Chapter 180: Enfeoffment of Nobility

Um…

Fang Jifan’s heart pounded. Just earlier, His Majesty had affectionately called him “Jifan”.

Now…

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Fang Jifan with a hint of amusement. “You underestimate me too much. Do you really think I am the kind of person who would steal others’ achievements?”

“…” Fang Jifan’s face stiffened. He felt he might have made a mistake by sticking too rigidly to past experiences. At this moment, he didn’t know what to say and could only force a smile.

Emperor Hongzhi’s expression darkened. He said coldly and sternly, “Go kneel beside the Crown Prince.”

What… did that mean…

Fang Jifan was confused and couldn’t figure out Emperor Hongzhi’s thoughts.

Feeling guilty, Fang Jifan quickly spoke up. “Your Majesty meant…”

Emperor Hongzhi looked grim, his tone severe.

“I heard that your disciples topped the Palace Examination and became famous in the Capital, yet you punished them by making them kneel outside the Examination Hall?”

Fang Jifan felt a chill down his spine and stammered an explanation.

“They were disappointing… I only wanted to teach them how to behave.”

Emperor Hongzhi raised his eyebrows slightly, staring at Fang Jifan, and said coldly.

“Then I shall teach you how to behave as well. Isn’t it true that you and the Crown Prince call each other brothers in private? Go kneel over there.”

“…”

Fang Jifan was dumbfounded.

However, it was clear to him that the Emperor was genuinely angry.

Could it be that his flattery had been too obvious and had given him away?

But… Fang Jifan had no choice. He looked back at Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao could hardly contain his laughter, secretly delighted. When he noticed Fang Jifan looking at him, he immediately put on a mournful expression, as if mourning for Fang Jifan.

Sigh.

Fang Jifan decided to be obedient. He quietly went to the lantern stand and whispered to Zhu Houzhao, “Your Highness, could you move over a bit?”

Zhu Houzhao quickly shifted to make a large space.

Fang Jifan roared inwardly: I, Fang Jifan, have challenged the heavens, the earth, and even the Emperor himself! I, Fang Jifan, am a time traveler! I kneel only to heaven, earth, and my parents!

I, Fang Jifan, am a modern man! A real man values his dignity! If I kneel, am I still a time traveler? Am I still a respectable man of seven feet?

But after thinking about it, he chickened out and knelt down firmly. No fear, this Young Lord has a thick face.

Fang Jifan glanced sideways at Zhu Houzhao and blinked, as if saying, “What a coincidence, Your Highness, you’re here too.”

Zhu Houzhao only grinned, trying not to laugh.

Kneeling next to Fang Jifan, Zhu Houzhao suddenly felt less lonely. At least someone was keeping him company.

However, when his Imperial Father’s cold gaze shot over, Zhu Houzhao shivered, lowered his head, and blinked hard, trying to squeeze out some tears to gain sympathy.

Emperor Hongzhi was clearly still angry. He shouted sternly, “Utterly foolish! What kind of person do you think I am, Fang Jifan? Hah, stealing your credit? What is yours is yours. Would I take advantage of you? Kneel there and reflect! I will teach you how to behave too.”

“…”

Emperor Hongzhi sat down. The eunuchs in the hall were all terrified, too scared to make a sound.

Emperor Hongzhi then sat down and said coldly.

“This is a great achievement. Punishment for wrongdoing, reward for merit. The Mountain Brigade was your idea, Fang Jifan. Now that the Mountain Brigade has achieved a great victory, you, Fang Jifan, are the one with the foremost merit. This is a solid military accomplishment. I have ordered the Grand Secretariat to draft the Regulations. I decree that you, Fang Jifan, are to be enfeoffed as the Newly Established Count. At such a young age, being enfeoffed as an Earl truly worries me. It’s good for you to reflect. Kneel straighter!”

Fang Jifan hurriedly knelt up straight.

At this point, besides acting submissive, there seemed to be no other option.

But… Newly Established Count.

Didn’t that mean the Fang Family would have two Earls?

In the Great Ming, except for genuine Imperial Relatives like those two scoundrels, the Zhang Brothers, commoners could only receive a peerage through military achievements.

The reason for this was that the peerages of the Great Ming held considerable value.

Although there was no actual Fiefdom, and during Emperor Taizu’s time, the risks were extremely high. But afterward, as long as the lineage did not die out, the peerage could almost always be continued, hereditary, ensuring that descendants would be well-provided for their entire lives. Not only would land be granted, but they could also receive rice stipends. Additionally, upon reaching adulthood, they would often be given other appointments.

In Great Ming history, there once was a family with two Dukes. Xu Da’s two sons were each enfeoffed as Dukes—one line as the Duke of Wei, the other as the Duke of Ding. To this day, these two ducal families remain: one generation after another guarding Nanjing, the other in the Capital. They are the most elite noble families. Even the Duke of Ying, Zhang Mao, is far inferior to these two families.

Now, His Majesty was enfeoffing him as the Newly Established Count. This was tantamount to recognizing him as the one with the foremost merit in the great victory in Guizhou.

Being an Earl was not easy to attain. Back then, the ancestors of the Fang Family risked their lives to earn this iron rice bowl for their descendants.

Moreover, having two Earls in one family was not a case of one plus one equals one, but rather one plus one equals two.

In the future, if Fang Jifan had two sons, he could divide the family property, allowing one to inherit the Nanhe Bo title and the other to inherit the Newly Established Count title.

However… the only question was…

Why Newly Established Count?

Newly Established was a county under Nanchang Prefecture.

In history, after Wang Shouren suppressed the Prince Ning rebellion in Nanchang, Jiangxi, he was granted the title of Newly Established Count.

Since Fang Jifan was the one with the foremost merit in the great victory in Guizhou, it would make sense to grant him titles like Anshun Bo, Zhenyuan Bo, or Liping Bo. Why Newly Established, which was completely unrelated?

Nanchang Prefecture’s Newly Established County really had nothing to do with Guizhou.

Furthermore, Newly Established County clearly now fell within Prince Ning’s Fiefdom.

Fang Jifan was utterly confused. What did the Emperor mean? He immediately turned to look at Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao had a pitiful expression. When he caught Fang Jifan’s gaze, he nodded at him.

Seeing his expression, Fang Jifan understood.

Zhu Houzhao must have already reported to His Majesty about Prince Ning sending him generous gifts.

His Majesty intentionally granting him the title of Newly Established Count likely had another purpose.

Being enfeoffed as an Earl all of a sudden filled Fang Jifan with joy. In this era, a peerage was even more useful than silver. Especially for someone with a notorious reputation like himself, having the Newly Established Count title meant that for the rest of his life, unless he committed a major offense like rebellion, he would be well-provided for.

He hurriedly said, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace, Your Majesty…”

“Silence! Kneel properly!”

“…”

Unreasonable.

After kneeling for the time it took two incense sticks to burn, Fang Jifan began to understand how Zhu Houzhao and his disciples felt. The floor was paved with bluestone, very hard. His knees ached from the pressure. Fang Jifan felt the skin on his knees had been scraped raw. His legs were completely numb, and he could no longer keep his back straight, beginning to slump slightly.

A moment later, a eunuch entered. “Nanhe Bo has arrived.”

Emperor Hongzhi looked up indifferently. He had been reading a memorial and said calmly, “Admit him.”

Fang Jinglong entered the hall cautiously. His Majesty had summoned him suddenly, and he wasn’t sure why or what had happened. But upon entering the hall and seeing Fang Jifan and the Crown Prince kneeling side by side, he felt as if struck by lightning. Heartache and fear overwhelmed him. His whole body trembled, and his legs shook as if in a strong wind. He hurriedly bowed to Emperor Hongzhi.

“Your Majesty, your old minister deserves death.”

Emperor Hongzhi looked up and regarded Fang Jinglong with a gentle expression. But seeing Fang Jinglong’s deeply pained look, the warmth in his own expression diminished somewhat.

“Your old minister failed to educate his son properly. If the boy has committed any offense, please, in consideration of the Fang Family’s generations of diligent service to the crown, show extraordinary mercy… This son of mine… is truly disgraceful. He usually loves to fool around. Although he does fool around a bit, your old minister guarantees with his head that Jifan he… he…”

Emperor Hongzhi felt a warmth in his heart. Looking at Fang Jinglong, he suddenly felt a sense of shared experience.

Having a mischievous son was indeed terrible. One had to be constantly worried and anxious for one’s son.

But… “Your old minister failed to educate his son properly”… “The boy is unruly”…

Fang Jinglong, you are slapping me in the face.

You’ve raised such a good son, yet you’re still so modest.

Seeing Nanhe Bo’s anxiety and the fear written on his face, the emotionally complex Emperor Hongzhi gestured for him to calm down. “Alright, there is no need for you to be afraid. I am only giving him a slight punishment. Do you know that there has been a great victory in Guizhou?”

“I… I heard.” Fang Jinglong, who served in the Five Chief Military Commissions, couldn’t not know. But he was still worried about Fang Jifan. He sneak glanced at Fang Jifan. Seeing both Fang Jifan and Zhu Houzhao with their heads lowered, unable to see their expressions clearly, he still felt somewhat uneasy.

“Then… do you know that the credit belongs to the Mountain Brigade?”

“Your minister also knows. Your Majesty is sagely. If not for Your Majesty establishing the Mountain Brigade…”

“This was Jifan’s idea,” Emperor Hongzhi stated directly.

“Ah…” Fang Jinglong was stunned, looking very surprised. Clearly, he found it hard to believe. But seeing the Emperor speak so seriously, it was obvious His Majesty wouldn’t specifically summon him just to play such a joke.

Immediately, the previously anxious and astonished Fang Jinglong felt the corners of his mouth twitch upward slightly. He tried very hard to suppress the urge to burst out laughing. He took a deep breath, a very deep breath. His face turned red from the effort, but he tried to speak calmly and slowly. “Is that so? Oh, Your Majesty has guided the boy well. Your minister is overjoyed.”

“…” Emperor Hongzhi always felt that communicating with the Fang father and son was very difficult. “This is a great achievement. I have decreed your son to be the Newly Established Count. From now on, the Fang Family will have two Earls. This can be considered an immense honor.”

Fang Jinglong shook his head modestly. “No, no, no. What merit does the boy have? Without Your Majesty’s guidance, the boy would be nothing. Your old minister should be grateful to Your Majesty. Your Majesty teaches one’s son effectively. Your minister truly admires that.”

“…” Emperor Hongzhi’s gaze went past Fang Jinglong and fell upon Zhu Houzhao. He felt uncomfortable, almost suffocated. After a long while, he managed to regain his composure. After all, for a veteran minister like Fang Jinglong, he had to show some respect.

Therefore, Emperor Hongzhi looked intently at Fang Jinglong and spoke.

“Jifan achieved this through his own efforts. It is also a testament to your effective parenting. I have a son of my own, yet I could not teach someone as talented as Jifan.”