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

Lin Xuan removed his armor, changed into a plain white robe, and summoned Tian Hu, asking, "Have the brothers' families been properly taken care of?"

"We are receiving them one after another."

Tian Hu replied, "The earliest we can prepare it is tomorrow morning."

"Then we shall set off for Yan County tomorrow morning."

Lin Xuan nodded.

Xu Xiao's punishment had not yet arrived by dawn the next day.

This incident was entirely Chu Lushan's own doing, and he has no one to blame but himself.

As dawn broke, dozens of carriages slowly drove out of the General's Mansion.

Last night, I instructed the general guarding the city to open the city gates early. When the convoy arrived, the main gate was already half open.

Lin Xuan rode ahead, and as soon as he stepped out of the city gate, a maidservant approached and curtsied, saying, "The Grand Princess invites the General to come and have a chat."

Xu Zhihu stood quietly in the pavilion not far from the city gate, still dressed in red, aloof and taciturn.

On the stone table was an unopened jar of wine.

Why is that?

In the distance, Zhang Longtianhu and his companions gathered together and whispered, "We've never heard of any past relationship between the Grand Princess and the General."

"Yes, why are you here to see me off at this time?"

Something's fishy about this.

Lin Xuan stepped into the pavilion.

"What is it?"

He asked the question.

"On behalf of my father, I bid you farewell."

Xu Zhihu parted her lips slightly, her voice clear and melodious.

Please do not dwell on what happened yesterday.

My younger brother is spoiled and often acts inappropriately.

Upon returning home, his father had already punished him with a rattan whip.

"I'm not that narrow-minded about such trivial matters."

Lin Xuan shook his head indifferently.

Xu Zhihu broke the seal on the wine jar, filled two cups, and held one cup up with both hands, saying, "May General Lin's journey be successful in all matters."

"He should be called Prefect Lin now."

Lin Xuan raised his cup in greeting, drank the wine in his cup, and then turned and rode away.

(Zhang Long, Zhang Wei, and Huyan Lie, each of you lead a hundred cavalrymen and quickly go to Luohe Town, Sanliu Village, and Taihe Town to meet up with the troops.)

"Gathering in Shuhe."

There were not many soldiers and their families in the capital city; some of them lived scattered in the nearby villages.

Lin Xuan had already sent word the day before that, in case of any unforeseen circumstances, someone still needed to be sent to meet them today.

Tian Hu and Meng Jiao rode closer, grinning as they asked, "General, what brings the Eldest Princess to see you?"

"Could it be that he has revealed his true feelings?"

"Stop talking nonsense."

Lin Xuan raised his hand and gently patted Tian Hu on the back of the head, laughing and scolding, "With this free time, you should practice martial arts and read more books."

"Furthermore, from now on, do not address me as General. I am now the Prefect of Yan Commandery."

"Being a prefect is really boring."

Meng Jiao muttered, "They don't treat us like human beings at all. They pick us up when they need us and throw us away when they don't."

"Why all this complaining?"

Lin Xuan said, "Although Yan County is remote and bitterly cold, it is quite comfortable."

That makes sense.

Tian Hu nodded in agreement.

"Be vigilant along the way."

Lin Xuan's expression turned solemn: "Whether we can arrive in Yan County safely is still unknown."

"Is it really that bad?"

Meng Jiao looked back at the towering city walls of the Northern Liang capital: "Are they going to attack us so soon?"

"Can't you think things through a little more on a daily basis?"

Lin Xuan frowned slightly: "Why did my godfather harm me? I was referring to the Northern Python and the imperial court."

"We must be especially wary of arrows lurking in the shadows."

"It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark; it's always better to be cautious."

"Understood."

Tian Hu and Meng Jiao looked at each other and nodded.

After traveling thirty li from the capital, they met up with Zhang Wei in Luohe Town, and together with their families who had accompanied them, they continued on their journey.

"Lin Xuan, wait a moment."

Voices came from a pavilion in the distance. Lin Xuan turned around and saw a person in white standing in the pavilion.

"It was him."

Lin Xuan was slightly surprised. He ordered the group to go first and rode his horse alone to the outside of the pavilion.

"I never expected that you would come to see me off as I was about to part ways."

Lin Xuan looked at the white-clad soldier immortal.

"Perhaps I am not allowed to send it?"

Chen Zhi asked with a smile.

"It will be given naturally."

"No matter what, we will always be brothers."

"A cup of cloudy wine and a pot of coarse tea are offered to bid you farewell; I hope you will not find them offensive."

Chen Zhibao raised his hand in invitation.

The two entered the pavilion and sat facing each other.

"Your departure will inevitably cause unrest in the army."

Chen Zhibao sighed softly.

"I am helpless as well."

Lin Xuan smiled bitterly: "The tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind, and that young master has already developed a grudge against me. If I don't leave now, I'm afraid I'll have a hard time getting out of here in the future."

"The Crown Prince is merely concealing his brilliance for now."

Chen Zhibao's eyes were clear and his words were sincere: "He will definitely give you an important position, and Beiliang will need you in the future."

"not necessarily."

Lin Xuan shook his head: "Besides, with you, the White-Clad Warrior Immortal, in charge, Beiliang can rest easy."

All I need to do is guard the land of Yan County.

"Your talent and strategy truly surpass mine."

Chen Zhi reported: "He is also more suitable to take charge of Northern Liang than I am."

"That's a story for another time."

Lin Xuan raised his glass and drank it all, then laughed and said, "Drinking two farewell drinks today is quite unexpected."

"If you encounter any difficulties in Yan County in the future, you may send me a message."

"I will do my best without hesitation."

When Chen Zhibao said this, Lin Xuan could tell that he wasn't just being polite.

As one of Xu Xiao's seven adopted sons, Lin Xuan had only a superficial relationship with the other six, merely nodding acquaintances.

Over the years, he has always focused on accumulating strength and improving his skills, unwilling to get involved in the power struggles of Northern Liang.

But things in this world often don't go as planned.

His skills improved daily, his military achievements became more and more prominent, and his status in the Northern Liang army rose steadily.

As the saying goes, once you're caught up in the storm, you can no longer control your own destiny.

Lin Xuan's sudden rise to fame overshadowed the brilliance of his six adopted sons, deepening the rift between them.

"Is there anything else you want to say?"

He asked, "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

"That's all."

Chen Zhibao smiled slightly, as if remembering something, and continued, "I have long despised Chu Lushan's face as well."

"It turns out we share the same view."

After saying this, Lin Xuan laughed loudly, mounted his horse, and galloped towards where Meng Jiao and Tian Hu were.

As dusk fell, the relatives and friends of Sanliu Village were finally properly received. Seeing that the sky was gradually darkening...

They then set up camp and rested on the spot.

The following day at noon, they met up with Huyan Lie in Shuhe. Eight hundred cavalrymen escorted thousands of relatives and more than a hundred carriages, making a grand and imposing procession, and headed straight for Yan County.

Traveling during the day and finding a post station to stay at night, the journey is slower but more secure.

After crossing the borders of two states, it was already two months later before they entered the Yan-Yun region.

Following the foot of Mount Dafu, the destination is Yanzhou City, the seat of Yan County.

Upon reaching Gu County, the brothers Zhang Long and Zhang Wei led two hundred elite cavalry, carrying the prefect's seal and official documents, and changed their route to Duanlong Pass.

This pass is a crucial strategic point for Yan County to defend against the Northern Barbarians; it must be secured as soon as possible.

Otherwise, Lin Xuan would not be able to sleep peacefully.

The remaining six hundred riders followed him on his way, heading straight for Yanzhou City.

Officials throughout Yan County had already received the order to transfer officials from Qingliang Mountain, knowing that the new prefect would arrive soon.

Each county sent representatives to gather in Yanzhou City to welcome them.

If the visitor were an unknown person, there would be no need for such a grand mobilization.

But this time it was Lin Xuan who was going to take up his post—who in Beiliang didn't know Lin Xuan?

Who wouldn't be wary of him?

"Wang Qing, how much further is it?"

On the official road, Lin Xuan rode his horse slowly, looking at Wang Qing lying in the carriage.

The registrar had been traveling for days and two months and could hardly keep up, so he took a rest two days ago.

"At most two days."

Wang Qing replied, "In my opinion, the officials from the prefectural government should be arriving soon."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a scout reported: "General, the troops of Yan County have reached within thirty li ahead."

How many people are there?

Lin Xuan's eyebrows twitched slightly: "About two hundred cavalrymen, led by Zhang Song, the Prefectural Commander."

"Let's explore further."

He gave the order.

"Yes, sir!"

The scout turned and galloped away.

"Tian Hu, tell all the brothers to be alert."

Although the visitors were soldiers from the government office, Lin Xuan still dared not be careless.

The situation in Yan County is complex, with various forces intertwined. It would be unwise to be complacent before the situation is clear.

About half an hour later, the sound of horses' hooves rose ahead, and the ground trembled slightly.

"Form ranks!"

Meng Jiao's expression hardened, and his shout rang out. Hundreds of riders gathered from all around and formed a neat battle formation behind him.

"Is that the carriage of the newly appointed Prefect of Yan Commandery ahead?"

A rider galloped up, reined in his horse in front of the group, and asked loudly.

"Exactly."

Who comes here?

Meng Jiao drew his long saber and spurred his horse forward to answer the call.

"I am Zhang Song, the Sima of Yan Commandery, and I have come here to welcome Prefect Lin."

The visitor answered.

"Do you have any official seals or documents?"

Meng Jiao asked again.

"Here."

The man dismounted, took out a seal and a scroll bearing the official seal of the Sima from his bosom, and presented them to Meng Jiao with both hands.

After verifying that everything was correct, Meng Jiao said, "Wait a moment, and I will report to the prefect."

Having said that, he turned his horse around and returned.

"General, the official seals and documents have all been verified and are indeed from the prefectural government."

Upon learning that they were about to arrive in Yanzhou City, the accompanying relatives were immediately revitalized from their exhaustion.

People drove their carriages and horses, chatting and laughing, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

"Boom!"

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a large contingent of troops from the prefectural government came into view.

"This humble official, Zhang Song, Prefectural Magistrate, pays his respects to Your Excellency the Prefect."

Zhang Song was in his early thirties, with a robust physique and a weathered face, typical of a man from Northern Liang.

When he was still more than ten feet away from Lin Xuan, he dismounted and quickly stepped forward, kneeling on one knee in front of Lin Xuan's horse to pay his respects.

"Get up."

Lin Xuan said.

Zhang Song stood up, looked up at the white-clad man who was famous throughout Beiliang, and felt quite excited.

"I have long admired the Prefect's reputation, and in the Battle of Shuoyin, you defeated the Northern Python enemy army."

This truly gave us, the veterans of Beiliang, a great boost.

"Now that a great man is guarding Yan County, he will surely be able to rout the Northern Pythons and those Hu and Qiang tribes."

The land of Beiliang was harsh and cold, with frequent wars and a sparse population. Yan County was the most frigid and barren of the bitterly cold regions of Beiliang.

Having long suffered from invasions by foreign tribes, although it is not yet autumn, one can already feel a bit of coolness.

The scenery along the way was desolate, but the counties and villages near the Dafu Mountains could still be used to escape the chaos.

In counties like Dongyuan, which border the areas where the Hu and Qiang peoples were active, fields were abandoned. Not only ordinary people, but even local officials lived in constant fear and anxiety.

Lin Xuan said, "Let's enter the city first."

More than a thousand cavalrymen and hundreds of carriages entered Yanzhou City. In addition to the officials from various counties and prefectures who came to welcome them, many people gathered to watch.

The news of Lin Xuan's appointment as the governor of Yan County had already spread throughout the county, and many people had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of this war god from Northern Liang.

Officials from various regions gathered in front of the governor's mansion, but the mansion was already heavily guarded by Meng Jiao and eight hundred cavalrymen.

"Zhang Sima, Wen Zhubu, are you two not even allowed to enter?"

Lin Ruhai, the magistrate of Dongyuan County, asked Zhang Song.

"Your Excellency, you have traveled day and night and must be weary from your journey. We can discuss any matters tomorrow."

Zhang Song looked displeased, and the registrar Wen Cheng also looked solemn.

After the previous governor left office, the position of governor remained vacant, and the two men, one a civil official and the other a military officer, worked together to handle various affairs of Yan County.

Lin Xuan has just taken office and has already set them aside, clearly intending to give them a warning.

Unfortunately, the other party was Lin Xuan, so they dared not show their dissatisfaction and could only leave dejectedly, leaving the county officials at a loss and in a dilemma.

At this moment, the gates of the prefect's mansion opened, and Wang Qing walked out, saying to the officials, "I am Wang Qing, currently serving as the chief clerk under the prefect. Please proceed to the post station to rest for the time being."

"Registration Officer Wang, may I have the honor of seeing Prefect Lin first?"

The magistrate of Dongyuan County hurriedly said, "This humble official has an extremely urgent matter to report."

"The sky won't fall."

Wang Qing smiled slightly: "Everyone, please go to the post station first."

After saying that, he turned and went back into the mansion.

The magistrate of Dongyuan County wanted to say more, but when he met the cold gazes of Meng Jiao's soldiers, he couldn't help but shrink back and could only sigh in the end.