As Divine Capital drew ever nearer, a cavalry unit in the distance raised the banners of the Eastern Ding Kingdom high. Clad in brilliant red armor, they came thundering forward.
"The Eastern Ding Kingdom and the Southern Kingdoms welcome Your Highness the Idle Prince! We deliver the banners, command tokens, tiger tallies, and all related matters, and shall look only to Your Highness's lead!" shouted the Upper Rank knight at their head, his voice carrying for hundreds of miles.
Upon Divine Capital's walls, the officers and soldiers of the Court Army showed no reaction—no disgust, no resentment, no dissatisfaction. They were like mere spectators.
The army halted. Li Qingxian led the generals forward to receive the allied forces of East Ding and the various kingdoms, calmly accepting their command talismans.
That red-armored cavalry unit then took up position at the side and continued forward as an escort.
The Idle Prince Army traveled a while farther when dust rose in the southwest and the earth trembled. A cavalry army ten thousand strong swept toward them like a whirlwind.
"The Dingnan Prince's Army welcomes Your Highness the Idle Prince! Every soldier under the Dingnan Prince shall follow Your Highness! The Dingnan Prince's command letters are all delivered to the Idle Prince!" The one calling out was none other than the Dingnan Prince's grandson, Nanxiang Marquis Meng Huaichuan.
The army halted for a second time. Li Qingxian went forward with a smile to greet Meng Huaichuan and accepted the command letters. The two spoke and laughed as they proceeded onward.
The gazes of the generals atop Divine Capital's walls flickered.
That was the Dingnan Army. Even the emperor of the Court could not command it, yet now it had handed its great authority to the Idle Prince.
Could it really be that simple?