The "Daqian Complete Book" is about to be completed, drawing the attention of all the civil and military ministers in the court.
Everyone knows that once accomplished, Emperor Jingwu will surely lavish rewards on those ministers who contributed.
As the chief and deputy chief compilers, Huang Liangzhong and Zhang Jian received focused attention from many civil and military ministers in a short period.
Particularly the deputy chief compiler Zhang Jian, Zhang Daosheng, who was already a close confidant of the emperor, has seen his influence gradually increase over the years. Many senior ministers are already respectful to him, and now, with his contributions to compiling the "Daqian Complete Book," his rank is likely to rise by one or two grades in a short time.
He will soon shed the green robe and don the red robe.
If assigned to an external position, there’s potential to rise by another two grades.
Truly as noble as a king or marquis.
...
Three days later, in the court, Huang Liangzhong, as the chief compiler, reported to Emperor Jingwu and earnestly recounted the results of over ten years of hard work on the "Daqian Complete Book."
The "Daqian Complete Book" encompasses all, not only containing various classics, histories, and philosophical works but also numerous agricultural, commercial, and industrial works, along with many arts and crafts literatures.
This completion paves the way for Daqian’s future unification of all schools of thought.
This is also the ultimate goal Emperor Jingwu strived for in compiling the book. Not only to surpass the cultural and martial achievements of his ancestors but also to take this opportunity to remove and modify ancient books and thoughts unfavorable to Daqian’s rule, fundamentally undermining the status of noble families.
It’s also to break the monopoly of knowledge by noble families.
Through this method, Emperor Jingwu also displays the grand events of Daqian’s literary path to countless scholars from humble backgrounds.
On the throne, Emperor Jingwu became happier as he listened. He was very concerned about the compilation progress of the "Daqian Complete Book," many contents of which he personally verified.
Emperor Jingwu, with great delight, immediately rewarded the merits in court, and with a wave of his imperial pen, all officials who directly participated in the compilation of the "Daqian Complete Book" were promoted by one grade based on their current positions, while hundreds of other officials who indirectly, or meritoriously contributed to the compilation were rewarded with gold, silver, silk, and imperial items, all of significant value.
The foremost individuals were also heavily rewarded. Huang Liangzhong, originally conferred as a Grand Scholar of the Sports and Arts College, was promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Rites, a position just one step away from the Nine Ministers, only below the Minister of Rites.
Ranked Senior Third Grade, spanning directly from Junior Fourth Grade to Senior Third Grade, bypassing Senior Fourth Grade and Junior Third Grade positions.
As the deputy chief compiler, Zhang Jian was also promoted by Emperor Jingwu to the Left and Right Spring Pavilion Grand Scholar of the Chamberlain’s Mansion.
The Chamberlain’s Mansion in the previous dynasty was originally responsible for tutoring the Crown Prince, abandoned by Daqian, and just served as a stepping stone for officials in the Academy of Literature and Martial Arts to transfer.
Above the Junior Fourth Grade Left and Right Spring Pavilion Grand Scholar, only the Senior Fourth Grade Junior Grand Secretary and the Senior Third Grade Chamberlain remain.
The primary official positions will be appointed separately.
Subsequent core compilation officials have also been rewarded.
In the court, Zhang Jian stood beside Huang Liangzhong, observing hundreds of gazes cast on him and Huang Liangzhong, with more on him.
At twenty-two years old this year, not yet twenty-three, he is already an official of Junior Fourth Grade, immensely glorious, with prospects of entering the ranks of the Three Ministers, becoming a marquis or prime minister.
However, Zhang Jian did not pay much attention to this. He sensed that as his rank increased, the Sheji Qiankun Spiritual Mechanism of Daqian’s Dragon Vein became more accessible to him, with the grand magical power circulating within his body.
The cultivation speed has further increased.
Standing among the crowd, Zhang Jian saw Chen Xiuming and several other peers from the academy joyfully expressing their delight.
With the completion of the "Daqian Complete Book," Chen Xiuming, the champion scholar who remained in the Academy of Literature and Martial Arts, finally obtained a smooth promotion, rising from Senior Sixth Grade to Senior Fifth Grade, also receiving an opportunity for external assignment.
...
The grand assembly in the summer of the twelfth year of Daqian Jingwu ended vigorously, with numerous civil and military summaries afterward. More than two hundred officials received titles and promotions in this grand assembly, marking a significant event in civil governance prosperity and highlighting Daqian’s emphasis on the culture and education of the court.
After Zhang Jian’s promotion, he merely followed the routine to the Ministry of the Imperial Household to receive his new official robe and then left for the city.
Zhang Jian prepared to honor his ancestors.
In the past two years, he restrained his urge to go to the ancestral hall to seek benefits because he realized that ordinary Heavenly and Earthly Treasures were already of limited use to him.
Even when he transformed numerous Resentful Fiends in the Dragon Vein and collected Dragon Souls, he held back until now, with the successful completion of the "Daqian Complete Book," to make a fame known across the world.
Now he can honor his ancestors openly and honorably.
This act can truly be said to glorify the ancestors.
Not hiding his actions, Zhang Jian immediately summoned a dozen family members from the Champion Scholar’s Mansion and made extensive purchases at the Paper Horse Shop in the west of the city.
Furthermore, he pre-ordered a special Netherworld Ancient Mirror.
This was Zhang Jian’s first time engaging in this kind of ’custom service,’ the purpose of which Zhang Jian did not know, but he thought it should be feasible.
After all, regardless of the material, the essence of honoring ancestors lies in having it performed through his hands, conducted for the ancestors in the clan hall.
However, Zhang Jian also sought perfection with this custom-ordered ancient mirror. After gathering the materials, he personally carved some nearly natural patterns on it, infusing some of the runes he compiled and studied.
If it works, next time he can skip the conspicuous purchasing step and directly carve himself.
Turn himself into a master sculptor!
...
Inside the Zhang Clan Ancestral Hall, the incense burned gently.
The members of the Zhang Family were very familiar with such a setup.
Qi Yuhua led Zhang Yi, Zhang Zhao, and Zhang Chang’an, the three children, standing aside.
At the moment, the eldest son, Zhang Yi, appeared like a teenager, although he was only six but looked twelve or thirteen.
In contrast, the five-year-old Zhang Zhao was much thinner.
And the two-and-a-half-year-old eldest daughter, Zhang Chang’an, was held in Qi Yuhua’s arms, sucking her fingers, her face full of confusion.
Qi Yuhua, graceful in form, nurtured by the Phoenix Blood Jade, exuded a stately and magnificent aura. In recent years, she also practiced some Inner Cultivation Martial Arts for health, making her aura even more unique.
Environment influences temperament, and cultivation influences physique. She was no longer the elegant maiden seen in the Qi Mansion in the past, increasingly dignified and imposing.
Now witnessing many gold and silver ingots turning into smoke in the fire basin, only the bronze mirror resisted burning.
Seeing this, Zhang Jian blinked, a celestial purity fire issued from his hand, melting the bronze mirror as well.
Zhang Jian felt this maneuver might be risky.
Watching from the side, Qi Yuhua stepped forward, her beautiful jade face smiling. "Husband, I have also prepared some homemade dishes for you. Our family can celebrate together!"
Before Zhang Jian could speak, Zhang Yi’s eyes already shone brightly.
"Mother, does it include my favorite Fengyang Crispy Pork?"
Seeing this, Qi Yuhua’s eyes held a tinge of fondness.
"Yes!"
Beside them, Zhang Zhao couldn’t help but shout, "Mother, me too!"
"Everyone has some!"
Zhang Jian laughed heartily at this moment.