Empire Rise: Spain

Chapter 58: Serrano Returns Home

The grand ennoblement ceremony will be held in July

Duke Serrano’s army is expected to return to Spain in mid-to-late June.

After resting for more than a week, they can attend the ennoblement ceremony and hold a small-scale military parade in Madrid.

The purpose of the military parade is also very simple. First, it is to celebrate that Spain has successively dealt with the rebellion problems domestically and in the colonies, and the Spanish people can finally welcome peace.

Secondly, it is also to deter the republican faction and other forces with ulterior motives in Spain. Since even the Carlist faction and Cuban separatists can be dealt with, other forces should also weigh whether they can pose a threat to the Spanish Government.

For the Spanish people, the ennoblement ceremony and military parade not only allow them to watch the excitement, but also inspire patriotic enthusiasm in some of the public, as well as admiration for awarding titles for military merit.

After all, most of the soldiers who obtained nobility titles and rewards are commoners. If they can do it, why can’t other Spanish commoners?

Starting from early June, the government has already been warming up for this ennoblement ceremony.

Newspapers, including the Sun Newspaper and others, have also been continuously publishing news about the ennoblement ceremony, and boldly speculating on the nobles who will be ennobled at the ceremony.

Among them, Prime Minister Primó and Duke Serrano are two names that are frequently mentioned. Their prestige in the political arena and the army far exceeds others, and they are the greatest meritorious officials in suppressing the rebellion. Amid the public’s anticipation, Duke Serrano finally led the army to arrive in Spain and took the train all the way back to Madrid.

Carlo attaches great importance to meritorious officials. On the day Duke Serrano led the army back to Madrid, Carlo not only personally went to greet them, but also had the temporarily assembled Royal Band play the 《Royal March》 to welcome the returning heroes.

Duke Serrano was clearly a bit surprised by Carlo’s personal welcome.

However, Serrano reacted quickly. The moment he saw Carlo personally welcoming them, he immediately left the army behind, rode forward alone, stopped at a hundred meters, and then walked toward Carlo alone.

“Your Majesty!” Duke Serrano was the first to salute Carlo.

“Welcome back to Spain, Duke Serrano.” Carlo smiled and nodded, saying very amiably: “I have prepared a celebration banquet for you. Go rest first, and we’ll have a good chat tonight.”

Duke Serrano nodded, then chatted with Prime Minister Primó and others behind Carlo.

Following behind Duke Serrano, Carlo saw two familiar faces: Andrew Rosso and Camann Esposito, whom he had placed in the suppression army.

During the process of suppressing the rebellion in Cuba, Carlo had also read several reports of war spoils from Duke Serrano.

Andrew and Camann are indeed excellent graduates of the Turin Military Academy, performing quite excellently in the war against Cuba, and were personally praised by Duke Serrano multiple times.

It should be noted that although Duke Serrano leans toward the conservative royalist faction, this does not mean he would yield to Carlo on anything.

Even knowing that Carlo had placed these two guys in the army to gild themselves, if they did not have enough ability, Duke Serrano would absolutely not praise them actively.

Being praised by Duke Serrano proves that Andrew and Camann’s military command ability can also be considered excellent, which is worth using for Carlo.

Coincidentally, the merit from suppressing the rebellion in Cuba is still very significant. Taking the opportunity to ennoble Duke Serrano as Grand Duke, Carlo also plans to ennoble Andrew and Camann as barons, further winning them over while giving them hope to enter the higher levels of the Spanish Army, and to take charge of Spain’s army when Primó and Serrano retire in the future.

The reason for not directly promoting them is, besides actually examining their ability, that they are also Italians who have no military merit in Spain.

Although Carlo, as king, can easily promote them, forcibly promoting them without any merit would lead to different opinions from the soldiers under him and dissatisfaction from those generals and nobles.

After gilding themselves in Cuba, such problems no longer exist.

The importance of Cuba to Spain goes without saying, which is also why in the original history Spain was willing to spend 700 million pesos to keep Cuba within its colonial rule.

The merit from suppressing the rebellion in Cuba is enough for the two of them to obtain a nobility title and the opportunity for rapid promotion in the army.

As for whether they can gain recognition from the soldiers under them and gradually enter the senior military officials, that depends on their actual ability.

Anyway, Carlo has already built the steps for them to climb upward. If they still cannot climb to the top military levels, it can only prove that Carlo’s judgment is wrong.

Anyway, Carlo has enough time to wait. As the Military Academy gradually gets on the right track, more new-style officers will be cultivated in the future.

Carlo also holds the title of honorary principal. These young officers cultivated can be said to be Carlo’s disciples.

Whether Andrew and Camann first become high-level figures in the Spanish military, or waiting for those excellent young officers cultivated by the military academy to gradually climb to the senior military officials, both are acceptable to Carlo.

Anyway, Serrano and Primó are at least a few years away from retirement. These few years are also the golden stage for them to desperately climb upward.

These years are also Spain’s most stable stage. Military and political power is partitioned among Serrano, Primó, and Carlo, and others can only submit to the joint intimidation of the three.

Once Serrano and Primó retire successively, if the confidants Carlo has cultivated cannot take over their power, what Carlo will face next will no longer be such a stable division of political power.

“You did well.” Carlo smiled and said to Andrew and Camann.

The two have completed the task he gave them, so Carlo naturally also needs to express an attitude of closeness to them.

After all, in some aspects, Andrew and Camann, being Italians like him, have a higher closeness to Carlo.

The two of them are also outsiders in Spain and can only rely on Carlo’s support to climb upward, which is why Carlo chooses to trust them and give them opportunities.

Carlo does not lack ordinary talent. For Carlo, what is truly scarce are subordinates whom he can completely trust and who also have certain ability.

“Go back and rest well. You cannot miss the banquet tonight as meritorious officials.” Carlo continued: “You did well in suppressing this rebellion in Cuba this time, and I will absolutely not mistreat meritorious officials.”

Let me report to everyone: truly chasing 1,300, still some distance from Sanjiang. So I can’t make it to this period’s Sanjiang, can only wait until next Monday to see if there’s hope. But everyone rest assured, although disappointed, it won’t affect my mindset. This book will absolutely not be eunuchated; the author will check and revise the entire book, not letting down everyone’s support.