Recaps

Lin Yi used his system-given troops and ruthless purges to secure Northern Liang City, win the common people’s support, and uncover the Ran Clan’s opposition. He accepted his father’s appointment as Governor of Xiliang, rejected an imperial marriage, and turned to Jia Xu for advice on expanding his power.

• Lin Yi awakened the Winning People Over with Virtue System, summoned Ma Chao and the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, and ordered a sweeping attack on suspected enemies in Northern Liang City.
• Lin Yi’s forces destroyed the Heavenly Eagle Guard and other factions, while he seized their wealth and equipped his key commanders with armor.
• Lin Yi’s purge drew protests and impeachment efforts, but he used purported confessions to arrest officials and nobles, while Northern Liang City grew safer.
• Lin Yi distributed seized land to the people, earning their support and a system reward as the Ran Clan lost its hired farmhands.
• Zhang Huisheng delivered Emperor Li Anlan’s decree naming Lin Yi Marquis of Xiliang and selecting him as Princess Shenle’s consort, but Lin Yi refused the marriage.
• Wang Ziwen delivered Lin Rusong’s letter appointing Lin Yi Governor of Xiliang and revealing that Lin Rusong had conquered the territory and stationed a hundred thousand cavalry nearby.
• Lin Yi accepted the governorship, received troops and weapons from the system, and summoned Jia Xu, who advised him to grow stronger gradually and exploit Xiliang’s border position.

Lin Yi turned the Ran Clan’s poisoned salt mine into a profitable salt business, then traveled to Xiliang to build his own power. After clearing bandits and winning the people’s support, he prepared to confront Zhuo Feifan and the local clans.

• Lin Yi gave Ma Chao The Legacy of Wumu, restricted its circulation to trusted people, and Wang Ziwen continued the purge despite officials’ objections.
• Ran Zijin and Ran Chao tried to profit from the poisoned salt mine, but a black-clad assassin wounded them, and Zhang Long and Zhao Hu sold Lin Yi the mine for twenty thousand taels.
• Jia Xu warned Lin Yi that the mine’s salt was poisonous, but Lin Yi purified it and sold premium salt cheaply, earning money and support while Ma Chao pledged to strengthen the Xiliang Iron Cavalry.
• Lin Yi prepared to take Xiliang, received captured weapons and equipment from Wang Ziwen, and secretly departed while Ma Chao led a decoy party.
• Li Anlan allowed Lin Yi to try building a power in Xiliang, while Zhuo Feifan urged the local clans to form an alliance against him.
• Lin Yi appointed Jia Xu to govern Xiliang and ordered Wang Yue and Ma Chao to clear bandits, earning the people’s gratitude and rewards that included Zhou Cang and Yellow Turban troops.
• Zhou Cang and his followers joined Lin Yi, who promised to feed the people by growing high-yield sweet potatoes and potatoes with their help.
• Lin Yi learned that Zhuo Feifan had sent a spy and told Wang Yue they would wipe out Zhuo Feifan after Ma Chao arrived.

Lin Yi subdued Xiliang Commandery’s hostile factions, established his rule, and used the threat of the Northern Region barbarians to maneuver against the Prince of Beining Commandery. He prepared to build a powerful cavalry force and expand into Great Yu Mountain while the high-yield crops drew the attention of rival powers.

• Lin Yi assigned Jia Xu to rebuild the governor’s residence and develop Xiliang as Jia Xu organized the Yellow Turban soldiers and assessed the commandery.
• Zhuo Feifan tried to rally Xiliang’s factions against Lin Yi, but Duan Yingxiong and Wang Chengfei submitted and accepted county magistrate posts.
• Lin Yi ordered a purge of Xiliang’s criminal factions, and Ma Chao’s forces defeated Shi Lin’s troops and overwhelmed Zhuo Feifan’s stronghold.
• White Asura revealed that he had let Lin Yi’s Net operate, then ordered its members to eliminate the remaining forces on his blacklist and transfer their resources to Lin Yi.
• Lin Yi received Zhang Liao and troops from the system, appointed Chen Qun as deputy, and used confiscated wealth to fund rebuilding and send supplies to Lin Rusong.
• After Ma Chao reported Zhuo Feifan’s alleged ties to the Northern Region barbarians, Lin Yi and Jia Xu used a forged letter to threaten the Prince of Beining Commandery and planned to request supplies and craftsmen.
• Lin Yi ordered Ma Chao to train a hundred thousand cavalry and placed Pu Yuan in charge of a secret workshop to produce agricultural tools, crossbows, cavalry equipment, and sabers.
• Lin Yi visited White Garden, where Bai Zizai explained that he had planted potatoes in the courtyard so he could protect them.

Lin Yi strengthened Xiliang Commandery, drew support and resources from its people, and planned a road through Great Yu Mountain to strike the Northern Barbarians. As Tuoba Yu’s window to attack narrowed, Lin Rusong reinforced the border and the weakened Ran Zijin decided to return to the Great Ning court.

• Lin Yi persuaded Bai Zizai to guard the sweet potatoes and potatoes, then secured his intelligence about Tuoba Yu while concealing that he had spread news of the crops to distract rival factions.
• Lin Yi built up the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, assigned Zhang Liao to train it, and promised him and Ma Chao a contest for the title of Xiliang’s Marquis Champion.
• After studying Tuoba Yu’s defenses at Great Yu Mountain, Lin Yi rejected a direct assault and planned a mountain road and fortifications that could carry his army to the barbarians’ homeland.
• Lin Yi gave Zhang Liao twenty thousand Yellow Turban elites to defend Dayu County and ordered Chen Qun and Wang Yue to gather resources and skilled craftsmen for the construction effort.
• Lin Yi won the people’s support by promising wages and a prosperous future, gaining workers, military recruits, technical knowledge, and Mi Zhu as a business talent.
• Lin Yi put Mi Zhu in charge of his finances and ordered Chen Qun to establish the Heavenly Craft Workshop, then warned that Tuoba Yu’s chance to attack was running out.
• In Northern Liang City, Lin Rusong learned of Lin Yi’s success and plans to lure Tuoba Yu into Xiliang, while Wang Ziwen warned that the Prince of Beining Commandery could attack from behind.
• Lin Rusong ordered a hundred thousand troops stationed along Xiliang Commandery’s border, while Ran Zijin accepted Ran Hao’s plan to return to the Great Ning court.