Chapter 97

After a few days in Xiqiu, Roddy and his group returned to the road. Five days later, at noon, they finally arrived at the imperial capital.

From a distance, I saw the majestic city gate of the imperial capital. The flames and thorns flags flying high above the city walls symbolizing the authority of the imperial emperors. The warriors in golden armor stood motionlessly on the city walls. The sharp battle axe in his hand shone out in the sun, making them even more majestic and magnificent. The tower of light, which was 100 meters high in the city, shone with noon sunlight, and the huge magic crystal on the top of the tower reflected a dazzling white aperture in the sunlight.

"It's time to get home!" Sieg sat on the horse, sighed in his heart, and looked back at the long team behind him. Every soldier was full of fatigue, but his expression was very excited.

The main gate of the imperial capital was wide open. In the morning, countless citizens learned about the triumphant return of Duke Tulip. A large number of citizens rushed out of the city to welcome him happily. On this day, the flowers in the imperial capital were sold out again. Looking at the inspiring imperial capital citizens, only the soldiers from the public security center smiled bitterly. Thinking of the grand occasion of the army's war that day, they had rich experience, they all made sufficient preparations in advance. Even the commander of the public security center specially brought a helmet, for fear of being scratched by those enthusiastic girls again.

Roddy had already received a report from the Royal Guards, and His Majesty the Emperor would personally go out of the city to greet him. From afar, he saw the soldiers from the public security station firmly controlling the onlookers on both sides of the road outside the city gate. On the main road, a team of soldiers of the Royal Guards with distinctive armor stood solemnly on both sides, and the road was already covered with flowers. From afar, he saw an eight-wheeled carriage with a brilliant golden wall shape parked outside the city gate, and even the horses pulling the carriage were selected as the best white imperial horses.

Roddy, with the two commanders Zieg and Gordon, quickly got off the horse and walked forward a hundred steps away. All the soldiers behind him immediately got off the horse and walked.

The emperor of the empire, Abbas XI, stood on the carriage with his head held high.

The team slowly moved to the carriage in an orderly manner. Roddy waved his hand and the whole army stopped. Then Roddy Gordon and Zigg knelt down on one knee and said in unison: "I have not let down Your Majesty's high expectations, and I have repelled foreign enemies!" The three of them spoke together, and Zigg and Gordon were naturally louder. But Roddy didn't catch a cold from this emperor, so he just lowered his head and moved his mouth to deal with it.

Abbas XI showed a satisfied and excited expression on his face, waved his hand, walked down from the carriage, slowly came to the three of them, and his relatives pulled the three of them up, and welcomed the three of them with the most solemn embrace manners of the empire.

As the royal guard of honor sounded the trumpet of grand celebration, the people around him shouted:

"Long live the Duke of Tulip!"

"Long live Thunder Whip!"

"Long live the empire!"

"Long live the Emperor!"

Flowers rained and ribbons flew. Amid the celebration, the army slowly entered the city.

Abbas XI deliberately took Roddy's hand intimately and walked in front, even left his royal carriage, casually asked someone to find a horse and rode alongside Roddy, enjoying the cheers of the whole city along the way. Abbas XI also had a smile on his face, and his originally pale face also had a hint of redness.

Roddy looked cautious and respectful on her face, but she felt very uncomfortable.

First of all, in this battle in the northwest, the Empire actually lost. A large area of ​​land was occupied and several military fortresses fell into the hands of others. In the end, it was only with its own reinforcements that almost kept Watt Fortress. It was just not lost.

Furthermore, according to the empire's convention, as Duke of Tulip (although it was a fake), he led the Northwest Legion to repel Luo Yantar. According to the previous historical management of the empire, he should take over the position of commander of the Northwest Legion and command Northwest military affairs. However, the emperor did not do this. Once the battle was finished, he immediately ordered himself to come back. Obviously, he was worried about letting himself control the military power of the 100,000 troops in the northwest!

Also, seeing that the emperor had sent him to the northwest to die, I am afraid that what he most hoped was to let Luo Yantar kill him in the northwest with a knife, so that the Tulip family, which poses the greatest threat to his emperor's authority, would be extinct. However, he did not expect that he would attack the hinterland of the Great Moon Kingdom and force the other party to be in chaos. Luo Yantar had no choice but to retreat to fight for power. Although he had saved the northwest, his thorn in his side was not removed. I am afraid that the emperor would be more disappointed than happy!

Not only did the Wolf Tooth Army go directly to the barracks of the Central Cavalry Corps, Roddy and Ziggotton both followed the emperor back to the palace and received rewards in the hall.

All the senior military and political officials in the imperial capital had already been concentrated in the palace hall. Roddy followed Abbas XI and walked into the hall and received the attention of all the important officials of the empire. Among them were envious, joyful, jealous, and jealous.

After Abbas XI slowly sat on the top of the imperial throne, he slowly looked at the people below and said slowly: "The Duke of Tulip returned from the northwest this time and repelled Luo Yantar, which is considered to have made great contributions to the empire. Let us cheer for the glory of the empire, Duke of Tulip!"

The applause was thunderous, and all the nobles and officials cheered warmly, among which the military people cheered hard. Looking at the spiritual leader of the military, my heart was filled with relief.

But after the cheers ended, a thin old man in a black robe slowly walked into the middle, with a calm expression on his face and slowly said, "Your Majesty, I have something to say!"

"Marquis de Garolin, you are the Minister of Military Affairs of the Imperial! This time, Duke Rudolf returns triumphantly, and you have also made contributions to the Imperial Military Affairs!" Abbas XI smiled slightly.

The Marquis of Carolin raised his head and said solemnly: "Your Majesty! Lord Tulip Duke has made such great contributions to the empire, and you must reward him!"

Roddy felt a chill in his heart after hearing this. He knew very well that this Carolin Military Minister was not a good thing. Their Lion Heart family was determined to overwhelm the Tulip family. Last time at a banquet, he rubbed with his nephew Miro, who was the commander of the Northern Legion. This time, this old guy took the initiative to ask the emperor to reward him, and there must be nothing good!

Abbas XI nodded and immediately said, "This is of course, but the Duke made great contributions. You are the Minister of Military Affairs. How should you reward me?"

Before the Marquis of Carolin could speak, a middle-aged man next to him in the uniform of an army general immediately walked into the middle and shouted: "Your Majesty! According to the tradition of the empire! Duke Tulip will serve as the commander of the Central Cavalry Legion in each generation! Duke Rudolph has made great contributions now! It is just right for him to take over the Thunder Whip!"

As soon as these words were finished, they immediately received responses from many other military generals.

Roddy sighed in his heart. He knew that these people were taking special care of themselves for the sake of the old duke and wanted to help him. But the generals of these army were too simple. The emperor refused to hand over the Northwest Legion of 100,000 to him. What's more, the "Thunder Whip" which is known as the most elite army of the empire? Not to mention, controlling the Thunder Whip is equivalent to controlling the military power of the imperial capital! The imperial capital has 250,000 troops, of which 200,000 Thunder Whip is guarding the imperial capital and the royal guards are 50,000. The emperor is so suspicious of the Tulip Family, how could it be possible for the largest army in the imperial capital to be commanded by himself?

Sure enough, Abbas XI just nodded but didn't say anything. Roddy noticed that the emperor secretly glanced at Marquis of Carolin, and then Marquis of Carolin immediately coughed lightly and said loudly: "The words of all the generals were feasible! But..." Hearing this, Roddy sneered in his heart, "I'm just waiting for you, this 'but'!"

"... But the Duke of Tulips is still young after all! Thunder God's Whip is the most elite legion in the empire and has also taken on the important task of guarding the imperial capital! The Duke is only under twenty years old this year and has taken on such an important task. I am worried that the Duke may not be able to do it!" After saying these words, Marquis Carolin bowed respectfully to the emperor.

"Nonsense!" A irritable general retorted loudly: "Although the Duke is young, in the history of the empire, there are few examples of young Tulip Dukes serving as commander of the First Army! The fourth and seventh dukes were all commanders of the Central Cavalry Legion in their twenties!"

The Marquis of Carolin glanced at the general and said neither humble nor arrogantly: "There are also people who are in their twenties as the commander of the First Army, but now the Duke is less than 20 years old after all! He has only been on the battlefield once!"

"Hmph!" Another general couldn't help but say, "Isn't it enough to defeat Luo Yantar after going to the battlefield? If you don't believe it, let your nephew fight!"

Carolin didn't get angry, and said lightly: "In foreign wars, who will lead the troops to fight, that is your Majesty's decision."

"You keep saying that the Duke is young, then your nephew is not old, so won't he command the Northern Legion?"

The Marquis of Carolin said softly: "Although Miro is young, he is nearly thirty years old after all, and he did not serve as the commander of the Northern Legion at once, and he also practiced step by step from the commander."

Seeing that the military's generals were speaking one after another, the Marquis of Old Garolin talked freely, without any rushing words, and calm expressions, how could these generals compare to him?

"Look at it, boy!" Andy whispered in his mind: "This old guy is not simple! He can't show his emotions!"

Roddy nodded secretly. He stood aside and observed his expressions. He had already understood in his heart that what he said today was actually a collusion between the emperor and the Minister of Military Affairs, and he refused to let himself take control of the military power no matter what he said.

Thinking of this, he already understood the emperor's intentions in his heart. Since the other person made up his mind, these generals had no result in fighting for him with kindness, but instead offended the emperor in vain. Roddy cleared his throat and shouted: "Don't argue with everyone!"

When the generals saw him speak, they closed their mouths and looked at the young duke waiting for him to speak.

Roddy bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I also think I am too young and not enough to be the commander of a legion! Frankly speaking, in this battle in the northwest, I only rely on a little luck to force Luo Yantar to retreat! If I win any battle, it is impossible to say! As Marquis of Garolin said just now, Thunder Whip is the most elite legion of the empire and bears the heavy responsibility of defending the imperial capital. I am too young and I really am afraid I can't bear this burden!"

Hearing these words, all the military people frowned and sighed secretly. A trace of your cognitive gaze flashed in Abbas XI's eyes, and said warmly on the surface: "Duke Rudolf is too modest! Your empire of credit will not be erased! But since you are unwilling to be the commander of the Central Cavalry Legion, what do you think?"

This was so high-sounding. Roddy cursed in his heart when he heard this: "I don't want it, it's just that you don't want it!" On the surface, he said seriously: "I went to the northwest to lead the army, and I realized that I was really lacking in experience. Thanks to the assistance of the two commanders, Sieggo and Geden, I barely completed His Majesty's mission! I ask His Majesty to reward the two commanders Sieggo Geden!"

Abbas XI smiled slightly: "This is natural! Commander Zieg, I heard that he was the old commander of Thunder Whip, and I am going to give him the title of viscount! As for Commander Gordon, I decided to promote him to deputy commander of the Royal Guards."

Roddy said in his heart: "This is bargaining. I don't give me military power, but I always have to give me two assistants, which is quite barely fair." Of course, he said, "Your Majesty is wise."

Since Roddy himself explained that he had no idea about the commander position of the Central Cavalry Legion, it would be difficult to give it to him. After all, although he now has the title of a duke, he actually has no official position. He originally had a Northwest Military Envoy, but now the Northwest War has been completed, so naturally the title of this envoy will be gone. As for the commander... a joke, how can a dignified duke continue to be a small commander?

Everyone had different opinions, but they were not sure of their decision. Roddy sighed in his heart, remembering Nicole's words: "The higher the credit of the Tulip family, the higher the status, but in the end, it has occupied all the glory and halo, making the emperor no reward and no title!"

The Marquis of Carolin coughed twice, then spoke slowly, and his unique tone of no hurry sounded gently in the hall: "Your Majesty, I think the Duke of Tulip is the pillar of the empire, and the tulip flag is the pride of the empire. Although the Duke is still young now, he only needs to practice for a few years..."

Roddy's heart moved and said intimately: "Hmph, let's tell the truth. These are nonsense before, mainly on the four words "How many years of experience"."

Only the Marquis of Carolin said slowly: "Although the situation in the south is still stable, the barbarian tribes in the hills in the south are also causing trouble. They hide in the mountains and cause trouble from time to time, restraining a large number of military and financial resources of the empire! This time the war between the Northwest and the Great Moon Kingdom started. If it weren't for the restraint of those mountain barbarians in the south, the southern army would have been able to support it. I think that since the war in the northwest has stopped now, the primary problem is to solve the problem in the south first! I suggest, please

Duke Tulip went to the south and his reputation as the tulip flag would surely shock those mountain barbarians! First, Duke Tulip has no official title now, and His Majesty can appoint him as the Southeast Envoy and serve as the Governor of the Southeast, control the military and political affairs of the three provinces in the south, and cooperate with the commander of the Camus of the Southern Legion to solve the mountain tribe problem. Second, the commander of the Southern Legion, Lord Camus of the Southern Legion is a veteran of the Imperial Army and has rich experience. The Duke can just practice in the south for two or three years!"

As soon as Old Carolin finished speaking, Roddy heard Andy shouting loudly: "Do! Poison! How damn poison! This old guy is amazing! What a shit envoy of the Southeast! Like the envoy of the Northwest, it sounds like a majestic official position, but it is a temporary one! What kind of restraint is the three southeastern provinces, each of the southeastern provinces has local governors. If you go, it is just a short decoration! The troops of the Southern Legion are not handed over to your commander, but just ask you to follow the commander of the Southern Legion to "learn" behind the commander of the Southern Legion. Poison! After a few words, they will give you a majestic mission, which is actually all false! It is equivalent to sending you to the south to open the mountain!"

Before the military generals could react, Abbas XI immediately smiled and showed a satisfied look in his eyes, and kept saying: "Okay! It's a good idea! The Military Minister is a serious and polite. This is a best of both worlds."

Roddy cursed in his heart, but the emperor said this, which was equivalent to a nail hitting the board. He couldn't help but a trace of anger flashed in his eyes, but then he tried his best to resist his dissatisfaction and bowed solemnly: "Your Majesty, I am willing to go to the South Direction to learn from the veteran General Camus!"

The military generals did not have so many geniuses in their stomachs. Seeing that the duke had already been appointed as a high-ranking official, he was also the commander-in-chief of the Southeast envoy, but he was in charge of the three provinces, it was naturally quite large, and they immediately stopped talking.

The emperor smiled slightly and said, "Okay, that's it! Duke Rudolf! You have made great contributions in the northwest! I now serve you as the Southeast envoy! Military Governor, you can control the military and political power of the three southeastern provinces. I hope you can assist the Southern Legion of Commander Camus and pacify the mountain troubles as soon as possible!"

Roddy sighed and knelt down on one knee. After thinking for a while, he said, "Your Majesty, I went to the northwest this time, thanks to the help of Lord Sieger's Central Cavalry Legion. When I go to the southeast, I only ask your Majesty to transfer the wolf teeth army to me for use."

The emperor was in a good mood at the moment and thought that if you were just a wolf-toothed army, you would be unable to make a fortune. And today's goal has been achieved. Now, after slapping it, it's time to give the other party a candy, and immediately agreed happily.

Abbas XI thought about it and suddenly spoke again: "Duke Rudolf, I believe you know that the envoy of the Great Moon Kingdom has been in the imperial capital for many days and is discussing peace talks about the war in the northwest these days. You have returned from the northwest and are familiar with things in the northwest. I will appoint you as the deputy envoy to discuss the peace talks this time! I hope you can live up to the majesty of the empire! In the south, you don't have to hurry up and wait until the peace talks are resolved, and then go on your way!"

Roddy was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect that the emperor gave him such an errand. He didn't understand what it meant for a moment. He couldn't help but look at the old Garolin. He saw his face calm, but a hint of pride flashed in his eyes.

"Idiot, don't you understand this?" Andy sighed in his mind: "What will the result of the empire in negotiating with the Great Moon Kingdom? Now that the land has been occupied, the military fortress has been taken away by others, and the Northwest Army has been beaten to less than half of the people... Is that need to be said? I will naturally not be able to come back if I lose it. His Majesty the Emperor naturally has no face. Letting you serve as a negotiating envoy is equivalent to taking the blame for the world! Alas, it's so cruel. It seems that this is the ghost idea of ​​the old military minister again!"

Roddy gritted her teeth and just nodded. She looked at the military generals next to her, all of whom were full of resentment.

In fact, Andy was right. Abbas XI asked Roddy to negotiate with the other party, although he heard Old Carolin's idea and asked Tulip to take the blame for signing the humiliating and negotiation treaty. At the same time, Old Carolin also had his own idea in it...

Over the past few days, the imperial capital has already had a quarrel over whether to fight with the Great Moon Kingdom or reconcile the issue of the northwest. The military personnel were naturally the war faction, but Old Carolin gathered a group of officials and nobles, all trying their best to persuade Abbas XI to negotiate.

Old Garrolin had his own thoughts in his mind... The military affairs of the Northwest were corrupt. This time, a small battle in the Northwest was exposed. He had too much connection with the Northwest. If the two countries started a full war, all the problems in the Northwest would have been exposed... At that time, he would probably be done by himself! So under the current circumstances, the Northwest must not be in chaos! It cannot be fought! As long as the fight is not started for a day, those problems will not be exposed! As for the solution, we can only buy time and slowly cover it up.

The conversation ended here, and there was a feast to celebrate victory in the evening, but before that, Roddy naturally had to go home to take a look.

Everyone dispersed in the hall. Roddy exchanged a few greetings with the military officers. Most of the old men in the military were subordinates or friends of the old duke back then, so he naturally expressed his heart to him and really encouraged Roddy. But these generals of the military were OK to fight, but when it comes to such intrigue, they are definitely not opponents of people like Old Marquis Carolin.

Seeing Old Carolin leaving, Roddy sighed in his heart: This old guy is so powerful. He wants to go against this old guy. It’s not OK to rely on these military generals who can only use martial arts swords to make swords! He has to find some brain-friendly helpers.

I kept thinking about it again and again, I couldn't help laughing at myself: After so many days, I really regarded myself as a duke! After so many days left the imperial capital, Nicole might have found the whereabouts of that duke. Anyway, I was a temporary impostor. After the war in the northwest was over, it was probably almost done! When the playboy was found, I wouldn't it be too brave to give up. According to Nicole, I would just put myself in any army to be an officer. Wouldn't it be more comfortable? No matter how powerful this old guy is, it's still a headache for that duke. It's not my turn to me? If I had known this, why would I ask the emperor for help from the Wolf Tooth Army? What kind of Southeast envoy, Hum... I'd better let the playboy go and eat soil by himself!

Thinking of this, thinking of seeing Nicole immediately, I was excited and left the palace and rushed towards the Duke of Tulip's Mansion...

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Chapter completed!