The Tyrant of the Great Qian Dynasty: Not only will I refuse to arrange a marriage alliance, but I w

Three days later, in the capital city, in the giant square in front of the imperial city.

The ceremony to present the captives was solemnly held amidst the attention of the masses.

Before dawn, hundreds of thousands of people spontaneously poured in from all parts of the city, crowding the entire square and the surrounding streets.

Each of them had an expression of excitement and pride on their face.

They wanted to see with their own eyes the Ninth Prince, who had led them to this incredible victory.

They also wanted to see with their own eyes how pathetic those northern barbarian invaders, whom they once regarded as demons and who were once invincible, were now.

"Thump—thump—thump—"

With three deep, long drumbeats, the ceremony officially began.

Thousands of carefully selected northern barbarian nobles and generals, who were once of high status and invincible on the grasslands, were stripped of all their armor and left wearing only tattered prison clothes.

Their hands and feet were bound with thick ropes, no different from livestock awaiting slaughter. They were driven by fully armed Daqian soldiers with spears and escorted to the high platform in the center of the square.

Their once proud heads now drooped limply, their faces etched with humiliation, fear, and numbness.

The people in the square watched as these enemies, once regarded as demons, now knelt on the ground, as lowly as dogs. The crowd was silent for a moment, then erupted into thunderous cheers.

The hatred, fear, and humiliation that had been building up for months were all released here.

"Kill them! You beasts!"

"Give me back my father's life!"

The people threw vegetable leaves, pebbles, and even shoes at the kneeling prisoners without any hesitation.

The northern barbarian nobles on the high platform trembled under the barrage of debris, but dared not even raise their heads.

Just as the atmosphere in the square reached a climax, Su Zhe, dressed in a black dragon-patterned uniform, slowly ascended the temporary viewing platform, surrounded by a group of heavily armored and imposing generals.

His appearance instantly silenced all the noise in the square.

Hundreds of thousands of eyes were fixed on him, filled with awe, worship, and fervor.

Su Zhe did not immediately begin to reward those who had contributed.

He nodded to the Ministry of Rites official beside him.

The official understood, stepped forward, unrolled a long scroll, and began to read aloud the names of all the soldiers and laborers who had died in the battle to defend the city.

"Li Si, Captain of the Left Battalion of the Imperial Guards!"

"Shenji Battalion, Captain Wang Ermazi!"

"Zhang Tieniu, a laborer from the east of the city!"

……

Each time a name was called, the entire room would fall silent for a moment.

As thousands of names were read out one by one, the entire square transformed from its previous frenzy into a solemn atmosphere.

Many civilians who lost loved ones in the war could not help but sob quietly.

Su Zhe took three lit incense sticks from his guards, walked to the temporary memorial tablet for the fallen soldiers, and solemnly bowed three times.

He placed the incense sticks in the incense burner, turned around, and facing the hundreds of thousands of people and soldiers in the square, announced loudly in a voice imbued with inner strength:

"The families of all soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country will receive double the compensation! Their parents will be cared for by the imperial court until their death! Their children, regardless of gender, will be eligible to study in official schools!"

"The Great Qian Dynasty will never forget any hero who shed blood for her!"

"Heroes are immortal!"

Su Zhe's words were like a warm current, flowing into the hearts of every soldier and civilian present.

"Your Highness is benevolent!"

"Heroes never die!"

A thunderous response echoed from every corner of the square, filled with heartfelt support and gratitude.

This move is more effective than any reward in winning over the hearts and minds of the military and the people.

After the memorial ceremony, the process of recognizing and rewarding those who had contributed to the cause officially began.

"Commander of the Great Snow Dragon Riders, Chen Baipao!"

Su Zhe read out the first name.

Chen Baipao, dressed in silver armor, stepped out from the ranks of generals and knelt on one knee.

"Chen Baipao, having slain the enemy chieftain in battle, launched a surprise attack on a granary, and intercepted a fleeing army, has repeatedly achieved unparalleled merit! He is hereby granted the title of 'Marquis of Champion'! His fiefdom is granted to ten thousand households! He is bestowed with a marquisate! He is also given command of the newly established 'Northern Army Commandery,' controlling all cavalry units of our Great Qian!"

The announcement of this reward astonished everyone present.

Champion Marquis!

This is a title that only the peerless general who drove the ancestors of the northern barbarians to the northern desert hundreds of years ago possessed!

Command the nation's cavalry!

What power and trust this is!

Chen Baipao's body trembled slightly, then he kowtowed deeply: "This humble general thanks Your Highness for your divine grace!"

The commander of the Mo Dao team was awarded the title of "General Who Pacifies the Barbarians" and granted the title of Marquis of Guannei for slaughtering 30,000 Canglang Iron Cavalry in the Battle of Nanmen.

The commander of the Shenji Battalion turned the tide of the battle thanks to his skill with firearms, and was awarded the title of "General Who Destroys the Enemy" and the same title of Marquis of Guannei.

The other generals who made meritorious contributions were also rewarded, without exception.

However, the most surprising and perplexing reward was given to the "traitor" Zhang Hu.

"Zhang Hu, the former garrison commander of the South Gate!"

Su Zhe read out another name.

Zhang Hu, who was pulled out of the crowd, knelt down below the stage with a look of fear on his face.

Everyone thought that what followed would be the trial of this traitor.

Su Zhe slowly spoke:

"Zhang Hu, acting on my secret orders, infiltrated the enemy camp, using himself as bait to deliver false intelligence, thus enabling our army to decisively defeat the enemy and achieving a great feat! His loyalty and bravery are evident to heaven and earth! He is hereby pardoned for his crime of 'desertion' and is hereby granted the title of 'Loyal and Brave Earl' with a fief of five hundred households!"

This reward came as a complete surprise to everyone.

Those soldiers who once hated Zhang Hu to the core suddenly realized what was going on.

Those soldiers who were truly loyal to Su Zhe felt a surge of warmth in their hearts.

They understood that this prince was intolerant of any injustice and clearly distinguished between merits and demerits.

He saw clearly both the overt merits and the covert sacrifices.

Through this meticulously planned ceremony, Su Zhe propelled his prestige to an unprecedented peak.

He demonstrated ruthlessness towards the enemy, generosity towards meritorious officials, remembrance of the sacrificed, and benevolence towards the people.

Clearly distinguish between rewards and punishments, and apply both kindness and severity.

The image of a mature, wise, and powerful emperor has been deeply imprinted in everyone's mind.

The city was filled with jubilation, a testament to and celebration of his personal prestige.

After bestowing honors upon all the meritorious soldiers, Su Zhe's gaze swept over the officials watching the ceremony below the stage, and then over the representatives from the various powerful families.

He took another list from the master of ceremonies.

The cheers in the square gradually subsided after his action.

Everyone noticed that the atmosphere had changed.

Su Zhe picked up the list and spoke slowly in a calm, even tone:

"Next, I will read out the names of several people who, during the defense of the city, also made great contributions to our Great Qian Dynasty..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Chengdao and several other family heads who had participated in the conspiracy began to tremble uncontrollably, their faces turning deathly pale.

Is the reckoning finally about to begin?