Promotion to Hundred Households Officer, Pillar of the State

This morning, Su Fei was sitting in the records management office, looking through files on wanted criminals apprehended by the Imperial Guard.

These were all wanted criminals who had committed crimes in various places and had not yet been caught.

Su Fei was looking through the files so that he could understand the situation in advance when he received missions to apprehend wanted criminals in the future.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of gongs and drums from outside, approaching from a distance and heading directly towards the Thousand Households Office.

"What's going on?"

Captain Li looked surprised.

Su Fei also put down his files and got up. He walked to the main entrance and saw Commander Feng walking out quickly from the inner courtyard, his face showing a rare solemnity. He spoke loudly to everyone.

"Everyone, follow me to the entrance to receive the imperial decree. The envoy from the Imperial City has arrived."

Everyone was startled by this and quickly tidied their clothes.

They followed behind Commander Feng.

At the entrance of the Thousand Households Office, a team of carriages and horses had already stopped. Leading them was a middle-aged official dressed in a python robe, holding a scroll of imperial decree in bright yellow. Behind him were more than ten Imperial Guards, each with a solemn expression.

The sound of gongs and drums was from the accompanying procession, and this display attracted the attention of the surrounding townspeople, who stopped to watch.

They all curiously discussed what was happening.

Commander Feng led the way and cupped his hands in salute.

"Qingzhou Imperial Guard Thousand Households Office, Feng Changqing, along with his subordinates, respectfully welcomes the envoy!"

Su Fei and the other Hundred Households Officers and General Banner Officers also bowed in unison.

The envoy's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Su Fei, a smile appearing on his face. He spoke loudly.

"Where is Qingzhou Imperial Guard General Banner Officer Su Fei?"

Su Fei took a step forward.

The envoy unfurled the imperial decree and began to read in a loud voice.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Qingzhou Imperial Guard General Banner Officer Su Fei, for his swift resolution of the arms case and his brave repelling of the White Lotus Sect demons, has rendered meritorious service in protecting the nation and stabilizing the state. He is hereby promoted to the rank of Hundred Households Officer of the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office, awarded the title 'Dragon Tiger Imperial Guard,' and bestowed with three hundred taels of gold, a set of Imperial martial arts, a mansion in Qingzhou Prefecture, and three hundred mu of fertile land. Respect this decree."

After reading the imperial decree, the envoy added with a smile.

"His Majesty was greatly pleased upon reading Officer Su's memorial and personally bestowed four words with his imperial brush: Pillar of the State. This is an immense honor."

As the words fell, there was a collective gasp from the crowd.

Commander Feng and the other Hundred Households Officers looked at Su Fei, their eyes filled with undisguised envy.

"What, Dragon Tiger Imperial Guard? This title is only granted to those who have performed great deeds. No one in the entire Qingzhou Imperial Guard has ever received it."

"Those who hold this title can disregard official rank when appearing before superiors and receive additional monthly stipends. Not to mention the gold, the mansion, the fertile land, and the Imperial martial arts – these are all tangible rewards. This treatment is simply too good."

"And most importantly, you all haven't mentioned it, but the 'Pillar of the State' personally approved by His Majesty signifies that Officer Su has caught the Emperor's eye. His future is boundless."

The envoy handed the imperial decree to Su Fei and gestured for his subordinates to bring forward the awarded gold, the mansion deed, and the land deeds, a smile on his face.

"Officer Su, at such a young age, you have achieved such merit. Truly a promising youth. You must continue to strive and alleviate His Majesty's worries in the future."

Su Fei received the imperial decree and the rewards with both hands and bowed.

"Your subject, Su Fei, thanks His Majesty for his great grace and will not fail His Majesty's expectations."

Commander Feng stepped forward and said to the envoy with a smile.

"Envoy, you have traveled a long way, and your journey must have been tiring. Please come inside for some tea and rest."

The envoy smiled and nodded, his gaze lingering on Su Fei for a moment longer. He was clearly very curious about this Imperial Guard Hundred Households Officer who had received such generous rewards at such a young age.

Su Fei held the imperial decree and the rewards, feeling the envious gazes from all around, and felt a sense of emotion.

He had truly soared to the heavens in one step.

Hundred Households Officer, a military rank of the sixth grade.

Dragon Tiger Imperial Guard was comparable to a first-class merit in his previous life.

Three hundred taels of gold were equivalent to three thousand taels of silver. He also liked the mansion. The three hundred mu of fertile land could be rented out, allowing him to be a landlord and collect rent, which would be a considerable income.

There was also the stipend for his promotion to Imperial Guard Hundred Households Officer, increasing from twenty taels to fifty taels per month, plus the thirty taels monthly subsidy for being a Dragon Tiger Imperial Guard.

It seemed he wouldn't be short of money from now on.

As for the Imperial martial arts, he wasn't too concerned. With the System in hand, he had no shortage of martial arts.

A Hundred Households Officer commanded over a hundred Imperial Guard Strongmen.

Su Fei followed Commander Feng to welcome the envoy into the inner hall and served him good tea.

The envoy took the initiative to exchange pleasantries with Su Fei, mostly offering praise and asking for details about the case resolution. Su Fei answered calmly.

After the envoy had rested for a while, he declined the invitation to stay overnight, citing "imperial orders and the inability to linger." Commander Feng personally escorted him to the entrance and only returned after watching the procession and carriages depart.

As soon as he returned to the duty room, Commander Feng looked at Su Fei and said with a hint of teasing in his tone.

"Su Fei, Su Fei, you truly make me envious. I've been struggling in the Imperial Guard for thirty years and still haven't received the title 'Dragon Tiger Imperial Guard.' And here you are, a Dragon Tiger Imperial Guard at such a young age."

He patted Su Fei on the shoulder, his expression becoming serious.

"This title isn't just for show; it's incredibly useful. Not bowing to officials is just the start. In the future, when you handle affairs in various regions, this title will ensure local officials show you respect and give you face."

"Not to mention the thirty taels of silver subsidy each month, and priority claims on certain special resources from the Imperial Guard's vaults. The Dragon Tiger Imperial Guard gets first dibs on these benefits, which you'll come to understand in time."

Su Fei's eyes lit up; it seemed to make sense.

He quickly clasped his hands, his attitude extremely humble, and said, "Commander Feng, you flatter me. My achievements today are all thanks to your guidance, plus a bit of luck. If you hadn't trusted me and allowed me to participate in the arms case, I wouldn't have had the chance to earn this merit."

Commander Feng waved his hand, his eyes full of admiration.

"You, you're just too modest."

"Luck? I've been in official circles for so many years, and I've never seen anyone succeed by relying solely on luck to thwart the White Lotus Sect's schemes and solve cases repeatedly."

"You have Xiantian Realm strength at such a young age, a meticulous mind for solving cases, and your martial art palm techniques are also practiced very well."

"You kid, honestly, I'm curious to see how far you'll go. Perhaps one day, you'll be transferred by the Commandery to Great Xuan Imperial City and become a big shot in our Southern Commandery Investigation Department. Don't forget about us folks in Qingzhou when that happens."

Su Fei's heart stirred, and he asked a question.

"Sir, will there be more cases in Great Xuan Imperial City?"

Commander Feng replied.

"Naturally. The Imperial City is the core of Great Xuan. It's full of nobles, marquises, and the like. Where there are people, there are disputes. The constables there can only handle disputes between commoners. When it truly involves matters between nobles, only the Imperial Guard can step in."

Commander Feng paused, then sighed with a hint of helplessness.

"However, even when the Imperial Guard steps in and obtains evidence, sometimes the punishment is merely a slap on the wrist. It's because there are too many nobles in the Imperial City, and everyone has relatives and friends. Even the Commander can't completely crush someone with a single blow."