Chapter 86 Love at First Sight: I beg my mother, Your Majesty, to do me justice! ...
On the day of the Phoenix Kingdom's triumphant return.
Zheng Fu and a group of young gentlemen stood by the window of the private room, craning their necks in anticipation as the King of Qin passed through the long street.
"How much longer until Your Highness arrives?" One of the young masters was already impatient and urged his servants to go outside and inquire.
"Brother He, don't worry, he should be here soon," Zheng Fu reassured him.
Suddenly, a sharp-eyed young man interrupted their conversation and called out.
"They're here! They're here!"
The men immediately stopped talking and looked outwards.
Yuan Yan rode Jingxue and led his soldiers through the long street.
"Host, we've been fighting abroad for so long, we're finally back!" the system said happily.
"Why do you seem happier than me?" Yuan Yan asked, noticing its tone.
"Of course! After fighting so many battles, I'll soon be able to go to the palace to receive my reward. Of course I'm happy! I've put in so much effort; I wonder what reward the emperor will give you this time," the system imagined.
The shouts of the surrounding people could be heard.
"His Royal Highness King Qin!"
"Your Highness is mighty! May Heaven bless the Phoenix Kingdom!"
The people lined the streets to welcome him, crowding both sides of the long street, their cheers rising and falling, filled with gratitude and respect for Yuan Yan and his soldiers.
Jingxue seemed to know that the people around them were welcoming them. She snorted, strode confidently with Yuan Yan on her back, and looked exceptionally proud.
Many men in the crowd boldly threw handkerchiefs and wildflowers at the soldiers, and almost every soldier was covered in petals, but the most handkerchiefs fell around Yuan Yan.
Some men were so engrossed in watching that they accidentally threw their bamboo baskets at Yuan Yan.
Fortunately, Yu Liu reacted quickly enough and reached out to stop it in mid-air, preventing it from hitting anyone else.
General Chen joked, "After today, Your Highness will become the dream girl of countless men in the capital."
"General, please don't make fun of me." Yuan Yan shook his head with a smile.
As they approached, a young man in the private room let out a soft exclamation.
"His Highness the King of Qin is so valiant!"
"Qin Wangqing is so lucky to be able to marry such a great heroine as Your Highness."
In Zheng Fu's eyes.
The Prince of Qin, clad in black armor and riding a jet-black steed, stood out prominently amidst a throng of soldiers, his majestic presence unlike that of an ordinary mortal.
Zheng Fu glanced at it once, and her heart began to race. She subconsciously let go of the flower in her hand and threw it away.
As if understanding his heart, the flower landed precisely on Yuan Yan's head as he passed by the window.
"Where did this peony come from?" Yuan Yan reached out and plucked the flower, looking up in the direction where it had fallen.
She tilted her head back, her long, phoenix-shaped eyes seemingly meeting Zheng Fu's gaze. Her pupils were as black as ink, her spirit radiant, and they shone with a captivating light in the sunlight.
Zheng Fu didn't know if His Highness the Prince of Qin was looking at her.
But just gazing at each other from afar, his heart skipped a beat.
In that instant, all the surrounding noise seemed to disappear.
Zheng Fu's heart pounded like a drum, and she could see nothing but Yuan Yan.
"Brother Zheng, Brother Zheng?"
He didn't know how long he had been watching until a young master next to him called out to him repeatedly, which finally brought Zheng Fu back to his senses.
"Brother Zheng, did you see that? His Highness just looked this way!"
"I'm really lucky today. Your Highness must have seen me."
The young man's excitement had not yet subsided, and he happily spoke to those around him.
Zheng Fu did not participate in their conversation. Watching Yuan Yan ride away on horseback, she felt an indescribable feeling that sank deep into her heart.
"Your Highness, the Chief Minister and the male members of the Prince's household are leading the way to greet you," the attendant reported.
"Haha, Your Highness's people are already impatient. Your Highness, please go ahead." Liang Yijiong and the others laughed.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yan slightly increased the speed of his horse and indeed saw Yang Lingyi and Shen Lianzhou and several other men by the roadside ahead.
"Yi'er, what brings you here?" Yuan Yan dismounted, strode towards Yang Lingyi, and took her hand.
"Shen Shuqing and I both wanted to see Your Highness as soon as possible, so we set up a screen here to wait."
Yang Lingyi also saw the scene of the people spontaneously lining the road to welcome Yuan Yan and other soldiers, throwing flowers, and a sense of pride welled up in her heart.
Yuan Yan smiled and looked behind Yang Lingyi, where she indeed saw Chen Lianzhou. Somewhat surprisingly, Lu Lingyue was also there.
"Your Highness has endured many hardships and looks rather thin," Chen Lianzhou remarked, gazing intently at Yuan Yan.
Yuan Yan: "Is that so? I didn't even notice."
Lu Lingyue was also looking at Yuan Yan, and Shen Lianzhou's words were not entirely accurate.
During his time fighting on the front lines, Yuan Yan grew darker and thinner, but he appeared even more sharp and resolute. He was like a sword drawn from its sheath, gleaming and sharp.
Due to her status, Lu Lingyue could not step forward to speak like Yang Lingyi and Shen Lianzhou.
But his gaze remained fixed on Yuan Yan, which Yuan Yan noticed, and he slightly raised his eyes to look back at him.
The moment their eyes met, Lu Lingyue was surprised that Yuan Yan had noticed her gaze. Her eyelids trembled slightly, and she silently lowered her head.
Yang Lingyi was still talking to Yuan Yan.
"...Sister Yan, the manor has prepared a fragrant bath, just waiting for you to return from the palace so you can relax and rest."
"Alright, then I'll go to the palace first. Yi'er, wait for me to return to the manor." Yuan Yan withdrew his gaze, smiled, and said to Yang Lingyi.
Yuan Yan returned to the army and led the men to escort the prisoners of war, holding a ceremony to present them outside the palace.
The official in charge of ceremonies read out the charges against the prisoners of war.
Yuan Hao looked at Duan Xuchao and the other enemy generals being escorted forward, and ordered their execution: "The enemy has invaded our territory and slaughtered our people. Today, the King of Qin is presenting these captives before the palace gates. It is fitting to punish them in a clear and just manner to serve as a warning to others. Guards, take them out of the Meridian Gate and behead them as a warning to the public!"
Duan Xuchao, disheveled and barefoot, sat in the prison cart. She knew her fate as a defeated general, and that today would be her day of execution, yet she still held her head high, her eyes expressionless, showing no fear compared to the generals in the prison cart beside her.
Just as the prison cart carrying Duan Xuchao was about to be pushed out of the Meridian Gate, Yuan Yan suddenly stepped forward and said something.
"Your Majesty, I see that this general is not afraid of execution; he does have some backbone."
Yuan Hao: "King Qin, what do you mean?"
“The border is not yet at peace, and the Liang Kingdom is also restless. We are in dire need of capable people. Why not spare her life and let her atone for her crimes through meritorious service?” Yuan Yan said.
Yuan Hao pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze from Yuan Yan to Duan Xuchao, as if he could see right through Duan Xuchao's inner self, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly.
"This person looks proud and unyielding; he may not be easy to subdue."
“Mother, there is no need to worry. Your son has his own methods. If he truly refuses to abandon the darkness and embrace the light, it will not be too late to execute him then,” Yuan Yan said.
It's unclear which of Yuan Yan's words persuaded Yuan Hao, but she eventually nodded in agreement and ordered Duan Xuchao to be released from the prison cart and handed over to Yuan Yan's subordinates for safekeeping.
"Then I'll leave it to you to give it a try."
"Thank you, Mother Empress," Yuan Yan said.
After the ceremony of presenting the captives concluded, a grand victory banquet was to be held in the palace, as was customary.
Seeing His Majesty's joy, a minister praised him from the side.
"Your Majesty, the six armies have returned in triumph, and the rebels have been beheaded. This is truly an omen of peace and prosperity for the world!"
"Indeed, this is all thanks to the efforts of the generals. The victory of the King of Qin in this battle far exceeded my expectations, and he truly deserves to be called a born general." Yuan Hao praised Yuan Yan in front of a group of ministers.
Upon hearing this, the ministers all echoed his sentiments.
"This is also because His Majesty is good at using people; the entire court is full of talented individuals like the Prince of Qin," Guo Xinghuai said.
Yuan Hao: "Pass down the decree."
"King Yuan Yan of Qin has swept away the enemy and protected the borders, thus displaying my power and virtue abroad. Now I hereby appoint King Yuan Yan as the Grand General of the Phoenix Guard, grant him the special privilege of establishing his own army, and bestow upon him a golden carriage and a set of bows and arrows... I hope that he will be cautious and respectful, and forever safeguard the ancestral temples and the state."
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" Yuan Yan knelt down promptly to express his gratitude for the reward.
This time, her kowtow was genuinely sincere, a rare occurrence. It was solely for the title of Phoenix Guard General bestowed upon her by Yuan Hao, and the power to establish her own personal army.
Although Yuan Yan had to recruit these soldiers himself, and their numbers were limited to no more than three thousand, this was the first private army that had been approved by the Empress Dowager and was entirely hers, symbolizing the Empress Dowager's high regard for her.
With this contingent of soldiers at her disposal, Yuan Jing would have to think twice before trying to harm her.
Knowing Yuan Yan's hardships, the system announced: "[Congratulations, host, on your consecutive victories, defeating the Wu army, receiving rewards from the Empress, greatly increasing your prestige, and spreading your fame far and wide.]"
[His approval rating has risen significantly, currently standing at 52.88%!]
[Achievement Acquired: Strategic Brilliance, Reward: 10,000 Achievement Points]
[Your power level has surpassed 50% for the first time, earning you the achievement: "Unrivaled Power," and a reward of 15,000 achievement points. We hope you will continue your efforts and achieve even greater success!]
Before he could finish speaking, some ministers had already stepped forward to offer their advice.
“Your Majesty, the Prince of Qin has indeed rendered great service and deserves a reward. However, this reward of establishing his own military force is perhaps somewhat inappropriate… I implore Your Majesty to withdraw the decree and decide on a different reward.”
Yuan Yan knew who was speaking without even looking. She slightly raised her eyes and indeed found that the speaker was Huang Shouzhi, a member of Yuan Jing's faction and an official of the Ministry of Rites.
Yuan Hao understood perfectly well, but he did not heed his words.
"I have always been strict in bestowing rewards. The rewards that the Prince of Qin received for his military achievements are exactly commensurate with his merits."
Yuan Yan has made great contributions. If he is not rewarded accordingly, the soldiers in the army will certainly be dissatisfied, and it will also cause the court officials to speculate about the emperor's intentions.
Therefore, Yuan Hao not only had to reward, but also had to reward generously, so that everyone below could see her strictness and impartiality.
At the same time, generals such as Liang Yijiong also received rewards.
"Your Majesty, we thank you!"
When it was General Chen's turn, she stepped forward, intending to apologize for the matter of Jicheng.
Before she could even speak, Yuan Hao seemed to know what General Chen was about to say and raised his hand to stop her.
"Guards, bring Yuan Xiao and his wretched daughter to me."
Hearing the cold tone in His Majesty's voice, the once joyous and celebratory hall instantly fell silent.
Yuan Xiao was brought into the hall. At this time, the wounds on her body inflicted by Yuan Yan's whipping had not yet fully healed. Even her face had a scabbed whip mark that ran across half of her face, making her look quite ferocious.
"Mother Empress, Yuan Yan used torture, hanging me up and whipping me in full view of everyone. His methods were ruthless, cold-blooded, and cruel. He was practically trying to kill me... Mother Empress, you must avenge me!"
After Yuan Xiao entered, he completely disregarded the atmosphere and ignored the group of civil and military officials around him.
As soon as she entered the hall, her eyes were filled with nothing but Yuan Yan, whom she hated the most.
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