Continuation

The number of marquises represented the official strength of a provincial region; marquises represented the number of counties. Clearly, this greatly strengthened the northwest.

Dole was not swayed by Hongda's words and merely exchanged a few polite remarks. His main path lay in wizardry, not administration.

Hongda then slowly turned toward Aixi.

Dole counted as an outsider, so Hongda appeared even more cordial. Aixi, too, showed delight. At last, today would not be awkward—at least there was someone she knew.

She was a princess, while Hongda was a retainer of the northwest, so they chatted a little longer.

Standing to one side, Dole began observing the ministers.

These were all high-ranking figures of the Glory Empire, wielding immense authority. Posted in the provinces, they could even decide life and death at will. Yet standing at the palace gates, they were palace functionaries, administrators by identity.

Before long, there would be only one protagonist today: George.

Though Dole was not in the palace, he knew quite a bit about its affairs. He had crammed some knowledge over the past few days and was fairly familiar with things.

Before long, the palace gates opened, and amid laughter and conversation, the crowd entered in separate groups.

Dole, Aixi, and Hongda walked at the very back, behind everyone else.

He saw that those at the front belonged to the military, while the civil ministers followed behind. Dole did not know which offices they all belonged to, but in any case, everyone proceeded in order of rank. No one stepped forward or fell back, as though it had long become custom.

Those at the very back, including them, were all newly elevated nobles to be invested today.

Moreover, these people seemed to know one another, as though they had been communicating for a long