BDSMST -Chapter 88 The Emperor’s Commendation

The capital. The Forbidden City. The Imperial Study.

The emperor, now past fifty, was in exceptionally high spirits as he read a memorial submitted from Yong’an County.

“Excellent! An excellent magistrate of Yong’an County! He loves the people as his own children and handled matters appropriately! To have completely quelled such a fierce plague within a single month—he must be rewarded! Generously rewarded!”

The memorial had been submitted by Magistrate Zhang Zhiming of Yong’an County. It spanned thousands of words, elaborately describing how he had “braved dangers, personally gone to the front lines, poured out heart and soul, and turned the tide.”

At the end of the memorial, he “modestly” added that the success of the plague control also owed much to the “strong support” of the local gentry—namely, the Marquis of Yongning, Gu Yan, and his wife—who had donated money and supplies and made “a certain contribution” toward stabilizing public sentiment.

Standing below, the Crown Prince’s gaze flickered slightly as he listened to his father’s praise, but he said nothing.

“Your Majesty,” said Eunuch Fu with a smile at the side, “Magistrate Zhang may indeed be a capable official. However, this servant has heard somewhat different rumors.”

“Oh? What rumors?” the emperor asked with interest.

“The young eunuch I sent south to purchase goods reported that the people of Yong’an County now speak only of ‘Bodhisattva Jiang’ and scarcely of the county magistrate. They say it was the Marquis of Yongning’s wife who invented the ‘Peaceful Safety Decoction’ and the methods of epidemic prevention that saved the entire city.”

As he spoke, Eunuch Fu carefully observed the emperor’s expression.

The smile on the emperor’s face faded slightly. He picked up another report—this one submitted by imperial secret agents—and read it carefully.

Its contents were entirely different from Magistrate Zhang’s memorial.

It recorded in detail how, after the outbreak began, Magistrate Zhang had shut himself indoors and driven away refugees; and how Jiang Suisui of Woniu Village had established quarantine zones, brewed medicinal decoctions, and proposed a series of seemingly unconventional yet highly effective epidemic prevention measures—such as wearing face coverings and frequent handwashing.

At the end of the report was a copied version of the Handbook on Plague Prevention and Treatment.

The longer the emperor read, the graver his expression became.

When he reached the phrases “poisoning with Rot-Intestine Grass” and “massacre to silence witnesses,” he suddenly slammed his hand on the table, flying into a rage.

“Outrageous! Outrageous! Under the bright sun and clear heavens, someone dares commit such inhuman acts on the soil of my Great Xia!”

“Investigate! Investigate thoroughly! No matter who is implicated, there shall be no leniency!”

The temperature in the Imperial Study seemed to drop instantly.

Only then did the Crown Prince step forward and bow. “Father, please calm your anger. This matter is shocking, and the forces behind it are likely complex. It cannot be unraveled overnight. The urgent task is to first reward those who rendered merit in combating the plague, so as to reassure the hearts of the people.”

The emperor took a deep breath, suppressing his fury. He knew the Crown Prince was right.

He looked again at the secret report, his eyes resting on the names “Gu Yan” and “Jiang Suisui.”

Gu Yan—the northern frontier war god who had once inspired both admiration and wariness in him.

Jiang Suisui—the marquis’s wife he had never paid much attention to, yet who had shone brilliantly in this crisis.

“The Marquis of Yongning, Gu Yan,” the emperor pondered before speaking slowly, “though currently holding no official post, has kept the nation in his heart. In this plague, he led by example, personally entering the infected region to uncover the truth. His loyalty and courage are evident as the sun and moon. I decree that his title of Marquis of Yongning be fully restored, and that he be permitted to reorganize the three-hundred-man Yongning Guard to be responsible for patrol and security within the capital region.”

At these words, both the Crown Prince and Eunuch Fu felt their hearts tremble.

Restoring the noble title was expected—but reorganizing the Yongning Guard meant real military authority.

The Yongning Guard had once been Gu Yan’s personal guard unit. Each man was capable of fighting ten; all were fierce and battle-hardened. Though numbering only three hundred, their combat power rivaled that of three thousand regular troops.

For the emperor to place such a force back into Gu Yan’s hands spoke volumes of trust and reliance.

“As for Lady Jiang…” The emperor’s gaze fell upon the Handbook on Plague Prevention and Treatment. “This woman possesses great talent and even greater virtue. By her own efforts, she saved tens of thousands from disaster. Her merit benefits the state and will endure for generations. I decree that Jiang be conferred the title ‘First-Rank Lady Protector of the Nation,’ granted the salary of a first-rank noble lady, rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of silk. The handbook she authored shall be immediately printed by the Imperial Medical Bureau and distributed throughout the realm as a model for future generations!”

First-Rank Lady Protector of the Nation.

In the history of Great Xia, this was an unprecedented honor.

Ordinarily, noble titles for women were granted by virtue of their husbands’ achievements. But the words “Protector of the Nation” recognized her own merit—the emperor’s highest acknowledgment of her role in safeguarding the state.

This imperial edict meant that from this day forward, Jiang Suisui would no longer be merely the “Marchioness of Yongning,” a title attached to her husband’s status. She would stand as an independent figure of immense prestige and influence.

“As for that Zhang Zhiming…” A trace of coldness flashed through the Emperor’s eyes. “He deceived his sovereign and falsely claimed credit. Strip him of his post and investigate him thoroughly. He is never to be employed again!”

One after another, the imperial edicts were dispatched from the capital at top speed, traveling eight hundred li in urgent relay to the small village of Woniu.

When the eunuch bearing the bright yellow decree appeared on the ridges of Woniu Village’s fields, the entire village was thrown into an uproar.

When had the villagers ever witnessed such a spectacle? One by one, they crouched in the distance, craning their necks to watch.

Jiang Suisui and Gu Yan led the estate’s people to kneel in the open space before their home to receive the decree.

When the proclamation of “restoring the title of Marquis of Yongning” and “reorganizing the Yongning Guard” was read aloud, Wei Ziqian and the others standing behind Gu Yan were so excited they nearly jumped to their feet.

And when they heard “First-Rank Lady Protector of the Nation” and “ten thousand taels of gold,” everyone was stunned.

They looked toward the slender yet steady figure kneeling at the very front. In their eyes, alongside awe, there was now an indescribable pride.

This was their Madam. Their pillar of strength.

Jiang Suisui listened calmly to the lavish praise in the decree, her heart unmoved. What she truly cared about was the final line.

“…By Imperial Order.”

The eunuch closed the decree and, beaming, handed it to Jiang Suisui and Gu Yan. “Congratulations, Marquis! Congratulations, Madam! His Majesty speaks of you both with the highest praise. This is an immense favor from the Emperor!”

“You’ve worked hard, Eunuch,” Jiang Suisui said, signaling Steward Fu to present a thick red envelope.

The eunuch weighed it discreetly, his smile growing even more sincere. “Madam is too courteous. This servant must hurry back to the capital to report. I won’t impose any longer. Ah, but His Majesty also asked me to pass along a message to Madam.”

“What message?”

The eunuch leaned closer and lowered his voice. “His Majesty said: This realm belongs to the Zhao family. But those who allow the people under Heaven to live in peace and prosperity are the pillars of the state. Madam… you understand what I mean?”

Jiang Suisui’s heart stirred.

She understood. The Emperor was both cautioning and reassuring her.

It was acceptable to have great merit—but not to overshadow the sovereign.

She smiled faintly and bowed. “This subject’s wife is humbled. I will remember His Majesty’s grace and abide strictly by my proper duties.”

The eunuch nodded in satisfaction before departing contentedly with his entourage.

After the imperial envoys left, Woniu Village erupted into complete celebration.

Ten thousand taels of gold, a thousand bolts of silk, the gleaming decree of ennoblement, and the Marquis’s official seal—all were passed around for the villagers to admire in wonder.

Gu Xuan clutched the heavy marquis seal, reluctant to let it go, repeatedly pushing it toward Gu Yan. “Father! Father! You’re a marquis again! Does that mean we can go back to the capital and live in a big mansion?”

Gu Yan ruffled his son’s hair without answering. His gaze moved past the jubilant crowd and settled on his wife, who was surrounded by women offering congratulations.

She seemed different today.

Gone was her usual coarse clothing suited for labor. In its place was a simple, pale-colored dress. She wore no makeup, yet she shone more brilliantly than any elaborately adorned noblewoman in the capital.

The title “First-Rank Lady Protector of the Nation” seemed to cloak her in an invisible radiance.

Gu Yan’s heart began to beat a little faster.

He thought to himself that he had to do something.

If he delayed any longer, this increasingly dazzling woman might soon be seen—and admired—by far too many others.