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

In the main hall of the palace, Li Fuquan issued a summons, and the long-standing uproar subsided almost instantly.

Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials were once again greatly shocked. The lingering astonishment on their faces had not yet faded, but now they were completely certain, and all their doubts vanished.

Xu Cheng!

He was a vanguard general who truly followed General Su Mu across the sea to fight in the East China Sea, and a core general who personally experienced the entire East Yi War!

If the great victory had not been achieved and the war had not been completely over, Xu Cheng, who was thousands of miles away in the East China Sea, would never have suddenly returned to the capital to personally report the victory!

"It was all true! It wasn't just a false report of victory!"

"In five days, we crushed the Eastern Barbarians and annihilated the century-old hegemon of the East Sea. Our Great Qian has truly created an unprecedented and unparalleled feat!"

"General Su's military prowess is truly unparalleled; he is indeed a divine general sent by Heaven to our Great Qian Dynasty!"

The officials murmured their praises, and the hall was filled with sounds of joy and excitement.

Amidst the crowd, Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng stood frozen in place, his face ashen. The last shred of hope in his heart shattered completely, vanishing without a trace.

All his previous calculations and secret expectations have come to naught.

He had hoped that Su Mu would be defeated in the cross-sea battle and fall from grace in the East China Sea, and that this powerful and accomplished old general would fall from his pedestal and lose the emperor's favor. In this way, he could take the opportunity to clear away obstacles and firmly grasp the power of the crown prince.

But to everyone's surprise, the situation completely reversed in just twenty days!

Instead of being defeated and routed, they achieved the astonishing feat of destroying a country in five days!

With this achievement, Su Mu's prestige will surely shake the court and the country, and his name will be remembered in history. No one will be able to match the emperor's favor and grace. From now on, no one in the court will be able to shake his position in the slightest.

The Crown Prince clenched his fists tightly within his wide court sleeves, his knuckles turning white. His heart was filled with endless resentment, fear, and gloom, but he had to forcefully maintain the dignified and composed demeanor befitting a crown prince, daring not to reveal the slightest hint of his true feelings.

On the other side, the Second Prince Xiao Yunshan let out a long breath, his tense brows and eyes slowly relaxed, and a relieved and profound smile flashed across his eyes.

At that moment, the many chaotic thoughts in his mind instantly became clear and lucid.

He has always been extremely shrewd and adept at assessing situations. He has always regarded the ambitious and powerful Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng, who holds a stable position in the Eastern Palace, as his biggest rival. He has planned and balanced every step of the way, all in order to compete for the position of Crown Prince.

But today's earth-shattering victory has completely awakened him.

Su Mu is a peerless hero with unparalleled achievements. The sixth prince, Xiao Yunchuan, became Su Mu's disciple, followed him into battle, and distinguished himself on the battlefield. He has quietly risen to prominence, completely shedding his former gentle and kind-hearted youthful appearance.

From this day forward, the landscape of the struggle for the crown prince position has been quietly rewritten.

The person who can truly shake the Eastern Palace and rival the Crown Prince is no longer himself, who is scheming at every step, but his sixth brother, Xiao Yunchuan, who has the backing of the national general, the merits of the battlefield, and the favor of the army and the emperor!

Upon realizing this, Xiao Yunshan's mind raced, his expression grew increasingly calm, and the calculation in his eyes deepened.

Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, a tall and imposing figure strode into the Golden Palace.

Xu Cheng was clad in dust-covered, cold iron armor, the armor plates clanging. His body was covered in dust, exuding a fierce aura and dazzling heroic spirit.

He rushed thousands of miles from the East China Sea back to the capital overnight to report the victory. With the court in mind, he hurriedly sent the good news. He traveled day and night without stopping, never entering the city to go home or taking a break. He went to the palace to report the mission as soon as possible.

Clad in full armor, the general on the battlefield appears even more fierce and imposing.

The moment Xu Cheng stepped into the main hall, his gaze swept across the room and landed precisely on Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng, who was ranked first among the court officials. A faint smile, filled with relief and pride, flashed across his eyes.

Looking back, Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng had also led troops in training. He was always arrogant and conceited, looking down on the commoner generals in the army. He used to despise him and repeatedly rejected his military suggestions during court discussions, relying on his status as the crown prince and looking down on everyone.

At that time, others were insignificant and their voices carried little weight. Even if they were dissatisfied, they could only endure and back down.

But times have changed!

He followed General Su Mu across the sea to fight, personally experienced the war of national annihilation, made outstanding military achievements, and returned to the court with an unprecedented victory, covered in glory!

The crown prince, who once looked down on him and held him in high esteem, is now left dejected and embarrassed after all his schemes have failed.

He endured for many years, and finally triumphed with his outstanding military achievements!

After a brief glance, Xu Cheng averted his gaze, refusing to look at the Crown Prince again. He strode forward, knelt on one knee, and kowtowed with a resounding voice that echoed throughout the hall: "This humble general, Xu Cheng, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"The great victory at Donghai has brought urgent news. I am eager to return home and report the good news. I have been traveling day and night without removing my armor or resting. I have rashly entered the palace in armor, which is an offense against palace rules. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

Xiao Jinghuan sat upright on the dragon throne, gazing down at Xu Cheng, who was covered in blood and dust from his journey. His face beamed with undisguised joy, and he immediately burst into laughter, raising his hand to support Xu Cheng: "General Xu, what crime have you committed!"

"You have made a great contribution by traveling thousands of miles to deliver the news; your hard work and merits are immense, making you a hero of our Great Qian Dynasty! How can mere formalities and etiquette compare to your great achievements on the battlefield? Rise immediately!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Xu Cheng stood up in response, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his demeanor dignified.

He then reached into his robes and retrieved a well-sealed report of the great victory, raising it high with both hands and solemnly presenting it: "Your Majesty! This humble general has been entrusted by General Su Mu and the Third Prince Xiao Jingyu to return to the capital specifically to deliver this report of victory!"

"The entire force of 200,000 Eastern Barbarians has been annihilated, the enemy court has been eradicated, and the entire territory has come under the control of our Great Qian! This is the complete battle report and the list of military merits; Your Majesty, please review it!"

The chief eunuch, Li Fuquan, quickly stepped down, took the battle report with both hands, bowed, turned around, and hurriedly presented it to the dragon throne, where he respectfully spread it out.

Xiao Jinghuan could no longer contain his excitement, his eyes fixed on the dense battle reports, reading them word by word.

The closer he looked, the more joyful he became, his chest pounded, his emotions surged, and his dragon aura grew stronger!

The entire hall was silent; everyone held their breath, awaiting the holy words.

A moment later, Xiao Jinghuan slammed his hand on the armrest of the dragon throne, stood up abruptly, his dragon robe fluttering, and burst into loud laughter, his heroic voice resounding throughout the entire Golden Palace!

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! A feat that will be accomplished for all time! A victory that will last for generations!"

His gaze was intense as he swept over the assembled officials, his voice impassioned and resounding: "Listen, my lords! In this war of annihilation across the sea, our mighty army of the Great Qian has completely wiped out over two hundred thousand of the Eastern Barbarians' main force!"

"A long-distance expedition across the sea, a battle spanning thousands of miles, our army suffered no more than five thousand casualties! With minimal losses, we annihilated a century-old enemy nation, beheaded the emperor and his powerful ministers, and unified the East China Sea!"

"Since the founding of the nation, our Great Qian has never achieved such a resounding and glorious victory! General Su Mu is truly a master strategist, unparalleled throughout history! He is indeed the pillar of our Great Qian!"

Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials bowed and clasped their hands in celebration, filling the hall with a joyous and exhilarating atmosphere that soared to the heavens.

At this moment, the Second Prince, Xiao Yunshan, stepped forward, bowed, and solemnly congratulated his father in a deep and resonant voice: "Congratulations, Father! Congratulations, Father!"

"This great victory has annihilated the Eastern Barbarians, shaken the four seas, and completely wiped out the century-old border troubles of the East Sea! From now on, the East Sea will be peaceful, all nations will submit, our Great Qian's national strength will surge, we will dominate the East, and awe all the nations under heaven! The foundation of our nation will become more and more stable, and a thousand years of prosperity will be just around the corner!"

With the second prince leading the way, all the discerning civil and military officials in the hall, who were good at seizing opportunities, stepped forward and knelt down. The sounds of congratulations rose and fell, and the hall was filled with auspiciousness and peace.

Looking down at his assembled officials, Xiao Jinghuan was filled with pride and his imperial countenance was relaxed. He exclaimed in a loud voice, "With a peerless war god like General Su and an iron-blooded army like our soldiers, how can we worry about the prosperity of our Great Qian Dynasty! How can we worry about the stability of our empire!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yunshan glanced briefly at the stiff-faced Crown Prince, then bowed again and spoke up at the opportune moment: "Father, General Su, the Third Prince, and all the soldiers have performed such extraordinary feats, unprecedented in history!"

"Such a tremendous achievement must not be rewarded hastily; it must be bestowed with extraordinary generosity to demonstrate Your Majesty's grace, inspire the army, and awe the world! Your Majesty, I dare to ask how you plan to reward this meritorious official?"

This statement was perfectly timed, both in line with the emperor's wishes and the sentiments of the court and the public, while also subtly bringing the matter of rewarding military achievements to the forefront, thus once again elevating the prestige of Su Mu's faction.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghuan nodded slightly, his eyes filled with deep thought and certainty, and laughed loudly, "Yunshan is absolutely right! Such an unparalleled feat cannot be repaid with ordinary official titles and salaries!"

He pondered for a moment, his gaze resolute, and solemnly announced, word by word: "I have made my decision! I hereby bestow upon General Su Mu the title of War God Who Guards the Nation! He shall be ranked among the highest ranks, with unparalleled honor, and shall forever guard the mountains and rivers of the Great Qian!"

As the words "God of War Who Protects the Nation" were uttered, the entire hall fell silent for a moment, followed by an explosion of endless amazement!

The title of Supreme Rank is not among the ninth-rank officials in the imperial court. It surpasses all civil and military officials and is a unique and unparalleled honor since the founding of the Great Qian Dynasty!

Seeing this, Xu Cheng, who was standing to the side, stepped forward again, bowed respectfully, and reported, "Your Majesty is wise! General Su is truly deserving of the title!"

He then changed the subject, calmly adding, "Besides this unparalleled achievement, the Sixth Prince Xiao Yunchuan's participation in the eastern expedition also yielded remarkable merits!"

"Your Highness relinquished the honors of a prince, volunteering to join the army and gain experience. On the battlefield, you led from the front, fearless and valiant, personally slaying enemy generals and repeatedly achieving meritorious service! You shared weal and woe with the soldiers, experiencing life and death together, deeply winning their hearts and the support of the troops. Your contributions are invaluable and you deserve to be commended!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghuan's eyes lit up, and he felt even more gratified!

He had always known that the Sixth Prince was kind and benevolent, and of pure heart, but he never expected that he would be so brave, resolute, and composed on the battlefield!

Overjoyed, Emperor Xiao Jinghuan immediately issued an edict: "Excellent! Well said! Those who have rendered meritorious service will be rewarded without exception!"

"I hereby issue this decree: My sixth son, Xiao Yunchuan, has followed the army across the sea, bravely slain enemy generals, and repeatedly rendered meritorious service. He is courageous, virtuous, and worthy of the imperial family! He is hereby appointed General Dingyuan, to guard the eastern sea frontier and ensure lasting peace and prosperity!"

With a single word, the matter was settled!

Su Mu, the God of War Who Protects the Nation!

General Xiao Yunchuan, the Dingyuan General!

Two unparalleled honors resounded throughout the Golden Palace!

Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng, standing at the head of the court officials, stiffened slightly upon hearing this, his face instantly turning extremely pale and ashen, a chill running through his heart.

At that moment, all his pride and all his sense of control collapsed.

He finally saw the completely new landscape of the struggle for the crown prince position.

In the past, his greatest threat was his second brother, Xiao Yunshan, who was cunning and patient.

From now on, the one who can truly rival him, or even crush him, is his sixth brother, Xiao Yunchuan, who holds military power, has made great military achievements, enjoys the emperor's favor, and is supported by the national war god Su Mu!

The position of Crown Prince was no longer as secure as Mount Tai, but was fraught with danger!

The political landscape of the imperial court has been completely rewritten!

Xiao Jinghuan was in high spirits. He looked at Xu Cheng, who was standing bowing in the hall, and said in a gentle voice, "General Xu, you have made great contributions by traveling thousands of miles and reporting the great victory day and night."

"You may now withdraw and return to your residence to rest and recuperate. When General Su and the Third Prince lead their army back to the capital in triumph, I will hold a grand ceremony in the Golden Palace to reward all the meritorious soldiers and bestow titles upon them!"

"Your humble servant obeys! Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!"

Xu Cheng bowed deeply in gratitude, his posture upright, his heart filled with glory and joy, before turning and calmly retreating.

As Xu Cheng passed by Crown Prince Xiao Yunfeng, he paused slightly, looked directly at the prince with a calm gaze, and smiled faintly, his eyes filled with a triumphant and proud demeanor.