The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

Despite Yuwen Rong's reminder, the emperor clearly didn't remember anything.

He simply nodded and casually asked Yuwen Rong, "How does his strength compare to yours?"

It is clear that the emperor truly favored Yuwen Rong.

Instead of ignoring his interruption, she cooperated by asking him questions.

"He's still far from good enough!" Yuwen Rong said smugly, then added after a moment's thought, "He has decent talent; he's a promising prospect!"

Qin An made great contributions in suppressing the rebels in Qishan, and knowing that he was very young, he was personally granted permission to speak.

Now, upon hearing Yuwen Rong's assessment of Qin An, the emperor became somewhat interested.

"You are young, yet your bravery surpasses that of the entire army. You slew Lu Lin, broke through Yun Chui, and destroyed the bandit leader. Your achievements are the greatest." The emperor's tone carried a hint of approval. "I hereby promote you to General Fenwei and reward you with one hundred taels of gold and fifty bolts of brocade."

Upon hearing this, Qin An was overjoyed.

Although General Fenwei and Zhang Xu had the same title, they were all just generals with miscellaneous titles.

But at least one thing is certain: my promotion is inevitable.

Only those who reach the rank of lieutenant general can be called generals.

Qin An was initially worried that although he had made great contributions, his age and seniority were major disadvantages, and it would not be easy for him to rise to a higher position.

This is also why he was willing to agree to the marriage alliance with the Han family.

But now that the emperor himself has spoken, everything is naturally no problem.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"

Qin An quickly expressed his gratitude, feeling a great weight lifted from his heart. Although the rank of lieutenant general was not high, it was already a mid-level officer in the army, a significant leap from his previous rank of colonel.

From now on, he can accept being called General Qin without any qualms.

He thought that receiving such a reward was already very generous, but little did he know that an even bigger surprise was yet to come.

The emperor looked Qin An up and down, and thinking that the current state of the Great Xing Dynasty was in turmoil, it needed young talents like Qin An to serve the court. He immediately made a plan in his mind.

"At such a young age, you have already shown your ability to serve the country and made great contributions. I cannot allow the loyal ministers of the world to feel disheartened. Therefore, I hereby bestow upon you the title of 'Fengyi Baron' and grant you a stipend of three hundred shi (a unit of grain).

These words shocked the entire hall.

Nobility is different from official positions; it is a symbol of honor and prestige. Since the founding of the Great Xing Dynasty, very few people who are not descendants of meritorious officials or scions of aristocratic families have been able to obtain nobility through military achievements.

How could Qin An, a military general from a humble background, rise to prominence and become one of the nobles?

This is an incredible blessing!

Qin An himself was stunned. He raised his head and looked at the emperor on the dragon throne in disbelief.

I never expected that such a big surprise was waiting for me.

The emperor's words completely changed his social class.

At that moment, even though he knew the emperor's reputation wasn't exactly good, such generous treatment almost made him feel like he would die for someone who understood him.

"What? You think my reward is too light?" The emperor smiled when he saw him looking dazed.

Qin An then came to his senses, quickly lowered his head, and said in a slightly trembling voice, "Your subject... Your subject would rather die than do such a thing! Thank you, Your Majesty, for your boundless grace! Your subject will surely repay Your Majesty with my life!"

"Very well." The emperor nodded in satisfaction. "Rise. Suppressing more rebels is the greatest reward you can give me."

……

After the court session ended, the generals walked out of the palace, their faces beaming with undisguised smiles.

"Qin An, congratulations!" Luo Kai patted Qin An on the shoulder, his tone full of satisfaction. "A righteous man! This is an honor that many people can only dream of in their entire lives!"

Seeing that his former underlings were now completely on equal footing with him, he felt no dissatisfaction whatsoever; on the contrary, he felt a sense of accomplishment in nurturing them.

After all, he had discovered it himself.

Moreover, after spending a long time together, he realized that Qin An was not the kind of person who would forget kindness.

The higher Qin An climbs, the greater the rewards he can obtain.

Han Anjiao grinned from ear to ear: "I knew you were a diamond in the rough! Now that His Majesty has truly appreciated you, your future is limitless!"

He was also somewhat glad that he had acted decisively, finalizing the marriage arrangement on the way back. Had he waited until then, who knows how many complications would have arisen.

Using a niece as a concubine to win over Qin An, a rising star in the army, was absolutely worthwhile.

Other generals also offered their congratulations, their eyes filled with both envy and awe.

Qin An is now both a lieutenant general and a baron, and his status is no longer what it used to be.

Qin An smiled and bowed in thanks, but his heart was filled with boundless pride.

Standing before the white jade steps of the palace, gazing at the rows of palaces in the distance, he truly felt for the first time that he was no longer a lowly soldier who could only fight on the battlefield.

A road leading to higher places is slowly unfolding beneath my feet.

"Qin An, we must celebrate properly today!" Zhang Xu suggested. "Come to my residence, I'll prepare some light wine, and we'll drink until we're completely drunk!"

"General Zhang!" Luo Kai hurriedly said, "Logically, I shouldn't be competing with you, but Qin An's spoils are with me. I suppose he can't wait to celebrate properly."

Just then, Han Anjiao squeezed forward and grabbed Qin An's arm: "Why go to the Zhang or Luo residences? Qin An, come back to the Han family with me! My niece Qingwan has already prepared tea and is waiting to see you!"

Clearly, although he had reached an agreement with Qin An, Han Anjiao was still a little uneasy and wanted to resolve the matter completely as soon as possible.

"Old General!" Luo Kai said, both amused and exasperated, "Who goes on blind dates right after receiving an award?"

"Of course there is!" Han Anjiao said matter-of-factly. "Qin An is now a baron, and he and my Qingwan are a match made in heaven. The sooner they settle down, the better!"

He's already said that, what else can anyone else say?

Although it was just taking a concubine, it was still a joyous occasion in life, and naturally no one wanted to delay it.

Luo Kai shook his head helplessly: "Never mind, Qin An, you're my elder. Remember to come visit me another day."

Others also came forward to offer their congratulations.

"General Qin, this is like passing the imperial examination with flying colors and your wedding night—it's a double celebration!"

"Since General Qin has to deal with this important matter, we won't keep you any longer. Let's meet again another day."

"General Qin, we can't forget our brothers about such a good thing. We must ask for a few drinks at the celebration."

"..."

"Definitely," Qin An replied with a broad smile.

In this matter, Han Anjiao was clearly unusually impatient. After Qin An finished dealing with the situation, he quickly pulled Qin An towards his home.

Watching them leave, Zhang Xu stroked his beard and chuckled, "That old man Han certainly knows how to seize opportunities, as if he's afraid someone else will snatch them from him."

At that moment, Luo Kai spoke up quietly, "Actually, I did want to fight him for it. This is my home; I can't afford to lose face!"