Martial Arts: My achievements in Beiliang were so great that they threatened the lord's positio

Now, Yan Commandery's territory spans a thousand miles, its army is strong and well-equipped, and it has also made significant contributions in conquering the grasslands and subjugating the Tuoba tribe. Even if it is not granted the title of king or marquis, it would not be unreasonable to appoint it as a general.

"If a new emperor is so stingy with even this small reward upon ascending the throne, it would seem rather petty."

"Good Qing'er, you really understand me."

Lin Xuan gently stroked her cheek.

"When the new emperor officially ascends the throne, mention it casually when you present the congratulatory message; he should understand."

Mu Qing'er smiled and said, "But I'm afraid it will cost you some money, young master."

"Those eunuchs never hesitated to make demands."

Lin Xuan looked pained. "Send someone to the capital to deliver 80,000 taels in a few days."

It really hurts to spend this money.

He had his own connections in the court; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to obtain the appointment as the governor of Yan Commandery.

Mu Qing'er comforted him, saying, "Next spring, I will order Tian Hu and his men to cross the Misang River and wipe out the several tribes in the east. Then the losses can be made up."

If he could be promoted to a higher official position and rightfully govern the Yan Commandery and the grasslands, it would only benefit his grand ambitions.

Lin Xuan was not concerned about who would inherit the throne.

Whoever ultimately ascends the throne will have to win him over—simply because he commands a powerful army and can influence the situation in several states.

As the twelfth lunar month drew to a close and the year was about to end, news of the new emperor's ascension to the throne reached Yan County.

Lin Xuan immediately sent someone to present a congratulatory letter.

Meanwhile, a rumor also circulated in Beiliang Prefecture: After the emperor's death, the crown prince of Beiliang actually held a banquet in the palace to celebrate. When the imperial censors in the capital learned of this, they submitted memorials impeaching him for his arrogance and disrespect.

To avoid the limelight, Xu Xiao had no choice but to expel the heir from the Northern Liang Prefecture.

It is said that the people and veterans of Beiliang spread the news with great joy; especially the women in the city, who clapped and cheered.

This clearly shows how unpopular this prince is.

Lin Xuan also hosted a small banquet at his residence, inviting officials from the county government to gather together.

The main purpose was to reward everyone for their hard work throughout the year, and cattle, sheep, silver and other gifts were distributed as a form of commendation.

After all, you can't just let the horse run without feeding it.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, the house is filled with warmth and coziness.

He once again instructed his subordinates to prepare some gifts to send to Qingliang Mountain, and on the surface, Xu Xiao, the King of Beiliang, was still his adoptive father.

Even if they are not on good terms with each other, they still have to maintain the appearance of harmony.

Capital

Snowflakes fell from the sky

The new emperor, who had just finished the morning court session, returned to the inner palace, summoned several ministers, and handed them a memorial.

"Take a look, everyone. This is a folded document that Prefect Lin Xuan of Yan County presented along with the congratulatory letter. It details his achievements in expanding the territory of Yan County this year."

He said, "They're asking me for a reward."

The newly enthroned emperor looked at the people in the hall and said, "Tell me, should I give it or not, and how much should I give?"

"Since ancient times, it has always been the emperor who bestows rewards upon his subjects; there is no reason for subjects to voluntarily ask the emperor for things."

An elderly minister with white hair shook his head: "Your Majesty must not set such a precedent, otherwise how will you control those arrogant military generals in the future?"

"Your Majesty, I believe that he should be rewarded."

Another official, about forty years old, with a refined appearance but a dignified air, said, "Lin Xuan is an exceptionally brave man. He was originally a general of Beiliang, but was later transferred to the position of governor of Yan County due to Xu's suspicion."

He led eight hundred cavalrymen out of Beiliang and into Yan. In just about a year, he launched several campaigns against the Hu and Qiang tribes and won many battles.

On the banks of the Misang River, the main force of the Tuoba tribe was decisively defeated, and the vast grasslands were brought under the jurisdiction of the imperial court.

"Such a great achievement in expanding territory should not be left unrewarded, lest it discourage the soldiers of the land."

"I also believe that a reward should be given."

Another person stepped forward: "His Majesty has just ascended the throne and is in dire need of capable people. This is the only way to attract talent."

Moreover, this man commands a strong and well-equipped army; with a little support, he can not only resolve the long-standing problem of the northern Hu and Qiang tribes but also create a check on the Northern Liang.

"This can be described as having the best of both worlds."

"Tell me, should we reward them or not?"

The emperor turned his gaze to the old eunuch beside him, who pondered for a moment: "He should be rewarded, but not too much."

A combination of kindness and severity is needed; he must understand His Majesty's high regard for him, but also be given a gentle reminder.

"Since you all say he deserves a reward, then tell me, what official position should he be given?"

The emperor sat down, his gaze sweeping far into the distance.

"Please, Your Majesty, make your judgment."

Several trusted ministers bowed together.

"Let him be appointed General Who Guards the North."

He paused briefly: "Ranked third grade, in charge of military and political affairs in Yan, responsible for conquering the grasslands, and also bestowed with two cartloads of jewels, 30,000 taels of silver, and ten cartloads of brocade."

"Everyone, step back."

The emperor waved his hand, and several ministers withdrew from the hall, leaving it empty and silent.

"Lin Xuan, I am not afraid that you have ambition, but I am afraid that you do not have enough courage."

He muttered to himself and took out a thick file from under the desk, which recorded all of Lin Xuan's actions after entering Yan territory.

In fact, even if Lin Xuan had not presented this memorial, he would still have promoted him to a higher rank and title.

After all, Yan County was a pawn that was placed there from the very beginning.

This is a sharp weapon used to counterbalance the Northern Liang, the Hu and Qiang tribes, and the Northern Python.

Supporting Lin Xuan to break the monopoly of Bei Liang will ultimately lead to a fight between two tigers, and one of them will inevitably be injured.

The news of the appointment and reward of the Prefect of Yan County spread like wildfire throughout the capital, and everyone realized—

In the north, another fierce tiger is rising.

Everyone in the world knows that the King of Northern Liang is as brave as a god of war, and his might shakes the three armies.

Unexpectedly, Lin Xuan rose to the position of General of the North so quickly, a third-rank official, in charge of the troops in Yan.

The "Yan region" mentioned here

The scope was very vague, extending beyond the boundaries of Yan Commandery, and had no fixed territory—meaning that the size of Yan was determined by the amount of land he conquered.

Some people have already foreseen this—

This emperor intends to "raise poisonous insects" in the north.

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The imperial edict arrived quickly, reaching Yan County before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, accompanied by gifts of jewels and silks.

"This emperor is very capable."

After reading the imperial edict, Lin Xuan handed it to Mu Qing'er and said with a smile, "General of the Northern Garrison, rank three, in charge of the military forces in Yan, and concurrently serving as the Prefect of Yan County."

The General Who Guards the North can establish his own government, appoint his subordinate generals, and concurrently serve as the governor, which is equivalent to having control over the military and political power of the entire Yan region.

Although his rank and territory were not as high as Xu Xiao's Northern Liang King, he could still be considered a powerful regional official.

"The Emperor's grace is boundless."

After reading the imperial edict, Mu Qing'er's delicate face showed a slight smile: "Now someone's going to have trouble sleeping."

"I don't care whether he can sleep or not."

Lin Xuan waved his hand: "When those two eunuchs leave, give each of them two thousand taels of silver, and the rest of the accompanying soldiers will each receive one hundred taels."

Perhaps there will be times in the future when we need to help these people.

In less than two days

The entire Yan County had heard the news that their Prefect Lin Xuan had been promoted to the rank of Third-Rank General of the Northern Garrison.

Prominent families from all over flocked to Lin Xuan, hoping to pay their respects. Those families that had previously hesitated were now filled with regret.

Unable to find Lin Xuan, they had no choice but to go to Qi County to look for Lin Zhentian, the head of the Lin family. However, he was also a shrewd man and used illness as an excuse to close his doors to guests.

The soldiers in the army were all in high spirits. Even Zhang Wei and Xue Toutuo, who were building a city on the Misang River, hurriedly wrote to inquire about the situation after hearing about it.

After Lin Xuan is promoted to General of the North, he can establish a General's Office and has the power to appoint and dismiss officials.

This also means that his generals all have the opportunity to be promoted.

Just after the Spring Festival

The plaque in front of the prefect's mansion was then changed to "Mansion of the General Who Guards the North".

After discussion, the officials of the prefecture government believed that a new general's mansion should be built for Lin Xuan.

But he refused, feeling that the governor's mansion was comfortable enough to live in and did not need to be rebuilt, at most it could be expanded in the future.

In addition, although the treasury has been replenished considerably, there are still many places where money will be needed after the start of spring.

We should refrain from extravagance for the time being and save as much as we can.

We'll make plans once we've weathered these tough years and the treasury is truly full.

This action earned the sincere admiration of the officials in the prefectural government.

Combining Lin Xuan's various measures in Yan County over the past year—reducing taxes and corvée labor, encouraging agriculture and military preparedness, resettling displaced people, and cracking down on Hu and Qiang tribes—

This enabled the people of Yan County to live and work in peace and contentment, and for all sectors of society to flourish.

Only by following such a lord can one truly achieve great things.

In Yan County today, anyone who dares to say a bad word about Lin Xuan will immediately be besieged by the crowd.

Although a general's office was established, there were no major changes in personnel; only the positions were generally promoted by one rank.

The original captain was promoted to colonel, the colonel was promoted to a fourth-rank general, and the centurion was promoted to captain.

However, having the title of a third-rank general makes it easier to attract talent.

Within just two months, many talented but unappreciated scholars and warriors who believed they had real skills flocked to Yan County.

He planned to seek refuge with the General of the Northern Garrison in order to make a name for himself.

These people only need to pass the assessment; those with genuine talent and skills will stay, while those who fail will be sent back to their place of origin.

Early March

Grass and trees grow, orioles fly, willows sway in the wind along the riverbank, ice and snow melt in Yan County, and counties begin to prepare for spring plowing in full swing.

On the grassland

The newly built villages for refugees also began to be reclaimed.

The county government provided seeds, farming tools, and oxen, and even distributed rations. People could even earn money for cultivating an acre of wasteland.

Encouraged by various policies, a wave of land reclamation swept through the entire Yan County, with many villages that had lived in the Dafu Mountains for generations migrating to the grasslands.

Every day, countless refugees poured into Yan County from the borders of Beiliang and Beimang, and there were also quite a few refugees from Qingzhou.

Everything is developing in a good direction.

General Zhenbei's Mansion

Mingyuyuan

The small courtyard where Tuoba Yuer, the Prince of Tuoba, lived

Lin Xuan was lying on a chair, sipping tea, while Tuoba Yu'er was focused on needlework. A white sheepskin was laid out in front of her, its fur soft, and she carefully and cautiously threaded the needle.

"It's already spring, you're a bit late in finishing this fox fur coat."

Lin Xuan joked.

"The Tieyangwei clansmen delivered the materials earlier, but I was afraid of wasting them, so I practiced for a long time before I dared to start making them."

Tuoba Yu'er replied softly, "Even if we don't need it now, we can always save it for winter."

"Your courtyard is quite quiet and peaceful."

In early March, the air was still chilly, and a cold wind blew in the evening after the sun had set.

The door opened, and Tuoba Yu'er, dressed in a thin long dress and wearing a cloak, called over the maidservant and instructed, "The General will be resting at Mingyu Garden tonight. Have the kitchen prepare plenty of good wine and food."

"Yes."

The maid trotted to the kitchen.

"Go and prepare some hot water and bring it over."

Tuoba Yu'er said to another maid.

"Yes."

After a tender moment, Lin Xuan got dressed with the help of Tuoba Yu'er. This Tuoba King seemed to have gotten used to his current life.

Like a carefully tended canary, she no longer needed to worry about the affairs of the Tuoba tribe, and spent her days reading for leisure.

The banquet was laden with delicacies, including beef, mutton, and poultry, as well as a whole roasted lamb, which was presented to the general's residence by the Tuoba tribe of the Thousand Ox Guard.

She didn't eat much during the meal, either serving dishes or adding soup for Lin Xuan. In the end, she only ate half a bowl of rice before stopping.

"Is this all you need?"

Lin Xuan was puzzled.

"Excessive use may lead to obesity."

She lightly wiped the corner of her lips.

Indeed, no matter where they are, women value their appearance and pay particular attention to their figure.

The large and small stocks are full of internal energy, transforming food into qi, and eating it will not increase fat, but Tuoba Yu'er has not learned martial arts.

The only solution is to diet.

"I have something else to tell you."

Lin Xuan finished his meal and put down his bowl and chopsticks, then took some tea to rinse his mouth.

"What is it?"

Her eyes showed curiosity.

"We have received news of Tuoba Gui."

Lin Xuan said, "This old man was imprisoned by the Taining tribe and suffered all kinds of torture."

"What does the General intend to do with this?"

Tuoba Yu'er's heart trembled slightly. After all, he was her father, but she did not plead for him.

"What do you think?"

Meeting that gaze, Tuoba Yu'er gritted her teeth: "He should be executed."

If Tuoba Gui had not died, her throne as the Tuoba king would have been difficult to secure, and the three Tuoba guards would have faced further turmoil.

Given Linxuan's temperament, he may well unleash a massacre on the Tuoba tribe.

She did not believe she had the power to change the man's decision.

"He deserves to die."

Lin Xuan was very pleased with Tuoba Yu'er's reaction and shook his head, saying, "But he still needs to do one last thing for you."

"What is it?"