I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 590: The Liao Army is a thorn in the side
The biggest problem brought about by the ten years of peace was the drastic narrowing of the upward path for military personnel.

The older generation is easier to deal with.

They had fought for so many years, experienced countless life and death situations, and gained most of what they should have gained.

If you really can't get something, it's only because of the limitations of your own abilities and talents, and you can't force it.

But this is a bit tormenting for the younger generation.

They have worked hard for many years to build up a solid foundation, and are now at the age of being young, energetic and enterprising.

However, because they were born ten years in the wrong year, the rapid progress in their cultivation and the leap in their status that they once enjoyed by wielding swords and riding horses, killing enemies and generals, have nothing to do with them now.

I can only watch helplessly as my ambition gradually fades away, with no place for my efforts to be put to good use.

The helplessness of missing the opportunity made many young Zhen Liao warriors feel restless.

They long for war and glory.

Just like in the military academy of Yulin Langwei, day after day, they used the sharp eyes of eagles and wolves to constantly collect foreseeable enemies on the map.

To the north?
No way.

Now that the Wuhuan tribe has completely surrendered, the entire Youbei grassland and even the North Sea have all fallen into your possession.

All kinds of products from the grassland were continuously transported southward from the former enemy in the north.

Either for the weapons they carry or for the meat on the tables of ordinary people.

New clothes woven from soft wool and coal that can burn for a long time are the best choice for surviving the long winter in this bitter and cold land of Youbei.

With this as a premise, no matter how passionate they are, they will not be so crazy as to destroy their own livelihood for the sake of their own selfish achievements.

As for the south...

In the battle ten years ago, nearly one million Qingzhou Huangtian troops were annihilated, which scared the entire Huangtian Dao out of Zhuozhou.

Over the years, Huang Tiandao has stirred up the world and even occupied half of the country at one point, but he has never moved north.

The Zhen Liao Army was also unable to take the initiative to attack.

Because there was Yuan Feng, the governor of Youzhou, in between.

With Yuan Feng, the governor of Youzhou occupying Younan and Zhuozhou, the Zhen Liao army had to pass through Yuan Feng's territory if they wanted to go south.

But is this realistic?
Even if Yuan Feng was not afraid that they would use the excuse of attacking Guo as an excuse and destroy him in the name of suppressing Huang Tian's rebellion, he would still be defeated.

They also couldn't trust their backs to Yuan Feng, a man with evil ambitions.

"Alas, if our Zhen Liao army had been able to sit back and watch the fight between the two tigers when the Qingzhou Huang Tian army marched north ten years ago, and had chosen to hold back temporarily, we wouldn't be in this situation today..."

Whenever the young Yulin guards in the Military Academy looked at the maps and deduced the situation, some of them could not help but sigh.

Because the situation back then was too obvious.

With the powerful fighting capacity displayed by the Qingzhou Huangtian Army at that time, Youzhou Mu Yuan Feng, who pretended to be a pig to eat the tiger and finally became a pig, could definitely not withstand the terrifying offensive of the Qingzhou Huangtian Army.

As long as Cheng Yuanyi of Qingzhou is allowed to destroy Yuan Feng, the governor of Youzhou, the Zhen Liao army will then raise the banner of raising an army to fight the enemy and defeat his Huang Tian army of Qingzhou in one fell swoop.

Not only can we preserve our strength and reduce the number of casualties, but we can also take the entire Youzhou and Zhuozhou into our possession.

No matter how you calculate it, this is the most cost-effective way.

But for some reason, our king, who had always been wise and brave, seemed to be overwhelmed with passion and finally chose to send troops to fight to the death with Qingzhou Huang Tian’s army.

The battle was indeed won.

The results of the battle all the way back to the Tongtian River were indeed brilliant.

But actually?
Many soldiers who should not have died died in this battle.

The Youzhou governor Yuan Feng's faction, which should have been destroyed that year, continued to expand and grow in power over the past decade with the support of the aristocratic Yuan family.

Eventually, it turned into an unbreakable key, blocking the Zhen Liao army's way to advance southward.

Like a lump in the throat!

The young Yulin guards would sigh and lament whenever they thought of this. They did not dare to comment on Han Shao's decision back then and could only direct their resentment towards the old generals and ministers.

Although most of these veterans and old officials are their fathers and grandfathers...

Mock and resent their recklessness, lack of wisdom and decisiveness.

They fantasized that if they were by the king's side at the time, they would definitely have dissuaded the king from sending troops in advance.

Only a small number of people gradually came to their senses after they calmed down.

The reason why the king resolutely chose to send troops ahead of time regardless of the cost was perhaps not only for the victory or defeat on the battlefield, but also for deeper ideas and plans.

Keeping the dog of Youzhou Mu Yuan Feng guarding the house would certainly restrict the advance of the Zhen Liao army for a certain period of time.

However, it also diverted the attention of the people of the world and successfully bought the Zhenliao people ten years of recuperation.

With these ten years as a buffer and accumulation, the Zhenliao Army has now reached an unprecedented peak from any perspective. What to do next is what these up-and-coming troops need to consider and deduce.

Take the initiative to attack the Youzhou Mu faction?
This is impossible and unfeasible.

Raising an army without cause is tantamount to rebellion.

Your Majesty is a loyal and good man of Yong Dynasty in the eyes of the people of the world. How could he do such a thing that would slap himself in the face?
So they guessed that the king must have been waiting for an opportunity, a legitimate opportunity.

And now, it seems that opportunity has finally arrived.

……

In fact, how could Han Shao, the current helmsman of the Zhen Liao faction, not notice the restlessness of the young soldiers in the army?

Or in other words, it’s not a question of whether you notice it or not.

Rather, he was the one who was deliberately indulging in this situation behind the scenes, and was even the one pushing it behind the scenes, secretly encouraging it.

Otherwise, with his mind and means, he would have suppressed it as soon as any signs appeared.

How could we allow these unstable factors to gather together and form a trend of thought?

"You are playing with fire..."

On a corner tower of the general's mansion, the father-in-law, son-in-law and others were sitting together drinking.

Among them, Gongsun Du frowned slightly and sighed.

"Aren't you afraid of causing trouble?"

Those who play with fire can easily get burned, and may even burn themselves if they are not careful.

Han Shao remained as calm as ever in response to Gongsun Du's worries.

"Don't worry, father-in-law. As long as I'm here, nothing will go wrong."

Han Shao's words were full of confidence, even a little arrogant.

Gongsun Du was about to give him a lecture when Li Wenjing interrupted him with a fake smile.

"Since you have retired, just focus on growing flowers and grass and worry less."

As he spoke, seeing Gongsun Du looking dissatisfied and indignant, Li Wenjing said helplessly.

"Alright, it's important for a man to know himself. In terms of talent, ability, and achievement, how can you, as his father-in-law, compare to him? How can you be qualified to teach him a lesson?"

Well, don’t hit people in the face, and don’t expose their weaknesses when scolding them.

Li Wenjing's words not only slapped Gongsun Du in the face, but also exposed his shortcomings.

Gongsun Du was quite angry and embarrassed.

It's a pity that the facts are there, and even if he wants to refute it, he can't find any arguments to refute it.

After all, what Li Wenjing said was completely true.

In terms of cultivation, he was just a 'mere' celestial being in the eighth realm, and this was only possible because his good son-in-law lent him a hand and personally fed him the opportunity to achieve enlightenment.

When it comes to the ability to command the army and govern the country, he cannot compare.

During the past ten years, not only the two core cities of Zhenliao and Guanjun, but also the entire Youbei and even the grasslands in the north were connected and prospered in Han Shao's hands.

The same is true for military management.

With the construction of the immigration artery in the early years, the population of the once sparsely populated Youbei area has exploded.

With this as a foundation, the number of armored warriors in the Zhen Liao Army has more than doubled. And this is just the number on the surface. If the so-called security camps scattered across various cities are taken into account, the number will be even more terrifying.

It can be said that the Zhen Liao Army under Han Shao's command is already a world of difference from when Gongsun Du was at the helm!

As for the final "achievement", it's even harder to describe.

He and that mad dog Shi Bi tortured each other for dozens, nearly a hundred years, and in the end, he was humiliated and left in disgrace.

But what about his good son-in-law?
In less than two years, he had chopped up his long-time enemy like a piece of melon and vegetable and completely swept him into the garbage dump of history.

Afterwards, he fought against the Dragon Clan in the North Sea and went south to pacify Huangtian. During this period, he also fought several battles with many Taiyi and won all of them.

Seeing such a monster, even Gongsun Du, who considered himself a big shot, couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

It is true that if you compare goods, you will throw them away; if you compare people, you will die.

This damn God is so unfair!
After hesitating for a long time and still unable to find a reason to retort, Gongsun Du could only argue with a red face.

"I am his father-in-law, so what if I say a few words to him!" Li Wenjing laughed when he heard this, with his usual fake smile on his face.

"I am also his father-in-law, so I am too embarrassed to say it."

After hearing this, Gongsun Du, who finally gained confidence, said proudly.

"You, the father-in-law, are fake."

"Where can you find anything that can compare to my genuine goods?"

Not particular!
So ungrateful!
Old bastard! How dare you bully me like this!

Seeing that Li Wenjing's eye veins were throbbing and he seemed to be about to flip the table and have a fight, Han Shao could no longer sit still and hurried to act as a peacemaker.

After comforting them, I changed the subject to avoid them arguing over such trivial matters.

"Let's get down to business, let's get down to business!"

After hearing this, the old men who were glaring at each other snorted coldly, forced themselves to withdraw their displeased gazes at each other, and were too lazy to look at each other anymore.

Li Wenjing continued the previous topic, thought for a moment, and said in silence.

"You're right to let those young people keep their spirits up. Some of the old guys are really useless."

Just like those military merit groups next door that quickly became corrupt and degenerate as soon as the fighting stopped.

The current Zhenliao Army is actually facing the same situation.

Years of comfortable life have quickly worn away the will of many veterans who once had outstanding military achievements.

It would be fine if they could just sit back and enjoy their achievements, after all, this is what they deserve.

But they are still not satisfied.

He bullied others and even relied on his military achievements to openly confront local officials.

It made Han Shao... feel like there was something stuck in his throat!
Gongsun Du, who was standing by, was slow to react when he heard what Li Wenjing said. It was only at this moment that he realized what the purpose of his good son-in-law was in calling these two old guys here today.

In the sudden silence, Gongsun Du's face gradually became gloomy.

"I was wondering why you thought of an old fellow like me today. So you came to borrow a knife from me?"

Han Shao smiled awkwardly.

"Father-in-law, that's not right. I am a filial son-in-law, and everyone knows it. If I wasn't afraid of disturbing you, father-in-law, I would be willing to serve you every day to show my filial piety."

Gongsun Du's expression did not improve at all after listening to Han Shao's nonsense.

He understood what Han Shao meant.

Those veteran generals were his former subordinates, so Han Shao couldn't act rashly. At least, Han Shao wouldn't act before informing him.

Gongsun Du felt somewhat relieved about this.

What really annoyed him were those old guys.

He was clearly fearless and courageous on the battlefield in the past and had made countless achievements, but why is he so confused now?
"How about a warning first?"

Han Shao could only smile bitterly at Gongsun Du's reluctance.

"If this method worked, I wouldn't be in front of my father-in-law today."

Sometimes, rule by man is more important than rule by law.

Even Han Shao had to take into account the outstanding contributions of those veterans in the past, even though this was unfair to the people who were being bullied and abused...

After hearing Han Shao's words, Gongsun Du remained silent for a long time, his expression changing constantly.

Then he suddenly stretched out his hand, and a long sword appeared in his hand in an instant.

Holding the Zhenliao long sword, he gently stroked the cold blade, and the expression on his face became as cold as the blade in his palm.

"Just sit still, for the Father will be back soon."

Han Shao, who had already realized what he was going to do, looked reluctant and wanted to stop him.

But he was stopped by Li Wenjing who was standing by.

"Let him go. He is more suitable to do this than you."

The killing of meritorious officials, even if they brought it upon themselves, would inevitably be seen as a case of killing the donkey after it has served its purpose.

Once it is done, there will be some stigma.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why those old guys are so fearless.

Just like what an old man complained about when he was drunk, "Han was just a poor man in the past. If it weren't for the general's mercy and our support, how could he be here today?"

Han Shao inherited the Gongsun family business as a son-in-law, which was his biggest weakness.

Even though the great achievements he had made since he came into the world were extremely brilliant, they still could not be completely concealed in this world where family background is everything.

So at a certain moment, Han Shao couldn't help but feel some resonance with the leopard demon.

The prejudice in people's hearts is like a mountain...

"So... is this mountain really insurmountable?"

Han Shao's eyes changed, and then he sneered.

The smooth sailing in recent years almost made him forget the great ambition he set when he first came into this world.

Now, he has taken this opportunity to regain some of his original intentions.

"Then thank you, father-in-law."

Han Shao was naturally grateful that Gongsun Du was willing to bear the stigma for him.

He thanked her without even saying anything polite.

However, his attitude made Gongsun Du feel a little warm in his heart.

Son-in-law is half son.

He only has his only daughter, Mulan, to take care of him, so the importance of Han Shao as his son-in-law is self-evident.

Since some people can't understand the important relationship involved, don't blame him for disregarding past friendship and twisting their heads off with his own hands.

With a thought, Gongsun Du, who was always decisive and swift, disappeared from his sight.

Li Wenjing sneered when he saw this.

"This old man is never confused about major issues."

As he spoke, he looked at Han Shao with a playful look.

"Are you feeling better?"

Han Shao smiled and nodded.

"Comfortable."

Seeing this, Li Wenjing smiled with satisfaction.

"That's right. If you have trouble, come to us. Otherwise, what use are we old guys?"

An old house where a treasure.

With someone who loves you and protects you, who wouldn’t be a good baby?

Han Shaotian thought shamelessly and poured Li Wenjing a cup of tea.

Li Wenjing squinted her eyes and savored the tea carefully, and said before putting down the teacup.

"Are you ready to solve the problem of Yuan Feng?"

The existence of Yuan Feng, the governor of Youzhou, was a thorn in the side even for the Yulin Lang who had not even fully grown their hair, let alone Han Shao.

Seeing Han Shao nod, Li Wenjing thought about it and said.

"If you've made up your mind, just do it. If you need me or that old bastard, just ask."

The reason why he was so serious was because Li Wenjing knew it very well.

Yuan Feng’s existence is a bottleneck internally.

It is also a bottleneck for the outside world.

Once this pass was breached, the Zhen Liao army was like a tiger out of a cage, with no more restraints.

But we will inevitably face the storm outside.

If you win, the trapped dragon will ascend to heaven!
And if you lose...

"Don't be afraid, at worst you can start over again."

Li Wenjing's eyes were encouraging and her words were sincere.

This forced Han Shao to stand up and bow deeply.

"With my father-in-law's words, Shao has nothing to fear even if there are mountains in front of him!"

……

(End of this chapter)