Chapter 679 - Chapter 679: Chapter 306: Returning Home as a Monarch and Minister

Chapter 679: Chapter 306: Returning Home as a Monarch and Minister

In the deep autumn of Baling City, the vegetation is still lush. Located in Jiangnan, it lacks much of the chilly desolation of the north and is instead full of countless tender and soft feelings.

However, at this moment, this tender and soft land of Jiangnan is experiencing an unusual sense of solemnity and killing intent.

High banners, fluttering orderly columns advancing forward, the forbidden soldiers of Great Chu all hold their heads high, heading towards the city wall.

At this point, at the city gate, outside the wilderness, and on the streets of the city, a large number of scholars and commoners have come out, excitedly and curiously watching the oncoming army.

Looking at the burly and imposing soldiers, all people felt awe and boundless excitement at the same time.

Because this is the army of Great Chu, their army.

With this iron army, Great Chu’s rivers will be solid as golden soup, and the stable life and interests they have now as Great Chu’s people will be guaranteed.

In the turmoil, nothing could be more important than this.

The crowd gathered more and more, and people who came to watch the ceremony began to discuss. Both sides gradually became somewhat noisy.

And this noise, with the arrival of a magnificent carriage in the distance, reached its peak.

Seeing the scepter symbolizing the king and the fluttering banners in the wind, everyone knew that the owner of this city, the supreme ruler of this country, the King of Chu, had arrived.

Instantly, the crowd burst into cheers.

Since Lu Yuan emerged from Shaoyang Prefecture, he has been protecting the people, guarding the borders, and sheltering the local people.

Later on, he even annihilated the Seven Star Rebellion, put down the Five Poisons Miao Disorder, restored the peace of Dongting, and established the Kingdom of Changsha, bringing peace and stability to a region.

Afterward, he expelled the Zhou people in the north, settled Qiang Shu in the west, expanded into three regions and eight prefectures, and made Great Chu assume control of 17 prefectures, ranking it among the major powers.

When the previous Yue perished, he even changed the country’s name and disputed with Jinling and Ning for hegemony in the world.

During this period, Chu State launched several imperial examinations to select talents, improve its culture and administration, train the army, accumulate arms and troops, and develop a navy.

Under such measures, the strength of Great Chu grew day by day, becoming one of the most powerful states in the world, with an implicit prospect of becoming an overlord.

These numerous military achievements have long attracted the hearts of countless Chu people for Lu Yuan, who has firmly established himself in the foundation of three regions.

Every inhabitant of the three regions would consider King Chu as one of the best wise monarchs in the world, and an invincible military god who can bring prosperity and glory to Great Chu.

Now, King Chu is leading an army of 100,000 men, defeating the southwest minority barbarians, and annihilating dozens of countries, expanding over thousands of miles of territory.

In the southwestern region, he has established the ten prefectures of Qianzhong and gained three vassal states, making his influence even more widespread in the southwest.

Then the Xichuan ruler submitted, letting King Chu lead the army to attack Xichuan once again, crushing Nanzhao, and gaining five more prefectures.

Afterward, Hanzhong ruler succumbed, and the army went north to force the Zhou soldiers to retreat, allowing the Hanzhong ruler to relocate to Jianchuan, gaining two more prefectures.

Thus, Great Chu gained control of all ten prefectures of Xichuan.

Since the initial mobilization of King Chu’s army in the sixth year of Shenwu to the return of the army at the beginning of the sixth month, the battle had lasted for more than two years and three months, finally bringing victory.

Underneath this great victory, the gains for the Chu State were also astonishing.

Qianzhong gained a region and ten prefectures, and Xichuan gained seven prefectures, adding up to a total of 17 prefectures. In the southwest, they gained three vassal states, which also amounted to about one region and five prefectures.

All added up, this time the deployment of troops allowed Great Chu to expand its territory into three more regions, and also obtained five Inborn Grandmasters. How could such a huge harvest not be exhilarating?

Above all these, it’s just the harvest on the national level of Great Chu.

As for Lu Yuan personally, his gains were not insignificant either.

During the Western Expedition, he fought more than a dozen battles in succession, defeating nearly 400,000 soldiers from Da Changhe and Nanzhao. Furthermore, he killed two Inborn experts, the Great Witch Sacrifice of the Chilih tribe and the Crown Prince of Nanzhao, making his military achievements outstanding.

Carefully calculated, since Lu Yuan took up arms, millions of soldiers have been defeated by him, and he has also killed as many as four Inborn experts.

Such achievements have gone far beyond that of the Wuan Marquis of the previous Yue, even far surpassing it.

Even when looking at the achievements of the Nine Provinces, Lu Yuan’s military exploits could rank in the top ten, even the top five, making him an absolute military god.

Being able to manage domestic affairs internally and expand territories externally, while also being known as a renowned military god, these achievements have pushed Lu Yuan’s prestige to its peak.

In the eyes of all the people of Great Chu, he is the pillar of the state, the spiritual belief, and the guarantee of strength.

Therefore, every Chu person, even if they haven’t seen him, as long as they know he is there, they will have a hundred times more confidence.

Now that the banner symbolizing King Chu has appeared, it makes everyone who sees it rejoice and take pride in the sight.

As the center of all this, Lu Yuan slightly lifts the curtain of the royal carriage he is sitting in, looking at the people outside whose faces are flushed with excitement from his arrival. With a smile on his face, he then lowers the curtain, continuing to sit in the carriage, and closing his eyes to breathe.

Outsiders only see the direction of public sentiment and the celebration throughout the city.

But in Lu Yuan’s eyes, he sees countless people from all over Great Chu and even the world converging from all directions toward Baling, belonging to him as the King of Chu, in the form of immense Qi Luck.

This time, though Chu’s population only increased by more than 2 million, less than half of the original population, the area of its territory expanded by 17 prefectures, doubling in size.

If we include vassals, it doubled even more.