The common folk thronged outside the Northern Army's camp, facing the northern city gate, their eyes fixed in anticipation.
Some soldiers had returned earlier, but to ensure fairness, Liang Xiao did not immediately hold a grand ceremony. Instead, he waited for the troops who were clearing the battlefield spoils, a move that earned him even greater respect from his men.
Fairness!
The Heavenly Mountain knights and Liang Fu's personal guards escorted Liang Xiao's family to wait outside the Northern Army's camp.
"It's the wives of the Marquis of An Guo, don't be disrespectful!"
"Oh my, look how simple their carriages are. It seems the Marquis of An Guo isn't a extravagant person..."
"Go away, so what if the Marquis of An Guo is a bit extravagant? General Tian has become a god, who else deserves it if not him?"
The common folk whispered amongst themselves, consciously making way, afraid of disturbing the Marquisa of An Guo.
Jian Qinwan and the others in the carriages could faintly hear the discussions outside, and couldn't help but cover their mouths and chuckle.
Liang Xiao preferred practical things; luxury was not important.
These carriages looked simple, but their cost was several times that of ordinary carriages. They were sturdy and safe, with several layers of reinforced iron inside and out. The horses pulling them were also carefully selected steeds, less prone to spooking than other warhorses.
As for the drivers, they were usually Heavenly Mountain knights or the most trusted personal guards of the Liang Fu.
Only when it came to the safety of his loved ones did Liang Xiao spare no expense, nor did he care about how good the carriages looked.
Mu Xueqin, sitting beside her, couldn't resist pinching Jian Qinwan's cheek fondly. "Do you understand now the good intentions of your mother and your master?"
Jian Qinwan burrowed into Mu Xueqin's embrace, acting spoiled.
Without her mother's intervention, she and Liang Xiao would probably have remained people from two different worlds.
At first, even she thought her mother was being too good to Liang Xiao, giving away every treasure, and even offering her own precious daughter, whom she had raised with such hardship.
Now, Jian Qinwan finally understood that there was no one in this world more deserving of these treasures than him.
Yue Lian and the others sat in their respective carriages, looked after by the Heavenly Mountain swordswomen. They felt as if they were in a different lifetime.
In the past, he had endured countless cold glances. Now, he was a hero admired by the entire nation, having repelled the barbarians twice and allowing the people of Da Gan to stand tall!
Their wives watched with longing eyes.
Zuo Wushang, guarding the perimeter with his men, preventing anyone from approaching the carriages for assassination, felt a pang of emotion.
"How can the barbarians be such trash? Fortunately, I kept a hand up my sleeve..."
That Japanese ninja, Sasaki Jiro, who had tipped off the barbarians, was intercepted by them on the Yan Prefecture official road after delivering his message. He died by poison on the spot, cutting off a spy for the Izumo people and thus making it impossible for the barbarians to have any witnesses.
But now, Zuo Wushang was only relieved that, on a whim, he had decided to win over Liang Xiao, secretly betray the barbarians, and get rid of Hu Yan Jialuo.
If he had continued to cooperate with the barbarians for the sake of restoring his country, accepting all the unreasonable assassination demands of the Left Wise King, the consequences would have been unimaginable!
Everyone present, each with their own thoughts, was thinking of the triumphant soldiers and this Deputy Marshal who was not yet twenty years old.
"Deputy Marshal, Grand Tutor, General Zhen Dong, Marquis of An Guo, leads his troops into the camp!!"
The shouts of a group of heralds echoed from outside, omitting Liang Xiao's civilian titles. Everyone looked towards the sound and saw Liang Xiao sitting calmly in a carriage.
Closely following him were Lü Changhe, Mu Hong, Nan Jiyun, Zhuo Ying, Yue Qingtian, Liu Fan, the Northern Frontier General, and hundreds of others.
Further behind them were some members of the Da Gan Iron Guard and Qingtian Guard families, holding urns.
Cheers erupted from the crowd: "Welcome back, heroes of our Da Gan!!"
Seeing their husbands, Jian Qinwan and the others were on the verge of tears, filled with pride.
He was still as steady as ever, gentle as jade.
He could casually turn enemies to dust with a single conversation, or he could slay generals and capture banners, his spirit overwhelming the mountains and rivers!
Liang Xiao saw his wives looking at him from afar, a hint of tenderness appearing in his eyes. He merely nodded slightly at them.
Countless young girls' whispers of admiration and envy erupted around them!
What Da Gan maiden hadn't dreamed of her beloved achieving great success and returning home triumphant?
And now, they could only witness it as outsiders!
The young women in the carriages smiled and nodded at Liang Xiao, shyly.
Liang Xiao understood; they did not wish to disturb him.
After Liang Xiao ascended the high platform and bowed to the applauding crowd below, he finally spoke, his voice like a booming bell.
"By the Emperor's grace, we first honor the fallen heroes, and then we discuss the merits of the campaign!"
As soon as he spoke, the entire venue was astonished!
Was this not a celebration for the triumphant return of heroes?
"Our nation's Yan Prefecture defenders bravely fought the barbarians days ago, beheading seventeen thousand barbarians, thus consoling the spirits of our ancestors and the people of Yan Prefecture in heaven!"
"However, our army suffered a total of four thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight casualties. These comrades did not betray their country or their people; they fought bravely to the last moment, and not a single one fled!"
"It is not only the living who deserve to be called heroes. They defended Da Gan with their lives and embodied the spirit of the Da Gan army, their deeds worthy of song and praise! The mountains and rivers are safe, but the heroic souls are far away! Today, we mourn our nation's losses!"
As his words fell, four thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight urns, each containing a name, birthplace, and military record, were tearfully carried onto the stage by the families of the fallen soldiers to be honored by Liang Xiao.
The common folk put away their joy, their hearts filled with grief, and spontaneously knelt in homage.
Even Jian Qinwan and the others, who were pregnant, carefully alighted from their carriages and knelt in prayer, concerned about setting an example for Liang Xiao.
Among the crowd, a small group of Da Liang merchants who were there for business also knelt and paid their respects, sighing inwardly, "They achieved great merit but did not forget the fallen heroes. This is truly a nation and a people capable of creating an era of peace and prosperity..."
After the memorial, Liang Xiao made a public pledge.
"The compensation and benefits for the fallen soldiers will be no less than the highest standard ever awarded to fallen soldiers. Henceforth, their families will receive national care until their children reach adulthood!"
"The Emperor's grace is vast, and His Majesty is wise!" The common folk expressed their gratitude one after another, and then added, "Thank you, Marquis of An Guo, for leading our soldiers to achieve great merit!!"
"I, Liang Xiao, currently the Deputy Marshal of the Northern Frontier, attribute this victory not to myself alone. If His Majesty bestows any rewards or wealth, I will strictly supervise and distribute them, allowing no corruption or unfair allocation!"
The soldiers expressed their thanks one after another.
In the crowd, Zuo Jing gazed deeply at the peerless figure in white on the high platform, her heart filled with bitterness.
Seeing someone supporting Yue Lian, and Yue Lian, Jian Qinwan, and the others carefully protecting their lower abdomens, Zuo Jing's heart skipped a beat, and her bitterness intensified!
Are they all pregnant!!
Ye Qingyi, leading a group of talented women and renowned beauties from all over the country, including Yi Rou, Gu Pingtíng, He Qiushui, and Lu Xiaojun, hid quietly at the back of the crowd. They all bowed their heads in reverence, not daring to disturb.
It turned out that these women who were unwilling to marry had already come to Yan Prefecture together, wanting only to gaze from afar at the Marquis of An Guo, listen to his teachings in person, and hear people recount his deeds.
Their elders, such as Gu Hai, He Jingyun, and Zuo Wushang, could do nothing about this matter and could only let it be.
After all, the girls were single and admired Liang Xiao; there was no shame in that!
At least they hadn't followed the example of the crazy women in various places and jumped into the river because Liang Xiao was married, which was considered quite good...
At this moment, Liang Xiao was reciting the eulogy publicly. After finishing, he looked towards the northwest.
"To console the spirits of our comrades and ancestors, and the people who tragically perished under the barbarian iron hooves last year, a single great victory and a single memorial ceremony are far from enough!"
Everyone looked up, confused, at Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao declared sternly, "Our army will choose a day to head to Yun Prefecture, rendezvous with the great armies from various parts of the Northern Frontier, and prepare to march into the Northwest to reclaim Helan Mountain!"
"We, the men of Da Gan, shall bear the heavy responsibility of this era, drive our chariots, and break through the Helan Mountain Pass, severing the barbarians' southern passage!!"
"After recovering Helan Mountain, if necessary, the soldiers of Da Gan shall venture deep into the desert and water their horses in the vast ocean!"
Liang Xiao's words stirred up a thousand ripples, leaving the people present in shock for a long time!
Could Helan Mountain be reclaimed?