"Elder Kong, since we are to give a heavy reward, in your opinion, what specification should this reward... be set at?"
The Sun Moon Emperor's fingers lightly tapped the armrest of his Dragon throne, his gaze burning as he looked at Kong Deming below the platform.
Kong Deming pondered for a moment, then raised his head, determination flickering in his aged eyes:
"Your Majesty, this old subject believes we should bestow—the Rank of Duke!"
"A Duke?!"
Hearing these two words, even though the Sun Moon Emperor was mentally prepared, his pupils couldn't help but shrink slightly, and his finger tapping the armrest abruptly stopped.
In the peerage system of the Sun Moon Empire, the Ranks of Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron were strictly hierarchical.
A Duke was the pinnacle for a subject, the most noble title aside from the Imperial Princes.
Usually, only those who had achieved the peerless merit of expanding the Empire's territory, or national guardians whose cultivation reached Ninth-Rank Soul Engineer or a Titled Douluo of Rank 90 or above, were qualified to be titled Duke.
As for Liu Yuan, although his talent was that of a Prodigy and he performed exceptionally in this tournament, he was only in his teens after all, and his cultivation was merely at the Spirit King level.
This was like thrusting a Marshal's scepter into the hands of a child who had just learned to walk; it was not only heavy but also far too shocking.
"Elder Kong, it is not that I am unwilling."
The Sun Moon Emperor's brow furrowed slightly, his tone carrying a hint of hesitation:
"It's just that Liu Yuan is young after all. In terms of merit... if he is suddenly made a Duke, I worry the veteran officials in court will have complaints, and it might even cause unnecessary criticism, which would be detrimental to him instead."
"This is, after all, the highest Rank besides a Prince. Is it... a bit too much?"
As if he had long expected the Emperor to have such concerns, a meaningful smile appeared on Kong Deming's wrinkled old face.
He took two steps forward, his voice becoming low and powerful:
"Your Majesty, this is not a reward, but an investment."
"And it is an excellent investment with a guaranteed profit!"
Kong Deming held up a finger, his gaze becoming incredibly sharp, as if trying to pierce through the mists of the future:
"With the talent Liu Yuan has displayed... once such a Prodigy grows up, his strength will be immeasurable."
At this point, Kong Deming's tone suddenly grew heavier:
"Your Majesty, think about it yourself. If we fail to completely win his heart now because we were stingy with a title, what if, after graduation, he misses his homeland and returns to the three nations of the original Douluo Continent..."
"Regardless of whether he joins Star Luo, Heavenly Soul, or Dou Ling, or even that damned Shrek Academy."
"Ten years from now, that power will surely gain a Super Douluo of at least Rank 95, or even... a Limit Douluo!"
"If that happens..."
"By then, our Sun Moon Empire will have a dire threat that we might not be able to resolve even with the strength of the entire nation! When that time comes, watching him devastate our army on the battlefield, it will be too late for regrets!"
"On the contrary."
Kong Deming changed his tone, a hint of fanaticism entering his voice:
"If we take advantage of the fact that he hasn't fully grown yet, while he is still young and still studying at our academy, to grant him grace and glory unimaginable to ordinary people."
"Even if we have to face pressure from the court and the public, we must place this Duke's hat on his head, letting him feel that the Empire's regard for him is unique! It is at any cost!"
"As long as we can keep his heart in the Sun Moon Empire, then in the future... our Sun Moon Empire will have a peerless powerhouse capable of suppressing Shrek and even sweeping across the entire Douluo Continent!"
"Your Majesty, exchanging a titular Dukedom for a future Guardian Pillar of the State—isn't this a bargain? What is a mere Duke compared to the loyalty of a Limit Douluo?"
These words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly clearing the fog in the Sun Moon Emperor's mind.
He felt as if he had been enlightened, suddenly seeing the light!
"Elder Kong makes sense! He makes perfect sense!"
The Emperor slapped his thigh hard and stood up in excitement:
"I was too fixated on the present! Always staring at the current rules while forgetting to look toward the future. Since it's an investment, we must place a heavy bet! We must act boldly!"
"Yes! Not just the title, other means must also follow!"
The Emperor paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back. Once his mind was opened, various methods of winning people's hearts surged forth like a spring:
"A specific position in Mingde Hall shouldn't be given to him for now. As Elder Kong said, he is still young; giving him actual power might instead make him feel restricted and pressured, and it's easy to draw jealousy, or even cause him to feel repelled."
"We must play the emotional card! We must tie him down with warmth and bonds, making him treat the Sun Moon Empire as his own home!"
"Your Majesty is wise," Kong Deming chimed in at the right moment.
"And one more thing!"
The Sun Moon Emperor stopped abruptly, his eyes flashing with the calculation of a monarch and the intuition of a man:
"Marriage!"
"Since ancient times, heroes have always had a weakness for beauties. If he already has a girl he likes in our Sun Moon Empire, I will personally issue an imperial decree for the marriage and hold a grand celebration for them!"
Speaking to this point, the Emperor paused, stroked his chin, and a playful smile curled at the corner of his mouth:
"If not... hmph, several of my unmarried princesses are top-tier in the Empire in terms of both beauty and talent. As long as he takes a liking to one, I can directly make him a Prince Consort! Once he's a member of the Imperial Family, I don't believe he can still run away!"
Kong Deming nodded repeatedly, praising from the bottom of his heart: "This plan is brilliant! With both sentiment and interest working together, even if that Liu Yuan has a heart of stone, it will be melted by us. In short, there is only one core idea—keep Liu Yuan at all costs!"
"Good! It's settled!"
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