Rewards According to Merit
Rewards According to Merit
The Imperial Palace had been left a wreck by Zhang Rang's Faction.
Yuan Shu and the lords poured considerable effort into restoring it, but returning it to its former magnificence was impossible.
Basic funds were lacking,
and time was even shorter. The best they could manage was tidying things up so the place didn't look outright monstrous.
And now,
in this imperfectly restored Imperial Palace,
Yuan Shu, the fourteen lords of the coalition, and the civil and military officials of the court all bowed their heads low toward those walking before them.
Figures who passed through their midst
and strode forward with dignified steps.
Her Majesty the Emperor, Liu Bian.
Her mother, Empress Dowager He.
Escorted by Sun Jian, they made their entrance into the Luoyang Imperial Palace.
The Emperor's return.
Yuan Shu and the others had suggested it might be better to wait until the palace was more presentable, but the Empress Dowager and the Emperor chose to return to Luoyang without delay.
The reasoning was that the sovereign of this nation needed to establish a clear presence in the heart of the capital, to stabilize the political situation as quickly as possible, even by a single day.
And so, the Emperor who returned to the Imperial Palace—
no, strictly speaking, Empress Dowager He, who was acting in the stead of the still-young Emperor—
began the Rewards According to Merit for this campaign before anything else.
"Her Majesty has resolved to bestow offices upon the lords who proved their merit in this undertaking. Let all listen attentively."
"We receive this with awe and gratitude, Your Majesty."
Seated beside the Emperor, Empress Dowager He made the declaration in a commanding voice.
She then surveyed the assembled lords and began to read aloud the edict in her hands.
"First, Liu Bei, County Magistrate of Gaotang."
"..."
"!..."
"Gulp..."
As the lowest-ranked of the lords, Liu Bei was the first to be called.
Along with the two sworn sisters behind her, she began to show an uncharacteristically tense expression.
"You captured the enemy general Zhang Liao, repelled Lü Bu, and distinguished yourself by slaying countless enemy soldiers. Her Majesty holds these achievements in high esteem. You are hereby appointed Assistant General and concurrently Changshui Colonel."
Liu Bei received the office of Changshui Colonel, which oversaw the security of the capital and had once been held by Yuan Shu, along with the rank of Assistant General. Though lowest in seniority among general ranks, Assistant General was treated as equal in status to a Governor.
Incidentally, in the Original Timeline, the first official post Guan Yu ever held under Cao Cao was this very rank of Assistant General.
In modern terms, it was like being promoted from a rural township chief to the Commissioner of the Capital Police Agency plus a one-star general—a remarkably dramatic rise, especially considering Liu Bei was still in her early twenties.
Of course, as Empress Dowager He had said, there was no disputing the fact that her achievements warranted such a reward.
"The imperial grace is boundless, Your Majesty!"
"Furthermore, the merits earned by your two sworn sisters in the recent war are highly esteemed. They shall be appointed Colonel of the Archers and Colonel Who Repels the Enemy, respectively. Let each devote herself fully to her duties."
"The imperial grace is boundless!"
"Thank... mm... the imperial grace is boundless!"
Liu Bei prostrated herself, her voice thick with emotion.
Guan Yu, at her side, was trying to mask it but looked deeply pleased, and Zhang Fei couldn't hide a grin that spread openly across her face.
Given the achievements they'd racked up and the decidedly poor treatment they'd always received in return, the three of them were radiating genuine joy at finally getting their proper due.
"Next, Sun Jian, Marquis of Wuting."
Sun Jian's official rank was comparatively low, but as a bodyguard she was standing closest to the dais.
Looking at her face, Empress Dowager He allowed a faint smile to show before continuing to read the edict.
"You have exerted unceasing efforts to safeguard the Imperial Family, and in the decisive moment you rendered distinguished service by breaking through Hulao Pass. Her Majesty greatly rejoices in your dedication. You are hereby appointed General of the Guards, to protect the Imperial Household."
"The imperial grace is boundless, Your Majesty."
The General of the Guards was the overall commander of the Imperial Guards who protected the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the imperial clan.
In modern terms, it was equivalent to the Chief of Presidential Security. She already held a general's rank, but this position was higher than the General Who Conquers the North that Yuan Shu currently held, so it was just as strikingly unconventional a personnel move as Liu Bei's appointment—perhaps even more so.
Of course, given Sun Jian's role in shielding the Empress Dowager and the Emperor in Ji Province, and the recent achievements she'd earned, there was nothing particularly strange about it...
Yet a few people, Dong Zhuo among them, could discern without much difficulty that another factor was also at play.
'I figured something like this might happen... but still, widows apparently have their ways of connecting with each other...'
Birds of a feather flock together—people naturally gravitate to those like themselves.
It was only natural to want someone compatible and close at hand, especially when young children were involved.
This was territory Dong Zhuo found hard to grasp, since she had never even married, let alone lost a husband or had children.
And so, deciding there was no need to dwell on it, she simply continued to listen to the Empress Dowager's words.
Though keeping an eye on things to make sure none of this took an odd turn was, of course, still necessary.
*
"Qiao Mao, Governor of Dong Commandery, to be Governor of Hongnong."
"I am grateful, Your Majesty! I, Qiao Mao, shall work myself to the bone for the Imperial Family!"
"Yuan Yi, Governor of Shanyang, to be Inspector of Yu Province."
"Your Majesty's grace is as vast as the sea! I, Yuan Yi, shall carry out my appointed duties with all sincerity!"
Talk of the lords' promotions streamed from the Empress Dowager's lips.
Those who had been governors out in the provinces were appointed as governors in Sili Province, the capital region, and its vicinity, or were promoted to Inspector.
Those who had been Inspectors received posts in the central government or general's titles, their promotions proceeding one after another.
Though none of these were as unconventional as what Liu Bei or Sun Jian had received, for men who hadn't particularly distinguished themselves and gave off the feeling of having merely hitched a ride, even this was cause for boundless gratitude.
The lords looked reasonably satisfied, as if concluding they'd backed the right side.
After the Rewards According to Merit for the lesser lords were concluded,
the turn finally came for those I had specifically briefed the Empress Dowager about by letter beforehand.
'The others aside, there's an awful lot that needs to be done for this lot...'
Liu Bei, who had performed brilliantly but whose effective forces barely extended beyond her sworn sisters and a handful of soldiers. Sun Jian, who was now practically subordinate to me.
Unlike them,
three people had each become commanders of a major faction through this war.
Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao.
Dong Zhuo had been that way from the start, but Yuan Shao and Cao Cao had aggressively leveraged their personal and family networks and wealth. They had grown into warlords, each commanding a thick roster of officers, several thousand troops, and a territory they could call their own base.
None of that was a problem in itself, since all three were favorably disposed toward me. The difficulty lay in the situation surrounding us all.
Zhang Rang's faction had fled and was watching for an opening.
Reports were coming in that Yellow Turban remnants and bandits were stirring again everywhere, exploiting the chaos.
On top of that, it was unclear how the lords who hadn't joined this campaign would react in the future. In such an unstable political landscape, these three had to be placed where they could exercise their abilities to maximum effect.
The conclusion I came to, as a result...
"Cao Cao, Colonel of the Vanguard, is appointed General Who Conquers the East."
One of the Four Generals of Conquest, equal in rank to the General Who Conquers the North that I held. An office with authority over the four eastern regions: Qing Province, Yan Province, Xu Province, and Yang Province (Jiangdong).
This was a decision based on my knowledge of the Original Timeline and consideration for the moves Cao Cao would soon begin to make.
A means to stamp out the growing Yellow Turban unrest and suppress any unsettling moves by other lords.
And the same reasoning applied to Benchu, standing beside Cao Cao.
"Yuan Shao, Colonel of the Central Army, is appointed Governor of Nanyang and concurrently General Who Conquers the South."
Also one of the Four Generals of Conquest, an office responsible for Jing Province and Yu Province.
Incidentally, I tacked on Governor of Nanyang because she was my senior sister, and it felt like she ought to get one thing more than Cao Cao.
Honestly, based on the Original Timeline, the textbook move would've been to make Yuan Shao the Inspector of Ji Province, but Ji Province was now my home base. It also felt a little off to yank her away from Nanyang when she'd already established herself there.
"The imperial grace is boundless, Your Majesty."
Benchu showed her respects with an oddly wistful air.
Even when we'd discussed this beforehand, she hadn't seemed too happy about it. But since she'd accepted it anyway in the end, I sensed the strange undercurrent while still not really understanding what it was.
'I did ask her if there was something she wasn't happy about, but I never got a straight answer...'
Yuan Shao's matter was set aside for now, leaving a faintly unsettled taste behind.
Next, the Empress Dowager began to speak of the person who was, alongside me, effectively the top contributor in this entire affair.
"Dong Zhuo, General of the Left. Step forward."
Unlike the others, Empress Dowager He summoned her directly.
Gazing at Dong Zhuo, who radiated her usual formidable aura, Empress Dowager He spoke in a measured voice.
"General of the Left Dong Zhuo. You risked your own safety to save my life and that of Her Majesty, and throughout this campaign you stepped forward without hesitation and spared no effort, in both spirit and substance. For these deeds Her Majesty greatly commends you, and appoints you General of Agile Cavalry, commanding you to dedicate yourself to the nation. Devote yourself henceforth, always, to the utmost for this country and the Imperial Family."
"The imperial grace is boundless, Your Majesty. I, Dong Zhuo, will carry out my assigned duties with all sincerity."
First in seniority among the seven generals directly under the General-in-Chief.
The General of Agile Cavalry, the second-highest rank in the Han dynasty's military.
In modern terms, it was a post equivalent to a four-star Chief of the General Staff.
And yet, honestly, handing this to Dong Zhuo made me feel, weirdly, that the rank wasn't quite enough.
Not for any serious reason—it was just that, in the Original Timeline, Dong Zhuo had gorged herself on being Chancellor and even higher offices.
Of course, I now considered the odds of her going down that dark path here to be close to zero, but still, I couldn't help the slightly odd feeling.
After the matter of Dong Zhuo was concluded,
in a single instant, I could feel the gazes of every person present converge on me.
"Yuan Shu, General Who Conquers the North. Step forward."
Just as with Dong Zhuo, Empress Dowager He called me forward personally.
She then looked at my face, her eyes carrying a strangely profound quality.
Well, it could just be a look of trust directed at the top contributor... but even so, the thought that her gaze felt a little hot—that was just my imagination... right?
As I pondered that light question,
the Empress Dowager gazed at me...
and slowly parted her lips, wearing a deep smile that seemed to carry a certain sticky quality.