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"Do you know why His Majesty appointed you deputy commander of the vanguard?" the Liu Family head asked gravely.

"He probably wants me to keep an eye on Xu Zifeng, the Heir of the Prince of the South. Once that fellow earns military merit and gains some prestige in the north, he most likely won't obey orders to return to the Imperial Capital," Liu Hao answered seriously.

"Exactly. So what you need to do is find ways to steal his credit, then gain control over the vanguard. Only then will you live up to His Majesty's investment in you."

"But Father, stealing credit could throw the vanguard into chaos, and the others won't accept it."

"Relax. I'm not telling you to cause trouble. Under normal circumstances, put the bigger picture first. When the Northern Expedition is nearly over, do as I say. Old General Guo will be more than happy to have you steal the credit."

According to the Liu Family head, Liu Hao needed to cooperate with Xu Zifeng at the start of the war. If his attempts to steal credit caused them to lose, he would be in serious trouble.

Besides, Xu Zifeng's ability to wage war ranked among the very best in the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty, and he had performed exceptionally well in battles against the southern nations. Liu Hao had always lived in the Imperial Capital, so he certainly couldn't compare in that regard.

The Liu Family head told Liu Hao to recognize his own abilities and even learn from Xu Zifeng when necessary.

Then, when the fighting was nearly over and victory was assured, Liu Hao could bring all sorts of accusations against Xu Zifeng before Guo Poyun. Even if he had to invent them out of thin air, he had to accuse Xu Zifeng