Chapter 1688: Chapter 1688: Promotion

The territory of Great Chu cannot afford more chaos, otherwise, even if he is a True Dragon Emperor, he won’t be able to keep it under control.

"Your Majesty’s consideration for the common people is truly a blessing for Great Chu." A few cabinet ministers offered some flattering words, but in their hearts, they looked down on the Gu Family’s invention of the Insect Attractant.

Heh, mud legs will always be mud legs. With such a good thing in hand, they didn’t think of using it well, but actually offered it to Emperor Jingyuan in the name of the Kangrong Soldiers.

Do they think those soldiers will be grateful and then fight for her man? Don’t be foolish, on the battlefield, everyone looks after themselves; who would help you!

Emperor Jingyuan is also stingy and deep down looks down on women; he won’t confer rewards on the Gu Family just for appearances. This pretentious Gu Family might end up with nothing.

But they overlooked one point: Though Emperor Jingyuan is reluctant to reward a woman, he will not miss an opportunity to utilize people.

"Doesn’t the Gu Family have a shop?" Emperor Jingyuan asked.

Ouyang Zhang replied, "In response to Your Majesty, the Gu Family indeed has a shop. They use the beans they grow to make tofu and seasoning spices, selling them at low prices to neighboring villagers, letting them peddle to support their families."

He also mentioned how the Gu Family led villagers to grow medicinal herbs for sale.

Finally, he clarified that all he knew was informed by Ouyang Hu. Ouyang Hu knows Gu Jin’an and is familiar with the affairs of the Gu Family.

Emperor Jingyuan nodded, "Not bad. To think of the villagers while prospering oneself. The Gu Family’s Insect Attractant has also resolved the crisis in Xing’an Prefecture. Such a family that contributes to both the people and the country deserves a reward... Convey my decree, that for their merit, the Gu Family’s shop is hereby exempt from taxes."

He then looked at the officials in the hall, saying, "I will not forget those who have rendered service to the court!"

A few cabinet ministers were about to curse. Well then, they thought he had become generous, but it turned out he was merely using the Gu Family to tell everyone that there are rewards for those who serve the court.

Otherwise, they may meet a terrible end!

Soon, the secretary prepared the imperial decree, reading it aloud for Emperor Jingyuan.

After ensuring there were no errors, Emperor Jingyuan nodded and said, "Send it along with the previous decree."

Listening to the content of the decree, the cabinet ministers and Lord Minister felt envy, jealousy, and hatred. If Emperor Jingyuan also granted them a decree exempting their shops from taxation, they wouldn’t be so distressed that they couldn’t sleep!

They have many shops in secret, spread throughout Great Chu, all listed under the names of their wives, daughters-in-law, daughters, grandchildren, and outsourced servants, totaling at least hundreds. Each shop has to pay a tenth in taxes... oh, Elder Pei calculated this account, only feeling as if his heart was being gouged out, hurting so much he almost fainted.

Emperor Jingyuan looked at Elder Pei’s pale complexion and felt relieved: "The poisonous insect disease within the city needs to be guarded against, and there are many matters to handle. You may leave."

He then looked at Minister Dai: "You stay."

Upon hearing this, Minister Dai almost wished he were dead.

Stay again?

He had stayed all day, and if he stayed longer, not only would he faint from hunger, but he might also be improperly disheveled in front of the hall... he was urgently in need! Very urgent!

"Yes~" Minister Dai could only stay.

Elder Ying gave Minister Dai a look, cupped his hands, and said, "We take our leave, Your Majesty."

Having said that, he departed with several cabinet ministers and Lord Fang.

Before leaving, Ouyang Zhang took out a memorial and handed it to the Chief Eunuch beside him, saying to Emperor Jingyuan, "Your Majesty, please review my memorial."

Emperor Jingyuan nodded, waved him off.

Ouyang Zhang saluted and then withdrew from Mingwei Palace.

The Chief Eunuch delivered the memorial to Emperor Jingyuan’s desk. Emperor Jingyuan glanced through it, and his expression darkened... it was still about Prince Dongqing Yi.

Before good news arrived, the matter of Beicang Prefecture being tunneled by the Rong people was reported to the Capital. It involved Prince Dongqing Yi, and those perceptive could see that Prince Dongqing Yi seemed to be colluding with the Rong people.

Ouyang Zhang, now the Minister of Rites, responsible for foreign diplomatic matters, had to bring up the matter of Prince Dongqing Yi.

However, Ouyang Zhang knew how to handle affairs and did not mention this in front of so many officials, instead submitting the memorial for Emperor Jingyuan to read and decide on his own.

With a bang, Emperor Jingyuan closed the memorial, his expression sullen... the treacherous heart of Dongqing is not dead, and once he annihilates Da Rong, he will surely flatten Dongqing Yi’s land!

Emperor Jingyuan tossed the memorial aside. The Chief Eunuch knew upon seeing this that it meant no action would be taken.

"Is the background of the Qin Family and Gu Family clarified?" Emperor Jingyuan asked.

Minister Dai replied, "In response to Your Majesty, it has been clarified. The Qin and Gu families were refugees escaping famine from the Northwest, planning to return to their ancestral lands, but en route encountered the chaos in Yongtai Prefecture and detoured to the south, settling in He’an Prefecture. That Qin San Lang is..."

Half a month ago, Vice General Fang had already reported to the Capital City Ministry of War about Ding Ge colluding with the Hundred Wolves Mountain Nine Villages Bandits to devour soldiers.

Qin San Lang had made contributions in this matter, and naturally, the people of the Ministry of War investigated his background, along with the backgrounds of the Qin, Gu, and Luotian families.

"Military family from Xiaoqin Gully Village in Longshan Prefecture, with the grandfather named Qin Longzi..." Emperor Jingyuan looked at the booklet presented by Minister Dai, detailing the six generations of Qin San Lang’s family and maternal clan with clarity, leaving no room for doubt.

As for the surname Qin, although it reminded him of old acquaintances, there were too many people surnamed Qin throughout Great Chu, including the Chief Eunuch serving him, and also a concubine in the harem.

And it had been so many years, with his whole family wiped out, Emperor Jingyuan did not think much of it, simply saying, "Indeed, he is an extremely intelligent general talent. His family background is clear, and his wife’s family also came as refugees, neither family has a powerful patron... they are usable."

Without a powerful patron, there were not too many vested interests involved, and he could use them without worry.

Upon hearing this, Minister Dai tentatively asked, "Does Your Majesty mean to promote Qin San Lang?"

Having slain the Royal General of the Rong people, not to mention exterminating bandits along the way, with a wife who created a remedy to save the country, and receiving the Emperor’s approval as "usable," this Qin fellow is about to rise several ranks to become a Vanguard General!

He had to send his foolish nephew a message, reminding him to befriend Qin San Lang, offering him gold, beautiful women, and whatever else to win him over well.

But Minister Dai was overthinking.

Emperor Jingyuan said, "The military merits he has made indeed warrant a promotion, after the war, promote him to Troop Commander."

"What, a Troop Commander?" Minister Dai was bewildered, was he deaf, how is it just a Troop Commander?

Minister Dai risked saying, "Your Majesty, he is already a Company Commander, and after slaying a great general of the Rong bandits, only promoting him to Troop Commander, isn’t it too little?"

Your Majesty, don’t be so stingy, okay?

Currently, there aren’t many who can win battles. Having finally found a talented general, yet deliberately suppressing and not promoting, how are people supposed to serve the court and fight battles?

"Little?" Emperor Jingyuan’s gaze turned cold, sneered, "Too young; if given high rank, can he hold it?"

Young people are most easily arrogant and most easily bewitched by others. He needs further observation. If this mud leg becomes arrogant or gets trapped and dies on the battlefield after achieving some merit, then he is stupid and utterly useless.

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