Everyone felt as if a thousand enlightening words had been spoken, and nodded in unison, "Yes!"
Liang Xiao's voice boomed again, "Since you have chosen to become soldiers, you must possess a soldier's integrity and professional ethics. Firstly, you are forbidden to disturb the populace and must not commit any offense against them. Can you achieve this?"
"We can!" came a thunderous reply from below.
"The southwestern region is unstable, and Luzhou is a vital hub in Jiangnan. If Luzhou stands, then Jiangnan will not fall! From now on, all of you are pillars of Luzhou, indeed the entire Jiangnan and the Great Qian Dynasty. I implore you to give your utmost. His Majesty has decreed: meritorious deeds shall be rewarded, and transgressions shall be punished!"
"For this victory, those who have rendered meritorious service will be promoted and granted titles as they deserve, and sufficient rewards of silver will be given. For one month, the entire army will slaughter cattle and sheep daily to feast the troops!"
A deafening roar of cheers erupted from below: "His Majesty is wise!"
On a distant tall building, Zhuo Xiong, seeing Zhuo Xun gazing adoringly at Liang Xiao on the reviewing platform, asked abruptly, "Little sister, is Lord Ankuo truly a monster in disguise?"
Zhuo Xun, embarrassed and annoyed, huffed, "Alright, actually, I'm the one who's a monster in disguise..."
The crowd couldn't help but chuckle.
As the shadow guards disliked public appearances, Ding Wuyi did not participate in the military parade. He merely watched Liang Xiao with the others from the tall building, his eyes filled with relief and his heart with emotion.
No matter how many deeds Liang Xiao accomplished, the credit would ultimately go to his lord.
A large amount of gold was being transported, making the reward for the army stress-free, especially since many wealthy individuals in Luzhou were eager for gold.
Xiao Qing was also secretly working to convert some of the silver hoarded in the capital's banks into equivalent gold.
Banknotes were ultimately just imperial certificates. When it came to large-scale expenditures like rewarding the army, it was still white, gleaming silver and precious gold that were needed.
After Liang Xiao's speech concluded, thunderous applause filled the air. Everyone was overjoyed, and some were even moved to tears.
After the Great Qian Dynasty had long favored civil over military pursuits, soldiers rarely received such importance!
In the past, victory in battle would only warrant casual rewards, not such a large-scale bestowal.
It was rumored that each soldier in the Luzhou garrison would receive over ten taels of silver, and the families of those who perished would inherit the rewards along with an additional twenty taels of compensation, and could receive regular aid from the court.
Returning to the barracks, everyone gathered to discuss important matters.
Li Xiuyun frowned, "The Sun Moon Army has always been plundering in the southwestern regions and dared not approach Jiangnan. Furthermore, we have discovered that over half of the enemy soldiers have facial features distinct from our Great Qian people, likely originating from the Peacock Dynasty in the southwest!"
The crowd's expressions turned solemn.
The Peacock Dynasty was a kingdom situated southwest of the Great Qian Dynasty. Its people looked distinctly different from the people of Great Qian and were easily identifiable.
Zhuo Zifang analyzed, "The enemy is likely recruiting soldiers in the territory of the Peacock Dynasty, as the treatment for Great Qian people is several times better than in the Peacock Dynasty. Of course, it's also possible that the Sun Moon Army has received support from the Peacock Dynasty and are colluding. It's even possible that the headquarters of the Spring Return Sect is located there!"
"Therefore, we must strengthen the defenses in the southwestern region to prevent the enemy from emerging there and launching surprise attacks everywhere," Liang Xiao nodded.
"It's all those aristocratic families who wield immense power in Jiangnan, especially around Luzhou. If His Majesty had not heeded Lord Ankuo's advice and timely replaced the officials and garrison of Luzhou, the consequences would have been unimaginable!" Gongsun Dingjun sighed.
Everyone strongly agreed, their admiration for Liang Xiao growing even greater.
Ding Wuyi chuckled, remaining silent.
He knew, of course, that Liang Xiao was discussing national affairs and planning strategies with his lord in the palace.
The changes in Luzhou were just one aspect, albeit a crucial one. Li Xiuyun, known for his integrity, was specifically chosen as the prefect, but the masterminds behind the replacement of officials were Xiao Qing and Liang Xiao; Li Xiuyun did not initially possess such significant authority.
Li Xiuyun breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The army brought by the General Who Pacifies Rebels will largely be stationed in Luzhou, under the command of the General of the Crossing Rivers. More troops will be stationed in various parts of Jiangnan subsequently, ensuring peace."
Ding Wuyi asked, "Prefect Li, how is the investigation into the Ouyang family progressing?"
Li Xiuyun's face immediately turned indignant, "We have temporarily been unable to find concrete evidence of their treason. However, the shoddy construction of the southwestern city walls has been confirmed. The main culprits are Ouyang Che, along with five shopkeepers and three stone merchants from the Ouyang family!"
Ding Wuyi took the official document and read it, his face also turning cold, "This humble servant will dispatch shadow guards to report this truthfully to His Majesty. We shall see how the Ouyang family explains this then!"
For a long time, the reason for the difficulty in dealing with aristocratic families was primarily the lack of "justifiable cause."
Xiao Qing could not simply execute them all without reason. Doing so would not only draw widespread criticism from the court but also lead to chaos throughout the land, making everyone feel insecure.
There must be a legitimate reason to act and silence public gossip!
This was also why aristocratic families dared to exert pressure on the emperor but did not dare to openly break the law. Once caught by the emperor, they would face severe consequences and might even have their existing interests absorbed by other aristocratic families.
The former Minister of Works, Du Guliang, dared to argue with Xiao Qing, but because he falsely claimed credit for Liang Xiao and Zhang Yang's curved-shaft plows, he committed the crime of deceiving the emperor and was directly dismissed by Xiao Qing. Those aristocratic families did not dare to intercede on his behalf.
Zhuo Zifang sighed, "Our Great Qian Dynasty still lacks sufficient talented generals; they need to be discovered and cultivated slowly."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
This was indeed a significant problem.
Currently, Nan Jiyun and Lü Changhe had emerged prominently in the Northern Frontier Army, considered the "Twin Stars of the Northern Frontier." Young General Zhuo Ying also urgently needed nurturing. Under Liang Xiao's command, there was also a fierce warrior like Yue Qingtian.
However, these individuals were still only capable generals for now. To become commanding generals, they required further training. As for Yue Qingtian, he was incapable of being a commanding general, but serving as a rare fierce warrior was certainly within his capabilities.
In the Jiangnan region, under the Old Marquis of Dingguo, there were Gongsun Dingjun and Shi Liuyun, among others, but it was still far from enough.
Shi Liuyun then said, "I have a sworn brother, Nie Yuan, who was framed by the Gongyang clan and imprisoned in Jinling. My Marquis is trying to rescue him. If he can be saved, perhaps he can be assigned to Lord Ankuo's Qingtian Guard. This man is as skilled in martial arts as I am, and he is loyal and righteous!"
Zhuo Zifang's eyes lit up, "This person's surname is Nie, could he be a descendant of the Nie family, who has long since disappeared?"
Shi Liuyun smiled, "Lord Zhuo, your knowledge is indeed vast! The Nie family of generals is not as prominent as before, but Nie Yuan embodies the spirit of his ancestors, is well-versed in military strategy, and has always longed for an opportunity to serve the country but lacked one! Years ago, we lost touch. I joined the Marquis's command and constantly searched for his whereabouts without success. It was only recently, upon delivering some bandits to the yamen, that we reconnected by chance. With the Marquis's protection, his life is currently not in danger, but seeking justice is as difficult as reaching the heavens."
"I was just preparing to return to Jinling. I will also inquire about this matter then. Liang Xiao, since this person's life is not in danger, you need not rush. Complete your tasks first, and I will do my best to protect him," Zhuo Zifang nodded.
Liang Xiao nodded, "I will go to Jinling as soon as possible, and by the way, investigate the matter of the Spring Return Sect."
Shi Liuyun expressed his profound gratitude and then bid farewell to everyone, leading a troop of cavalry back to Jinling.
The next day, Zhuo Zifang also departed for Jinling with Zhuo Xiong and a group of retainers, escorted by five hundred cavalry. Only Zhuo Xun remained by Liang Xiao's side.
The great victory in Luzhou, after an urgent dispatch, finally reached the capital, causing a sensation throughout the city!
Inside the Imperial Study, Xiao Qing, Ning Xuejun, and Wang Canghai were both astonished and delighted: "Did General Tian manifest his spirit?!"
After their initial surprise and joy, the three ruler and subjects calmed down, their faces filled with confusion.
"General Tian manifested his spirit in Luzhou, and my elder brother is also in Luzhou..." Xiao Qing felt his heart trembling.