The scepter did not look particularly remarkable, but it felt icy cold and heavy in his hand.
It was probably made of pure gold.
Of course, what material the scepter was made of did not matter. What mattered was what it represented.
When a tsar ascended the throne, he held the golden orb in his left hand and the scepter in his right, representing the power of the Church and secular authority respectively.
Wang Ye and Rosiana stood side by side, holding hands. In their other hands, they each held the scepter and the golden orb.
Putin took the lead in applauding, and thunderous applause immediately erupted through the cathedral hall.
Everyone was offering their blessings to the two of them.
Khovchenko looked at Wang Ye onstage, his heart filled with complicated emotions—pride, joy, and a faint, indescribable feeling...
Perhaps it would have been better if Wang Ye had grown a little more slowly!
Putin's thoughts, however, were completely different from his.
Of all the people present today, Putin was certainly among the happiest!
His gaze at Wang Ye was full of paternal affection and appreciation.
This young man had only entered his sight through Gebliev's introduction.
At first, he had not paid much attention to him. He had merely regarded him as a chess piece placed in advance—one to be used if useful and discarded immediately if not.
Yet in a little over two years, Wang Ye's growth had been utterly astonishing.
In order to win over this rising star of the political world and bring him fully into their camp, the Kremlin had paid quite a price.
Leaving aside everything else, Rosiana's regalia at today's engagement ceremony—including the Crown, golden orb, and scepter—had been returned to their rightful owner only because Putin had overruled all objections and insisted