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

Zhenyuan City, outside the North Gate.

Refugees flocked to the area in an endless stream.

Many people, exhausted from the journey, collapsed to the ground, too weak to even move.

At the front of the crowd, a young man with a fairly agile build stepped forward.

"Whoosh—"

A sharp sound pierced the air as an arrow suddenly shot down from the city wall, landing firmly three feet from his feet and kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Halt! State your name!"

A stern voice came from the city wall, demanding an explanation.

The young man looked up at the city wall, cupped his hands slightly, and said in a steady tone, "I am Xue Nan, from Fengzhou. I have brought refugees from Fengzhou and Youzhou here."

"We encountered many people migrating south along the way, so we brought them along and finally made it to Zhenyuan City after many hardships."

"We beg the Zhenyuan Army brothers on the city wall to open the city gates and let us in!"

Upon hearing this, Bian Xi, who was in charge of guarding the city gate, did not make a hasty decision.

He peeked out and carefully examined Xue Nan and his group. His gaze swept over the refugees for a moment before he said loudly, "Xue Nan, the city gates cannot be opened without authorization. I will send someone to inform General Zhang immediately, and we will await his decision."

Xue Nan licked her dry, chapped lips, her gaze sweeping over the emaciated, weak-breathing women, children, and the elderly behind her, her tone becoming increasingly earnest.

"Very well, we are willing to wait. But could the general please provide some water and food?"

"We able-bodied young people can still tough it out, but the elderly, women and children in the team are probably not going to make it."

Upon seeing this, Bian Xi summoned his personal guards and whispered a few words of instruction to them.

About fifteen minutes later, soldiers on the city wall lowered bamboo baskets filled with water jugs and dry rations using ropes.

Upon seeing water and food, the refugees were overjoyed and rushed forward to grab the contents of the basket, eager to fill their stomachs.

Lin Feng arrived just in time to witness this scene.

Some people wolfed down their dry food, stuffing it into their mouths until their cheeks were bulging before they stopped.

Some people held the water bottle with both hands and drank it down in a frenzy, their Adam's apple bobbing incessantly, and in a short while they had drunk every last drop of water in the bottle.

Such a deep-seated wretchedness and hunger were absolutely genuine.

Lin Feng had already made up his mind: this group of people were indeed refugees fleeing from disaster.

Another half hour passed before Bian Xi finally received the order—open the city gates and let the refugees into the city!

The influx of seven or eight hundred refugees into the city was but a drop in the ocean compared to the population of Zhenyuan City.

However, Zhang Liao dared not be careless in the slightest.

He specifically chose an empty, abandoned military camp to house everyone.

They also dispatched a hundred soldiers to guard the area in case of any unforeseen events.

As the sun sets, the evening glow paints the river surface red.

After Lin Feng and his group handed over their duties to the night watchmen, they returned to their own camp.

Not long after they had rested, Lü Zheng led a group of guards to find them, with several heavy wooden boxes behind him.

"Brother Lü, what are these?"

Lin Feng pointed at the wooden box, his face full of doubt.

Lu Zheng gave him a thumbs up, his tone full of approval.

"Last night, Brother Li and I reported your progress in sword practice to our godfather, and he was very impressed with you."

"He had also studied that set of 'Three Waves of Mount Tai', and when he heard that you had mastered it in just three days, he said it was incredible."

"These tonics were specially sent by my godfather. Some are for strengthening the body and replenishing vital energy, some for strengthening muscles and bones, and some are for treating internal injuries and hidden ailments. Use them well."

Lin Feng grinned and joked, "Brother Lü, this is too much. I'm not a new wife in confinement anymore, why would I need such nourishing food?"

"That's what I said too."

Lu Zheng shrugged, his tone becoming more serious: "But my godfather said that your rapid progress in martial arts training is taking a huge toll on your body. Don't take your youth for granted and neglect your health."

"Countless famous generals were vigorous and powerful in their youth, but in their old age, due to old injuries, their health declined drastically."

Lin Feng smiled wryly and had no choice but to instruct his men to move the tonics into the barracks.

He then pulled Lü Zheng to a secluded spot and asked in a low voice, "What exactly happened to those refugees who entered the city today? I heard that General Zhang put them in an abandoned camp under guard?"

Lu Zheng smiled and said in a low voice, "What refugees? They were refugees mixed with the rebel army. There were about a hundred rebel soldiers hidden among them, which is why they were able to make their way to Zhenyuan City."

Lin Feng was even more puzzled: "If they are a rebel army, why are they being kept under such strict surveillance?"

Lu Zheng's smile faded slightly, and his voice lowered even further.

"This matter should not have been spread. Mr. Su from Liaodong said that the origins of this group of people are unclear, and he does not advocate that my adoptive father accept them, fearing that there might be spies from the northern barbarians among them."

"My godfather argued with Mr. Su for a long time before he could barely persuade him to let everyone into the city."

"Look! I'm going to go with Brother Li to inspect the abandoned camps one by one in a little while and check for any potential hazards."

Lin Feng nodded slightly in agreement, saying, "Mr. Su's considerations are thorough. If spies truly infiltrate among the people migrating south, they will surely become a major problem in the future."

At this point, he changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat tentative: "By the way, Brother Lü, I've heard from others that military officers need to report to and obtain approval from a general before marrying. Is there really such a rule?"

Lü Zheng smiled and nodded: "What, are you thinking about getting married?"

"Indeed, there is such a rule: officers of the rank of centurion and above must submit a document to the Ministry of War in the capital to report when they marry."

"However, the war is urgent right now, so we'll keep all procedures simple. You can hand the documents to Military Advisor Wu, and he can review them and then present them to my godfather."

"Which girl have you taken a fancy to? If you haven't found someone yet, I can introduce you. There are plenty of eligible daughters from wealthy families in the city."

Lin Feng shook his head and said truthfully, "The women I want to marry are none other than Song Yuwei, the most beautiful courtesan of Yichun Courtyard, and Miss Su Wan'er."

"What?! You're going to marry a courtesan?!"

Lu Zheng's eyes widened suddenly, staring at Lin Feng with disbelief, as if he were looking at a madman.

He quickly grabbed Lin Feng, his tone earnest: "Lin Feng, your godfather values ​​you so much, and has even sent you so many tonics. How can you not understand his intentions?"

"You are now a centurion; with some more merit, you will become a chiliarch!"

"Looking across the entire Zhenyuan Army, how many people your age have been promoted so quickly?"

"In the future, Zhenyuan City will surely become a bridgehead for resisting the Northern Barbarians. With your talent and skills, you will have countless opportunities to make contributions."

"The wealthy merchants in the city and the discerning bureaucratic families of Youzhou are all eyeing you, hoping to establish a marriage alliance with you."

"Don't be impatient. Once you've earned the rank of commander or deputy general, what kind of noble lady won't you find?"

Lin Feng's face still held a gentle smile, but his tone was extremely firm: "Brother Lü, both of them are good women who entrusted themselves to me as virgins. Since I promised to set a wedding date as soon as possible, I absolutely cannot betray them!"

Lu Zheng felt a throbbing pain in his head.

He took a deep breath to calm himself and softened his tone to persuade, "Alright, I admire your loyalty and righteousness! But you can postpone your marriage to them. I'll talk to your godfather and find you a marriage with a wealthy and influential family."

"You saved my life, I, Lü Zheng, would never betray you."

"Marrying a woman from a prestigious family will greatly benefit your future career."

"Can't you wait until you marry your legal wife before bringing Song Yuwei and Su Wan'er into the family?"

Despite being Zhang Liao's adopted son, Lü Zheng's vision far surpasses that of ordinary people, and his words came from the bottom of his heart.

Lin Feng was also aware that Song Yuwei and Su Wan'er came from brothels and had meager family backgrounds, so they could hardly help him in his official career.

But his original intention remained unchanged. He solemnly bowed to Lü Zheng and said, "Brother Lü, I appreciate your kindness and understand that everything you say makes sense."

"It's just that I, Lin Feng, come from a humble background and am not worthy of the daughter of a wealthy family. Even if we were to force a marriage, I would have to live at the mercy of others, which is not what I want."

"I have hands and feet, and I'm skilled in martial arts. I can fight bravely against the enemy on my own merits, and I can make a name for myself without relying on my wife's family!"

"I, Lin Feng, will never betray the deep affection between Miss Song and Miss Su in my lifetime."

Lu Zheng gave him a deep look, and finally sighed helplessly, "You're so stubborn, I just can't win against you!"

"Alright, there's no need to bother writing the documents. I'll go and report this to my godfather right away."

"Once your godfather approves, find a fortune teller to choose an auspicious day and hold the wedding."

"Don't forget to send invitations to me and Brother Li, or you'll be in big trouble!"

"Thank you very much, Brother Lü!"

Lin Feng was overjoyed upon hearing this, and a huge weight was finally lifted from his heart.

With this matter settled, he could finally fulfill his promise and live up to the feelings of Song Yuwei and Su Wan'er.