Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

"Smash down a few gates of the mountain city for me?"

Xue Rengui stopped throwing the stone lock and firmly gripped the 800-pound handle with one hand.

A look of bewilderment flashed across his honest face; he clearly hadn't realized who the refined young man in the white fox fur coat was.

But the armored soldiers who had been so aggressive and the quartermaster who had crawled out from under the table had all knelt down.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

Xue Rengui then realized what was going on.

He hurriedly slammed the stone lock to the ground with a thud, the enormous weight causing the entire training ground to tremble.

Then, the mountain of flesh-like man awkwardly knelt on one knee and clasped his hands together.

"This humble commoner, Xue Li, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Li Chengqian didn't even glance at the kneeling quartermasters, and walked straight to Xue Rengui.

His gaze lingered on Xue Rengui's broad shoulders and calloused hands, but his mind had already activated the system's long-unused scanning function.

"Beep! Scan complete."

[Target Person: Xue Li (courtesy name Rengui)]

[Combat Strength: 102 (Peerless Warrior, Current Status: Hungry, Limited Performance)]

[Command Rating: 98 (Possesses the ability to independently command large-scale military operations; demonstrates exceptional war talent)]

[Special Bond: White-Clad Divine General (When fighting in white robes, enemy morale is forcibly reduced by 30%)]

Looking at the rows of red-purple off-the-charts data on the system panel, Li Chengqian's heart skipped a beat.

Combat strength of 102!

This is a terrifying figure that even seasoned military commanders like Yuchi Gong and Cheng Yaojin could only dream of!

Moreover, its leadership stat is as high as 98!

What does this mean? It means that he can not only charge into battle as the spearhead, but also stand alone as the commander-in-chief of the three armies!

This isn't just recruiting a new soldier; it's like finding a mobile humanoid nuclear bomb on the roadside!

Li Shimin, Li Shimin's father, kept talking about "a wise minister appearing in a dream," which he initially took as a joke.

I never expected to snag such a bargain.

Li Chengqian suppressed the wild joy on his lips and tried his best to look like a dignified superior.

"Xue Li, right?"

Li Chengqian reached out and patted the man's shoulder, finding the feel of his hard, iron-like muscles very satisfying.

"You said you joined the army so you could have enough to eat?"

Xue Rengui scratched the back of his head somewhat embarrassedly, a look of embarrassment appearing on his face, which was roughened by the wind and sun.

"Your Highness, my family has fallen on hard times, and my wife, Liu, has suffered along with me."

"I'm strong, I can do the work of ten people in the fields, but I have a huge appetite. The little bit of food that's dug up from the ground isn't even enough to fill my teeth."

"I heard the imperial court is going to attack Goguryeo, and they're providing food and lodging. I think I can use my strength to earn a decent living. If I can achieve some military merit, I can go back and give my wife a better life."

These words were spoken in an extremely simple and unadorned manner, without a trace of the grand patriotism often associated with scholars, yet they exuded a sincerity that was impossible to refuse.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian not only did not find him vulgar, but instead burst into laughter.

"What a load of rubbish! What a load of rubbish! So that his wife can have a better life!"

Li Chengqian suddenly turned around and kicked the quartermaster, who was still kneeling on the ground trembling, in the buttocks.

"You're blind as a bat!"

"Such a peerless warrior, and you actually want to kick him out because you think he eats too much?"

The quartermaster was so frightened that he kowtowed repeatedly, his voice trembling with sobs.

"Your Highness, please forgive me! Your Highness, please forgive me! I was blind! It was truly... he ate the rations for an entire squad by himself!"

"What's wrong with eating the rations of an entire squad?"

Li Chengqian snorted coldly, his eyes revealing a domineering protectiveness.

"As long as he can win battles for me, I can afford to feed him, let alone a whole squad. Even if he eats a hundred sheep in one meal, I can still provide for him!"

He pointed at the quartermaster and gave a loud order.

"Go! Go to the cooks' quarters immediately!"

"Bring me ten...no, twenty of the finest braised pork!"

"Bring two more jars of grape wine, a tribute from the Western Regions!"

Li Chengqian turned his head and looked at Xue Rengui, who was still in a daze, his eyes full of admiration.

Eat! Eat as much as you want today!

"Only when you're well-fed will you have the strength to fight the enemy in Liaodong for me!"

Half an hour later.

The soldiers of the entire recruit camp were all utterly shocked and gathered in the center of the drill ground, watching the incredibly exaggerated scene unfold.

The twenty huge wooden basins were completely empty, even the meat juices inside had been licked clean.

Xue Rengui let out an extremely loud burp, and wiped the grease off his mouth with a lingering sense of satisfaction.

He had never eaten such a delicious and satisfying meal in his entire life.

Looking at the Crown Prince in front of her, who had a smile on his face but no hint of disdain in his eyes.

Xue Rengui's eyes suddenly reddened.

He abruptly pushed aside the empty basin in front of him and knelt heavily on the hard bluestone slab.

"Bang!"

A resounding head slammed to the ground.

"Your Highness's kindness in providing me with a meal is something I, Xue Li, could never repay even if I were to die a thousand deaths!"

"From this day forward, my life belongs to Your Highness! Wherever Your Highness points, I will fight!"

"Even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, I, Xue Li, will never flinch!"

Li Chengqian stepped forward and personally helped the future military genius of the Tang Dynasty up.

"I don't want you to be shattered to pieces; I want you to achieve great things, and for your wife and children to be honored!"

Li Chengqian waved his hand, and Xu Xiao immediately led over a magnificent warhorse that was pure white and without a single stray hair.

On the saddle lay a halberd made entirely of meteorite iron, weighing 120 jin (approximately 60 kg).

This was top-tier equipment that Li Chengqian had previously redeemed with system points, which he originally intended to keep as a reward for meritorious officials.

Now it seems that no one is more deserving of them than Xue Rengui in front of him.

"This white steed and this halberd are yours from this day forward."

Looking at Xue Rengui's extremely excited eyes, which were even too afraid to reach out and take the food, Li Chengqian spoke with an unquestionable air of authority.

"The Tang Dynasty navy is in dire need of a vanguard general who can pave the way through mountains and build bridges over rivers."

"Xue Li, receive the order!"

With trembling hands, Xue Rengui accepted the heavy halberd.

The moment his hand gripped the halberd shaft, an extremely violent fighting spirit instantly erupted from this honest and simple man!

He swung his halberd sharply, and a piercing tearing sound filled the air.

"This humble general, Xue Li, obeys!"

With a powerful shout, the sharpest piece of the Tang Dynasty's war puzzle was finally pieced together.

three days later.

The east gate of Chang'an City.

The army of 100,000 has been assembled.

Li Chengqian sat in the extremely large iron-eating beast palanquin, while Wu Meiniang carefully adjusted his cloak beside him.

In front of the palanquin.

Dressed in a white robe, Xue Rengui rode a white dragon steed, holding a halberd, standing majestically before the army, like a god descending to earth.

Meanwhile, behind the main army.

The extremely heavy four-wheeled carriages were loaded with thousands upon thousands of cans of braised pork and freshly made down jackets for keeping warm.

"Your Highness, all the provisions and supplies have been loaded onto the wagons, and the soldiers are in high spirits and can break camp at any time."

Xu Xiao rode over on horseback and reported to his superior in a low voice.

Li Chengqian looked at this invincible army armed to the teeth, and then at the gradually darkening sky in the distance.

He yawned lazily and casually tossed a grape into his mouth.

"Let's go then."

"Order the entire army to head straight for the Tianjin estuary."

Li Chengqian looked through the carriage curtain towards the boundless East.

"Zheng He's fleet must be getting impatient by now, right?"