Liang Xiao pondered for a moment and asked, "General Nan, where do you usually sleep? Who do you sleep with?"
Nan Jiyun was startled and quickly explained, "Vice Marshal, this subordinate does not engage in such activities..."
Liang Xiao couldn't help but roll his eyes. "What kind of person do you think I am?"
Nan Jiyun replied without hesitation, "This subordinate has always stayed in the military camp. I used to sleep with the White Robe Soldiers, and now I sleep with the Great Qian Iron Guards! I occasionally get leave to go home, but it's not suitable to return at present."
Liang Xiao looked at Lü Changhe and scoffed, "Is your second brother talking in his sleep?"
Lü Changhe understood and chuckled, "He doesn't say anything. It's similar to this subordinate. Even a slight noise can wake him!"
Only then did Liang Xiao feel relieved. He dismissed everyone, leaving only Lü Changhe and Nan Jiyun.
A quarter of an hour later, Nan Jiyun walked out of the military camp, his smile frozen on his face, as if his muscles had cramped from laughing too much.
"What's wrong with the Deputy Commander?" the Great Qian Iron Guards around him looked bewildered.
Nan Jiyun was stern during training but more amiable in private, able to mingle with the soldiers. This was the first time they had seen him laugh until his face cramped.
In the military tent, Lü Changhe looked dejected. "Alas, does Second Brother really need to be like this?"
"Now you know why I wanted to remain hidden?" Liang Xiao said helplessly.
Just revealing his identity had caused even someone like Nan Jiyun to lose his composure.
If ordinary commoners, especially the elderly, discovered that the Martial God who protected them was still alive, what would happen then?
In fact, Liang Xiao and Xiao Qing had discussed it. Unless it was absolutely necessary, they could consider letting General Tian remain in the shadows permanently. After all, a deified General Tian could become the true faith of the people.
Facing the General Tian whom he respected most, Lü Changhe stopped joking and said, "The effect of conscription in the northern region has only barely met His Majesty's expectations, not being particularly stunning. This battle must push back the barbarians, letting all the young people of the Great Qian know that the barbarians are not to be feared. We can win once, and we can win again!"
Liang Xiao deeply agreed.
The Battle of Yanzhou had driven away the barbarians and boosted the morale of the entire nation. The trend of favoring the civil over the military was also slowly changing, but this was a long-term endeavor. It was unrealistic to expect people to change their minds overnight.
The first to enlist were naturally the passionate youths who were determined to protect their homes and country, but they also had to consider their families' livelihoods.
The Emperor had increased the soldiers' salaries and benefits, while firmly controlling the power of distributing military pay, rather than leaving it to the various ministries or local officials. Only then could the army resolutely support the imperial power, and the young men would have the confidence to enlist.
If this battle were lost, the northern region might have to hold its ground for several years.
But what if they could defeat the barbarians, achieve results far superior to last year, and minimize casualties?
The military spirit of the Great Qian would be further strengthened, and the confidence of the nation and its people would be unprecedentedly boosted. The Great Qian would be able to regain its prestige as the central kingdom, leading neighboring countries to abandon the barbarians and respect the Great Qian. The Western Regions would also have more confidence to ally with the Great Qian, thus opening the "Silk Road" that Liang Xiao sought!
Regardless, national hatred and personal vendettas were imminent. Victory was the only option!
The White Robe Soldiers, as per custom, went out of the city to act as scouts, clearing the surrounding area of barbarian scouts, and simultaneously guarding against the barbarian advance.
The barbarian scouts had learned their lesson. The moment they saw the White Robe Soldiers from afar, they turned and fled, fearing pursuit.
The next day, Liang Xiao personally supervised the training of the Great Qian Iron Guards and the remaining White Robe Soldiers in the military camp.
After the training, the Great Qian Iron Guards looked at Liang Xiao, awaiting his command.
"Issue an order to the entire army! From today onwards, in each camp, based on the soldiers' comprehensive performance during training, supervised by personnel dispatched by this general, one in every thousand soldiers will be selected daily to receive five taels of silver as a reward! The three individuals with the best performance will receive an additional five taels!"
As soon as the words fell, the entire assembly was stunned!
Ten people to be selected daily, each receiving five taels, with the top three receiving ten taels?
A camp in the northern region typically housed five to ten thousand soldiers, meaning five to ten people per camp could receive a generous reward daily!
This reward exceeded the monthly salary of a Great Qian Iron Guard and was nearly five times that of an ordinary soldier!
"Remember, do not overexert yourselves during training, otherwise you will not receive the reward. Just show the limits of your usual training! The same person can have the opportunity to receive the reward consecutively!" Liang Xiao added.
Cheers erupted from the soldiers below.
Liang Xiao then declared loudly, "Although we are defending Yanzhou, your training must not be slack. We are here to protect Yanzhou, so that the people of Yanzhou can live in peace and contentment as usual! Before we defeat the barbarians, no matter how hard or tired we are in the military camp, we must smile when we see the common people outside the camp. We must never let them worry!"
"Yes! Protect our homes and country!" The resounding chorus echoed from below.
Nowadays, the purpose of most people joining the army was vastly different from before.
In the past, men joined the army often out of desperation or to make a fortune from war.
Previously, commanders would condone or even publicly promise that soldiers could plunder freely after capturing cities to incentivize them to fight.
But the current Great Qian soldiers had satisfactory income from enlistment and had changed their past mindsets.
They wanted to ensure that their families behind them could live in a peaceful and contented environment, free from the harassment of foreign races and rebels!
The mindset of the Great Qian military and civilians was slowly transforming.
At the same time, the Left Virtuous King was waiting for news in the military camp.
"Marshal! Nearly half of our spies in Yanzhou City have not returned!"
After the orderly returned with the report, the Left Virtuous King frowned. "Those were all meticulously cultivated by the Dugu family. Could they possibly have been caught?"
"I'm afraid they have all been apprehended!" the strategist lamented helplessly.
The Left Virtuous King's brows were tightly furrowed. "Has this Liang Xiao been in Yanzhou for half a month? He was fine before, so why have the spies suddenly been caught recently?"
The generals all expressed their ignorance.
The strategist's eyes rolled, and he smiled, "Marshal, there is no need to worry too much. This indicates that Liang Xiao is indeed trying to do a good job with intelligence work, to facilitate surprise attacks outside the city, and that is why he has increased the intensity of his search!"
The Left Virtuous King found sense in this, nodded, and sighed. "For now, tell the spies to lie low and reduce their activities before the Tian River freezes over! The weather is colder this year, and perhaps the Tian River will freeze earlier..."
When Liang Xiao returned to the military tent, an orderly reported from outside: "The constables have caught twelve spies!"
"Why were so many suddenly caught?" Liang Xiao and the generals looked curious.
It was not so easy to catch enemy spies, let alone twelve at once?
"They were caught successively and handed over to the authorities. Then, the officials appointed by the Vice Marshal personally interrogated them, and they were indeed spies, confessing everything!" the orderly explained.
"Who caught them?" Mu Hong couldn't help but ask.
"Those who handed them over to the authorities simply reported them as barbarian spies and then disappeared in a flash... The surrounding commoners learned of this and called them nameless heroes!" the orderly said with a dry laugh.
Nameless heroes?
Liang Xiao became even more puzzled.
Were there people here who did good deeds without seeking recognition?
After Liang Xiao clarified the details of the spies, he couldn't help but laugh. "Two of them are even collateral descendants of the Dugu family? This general is returning home and will pass by to take a look! Old man Dugu, bah, Minister Dugu, I almost pity him..."
By the time Liang Xiao's convoy drove out of the military camp, crowds had already spontaneously gathered to form a welcoming procession.
At the rear of the crowd, Zuo Jing, disguised as a peasant woman, was marking lines in a small notebook.
"I still have to lead people to catch barbarians. This arduous task is all your fault..."