Not long after, Li Changkong and others rode up to him.
Li Changkong looked at his father who had lost a lot of weight and said with emotion: "Dad, you have lost weight and become darker!"
When Li Zhufeng heard this, he smiled and said, "It's so hot and rainy on this sea. There's nothing that isn't dark."
"On your side, you look a bit fatter. It seems like the food in the house is pretty good."
Li Zhufeng got off his horse and patted Li Changkong on the shoulder, with pride and relief hidden in his eyes.
Once upon a time, Li Changkong was still the person who made him worry.
Now, it has almost become his pride.
"General Li, congratulations on your triumphant return!" Seeing that the father and son were almost done reminiscing about old times, Ma Rulong stood up and said.
"Master Ma." Li Zhufeng bowed his hands, which was considered a courtesy.
Ma Rulong nodded, then took out the golden imperial edict and said: "By God's blessing, the emperor decreed that Wuling Marquis Li Zhufeng will receive the edict!"
When Li Zhufeng heard this, he didn't dare to delay. He knelt down directly and said, "Your Majesty, Li Zhufeng, is waiting for your order!"
"Aiqing's expedition against Nanchen was completed in one battle, and the navy of Nanchen was destroyed. This is a great achievement!"
"We will meet tomorrow and go to the palace to hear the seal."
"Appreciate this."
"Your Majesty, thank you for accepting the order!" Li Zhufeng kowtowed, then stood up to receive the order.
This imperial edict basically has no real meaning. It just asks Li Zhufeng to go to the temple to receive the title tomorrow.
However, it is a form that shows the emperor's importance.
"General Li, for such a great achievement, I'm afraid tomorrow's reward from the Holy Spirit will be indispensable, but don't be late."
When Li Zhufeng heard this, he nodded immediately and said, "Thank you, Master Ma, for reminding me."
"Okay, then I won't disturb you, father and son, and leave first."
"Master Ma, walk slowly."
The people from the Ministry of War were just here to show off the importance of the court.
Now that Ma Rulong is gone, they naturally have no need to stay, so they follow suit.
So, in the blink of an eye, only the three thousand soldiers brought by Li Changkong and his son and Li Zhufeng were left on the scene.
"You all should go back to Qiandu City and report to the army." Li Zhufeng turned around and said to the soldiers behind him.
The soldiers he brought back were originally selected from various military camps in Qiandu City.
Now that the resistance against Chen was over, they did not choose to stay in the southern border, so naturally they had to return to Qiandu to report on their duties.
"General, please take care, the last general will take the first step!" For a time, three thousand soldiers shouted in unison.
Li Zhufeng nodded and said boldly: "Everyone, please take care of yourself and look forward to fighting side by side again in the future!"
Afterwards, three thousand soldiers also left.
Only Li Zhufeng, his father and his son and a horse were left at the scene.
"Then we, the two of you, are just going to walk back like this?" Li Zhufeng said.
"Okay, of course I, a young man, can make it. It's up to you, dad."
"What are you talking about? Dad can bend a bow and shoot arrows, and even charges forward on the battlefield, but he still can't walk these few miles?" Li Zhufeng asked.
"Then let's walk."
So, the father and son led the horse like this, chatting about nothing while walking towards the direction of Qiandu City.
"Changkong, what do you think the emperor will reward dad?"
"Father, you are already a marquis. Although your contribution is great, it is not enough to make you a duke."
"Most of them are promoted and rewarded with some gold, silver and cloth."
When Li Zhufeng heard this, he shook his head and said, "I don't think so. This matter of promotion is 80% impossible. Gold, silver and cloth are somewhat possible."
"Ah? You can't. Today's Holy Emperor has always been fair. How can there be unfair rewards for meritorious service?" Li Changkong frowned slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable in his heart.
After all, this credit was obtained by my father at the cost of his life. He just did some showmanship and then gave him some gold and silver cloth and then let it go?
If this is really the case, it would be a bit unreasonable.
Li Zhufeng did not explain further. He just smiled, patted Li Changkong on the shoulder and said, "You will know when the time comes."
"walk home!"
…
The next morning, Zhengde Hall!
With the salute eunuch's high-pitched "promotion", the court meeting officially began.
Li Changkong still stood at the end of the military attache's seat, with no sense of presence.
In the past, most of the court meetings were started when there was something to do, and then left when there was nothing to do.
But today, Emperor Jing Xing directly skipped this step and said: "Xuanwu Linghou Li Zhufeng enters the palace."
Seeing this, Zheng Ying on the side immediately shouted: "Xuanwu Linghou Li Zhufeng enters the palace!"
Subsequently, his words were repeated by eunuchs one after another, and eventually spread outside the palace gate.
Not long after, Li Zhufeng came.
He knelt down on one knee toward Emperor Jing Xing and said, "I received divine grace and went south to fight against Chen. Now I have lived up to my trust and destroyed the Nanchen navy."
"This is the battle report, please check it, Your Majesty!"
Zheng Ying stepped forward to receive the battle report and handed it to Emperor Jing Xing.
Emperor Jing Xing glanced at it briefly and then put it down.
He had already heard these things when Li Zhufeng returned to the court, and there was no way they were false.
"Excellent! My dear friend, this has done a great job."
"Da Qian has always emphasized that those who have merit must be rewarded, and those who have made mistakes must be punished."
"I am now going to give you a special reward of a thousand taels of gold and ten thousand pieces of brocade from the Marquis of Wuling Mansion."
Upon hearing this award, the faces of the civil and military officials in the audience were as usual, and they obviously knew that these were just polite words.
What is really important is the change of official positions.
Li Zhufeng is a capable fighter, everyone knows this.
More than ten years ago, at a young age, he achieved the position of a fourth-grade general conquering the South!
However, due to what happened next, his official position was reduced to General Zhennan, the fourth rank, and he was also expelled from the center of power.
Now that he has made such great achievements, it should not be difficult for him to be restored to his original position, or even to a higher level.
But which floor you go to is very important.
Military attachés are no better than civilian officials. If you want to be promoted, you have to rely on actual military merit, or it may be hereditary.
In other words, the son takes over the official position of his father, but the grade is lowered by one level.
For example, from the fourth grade to the fourth grade.
Therefore, it is difficult for military attachés to be promoted!
The titles of several generals of the third rank and above are top priority, and the imperial court will not grant them easily.
Zhang Xun, the only duke in the imperial court who was awarded a title for his military exploits, was only a second-rank general who suppressed the army.
The first-level governor was temporarily replaced by King Zhongshan, who was born in the royal family.
However, the general position, which is also a first-grade official position but is higher than that of the Grand Governor, is temporarily vacant.
Mainly because of his lack of military exploits. Even the King of Zhongshan focused on defense most of the time in Northern Xinjiang. In recent years, he has not had many truly impressive military exploits.
But to be honest, being able to block Bei Yuan, who is now at the height of his power, is already a huge achievement.
But...that's what it is said, but in the Daqian regulations, there is no military merit awarded for defending the city.
This led to the embarrassing situation that the post of general was in vain.
And now, everyone knows Li Zhufeng's contribution this time, and it should not be difficult to be promoted to the third rank of rear general.
But who would have thought that, Emperor Jing Xing said: "Promote Li Zhufeng to be the General of the Southern Conquest and the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. He will be fully responsible for the training of the Daqian Navy and many other matters."