"Why would Dong Zhuo issue an imperial edict for my son? "
Zhang Xin wondered, replying aloud, "He's at home."
The imperial envoy smiled slightly and said, "Then I shall trouble Marquis Xuanwei to introduce him."
"Please."
Zhang Xin dismissed the State Prefecture officials to their duties and led the imperial envoy to the back residence.
As it involved the back residence, the State Prefecture officials did not need to follow.
Zhang Xin brought the imperial envoy to Liu Hua's courtyard.
"Son, come out for a moment."
Liu Hua walked out and was startled when she saw the eunuch following behind Zhang Xin.
"Husband, this is…"
"Oh, the imperial court has an imperial edict for our son."
Zhang Xin asked, "Where is your son? "
"He's studying in the room."
Liu Hua was also very surprised to hear that the imperial court had issued an imperial edict for Zhang Ping, but she dared not be negligent and hurried to say, "I'll go call him out."
"Mother."
A voice came, and Zhang Ping walked out himself.
Upon seeing Zhang Xin, Zhang Ping stepped forward and saluted.
"Father."
Then he bowed to the imperial envoy.
"This young one, Zhang Ping, greets the imperial official."
He had lived in the palace for several years and recognized the eunuch's attire.
"Young Master is too polite."
The imperial envoy praised him with a smile, then cleared his throat.
"Zhang Ping, heed the imperial edict."
"Quick, quick! "
Liu Hua quickly pulled Zhang Ping to his knees.
The imperial envoy opened the imperial edict, about to read it, when he suddenly noticed Zhang Xin still standing to the side.
You're not kneeling?
The imperial envoy looked at Zhang Xin.
Zhang Xin looked at the imperial envoy in confusion.
Why are you looking at me?
Read your imperial edict.
Liu Hua didn't hear the imperial envoy's voice for a long time, so she looked up and found Zhang Xin and the imperial envoy staring at each other.
"Husband."
Liu Hua spoke, "The imperial envoy is reading the imperial edict, why are you still standing? "
Only then did Zhang Xin realize that the man was waiting for him to kneel.
"Is Dong Zhongying asking for a beating again? "
Zhang Xin looked at the imperial envoy and asked.
There were many people outside just now, so I gave my big nephew some face and knelt.
But now that we're in my home, Dong Zhuo, you still want to take advantage of me?
"Marquis Xuanwei is joking."
The imperial envoy chuckled twice, not daring to dwell on the matter, and quickly began to read the imperial edict.
"By imperial decree: Han Marquis Xuanwei, Wei General, Qing Province Governor Zhang Xin has rendered meritorious service to the state; his son Zhang Ping is intelligent and astute, benevolent and simple…"
After a string of praises, it got to the point.
"Therefore, Zhang Ping is hereby enfeoffed as Marquis of Quyang, with an income of two thousand households. This is an imperial order."
"What the heck?! "
Zhang Xin's eyes instantly widened. "Dong Zhuo really went all out! "
According to Han regulations, one could not be a marquis without military merit.
Although over time, the enforcement of this system had become less strict,
the position of a ranked marquis was still not easily obtained.
Either you had to achieve sufficient military merit, or you had to make outstanding contributions to the Han Dynasty.
For example, the Yuan family, who served as Three Excellencies for four generations, only had Yuan Tang enfeoffed as Marquis of Anguo Pavilion by the imperial court.
His Marquis of Anguo Pavilion title was passed down for three generations, and it was still a Marquis of the Pavilion when it reached Yuan Ji.
This alone was enough to show how difficult it was to obtain a ranked marquis title without military merit.
Not to mention Zhang Ping's Marquis of Quyang title, which had neither 'Pavilion' nor 'Township' in its name, and also came with an income of two thousand households.
This was a genuine County Marquis!
A child being enfeoffed as a marquis usually fell into one of two situations.
Either they were a member of the Liu imperial clan, closely related to the emperor, such as the current King of Jinan, Liu Kang.
He was Liu Hong's cousin; because Liu Hong was an only son, after he became emperor, his biological Father had no one to offer sacrifices to, so he enfeoffed Liu Kang as a king to be responsible for sacrificing to his own Father.
Liu Kang was only a teenager when he was enfeoffed as a king.
Or you had to have a Father who was a marquis and died early, leaving a marquisate for you to inherit.
For example, Huo Qubing's son, Huo Shan, inherited the Marquis Champion title at the age of seven.
Cases like Dong Zhuo directly enfeoffing an outsider child as a marquis were unprecedented in Zhang Xin's memory.
Huo Guang never did something like this.
Even as overbearing as Liang Ji, his sons were only enfeoffed as marquises after they came of age.
In four hundred years of the Han Dynasty, only Dong Zhuo would do such a thing.
Zhang Xin couldtism…"
Dong Bai was still too young to visit.
He had also visited Wang Jiao and Han Shu a few times.
"Tonight, I'll go to Sister Hua's place."
Zhang Xin made up his mind and strode toward Liu Hua's courtyard.