"My lords, look! What a barren wasteland North Sea Commandery was. Three years ago, even its military expenses required Luoyi to allocate a portion of funds to it. But now?
In less than four years, North Sea Commandery had become one of the finest upper commanderies!"
As he spoke, Benevolent Sovereign Ji Long abruptly rose from behind the imperial desk, waving his hand as he shouted, "A great merit!
This is a great merit indeed!
I shall richly reward Lord Ye!"
"With such great merit, no reward would be enough to comfort the hearts of my ministers. I have decided to specially raise Lord Ye's title of Third-Class Count of North Sea by one rank, promoting him to Second-Class Count of North Sea—"
At that moment, Grand Supervisor of the Inner Palace Yu Chaoen gave a light cough and quietly reminded him, "Your Majesty, by the ancestral laws, titles may not be conferred or elevated without military merit."
Yu Chaoen's voice was soft, yet every court official in the hall heard it clearly.
Benevolent Sovereign Ji Long froze for a moment, as did the civil and military officials throughout the court. But Ming Tang, Ji Yuan, Baili Fei, and the others who were close to the Heaven Temple and had been preparing to deal with Ye Zhen cursed inwardly.
Deliberate!
Benevolent Sovereign Ji Long had to be doing this on purpose!
Every title, even one as minor as a baron, required imperial intent before it could be bestowed. How could Benevolent Sovereign Ji Long possibly forget that Great Zhou could not confer or elevate titles without military merit?
He was absolutely putting on a show for them.
Yet the stifling part was that they could only watch, because this was the emperor's prerogative.
"Ah..." Benevolent Sovereign Ji Long seemed to