Liang Xiao pondered for a moment, an idea struck him.
"No need, as long as you live well and don't cause me trouble is enough!"
Liang Xiao changed his tone to a mix of grace and power. The assembled citizens bowed repeatedly in thanks, vowing that they would indeed not trouble the Marquis of An Guo!
As for the populace running amok and disrupting the management of the fief, it was practically nonexistent.
Throughout the dynasties, there were always household registration systems and strict methods of managing the local populace. For a citizen to move to another region, it was not only costly and laborious but also, without proof of identity, they could be treated as vagrants.
After dismissing the citizens, Liang Xiao, accompanied by his entourage, proceeded to the barracks of the Qingtian Guard.
On the reviewing stand, Liang Xiao gazed at the three thousand Qingtian Guards, clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons, and couldn't help but applaud.
Three thousand Qingtian Guards, a formidable force!
All three thousand were equipped with powerful bows and crossbows. The front thousand wore infantry armor and wielded Modao swords, while the rear ranks comprised soldiers with Bintie-forged long sabers, crossbowmen.
And then there were rows upon rows of giant war chariots, stationed on either side of the army.
These war chariots could carry at least twenty armored soldiers, which was not an exaggeration.
The largest war chariot in ancient times was called the "Lin Chong Lu Gong Che," or "Lin Chong" for short, said to be invented by Jiang Taigong Jiang Ziya. It could carry hundreds of soldiers and possessed considerable deterrence.
However, war chariots were far more limited by terrain and the tides of the era than other troop types, eventually fading from the military stage.
The war chariots that Liang Xiao had ordered the Ministry of Armaments to prepare were the best quality batch gathered from various regions, exceeding one hundred and twenty in number.
These war chariots were a crucial part of the "Que Yue Formation," capable of greatly weakening the impact of cavalry charges.
While the Que Yue Formation was astonishingly powerful, it was not a universally effective formation and had its own limitations. It could only serve as a surprise trump card, a means to save the day in critical moments.
What truly filled Liang Xiao with satisfaction was the Qingtian Guard themselves.
Yue Qingtian, Liu Fan, and Liang Zhan, among others, had strictly followed the training schedule left by Liang Xiao to train the Qingtian Guard.
After half a year of cultivation and intensive training, the Qingtian Guard now indeed possessed the aura of a formidable army, only lacking actual combat experience.
However, the discipline of the Qingtian Guard far surpassed that of the soldiers in the northern garrisons. They protected the people but did not harass them; they were proud but not arrogant.
As Liang Xiao's retainers, the Qingtian Guard were also registered in the army of the Da Gan Kingdom. They were Liang Xiao's private soldiers, but also nominally part of the Da Gan army, capable of achieving merit alongside Liang Xiao.
The three thousand Qingtian Guards looked at Liang Xiao with fervent admiration.
Ultra-high salaries, unlimited meat, care for their families, allocation of all military equipment…
These enviable benefits were simply graces that these soldiers, who had previously considered themselves mere brutes, had never dared to dream of.
Besides training diligently and fighting bravely on the battlefield, they could not think of a better way to repay their Marquis.
"Nie Yuan, what do you think of the Qingtian Guard?" Liang Xiao asked.
Since coming to Yanzhou, Nie Yuan had become the deputy captain of the Qingtian Guard, assisting Yue Qingtian and Liu Fan.
Nie Yuan replied without hesitation, "A formidable army, perhaps even surpassing the elite troops of ancient times!"
Liang Xiao said, "How can they be compared to ancient elites? Like the Wei Wuzu, I am very in awe of them."
Nie Yuan merely smiled, offering no definitive opinion.
He had diligently studied military strategy and of course knew what the Wei Wuzu were.
The truly terrifying aspect of the Wei Wuzu was their combination of quality and quantity. They numbered up to fifty thousand and could defeat a Qin army of five hundred thousand.
But if it came to individual prowess, the Wei Wuzu were certainly no match for the Qingtian Guard, as the Qingtian Guard were far better equipped than the Wei Wuzu, especially with the "Modao."
Even the archers in the rear ranks had new weapons like the Hengdao for close-quarters defense.
The protective gear, such as infantry armor and cotton armor, was also not to be underestimated, especially the infantry armor, which was stronger than the armor he had previously known!
"Prepare the war chariots, I will personally lead the training today!"
Liang Xiao commanded with authority, and the soldiers returned to their posts…
At this moment, three hundred li north of Yanzhou, the barbarian cavalry, led by the Left Virtuous King and stationed there, were restless.
"Marshal, if the Da Gan army refuses to come out of the city to fight, we will have no choice but to concentrate our attack on Yunzhou and Shuofang. Yanzhou is difficult to assault…"
"The city of Yanzhou appears to be preparing for a desperate defense, no amount of insults or provocations are working!"
In the military tent, the Left Virtuous King listened to his generals' discussions and could not help but feel enraged.
Without taking the two great gateways of Yanzhou and Yunzhou, the barbarians could not advance further south.
As for invading Da Gan through the Great Wall at various border points, it was even more unrealistic.
The Great Wall, built by successive dynasties, was almost entirely situated in towering mountains. To cross it would pose a risk no less than directly attacking Yanyun.
Even if they could breach the walls of the Great Wall, it would be incredibly difficult for the predominantly cavalry barbarian forces to march through. They could be ambushed at any moment by Da Gan soldiers, their supply lines cut off, or they might even fall into an encirclement prepared by the enemy, experiencing the tactic of "closing the gate to beat the dog."
"Report! The Right Virtuous King has already rushed to Yunzhou and is leading troops, ready to march south at any moment!"
Another urgent report arrived, causing the Left Virtuous King's heart to clench, and his face showed displeasure.
When he dared not lead his troops south, the Right Virtuous King also dared not.
As soon as he led his troops south, the Right Virtuous King would always show up to join the fray, with intentions of seizing power and a share of the spoils.
The barbarians must unite to conquer Da Gan now and must not engage in infighting. The Left Virtuous King could do nothing about it and immediately rose and ordered, "The army will advance, coordinating with our forces in Yunzhou and Shuofang. Be ready to march into Yanzhou at any moment! As long as Yanzhou can be captured, you may burn, kill, and loot as you please!"
Just as the Left Virtuous King gave his order, another urgent report arrived: "Marshal! News from Da Gan states that Liang Xiao, the Marquis of An Guo of Da Gan, has arrived in Yanzhou and is assisting Lu Yi in managing the northern garrisons!"
The Left Virtuous King's breathing hitched. Recalling Liang Xiao's connection to the Heavenly General, a inexplicable sense of fear arose in his heart.
Could he truly be the Heavenly General himself??
Before the Left Virtuous King could respond, the messenger added, "It is said that the Heavenly General of Da Gan has appeared in various regions!"
Upon hearing this, the Left Virtuous King was first taken aback, then exultant: "So, the Heavenly General truly ascended to godhood after death? And are there any new rumors of the Heavenly General protecting Liang Xiao?"
"There have been no further reports since the defense of Luzhou!" the messenger replied.
The fear in the Left Virtuous King's heart vanished completely, and he sneered, "Very well! Lu Yi will surely go to Yunzhou to oversee, leaving Yanzhou city to a mere youth. There might be an opportunity! If we can capture Yanzhou, Liang Xiao's women must be left to me!"
The generals were overjoyed.
During the defense of Luzhou, the defending force was less than one-fifth the size of Yanzhou's northern garrisons. They also did not believe that Liang Xiao, a civilian official by origin, could command hundreds of thousands of troops and earn their obedience without causing chaos!
The barbarian cavalry finally advanced towards Yanzhou, intending to reach the city walls and rekindle the flames of war!
In the evening, after personally training the Qingtian Guard, Liang Xiao returned to his manor with a sense of satisfaction.
The training of the Qingtian Guard had been generally smooth!
All Liang Xiao could do now was to identify and rectify shortcomings, and conduct repeated drills to ensure the Qingtian Guard could obey orders without fail, allowing him to command them as if they were his own limbs.
These Qingtian Guards had only served for half a year, so their training was naturally slower than that of the specially selected White Robed Soldiers and Da Gan Iron Guards. However, their training enthusiasm was higher, which could make up for the difference!
The next morning, before Liang Xiao could leave his residence, Lu Yi arrived to pay a visit.