Does 秩 mean 俸禄 or 品级 in 加秩二等？

Question

This is from 《太平广记》：赐金帛，加秩二等。

The main story happened in Tang Dynasty. Su Wuming caught the thieves who had stolen from the Princess. The Queen wants to reward him by 赐(bestow)金(gold)帛(silk)，加(promote)秩(?)二(two)等(levels).

My question lies in 秩, which can mean both 俸禄 (salaries from official services) and 官职、品级 (official position or its rank). There should be a norm on what 加秩二等 means. I don't know but my thoughts are as follows:

1. 品级: Since 赐金帛 is monetary reward, it's natural for a rank promotion to come along. But then Su Wuming is already 湖州别使. I'm not sure which category 湖州 belongs to. Even if it's a 下州, Su is at the rank of 从五品上, promoting 2 ranks from that is a huge jump. It seems too big a deal for catching some thieves and regaining stolen stuff (its value 直黄金千镒 is mostly an exaggeration). Maybe it's a common thing in the feudal dynasties.

2. 俸禄: It also seems to make sense. 赐金帛 is one-time, while promoting the salaries is long-lasting.

Answer 1

Does 秩 mean 俸禄 or 品级 in 加秩二等？

俸禄 is the salary an officer receives based on his rank, you cannot get 加俸禄 (increased salary) without being promoted to a higher rank, so 加秩 means "promote to higher rank"

秩 = officer ranking

加秩二等 = promote to two ranks higher

Answer 2

賜金帛・加秩二等

the story is from 太平廣記・精察一・蘇無名; happened in 唐 dynasty.

according to 通典・職官十七・祿秩, division 15:

貞觀二年制，有上考者乃給祿。其後遂定給祿俸之制：以民地租充之。京官正一品，七百石。從一品，六百石。正二品，五百石。從二品，四百六十石。正三品，四百石。從三品，三百六十石。正四品，三百石。從四品，二百六十石。正五品，二百石。從五品，一百六十石。正六品，一百石。從六品，九十石。正七品，八十石。從七品，七十石。正八品，六十七石。從八品，六十二石。正九品，五十七石。從九品，五十二石。

two rank above 從五品 would be 從四品, that his salary changed from 160 stone to 260 stone; not a big deal 😼

“秩” means official ranking here

have fun :)