July 18th arrived as promised.
Guests from all over the country came thick and fast. If the government from each place had not restricted those lower cla.s.s aristocrats from following the crowd blindly, the Qin family would most likely not be able to accommodate all the guests even if they had prepared a thousand tables.
Thus, only those elite cla.s.ses, those higher cla.s.s aristocrats could come to congratulate the Qin family.
In the past hundred years, a Venerable Family was considered the supreme authority in River County. And now, that cla.s.s had become the minimum requirement to congratulate the Qin family.
The world was unpredictable, and the rapid changes made one gasp in amazement.
All four Royal Territories, including the Redwood Mansion, had sent representatives to partic.i.p.ate. Especially the Redwood Royal Territory where the Redwood King himself had come.
And for the other three territories, the highest-level offspring within that family had come. Basically, they were the heir to the lands.
Apparently, they had acknowledged the ascendance of the Qin family since they were acting with a lot of caution. They had realized that this trend was irreversible. And if they decided to go against it, it would surely bring disaster.
Since they could not change it, then they must follow the trend!
What was the trend?
The general trend was, Qin Wushuang had splendidly won the t.i.tle of champion in the martial arts student exam!
The significant trend was that Qin Wushuang had made the uncle to the Emperor, Song Lingfeng bow his head and admit defeat!
The current circ.u.mstance was—the Martial Saint had conferred the status of royalty to the Eastwood Qin himself!
This was the status quo. Whoever did not acknowledge this trend, they were not only making an enemy of the Qin; but they were also setting themselves against the Martial Saint Mountain.
What was the Martial Saint Mountain? That was the supreme core of the Zhen Wu Holy Place. In the Bai Yue Country, the wind had started to blow from the Martial Saint Mountain.
To those civilians who had never seen much of the outside world, the arrival of the four Royal Families had profoundly broadened their horizon.
However, the arrival of the four Royal Families was, after all, a little interlude.
When the representative from the main Royal Family – The current prince, He Yunxiang, appeared at the Eastwood Town, the entire town almost boiled up.
Since the establishment of the Eastwood Town, not once had an offspring from the Royal family visited. Not to mention the current Crown Prince! The future Emperor!
The climax did not end there. Just when everyone was still enjoying the joyful aftertaste of the arrival of the Crown Prince, an even greater climax arrived.
From the Zhen Wu Holy Place, the Four Great Honored Warriors arrived jointly. They came to increase the prestige of the Qin and congratulate the family.
This way, the Eastwood Town had gone mad.
The Four Great Honored Warriors were like legends in the entire Bai Yue Country. They had actually stepped out from the legend and arrived before everyone.
The Qin manor was indeed, where your presence brings light to the humble dwelling.
All those servants were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with happiness and exerted extra effort when doing their tasks. They were repeatedly told that they must put in a good performance. They could not make the Qin family lose face.
Now, the Qin was the Royal Qin family! Whoever lost face, they would be losing face for the entire Royal Qin!
The guests had taken their seats accordingly.
The Four Great Honored Warrior and the Crown Prince, the representatives from the four Royal Territories, had sat down in the seats of honor.
The rest of the guests all knew the rules and took their seats per their status. There was not a single conflict.
The Crown Prince stood up and smiled: "Everyone, before the banquet, I still needed to walk through the process. Father and Son of the Qin, please receive the imperial edict."
Qin Lianshan and Qin Wushuang did not dare to act sloppy as they quickly walked out.
All the guests also put on a serious face and stood up.
The Crown Prince waved his hand: "Today is a day of exultation. It may be a crowning ceremony, but no one needs to kneel; you can all stand to hear the edict!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace, and thank you, Crown Prince, for your favor."
Everyone treated it seriously, except the Four Great Honored Warrior. Each of them carried a smile and looked at this scene at ease. Only they could show off such superior att.i.tude.
"Qin Wushuang, son of the Eastwood Qin, you splendidly won first place and was also the highest contributor to the group in this martial arts student exam. The Bai Yue Country was founded on martial arts. We admire martial arts and at this moment, bestow the special awards and honor the commitments. As promised, the individual victor will be given the status of a Royal King with a different surname. You will get twenty thousand acres of land, and sixty thousand gold! As the victor that contributed the most to the group, we will also bestow upon you the t.i.tle of Marquis. A further reward of ten thousand acres of land and thirty thousand gold. In total, your reward is thirty thousand acres of land and ninety thousand gold! Qin Wushuang, having both integrity and talent, being a worthy and virtuous person, you’ve decided to give the rewards to your father and thus, today, we crown your father, Qin Lianshan, King and will enjoy the prestige of a Royal Family. We will bestow upon Qin Wushuang the t.i.tle of Marquis and also benefit from the treatment of a Royal. We also bestow upon Qin Xiu the t.i.tle of the Eastwood Princess and she will also enjoy the same treatment as a Royal. The land conferred to the Qin will be known as the Heavenly Royal Territory. That is all!"
As soon as his words had ended, everyone cheered! Thunder roars emerged from all around accompanied by waves of clapping.
Although Qin Lianshan tried hard to control his emotions, he still could not help but tremble hard when he went up to receive the edict. He was too excited. It was the form of excitement that could not be suppressed where this ecstasy had come the bottom of his heart!
Qin Xiu did not expect that she would also be bestowed a t.i.tle. Da Xi Ming who was standing next to her also felt happy for her.
After the Crown Prince had finished speaking, he sat down and smiled: "King next to the mountain, congratulations, Marquis Wushuang. Hopefully, the Qin and the Royal families will unite and work together to contribute to the Bai Yue Country. To protect the safety of our country!"
"Your Highness, we will absolutely dedicate ourselves to the country, to repay your kindness."
"Good, good, good!" The purple-robed Great Honored Warrior started to clap, "King next to the mountain, everyone should have a son like Qin Wushuang. I am impressed!"
Qin Lianshan immediately returned the courtesy.
Amid his movements, the purple-robed Great Honored Warrior revealed enough stance where he had quickly seized the situation. He smiled: "Everyone, me and Qin Wushuang are friends despite the difference in age. Let me speak a few words despite my old age. The Eastwood Qin established themselves through martial arts and achieved a legend as a Royal family! Everything depended on four words – Heaven rewards the diligent! In the martial arts world, no legend is impossible. The Eastwood Qin is an example that everyone can work hard to reach. Anyone of you sitting here, before the exam, held a higher social status than the Qin. And now, most of you have to look up and envy the Qin. Why is this? Still, those four words – Heaven rewards the diligent!"
After he had finished speaking, the purple-robed Great Honored Warrior glanced around lightly and said: "You are smiling on the surface, but perhaps, some of you could not help but feel that the Qin just had some good luck. I do have to tell you, although, on the content of this martial arts student exam, you could have some luck with the detailed part. However, in the general direction, Luck will not be the determining force in the result. Not to mention, he had led by hundred of points over the other martial arts students!"
"You guys, whoever does not want to accept it, why not ask yourselves, do you have any martial arts students that can surpa.s.s a Stage Six Warrior of the Genuine Force in your family?"
Stage Six of the Genuine Force?
How could it be possible?
Most of them had just graduated from the martial arts academy. Even if they had trained for one or two years, it would have already been an exaggeration if they managed to reach Stage Two or Three.
For a Stage Six, even those offspring from the Royal Families most likely needed a couple of years train, right? It was impossible for a newly graduated martial arts students to enter Stage Six of the Genuine Force!
"From my information, not a single martial arts student who partic.i.p.ated in this exam had strength anywhere close to Qin Wushuang’s. Please know that I meant not even close!"
Close?
Could it be, the strength of this son of the Qin was beyond Stage Six of the Genuine Force?
No wonder then, that the Zhen Wu Holy Place treated him with such importance.
Xi Men Yu who knew the truth and smiled bitterly inwardly. Stage Six? The words from the Great Honored Warrior was too misleading.
Being a great Patriarch of a Feudal Lord Family, even at Stage Nine, he could not seize any advantage from the son of the Qin. Such strength, how could it only be Stage Six?
The purple-robed Great Honored Warrior smiled lightly: "I could only say that the other martial arts students who entered the exam could never achieve in such a short time the strength of Qin Wushuang’s. They are not even eligible to watch his back from a distance! Such a genius martial arts students, how could he not deserve a Royal status?"
As soon as he said those words, all the guests fell into silence. Everyone knew that the Great Honored Warrior was creating the momentum for the Royal Qin and building a backbone for them.
Crown Prince He Yunxiang nodded with a smile: "I can prove the words of the Great Honored Warrior. Marquis Wushuang’s strength is indeed shocking."
Apparently, the purple-robed Honored Warrior had also not expected the crown prince to agree with him. He nodded towards the Crown Prince: "Since the Crown Prince has spoken, you guys should understand more! I spoke all of this only to express one point. The result that the Eastwood Qin had risen to become a Royal family was the approval from both the Royal families and the Zhen Wu Holy Place. The status of a Royal will not tolerate any doubt or challenge. Whoever objects or question this Royal status, you can go up to the Martial Saint Mountain and state your point to the Martial Saint!"
The other three Great Honored Warriors all nodded in agreement.
Qin Wushuang smiled lightly and did not speak a word. With the Four Great Honored Warriors speaking for them, he did not have to worry about anything.
Even if some of them did doubt his Royal status, their doubt would most likely have gone away after the Four Great Honored Warrior expressed their strong opinions!
"Marquis Wushuang, you are not going to say something?" Apparently, the purple-robed Great Honored Warrior had deliberately praised Wushuang and directed the topic towards him.
Qin Wushuang smiled lightly and nodded to speak: "Everyone, the Qin had encountered many obstacles climbing up from the Humble Cla.s.s. Whenever we took a step forward, some people would always feel that we got lucky. I, Qin Wushuang, only have one principle, whether you be the donkey or the horse, let’s take you out for a ride. The Bai Yue Country established itself through martial arts. Strength is the rule. The Family Cla.s.s Evaluations are held every twenty years. Whoever doubts the Royal Qin, I welcome you to challenge us in the Family Cla.s.s. As the saying goes– Speak with your strength!"
The purple-robed Great Honored Warrior nodded admiringly. Qin Wushuang’s words were neither high-profile nor low profiled. Yet, it had shown enough temperament. If you were not happy, you could come to challenge him.
It was the most primitive and the most straightforward principle in the martial arts world!
"Us Qin, being the King of a Territory, from today on, in the Heavenly Royal Territory, any civilians, regardless of n.o.bles and civilians, old or young, you will be protected by the Royal Qin. Any outside powerhouses that dare to murder and commit arson, we will kill without pardon. Any outside forces dare loot or rape, we will kill without mercy; any…"
Qin Wushuang spoke with a harsh tone as each word sounded sonorous and powerful. While he was talking, he swept through the entire room with a determined gaze. His gaze stopped for a moment on the Redwood King without any hesitation.
Inwardly, the Redwood King only sneered, and thought to himself: "Today, I will let you have it. After some time, you will suffer till the end!"
Da Xi Heng watched Qin Wushuang showing off enough temperament within his movements. Vividly, he demonstrated the power of a King. Inwardly, he also smiled bitterly.
He must admit that as the Patriarch, he had almost made some life-threatening mistakes over the judgment of that son of the Qin.
Fortunately, his stupid son had stubbornly…
Seeing Da Xi Ming and Qin Xiu next to each other and heads rubbing together, being the Patriarch at Stage Seven of the Genuine Force, he inwardly felt a sweetness like honey.
Royal family! From this point, the patron of the Venerable Da Xi would be a Royal family! He looked forward to the rise of the Venerable Da Xi family!