But now a problem has arisen!
The Great Liang established the Shannan Area Command here, intending to completely annex these tribes. This in itself wasn't problematic, but what was the meaning of bestowing upon him the title of Marquis of Carefree Wanderings?
Is this a self-deprecating remark about slacking off, or a sarcastic jab at being a fence-sitter?
He chuckled dryly and asked, "General Zhang, what is the meaning of this Shannan Area Command, and this Third-Rank Marquis of Carefree Wanderings?"
"What, you have a problem with that?"
Lü Bu glared at him; how dare this fellow have a problem with that?
"No, no, I'm just curious."
Jiang Li shuddered in fright and could only look to Zhang Liao for help, hoping that this man would be easier to talk to.
hey-hey!
A hint of a smile flashed in Zhang Liao's eyes, knowing that this young man thought his official rank was too low.
He said quietly, " The Shannan Area Command was specially established by His Majesty to govern many tribes in the south. It will also provide sweet potato and potato seedlings to the people and carry out the Southwest Development Plan."
As for the title of Marquis of Marquis of Carefree Wanderings, the third rank may not seem high, but under the lord's command, even the prime minister is only a second-rank official. Your third rank is already quite impressive!
Moreover, the Emperor himself is going to see you this time. Perhaps if he's pleased, you could all be promoted to a higher position.
Forehead!
Hearing this, Jiang Li felt a little better. After all, he had pledged allegiance to Xiliang, so he should at least give back in some way.
The emperor has agreed to see me in person, so I can at least get some donations and hopefully land a good job later.
The others were also quite satisfied. Leaving aside the county-level unit, the sweet potato and potato seedlings were reliable; these were truly good stuff.
Moreover, they will be going to the capital, and there might even be a reward there.
This is a glimmer of hope!
If we hadn't sought refuge beforehand, they would probably have already attacked us directly. Compared to that, having even a sliver of hope is incredibly lucky.
Why!
The Great Liang Dynasty swept across the All Under Heaven, crushing countless forces. It was fortunate that the southern chieftains survived.
Jiang Li gave the crowd a wink, then knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
"Okay, that's good!"
Seeing that everyone was so sensible, Zhang Liao handed over the imperial edict to them and then instructed, "You should hand over your troops to the newly appointed Governor of Shannan, Sima Yi, and also take over the southern lands."
"This..." Everyone's faces stiffened. The fact that they were being asked to hand over their army made them hesitate.
Once this military power is handed over, we'll be like cattle waiting to be slaughtered, with absolutely no chance of survival.
Seeing that they were still somewhat unconvinced, Sima Yi smiled sinisterly and said in a low voice, "Gentlemen, please think carefully. In His Majesty's eyes, your numbers are nothing more than a yawn."
If it weren't for your willingness to come and join us, do you think you would be receiving this kind of treatment?
All military power is meaningless; once you die, you lose everything. Therefore, you need to live to have more options.
Prince of Shu, don't you think so?
With his last words, Sima Yi glanced at Li Siyuan, clearly indicating that he had seen Li Siyuan's portrait.
These words stung everyone, but they were speechless in their rebuttal. This cunning old man seemed like a scheming person, and his words were truly vicious.
Li Siyuan felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but shiver; this person was definitely not a kind person.
Jiang Li glanced at his son-in-law, then at the army behind Zhang Liao, and helplessly lowered his hands, sighing, "What you say is very true, sir. Jiang Li is willing to give up his army, and I believe the Emperor will not treat me unfairly."
"Hmph, now that's a smart person."
Sima Yi nodded slightly, a hint of seduction in his eyes, and smiled, "Don't you think about it? The Emperor has swept across so much land in the east, west, north, and south. Does he really need a small southern tribe like yours?"
The Emperor's fingernail peeking out is enough to elevate you all to high positions; it all depends on whether you know how to behave!
Holy crap!
Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up; it was absolutely damn true.
If it were just the small piece of land in Great Ning, there might not have been any good positions for people like them. But now Lin Yi has swept across the north and south regions, and even the vast grasslands have become his own horse farm.
There are so many vacancies here; these are all opportunities for people like us.
Sang Qiufeng was the first to react, excitedly saying, "This sir is right! I'll go back and make preparations right away. Our tribe has many treasures; I'll take them all to the capital."
"My daughter is a beauty beyond compare, she must be taken along!"
Everyone's hearts ignited with excitement; if they didn't seize this opportunity, they might as well be dead.
Soon, amidst a welcoming crowd, Sima Yi took office as the Governor of Shannan.
Seeing the smiles on everyone's faces, Zhang Liao couldn't help but twitch his lips and mutter, "These people are really something, being fooled by Sima Yi like that. They'll probably end up with nothing but their underwear."
"Hmph, in my opinion, we should just kill them all and be done with it!" Lü Bu glanced at him and laughed.
Zhang Liao chuckled dryly, then said irritably, " Fengxian, while our lord needs to simplify things, he also needs a solid foundation among the people for better development. With Sima Yi around, we don't need to worry about it."
"That's right, that old schemer is here!" Lü Bu nodded, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
The capital city has now returned to order. Under the rule of the Great Liang Dynasty, everything is proceeding in an orderly manner, and the entire north has returned to the peace it enjoyed before the war.
All traces of the Great Ning dynasty were wiped away, leaving only a brand new Great Liang Dynasty.
After initial suspicion, the people of the capital began to venture out to test the waters. When they discovered that the soldiers of Great Liang had not attacked them, they became bolder.
Later on, it had completely returned to its former prosperity.
An old scholar looked at the flags on the city wall and couldn't help but sigh, lamenting, "In the blink of an eye, this old man has entered a different world, and we've arrived in Great Liang!"
"You old codger, keep talking nonsense. Be careful you don't get caught by the City Guard Battalion or the Net (a secret police organization). You'll be in big trouble then."
"Heh heh, the new emperor is the chosen one, recognized by heaven and earth. How could he be so magnanimous? He even released some of his relatives, let alone an ordinary citizen like me."
"That makes sense. It's just that those two former princes were really too much trouble. The emperor disliked them for disgracing their fathers-in-law, so he had them publicly tried and executed. Many others, however, were released."
"Good emperor! The people have hope!"
"That's right! It's said that when His Majesty was born, he was holding a jade seal, which is why the Emperor Emeritus named him Muzhi. Not long ago, a temple exploded, and the Heirloom Seal of the Realm was bestowed upon him by heaven. He is the reincarnation of the Great Emperor Zhenwu!"
"Isn't the Jade Emperor the most powerful reincarnation of Zhenwu the Great Emperor Zhenwu?"
"Nonsense! Didn't you read in the book that the Jade Emperor was beaten by Monkey Sun!"