Dragon's Origin

Chapter 202: The Son of Heaven's Grand Ceremony (Part 1)

Agree! Why wouldn't I agree?

The voice in Song Hongde's heart cried out. Despite Song Hongde's intelligence, he immediately saw that this was a blatant scheme by the royal family, a scheme to elevate the royal family's position once again, still above all the great families.

However, after thinking it over, Song Hongde felt that all the royal family gained was this empty fame. All the substantial benefits went to the various lords and their states.

In the past, the local officials in various regions were definitely appointed by the royal family. Although the appointments certainly required the approval of the major families, they were, after all, sealed in the name of the royal family. But now, the lords of each state could appoint their own officials, and even the deployment of troops was decided by the lords. It could be said that the Son of Heaven was left with only a nominal title, only a righteous name, while all the real benefits in hand belonged to the lords.

With such a good thing, what reason did Song Hongde have to refuse? After carefully studying the grand ceremony, Song Hongde immediately and decisively expressed his support! He supported the Son of Heaven in performing the grand ceremony of enfeoffing the lords.

The royal family was clearly well-prepared. As soon as Song Hongde nodded, the imperial edict and a series of ceremonial instruments were ready, and the edict was proclaimed directly at the Song family manor, conferring Song Hongde, the head of the Song family, as the Lord of Song.

The price Song Hongde paid was to kowtow three times and prostrate nine times before the imperial edict and ceremonial instruments representing the Son of Heaven, respectfully addressing him as the Son of Heaven and referring to himself as a subject, nothing more.

Immediately afterward, the messenger birds between the Son of Heaven and the Song family flew to all directions, formally announcing it to the world. The Lord of Song took office, and at the same time, it also signified the enthronement of the Son of Heaven.

As soon as the news came out, the world was in an uproar.

The various families were instantly shocked by this grand ceremony of the Son of Heaven and the lords, jointly created by the royal family and the Song family. Just when everyone was watching the drama and getting to the exciting part, the royal family suddenly came out to disrupt the situation, unexpectedly intervening and staging an even more exciting drama.

The State of Song was established on the same day, and the lord took over all the cities within its territory in just two days. Of course, the city lords of those cities were originally members of the Song family, only changing their banners. However, the momentum of the State of Song instantly reached its peak.

On the third day, an army of 20,000 men, hastily assembled, was already stationed on the border of the State of Song, waiting only for Song Hongde's order to rush into the territory of the Dai family.

The poor Dai family could now only be called the Dai family's territory because the Dai family had not yet accepted the Son of Heaven's conferment and could not be called the State of Dai.

Comparing the two, one was the State of Song recognized by the Son of Heaven, and the other was the Dai family's territory, a local rich family. The difference in momentum between the two sides was immediately like a hundred thousand miles. Moreover, the State of Song was using the national army, while the Dai family could only send out militia composed of their own family members. No matter how you looked at it, they were not on the same level.

Song Hongde became a lord and immediately began to expand his army in a justified manner. Anyway, he would raise the army of his own country himself, so he didn't have to worry about raising troops for the original royal family. Naturally, the more the better, the more elite the better.

The mobilization of the state and the mobilization of the family seemed to have undergone a qualitative change overnight. The army of the State of Song was high in morale and full of vigor, while on the other hand, the Dai family's territory was full of confusion, and they were also dejected and unable to raise their heads when facing the enemy.

The average cultivation of the soldiers in the army was actually not high. Most of the ordinary soldiers were at the first level, the squad leaders were at the peak of the first level, the captains were about the second level, and at least the deputy generals and assistant generals were at the third level. The higher the level, the higher the cultivation.

However, this was only the original ordinary army. The original elites of the State of Song also joined the army. There were still as many experts as before, but there were tens of thousands more ordinary soldiers. However, the Dai family could not mobilize so many troops. Moreover, without a justified reason, although they could barely mobilize troops, it was, after all, not justified.

When the head of the Dai family saw this situation, he knew it was going to be bad. However, it was a bit too late to prepare now. Even if he immediately contacted the royal family, no, the Son of Heaven, it would be too late. This war, I'm afraid, the Dai family would lose before it even started.

Comparing armies, the Dai family could not compare to the State of Song. Comparing experts, the Dai family was probably no match for the State of Song either. Dai Wuji was already considered one of the top experts in the Dai family, but he was only at the seventh level. Counting those more powerful than Dai Wuji, the Dai family had no more than twenty. But the Song family was different.

The Song family brought back hundreds of seventh-level experts this time, dozens of eighth-level experts, and about ten ninth-level experts. With such a disparity in strength, if a real fight broke out, the Dai family would probably be destroyed.

After weighing the pros and cons, the head of the Dai family readily admitted defeat. He sent an envoy to the Song family, no, to the State of Song, to pay respects to the lord. The Dai family was willing to apologize and compensate for the losses.

The Nine Stars Yuan Soul had already been used, so naturally, it could not be compensated. However, the Dai family was willing to offer enough wealth to express their sincerity, and at the same time, ceded a city to the State of Song. The apology letter personally written by the head of the Dai family was sent to Song Hongde, the Lord of Song, and on behalf of Dai Huan, Fourth Master Dai, he apologized to Song Yan, the Princess of Song, and compensated for the losses.

The Dai family's straightforward admission of defeat made it difficult for Song Hongde to continue to be aggressive. Fortunately, after this incident, the State of Song was established, and even the citizens had a sense of national honor because they had become a country, and there was no longer any opposition in the country.

Then Song Hongde began to enjoy the happiness of governing the country. To be honest, managing a family and governing a country were completely different. In the past, he needed an elder council to assist the head of the family, but now he could directly appoint a court of civil and military officials. That feeling was simply like heaven and earth.

The royal family's grand ceremony was prepared sufficiently. It not only stipulated the norms for the Son of Heaven's various actions but also those for the lords and various levels.

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In the past, as the head of the family, he only needed a few people to serve him, but now it was different. Not only must there be a sufficient number of eunuchs and maids accompanying him, but there must also be a historian accompanying him. That prestige, that nobility, was something that the former bumpkin could not imagine.

This alone allowed Song Hongde's style to leap forward in place, a qualitative improvement. Song Hongde was extremely fond of this set of etiquette and wished he could enjoy it every day.

The changes in the State of Song were seen by all the other families, especially the Dai family. After receiving the understanding of the State of Song, they could not wait to ask the Son of Heaven to confer their family. As for the other families, their envoys had already rushed to the capital when the two sides were at war, asking to see the Son of Heaven.

The Son of Heaven was very happy, unprecedentedly happy. The civil and military officials were even happier. The literati and scholars watched as the grand ceremony they had created was accepted by the various families, and they were even happier than if they had become the Son of Heaven themselves.

For a time, the Son of Heaven and the ministers in the capital were extremely busy. The State of Song can be said to have simplified everything in order to promote the Son of Heaven's system of enfeoffing the lords. Now that everyone was asking for it, wouldn't it be known all over the world?