Chapter 439: The First Official After the Bestowal

"I will certainly follow my father, the king, and give everything I have for Great Zhou!"

Yuwen Ze heard this, sprang upright, raised both hands in fists before his forehead, and spoke loudly.

He looked entirely like someone ready to spill his blood for the nation.

Having studied by A Xiong's side for so long, Yuwen Ze knows better than anyone that at a moment like this one must fully display proper bearing!

Yuwen Yong lightly tapped the gilt cloud‑dragon pattern on the Dragon Throne's armrest, withdrew his gaze from Yuwen Ze below the steps, and slowly turned toward Yuwen Hu on the throne.

A faint yet sincere smile lingered at his lips; his voice, though not loud, carried undeniable weight, echoing clearly through the vast hall: "The Grand Preceptor truly raised a fine son!"

Finishing, he paused his fingertip, swept his gaze over the upright civil and military officials in the hall, and added a note of emotion: "Great Zhou's current abundance of talent is also thanks to the Grand Preceptor's tireless dedication!"

Finally, leaning slightly forward, his eyes solemn, he said word for word: "Without the Grand Preceptor's assistance, Great Zhou would not enjoy such prosperity!"

Between the lines lie reliance, trust, and gratitude.....

Yuwen Ze was not only made a king but also appointed as a pillar of the state and granted the Bestowal of opening a government office with the three ministries; such layered Bestowals held political significance far greater than practical effect.

It was to stabilize and pacify Yuwen Hu!

To make him believe he is harmless, to lower his guard, and also to avoid repeating Yuwen Yan's mistake......

So that the forthcoming concealment and cultivation of power can proceed, building influence and amassing strength.

"Your Majesty, that's nonsense!"

【5】 Yuwen Hu, hearing the words, rose slowly; his purple four‑claw python robe fell with the movement, the gold‑embroidered python pattern glimmered with a muted sheen under the hall's candlelight. He raised his hand, gave it a gentle shake, and then clasped his fists to his chest:

Upon hearing the sound, Yuwen Hu rose slowly, his purple four‑clawed python robe falling with the motion, the gold‑embroidered python pattern glimmering a dim, muted sheen in the hall's candlelight; he raised his hand and gave a gentle shake, then immediately clasped both fists at his chest.

"As the king, I was entrusted by Taizu to guard the throne; how could I dare not give my all?"

"It is what I, the king, ought to do!"

Yuwen Hu's voice was resonant and steady, echoing powerfully through the great hall.

Yuwen Yong rose from the Dragon Throne, stepped forward with a hint of urgency, reached out and firmly grasped Yuwen Hu's wrist; the warmth of his palm passed through the fabric, his demeanor intimate far beyond the usual ruler‑subject protocol.

He deliberately lowered his voice, his tone full of feigned earnest familiarity, even the lines at the corners of his eyes showing dependence, "My learning is shallow; the nation's military and political affairs still require the Grand Preceptor's diligent attention!"

After speaking, he lightly patted the back of Yuwen Hu's hand, his gaze heavy with reliance as if about to overflow.

He lifted him to a great height while lowering his own stance to the lowest.

He presented himself as one entrusting all state affairs.

"Your Majesty, rest assured!"

Yuwen Hu's seized wrist sank slightly, and his other hand flicked his sleeve; the purple python robe traced a crisp arc in the air, the gold‑embroidered pattern blossoming with the motion. He lifted his eyes to meet the emperor's gaze, his voice suddenly rising, each word striking like metal on stone: "I shall unite with all civil and military officials, and create a peaceful flourishing era for Great Zhou!"

Before his words finished, the civil and military officials in the hall bowed in unison, their court robes spreading across the golden‑tiled floor like a neatly arranged forest.

The crowd answered in one voice, shaking the dust on the hall's beams: "We shall follow Your Majesty and the Grand Preceptor, give everything for Great Zhou, and never shy from death!"

In an instant, the emperor before the Dragon Throne smiled and nodded, the grand steward stood upright, officials below the steps bowed respectfully, candlelight reflecting the silhouettes of all the court's rulers and ministers.....

It resembled a harmonious scene of ruler and ministers working together to protect the realm.

Around noon.

The sun blazed, the stone lions outside the palace gates glowed with scorching white light, and even the passing wind carried searing heat.

Lu Ning stood in the shade, a small patch of her sky‑blue ru skirt damp with sweat, yet she seemed unaware.

She only clutched a handkerchief, pacing back and forth in place, her embroidered shoes clicking against the stones.

She occasionally lifted her gaze toward the palace gate's depths, her brows furrowed into a deep line, even the stray hairs by her temples blown messy were left unattended, and she muttered repeatedly, "We've been inside the palace for many hours now....."

"Why hasn't anyone come out yet?"

Before the words finished, she couldn't help to tiptoe and peek.

The worry in her eyes weighed heavily, her breathing a few breaths faster than usual.

Leaning against the palace wall base, Zhu Yi, who had waited here countless times, brushed the dust from the hem of his Xuanse Jinshen, and soothed, "Miss Lu, you need not worry!"

He pointed toward the interior of the palace gate, his gaze firm: "A Ming, following my Duke into court, will encounter no trouble!"

The time for attending court discussions in the main hall is never fixed; it varies in length...

This Bestowal, with so many recipients, taking longer is quite normal.

Lu Ning merely murmured a soft "hm", her voice so light it was almost drowned by the wind outside the gate, her gaze still glued to the depths of the palace gate, the brows she had just relaxed now furrowing again.

Her steps never ceased, the sky‑blue ru skirt sweeping the ground even faster than before.

The click of her embroidered shoes on the stones grew more restless.

She no longer murmured, yet the worry in her eyes did not lessen at all.

It seemed that every delay inside the gate quietly added to her unease.

After all, she and her brother, unlike the others entering the palace, hail from Jiangnan...

They worry that someone in the Zhou State court might exploit Lu Ming's identity!

At that moment, a clear shout suddenly sliced through the sweltering air at the palace gate: "Big sister, big sister!"

Following the voice, she saw Lu Ning, nearly two meters tall, striding and jogging forward like a moving hill, a thin sheen of sweat on her brow she couldn't wipe, clutching a scroll in her hand.

"A Ming?"

Lu Ning's eyes lit up instantly, the furrowed brows snapped open, she hurried forward, her voice tinged with unmistakable urgency and fear: "You finally came out!"

"It's good that nothing's wrong!"

As the words fell, she instinctively reached out and patted Lu Ming's arm.

The anxiety that had hung all morning finally settled back.

Even her breathing became smoother, and the shoulders that had been tensed by worry slowly relaxed.

That hurdle was cleared.....

Lu Ming was taken aback, instinctively raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, his eyes full of bewilderment as he asked, "I was honored to enter the palace; what could possibly happen?"

Just as his words ended, he seemed to recall something; his eyes lit up, his grip on the scroll tightened involuntarily, his voice rose a few notes, and, brimming with excitement, he hurried to Lu Ning's side to share the news: "By the way, big sister, I've been granted the title of Tiger Might General!"

"Now we have a foothold in Chang'an; we won't have to wander any longer......"

When he spoke of this, his eyebrows and eyes were alight with joy, and even the sweat droplets on his forehead seemed to shine.

Having obtained an office in the Zhou State, he would no longer wander without a fixed residence, his heart constantly on edge, fearing he would be hunted down…

Lu Ning heard the words, and after a moment of thought, the smile on his face faded a little, his brows gently furrowed, adding a hint of seriousness. He looked up at Lu Ming, his tone cautious: "Is it only General Hu Wei, without being granted any specific military position?"

She still had some understanding of the Zhou State's system…

General Hu Wei belongs to the rank of noble, not a concrete office, which means he has no real authority.

"Position?"

Lu Ming was startled, raised his hand to touch his chin, his brows slightly furrowed as he recalled for a moment, his tone uncertain: "It seems there isn't one…"

"None?"

Lu Ning whispered the two words again, his brows tightening further, his peripheral glance flicking to the figure behind Lu Ming—a Chen Yan clad in a Purple Robe—whose eyes were filled with complex emotions.

Chen Yan stepped forward steadily; the dark jade belt cinched the Purple Robe's waist into a straight line, and as the hem brushed the ground, the subtly embroidered cloud pattern shimmered with fine glints in the sunlight.

He understood what Lu Ning's look meant, placed one hand behind his back, and smiled: "I, the commander, have been granted the authority to open a hall!"

He paused briefly, then continued: "A Ming, would you be willing to become the first subordinate officer after I, the commander, open the hall…?"

Lu Ning was taken aback; the worried expression he had just held froze instantly, his lips parting slightly, even his breath caught for a beat.

Only one thought kept crashing through his mind: "He's opening a hall already?!"

If she remembered correctly, Chen Yan is only eighteen now, isn't he?

Even in the Liang Kingdom, the emperor's most favored prince never opened a hall at such a young age…

Lu Ming's left hand unconsciously scratched the back of his head again, and he muttered involuntarily, "Become a subordinate officer?"

Clearly he couldn't make up his mind.

After hesitating for a moment, he instinctively turned his head toward the A Jie beside him.

Lu Ning showed virtually no hesitation, stepped forward immediately, and answered for Lu Ming: "It is an honor for my brother A Ming to become a subordinate officer of the Grand General!"

Even though he becomes a subordinate officer, at present his authority is inferior to that of Court officials…

But in the long run, it will be greatly beneficial!

Because the amount of authority and prospects of a subordinate officer rise along with the rise of the one who opens the hall…

And this Duke of Wei, Lord Chen Yan, must not stop there!

A subordinate officer is also a household general; the relationship is even closer, falling within the category of those promoted preferentially…

"Then from now on, just work well under me!"

Chen Yan smiled calmly, stepped forward, and patted Lu Ming's shoulder, "I, the commander, will not shortchange you siblings!"

"I, the king, also have the authority to open a hall…"

Yuwen Ze stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over Lu Ning and Lu Ming, finally landing on Huan Jing, who had remained silent beside them, a slightly casual smile curling at his lips.

Speaking, he lifted his hand to adjust the jade belt at his waist, his tone adding a sincere invitation: "Huan Jing, would you be willing to become my first subordinate officer?"

"My king?"

"Yuwen Ze has been promoted to a princely title?"

Lu Ning muttered that self‑designation in his mind, suddenly realizing something; his left hand lifted slightly, pinching the timid Huan Jing.

These two— the former a rising power elite, the latter the sole son of a powerful minister— with two younger brothers following them, can only have limitless prospects!

"I…"

Huan Jing came to his senses: "I, your subordinate, am willing!"

"In the future, I will obey the sovereign's summons, brave fire and water, without hesitation!"

Having said that, he hurriedly clasped his fists, bowed, and performed the salute.

"A Xiong, then the younger brother will lead Huan Jing back to the residence first!" Yuwen Ze nodded approvingly, exchanged a glance with Chen Yan, and smiled.

"Go!"

Chen Yan waved his hand.

"Come, follow me back to Jin Wang Fu!" Yuwen Ze lightly patted Huan Jing's shoulder, leading him and Lu Cangfeng briskly away.

Chen Yan smiled calmly: "We'll head back to the residence as well!"