Chapter 263: with translation of chapter title

In the hall,

As Jia Jing's report of victory was loudly read aloud by Xia Shouzhong, the civil and military officials all showed startled expressions.

Then, something seemed to explode… buzzing, gasps, and sharp inhalations mingled together, like a pot of boiling porridge.

Has the northwest won another battle so quickly?

Really moving from one victory to the next? Without any pause at all?

When they go to war, they win every battle? No one can stop them?

"This… these two… two arrows that conquered Tianshan?? One arrow fewer than the histories record?"

Sun Jiacheng's complexion changed abruptly, and he muttered haltingly to himself, his tone full of astonishment and doubt!

He evidently recalled the old tale of Xue Rengui's three arrows that conquered Tianshan.

"That still counts as three arrows, right? Didn't they say they also sent an arrow to the Hunxie Khan?"

An inspecting censor beside Sun Jiacheng subconsciously replied.

Sun Jiacheng couldn't help but glance at him, wondering whether this was a matter of two arrows or three.

I am saying, how can a person become so formidable!

In the hall, the Right Commander of the Five Military Governor's Office, Prince of Nan'an, also couldn't help but show a look of disbelief on his face.

He had once fought the Hunxie Kingdom, whose commander at the time was Ga Le Da Ma.

He led fifty thousand northwest troops against Ga Le Da Ma's thirty thousand elite cavalry, and suffered a slight defeat.

At that time, Ga Le Da Ma was extraordinarily brave and a capable commander, enjoying great fame on the steppes and in the northwest frontier of the Da Han Empire.

After Prince Nan'an's defeat, for a long period he regarded Ga Le Da Ma as a once‑in‑a‑lifetime great enemy!

He originally thought Ga Le Da Ma was already among the few great generals of the age, yet now he was so simply killed by a single arrow from Jia Jing?

It is simply inconceivable!

Is this Zi Jie really the biological son of Jia She, the battlefield deserter? How can he be so capable?

Fighting the False Qing, the Northern Yuan, and Hunxie, each battle more astonishing and faster than the last, as if they were playing.

Later, he couldn't help recalling the matter of the Jingying military authority that Lord Cao Guogong had mentioned a few days earlier; given Jia Jing's current prestige and achievements, this issue seems to require careful deliberation.

The Prince of Bejing, Shui Rong, was flushed, eyes wide and mouth agape, his handsome face showing both shock and excitement.

Zi Jie truly is a dragon among men; in a short time, another exhilarating great victory!

After these several great victories in the northwest, Zi Jie has essentially claimed the top war merit of the Da Han Empire!

Given the emperor's trust and Zi Jie's achievements, when he returns to the capital, who on the court can contend with him?

Someone with such sky‑high power still needs to cultivate more connections!

I wonder whether the Jia Mansion has, during this period, sent a letter to the northwest to acknowledge Zi Jie's merits and goodwill!

The last time the Qian Qing Gong discussed rewards, I spoke on his behalf; we all share the founding lineage and must not become estranged!

Prince of Bejing thought to himself, not only must he deepen his friendship with Jia Jing, but also grow closer to the Rong Guo Mansion.

Hmm! After the court session, let my own princess go to the matriarch of the Jia family to strengthen ties.

Meanwhile, the Jingnan Wuxun behind the Prince of Bejing looked as if struck by lightning, his expression grim.

Jia Jing, the young prodigy, has achieved another feat and will soon return to the capital; with his current status and prestige, the Jingnan Wuxun will likely have no place on the court thereafter!

The civil officials opposite the Wuxun also wore startled expressions.

Chief Counselor Chen Tingjing first wondered how much loot was captured this time, and how much could be submitted to the Ministry of Revenue.

In fact, if it weren't for the civil‑military divide, he would wish Jia Jing to stay longer at the northwest frontier.

After all, Jia Jing's campaigns not only require no grain from the Ministry of Revenue, but each victory brings back substantial spoils for the ministry.

This is not wasteful militarism at all, but a way of making money!

As for Zhang Tingyu, who sits behind Chen Tingjing, he is one of the few in the hall whose expression remains unchanged.

Honestly, he has become somewhat numb to Jia Jing's victories!

One or two wins still surprise him.

But this is already the tenth report of victory from the northwest; he has grown somewhat accustomed.

He admits that in terms of combat ability, all the war merits in the court combined probably cannot match Jia Jing alone!

However, he still harbors a few hidden worries in his heart,

The Da Han Empire now has such a monstrous figure; truly, one cannot tell if it is a blessing or a disaster!

The minister Fang Congzhe, who was just impeaching Jia Jing, now silently returns to his post!

He understands that faced with another great victory by Jia Jing, any impeachment from them appears feeble and powerless!

One can only say that the victor needs no accusation!

If he now suppresses meritorious generals, he would be placing himself in the same treacherous position as Qin Kuai.

On the throne, Jing Sheng Di has just taken the document from Xia Shouzhong and examined it in detail.

He lingered on the last few sentences for a long time, a hint of contemplation appearing on his face.

Zi Jie has been away from the capital for months and is finally returning!

After reading it, Jing Sheng Di placed the document on the imperial desk, listened to the low murmuring buzz of the ministers in the hall, tapped the dragon throne's armrest expressionlessly, and said gravely:

"According to Zi Jie's carrier pigeon message, the Hunxie Kingdom has agreed to our peace terms and will send envoys with the Hunxie Khan and his heir to Shenjing to surrender."

"The northwest campaign lasted over four months; at last the dust has settled!"

"I still recall that before setting out, Zi Jie told me: this expedition must risk death to clear the border troubles for the court and bring a hundred years of peace to the Da Han's northwest!"

"I will not conceal it; at the time I truly doubted those words!"

"However, facts outweigh rhetoric; the result of the northwest campaign tells me, and all under heaven, that Zi Jie spoke no falsehood!"

"The merit of this battle benefits the realm and endures for millennia! All discerning men of the world should rejoice that our Da Han has produced such a pillar of the state!"

"I have Zi Jie, just as King Wen of Zhou had Jiang Shang, as Duke Huan of Qi had Guan Zhong, as Emperor Gaozu of Xia had Xiao He and Han Xin—yet I am not overly delighted!"

Jing Sheng Di, upon saying this, spoke with a tone clearly tinged with agitation and emotion.

Given Jing Sheng Di's usual solemn authority, he had never before shown such an almost "unseemly" display in the court.

Within the hall, the civil and military officials, apart from a few ministers who had long witnessed the Son of Heaven's deep trust in Jia Jing,

the other officials of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, the Censors and Speech Officials, upon seeing Jing Sheng Di's emotive expression for the first time, were momentarily stunned!

Especially when they heard Jing Sheng Di compare Jia Jing to Jiang Shang, Guan Zhong, and Xiao He and Han Xin, the assembled civil and military officials' eyes practically popped out.

It should be noted that Jiang Shang and Han Xin are fine; although they could fight and are among the Ten Martial Sages of the Wu Temple, they are essentially still of military origin.

But Guan Zhong and Xiao He are exemplars of civil officials.

Guan Zhong was honored by Duke Huan of Qi as the "Senior Minister", called "Father Zhong", and he monopolized Qi's military and civil authority, truly wielding the power of a Prime Minister.

Xiao He, too, was a renowned minister of his era; after the founding of the Xia state, he was rated the top meritorious official, ranking first among those who had rendered great service.

Is it perhaps excessive to compare Jia Jing with these two?

Or does this remark signify some political signal that Jing Sheng Di is releasing?