I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 348 Don’t hesitate to be granted the title of Marquis (Thank you for your support)
Before Dong Zhuo was about to resign and return to Tingwei Mansion to personally deal with Liu Liang's matter, Liu Bian asked: "Dong Qing thinks that many people in the government and the public privately believe that I forced the Taifu to delegate power to recuperate from illness?"

Dong Zhuo thought for a moment and replied: "I think Liu Liang's people are just small people. They don't know the friendship between your Majesty and the Taifu. They are asking for death."

"A person as upright as I am in the court, I just think that your Majesty cares about my health, and I don't think much about it..."

Liu Bian almost laughed out loud - if you, Dong Zhuo, were upright, there would be no complicated people in the world!

However, the meaning of Dong Zhuo's words was very clear, and the news that he deliberately let Guo Zhi out might have had a counterproductive effect.

Liu Bian added: "You have granted me the title of Marquis of Zhuxiang based on your military merits, and the number of the enfeoffed people should be 1,200 households."

Upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo immediately bowed and said, "Yes, I am a despicable person and have received so much kindness from the emperor. I should only die in repayment!"

Although Liu Bian did not take Dong Zhuo's words seriously in his heart, on the surface he looked moved: "How could I not know that you are loyal and brave in caring for the country!"

Then he changed the topic and asked: "Do you think that due to the merits of the Taifu, you can be granted the title of Marquis?"

Dong Zhuo didn't hesitate and answered without thinking this time: "The great master's hard work and meritorious service, as well as his military exploits, should make him a marquis!"

"Okay, I understand what Dong Qing is thinking."

In fact, there was no friendship between Dong Zhuo and Lu Zhi. What he said was just trying to figure out what Liu Bian meant and echoing it.

Dong Zhuo was now very motivated. After securing his position as Ting Weiqing, another Taiwei from Liangzhou appeared in the court. Although it was not Gai Xun as Dong Min originally guessed, Dong Zhuo has now begun to reflect - there was nothing wrong with Dong Min's thinking at the time, but he, who claimed to be very understanding, misjudged the situation.

Dong Zhuo felt that he understood now.

Judging from the affection shown by the emperor to Lu Zhi, given the emperor's temperament, he may not be unable to become the third lieutenant - if it were Situ and Sikong, he would not be unable to accept it.

Only when leaving Yuntai Palace, Dong Zhuo felt a little melancholy because of his title - the future of the title was promising, but Dong Zhuo still had one biggest worry: he did not have a son who could inherit the title of Marquis from another country.

Although Emperor An issued an edict in the form of "If the title is passed by the public, it must be transferred to the son if it is the same birth, the same birth will be the son", which clearly expanded the scope of inheritance of the title to brothers and nephews, so that Dong Zhuo did not have to worry about the death of the title.

But Dong Zhuo had a son before. If he could, how could he not want another biological son to inherit the title?
With this in mind, Dong Zhuo planned to go to Hua Tuo tonight to ask if there was any good medicine... But before that, he had to finish the things assigned by the emperor.

As Dong Zhuo returned to Tingwei Mansion, the results of Liu Bian's treatment of Liu Liang spread quickly.

Liu Bian chose to cut the knot quickly to clearly demonstrate his attitude. There is no way, with the urinary nature of bureaucrats, if Liu Bian keeps Liu Liang's memorial falsely accusing Lu Zhi for a day, there will be speculators with magnifying glasses looking for the stains that Lu Zhi may or may not have.

Suddenly, all the voices criticizing Lu Zhi overtly and covertly disappeared.

At the court meeting two days later, Yilang Zang Hong wrote with great emotion: "Taifu Lu Gong, a famous scholar in China, studied as a Confucianist... I conquered the barbarians in Jiujiang and the chaos in Lujiang in the Qing Dynasty. Zhang Jiao's victory was originally due to Lu Gong, but it was collected by Lu Gong. The name is used to make policies, but one has no ability... to protect and support the emperor, to work hard and not to complain, is to be a model for the country, and it is nothing more than this. If you die without knowing it, you should be made a prince for your merits!"

Dong Zhuo was sitting in the court hall. Although he had expected this scene in advance, it could be seen that it was happening before his eyes. Listening to Zang Hong's carefully written words describing Lu Zhi's achievements in the country... he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Qian, at this moment, how much he hopes to be praised by himself!
There were many people who were as bitter and envious as Dong Zhuo. Liu Bian saw all this in his eyes and asked: "What do you think of Zang Yilang's memorial?"

As soon as Liu Bian finished speaking, Dong Zhuo immediately jumped out to praise him, and even used Liu Bian's words to praise him: "The great master is loyal to the country, enough to make him a marquis!"

Neither the Taifu nor the Taiwei were in the court, so Situ Cui Lie naturally stood up and affirmed Zang Hong's memorial.

Afterwards, Sikong, the general, and the hussar general expressed their positions one by one.

Since the last time Zang Hong openly scolded the former general and master craftsman Wu Xiu in the court, who is still in prison, who among the courtiers can't see that his holy love is strong? At present, this memorial is said to be from Zang Hong, but who doesn't know who is standing behind Zang Hong?
Moreover, based on Lu Zhi's merits, being granted the title of Marquis was not considered a forceful act. Even if military achievements were put aside, supporting the young master was a great achievement. For example, the current title of An Guotinghou on Yuan Ji comes from his grandfather Yuan Tang's support for Emperor Huan.

If Zuo Feng's frame-up hadn't involved the late emperor's face, Lu Zhi would have been eligible to become a marquis as early as when the Yellow Turbans were pacified.

Otherwise, given Zang Hong's character, even if Liu Bian forced him, he would not submit this memorial.

In the end, Lu Zhi's appointment as a marquis soon became a foregone conclusion. The only thing worth discussing was which level of marquis he would be granted.

Finally, it was tentatively agreed to name Lu Zhi's hometown Yangxiang in Zhuo County, Zhuojun County, and he would be the Marquis of Yangxiang, with a settlement of 1,000 households.

Nowadays, the annual income of thousands of households is slightly less than half of the three-gong, ten-thousand-stone salary due to the decrease in the number of acres of land per capita for ordinary people. Liu Bian can afford this amount of money.

There is no need to worry that the feudal lords' food estates will only increase rather than decrease. The favor order is still being implemented stably. The titles of the heirs at the first level of the lords will remain unchanged, but the food ghettos will be divided with the brothers, nephews and grandsons of the original lords. And will be distributed from generation to generation along with the twenty-first rank until they disappear.

But these are all minutiae. Liu Bian believes that relying on Liu Liang's death and Lu Zhi's appointment as a marquis can not only demonstrate his trust in Lu Zhi and shatter the suspicion of the outside world, but also convey what he hopes to be understood both inside and outside the court. Another message - follow the emperor and have no worries.

When Lu Zhi, who was at home, heard the news that he was being granted the title of Marquis, his first reaction was to refuse, and he immediately wrote a memorial and sent it to the palace in person.

But Liu Bian had already made his decision, and the ceremony of making him a marquis was going through the process, and he was not willing to let go.

But Lu Zhi is not someone who is easy to persuade. He considers that although the national treasury is still relatively rich due to the confiscation of homes, confiscation of homes is not a long-term solution, so he still needs to reduce expenditures. The Taifu already had a salary of ten thousand shi, so he had no need for the feudal lords to feed him.

In the end, the master and the apprentice each took a step back, and their settlement was reduced by half, and they were still the Marquis of Yangxiang.

When the news came out, Lu Zhi was praised by both the government and the public.

This is a real long-term income, and the salary of two thousand dan is nothing more than that. Even if there is a push order, it is enough for the family to benefit from it for several generations.

After the memorial written by Zang Hong personally praising Lu Zhi's achievements was circulated, in conjunction with this incident, some students from the Imperial Academy compared Lu Zhi with Yang Zhen.

(End of this chapter)