Chương 65: Marquis of Champion, General of the Cavalry

Zhang Rang's high-pitched voice rose as he personally stepped forward, holding a scroll of silk imperial edict, and began to read it aloud:

"After the Prince of Changsha, Liu Ce, endowed with loyalty and filial piety, and possessing strategic courage, raised a righteous army and vowed to eliminate the evil forces!"

Commanding the royal army, sweeping away the evil forces, he successively quelled major bandit groups such as Cheng Yuanzhi, Bo Cai, Zhang Bao, Zhang Liang, and Zhang Jiao, and wiped out the main force of the Yellow Turbans. His achievements are outstanding and will be recorded in history!

Zhang Rang paused, took a breath, and read the key part in a clearer voice:

"I hereby bestow upon you the title of Marquis of Champion, with a fief of ten thousand households in Yangdi County!"

(Liu Ce's inner thoughts: Wow! Marquis of Champion! Huo Qubing's title! Awesome!)

"He is hereby granted the title of General of the Cavalry, and given the authority to establish his own government with the same rank as the Three Excellencies!"

(Liu Ce: General of the Cavalry! A high-ranking military officer second only to the Grand General! He can even establish his own government and appoint his own staff? He wields considerable power!)

"He shall be appointed Governor of Youzhou, overseeing all military and political affairs of Youzhou, and responsible for defending the northern border for me, preventing the invasion of the Xianbei and Wuhuan!"

(Liu Ce: I'm the boss of Youzhou! My territory is even bigger now!)

"By special decree, you are temporarily appointed to command the military forces of Ji Province to quell the remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and stabilize the region!"

(Liu Ce: Wow! You're still temporarily in charge of the troops in Ji Province?) As this series of rewards was read out, the entire Deyang Palace fell silent instantly.

Even the old ministers who had been dozing with their heads down suddenly raised their heads, their eyes filled with shock, envy, jealousy, confusion... a variety of complex emotions.

Marquis of Champion! That was Huo Qubing's title, awarded only for unparalleled military achievements! General of the Cavalry! Equal to the Three Dukes, second only to the Grand General—the pinnacle of military rank!

The governor of Youzhou not only controls the military and political affairs of the province, but is also on the front line against foreign invaders! He even "temporarily" holds military power over the newly pacified and populous Jizhou!

This reward... is too generous! So generous it's terrifying!

After a moment, Liu Ce realized what was happening and was stunned. A string of bolded comments flashed through his mind:

"Holy crap! Emperor! You're serious?! Such a huge fiefdom!"

He's both the Marquis of Champion and the General of the Cavalry, and he even wants me to be the local tyrant of Youzhou while keeping an eye on Jizhou.

You're putting me on the hot seat! Do you think I'm young and easy to fool, and want me to go north and fight the barbarians to the death, while also drawing all the firepower?! I'm scared!

But under the watchful eyes of everyone, the play must continue, and it must be performed exceptionally well!

Liu Ce took a deep breath, his face quickly switching to an expression of "deep gratitude and trepidation".

He carefully removed the ceremonial cap from his head, placed it respectfully on the ground, and then prostrated himself, performing the most solemn three-kowtowing ceremony.

After straightening up, he spoke loudly and clearly, his voice filled with sincerity:

"Your subject Liu Ce, by the grace and protection of Your Majesty and the divine power of the ancestral temple, was fortunate enough to wipe out the Yellow Turbans!"

Today, thanks to His Majesty's great favor, I have been granted the title of Marquis of Champion and the high rank of General of Chariots and Cavalry, and have been entrusted with the important responsibility of Governor of Youzhou, with military and political power granted to the prefecture and counties, and even temporarily given command of the military power of Jizhou...

Your Majesty's favor far exceeds the merits I have rendered! I am truly filled with trepidation!

However, Your Majesty places such trust in me, and I am keenly aware that my responsibility is heavier than Mount Tai, and I dare not shirk it in the slightest!

After he finished speaking, he kowtowed again.

Then continue to pledge loyalty:

"As a member of the Han imperial family, I have received great favors from the country! I will do my utmost to defend Youzhou, and vow to resist the Xianbei and Wuhuan to the death, so as to protect the borders and the people!"

At the same time, I will wholeheartedly comfort the displaced people of Jizhou, eliminate the remaining bandits, and stabilize the region! Even if I am shattered to pieces, I will never betray Your Majesty's trust, nor the fate of the nation!

After speaking, he kowtowed for the third time solemnly.

Then he knelt forward a few steps, raised his hands above his head, and took the gold seal and purple ribbon representing the power of the General of the Cavalry and the Governor of Youzhou from Zhang Rang's hands.

After receiving the seal, he took three steps back, bowed respectfully, and steadily returned to his position. This series of movements was smooth and respectful, a performance worthy of an Oscar!

Sitting on the dragon throne, Liu Hong watched Liu Ce's fluid, awe-inspiring, and grateful performance, feeling incredibly satisfied and nodding in approval.

"Look at him, how well-mannered! How grateful he is! And so capable! Who else would we use if not a relative like him? He truly deserves to be my personally recognized good younger brother! This investment was worthwhile!"

Liu Hong nodded slightly, a warm smile on his face, and said gently:

"I am very pleased with your loyalty, my dear minister. Rise."

The entire Deyang Palace fell silent after his actions.

Everyone was stunned by the generous reward and Liu Ce's "just right" gratitude and loyalty.

Although the hall remained quiet, the minds of the various factions were already in turmoil.

Officials from powerful families maintained professional smiles on their faces while frantically calculating in their minds.

Liu Ce was a member of the imperial clan; opposing him was tantamount to slapping the emperor in the face, which was politically incorrect, especially on such an important occasion. For the time being, the only option was to agree that "a member of the imperial clan who has rendered meritorious service should be richly rewarded."

However, the rise of such a young and powerful figure will inevitably squeeze their space for interests, and we must find ways to check and balance them.

Officials from humble backgrounds or those who had failed to achieve their ambitions: Their eyes lit up! This was a role model! Maybe they could rely on this new bigwig and change their fate! They had already started thinking about how to find an opportunity to offer their "pledge of allegiance".

He Jin (Grand General), a relative of the emperor: His smile was a little stiff. Liu Ce's momentum was too strong! Marquis of Champion and General of the Cavalry, his status was approaching his own.

The combined military power of Youzhou and Jizhou is not to be underestimated. The emperor is clearly cultivating a force to check and balance him! He must win them over! If that fails... he must still be wary.

Military veterans (such as Huangfu Song) had mixed feelings. On the one hand, they acknowledged Liu Ce's outstanding military achievements, but on the other hand, they felt that the emperor's reward was a bit "excessive." However, since Liu Ce was a member of the imperial clan, and the emperor wanted to promote his own family, they couldn't say anything. They decided to wait and see.

The eunuch clique (Zhang Rang and others): They were secretly delighted. They had long since won over Liu Ce's "hearts" and thought this new favorite was "sensible." Now that Liu Ce was in power and was a pawn used by the emperor to counterbalance the maternal relatives and powerful families, they naturally wanted to win him over and provide mutual assistance in the future.

After finally enduring the court session, Liu Ce had just stepped out of the Deyang Palace, wanting to catch his breath, when he was instantly surrounded by a surging crowd!

"Congratulations, Marquis of Champion! Congratulations, General of the Cavalry!"

"With such unparalleled merit, Your Excellency, when you are stationed in the northern frontier, you will surely once again display the might of our Great Han!"

"This humble official has long admired Your Excellency, and wonders if you would do me the honor of visiting..."

Officials from all walks of life swarmed around him like bees drawn to a fragrant flower. Some came to offer congratulations, others to curry favor, and still others to make themselves known.

Liu Ce could only see swaying official hats and fawning smiles before his eyes, and hear all sorts of flattery in his ears.

He maintained a humble yet polite smile, repeatedly returning the gestures with clasped hands, and muttering similar words:

"It is all thanks to Your Majesty's wisdom, the soldiers' bravery, and the strategic planning and strong support of all the officials in the court! Liu Ce dared not claim all the credit for himself; it was merely a stroke of luck, nothing more!"

But inside, he was screaming, "Let me go! I want to go home and sleep! No, I want to go back to Youzhou! This place is no human being!"

(Historical records indicate that in the winter of 184 AD, the first year of the Zhongping era, after Huangfu Song killed Zhang Bao at Xiaquyang and quelled the main force of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Emperor Ling of Han issued an edict appointing him as General of the Left Chariots and Cavalry and Governor of Ji Province. The purpose was to promote the reconstruction of Ji Province after the war. It was not until the fifth year of the Zhongping era of the Eastern Han Dynasty that he was appointed on a large scale.)