He Jingyun was also flustered, and even Gu Hai, who had followed him, looked grim.
No matter what, Gongyang He was nominally the head of all officials, and Liang Xiao's public threat to execute him was too disrespectful.
Even the Son of Heaven would not casually behead a minister; for example, Du Gu Liang, the Minister of Works, was merely dismissed from his post.
The only thing that was convincing was that Liang Xiao added a condition: rebellion, treason!
If the evidence was conclusive, Liang Xiao could act with imperial authority, but saying it publicly was a bit...
This young Marquis of Ten Thousand Households was like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, completely disregarding official etiquette!
This was Liang Xiao's impression on the elders present.
Only Zhuo Zifang felt excited.
Harsh punishments for chaotic times, strong medicine for serious illnesses!
The Great Qian Dynasty needed a new official like Liang Xiao, who had both courage and vision, decisive in his actions, and who could confront the old aristocratic families.
It was inconvenient for aristocratic families like the Zhuo family to confront them. It wasn't that the Zhuo family was afraid, but they simply had no reliable methods because the official circles and connections were too complicated, and they couldn't easily break free from this cycle.
The Zhuo family had a good relationship with the He family, and the He family had a good relationship with the Gu family, but the Gu family didn't have much of a connection with the Zhuo family. Instead, they used to have good relations with the three major aristocratic families in the capital...
The complexity was not something that could be explained in a few words!
This was the pattern of officialdom.
But Liang Xiao was different!
Liang Xiao did not belong to any aristocratic family. At most, he was from a declining military family. He did not need to heed the admonishments of elders, and even his elder, Liang Qing, fully supported him.
Furthermore, Liang Xiao still harbored a final identity...
The living Martial God of Great Qian, the Heavenly General of Divine Might!
This was Zhuo Zifang's absolute backing for supporting Liang Xiao.
Gongyang He was also angered by Liang Xiao's words, and finally laughed in fury, "I am the Grand Tutor, after all. You, a civilian official of the second rank, Guanglu Daifu, with no real power, are you worthy of speaking disrespectfully to me?!"
Everyone present looked at Liang Xiao and could not help but admire his courage.
Gongyang He had a point; Liang Xiao's actions did have a touch of insubordination.
Liang Xiao retorted on the spot, "Then why was it this Marquis, not you, the Grand Tutor, who was ordered to inspect and pacify Jiangnan? Why is it that I, a young man, am a Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, while you, let alone a Marquis, don't even have an Earldom?"
Liang Xiao's counter-question choked Gongyang He.
The surrounding commoners could not help but whisper, "That's right, why wasn't it the Grand Tutor..."
Gongyang He couldn't help but blush.
Liang Xiao then said coldly, "Your smooth ascent to the position of Grand Tutor was merely due to the glory of your ancestors. Looking back at your life, Gongyang He, besides raising a few rebellious sons to cause trouble for the country and its people, what other earth-shattering achievements have you made? Smallpox prevention? Protecting the country? Farming? Contract tax?"
Laughter erupted again from the surroundings.
These "earth-shattering achievements" Liang Xiao mentioned were all his own?
Gongyang He's face turned ashen, yet he had no words to refute.
He indeed had not accomplished anything significant. He did not dare to publicize the matter of suppressing the remnants of the Great Heng Kingdom back then, as he still wanted to utilize them.
A Guanglu Daifu of the second rank had instead achieved countless earth-shattering merits, practically slapping his old face raw!
As for the Jiangnan region, without Du Gu Qun and others present, and with only a Southern King who dared not seize real power, Liang Xiao posed no deterrent to him.
Just as Gongyang He was about to fly into a rage, a booming shout echoed from a distance: "Imperial decree arrives!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a thousand-strong black-armored cavalry unit clearing the way from afar.
The leader rode a magnificent black steed named "Wang Zhui," and it was Ding Wuyi!
"That's the Shadow Guard unit!"
Everyone recognized the troops' attire at a glance, and both surprised and fearful, they made way.
Upon seeing Ding Wuyi, Gongyang He's face grew even more grim.
The Shadow Guard was a unit directly under the Son of Heaven, and the commander of the Shadow Guard represented the Son of Heaven's absolute authority. If necessary, they could even kill the Prime Minister, the Grand General, or the Three Dukes. Only the Son of Heaven could hold the commander of the Shadow Guard accountable!
After dismounting, Ding Wuyi announced loudly, "Liang Xiao, Marquis of Anguo, Guanglu Daifu, Assistant Minister of Works, and General of the East, of Great Qian, listen to the imperial decree. You do not need to kowtow!"
Everyone was astonished!
Listening to an imperial decree without needing to kowtow?
Soon, Zhuo Zifang and others recalled the special privilege Xiao Qing had bestowed upon Liang Xiao: entering the court without bending the knee, and seeing the emperor without bowing. How could an imperial decree be any different?
"All others, kneel and listen!"
With Ding Wuyi's command, everyone except Liang Xiao and Gongyang He knelt down to receive the imperial decree.
Soon, Ding Wuyi noticed Gongyang He standing still. He frowned and cast a displeased glance at him, "Hmm? Grand Tutor, as one of the Three Dukes, do you not know what it means to set an example?"
Being reprimanded in public again, Gongyang He, with a somber face, silently followed suit and knelt down.
Ding Wuyi then unfurled the imperial decree and read it aloud.
"Heaven has bestowed upon our country the Sage Liang Xiao, my beloved minister Liang, the Marquis of Anguo, Guanglu Daifu, Assistant Minister of Works, and General of the East of Great Qian. He has achieved merits in his position and made numerous ingenious strategies, assisting the ruler, protecting the country, and safeguarding the people! Smallpox prevention, contract tax, land reclamation, reform of the salt administration, defense of Yanzhou, protection of Luzhou, suppression of pirates in the East Sea, selection and appointment of the worthy... His merits are immense and countless!"
"Now, the people from all over Great Qian have united to present sixty-six Thousand People Umbrellas, which shows he is universally supported! I, deeply taught by my late emperor, prioritize the people. How can I go against their will? I hereby declare to the world that Guanglu Daifu is promoted to the position of Shangshu Ling!"
Before Ding Wuyi could finish reading, almost everyone present's pupils contracted, and they dared not even breathe.
Gongyang He felt as if the world was spinning.
Shangshu Ling!!
A true official of the second rank, holding real power, with a status and authority comparable to that of a Prime Minister, and the head of second-rank officials. No one had held this position for over a decade since Zhuo Zifang's resignation!
Furthermore, the edict even cited the late Emperor Wen!
Zhuo Zifang was also surprised, but his heart bloomed with joy.
He had a successor!
"Why is there no 'Qin Ci'?" Everyone soon noticed something was amiss.
In Great Qian, all imperial decrees usually concluded with "Qin Ci," unless it was a special imperial decree like Liang Xiao's that could be carried around and read.
But an imperial decree like Ding Wuyi's clearly should not be without it!
Therefore, no one dared to stand up casually. Any commoner who was unaware of the rules and tried to stand up was pressed down by those around them.
A group of Shadow Guards ran to the back and opened the long wooden chests on the carriages, taking out giant paper umbrellas one by one and displaying them publicly. On them were written the names and handprints/fingerprints of countless commoners.
Thousand People Umbrellas!
Everyone then remembered that because Liang Xiao promoted free smallpox prevention and proposed lowering the price of salt, making it affordable for the common people, people from all over the country had been preparing Thousand People Umbrellas to send to the capital to express their gratitude.
Jiangnan alone had sent twenty to thirty!
Only Zhuo Zifang and He Jingyun and others knew the truth.
These Thousand People Umbrellas were well-deserved, but they had also received hints from people sent by Xiao Qing to prepare for this.
The Son of Heaven of Great Qian was the mastermind behind these Thousand People Umbrellas!
Liang Xiao was also somewhat surprised.
These Thousand People Umbrellas were usually to praise local officials. Could sixty-six of them be sent from all over the country?
Gongyang He's heart felt a pang, and he slowly rose.
"Silence! The imperial decree has not finished being read!"
Ding Wuyi rebuked sharply, and the crowd quieted down. Gongyang He had no choice but to endure the discomfort and kneel back down.
Ding Wuyi raised his voice and read the final section, as if fearing that someone might not hear it.
"Minister Liang is a pillar of the nation, loved by the people, and upholds the imperial authority with unwavering loyalty until death. He is my trusted minister! Therefore, I place high hopes on him and, in accordance with the will of the people, hereby declare to the world: After Minister Liang returns to the capital, if necessary, he may concurrently hold the position of Grand Protector at any time! Qin Ci."
"Grand Protector?!"
The entire place erupted in an uproar. Gongyang He choked as if he had swallowed something, and his vision went black!
The "Three Dukes" of each dynasty varied.
The Three Dukes of Great Qian were: Grand Tutor, Grand Instructor, and Grand Protector!
For a living minister, it was rare to hold the position of Grand Protector...
The Grand Tutor was the head of the Three Dukes but had no real power, while the Grand Instructor and Grand Protector did...