Chapter 292, The People of Deer City
Deer Mountain Range
Hundred Broken Mountain.
The previous number 66 watch post that was destroyed by the Snow Dragon Ape had been rebuilt by the military at another location. On the vast Hundred Broken Mountain, snow drifted with the wind despite it being the late spring season, and the mountain was still covered with snow and remained bitterly cold.
In the air, a middle-sized snow-white airs.h.i.+p with formations inscripted on it pierced the layers of clouds, landing slowly to the ground.
About a hundred meters from the ground, the rune airs.h.i.+p slowly came to a stop.
Clad in a white robe, Ye Qingyu stood at the bow of the s.h.i.+p, overlooking the white glacier below.
It had been almost a year since he was here. The collapsed ice summit had already been covered with snow and the former number 66 watch post had disappeared without the slightest trace of it being there. He was unsure of how many times it had snowed in Hundred Broken Mountain, but the thick snow had buried the remains of the sentries that died in battle on that dark night.
“It should be around here.”
Ye Qingyu studied the terrain that had changed greatly, recalling everything that happened on that day, and was able to determine the location of the underground ice bunker back then very quickly. After he paid tribute to them, the formation airs.h.i.+p flew in the direction of the underground ice bunker.
Half an hour later, he finally found the underground ice bunker.
As a result of glacier movement, the inside of the underground ice cave had undergone huge changes; many of the corridors had collapsed and were blocked off. Fortunately, Ye Qingyu’s strength was not the same as before. He eventually arrived at the depths of the ice cave, found the bodies of the sentries who had died to protect him and personally brought them out.
“Brothers, I’ve come to see you. I have been gone for such such a long period of time, leaving you in this icy cold cave for so long. It is my fault. I have ordered the military to find your hometowns. I will take you all back to your home, so you can sleep among the scenery of your hometown. Your souls will not extinguish; soldiers that give their life for a n.o.ble cause exist forever!”
Ye Qingyu’s eyes glistened with tears.
The beautiful wine was poured over the boundless snow-capped mountain.
The remains of the sentries were carefully moved into the different crystal coffins and temporarily stored in the cabin of the formation airs.h.i.+p.
There was still three months of time till he was needed in the capital of Snow Country. Besides meeting up with the people of the Ye household after returning to Deer City, Ye Qingyu also intended to personally take the remains of these heroic sentries who sacrificed their life back to their respective hometowns.
It was the only thing he could do for the sentries who had given their lives for him.
In the endless sea of clouds.
Like the hilt of an unparalleled sword, they advanced at full speed, breaking through the layers of clouds and leaving behind a huge trace across the sky. It was as though the sky had been broken in half. They headed in the direction of Deer City as fast as lightning.
Deer City.
Based on the geographical position, it was still a small town of the north-west border of the empire, but today it had a completely different atmosphere. The guards of the City Lord Mansion and the squad leaders of the four military leaders of the north, east, south and west, set out of the North Gate early in the morning. Ten miles outside of the city, they lined up and began building a celebration stage.
The city, decorated with red lanterns and banners, had a festive atmosphere.
Inside and outside of White Deer Academy were notices posted all around, like it was a Grand Festival today, and appeared unusual.
“What day is it today? Why does it feel like a holiday?”
“Yes, it’s been a long time since the city has been so lively, right? Even at last years Lunar New Year’s Eve, the City Lord did not have such grand arrangements.”
“Haha, you don’t know? It is said that an important person will come to our Deer City today.”
“Important person? How important, that the City Lord and the four military leaders would go to such trouble.”
“Hey, hey, I also heard some rumors. They say that Ye Qingyu is coming back.”
“What, Ye Qingyu? The... [The Leaf of Youyan] that became famous all over the empire in such a short time? Marquis Ye of Youyan Pa.s.s?”
“Of course, besides him, who dares to be called Ye Qingyu?”
“Why would Marquis Ye come to Deer City?”
“Haha, there is something you don’t know. This Marquis Ye is said to have an important relations.h.i.+p with Deer City. Back then, Marquis Ye was a student of White Deer Academy, he was born in our Deer City; he is a part of Deer City. He must be coming home to visit his relatives.”
“What? Is that true? Marquis Ye is someone of our Deer City. For our city to have such an important man. Ahaha, this must be the blessings of heaven.”
“Yes, according to the laws of the empire, if a meritorious Marquis emerged from the city, that city will receive the special blessing of the Empire. If the city was attacked by demons, the people can directly ask the military for help, and the nearby garrison must come at the first instant.”
“Marquis Ye really is the pride of our Deer City.”
At the doorway of the teahouse nearby, a group of people came out, laughing and talking. The fact that a hero had emerged from their hometown made everyone feel extremely proud. This glory was real and true. Everyone was able to benefit from it.
Across from the teahouse was the Ye Mansion.
It was the most peripheral mansion of the wealthy northern area. It used to be peaceful and quiet amid the noisy surroundings, but it had long been the focus of attention in the city. Even as early as 10 days ago, there had been an endless stream of people paying visits and bringing along gifts.
The hereditary n.o.bles that were usually arrogant and insufferable, had a smile fixed to their faces. They were incredibly polite to the old man guarding the entrance and dared not to neglect him in the slightest, afraid of irritating the old man and making him dissatisfied.
Many hereditary n.o.bles, although n.o.ble in ident.i.ty, had no real power. The most they had were a little privilege in taxes, lawsuits, and so on. Besides being well-off and having servants, they had no real sense of power. Only the City Lord, Qin Ying, enjoyed the power to govern the lands directly and was considered as a real n.o.ble amongst all these n.o.bles.
But a meritorious military Marquis like Ye Qingyu was different.
A Marquis had a n.o.ble status, but they also possess the power to command troops. This was real power. In the Empire’s aristocratic system, a Marquis has the greatest military power. According to Empire law, a Marquis enjoys great immunity from prosecution. Even if he violated the laws of the Empire, only the army was eligible to determine his innocence.
The most important n.o.ble of Deer City was the City Lord, the Qin family.
But the City Lord Qin Ying was only a third grade hereditary n.o.ble.
The Emperor of Snow Country had announced to the world that Ye Qingyu was a third grade Marquis. The t.i.tle was not inherited, but whether it was in status or power, he was in fact superior to Qin Ying. Besides, [The Leaf of Youyan], was famous throughout the land. His strength alone was enough to make the entire Jianghu tremble. Such fame and power was far above the City Lord Qin Ying.
Therefore, the entire Deer City, from the mansion of the City Lord to the ordinary aristocracy, dared not to treat him with the slightest neglect.
The news said that Maquis Ye would arrive at noon.
There was still some time till noon, but all the n.o.ble families, whether large or small, were dressed in luxury attire. All of them were waiting on a temporary celebration stage that they had long ago built at a location ten miles outside of the northern gate. Every one of them had an excited expression on their face, as though Ye Qingyu was an old friend of theirs.
The City Lord Qin Ying was calm, wearing silver armour and a sword hanging at his waist. He stood at the very front.
The silver-armoured guards of the City Lord Residence were divided into rows and stood on both sides of the celebration stage.
The personal guards of the four military leaders were even more heavily armoured, lining up along the main road, but they also appeared valiant and formidable-looking, carrying themselves with the iron-willed presence of the military.
Perhaps because of the fact Ye Qingyu was a MIlitary Marquis, the n.o.bles had arrived to greet him dressed in military uniforms. There were some overweight people with a body like a pig that were forcibly dressed in mail. It was like a lump of fat was wrapped in huge mail plating, almost causing the armour to pop. Because the armour was too heavy, even the escort attendants were soaking in sweat. They seemed extremely exhausted, but they still dared not to remove the armour.
On the celebration stage, there were several other figures besides the n.o.ble families that were particularly noticeable.
Dressed in a blue cotton skirt, Qin Lan, who was in charge of taking care of the Ye Mansion, and Ye Qingyu’s little sister Little Gra.s.s, as well as Tang San, the youngster in charge of taking care of the outer courtyard of Ye Mansion, were like the moon with stars cl.u.s.tering around them. They were surrounded by n.o.bles.
In just approximately one year of time, Qin Lan’s fate had turned upside down entirely. At the beginning, when Ye Qingyu had retaken the Ye household, she was freed from her enslaved ident.i.ty. And in the last months, the status of the Ye household had risen rapidly within Deer City, causing her to marvel at the strangeness of fate.
Qin Lan was a married woman of great beauty. After a year of living well, even though she only wore a blue cotton dress and was without any pearls or precious jade accessories, she still looked bright and radiant. She emanated a stunning glory that dumbfounded people. Compared to the n.o.ble women accessorized with sparkling jewels, she was not inferior in any respect, but much more beautiful.
At her side was Little Gra.s.s dressed in a light tight warrior dress. She had grown more beautiful, graceful, and was also incomparably glamorous.
Tang San, who was just a servant, was dressed in a long flowing white robe. He looked extremely graceful and looked like a young master. If people did not know, they would have thought that he was a descendant of an aristocratic family.
On the other side of the celebration stage, there was also a group of n.o.ble youngsters.
Qin Wushuang stood at the front, his complexion somewhat unnatural.
Behind him was the former genius of the White Deer Academy, Han Shuanghu. Han Xiaofei, Bai Yuqing and others were also standing among the crowd, and of course, Ye Qingyu’s childhood friend who had became a stranger to him, Jiang Xiaohan.
This bunch of pretentious and arrogant boys and girls had not paid any attention to Ye Qingyu and had always thought of him as a joke in the past. But now, in Ye Qingyu’s welcoming celebration, they did not even have the qualifications to stand up on the celebration stage.
Only some years have pa.s.sed, but the difference between them was like Heaven and Earth.
Among these people, the person with the most conflicted feelings, was namely Jiang Xiaohan.