Upon the Tai Miao square, the grand sacrificial ceremony was in full swing. Solemn music drifted leisurely, and the officiant’s chanting, distant yet clear, echoed prayers to the heavens.

In the side hall adjacent to the square, an awkward tension persisted.

Were it Chong Xuan Sheng, not to mention being caught perusing books of the spring palace, even if discovered enacting a spring palace play, he would remain utterly composed, without the slightest trace of unease. As Dingyuan Hou had observed, in terms of sheer shamelessness, Chong Xuan Zun was undeniably at a disadvantage.

Thus, when Jiang Wang posed his question, Chong Xuan Zun instinctively closed the book, a palpable embarrassment clouding his usually carefree and composed handsome features. After a brief pause, he ventured, “I wasn’t aware Brother Jiang also possessed knowledge of agricultural matters.”

“Glad to hear it,” Jiang Wang replied, his expression impassive. “My copy hails from the Tian Du collection.”

Silence descended upon the hall. Then, almost in unison, they spoke:

“Your book… it has illustrations?”

“Mine is the Secret Spring Garden edition.”

Again, they fell silent simultaneously.

At that very moment, Han Ling, the head inner official of Da Qi, the esteemed great eunuch, entered the hall. The clatter of his black boots, crafted from some unknown material, shattered the awkwardness. “Young Master Jiang, Young Master Chong Xuan,” Han Ling said warmly, “The auspicious hour has arrived.”

Such summons were typically handled by a minor eunuch. Han Ling’s personal appearance underscored the extraordinary importance of the occasion.

The two youths rose almost simultaneously.

Jiang Wang bowed respectfully to Han Ling. “My thanks, Esteemed Eunuch.”

Chong Xuan Zun offered only a slight nod as a greeting.

With vastly different temperaments, these two paragons of the nation stepped out of the hall, bathed in the brilliant sunlight, and into the collective gaze of the entire court of civil and military officials, dukes, and marquises. Particularly significant was the presence of envoys from forty-seven nations across the entire Eastern Domain, who were participating in the great sacrifice today! Among them, countries like Rong had sent their Crown Prince, while Zhao’s monarch had personally attended.

The various nations of the Eastern Domain had come to pay homage to Da Qi!

Chong Xuan Zun, as always, was clad in snow-white attire, exuding unparalleled elegance and possessing flawless features.

Today, Jiang Wang too had been meticulously “dressed” by the ritual officials. He usually favored a green shirt, but today’s sky-blue long robe possessed an extraordinary texture, its hem adorned with a few subtle mountain shadows. As he walked, the fabric rippled slightly, evoking a sense of ethereal mist. A long sword, adorned with a white jade, hung at his waist, adding a touch of freshness and brilliance. His long hair, typically tied back simply, was today bound by a green jade crown that shimmered with light and shadow.

This framing accentuated his already striking, angular features, which were clearly defined in the warm sunlight.

Today, Jiang Wang had just turned twenty-one. He had experienced much, traversed long paths etched with the cuts of wind and the bites of frost. He was no longer the clear-eyed, stubborn youth of his beginnings. His eyebrows were gentle, like mountain shadows veiled in mist. His eyes remained clear and bright, yet in their deepest depths lay a trace of solidified cloud shadow—a mark left by this world. He no longer believed this was a realm of boundless brilliance.

But after witnessing the myriad states of the world, after tasting pain and treading the long road in darkness… he still held onto his initial resolve. Despite experiencing betrayal, he still possessed the courage to trust. Having witnessed darkness, he still walked towards the light.

His nose bridge was straight, but not sharp, mirroring his character—proud, yet never overbearing. His lips were lightly pursed, naturally conveying a sense of unwavering resolve. At this moment, he displayed no overt sharpness, yet one knew this was a person not easily swayed.

Walking beside him was the refined young master of the mundane world, the preeminent figure whose elegance cast a shadow over Linzi, whose every gesture and movement stirred the hearts of countless noblewomen and young maidens in the capital.

Yet, Jiang Wang walked with steady steps, keeping pace, yielding not an inch in presence. He was like a banished immortal descending from the Nine Heavens, strolling amidst the human world.

The entire court of civil and military officials, the envoys of the various nations, watched the two of them, momentarily silenced. Across the entire Eastern Domain, the weight of these powerful gazes descended, a tangible and intangible pressure surpassing mountains and seas.

And these two figures, in green and snow-white, walked side by side, composed and at ease. As if carrying ten thousand mountains, as if strolling through a field of flowers, where in this world could they not go?

“Only today do I realize, such individuals truly exist!” On the viewing platform at the edge of the square, the Crown Prince of Rong Guo murmured in astonishment.

Lin Xian, kneeling beside him, gazed at the familiar green-robed figure, but remained silent. After Ouyang Yong’s death in battle, Rong Guo was even more reliant on Qi Guo’s support, which is why the Crown Prince had personally come to pay tribute. Lin Xian understood even more profoundly that from this day forward, Rong Guo’s future rested solely on his shoulders. He did not question whether he was capable. Such was life; nothing more than having seen the high mountains and then setting out towards them.

If one day, he could be like Jiang Qingyang… this life would hold no regrets.

At this moment, the Tai Miao sacrificial ceremony had reached its final stage. Those who were to be enfeoffed had been, those to be rewarded had received their dues, with only a few key figures remaining. The last Emperor of Xia, Si Cheng, had been enfeoffed as Anle Bo and granted a luxurious residence in Xiashan to live out his remaining years. The one known as the Peach Blossom Immortal, Yu Liyang, had been directly granted the right to deliberate in the Political Affairs Hall, appointed Shang Qing, and gifted the Frozen Snow Peach Garden in Bei County.

The generals from the various Eastern Domain nations who had participated in the war, such as Yan Po and Madam Xi Du, had all received generous rewards. Even Ouyang Yong, who had unfortunately died in battle, had been handsomely condoled by the Qi court, and corresponding generous treatment had been extended to Rong Guo.

Based solely on military merit in the Fa Xia War:

Chong Xuan Zun had first showcased his martial prowess at the army’s vanguard, displaying bravery above the three armies and seizing the position of leading the assault on Fa Xia. His courage and ferocity had fully embodied the spirit of the vanguard. He had traversed traps, been the first to ascend enemy city walls, and slain countless foes on the battlefield.

In the northern Linwu Prefecture battlefield, he was the first to breach an enemy city’s general’s defenses, achieving great merit. Later, upon reviewing the war, it was discovered that the first on the entire eastern line to breach an enemy city was Jiang Wang, leading the Desheng Camp with Chong Xuan Sheng. The city breached was named Xi Ming.

Thereafter, Chong Xuan Zun had led his army alone into enemy territory, defending Xi Ming City, engaging in fierce battles with Da Xia’s An Guo Hou, Jin Ling, for several days, buying crucial time for the overall breakthrough on the Linwu battlefield.

Chong Xuan Sheng and Jiang Wang, however, had consecutively captured Hong Gu City, Xin Jie City, and Dai City, almost single-handedly piercing through Xia Guo’s eastern war line with the strength of one camp, claiming the undisputed first merit on the eastern line! In this eastern line’s foremost achievement, Chong Xuan Sheng held the merit of planning, and Jiang Wang the merit of fervent combat. Overall, Chong Xuan Sheng held the primary merit, placing him a notch above Chong Xuan Zun.

But Chong Xuan Zun had subsequently launched a strong attack on Da Ye Fu, ambushed and killed the Qing Ling guard general, seized Qing Ling City, and even driven the routed soldiers to invade the imperial tombs, beheading the Shen Lin guard, significantly disrupting the tomb guarding legion, and encircling the tomb of Xia Xiang Emperor with his soldiers. On behalf of Qi Tianzi, he had enfeoffed Xia Xiang Emperor as Anle Hou—this symbolic act had pulled the Xia Xiang Emperor down from his pedestal, exposed the vulnerability of Xia Guo’s defenses, and made the people of Xia Guo truly realize that their era of glory was past, greatly shaking their fighting spirit.

Such earth-shattering merit had instead propelled him above Chong Xuan Sheng.

Even though Chong Xuan Sheng and Jiang Wang had later crushed Feng Li’s Eastern Road, led their army to sweep through Hui Luo Fu, and in the Min Xi Corridor battle, routed fifty thousand enemy troops, directly shattering Xia Guo’s last bastion on the eastern line… it still fell somewhat short. Of course, if Chong Xuan Sheng had successfully raised the flag outside Gui Yi City before the situation became clear, his war merit would have undoubtedly surpassed Chong Xuan Zun. But at that time, he had made a different choice.

And in Sang Fu, Chong Xuan Zun had joined forces with Jiang Wang, with two Shen Lin battling six, slaying five Xia Hou and one Shen Lin exotic beast. This single battle alone propelled the merits of these two individuals above all other generals.

Thus, these were the two individuals appearing at this final moment.

Furthermore, young generals like Li Fengyao, Li Longchuan, Yan Fu, and Wang Yiwu had also performed outstandingly in the Fa Xia War. Notably, Wang Yiwu, on the frontal battlefield of Zheng Yang City, in the terrifying environment of continuous true person collisions, had always been at the forefront of every battle, breaking through enemy formations seventeen times, a testament to his bravery and ferocity. But in terms of military merit, they still fell below Chong Xuan Sheng. Hence, they had also been enfeoffed and rewarded earlier.

To be precise, Tian Anping had arrayed and slain the contemporary True Person Chu Gong Yi, forced back Nan Dou Dian’s Ren Qiu Li, and saved the northern line’s war situation. Such achievements were, of course, immense and eye-catching, perhaps even more so than Chong Xuan Zun’s. But as a route commander, under his command, ten thousand Da Qi county soldiers had died in battle, and forty-nine thousand were lost. Deducting suicides and those who had lost their minds, only a little over six thousand remained capable of forming units… he had to bear this responsibility. Behind ninety thousand county soldiers lay ninety thousand families… Tian Anping had to bear some of the sorrow of these ordinary Qi Guo citizens.

So, despite his great merit, he could not be greatly rewarded, and it was impossible for him to serve as a model for the three armies. Even the rewarding process for him was subtly understated.

How crucial was the appearance of Jiang Wang and Chong Xuan Zun at this time?

In the Fa Xia War, those who commanded spring’s death like Chen Zeqing, commanded autumn’s kill like Chong Xuan Chuliang, and commanded the pursuing wind like Li Zhengyan… these army main commander-level figures had already been rewarded first. Tianzi had declared that the two national prides had suffered injuries for the country and needed rest, thus specially allowing their late appearance… and having the head inner official, Han Ling, personally lead the way, precisely demonstrating supreme honor!

At this moment, all eyes were upon them, the entire square was silent. In the center of the vast square, they ascended the high platform, the so-called models of the three armies!

State Chancellor Jiang Rumo personally unfolded the imperial decree and chanted at the foot of the steps: “Protecting the nation’s renowned clan, a glorious general family, is called Chong Xuan!”

This opening sentence alone brought tears to the eyes of Chong Xuan Yunbo, who was personally participating in the sacrifice today! Since the year the abolished Crown Prince lost power, the Chong Xuan clan had plummeted a thousand zhang. Thereafter, Chong Xuan Yunbo donned armor for battle, the entire family fought in Xia territory, his third son Mingshan died in battle, and Chong Xuan Chuliang repeatedly achieved military merit. Even when Chong Xuan Mingshu died overseas, he could not win back the monarch’s heart…

Until today, Chong Xuan Sheng planned the eastern line, and Chong Xuan Zun rampaged through Xia territory, finally earning this sentence of recognition. The Chong Xuan clan was still the top renowned family whose ancestral tablets were enshrined in the Hall of National Protection. Today’s proclamation before the Tai Miao, the ancestors of the Chong Xuan clan, should be able to know!

This simple sentence…

Yet it represented the efforts of three generations of the Chong Xuan clan, from the 24th year of Yuanfeng to the present!

This white-haired old general murmured for a long time, finally only saying: “I can rest in peace!” He had been injured early in the battlefield, severing his path to Shen Lin. Even with more heavenly materials and earthly treasures, he could not break through the lifespan limit of 129 years and six months. Time was already running short; his lifelong regret was that the Chong Xuan clan, which could have reached the pinnacle during his lifetime, had fallen to the bottom. As for that son named Mingshu, how could he not both hate deeply and love deeply?

The extraordinary Elder Brother Ming Guang, supporting his aging father from the side, was also filled with emotion—”A tiger father has no weak son, the ancients were indeed not mistaken! My son is truly like my youth!”

Chong Xuan Yunbo turned his head to look at him, instantly losing that complex emotion. What he had to control now was not the turbid tears in his eyes, but the strong impulse to kick his eldest son off the platform.

Jiang Rumo’s chanting voice continued: “A family of accumulated merit, destined to inherit the nation’s fortune. Young and extraordinary, the renowned Zun, a pillar born of heaven, outstanding throughout the capital.”

At this moment, Qi Tianzi sat high on his dragon throne, his gaze distant behind the pearls of his mianliu. Crown Prince Jiang Wuhua, Hua Ying Palace Lord Jiang Wuyou, and Yang Xin Palace Lord Jiang Wuxie, each with their distinct demeanor, were all in full dress accompanying him on the vermillion steps.

Jiang Wang stood quietly beside the infinitely glorious Chong Xuan Zun, his heart inexplicably drawn to the Changsheng Palace Lord; the entire Fa Xia War’s beginning was precisely Jiang Wuqi’s elimination of the Nine Corps’ hidden dangers. Re-examining this war, it was not difficult to discern the immense role played by the now-deceased Changsheng Palace Lord. If the path still existed, Qi Guo might not have been able to withstand Jing Guo’s pressure. Indeed, if Yan Tu had participated in Fa Xia… that would have simply been a disaster.

Time was such a fleeting thing, even if you hadn’t wasted a moment. Sometimes, a sudden look back revealed that things remained but people had changed. The last time he had received rewards here, Jiang Wuqi had still been seated in the ranks. Now, the dukes and ministers filled the seats, and the envoys of the various nations stood in formation. Before Tianzi, that youth in fox fur was no longer to be seen.

In a daze, Jiang Rumo’s chanting voice reached the final sentence—”… Victories achieved by might over heaven, bravery above the three armies, thus with one thousand six hundred households, enfeoffed as Champion Hou!”

Chong Xuan Zun cupped his hands and raised them above his forehead, responding loudly: “Your minister, thanks heavenly grace!” Naturally, great eunuchs presented the seal and the Hou robe; the entire Tai Miao square erupted in a frenzy of excitement! People whispered to each other, the sounds of discussion unstoppable.

This was too shocking, Tianzi’s enfeoffment, somewhat breaking convention.

Just now, the youngest Hou Ye of the Da Qi Empire had been born! He was the Champion Hou with a fief of one thousand six hundred households!

In the voices like surging waves, Jiang Wang came back to his senses and applauded. The title of “brave above the three armies,” Chong Xuan Zun indeed deserved it.

At this moment, he still had not realized the problem.

Meanwhile, Chong Xuan Sheng, who had received his enfeoffment earlier and retreated to the viewing platform, suddenly clenched his fist. Since Chong Xuan Dao Zun had been enfeoffed as Champion Hou, Jiang Wang, with even more prominent merits and a more dazzling performance on the Fa Xia battlefield, would be enfeoffed with what?!

Before the Tai Miao, the heavenly wind also seemed to tame itself.

The noisy voices gradually subsided, people looking at the exceedingly young man in the green shirt in the center of the square, their gazes becoming increasingly heavy. This world-renowned, universally known Jiang Qingyang, would be enfeoffed with what, receive what title?

In a kind of unusual solemnity, and an indescribable anticipation.

Qi Tianzi’s voice suddenly rang out—

“Jiang Wang, does your head still hurt?”

Laughter erupted from the crowd.

Jiang Wang did not understand why Tianzi had suddenly asked this. Even more, he did not understand what was so amusing about this question, how so many people were laughing… His heart was somewhat bewildered, but he still replied honestly: “Replying to Your Majesty, it does not hurt.” He thought for a moment and added, “Thanks to the imperial physician’s wonderful hands, I have recovered very well.”

“Hahahaha…”

Qi Tianzi laughed heartily, then laughed and waved his sleeve: “State Chancellor, I trouble you!”

Jiang Rumo thus unfolded the second decree he was personally reading today, and solemnly proclaimed—

“Da Qi founded for two thousand years, Dao Calendar newly started four thousand years! In the great age of contention, how can rise and decline be counted! Without the heroic talents of the world, the king’s enterprise cannot be solidified for a thousand autumns. Wood has river and mountain beams, but cannot support the moon and star sea! I rise early to seek, sleep at night to think. With a sincere heart, I widely welcome the four seas, thus obtaining Jiang Wang coming from the west. The first leader of the Yellow River, still as yesterday. Now Fa Xia, demonstrating extreme military merit! Leading three thousand troops, and with Chong Xuan Sheng in a solitary army penetrating deep into enemy territory, circling the enemy’s rear. Consecutively capturing Xi Ming, Hong Gu, Xin Jie, and Dai, four great cities, pursuing routed soldiers, destroying great arrays, penetrating three prefectures, piercing through the Xia army’s eastern line!

Thereafter pacified Feng Li, swept through Hui Luo, beheaded countless foes, slain innumerable generals. Furthermore, he led the army into Sang Fu, aimed at Gui Yi, his sharpness unstoppable, saving comrades with a single sword! At that time, the Champion Hou was surrounded by six Shen Lin. Wang then entered the Shen Lin, fighting back to back; Jiang Rumo read to this point, his voice involuntarily rising a bit, excited by the content of the decree—

“Beheaded Xia Guangping Hou Li Fu! Beheaded Xia An Guo Hou Jin Ling! Assisted in beheading Xia Yangling Hou Xue Chang! Beheaded Xia Dongping Hou Chu Rang and the Shen Lin exotic beast Red Blood Ghost Bat! Pursued and killed for a thousand li, beheaded Xia Beixiang Hou Shang Yanhu!”

These prominent names, one by one, represented indelible military merits.

On the viewing platform, the monarch of Zhao Guo’s breathing almost stopped. Among these individuals, any one of them would be unmatched in Zhao Guo. In other words, the current Jiang Wang, single-handedly, possessed the ability to exterminate a country!

And Jiang Rumo’s chanting voice continued;

“At that time, Shang Yanhu secretly received treacherous orders, intending to unleash disaster water and overturn the human world. The Jiang Yin Plain heaven opened a rift, and the extreme evil disaster water was already hanging high. Wang led the Nine Towns to fill it, eliminating the great disaster. His military merits are exceedingly prominent, unmatched under heaven! He ensured the Nine Corps and three armies suffered no loss, and brought the land of Xia under control for ten thousand people. The former sages once said, martial arts have seven virtues. The manifestation of ancient and modern martial virtue, none surpasses using martial arts to pacify the country! Thus, with three thousand households, enfeoffed as Wu An Hou!”

On the vast square, there was a moment of silence.

Immediately following were the cheers that resounded through the Tai Miao. It was a mountain call and a sea roar, sweeping through the three hundred li of Linzi city!

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