The last Rebellion of the Lords seemed to be a mighty upheaval that swept across all of Great Shang, yet it failed to shake the kingdom's foundations.
On the contrary, because the rebellion was swiftly suppressed, Great Shang displayed its absolute strength, and the King established an unquestioned authority.
Under these circumstances, not only was the Three-Year Development Plan implemented smoothly, but the King also took the opportunity to issue the Decree of Grace.
At first, the Lords of the Realm probably hadn't given it much thought. They assumed it was simply an act of the King's benevolence.
He had already cowed the Lords of the Realm. Offering them a few sweeteners at this point was a common tactic.
However, the Decree of Grace, which had seemed insignificant to the lords, soon revealed its terrifying power.
Great Shang had eight hundred lords. In the past, only the eldest legitimate son could inherit a lord's title.
The other sons might enjoy high status, but compared with the eldest legitimate son, they were nothing.
It was just like an emperor: once he inherited the throne, all under heaven would revere him, and the entire realm would be his.
A lord's other sons either served as officials in his territory or were sent away with some money.
If they were unlucky enough to be killed outright by the eldest son, they could only blame their own bad luck.
Compared with the eldest son who inherited the title, such precarious lives were worlds apart.
Now, the eldest son still inherited the title, but the lord's other sons could also inherit part of his territory.
Even if it was only a tiny piece of land, it was still their own domain, where they could rule as they pleased. That was far better than having to