The gates of the Imperial Palace slowly swung open before long, and a contingent of the brightly armored Heavenly Dragon Imperial Guard emerged in single file. To Mo Han’s surprise, An Hai was among them. Although An Hai was the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, Mo Han found it odd that he would personally be guarding the gate. Shouldn't he be near the Emperor, protecting the princes and princesses? Yet, Mo Han offered An Hai a polite smile and nod.
Upon seeing Mo Han, An Hai responded with an equally warm greeting. Noticing that Mo Han was about to proceed on foot like the other ministers, An Hai quickly called out with a smile, “Your Grace the Duke, please wait.”
Observing Mo Han’s puzzled expression, An Hai hastened to explain with a courteous smile, “The Emperor specifically commanded this subordinate to inform Your Grace here: from now on, when entering the palace, Your Grace may drive your carriage directly to the outer threshold of the main hall, enjoying full Imperial family privileges. Thus, Your Grace may ride in your carriage and need not walk.”
Hearing An Hai’s words, the surrounding imperial officials revealed expressions of envy. Few people in the entire Empire were permitted to drive their carriages directly into the palace grounds; only the Murong and Gongsun families among the Four Great Clans enjoyed this, and even the other two clans did not possess such treatment—it was reserved solely for the Imperial Family, signaling immense honor.
It seemed Mo Han was the third official, after the Murong and Gongsun families, to enjoy such an honor within the Empire.
However, this privilege for Mo Han was also largely within expectations. Given his meritorious service and the Emperor’s high regard, many had already anticipated this outcome, so their reaction was merely one of envy rather than great surprise.
After hearing An Hai’s announcement, Mo Han.
hastened to thank An Hai with a smile, then returned to his carriage and drove directly toward the main hall of the Imperial Palace. He soon arrived outside the grand structure. Since Murong Tian of the Murong Clan and Gongsun Wuji of the Gongsun Clan were both away in Feiji City, Mo Han’s solitary carriage stood conspicuous and somewhat lonely in the vast palace plaza.
Feeling restless, Mo Han alighted from his carriage and began to wander aimlessly nearby.
Just as Mo Han was starting to grow bored, he noticed a luxurious carriage approaching from behind him. Seeing the yellow ornamentation decorating the carriage body, Mo Han instantly knew it belonged to a member of the Imperial Family.
The yellow carvings were a distinctive mark reserved solely for the royalty; no ordinary imperial official would dare use that color.
The carriage proceeded directly toward Mo Han’s vehicle and stopped right beside it.
The moment the carriage pulled alongside him, Mo Han had already guessed the occupant’s identity. He cheerfully called out toward the interior, “I hadn't expected Your Highness the Prince to arrive so early! I was just feeling quite lonely by myself; Your Highness has arrived at the perfect time!”
Scarcely had Mo Han finished speaking.
A hearty laugh echoed from within the carriage: “Haha, no matter how early I arrive, I cannot be earlier than Your Grace the Duke! Haven't you arrived even sooner than I?” It was the voice of Long Gu Fan.
Then, a figure clad in yellow robes leaped down from the carriage and walked directly toward Mo Han.
Hearing Long Gu Fan’s words, Mo Han smiled and replied, “Hehe, to be honest, I’m not that industrious. I wasn't supposed to be this early; I was more or less chased out, so I had no choice but to come over ahead of schedule.”
At Mo Han’s remark, Long Gu Fan let out an understanding chuckle. “Your Grace the Duke is indeed as forthright as the Emperor described. No wonder His Majesty holds you in such high esteem. I suspect there are very few people in the Heavenly Dragon Empire who would dare to chase Your Grace out. I imagine that must be either your confidante, Miss Daili, or the General Murong’s daughter. Your Grace certainly has the favor of the ladies, haha, I must admit even I feel a touch envious.”
“Hehe, Your Highness the Prince jested,”
Mo Han responded with a slightly awkward smile.
Soon after, Mo Han and Long Gu Fan were engaged in pleasant conversation. Not long after their arrival, the imperial officials began reaching the front of the main hall. Seeing Long Gu Fan and Mo Han together, the officials all greeted them warmly, clearly viewing Mo Han’s current standing as equivalent to Long Gu Fan’s.
At that moment, a melodious bell rang out from within the palace. Mo Han recognized it as the summons signaling the start of the morning court session. Once this bell sounded, it meant the Emperor had begun his procession, signaling all civil and military officials to prepare to receive the Imperial presence.
Upon hearing the bell, Mo Han and Long Gu Fan promptly proceeded toward the palace, with the throng of officials following closely behind them into the great hall.
Once inside, Mo Han realized a significant problem: this was his first time attending court alone, and he had no idea where he was supposed to stand. The last time he attended, he had simply followed Murong Tian, so Mo Han was utterly clueless about proper positioning. He was completely ignorant of imperial protocol and feared a public blunder.
As Mo Han felt distressed, Long Gu Fan, seemingly noticing his plight, quickly spoke with a smile, “Your Grace the Duke, why don't you stand here with me? I was hoping to continue our conversation anyway. Speaking with Your Grace is genuinely pleasant; if I were a woman, I might even fall for you, haha.”
Hearing this, Mo Han felt deep gratitude to Long Gu Fan for bailing him out. With that thought, Mo Han did not stand on ceremony and quickly offered his thanks with a smile before moving to stand beside Long Gu Fan, resuming their light chat.
Not long after, a melodious voice announced, “The Emperor approaches.”
At this sound, the previously lively hall instantly fell silent. Behind Long Gu Fan, they waited quietly for the Emperor’s entrance. Then, the Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon Empire, Long Zhan Tian, appeared, clad in his yellow dragon robe, walking slowly from the rear of the hall.
Upon the Emperor’s arrival, all ministers bowed deeply, shouting their praises of longevity.
However, Mo Han noticed that the Emperor’s demeanor seemed less than ideal; he appeared far worse than when Mo Han had last seen him. Last time, the Emperor had been full of vigor and radiant, but now, his face was etched with exhaustion, and his complexion seemed pale.
Clearly, the recent imperial crisis had left him utterly drained. Seeing this, Mo Han privately sighed, realizing that being Emperor was not an easy position. Everyone saw the superficial glory, but few knew the burdens carried in private. Mo Han felt a stirring of sympathy for the Emperor.
After taking his seat upon the Dragon Throne.
The Emperor addressed the assembled ministers with a calm voice, “All my loyal subjects may rise. Ah, has Duke Mo Han arrived? I do not see the Duke here.”
Hearing the Emperor call his name, Mo Han immediately stepped out from behind the tall frame of Long Gu Fan and spoke with a smile toward the Emperor, “Your Majesty, I am here. Hehe, it is my first time here, so I was unsure of my proper place and ended up standing next to His Highness the Prince to borrow some stature.”
Upon seeing Mo Han and hearing his words.
A hint of a smile actually touched the Emperor’s weary face. He spoke gently, “Haha, it was my oversight. There have been so many matters recently that I failed to consider that. How can I blame Your Grace the Duke? Very well, Your Grace the Duke, you shall stand at the very front of the civil officials.”
The Emperor’s arrangement caused surprise among the assembled ministers. The meaning of the foremost position was obvious to anyone present; an astute observer could immediately grasp the extraordinary level of importance the Emperor now attached to Mo Han.
Mo Han himself was startled by the arrangement, which exceeded all expectations. He was about to decline, but seeing the hopeful look in the Emperor’s eyes, Mo Han moved to the first position among the civil officials on the left, bowing respectfully and stating, “Mo Han thanks Your Majesty for this boundless grace.”
Seeing Mo Han accept, the Emperor’s eyes showed relief. He continued, “I summoned Your Grace the Duke today primarily regarding the Demon Dragon Clan's attack on Heavenly Dragon City the day before yesterday. His Highness the Prince has reported to me, and Your Grace has once again saved all the people of Heavenly Dragon City, as well as myself. Therefore, I must reward Your Grace handsomely. I wonder what reward Your Grace desires.”
Hearing the Emperor’s words, everyone was puzzled. Mo Han’s status was already at the pinnacle of officialdom; the title of Duke was the highest award within the imperial bureaucratic system. Even the Murong family, which had served the Heavenly Dragon Empire with countless merits across generations, held only the rank of Duke. Since Mo Han was already a Duke, there seemed to be no higher office to bestow upon him, leading everyone to expect a reward of mere gold, silver, or land.
Mo Han shared this assumption. Though he was certainly not the wealthiest man in the Empire, he possessed substantial savings. The Emperor’s previous rewards, coupled with his mission earnings, meant he was already financially secure.
With this in mind, Mo Han quickly addressed the Emperor, “Mo Han thanks Your Majesty for the bestowed honor. However, what I did were only insignificant deeds. Your Majesty has already bestowed so much upon me in the past, so I dare not request further reward now. I am grateful for Your Majesty’s benevolence.”
The Emperor seemed unsurprised by Mo Han’s reply, as if it were entirely within his expectations. He slowly stated, “Your Grace the Duke is far too modest. If saving the lives of so many citizens of Heavenly Dragon City and my own life is considered insignificant, then nothing is significant. In that case then…”
The Emperor paused here, falling into thought. Those present grew quiet, wondering what further award the Emperor might confer. Everyone felt curious.
Mo Han was also curious. He cared little for riches at this point, but he was eager to know what extraordinary decree the Emperor would pronounce, as he could not predict it. Indeed, the Emperor’s final decision was utterly beyond Mo Han’s expectations.
After a moment of contemplation, the Emperor seemed to steel his resolve, lifting his head abruptly to declare, “Your Grace the Duke’s rank is now the highest in the Empire. According to the imperial system, there is no official rank higher suited for Your Grace. Furthermore, I feel that the merits Your Grace has earned cannot be measured by mere currency. Therefore, I have decided…”
At this point, everyone’s heart leaped. The tone of the Emperor seemed to hint at something extraordinary, yet no one dared believe he would truly make such a decision. Thus, they listened intently for the Emperor’s next words. Even Mo Han’s heart began to race. Could the Emperor actually be intending this? The Emperor slowly but resolutely continued, “Therefore, I have decided to establish Duke Mo Han as a member of the Imperial Affiliated Family, bestowing upon Duke Mo Han the title of Imperial Prince, granting him all the privileges afforded to the Imperial Family. Furthermore, I shall award a Prince’s Golden Plaque, and I shall reassign ten thousand Imperial Guards from the Heavenly Dragon Legion to serve as Prince Mo Han’s personal guard. My decision is final, so further discussion is unnecessary.”
Seeing some ministers in the hall prepare to object, the Emperor immediately cut them off, clearly indicating that these decisions were irreversible.
Upon hearing the extent of the rewards, the hall erupted into an uproar, ministers murmuring amongst themselves.
In the history of the Empire, there had never been a case of a non-blood relative being elevated to the rank of Prince. Looking across the entire Long Teng Continent, this was unprecedented. No one knew where the Emperor had conjured the term ‘Imperial Affiliated Family.’ It was evident that this decision had been brewing in the Emperor’s mind for some time, not merely a spur-of-the-moment decree, which explained his resolute tone.
Conversely, Long Gu Fan did not appear overly shocked. After a flicker of slight surprise, he quickly returned to his normal composure.
Mo Han himself was stunned. He never imagined the Emperor would truly follow through with such a decree. It caught him entirely off guard and left him speechless. While his contributions were significant, elevating him to a Prince seemed utterly excessive. What was the Emperor’s actual plan? Mo Han felt utterly confused. Had the recent exhaustion caused the Emperor to lose his faculties? Moreover, this decision seemed premeditated, not sudden.
Why would the Emperor structure things this way? Mo Han felt as if he had been drawn into an invisible web of conspiracy. While his current strength meant he had nothing to fear from such matters, Mo Han preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble.
With this thought, Mo Han quickly spoke, “Mo Han is humbled and thanks Your Majesty for the bestowed honor. However, I do not believe I deserve such a reward; Your Majesty’s bestowal is too great, and I fear I cannot bear it. I humbly request Your Majesty to rescind the decree.”
When the Emperor heard Mo Han’s reply, he appeared to have anticipated it. He spoke steadily, “This decision of mine has been made after deep and thorough consideration, so Your Grace the Duke need not decline further. I firmly believe that the merits Your Grace has established fully warrant this reward. Are you perhaps dissatisfied with this bestowal?” Hearing this, Mo Han quickly waved his hands, saying, “Mo Han dares not, it is just that…”
Before Mo Han could finish, the Emperor interrupted, “Your Grace the Duke need say no more. Do Your Grace and the assembled ministers believe my judgment is flawed? Since ascending the throne, I have never made a wrong decision, and I believe this time will be no exception.”
The Emperor’s tone carried an undeniable authority, and his inherent Imperial aura manifested. Seeing this, the debating ministers in the hall quickly fell silent.
Mo Han observed this, then looked into the Emperor’s determined eyes, realizing this was an unchangeable fact. Catching the flicker of hopeful expectation in the Emperor’s gaze, Mo Han suddenly saw not a supreme ruler, but a common, aging man hoping he would accept his request. A wave of sympathy washed over Mo Han, and with a sense of resignation, he spoke, “Since Your Majesty insists, Mo Han accepts Your Majesty’s grace. Please rest assured, Mo Han will never betray Your Majesty’s expectations.”
Seeing Mo Han finally agree to accept the honors, a genuine smile finally appeared on the Emperor’s face. He said, “Since it is settled, this will be processed shortly. Do any of my loyal subjects have urgent state matters to report? If not, we shall adjourn. I am tired and wish to rest.”
After saying this, the Emperor’s eyes betrayed a deep weariness.
Mo Han found this extremely peculiar. The Emperor seemed utterly exhausted just having finished speaking. Had his health truly deteriorated to this degree, leading him to make such a decision? Yet, Mo Han had been away for less than half a year. Before he left, the Emperor had been robust and vigorous. How could his health decline so drastically in just a few months? Even if the recent troubles had taxed him, this seemed impossible. What could possibly have happened? Mo Han pondered silently.