Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

On this day, the gate of Yunzhong County was opened.

Mountains of grain and fodder, pure gold and silver, and fine military equipment that Prince Lin had secretly hoarded were transported to Cangyun Pass in cartloads.

When the news reached the capital, the emperor stroked his beard and smiled, saying to the eunuch beside him, "Lin Feng's blade has been honed to a ever-sharp edge. I was right about him."

He wasn't afraid of Lin Feng's greed, but rather of Lin Feng's lack of greed. Greedy people are easier to control. Lin Feng's forceful actions had offended many and created many enemies. This forced Prince Lin to focus more of his energy on dealing with Lin Feng, thus indirectly reducing the threat to the court.

But those power-hungry people like Prince Lin are the most dangerous...

The fiefdom of Prince Lin, the deep courtyard of the Prince's mansion.

Prince Lin sat on the large chair with a gloomy expression, not as furious as before. He slowly unfolded a secret letter from the capital, sent by his loyal followers in the court, detailing the emperor's recent movements and his favoritism towards Lin Feng.

"Your Highness," a strategist in a grey robe with piercing eyes stepped forward and whispered, "Lin Feng, that scoundrel, uses imperial power to command the feudal lords. Now he has cut off our source of income and is aggressively recruiting troops in the northern border. His momentum is strong. If we allow him to grow too powerful, Your Highness's foundation in the northern border will be shaken."

Prince Lin snorted coldly and crumpled the letter into a ball: "I am naturally aware of this. But the Emperor trusts him greatly now and has issued an order for him to reorganize the military. If I launch a strong attack now, I will be giving him a handle to use against me and confirm the charge of treason."

A glint of cunning flashed in the strategist's eyes, and he smiled sinisterly, "Your Highness is wise. Lin Feng is powerful now, and it's not worth it to confront him head-on. Since he relies on the Emperor's trust and that imperial sword, then we should start from those two points."

"Oh? What insightful opinion do you have, sir?" Prince Lin leaned forward, revealing an interested expression.

"Firstly, we can send assassins to the capital to bribe high-ranking officials, especially those in the Censorate. They can then submit memorials in turn, impeaching Lin Feng for 'abusing his power for personal gain, abusing his military power, and imposing exorbitant taxes that have driven the people to revolt.' We don't need to bring him down immediately; we just need to keep whispering in the emperor's ear to make him suspicious of him."

Prince Lin nodded slowly: "This plan is feasible. What about the second one?"

"Secondly, we must deal with Lin Feng's 'money bag'," the strategist said, his voice growing colder. "He wants to collect taxes, doesn't he? We'll make it impossible for him to collect them. We'll incite the local gentry and fortified villages in the eighteen counties of the northern border to resist the tax decrees of the Pacification Commissioner's Office. If necessary... we can send assassins disguised as officers and soldiers of the Pacification Commissioner's Office to plunder the local areas and incite public anger. We'll drag Lin Feng into the quagmire of 'oppression by officials leading to popular rebellion,' leaving him unable to defend himself on both ends!"

A hint of approval flashed in Prince Lin's eyes: "What a brilliant scheme to use someone else to do your dirty work, to undermine his cause! He's plunged Lin Feng into the vast ocean of the northern border; let's see how he gets out of this mess!"

……

Cangyun Pass, General's Mansion.

Lin Feng was looking at the tax lists submitted from various regions, his brows furrowed slightly. Bai Xiaohe strode in and slammed a secret letter on the table.

"Defender, Prince Lin didn't use force, but he resorted to underhanded tactics."

Lin Feng unfolded the letter, glanced at it, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Trying to drown me in your spittle? Or trying to incite those nouveau riche to oppose me?" He put down the letter, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. "That Prince Lin has finally gotten some brains; he's not acting like a brute like last time."

He strode toward the sand table, his fingers tapping heavily on the positions representing the northern fortresses.

"Since Prince Lin wants to play politics, then I'll play along with him to the very end."

"Send word to Su Xuanji: those fortified villages that dare to resist taxes or collude with the enemy need not be reported, nor should they be treated with leniency."

Lin Feng drew his Broken Mountain Blade, the blade reflecting his cold, piercing eyes:

"Get rid of all those nails in my way, one by one! I want Prince Lin to know that in the Northern Frontier, might makes right!"

Outside Yunzhong County, smoke and dust billowed.

Lin Feng reined in his horse on a high slope, coldly surveying the chaos that had been stirred up below. Several large fortified villages, secretly funded by Prince Lin, had gathered thousands of local militia, blocked the official road leading to Cangyun Pass, and shouted slogans such as "Lin Feng's oppressive taxes have forced the people to rebel," creating a formidable force.

"Commander, these fools have been used as pawns!" Lei Bao couldn't contain himself any longer, his iron fists clenching so tightly they cracked. "Should I lead a cavalry unit and charge them out?"

"Break apart?" Lin Feng sneered. "Prince Lin went to great lengths to label us as 'oppressed by officials,' if we really break through, wouldn't that be playing right into his hands?"

He drew his Broken Mountain Blade, its blade reflecting a blinding light under the blazing sun.

"Order the entire army to form ranks. But do not attack."

"Su Xuanji, take a squad of Duan Yue Guards to the accounting offices of those fortified villages and 'invite' out the ledgers showing how Prince Lin supplied them with money and incited rebellion. Lei Bao, take your men and 'invite' the fortified village chiefs who led the trouble to the front lines."

"What if they resist?" Lei Bao asked.

"Resist?" A bloodthirsty glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. "That's treason, and you'll be killed without exception. Remember, what we want is to 'suppress the rebellion,' not to 'massacre the people.'"

……

Half an hour later, the situation on the battlefield reversed.

When those well-dressed, bloated fortress lords were dragged to the front lines like dead dogs, and when secret letters were displayed in public, the misled local militia and common people instantly erupted in uproar.

"So it wasn't General Lin who forced us to rebel; these filthy tyrants took money from Prince Lin and tricked us into coming here to die!"

"Kill these lackeys!"

The anger instantly shifted. Lin Feng didn't even need to give an order; the local militia spontaneously surrounded the fortress lord, punching and kicking him amidst deafening shouts and curses.

"It's done cleanly," Bai Xiaohe whispered from the side.

"This is just the beginning," Lin Feng said coldly.

He did not stop there, but instead took advantage of this momentum to begin "purging the court of corrupt officials".

Any official or powerful figure found to be colluding with Prince Lin, obstructing tax collection, or secretly communicating with foreign enemies will be executed by Lin Feng without further consultation, as long as the imperial sword is drawn!

Bloodied heads hung from the treetops along the northern border road, deterring those opportunists from harboring any further disloyalty. The "popular uprising" meticulously planned by Prince Lin crumbled instantly under Lin Feng's absolute power and precise strikes.

……

The capital city, the Imperial Study.

The emperor's fingers trembled slightly as he looked at the latest secret report. His original intention was to use Lin Feng to check and balance Prince Lin, but he had not expected Lin Feng to be so ruthless and decisive. In just half a month, no one in the northern border dared to disobey the orders of the Pacification Commissioner's Office.

"Your Majesty," the old eunuch whispered, "Lin Feng is demonstrating his abilities to you. You've been struggling to break through the tough northern border for over a decade, but Lin Feng has crushed it in no time."

The emperor remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "Issue an edict to Lin Feng."

"Your Majesty, how should the decree be drafted?"

"I told you..." A glint flashed in the emperor's eyes, his expression a complex mix of apprehension and satisfaction. "The northern border has just been pacified, and Minister Lin has made great contributions. But you must leave room for maneuver in your actions, lest the people of the world say that I am ungrateful."

This decree was both a reminder to Lin Feng not to kill too many people and a tacit recognition of his current status.