

If Marquis Dangyang were to achieve another extraordinary feat in the future, what title would he be granted?
In an instant, almost all the military officials thought of the "nobility of dukes and marquises" that the emperor had mentioned when he resolved the dispute between Yang Yi and Wei Yan.

Judging from the extraordinary reward that Zhao, the cavalry commander, was granted the title of Marquis of Dangyang County, it is no exaggeration for the emperor to bestow the title of "Duke" upon him!
As for the remote sealing of "Dangyang", it goes without saying that it was the place where General Zhao protected the emperor and made seven incursions and seven outcursions among the army!

The newly appointed Grand Charioteer received the imperial edict from Attendant-in-Ordinary Dong Yun and stepped aside.

At the same time, Dong Yun received an imperial edict from the attendant.

Before Dong Yun could speak, Wei Yan, whose rank was second only to Zhao Yun, was already interested.

Since the bestowal of titles and honors did not begin with the Prime Minister but with Zhao Yun, the Prime Minister's rewards would inevitably be reserved for last. Next, without a doubt, it would be Wei Yan's turn.

But it is not so.

Having just received the imperial edict, Dong Shizhong, who had assumed that Wei Yan would be the next person to be mentioned, was taken aback.

His gaze then passed over Zhao Yun, then over Wei Yan, Wu Ban, Chen Shi… and finally landed on the outermost edge of the main hall.

"Prefect Yang Tiao of Anding!" the man shouted.

Outside the Weiyang Palace, King Yang Tiao of Anding Qiang suddenly froze, unable to believe it.

The Qiang and Di chieftains surrounding him, including Yang Qianwan, Yao Kehui, Lü Jian, and Lei Ze, were also terrified. After a moment, they disregarded all etiquette and began to whisper among themselves in the main hall.

Yang Tiao stepped forward.

Dong Yun proclaimed the imperial edict:

"I have received the mandate of Heaven... Now, Yang Tiao, a powerful chieftain of the Qiang tribes in Anding, who has always been loyal and righteous and admires the virtue of my Han Dynasty, has taken the lead in leading righteous troops to recapture Jieting."

"Since the Battle of Jieting, they have shown their loyalty and obedience, followed the army in battle, worked together with one heart and one mind to eliminate the traitors to the country. I am very pleased with them."

"I hereby bestow upon you the title of Marquis of Guiyi, with a gold seal and purple ribbon, retaining your position as Prefect of Anding. In addition, I bestow upon you one hundred bolts of brocade, ten fine horses, a carved bow, and a precious sword, to recognize your extraordinary merits!"

"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!" Qiang King Yang Tiao said in a trembling voice, taking the imperial edict from the attendant and retreating back to the group of Qiang and Di chieftains.

Yang Qianwan, Yao Kehui, and other Qiang and Di people surrounded Yang Tiao, wanting to see the imperial edict. Yang Tiao put it away and refused, his eyes trembling.

The civil and military officials in the palace were all astonished.

Everyone knows that Yang Tiao's northern expedition was successful, and everyone knows that the emperor has always wanted to bridge the gap between the Han and non-Han peoples.

Unexpectedly, the second person to be enfeoffed after Zhao was Yang Tiao. Considering His Majesty's previous oath with Yang Tiao at the Wei River, His Majesty's determination to pacify the various barbarian tribes is evident.

After Yang Tiao withdrew, Dong Yun announced the imperial decree again.

This time it was not Wei Yan, nor was it Yang Tiao and his group of Qiang and Di people, but Wu Ban, the general who led the army on the northern expedition with the prime minister.

He was appointed General Who Guards the North. (Four Garrisons > Four Expeditions)

A slight commotion arose in the hall, and many eyes turned to Wei Yan, who was ranked below Zhao Cheqi. After all, General Wei Yan, the General Who Guards the North, had not yet been mentioned, and his general title had already been revoked.

Wu Ban was the Empress Dowager's cousin, holding a similarly high position to Wu Yi. Since Wu Yi voluntarily stayed behind to guard Tianshui and failed to participate in the Guanzhong campaign to gain merit, the Emperor naturally had to give the Wu brothers an explanation.

Originally granted the title of Marquis of Anleting, he was later granted the title of Marquis of Junyi Township.

Since Emperor Zhaolie succeeded to the Han dynasty, all the titles of marquis in the Han dynasty were nominal, without any fiefs. This newly appointed General Who Guards the North was born in Junyi, Chenliu, and was granted a marquisate based on his ancestral home. This is similar to being granted the title of Commandant of the Capital Region remotely without actually being granted Chang'an, in order to serve as an incentive.

General Chen Shi, who had repeatedly rendered meritorious service, was appointed General Who Conquers the West and granted the title of Marquis of Yangwu.

When the Prime Minister launched the Northern Expedition, he was stationed at Lie Liu. Later, he was ordered to return to Hanzhong to guard against Gao Xiang of the three counties of Shangyong. He was appointed General Who Conquers the East and granted the title of Marquis of Xuanting.

Next was General Yangwu, who followed the emperor on the northern expedition. He accumulated merits and was appointed General Zhendong, previously under Zhao Yun, and enfeoffed as Marquis of Dingyuan.

Zong Yu, who also accompanied the emperor on the northern expedition and repeatedly made military achievements, was promoted to General Who Pacifies the East and granted the title of Marquis of Anzhong Pavilion for his accumulated merits.

Meng Yan, the General Who Assists the Han, was appointed General Who Conquers the South and granted the title of Marquis of Zhuti Pavilion.

"..."

"..."

"Lei Ze!" After more than a dozen names, Dong Yun called out another Qiang-Di name.

"The Di people of Yinping, who fought alongside the late emperor against Cao Cao during the Battle of Hanzhong, and who now join the royal army to suppress the rebellion, are commendable for their loyalty and bravery in their fight for the country. They are posthumously granted the title of Marquis of Baishuiting, and their son Lei Ze has inherited the title!"

Lei Ze accepted the imperial decree and expressed his gratitude.

Yang Qianwan, Yao Kehui, Lü Jian, Fu Jian and other Qiang and Di peoples, as well as Jiang Wei, Shangguan Yong and Li Yong, Han heroes from Longyou, led their people to join the cause and responded to the Northern Expedition. They were all granted the title of Marquis within the Pass.

Marquis of Guannei was the nineteenth rank among the twenty ranks of nobility, one rank lower than Marquis of Liehou. In Cao Wei, such a title was commonplace, but in the Han Dynasty, it was still quite valuable.

Dong Yun received another imperial edict, unfolded it, and paused again before proclaiming, "Prime Minister, Marquis of Wuxiang!"

Both civil and military officials in the hall were on high alert.

This is the only imperial edict to date that does not mention the name of the recipient.

"Your Majesty possesses both literary and martial talents, and is wise and sincere."

"He was entrusted with the care of the orphan and was tasked with assisting me."

"To continue the interrupted lineage and revive the declining state, with the ambition to quell the chaos."

"Therefore, he organized six armies and led them on a northern expedition."

"After the recapture of Guanzhong, the emperor returned to the western capital."

"His divine might is awe-inspiring, and his power shakes the eight wastelands."

"He established extraordinary achievements for the Han Dynasty, comparable to the great achievements of Yi Yin and Zhou Gong!"

He was granted the title of Duke of Wugong County.

"He was granted a golden carriage and a grand chariot."

"He was twice bestowed with imperial robes and crowns."

"Three hundred tiger-like warriors were bestowed upon him three times."

"Four gifts of music were bestowed."

"Five gifts of axes and halberds."

"He is granted the privilege of not having to hasten his steps when entering the court, not having to be named when being praised, and being allowed to wear a sword and shoes in the palace, just like the story of Xiao He!"

The courtiers in the hall were now in an uproar.

The first county magistrate of the Han Dynasty!
The five items bestowed by the Emperor were the complete set of the Nine Bestowments!

The so-called Five Life Kindness!
The prime minister immediately stepped forward to decline:

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty, but I dare not accept it!"
"I am of meager talent and have undeservedly assumed this position. I personally wielded the military command to instruct the three armies, but I failed to instruct them on the rules and laws. I was fearful in the face of danger, which led to the failure of disobeying orders at Jieting. The fault lies with me for failing to properly assign the task."

"Your Majesty, I am ignorant of people and often fail to understand matters. It is my duty to hold the commander accountable in the Spring and Autumn Annals. I dare not accept Your Majesty's title of County Duke and the bestowal of five ranks. I request to demote myself by one rank to reflect on my faults!"

The emperor, who had remained silent for a long time, finally spoke:

No.

"The loss of Jieting did not lead to a major defeat or damage to the country. I will never forget the Prime Minister's contribution."

The Prime Minister resigned again.

The emperor forbade it.

The Prime Minister resigned again.

The emperor would never allow it again.

The prime minister looked troubled, accepted the order, and withdrew.

By this time, the imperial edict was no longer in the attendant's lacquer tray.

Those in the hall who were not interested thought the bestowal of rewards was complete, but those who were interested all turned their attention to Wei Yan.

Wei Yan himself was also filled with anxiety.

Logically, he should have followed Zhao Yun, and logically, if the Prime Minister wasn't the first to be conferred an honor, then he should have been the last.

The Prime Minister's bestowal of titles and rewards has now been decided, but the Emperor's attendant no longer possesses an imperial edict on the lacquer tray.

Just as the ministers in the hall were each lost in their own thoughts, the emperor on the throne reached into his sleeve.

Upon closer inspection, everyone realized it was nothing short of an imperial edict!
The attendant stepped forward, took it, and handed it to Dong Yun.

At the same time, all the civil and military officials in the hall, without exception, focused their attention on Wei Yan, who was ranked below Zhao Yun.

Everyone's expression turned strange, including Wei Yan's own. In an instant, he finally remembered the day when the late emperor appointed him as the governor of Hanzhong, which shocked the entire army.

The head of the civil officials in the inner court, Dong Shizhong, unfolded the imperial edict and, without hesitation, called out the name that everyone expected: "Wei Yan!"

Zhao Yun, the third-ranking figure in the Han army, stepped forward almost trembling.

"The greatest reward for merit lies in loyalty and bravery. Wei Yan, the General Who Guards the North and Governor of Liangzhou, is resolute, brave, and valiant. He is invincible in battle."

"Since the Northern Expedition, he has repeatedly made outstanding contributions, and he made great achievements in the Battle of Xinfeng."

"When the two armies faced each other, Yan led the elite troops of the central army, bravely charged into the enemy lines, killed generals and captured flags. His troops killed and captured the most enemy soldiers, and dealt a heavy blow to the fierce Wei invaders."

"Even though his eldest son Chang was surrounded, he did not let personal matters interfere with public duty. He led his soldiers to fight hard and advance to defeat the enemy and protect the emperor. His loyalty and courage were known throughout the army, and his integrity was as clear as the sun and moon."

At this point, Dong Yun paused for a moment before continuing in a serious tone, "He is hereby granted the title of Marquis of Nanzheng and promoted to General of the Cavalry!"

The crowd erupted in uproar.

What merit did Wei Yan achieve in this battle that he received an official rank above General Zhao's?!

Not to mention the civil and military officials in the palace, even Wei Yan himself knew that no matter how much merit or effort he had put into this battle, he was far inferior to Zhao Yun, the commander of the three armies who had turned the tide and won many victories with His Majesty in Guanzhong!
Why did Your Majesty transfer him to the rank of General of the Cavalry of the Han Dynasty?!
Just as the civil and military officials in the hall were in an uproar, and Wei Yan was filled with anxiety and excitement, the Han emperor, who carried the sun and moon on his shoulders and the stars on his back, suddenly spoke up and asked Yan: "Now that I have entrusted you with such an important task, what do you intend to do in this position?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan was suddenly startled.

Isn't this question from the late emperor the very one he asked in front of all the civil and military officials when he promised him the governorship of Hanzhong, which caused the entire army to be astonished?
As if struck on the top of his head, Wei Yan immediately bowed his head and answered in a trembling voice:
"If Your Majesty grants me a small force, I dare to conquer Jiangnan and unify the Central Plains for Your Majesty!"
"If Your Majesty commands me to lead the armies of the realm, I swear to cleanse the world and pacify the land!"

(End of this chapter)