"Your presence, my lord, brings us boundless joy."
"To see you in person, my lord, is an honor of a lifetime."
"..."
The crowd in front of the market shamelessly gathered around Chen Ping'an, eagerly adding to the atmosphere by showering him with all kinds of flowery praise.
They received Chen Ping'an with the highest possible courtesy. They were no fools—everyone knew that if they accidentally offended this lord, their lives would be hell from then on.
"Lord Commander, please, come in! Please, come in!" Amidst the crowd's fawning welcome, Chen Ping'an entered the Red Maple Market.
Onlookers watched from afar, marveling at the sight of Chen Ping'an's face.
"Who's that? How can he be so young?"
"What lord is he? To have the market's bigwigs acting so deferential?"
But some sharp individuals recognized Chen Ping'an at a glance.
"That's the Outer Trade Road Patrol Envoy, Chen Ping'an, Lord Chen!"
"Lord Chen?"
