fynovel Chapter 892 The Rewards End, That Day Will Come!
Chapter 892 The Rewards End, That Day Will Come!
Chengtian Hall.
At the banquet.
Xie Xun's voice continued to ring out.
“Jiang Ning, the King of Luoshui, does not bow when entering the court, wears a sword and shoes in the palace, is given a seat when attending court, and does not name the emperor when meeting him.”
"The Royal Palace of Luoshui may be established in the capital, and the ceremonial guards and officials in the palace shall be provided in accordance with the highest regulations."
"He was bestowed with 100,000 taels of gold, 100 pairs of jade discs, 1,000 bolts of celestial brocade, and a mansion."
"The former Lishui Palace shall be renamed the Luoshui Prince's Mansion and bestowed upon the Luoshui Prince from this day forward."
"Furthermore, the Prince of Luoshui may establish his own private army, with no limit on the number of soldiers, up to ten thousand, and all provisions, supplies and equipment shall be provided by the imperial court."
Upon reading this, Xie Xun put down the imperial edict, his voice trembling slightly.
He wasn't unfamiliar with bestowals of honor, but in all his decades of life, he had never seen one of this caliber.
This elevates Jiangning's status to almost the same level as the current emperor.
Even Wang Jixuan, who was on par with Jiang Ning, was inferior to him.
In particular, the clause on "building one's own private army with no limit on the number of soldiers" is tantamount to granting Jiang Ning absolute power within his territory!
Jiang Ning remained calm after hearing all the rewards and honors bestowed upon him.
He stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor."
His voice was calm, without the slightest excitement or panic.
He knew all along that there would be rewards after the new emperor ascended the throne.
His merit in supporting the new emperor will surely be rewarded accordingly.
He also knew that Ji Minghao was a smart man.
But he didn't expect Ji Minghao to be so magnanimous.
The King of Luoshui, with a fiefdom of four commanderies, wore a sword and shoes in the palace, did not bow when entering the court, and built his own private army...
These honors propelled him to the pinnacle of the Great Xia Dynasty.
Moreover, the rewards of wealth will be substantial, and the benefits they bring will be immediate.
But he also knew that the greater the reward, the more eyes would be on him.
However, he is now burdened with debt and has no worries about his livelihood. He already has enough eyes on him, so a few more won't hurt.
"Your Majesty, there is no need for further formalities. My current position is entirely due to Your Majesty's merits!" Ji Minghao personally rose from the dragon throne and descended the steps, his voice sincere and earnest. "Brother Jiang has given me a second chance at life. This mere reward is insufficient to repay him. If Brother Jiang has any needs in the future, I will do my utmost to fulfill them."
These words struck everyone like a heavy blow to their hearts!
Before Jiang Ning, His Majesty addressed him only as "I".
Moreover, in full view of everyone, they did not treat each other as ruler and subject, but as brothers and friends. What an honor this is!
Everyone understood that from this day forward, King Jiang Ning of Luoshui's position in the court would be unshakeable!
But some people are more aware that perhaps soon, Jiang Ning will be another being who can rival that Martial Saint.
Reaching this point at this age, he ranks second in the world.
No one can say for sure how far things will go in the future.
But one thing is certain: barring unforeseen circumstances, one day in the near future, there will only be one person, not six, who will be the second best in the world.
Therefore, they also understand why the current emperor bestowed such an honor upon Jiang Ning.
The first person in over 800 years.
Once he truly reaches the level comparable to that one, he will be another being who has suppressed the world for over eight hundred years.
at this time.
Jiang Ning met Ji Minghao's gaze calmly: "Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated by your subject."
Their eyes met, and Ji Minghao smiled.
Afterwards, the investiture ceremony ended, the banquet resumed, and the music and rituals began again.
Jiang Ning sat back down, toying with the newly bestowed Luoshui King's Seal in his hand. The jade was warm and lustrous, and the seal was carved in the shape of a Qilin holding the sun in its mouth.
The bottom is engraved with the four characters "Luoshui Wang Yin" in a vigorous and powerful style, resembling dragons and phoenixes dancing.
He looked up at Ji Minghao on the dragon throne, who was talking quietly with Shen Mengyun, occasionally raising his cup in greeting, a harmonious scene of ruler and subject getting along well.
However, Jiang Ning knew that today's reward was just the beginning of a grand drama to come.
Having come this far, how could he not know that the danger he was in was growing?
In this world, who would want to watch him gradually approach that person's level?
He knew very well that neither the Bitter Sea nor the Abbot of Qingxu Temple were simple or pure in their fight against him.
He also understood that as he grew older, no matter what he did, he could not change what would inevitably happen soon.
On the day the Martial Saint passes away, there will be no one to protect him anymore.
At that time, he would eventually have to face the crises that were coming his way.
Even if he remains patient and doesn't reveal his true strength during this period, it will still make no difference on that day in the future.
We will still face these crises.
His continued forbearance meant he was excluded from many resources.
To continue growing, he needs a vast amount of resources and wealth to rapidly enhance his own strength.
It was precisely because he had already thought these things through that he acted rashly after realizing what had happened at Chengqian Palace a few days ago.
Supporting Ji Minghao to the throne is both a way of repaying his former friend for his help and the most advantageous choice for him.
Just like this reward, whether it's the bestowal of the throne, the privileges, or even the formation of a private army, he doesn't care about any of them.
In a world where power resides in the individual, no matter how large an army is, it has no meaning for someone who has reached that level.
If the army were useful, Ji Minghao wouldn't be sitting on the throne right now.
What he truly valued were the 100,000 taels of gold, a hundred pairs of jade discs, a thousand bolts of celestial brocade, and a mansion.
These things are all wealth; they can be used to buy him rare and precious materials to help him improve.
Besides his current residence, the Lishui Palace.
The Lishui Palace—let alone anyone dare to buy this mansion belonging to the ruler of the Great Xia Dynasty.
Even if someone dared to buy it, no one could afford the price.
He was toying with the Luoshui King's Seal in his hand, a mix of thoughts swirling in his mind.
What is Brother Jiang Ning thinking about?
A clear voice interrupted his thoughts.
The one who spoke was Ji Mingyue, dressed in a long gold and red dress.
"It's nothing!" Jiang Ning shook his head, gathering his thoughts.
He looked at Ji Mingyue. Although the tear stains on Ji Mingyue's face had been wiped away, there was still a trace of redness at the corner of her eyes.
She forced a smile: "Congratulations, Brother Jiang Ning, on being named the King of Luoshui."
Seeing Ji Mingyue's forced smile, Jiang Ning put down the seal and said gently, "I saw everything about Ji Mingyuan's matter."
"No need to say anything more." Ji Mingyue shook her head, then picked up the wine cup that Jiang Ning had just drunk from and took a big gulp. The wine slid down her fair neck, and her face turned bright red, but she didn't care at all.
"The struggle for imperial power has always been like this. My fifth brother chose this path, so he should have expected this outcome. As for my eighth brother... well, he has also ascended to the position he once sought, and from now on he will be the current emperor, Emperor Jinghe." She paused, her gaze falling on Jiang Ning's face, with a hint of seriousness: "Brother Jiang Ning, promise me one thing, okay?"
“Go ahead,” Jiang Ning said.
Ji Mingyue glanced at Ji Minghao on the throne, then looked away and looked at Jiang Ning: "If one day my eighth brother also harbors murderous intentions towards you, please, spare his life."
Jiang Ning remained silent for a moment, not expecting Ji Mingyue to say such a thing.
After a long pause, he slowly nodded: "As long as he doesn't attack me first, I won't touch him."
Ji Mingyue gave him a deep look, then smiled, a smile tinged with relief and bitterness: "With Brother Jiang Ning's words, I can rest assured."
The banquet lasted until the afternoon, when all the officials dispersed in high spirits.
In front of the Vermilion Bird Gate.
As the flow of carriages and people gradually dispersed, the officials boarded their carriages and returned to their residences.
The sky gradually darkened, and twilight began to fall.
Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue walked side by side to the gate, with the majestic palace walls and the deepening twilight behind them.
In front of him were rows of horse-drawn carriages loaded with goods.
On the carriage are today's rewards.
Gold, jade, and celestial fabrics were all on the carriage.
Ji Mingyue stopped in her tracks. Her long, gold-red dress fluttered slightly in the wind, the dust still clinging to the hem.
She turned her head to look at Jiang Ning: "Brother Jiang Ning, I will not return to the manor with you today."
Jiang Ning stopped and turned to look at her.
Ji Mingyue's voice was calm, without much emotional fluctuation: "I still need to take care of Fifth Brother's funeral. Although he was ambitious and made mistakes in his life, he was still my brother. When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. I can't let him leave in too much loneliness."
After she finished speaking, she forced a smile, as if trying to hide something.
Jiang Ning remained silent for a moment, offering no advice, but simply nodded gently: "Alright. If needed, have someone come to the residence to let me know."
"Hmm." Ji Mingyue responded, her gaze falling on Jiang Ning's face with a hint of seriousness and solemnity. "Brother Jiang Ning, it's a good thing that you've been made a king today. From now on, you should have your own grandeur and presence in the capital. Don't let this little matter of mine interfere with your important business."
He looked at her eyes, which were still slightly red, and without saying anything, patted her head.
He knew that Ji Mingyue was one of the people who suffered the most during this upheaval in the royal family.
Ji Mingyue was kind-hearted, and the princes who died were all her brothers and relatives.
"Alright, I'm going back now. Take good care of yourself while you're in the palace. If anything happens, remember to send a message."
"Okay." Ji Mingyue nodded heavily.
Jiang Ning gave her another deep look, said nothing more, turned and walked to the carriage parked by the roadside, got in and sat down.
The moment the carriage curtain fell, he saw through the gap in the corner that Ji Mingyue was still standing in front of the Vermilion Bird Gate, her red dress as red as blood, appearing even more lonely against the backdrop of twilight and the palace walls.
Compared to before, she seems to have grown up a lot suddenly, and she has also suddenly stopped smiling.
At that moment, his thoughts surged, eventually turning into a low sigh.
Then, the carriage slowly started moving, and the carriage containing his rewards followed closely behind.
Ji Mingyue watched the carriages gradually disappear at the end of the street, and only after a long while did she slowly withdraw her gaze.
She took a deep breath, turned and looked into the depths of the palace walls, where the cold body of the Fifth Prince, Ji Mingyuan, lay.
The residence of the Marquis of Dongling.
At this moment, the gates of the Marquis's residence were already open.
Green Ripple stood at the gate, carrying a lantern, gazing at the end of the street in the twilight, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Although Jiang Ning has not yet returned, the news that he has been granted the title of King of Luoshui has already spread to her ears and reached the Dongling Marquis's residence.
Just then.
A horse-drawn carriage came into her view first.
Then, the outlines of the carriages following behind also appeared one by one.
Upon seeing this, Lüyi's eyes immediately brightened, and she stood on tiptoe to look out.
As the carriage drew closer, Lüyi couldn't help but go to greet it.
Then, the lead carriage slowly came to a stop in front of her.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Jiang Ning, dressed in a black robe with the seal of the King of Luoshui hanging at his waist, stepped down from the carriage in the twilight.
Green Ripple hurried forward, her voice trembling with excitement: "Young Master... no, Your Highness! You're back!"
Her eyes were filled with joy and pride: "Congratulations on your title of king, young master!"
Jiang Ning smiled and said, "It sounds better to call me Young Master."
“That won’t do; we can’t neglect etiquette.” Green Ripple said this, but the smile in her eyes deepened.
Jiang Ning was about to step into the mansion when he heard footsteps coming from inside the courtyard. Several figures came out from the inner courtyard to greet him.
Jiang Li was the leader.
He was tall and had a strong, handsome face, exuding a resolute and sunny aura.
Behind him was his sister-in-law, Liu Wanwan, with their little dumpling in her arms. The little dumpling was looking at Jiang Ning with excitement.
The slender Zhong Ling wore an elegant long dress, looking refined and graceful. When she looked at Jiang Ning, she slightly raised her chin.
Jiang Li strode forward, her gaze lingering on him for a moment as she looked him up and down, then grinned and said, "You're back?"
"You're back." Jiang Ning nodded.
Jiang Li didn't say much polite talk, but simply reached out and patted his shoulder heavily: "Okay."
His mouth was stretched to the back of his lips, and his eyes were full of joy.
That "good" was filled with relief, pride, and a sense of accomplishment.
Liu Wanwan walked over with Xiaodoubao in her arms and said with a smile, "A-Ning, come on, let's go eat first. We've already prepared a table full of food and drinks. Brother Li said he wants to drink with you until we drop tonight!"
"No rush!" Jiang Ning smiled, then turned around to look behind him, where several carriages loaded with rewards were parked.
He raised his hand to signal, and the accompanying eunuchs quickly stepped forward to unload the boxes from the carriage and neatly stack them in the open space in the front yard.
The boxes were opened one by one, revealing gold, gold notes, jade discs, and celestial textiles that reflected a soft and luxurious luster under the twilight and the glow of lanterns.
Liu Wanwan took a few steps closer, carrying the little bean bun. Looking at the piles of rewards that resembled small mountains, a hint of amazement flashed in her eyes, but she did not show any greed: "A'ning, are these all the rewards bestowed by His Majesty today?"
"Hmm." Jiang Ning nodded, his gaze falling on the several bolts of fabric with a warm luster and subtle cloud-like patterns.
Picking up a piece at random, it feels as light as if it were nothing, yet it is dense and tough, exuding a refined and otherworldly aura.
"This is the Immortal Weave—the fabric used by the royal family. Its craftsmanship is superb. It is said that once woven, it is as thin as a cicada's wing, warm in winter and cool in summer, and can keep out dust and dirt. Even wealthy families with ten thousand gold pieces would find it difficult to obtain a single bolt."
He handed the silk fabric to Liu Wanwan: "Sister-in-law, you, Lüyi, and Zhongling each pick a few that you like to make clothes."
Liu Wanwan was slightly taken aback, then shook her head and chuckled, "A'ning, this is a gift from His Majesty, how could I possibly accept it?"
“Sister-in-law, you’re being too polite. I already have enough material possessions, and this fabric is just sitting there anyway.” Jiang Ning’s tone was calm, but it carried an air of unyielding refusal. “Besides, you’re busy managing the household affairs every day, so you should get some decent clothes.”
Lu Yi stood to the side, and upon hearing this, her eyes lit up, but she restrained herself from making the first move, only secretly glancing at Liu Wanwan.
Zhong Ling remained aloof, her gaze lingering briefly on the few pieces of celestial brocade before she spoke, but the subtle change in her expression revealed that she was not entirely uninterested.
Liu Wanwan glanced at Jiang Ning, then at the little bean bun in her arms, its eyes wide with curiosity as it stared at the pretty fabrics, and nodded. "Alright, since it's your kind offer as its uncle, I won't refuse. Luyi, Zhongling, you two come and choose some too! Since Aning has spoken, we shouldn't let this kindness go to waste." (End of Chapter)