The enfeoffment ceremony arrived as scheduled.
Serrano took another step up from the esteemed rank of Duke, becoming a Grandee, a truly rare title in Spain.
Prim was also elevated from Marquis to Duke, a title that at least matched his status in the military and government.
Having successively suppressed the Carlist rebellion and the Cuban rebellion, Carlo was in high spirits and spared no expense in bestowing titles.
In addition to one Grandee and one Duke, the ceremony also saw the addition of two Earls, seven Viscounts, and over a dozen Barons. Andrew and Carman also made it onto the list.
Although both were Barons, the lowest rank, they had at least entered the ranks of the Spanish nobility, their status having been elevated significantly compared to before.
Their promotions were not only reflected in their noble titles. For their meritorious service in the fight against the Cuban rebels, their military ranks were also exceptionally promoted from the initial Lieutenant to Major, and they were given the position of Battalion Commander.
With Carlo's trust and their achievements, they could reach the rank of Colonel in a few years, provided nothing unexpected happened.
If their Italian identity hadn't held them back, their military ranks should have been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel or higher after suppressing the Cuban rebellion, and becoming a Colonel wouldn't have been impossible.
After all, compared to Italians suddenly placed in command, soldiers were more willing to accept a Spaniard as their direct superior.
Andrew and Carman had to put in more effort than Spanish officers to earn the trust of the soldiers.
However, this was also a good thing. Once they had passed the soldiers' test and climbed step by step to the high ranks of the army, their control over the military would also become more stable.
The army they controlled would also become a force for Carlo, essentially representing military power in Carlo's hands.
The reason Carlo could so confidently develop his power was precisely the age of Serrano and Prim.
Serrano was born in 1810, making him 60 years old this year. Prim was born in 1814, making him 56 years old this year.
Two old men around the age of 60 would not be concerned about the slow development of Carlo's power, because they would certainly not live to see the day Carlo's power fully matured.
According to the average European life expectancy, both men were considered quite old at nearly 60. Prim's plan was also very simple: to push for the revolution in Spain during his lifetime and complete as much of it as possible.
Serrano was not as enthusiastic about revolution, nor did he have such a great desire for power. What Serrano truly cared about was his status, and being elevated to Grandee made him very satisfied.
It was precisely because Serrano, Prim, and Carlo did not have overt power conflicts due to various reasons that the current Spanish government was able to maintain a relatively stable state.
This was also something all three of them wanted to see; after all, with their main needs satisfied, who would want to engage in a life-and-death struggle with powerful enemies?
Carlo was also happy to see Prim's reforms and Serrano's personal grasp of power. With these two present, Carlo's throne would be very stable.
By the time they retired or passed away, Carlo's power would have been cultivated to a considerable extent, and that would be the time for Carlo to gradually take control of power.
What made Carlo relatively fortunate was that although Queen Isabella II made no contribution to Spain, she at least agreed to bestow titles upon Prim and Serrano.
Especially Serrano. If Serrano were pushed to the side of the Republicans, Spain after Queen Isabella II would likely become a Republican government, and it would not be so easy to restore the monarchy.
The reason Alfonso XII in history was able to achieve restoration was that the Republican government at the time was unpopular, coupled with Prim's early assassination, which left Spain in an even more chaotic state than during Queen Isabella II's reign.
If Prim had been a Republican and had not been assassinated, perhaps Spain would have become a complete republic thereafter.
It can only be said that Prim, who supported the monarchy, was a tremendous help to Carlo. Before Prim's reforms were completed, Carlo's stance was to firmly support Prim.
After the enfeoffment ceremony, Carlo also attended a small-scale military parade.
The number of troops participating in the parade was not large, totaling just over two thousand.
But it must be admitted that the sight of over two thousand troops marching in a mighty procession before one's eyes was unparalleled in its impact.
Looking at the vast army marching before him and then glancing at the surrounding crowds, Carlo couldn't help but feel spirited and proud.
This was his army, these were his people. Regardless of how Spain developed in history, at this time, in this world, he was the King of Spain, the sole ruler of Spain.
As expected, after all the day's events concluded, the enfeoffment ceremony and the military parade became the hottest news in Madrid.
To commend the soldiers for their achievements, related news would also be published throughout Spain, letting all Spaniards know which nobles were enfeoffed this time and the contributions they made to Spain.
This was also Carlo's purpose. At least he wanted Spaniards to understand that nobles were nobles because they made significant contributions to Spain.
Even if the public's attitude towards the nobility didn't change significantly, Carlo was willing to see some small changes.
After all, the King and the nobles were one. If the reputation of the nobility was completely ruined, how good could the reputation of the King, the greatest noble, be?
On the other hand, Carlo also hoped to ignite the soldiers' and the public's desire for military honors and titles.
Only by letting the soldiers see the benefits of achieving military merit would they truly fight for the country and the government.
Only by letting the public see the great changes brought about by military honors and titles would they not be resistant to joining the army, and even actively and enthusiastically enlist.
Although this seemed to have little effect, it was quite effective in boosting the morale of the army.
After the enfeoffment ceremony, Prim became even busier.
Because he had to invest all his energy into government work. Reforms and national development were the top priorities, and in his spare time, he also had to investigate the mastermind behind the assassination attempt.
Fortunately, after Serrano returned from Cuba, he could help Prim handle some government affairs. After all, Serrano had served as the Prime Minister of the Spanish provisional government before the parliamentary elections, and while his handling of government affairs wasn't outstanding, it was definitely more than proficient.
With the joint efforts of Serrano and Prim, Spain was about to enter a period of stable development. Carlo was also looking forward to Spain's future development speed, to see if this former empire on which the sun never set could find new life after a long period of decline.
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