Tianliangyuan

Chapter 427 Duke Xin and the Peacock Cloak

Xu Zhaozhao was fairly satisfied with Li Shun; he wasn't the kind of person who was stubborn and inflexible. If she had to assign him any tasks in the future, it wouldn't be too much of a hassle.

That's good.

Xu Zhaozhao is most annoyed by overly stubborn people; when it really comes down to it, their nagging and complaining are too much trouble.

Li Shun came to deliver holiday gifts, so naturally we had to treat him well.

Xu Zhaozhao did not attend due to illness, but she specially ordered that the men's section be prepared to a high standard.

The banquet was already quite grand, arranged by the Yu family, and with Xu Zhaozhao's instructions, it was naturally even more impressive.

The level of the banquet naturally reflects how much the host values ​​their guests.

Seeing that his elder brother was not looked down upon in the Duke's mansion, Li Ming felt a warmth in his heart and respected his sister-in-law even more.

The battle was basically over. Next, we just had to wait for the handover of various aspects, and then the army would return in triumph.

Xie Chan's feelings were somewhat complicated.

On the one hand, she knew that Zheng Tuo had made meritorious contributions in this battle, and even if he was not granted a noble title upon his return, he might still be promoted to a minor official position.

She was also worried because war is about taking lives!

She was already starting to worry even before they were married.

Zheng Tuo also used Xie Zheng's family letters as a channel to write letters to her.

I have written six letters so far.

Every letter was to let her know she was safe, and in the later letters, he even asked her whether she preferred rubies or emeralds.

Needless to say, they must have amassed a batch of spoils.

In other words, Zheng Tuo lacked experience.

Look at Xie Zheng, he never asks these kinds of questions. He just brings home all sorts of gemstones, and keeps whichever one his wife likes, and sells or gives away the ones she doesn't.

Moreover, Zheng Tuo and Xie Chan are currently engaged, so how can you expect a young girl like her to answer this kind of question?

After being ridiculed by Xie Zheng in Xuzhou, Zheng Tuo left in a huff.

If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't beat him, I would have fought him one-on-one no matter what!

That doesn't seem right either. He's my brother-in-law, so I have to treat him with respect. Otherwise, if I keep delaying his marriage, I can make him kneel down and beg for mercy.

Xu Zhaozhao had already sent people to wait about fifty miles away from Xuzhou.

One cartload after another of spoils were brought back by the caravan. Of course, everyone assumed that these were goods brought back by the caravan. Who would have thought that they were the good stuff that Xie Zheng and Xu Han had secretly kept!

This wasn't the first time Xu Han and Xie Zheng had done something like this, and Xu Han had never hidden it from His Majesty.

This can actually be considered as His Majesty's tacit approval.

Knowing that Xu Mutou dotes on his wife and daughter, he has always turned a blind eye to this.

Moreover, compared to the spoils they brought back, these jewels and furs were really nothing.

Xu Han wasn't stupid. Even if he got some good stuff for himself, he couldn't let His Majesty get away with it. The best jewelry had to be reserved for His Majesty, and the most magnificent furs had to be offered to His Majesty.

It was precisely because he always understood the proper boundaries that His Majesty always trusted him and the Xie family.

If a general is truly impartial and selfless, not greedy at all, skilled in warfare, and capable of leading troops, without any flaws, even His Majesty would not dare to give him an important position.

On the contrary, people like Xie Xiaolin and Xu Han are open about their greed, letting you know it, but they don't cross the line and will never challenge the emperor's authority. In this way, His Majesty finds them useful.

Having weaknesses makes it easier to exploit them in the future.

A person with flaws and imperfections will not gain the support of everyone, and therefore His Majesty will naturally not be as wary of them regarding their reputation.

In short, when leading troops into battle, one cannot be completely ignorant of human relationships and social customs.

Moreover, someone like Xu Han, who has always been lazy, was already thinking about taking a few months off from court before he even returned to the capital.

Although Xie Zheng is better than Xu Han, he has recently gotten married and often thinks about working less and having more free time.

There are some things that shouldn't be thought about, because thinking about them gives Emperor Yong'an a headache.

Before the New Year, because Xu Han and Xie Zheng, father-in-law and son-in-law, had made great contributions, the imperial decree to reward them was issued first.

His Majesty is a generous emperor; he rewards those who have made meritorious contributions and punishes those who have committed wrongdoings severely.

Xu Han was promoted to Duke of Xin, and Xu Jun'an, the heir apparent of the Marquis, was promoted to heir apparent of the Duke...

Because of Xu Han's title, the status of everyone in the Xu family rose accordingly.

Xu Zhaozhao, the married woman, was the one who benefited the least.

Xu Zhaozhao wasn't lacking in status to begin with, but now that her family has a higher status, she naturally feels more confident.

Xie Zheng was already the heir of the Duke's mansion and would become the Duke in the future, so the reward he received was not a title, but some gold and silver jewelry, and he was also given some servants.

Everyone knew that Xie Zheng would likely be promoted after his return, but what position he would be promoted to was unknown.

In addition, His Majesty specially sent Xu Zhaozhao a large amount of tonics, and the Empress even bestowed a peacock cloak directly upon Xu Zhaozhao.

This peacock cloak was originally a tribute item. Due to its intricate craftsmanship and exquisite materials, it took several years to acquire just one.

It is said that this garment is made from the finest newly grown peacock feathers, twisted with fine silkworm silk, and then woven together. In addition, extremely fine red gold threads are introduced in the middle to achieve the dazzling effect after the garment is made.

It is said that this garment, when viewed in the sunlight, displays a dazzling array of colors and radiates a magnificent glow. From head to toe, it exudes an air of nobility and extravagance, making it impossible for ordinary people to wear. Therefore, this garment was presented to His Majesty only after it was completed.

There was only one of its kind in the world. No matter how much Emperor Yong'an doted on Consort Jiang, he could not possibly offend the Empress. Therefore, the dress was bestowed upon the Empress.

At first, Emperor Yong'an comforted Consort Jiang, saying that he would reward her when the second piece was completed.

Unexpectedly, due to a combination of reasons, no second peacock cloak has been made in the past two years. It is said that we will have to wait at least three more years before another garment can be made.

As a result, the value of the peacock cloak has been exaggerated again and again, and it has become the most prestigious symbol in the world.

Xu Zhaozhao was not particularly happy to receive the peacock cloak; on the contrary, she was somewhat angry.

Empress, this is clearly meant to put her at complete opposition to Consort Jiang!

Everyone in the palace knew that Consort Jiang was fond of this item, but there was only one of its kind. His Majesty, concerned about the dignity of the imperial family, had no choice but to give it to the Empress.

Now that the Empress has bestowed this item upon her, no matter how beautifully she speaks, the truth is that Consort Jiang is likely to hate her to the core!

Moreover, this item is extravagant; how could she flaunt it at an ordinary banquet?

Wouldn't that be laughable?

But if it were a palace banquet, and she actually wore this to the palace, she would probably be torn apart by Consort Jiang!

Tsk, this Empress Qu, she bestowed upon her something that would be inappropriate for any occasion, something that would be priceless to outsiders, but to her, it was worthless and a source of trouble!