The Humble Family's Daughter Has A Spatial Pocket! novel Chapter 773

Chapter 773: Chapter 691, Persuasion_1

After the imperial decree was read, the emperor, seeing that no officials had any matters to report, directly announced the end of the court session. Once the emperor left with Eunuch An, the courtroom instantly erupted into commotion.

"The Yan Family again! Last time they donated 200,000 shi of medicinal herbs, and now a million shi of grain; just how much land does the Yan Family have?"

"Could it be that the Yan Family has really embezzled?"

"Don’t even say that; have you forgotten the cautionary tale of Imperial Censor Shi?"

"Surely, what we can think of, the emperor must have considered as well. Since he said nothing and instead rewarded the Yan Family, that must mean the Yan Family’s grain has a legitimate source."

The officials nodded in agreement, ceasing further discussion.

Duke Cheng’en and a few officials were walking behind. When there were few people around, one of the officials spoke up: "Due to the case involving Duke An, many officials have been arrested and their positions are now vacant. We had hoped the position of Minister of Revenue could be filled by one of our own, but the emperor has pulled this unexpected move."

Another official took over the conversation with a sneer: "Well, that’s because they could come up with a million shi of grain."

Duke Cheng’en walked on in silence, not saying a word. Seeing his reaction, no one else dared to speak.

As they approached the gate of the palace, Duke Cheng’en looked back in the direction of Qianqing Palace, his gaze heavy with concern.

The Jiang Family was caught off guard by both the Yan Family’s grain donation and the situation on the Northern Frontier; by the time they got wind of it, the outcomes had been decided.

The emperor’s methods were getting more formidable, and his control over the court deepened. Otherwise, the Jiang Family would not have been completely clueless about the events!

Without the constraints of the Eighth Prince, it was time for the Jiang Family... to lay low.

For the Han and Yang Families, who were related to the Yan Family by marriage, the news of the Yan Family’s move to Beijing was joyous. However, the Jiang Family of Duke Cheng’en Residence and the Guo Family of Duke Dingguo Residence couldn’t quite muster a smile.

Originally, with Yan Zhigao’s record of service, after his term as Magistrate of Ningmen Prefecture ended, he could have been transferred to Beijing. However, the Jiang and Guo Families had maneuvered to block his chance of entering the capital.

To their surprise, in less than a year, the Yan Family had managed to be summoned to the capital by the emperor himself by donating medicinal herbs and grain, with Yan Zhigao appointed as Minister of Revenue, a position of real authority.

...

Ningmen Prefecture.

The eunuch delivering the decree arrived at the Yan Family’s home on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

In addition to transferring Yan Zhigao to the position of Minister of Revenue, the eunuch also brought imperial rewards, bestowing on the eldest legitimate daughter of the Yan Family, Yan Yiyi, the title of Countess of Shengping, and decreeing both Old Madam Yan and Madam Li as Madams of the Third Rank.

Apart from Yan Zhigao, Madam Li, and Old Madam Yan, who knew about the donation of a million shi of grain, the rest of the Yan Family were dazed by this sudden stroke of fortune.

After Yan Zhigao and Yan Wenxiu led the eunuch to the front courtyard for tea, the womenfolk began to chatter noisily.

Madam Wu, still in disbelief, said, "Elder Sister-in-Law, Daohua is a countess now?"

Madam Li nodded with a smile. When she first learned that her daughter was going to donate a million shi of grain, she had felt a pang of loss in private. Now that her daughter was a countess, she felt no regret at all.

She had always been worried about her daughter’s marriage to Xiao Yeyang, fretting that her low status would lead to contempt and bullying in the Prince’s residence.

Now it was all good; her daughter was a countess with a title, so even if there was still some gap between her and Yeyang, no one could casually demean her status.

Han Xinran also asked excitedly, "Mother, are we going to Beijing?" Although Zhongzhou was nice, to her, it still felt foreign compared to Beijing, where she grew up and where her relatives and friends were.