Reborn as a Hatrack in the Mystical Land-Chapter 721 - 178: Duke July Rose
After agreeing to build a Gravity Cultivation Room for Little Jinuo, Yue Jinghua and others returned to the Imperial City from the Sky Port.
Since Yue Jinghua also led the troops on this expedition, she was brought along for Little Jinuo’s duty report to the court.
"Honestly, if the old geezers at home hadn’t forced me to report back to the Imperial Palace, I really wouldn’t want to go," Little Jinuo still harbored deep resentment about this northern campaign.
His dead and injured brothers, as well as the loss of Sub-Asian Dragons, what were they all for? In the end, it all resulted in a peace negotiation.
The more Little Jinuo thought about it, the more frustrated he became, his face ashen throughout the journey, while Yue Jinghua did her best to console him.
Both of them didn’t even take off their Battle Helmets as they made their way into the Imperial City.
Princess Long Xue had already received news and led a group of officials to welcome them outside the gates of the Imperial City.
Although the Northern Expedition Army ended with peace negotiations, the Shang Kingdom had returned to allegiance, paying tribute taxes every year and dissolving their alliance with the Ruison Federation. Such results were begrudgingly satisfactory.
Among the welcoming officials, big shots from the Military Department including the Pengbo Family were clearly pleased with themselves, while the opposing faction including the National Guardian General Residence was sullen.
With the fall of Long Jiuzun and Long Ao trapped in the Four Symbols Chess Middle City without returning, Zhan BeiAo, who was appointed by the National Guardian General Residence, also died under unclear circumstances.
The loss of two great generals in a single stroke was like losing arms for the National Guardian General Residence; it was a heavy blow to their vitality.
In addition, considering the demands that Princess Long Xue had earlier made, it’s no wonder the members of the National Guardian General Residence were in no mood to look cheerful.
Seeing the stark division between the two factions, Yue Jinghua’s expression remained unchanged.
The Blood Cherry Duke Mansion had fallen from grace a long time ago and had already severed all ties with these core powers of the court. Whether the east wind overwhelms the west wind or vice versa holds little significance for her and the Duke Mansion.
However, Princess Long Xue and the belatedly aware Little Jinuo clearly didn’t see it the same way.
Perhaps to repay Yue Jinghua for helping build the Gravity Cultivation Room, Little Jinuo, during his court duty, retold the events of Yue Jinghua’s rescue mission with exceptional eloquence. He described her arrival like a Heavenly God descending, single-handedly and with gun in hand, she stormed into Mist Canyon, broke through the enigmatic Array, slaughtered the Demon Beasts arranging the array, and forced Fa Xiaoyi to sign a peace treaty.
In short, for this northern expedition, ninety-nine point nine nine nine... percent of the credit went to Yue Jinghua and her July Mercenary Team, while their Dragon Knights only had a smidgen more significance than a speck of sesame seed.
As soon as this report was finished, the mood of the National Guardian General Residence changed from cloudy to sunny, while Old Jinuo was almost faint with anger. How could his grandson be so brainless, giving all the credit to others? They should know that in this southern campaign, Duke Xue Ying Yue Minzhi had been exceptionally promoted to the Commander of the Imperial City Guard Army and awarded a first-class medal of honor for his outstanding performance.
If all the credit for this northern expedition goes to Yue Jinghua again, then the Blood Cherry Duke Mansion would truly be a house of two heroes, inevitably having a certain impact on the future political landscape of the Dragon War Empire.
The rest of the ministers were also discussing fervently, considering whether to curry favor with the Blood Cherry Duke Mansion immediately after the welcoming ceremony.
Although Old Jinuo disliked this report, Princess Long Xue was very pleased with it.
"So it seems, this time Young Master Yue and her Mercenary Team have truly made great contributions," Princess Long Xue also expressed sheer delight, "This time, Young Master Yue and her team took on the mission in a critical moment, disregarding the fatigue left from the southern campaign, and rushed to Shang Kingdom in the shortest time to rescue the Dragon Knight. Such actions, such efficiency, are indeed worthy of the empire’s top Mercenary Team’s reputation. Someone, bring me the Dragon Battle first-class team honor medal and bestow it upon the glory of the empire’s number one Mercenary Team."
This was one of the conditions Princess Long Xue had promised Yue Jinghua before her departure.
"In addition, the day before yesterday, I received a report from the Northern Border of the empire. The residents of Fengdan and Bailu counties have suffered from snow disasters for many years, living in extreme hardship. The empire has always been sympathetic to the people’s conditions, and considering the proximity of the two counties, and with the previous Countess of Bailu County having passed away, it has been decided by the Ministry of Revenue to combine Fengdan and Bailu counties into one—Fengdan Bailu County, to be governed by Blood Cherry Duke Mansion. Furthermore, considering the excessive tax burden in the past, special exemption from tax and corvée labor is granted for ten years," this was the second condition promised by Princess Long Xue to Yue Jinghua.
Princess Long Xue indeed kept her word.
Yue Jinghua was quite satisfied with the fulfillment of the first two conditions.
However, after waiting a moment, she noticed that Princess Long Xue had not mentioned the third condition she asked for, the betrothal of Yue Minzhi and Long Rui.
Yue Jinghua couldn’t help but feel doubtful, and stealthily lifted her head to glance at Princess Long Xue.
Princess Long Xue showed a helpless expression, perhaps to compensate Yue Jinghua, she coughed once, and then continued: "In the campaigns to the south and conquests to the north, Yue Jinghua of Blood Cherry Duke Mansion, with her clever intelligence and significant merits, after consulting with my father the emperor, we have decided to bestow upon her the empire’s premier duke title, granting her a lifetime dukedom, with the title of Duke July Rose."
A lifetime dukedom, the first duke of Dragon Battle.
This didn’t seem to be part of her requests, did it?
Yue Jinghua was never keen on noble titles and honors, especially since she herself was from the Duke Mansion. Even without such an honor, upon reaching adulthood, she would receive the title of a count from the empire.
Yet, compared to a lifetime duke position, it was only a slight difference in rank.
"Jinghua, aren’t you going to express your gratitude?" A reminder came amidst the court officials, from her elder brother Yue Minzhi.
A single Duke Mansion with two dukes, one a lifetime duke and the other a hereditary duke—such a scenario has never happened in the history of the Dragon War Empire.
By now, everyone understood that Princess Long Xue intended to win over Blood Cherry Duke Mansion. No one could stop the rise of the Duke Mansion anymore.
"Hey, Jinghua, hurry up and express your thanks. This is a duke’s title," Little Jinuo said, grinning foolishly on the side. He was sincerely happy for Little Brother Yue, but why did they have to pick such a feminine title like July Rose for Little Brother Yue?
So, Yue Jinghua unwittingly became the youngest female duke in the history of the empire.
After bestowing knighthood on Yue Jinghua and the July Team, Princess Long Xue also awarded Dragon Knights and Little Jinuo certain honors of their own. Of course, everyone else’s rewards were merely symbolic, nothing compared to those of Yue Jinghua and the Duke Mansion.
When everything was over, Yue Jinghua, still holding her duke’s seal engraved with roses, was reluctant to leave. She saw that Princess Long Xue was already leaving with the escort of Female Officials. Glancing again at the relatives of the National Guardian General Residence, she pulled her elder brother aside and asked softly, "Brother, how is your marriage to Long Rui progressing?"
Hearing this, Yue Minzhi’s expression froze, and those from the National Guardian General Residence halted their steps, one of them—apparently in his twenties—spoke sarcastically: "A toad wanting to eat swan meat, with your rundown family you still dream of marrying our Ruru, simply a fool’s dream!"
