The next day, nearing noon, a decree from the Emperor arrived, appointing Xiao Song as County Marquis of Xiangwu, Third Rank, with a fief of one thousand households. Ran Yan was appointed as Lady of Liang, Third Rank.
The title "Lady of Liang", being scholarly and capable, likely implied a connection to the descendants of the Liang state.
Not all ladies with titles had titles of substantial meaning, similar to Lady Daning whose title was due to meritorious deeds at the founding of the state, hence she had a fief, and it had no relation to her husband. Therefore, her imperial decree was prefixed with the name of the fief, making it a rather special case. However, most ladies like Ran Yan received their rank because of their husbands, without financial security, and their prefixes were all meaningful words.
