Mars reminded him, "To reach Jiangnan, the conventional journey takes a year and a half. Even with the best provisions from the believers of the Rebirth Cult along the way, it will take at least four months, and you might still be intercepted by the Da Qian people."
Achilles roared, "I only want to kill the Sky General, do you understand?!"
Mars helplessly prepared warhorses, rations, and the Rebirth Cult's route map for Achilles.
In the Da Qian Kingdom, the Rebirth Cult had lost its fertile ground for cultivating believers, but a number of former followers still lurked in various places, acting as insiders.
In the capital of Da Qian, following the promotion of the gold standard, it had gained support from all regions. The economic development of the Da Qian Kingdom had also taken a step forward with the return of gold to the country.
According to the historical records of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Great Zhou imperial court indeed possessed a massive amount of gold. Coupled with the treasure map, there was no doubt that most of the gold and rare treasures were seized by the ancient Xiongnu King during wartime and transported back to the desert. A portion of it, which was being plundered but not yet transported back, was buried in Yan Province.
The ownership of the treasure thus came to a conclusion.
After appraisal, the jade artifacts and ancient calligraphy and paintings from the treasure were, with the exception of a small portion used by Xiao Qing to reward meritorious officials, stored in the imperial treasury and strictly guarded.
Sima Jing of Yan Province, after years of training, had cultivated over ten thousand Silent Wolf Guards, whose faith was as firm as that of the Shadow Guards.
With their families well taken care of, these Silent Wolf Guards, who had originated from commoners, the impoverished, refugees, and generations of soldiers, no longer had any worries. They regarded Liang Xiao and Xiao Qing as their faith, and they fanned out to various countries and regions, gathering intelligence while monitoring powerful clans that had close ties with aristocratic families in the past.
The number of scholars participating in the imperial examinations was increasing daily, and the officials responsible for invigilation also underwent rigorous assessments. The state made every effort to prevent any form of favoritism or cheating.
In the deep courtyard of the Armaments Bureau, a group of Shadow Guards, in coordination with craftsmen and following Liang Xiao's guidance, were secretly improving and building Divine Martial Cannons, with the sole aim of deploying these weapons onto the battlefield as soon as possible.
In Zhongzhou City, a hundred thousand Zhongzhou soldiers, selected from all over the country, had undergone a year of intensive training. Their military bearing was imposing, and their fighting spirit was high.
On the reviewing platform, Liang Xiao, Zhuo Zifang, and Zhuo Wulue delivered speeches in succession.
"All officers and men, rest for three days, and prepare to march to Jiangnan with this general, sweep away the rebels, reclaim Jiaozhou, and unify the Great Liang!"
At Liang Xiao's command, the entire army was filled with excitement!
The martial spirit of the Da Qian Kingdom had not shown any significant decline with economic development; in fact, it was even on an upward trend in most regions.
The generation of Da Qian soldiers, standing at the intersection of a humiliating past era and a glorious new era, profoundly understood the importance of defending their homeland.
They had once starved with their families, but now, their entire families were well-fed and clothed because of their enlistment. They no longer had to live in fear of foreign invasions, nor did they have to worry about oppression by landlords and gentry, nor did they have to pay the poll tax, which was far greater than it was now.
Before the border threats were eliminated, no one wanted to lose this hard-won new life and return to the humiliating and impoverished old era.
Zhuo Zifang, his hair and beard already white, looked at the Da Qian soldiers, who were vastly different from before. Amidst his emotions, he couldn't help but compose a poem in praise.
Upon returning to his military tent, Zhuo Zifang earnestly reminded him, "Liang Xiao, you are now the pillar of the nation. For His Majesty and the common people, you cannot always risk your life so easily and charge into danger..."
Liang Xiao nodded solemnly, though his heart was filled with mixed emotions.
The clash of arms, the spirit that conquered thousands of miles like a tiger, was the dream of every passionate man.
However, with the continuous reform of weapons in various countries, the range and power gradually increased, and personal martial prowess would eventually become a relic of the battlefield.
Even if he were the Sky General with divine artifacts, if he were hit by a Divine Martial Cannon, even if his armor were not destroyed by the projectile, his body would be annihilated by the impact, even torn apart and reduced to pulp.
But compared to national prosperity and peace, personal strength was insignificant.
Doing one's best, without regrets, was enough.
Furthermore, if the enemy had not developed powerful heavy weapons, he and Bai Yefei Ying could still make a mark on the battlefield. Even a catapult would allow him enough time to dodge, and he could even shatter flying stones from the sky with a single halberd.
Liang Xiao finally spoke and smiled, "Lord Zhuo, it is time for the Da Qian Kingdom to unify the Great Liang and establish an eternal empire."
Zhuo Zifang said joyfully, "This old man also hopes to see the unification of the two countries in his lifetime."
"Not just the unification of the two countries, we will also reclaim Jiaozhou, defeat the Guishuang Dynasty and the Peacock Dynasty. The Tianri tribe will not threaten Da Qian for at least a hundred years, and the aristocratic families will disappear from Da Qian forever!" Liang Xiao said with great spirit.
Zhuo Zifang nodded repeatedly, but then sighed, "Compared to these, this old man hopes more that you can be safe and sound. Therefore, you should still try not to personally charge into danger. You have done enough for the country and its people, and now you bear a greater responsibility. No one wishes for any further mishaps to the Marquis of Anguo or the Sky General."
Seeing Zhuo Zifang's eyes full of worry, even a hint of fear, Liang Xiao couldn't help but chuckle and nodded.
This elder, a military strategist himself, did not fear death but was acutely aware of the dangers of the battlefield and was deeply concerned about his personal safety, just like his grandfather Liang Qing.
The Zhongzhou soldiers entered a state of rest.
The provisions for the hundred thousand troops had been gathered half a year ago, and Liang Xiao did not need to worry about them.
The Jiangnan region had resisted the invasion of the Great Liang and Jiaozhou for over half a year, and it was time to counterattack.
Due to the containment by the Guishuang Dynasty and the Xianbei cavalry, the Da Qian Kingdom's cavalry was almost entirely deployed in the north. Therefore, the Jiangnan defenders, limited by their mobility, did not rashly launch an offensive to repel the enemy, seeking only foolproof success.
Zhongzhou City was the closest to the capital, and Liang Xiao and his entourage quickly returned to the capital to report the situation of the Zhongzhou soldiers to the imperial court.
In the imperial court, Xiao Qing officially appointed Liang Xiao as the Grand Marshal of the Southern Campaign, commanding all the troops in Jiangnan, to suppress the rebels, prepare warships, unify the Great Liang, and reclaim Jiaozhou!
"Jiaozhou has been separated from the country for a long time. It is only nominally subordinate to Da Qian, but in reality, the successive governors have been elected and self-appointed by the local warlords of Jiaozhou. The Da Qian Kingdom once had no understanding of Jiaozhou and could only let it be."
"Now our country can confirm that the current governor of Jiaozhou, Xiao Che, is the leader of the Southwest Sun Moon Army, the King of Brocade Robes. This person colluded with the Southern King Xiao Chang and invaded Jiangnan; his crime is punishable by death!"
"The Gongyang Clan, the Dugu Family, the Ouyang Family, and the He Family of Jiaozhou acted as accomplices and are unforgivable!"
"I hereby proclaim to the world that I officially permit the Grand Marshal and Grand General of Cavalry, our loyal minister Liang, to make judgments on all military and political affairs in Jiaozhou and Jiangnan, including the disposition of the Southern King, Xiao Che, and the former Four Great Clans!"
The ministers shouted in unison, "His Majesty is wise!" and fully supported the decision.
He Jingyun, the Minister of Rites, was filled with mixed emotions, as if he had traveled through time.
The ancestors of their Jinling He family had been house slaves of the capital's He family. Later, when the capital's He family lost power, they came to the capital and became the new capital's He family, loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and highly respected by the people.
And the former capital's He family had become like rats crossing the street, with everyone from the emperor down to the common people denigrating them as the "Jiaozhou He Family."
As Liang Xiao accepted the new marshal's seal as the Grand Marshal of the Southern Campaign, and was about to take his oath, a report came from the Shadow Guards outside.
"Your Majesty, an urgent report from Liaodong! The troops of Izumo have occupied the entire territory of the Taiji Kingdom and are repairing roads, preparing to attack Liaodong and the Eastern Sea from both land and sea!"