CHAPTER 1003: CHAPTER 1001: AN UNPRECEDENTED SPECTACLE

The emperor’s decree had passed a month ago, yet various families in the capital were still very interested in Ah Xiu of the Jiang family.

Therefore, the first month’s celebration for Ah Xiu was kept low-key, only inviting the Duke’s Mansion, Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion, and the Qi family’s grandfather and grandson, along with Zhou Biyao and Wong Qiao. Jiang Yifan even told Jinrong not to come that day to avoid his daughter being the subject of constant gossip.

On the day of the celebration, there weren’t many guests, but the congratulations were numerous, with people sending invitations and gift lists, excusing themselves courteously afterward.

Someone recognized one of the people delivering invitations and gift lists—Liu Qing, a dignified steward from Prince Yu’s Mansion. Those near Liu Qing glanced at the gift list, surprised by the generous offerings.

This showed that the little lady of the Jiang family truly caught the royal family’s attention.

The Jiang family’s small residence was busy with comings and goings. Jiang Yifan was occupied nearly until noon before he could finally catch his breath and sit down for a meal.

He wiped the sweat off his forehead, secretly astonished. His daughter was truly extraordinary. Perhaps it’d be wise to curb her from bullying others or being overly arrogant.

Let’s first try teaching her to not bully others and be a little less arrogant.

......

After entering July, the intense summer heat began to ease, bringing slight coolness in the mornings and evenings.

In mid-July, the coastal warfare in Tangzhou finally ended. Good news reached the capital that the sea bandits were completely exterminated, and the few bases disguised as fishermen had also been cleared out. For the time being, no maritime forces could threaten the borders of the Great Xia Dynasty.

In August, the main general of the Tangzhou campaign against the bandits, Wei Dongyang, returned triumphantly to the court. The officers who went to war with Wei Dongyang last year also returned to the capital. Those who had fallen on the battlefield had already been transported back in batches and buried.

Last year was truly troublesome with drought and sea bandit activity, along with severe treasury deficits, making it difficult for the emperor, who was burdened and distressed.

This year, with good weather in various places and the introduction of new agricultural tools, the spring cultivation outlook was promising. The Great Xia Dynasty’s five major transport routes were put into use, making material transport between key towns extremely convenient and drastically reducing transportation costs.

Moreover, with the troublesome Crown Prince removed, the emperor felt a rare sense of ease for the first time in over a decade.

Now that the Tangzhou sea bandits were thoroughly eradicated, there were indeed many reasons for rejoicing.

Due to the court’s promotion, Wei Dongyang and the soldiers’ entry into the capital was unprecedentedly grand. The ceremony arranged by the Ministry of Rites was magnificent, attracting citizens who gathered layer upon layer along Vermilion Bird Avenue, creating a very lively scene.

On both sides of the street, every teahouse and restaurant was packed, especially the second and third-floor window seats and private rooms were highly sought after.

On the day the army entered the capital, Ye Xinyan left Ah Xiu with Song Ping’s Household and the nanny. She took Qi Sanshun, Qi Jiaer, and Ye Yuan along with the marquis’ female relatives to the Phoenix Soaring Restaurant on Vermilion Bird Avenue.

Jiang Yifan had long reserved a street-facing private room on the third floor of the Phoenix Soaring Restaurant as soon as he heard the date the bandit-fighting warriors would enter the capital. Ye Xinyan and the female relatives with children arrived early, ordered tea snacks, chatted, and enjoyed the street scene while waiting to see the soldiers’ entry into the city.

They were especially interested in seeing Zhao Gang. Previously, although Zhao Gang had been to war, it was always following Yin Xiaocheng into battle, without worry and solely focused on defeating the enemy.

This time was different. Zhao Gang led the soldiers himself, independently facing the battlefield, and they wondered what he would be like now.

Perhaps due to a lack of entertainment in ancient times, people across the Great Xia Dynasty were enthusiastic, dropping whatever they were doing to support events wherever they occurred.

The broad street of Vermilion Bird Avenue was bustling with all manner of people, leaning on each other and fervently discussing the soldiers, the war situation, and the ferocity of the sea bandits.

If not for the inconvenient transportation of the era, from listening to these spirited discussions, one would think they had personally experienced the coastal warfare.

Maybe the court’s ceremonies were overly intricate, as every citizen eagerly awaited the process, and it took half a shichen before there was any movement from the direction of the city gate.

Phoenix Soaring Restaurant was the largest hotel in the capital, offering lavish banquets and dishes, with a large layout, much taller than another nearby three-story inn.

The private room Jiang Yifan had reserved boasted an excellent view, with two spacious windows facing the street. Everyone in the marquis’ group knew that Ye Xinyan eagerly wanted to see the soldiers return to the capital primarily to bring Madam Yin.

To alleviate any discomfort for Madam Yin and to welcome Zhao Gang, who originally came from their family, Madam Sun and her sisters-in-law all joined in the fun, along with Ye Xinyan’s several cousins, bringing their children for company.

As the court’s procession and the soldiers on horseback and on foot approached the middle of the street, the crowd of onlookers began to stir, and before long, the scattered discussions turned into thunderous applause.

Judging by the citizens’ exuberant reactions, it was fortunate that numerous soldiers from the Military Affairs Bureau were maintaining order with real blades and guns. Otherwise, the onlookers might have overwhelmed the returning heroes.

At the two windows of Ye Xinyan’s private room, children they brought were leaning on the window sills. Behind the children were the adults looking after them, who also stole glances at the passing procession and the soldiers marching below.

The children were affected by the cheers of the crowd below and the impressive formation of soldiers, initially making observations, then joining in the screams alongside the citizens, making their set of open windows the most lively.

Ye Xinyan pulled Madam Yin to stand by the window, her eyes continuously scanning back and forth, searching for Zhao Gang. In front of them were Qi Jiaer, Yin Lanxu, and Ye Yuan, stepping on stools to see better.

Qi Sanshun, considering himself an adult now, did not join the women and children upstairs but remained outside with the accompanying guards to watch the excitement.

It was Qi Jiaer with keen eyesight. While Ye Xinyan was still searching among the uniformly dressed officers on horseback, Qi Jiaer excitedly raised her hand, pointing to the advancing procession and shouted, "Uncle Zhao, sister, look, that’s Uncle Zhao."

Almost simultaneously, Yin Lanxu also noticed, "Yes, that’s Master Zhao, I see him too."

Ye Yuan didn’t see anything, but it didn’t stop him from jumping and shouting, "Uncle Zhao, Uncle Zhao, sister, it’s Uncle Zhao." This caused Ye Xinyan to frantically look down into the crowd for Zhao Gang while holding onto Ye Yuan to prevent him from falling off the stool.

"Where, where?" Even Ye Xinyan’s cousin Madam Wu and Yin Yuanfang leaned over, craning their necks to see outside.

Though they were a considerable distance from the soldiers below, following Qi Jiaer’s pointing direction, they indeed saw among a troop of four on horseback, riding side by side, one that resembled Zhao Gang.

Zhao Gang’s skin already had a wheat hue, further deepened by the sea winds over the past two years. Seemingly unaccustomed to being watched by so many, Zhao Gang’s expression was serious, and even from a distance, his eyes shone with a piercing brilliance.

Such a Zhao Gang filled Ye Xinyan with excitement; this was what a man should be. Unlike the feeble and spineless Ye Hongyang, who couldn’t measure up to Zhao Gang; her mother was indeed blessed.