Bring your aunt to eat big meat, the scumbag father's family is furious

Chapter 714: Lantern Festival: The Princess of the Nation is awarded one of the eight states

Lin Songyan stood there, watching Ouyang Yi leave, his eyes cold.

With him guarding Qiao Zhizhi and being on guard himself, Ouyang Yi would definitely not give up if he failed in his attempt to get close to Qiao Zhizhi by asking questions.

Having said that, it was like they were turning against each other. The two of them could no longer be friends. He couldn't understand why the Ouyang family had to take this step and what their purpose was.

He was being very attentive to a girl whom he had ignored before, as if she was the only one he wanted. The two families had not had much interaction before, so there must be some ulterior motive.

Lin Songyan pursed his lips. He would never let anyone hurt Qiao Zhizhi or harm the interests of the Qiao family by any means.

During the Lantern Festival, a grand banquet was held in the palace. Those who were qualified to attend the banquet were all second-rank officials and their families, as well as some young faces, who were all promising and talented young men.

Pei Zhujin, Mu Xinghe, and Lin Songyan are all here.

The hall was filled with the sound of music, dancing sleeves, and the aroma of wine, presenting a prosperous atmosphere where elegance and prosperity were intertwined.

"Today, taking advantage of this auspicious day, I want to announce a good news."

"Last year, Liuzhou was hit by a severe drought. Local officials were helpless, which put a huge strain on the national treasury and led to unrest among the displaced population. The situation is threatening to intensify. If it's not brought under control in time, the consequences will be disastrous."

"It was Princess Feiluan's strategy that helped Liuzhou overcome its difficulties, ensuring that the local people had enough food to eat. It also calmed the people's hearts and averted the threat of a widespread uprising. Princess Feiluan's pioneering work stabilized the country and protected the people. I have decided to confer the title of Princess Guarding the Nation on Princess Feiluan."

Everyone in the hall gasped. Princess Zhenguo, what a great title! It meant holding considerable power and being able to participate in discussions and decisions about internal affairs.

This was the first time in more than a hundred years since the founding of Daze State that a woman had achieved such a prominent status.

She was also the first woman from a different family, other than daughters of the royal family, to be able to interfere in internal affairs and hold power.

Moreover, Qiao Jian'er commanded an elite cavalry force of tens of thousands and had made decisive military achievements a few years ago. Compared to her, she was more deterrent and much more powerful.

It can be said that she is the first woman since the founding of Daze.

Qiao Jianer left his seat and knelt before the emperor.

"Your humble servant is terrified. My strength is limited and I am afraid I cannot handle this important task."

"You deserve it," said the emperor.

There was praise and recognition in his tone, and it was decisive without a trace of hesitation.

Some people in the hall wanted to speculate whether the emperor had ulterior motives, but they could not hear any hidden meaning.

The emperor just thought that Qiao Jianer was capable and qualified.

There is no doubt about it, no room for doubt.

The emperor added, "Tianhe Prefecture, a hundred miles outside the capital, will henceforth be the fief of the Princess Zhenguo. Taxation, the 20,000 troops stationed there, and all economic, military, and other affairs will be managed by the Princess Zhenguo."

Tianhe Province is a big province and one of the eight provinces that protect the capital. The emperor directly awarded it to Qiao Jianer. If they hadn't heard it clearly, everyone present would have thought there was something wrong with their ears.

Their souls were shaken. Those first-rank officials looked at Qiao Jian'er and re-examined her existence.

From then on, it would not be an exaggeration to say that her status was the highest among the officials. The difference was that she also controlled a powerful military force, which could be said to be both internal and external.

What's even more different is that she is only sixteen years old.

The only explanation for getting these things is that it was fate.

How can one not feel oppressed by such a person?

Prince Pei was also a little stunned. In fact, he used to think that Qiao Lian'er was not worthy of Pei Er's background, but now, he felt that Pei Er was a little too high for Qiao Lian'er.

The second child in his family has his own ideas and is naturally not one to obey others easily, but he is willing to follow Qiao Lianer. It turns out that it is because Qiao Lianer has huge potential that makes him admire him and is willing to sacrifice his life and shed his blood without regrets.

Qiao Lian'er was somewhat familiar with Tianhe Prefecture because she had been there several times to do jade business.

Among the eight prefectures and counties that guard the capital, Tianhe Prefecture ranks in the middle in economic strength and can be considered a prosperous place. However, the terrain and climate there are a bit complicated, and droughts and floods are more frequent than in other prefectures and counties.

It was said that she was given a fiefdom, but in fact, all under heaven belonged to the king, and that piece of land still belonged to the royal family. The emperor just asked her to take charge of it and govern that place.

But since it is her fiefdom, she has jurisdiction and a great deal of autonomy. As long as she does not make any mistakes, everything in Tianhe State belongs to her.

"Your Majesty." A first-rank minister stood up and bowed, then spoke carefully, "Your humble servant has something to say."

"You said."

"Your Majesty wishes to confer the title of Princess Feiluan as the Guardian of the Nation. I have no objection, but Tianhe Prefecture is too large, and is one of the sixty major prefectures of Daze Nation. Giving it to the Guardian of the Nation in this way will only create hidden dangers in the long run."

He paused, as if mustering up courage. "The harm caused by feudal separatist regimes is obvious to all in history. Such a system has long been eradicated from this land, at least not in Daze State. I do not doubt the loyalty of the Princess Zhenguo, but I am afraid that if the Emperor sets this precedent, others will be tempted to act accordingly."

When he said this, all the ministers began to whisper and discuss.

The emperor said, "I bestowed Tianhe Prefecture upon Princess Zhenguo as a reward for her contributions, both great and small, over the years. She deserves it, so how can you bring it up as a separatist regime?"

"The Emperor's move is indeed a reward for the Princess Zhenguo and a recognition of her abilities, but some people would never see it that way. They simply believe that the Princess Zhenguo is in charge of a large state on her own and has almost complete authority, so they can't just do the same. This will cause resentment and anger. If they disobey her, wouldn't it cause a lot of chaos? Especially those generals who have their own troops and are self-reliant. Seeing this example, they will only become more emboldened."

Then, two more ministers stood up and analyzed the pros and cons, expressing their disagreement implicitly.

The emperor's face became increasingly unsightly. He had to consider it over and over again before making this decision. Qiao Jian'er was someone who could help him govern the country, so he would use her abilities to make his country stronger and more stable, and her family would also become more prosperous. It could be said to be a mutually beneficial situation.

Over the past few years, he has already figured out Qiao Lian'er's character. A person like her will never betray you as long as you don't let her down.

It can be said that Qiao Jianer is a sharp weapon. If used well, it will do him no harm.

But he couldn't say these words in front of all the ministers.

Prince Pei said, "I believe that the Emperor had his own considerations in granting Tianhe Prefecture to the Princess Zhenguo."

"Prince Pei, please tell us something." The emperor became interested.