At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

The main hall of the prefectural government office in Yuzhou City.

Zhang Heng rushed back, covered in dust, and without even having time to drink a sip of water, went straight to the hall and recounted everything he had seen and heard in the court.

"Old Master Su, General Qin, those people in the imperial court..."

He gritted his teeth.

"That scoundrel Xu Shigui, he clearly deserted in the face of battle, yet he falsely accused us, pinning all the blame on Old Master Su and the General!"

"Then Prime Minister Li Yuan questioned it in every way, saying things like 'How can a centenarian go into battle to kill the enemy?' and 'It's utterly absurd!' Of all the officials, only the Third Prince Xiao Jingyu spoke up for us."

Qin Hao sat to the side, his face solemn and filled with anger.

"We fought tooth and nail on the front lines, recapturing cities and slaying enemy generals, yet they questioned and challenged us in court, even trying to erase our achievements!"

"No wonder this court has become so decadent!"

He turned to look at Su Mu, his tone becoming even more intense.

"Old Su, you have made such a great contribution, and not only do they not reward you, but they also harbor all sorts of suspicions and make things difficult for you! It's truly unfair on your behalf!"

Su Mu sat in the main seat, his cloudy old eyes calmly looking at Qin Hao and Zhang Heng, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He picked up the teacup, took a slow sip, and then put it down.

"Injustice? What can you do even if you feel injustice?"

"Things in the imperial court have always been like this since ancient times."

"If you win a battle, some people will be wary of you; if you achieve merit, some people will be envious of you."

"Such things have been commonplace in history, so one more time won't make a difference."

"Besides, we're far from the emperor's reach, so let the rumors in the court gossip be."

Zhang Heng said unwillingly, "Old Su, in my humble opinion, we should just hold Yuzhou. As for the so-called recovery of the northern border, let whoever wants to come, come."

"If the emperor doesn't bestow rewards and give Old Su justice, we won't take action! Look at those civil and military officials in the court, what can they do without us holding the line on the front lines?"

Su Mu shook his head and waved his withered hand.

"Commander Zhang, you are mistaken."

"We joined the army not to fight for those people in the imperial court. Not for the emperor, not for the prime minister."

"We are fighting for the people of the North."

"My son and daughter-in-law died under the swords of the Northern Di people."

"My old village was burned down by the Northern Barbarians."

"I have seen too many people displaced, their families destroyed, and their lives ruined. So, even if those people in the court do not reward or honor me, even if they make things difficult for me in every way, I will still fight this war."

He turned around, looking at Qin Hao and Zhang Heng with unwavering determination.

"Even if we have to stop, we must wait until we have completely driven the Northern Barbarians out of the northern border so that our people will no longer suffer from the ravages of war."

"At that time, I will retire from the military and go to my granddaughter to live a few peaceful days."

Qin Hao and Zhang Heng exchanged a glance, then stood up simultaneously, clasped their hands, and bowed deeply.

"Elder Su's noble character is truly admirable; I am ashamed to admit my shortcomings!"

They felt a surge of admiration.

This centenarian did not seek credit or reward; his heart was not filled with personal gain or loss, but with concern for the common people.

It's worth fighting alongside someone like that.

Su Mu waved his hand and laughed, "You're being too ambitious."

"In truth, I only harbor hatred in my heart, wanting to kill all the invading Northern barbarians and avenge my family."

Then, he changed the subject and asked:

"Captain Zhang, have you found out what I asked you to inquire about?"

Zhang Heng's eyes lit up, and with a smile on his face, he cupped his hands and said:

"Elder Su, this humble general was just about to report this matter!"

"After the court session ended, I secretly spent the whole day gathering information in the capital."

"Guess what? Those two young ladies, Xiao Zhixia and Xiao Zhiqi, are actually the biological daughters of the Third Prince, Xiao Jingyu!"

Su Mu's brows twitched slightly, his eyes filled with surprise.

He never expected that the two girls he had saved in Qin Family Village were actually the prince's daughters.

Zhang Heng continued, "This humble general spent an entire afternoon secretly infiltrating the Xiao residence."

"Mr. Su, your granddaughter, Su Qingxue, is doing very well at the Xiao residence!"

"I personally saw her chatting and laughing with the second young lady of the Xiao family in the courtyard. She looked very happy and safe."

Su Mu's heart trembled.

For the past two months, he has been thinking about that girl every single moment.

Is she eating well? Is she sleeping well? Has she cried? Does she miss her grandfather?

Now we finally know she's safe and sound, and that someone is taking care of her.

Su Mu closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"That's excellent."

"When I saved that person, it was just a small favor. I never expected that the person I saved would be the prince's daughter."

"The connections we make in this world are truly wondrous."

"Now that I know Qingxue is safe, I am relieved and can stay in the army with peace of mind to recover the northern border."

Qin Hao and Zhang Heng exchanged a glance but neither spoke.

They knew that this centenarian seemed to have channeled his longing for his granddaughter into the power to fight the enemy.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Zhou Huchen strode in, his face flushed and brimming with barely suppressed excitement.

He clasped his hands in a salute to Su Mu and Qin Hao, his voice booming.

"Elder Su, General Qin, great news!"

"What's the good news?" Qin Hao asked.

Zhou Huchen grinned and said, "For the past two weeks, I've been recruiting soldiers. The people inside and outside Yuzhou City, hearing that we're going to reclaim the northern border, are scrambling to sign up!"

"Young men and strong men alike should join the army! We no longer have to worry about recruits!"

Qin Hao's eyes lit up: "How many people?"

"Currently, 6,000 young adults have registered, and the number is still increasing!"

Zhou Huchen paused, then added a sentence.

"And there's even bigger good news."

"Oh?" Su Mu turned around and looked at him.

Zhou Huchen took a deep breath, his voice tinged with excitement.

"You Zhongyi, the leader of Qingfeng Village, has brought over a thousand men to surrender! He specifically requests to see Elder Su!"

The hall fell silent immediately.

Qin Hao and Zhang Heng looked at each other, both showing surprise.

You Zhongyi, the bandit leader who fought Su Mu in front of the granary and was knocked off his horse.

The man who led his brothers in a desperate fight against the enemy and made great contributions in the Battle of Yuzhou City.

In that battle, You Zhongyi and the brothers of Qingfeng Village fought bravely, killing countless enemies. He alone cut down more than a dozen Northern Di cavalrymen.

After the city fell, Su Mu ordered his men to search for him, but he and his brothers disappeared without a trace, and they could not be found no matter how hard they searched.

Unexpectedly, he came today on his own initiative.

"Let's go, this old man will go and take a look."

He stood up, his body hunched over, and walked step by step out of the hall.

Qin Hao, Zhou Huchen, and Zhang Heng followed closely behind.

……

Outside the government office, a dense crowd of people stood.

They were all people brought by You Zhongyi.

It wasn't just the brothers from Qingfeng Village, but also the bandits from the mountain strongholds near Yuzhou City and Qinghe County.

They all gathered together and came to join Su Mu's army.

You Zhongyi stood at the very front.

He was dressed in a faded black outfit, with a long sword at his waist. His face was resolute, and most of the bandit-like air between his brows had faded, replaced by a sense of determination and composure.

Seeing Su Mu come out, You Zhongyi took a deep breath, strode forward, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together, and spoke in a loud and sincere voice.

"Old Su! You Zhongyi has led 1,200 brothers from Qingfeng Village and Hutou Mountain to join the army!"

He raised his head and looked intently at Su Mu.

"Back in Qingfeng Village, I was blind to your greatness and offended Elder Su."

"Not only did Elder Su not blame me, but he also instructed me to lead my brothers to fight the enemy, make meritorious contributions, and protect our country."

"After that battle, I realized that becoming a bandit king or a outlaw is ultimately not the way of justice."

"Only by following Elder Su and killing the Northern Di people honorably is the path a true man should take!"

The thousands of brothers behind him knelt down in unison, their shouts like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing.

"Please, Elder Su, take me in!"

Su Mu stood there, his white hair gleaming silver in the sunlight, his hunched body motionless.

His gaze swept over You Zhongyi, and then over the thousands of brothers.

I am very pleased.

Su Mu smiled slightly, reached out and helped You Zhongyi up.

"stand up."

"As long as everyone is willing to gather together and kill the Northern Barbarians, I would welcome them."

Su Mu patted You Zhongyi on the shoulder, his voice hoarse but gentle.

"In the battle of Qinghe County, I witnessed your fighting spirit."

"The brothers of Qingfeng Village are all heroes. I would be more than happy if you were willing to join the army and fight the enemy."

He turned around and looked at Qin Hao and Zhou Huchen behind him.

"They will be incorporated into the battalion. From today onwards, they will be part of our Great Qian army."

"But let me make this clear: once you're in the army, you have to get rid of your bandit ways. If anyone disobeys orders or disrupts military discipline, General Qin and I will not hesitate to punish them."

"Severe punishment!"

You Zhongyi clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice trembling, "Thank you, Elder Su! We will strictly abide by military discipline!"

The thousands of brothers behind him shouted in unison, "Thank you, Elder Su!"

Qin Hao and the others were thrilled as they looked at these passionate men before them.

With their addition, the strength of the Daqian army will be greatly enhanced!