The army of 100,000 men marched with great momentum, and except for resting at night, they did not waste any time and headed straight for Xianyang.
Perhaps feeling it would be difficult to assassinate the villain amidst a sea of soldiers, the journey was extremely peaceful, and they did not encounter any assassination attempts.
After marching for nearly half a month, the evil man finally led his army to the border of Xianyang, which was only twenty or thirty miles away from the capital.
Upon receiving the news in advance, Ying Zheng was overjoyed. Early in the morning, he summoned all the civil and military officials and ordered the people of the city to clean the streets in preparation for the return of his wicked husband.
"Report—!"
"The Grand Commandant's army is ten li away from Xianyang City..."
"Six li..."
"Three miles..."
Under the rising sun, the city gates of Xianyang were wide open, banners fluttered on the city walls, and dense crowds lined both sides of the official road, all peering out to catch a glimpse of the triumphant army returning home.
"They're here! They're here—"
Accompanied by shouts of surprise, row upon row of Qin soldiers, clad in iron helmets and black armor, came into view. Their armor gleamed in the sunlight, like a giant black wave rolling forward, their swords and spears reflecting their unparalleled majesty.
"What a show of force..."
A scholar-like man couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice. He had never been a fan of warriors, but at this moment he was deeply shocked by this army formation that resembled a torrent.
One would expect the army to be exhausted after the massacre and bloody battle, but in reality, the soldiers were full of vigor, striding with their heads held high, like tigers returning from drinking blood.
"Look, that's our Qin State Grand Commandant!!!" someone in the crowd shouted, pointing to the person at the front.
The imposing general at the head of the group, riding a magnificent horse with its mane flying, wearing black armor adorned with dark patterns of soaring dragons and clouds, and with a sharp sword at his waist, was none other than the wicked man.
"Grand Commandant! Grand Commandant—!"
Suddenly, shouts and cheers erupted from both sides of the road. Countless people surged forward, trying to squeeze closer to get a better look. The "Grand Commandant" they were chanting was none other than the ruthless and ruthless general who had conquered vast territories for the Qin state.
"Back off! Back off!"
Soldiers on both sides continuously brandished their halberds to maintain order and prevent the crowd from surging forward. The crowd, however, showed no sign of backing down; some even wiped away tears, repeatedly expressing their gratitude: "Thank you, Grand Commandant, for expanding the territory of our Great Qin and fulfilling the generations-long dream of the Qin people to venture eastward!"
At that moment, the official road was in an uproar. Some people kept throwing flower petals, and some wine vendors even raised their bowls and shouted to the procession to offer them a toast. For a time, all kinds of noise blended together, and the scene was grand and enthusiastic.
...
Ying Zheng had been waiting there for a long time, surrounded by a long line of civil and military officials, many of whom looked on with awe or anticipation at the slowly approaching torrent of armored soldiers.
"Your Majesty, the Grand Commandant has finally returned!" Zhao Gao, who was by Ying Zheng's side, said with a smile when he saw Ying Zheng's joy.
"Hmm." Ying Zheng nodded slightly, his face unable to hide his joy. He raised his head slightly, his gaze passing over the various welcoming formations and landing on the dark, imposing army in the distance, as if trying to see the figure of the wicked husband.
Behind him, the courtiers whispered among themselves, saying, "The Grand Commandant's triumphant return is truly magnificent; the might of the Qin army is unstoppable."
"Yes, in one battle they destroyed Yan and Qi, and slaughtered the Donghu. Such achievements are unprecedented in history..."
Whether out of genuine admiration or simply following the crowd, no one dared to underestimate that chilling name at this moment—the wicked husband.
Before long, the vanguard cavalry arrived outside the city gate. The front guards reined in their horses, dismounted in unison, knelt on one knee, and shouted, "We pay our respects to Your Majesty!!"
Ying Zheng strode forward, his gaze passing over the guards to the wicked man who was dismounting. He did not bow first, but instead walked up to Ying Zheng before bowing and clasping his hands, saying, "This humble general, the wicked man, was ordered by the king to lead the northern expedition. He has achieved great success and is now leading his army back to the capital to report back. This battle has been a great victory!"
Ying Zheng held his arm, his voice filled with undisguised joy: "Grand Commandant, your merits are great for the country, why be so formal? Please excuse the formalities."
After rising, the wicked man presented a prepared war report with both hands: "Your Majesty, I have gone to pacify the Donghu and conquer the Yan territory. I have captured and executed the King of Yan and the remnants of the Donghu King. The detailed report is here. Please take a look."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ying Zheng took the letter, glanced at it, and saw that the words on it were full of records of the army's advance and the bloody battles. He was immediately filled with excitement.
He laughed loudly: "Good! What a wicked man! Such a victory is enough to prove the ferocity of my Great Qin. Issue the order—the entire victorious army shall enter the city, and a banquet shall be held in Xianyang to celebrate the victory. The ban on wine shall be lifted and a grand feast shall be held throughout the city for three days!"
Then he pointed to both sides of the official road: "You have all seen the etiquette of the people, haven't you? This is a testament to the power of the Qin Dynasty, and even more so, a testament to the unity of the army and the people."
The wicked man smiled, yet remained humble: "Your Majesty flatters me. This humble general has only relied on the sword in his hand to pacify the world for Your Majesty, and dares not claim any other credit."
"Excellent! Truly a pillar of my state!" Ying Zheng laughed heartily, then turned to the officials accompanying him and said, "My dear ministers, you have all seen this, haven't you? With such a valiant minister in court, what do we Qin have to fear from the other states under heaven?"
The officials stepped forward to congratulate him: "Grand Commandant, you are mighty! Your Majesty, you are divinely mighty! The great momentum is now established, and the destruction of all the kingdoms is just around the corner!"
Some people had a hint of fear or unease in their eyes, but at this moment they had no choice but to join in the cheers.
With Ying Zheng's order, Xianyang City was once again in an uproar. After a brief reorganization at the city gate, the army, led by his personal guards and officials of etiquette, marched into the city in a grand procession.
The people lined the streets to welcome them, and the cobblestone avenues were paved with flagstones. Vendors vied to sell all kinds of wine and meat, making it seem like a grand festival.
The wicked man rode alongside Ying Zheng, slowly passing through the rows of buildings. For countless years, the Qin dynasty's conquest of the six states had accelerated, and the wicked man's contributions were indispensable. Each triumphant return symbolized a further rise in Qin's power.
"This victory celebration banquet will be held at Zhangtai Palace, where all civil and military officials will gather to share this glory." Ying Zheng's tone was solemn.
The wicked man clasped his hands and nodded: "It's all up to you, elder brother."
"Hahaha...you little rascal..."
The two chatted as they walked, and before they knew it, they arrived at the gates of Xianyang Palace. On the towering palace walls, a black dragon-patterned banner fluttered in the wind, rustling in the sunlight. Several palace guards respectfully opened the gates to welcome this invincible iron army returning from battle.
As the wicked husband and Ying Zheng stepped into the main gate of the palace side by side, they immediately saw that the main hall was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, with sandalwood incense wafting in the air and jade pillars shining brightly. The palace maids and servants had already prepared wine, food and fruit.
"My beloved ministers!" Ying Zheng sat high on the throne and looked at his ministers. "It is inconvenient for the Grand Commandant to be wearing military uniform. He has traveled a long way and is covered in dust. Why don't we let the Grand Commandant change and freshen up first, and then hold a celebration?"
The ministers responded, "What Your Majesty says is absolutely right."
The official immediately stepped forward and respectfully invited the wicked man to accompany him to bathe and change clothes, so as to wash away the dust of the journey. The wicked man glanced at Ying Zheng, who nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Before leaving, the wicked man cupped his hands to the assembled officials and said, "Fellow colleagues, please allow me to freshen up first, and we will have a long chat later."
The civil and military officials all smiled and bowed in greeting, watching him leave the main hall.
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