[Fantasy] My World (Complete) - 20

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Two: Sending Envoys to Negotiate.
Ma Mengfei's men were able to ascend the mountain entirely thanks to Zhang Bigeng's personal escort, which consumed almost half of their arrows and boulders, barely managing to rescue ten thousand men.
Just as they thought the ferocious northern cavalry was about to strike directly at the heart of the enemy, entering the southern part of Xishuo County, they suddenly saw an eagle fly to the leading general. They then quickly dispersed, much faster than their arrival due to the absence of civilians, disappearing from the original path in no time.
Wang Guowei nodded: "It is said that Huayun Kingdom has a divine eagle that can not only transmit information but also act as a scout, reconnoitering military intelligence from the air… It seems our departure this time was also seen by the divine eagle from the sky, prompting them to ambush us."
Fortunately, the valley was shaded by lush trees, otherwise, if the divine eagle had seen us from above, the grassland barbarians could have simply blocked the entrance and hurled stones in, making our escape uncertain.
We had just informed them of the battle situation over there, and the two garrison generals, while praising it, didn't find it too strange! Lanting Gong's unparalleled strength had long been known throughout the Northwest. Coupled with the head of the Wang family, the strongest man in the Northwest, and 15,000 elite Wang family soldiers, it would be strange if they didn't win.
The two garrison generals have a misunderstanding. Based on the information I released, many believe that the Wang family's 30,000 soldiers slaughtered 100,000 Northern Desert cavalry in the camp of a 300,000-strong army yesterday morning. Now that their numbers have halved, they should be more than capable of dealing with 50,000.
They haven't considered that the 8,000 elite soldiers were the Wang family's strongest and most unique force, now almost completely wiped out. The losses of those 8,000 elite soldiers are far greater than those of the remaining 10,000. In a true sense, those 8,000 elite soldiers represent half of the Wang family's strength.
However, I won't clarify this misunderstanding. The Wang family's strength is now very weak. Spreading the word to deter other major families in the Northwest and even the Southwest from making any rash moves is a good strategy.
The small hill was quite wide, not entirely steep, so over ten thousand horses were chosen to ride up it. We naturally encamped there, facing Huaiyuan City across the distance, keeping the distant Northern cavalry camp pinned down.
While discussing our options, we carefully analyzed the strength of the Northern cavalry.
Excluding the 100,000 we killed yesterday morning, in today's battle against the Longliang reinforcements, they suffered at most 5,000 casualties, yet still managed to wipe out 40,000. However, on the other side of the battlefield, their 50,000 troops besieged us, resulting in 20,000 cavalry killed and 30,000 fleeing.
The battles on both sides were essentially a draw.
Of the 300,000 Northern cavalry, only 200,000 survived, including about 50,000 wounded. They also had 20,000 on guard duty outside Xiliang City. In reality, only 130,000 soldiers remained unharmed in the main camp.
Looking at the resting horses and the elite royal troops in the distance, I felt a pang of regret once again.
If I had two groups of those eight thousand elite soldiers, none of those two hundred thousand would have made it back alive. I could even lead my army tonight and break through the Northern Desert cavalry camp with a combination of cavalry and infantry.
It's just a pity that there was only one group of eight thousand elite soldiers, and they suffered heavy losses by chance, proving that my idea of annihilating the remaining two hundred thousand Northern Desert cavalry was wishful thinking.
When will I have my own eight thousand iron cavalry?
This thought surged into my mind, and when I thought of the four hundred thousand reserve troops in Xiliang City, a smile appeared on my lips... Surely I could pick out a group of eight thousand iron cavalry from among those four hundred thousand?
The reinforcements from Longliang County and Xingyong County were initially demoralized because of the killing just now, but now that the strongest royal cavalry in the Northwest had arrived, along with the legendary head of the royal family, who was said to have the strongest martial arts in the Northwest, and the imperial envoy Lanting Gong, who had used his superhuman strength to throw his horse and kill and provoke hundreds of Southern Desert allied troops outside Xiliang City, their hearts immediately calmed down.
The small hill now houses 60,000 infantry and 12,000 cavalry, a considerable force. With my personal command, the Northern Desert cavalry has little hope of retaking the battle.
Wang Guowei and I are busy meditating and regulating our breathing, striving to recover our strength as soon as possible so we can better lead the troops in the upcoming battle. Although it's impossible for us to display our prowess again like at noon in the short term, meditating for a few hours and restoring ourselves to the level of unparalleled masters is entirely possible.
This continued until dusk. The setting sun shone on the earth, not yet dark, but its brightness had diminished. Smoke rose from the chimneys, and the cooks took out large pots to cook over several large stone stoves.
There's a principle in warfare: if trapped in the mountains, one can only eat large amounts of wild vegetables and thin porridge each day. The consistency of the porridge must be adjusted according to the situation, leaving room for surplus and avoiding any waste.
If they were waiting to ambush the enemy on the mountaintop, they needed plenty of rice and cured meat; only when they were well-fed would they have the strength to fight.
Soon, the aroma of cured meat and rice wafted from the hill, a considerable temptation for the soldiers who had been on edge all day, and for the Wang family members who had just finished a battle. But just then, several scouts rushed up from the foot of the hill, their hurried steps disrupting the tranquility.
I was standing on a large rock, contemplating how to prepare for my eight thousand soldiers, when I saw them running up. I glanced down the hill and saw a group of no less than a hundred people on horseback slowly approaching. A white flag was flying on the horses of some of the riders, but because my view was obstructed, I couldn't make out what it said.
"Report!"
A squad leader knelt on one knee. "We intercepted a negotiating representative claiming to be from the two Khans of the Northern Desert. They want to speak with Your Highness."
I was stunned. Little Turtle and Little Bird spoke up first: "Negotiation? What's there to negotiate with them? Just set up your battle lines and start killing! What's there to say?"
Wang Guowei, usually known for his wisdom and kindness, suddenly felt an urge to slap these two boys to death.
Kill? With what can we use to kill them? Our Wang family is almost ruined by you masters and servants. Do you want us to fight to the last drop of our strength?
Wang Guowei's resentment was somewhat exaggerated. The Northwest Wang family has survived for a thousand years, naturally possessing many unseen forces. Although more than half of their surfaced power has been lost, they still have a lot of hidden strength... But then again, a thousand-year-old aristocratic family would never reveal these hidden strengths unless it's a matter of life and death. This is their life-saving power. If others could see it at any time, wouldn't that be terrible?
I found Wang Guowei's appearance amusing. I never imagined that the head of the Wang family, whom Emperor Kangzong considered a major threat, would be such an interesting person.
At least through my time with the Wang family, I've learned that they have no ambition to dominate the Northwest; at most, they just want to live the life of local tyrants.
For the court, if they can tolerate the Prince of Zhennan and the Prince of Tang each ruling a few prefectures, why can't they tolerate others?
Moreover, the Wang family's existence is a great benefit to the stability of the Northwest of Liufeng Kingdom. Just look at this: when the "Silver Tiger Legion" suffered a major defeat, it was the Wang family's efforts to ensure timely reinforcements, forcing back the Southern Desert Allied Forces; now, with the even fiercer Northern Desert cavalry arriving, the Wang family is again holding them off with all their might.
These are loyal subjects!
As long as Emperor Kangzong doesn't hand over personnel and military power in the Northwest to the Wang family, with their martial arts and commercial strength, they won't be able to do anything they want. Moreover, the hundreds of thousands of elite troops stationed in Xiliang City are not solely for the enemy to the north. If the Wang family makes any moves, Emperor Kangzong will certainly send them south quickly to quell the rebellion.
I've been thinking about it, is it possible that the emperor's father-in-law was very unhappy with the setbacks he encountered with the Prince of Tang and the Prince of Zhennan, and wanted to take advantage of the Wang family, this seemingly weaker party, to demonstrate his imperial grandeur?
A thought flashed through my mind, and I looked up: "Go and bring them up. Let's hear what they have to say before making any decisions."
"Yes."
The squad leader stepped back, and Ma Mengfei and Zhang Bigeng exchanged a glance before following him. Ensuring the safety of Lord Lanting was their responsibility; they couldn't let these barbarians reveal their true intentions and harm the important figures present.
After a short while, more than twenty grassland barbarians dressed in tight-fitting knightly attire came before us.
I sat alone in the middle, with Wang Guowei and Wang Miao'er on my left, Xiao Gui and Xiao Niao on my right, and the Jing Gong sisters standing behind me.
The faces of the people from the northern desert were similar to those from the southern desert, only their skin was a bit whiter, but the long hours of sun exposure still left many red spots on their faces.
Years of exchange and warfare had long since allowed the people of Huayun Kingdom to adopt the customs of the Great Yuan Kingdom and Liufeng Kingdom, including their food, music, chess, calligraphy, painting, clothing, and accommodation. Therefore, when they went to war, they mostly wore short-sleeved clothing with simple leather armor over it.
The cavalry of Huayun Kingdom possessed innate confidence and would never go into battle in cumbersome armor; for them, raised on horseback, it was an absolute insult.
They preferred to defeat their enemies through lightning-fast charging speed, superb mounted archery skills, and unwavering fighting spirit—skills inherent to their abilities.
"Your Excellency Duke of Liufeng Kingdom, we are envoys from the most powerful tribes of the western Great Plains, the Geluo and Guligan tribes, bringing you hope for peace."
The leader, a man in his forties with dozens of small braids and a thick beard, had piercing eyes that suggested a cunning and calculating nature.
"Isn't the strongest tribe in the western Great Plains the Chahar tribe of the Eastern Desert? When did it become the two tribes of the Northern Desert?"
Wang Guowei immediately exposed their lie.
"This must be Mr. Wang?"
the envoy said with a forced smile. "The Chahar tribe in the eastern desert may have a large population, but years of indulgence have robbed them of their ambition. In contrast, our Geluo and Guligan tribes in the northern desert fight against nature every day. Our people are all strong and intelligent, far superior to them."
"Tsk tsk!"
Little Turtle, who couldn't stand anyone showing off, jumped out and said, "I thought we were only killing the old, weak, sick, and disabled on the grasslands these past two days. Turns out we're already the strongest army? What a disappointment!"
"You..."
Little Turtle's words made the envoy almost want to draw his sword, but when he touched his waist, he realized that his sword had been confiscated before he came over, under the pretense of temporary safekeeping.
“Your Highness, I came with sincerity. Is your leniency towards your servants a sign you intend to continue the war?”
the envoy said, suppressing his anger. “We still have 300,000 skilled soldiers. If we charge into your northwest heartland with all our might, what power do you have to stop us?”
“You still have 300,000?”
Little Bird exclaimed in surprise. “Incredible! Yesterday we killed 100,000, today we killed another 20,000, and the remaining 180,000 have given birth to 120,000 in a single day! They’re more prolific than the sows in our manor!”
“Pfft…”
The three girls couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Little Bird’s words were far too malicious, worse than two slaps.
The envoy could no longer tolerate this; otherwise, he would have turned into a tortoise. He leaped up, his body surging, and punched Little Bird on the head.
“Smack!”
Little Bird leaped from her chair, slapping him in mid-air and then kicking him to the ground.
The envoy doubled over in pain, forcing himself not to cry out, but the uneven rocks he had fallen on, the sharp-edged stones still causing him considerable discomfort.
Several servants quickly rushed over and helped him to the side to rest, but the others did not display the fury I had expected.
Suddenly, I felt something was amiss… weren't they too calm? Such composure seemed so unlike the notoriously hot-tempered nomadic tribes of the grasslands.
Wang Guowei shared the same thought, and like me, immediately turned his gaze to the remaining grassland people.
The head of the Wang family, being more familiar with the Northwest, had already fixed his eyes on a middle-aged man near the back before I could discern anything amiss. This man kept his head bowed, seemingly submissive, but in reality, he had ulterior motives.
“Lord Heshu of the Guligan tribe, you should raise your head. What kind of hero pretends to be a god?”
Wang Guowei said, each word distinct.
The middle-aged man, whose identity had been revealed, slowly shook his head, looked up, and revealed a pair of bright, resolute, yet always cold and expressionless eyes. Apart from that, his face was no different from that of an ordinary grassland person.
Wang Guowei turned around: "Heshu is an elder of the Guligan tribe, deeply trusted by the chieftain, and the second most powerful member of the Guligan tribe. I didn't expect him to actually come to negotiate this time."
After a pause, Wang Guowei's eyes looked across at the other side: "Since the Guligan tribe has come, the Geluo tribe can't possibly not send anyone, right? Hurry up and come out, aren't you ashamed to hide like a woman?"
He didn't find the second person behind the scenes, but my eyes did: "Stand in the second-to-last row, the fifth person from the left, the one with the bald head, you, raise your head."
"Hahaha..."
The man raised his head upon hearing this, "Lord Lanting is indeed extraordinary. Elder Youliangha of the Geluo tribe greets everyone."
Youliangha was a bit younger than Heshu, in his prime in his thirties, with a hearty smile and a large frame, probably a skilled soldier.
"Geluo's First General Youliangha?"
Wang Guowei nodded. There were so many bald men like Youliangha in the group that he almost didn't recognize him.
"Not at all. Before Mr. Wang and Lord Lanting, how could I be considered a general? I'm nothing but a defeated general."
Youliangha and Heshu walked up to us, their air of authority, honed by long-held high positions, was indeed far superior to that of the scheming envoy from before.
"Now that you are the ones in charge, let's have a serious talk."
I gestured lightly, and the soldiers brought over two newly made, simple chairs. I disdained to belittle them in such matters.
The two men, not expecting me to offer them chairs, exchanged glances and nodded as they sat down.
Heshu spoke first, "Your Highness, what are your thoughts on the current situation?"
I calmly replied, "What else can I say? You can't break in, and we can't drive you out; we're just locked in a stalemate."
Heshu nodded in agreement, saying, "That's exactly the case. Since neither side is gaining anything, we're thinking of reaching a peace agreement. Liufeng Kingdom will give us some benefits, and we'll leave immediately." Little
Turtle and Little Bird rolled their eyes, wanting to reprimand him, but they knew it wasn't the time for them to interrupt. They could only sullenly stare at the group of grassland people, thinking, "You'd better pray that our young master doesn't order us to fight later, or we'll beat you so badly your own mothers won't recognize you!"
A sarcastic smile appeared on my face: "Didn't you hear my analysis clearly? Let me put it bluntly: we can't deal with you at this stage, but once the Wang family's cavalry arrives from all over, can you still stay there? Furthermore, even if our hundreds of thousands of troops in Xiliang City don't fight, just digging traps and setting obstacles will suffocate you there. What time or right do you have to ask me for benefits?"
"Yes! Absolutely!"
Youliangha laughed loudly, "Lord Lanting, you have to pay the retreat fee whether you want to or not, hahaha..."
His smile was extremely arrogant, but I understood that Youliangha's arrogance was different from that of the envoy just now; he must have something to rely on.
I raised my hand, quelling the little turtle and bird's anger, and calmly replied, "Gentlemen, just say what you're got. Keeping this bottled up isn't just making you miserable, it's making me miserable too."
"Good, that's straightforward! Lord Lanting is indeed a straightforward man! When you come to our grasslands, we'll definitely drink until we drop!"
Youliangha looked at me approvingly. "Actually, it's nothing much. A few days ago, a group of young men from both tribes captured some people from the Northwest during a hunt. We've heard that Lord Lanting loves his people like his own children, so we didn't dare harm them. We were wondering if Lord Lanting could take them back sometime."
He deliberately raised his voice so that hundreds of soldiers around could hear him, except for us. Immediately, silence fell over the scene, broken only by the sound of the wind and heavy breathing, especially heavy breathing from the soldiers.
Youliangha's meaning was crystal clear: Kids, we captured your people. If you don't want them dead, hand over the money and let us go home comfortably!

Chapter Three: The Cunning Mantis Behind
I nodded calmly and asked, "May I ask, how many of our people from the Northwest are still in your hands? What do you need to bring them back?"
Yuliangha's face showed a rare hint of surprise; he hadn't expected me to be so calm, without a trace of anger.
Only Heshu's brow furrowed imperceptibly. Such a magnanimous heart at such a young age—in ten years, this boy would surely be a formidable enemy to many tribes in the western grasslands!
At this moment, he felt a surge of murderous intent, wanting to kill the boy before him at all costs. However, remembering how this boy had displayed such power, killing 123 centurions, 35 chiliarchs, and 6 ten-thousand-cavalry commanders in one fell swoop in the camp, his murderous intent instantly turned into a sigh.
Yuliangha, unlike Heshu, readily agreed, "There are still 25,000 people left, men, women, and children. It was Mr. Heshu who reminded us to leave them behind. Our demands aren't high: 500,000 fat sheep, 300,000 cattle, 1 million bolts of various silk fabrics, plus 80 million gold coins. That's enough to take them back, and then we'll immediately return to the Northern Desert and won't come back for three years."
"Madman!"
Wang Miao'er frowned slightly, her face full of disdain.
The others, though silent, wore the same expression, thinking that this guy must be crazy for benefits.
Even robbery couldn't yield this much, especially since they'd been half-crippled by us.
Yuliangha's smile remained unchanged. Ignoring everyone else, he said only to me, "Lord Lanting, whether or not to make the exchange is up to you."
"How can you guarantee that we'll release the people after giving you the goods, and that we won't invade the Northwest for three years?"
I raised my hand to stop Yuliangha from speaking. "Don't talk to me about credibility. Your grassland people's credibility is worthless; nobody believes it."
"Lord Lanting, if you don't believe us, there's nothing we can do. Anyway, we have those people. Whether you take them or not is your business. At most, we'll have a bloody massacre, fertilize the Northwest land, and return empty-handed. What you'll lose is the hearts of the people!"
Yuliangha said with a forced smile, his face full of arrogance.
"Slap!"
Yuliangha suddenly covered his face, looking at me in disbelief.
I withdrew my hand from the void, coldly saying, "Remember, it's best not to be so arrogant. I can kill you now and have you send someone else to negotiate, and they'll still obey. Who do you think you are?"
Yu Liangha's smile vanished. He roared, "Kid, don't brag! If you have the guts, kill me! Kill... Ah!"
A flash of light, and an arm was severed from Yu Liangha, blood spurting out.
The little bird stood there nonchalantly, throwing down its knife: "Pah! You've dirtied my knife. Get him, throw it away!"
Yu Liangha couldn't believe it. He stared blankly at the arm on the ground, then at his bleeding shoulder, seemingly still not fully recovered.
"General!"
someone shouted in a local dialect. Several men rushed to stop the bleeding and bandage it, finally managing to stop Yu Liangha's injury after a while.
Now, having lost too much blood, Yu Liangha slumped to the ground, utterly disheveled, his head spinning, no longer able to negotiate.
My gaze shifted to Heshu. This man, known for his wisdom, felt a jolt at my cold eyes, a bitter smile playing on his lips. He thought to himself, "I think I can take his life? He's a true killing machine!
" "Lord Lanting," I said, "doesn't what you're doing violate the rule of 'in war, one should not kill envoys'?"
Although Heshu didn't intend to seek justice for Youliangha, a little provocation to gain the upper hand in the negotiations was a necessary step.
"To me, there are only enemies and friends; everything else is unimportant,"
I said calmly. "You can write to my emperor, accusing me of killing a beast who murdered tens of thousands of people in the Northwest… Hmph, don't you even consider that a beast is a beast? Just because he wears human skin doesn't mean I should reason with him!"
Heshu's face darkened. How could this young official from Liufeng Kingdom be so vulgar, so unlike the refined image of an official from a scholarly country?
He certainly looked down on me, but my words sounded perfectly acceptable to our side. Even a lady like Wang Miao'er, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, didn't find anything wrong with them.
He Shu, though displeased, didn't show it. "Alright, let's not talk about that. What General Youliangha said is our condition. Please consider it."
I nodded. "I'll say it again. How can you expect me to believe in your sincerity?"
He Shu thought for a moment and asked, "What do you think we should do?" "
It's simple. Release the people now, and then we'll discuss the terms."
"Do you think that's possible? What if we release them and you don't keep your promise?"
"Since you don't trust me, and I don't trust you, shouldn't we just forget about the exchange?"
"No, Lord Lanting, what do you think?"
He Shu pondered. "I'll go back and release ten thousand people first, then you give us half the ransom, then we'll release the remaining people, and finally you'll give us the balance."
"That sounds good."
I laughed. "Mr. He Shu, it's certainly convenient to talk to smart people."
"You agree to this method?"
He Shu said happily. "Very well, I'll go back and prepare. Tomorrow morning, we'll release the ten thousand people first."
"Wait."
I called out to him as he was about to leave. "Mr. Heshu, we haven't finished talking yet. What's the rush?"
"Not finished talking?"
Heshu looked at me, somewhat puzzled.
"We've only discussed how to pay the ransom and hand over the people, but we haven't settled on the amount yet,"
I said seriously.
"Well... originally, not a single sheep could be missing, but considering how straightforward you are, Lord Lanting, I'll take the liberty of making the decision myself. You only need to provide 450,000 fat sheep, 280,000 cattle, and 900,000 bolts of various silk fabrics. Hmm, but 80 million gold coins are a must. What do you think?"
Heshu looked pained; anyone who didn't know better would think he had made a great sacrifice.
I waved my hand, and Little Turtle stepped forward: "It's like this, Lord Heshu, to put it bluntly, those civilians you captured, we can consider them as having been tortured and killed after being captured. It's right not to save them. In the end, we'll just kill you, which will be revenge for them.
" "Don't rush to speak. Yes, my young master is very merciful and doesn't want any civilians to die or be injured, so he'll save those he can. But I also want to remind you, don't push us too far. After the Northwest was robbed by the Southern Desert Alliance, supplies are extremely scarce. If you want things we don't have at all, then I can't think of any other solution besides fighting to the death."
Wang Guowei praised him upon hearing this. Indeed, his words were straightforward enough, and such straightforwardness was indeed not suitable for Ren Lanting to say personally, otherwise it would be too cruel. Having Lanting's steward negotiate would be acceptable to either side.
Heshu said angrily, "You're disrespecting us... So what do you want?" "
Little Turtle said righteously, "In my opinion, we shouldn't pay these useless people at all. Since my young master has given the order, then so be it: 10,000 each for cattle and sheep, no silk or cloth to be discussed. Those bastards in the south and the capital are asking for prices like starving ghosts; we can't afford them. As for gold coins, we don't even have any ourselves, so how can we give them to you?"
If his anger was feigned earlier, He Shu was now truly furious and speechless: "Steward, are you joking? Your people aren't even worth a cow or sheep each?"
Little Turtle said, "They're not my relatives, what are they worth? If we release them, we'll have to rebuild their houses and provide them with necessities... Damn it, you could have just kidnapped them, why burn and smash them? It makes us spend more money!"
He Shu suppressed his anger and turned to me: "Lord Lanting, if you want this ignorant person to negotiate with me, then I'm going back." "
I raised my hand: 'Go north after you leave, don't get lost.'
Heshu trembled all over, looking like he was about to collapse from anger, but I could clearly see that his eyes remained expressionless. This guy's acting skills... well, they're almost as good as mine.
Youliangha, sitting on the ground next to me, had lost much of his previous aura. He wanted to say something, but seeing the large sword still standing upright on the ground, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
It took Heshu a while to regain his normal breathing. He said to Xiaogui, 'Steward, we absolutely cannot accept your conditions. We are here to negotiate seriously, and you should show us some sincerity.'
Xiaogui spread his hands: 'It's not that I'm not sincere, but I'm thinking that the price you're offering is more than you could get by robbing the three northwestern counties directly, so it's you who are not sincere.' Heshu
choked: 'Fine, I'll compromise one more time: 440,000 fat sheep, 270,000 cattle, 880,000 bolts of silk, and 79 million gold coins!'
'No, that's too much. '" "
After hearing my telepathic message, the little tortoise pondered, 'However, if you're willing to give me 200,000 fine horses, I might consider giving you that many.'
'200,000 fine horses? You…you…'
He Shu nearly fainted from anger. 'No way, absolutely not! Are you the ones ransoming them or us? Why are you making demands?'
'What I mean is, they're not worth that many. If you give us some fine horses, the money we paid will be accounted for, and it'll be better for everyone,'
the little tortoise said. 'Then how about this, we want 199,000 fine horses. If you dare say no, I'll turn against you!'
'Outrageous! How can you be so shameless?'
'Thanks to you, I learned this from you.'"
"..."
The two men's conversation quickly turned heated, one shouting too much, the other slashing too fiercely. A large group of us watched their sarcastic negotiation, a spectacle no less entertaining than a theatrical performance—at least the two beauties behind me were thoroughly enjoying it.
The negotiation didn't end until most of the soldiers had finished eating and started chatting and boasting.
The final result was that three days later, we would give them 400,000 sheep, 200,000 cattle, 500,000 bolts of silk, and 50 million gold coins; in return, they would release the people and give us 100,000 strong horses.
Heshu outwardly appeared dissatisfied, grumbling and cursing, but turned and left without saying a word. Inwardly, however, he was overjoyed; the amount was double what he had expected. Back in the tribe, he finally had something to show for it.
As for the horses, since everyone came to war with two horses, there were already plenty, and with around 100,000 deaths in this war, there were plenty of horses available. "Come on, the grasslands lack everything, but they don't lack horses. To get so much in return, it's all worth it.
" Besides, He Shu's mind was cunning: "Weren't our two northern tribes severely damaged this time? We can use the people of Liufeng Kingdom to distract those savages in the south. Anyway, with fine horses in the northwest, their first target will be the southern tribes. Whether they fight to the death is none of our business. This is killing two birds with one stone, watching the tigers fight from the mountain." He could hide his joy, but Youliangha couldn't suppress his smile, constantly aggravating his wounds—a bittersweet experience.
Youliangha had no reason not to be happy. He hadn't expected such a rich spoils, especially after a defeat. The elders and children of his tribe would surely admire him greatly.
After seeing them out, we sat down in a group. I had already arranged for Ma Mengfei and Zhang Bigeng to sit aside; it was time for internal discussion, and they weren't qualified yet.
"Young Master, why did you agree to this negotiation?" "I get angry just looking at these savages! Those damn bastards kidnapped my men and now they want me to pay ransom to get them back! If this gets out of hand, they'll do it every time! We won't even have to fight anymore, how convenient!"
Little Turtle started complaining. "After we kill them, won't all those horses be ours? Why would we need to buy them?"
Wang Guowei, used to our lack of respect, agreed, "Yes, Your Highness, you promised quite a lot. Even if the Northwest sold everything it owns, it wouldn't be able to come up with that much stuff right now."
Little Bird also retorted angrily, "Young Master, I'm not trying to be mean, but right now we're all powerless against each other, and we even have some advantages. Do we have to be so humiliated? It's just over 20,000 civilians. If you agree this time, what if they hold knives to our throats next time and force us to commit suicide? Would you be willing to do that?"
"Your Highness, we should save the people, but giving too much stuff isn't good." "
Wang Miao'er looked sympathetic. "But with 100,000 fine horses, at least we've regained some face."
Only the Jing Gong sisters stood firmly by my side: "Don't say that. Brother must have his reasons; he can't be wrong. Besides, isn't our Northwest lacking in good warhorses? Brother's ability to help buy them is a great achievement!"
I felt greatly comforted upon hearing this and squeezed their small hands to encourage them.
Then I looked at the group of people who were criticizing me: "Do you think I'm too weak?"
"Yes!"
came the rare unanimous reply.
“But what if they linger here harassing us, or take a detour to remote mountain areas to rob and kill? They still have 200,000 men. Before the new ‘Silver Tiger Legion’ is formed, and before the Wang family’s elite forces are nearly exhausted, what ability do we have to stop them?”
“We have already blocked their southward route. The rest is just for show. I don’t believe they can stay here indefinitely. The grasslands and deserts aren’t exactly peaceful places, are they?”
Wang Guowei expressed a different opinion.
“Alright, even if they go back in two or three months and come back again next year, what will we do then?”
I said gently. “Don’t tell me you have an absolute guarantee of defeating them within a year. This time we were mostly lucky, and we had the Wang family’s help. Next time it won’t be so easy.”
“You’ve given them so much to fatten them up. Next time they can summon even more barbarians, causing even greater damage to the Northwest.”
This time, it was Wang Miao’er who raised the question.
"Hmph, yes, I gave them a lot of stuff, tsk tsk, they returned laden with spoils, how impressive and happy they are... but they need to make sure they get back to their lair alive!"
I smiled slightly.
Everyone perked up at the sound.
Little Turtle and Little Bird lowered their voices: "Young Master, where should we ambush them? Damn, let's ambush them again, we've got plenty of experience."
Even Wang Guowei, a mature man, became somewhat hot-blooded because his side had been extorted for a large sum of money: "Your Highness, just give the order! The Wang family can gather a total of 20,000 men, ready to go with you to teach them a lesson!"
Wang Miao'er was also quick-witted: "Your Highness, we still have 50,000 'Silver Tiger Legion' soldiers in Xiliang City. Let them cooperate with us in a sniper battle, we're sure to succeed."
"Success is possible, but the last seed of the Northwest will be extinguished because of it."
I said softly, "We are civilized people, let's not bother with all the shouting and killing all the time."
"Not kill them? Do you think they'll obediently send the goods back?"
They were immediately puzzled.
"Hehe, I don't need to ask them to return anything. Giving them such generous supplies will inevitably attract some ruthless and impoverished people who want a share along the way."
"Ah...you mean..."
Wang Miao'er's eyes lit up, "The Southern Desert Tribes?"
"Yes! That's them!"
I smiled, "When the Northern Desert Cavalry was at its peak, they didn't dare to act rashly, but now the Northern Desert Cavalry has suffered almost half its casualties, leaving only 170,000 intact. They have to spare some men to care for the wounded and sick, and also to drive the cattle and sheep, so their flexibility has been greatly reduced.
"And the Southern Desert Tribes have suffered at our hands, receiving little, and have always had a grudge against the two major Northern Desert tribes. Now they have the opportunity to obtain incredibly rich resources and eliminate the main forces of the two major Northern Desert tribes, thereby seizing the vast territory of the Northern Desert. Do you think those people in the Southern Desert will be able to resist such a good thing?"
Wang Guowei clapped his hands: "Brilliant!"
"Otherwise, why do you think I gave them so much? If it weren't much, would the Southern Desert Tribes be tempted?" “
I told you what I was planning,” Little Turtle said. “Also, the reason I agreed to negotiate and deliver supplies immediately was to take advantage of the fact that their wounded and sick soldiers are not only unable to fight, but will also become a burden, further reducing their fighting strength and emboldening the southern tribes to take this gamble.”
Little Turtle said, “But will the southern tribes really fall for it? Even if they win, it will only be a Pyrrhic victory, right? Will they be able to resist the forces from us or the eastern desert?”
“Only the southern tribes know how vulnerable the northwest truly is, because they are the culprits behind this disaster. They know that we need to recuperate and recover for at least a year or two, and this time is precisely the time for them to grow stronger,”
I replied. “As for the Chahar tribe in the eastern desert, I heard that they have recently been fighting several tribes in the central grasslands, suffering heavy losses. Even the prime minister of Huayun Kingdom has been alarmed and wants to mediate.” "
It's said that several large tribes in the central region united and utterly defeated the Chahar, who lost all the land they had previously occupied,"
Wang Miao'er echoed. This intelligence came from the city garrison guards who had gone out to gather information.
Although Huayun Kingdom was the largest of the three kingdoms, spanning the northern grasslands of the continent, due to the numerous tribes within its borders, it actually controlled only the northern, eastern, southeastern, south-central, and part of the central grasslands, occupying more than half of the grasslands, which was also the most fertile area.
Most of the central, western, and southwestern grasslands were inhabited by tribes of varying sizes. The western and southwestern parts, which we commonly call the desert, were vast but extremely barren.
The Chahar tribe in the eastern desert, the most powerful tribe in the desert, looked down on their smaller brothers in the northern and southern deserts. They only cared about the vast grasslands in the central region, concentrating all their fighting power there. In the words of one of their powerful figures, "Even if we're poor, we won't fight those savages for territory." "
So we don't need to worry about them seizing the territory of the Northern and Southern Deserts at all. "
I added, "Also, you should note that it's precisely because the Southern Desert Allied Army suffered so many losses this time that they want to acquire more resources, and even more people... If they absorb the 200,000 Northern Desert cavalry into their own tribes, wouldn't they become their own force in three to five years? Such things don't happen often on the grasslands, do they?"
"If we take advantage of the opportunity to annex the 200,000 people, it's possible to conquer the strongholds of the two Northern Desert tribes
in one fell swoop," Wang Guowei agreed with my point of view. "However, even if only 150,000 of the 200,000 Northern Desert cavalry remain intact, the tribes of the Southern Desert might not be able to defeat them." "
Who wins or loses doesn't matter to us. The Northern and Southern Deserts will be severely weakened, and it won't recover for decades."
A fierce glint flashed across my face. "I'd also be interested in leading my iron cavalry to their territory then, to repay these barbarians for what they did in the Northwest!"
"Heh, you're right!" "
Little Turtle and Little Bird nodded repeatedly, saying that the two stewards would naturally follow me on my trip to the grasslands.
"We still have a lot to do now,"
I began to instruct. "Miss Miao'er, send a message to Xiliang City by carrier pigeon, telling them to engage the Northern Desert cavalry roaming around Xiliang City as soon as possible, kill as many as they can, don't be afraid of losses!"
"Why? Didn't we negotiate with them?"
Wang Miao'er asked doubtfully. "Won't doing this encourage them to attack the hostages?"
"No, they care about whether we give a generous ransom, so the hostages are very safe. Besides, those roaming Xiliang City aren't from the two major tribes. If we help eliminate them, they won't have to worry about how to suppress those smaller tribes when they return. It's a good thing."
"Hmm... Your Highness is right,"
Wang Guowei said. "Moreover, they have no idea that Your Highness's purpose in weakening their strength is to make it easier for the Southern Desert tribes to launch successful surprise attacks. These subordinate small tribe cavalry are gone
once they're eliminated." Wang Miao'er understood: "I'll send the carrier pigeon right away." I said to Wang Guowei, "
Uncle Wang, whatever method you use, you must find someone to send messages to all the tribes in the southern desert by this time tomorrow and establish contact, so that they can be informed of the movements of the northern desert cavalry at any time."
Wang Guowei nodded and said, "Your Highness, how about I double the ransom?"
I thought for a moment and said, "That's fine. Anyway, they'll send scouts to check first. They'll see countless cattle and sheep all over the mountains and carts full of silk and cloth, and they'll believe it."
The head of the Wang family nodded and went to make the arrangements.
Once everyone was out of sight, Little Bird interjected, "Young Master, won't the people of the many tribes in the Southern Desert know it's a trap?"
"They definitely will. Their female strategist isn't an ordinary person."
"Then will they still fall for it?"
"It's not a question of falling for it. If we let the Northern Desert cavalry take back their rich spoils, they'll gain more vassals from smaller tribes. By next year, after they've digested everything, they're very likely to attack the many tribes in the Southern Desert."
I said confidently, "Rather than waiting to be slaughtered and swallowed up later, it's better to strike now. Besides, the benefits of acting now are numerous!"

Chapter Four: The Barbarian Woman's Clever Scheme.
In the southwestern part of the Southern Desert, beside a large lake, countless tents were built along the water's edge. This was the lair of the newly powerful Liji tribe.
The flickering torches, seen from afar, resembled countless stars in the sky, and combined with the tranquil beauty of the lake, created a scene reminiscent of the vastness of the starry sky.
Around the tents by the lake, bonfires blazed, and joyful young women danced and sang with their lovers—a scene of perfect harmony. However, this joyous scene was built upon the spoils of war plundered from the northwest.
Thanks to the machinations of Princess Bilan of the Liji tribe, the Dangxiang people had escaped a great calamity and nearly annihilated the "Silver Tiger Legion," the most feared army of the southern desert tribes. Therefore, when distributing the spoils, the Dangxiang chieftain, Kejiyun, specifically suggested giving the largest share to the Liji tribe as a token of gratitude for their help.
The Liji tribe not only received 80,000 head of cattle and sheep but also 100,000 women and children, along with treasures and grain totaling 20 million gold coins—a substantial gain for a small tribe like the Liji. With proper herding and distribution, the tribe's youth would grow up, the children would integrate into the tribe, and the plundered women would bear many children for the tribe's men… Within ten years, the Liji tribe's strength could double.
The other tribes fared similarly; though they suffered considerable losses, they also gained much. Most importantly, they nearly annihilated the "Silver Tiger Legion," shattering a sword hanging over their heads, which greatly pleased them.
The five tribes were preparing for winter, but carrier pigeons landed in their respective territories, bringing news that forced them to reconvene in the Riji tribe's main tent to discuss their survival.
Inside the tent, surrounded by the fierce guards of the six tribes, sat the chieftains of the six tribes; even the elders were not allowed to sit. However, besides these six, a beautiful young woman sat alone. The
beautiful girl was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a delicate and lively face. Her clear, bright eyes were deep and unfathomable; when she looked at someone, it felt like drinking fine wine. Her exquisitely small cherry lips and smooth, rosy cheeks further enhanced her captivating charm.
The girl's skin, tanned to a bronze color by the abundant sunshine of the grassland, had long legs and a slender waist. She exuded a vibrant youth and healthy aura, often inspiring those who saw her to fantasize about how blissful it would be to hold such a girl beneath them and make love to her!
Those who were captivated by the girl's stunning beauty also remembered that Princess Bilan was not only the daughter of the chieftain of the Liji tribe, but also the disciple of Gebuluhan, the national advisor of the Huayun Kingdom. The national advisor was renowned for his protectiveness of his own, and his extraordinary martial arts skills and wisdom were admired by everyone on the grassland.
Chief Mamda of the Chachin tribe was speaking loudly: "Brothers, our chance to dominate the desert has arrived! What are you waiting for? Quickly go back and gather your fierce tribesmen to kill those defeated generals and seize their wealth! As long as we kill their army of 200,000, the women and people of the Guligan and Geluo tribes will be ours!"
A Zhezhan, chief of the Ciyi tribe, agreed: "These two venomous snakes have oppressed us for years. Now we finally have our chance. If we miss this opportunity, we will be sinners against the people of southern desert! Everyone, let's send out our troops!"
Kejiyun, chief of the Dangxiang tribe, the largest tribe in southern desert, was much more cautious: "Even with their losses, they still have 150,000 men. The wounded can be useful in an emergency. 170,000 to 180,000 cavalry wouldn't be a problem normally, but now our five tribes have also suffered greatly..." "Even if we manage to gather 200,000, can we win?"
Baotu tribe chief Shuliang nodded and said, "Yes, all six of our tribes combined only have 200,000. What will we do if we fail? We should observe first before making any plans."
Taiwu tribe chief Yata, a man with a fiery temper, immediately shouted angrily, "Observe? Do you know that millions of cattle and sheep, a million bolts of fine silk, and hundreds of millions of gold coins—if these things fall into the hands of these two tribes, how many grassland warriors will they gather? All those wandering small tribes will rush to join them. After winter, when spring comes next year, who will be the first to be attacked? Can't you see it clearly?"
All five chiefs had expressed their opinions, and now it was three to two, with three in favor and two against. Only the last one, Liji tribe chief Duoluban, remained silent.
Duoluban was plump and had a kind face; he was clearly a gentle old man, which explained why his tribe had only a mere 150,000 people before.
Seeing everyone looking at him, Duoluban laughed and smoothed things over: "I think everyone's opinions are all based on their own considerations, and they're all good. It seems like fighting or not fighting is fine... As for the specifics, I guess everyone would like to hear my daughter's opinion, right?"
Everyone thought to themselves: 'Nonsense, if we don't listen to Princess Bilan, who possesses both beauty and wisdom, who would want to hear you talk about playing chess and drinking tea?' Princess Bilan had been listening to them the whole time, her face showing no emotion. Her faint smile gave people a sense of calm and composure, and it was precisely this understanding of everything that made her so admirable.
Since it was her father speaking, Princess Bilan nodded and smiled, "Dear uncles and elders, since you think highly of Bilan, then Bilan will speak frankly. We must fight this great battle with the northern tribes, we absolutely must fight it. If we miss this opportunity, many of our tribes in the southern desert will be humiliated by the old traitors and never be able to rise again!"
She paused, then added, "However, how to fight specifically, and how to win, these are all things that need careful consideration. We absolutely cannot exhaust all our strength just to eliminate two evil wolves and let others benefit."
The girl's words were impartial and, in fact, the same as what her father had said. However, the five tribal chiefs felt that Princess Bilan's words were very pleasing to the ear.
"Alright, Bilan, just say it. Uncle Kejiyun believes in you. It's time for our six tribes to unite again!"
The chief of the Dangxiang tribe was the first to stand up and agree with Princess Bilan, which really surprised everyone, because he had been the most mature and steady person just now, but now he had gone to the other extreme.
Unbeknownst to them, Ke Jiyun had nearly been surrounded and devoured by Chen Fuyue in the last war due to his overconfidence. Although the five tribes helped him escape, the lesson was too profound. From then on, Ke Jiyun warned himself never to act impulsively or look down on heroes, which was why he had been so cautious earlier.
However, when Princess Bilan appeared, Ke Jiyun, deeply impressed by her wisdom, immediately realized that this incredibly intelligent young woman must have a complete plan before daring to mobilize everyone. Thinking of the many benefits he could gain, Ke Jiyun felt he had to express his stance immediately.
Even Yata, with her fiery temper, laughed heartily: "Yes, niece, just tell us what to do, and we'll cooperate fully. The warriors of the Taiwu tribe admire you greatly; just give the order, and they certainly won't let you down!"
The other three immediately echoed her sentiments, agreeing to follow Princess Bilan's plan.
Princess Bilan's prestige wasn't solely built upon the previous victory over Chen Fuyue.
After defeating Chen Fuyue, she ordered the six tribes to leave Xiliang City directly, sending only a small contingent of cavalry to monitor and intimidate the area. The rest quickly marched south, eliminating all reinforcements arriving from various regions before plundering the area between Huaiyuan City and Xiliang City.
However, they ignored her advice. Fueled by their deep attachment to Xiliang City, the six-tribe coalition chose to attack the fortified city, intending to plunder its mountains of grain, jewels, and wealth, and to take its hundreds of thousands of women and children back to the grasslands. Their ultimate goal was to plunder until Xiliang City was completely destroyed, never again becoming a thorn in their side as they grazed their herds in the northwest.
But their plan backfired. Each time they were close to conquering the city, the Xiliang defenders thwarted their advance. In the end, no fewer than 100,000 warriors from the six tribes fell beneath the walls of Xiliang City—even more losses than during the siege of the "Silver Tiger Legion." Finally, when they sent a carrier pigeon to Princess Bilan, who had returned to the Liji tribe's territory, she ordered them not to engage the Xiliang defenders in direct combat, but instead to surround the city and plunder its surroundings. Only then did they manage to amass such a vast fortune.
Back in their tribe, everyone pondered the situation. If they had followed Princess Bilan's plan from the beginning after defeating the "Silver Tiger Legion," they wouldn't have lost so many men. They could have also ventured deep into the northwest to plunder, gaining twice as much as they had!
One wrong decision had cost the six tribes an additional 100,000 men. This painful lesson solidified their resolve to support Princess Bilan's decision.
Princess Bilan knew these people well. With a quick thought, her expression turned solemn: "My uncles and elders, please don't think that just because I devised the plan, we'll definitely win. In fact, we've been forced into a corner. A slight misstep could lead to utter destruction. We must be extremely careful."
Everyone was startled. Azhe asked, "What? Besides those 200,000 troops, are we in any other danger?" Just as
Princess Bilan was about to speak, hurried footsteps sounded outside. A maid standing at the door lifted the tent flap, took a carrier pigeon from the visitor, removed the scroll from it, and presented it to Princess Bilan with both hands.
The beautiful princess glanced at the contents, a smile that was hard to decipher as either joy or annoyance immediately appearing on her lips. She said nothing, simply handing the paper containing the intelligence to the six clan chiefs.
"Hahaha, excellent! Xiliang City has wiped out another 20,000 troops! That leaves them with only 130,000 unharmed men. Our chances of victory are even greater this time!"
Yata was the first to laugh, and the other five clan chiefs were equally excited. Wasn't this heaven's will to annex the Northern Desert?
"Do you really think so?"
Princess Bilan countered.
Seeing her calm expression, everyone's smiles faded. Shu Liang said, "Bilan, do you feel something's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy?"
"Happy? Why should I be happy?"
Princess Bilan lightly slapped her forehead. "Oh, right, I'm really happy. Xiliang City is truly our good friend. They were worried we couldn't handle these 200,000 men, and they've helped us reduce the enemy's strength. With 20,000 fewer men, we can fight to the death even more fiercely." This joke was
n't funny at all.
All six clan leaders were outstanding individuals, and after a little thought, they figured it out. Mamda slapped his thigh and said, "So they wanted to sit back and watch the tigers fight!"
"If we both suffer heavy losses... wouldn't those cowards from Liufeng Kingdom be the ones who benefit in the end?"
Yata, who had always maintained a tough stance, couldn't help but ask hesitantly, "Bilan, how about we negotiate with the two clans and let them leave if they leave half of their wealth?"
His suggestion almost made Princess Bilan laugh and cry at the same time. She glanced around and found that everyone seemed to agree.
"Elders, if you share Uncle Yata's thoughts, then you'd better wait for others to annex our tribe!"
Princess Bilan said resolutely. "The two major tribes of the Northern Desert have never taken us seriously. Under normal circumstances, their 150,000 men are enough to defeat our 200,000. In this situation, if you go to them to ask for things, isn't that like snatching food from a tiger's mouth? It would probably lead to a fight right then and there! And in a head-on battle, do we have any hope of winning?"
Princess Bilan spoke very directly, and the faces of the six tribal chiefs turned red, but the nature of the grassland people was still more straightforward, and in the blink of an eye they returned to normal.
Doluban coughed lightly: "Bilan, stop being so mysterious. Tell us in detail what to do and how to do it. Father knows you have a way to deal with it. Don't just scare us; we can't take being scared."
The girl thought to herself, "Don't think that just because my father doesn't usually get involved in affairs, he's been smoothing things over at this time. It's really a sign of his tact and has given me a chance to change the subject."
"Father!"
Princess Bilan stamped her foot, feigning helplessness. "I'm telling you, I'm afraid you'll underestimate the enemy again, like you did in Xiliang City last time, and suffer heavy losses!"
Several clan elders blushed, thinking this girl was being unfair, always bringing up the past.
Princess Bilan's delicate face quickly turned serious: "Uncles and elders, now I'll share my thoughts. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
She was determined not to go home in a huff like last time, causing everyone heavy losses. This time, she had to persuade them; only through cooperation could they achieve victory.
"Alright, speak quickly!"
The six clan elders sat up straight, their eyes fixed on her, their expressions resembling those of children in a school.

Chapter Five: What's in Your Hands
Fifty million gold coins were easy to raise, but the remaining four hundred thousand sheep, two hundred thousand cattle, and five hundred thousand bolts of silk were more difficult.
I held a few gold notes in my hand, slipped into my pocket by my wife Yunfu before I came to the Northwest. It was roughly a hundred million gold coins
. I wondered if Emperor Kangzong would be furious if he knew his daughter was siding with outsiders? Four hundred thousand sheep, two hundred thousand cattle, and five hundred thousand bolts of silk—in the past, these would have only cost ten million gold coins to acquire in the Northwest.
But at current prices, with the area around Xiliang City and Huaiyuan City completely ravaged, the people's livelihood severely impacted, and a large number of soldiers gathered in Xiliang City, requiring even more supplies. Aside from these, the Northwest couldn't really muster many resources. And transporting them from elsewhere would double the cost. Even as a court official, I couldn't force a sale.
Thinking of this unpleasant thought, I, the young master, indulged in a kind of self-deception: You old emperor, you won't give me money, huh? This time I've used up my hundred million gold coins; next time, I'll just have my dear Yunfu take more from your imperial treasury!
I still entrusted Wang Guowei to send people to collect cattle, sheep, silk, and cloth from the surrounding counties. His influence extends beyond the three northwestern provinces, and the Wang family is not only a martial arts family but also a commercial family. Merchants from other places will give him face.
In order to save time, Wang Guowei specifically told the Wang family's out-of-town managers via carrier pigeon that the merchants should bring their own cattle, sheep, silk, and cloth. The earlier they arrive, the higher the price, and there is no limit to the quantity. He will take as much as he has.
For merchants, the allure of money surpassed everything else in the world. For instance, a cow in their prefecture could only fetch two gold coins, but if they were quick, they could get it to Huaiyuan City for up to ten gold coins—what a tempting offer!
So, that very night, the road to the northwest was crammed with carts of all sizes and herds of cattle and sheep, either loaded onto carts or driven along, a dense, endless stream.
Silk and cloth were a little easier to transport, being convenient and small in size; the fastest arrived by horseback the following afternoon. Cattle and sheep, however, were much slower, and the first batch arrived by carriage on the third night.
Upon hearing the news of our high-priced purchase of cattle and sheep, the people of the three northwestern prefectures were immediately dissatisfied. The county and prefectural magistrates, entrusted by the gentry and the people, sought out the stewards of the royal families in their respective regions, asking why they didn't favor their own people when there was good fortune to be had.
Wang Guowei, upon hearing the report, couldn't help but smile bitterly, thinking: 'I am trying to help you, but don't deplete your resources. What will you do after selling those useful cattle and sheep?' "We can't sell our means of livelihood just to make money, can we?" However, since the cattle and sheep from other places were indeed too slow, and these people had come to us of their own accord, there was no reason not to accept them.
So, after discussing it with me, Wang Guowei also issued a purchase order to the Northwest, with prices three times the market price. The people of the Northwest responded with smiles.
With the addition of cattle and sheep from the people of the Northwest, it took a full five days to gather the required number, two days longer than scheduled.
The exchange went very smoothly.
The leaders of both tribes did not mention at all the fact that Xiliang City had mobilized 200,000 troops to besiege 20,000 cavalry a few days ago. This left Gan Kunzhong, the prefect of Xishuo County in charge of the handover, deeply impressed.
When the prefect first heard about this, he turned pale with fright because I had specifically asked him to be in charge of the handover. Gan Kunzhong thought I disliked him and wanted to replace him as prefect.
However, a high-ranking imperial envoy, especially one with immense power, was not someone Gan Kunzhong could easily challenge. Therefore, he arrived trembling with fear, racking his brains for ways to save his life, only to find nothing amiss, leaving him with nothing to worry about.
These past few days, I haven't been idle either. I've sent Little Turtle and Little Bird to lead the royal cavalry, constantly changing their clothes and horses, to wander around the northern desert cavalry camp.
Because we paid attention to the details of changing identities, to the northern desert cavalry, it appeared as if at least 50,000 royal cavalry were lurking around, and having suffered enough at the hands of the royal elite cavalry, they were wary and didn't consider engaging in battle.
The leaders of the Geluo and Guligan tribes this time were Heshu and Youliangha, who had come to the hill to negotiate last time. Heshu was the leader, and Youliangha was the deputy; otherwise, they wouldn't have the authority to make decisions.
To Heshu's delight, after five days of rest, 30,000 of their 50,000 wounded soldiers with minor injuries had returned to their ranks; 10,000 with more serious injuries were now able to ride horses and manage cattle, sheep, and the transport of cloth and silk without difficulty; and only less than 10,000 remained unable to move.
This was equivalent to adding 30,000 combat troops and necessary escort and transport personnel, significantly restoring their strength. Heshu was no longer afraid of our sudden attack, believing that we were unwilling to risk losing all our resources.
Busy receiving valuables and livestock, the Northern Desert cavalry were virtually oblivious to intelligence gathering, especially regarding the situation between Xiliang City and the grasslands.
On the vast grasslands, hundreds of carrier pigeons flew back and forth, while the Southern Desert cavalry, now dressed in Northwest attire, tirelessly shuttled between the two regions, gathering intelligence on the Northern Desert cavalry and monitoring the movements of Xiliang City.
The elite armies of the six tribes of the Southern Desert began their operations according to Princess Bilan's orders. Simultaneously, they scouted the movements of the remaining troops in the Northern Desert. Under the clever girl's command, a massive trap was being set up against the Northern cavalry.
In terms of cavalry strength, the Northern cavalry was far more ferocious than the Southern ones. A thousand Northern cavalrymen could easily kill two thousand Southern cavalrymen in a direct confrontation. They still had at least 150,000 men remaining, their fighting power far exceeding that of the Southern tribes. If things went wrong, it could plunge many Southern tribes into dire straits.
Princess Bilan's plan was clever. She sent me a message saying: "I hope that when the great battle begins, I can lead the royal elite to launch a surprise attack on the Northern cavalry from the rear. We'll split the spoils equally, and you'll also get another 100,000 horses."
Faced with this extremely tempting offer, I refused without hesitation. This enchantress was so powerful; what if she ended up eating us too? I'd seen many examples of people who tried to steal a chicken but lost their rice instead.
In fact, Princess Bilan thought the same thing. The best course of action was for us to attack first, then have the Northern Desert cavalry wipe us out, and then the Southern Desert allied forces could launch a surprise attack, making things much easier.
When I refused, Princess Bilan wasn't discouraged and kept raising her demands, eventually offering two-eighths of the terms, but I still didn't agree.
Finally, the young woman got angry and threatened that if I didn't agree to send reinforcements, she wouldn't send any troops either, and we'd see how badly the Northwest fared next year.
I replied that before the Northwest fell, several tribes in the Southern Desert would definitely be wiped out first, and then a place would be reserved for her
in the young master's room, provided she could escape. One can imagine that upon seeing this reply, Princess Bilan wanted to tie me up and beat me, but she also understood my attitude: I would only provide information, absolutely not participate. After all, the biggest threat to the two Northern Desert tribes wasn't our Xiliang City, but the numerous tribes in the Southern Desert.
Based on this alone, no matter how clever Princess Bilan was, she couldn't force us to do anything.
After the handover was completed, the Northern Desert cavalry lingered for an extra day before slowly retreating into the desert.
Ahead of them were 20,000 cavalry leading the way, followed by 10,000 escorting cattle, sheep, and silk fabrics, flanked by 10,000 cavalry on each side, and the main force of 150,000 men at the rear.
Until they left the territory of Huaiyuan City, the city's army did not emerge; only I led over 10,000 elite royal troops in pursuit, maintaining a distance of twenty li, ensuring they were neither worried nor too relaxed.
The Northern Desert cavalry traveled a full day from Huaiyuan City to Xiliang City, leisurely and without a care in the world.
Of course, their scouts were diligent, covering all sides, with a reconnaissance range exceeding fifty li. At least five thousand men rotated their patrols to ensure they wouldn't be ambushed again.
Upon reaching the vicinity of Xiliang City, the Northern Desert cavalry ignored the soldiers standing on the city walls; their leisurely demeanor infuriated those outside, who wished they could immediately rush out of the city and kill these bastards.
He Shu observed our reactions along the way. He felt much more at ease when he saw the Liu Feng soldiers glaring angrily at them. He would have been uneasy if they had calmly seen them off.
Riding his steed, He Shu gazed at the endless expanse of cattle and sheep, thinking of the gold coins hidden in the carriage behind him. Even with his usual composure, he felt a little lightheaded.
So much stuff—even robbery could only yield this much, right?
Fortunately, he was quick-witted and knew to use hostages to force the young duke to submit.
It seemed unbelievable, but the news from Liu Feng's spies was that this young duke was hot-tempered and had offended several of their princes, which was why he had been exiled here.
He had only dared to do this because he knew the duke was new to the Northwest and didn't want him to cause trouble and be impeached by the Liu Feng court. The power struggles in the court were far more important than this money.
Valuable intelligence, if used properly, could be a great asset! It seemed he needed to return and discuss with the clan chief about strengthening intelligence gathering on Liu Feng.
"Clatter, clatter, clatter..."
The sound of galloping horses came rapidly, and a group of riders approached swiftly. Leading them was Youliangha. Although he had lost an arm, his robust physique allowed him to ride again in just a few days, much to the dismay of Heshu, who had always disliked him.
"Hey, Heshu, boss," Youliangha shouted, "the men checked, and that brat Ren Lanting hasn't led his troops to follow us. They're at least fifty li away, and they're heading towards Xiliang City. Looks like they won't be chasing us anymore.
See? I told you he wouldn't dare fight us to the death!"
"It's better to be careful. We can't let our guard down
," Heshu said with a smile. "By the way, we're only two hundred li from the Baotu tribe's territory in Mobei, right? General Youliangha, I'll have to trouble you to have the men keep a close eye on things. We're carrying too much stuff; it's hard to guarantee those savages won't have malicious intentions."
"Hmph, Brother Heshu, you're being too cautious. What are those savages in Mo Nan? If it weren't for the fact that we all belong to the same race, we would have wiped them out long ago,"
Youliangha said dismissively. "Besides, last time they attacked Xiliang City and were driven back, suffering heavy losses. Even if they all united, they would only have a maximum of 200,000 troops. I can wipe them all out with 50,000 men. I think they know that."
Heshu nodded. In fact, he thought so too. Even the most powerful Dangxiang tribe in Mo Nan was defeated by a 10,000-strong unit of his Guligan tribe five years ago, losing 50,000 men and fleeing in terror. Now he had 150,000 men under his command. They were probably terrified and cowering with their tails between their legs, right?
Thinking of this, Heshu's heart skipped a beat: Should he wipe them out as well? Anyway, I brought so many men this time, and I heard they profited quite a bit from their raid on the Northwest last time…
After pondering for a long time, He Shu finally decided to give up. Firstly, he had already brought back a very rich spoils; secondly, the warriors were too tired and needed to rest; thirdly, the Geluo tribe was closer to the southern desert, and if they were to take it now, wouldn't they benefit greatly? Although the two tribes intermarried a lot and were as close as family, it's never as good as being good to oneself!
※※※ September 16th, a dark and windy night.
Five days had passed since the Northern Desert cavalry entered the desert.
The cattle and sheep were in paradise on the grasslands, grazing and slowly walking across the vast plains, enjoying the comfort of nature. They moved very slowly, so they had only traveled less than a thousand li so far.
In the main hall of the city's governor's mansion in Xiliang City, a huge map of the western desert grasslands, measuring five meters in length and width, was displayed before us.
The major powers of the desert are marked on the map, and the small red flag planted on it represents the current location of the Northern Desert cavalry.
They have now passed through the core area of the southern desert tribes and are about 900 li away from their northern border. If the cavalry travels at full speed, they can return home in a day and a night.
It is this sense of ease at the approach of home that has gradually lowered the Northern Desert cavalry's vigilance to its lowest point.
I discussed with Wang Guowei and the others that if Princess Bilan wants to ambush the Northern Desert cavalry, it must be tonight. Otherwise, a daytime attack is not possible. By tomorrow night, they will only be 500 or 600 li away from the northern desert, and they might send people to meet them.
In order to accurately know the beginning and end of this battle, I sent out all the city guards familiar with the grasslands. The remaining 1,800 or so men were divided into numerous small teams and followed the Northern Desert cavalry into the grasslands.
Each team carried ten carrier pigeons, which would continuously transmit information once the battle began.
Outside, Wang Miao'er and her men were responsible for receiving the carrier pigeons, but the little turtle and the little bird seemed a bit nervous, frequently checking the door, unlike the composed Wang Guowei and I.
As for the Jinggong sisters, they only cared about me and nothing else. Since they had nothing else to do, they sat on chairs, sewing gloves and a belt for me while chatting and laughing in Japanese.
Even Wang Guowei, who wasn't obsessed with women, couldn't help but secretly give me a thumbs up: "Your Highness, your concubines are truly wonderful!"
I was overjoyed: "Indeed, they are the most outstanding young women of the Japanese tribe. To have them is the greatest blessing of my life!"
Hearing this, the Jinggong sisters looked up and gave me sweet smiles.
My heart warmed, and I thought that since there hadn't been any news for so long, should I take my two good wives into the room and do what a husband and wife should do, to please ourselves?
"They're here!"
Just as this thought crossed my mind, Wang Miao'er's delighted voice came from outside.
Before I could finish speaking, the girl stepped in, holding a slip of paper. When she placed it on the table, I was taken aback. The paper contained no words, but a large drawing: a circle surrounded by arrows pointing in both directions.
"What does this mean?"
I asked.
"It seems to indicate that the Southern Desert Allied Forces are using the same tactic as us, launching a simultaneous two-pronged attack,"
Wang Miao'er explained.
"No, I asked why it's done in the form of drawings?"
"It seems...it seems like none of these people can read..."
Little Bird leaned closer, "Very few of those martial arts practitioners have ever been to school."
"I thought I was pretty uneducated, but I didn't expect them to be even more capable than me. I guess I should be proud."
I said, half-laughing and half-crying, "Alright, tonight we'll play riddles."
Wang Miao'er smiled, this Lanting Gong came from a small county town, so he must be a spoiled brat, but he doesn't seem so bad. At least he knows a little about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting...
If the second young lady of the Wang family knew that I learned these things just to pick up girls, she would probably call me a "pervert" on the spot. Soon the second picture came back, the two armies were met with fierce resistance, and the arrow symbols stopped before they even got close to the center of the camp.
"Damn it, these bastards can't be that weak, can they? Don't let them counterattack and wipe out our entire clan!"
Little Bird said anxiously.
"Calm down, calm down!"
I patted the chief steward on the shoulder. "Princess Bilan could even outwit Chen Fuyue, let alone these guys she knows so well!"
Despite my encouragement, they were clearly not entirely at ease. The Northern Desert cavalry had always been stronger than the Southern Desert cavalry, and He Shu was a master strategist. After being ambushed by us last time, he would definitely be extra cautious, and the chances of him falling for it a second time were slim.
The third image continued to show a pessimistic outlook. The two arrows not only didn't move inward, but instead retreated, while two troops chased after them from the camp, clearly intending to capture and kill them.
Half an hour later, the fourth image appeared. Besides the four armies chasing outside, an enormous arrow, starting from the direction the Northern Desert cavalry had advanced, charged into their camp. The person who drew the image also used a demon's face next to the arrow, pointing directly at the center of the Northern Desert cavalry.
"This demon represents that the people who charged in were too fierce. The Northern Desert cavalry couldn't stop them and were slaughtered,"
Little Turtle said, offering his interpretation.
"That little girl, Bilan, is really ruthless!"
I shook my head. "They actually sacrificed two troops to lull the enemy into a false sense of security, then wagered their last trump card for a desperate escape. That's what you call a seemingly bad hand, but when you put together the last card, it's a sure-fire victory!"
"To be able to explain military strategy through the lens of gambling, Your Highness's knowledge is truly profound."
I couldn't tell if Wang Miao'er's words were a compliment or a sarcastic remark.
I didn't dwell on it. These past few days, I've found the girl increasingly pleasing to the eye. Putting aside everything else, just based on her single-minded dedication to the Northwest, even her willingness to fight to the death, I shouldn't get angry over her bad temper... Liu Ri is known for his magnanimity and tolerance!
Half an hour later, the fifth image arrived. The large circle on it had been cut into pieces, and several arrows representing the Northern Desert cavalry were running in all directions, but they were surrounded by constantly appearing arrows, engaged in a life-or-death struggle.
"The situation is settled!"
Wang Guowei laughed heartily, his expression completely relaxed. He even felt like joking now. "These little brats are so ignorant, they can't even read! When they get back, Miao'er, go find a few dozen old scholars and make sure they learn all the classical Chinese!"
"Yes!"
Wang Miao'er replied instinctively, but remembering these guys who only knew how to brandish swords and spears, their faces full of worry as they practiced writing with brushes, the girl giggled.
"Hahaha..."
Accompanying the crisp laughter was our hearty laughter, sweeping away the heaviness of the city magistrate's mansion for the past few days. Even the maids passing by couldn't help but smile slightly...
※※※ Three days later, an urgent document was delivered by falcon to a snow-capped mountain in the northeastern part of the Great Plains.
Although the mountainside was constantly covered in snow and wind, several small thatched huts still stood there, unchanged for decades. A page took an iron tube from the falcon's feet, and a document written on silk was quickly delivered into the hut.
Inside the room sat a chessboard. To the left sat a handsome, middle-aged man with a full head of white hair, his face gentle and devoid of any anger. Opposite him sat a young man in his thirties, strikingly handsome yet not at all frivolous. Holding a chess piece, he was deep in thought.
The middle-aged man picked up a document, glanced at it, smiled faintly, and then handed it back to the young man.
This action interrupted the young man's contemplation. He immediately put down the chess piece, took the document with both hands, and showed his respect for the middle-aged man.
After watching for a moment, the young man smiled: "Teacher, Junior Sister did a good job. She annihilated a combined army of 200,000 from the Guligan and Geluo tribes, capturing 50,000 and seizing countless cattle, sheep, cloth, silk, and gold coins. Her own casualties were only a mere 100,000. With this battle over, it's time for her Liji tribe to enter a period of rapid development."
The middle-aged man nodded: "Don't rush to praise her. You, the God of War, should evaluate her. What mistakes did she make?"
The young man hesitated slightly before speaking: "Junior Sister chose a time a bit too early. If she had chosen to attack when they had one foot in the northern steppe, it would have been much easier to succeed, because that's when the armies of the two northern tribes are most relaxed and least vigilant."
"Is that all?"
"Hehe, Teacher, you've forced Junior Sister to scold me!"
"Don't mind her. She's so ruthless at such a young age. If we don't teach her a lesson, she'll think she can become a God of War like you."
"If I had to say something more, it would be that she shouldn't have let the cattle and sheep go just because she wanted to keep them for herself. If it were me, I would have first selected a group of nimble men to infiltrate the livestock pens of the Northern Desert army and used the fire ox formation to break through the enemy's lines. That way, she would have lost at least 50,000 fewer men... She hasn't understood that victory only has meaning if one maximizes their own survival. And with well-trained soldiers, those cattle and sheep can always be taken again."
"Hmm, write this down and tell her to reflect on it. Be a little harsh with her; she still needs to work on her character!"
"Yes, teacher, I understand."

Chapter Six: Subtle Praise
Under the Guts. I only felt truly at ease after the ambush ended and I received the battle report.
Of the 200,000 people from the Guligan and Geluo tribes, only less than 2,000 survivors managed to escape, including Heshu and Youliangha.
The allied forces of the six tribes in southern Mongolia suffered 80,000 dead and 20,000 wounded, but captured 50,000 northern Mongolian cavalry. While much of the ransom we provided was lost in the fighting, 90% of the goods still ended up in their hands.
I immediately had Wang Miao'er send this news by carrier pigeon to the Chahar tribe, letting them know how much of a windfall their neighboring tribes had made.
Aside from the fact that we didn't have enough troops to ultimately intervene and wipe out the southern Mongolian allied forces, the overall result was quite satisfactory.
The six-tribe allied forces not only have to contend with the two northern Mongolian tribes' frenzied counterattacks, but also the wolves of eastern Mongolia. How much of their gains they can hold onto is a question.
Next year! As long as we wait until next summer, I will be able to train at least 200,000 elite troops to crush those bastards in southern Mongolia. For now, let them fight amongst themselves!
That evening, I hosted a grand banquet at the city garrison, personally prepared by Xiao Yu, a skilled cook, to entertain the hardworking Wang family father and daughter, the three generals of the "Silver Tiger Legion," and Chi Changyun and others.
The little turtle and the little bird got most of the people drunk until they passed out, then carried them back. I, of course, wasn't among them. Back home, I had a wild time with the beauties in the bathhouse, thoroughly enjoying myself.
The next morning, Xiliang City returned to normal, and the 400,000-strong reserve army was once again taken out for torture.
Now, the army admires me to the point of utter deference. Even the street sweepers know of my glorious achievements, let alone my subordinates. They are proud, but they also know that anyone would be lucky to have such a powerful general!
I had already announced that in half a month, the "Silver Tiger Legion" would begin its first recruitment of 50,000 new soldiers, selecting the most outstanding talents.
Immediately, the crowd was in a frenzy, like wolves dancing wildly. Frenzied training was commonplace; every guy wanted to kill everyone else and be the only one to join.
Who wouldn't want to join the "Silver Tiger Legion"? Not only is it a tremendous honor, but the treatment is a hundred times better than that of the reserve army.
Although the danger was higher, look at the orphans and widows in the city; His Highness takes meticulous care of them. After all, being a soldier means risking your life. As long as you provide a stable life for your wives and children, ensuring they never have to worry about food, schooling, marriage, or having children, what else is there to worry about?
Furthermore, what excites everyone most is that, according to reliable sources in the city garrison, those who join the "Silver Tiger Legion" will have a chance to marry one of the city's beautiful widows, and from then on, they'll have a wife, children, and a warm home—how wonderful!
Of course, they don't know that those two sources have been forced into hiding by Miss Wang Miao'er, afraid to return home for days because they spread false information.
Wang Guowei, leading over ten thousand cavalry, left Xiliang City with a mixture of joy and sorrow.
As I wrote memorials to the court, I lavished praise on Wang Guowei, portraying the Wang family members as fearless warriors who charged into battle without hesitation... The Wang family had gathered over 50,000 chivalrous heroes, all of whom perished, leaving only widows and children, with no one even left to fetch water... In the end, even Wang Guowei felt embarrassed and asked if I wanted to make it a little more realistic.
I refused.
This time, the imperial court has given me, young master, a great embarrassment. I'm determined to push the Wang family, whom they dislike, out of the picture. News of the Wang family's valiant defense of the Northwest has already spread throughout the Northwest and reached every corner of the capital and Liufeng Kingdom. I'll see how they treat the Wang family and the Northwest then.
Of the 100,000 fine horses, I gave the Wang family 50,000, which surprised and worried Wang Guowei. In the end, at my insistence, he accepted the warhorses they were already short of.
Although I can't replenish the Wang family's manpower, I still know how to do favors in these small ways. It's just a few tens of thousands of horses; can they compare to the Wang family's support, risking their lives for me?
Liu Ri has always been known for his countless virtues, and not forgetting one's roots has always been one of my virtues.
I paid 50 million gold coins, spent over 10 million on supplies, and I don't plan to keep the remaining 40 million. If I'm going to use it, I'll use it happily.
Every military family in Xiliang City received ten gold coins, and families of soldiers who died or were wounded in the last battle received even more, ranging from fifty to one hundred gold coins in consolation money. This immediately cheered up the women who had been feeling resentful, and their attitude towards me clearly shifted to support.
Wang Miao'er also opened a hundred more private schools in the city, offering free education to all soldiers' children, including two meals a day. This initiative, costing less than 100,000 gold coins a month, made those women talk about Wang Miao'er all the time, even more earnestly than they praised me.
In addition, merchants were constantly bringing livestock and sheep into the Northwest from outside. Even though prices had fallen, the 50% higher prices compared to outside still attracted them.
I placed them all around Xiliang City and asked the widows in the city to help take care of them. They only needed to work for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon, and I paid them one gold coin a month. This attracted thousands of women from the city to come out, chatting and laughing while working—almost all of them still had elderly people in their families, making it suitable for them to take care of children.
Women get bored when they have nothing to do, so keeping them busy keeps them from being so sad and gossipy.
Every morning and afternoon, when the widows were herding livestock a few miles from the military camp, it was time for the soldiers to show off their strength. However, most of them were just young lads, and they couldn't intimidate the married widows with children.
Instead, they became the targets of teasing and gossip.
The effect of this yin-yang balance was unexpected. After this adjustment, the widows' resentment lessened considerably, and the soldiers' training enthusiasm increased... It seems the rumors spread by the two commanders are worth considering!
Speaking of the two commanders, during the days when they were being chased by Wang Miao'er, they sought comfort in women's homes.
Taking advantage of the thunder and lightning that night, Xiao Niao, holding the panicked Wang Taoqing, naturally led to their union.
Little Turtle didn't suffer any losses. When he hid in a private house, he happened to meet a young widow. This beautiful young widow wasn't as pretty as the young beauty Gu Qiu, but she was gentle in appearance and personality. Knowing the steward's identity and needing a strong arm to protect him, she easily fell in love with Little Turtle. However, Little Turtle didn't keep his promise and slept with the beautiful young woman on the first day. Instead, he was more patient than a little bird, and every time he came back, he would talk about it with great relish, making me avoid him whenever I saw him.
The two stewards had made considerable progress, and they took the opportunity to ask me how things were going with Lin Cuier, the most beautiful of the four widows.
Every time this question came up, I would always evade the question, making them secretly suspect that perhaps this lecherous devil had already gotten the beautiful widow pregnant, which was why he was embarrassed to say so.
The reality was the opposite of what they imagined. My relationship with Lin Cuier hadn't progressed much. So far, I'd only help her with chores and occasionally have dinner with her. She wasn't very talkative; if I spoke to her, out of ten sentences, she'd only reply with two. However, after so much practice, my eloquence had improved considerably.
The imperial decree arrived quickly, and all the officials of Xiliang City respectfully received it.
In the decree, Emperor Kangzong severely reprimanded me for lacking the demeanor of a high-ranking official, for spending countless sums of money and resources to force the northern cavalry to retreat. Considering my loyalty and the swift stabilization of the situation in the northwest, and my relatively diligent work, he only removed me from my position as governor of the three northwestern prefectures, retaining my posts as Imperial Envoy, city garrison commander of Xiliang City, and commander of the "Silver Tiger Legion," to atone for my crimes.
At the same time, the support from the various prefectures and counties in the northwest for the Duke of Lanting was very strong, which pleased the Emperor. He bestowed upon him a generous reward, and even promoted his wife's title by one rank.
The royal family of the Northwest, loyal and patriotic, sacrificed their own wealth to relieve the nation's distress. They were bestowed the title "Righteous Man of the World" (written by the Emperor), and Wang Guowei was granted the Second-Class Earl of Valor. The entire royal family received rewards. Furthermore, those who sacrificed their lives at the behest of the royal family were to be richly rewarded. Lord Lanting was instructed to oversee the entire process, ensuring that the brave men were not disheartened and their families did not suffer.
The eunuch who came this time was very perceptive. After the imperial envoy finished speaking, before I could lose my temper, he immediately pulled out another secret edict from his sleeve and handed it to me when no one was looking.
I had long suspected that Emperor Kangzong's edict had a deeper meaning. Otherwise, if there were any wrongdoing, all the officials of the three northwestern prefectures should have been reprimanded along with me. Why was I the only one being reprimanded while they received praise?
It was very likely that Emperor Kangzong was under considerable pressure from others and could only criticize me, a high-ranking official he could not directly use for punishment, while expressing his appreciation for me through bestowing rewards and praise upon everyone else.
That was indeed the case. If it weren't for the Wang family and I fighting desperately, risking our lives in ambushes and sneak attacks, how could those 300,000 Northern cavalry have ever sat down to negotiate? The three northwestern prefectures would have been utterly devastated!
Without so much money and supplies, the remaining 200,000 Northern cavalry wouldn't have retreated so early. Moreover, because of these coveted spoils, the Northern and Southern deserts engaged in a life-or-death battle, greatly weakening their strength. At least for the next three to five years, there won't be any large-scale wars.
Isn't all of this my doing?
Yet, I, the greatest contributor, haven't received any reward. No wonder everyone was almost kneeling motionless, only daring to breathe a sigh of relief after I left the hall.
The only consolation was that the Wang family finally received some recognition, although it was still disproportionate to their contributions. At least Emperor Kangzong still expressed some goodwill this time… But why am I the one rewarding them again? Is the court so poor that I, the young master, have to foot the bill?
Minister of Revenue… you just wait!
Perched atop a tree, I glanced at the secret edict. Written by Yun Fu, it seemed far more agreeable.
Yun Fu began by stating that the court officials and princes were extremely dissatisfied with my show of weakness and appeasement, demanding severe punishment while ignoring my significant contributions.
Furthermore, the Wang family was also a source of displeasure in the court. Seeing that the Wang family had suffered 50,000 casualties and 20,000 wounded, with almost all its men wiped out, they were actually quite pleased. The Prince of Tang, the Prince of Zhennan, and even the Prince of Chu were considering how to take advantage of the Wang family's weakness to expand into the Northwest.
Kangzong was fully aware of his brothers' thoughts. Though he didn't say it aloud, he was secretly delighted with my actions.
Not only had I protected the Northwest, but I had also driven away the threat, inciting a fierce battle between the Southern and Northern Deserts, leaving both severely weakened and forging a mortal enmity, thus greatly reducing the threat to the Northwest.
Furthermore, he tasked me with suppressing the Wang family, but I unexpectedly managed to persuade them to fight against the Northern Desert cavalry. Even if the claim of 70,000 casualties is an exaggeration, through the investigations of numerous spies within the Privy Council, the fact remains that the Northern Desert cavalry suffered 150,000 casualties. The Wang family's casualties were at least 50,000. In this way, the entire Wang family's military force was wiped out.
As for the Wang family's remaining martial arts forces, what is there to worry about? Even a few thousand or tens of thousands of martial arts warriors cannot withstand the attack of the 50,000-strong "Iron Wolf Legion"!
With the threat gone, and worried about his brothers vying for territory in the Northwest, Emperor Kangzong generously rewarded the Wang family. He also instructed his daughter to tell me to support the Wang family, and as long as they didn't develop a large-scale army, I could let them do whatever they wanted! Reading this, I couldn't help but curse inwardly: 'The Wang family is almost all dead. It'll take them decades to develop again! What petty-mindedness!' Emperor Kangzong's punishment of me pleased several princes. I only controlled the area of Xiliang City, so I couldn't cause any trouble. Pushing Emperor Kangzong too far would be counterproductive, so they agreed.
Secretly, Emperor Kangzong still gave me benefits. Yunfu said that Emperor Kangzong himself had given my father a gold note containing 100 million gold coins, as compensation. Furthermore, urgently needed military supplies for Xiliang City would be transported to the Northwest within a month—armor, weapons, defensive equipment, etc.—in greater quantities than I had requested.
These things alone, of course, couldn't make me happy. Yunfu shyly mentioned that Chen Fuyue had married Xiaohan against the King of Chu's wishes. He didn't hold a banquet at the King's residence but moved it to the military camp, inviting only a few close friends... However, the Queen of Chu secretly attended.
The King of Chu desperately wanted his son to become the prince consort so he could inherit the Liufeng Kingdom's foundation, but his son had given up first. Enraged, the King of Chu rode in on horseback, intending to kill Xiaohan, but was stopped by Kangzong, who arrived on the scene.
The Prince of Zhennan and the Prince of Tang also arrived at the military camp, noisily cursing the King of Chu for breaking up the couple and being cold-blooded. The King of Chu, unaware of their intentions, grabbed a stick and charged forward, the three brothers almost coming to blows.
In the end, Kangzong calmed things down, forcing Chen Fuyue to take Xiaohan as a concubine. Chen Fuyue had no choice but to comply, which secretly relieved the King of Chu.
This wasn't the end of it. The combined pressure from the Prince of Tang and the Prince of Zhennan claimed that Chen Fuyue's taking a concubine before the princess's marriage was disrespectful to the princess, the emperor and empress, and the royal family, and should be severely punished—they should be beheaded immediately after the wedding.
Knowing he was in the wrong, the Prince of Chu reluctantly abandoned the engagement between Chen Fuyue and Princess Yongyue, finally satisfying the two princes.
Emperor Kangzong calmly announced that Princess Yongyue was not yet married, and everyone, including Chen Fuyue, had a chance to become a consort, but the decision rested with the princess. Those princes who wanted to become consorts should work harder.
Emperor Kangzong was truly a cunning old fox, throwing out the bait without extinguishing anyone's hopes, making the three princes' eyes light up.
When Yunfu mentioned this, I immediately understood Emperor Kangzong's meaning. He had transformed the princess, previously engaged to Chen Fuyue, into a free woman, thus reducing the obstacles Yunfu and I would face in our future relationship.
Only such good news could calm my anger. What's a little sacrifice for my beloved princess? It's just official business, after all. It's
different among the common people. Look, my bravery and benevolence are already well-known throughout the Northwest. In the villages outside Huaiyuan City, the people I settled there have erected longevity tablets for me in their homes. Almost every household in Xiliang City has not only erected longevity tablets but also built a longevity shrine for me.
For this reason, I specially asked Little Turtle and Little Bird to inspect it. Building a longevity shrine is a very serious matter. Don't worry about the cost. If you're going to do it, do it the best. If you don't have enough money, just ask the steward for more.

Chapter Seven: Bullying the Power
In the evening, I entertained the imperial envoy from the capital. I assigned the task to Little Turtle and Little Bird. Officials from Xiliang City and the "Silver Tiger Legion" accompanied them. I did not participate myself.
The imperial envoy and palace eunuchs dared not utter a word. They knew the domineering nature of the Duke of Lanting, and they also knew who stood behind me. They were currently in a fit of rage, so it was best they weren't present at the banquet; otherwise, who knew if they would be made scapegoats?
The two princesses of the He tribe were used to going to their own courtyards to relax and take a bath. I changed into the uniform of the city garrison guard and slipped out.
Arriving at Lin Cuier's house, it was dinnertime, with lights illuminating every house. Seeing me, the beautiful young widow smiled gently: "You've come..."
Looking at this ordinary yet beautiful woman, I immediately slipped back into the role of Lanting, setting aside the court's intrigues. Even as a nobody, I had my own happiness.
"Hehe, I've been too busy these past few days to come over. Sister Cui'er, are we out of firewood in the kitchen again?"
I rolled up my sleeves, ready to get to work, but Lin Cui'er pulled me back. "No need, there's plenty more."
Looking in the direction she was pointing, there was a large pile of scattered firewood outside the makeshift kitchen shed. Judging from its size and arrangement, someone had clearly done this on purpose.
"It was all given to us by the young soldiers when the women from the neighborhood went out to herd livestock,"
Lin Cui'er said softly. "Lan Ting, what do you think, should I go out to herd livestock too?"
"What, are you bored?"
I asked with a smile.
"Well, a little. Now that they're all out working, there's no one to talk to, it's very boring."
Lin Cui'er hesitated, letting me know that this reason wasn't enough, there must be other reasons.
“It’s good to get some exercise outside, but Cui’er, you have to be careful. Those soldiers probably want to devour you.”
“Pah…Nonsense!”
Lin Cui’er spat, then her face darkened. “My family has come these past few days, and I don’t want to see them.”
“Oh? They’re here to ask you for money again?”
“No, money isn’t so bad. This time, the city garrison commander gave a lot of gold coins to the families of fallen soldiers. I alone received 120, more than I can use.”
“If it’s not for money, then what is it for?”
I thought for a moment. “Could it be that they’ve found you another family to marry into?”
Lin Cui’er was silent for a moment, then finally said softly, “I don’t want to marry again…but Master Guo wants to find a virtuous wife for his youngest son. After they found out I was a widow, they want me…”
“The Guo family?”
I pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized, “Guo Feng?”
"Shh... Don't be disrespectful to Master Guo. He's a favorite of the Imperial Envoy now!"
Lin Cuier reached out, pretending to cover my mouth.
Guo Feng was the richest man in Xiliang City, who fled to Huaiyuan City out of fear of the fall of Xiliang City. He was also the descendant of a meritorious official of the court, possessing an iron certificate of merit, and could be considered the most prominent gentry in Xiliang City.
Originally, I confiscated all his land and property, causing him heavy losses. Who knew that this person, who should have hated me the most, was the first to respond to my call during the refugee shelter incident in Huaiyuan City, opening his doors to refugees and even setting up a porridge stall... Afterwards, to commend his merits and let people know the benefits of following me, I returned his and some other wealthy men in Xiliang City who had done the same good deed to their homes and lands, and allowed them to return to Xiliang City to continue their businesses in the grasslands and surrounding areas.
I specifically looked up his information. Guo Feng has three sons. The eldest and second sons help with the business, but the youngest son has some intellectual disabilities and is already twenty years old. No one wants to marry him, and Guo Feng also feels that he can't just settle for anyone; he must find a woman who can take care of his son, so he's been putting it off until now.
"I saw Guo Feng's information at the city magistrate's mansion a few days ago. Isn't his youngest son mentally challenged? How could he let you marry him?"
I said indignantly on her behalf, though I was already furious inside. Damn it, who would dare to steal the woman the young master has his eye on? "He's not mentally challenged
, don't talk nonsense."
Lin Cuier glared at me. "He just acts like a child, he's not stupid. Besides, he's always been very kind to us neighbors, often giving us things. Master Guo has scolded him many times for that."
I said sourly, "So, you're willing to marry him?"
"You're already jealous at
such a young age!" How could Lin Cuier not see through me? She gently tapped me with her jade finger. "I'm too old for you, I don't deserve your efforts."
"Oh, you noticed?"
I said, looking embarrassed.
“There’s always gossip around a widow’s door. Even if I can’t see it, they certainly can,”
Lin Cui’er said with a gentle smile. “Good girl, listen to your sister. You don’t understand anything now, so you just think that women like me are good. But when you’ve seen more of the world, you’ll find me vulgar and old-fashioned, and then you won’t like me anymore.”
I shook my head, saying insincerely, “No, liking someone doesn’t mean I have to possess them. Don’t think so much.”
Lin Cui’er smiled and said, “You little rascal, I’m telling you now so you won’t get so angry when I reject you multiple times later.”
“I won’t.”
I looked at the beautiful and shy woman. “Sister Cui’er, what do you want to do? If you don’t want to, just tell me, and I’ll go and cause trouble for Guo Feng. He won’t dare disobey!”
“Nonsense!”
Lin Cui’er scolded angrily. “Master Guo isn’t so domineering anymore, and your superiors appreciate him. How can you, a mere soldier in the city garrison, fight him head-on? You’re not allowed to go!”
“Fine, I won’t go then.”
I suddenly chuckled. “As long as you don’t agree, they probably won’t dare to be violent.”
Lin Cuier nodded slightly, about to say something, when footsteps sounded at the door.
Every time I came, Lin Cuier would leave the door wide open, just like the other residents, to avoid suspicion.
Lin Cuier was facing the door, and when the person stepped into the house, the shy, beautiful widow’s eyes visibly narrowed.
“Sister, have you made up your mind yet? Master Guo…”
a man’s voice came, but he immediately stopped.
I turned my head and saw a farmer standing not far away, about forty years old, with a cunning look on his dark face that shouldn’t be seen in a farmer.
He saw me, and perhaps because I was too young and handsome, he looked displeased: "Little sister, who is this man? Why is he coming to your house? You're about to get married, you should be careful."
"Brother... I told you, I'm not getting married!"
Lin Cuier frowned. "If you need money, just come to me. Don't hang out with the Guo family. They... there aren't many good people in that family."
The man glared at her, about to say something, but immediately turned around, closed the door, and took two steps forward: "What are you saying? There aren't many good people in the Guo family? Do you know what the heavens are? The eldest patriarch of the Guo family has been appreciated by a high-ranking official in the court this time. He's the nephew of that ruthless killer, the Empress. Such a powerful relative of the emperor has become the patriarch's backer, and you still dare to say such things?"
"Brother, don't talk nonsense."
Lin Cuier secretly glanced at me, and seeing that I was unmoved, she immediately understood that her brother was using the Guo family's name to intimidate others. "It wouldn't be good if the officials heard this."
"Haha, do you think I care if they hear me?"
the man said disdainfully. "Sister, as long as you become the third young mistress of the Guo family, I can become the head constable of the yamen in Ximen. This was personally promised to me by the Guo family's steward. By then, I'll be an official myself, what am I afraid of them for?"
Speaking of becoming the head constable, the man's eyes burned with desire, clearly fantasizing about that time.
Lin Cuier shook her head firmly and said, "No, I will not marry the third young master of the Guo family. Brother, don't go and have any more contact with them. Take these ten gold coins and go back to your hometown!"
As she spoke, Lin Cuier rummaged in her clothes and took out her small pouch.
Just as she was about to hand it over, I grabbed her hand. The eldest son of the Lin family, who had been smiling and about to take the gold coins, suddenly froze on the spot. After a while, he reacted and rushed over in a rage: "Boy, what are you doing? Put it down!"
He raised his hand to hit me, but Lin Cuier, who knew how powerful I was, held it firmly and refused to let his hand fall.
Seeing this, the eldest son of the Lin family became even more certain of his judgment that the two were adulterers. In a fit of rage, he shoved his sister to the ground, turned around, and snarled as if he wanted to break the pretty boy's legs. Suddenly, everything went black, and he felt a sharp pain in his lower abdomen. With a "thud," he fell to the ground five or six meters away, screaming in pain.
"Ouch... Help! My sister's lover is beating her brother... Is there no justice in this world... You pretty boy... You'll die a horrible death..."
Seeing his foul language, I raised an eyebrow, wondering how to teach him a lesson. Lin Cui'er quickly grabbed my hand: "No, little brother, you'll kill him!"
Seeing this, the eldest Lin brother cried even louder, even rolling on the ground: "Help! The pretty boy is going to kill someone... This unfaithful sister... She seduced someone to kill her own brother... Oh!"
The eldest Lin brother, resorting to the village's shrewish tactics, suddenly felt a lightness in his body, then flew over the wall as if flying through the clouds, crashing heavily to the ground. A piercing pain spread through his body, making him grimace and unable to speak.
"Hahaha..."
Many widows who had come to watch the show stood at Lin Cui'er's door, mocking this arrogant man who wanted to get rich and become an official through his sister.
One of the women, a sharp-tongued and sarcastic one, deliberately approached him and said, "Old Lin, how can you be so blind? Look at the person next to your sister! That's a member of the City Guard! Do you know what the City Guard is? It's the City Guardian and the Legion Commander's private guard! You, a country bumpkin, dare to be so insolent in front of him! You're courting death! Bah!"
The eldest Lin brother was in considerable pain, but he heard the taunts clearly. Terrified, he felt a growing fear of the silver-clad youth who had beaten him. When he could stand up a little, he groaned as he rolled over and limped away, not daring to look back.
"Bang!"
Just as his figure disappeared around the corner, the door to Lin Cuier's house opened, and a handsome young man stepped out.
Many women are particularly observant. After several rounds of questioning, Lin Cuier finally let slip that I wasn't her cousin. The widows didn't laugh at her, because in Liufeng Kingdom, there was no custom of widowhood. After a woman became a widow, she could remarry a man she liked. So everyone joked that she was going to "eat young grass like an old cow," which embarrassed Lin Cuier so much that she almost dared not see me again.
After I learned of this, I went to the streets the next day with a large pile of gifts. Every household had some, all of them fine fabrics and cosmetics from the capital, which were rarely seen in Xiliang City. What woman wouldn't like such things? After a few visits, they became very enthusiastic towards me. In addition, my identity as a member of the city garrison was indeed intimidating, and many women tried to matchmake me with Lin Cuier. Also because of the gifts, their attitude towards Lin Cuier changed from some jealousy to a bit of flattery.
They were city folks who always looked down on country bumpkins, especially someone like the eldest son of the Lin family who had to sell his sister to get rich. They despised him even more. Today, with me backing him up, they naturally gave him a good scolding, and everyone felt great.
"Brother Lan, see? I told you to get back together with Cui'er sooner rather than later. You didn't believe me? Now you know you regret it, don't you?"
"Yes, her brother is shameless. He's come several times already. Cui'er told us not to tell you, but you ran into him today. He deserves it!"
"Young man, hurry up! Be with your sister Cui'er tonight, and we neighbors can have a good drink!"
A group of older women surrounded me as I came out, showering me with compliments, which made me quite tempted.
"Lan Ting, come back here! Don't listen to their nonsense!"
Lin Cui'er didn't want to come out, but hearing the neighbors' gossip, she quickly came out and called out.
Upon seeing the other person in question, the women chattered even more, some advising me, others advising her.
"Hehe, don't be shy... Cui'er, listen to your sister, don't let your brother come and cause trouble anymore. Go with Brother Lan, he's a good man!"
Among the many women advising Lin Cui'er, this sentence received the most agreement.
The shy and beautiful young woman's heart was still pounding even as she dragged me back. Her face was flushed crimson, which made my eyes light up and I couldn't help but admire her.

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