The Captain of the Shadow Guards, who also served as the Grand Chamberlain, read out the imperial edict. All present, except for Liang Xiao, knelt to receive their appointments.
As Liang Xiao had nothing left to be appointed to, Xiao Qing arranged for a reward of two hundred thousand taels of gold and the right to freely appoint and dismiss military officers of the sixth rank and below throughout the country, along with ten thousand mu of fertile land in Xichuan.
Liang Xiao declined the offer of land, as it had already been distributed to the people of Xichuan, and the estates of the local gentry had been repurposed to shelter the homeless.
Nan Jiyun was promoted to General of the Vanguard for his meritorious service and was awarded sixty thousand taels of gold. He refused the award, considering that his subordinates might also refuse out of respect, thus affecting their income, and finally accepted half.
Liu Fan was officially appointed as the Prefect of both Jincheng and Fucheng, receiving ten thousand taels of gold.
Zhuo Ying's title of General Who Conquers the South was changed to Grand General Who Conquers the South, a sign of great honor, and he was awarded ten thousand taels of gold.
Shi Liuyun, as General Who Suppresses Rebels, succeeded Shi Liuyun as General Who Guards the South, receiving ten thousand taels of gold.
Yue Yun, for his great achievements, succeeded Shi Liuyun as General Who Suppresses Rebels, and was awarded ten thousand taels of gold.
Liang Xiao was tasked with making arrangements for the remaining officers, soldiers, and the Heavenly Mountain swordsmen, with rewards not to be less than those for the recapture of Helan Mountain.
The families of the Hidden Wolf Guards received their rewards privately, without public announcement, to avoid exposure.
The expeditionary forces were granted an extension of six months of meat rations.
With the rewards settled, joy permeated the entire army!
Liu Fan finally sighed, "Marquis, you shared hardship with the people of Xichuan with such dedication, yet have no time to share prosperity with them. It is truly a pity!"
Liang Xiao understood and smiled, "It matters not. When we were in Jincheng, we already heard the joyous music of the people to our heart's content. It was a great honor."
Shi Liuyun pouted, "The atmosphere was so good then; it's a pity the Marshal did not leave behind a poem!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Liang Xiao pondered for a moment, then ordered paper and ink to be brought, and left behind two lines of poetry.
"In Jincheng, silk and pipes fill the days,
Half entering the river wind, half entering the clouds.
This melody should only exist in the heavens,
How often can it be heard in the mortal realm?"
After Liu Fan's explanation, the generals praised it wholeheartedly, considering it a fitting memento.
Taking advantage of the rare leisure before the army's march the next day, Liang Xiao sought out Zhuo Ying.
"I heard that the founding Prime Minister also had ties with the Xichuan Sword Clan. Their old site is in the mountains east of Fucheng. Shall we go and take a look?"
The so-called "elixir of immortality" had always been a lingering concern for Liang Xiao.
Furthermore, as Jian Nanfeng's son-in-law, Liang Xiao felt it was his duty to pay respects and appease the ancestors of the Sword Clan.
Zhuo Ying readily agreed, and the generals and the Heavenly Mountain swordsmen accompanied Liang Xiao to the mountains in the east.
The ancestors of the Sword Clan had always contended with the Spring Revival Cult and were respected by the people of the entire nation.
Yue Qingtian's face, riddled with excitement, shook his meaty jowls. "Finally, I look like a personal guard to a Marquis!"
Nan Jiyun chuckled, "You have already made a name for yourself, and you still wish to be the Marshal's personal guard?"
Yue Qingtian's expression turned serious. "I was once a simple villager. I will never forget that it was the Marquis who saved my entire clan and gave me the opportunity to ennoble my wife and sons. I will always be the Marquis's personal guard, and that will never change!"
Everyone marveled, and Liang Xiao was deeply moved.
As dusk descended, the group arrived in the deep mountains and forests, gazing at the ruins scattered across the ground, a sense of melancholy washing over them.
Following Jian Nanfeng's description, Liang Xiao found the ruins of the Sword Clan's ancestral temple. Amidst the crumbling walls, he paid respects to the ancestors, announcing the pacification of Xichuan and the near annihilation of the Spring Revival Cult.
"In the future, all traitors and rebels within the Great Qian will be brought to justice, the Spring Revival Cult will vanish from the world, and the traitor Jian Beihai must also be apprehended!"
Liang Xiao declared with conviction, and the others, filled with righteous indignation, burned incense in worship.
After the ceremony, Liang Xiao led everyone on a tour. Liu Fan exclaimed, "This, this, this..."
Curiosity piqued, the others gathered around and, upon closer inspection, discovered a bluestone slab with a line of text deeply etched into it.
"Zhuo Mingfeng, Xiao Yue hates you for eight lifetimes!"
Liang Xiao and Zhuo Ying's pupils contracted, and they both fell into silence.
Jian Ningyue, the female chieftain of the Sword Clan who had an unresolved connection with the founding Prime Minister Zhuo Mingfeng...
Liang Xiao hesitated to speak, a drop of cold sweat trickled down Zhuo Ying's forehead, and the expressions of the others grew peculiar.
The founding Prime Minister Zhuo Mingfeng, if not universally known, was certainly familiar to anyone who had read.
"Such a famous female hero was his 'Xiao Yue,' tut tut... Is it a Zhuo family tradition to flirt and then run?" Liang Xiao couldn't help but mutter under his breath, but quickly silenced himself.
His own family's history seemed even more scandalous.
Ever since Old Master Liang had told him that his grandfather had spanked the most beautiful woman in Great Liang, the Chess Saint, and Liang Anguo had spanked Yue Hongxiu, the second most beautiful woman in Great Liang, he knew that his family had long lost all sense of propriety.
He had spanked Zuo Jing, but at least he had intended to take responsibility for her, and was planning to bring her entire family back to Great Qian from Great Liang. Moreover, his grandfather and father had done it on the street, while he had done it in the courtyard. Few knew about it, so he had progressed a tiny bit compared to his elders...
After regaining their composure, everyone returned to the ancestral temple, bid farewell to the ancestors of the Sword Clan, and returned to Fucheng to resume their respective duties.
Nan Jiyun, Liu Fan, Yue Yun, Shi Liuyun, and over a dozen northern generals remained in Xichuan to stabilize the situation and guard against the southern barbarians.
Liang Xiao and Zhuo Ying each led their troops back to the northern territories and Jiangnan, respectively.
Passing through Hanzhong, after thanking the citizens for their support, the army continued its march the next day.
Traversing Jiange and entering the Shu Road, Liang Xiao gazed at the precipitous terrain and sighed.
It was in this manner that the soldiers of Great Qian had overcome countless hardships to enter Sichuan. Nan Jiyun had even taken the perilous Yinping route, fraught with danger.
"The difficulty of the Shu Road is greater than ascending to heaven!"
The soldiers couldn't help but laugh.
All they had thought about was accompanying their Marshal to pacify Xichuan, building bridges over rivers and paving roads over mountains, without considering the difficulties. Now, they realized the problem.
This Shu Road was incredibly difficult to traverse!
However, with ninety thousand men eager to return home, they continued their rapid march. Fortunately, after exiting the Shu Road, there would be supply stations along the way, so there was no fear of logistical shortages.
Liang Xiao was even more eager to fly back to the capital to see Xiao Qing and Zhuo Xun.
Considering the time, if their due date were to arrive early, he might not make it back to the capital in time.
The new crops had already been promoted and planted throughout Great Qian. Ordinary people could also cultivate some, with sweet potatoes being prioritized due to their high yield and relative safety.
After the army emerged from the treacherous mountains, Liang Xiao received news from the vanguard that Jian Nanfeng, along with over a thousand Heavenly Mountain swordsmen, had set up camp and were waiting.
Upon seeing Liang Xiao, Jian Nanfeng, with his beard trembling, stepped forward and clasped Liang Xiao and Ren Changfeng's hands, his voice choked with emotion, "Well done!!"
The Spring Revival Cult, which had poisoned Xichuan for hundreds of years, had been eradicated by Liang Xiao, fulfilling the long-held wish of the Sword Clan's ancestors and avenging their grievances.
After three days of marching, Ren Changfeng and others returned to Heavenly Mountain with Jian Nanfeng, while the capital dispatched Mu Hong to temporarily take charge of military affairs in Yanzhou.
The army finally arrived in Yanzhou after a two-month arduous journey.
The people of Yanzhou lined the streets to welcome them, cheering "Marquis Anguo," and "The Royal Army of Great Qian."
"General Tian's deeds are legendary and will be etched in history. But without General Tian, we still have Marquis Anguo, and the Great Qian army can still be invincible. We have not failed General Tian's protection of Great Qian, nor have we failed Marquis Anguo's training!"
The soldiers removed their helmets, their faces filled with pride, as they announced the pacification of Xichuan to the citizens.
Liang Xiao, in his carriage, smiled and remained silent.
The story of General Tian would not end.
Bai Yefei Ying and Hong Xiu had traveled with the army, protected by the Shadow Guards, ready for battle at any time.
Mu Hong had also arrived in Yanzhou and, along with Liang Zhan, Yue Qingtian, and others, was temporarily in charge of military affairs in Yanzhou, continuing the training of troops.
After paying his respects to the citizens, Liang Xiao, without even stopping to inspect the workshops and assets in Yanzhou, turned off the city and headed for the capital.