If that was the case, he could accept it.
After all, with a hundred thousand Northern Liang cavalry nearby and reinforcements that could arrive at any time, he should have no trouble in this so-called Xiliang.
"Governor of Xiliang it is. It's better than going to the capital to become an imperial son-in-law!" Lin Yi took the map and smiled.
With the system and the help of Ma Chao and Wang Yue, he might yet establish a firm foothold in the Northern Region. One day, he might even be able to avenge his mother, settling a long-standing concern.
Wang Ziwen burst out laughing and teased him. "Ha ha, they say Princess Shenle is the greatest beauty in Great Ning. Young lord, it's a pity to give her up just like that."
"The greatest beauty?"
Lin Yi froze. He hadn't expected Princess Shenle to have such an impressive background.
Not only was she Great Ning's eldest princess, but she was also its greatest beauty. The emperor had really spared no expense to deal with Northern Liang.
"That's right. Princess Shenle is the emperor's eldest daughter. They say she read poetry at three, could recite the classics, histories, philosophers, and literary collections backward at six, became a disciple of the zither sage Bo Yakao at nine, and took the capital by storm with Ode to Snowflakes at eleven..."
Wang Ziwen held nothing back, telling Lin Yi all about Princess Shenle. Lin Yi was dumbfounded. Surely this woman was the protagonist?
Her accomplishments were so exaggerated they were nearly enough to fill a biography.
"What's the matter? Having regrets?" Wang Ziwen asked with a smile.
Lin Yi shook his head and said calmly, "Of course not. Northern Liang and I share the same fortunes. If anything happens to Northern Liang, I'm afraid I'd be the first imperial son-in-law to be executed."
That was right. All this talk of becoming an imperial son-in-law was nonsense.
The current emperor had seized the realm through rebellion and even placed his own father under house arrest. What chance did a mere son-in-law like Lin Yi have? The emperor probably wouldn't even blink before killing him.
As long as he was strong enough, he could simply snatch Princess Shenle for himself, so he had no regrets.
"The young lord has truly grown up!"
Deeply gratified, Wang Ziwen couldn't help but sigh.
That one remark alone showed that the young lord had truly grown up and gained a broad enough perspective. A capable young lord was undoubtedly the best news Northern Liang could receive.
It meant Northern Liang would not perish, but grow even stronger!
Lin Yi laughed and said, "Yes, it's time I grew up. Everyone grows up eventually."
As a young lord, he carried a heavy burden of responsibility. If he still refused to grow up, Northern Liang would be finished.
Wang Ziwen laughed heartily. He finally understood why the prince had been so happy back then. Even he felt as though he were watching his own son come of age.
The young lord had grown up!
This was the beginning of a strong man's rise. The young lord had finally embarked on the path of a strong man.
After chatting with Wang Ziwen for a while, Lin Yi returned to his room.
He had just gotten ready for bed when the system in his mind awakened. A message popped up, giving him an explosive surprise.
"Ding! Congratulations, host, on successfully winning people over with virtue and winning the people of Northern Liang Royal City's admiration. You have received the Northern Liang Royal City gift pack!"
Holy shit!
A royal-city-level gift pack!
Lin Yi snapped wide awake. After plotting for so many days, he had finally completed the task. He had struck it rich!
But Northern Liang Royal City should still have enemies, such as the Ran Clan, who surely counted as people who had not submitted. How had the system made its determination?
The system prompted, "As long as ninety percent of the population acknowledges the host, the conquest is deemed complete!"
So that was how it worked. That was rather accommodating. It would make completing tasks much easier.
Open the gift pack!
"Ding! Congratulations, host, on obtaining Cao Cao's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry x10,000." "Ding! Congratulations, host, on obtaining elite guards x1,000." "Ding! Congratulations, host, on obtaining Zhuge Repeating Crossbows x2,000." "Ding! Congratulations, host, on obtaining the exceptional talent Jia Xu, the Poisonous Strategist." "Ding! Congratulations, host, on obtaining The Legacy of Wumu."
When Lin Yi saw the rewards, he nearly laughed aloud. This haul was simply explosive, worthy of a royal city's rewards.
The soldiers alone numbered ten thousand, and they were Cao Cao's elite Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. Their combat strength was sure to be off the charts.
There were also a thousand elite guards, who could strengthen the defenses around him.
The Zhuge Repeating Crossbows and The Legacy of Wumu went without saying. The former was a powerful crossbow, while the latter was Yue Fei's treatise on warfare, containing a lifetime of his military experience. It was unquestionably precious.
The book was supposedly fictional, but unexpectedly, the system had given him a copy. Apparently, it really did exist. Used properly, such a masterwork of military strategy could produce a host of renowned generals on its own.
Yue Fei's methods for dealing with the Jin cavalry were especially astonishing. He had practically beaten the Jin soldiers to tears. The Northern Region's barbarians were also mostly cavalry, so The Legacy of Wumu had arrived at just the right time.
These two rewards could greatly strengthen the army's fighting power and would be powerful weapons for the Xiliang Iron Cavalry.
As for the final reward, the exceptional talent Jia Xu, he was a surprise among surprises. He was one of the Three Kingdoms' foremost advisers, known as the Poisonous Strategist.
Now he had Ma Chao as a military general, sweeping aside all opposition.
He had Jia Xu as a civil official, whose plans left nothing unaccounted for.
And with Wang Yue as his guard, he basically had a perfect start. A lineup like this was enough to stir up towering waves.
With a thought, he summoned Jia Xu.
"Your subordinate Jia Xu pays his respects, my lord!"
"No need for formalities!"
Lin Yi studied Jia Xu. He looked like an ordinary young man, but with the brilliant light flickering in his eyes, no one would dare underestimate him.
This was Jia Xu, the Poisonous Strategist!
He was a top adviser who had survived the Three Kingdoms and lived to a peaceful end. That alone spoke to his ability: he was among the very best.
His talent was beyond question!
Lin Yi knew this, of course. After explaining his situation, he asked directly, "Wenhe, what do you think we should do to gain the greatest advantage?"
"My lord, you are the young lord of Northern Liang and destined to become its prince. In my opinion, you need only proceed gradually," Jia Xu said with a smile.
"Proceed gradually?"
"Indeed. No one can threaten your position, my lord, and the Prince of Northern Liang will bear the pressure from the court for you. So you need not concern yourself with anything else, young lord. You need only make yourself stronger."
Lin Yi agreed with him.
It was pleasant to take shelter beneath a great tree. There was truth to that saying. With the Prince of Northern Liang holding the front, he could rest easy.
But Jia Xu might as well have said nothing.
"What about Xiliang?"
"Although Xiliang lies in the Northern Region, on the barbarians' border, that is both a disadvantage and an advantage!"
Oh?
That immediately piqued Lin Yi's interest. What was the advantage?
"My lord, the advantage is simple: you can conquer them without restraint. In fact, the best conquest is to kill every last enemy. That is the best and fastest way to conquer!" Jia Xu said meaningfully.