My strength increases by one percent every day; I can destroy stars with my bare hands.

"boom!"

These words were like a thunderclap.

Two years after leaving home, the boy who was captured and sent to the border as cannon fodder, whom everyone thought had died on the battlefield, actually became a regular soldier of the imperial court.

The entire place fell silent instantly. Everyone, from the wealthy man and his servants to the villagers watching from all around, stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief.

You must understand that in this chaotic world of demons and monsters, once you enter the military and become a soldier of the imperial court, you are completely freed from the lowly class.

They enjoyed the protection of the imperial laws, and even local gentry and officials had to show them deference.

The arrogance and ferocity on Qian Dahu's face instantly froze, replaced by extreme terror. His entire body trembled, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Just now, he actually tried to rob the families of the imperial soldiers and even wanted to seize their daughters to pay off debts.

If this is investigated, he won't be able to save his family property, or even his life.

"Sir...Sir, please forgive me. I was blind and did not recognize your greatness. I deserve to die."

The wealthy man, Qian, had lost his former arrogance. He knelt down with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly to the head constable.

He then hurriedly turned to the Li family and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Brother Li, sister-in-law, I was confused, I was bewitched. I don't want this debt anymore, all the money is forgiven, let's call it even."

He turned to the servants and roared, "You idiots, release Miss Li right now!"

The servants were terrified and quickly released Li Ling'er, scrambling to the side without daring to look up.

Mr. Li, his mother, and their two daughters were completely stunned, forgetting to cry for a moment, their faces filled with blankness.

Xuan Cang... became a soldier of the imperial court?

Their son, whom they had missed day and night and lived in fear for two years, had actually made such a promising future on the border.

For two years, no news of Li Xuancang had come back. Although they were unwilling to accept the cruel reality, they knew that Li Xuancang was likely dead or in grave danger.

The family was stunned to receive news that Li Xuancang was not only alive but had also become a soldier in the imperial army; it was like a dream.

"Li Xuancang has actually become a soldier of the imperial court! That's someone who receives a salary from the imperial court and has military status!"

"Who can argue with that? Who would dare bully Zhanbing's family?"

"What a stroke of good fortune! Back then, when he was captured and sent to be cannon fodder, everyone thought he wouldn't survive, but unexpectedly, he brought honor to his family!"

"The Li family's good days are finally here! With a son who's a soldier, no one in Qingxi Village will dare bully them anymore. Taxes and corvée labor will be reduced, and they'll never have to live a hard life again!"

"..."

The discussions were filled with envy and amazement.

The way the surrounding villagers looked at the Li family completely changed.

The initial sympathy and sighs turned into shock, envy, jealousy, and even deep awe.

The head constable coldly looked at the wealthy man Qian, who was lying on the ground, and said in a deep voice, "Li Zhanbing guards the border for the country and protects the peace of the frontier. His family is under the protection of the imperial court. If you dare to come and harass or bully him again, you will be charged with treason and your entire family will be executed."

Although the imperial court used various means to exploit the people, it provided generous treatment to its own people.

In a world rife with demons and monsters, individual martial prowess can be fully utilized, making the importance of soldiers self-evident.

Many people dream of becoming soldiers, not only to rise above others, but also because they crave the protection of the imperial court for their families.

"I dare not, I would never dare to do it again. Even if you gave me a hundred lives, I would never dare to step into the Li family's house again."

The wealthy man was so frightened that he turned pale and repeatedly kowtowed, begging for mercy.

He and his servants scrambled and stumbled as they fled the Li family compound in a panic, not daring to utter a single harsh word.

The officials did not stop the wealthy man from fleeing.

The wealthy Qian family had been operating in this area for many years and had some connections; they had no reason to offend this man for Li Xuancang's sake.

It wasn't until the wealthy man and his group had vanished without a trace that the scene completely erupted in chaos.

The Li family members finally came to their senses and embraced each other, weeping.

These are no longer tears of despair, but tears of joy and relief after surviving a catastrophe.

Li Xiu held Li Ling'er tightly, his eyes filled with joy and pride.

Her younger brother did not die at the border, but instead became a soldier of the imperial court who protected the country and his family.

With the family now providing shelter, they finally had a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos of war.

Seeing the wealthy man and his entourage flee in a panic, the head constable's expression softened somewhat.

He hurriedly stepped forward, personally bent down to help Mr. and Mrs. Li, who were slumped on the ground, his tone devoid of any official arrogance, full of politeness and respect.

"Uncle Li, Aunt Li, get up quickly."

He looked at Li's mother, whose forehead was covered in blood and whose clothes were disheveled, and quickly gave instructions to the accompanying servants.

"Quickly, get some medicine for Aunt Li's wounds."

On ordinary days, these county yamen runners were arrogant and domineering in front of the villagers, and they would order ordinary farmers around.

But at this moment, he showed great respect to the Li family, even with a hint of deliberate flattery.

Everyone knows that Li Xuancang is a regular soldier who fought bloody battles on the frontier and is a military household registered with the imperial court, far superior to ordinary people.

Treating the Li family well is to be on good terms with the imperial soldiers. Neglecting them could result in losing one's job or, in more serious cases, offending the military and incurring severe punishment.

As fellow members of the imperial court, those who lived peacefully in the rear could not compare to the soldiers fighting on the front lines in terms of status or treatment.

The royal family of the Great Yan Dynasty was not foolish; they knew who was willing to risk their lives for them and who was protecting their country, so they treated soldiers very well.

Seeing the officials who were usually so high and mighty treating them with such courtesy, Mr. and Mrs. Li were at a loss for words, flattered and overwhelmed, and repeatedly declined.

"We wouldn't dare trouble you, sir. We...we're fine."

"It is only right. Brother Li risked his life on the border to resist the barbarians and slay demons, protecting our entire Great Yan territory. His family should naturally be treated well by the court and respected by us."

The head constable spoke sincerely, and after Li's mother had her wounds simply bandaged, he spoke loudly and explained the county government's decree in detail.

He spoke loudly, intentionally making sure that all the villagers present could hear him clearly.

"We have come here today for two reasons: first, to inform Brother Li of the good news that he has been promoted to a military officer in the imperial court; and second, to convey the orders of the county magistrate."

"From this day forward, the entire Li family will be exempt from all taxes and corvée labor for ten years. They will not have to pay a single penny of grain tax, nor will they be forcibly conscripted into any miscellaneous labor or labor service."

He turned to look at the other villagers, his gaze carrying a subtle warning.

"From now on, if anyone dares to bully the Li family, cause trouble, or encounter bandits or demons, they should go directly to the Qingyang County Government for help. The government will step in immediately to protect the Li family. Anyone who dares to act recklessly will be severely punished."

[All taxes and corvée labor are exempted.]

[The government provides full protection.]

The two imperial edicts definitively established the Li family's position in Qingxi Village.

The surrounding villagers were green with envy. In this chaotic world where taxes were exorbitant and corvée labor was heavy, being exempt from taxes and corvée labor was an immense blessing and a real privilege.

Mr. and Mrs. Li were so excited that they trembled and repeatedly bowed to the constables to express their gratitude.

"Thank you, Your Excellency; thank you, Magistrate; thank you, Imperial Court..."

"Uncle Li, there's no need for such formalities. This honor was earned by Brother Li with his life."

The head constable smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, "The border war is intense, and Brother Li is in the army camp and unable to return home. We also need to rush back to the county office to report, so we won't linger any longer. If the Li family ever encounters any difficulties in the future, feel free to come to the county office to find me."

After saying this, he led a group of constables, politely nodded to the Li family, left his name, and then turned and slowly left.

The entire process was conducted with impeccable manners, without the slightest negligence.