Masked Knight Chapter 65: Glorious Expedition

Chapter 65: Glorious Expedition
Translator: Zenobys Editor:
That morning, the feelings of defeat in the Imperial Capital were completely swept away.
All the citizens in the Imperial Capital rushed to the streets because they learned that the mighty Tulip Family was finally dispatched that morning.
The mighty, undefeated and ever glorious Duke of the Tulip Family would lead the Empire’s most powerful army, the ‘Lightning God’s Whip’ of the Central Cavalry Regiment to the battlefield in Northwest. As for the number of troops, there were those who said that there were 50,000 while some claimed there were 80,000. Some of the citizens even heard that the duke led a force of 100,000 troops!
The hearts of all those people held the same desire. They wanted His Excellency, the Duke of the Tulip Family, to lead the Empire's warriors to the Northwest and teach the foreign barbarians a lesson.
There were also many young girls who heard that His Excellency was a talented and handsome young man. That was more attractive to them than his glory from being the 'God of War'.
As a result, that morning tens of thousands of people crowded the streets all the way up to the northern gate of the Imperial Capital. Countless people stretched their necks to see how extraordinary and powerful were the Empire's ‘God of War' as well as their most elite army, the ‘Lightning God's Whip'. Countless young girls also came hoping to see the man of their dreams, who supposedly looked like the ‘Sun God'.
It was an unfortunate day for the people working for public security as all 15,000 of them had to cancel their vacation. They had to block both sides of the main road by forming human barricades and had to prevent the citizens from rushing past them. That meant that they also had to endure the overwhelming force of the crowd. However, in the eyes of the common citizens, the public security was extremely detestable for blocking their view of the hero.
Shit! They aren’t even the ones who are going to the Northwest to fight those barbarians! They only know how to stay in the Imperial Capital to bully common citizens like us.
There were countless people trying to rush past the human barricades and they ended up coming into conflict with the security soldiers.
According to statistics, every security soldier on duty was attacked by the crowd that day. Though, it is important to note that the statistics were incomplete. The average data showed that each personnel suffered from being pelted by two rotten eggs and one and a half tomatoes (as tomatoes were more expensive than eggs). Their bodies had about three to five bruises each. The soldiers also suffered an average of two kicks each on their buttocks. Even the Supreme Commander of the Public Security, Frey, got his face scratched by two enthusiastic women while they were trying to get a look at their dream hero.
When the sound of hooves was heard at the end of the street and the banner that was like a flame was raised, the crowd burst into an earthshaking cheer! The people on both sides of the road immediately started to toss flowers. According to statistics, the flower shops in the Imperial Capital sold 17 times more flowers than usual on that day! Consequently, all of the flowers were sold out. Even flowers like roses and lilies were sold out and the prices of flowers used for funerals were speculated to be at an astronomical height at that time! It was also said that, on that day, a marquis wanted to buy flowers for his secret lover but could not find a single flower throughout the city. In the end, the marquis had to spend 10 gold coins to buy a bunch of polygonum orientale flowers as a gift for his beau.
In accordance with the decree of His Majesty the Emperor, the Central Cavalry Regiment army left the city fully equipped. Although they could have left quietly using a different gate that headed straight to the north, His Majesty wanted to take the opportunity to assure the people in the Imperial Capital. He specifically ordered them to wear their best equipment and head from the west of the city to the north, passing through half the city. This was to display the might of the Empire and restore the confidence of the people!
Rody did not think highly of that order. In his opinion, the faster they could depart and assist in the war in the Northwest, the better. However, he had to spend half the morning parading around the Imperial Capital just for the people to see them. In addition to that, his soldiers also had to wear their heaviest armor which he thought was a waste of effort.
Nevertheless, when he walked through the streets and heard the deafening cheers from the crowd on both sides, he could not help but believe that there might have been a certain logic behind the Emperor’s orders. The moment the public started to cheer, they once again re-established their confidence in the Empire and believed that the Empire was strong and could not be defeated.
The crowd on both sides waved as they continued to knock down the human barricades formed by the public security soldiers. The cheering of countless people filled the skies of the Imperial Capital. The warriors felt proud and smiled as the petals scattered all over them. They immediately sat ramrod straight on their horses' backs.
Rody suddenly gave an order that he never expected himself to give, “Let the troops advance at a slower pace. Pass down the order.”
From a distant location, Nicole watched the parade which was moving slowly from atop a tower. She looked at the silver armored Rody and quietly prayed. Behind her was the driver, Old Mark. He looked at Nicole and the scene outside in disdain and quietly laughed. “Sigh, youngsters these days...”
Rody did not realize at that moment, someone else was smiling and watching him from the upper floor window of a building beside the street.
“Haha! It seems like that boy did a good job! I did not expect the duke title to suit him so well. This is really a huge load off my mind." The person gave a strange smile. His long golden hair blocked one of his eyes which were blue like the color of lake water. If Rody had actually seen the person, he would have definitely cried out in alarm. It was the original playboy who was supposed to have run overseas; the real successor of the Tulip Family, Seth!
Seth sighed and raised a silver bottle of wine to pour a mouthful of wine into his mouth. After that, he said to himself, "Alright, I am going to let that guy be responsible for fighting and killing in the war. I don't want to be involved... Haha, that day I deliberately told him that I was going overseas. Ultimately, that idiot really told my sister... Ah, after all, he is not as smart and intelligent as me. It is so funny. I just intentionally said a few words and then casually went around the pier. In the end, my sister really sent people to chase me by sea..."
Seth once again looked down at ‘himself’ on horseback, fully armed and sighed..“Boy, you better do well. Although I am not a filial son, you must not ruin my father’s reputation.”
At that moment, Rody and his army had already paraded through most of the Imperial Capital, enjoying the cheering which could be heard through the northern gate. Rody looked at the soldiers on the gate tower. They saluted his army. Rody could not help but sigh. He did not expect the feeling of superiority to be so nice!
At the same time, without his knowledge, Emperor Abbas XI was also quietly watching Rody from the castle. Unlike the others, Emperor Abbas XI watched him with complicated feelings.
“Hmph!” Emperor Abbas XI looked at the army and sneered. “They all say that I am an incapable ruler. They all say that I am not equal to my late grandfather, Emperor Abbas the Great. I want to be a mighty emperor too! However, even if I want to become mighty like Emperor Abbas the Great, I do not have Dandong to help me. Where is my Dandong? My ancestor had Dandong the Great and the Duke of the Tulip Family. One was an academician while the other was a martial arts expert. I only have the Duke of the Tulip Family and furthermore, he is just a child who came of age not long ago! If I do not rely on myself, who else can I rely on?”