With the rise of my family, I can summon the Daoist Soldiers' Nest.

Before they knew it, the day of the investiture arrived.

The main hall of the government office was solemn and dignified.

Lin Ye stood at the forefront, followed by Lin Ping, Liu Yun, Sun Qian, and others, all with solemn expressions.

On either side stood Prefect Zhu and the various lords of Qingyang Prefecture.

In the center of the hall, Prefect Cao, dressed in his official robes and holding a scroll of bright yellow imperial edict, walked forward with steady steps.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the King of Han decrees—" Cao Juncheng's voice was clear and powerful, echoing in the spacious hall.

"Lin Ye, the newly appointed lord of Qingyang Prefecture, has rendered meritorious service in suppressing bandits and, on his return journey, discovered a den of three rogues, demonstrating his clear intention to protect the territory and its people. In recognition of his loyalty and bravery, his request is hereby granted, and Qinghe County is hereby designated as the territory of the Lin family, and he is bestowed with the title of 'Baron of Qinghe County,' which shall be hereditary and perpetual."

The Northern Xiongnu are now eyeing our borders, and the people of Gongchang Prefecture and other places are suffering greatly. We urgently need loyal and brave men to pacify this region.

I hope that you can use your nest as a base to settle the displaced people, reclaim wasteland and develop agriculture, so that the barren land can be restored to its former glory.

They were able to use military strategy as a shield to eliminate the remaining enemy forces, resist foreign aggression, and bring peace and tranquility to the people.

Do not fail my expectations, do not fail the people! So be it!

Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief; they had all received the good news they wanted.

Lin Ye knew perfectly well that his choice of Qinghe County was in line with the interests of the imperial court.

The Northern Han Dynasty is now threatened by the Northern Xiongnu, and if it were to further deplete its strength due to infighting among its minor lords, it would be tantamount to digging its own grave. Therefore, the court is unwilling to see the minor lords attack each other.

Of course, if it were a behemoth that spanned several prefectures or even controlled a county, the imperial court would certainly be happy to see them fighting amongst themselves.

After the investiture ceremony was completed, Lin Ye immediately invited everyone to a banquet, and then led his army back to Xiang County.

Although Qinghe County now belongs to the Lin family, how to govern it, how to resettle it, and how to develop it based on its nest still requires careful discussion among the core members of the family. It may even require the transfer of reliable people to manage it, which is by no means something that he alone can handle.

On the way back, Lin Ye sat in the stable carriage, with four large wooden crates standing out beside him.

Inside the box were twenty round Dao Soldier Eggs, their shells warm and smooth, with a faint glow emanating from them.

This is a "congratulatory gift" sent by the Su and Gao families at the investiture ceremony.

Ten "Cracked Claw Wolf King" Taoist Soldier Eggs, and ten "Shield and Halberd Warrior" Taoist Soldier Eggs.

Faced with such a generous gift, Lin Ye almost instantly forgot about the past when the two families had not spoken up for him.

There was no way around it; they gave us way too much.

In particular, the ten Cracked Claw Wolves, when ridden by martial artists, possess unparalleled mobility and impact, whether for pursuing fleeing enemies, making emergency retreats, or charging in groups to break through enemy lines. They can be considered "all-around mounts" on the battlefield.

Moreover, in the end, neither family has any deep-seated hatred for the Lin family; it's just a matter of position and interests. Now that the gift list has been given and the conversation has been made public, the past disagreements can be considered forgotten.

The two families took the opportunity to form an alliance with the Lin family again. However, this time, among the four newly formed alliances in Qingyang Prefecture, the Lin family, with its two strongholds, had already taken the lead.

The army returned safely to Xiang County without incident.

As soon as we entered the county, the welcoming scene became more enthusiastic with each town we passed through.

Officials in various places had already learned of the good news that Lin Ye had been granted the title of "Marquis of Qinghe County". Bright red flags were hung on the flagpoles at the entrance of the town, and there was a scene of celebration with gongs and drums, singing and dancing everywhere.

It's clear that the Lin family has won the hearts of the people in this land.

Most of the people had bought new clothes, and although their complexions were not yet rosy, they had long since lost their former sallowness, and their brows revealed a steady and energetic spirit.

The fields outside the town have gradually become orderly, and the low-level monsters that once ravaged the countryside are nowhere to be found. Fishing boats have reappeared in the rivers, and the towns that pass by have spontaneously recruited young men to guard the area. These people will be the most reliable reserve soldiers for the territory's army in the future.

Upon arriving at the new county town, the welcome was even more enthusiastic.

Lin Ye ordered the army to disband here, and all soldiers were given five days of rest to reunite with their families.

After passing the county town, we arrived at Linjiawu.

In front of the gate of the fortified village, the clan elders, stewards, and servants were already lined up and waiting, their faces beaming with heartfelt joy.

After another round of boisterous celebration, Lin Ye took the opportunity to pull Zhang Ruozhu's wrist and quietly retreated back into the room.

After a long separation, they reminisced about their time apart, spent the night in tenderness, and made love until late morning, a scene reminiscent of the story of "the emperor neglecting his morning court."

Only now can I truly relieve the exhaustion and mental strain of the past few days.

That day, the main hall of Linjiawu was packed with people, including the clan elders, the heads of each branch, and the most outstanding young people.

Today, Lin Ye will announce the management arrangements for the new territory of Qinghe County, which is related to the future plans of the family.

"My Lin family has contracted another third-rate hideout, and the territory has been granted by the imperial court in Qinghe County, Gongchang Prefecture." Lin Ye stood in front of the hall, "But I need to stay in Xiang County to oversee the overall situation, and someone must manage the new territory."

He paused, his gaze falling on Lin Qiang and his son Lin Jing on his left: "Uncle Lin Qiang, how about you take Lin Jing and I to be in charge of the administration of Qinghe County?"

Lin Qiang was slightly taken aback, then stepped forward, and Lin Jing, who had only one arm, straightened his back as well.

A murmur of discussion immediately arose in the hall.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Qinghe County is far away in Gongchang Prefecture, thousands of miles away from Xiang County. Going there means being "far from the emperor's reach," holding real power, and practically becoming a local tyrant.

Although most of the clan members knew they were not up to the task and had previously hinted at their thoughts to Lin Ye and Li Shi, now that the candidate was actually in front of them, some of them couldn't help but feel resentful while being envious.

"What? Does anyone have a problem with this?" Lin Ye's tone became a bit harsher.

The discussion abruptly ceased.

Everyone knows that the Lin family's success today is entirely due to Lin Ye. Family decisions have always revolved around him, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a "one-man show."

Since the head of the family has made the decision, there is no room for argument, not even from elders.

Moreover, Lin Qiang holds a respected position in the clan, and his son Lin Jing lost an arm during this expedition. In terms of seniority and hard work, it is entirely reasonable for the father and son to take over the new territory.

"Thank you for your trust, Patriarch!" Lin Qiang suppressed his excitement and bowed, replying, "I will certainly do my utmost to manage Qinghe County well, expand the family's territory, and achieve new merits!"

Lin Ye nodded slightly and continued, "Currently, the population of Qinghe County is mainly concentrated in the county seat, and most of the towns are abandoned and dilapidated due to the invasion of water bandits."

My plan is to emulate the development model of Xiang County, first focusing on revitalizing the county seat, then using the various small families as a foundation to gradually restore the vitality of the towns, and finally connecting the county seat and the towns into one.

"Considering that the small families in Qinghe County suffered heavy losses in the river banditry, I plan to have half of the town's officials sent from Xiang County."

He glanced at the crowd and said, "If anyone is interested, they can register with Uncle Lin Qiang. Once he approves their application, they can apply."

"As for the person in charge of the county town..." Lin Ye changed the subject, "it will be my senior brother Li Liang who takes on the role."

When the people in the hall heard that a member of the Lin family would be appointed as the town's steward, many of them immediately showed joy on their faces.

Those who were in charge of Xiangxian Town back then, aren't they all living in great renown now?

By leveraging their management authority to exchange resources and advance their cultivation levels, several third-rate martial artists have recently emerged, becoming the backbone of the family.

Who wouldn't be envious of such a lucrative position?

But when they heard that the county town's affairs were to be handed over to an outsider named Li Liang, another commotion broke out at the scene.

Even the representative from the Li family, who was sitting in the front row, frowned slightly, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back, clearly quite surprised by this arrangement.

However, when everyone glanced at Lin Ye and saw that he remained calm and showed no sign of compromise, they all swallowed their words.

Even the Li family didn't stand up to object, so these collateral relatives dared not utter a sound.

"Senior Brother Li Liang once did me a favor, and his management skills were already proven in Yun County. Having him in charge of the county town would be more beneficial to the family," Lin Ye said with a resolute tone.

"That's settled then."

After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to leave the hall, leaving the clansmen who were once again engaged in discussion.