Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 413 Zhao's Strength: Joy and Inferiority, Love for Her Daughter, and the Pride of the Xiang Family [Vote Requested!]

With the issuance of the transfer order by Si Cheng Xia Chuan to the commander of the 15th Army, the entire affair at Hongmen City came to a complete end.

Xia Chuan left the troop mobilization for last. More than 600 people from various departments and offices of the Great Xia left the main hall half an hour in advance, so they began packing their belongings early to return to their respective territories and continue performing their duties.

"The Falcon Army is fully prepared and will return to Longshan in an hour and a half!"

Zhao Long, the commander of the Falcon Army, was among the last to leave the main hall of the yamen. After leaving the hall, he went straight to the barracks in the north city and immediately began to summon all the soldiers of the Falcon Army to prepare to return to Longshan.

A normal army wouldn't need this long to fully equip itself.

The main problem is that there are a lot of people leaving Hongmen City tonight. There are twelve armies alone, plus more than 20,000 people who will also leave at the same time. If so many people leave all at once, the straight road will definitely be overcrowded. In order to avoid problems, the commanders of the twelve armies have agreed to set off at different times.

There were eight armies heading west through Hongguan Pass, with one army departing every half hour on average. The Falcon Army was the third in line, so the soldiers had a little more time to regroup, about an hour and a half.

"The Shanhe Army is ready to depart in half an hour!"

"The Mighty Army is fully prepared and will depart in one hour!"

"The Dongyang Army is ready to depart in two hours!"

………………

Sure enough, as soon as Zhao Long finished speaking, sounds of various troops preparing to set off could be heard coming from around the barracks.

Zhao Long also returned to the Falcon Army's main tent and began packing his belongings.

He didn't have much luggage. He simply put on his armor, and quickly packed his weapons, bow, quiver, and a water bag.

However, he had only just finished tidying up when Lu Sheng, the deputy commander of the Falcon Army, strode in from outside the door.

"Commander, Lords Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao are here to see you!"

Upon hearing that his two younger brothers had come to find him, Zhao Long frowned slightly, but quickly nodded and replied, "Bring them here."

The military has strict regulations that no one other than military personnel may enter the barracks without permission. So even though Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao both hold important positions and are each other's younger brothers, they still need to report before entering the barracks.

Soon, Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao were brought in by Lu Sheng.

"Big brother!"

"Big brother."

"Commander, I'll go check on how the brothers are doing with the cleanup!"

Lu Sheng could tell at a glance that the three brothers had family matters to discuss, so he quickly bowed to Zhao Long to take his leave, nodded to Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao, and then left.

"Why haven't you left Hongmen yet? Do you need something from me?"

Although the three brothers had already gathered at the main building of the yamen the night before, Zhao Long couldn't help but smile when he saw his two younger brothers again.

As the Great Xia Dynasty has developed to this point, many prominent families have emerged within it, but Zhao Long is confident in saying that the Zhao family's influence is definitely among the top of all these prominent families.

In terms of seniority, the three brothers have followed Lord Xia Hong since the Shuanglong Valley period. They were also members of the first hunting team of the Great Xia Dynasty. They conquered the families of Hongmu Ridge, attacked Jinggu, attacked the Beehive, and conquered Longyou. The Great Xia Dynasty has developed from humble beginnings to become the powerful force in the Mo'ao region. The three brothers were not only witnesses but also deep participants. Regardless of their contributions, in terms of seniority, no one can compare to them except for the old people from the Great Xia Tupo period.

In terms of status, he is the commander of the Falcon Army, a fourth-rank officer in charge of a single military unit; his second brother, Zhao Hu, is the Mountain Guardian of the Eastern Ridge Hunting Division, and his third brother, Zhao Bao, is the Military Equipment Officer of the Wuyuan Camp, with the same rank as him. The key point is that all three of them were among the first batch of ninth-rank Xuanling Viscounts to be conferred titles in the third year of the Great Xia Dynasty. Moreover, his own title was promoted to eighth rank at the beginning of this year. It should be noted that there are currently only about thirty of the eight Chixiao Viscounts in the entire Great Xia Dynasty.
In terms of strength, all three brothers are at the peak of the Cold Resistance realm. Moreover, he and his second brother Zhao Hu are both of superior battle physique, with him having 29 manes and Zhao Hu having 27 manes. His third brother Zhao Bao has slightly lower aptitude and only has a medium battle physique, but he is currently at 21 manes.

The Zhao family's reputation for producing three pillars and three noble titles had already spread throughout the Great Xia Dynasty several years ago. Moreover, due to the large number of direct descendants of the Zhao family, no other family in the Great Xia Dynasty could match them in terms of lineage. As a result, the Zhao family's importance has naturally grown.

Most importantly, none of the three brothers are very old!
Zhao Long himself is only 47 years old this year, the second brother is 45, and the third brother is 44. Compared with the Lords, the Chief Ministers and the top people of Great Xia, they are certainly considered old, but in the eyes of Great Xia and even the entire Nine Towns, they are definitely in their prime.

The lifespan of a Cold-resistant level expert is one hundred years, which means that the three of them can protect the Zhao family for at least another forty or fifty years. Not to mention that any of the three of them will be fortunate enough to break through to the Manifestation level, given the current prosperous state of the Great Xia Dynasty, in forty or fifty years, the large number of direct descendants of the Zhao family will have already grown up.

Therefore, as long as nothing unexpected happens, the Zhao family will continue to develop and pass on its heritage. No matter how far the Great Xia Dynasty develops in the future, the Zhao family will definitely have a place among the core top-tier wealthy families.

From the precarious existence of the Rogue Encampment in the valley to the comfortable, prosperous, and hopeful life we ​​enjoy today; from a lumberjack with a basic strength of only ten thousand jin to a cold-resistant level cultivation of nearly 30 bristles; from a small, insignificant family in the valley to the Zhao family, a prominent clan with nearly thirty direct descendants, flourishing incense offerings, and three noble titles...

Zhao Long often felt like he was dreaming, fearing that he would wake up one day. But when he realized that it was all real, he would naturally feel boundless gratitude for Lord Xia Hong and a strong sense of belonging to the Great Xia.

Zhao Long was filled with countless thoughts, but it all happened in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao hesitated for a moment, and finally Zhao Bao stepped forward, looking worried, and said, "Brother, Yuanxiu's marriage may be in trouble. It seems that Lord Xu wants to back out."

Zhao Long was taken aback upon hearing this, his brows furrowing as he asked, "There might be a problem. It seems like you're going to back out. Your words are incoherent. Explain yourself clearly!"

Zhao Long knew that his eldest niece Zhao Yuanxiu's marriage to Xu An was arranged by Zhao Long himself, along with Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao, to meet with Xu Ning in Ba Shang in early August. However, Zhao Bao's words were clearly illogical, so he naturally had to ask him first.

"Just after I left the main hall, Lord Xu suddenly stopped me and apologized, saying that his younger brother Xu An's marriage might change, and he needed to go to Xu An to find out the details before giving me an answer."

Upon hearing Zhao Bao's explanation, Zhao Long frowned even more deeply.

He and Xu Ning had known each other for a long time, and he knew very well that Xu Ning was a man of his word. He had clearly promised last month, and only a month had passed, so why would he suddenly go back on his word?
wrong!

Zhao Long quickly seized on the problem in Zhao Bao's words, saying, "Lord Xu only said he would ask his brother Xu An to clarify things before giving you an answer. He didn't directly say he was going back on his word. Why don't we just let him ask? Xu An is indeed good, but our Yuanxiu is no less so. Does he deserve to be..."

Seeing Zhao Bao's slightly uneasy expression, Zhao Long immediately stopped, then realized something and frowned, asking, "Is there something you're hiding from me?"

Xu Ning didn't back out, but said she would go to her younger brother to ask him for clarification. Zhao Bao came to her in such a hurry and even said that her niece's marriage would have problems, which was obviously suspicious.

The problem is clearly what Xu Ning is trying to find out!
Seeing that Zhao Bao was still stammering and unable to speak, Zhao Hu, who was standing next to him, stepped forward after a few twitches of his eyebrows and said in a low voice, "Brother, Xu An, the younger brother of Lord Xu, was in love with a girl named Ji Jiang before. Yuan Xiu had a few conflicts with this Ji Jiang when she was in Wuyuan. Third brother is probably worried that Xu An will refuse to marry Yuan Xiu because of this Ji Jiang."

Zhao Bao immediately nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, brother, that's exactly it, Xu An..."

But before he could finish speaking, Zhao Long glared at him and shut his mouth.

"Do you all think I'm stupid? If he only had a crush on her, why would Xu An break up his marriage with Yuan Xiu for Ji Jiang?"

Zhao Long's voice was clearly filled with anger. After speaking, he glared at his second brother, Zhao Hu, and asked Zhao Bao in a deep voice, "Explain Yuan Xiu and Xu An's matter clearly to me. What exactly happened? If you continue to hide anything, I will take the initiative to go to Lord Xu and cancel the marriage!"

Zhao Hu was still a little afraid of his older brother. After being glared at, he immediately shrank back and stopped talking.

Zhao Bao looked troubled, but thinking of his eldest daughter's marriage, he gritted his teeth and finally explained the whole story clearly.

As Zhao Long listened, his face grew darker and darker. Only after Zhao Bao finished speaking did he understand what was really going on with his niece's marriage.

"So, Xu An and Ji Jiang were actually in love all along, and Yuan Xiu was the one who came between them. No wonder... no wonder you rushed to send a message to me and the second brother in July, asking us to go to Ba Shang to propose to Xu Ning. Third brother, what can I say about you..."

Upon hearing Zhao Long's words, Zhao Hu immediately retorted, "Brother, aren't you exaggerating? Xu An and Ji Jiang aren't engaged. Yuan Xiu has been living with the Third Brother in Wuyuan for a long time, spending every day with Xu An. It's not a sin for them to develop feelings for each other over time!"

Zhao Long's expression faltered slightly upon hearing this. Firstly, it was indeed inappropriate for him, as the uncle, to say that his niece was a third party. Secondly, matters between men and women are not easy to sort out, and he couldn't really find fault with Zhao Hu's words for the time being.

But he reacted quickly, and after a moment's thought, he immediately sneered, "Since you haven't committed any crime, why are you here looking for me now?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao's expressions immediately froze.

"As you all know, Xu An will most likely choose Ji Jiang in the end, and Yuan Xiu's marriage will most likely fall through, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bao's expression immediately tightened, and he pleaded, "Brother, Yuanxiu told me back in Wuyuan that she would marry no one but Xu An in this life. I only sent a message to you and Second Brother in July because of what she said. I was thinking of finding Xu Ning to settle things first. If this marriage really goes wrong, she will probably hate me for the rest of her life."

Zhao Hu chimed in, "Brother, this marriage really can't go wrong. First, it's Yuanxiu's life-long commitment. Second, many people in Xia City already know about Yuanxiu's engagement to Xu An. If Xu An really pushes it away, not only will Yuanxiu be too ashamed to face anyone in the future, but our Zhao family's reputation will also be damaged!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Long angrily retorted, "No matter how much face the Zhao family has, can it be greater than that of the Xu family?"

Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao were startled and didn't dare to say another word.

Although the Xu family is small, the Xu brothers, Xu Ning and Xu An, have been following Xia Hong since the Tupo era. Xu Ning was killed while spying on Dajue Temple last September and was a cripple for more than half a year. At that time, everyone in Daxia thought he was beyond saving. However, Xia Hong used Master Wusheng's organs to not only cure him but also help him achieve the aptitude of a top-grade battle body. This alone shows how high his status is in Xia Hong's heart.

Compared to others, Zhao is alright, but compared to Xu Ning, she is simply humiliating herself.

Zhao Long's first reaction was to just let it go. His niece could suffer a little loss and find another good match in the future. But seeing the pleading look on Zhao Bao's face, he finally softened. After closing his eyes and calming down for a moment, he looked up and asked the two of them, "What's the deal with that girl named Ji Jiang? You haven't gone to see her. Can you try to find a solution through her?"

Trying to find a solution from Xu Ning and Xu An is definitely not going to work, so the only option is to start with Ji Jiang.

But as soon as Zhao Long finished asking, he saw the troubled expressions on Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao's faces and immediately guessed that the two of them had already thought of trying to find a solution through Ji Jiang.

In other words, even Ji Jiang and his group couldn't handle this, which is why they came to their older brother for advice.

"Ji Jiang...Ji Jiang..."

He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, repeating Ji Jiang's name several times. Suddenly, he thought of something, looked up, and said with a look of surprise, "Could this Ji Jiang be related to Ji Hong, who recently broke through in Ba Shang?"

Upon seeing their expressions, Zhao Long's eyes immediately darkened.

There are very few people in the Great Xia Dynasty with top-tier battle physiques. There are fewer than 20 confirmed cases. So when one appeared in Ba Shang City in early September, the news spread immediately. Even Zhao Long, who was far away in Longshan, heard about it.

"Ji Jiang is Ji Hong's younger sister."

"You guys have gotten me into a real mess! She has top-tier combat physique potential and was just recruited into the Dragon Martial Army as a reserve. Third brother, what do you want me to do? Force her sister to leave Xu An?"

Upon hearing Zhao Long's question, Zhao Bao didn't speak, but looked at his elder brother with hope in his eyes, his meaning quite clear.

Zhao Long was so angry that he laughed, completely speechless.

“Brother, he’s just a newly advanced top-grade battle physique. Whether he can grow stronger is still uncertain. There’s no need for us to be so wary, is there? Although Ji Hong and his sister are from the Tupo era, their parents died early, and they don’t have any connections. You can tell from the fact that they only broke through to the Cold Resistance level in the last two years that they’re not living a very comfortable life…”

Although Zhao Hu had a bad temper, he was quite perceptive and had already investigated Ji Hong and his sister beforehand. After speaking, seeing that the anger on his elder brother Zhao Long's face had subsided considerably, he quickly continued, "Directly forcing him definitely won't work, and we won't be able to stand up to the higher-ups if we really make a fuss. But there's still hope if we offer him a great reward to persuade him to give up voluntarily. Although Ji Hong has good aptitude, he has only just broken through and doesn't have anyone to support him. As long as we can offer him a sum of contribution points that is enough to tempt him, are we afraid he won't agree?"

spend money!

Upon hearing the second brother's opinion, a hint of interest flashed across Zhao Long's face.

And you know what? This method actually works.

As Zhao Hu said, no matter how talented someone is, they still need resources to cultivate. In fact, to some extent, the more talented a person is, the higher their resource requirements are. If Ji Hong and his sister really had no one to help them, they would definitely be short of contribution points right now.

Seeing the interest on Zhao Long's face, Zhao Bao immediately said, "Brother, as long as Ji Hong agrees to let his sister not ruin Yuanxiu's marriage, I'm willing to give him 500,000 contribution points in one go!"

Upon hearing the third brother's words, Zhao Long immediately fell silent.

Five hundred thousand contribution points is an astonishing amount, even for the three brothers. More importantly, this number also reflects how much Zhao Bao cares about his daughter's marriage.

Zhao Yuanxiu was not only Zhao Bao's daughter, but also his eldest niece. It would indeed be unreasonable for him, as her uncle, not to help.

"Alright, let's give it a try, but you all stay silent the whole time. Let me communicate with Ji Hong, understand?"

"Okay, big brother!"

Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao immediately answered in unison, their faces beaming with joy.

“I’ll be setting off in a little over an hour. Ji Hong is a reserve member of the Longwu Army, so he should be leaving soon too. I’ll go directly to the Longwu Army barracks to find him.”

"No need, brother. I saw him when I came. He left the barracks and headed towards the south of the city. We can just go to the south of the city to find him!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Long immediately understood that the two had clearly come prepared. However, since he had already decided to make his move, he didn't say much. After instructing Deputy Commander Lu Sheng, he followed Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao straight to the South City.

Nancheng, Zeng Kee Summer Clothing Shop
In the quiet room behind the shop, Ji Hong, dressed in golden armor, was sitting. Ji Jiang, sitting next to him, was holding a crescent-shaped blood-red jade pendant and grinning foolishly. Every now and then, she would look down at the small "Jiang" character on the front of the jade pendant, her face full of joy and pride.

Seeing his sister's blissful expression, Ji Hong couldn't help but feel a little jealous: "You must be very happy now. This blood agate jade can only be exchanged for 1 tael at the supply department with 2000 contribution points. The one you have should be about half a jin. It was specially made by the craftsmen department and is worth at least 15000. Xu An is very thoughtful."

"Hahaha, I knew it! Brother Xu wouldn't let me down!"

Hearing his sister's joyful laughter, Ji Hong couldn't help but laugh as well. He reached out and pinched her cheek, pretending to be serious, and said, "Don't you know who my sister is? If Xu An misses out on such a beautiful and capable wife, he won't be able to find another one even if he's carrying a lantern."

"Hahahahaha..."

Hearing her brother's words, Ji Jiang's laughter grew even more joyful.

As luck would have it, just as Ji Hong was saying goodbye to Ji Jiang, Xu An rushed over.

“Ah Jiang, I have just explained things to my brother, and he will help me break off the marriage with the Zhao family soon.”

When Ji Jiang heard Xu An's words, she was overjoyed. Ji Hong guessed that if it weren't for him being the third wheel, his sister would have jumped into his arms.

When Xu An took out the jade pendant engraved with Ji Jiang's name, Ji Jiang was overjoyed beyond belief. Even though Xu An had been gone for so long, she was still holding the jade pendant and laughing like an idiot.

This worthless appearance made Ji Hong feel both jealous and angry.

Of course, more than anything, I'm happy that my sister has found someone to belong to.

As the older brother, he knew best about his sister's feelings for Xu An. The reason he reacted so strongly yesterday when he learned from Zeng Rou about Zhao Yuanxiu stealing Xu An away was because he knew that his sister's feelings for Xu An had penetrated to the bone.

If Xu Anruo really chooses to marry Zhao Yuanxiu, Ji Jiang will probably have a hard time getting over it for the rest of her life.

Knowing this, he naturally wouldn't sit idly by and watch his sister be bullied by the Zhao family. So, as soon as he left the Zhao family restaurant yesterday, he immediately mustered up his courage and went to the Siya Building, wanting to talk to Xu Ning directly.

As expected, he was turned away before he could even go in.

Despite possessing top-tier combat physique aptitude, Ji Hong was ultimately just an ordinary Cold Resistance level cultivator, making it impossible for him to enter the Siya Building so easily.

Fortunately, he happened to run into Lin Kai, who was coming out of the Siya Building.

He didn't know if Xu An's visit today was related to his meeting with Lin Kai yesterday, but as long as his sister Ji Jiang was happy, he was content.

Ji Hong stood up, rubbed his sister's head, and said with a smile, "Alright, A-Jiang, the Longwu Army is about to set off, and I should be leaving soon too."

Ji Jiang knew that her brother was going to Ba Shang today. Although she was not surprised, she still showed a sad expression after putting away the jade pendant and said, "Brother, you must take good care of yourself in Ba Shang."

Upon hearing his sister's words, Ji Hong raised an eyebrow and laughed, "When did it become your place to worry about your brother? Hongmen City is a mixed bag, and all sorts of people come from the Eight Towns. You should take good care of yourself here. I've already become a reserve member of the Dragon Martial Army. As long as there are vacancies, I can become a full member of the Dragon Martial Army. Just wait and see how good life will be for you with your brother!"

Ji Jiang immediately showed a defiant look on her face and snorted, "Brother, don't underestimate me. My shop is making a fortune every day. You might even have to rely on your little sister for your future cultivation resources!"

"Hahaha, alright, alright, I'll rely on you, I'm off now!"

Ji Hong laughed a few times, put away his weapon, and walked out.

Ji Jiang escorted him all the way to the gate, watching him walk out of the South City Archway until she could only see her brother's back clearly, at which point her eyes reddened slightly.

As Ji Hong walked out of the archway, his nose tingled slightly.

The brother and sister had relied on each other for nearly ten years, and only they knew how deep their bond was. Every separation, no matter how far or how long, was never easy for either of them. "Once I join the Dragon Martial Army, I shouldn't be too short of contribution points. I need to quickly cultivate and become stronger, accumulate military merits, and once I'm ennobled and enter the palace, my status will be higher. Then my sister will have more confidence when she's with Xu An, and my life will get better and better!"

Ji Hong took a slight breath and strode towards the barracks.

However, when he was still five or six hundred meters away from the barracks, three burly figures walked towards him.

Ji Hong looked up and saw the three people. His expression changed slightly, and he immediately changed direction, intending to go around them.

But as soon as he changed direction, the three of them immediately changed direction as well.

They came for me!

Ji Hong's heart skipped a beat. He simply stood still and waited for the three to approach before bowing and saying, "Ji Hong of the Dragon Martial Army pays respects to Commander Zhao, Zhao Shanyu, and Zhao Wubei!"

Upon hearing Ji Hong not only refer to himself as a member of the Dragon Martial Army, but also pronounce his three brothers' official titles so accurately, Zhao Long raised an eyebrow slightly.

But he didn't say anything. He quickly helped Ji Hong up and said with a smile, "Brother Ji, there's no need for such formalities. I heard at the beginning of the month that our Great Xia has gained another genius with top-grade battle physique. As soon as he broke through to the Cold Resistance level, he was taken away by the Dragon Martial Army. He finally came to Hongmen, so I naturally wanted to meet him. Today I finally got to meet him. Brother Ji Hong is indeed a handsome young man!"

Zhao Long immediately launched into a tirade of flattery, and Ji Hong's expression instantly became wary. He bowed slightly and said, "Lord Zhao, you flatter me. I must hurry to join the Longwu Army on their journey to Ba Shang. Gentlemen, if there's nothing else..."

They don't want to say a word and just want to leave?

Zhao Long frowned slightly, especially when he saw the wariness on Ji Hong's face. He felt a little displeased. They were all from the same camp, and given their status, Ji Hong's reaction to taking the initiative to talk to them was really inappropriate.

But he didn't forget the important matter. Since Ji Hong wouldn't give him a chance to make small talk, he simply got straight to the point.

"Young man Ji Hong, you are 25 this year, and I, Zhao, am 22 years older than you. By age, I am your elder. I'm going to shamelessly take advantage of my seniority to offer some good advice, and I hope you will listen..."

Zhao Long laid the groundwork for a moment, paused, and continued, "Although you have the aptitude for a top-grade battle physique, you have no one to help you. I know that over the years, you have not only had to earn cultivation resources for yourself but also for your sister, so you have not lived a wealthy life. If there were sufficient resources, given your aptitude, even if you wanted to break through to the top-grade battle physique, you should not have reached the Cold Resistance level later than your sister, right?"

Ji Hong vaguely sensed something, and his expression darkened slightly. He looked up at Zhao Long without speaking, but simply nodded in response.

Zhao Long continued to patiently persuade him, "People like Luo An, Zou Ping, Liu Peng, and even the younger members of my Zhao family—those younger than you in the Great Xia—will catch up soon. Without a doubt, many with top-tier battle physiques will emerge from this group. If you don't want to be overtaken by them, the most pressing need right now is cultivation resources..."

"Commander Zhao, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Ji Hong finally lost his patience and interrupted Zhao Long.

This interruption caused Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao, who were standing nearby, to frown and their expressions toward Ji Hong became somewhat unfriendly.

Zhao Long didn't react much. When Ji Hong interrupted him, he simply cut to the chase and said, "Brother Ji Hong, 500,000 contribution points. As long as your sister doesn't interfere with my niece's marriage to Xu An, I can transfer 500,000 contribution points to you right now at the Supply Department in Hongmen City. How about it?"

Upon hearing the word "500,000 contribution points," Ji Hong's expression froze, and his face flushed red almost visibly.

He clenched his fist beneath his armor, looked up and laughed angrily, "Commander Zhao is quite generous! Five hundred thousand contribution points, I'm genuinely tempted!"

Zhao Long, nearing fifty, naturally understood that Ji Hong was being sarcastic. He also noticed Ji Hong's flushed face, assuming it was just youthful pride acting up. After a moment's thought, he continued:
"Six hundred thousand!"

Seeing that Ji Hong remained unmoved, he continued to speak.

"Seven hundred thousand!"

"Eight hundred thousand..."

After bidding up to one million, Ji Hong still didn't react. Zhao Long finally grew impatient and, after a moment of silence, spoke for the last time: "One million is the highest price I can offer. Young brother Ji Hong, are you really unwilling to reconsider?"

Ji Hong wanted to explode with anger, but sensing the unfathomable aura emanating from the three Zhao brothers, he knew he had no right to be angry. So, suppressing his intense shame, he first tried his best to calm his tone before slowly saying, "Commander Zhao, not everything can be bought with money..."

He paused, sneered, and continued, "Don't even mention a million. Even if you gave me ten million or a hundred million today, I wouldn't trade my sister's marriage for you. Forget about it!"

At the last moment, Ji Hong finally couldn't suppress his anger, and his words became laced with hostility as he directly rebuked him.

Zhao Long's expression instantly darkened, but he did not respond.

He could hold back, but Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao beside him could no longer hold back. They had wanted to speak up when they saw Ji Hong being disrespectful to Zhao Long, but they held back because Zhao Long had told them to. Who would have thought that Ji Hong would go too far and even dare to scold their elder brother? How could they tolerate it?

"How dare you, Ji Hong! You're just a reserve soldier, do you really think you're a member of the Dragon Martial Army? Even if you were to join the Dragon Martial Army, you have no right to speak to a First Army Commander like that. Apologize to my elder brother right now!"

"Young man, no matter how good your talent is, it's still just talent. Whether you can grow into real strength is another matter. Every year, countless people from Great Xia die outside..."

"Shut up!"

Seeing that Zhao Bao's words were getting increasingly outrageous and even bordering on taboo, Zhao Long finally couldn't help but angrily tell him to shut up.

After being reprimanded, Zhao Bao realized that his words were inappropriate and immediately shut his mouth and did not continue speaking.

But Ji Hong's eyes had turned extremely gloomy at this moment.

Zhao Long's expression was also very unfriendly at this moment. Given his current status and position, he was naturally very unhappy to be scolded like this by a young man like Ji Hong.

But considering that he had come here of his own volition, and that the Zhao family's actions regarding Zhao Yuanxiu were unethical, he didn't say anything more. After taking a breath, he even cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Ji Hong.

"Since Brother Ji Hong doesn't agree, then so be it. I, Zhao, went too far today. I apologize to Brother Ji Hong. My third brother was so worried about his daughter that he said some foolish things. I hope Brother Ji Hong won't take it to heart!"

Seeing that Zhao Long actually apologized to Ji Hong, Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao were immediately filled with disbelief and then tried to say something.

"Big brother!"

"Big brother..."

"Okay, let's go!"

Before they could speak, Zhao Long interrupted them and turned to walk towards the barracks.

Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao stood there, looking at Ji Hong with immense anger. There even seemed to be a hint of murderous intent in Zhao Bao's eyes.

"What are you still doing there? Let's go!"

Zhao Long's urging voice came from afar. No matter how angry the two were, they could do nothing. In the end, they could only leave with a cold snort and turn to leave.

"Become stronger, we must become stronger! Only by becoming stronger, rising in status, and getting closer to the lord, can my sister and I stop being bullied like this!"

After the three left, Ji Hong stood alone, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh, showing how hard he was clenching his fists.

........................

"The Longyuan Army is setting off!"

In the latter half of the night, Commander-in-Chief Zhou Yuan gave an order, and the eighth and final army to head west, the Longyuan Army, set off from its barracks.

At this point, almost everyone who wanted to leave Hongmen had left.

Since it was the return journey, and the distance from Hongmen to Zhaoyang was long, Commander Zhou Yuan did not make excessive demands on this march. He only instructed the captains of each battalion to keep the troops basically in order.

So as soon as the army left the barracks, the soldiers in the rear began to chat.

“Longyuan was previously stationed in Wuyuan, but this time he was transferred directly to Beizhao. This transfer is too far.”

"It is a bit far. Zhaoyang is next to Beiman Mountain, and it is currently the farthest outpost from Xia City in our Great Xia territory!"

"It would have been so nice to stay in Wuyuan! What a pity."

"Hehe, I bet you guys are eyeing the big catches in the Wuyuan waters, aren't you?"

"Haha, of course! If you work a little harder in Wuyuan, you can earn 10,000 to 20,000 contribution points every month. It's great!"

"Why doesn't Commander Zhou go and suggest to the Vice Minister that our Longyuan Army continue to be stationed in Wuyuan?"

"You're dreaming. I heard from the captain that the army will gradually start rotating to different areas for defense and garrisoning. Unless you reach the level of Yun Jiao and Long Wu, don't expect to stay in one place for a long time."

"I see!"

………………

Xiang Ping was a member of the Ninth Battalion of the Longyuan Army, and also the captain of the Fifth Company of the Ninth Battalion. He was chatting with his brothers in the rear of the army.

"Xiang Ping, look who's that!"

He hadn't even finished chatting for a few minutes when he was interrupted by Liu Qing, the captain of the fourth team, who was standing not far away.

After being interrupted, he looked in the direction Liu Qing was pointing and was immediately stunned.

The Hongmen City barracks were located in the north, next to the Siya Building. Since the main gate of the barracks was on the south side, the first thing the army would pass by after leaving the barracks was the Siya Building.

The Ninth Battalion was at the very back of the marching column, so they passed the Siya Building only after the vanguard had finished marching.

What Liu Qing was pointing at was a team standing below the Siya Building.

The group consisted of five people. In the middle was an old man with both arms missing. The four people surrounding him were all dressed in black and red summer clothes, wearing black round crowns with a diameter of half a meter, and silver tokens hanging from their waists.

"Those must be people from the prison department!"

"Four Silver Order Wardens have arrived at once?"

"Nonsense, that one-armed old man is Mu Longhe, a Xianyang-level expert. Even with both arms gone, he's still much stronger than a Yuhan-level expert. Let alone four Silver Order Wardens, he probably wouldn't be able to hold his own against a hundred!"

"It's Mu Longhe! He was the first Xianyang-level expert captured by our Great Xia, right? The Lord's Blood Jade Fox is really powerful; it slashed off both of his arms with a single stroke."

"What's so great about the Blood Jade Fox? If you ask me, the Lord is the real deal. He directly ordered Mu Longhe to stay, and Duan Hong, the Lord of Chuishan Town, didn't dare to utter a single word!"

"Not only Duan Hong, but what about the other five town lords? Do they dare to say anything? To dare to lay a hand on Si Cheng and Yuwen Sizheng, Mu Longhe has only himself to blame!"

"It's only because the Mu family members are truly filial that Mu Longhe would not have survived."

………………

As everyone discussed, Xiang Ping naturally saw the five people clearly, and a smile immediately appeared on his face. He instantly understood why Liu Qing had asked him to look at these five people.

"Who is that? That's the pride of the Xiang family!"

As soon as Xiang Ping spoke, everyone on his team looked over curiously, including many people from Liu Qing's group, all of whom turned to look at the five people.

"Liang'er!"

Before anyone else could speak, Xiang Ping couldn't help but shout out.

Among the five people below the Siya Building, the young man on the left immediately raised his head upon hearing the shout. Seeing Xiang Ping in the Longyuan Army, a smile immediately appeared on his face, and he loudly replied, "Father!"

The young man turned out to be none other than Xiang Liang, Xiang Ping's eldest son.

"So he's Captain Xiang's eldest son!"

"The Silver Order Warden, the captain's eldest son, is that powerful?"

"Not only the Silver Token Warden, but the captain's son was also granted the title of Ninth-Rank Black Feather Viscount this May!"

"Are you kidding me? Captain Xiang's son looks to be no more than twenty-four or twenty-five years old, a ninth-rank Xuanling Viscount, how is that possible?"

"Hmph, it's obvious you don't care about the news in Xia City. This Liang has been lying low in Dajue Temple for almost two years. Last September, during the two battles between Dajue Temple and Jiangxia and Ba Shang, he was mixed in with Dajue Temple's army the whole time and made countless contributions. As soon as the war ended this May, he was immediately granted a title and I heard he was even received by the lord!"

"so smart?"

"Take a look at their capabilities before you speak."

"This...I can't see through him. Is he even stronger than the captain?"

“I heard the captain say that his son has a superior battle physique and is now at the mid-stage of the Cold Resistance realm, with the strength of a six-mane cultivator.”

"No wonder the captain said he's the pride of the Xiang family. If I could have such a capable son, I'd be willing to live a few years less!"

"Your grandson is almost here; even if you lived a few years less, you still wouldn't be able to have him."

"You're the one who can't have children, get out!"

"Hahahahaha..."

..............................

The chatter and laughter of the group made Xiang Ping burst into laughter as well. However, hearing the amazement in everyone's voices at his son's strength and title, his face naturally showed more pride.

Fortune favors the bold; these five words are absolutely true.

The adventure that his eldest son, Xiang Liang, went on last year truly turned his Xiang family's fortunes around in the Great Xia Dynasty.

Xiang Ping broke through to the Cold Resistance level two years ago. He doesn't have the talent for battle bodies. Although he now has the cultivation level of the late Cold Resistance stage, his strength is only at the fifth level, which is not as good as his son's. It is already quite good that he can become the captain of the Longyuan Army.

Having been in the Great Xia for six years, it would be a lie to say he wasn't envious of being granted a title. Xiang Ping's original plan was to gradually improve his strength and accumulate military merits in the army. As long as he continued doing this, he would eventually be able to obtain a title.

Unexpectedly, his son was granted a noble title before him without any prior notice.

Moreover, his son possesses superior combat physique aptitude, and his strength already surpasses that of his father. His future growth potential is also much higher than his father's.

Who would have thought that I, who had lived an ordinary life for half my life, would give birth to such an outstanding son!

Hehehe...

Looking back now, Xiang Ping realizes that if he had known his son was doing something so dangerous last year, he would have definitely stopped him or even strictly forbidden him from doing it.

Looking back now, this old father probably can't guide his son's future path anymore, after all, he's no match for his son in terms of strength and courage.

While feeling proud of his son, Xiang Ping couldn't help but feel a sense of approaching old age and sighed softly.

"Father, the five of us will return with your Longyuan Army this time!"

As Xiang Ping sighed, he suddenly realized that his son was walking towards him. Hearing his son's words, he was slightly taken aback, but when he looked up and saw Mu Longhe being escorted by his son, he immediately understood.

(End of this chapter)