Chương 493: Liu Ce Begins His Lecture

Xun Yu stared calmly ahead, but in his heart he was thinking: What kind of title? If only it were a title from my hometown Yingchuan... That's my hometown, it would be so prestigious to go back there.

Guo Jia stood next to Xun Yu, unusually not shaking his leg or touching the wine pot. He had deliberately given up drinking, fearing his legs would go weak when he went on stage.

However, his lips were moving slightly, as if he were muttering something, probably afraid of mispronouncing his own name.

Jia Xu stood in the crowd, his face expressionless, revealing neither joy nor anger, like a wooden sculpture.

No one knows what he's thinking. Maybe he's not thinking about anything at all, or maybe he's thinking about what to eat at the banquet later.

In his heart, however, he was calculating what kind of title he could be granted.

After considering all the options, he felt that the title of county magistrate was secure, and a slight smile appeared on his face, which he quickly suppressed.

An old fox, after all, never shows his emotions.

Generals such as Xu Da, Xue Rengui, and Zhang Liao stood tall and proud, full of energy.

They had been on countless battlefields, facing enemies many times their size, without ever flinching.

But today, standing here in Deyang Palace waiting for the investiture, my heart is beating faster than if I were going to the battlefield.

Shen Wansan stood in the queue, dressed in a brand-new court robe with a jade pendant hanging from his waist, looking like a civil official, but his large belly was impossible to hide.

He never imagined in his life that one day he would be standing in the palace waiting for his investiture.

He secretly patted the small golden abacus hidden in his sleeve.

Lu Bing stood next to Shen Wansan, having changed from his flying fish robe into court attire. Without the embroidered spring knife at his waist, he felt a sense of emptiness.

He subconsciously touched his side, then remembered that he didn't bring a knife today, and reluctantly lowered his hand.

He was in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and was usually very imposing, but today he stood obediently, wondering what title His Majesty had bestowed upon him. If it was too low, those brats in the Embroidered Uniform Guard would probably laugh at him when he got back.

In the corner, Zhou Cang and Pei Yuanshao stood together. It was the first time for both of them to participate in such a big event, and their legs were shaking with nervousness.

Zhou Cang whispered, "Old Pei, do you think we can be ennobled? We used to be Yellow Turban rebels."

Pei Yuanshao glared at him: "Keep your voice down! His Majesty said that the past is wiped clean. We are now legitimate meritorious officials of the Han Dynasty!"

Zhou Cang quickly shut his mouth, but couldn't help grinning.

...

"Thump—thump—thump—" The Jingyang Bell rang three times, its deep and melodious sound echoing through the empty palace, causing dust to fall from the palace beams.

The voice was neither hurried nor slow, yet it carried an undeniable majesty, like a decree from heaven or an echo of history.

The palace musicians played "The Music of Rest and Harmony," with the sheng, xiao, drums, and horns resounding together, accompanied by the chime bells and stone chimes, the melodious music echoing throughout the hall.

The melody possessed both the solemnity of a grand imperial ceremony and the grandeur of establishing a new dynasty.

The music subsided, and the hall fell silent again; you could hear a pin drop.

The Grand Herald slowly stepped forward, bowed twice to the north, and his aged yet resonant voice suddenly rang out, causing the hall to tremble slightly; every word seemed to burst forth from his chest:

"Your Majesty! The realm is now at peace, and the hearts of all are with you! The founding heroes have worked together with one heart and one mind, their contributions to the nation are immeasurable! I request that these heroes be granted official titles and honors!"

On the throne, Liu Ce sat upright like a bell.

He wore a twelve-tassel crown with strings of white jade beads hanging down in front and behind, covering half of his face, revealing only his strong jawline.

He wore a bright yellow robe with twelve dragon symbols, and a five-clawed golden dragon coiled on his chest, lifelike, as if it were about to take off at any moment.

His gaze swept calmly over everyone in the hall, and he slowly uttered a single word:

"Can."

Then, Liu Ce leaned forward slightly, his voice clear and steady, echoing throughout every corner of the hall:

"But before the investiture, I want to make a few things clear to you. How the titles are divided, how they are passed on, and what the rules are—I'll explain it all today to avoid confusion later."

Everyone looked up at the throne.

"Today, before the entire court, I will clearly explain the ranks of these noble titles." Liu Ce stretched out one hand, raising each finger in turn.

"My newly established system of noble titles is divided into two major categories and twelve ranks."

"On the imperial family side, princes are only granted titles to my sons, while dukes are granted titles to collateral branches of the imperial family. On the meritorious officials side, the highest rank is duke; then duke; next is county duke; then county marquis, township marquis, and pavilion marquis; and at the very bottom are earl, viscount, baron, and marquis within the pass."

He paused, then drew a circle in the air with his finger:

"The rules of hereditary succession were also established—Princes and dukes were hereditary and perpetual, inherited by the eldest son of the legitimate wife, passed down from generation to generation. From dukes of the state to dukes of the county, the hereditary succession decreased by one rank with each generation, down to barons."

Your son is a Duke of the Commandery, your grandson a Duke of the County, your great-grandson a Marquis of the County, and so on down to a Baron. The title cannot be lowered further. The rank of Marquis to Baron is inherited only once; the title is revoked upon the deceased's death. The title of Marquis within the Passes is not hereditary.

"In other words, your son can inherit, your grandson can inherit, but by the time it comes to the great-grandson, it might be downgraded. This is to prevent future generations from resting on their laurels and living off their past achievements; they still need to work hard."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and many people started doing mental calculations: My son can inherit it, my grandson can inherit it, and my great-grandson can inherit it... That's not bad either, at least three generations won't have to worry.

Liu Ce continued, "In the previous dynasty, the court was in disarray, and the official system was chaotic. Officials were appointed based on their personalities, and titles were granted based on their deeds. Ranks and positions were not clearly defined, and responsibilities were unclear. Those who made contributions did not receive rewards, and those who committed wrongdoings were difficult to punish. One person did the work of three, and three people pushed one thing on another, which took half a year."

He paused, glancing at the slightly palpable faces of the crowd below, and then his tone became even more forceful:

"Today, I hereby establish the official system of the Great Han Dynasty, setting an immutable rule for all ages. From this day forward, all officials of the Great Han Dynasty, whether civil or military, shall be ranked according to nine grades and eighteen levels, with clear division of responsibilities and powers. Who holds what grade, what duties they perform, and how much salary they receive will all be clearly stated, leaving no room for confusion!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a low gasp filled the hall.

Some looked surprised, some lowered their heads in deep thought, and some secretly exchanged glances with their colleagues.

Nine ranks and eighteen levels—this is unprecedented in history.

Liu Ce raised his hand and pressed it down, and the hall returned to silence.

"The so-called nine ranks and eighteen grades means that each rank is divided into two levels: senior and junior. Starting from the first senior rank and ending with the ninth junior rank, there are a total of eighteen grades."

Liu Ce stood up, walked to the edge of the steps, and looked down at them.

"For example—"

"Prince: First Rank; Prince of the Commandery: First Rank; Duke of the State: First Rank; Duke of the Commandery: Second Rank; Duke of the County: Second Rank; Marquis of the County: Third Rank; Marquis of the Township: Third Rank; Marquis of the Pavilion: Upper Fourth Rank; Earl: Lower Fourth Rank; Viscount: Upper Fifth Rank; Baron: Upper Fifth Rank; Marquis within the Pass: Upper Sixth Rank."

He finished speaking in one breath, looking at everyone: "Did you all understand? Everyone knows their rank clearly and plainly. From now on, when you meet colleagues outside, you'll know who's senior and who's junior just by their rank."

Everyone nodded in agreement, some even counting on their fingers to see where they were in line.