[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence":3,"chapter-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-494":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Warlord: Starting with Daily Intelligence",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2338957,4572,"Chapter 494: Arrival at the Royal Capital!","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-494",494,"\u003Cp>“Finally gone! The northern front war is over!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right! This battle was the most dangerous in over a decade!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the Beast King’s army depart, the Commander-in-Chief and Duke Hernade could not help but sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, both men turned simultaneously to Gervas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This army’s turnaround to ‘victory’ was entirely thanks to Gervas, this great contributor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, driving the orcs out of the northern frontier alone counts as victory—we must hold a grand victory banquet, especially to honor you, our greatest contributor!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But due to insufficient grain supplies, we’ve delayed it so far. So, once we return to Black Dragon City, I, the Commander-in-Chief, will host you personally as compensation—deal?” the Commander-in-Chief said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander-in-Chief, there’s no need to trouble yourselves with a banquet. I understand the army’s prior condition. That we won and all returned safely is the best outcome—I’m truly delighted!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Gervas was thinking he would never get to eat that Black Dragon City banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: the King’s imperial decree would arrive at Lindongcheng shortly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, his party would head straight for the royal capital—no time to linger in Black Dragon City and keep the King waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, so young and yet so composed and humble—I wonder how your father raised you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If even a few of our noble families’ heirs could be like you, we’d be perfectly satisfied!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing nearby, Duke Hernade, hearing Gervas’s humble words, couldn’t help but laugh aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas’s conduct had truly impressed Duke Hernade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, Gervas, didn’t you say you’ve never signed a marriage contract?” Duke Hernade suddenly changed the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Gervas froze, his expression turning peculiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d heard this question many times recently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But those had mostly come from minor and major nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, this was Hernade—a genuine ducal family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was Duke Hernade planning to marry one of his granddaughters to him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catherine?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or another granddaughter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were Catherine, Gervas wouldn’t mind at all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Catherine’s poise and elegance made her perfect as a lady of the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duke Hernade, I have indeed never signed a marriage contract!” Gervas blinked and answered immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duke Hernade nodded after hearing this. “Gervas, I have a granddaughter your age. If you’re interested, come visit Hernade Castle next time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll introduce you young people to each other. Whether you take a liking to each other? That’s up to you youngsters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, just as Gervas had suspected, Duke Hernade truly intended to introduce his granddaughter to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Hernade was a ducal family and Gervas merely a viscount.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gervas’s demonstrated abilities far surpassed most youths—even among great families, they were rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, in just a few days, Gervas would likely be promoted from viscount to earl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such status and ability, marrying off a granddaughter to him would not be a disgrace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For great families like theirs, maintaining strength required not only their own heirs to excel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also needed to continuously attract more outstanding young men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could become the very foundation of the family’s prosperity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah! Gervas, you’re lucky! For Duke Hernade to personally invite you and offer his granddaughter—that’s something I’ve never seen before!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Gervas could answer, the Commander-in-Chief chimed in with a loud whistle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duke Hernade, I’m honored by your recognition—I’ll certainly come to disturb you then!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas had wanted to ask if the granddaughter was Catherine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he held his tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to wait than ask now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was her, he’d go with the flow; if not, he’d adapt on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Gervas simply agreed outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander-in-Chief! The royal capital’s latest order—it was written personally by His Majesty the King!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coincidentally, moments after Gervas agreed, a messenger hurried over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Written personally by His Majesty the King?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Commander-in-Chief and Duke Hernade froze, then exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the King’s poor health, it had been years since he personally penned any decree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the messenger spoke plainly—there could be no falsehood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the Commander-in-Chief and Duke Hernade, stunned, pushed through the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They swiftly took the imperial decree from the messenger’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Commander-in-Chief verified the wax seal and opened it immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more he read, the more incredulous his expression became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing, he passed the letter to Duke Hernade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, an important imperial decree could not be shown to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the Commander-in-Chief added, “His Majesty learned we drove the orcs from the northern frontier and sent this decree personally—praise and invitation. Duke Hernade, please read it too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duke Hernade took the decree without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he finished reading, he exclaimed in astonishment: “It’s truly His Majesty’s own handwriting!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brave! Brave!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, look—so many people! Ha! They’re all welcoming us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes! I never thought I, Eyn, would one day receive cheers here in the royal capital!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If word gets back home, we’ll be the envy of every noble in the northern frontier!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course! This scene will surely be written into my autobiography!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time shifted to a week later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, Duke Hernade’s words—“truly His Majesty’s own handwriting”—made clear how extraordinary this matter was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And since the King had issued the invitation, no one dared keep His Majesty waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the Commander-in-Chief of the northern frontier publicly read the royal decree, ordering all meritorious officers to proceed immediately to the royal capital for the King’s personal victory banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a week of travel, the summoned nobles, led by Duke Hernade and Duke Lishi, arrived at the royal capital, weary but triumphant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To their delight, His Majesty had organized a grand welcoming ceremony in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the King himself did not leave the palace, he sent the Crown Prince to greet them at the city gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, countless noble masters, ladies, young ladies, and commoners had gathered, eager to catch a glimpse of the returning heroes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with such a spectacle, Mil and Eyn—country bumpkins—had never experienced anything like it. They flushed with excitement, babbling about how they’d brought honor to their ancestors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t get so worked up—so many eyes are watching. If you act too wildly, everyone will know you’re country nobles!” Gervas, seeing them gesticulating wildly and shouting so loudly it nearly deafened him, warned them plainly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Really, Gervas?” They froze, surprised by this observation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. Look at the great nobles—has their expression changed at all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right!” Mil and the others, seeing this, had no doubt. They immediately calmed their expressions, copying the demeanor of the high nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Gervas exhale—his ears were finally spared further torment!\u003C\u002Fp>",1080,"2026-06-20T22:44:02.688Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b994942115769f835533def260dfc894cf7d83a9e2870839f9a081cc2d0db77a","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-495","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-493",521,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwarlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-cover.jpg"]