Kill the enemy and get a wife? I'll single-handedly slaughter my way through the Northern Barba

With Zhang Lu's help, Zhang Liao managed to sit up and bowed in gratitude towards the capital.

"This humble general, Zhang Liao, kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's great favor!"

The two rewards Zhang Liao received were extremely significant.

In particular, the title of Marquis of Yongyi is a genuine hereditary title.

As long as the Great Qian Dynasty stands, the title of Marquis of Yongyi will be passed down through generations by the Zhang family.

Previously, his title was only that of a count, which was inherited by him alone.

Once he passes away, the Zhang family will lose their title and honor.

As for Zhang Liao's son being admitted to the Imperial Academy, that was also a considerable favor.

Zhang Liao has a son named Zhang Yuan, who is weak from childhood and unable to join the army. He is currently living in the capital.

The Imperial Academy was a place where the emperor specially trained officials. After studying there for two years, one could officially enter the political arena and be appointed to an official post.

With Zhang Liao's merits, Zhang Yuan's future is sure to be bright.

Everyone felt that it was only natural for Zhang Liao to be rewarded.

Even the proud and arrogant Li Yan nodded slightly, genuinely happy for him.

From Lin Feng to Zhang Liao, the level of those who received the awards became increasingly higher.

King Qin Li Yan's breathing became heavier, his eyes fixed intently on the imperial edict, thinking to himself: It's my turn now!

"Prince Li Yan of Qin is my beloved son and the bulwark of the nation."

"In the Battle of Niujiaoyuan, he personally braved arrows and stones, took the lead, and led his elite troops to defeat Bayan Mengke's tens of thousands of troops, killing countless enemy soldiers and making the enemy chieftain tremble with fear."

"This battle not only relieved the crisis in Youzhou, but also enhanced the prestige of the court. He was truly brave and valiant, much like myself."

"I hereby bestow upon you this special favor, increasing your regalia as a prince and elevating you to the rank of Prince of the Five Pearls, to show my approval."

"boom!"

These words, once spoken, resounded like a thunderclap in everyone's ears.

The King of Qin, Li Yan, was most shocked.

The title of King of Qin was second only to that of the Crown Prince.

Princes are ranked from one bead to five beads, with five beads being the pinnacle of princehood.

He had been a three-bead prince for many years and had long dreamed of being promoted to a five-bead prince. Now, his wish had finally come true.

"Your son..."

Li Yan's voice trembled as he bowed deeply towards the direction of the capital.

"Thank you, Father Emperor, for your boundless grace!"

Li Yan was so happy he trembled with joy; he understood the significance of this reward better than anyone else.

Prince Li Zhen of Jin, standing to the side, turned pale.

The Prince of Qin was promoted to the rank of Five-Bead Prince, just one step away from being on par with the Crown Prince.

His prestige in the court is growing day by day, and in the future, he may even suppress the crown prince.

As the Prince of Jin watched Li Yan's retreating figure, a glint of malice flashed in his eyes.

After receiving the reward, the King of Qin bestowed honors upon civil and military officials such as Li Ping'an, Lü Zheng, and Su Mo.

With the King of Qin's generous reward of pearls and jade preceding it, the subsequent rewards seemed rather ordinary and unremarkable.

"...Alas! We must not forget danger even in times of peace, and we must not slacken our military preparedness; rewards should not be given too late, and merits should not be overlooked. I hope that all of you will strive together, be more loyal and diligent, and jointly safeguard the peace and prosperity of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"So be it!"

After Minister of Rites Yin Li read out the imperial edict, everyone in the council hall bowed in respect.

Yin Li hurriedly stepped forward, carefully handed the imperial edict to the King of Qin, and then helped him to his feet.

"Your Highness, please rise!"

After everyone returned to their places, King Qin, Li Yan, was full of energy and spirit.

He loudly inquired of Cao Kun and Yin Li, "My lords, did the second letter from the Northern Barbarians mention who they would send to negotiate peace?"

With the rewards and punishments completed, Li Yan couldn't wait to steer the conversation back to the important matter of peace negotiations.

Minister of War Cao Kun pondered for a moment and replied, "Your Highness, there are rumors from the Northern Barbarians that they will send the Second Prince, Nanmuhe, here."

Nanmuhe?

Li Yan was slightly taken aback: "Is it Nanmuhe, who is known as having the strength to lift a tripod?"

Li Yan was well aware of the princes of the Northern Barbarians.

The eldest prince, Zhenjin, is exceptionally capable, handsome, and refined. He is highly regarded by the Northern Barbarian Emperor and is the most promising candidate to inherit the throne.

The second prince, Nanmuhe, was born with superhuman strength. It is said that he could lift heavy objects and has extremely high prestige in the Northern Barbarian army.

The Third Prince, Tianbaonu, was not well-known, and outsiders had no way of knowing his abilities.

Cao Kun nodded slightly: "It is indeed this person! In addition, Princess Shouning of the Northern Barbarians, Minister of War Wang Xun, and Minister of Rites Gu Lie will also be coming as members of the delegation."

Upon hearing this, King Zhou Li Ji said softly, "The delegation sent by the Northern Barbarians is of a similar caliber to that of our Great Qian Dynasty, so they seem to be quite sincere."

"In this light, the peace negotiations should proceed smoothly."

"Lord Cao, Lord Yin, has Father Emperor given instructions on what the bottom line is for this peace negotiation?"

There must be bottom lines in peace negotiations. If the court's expectations are too high, the talks will likely be fraught with disputes.

Minister of Rites Yin Li hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "Your Highness, the court's bottom line is to maintain the existing borders. At least in name, we cannot cede the two prefectures of Shuofeng and the northern part of Youzhou to the Northern Barbarians."

"If we can go a step further, it would be best to take back some land in the northern part of Youzhou, such as the area from Zhenyuan City to Jiming City."

"If it is truly impossible to retake it, then let the area from Zhenyuan City to Elephant Trunk Hill be the boundary, and let both sides temporarily cease hostilities and recuperate."

King Li Yan of Qin frowned, his tone displeased: "Did Father really give such an order? Our Great Qian has already defeated Bayan and Mengke, why should we so cowardly sue for peace?"

"Lord Yin, I will immediately write a letter to my father, humbly requesting that he rescind his decree!"

In his view, Bayan Mengke had been crippled, and even if he could not completely annex him, he should still take the initiative in peace negotiations.

The imperial court's bottom line is far too low.

At this moment, Zhang Liao's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Cao Kun and the other man: "Lord Cao, Lord Yin, does the court have other considerations in making this arrangement?"

He also felt something was amiss and guessed that the imperial court might have some unspeakable secrets.

Cao Kun smiled wryly and said frankly, "To be honest, the new ruler of the Northern Barbarians, Yelü Chu, has already begun to wage war against Liaodong. Although it is currently only a probe with a force of a thousand men, no one can say for sure when Yelü Chu will launch a real attack."

Lin Feng couldn't help but ask, "Minister Cao, is it really true that the Liao Dynasty will launch a military campaign against Liaodong in winter? With winter approaching, launching a military campaign at this time is very strange. I wonder what the reason is?"

Cao Kun also looked puzzled: "I suspect that Yelü Chu, having just ascended the throne, is eager to establish his authority, which is why he rashly launched a military campaign against Liaodong."

"This person's actions are unpredictable and cannot be fathomed by ordinary people. Our Great Qian can no longer afford the slightest risk."

"His Majesty's intention is to conclude the peace negotiations within a month, at which time reinforcements will arrive in Zhenyuan City one after another to relieve the Liaodong army."

Prince Qin, Li Yan, slammed his fist on the table and roared, "What on earth is Yelü Chu doing? He hasn't even secured his throne yet, and he dares to attack Liaodong so rashly? He's simply insane!"

……

That night, inside the palace.

The group discussed the matter until midnight before dispersing, and Prince Li Zhen of Jin returned to his courtyard alone.

"Your Highness, you're back."

As soon as Li Zhen entered the room, a young Taoist nun dressed in a blue Taoist robe came to greet him.

She was about thirteen or fourteen years old, with a beautiful and refined appearance, and a small beauty mark at the corner of her left eye.

The Prince of Jin was a devout follower of Taoism, so he was not served by a maid, but by a young Taoist nun.

"Um."

Li Zhen responded faintly and slowly stepped into the inner room, his steps heavy.

The young Taoist nun stepped forward to serve him tea, then gently removed his slightly heavy Taoist robe, and softly asked, "Your Highness, are you tired? Would you like something to eat?"

Li Zhen shook his head, sat down in the chair, and said in a deep voice, "Qingyu, bring that painting."

His face was full of fatigue and worry, and his tone was somewhat weary.

The young Taoist nun Qingyu nodded obediently, then turned and took out an exquisite brocade box from a wooden chest in the inner room.

The brocade box is long and narrow, inlaid with gold and silver patterns all over, and its workmanship is extremely exquisite.

"Click!"

Qingyu opened the brocade box, carefully took out the scroll, and slowly unfurled it at Li Zhen's signal.

As the scroll unfurls, a portrait of a mysterious woman slowly emerges.

The woman was dressed in a black and white Tai Chi robe, wearing a white jade lotus crown, holding a whisk, and had a slender figure.

Her phoenix eyes were painted with an extraordinary beauty, and there was a beauty mark at the corner of her eye. Her face was covered with a white veil, which concealed most of her stunning beauty.