Yun Jing hurriedly stopped her, "His Majesty is wise and mighty, the ruler of the world, and revered by all people. I hope Mother will be careful with her words!"

As the saying goes, "Words can be dangerous," and Wang knew this all too well. She snorted coldly and turned back to the backyard.

Before Lin Yinan even returned to Longtan, the news of her being granted a marquisate had already spread far and wide among the families, large and small, in the Southern Lands and Cangwu County, leaving everyone in shock.

In their traditional view, being granted the title of marquis or prime minister was mostly a man's affair. Lin Yinan's achievement of being granted the title of marquis as a woman broke people's conventional understanding, and it is rare for a woman to be granted the title of marquis in thousands of years.

The people of the two southern prefectures were overjoyed. Lin Yinan had protected their homes when the enemy army marched south, and now that they heard the news of her being granted a marquisate, they were all thrilled.

Even the usually quiet Longtan suddenly became lively.

Upon learning that Lin Yinan was returning to Longtan, the heads of various powerful families took the opportunity of delivering New Year's gifts to bring their younger generation to Longtan, hoping to make an appearance before the newly appointed Marquis of Nanxing.

A line of horse-drawn carriages stretched for ten miles outside the city, carrying generous gifts and beaming with smiles as they patiently waited to be allowed into the city.

Among the many exquisite carriages, a drab gray carriage stopped directly in front of the city gate, followed by a group of guards dressed in black.

The crowd began to discuss the matter.

"Who are these people? Why aren't they queuing?"

"There were no markings on the carriage; I've never seen one before."

"Those guards following behind don't look like ordinary people! Perhaps they are some very important figures?"

"..."

At the city gate, Yun Dong immediately recognized the driver as Yun Xi, so the person sitting in the carriage must be their lord and master.

He stepped forward excitedly and said, "This humble general greets Your Excellency, my lord!"

Before the people in the carriage could speak, those in line, who had sharp ears, heard Yun Dong's words and immediately rushed forward, their words full of flattery.

"It is the Marquis of Nanxing!"

"The Marquis is back!"

Behind him, Yun Yi, Yun San, and the others drew their swords with a swift motion. "Step back! Who dares to be so insolent here!"

The crowd fell silent, too afraid to take another step forward.

Lin Yinan lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out, standing high on the carriage frame. She slightly raised her chin, her gaze calmly sweeping over the crowd, her expression indifferent.

Her voice carried an undeniable air of authority, “I appreciate your presence today. However, Longtan is a small place, and there are only so many inns in the city, so I cannot provide you with the full hospitality you deserve. There will surely be many opportunities in the future for us to work together on great projects. As the year draws to a close and the year is drawing to a close, you should all return home to spend time with your families.”

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, and some, after a brief moment of contemplation, instructed the driver to turn around and leave.

Before long, apart from the established families who had previously acquired properties in Longtan, the inner city was deserted.

Before I even reached my doorstep, I saw that the main street was packed with people.

Lin Yinan looked closely and saw that the people in the lead were Yunmu and Old Lady Zhao with their whole family. Beside them were the villagers of Linjia Village, led by the clan chief, Wu Xingwang, the three Wu brothers, Liang Wen, Pan Qingfeng, and others who had followed them all the way.

Even Zhao Mang and the others from Chi'an Mountain were there.

With bright smiles on their faces, Lin Yinan then noticed that they were all wearing new clothes.

They knelt on both knees and respectfully shouted in unison, "This humble subject pays respects to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

Their slightly trembling voices, filled with awe, echoed for a long time above Longtan.

Lin Yinan stepped forward and helped Grandma Zhao up, gesturing for them to stand up.

Tears welled in the eyes of the usually strong-willed Mrs. Zhao as she held Lin Yinan's hand tightly, knowing how difficult her journey had been.

Meanwhile, her mother, Li Shulan, had already cried until her eyes were red and swollen.

Looking at these familiar smiling faces, the bond of family is tangible at this moment, and my heart is filled with warmth and emotion.

Lin Yinan's lips slowly curved upwards, revealing a faint smile.

"I'm back!"

—End of text—