"Greetings, Marshal!"
A white-robed soldier, over thirty years old, his legs permanently crippled by battlefield wounds and forever bound to crutches, rose to greet Liang Xiao upon learning of his visit.
"No need for formalities," Liang Xiao quickly helped him back into bed.
Yue Wenxin looked at the white-robed soldier, and then at the mother and child by the bedside, her heart filled with shock but she dared not show it.
When their father came to visit, the families of the fallen and disabled soldiers had only greeted him with smiles and bows.
This was because they knew a慰问金 (wèiwènjīn -慰问金) was surely coming.
But the soldier before them, and his entire family, wore expressions of fervent admiration, not just the joy of receiving a慰问金.
"The country is stable, its territory expanded; your contributions are immeasurable..."
Before Liang Xiao could finish, the white-robed soldier hurriedly shook his head, "Marshal, please do not blame yourself! Our only regret is that we did not kill more enemies on the battlefield! Even if time could rewind to the past, I would have no regrets, and would still charge into battle with my spear!"
Liang Xiao said solemnly, "The nation will not fail any hero, nor their families!"
"Marshal..." the white-robed soldier began, then stopped, as if with a request.
"Speak your mind freely," Liang Xiao said softly.
The white-robed soldier then reached out to his eldest son, gesturing for him to come closer. Placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, he said, "There are three males in my family. My eldest son has the heart to inherit his father's legacy. He is diligently studying and practicing martial arts, hoping to be selected for the White Robe Army, the Great Qian Iron Guard, or the Great Qian Garrison in the future..."
Yue Wenxin and Yue Hongxiu beside her were greatly astonished.
Was this the martial spirit of the Great Qian Kingdom?
It seemed to be more than that!
From the determined eyes of the white-robed soldier and his son, there was an unmistakable reverence for Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao nodded, "The nation will provide education for your offspring. If they wish to study, they may study. If they wish to practice martial arts, they may practice martial arts. Free food, clothing, and books will be provided for the children, but their achievements will ultimately depend on themselves."
The entire army was overjoyed and expressed their gratitude to Liang Xiao.
After a brief chat with the hostess, Luo Qingxue took five silver notes of one tael each from the female soldier's chest, carefully folded them, and solemnly handed them over.
Yue Wenxin, standing at the entrance, noticed that the hostess showed only gratitude upon receiving the silver notes, without excessive joy. She became even more perplexed and whispered to Yue Hongxiu, "Shouldn't they be as happy as the soldiers of Great Liang when they receive the慰问金, perhaps even weeping with joy?"
Yue Hongxiu whispered in explanation, "The nation guarantees their livelihood. What their family cherishes most is not money, but the continuation of their fathers' glory in their children..."
"Father, I also want to practice martial arts and join the army, to follow Marshal and fight the man-eating barbarians..." the second son suddenly said.
Yue Wenxin was speechless, her mind churning like a stormy sea.
This was a martial spirit she had never encountered before.
After the casualties of their fathers, the offspring were not fearful, but prepared to join the army themselves?
Compared to the current Great Qian, the Great Liang Kingdom had no martial spirit to speak of.
Liang Xiao naturally did not dare to agree immediately. He smiled, "Practicing martial arts is fine, but each family should only have one son join the army. In the future, even if you cannot enlist, you will have the opportunity to become an instructor and teach others martial arts."
After visiting this family, Liang Xiao and his entourage continued to visit hundreds of other families. The慰问金 ranged from two taels to five taels, enough for each family to live comfortably, and even purchase a complete set of books from the Anguo Bookstore.
"His Majesty is truly rich..." Yue Wenxin murmured, following behind Liang Xiao on their way back.
Yue Hongxiu, standing beside her, suddenly explained, "That is also because your brother-in-law assisted His Majesty in reforming the government. The nation's financial revenue is now incomparable to the past."
"Oh, brother-in-law is indeed amazing..." Yue Wenxin said, looking down.
Seeing Yue Wenxin's shy demeanor, Yue Hongxiu felt both exasperated and amused.
She was hesitant to speak directly to Liang Xiao about this matter, as Zuo Wuji himself had not brought up the marriage proposal. She could only try to subtly hint at it.
Given Zuo Wuji's wealth, taking a live-in son-in-law and having the children take the Yue surname would be perfectly fine. However, Yue Wenxin would surely not fancy anyone else.
This girl was truly driving them to distraction!
While Great Qian was stabilizing its populace, the other end of the world was also experiencing dramatic shifts.
Great Qian and the Tianri tribe had clearly become the two poles of the world.
However, outside these two poles, various powers were engaged in chaotic warfare, presenting a multifaceted landscape.
Even the Izumo Kingdom, through its prudent韬光养晦 (tāoguāng yǎnghuì -韬光养晦), was gradually growing stronger...
To the west of Great Qian lay a land called "Europa."
And to the south and southwest of Europa lay a land called "Africa."
The history and geography of this world, due to unknown butterfly effects, had undergone significant changes.
But this also led to the emergence of countless forces, where civilizations clashed and intersected, ultimately resulting in numerous civilizations succumbing to the iron hooves of the Tianri tribe, either being annihilated and annexed, or brutally wiped out.
In the northern and northeastern parts of Africa, the people rose up in resistance, and a new dynasty finally emerged.
The Ayyubid Dynasty!
"Our great ruler, Saladin, will lead our knights to conquer the mysterious nomadic tribes of the north and restore the glory of the true world!"
Since the Ayyubid Dynasty's independence, its citizens rejoiced, their spirits soaring.
Saladin, the ruler who led the people to expel the Tianri cavalry and arduously established the nation, stroked his beard with a solemn expression.
"How did that man-eating force calling themselves the Tianri tribe manage to conquer the Roman Empire? Did the countries in northern Europa not unite to resist such a race of cannibals?"
"What a bunch of imbeciles!"
Saladin's rare display of anger stunned his ministers, who hastily offered their counsel.
"Your Majesty, besides the Tianri tribe, there seems to be another force on that continent called the Xiongnu. Their ruler calls himself Attila. He has campaigned far and wide and is already hailed as 'the Scourge of God.' If we wish to expand northward, we might clash with the Scourge of God. They are the first threat we need to address..."
"No!" Saladin waved his hand, regaining his composure. "Our objective is to defeat the Tianri tribe first. I am not interested in the Scourge of God! It was the Tianri tribe that slaughtered our ancestors! Send people to probe Attila's stance first. If we can form an alliance against the Tianri tribe, and he proves uncooperative and insists on being my enemy, then even at the cost of mutual destruction, the Ayyubid Dynasty must annihilate them!"
Northeast of the Ayyubid Dynasty, the barbarians, led by Attila, resumed their Xiongnu designation, sweeping across the land. They then turned southeast, confronting the Ayyubid Dynasty at the Red Sea.
"Attila, have we perhaps overextended ourselves? The Ayyubid family rising in the southwest is formidable in battle, and their dynasty's ascent is a foregone conclusion. We have no need to clean up the mess for the Tianri tribe!" Blyda, on horseback, shouted towards Attila in the distance.
Attila then reined in his horse and turned back.
"Indeed. I have heard that their ruler, Saladin, is brave and skilled in battle, and that land was not our desired territory. The vastness of our dominion is already approaching the former Gobi. But as our interactions with various tribes increase, I realize: the Tianri tribe might be the true formidable enemy we should face!"