The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Chapter 545 The Heiress of the Duke
This is true.

As an ambitious and aspiring emperor, the majority of his empire was not his ultimate goal.

Sooner or later, he will take back Beiyou and Nanyue during his reign.

This world, after a long period of division, will inevitably unite!
The Kansai Army, which was always the most capable in battle and won every time, was his reliance for plotting to conquer the whole world.

Moreover.

Whether in Guanzhong or Anxi, every garrison and even the General of the State's mansion had the emperor's eyes and ears.

Not to mention Gan Minglan's daily routine, the intelligence organization in Shangdu knew exactly what she ate for each of her three meals a day.

I've never seen anyone so averse to power!

When not engaged in military affairs, this great general preferred to stay in her perfume workshop.

None of the civil and military officials knew about it.

The exorbitant profits from the Kansai goods that everyone envied—perfume, glass, watches, etc.—were distributed to Gan Minglan, and she immediately contributed four-fifths of those profits to Emperor Qianwu's private treasury.

A full national treasury does not necessarily mean that Emperor Qianwu's wallet was bulging!
The country is so big, and every year there are disasters here and troubles there!
Every penny has its destination.

Therefore, the loyalty of the General Who Protects the Nation is the most genuine.

There's money to be spent on Emperor Qianwu!

In conclusion, for a loyal minister like the General Who Guards the Nation, no reward is more than a generous one to recognize his merits.

At this critical juncture, no one in the imperial court dared to provoke them.

A month later.

When the herders and military households on the northwestern grasslands were slaughtering large numbers of livestock to prepare food for the winter, the Zhenguo General's Mansion welcomed Big Beard and his entourage who had come from Shangdu.

"Fengtian Chengyun Emperor, the imperial edict said:

I, the Emperor, have witnessed the glorious victory of the imperial army in the west, a feat unparalleled throughout history; and the illustrious loyalty of the ministers, surpassing even the achievements of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. You, General Gan Minglan, the Grand General Who Protects the Nation, are endowed with extraordinary strategic vision and a legacy of loyalty and courage. You led tens of thousands of troops to reclaim vast territories, bringing the Western Regions back under our rule, and causing even the barbarian tribes to bow down and submit to usurp our vassalage.

In the past, when the barbarian dust raged and the borders were in turmoil, you devised ingenious strategies in the command tent and displayed divine might on the battlefield. Your achievements were comparable to those of the Marquis of Champion who sealed the wolf's lair.

He also donated dozens of jade, gold, and iron mines, and the profits from coal and petroleum all went to the state, filling the treasury and providing ample military supplies.

Furthermore, in the border markets, he investigated the treachery of foreign merchants and prohibited the harm of poisons, so that the people could be spared from the disaster of addiction and the nation could be freed from the scourge of corruption.

Your meritorious service rivals that of the ancients and benefits our present generation. I am delighted and should bestow upon you exceptional praise.

Now, Tejin'er is the Duke of Dingxi, ranking above the Three Dukes; he is appointed Grand Protector of the Western Regions Protectorate, in charge of the military and political affairs of the entire Western Regions; his title is hereditary and perpetual, and his life is intertwined with the nation's.

Having heard that your daughter possesses your refined manners, I hereby bestow upon her the title of Heir Apparent of the Duke of Dingxi, ordering her to take your surname, and bestow upon her a phoenix crown and pheasant robes, to signify the grandeur of your family.

Alas! You are granted the fifth rank of imperial favor, to be forever stationed in the western frontier; your rank surpasses all others, you will forever enjoy Heaven's favor. You shall forever remain loyal and devoted, assisting the imperial plans, and never disobey my commands! Respectfully obey!

"Your subject, Gan Minglan, kowtows in gratitude for the Emperor's grace!"

Your Majesty has bestowed upon me this vast land as a reward for my humble efforts, which makes me tremble with fear and shame.

The victory in the Western Regions was all thanks to Your Majesty's brilliant strategy and the bravery of the army; the profits from mining taxes are originally from the land itself, and I am merely acting as the shepherd of the people on behalf of Heaven; as for the matter of prohibiting drugs, it is simply my duty as a subject.

Now that I have been granted the title of Duke and the power of Protector-General, I will serve you with my life!

From now on, we must—

Sharpen weapons and feed horses, to forever secure the western frontier as a protective barrier;
Working tirelessly day and night, we have lived up to the trust placed in us by the Holy Lord.

Your subject should also strictly abide by etiquette and precepts to repay Your Majesty's mercy.

Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!

The bearded man offered a slight helping hand to Gan Minglan, his face full of smiles.
"Duke of Dingxi, please rise quickly. Before we came, His Majesty and the Empress repeatedly instructed us to take good care of your health."

The visitor was an acquaintance, and a confidant of Emperor Qianwu, so Gan Minglan was naturally delighted.

He quickly instructed Steward Zhu to prepare a welcoming feast for their distinguished guest.

She was surrounded by people offering their congratulations.

The family members, still kneeling on the ground, felt completely overwhelmed.

My wife/daughter-in-law/mother, you've been promoted again!

Needless to say, he was the number one person in the Western Regions.

That's a dukedom.

Since the founding of the dynasty, Emperor Qianwu had not granted many titles. Only two people were granted the title of Duke.

His Majesty's biological father and His Majesty's biological father-in-law.

it's good now.

Another Duke of Dingxi has been added!
What a great honor!
He is undoubtedly the number one person among all the civil and military officials!

What puzzled them was why the position of the heir apparent of the Duke of Dingxi had been changed to that of the heir apparent.
The one who couldn't understand it was mainly her mother-in-law, Luo.

She touched her pounding heart, suppressing her doubts, and could only barely maintain a calm demeanor.

The official who was delivering the imperial decree is still here!

She never gets a chance to speak.

As soon as she stood up, Madam Lu turned her head and saw her good-for-nothing son.

Ok!

The other person was so happy they were practically grinning from ear to ear!
I've never seen such a rare and precious daughter.

All three grandchildren are her biological children.

The favoritism is outrageous.

Her poor eldest grandson and youngest grandson!

Zuo Wenkang was indeed astonished by this extraordinary wealth.

The husband of a duke is a man of the highest esteem.

There has never been a "world lady" in this dynasty, but it is the norm in the matriarchal Phoenix Dynasty!

He knew that over the years, his wife had mentioned Yuanyuan's exceptional martial arts skills several times in her memorials to Emperor Qianwu, saying that it was a pity that she didn't serve the country and that all her skills were kept in the backyard.

They even proposed that a separate girls' class be opened for the next enrollment of the Kansai First Military Academy.

Other dukes and marquises, upon receiving a title, would promptly request that their most valued son be designated as heir apparent.

His wife, however, was not mentioned at all, even though his eldest son was almost a grown man.

Wait and wait.

And indeed, they received a response from Emperor Qianwu.

Not only was she granted the title of Heroine!

They also gave Yuanyuan her mother's surname.

In Zuo Wenkang's mind, he was more grateful to have his wife's surname passed down than to have her surname taken by him.

His eyes were filled with tears, and he was much more emotional than Gan Minglan.

The three children all looked dazed.

Zuo Chijun: My mother said that I am a man, and the family business and future I earn myself are the most reliable!
Having chosen the path of imperial examinations and already achieved good results, as long as he follows the headmaster's arrangements, passing the imperial examinations before the age of twenty-one will not be difficult.

His Majesty's decision to bestow the title of Duke's Daughter upon my sister is the best arrangement!

As a doting brother, he couldn't bear to see his sister marry into another family and become a submissive wife, living a life of domesticity like any other noblewoman.

My sister's abilities are more suited to the military!
No one knows a child better than their mother.

Gan Minglan often told Zuo Wenkang that her eldest son was actually a complete simpleton.

If this happened in someone else's home, wouldn't they fight like dogs over this?
Yuanyuan, daughter of the Duke of Dingguo:

who am I?Where am i?

How did I inherit my mother's title?
Am I worthy?
How should one act as a lady of the world?
I'm so panicked.
Fu Bao: My sister is the daughter of a duke, so isn't he the youngest son of a duke?

The little guy didn't think he had suffered any loss.

Even the eldest brother has no objections, so it's not his turn to object.

Besides, he is a dual-elemental ability user that is unique in the world.

My mother gained high-ranking official positions and generous salaries by recovering the Western Regions.

He can do it too!

With so many countries in Europe, when he's a few years older, he'll definitely go and conquer a few more vassal states.