Chapter 399: Guardian Princess of the Nation

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

He playfully glanced at Song Chongliang.

Song Chongliang pretended not to understand his meaning.

Well, he knew nothing at all.

Gu Qingluan looked behind the Crown Prince.

A straight line of people extended all the way to the corner, and there was no end in sight.

Qi Tianyou dismounted from his horse.

In his hand, he held an imperial decree. “Gu Qingluan, receive the decree.”

Gu Qingluan bowed her head to receive the decree.

“In accordance with the mandate of Heaven and the Emperor’s summons…”

The general content of the imperial decree was that Gu Qingluan had meritoriously defended the city and would be richly rewarded.

The rewards were so numerous that it took Qi Tianyou almost the time it took for a stick of incense to burn to finish reading.

Everyone listened, feeling somewhat numb.

However, they all understood one thing: Gu Qingluan was indeed a great contributor to Chengyuan.

Even the Emperor himself couldn’t praise her enough, so he bestowed such favors upon her.

In addition to the countless wealth, the Emperor also honored Gu Qingluan with the title of “Guardian Princess of the Nation”.

Everyone gasped in surprise upon hearing this title.

Guardian Princess of the Nation!

Although this world revered strength and martial supremacy, for ordinary people, imperial authority remained an unattainable existence.

Even for those from prominent families, when facing the imperial family, they held deep respect.

With this bestowed title, Gu Qingluan became not only a Saint but also a member of the imperial family. Even Gu Zhicheng, when meeting her, would have to show deference.

People chattered among themselves, admiring Gu Qingluan, but there was no jealousy.

After all, just before Gu Qingluan arrived, General Song and General Yang had already praised her to the skies. Everyone knew that Tianjing was able to turn the tide of danger into safety thanks to Gu Qingluan’s efforts.

If it were only the two city gate generals, people would still have doubts.

However, with the Emperor bestowing such rewards, it confirmed that the statements made by General Song and General Yang were indeed true.

Gu Qingluan was indeed a great contributor to Tianjing, and her honor was well-deserved.

People congratulated Gu Qingluan one after another.

Gu Qingluan was briefly stunned but then calmly accepted the imperial decree.

She understood that the Emperor named her Guardian Princess of the Nation not only for her significant contributions but also to win her over.

After all, she had grievances with the royal family in the past, and not long ago, Xiao Jingye had openly tried to court her. It was estimated that Emperor Xuanzong was afraid she might truly defect to the Dingyang Kingdom, so he wanted to bind her with the title of “Guardian Princess of the Nation”.

As the Guardian Princess of the Nation for Chengyuan, she could only serve Chengyuan wholeheartedly and could not switch allegiance to another country.

Regarding Qi Tianyou’s scheming, Gu Qingluan didn’t feel particularly disgusted, but she also didn’t have much fondness for it. She remained composed in her heart.

She would be leaving Tianjing soon, but the Jun Residence and the people within it were what she needed to protect.

Having this title would save her from some trouble caused by certain individuals while she was away.

Qi Tianyou breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Gu Qingluan accept the imperial decree.

Actually, he was quite worried that Gu Qingluan might see through the Emperor’s intentions and refuse to accept it in public.

If he were publicly embarrassed, he wouldn’t know how to salvage the situation.

How fortunate! Miss Gu understood the greater good!

The incident at the Jun Residence’s doorstep quickly spread throughout Tianjing City as if it had grown wings.

Many people didn’t know the details of the battle before this.

After this incident became a topic of discussion, everyone knew that the quick resolution of the conflict was all thanks to Gu Qingluan.

People were talking about her.

Since Gu Qingluan’s return, the conversations about her have shifted. Initially, they centered on her transformation from an ineffectual individual to a powerful figure. Now, they focus on her actions, including her confrontation with the Gu family and her use of unrelenting tactics, seemingly without concern for family ties, and so forth.

Her reputation had improved somewhat from five years ago, but there were still many negative rumors, mostly painting her as cold-hearted and ruthless.

But now, everyone had a completely different view of her. When people talked about her, they not only mentioned her strength but also her concern for the common people. They spoke of how, for the sake of Tianjing City, she ventured into enemy territory alone, captured the enemy commander, and single-handedly defeated the Dingbei Army to quell the war.

Whenever someone mentioned her, more and more people joined in, discussing various aspects of her deeds.

What Song Chongliang and Yang Fugui mentioned was only a part of it.

Many generals participated in the defense of the city at that time, and many citizens were also involved.

Besides going into battle, Gu Qingluan personally administered medicine to injured soldiers, treated their wounds, and used formations and potions to outsmart the enemy. Stories of these actions and more were circulated by those in the know.

For a while, one could hear the name “Gu Qingluan” everywhere..