The atmosphere at the South Gate is a bit noisy.

What happened outside the city had spread as the imperial guards came and went.

Duke Cheng was repeatedly obstructed and rebuked, and his troops even opened fire on civilians.

This was not at all the Cheng Guogong they had imagined.

As the thought flashed through their minds, people became confused again.

What kind of person was the Duke of Cheng like in their imagination? In fact, they couldn't really explain it. After all, it had been nearly twenty years since the Jin army marched south to break the city and the northern expedition, and the Duke of Cheng had been stationed in the north for ten years. Those brutal wars and fierce fighting only existed in novels and jokes for everyone. It was too far away.

The third prince on the city gate was only sixteen or seventeen years old. Born and raised in Shandong, he had never experienced such a lively scene. Unlike the emperor, the noisy people only made him feel impatient and not happy at all.

The capital city was already quite hot in the summer, and the emperor asked the prince to come early to express his appreciation. He had been waiting at the city gate for nearly an hour.

"Are you coming or not? If not, I won't wait for you." The third prince took the fan from the palace maid and fanned himself vigorously twice to dispel the anxiety in his heart.

The officials who were accompanying him had complicated expressions, and many of them even looked a little happy.

The third prince does not have the emperor's good temper. He wanted to enjoy himself this time, but ended up encountering embarrassment along with Duke Cheng. The third prince must have been furious and, not to mention leaving in anger, he will also be jealous in the future.

"Your Highness, please wait a moment. Something happened up ahead." An official stepped forward and advised, "I'm afraid Duke Cheng will be late..."

Before he finished speaking, he heard a commotion outside the city gate and the sound of footsteps in the distance.

“Here I come!”

Shouts came one after another, and countless people looked towards the road.

You're here? So soon?

The officials at the city gate looked surprised.

The third prince also stood up.

"Look at the demeanor of this famous Northern Army." He said with a bit of laughter and walked out.

All the officials hurried to catch up. Standing on the city gate, they had a wider view and could see the people everywhere at a glance.

The surging crowd startled all the officials, including the third prince.

"Are these civilians or soldiers?" he asked without thinking.

Not only they had such doubts, but the waiting citizens of the capital who gradually saw the visitors were also surprised. The first people who appeared in their sight were actually a group of common people. They were even worse than common people and their clothes and appearance made them look more like beggars than those of the onlookers of the capital.

How did this group of people get in? Did the officers and soldiers on duty not do anything about it?

While they were wondering, the group of people had already approached, and after passing the civilians in front, they finally saw the military formation behind them. They were called a military formation only because they were riding horses, unlike the civilians on foot.

What kind of military formation is this? They have no armor or weapons, and everyone is wearing plain clothes. They don't look as good as the imperial guards on duty on both sides of the road.

At least they all wore new armor for this shift and looked sharp.

The cheers faded away, replaced by a buzz of discussions and questions.

The noise did not affect the progress of the troops. After the common people passed by, Duke Cheng's army lined up in front of everyone.

Although they were not majestic and awe-inspiring without armor or weapons, the soldiers on horseback had solemn expressions and straight backs, and the horses marched in unison, so that the sound of horse hooves echoing in everyone's ears carried an incredible melody.

This rhythm seemed to step on everyone's heart, gradually stopping the noise, and all eyes were focused on these soldiers.

Without armor or weapons, they appear approachable, allowing everyone to see these soldiers clearly.

They were of different ages, with weather-beaten faces and rough hands holding the reins. Their simple cloth clothes fluttered as they walked, revealing faint scars on their necks and chests.

They are not supernatural beings nor as strong as tigers and wolves, but it is these people who have guarded the North for ten years and forced the gold thieves to seek peace and ceasefire.

They were not wearing armor and carrying no weapons, but they marched forward with solemn expressions and upright postures, unstoppable in their determination to die.

The roadside fell into silence, with only the sound of horse hooves.

"Stop, stop."

The officials on the city gate finally rushed down, blocking the people from moving forward with anxiety and anger.

"What do you want?"

"We want to enter the city. We want to send Duke Cheng into the city." The blocked people shouted loudly.

This caused a commotion in front of the originally quiet city gate.

The officials already knew what was happening at the front, and their faces turned livid. Not to mention the scholars and literati who couldn't stop them, even if so many refugees really went crazy, they wouldn't be able to stop them either.

"Duke Cheng, what do you mean by this?" The leading official shouted angrily while standing on the city gate, looking towards the army formation.

The army formation had stopped, and with the waving of several flags, they changed their formation in unison and formed a path. A man on horseback slowly walked out from the inside.

He was tall, gentle, and dressed in a cloth robe. At first glance, he looked like a well-educated middle-aged scholar who was leisurely strolling around the streets.

This is...

"Duke Cheng!" An elderly man in the crowd suddenly shouted, "It's Duke Cheng!"

As the shouting sounded, the man was so excited that he could hardly control himself and was about to rush forward.

The people finally came to their senses and immediately became noisy.

This is Duke Cheng!

He is not a ferocious warrior, but such an elegant and handsome man.

This is Duke Cheng, known as the God of War. He is indeed as handsome as an immortal.

Countless shouts rang out, and the originally quiet crowd surged. The doubts about the strangeness of the military formation were immediately thrown aside, and everyone rushed here. The officers and soldiers on duty were squeezed and waved, and they held back the crowd to prevent them from rushing into the road, even though the road was already full of people.

"Being good-looking is really an advantage."

An official standing on the city gate couldn't help but mutter.

But no one laughed at his words. It was too scary that Duke Cheng brought so many people with him, and his appearance drove the people of the capital city almost crazy.

These are still without armor or weapons. I wonder how terrifying these soldiers would be if they were dressed in armor.

The faces of the officials standing in front of the city gate became even more gloomy. As Duke Cheng approached, the people took the initiative to step aside and make way for him. Duke Cheng soon appeared before them.

Duke Cheng dismounted, took broad steps, and stood in front of the official.

"Zhu Shan has fulfilled his mission," he said, clasping his fists and bowing, "I will bring the people of the three counties back to Zhou to thank Your Majesty."

The official was stunned.

Have you fulfilled your mission? Have you brought the people back to Zhou? To thank Your Majesty?

There was no questioning, no anger, and no boasting, but only gratitude.

As Duke Cheng finished his words, the people behind him knelt down and raised their hands to kowtow like a mountain collapsing.

"Thank you, Duke Cheng, for not giving up. Thank you, Your Majesty, for not giving up. We are back."

"We are still the people of Da Zhou. We are back."

"Thank God for all the kindness!"

"Thank you for not giving up on me!"

Thousands of people knelt down, and thousands of voices arose, hoarse and sad, with a sense of weeping and yet an added sense of tragedy.

The noisy onlookers had already been stunned into silence, and the people on the city gate who were looking down at the scene from above were even more shocked.

"Interesting!" The third prince patted the city wall and said, no longer impatient, full of energy, "This is what exaggeration means!"

What he praised was not how powerful Duke Cheng was, or how mighty his soldiers were, but how kind the heaven and earth of the Great Zhou were. It was not him thanking Duke Cheng and these soldiers, but all the people thanking the heaven.

"Duke Cheng, please." He raised his hand and shouted loudly, then turned and strode down the city.

Following his movement, the eunuchs, eunuchs, and officials of the Ministry of Rites all moved in unison.

"welcome!"

"welcome!"

The sound spread, drums and music sounded, and colorful flags fluttered.

"The time is perfect." An official from the Ministry of Rites murmured while looking at the hourglass. "Auspicious time, auspicious person, and auspicious image."

…

After seeing the audience with the prince, there was no more hindrance for the troops to pass through the city gate and head along the street towards the imperial city of Yujie. Ning Yan, who was standing in a tavern on the street, smiled after a long silence.

"Three levels have been passed."

He picked up the cup of tea that had been in front of him for who knows how long and drank it all in one gulp.