I walk sideways in the game world

Chapter 171 The King Returns, Glory

Warm sunlight streamed down the streets of the imperial capital, casting a soft glow over the magnificent buildings. Crowds of people surged along both sides of the street, each one beaming with joy and eagerly awaiting the appearance of their hero—General Ren Xiaoyao.

A month ago, news of Ren Xiaoyao's serious injury spread throughout the empire, but this legendary general, like a hero in mythology, always triumphed over all odds and ultimately returned victorious.

"Here he comes! Here he comes! The general is here!" Cheers broke out in the crowd, and a tall horse slowly approached. The man on the horse had an upright posture, and his black battle robe sparkled in the sun. There was a determined smile on his sharp face. Who else could it be but Ren Xiaoyao?

"General! General!" A thunderous roar of applause resounded through the sky. People excitedly waved their flowers, their eyes filled with respect and admiration. Ren Xiaoyao rode slowly past on his steed, waving to the crowd from time to time, his face always wearing a heartwarming smile.

Meanwhile, inside the palace, preparations for an even grander ceremony were underway. The emperor, clad in his dragon robes, slowly ascended the high altar, supported by Eunuch Qian. Gazing at the dense crowd below, a smile of delight filled his face.

"Call for General Ren Xiaoyao!" Following a high-pitched announcement, Ren Xiaoyao, dressed in military uniform, stepped steadily onto the altar and knelt on one knee before the emperor. "Your Highness, I, Ren Xiaoyao, pay my respects to you!"

"My dear minister, please stand!" The emperor personally helped Ren Xiaoyao to his feet, his eyes filled with admiration. "Your noble service to the empire is truly gratifying to me!" He then accepted a golden scroll from Eunuch Qian. "Today, I appoint you as 'Great General Protecting the Nation', grant you a golden medal of immunity from death, and let you enjoy eternal glory!"

Ren Xiaoyao took the scroll with both hands, his eyes firm and clear, "Your Majesty, thank you for your grace!"

The crowd erupted once again, cheers and applause resounding like thunder throughout the palace and the entire imperial capital. Ren Xiaoyao looked around at the jubilant people below the stage, as well as the soldiers fighting shoulder to shoulder with him. He took a deep breath and slowly spoke...

"Today, I am honored by Your Majesty's grace in bestowing upon me the title of 'Great General Protecting the Nation'. This is the honor of my life!" Ren Xiaoyao's voice was deep and powerful, echoing throughout the square. "However, this honor does not belong to me, Ren Xiaoyao, alone. It belongs to all the soldiers who fought bravely for the empire! It belongs to all the people who care about the safety of the empire!"

Thunderous applause broke out in the crowd, and Ren Xiaoyao's words, every word resounding, struck everyone's heart.

"I, Ren Xiaoyao, came from a humble background. It was thanks to Your Majesty's appreciation that I was able to bear arms and defend our territory! On the battlefield, I witnessed the bravery and fearlessness of the soldiers, who were ready to die! I also witnessed the unity of the people, who faced the national crisis together!" Ren Xiaoyao's gaze swept across the excited faces in the audience, and a warm current surged in his heart. "The reason we were able to defeat our powerful enemy is precisely because we share a common belief, that is, to defend our country until death!"

"I firmly believe that under the wise leadership of Your Majesty and with the joint efforts of all the people of the empire, we will overcome all difficulties and create a more glorious future!" Ren Xiaoyao's words were loud and clear, full of infectious power, and deafening cheers broke out in the crowd again.

Xia Lin stood quietly in the crowd, looking at the radiant figure on the stage, her eyes filled with pride and happiness. She knew how much hardship and effort Ren Xiaoyao had put in for this moment, and everything he did was for this country and its people.

After Ren Xiaoyao's speech, the crowd lingered for a long time, excitedly chanting his name and paying the highest tribute to this hero of the empire. As Ren Xiaoyao walked down the altar under the gaze of the crowd, two hands simultaneously rested on his shoulders...

Two hands were placed on Ren Xiaoyao's shoulders at the same time. He turned around and saw two familiar faces. One was the battle-hardened General Sun, and the other was Eunuch Qian, a popular figure around the emperor.

"General Ren, you are finally back! During the time you were away, the safety of this empire depended on you!" General Sun smiled heartily and patted Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder vigorously, his eyes full of relief and admiration.

"Yes, General Ren, your return from injury is truly a blessing to the empire!" Eunuch Qian said with a broad smile. "His Majesty has been thinking of you all the time and said he'd hold a banquet to celebrate your success!"

Ren Xiaoyao smiled modestly: "General Sun, Eunuch Qian, you are too kind. Defending our country is my duty."

"Hahaha, that's part of my job!" General Sun laughed. "You're still so humble, boy! Come on, let's talk while we walk!"

Ren Xiaoyao exchanged a few pleasantries with General Sun and Eunuch Qian before leaving the square with Xia Lin. Their destination was the border of the empire, which had just experienced a major war and was in need of reconstruction.

Along the way, Xia Lin reported the latest situation on the border to Ren Xiaoyao: "Post-war reconstruction work has begun, and the people have returned home one after another, but..."

Xia Lin hesitated to speak, and Ren Xiaoyao asked, "Just what?"

Xia Lin sighed softly, "It's just that the border areas are already relatively poor, and coupled with years of war, the people's lives are extremely difficult, and reconstruction work is progressing slowly."

Ren Xiaoyao frowned slightly, he pondered for a moment, and said: "I understand, we will do our best to help them rebuild their homes."

Upon arriving at the border, Ren Xiaoyao was horrified by the sight. The once prosperous town was now a shambles of ruins, fields barren, and the people, pale and emaciated, their eyes filled with confusion and helplessness.

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin visited the disaster-stricken villages, had in-depth exchanges with local officials and people, and learned about their difficulties and needs in detail.

"General, you must help us!" An old farmer knelt down in front of Ren Xiaoyao, tears streaming down his face. "Our homes have been destroyed, our fields are barren, and now we don't even have anything to eat..."

Ren Xiaoyao quickly helped the old farmer up and comforted him gently, "Don't worry, old man. We will do our best to help you rebuild your homes."

After several days of field investigation and research, Ren Xiaoyao put forward a series of suggestions and measures, including: allocating funds for disaster relief, reducing taxes, providing seeds and agricultural tools, organizing personnel to help people rebuild their homes, etc.

These suggestions and measures were approved and supported by the emperor and were soon implemented. Under Ren Xiaoyao's leadership, the reconstruction of the border was carried out in an orderly manner, and the lives of the people gradually improved.

In the evening, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin walked side by side on the path in the field. Looking at the smoke rising in the distance, they showed relieved smiles on their faces.

"Xiaoyao, look, there seems to be some event going on over there?" Xia Lin said, pointing to the brightly lit village in the distance.

"Let's go and take a look." Ren Xiaoyao took Xia Lin's hand and walked towards the village...

As Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin approached the village, they discovered it was enveloped in a festive atmosphere. The villagers had spontaneously organized themselves to decorate every corner with colorful fabrics and flowers. Children ran around and played happily, while adults gathered around the bonfire, singing and dancing, their faces filled with joyful smiles.

"General Ren! Miss Xia Lin!" A sharp-eyed villager recognized them and shouted excitedly.

This cry instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the entire village. The villagers gathered around, shouting "General Ren!" and "Miss Xia Lin!" one after another, and everyone's face was filled with gratitude and admiration.

"General Ren, thank you for everything you've done for us!" An old man trembled as he walked up to Ren Xiaoyao and bowed deeply. "You are our savior!"

"Yes, General Ren, if it weren't for you, we don't know what kind of life we would be living now!" another villager said excitedly.

Faced with the villagers' sincere gratitude, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin were deeply moved. They knew that everything they had done was worth it.

"My fellow villagers, you are too polite," Ren Xiaoyao said with a smile, "Protecting our country is my duty."

"Yes," Charlene added, "We are very happy to see that everyone has been able to rebuild their homes."

The villagers warmly welcomed Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin to the bonfire, offering them the sweetest wine and the most delicious food. To the sound of cheerful music, the villagers sang and danced, expressing their respect for the heroes and their hope for the future.

As the night deepened, the boisterous celebrations gradually died down. Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin, hand in hand, strolled through the quiet fields. The bright moonlight shone on them, stretching their figures beyond recognition.

"Xiaoyao," Xia Lin snuggled up to Ren Xiaoyao and whispered softly, "The moonlight is so beautiful tonight."

"Yes," Ren Xiaoyao looked down at Xia Lin, his eyes full of tenderness, "When I'm with you, the moonlight is beautiful every day."

A slight blush appeared on Xia Lin's cheeks. She raised her head and her eyes met Ren Xiaoyao's. At this moment, their hearts were filled with happiness and satisfaction.

"Xiaoyao," Xia Lin suddenly remembered something. "Tomorrow, you're going to work on the border defense plan with General Sun, right?"

Ren Xiaoyao nodded. "Yes, border security is of vital importance. We must formulate comprehensive defense measures as soon as possible."

"Then you better be careful," Xia Lin's eyes flashed with worry, "The situation at the border is complicated, you have to be extra careful."

"Don't worry," Ren Xiaoyao held Xia Lin's hand tightly, "I will be careful."

The two walked side by side, the moonlight stretching their shadows longer and longer until they disappeared into the night...

The next morning, Ren Xiaoyao got up early and prepared to go to the border to meet General Sun. Before leaving, he went to Xia Lin's room, but found that Xia Lin had already left. There was a note on the table, which read:

"Xiaoyao, I'm going to collect some border intelligence for you. Don't worry, I'll take care of myself."

Ren Xiaoyao looked at the note, his lips curled up slightly, revealing a doting smile. He knew that Xia Lin was always like this, silently giving to him and never asking for anything in return.

"General Sun, let's go," Ren Xiaoyao put the note away and walked out of the room. "The border still needs our joint protection."