Chapter 003: Returning Home, The Ceremony

A dozen or so high-ranking officials disembarked, leading several hundred civil and military officials, marching grandly out of the city gates

The magnificent chariot swiftly passed before Shen Wuque's eyes

After everything was completed, the governor of Tianshui Province stepped forward and bowed, saying: "Brother Shen, you have worked hard all the way. This battle is truly a rare great victory for our dynasty in decades."

It is important to understand that apart from the founding of the nation, for the next few hundred years, being granted a noble title was the highest honor attainable. Unless one achieved an immortal merit, it was fundamentally impossible to be conferred a noble title.

Countless people knelt on both sides, looking up at Shen Gong Ao, who was imposing and majestic, draped in sunlight, resembling a god of war

However

The Marquis of Zhenhai is mighty, the Marquis of Zhenhai is mighty

The entire ground began to tremble, growing louder and more intense.

Governor Fu Jian's Path: "Dare, dare, dare!"

Only when I have eliminated all my enemies, reclaimed my family's territory, and restored the glory of the Ying family, will I be worthy of restoring the name of Ying Que.

Shen Gong'ao was directly granted the title of marquis

Long live our Emperor, long live our Emperor

When Ying Que arrived once again at the city gate of Zhenhai, he felt a sense of familiarity yet strangeness

The Grand Eunuch shouted, "There is no need to kneel to receive the Great General Shen Gong'ao, who is clad in armor."

Not only did Shen Gong'ao notice it, but even the governor Fu Jianzhi, who was driving, also detected it. He slightly squinted his eyes but quickly returned to normal.

Hurry, join the crowd. A few warriors entered and casually dragged Wuqie into the crowd and the library.

I waited for a full two hours

What significant day is it today

Zhenhai City has always been bustling, so why does it seem so quiet at this moment, and why do the soldiers on the city wall appear so meticulous?

He shook his head, discarding the memories that belonged to his own winless past, allowing Shen Wuqie’s memories to occupy his mind

He commands a powerful navy and a formidable mountain army

"Be quiet and observe; if you are told to kneel, then kneel; if you are told to shout, then shout; if you are told to be silent, then be silent." After giving these orders, the official left.

He has killed countless people, and within a radius of one thousand miles, there are only children who cease to cry, earning him the title of the Blood-Soaked Butcher

The Lord of Zhenhai, Shen Gong'ao, has already reached the pinnacle of his life

Shen Gong'ao did not delay, directly boarding the carriage, while Governor Fu Jianzhong truly took the driver's seat, grasping the reins, to drive Shen Gong'ao into the city

This half is organized by someone, while the other half is a genuine sense of reverence.

The houses on both sides of the street are adorned with lanterns and covered with red paper

Whether in personal combat or on the battlefield, there has not been a single defeat in ten years

Shen Gong'ao's war chariot will traverse the entire Zhenhai City and enter the Haijiao Fortress, which is the brand new residence of the Zhenhai Marquis

So majestic, so glorious, so honorable

Several hundred civil and military officials ran behind the carriage

Immediately, all the officials present, tens of thousands of soldiers, and tens of thousands of civilians, all knelt down in unison

Several officials, upon witnessing this, were enraged and knelt down to approach, intending to force Shen Wuque to bend his knees.

The sound reverberates through the heavens

In recent years, the name of Shen Gong'ao has undoubtedly been resounding, even instilling fear in people's hearts.

Shen Gong'ao pushed open the carriage door and slowly stepped out

Immediately, the memory of Shen Wuque surfaced in my mind

There are territories, there are armies, there are industries

In defense of the empire, against the great army of the Kingdom of Dali, we have achieved victory time and again, having captured over ten cities

Suddenly, a grand symphony resounded, performed by a large orchestra of over several hundred musicians

Within the city gates, countless official sedan chairs are arranged in perfect order

Zhenhai City

Over the past decade, he has been a rising star in the empire.

... ...

He... he has returned

There are several hundred civil and military officials standing behind the official sedan chair. Are they here to welcome someone?

Shen Gong'ao half-knelt

A majestic and imposing carriage, drawn slowly by six magnificent warhorses

... ...

"You either come in or leave, do not delay the grand ceremony." Suddenly, a stern voice echoed from the city wall

It is somewhat strange

This is considered one of the southernmost cities of the Great Xia Empire and also one of the important military strongholds in the southern part of the empire

This is the sound of countless warhorses striking the ground, this is a powerful cavalry, innumerable in number

The Emperor, by the mandate of Heaven, proclaims: The Grand Commander of the Southern Expedition, Lord Shen Gong'ao, has achieved remarkable feats in this southern campaign, capturing over ten cities and expanding the territory by hundreds of miles. He is a model for the generals of the empire. He is hereby granted the title of Marquis of Zhenhai, to be inherited without fail. Thus it is decreed!

Now, the town of Zhenhai has returned to the possession of Shen Gong'ao, along with an additional area of over 10,000 square kilometers of territory, all belonging to the Shen family

The grand ceremony officially begins

However, Shen Gong'ao's gaze remained fixed on Wuque's face for approximately five seconds, before he turned his head away and no longer looked at him

The entire town of Zhenhai is spotless, with crowds densely packed on both sides of the street, standing in perfect order

Several eunuchs stepped forward to prevent him from kneeling, but they were completely unable to stop him

Thank you, Your Majesty, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor!

The disappointed gaze of my father, Shen Gong'ao, along with the resolute turning away of my dream lover, occasionally surfaces in my mind

Thousands of cavalry, controlling their warhorses, marched in unison to escort Lord Shen Gong Ao into the city

That is Shen Wuque

As the chariot of Shen Gong'ao passed by, the people on both sides of the road knelt down in unison

The true triumphal ceremony has truly begun

Thank you very much

This is his son Shen Wuque, who has been missing for a full eight years

Today, his family's territory has reached 13,000 square kilometers, most of which he personally seized from the Kingdom of Dali.

Everyone kneels, except for one person who does not kneel

Suddenly, a high-ranking official in a purple robe stepped out of the official sedan and said, "Gentlemen, follow me out of the city to welcome the Grand Commander."

The memories this city brought him are not good, even very bad

This is truly the pinnacle of life

Shen Gong'ao turned his head and saw Shen Wuque, and was momentarily taken aback, even the muscles at the corner of his mouth twitched slightly

His own memories collided with Shen Wuqie’s memories, creating a very peculiar sensation

The Grand Commander of the Southern Expedition, Lord Shen Gong'ao, has already arrived ten miles away

This city once belonged to the Ying family

The sound of hooves echoed, as the knight carried a banner emblazoned with the large character for "Shen".

From now on, I am Shen Wuque!

His son, Shen Wuque, has been missing for a full eight years

Shen Gong'ao: "I dare not."

The carriage is enormous, and he stands atop it like a towering jade pillar

Immediately following, a eunuch stepped forward, accompanied by dozens of young eunuchs behind him

Governor Fu Jian said: "Lord of Zhenhai, please mount your horse, I will hold the reins for you"

He is almost the pinnacle of strength within a radius of one thousand miles, having remained undefeated for over a decade

His refusal to kneel was particularly striking, especially given his flawless and handsome appearance, standing with grace and elegance

Hundreds of officials bowed and said: "Congratulations to the Grand Commander on your triumphant return"

Several eunuchs stepped forward and immediately dressed Shen Gong'ao in the marquis's python robe

It is indeed as it should be

Nanzhenhai and Beiyingzhou were once the two most important cities of the Ying family, with Yingzhou as the primary city and Zhenhai as the secondary city and a source of illustrations and books

This is a highlight moment for the entire Shen family

Play music

This matter has become a taboo topic within the Shen family

Suddenly, the music changed to "The Great Grace Melody"

This is flawless

For several hundred years, Zhenhai City has been a major hub of maritime trade, flowing with gold and silver.

Your Majesty has issued a decree

The Grand Commander of the Southern Expedition, Baron Shen Gong Ao of Zhenhai, has arrived

Wuqie hurriedly entered the city gate and immediately witnessed a grand scene

All the officials present knelt down, including the governor, with only Shen Gong Ao half-kneeling

In his childhood, Ying Que preferred Zhenhai even more than Yingzhou

grand ceremony

More than a decade ago, his fief was merely one-tenth of what it is now

The entire town of Zhenhai, along with dozens of affiliated islands, is his territory

However, the gaze of Shen Gong'ao was already enough to make all the officials dare not act recklessly

and presented the brand new seal of the Duke of Zhenhai

Because Yingzhou is too serious, Zhenhai is prosperous and lively, and here one can still see various kinds of foreign people. I remember that at that time the lord of Zhenhai was Ying Que's uncle, Ying Qu, who was a very interesting person and doted on Ying Que immensely. It seemed as if he had an endless supply of gifts hidden behind him, each time bringing surprises to Ying Que.

His achievements over the course of ten years surpass the accumulated efforts of several hundred years of his ancestors

Shen Gong'ao dismounted from the carriage and knelt down like a fallen jade pillar

In an instant, countless envious gazes.

A moment later