Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World

"Your subject Wang Shao thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness." Wang Shao bowed, his face showing excitement.

It was already a hereditary title, but the addition of a powerful position, transforming him into a military general with real power, undoubtedly shook people's minds.

Wang Shao was even confident that he could leave his descendants a "military legacy," so that his descendants, like the Gu, Zhang, and Zheng families, would be born with a certain "authority."

"General Yao Si, the Loyal and Martial General, was appointed as the Deputy Commander of the Divine Guard Army."

Du, Zhihui, Jun, Xiang, Si.

With 25,000 soldiers in one flank, the deputy commander of the flank army was already quite extraordinary.

"Your subject Yao Si thanks Your Majesty." Yao Si bowed deeply, somewhat surprised.

How could he possibly be the deputy commander of the Xiang Army?

Jiang Zhao glanced at it, not surprised.

Despite his seemingly mediocre appearance, Yao Si even obtained his title through a lucky break.

In reality, his mediocrity was only relative to Gu Tingye and Wang Shao.

In fact, Yao Si was a rare general who was capable of commanding troops!

The Great Zhou army has over a hundred unit numbers, and there are countless incompetent generals. Those who can lead an army of five thousand men into battle without collapsing are already very close to the first-class level.

In a true large-scale military operation, there are fewer than twenty generals of this caliber.

If one can easily command 5,000 soldiers when expanding territory, then in peacetime one can easily control 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers.

Moreover, Yao Si was only a deputy general, not the commander-in-chief.

After receiving a series of rewards, the group looked at each other, all feeling quite satisfied.

Sure enough, following Grand Secretary Jiang means you can eat meat!

Once the emperor bestows a reward, it is almost always a substantial one; a single reward can be equivalent to a lifetime of fighting!

At the head of the table, Zhao Ceying glanced at the deep palace, a hint of worry appearing in his eyes, and waved his hand.

The eight men understood and bowed in unison.

"I'm waiting to retire."

Jiang Mansion, Pavilion.

A stone table, clear tea, melons and fruits, and a chessboard.

Jiang Zhao sat opposite Sheng Hualan and Sheng Shulan, playing chess.

"A pillar of the state, a loyal advisor and meritorious minister?"

Jiang Heng and Jiang Xun, the two sons, one holding a gilded seal of the State Pillar and the other holding a jade belt engraved with "a loyal and capable minister who assists in governing the country," both stared wide-eyed at the scene with curiosity.

Jiang Heng is six years old, and Jiang Xun is over four years old.

As for the eldest son, Jiang Huaijin, he was already eleven years old. Holding two imperial edicts, he looked on with a serious expression, occasionally revealing a hint of surprise.

"What is this?" Jiang Xun asked curiously.

Just now, he was the one reading the words in a low voice.

Jiang Zhao glanced back and smiled nonchalantly: "That's the legacy your father left for you three brothers!"

"Only those who pass the examination to become Shujishi are qualified to obtain the key to unlock this great cause."

As he spoke, he placed a piece.

"A junior scholar?" Jiang Huaijin murmured, glancing at the imperial edict.

There should be hope, right?

Unfortunately, I haven't yet come up with an idea to boost my reputation as well as my father's "Standing in the Snow at Han's Door".

The starting point was a bit low!

Chapter 231 The Prince Dies, There's Something Wrong with the Palace!

In February, the fragrance of plum blossoms is subdued.

The light rain, like gossamer threads, evokes a sense of melancholy.

Jiang Mansion.

On a small wooden table about ten feet long, there were jujube cakes, rice noodles, fried meat, sesame cakes, seven-treasure vegetarian porridge, and clear mutton soup.

Jiang Zhao, Jiang Huaijin, Jiang Heng, Jiang Xun, Sheng Hualan, and Sheng Shulan, the six of them, ate in silence, chopsticks in hand.

"call."

Jiang Zhao blew on the slightly hot mutton soup, took a small sip, and let out a long breath.

In February, as the snow gradually melts, a bowl of steaming hot mutton soup is sure to warm one's stomach.

In no time, the bowl of mutton soup was finished.

"clatter."

Jiang Zhao gently placed the porcelain bowl down and slowly stood up.

Jiang Huaijin, Jiang Heng, and Jiang Xun put down their bowls and chopsticks at the same time. Jiang Zhao looked at the children and said calmly, "I have to go to the palace to observe mourning. Please eat slowly."

Only three days after the imperial officials arrived in the capital for their inspection tour, news of mourning arrived from the palace.

To be precise, there were actually two pieces of news, one good and one bad.

Good news! A prince has been born to the Empress, named Zhao Shen.

Bad news! One of the princes has died young. He was the son of Consort Hua of Yaohua Palace, and also the son of the late Empress Gao—Zhao Jun, the Crown Prince!

The death of one son and the birth of another were separated by less than half a day.

Suddenly, the palace was bustling with activity.

The emperor issued an edict to suspend court for five days in mourning.

Among them, cabinet ministers and privy councilors may wear plain clothes and enter the palace to observe five days of mourning; ministers of the third rank and above, as well as ministers of the imperial clan from the lineage of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, shall wear plain clothes and observe three days of "light mourning"; all officials below the third rank and local officials shall refrain from playing music for three days and shall be prohibited from wearing "auspicious ornaments".

As a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, a position of immense power and influence, Jiang Zhao was naturally required to wear mourning clothes and enter the palace to observe mourning.

"Officer."

Sheng Hualan and Sheng Shulan stood up one after the other, one picking up the umbrella and the other bowing respectfully.

Jiang Zhao nodded, opened his oil-paper umbrella, and stepped outside.

The Eastern Palace, Duancheng Hall.

The candlelight flickered, burning gently and slowly.

In the main position, there is a catalpa coffin about six feet long and three feet wide, lacquered black and carved with cloud patterns and intertwined branches. It is supported by a ebony pillar about a foot long and covered with a plain curtain, on which hangs a memorial banner inscribed with "The Spirit of the Late Tang Ai Xian Wang".

Several eternal lamps were laid out around the coffin, and a five-foot incense table was set up, on which were placed jade tablets, everyday clothes, a golden book of titles, as well as tripods, gui vessels, dou vessels, and two sacrificial animals: a sheep and a pig.

The hundred or so Imperial Guards, carrying halberds and swords, stood solemnly and dared not utter a sound.

"I trouble you to inform the noble sir," Jiang Zhao said calmly, standing outside the hall.

Li Xian, the Grand Eunuch in charge of the Imperial Secretariat, was startled and quickly bowed, saying, "Greetings, Grand Secretary Jiang."

As a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion and the most favored person since the beginning of the emperor's reign, he was actually addressed as "Zhongguiren" (a title for a minor official), which made him feel extremely honored.

Li Xian gestured and said, "His Majesty has ordered that there is no need for notification; the Grand Secretary may enter."

In this era, there was a strict hierarchy between rulers and subjects, and even mourning was governed by the concept of "qualification."

Those who were not powerful ministers or high-ranking officials did not even have the right to observe mourning.

When the young prince died, all the officials who were qualified to enter the palace to mourn him were either imperial relatives or high-ranking officials in purple robes. In total, there were only about fifty or sixty people.

These fifty or sixty people could be recognized by both Li Xian and the emperor, and they were only entering the palace to observe mourning, not to report on state affairs to the monarch.

Therefore, there is no need to report to each individual, simplifying the cumbersome reporting process.

The emperor knows who came and who didn't!

Jiang Zhao nodded and walked inside.

At a glance, it was clear that many officials had already bowed down, with Grand Chancellor Han Zhang at the head.

Zhang Fangping, Zhang Heng, Wu Zhongfu, Gu Tingye, Wang Shao, and others had all entered the third rank and were qualified as purple-robed ministers to observe three days of mourning.

At this moment, all the civil and military officials bowed their heads and remained silent, appearing to be in mourning.

However, despite their grief, no one wept.

Since ancient times, Confucianism has advocated that "funerals should emphasize grief and also value moderation," but it has prohibited excessive mourning.

Therefore, civil and military officials only needed to mourn at specific times, and for the rest of the time they wore plain clothes to show their condolences.

At this time, before the official mourning ceremony has been announced, the officials naturally do not cry.

Of course, the absence of courtiers mourning does not mean that no one else mourned.

To the left of the officials, there was a seven-foot-wide side door leading to a side room, from which faint sobbing could be heard.

It's highly likely that it's the late Empress Gao.

In one corner, there was a plain wooden table with a few documents awaiting approval. Zhao Ceying had his head drooping, his brows furrowed, and he was dressed in plain clothes, exuding an indescribable air of dejection.

After a cursory glance, Jiang Zhao lowered his hands and walked straight towards the first row.

He bowed, sighed softly, and feigned grief, all in one smooth motion!

Afterwards, one or two civil and military officials who were qualified to mourn would enter and prostrate themselves in turn.

Before long, it was already 7 o'clock.

The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, holding a document, announced in a clear voice:

"Officials, weep—"

In an instant, all the civil and military officials kowtowed three times in unison, weeping softly, some recounting the prince's virtues to express their grief, others reciting eulogies to soothe his soul.

One incense stick has burned.

The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices said:

"Officials, stop crying—"

One glance means the end of the "morning weeping".

Therefore, all the civil and military officials rose one after another, bowed, and took their leave.

The term "crying in the morning and evening" means crying twice a day.

Generally speaking, in addition to crying once at 9 am, one must also cry again at 5 pm.

Since it was the death of a prince, ministers of the third rank and above only needed to weep for three days, or six times; cabinet ministers and privy council ministers wept for five days, or ten times.

Compared to the national mourning that requires 27 days of weeping, the mourning for the princes is relatively mild.

Jiang Zhao bowed and was about to leave when a voice rang out:

"Jiang Qing."

Jiang Zhao was startled and looked up.

In one corner, Zhao Ceying waved, as if calling out.

Jiang Zhao narrowed his eyes, quickly walked over, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty."

"Ugh!"

Zhao Ceying pressed his forehead and sighed deeply: "Tell me, as soon as I ascended the throne, I made great achievements in expanding the territory, so why didn't my ancestors protect me? Even a two-year-old child died young?"

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and an official brought over a small stool.

“Sit down,” Zhao Ceying sighed.

The ruler and his ministers faced each other.

Zhao Ceying sighed and asked, "I have been on the throne for less than two years, yet I already hold great power, command respect throughout the land, and have even achieved the feat of expanding the territory. Such a monarch would be considered above average in the history books, wouldn't he?"

"The Emperor's decisiveness is truly rare," Jiang Zhao echoed.

In just a few breaths, he understood why Zhao Ceying had called him aside to complain!