Dream of the Red Chamber: I can upgrade my entries!

Chapter 71 The Emperor personally greeted them, and all the civil and military officials were shocked!

On the fifth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of the Yongping reign, at the fifth quarter of the hour of Mao (5:45 AM).

As dawn broke, crowds thronged outside Yongding Gate in the capital. Civil and military officials had gathered there, and the figure at the very front stood tall and straight, his dragon robe and crown exuding majesty. Every gesture and movement revealed a composed and commanding presence.

"Ta-ta-ta! Ta-ta-ta!"

A series of muffled hoofbeats came from afar, and the ground trembled continuously, which everyone felt.

"His Majesty."

"They're here!"

Su Peisheng, the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace who was standing at the front of the group, noticed the dark figure on the horizon at a glance and his expression became somewhat excited.

'Whoosh!'

The officials and military officers present all turned their gazes toward the source of the sound, their faces filled with anticipation.

An hour earlier, everyone had already arrived and was waiting. Not a single person showed any impatience, because they were welcoming the most illustrious nobleman to be born in the dynasty, without exception.

"Ok?"

With piercing eyes, Emperor Yongping gazed into the distance, his face solemn.

The emperor, who ascended the throne in his middle age, was filled with surging emotions. The Battle of Datong was the greatest victory against the grasslands since the founding of the dynasty, which wiped out the threat from the southern desert in one fell swoop. Everyone in the world praised him as a sage ruler.

As the first rays of sunlight shone on the earth, the cavalry figures, bathed in golden light, stood out prominently. Tall horses and clad in black cloth armor, the mere five hundred riders exuded an indescribable sense of oppression, their invisible military aura overwhelming.

That is.

Everyone present looked astonished, staring intently at the agile figure at the front of the group.

"His Majesty."

"It's the Tiger Guard Captain!"

Su Peisheng recognized Jia Yan at the very front and blurted it out.

"Tiger-like Captain".

Instantly, the attention of Emperor Yongping and all the civil and military officials was focused on Jia Yan. Covered in black armor, the young general was full of vigor and ambition. His face was angular, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes. He had a tiger-like body and ape-like arms. He was so handsome that anyone who saw him would have to praise him as a fine young man of the nation.

"Uh-huh!!!"

A moment later, a group of black-armored cavalrymen arrived outside Yongding Gate and stopped ten zhang away from the imperial carriage.

Jia Yan, who was at the head of the cavalry, was the first to dismount, followed closely by more than five hundred cavalrymen who knelt on one knee and saluted: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"No gift!"

Emperor Yongping smiled kindly and gently raised his hand.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Everyone stood up and stood aside.

Jia Yan announced loudly, "This humble general is ordered to escort the prisoners and proceed to the capital first."

"Ta-ta-ta! Ta-ta-ta!"

Three thousand elite cavalrymen from the Beijing Garrison had already arrived outside Yongding Gate, and hundreds of captured Mongol officials and nobles were escorted into the capital. Also being escorted were Mongol sacrificial ritual objects such as the nine-bladed white banner, the six-leaf ceremonial hammer, the silver tree of Wan'an Palace, and the bronze Dongbu pot, a dazzling array of items.

However, all the civil and military officials present focused their attention on Jia Yan. The black cloth armor worn by this fifteen-year-old boy was covered in bloodstains, with countless marks from knife cuts and arrows, which showed how many fierce battles he had experienced.

He marched more than 5,000 li to the northern desert, first defeating four tribes, then returning them to their original state, and killing the Mongol Khan amidst hundreds of thousands of troops, thus establishing an unparalleled achievement.

"Okay, okay!"

Seeing this scene before him, Emperor Yongping was in high spirits and laughed heartily.

The gloom of his seven years on the throne vanished at this moment, replaced by his majestic and radiant presence as emperor.

At dawn, the sky was already bright, and a group of meritorious generals arrived at Yongding Gate. Niu Jizong, Hou Xiaokang, Liu Fang, Nian Gengyao, Yue Zhongqi, Zhang Guangsi, Wang Ziteng and others dismounted and saluted ten zhang away.

"See Your Majesty!"

"No gift!"

Emperor Yongping flicked his sleeves again, his face still bearing a smile. "This humble general was ordered to lead the northern expedition, and thanks to Your Majesty's great favor and the protection of Heaven, we decisively defeated the Tartars and returned to the capital in triumph. This is to report back on the order!"

General Niu Jizong, the Grand General Who Conquers the North, shouted loudly and took out the tiger tally from his bosom with both hands, presenting it to the front.

"In the battle of Datong, my dear minister, you have lived up to my expectations, and I am very pleased."

"Su Peisheng."

A look of satisfaction flashed across Emperor Yongping's eyes, and he called out softly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Su Peisheng immediately stepped forward and took the tiger tally from Niu Jizong, symbolizing that the command of this army had returned to the emperor's hands.

"I intend to present the captives to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. The Tiger-General, having previously performed the Fenglangjuxu ceremony, must be well aware of the proper etiquette."

"How about having the Tiger-like Captain lead the way for this prisoner presentation?"

Suddenly, a single sentence from Emperor Yongping sent a shiver down the spines of all the civil and military officials present.

'Thump!'

The expressions of Niu Jizong and other victorious generals who returned to the capital changed slightly.

Since ancient times, the worship of heaven and earth has been the exclusive domain of emperors. Jia Yan's holding of the Heaven-worshiping ceremony at Langjuxu Mountain and the Earth-worshiping ceremony at Guyan Mountain was indeed a transgression of the established rites. With Huo Qubing as a cautionary tale, everyone deliberately ignored this matter. Who would have thought that the emperor would mention it?

"This humble general obeys the order."

Jia Yan replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, immediately mounted his horse, held the reins in one hand, and raised the other hand high: "The whole army is here, enter the city!"

"Yes!!!"

More than 500 riders led the way, followed closely by 3,000 elite cavalry from the Beijing Garrison, escorting all the Mongol prisoners and their belongings.

"Ta-ta-ta! Ta-ta-ta!"

Jia Yan, riding on horseback, didn't even glance at Emperor Yongping before galloping into Yongding Gate. Thousands of riders followed behind, their eyes also fixed on the young man in front of them; no one lowered their heads to look at the emperor.

"hiss!!!"

Everyone present gasped in shock, and all the civil and military officials couldn't help but glance at Emperor Yongping.

'Young Lord!'

Only at this moment did Nian Gengyao, Yue Zhongqi, and Zhang Guangsi understand Jia Yan's confidence and arrogance; his superior aura had never been subdued even by the emperor.

"hehe!"

Emperor Yongping smiled and said calmly, "The young Tiger-General is valiant and has the air of the Marquis of Champion of the Former Han Dynasty."

"My beloved ministers, follow me into the city."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

All the civil and military officials responded in unison. The emperor's carriage was in front, and they followed behind. The army that was going to conquer the north filed in, and the whole procession was magnificent.

No one noticed the figure in the imperial carriage whose eyes were filled with gloom, and no one knew that the emperor was burning with rage.

At 1:45 AM, with the sun high in the sky, the entire capital city was in an uproar as the people cheered and celebrated the army's triumphant return.

"Ta-ta-ta! Ta-ta-ta!"

A huge procession entered through Yongding Gate, passed through the entire outer city, and then returned to the inner city through Desheng Gate, almost circling the entire city of Beijing. All the people could see it clearly.

"Tiger Guard Captain, the one in front is the Tiger Guard Captain!"

"Wow, they're all Mongols! These Mongol Tartars are so ugly!"

"Those must be the personal guards of the Tiger General. They have traversed five thousand miles of the northern desert; they are indeed a mighty army!"

"."

Along the way, people focused their attention on Jia Yan, and everyone was talking about him.

Decades have passed since the Yuan Dynasty's first major victory, and this is the first time the Great Qian Dynasty has achieved such a great triumph. How could the people not be shocked?
(End of this chapter)