The wives of the concubines are empresses

"...Jiahe County Lord's maidservants, Huan'er and Mo'er, have tirelessly served with dedication and loyalty. Each of them is hereby appointed a seventh-rank pavilion master and awarded one hundred taels of silver. They may choose to continue serving Jiahe County Lord. The other servants are each awarded five taels of silver. This is my decree!"

The ministers were puzzled as to why Eunuch Lin was only talking about rewards related to Jiahe Xiangjun, no, rewards related to Jiahe County Jun.

The third imperial edict was read aloud by Gong Huifang's father, Eunuch Lin.

"...Master Gong, the father of the Lady of Jiahe County, has actively cooperated with his daughter, contributing money, effort, and materials. I am very pleased and pleased with this. I hereby confer the title of Baron of the Seventh Rank, award him with 500 taels of silver, and grant him a badge of entry into the palace. I decree this!"

The three imperial edicts from the Gong family stunned the ministers. Why did the emperor divide the edicts into three parts to read?

They really didn't understand.

Liu Cheng looked at the imperial edict in front of him, and he suddenly realized something. He remembered that the emperor said that the imperial edicts from the right prime minister and general Xuanwei's families should be read out by her personally to show his importance.

"Your Majesty, this imperial edict is from General Xuanwei's family."

Shangguan Wanjun stretched out her hand, and Liu Cheng hurriedly placed it on her hand respectfully, then stepped aside. Shangguan Wanjun stood up and read it out herself.

"By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims that General Xuanwei's wife, Li Shuxiang, has actively participated in and cooperated with the imperial court in disaster relief efforts, contributing money, materials, and personnel. I am deeply moved and express my deepest gratitude on behalf of the people of the world. I hereby confer the title of First Rank Protector of the Nation Lady upon her, granting her all the benefits of a First Rank salary. I also award her five hundred taels of gold and grant her a Protector of the Nation gold butterfly hairpin designed by me personally. This is my decree!"

General Xuanwei was astonished when he heard this. The previous dynasty had abolished the rank system for officials' wives, but he did not expect that the emperor would restart this system and personally design a hairpin for his wife. He hurried out to receive the order.

"I thank the Lord for His grace on behalf of my wife."

Shangguan Wanjun walked down personally with the imperial edict and placed it in General Xuanwei's hands.

"My dear minister, please accept the order." General Xuanwei was shocked when he heard the familiar voice. The emperor really valued and trusted their General Xuanwei Mansion.

"I will accept the order." Shangguan Wanjun turned around, lifted her skirt and walked towards the dragon throne. Liu Cheng continued to read the next imperial edict.

"...General Xuanwei, General Xuan, and General Xiao Xuan have actively participated in cooperating with my arrangements and are each rewarded with 500 taels of gold and 500 taels of silver. General Xuan's attendant Mu Xiuchang and his guard Zhengzhou Xing will be specially appointed as ninth-rank guards. The rest of the people who participated in the disaster relief efforts will each be rewarded with 5 taels of silver. This is my decree."

Guards are a separate rank for the attendants and guards of the concubines.

General Xuanwei, Concubine Wu, Xuanchuanfeng, and Xuanchuanjun, father and son, knelt together to receive the order.

"I'll thank you Lord for your kindness."

Liu Cheng walked over and placed the imperial edict in General Xuanwei's hands: "Congratulations, General Xuanwei, General Xuan, and General Xuan."

The three of them stood up and thanked him: "Thank you, Eunuch Liu."

When it was the right prime minister's turn, Liu Cheng once again presented the imperial edict to Shangguan Wanjun.

"Your Majesty, the imperial edict from the Right Prime Minister's family."

The Right Prime Minister's eyes lit up when he heard this. It was finally their family's turn. Judging from the situation, the Emperor would also read it out personally. This was a great honor.

"...Luo Shuqin, the wife of the Right Prime Minister, actively participated in disaster relief, contributing money, manpower, and materials. She was loyal to the army and husband, and set a good example for her children. She is specially granted the title of First Rank Lady of Anguo. She enjoys the salary and benefits of a First Rank official. She is also awarded 500 taels of gold and a peacock hairpin. This is my decree!"

As we all know, the peacock is an auspicious bird that symbolizes good luck, happiness, nobility and luxury. The emperor also attaches great importance to the right prime minister's family.

An official discovered a problem. The imperial edicts for the wives of General Xuanwei and the Right Prime Minister were all read out by the empress herself, while no man had received such treatment. This made the officials feel a little inferior. They were afraid that none of the female relatives in their families would receive a separate imperial edict reward. This made them even more envious of General Xuanwei and the Right Prime Minister, and even envied the Lady of Jiahe County.

When the wife of the Prime Minister in the Right Prime Minister's Mansion heard the magpie singing on the tree branch, she always felt that something good was going to happen.

"The Right Prime Minister, General Xuanwei, Lady Huguo, and Lady Anguo have specially bestowed these hairpins upon me. When they come to the palace to express their gratitude, I will personally wear them. Please inform me when you return home."

The two men bowed respectfully: "I obey your command."

It is a great honor for the Empress to wear it herself.

Liu Cheng continued to read the imperial edict, but was stopped by Shangguan Wanjun, and the ministers were full of confusion.

"But it's from Master Yun's family?"

Liu Cheng said, "Your Majesty, that's right."

"Give it to me." Liu Cheng was stunned: Is the emperor going to read it out himself again?

He presented it carefully, Shangguan Wanjun took it and slowly stood up. Taifu Yun was a little excited. He didn't expect that after serving as an official for decades, he would be treated like this by the new emperor, and the new emperor was a female emperor. His heart was beating wildly, and he had to calm himself down quickly.

"...Taifu Yun and his family actively participated in cooperating with the imperial court in disaster relief efforts, contributing funds, materials, and personnel. I am deeply pleased and gratified. I hereby confer upon his wife, Liu Ruqin, the rank of First-Rank Auxiliary Lady; award her with five hundred taels of gold; grant her the authority to monitor the female relatives of all officials and merchants; and grant her a golden swallow-shaped hairpin. This is my decree!"

The swallow carrying mud in its mouth represents the New Year, rebirth and hope. It symbolizes a prosperous family and is also an auspicious bird.

Grand Tutor Yun stepped out and said, "I thank the Lord for His Grace on behalf of my wife."

I didn't expect that the Yun family also had this honor, and even held real power. The title of Fuguo Madam was to assist the emperor in supervising all officials and merchants. This was a skillful and ingenious use of the title.

Taifu Yun took the imperial edict on behalf of his wife, and Shangguan Wanjun smiled faintly.

"Please ask my teacher's mother to go to the palace to get the hairpin, and I will put it on her myself when the time comes."

"I will obey your order and inform my wife."

Liu Cheng continued to read the imperial edict.

"...Taifu Yun and his family actively participated in disaster relief efforts. Their families collectively raised funds and donated both money and materials to the refugees. I am deeply pleased and grateful for their efforts. I have granted them a special reward of one thousand taels of gold. His eldest son, Yun Yangfei, has been promoted twice, becoming a fourth-rank military official in the Ministry of War. His second-rank son, Yun Yangfan, has been promoted twice, becoming a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Imperial Household Affairs. I decree this!"

Both of his legitimate sons were promoted twice in a row, which made Taifu Yun very happy. Taifu Yun, Yun Yangfei and Yun Yangfan, father and son, knelt down to receive the order.

When the eighth imperial edict of Liucheng was read out, all the ministers were shocked.

"...As acting principal, Yun Yangfan has proactively led the students in sewing face masks and veils, setting an example for all academies across the country. I hereby appoint Yun Yangfan as the official principal of the Men's Academy and reward his students and the candidates from the academy with a total of one hundred taels of silver. I also bestow upon him the plaque of the title of the world's number one private men's academy. I decree this!"

Yun Yangfan stepped out again and knelt to receive the order: "I thank you for your grace."

All the ministers were looking forward to it. When it was the turn of the Minister of Revenue Mu Qinghai, he stepped out with his head held high and chest puffed out, lifted his official robe and knelt respectfully.

"By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that Minister of Revenue Mu Qinghai, for his dedicated and diligent work in this refugee crisis, be rewarded with five hundred taels of silver; his mother be promoted to a second-rank imperial consort; and his legitimate daughter, Mu Wenya, be promoted to a seventh-rank pavilion master. This is my decree!"

The Minister of Revenue, Mu Qinghai, held the highest official position in the Ministry of Revenue and was not eligible for promotion for the time being. Shangguan Wanjun granted his mother the title of a second-rank lady in accordance with his official position, and his legitimate daughter the title of a seventh-rank pavilion master, also the second pavilion master in this dynasty.