latelenovela Chapter 920 Conferring Titles: The Qiao Family Now Has Noble Titles
Chapter 920 Conferring Titles: The Qiao Family Now Has Noble Titles
In the past, when the emperor wanted to reward her, he would just give it directly. This time, however, he asked her directly what she wanted. This made Qiao Lian'er realize that something was wrong.
Kunyang Prefecture was a fertile land, passed down only by blood ties. She obtained it, and although she obtained it openly and honestly, in the emperor's eyes, she still possessed something that belonged to the royal family.
Although this great victory was mainly due to her efforts, she could not have any other ambitions besides Kunyang Prefecture.
The emperor said, "Kunyang Prefecture was won by you through a gamble, and it has little to do with this war. You have made a great contribution and will be rewarded separately."
Qiao Lian'er said, "If it weren't for this battle, there would be no bet between me and Prince Jin. Moreover, it was precisely because I won the battle that I won this bet, so Kunyang Prefecture is my reward. I have no other requests."
Her eyelids were lowered, and her voice was respectful but uneasy, as if she couldn't sleep soundly after accepting that piece of land.
"I see that Prince Jin is in a difficult position, and Princess Yaoguang is also heartbroken because of this matter. I cannot bear it. If Your Majesty wishes to take back Kunyang Prefecture and return it to Princess Yaoguang, I am willing to do so."
The emperor secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Qiao Lian'er's words actually put him at ease. If she took it for granted, wouldn't she covet more of the royal family's land?
So this time, he's testing the waters.
"Lian'er now possesses four fiefdoms, which is almost equivalent to that of a prince. If I were to grant you more fiefdoms, it would attract too much attention. So, I will reward you with some wealth and silk to express my gratitude. But this is all I have to offer, as it does not do justice to the great contributions you have made. How about this, I will grant the Qiao family the title of Earl, which will be enjoyed by their descendants for generations."
"The reason I didn't grant the Qiao family a title before was because the Qiao family had only been in the capital for a short time, and granting them a title might cause controversy. Also, none of the Qiao family men had entered officialdom through the formal imperial examinations. Now that you have made such a contribution, I will make an exception for you."
Qiao Lian'er's heart stirred. She had long hoped for a title, but apart from her own title, the Qiao family did not have one.
Because the Great Swamp Kingdom had a rule that households of earl and above must have officials of the fourth rank or above who had entered officialdom through the imperial examinations and were able to meet with the emperor to discuss matters.
Below the earldom are viscounts and barons. If the title were granted to the Qiao family, it would seem insufficient compared to her position as a princess who protects the nation.
Therefore, the Qiao family never held a noble title.
Because they lacked a noble title, even though the Qiao family was at the height of its power, they were looked down upon by some established noble families in the capital. After all, this was only the glory of one generation, and it would be very difficult for each subsequent generation to maintain such momentum.
Now, all the men of the Qiao family have gone to the battlefield and wiped out half of the main force of the Da Nu Kingdom, achieving remarkable feats that have attracted much attention.
The emperor finally agreed to grant him a noble title.
With a title, descendants can use it to become generals or officials, and even if they cannot pass the imperial examinations, they can still find work in the court.
This is a joyous and encouraging event.
For Qiao Lian'er, granting this title was more valuable than bestowing more land.
However, in the emperor's view, the title could be revoked at any time, and if more troops were stationed on more fiefdoms, it would be even more difficult to deal with if Qiao Lian'er really had ulterior motives.
Both sides got what they wanted.
Qiao Lian'er knelt down to express her gratitude.
When the news of the bestowal of a title arrived, the Qiao family was overjoyed. Yes, the Qiao family finally had a title, and the descendants of the Qiao family were now secure.
Although the rank of earl isn't very high, it's certainly not easy to obtain, and there's room for advancement in the future.
Conferring a title is no small matter, especially since all the men of the Qiao family have been promoted to the rank of fourth-grade generals. The Qiao family decided to hold a banquet to celebrate.
However, the Qiao family did not want to be too ostentatious, so the people they invited were mostly close relatives, those with whom they had business dealings, or those who were related by marriage.
Qiao Lian'er sent a letter to the Prince of Yan.
On the day of the banquet, the Prince of Yan arrived. After offering some polite congratulations, he said with some surprise, "I don't have much contact with the Qiao family, but the Princess Zhenguo is willing to host a banquet for me, which is a great honor for me."
Qiao Lian'er said, "That day in the court, Prince Yan spoke up for me, and I have been grateful ever since. Today, I am hosting a banquet for the prince to express my gratitude."
"I have always been one to repay kindness with kindness and revenge with revenge. I am straightforward by nature. If I have offended you in any way, please forgive me, Your Highness."
Qiao Lian'er's words were loaded with meaning, but the Prince of Yan remained calm, smiling slightly.
"I admire Princess Zhenguo's frankness."
Qiao Lian'er raised her hand, and a servant served tea to the Prince of Yan.
"This is a fine tea that I recently acquired. Please, Your Highness, try it."
The Prince of Yan took a small sip, his expression faltering slightly, and his fingers gripping the cup tightened silently.
This tea has a fragrance that is exactly the same as the fragrance of the flowers placed on the windowsill of the emperor's bedroom.
The Prince of Yan then realized that Qiao Lian'er had figured out how the emperor had fallen ill.
Therefore, the fact that she couldn't possibly enter the emperor's bedchamber to investigate the issue of that bouquet of flowers can only mean one thing: her special abilities have been restored.
In fact, the King of Yan had already had some doubts before this.
Because of the counterattack against the enemy forces of the Da Nu Kingdom, the troops stationed in various key cities and passes acted almost simultaneously, which required consistent communication.
The King of Yan's heart sank.
It turned out that Huo Xiu used his last breath to lift the seal on Qiao Lian'er.
Now, Qiao Lian'er can appear silently beside him, just like before, observing his words, his expression, and his every move.
Even the composed Prince Yan felt the hairs on his body stand on end.
Qiao Lian'er was warning him not to think about harming her or targeting the Qiao family.
"How does Your Highness find the taste?" Qiao Lian'er asked with a smile.
"The tea is good, but it doesn't quite suit my taste. I apologize for the intrusion."
"I thought His Highness liked this taste." Qiao Lian'er then instructed, "Change His Highness's tea."
As the carriage traveled back to the mansion, the Prince of Yan closed his eyes and then slowly opened them again, revealing a shadowy expression.
Only those who have faced Qiao Lian'er know how difficult this girl is to handle; he has experienced it firsthand.
The King of Yan took a deep breath and decided to remain still for the time being.
He will find a way to restrain Qiao Lian'er sooner or later. The best way to deal with someone like her is to kill her in one blow, without giving her a chance to react.
A few days later, Song Ruier found Song Dujuan and gave her two things: two Buddhist amulets.
"What is this for?" Song Dujuan examined the amulet repeatedly, unable to understand it, only finding its color and design somewhat strange.
Her first instinct was to throw it far away.
“Wear it on your body, and you will be able to sense Qiao Lian’er when she gets close to you,” Song Rui’er said.
"As for the other one, you know who to give it to."