Chapter 669: Chapter 7 Old Friends (Extra 40/84)


    After roughly discerning the enemy’s intentions, on March 24th, after a three-day train journey, Wang Zhong’s private train entered St. Ye Katerina Fortress station.


    Before even entering the station, Wang Zhong saw through the window that the tracks outside were full of people, as if everyone from the capital had gathered on both sides of the tracks.


    Someone saw him through the window and started shouting loudly.


    Wang Zhong drew the curtain and turned to Ludm, “It’s precisely because I anticipated the crowds might be this enthusiastic that I wasn’t too keen oning back.”


    Ludm said, “Alyosha, lifting the spirits of the people is also one of your duties. You’ve achieved such a brilliant victory; it should be used to motivate others.”


    As she spoke, she walked forward, adjusted Wang Zhong’s military uniform, and tweaked the position of every medal, saying with a smile, “Look, with your handsome and charming attire, you’ll be the dream of all the young girls in Yeburg tonight.”


    Wang Zhongughed, “Is it appropriate for you to say that?”


    Ludm responded, “You’ve been the man of my dreams for a long time now.”Caught off guard by her blunt confession, and even though they had been married for years, Wang Zhong was surprised to find himself blushing and could only hug her in an attempt to hide it.


    "You know,” Ludmined from his embrace, “these medals are hard, they’re pressing against my face.”


    "Oh, sorry.” Wang Zhong quickly pulled away, then noticed there indeed was a mark left by the Venus on Ludm’s face.


    How embarrassing.@@novelbin@@


    Wang Zhong rubbed the mark away, and the gesture made Ludmugh, “Don’t worry, we’ll wait ten minutes before getting off, and it should be fine by then.”


    Just as Wang Zhong was about to speak, the train began to slow down—indeed, it hadn’t slowed at all despite the crowds on either side of the tracks, and had simply passed straight through up to now.


    Wang Zhong looked out the window; the train had entered the station, and the tform was filled with Court Guards in full dress. It seemed Olga hade out to wee him personally.


    Once the train came to a stop, the military band on the tform began to y.


    Amidst the music, Wang Zhong heard the doors of the train open and someone speaking loudly, “Is it this carriage? Looks pretty in, but it’s in keeping with the General’s usual style. Oh, I smell something delightful, must be the General’s Ceres chef!”


    Wang Zhong turned around, opened the door of the privatepartment, and addressed the burly man who was making a racket in the corridor, “Yegorov, are you healed?”


    Yegorov, built like a bear,ughed heartily, “Healed! Though there’s still a bit of stiffness, hurts when it rains, but I’m basically fine!”


    Wang Zhong said, “So you’re not quite back in shape yet? Continue your leave, take care of your injury; the big battle won’te until June. Before that, you can hand over the can hand over relevant matters to your Chief of Staff.”


    Yegorov frowned, “Not until June? The enemy hasn’t recovered yet; we should be on the offensive!”


    Wang Zhong exined, “How do you attack during the mud season? A time when tanks can get stuck in the mud, and no cars are operational, how can logistics for the troops be guaranteed?”


    Letting out a sigh, Yegorov said, “That’s true. I do miss the old days when we carried our food and ammo, broke through enemy lines, and could keep fighting for weeks. Now, well


    Wang Zhong responded, “Times have changed, and you know this as well.”


    "I know,” Yegorov scratched his scalp, “anyway, the Guard First Mechanized is always at yourmand, General.”


    Wang Zhong nodded and changed the subject, “Alright, I’m going to get off now, can’t keep His Majesty waiting.”


    Yegorov quickly stepped aside, but hisrge frame only allowed Wang Zhong to pass by sideways.


    While Wang Zhong could manage to slip by, Ludm might not have the same ease.


    Suddenly realizing this, Yegorov turned around and opened a small door, darting into thepartment behind it.


    Now the path waspletely clear.


    Wang Zhong, holding Ludm’s hand, walked through the carriage and came to the door.


    Dressed to the nines, Olga stood amid a crowd of guards and maids, smiling at Wang Zhong.


    Wang Zhong smiled back, stepped down the irondder at the door, and nted both feet on the tform.


    Olga, looking like she wanted to run up and hug Wang Zhong, restrained herself and instead walked with a gait befitting the Tsar’s status, until she stood in front of him, “My greatest General, all of Yekaterinburg awaits your triumphant return!” ??N???ЕS


    Wang Zhong responded, “I cannot im to be the greatest General; we have many experienced leaders skilled in the art of war. Moreover, the victory is not solely my doing; it’s the credit of all our soldiers and of every citizen in Nan’ant. Even in the upied Area, the people are still resisting Prosen. Without them, my victory would not exist.”


    Olgamented, “You are always so humble, my General.”


    Wang Zhong replied, “This is not humility, I can tell you thousands of stories about ordinary people bravely fighting. Take for example the story of a child called Little Griff, who killed many Prosen Soldiers! My contribution is but a small effort; the victory belongs to the people of Ante.”


    "Well said,” Belinsky’s voice came from behind the Tsar, maids and servants made way, and the Grand Patriarch came up to Wang Zhong, “Everyone is a Messiah, everyone a hero who saves the mothend.”


    Belinsky extended his hand to Wang Zhong, “Comrade General, your awareness has already surpassed many of our bishops.”


    Wang Zhong took Belinsky’s hand, “I’ve simply had some realizations through the war.”


    Ever since Loktov was rescued by the people, Wang Zhong’s realizations had been growing more profound.


    Belinsky, “Very good, excellent. Write down your thoughts and have it published on the front page of the Church’s official newspaper!”


    Wang Zhong, “Of course, I will.”


    Olga, “Before you publish it, could you let me have a look first? I would like to know what you have felt, after all, you are my god brother.”


    Wang Zhong, “Of course, I will send a copy to the Summer Pce.”


    "Good,” Olga’s tone shifted, “There’s also a ceremony that needs to be held. I’ve asked them to make it as simple as possible, but the Court Chambein said it would boost the capital’s morale, and the Grand Patriarch has agreed too.”


    Belinsky, “I’ve indeed agreed.”


    "Then let’s begin!” Olga said, naturally taking Wang Zhong’s hand.


    The Court Chambein suddenly came out and whispered, “Your Majesty, you can’t hold the General’s hand. You can only review the Guards and the military band side by side.”


    Only then did Olga reluctantly let go of Wang Zhong’s arm.


    The Court Chambein, satisfied, stepped back.


    The ceremonymenced immediately, with the military band ying “The Antean Women’s Farewell,” and the Guards all stood tall and focused on Wang Zhong.


    Matching the Tsar’s pace, Wang Zhong walked past the Guards with her, while Ludm and Yegorov, among others, stood by waiting for the ceremony to conclude.


    At the end of the red carpet stood a small tform with a microphone on it. Guessing that it was his turn to speak, Wang Zhong was surprised to see Olga take the stage first, beginning her speech.


    "Citizens of Yekaterinburg! The victor of the one million-strong Prosen Army, General Rocossovsky of the Grand Duchy, has triumphantly returned! You might have already learned from the newspapers that a month ago he was appointed as the Commander of the Kazarlia Front Army and will be leading our nation’s finest troops to liberate Kazarlia, which has been under upation for two years!


    "To convey our hopes for Rocossovsky, I have decided to bestow upon him the title of King of the Kazaria Kingdom.”


    Wang Zhong furrowed his brows. When he first had the time to understand the background after traveling to this era, he knew that the crown of the Kazaria Kingdom had always been held by the Tsar, meaning Olga was not only the Tsar but also the King of the Kazaria Kingdom.


    Now Olga was handing a crown to Wang Zhong—this move—


    Wang Zhong looked towards Belinsky, who gently shook his head, as if to say, “I didn’t know about this.”


    A sudden strike. Wang Zhong gazed at his god sister, momentarily unable to decide whether she had simply wanted to convey her expectations without careful thought, or if she was cunningly nning to pull the hot-topic General Rocossov into the chariot of nobility.


    Regardless, Wang Zhong decided that it was time to rify his position. So, after Olga finished speaking and stepped down, he went directly up to the podium, “I appreciate His Majesty the Tsar’s high regard. I am also willing to ept this crown, but all signs indicate that the age of the nobility has ended.


    "I felt this particrly sharply during the Abawahan defense battle. It was the Antean people who fought to the death against the invader; it was the Antean people who braved the blizzard to repair the railway and ensure military supplies. The people are the protagonists of this great patriotic war.


    "The nobility, too, are part of the Antean people. Like my father, and His Majesty the Tsar’s own brother, they both fought alongside ordinary soldiers and died on the battlefield.


    "Therefore, once the war is over, I will donate the crown and the scepter to the Argesukov Historical Museum, keeping only the honorary title, and let these outdated things, unsuitable for the times, bow out gracefully.”


    Wang Zhong spoke these words while staring at Olga.


    And Olga maintained a smile the whole time, her true thoughts hidden.


    Wang Zhong, “My speech is over.”


    The nobles in attendance exchanged nces, while themon people cheered.


    Olga suddenly led the apuse with vigor, “Excellent! You spoke very well, brother!”


    Directly calling him brother, huh? What was she doing?


    Wang Zhong stepped down from the podium.


    Olga rushed over and gave him a hug—a hug Wang Zhong had thought woulde when they disembarked.


    When they separated, Wang Zhong noticed that Olga’s face also bore the imprint of a medal.


    But Wang Zhong hadn’t been forceful this time, so it was Olga herself who had pressed hard against him.


    Of course, the people around them couldn’t see the imprint on Olga’s face; all they did was cry out excitedly, their thunderous cheers reaching the skies.


    Olga, “Let’s go! I’ve prepared a wee banquet at the Summer Pce! I’ve invited many people!”


    Wang Zhong, “You know I’m not too fond of all those tedious nobility rituals.”


    "Hey, ever since you won the battle, all the nobles in Yeburg have been studying your way of doing things, and suddenly none of them likes those tedious rituals anymore,” Olga said.