After the court session, all the civil and military officials gathered to congratulate Oliver Sheng.
“Congratulations, Champion Marquis!” Quentin Fu, the Left Minister, was the first to offer his congratulations.
“Thank you, Left Minister,” Oliver replied with a smile, already aware of Quentin’s high position in Great Wei.
“You’re too kind, Marquis. You are truly a young and promising talent. I have a daughter about your age. Why not come to my house and meet her?” Quentin suggested with a smile.
To Quentin, a young and talented man like Oliver was the ideal son-in-law.
“Left Minister, Marquis, what are you two discussing?” Gavin Wang approached them.
“Congratulations, General Sheng, on your new title. From now on, we should all address you as Marquis.”
Quentin was somewhat displeased. This old fool Gavin, always butting in without any sense of timing.
“Minister Wang, you jest. You are the true pillars of the court,” Oliver said humbly.
“No need for modesty. Talents like you are rare in Great Wei, even once in a hundred years,” Gavin said, waving his hand. “Marquis, you’re not married yet, are you? I have a daughter, a true beauty. I think you two would be a perfect match. How about I introduce you?”
“Old fool Gavin, don’t you understand the concept of first come, first served? If you want to introduce your daughter, get in line,” Quentin couldn’t help but scold.
Oliver felt his head spinning. These were supposed to be the high-ranking officials of Great Wei, yet they were acting like village matchmakers.
“Hey, what’s all the commotion? Gavin, your daughter can’t be prettier than mine!” Qian Cheng joined in the fun.
“You’re talking nonsense, Qian. If you dare say my daughter isn’t pretty, I’ll tear your mouth apart.”
Minister of Revenue Jasper Zuo also joined the fray. Many other officials, seeing these big shots gathered, wanted to approach Oliver but could only stand aside and watch.
“Congratulations, Marquis Sheng. It’s been over a hundred years since Great Wei last conferred a marquis title. Are you all here to find a son-in-law? My daughter is also quite beautiful,” Jasper said, congratulating Oliver and then adding his own suggestion.
At this moment, Oliver was the center of attention, his brilliance unmatched. All the officials wanted to establish a connection with him.
Sawyer Shangguan and Xiao Chuyi stood beside him, completely overshadowed.
“Top Scholar Cui, this man has truly risen to the top, full of vigor and brilliance,” someone said enviously.
Cui Jing looked at Oliver. Even when he had topped the imperial exams, he hadn’t received such adulation.
The Cui family of Jianhe was an aristocratic family, yet even with his top scholar title, he hadn’t been celebrated by the entire court like Oliver.
“If you could reach the peak of a Great Grandmaster before twenty, expand territories, and be conferred a marquis title, you wouldn’t be any less impressive,” Cui Jing said, though he was also envious. However, he had no grudge or conflict of interest with Oliver.
He wouldn’t let jealousy turn into hatred. To become a top scholar, one must have high intelligence and emotional quotient.
The person smiled awkwardly under Cui Jing’s gaze.
Surrounded by these big shots trying to introduce their daughters to him, Oliver felt overwhelmed. Was he really that sought after?
Everyone seemed eager to make him their son-in-law, these old men were really something, all wanting to be his father-in-law.
“Esteemed officials, I am still young and have no plans to start a family yet.”
“How can I start a family when the Huns are not yet defeated?” Oliver quoted an ancestral saying to decline their offers.
“What a grand ambition! Marquis, you are indeed the youngest marquis of Great Wei, with such lofty aspirations.”
Everyone instantly felt Oliver’s grand ambition. How can one start a family when the Huns are not yet defeated?
“What a phrase, ‘How can I start a family when the Huns are not yet defeated.’ If all were as outstanding as Marquis Sheng, how could Great Wei not prosper?” Quentin couldn’t help but sigh.
“We were too presumptuous. Marquis, your ambitions are far-reaching! We are ashamed in comparison!”
With just one sentence, Oliver earned the respect of these high-ranking officials of Great Wei.
Defeating the Huns had never been their ambition.
After a round of compliments, the officials finally took their leave.
After dealing with those officials, Oliver felt exhausted from socializing with these scholars.
“Phew, let’s go back,” Oliver said.
“Aren’t you hosting a banquet to connect with the court officials?” Xiao Chuyi, who had been watching the whole time, asked.
Upon being conferred a marquis title, it was customary to host a banquet to build relationships with the court officials.
But Oliver hadn’t mentioned it at all.
“No need, it’s unnecessary!” Oliver shook his head.
Why build connections with the court officials? He had no plans of rebellion. As a marquis, why would he need to get close to the high-ranking officials? Was he planning to wear a yellow robe when it got cold?
“Marquis Sheng, His Majesty has ordered me to escort you to your residence,” Eunuch Xiaoxi said as he waited outside the palace gates.
“Alright, please lead the way,” Oliver said with a smile.
Following Eunuch Xiaoxi, they arrived at a marquis’ residence.
The plaque above the gate read “Champion Marquis Residence.”
“Marquis, this is the residence His Majesty has bestowed upon you,” Eunuch Xiaoxi said.
Oliver looked at the grand residence, with two imposing stone lions at the entrance. The residence covered a vast area.
“Let’s go in and take a look,” Oliver said as he pushed open the door and walked in.
The others followed him into the residence.
The marquis’ residence had everything: a main hall, a rear hall, a back garden with rockeries and ponds, and a martial arts training ground.
The entire residence covered fifty thousand square meters and was built luxuriously.
“This used to be the residence of Prince Su. It was left vacant, so His Majesty converted it into your residence,” Eunuch Xiaoxi explained.
“Very nice, I like it,” Oliver nodded. In his previous life, only princes could live in such residences.
He hadn’t expected that he would now own a marquis’ residence and become a marquis himself.
“Sawyer, go bring Wang Zhan and Zane Wang here. Everyone will stay in the residence for now,” Oliver instructed.
“Yes, General!” Sawyer turned and went to fetch Wang Zhan and the others.
“Thank you, Eunuch,” Oliver said, handing some silver to Xiaoxi.
“It’s no trouble at all. Thank you, Marquis!” Xiaoxi happily accepted the silver.
“Marquis, I must return to the palace now. If you need anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask,” Xiaoxi said, showing his willingness to help.
“Alright, I’ll trouble you in the future,” Oliver said with a smile.
“General, I need to go home now,” Xiao Chuyi said, taking his leave.
“Alright, we’ll celebrate tonight. If you can come, do come. If not, that’s fine too,” Oliver nodded.
“I’ll definitely be there tonight!” Xiao Chuyi said, cupping his fists before leaving the residence.
Watching Xiao Chuyi leave, Oliver rubbed his chin. It seemed he needed to find an opportunity to talk to him.
He wanted to buy demon beast meat from the Demon Suppression Army.
Not long after, Sawyer, Wang Zhan, Zane Wang, and Oliver’s fifty personal guards arrived at the residence.
“General, we’re here.”
“Wow, what a luxurious residence!” Zane Wang exclaimed, his eyes shining as he looked at the grand residence.
They had already heard about Oliver being conferred the title of Champion Marquis.
The news had spread throughout the capital, with countless people discussing Oliver’s new title.
“Alright, stop marveling. Find yourselves a room to stay in. There are no servants or maids here yet,” Oliver told his men.
“Yes, General!”
The personal guards were overjoyed. It was their first time living in a marquis’ residence.
In the future, they could tell their descendants that they had lived in a marquis’ residence.
“General, there are two men outside, the Hu brothers, requesting to see you.”
“Oh, let them in,” Oliver said.
“Yes, General!”
Soon, Hu Yan and Hu Xue were brought into the residence.
“Hu Yan!”
“Hu Xue!”
“Greetings, Marquis!” The brothers bowed respectfully.
Oliver’s status was now vastly different from before.
“No need for formalities,” Oliver said with a smile.
“Marquis, we haven’t visited you since you arrived in the capital. Please forgive us. We just returned from outside,” Hu Yan said.
“There’s no need for that,” Oliver waved his hand.
The Hu brothers had a knack for business. Oliver had recruited them to form a business association, traveling far and wide to trade, selling Western Wind Blaze and Green Ant in the capital, making money to buy supplies and transport them to River West.
“Marquis, our business association has established a restaurant in the capital. How about we celebrate there tonight?” Hu Yan suggested.
“No, we’ll celebrate here tonight. Go fetch some Western Wind Blaze,” Oliver declined.
He didn’t want to make a big deal out of the celebration. Being famous brought trouble, and he didn’t like trouble.
“Yes, Marquis. We’ll go get the wine now,” the brothers said, leaving to fetch wine and food.
…
At the Qian residence.
“Miss, General Sheng has been conferred the title of Champion Marquis by His Majesty,” Qian Xiaoxiao’s maid hurriedly reported.
“Really?!”
Hearing that Oliver had been conferred a marquis title, Qian Xiaoxiao felt inexplicably excited.
At the Wang residence.
Little Cui also ran into Wang Shiyu’s boudoir.
“Miss, General Sheng has been conferred the title of Champion Marquis by His Majesty,” Little Cui said excitedly.
“Champion Marquis!”
A blush appeared on Wang Shiyu’s delicate cheeks.
In Luo Capital, tea houses and taverns were abuzz with the news of Oliver’s new title.
“Did you hear? General Sheng has been conferred the title of Champion Marquis by His Majesty. He’s the youngest marquis in Great Wei.”
“I heard he’s not even twenty yet!”
“Indeed, General Sheng led the army to reclaim River West County, conquered the Moran grasslands, and even reached Shelechuan in Barbarian territory.”
“Such achievements deserve a marquis title!”
“A marquis so young is truly enviable…”
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