At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

The next morning, at the Golden Palace.

Before dawn, hundreds of civil and military officials had already gathered in front of the palace gates.

They gathered in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones, their expressions varied.

The news last night was truly sensational.

Prime Minister Li Yuan was imprisoned on charges of colluding with a gang of assassins, kidnapping the granddaughter of a meritorious official, and framing the General of the North.

"Lord Xu, have you heard?"

"Last night, the Imperial Guards were dispatched and captured the Prime Minister."

A middle-aged official in a blue robe approached his colleague, lowered his voice, and looked on in horror.

Lord Xu stroked his beard and sighed.

"It's more than just taking it down!"

"I heard it was His Majesty who personally issued the decree, ordering him to be thrown directly into the imperial prison."

"The charges are: colluding with the Blood-Clad Tower, persecuting loyal officials, and framing the General of the North."

Another official came over, looking puzzled.

"What's wrong with the Prime Minister? Su Mu and he have never met before, and have no grudge against each other. Why would he want to harm Su Mu?"

Lord Xu glanced around and lowered his voice even further.

"Have you forgotten? General Xu is still imprisoned in the imperial jail."

"Xu Shigui and the Prime Minister are in cahoots. If Su Mu returns to the capital, how can Xu Shigui survive? The Prime Minister is trying to protect Xu Shigui, which is why he's in such a hurry to deal with Su Mu."

"But who is Su Mu? He is the God of War of the North, who reclaimed the entire North, killed the King of the Northern Barbarians, and the people worship him as a god."

"It would be unwise for the Prime Minister to take action against him."

"Shh, keep your voice down! The Crown Prince is here!"

Everyone immediately shut their mouths and bowed their heads in respect.

Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng walked in from outside the palace gate, his eyes were dark and he looked tired, clearly having not slept well all night.

His usual arrogant demeanor had subsided considerably today.

He didn't look at anyone and went straight to his seat.

The Second Prince, Xiao Yunshan, stood to the side. When he saw the Crown Prince enter, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and he strolled over.

"Your Highness, did you sleep well last night?"

Xiao Yunfeng paused, took a deep breath, and composed himself.

He turned around with a smile and said:

"I slept okay, except I got up once in the middle of the night. It was a strangely cold day, and it was hard to fall back asleep after that."

"What advice do you have for me, Second Brother?"

Xiao Yunshan walked to his side, lowered his voice, and spoke with a hint of sarcasm.

"I only heard that you were present when the Prime Minister was arrested last night."

Why don't you try to persuade your father?

"The prime minister is, after all, the head of the state. If he's imprisoned like this, where will the court's reputation be?"

"Besides, the charges are framing the General of the North and persecuting loyal officials, which are no small matter."

Xiao Yunfeng clenched the jade tablet in his hand, suppressing his anger.

"The punishments that Father Emperor has made are for a reason."

"As the Crown Prince, how can I contradict him in court and disobey the Emperor's orders?"

"Second brother, don't worry about it. Father will make the decision himself."

Xiao Yunshan smiled, said nothing more, took a step back, cupped his hands and said, "Brother is right, it was I who spoke out of turn."

Xiao Yunfeng turned his head to look ahead and ignored him.

The surrounding officials kept their heads down, not daring to utter a sound.

Everyone could see that the tension between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince was much stronger than ever before.

Just then, a steady footstep sound came from outside the hall.

"Look, who's that?"

All eyes turned toward the entrance of the palace.

A figure appeared at the entrance of the Golden Palace.

Against the morning light, the man's figure was hunched over, and his full head of white hair gleamed in the sunlight.

He was wearing a brand-new court robe of the General Who Guards the North, with a black base and dark gold trim, and an embroidered tiger descending a mountain on the chest, its eyes wide open, exuding a majestic aura.

The visitor was Su Mu, who was attending court for the first time.

He walked into the Golden Palace side by side with the Third Prince, his steps steady.

All the attention of the court officials was on him.

They had heard of Su Mu's name and the legendary stories of his recapture of the northern border, his killing of the barbarian chieftain and the barbarian king.

In their imagination, a person who can fight on the battlefield should at least be burly, have a booming voice, and be imposing.

But this is a centenarian in front of me.

With snow-white hair, a face full of wrinkles, and a slightly hunched back, he looked nothing like the image of the God of War of the North.

Yet this old man, in just six months, recovered five prefectures and thirteen cities, routing the Northern Di cavalry.

"This is... General Su Mu, the General Who Guards the North?"

A young imperial censor couldn't help but gasp in surprise, causing a stir.

"Who could have imagined...who could have imagined that the person who saved the Great Qian Dynasty would be such a centenarian?"

"Is this a war god sent by heaven to protect the Great Qian Dynasty?"

"Why is it a centenarian?"

The discussions rose like a tidal wave, but Su Mu turned a deaf ear.

He walked to the center of the hall, stood still, his eyes sweeping over the civil and military officials on both sides, a slight smile playing on his lips, neither humble nor arrogant.

The Second Prince, Xiao Yunshan, was the first to step forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed deeply in a loud voice.

"General Su, I've long admired your name!"

"Xiao Yunshan greets you."

"The old general fought bloody battles in the north to recover lost territory. His contributions to the country and his benefits will last for generations. He is truly a role model for us all."

Su Mu cupped his hands slightly and said in a hoarse voice, "Your Highness is too kind. This old minister was merely doing his duty."

Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng stood aside, keeping a close eye on Su Mu.

He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, forced a smile, and cupped his hands, saying, "General Su, you've worked hard."

Su Mu glanced at him, said nothing, and simply nodded slightly.

Just then, the emperor arrived.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The civil and military officials immediately lined up on both sides, knelt down in neat rows, and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Xiao Jinghuan emerged from the side hall, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe and wearing a twelve-tassel crown. He ascended the throne, his gaze sweeping across the hall, pausing briefly on Su Mu, before speaking:

"My beloved subjects, rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The officials rose and lined up on both sides.

Xiao Jinghuan didn't waste any words and went straight to the point.

"I'm sure all of you have already heard about what happened last night."

"Prime Minister Li Yuan colluded with a gang of assassins to kidnap the granddaughter of a meritorious official and frame the General of the North. The evidence against him is irrefutable."

"I have ordered him to be imprisoned in the Imperial Prison to await trial. This matter ends here, and no one is allowed to discuss it further."

The hall was completely silent; no one dared to utter a sound.

Xiao Jinghuan paused, then raised his voice a few decibels.

"I have a few things to announce at the morning court session today."

He winked at the eunuch beside him.

The eunuch unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: General Su Mu, the General Who Guards the North, has served in the army in place of his grandson, and his loyalty and bravery are commendable. Since joining the army, he has recovered Yuzhou, Qingzhou, Cangzhou, Yingzhou, and Mozhou, and slew the Northern Di generals Yeluqi, Mantu, Gelie, Timur, and Hurchi, among others. He even took the head of the Northern Di King Tuoba Feng amidst a vast army, his achievements unparalleled throughout the ages. I am greatly pleased and hereby bestow upon Su Mu the title of Duke of Zhenbei, and grant him a set of golden armor, a royal sword, a thousand acres of fertile land, and ten thousand taels of gold. Furthermore, his granddaughter, Su Qingxue, is granted the title of Princess Anning. This is the imperial decree!"

Inside the hall, a commotion erupted.

Duke of Zhenbei.

That was a first-rank noble title, and since the founding of the Great Qian Dynasty, only a handful of people had received this honor.

Su Mu, a centenarian who had been in the camp for less than a year, rose from a cook to the Duke of Zhenguo, a feat unprecedented since the founding of the Great Qian Dynasty.

But not a single person dared to say "no".

Because his achievements are undeniable.

The achievements of recovering the northern border, killing the Northern Di King, and bringing the Northern Di into submission are not at all excessive to be granted the title of Duke.

Su Mu knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your subject Su Mu accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

Xiao Jinghuan smiled and waved his hand.

"Minister Su, rise."

Su Mu stood up and stepped aside.

Xiao Jinghuan then called out towards the outside of the hall, "Summon Tuoba Lie, the King of the Northern Di, to the hall!"

The palace gates swung open, and Tuoba Lie strode into the Golden Palace.

He walked to the center of the hall, knelt on one knee, and clasped his hands together.

"Tuoba Lie of the Northern Barbarians pays respects to His Majesty the Great Qian Emperor!"

Xiao Jinghuan stood up and gestured with his hands for support.

"Rise, King of the Northern Di. From this day forward, the Great Qian and the Northern Di are brother states, and there is no need for such a grand ceremony."

Tuoba Lie stood up, took out a scroll of parchment from his bosom, and raised it above his head with both hands.

"Your Majesty, this is the treaty of the Northern Barbarians submitting to the Great Qian."

"The Northern Barbarians wish to submit to the Great Qian Dynasty, pay tribute annually, and never invade. The people of both countries will maintain friendly relations for generations to come. Your Majesty, please review this document."

The eunuch took the document and presented it to Xiao Jinghuan.

Xiao Jinghuan unfolded it and read it from beginning to end, his eyes full of smiles.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"From this day forward, the Northern Barbarians and the Great Qian shall forever be brotherly nations, and the people of the northern borders of both the Northern Barbarians and the Great Qian shall no longer suffer the pain of war!"

The civil and military officials in the hall shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is wise! The Great Qian Dynasty is mighty!"

Tuoba Lie clasped his hands and bowed deeply.

"On behalf of the people of the Northern Di, Tuoba Lie thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness!"

Xiao Jinghuan laughed heartily, in a great mood.

He looked at the Third Prince, Xiao Jingyu, and asked, "Third Brother, how is the construction of the Duke of Zhenbei's mansion progressing? When will Minister Su be able to move in?"

Xiao Jingyu stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, the mansion is now fully completed, with all the furniture and furnishings in place. It is just waiting for General Su to move in, and he can move in at any time."

"However, the name of the mansion needs to be changed. It used to be called the Zhenbei General's Mansion, but now it needs to be changed to the Zhenbei Duke's Mansion."

Xiao Jinghuan nodded in satisfaction.

"Two days from now is an auspicious day for moving. Third brother, arrange everything so that Minister Su can move into the mansion in style."

Xiao Jingyu clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your subject obeys the decree!"

"Very well, this morning court session is adjourned." Xiao Jinghuan waved his hand. "Court adjourned!"

"Dismiss...the court..."

The eunuch's voice echoed in the main hall.

Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials knelt down in unison: "Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty!"

Xiao Jinghuan stood up and strode out of the Golden Palace.

Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng lowered his head and followed the crowd out.

The Second Prince, Xiao Yunshan, walked to Su Mu's side, cupped his hands, and said, "General Su, congratulations! I will definitely pay you a visit another day."

Su Mu smiled and said, "You're too kind, Second Prince."

Xiao Yunshan watched the Crown Prince's departing figure, a slight smile playing on his lips, and strode out of the palace gate.

"Old Su, let's go back too."

Stepping out of the Golden Palace, Su Mu frowned as he watched the ministers disperse like a crowd.

He thought to himself that he would have to find a way to resolve the issue of attending court in the future.

Compared to the sycophancy and deceit that filled the imperial court, Su Mu longed for life in the military camp.

He thought to himself: I need to find an opportunity to take Qingxue back to the Northern Border!