With Liang Xiao's current reputation, the lord of Bai Chun Tower and the top courtesan have come to him, and even Qin Xian was sent by the Sage Doctor.
The entire capital knew that Qin Xian was the future wife of the Marquis of An Guo, and at least Qin Xian had not denied it!
The exceptionally beautiful foreign princess was also betrothed to Liang Xiao by the Emperor...
Looking across the land, how many people could be worthy of the title of Marquis of An Guo's wife, even just as a concubine?
Few and far between!
"In any case, first send someone to inform Xiao'er. Since Xiao'er's injuries have also improved, it's only a matter of time before this old man holds his grandson!" Liang Qing stroked his beard and sighed, then couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Yan Prefecture had a fierce folk custom, with most adult men standing over seven and a half feet tall, and some even exceeding eight feet, and their physique was generally stronger than men from other prefectures and counties.
Even so, under Liang Xiao's almost ruthless selection criteria, only one in ten could pass!
After a day of preliminary screening, counting the barbarian tribes, only a thousand people qualified!
However, because the treatment offered by Liang Xiao was so enticing, and Liang Xiao's current identity had earned the trust of the people of Yan Prefecture, anyone who participated in the test, even if they didn't pass, would be fed for the day.
Heroes from all prefectures and counties came in droves, only seeking to join Liang Xiao's troops.
The selection for the Northern Army camp was also in full swing, with soldiers eager to pass the test to become elites and triple their salaries!
The personnel in charge of the tests were all impartial, and the soldiers had no hope of using connections, so they could only grit their teeth and test.
Fortunately, the test lasted for a long time, and if they couldn't pass today, they could still try tomorrow, giving the soldiers hope.
Upon learning of Liang Xiao's recruitment condition of five taels of silver, Lü Yi and others from the Northern Army camp were also quite worried.
"Can the Marquis of An Guo afford it?" Zhuo Wu said with a wry smile.
Raising soldiers for a thousand days, using them for one day, but the expenses of raising soldiers, including feeding, maintaining, and military pay, are not affordable for ordinary people!
And offering five taels of silver?
With two thousand people pre-recruited, the monthly salary alone would be ten thousand taels. Who could sustain it for half a year or a year!
Lü Yi pondered for a moment and sighed, "His idea is correct. The Northern Army camp's salary level is already preparing to triple. If they offer less, people might as well directly register with the Northern Army camp, which is more reliable. What I'm truly worried about is whether he will be impeached by those noble families for disloyalty!"
"This subordinate believes in the character of the Marquis of An Guo!" Nan Jiyun said solemnly.
"Of course, this commander also believes it, but he is ultimately young and lacks foresight in his actions..." Lü Yi said with a wry smile.
Nan Jiyun shook his head and said, "Commander, this subordinate believes that the Marquis of An Guo genuinely needs an invincible elite force, because we are confronting the most dangerous barbarians! If we cannot guarantee victory in every battle, I fear we cannot establish true confidence for the entire army."
The generals nodded slightly, and Lü Yi looked at Nan Jiyun with great pleasure: "Well reasoned!"
Without the Heavenly General, the Northern Army camp, wanting to defeat the barbarians, cannot always rely on the Heavenly General's divine intervention.
The White Robed Army only had seven thousand men, and only by charging with the capable Heavenly General could they have the power to fight one against ten!
Lü Changhe was already a rare fierce general, but even leading the White Robed Army did not possess such terrifying power, simply because he could not easily slay generals and capture flags like the Heavenly General, leaving the enemy headless!
If Lü Changhe was like this, what about others?
When soldiers are incompetent, a single soldier can cause chaos; when generals are incompetent, the entire army is in disarray, that's the principle.
Liang Xiao's actions were clearly not those of a mediocrity.
Nan Jiyun's insight was also not bad, at least it allowed Lü Yi to see a future star general who could stand on his own!
And talents like Nan Jiyun, who had the nation and its people in their hearts, would certainly not become anyone's faction. His firm support for Liang Xiao was because he admired Liang Xiao's words and actions for the country and its people.
Then, how could Liang Xiao, who could recommend people like Nan Jiyun to the Emperor, and even selflessly recommend him to Lü Yi, be someone with disloyalty?
After figuring this out, Lü Yi suddenly stood up: "The recruitment of Marquis An Guo, Liang Xiao, was under imperial decree. Immediately issue a general order to the entire army: no one is allowed to criticize Liang Xiao's recruitment matters. Violators will be dealt with by military law!"
With Lü Yi's absolute support, the discussion about Liang Xiao in the Northern Army camp quickly disappeared. Only the supervising official, Dugu Yuncheng, angered and embarrassed, quickly sent someone back to the capital to inform the Dugu family, and then took the lead in impeaching Liang Xiao.
On the city wall, Lü Yi looked in the direction of Liang Xiao to the south, his heart surging with emotion: "I wonder what kind of surprise you can bring to Great Qian. Helan Mountain, oh Helan Mountain! Liang Xiao, in the future, can you avenge your father and your uncle, your Uncle Luo, and all the heroes of Great Qian from back then? Drive the chariot, break through the Helan Mountain pass..."
Every time he thought of this, Lü Yi couldn't help but feel grief.
The disastrous defeat that year caused Great Qian's prestige to wane, countless soldiers were beheaded and displayed by the barbarians, and more than half of the envoys from various countries turned to the barbarians, submitting to them and offering tribute!
If not for the Heavenly General's decisive intervention, which allowed Great Qian to regain its prestige, this land would have been shattered today...
But how easy was it to reclaim Helan Mountain?
Lü Yi could only wait! Wait until Liang Xiao, Nan Jiyun, and others grew up, gamble the nation's fate, and settle it with one decisive battle!
On the third day, the number of people who passed the test had exceeded fifteen hundred!
Led by Yue Qingtian, fifteen hundred strong men gathered at the newly constructed temporary training ground northeast of Anxi County, chatting amongst themselves.
Amidst everyone's anticipation, Liang Xiao walked onto the high platform with Liu Fan and others.
"Greetings, Marquis of An Guo!" everyone knelt down one after another, full of expectation.
Liang Xiao looked satisfied and nodded slightly.
"Liu Fan, distribute five taels of silver to each warrior who passed the test!"
As soon as he spoke, the entire audience was shocked!
Reward silver?
A strong man couldn't help but ask, "Marquis of An Guo, is this our advance salary?"
Liang Xiao smiled and said, "It is not salary. All warriors who pass the test will receive five taels of reward silver!"
Thunderous cheers erupted throughout the audience, and many strong men's faces trembled!
Five taels just like that?
Normally, a shi of rice in Great Qian was only three to four hundred coins...
Liang Xiao quieted everyone down and continued, "Furthermore, any hero who passes the test can choose whether or not to become my subordinate."
Everyone looked confused: Why emphasize this again? Didn't everyone come to the test to become the Marquis's subordinate?
Seeing their confusion, Liang Xiao said seriously, "However, five taels of silver are not so easily earned! You will face military laws that are even stricter than those of the Northern Army camp, and training intensities that are difficult for ordinary people to accept!"
Everyone suddenly understood and finally calmed down.
Now everyone knew that Liang Xiao was recruiting soldiers under imperial decree. These future subordinates were, strictly speaking, soldiers of Great Qian, so the Emperor allowed Liang Xiao to deploy and use military law at his discretion.
"From this moment on, you will choose for yourselves. Once you become my subordinate, it will be extremely difficult to leave! However, your families will be well taken care of, with food and clothing secure! But if you betray me and collude with the enemy, you will be executed without mercy!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion, and the vast majority were overjoyed.
Their families would also be taken care of?
Liu Fan's breathing became somewhat restricted.
Liang Xiao's methods were akin to recruiting death warriors...
"In addition, my army, Liang Xiao's army, must obey orders and prohibitions, and must not offend the civilians. Anyone who dares to harass the civilians will be executed!"
The entire audience was stunned.
Execution for harassing civilians?
Liang Xiao looked around the audience, his voice and demeanor returning to the majesty of the Heavenly General of old.
"In simple terms, remember one sentence: freeze to death but do not break into houses, starve to death but do not plunder!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire audience was astounded!
Luo Qingxue, Jian Qinwan, and others on the high building, as well as the heroes from Tianshan, couldn't help but show profound respect.
What kind of resolve was this!