Yuanxing First Year, November 5th.
Lanling City.
As the dawn just broke, the Ten-mile Pavilion outside the East Subordinate Gate was already brimming with Profound Armor soldiers, banners filling the sky!
The Nine Ministers stood in rows, the civil and military officials stood straight, and Grand Secretary Ye Ze'an sat inside the pavilion.
The five Pavilion Masters of the Six Cabinets, along with Deputy Pavilion Master Ji Yiheng of the Righteous Law Pavilion, were all present!
So many high-ranking court ministers waiting here was because today Marquis Jing'an of the Da Lan Dynasty was returning to the capital!
In terms of rank or position, Ye Ze'an and the Pavilion Masters were not below Li Fei.
Normally, it would be impossible for them to collectively venture outside the city just to wait for one person.
Even Wenren Zheng never received such an honor!
But this ti it was different.
Since the Great Blue Ancestor, after more than five hundred years, the Da Lan Dynasty finally had soone achieve the great rit of destroying a nation!
And it wasn't just any small country, but the second strongest country in the East Continent in the past—the Grassland Royal Court!
Such accomplishnts were already worthy of the civil and military ministers to go out of the city and welco.
Inside the pavilion, Ye Ze'an was looking down at a piece of information in his hand.
The report detailed how Li Fei carved words on a mountain peak when parting with the White Fla Army.
"Yanran Mountain... What does it an?"
Even the extraordinarily learned Ye Ze'an couldn't comprehend why Li Fei chose such a na.
But...
"Those who dare to affront our Central Plains, even from afar, must be put to death!"
A rare smile appeared on Ye Ze'an's face.
He was not fond of drinking wine; the number of tis he drank in his life could hardly exceed the fingers on both hands.
But upon reading the words carved by Li Fei, he felt that each character was worth a grand toast!
The Pavilion Master of the Zhi Ge Pavilion, Ni Xuan, sitting beside him, noticed Ye Ze'an's smile and glanced at the intelligence in his hand, then understood imdiately:
"The words of Marquis Jing'an should be rembered in history!"
Ye Ze'an looked up at Ni Xuan and nodded: "Indeed, they should."
Ni Xuan had a face full of regret: "It's a pity, whether in the future there will be an opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with Marquis Jing'an is unknown."
Upon hearing this, Ye Ze'an smiled but did not comnt.
He knew why Ni Xuan felt this way.
Zuo Jun could be said to have marked his place in history together with Li Fei, and that was not the most enviable part.
The most enviable thing was that Zuo Jun was originally ranked relatively low among the Dao Establishnt Grandmasters in the Da Lan Dynasty.
Yet, after the Eastern Territory battle, he unexpectedly found an opportunity for a breakthrough!
As the Pavilion Master of Zhi Ge Pavilion, Ni Xuan, in State Preceptor Yun Shu's evaluation, had a chance to break through second only to Bai Yan.
Now, Zuo Jun had overstepped his position.
How could he not feel envious or even jealous?
Ye Ze'an looked up ahead.
The dawn light, like a sharp blade, cleaved through the clouds, falling upon the spears on either side of the official road lined by the Forbidden Army, igniting a cold brilliance of frosty stars.
The eighteen dragon banners of the Flagbearer Camp danced wildly in the wind, the coiling dragon embroidered on the banners seed to want to leap from the fabric.
Suddenly, a figure broke through the morning mist, appearing at the end of the official road.
"Marquis Jing'an! It's Marquis Jing'an returning to the court—!"
The exclamation sparked like a flint into an oil sea, instantly igniting the crowd.
Ye Ze'an was the first to rise from his seat, followed by all the ministers, walking out of the pavilion.
The Forbidden Army on both sides of the road suddenly halted, their long spears pointing towards the sky, forming a galaxy with the cold light—
"Glory!"
"Glory!"
"Glory!"
The heaven-shaking shouts were like dragon roars, awakening Lanling City shrouded in the morning mist.
The soldiers of the Forbidden Army shouted from the heart, each looking upon the man with eyes full of admiration.
Li Fei, clad in a golden robe, his divine radiance restrained, his clothes fluttering, strode along the official road.
He had already been inford that there would be a welcoming ceremony solely for him today, yet he did not anticipate such grandeur.
Noticing Ye Ze'an leading the civil and military officials towards him, he quickened his pace to et them.
"Congratulations to Marquis Jing'an on your triumphant return, expanding our Da Lan Dynasty's territory!"
After standing firm, Ye Ze'an saluted Li Fei.
Behind him, the civil and military officials also saluted Li Fei in unison.
Li Fei hastily returned the courtesy: "Thank you, my fellow colleagues! This great victory in battle could not have been achieved without the support from you all at the rear, it is not solely the rit of Li Fei."
His words were not just polite; he truly believed that without the strategic planning of Ye Ze'an and others at the rear, he and the White Fla Army could not have secured such a victory.
Hearing Li Fei say this, the civil and military officials present all smiled, feeling gratified.
Even those who felt a bit disgruntled for having to wait outside the city in the early fog for Li Fei found their discontent dissolved at this mont.
"His Majesty has decreed."
Ye Ze'an said to Li Fei, "Marquis Jing'an, for your unparalleled service to the nation, now that you have returned victorious, you shall ride through the capital on horseback, the entire city celebrating for you!"
"Ah?"
Li Fei was taken aback by the words.
He originally thought this welcoming ceremony outside the city was the end of it and he could enter the city to report.
Unexpectedly, there was still this horseback ride through the capital segnt?
They hadn't inford him in advance?
"Marquis Jing'an, here is the imperial bestowed treasured horse, please."
Ye Ze'an smiled and gestured to the side.
A soldier of the Forbidden Army rode over on an extraordinarily majestic white horse.
This horse was, of course, no ordinary horse but a royal-raised Fifth Grade Exotic Beast—Snow Dragon Steed!
Completely resembling snow, with its four hooves entangled in a mist of ice, it was a favorite of Emperor Hong Guang, often ridden by him during spring and autumn hunts.
Li Fei looked at the divine steed before him, then glanced at the civil and military officials who were watching him with smiles, took a deep breath, and mounted the horse.
Just as his fingers touched the saddle—
"Neigh—"
The white horse raised its head and neighed lodiously, the sound crisp like jade cracking, with ice mist spreading unexpectedly around it, a frost flower instantly crystallizing three feet under its hooves, unleashing a fresh yet majestic aura across the scene!
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