Liang Xiao solidified the Great Qian dynasty's absolute rule in Jiao Province with the blood of the Nan Wang faction.
Under Liang Xiao's arrangements, the Great Qian stone tablet was erected outside Fanyu City on a southeastern earth mountain, a symbol that would awe the world and represent the Great Qian imperial army's protection of the populace!
Following Liang Xiao's directives, the army re-screened the Jiao Province soldiers, selecting one hundred thousand young men with the intention to serve. The rest were given rewards and registered. Once the Jiao Province land redistribution was properly settled, land deeds would be sent to their homes, with rewards multiplied according to prior stipulations.
The soldiers of Jiao Province repeatedly expressed their gratitude. Those who joined the army swore loyalty to the nation, while those returning home pledged to live peacefully and abide by the law. All were content.
According to the army's inventory, the assets of the Nan Wang manor within Fanyu Prefecture alone included one million taels of gold that had been too late to transport. The total estimated value of all assets exceeded twenty million taels of silver!
The assets of the other families totaled over seventeen million taels of silver!
Combined with previous army spoils, these silver and gold reserves were undoubtedly sufficient to reward the Great Qian soldiers and improve the lives of the Jiao Province populace.
However, the outflow of gold and silver still left Liang Xiao and the generals feeling indignant.
After the statistics were finalized, Nan Jiyun chuckled and said, "Marshal, the soldiers from Yi Province wish to temporarily undertake the task of defending Jiao Province!"
Liang Xiao readily agreed, "Proactiveness is a good thing, and Jiao Province is not far from Yi Province, making it indeed suitable. General Nan, you also need to return to marry Miss Meng and pay respects to your ancestors. This Jiao Province defense will be entrusted to General Yue and General Shi."
Nan Jiyun, having risen from humble beginnings, had campaigned north and south extensively, rarely having the opportunity to return home.
Yue Yun and Shi Liu Yun accepted the orders together.
"The key is still the Prefect of Jiao Province; we need to find a suitable candidate," Zhuo Ying sighed.
"I have already selected a few with His Majesty beforehand; it depends on who is willing."
Yi Province, Chengdu.
Li Xiu Yun, then the Prefect of Yi Province, and Liu Fan, the Prefect of Chengdu, also received news from Yuzhang.
Li Xiu Yun, surprised and pleased, looked at the civil service document on his desk and pondered for a long time.
"Understood. I will submit a memorial to His Majesty to formally assume the position of Prefect of Jiao Province."
Upon hearing this, the Chief Clerk below the platform anxiously said, "The Ministry of Personnel merely suggested it; there is no mandatory requirement. Lord Li can absolutely remain in Yi Province or take a central government position for promotion. There is no need to go to the hot region of Jiao Province..."
Other civil officials chimed in, "Chief Clerk Wang speaks sense! The people of Yi Province are also reluctant to see Lord Li leave!"
Li Xiu Yun shook his head, "Marquis Anguo has said that the rise and fall of the nation concerns every citizen. I hope all of you can understand this. Compared to the soldiers shedding blood, our mere journey is insignificant. Jiao Province is even more expansive than Yi Province, its people have suffered for a century, similar to the fate of the people in Xichuan. Someone is needed to stabilize their hearts, undertake irrigation works, reclaim wasteland, and improve their livelihoods."
Having spoken, Li Xiu Yun looked at Liu Fan, "Lord Liu, what are your thoughts?"
Liu Fan replied without hesitation, "Putting the people first is the Marshal's earnest instruction to us. This subordinate can accompany Lord Li."
"No, no, no, Lord Liu should stay. I will petition His Majesty to appoint Lord Liu as the Prefect of Yi Province, wouldn't that be perfect?" Li Xiu Yun quickly said.
"Lord Liu is familiar with Yi Province affairs and his reputation for virtue is widespread. If he is promoted to a higher office, he will surely command respect!" Seeing that Li Xiu Yun's decision was firm and Liu Fan would succeed him, the others grudgingly accepted, though still reluctant to part.
That very day, Li Xiu Yun immediately submitted his memorial to the capital.
"Extra! Extra! Marquis Anguo annexes Jiao Province without a single soldier or arrow!"
The news spread throughout the Jiangnan region, shocking all of Jiangnan!
How long had it been? Jiao Province was already recovered?
"As expected of our General of Heaven, Marquis Anguo~ Hmm? Also, your Marquis Anguo~"
Inside the Liang manor in Yuzhang, Liang Xiao's wives, with infatuated expressions, surrounded a blushing Yue Wenxin and teased her.
In Yuzhang City, every household eagerly awaited Liang Xiao's early return.
Families everywhere posted ink paintings and colorful depictions of Liang Xiao's merits outside their homes. The General of Heaven single-handedly rescued Yanzhou, repelled the barbarians; the Marquis Anguo protected Luzhou, pacified Jiangnan, recaptured Sanshan, inscribed stone at Yanran, sealed Langjuxu, built the Great Wall in the desert, slew Achilles, defeated the Tianri clan, and recovered Jiao Province... These story paintings had become protective talismans for the common people.
After all, for thousands of years, their ancestors had burned incense and worshipped gods and Buddhas, yet the divine beings had never offered them salvation. Now, a living person had pulled them out of the mire of suffering, allowing them to live better lives, teaching them propriety and shame, instilling national pride, and enabling them to afford education for their children, giving them a better chance to succeed and bring honor to their ancestors.
The streets echoed with the clear voices of children reciting "The Great Qian Heroes' Chronicle."
Even the Son of Heaven's prestige did not match Liang Xiao's, yet the citizens of Great Qian understood that the one who trusted Liang Xiao the most in this world was precisely that Son of Heaven.
Jiangnan was filled with joy and laughter, while the Daliang Kingdom, however, was shocked nationwide.
"The noble families and powerful clans have been thoroughly eradicated by the Great Qian Kingdom??"
The local noble families and powerful clans of the Daliang Kingdom were all terrified.
They believed in the Great Qian Kingdom's intelligence capabilities. If Daliang were to be conquered, evidence of their past misdeeds would surely be found.
Therefore, methods like the Gu and Mu families surrendering to the Great Qian Son of Heaven were not feasible for them. The Great Qian Son of Heaven would not employ those who were accustomed to acting like tyrants.
Among the civil and military officials, only a small minority hoped for unification.
But this time, Qin Feng and Zhi Rou were unusually calm.
From the moment they learned that Liang Xiao had accepted the surrender of two hundred thousand Jiao Province soldiers, they had understood that Liang Xiao's recovery of Jiao Province was a foregone conclusion, the only question being the cost.
Under Qin Feng's leadership, the Daliang Kingdom had also repelled the invasion of southern barbarians during this period, killing tens of thousands of enemies.
Yet, compared to the Great Qian army, such achievements seemed dim.
Even without such a monumental feat as recovering Jiao Province... the Tianri clan elites alone who had died at Liang Xiao's hands exceeded two hundred thousand!
The wilderness, the Xianbei, the Izumo Kingdom, the Peacock Dynasty...
"Your Majesty, Liang Xiao has killed over a million enemies; he is a genuine 'Man-slaughterer.' We absolutely cannot allow him to conquer Daliang!" The ministers below the throne remained unwilling to give up.
"I will strive to protect the ancestral legacy..." Zhi Rou said helplessly.
Only then did the ministers beam with joy, kowtowing to the ground, forcing tears out.
"Your subjects will unite with one heart, perform our duties diligently, and be loyal to our Emperor!"
Zhi Rou's helplessness turned into a wry smile as she looked at Qin Feng.
She never imagined that the person who could make these ministers pledge allegiance came from an enemy nation.
"It's too late, everything is too late..." Qin Feng closed his eyes and murmured.
Beside him, Zhi Rou remained silent, merely holding Qin Feng's hand tightly, her gaze resolute.
South of Jiao Province, scouts from the Peacock Dynasty also detected the approach of the Great Qian cavalry.
Vast tracts of fertile land were confiscated. The golden-haired, blue-eyed Tianri clan herders and cavalry were either executed on the spot or driven away.
Under Liang Xiao's command, the Great Qian cavalry marched south, delineating territory and forcefully expanding the territorial scope of Jiao Province southward by one hundred and twenty li.
The Peacock Dynasty and the Jiao Province warlords had jointly managed this region for a century. The large swathes of fertile land and rich pastures, painstakingly cultivated, were now seized by the Great Qian Kingdom due to the loss of protection from the twenty thousand-plus Tianri clan troops.
The Yi Province Corps and the Jiangnan Corps were responsible for the temporary garrisoning of this area.
Because the Jiao Province soldiers had not yet adopted the Great Qian military system, and having just surrendered, other troops were needed to oversee them to prevent any unforeseen complications.
After several days of diligent effort by the Great Qian soldiers, involving population registration and land allocation, the entire Jiao Province was fully integrated into Great Qian!
Four of Liang Xiao's strategists were temporarily tasked with managing Jiao Province.
Several days later, outside Fanyu Prefecture, one hundred and fifty thousand troops assembled to accept Liang Xiao's military review.