The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

Ancheng, the Marquis's residence.

When Deputy General Zhang was brought before Xiao Jingchen as a representative of the surrendered troops, he was still completely bewildered.

He had imagined meeting Xiao Jingchen many times.

Perhaps it was on the battlefield, where they met as soldiers.

Perhaps he would be in the victor's dock, a prisoner awaiting his fate.

But he never imagined it would happen in such a peaceful atmosphere.

There were no executioners, no chains, not even a single rebuke.

Xiao Jingchen simply sat quietly in the main seat of the study, holding a book in his hand, as if waiting for an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

Beside him still stood the expressionless strategist, Su Mou.

"You're Zhang Qinian?" Xiao Jingchen put down his book, looked up, and his gaze fell on him.

That gaze was calm, yet it seemed to see right through people's hearts.

Zhang Qinian, also known as Deputy General Zhang, felt a tremor in his heart and immediately knelt down on one knee.

"The criminal Zhang Qinian pays his respects to the Marquis."

"Get up," Xiao Jingchen said calmly. "Here, there are no guilty generals, only surrendered generals."

"Thank you, Lord Marquis." Zhang Qinian stood up, but kept his head down, not daring to meet Xiao Jingchen's gaze.

"What is the current situation of those millions of soldiers?" Xiao Jingchen asked.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, after disarming, they have all set up camp in their original positions. However... there are too many people, and the food supplies... may not last more than a few days," Zhang Qinian said somewhat nervously.

This is his biggest worry right now.

Millions of people, feeding both humans and horses, the daily figures are astronomical.

Most of the grain that Tian Kui brought was burned by Zhao Wu in Pingyuan City, and the remaining grain could not last long.

If food supplies are cut off, these millions of people will immediately turn into millions of mouths that want to devour each other, and the consequences will be unimaginable.

"You don't need to worry about the supplies," Xiao Jingchen said calmly. "I've already had Cang Jia allocate a batch from Huoyun City. In addition, new supplies will be arriving from Yunzhou soon."

Zhang Qinian was taken aback and subconsciously asked, "Yunzhou?"

Yunzhou has already been decimated by the Zhenbei Army, so how could they possibly send supplies there?

Xiao Jingchen didn't explain, he just glanced at Su Mou.

Su Mou understood, picked up a stack of documents from the table next to him, and handed them to Zhang Qinian.

"Take a look at this."

Zhang Qinian took it with a puzzled look, opened it, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

Those were "surrender petitions" from all over Yunzhou.

The surface was covered with the official seals of various powerful families, prefects, and even some local military commanders in Yunzhou.

The contents of the letters were largely the same.

They were all condemning Tian Kui and Zang Baiyuan for their perverse actions and the chaos they had brought to the world. They had long since turned their hearts to the northern frontier and to the Marquis, and were willing to offer up their cities, provisions, and troops, just asking the Marquis to give them a way to survive.

Zhang Qinian felt his hands and feet turn ice cold.

He knew that these people, just a few days ago, were still cheering for Tian Kui's army and supplying them with provisions.

But now, with Tian Kui's body barely cold, they have already changed their tune and are eagerly showing their loyalty to the victors.

This is what aristocratic families and bureaucrats are like.

They have no loyalty, only self-interest.

"Do you understand?" Xiao Jingchen's voice pulled him back from his shock.

"From the moment Tian Kui died, Yunzhou was effectively in my hands."

"If I want grain, they dare not refuse to give it to me. If I want people, they dare not refuse to send them."

Zhang Qinian fell silent.

He finally understood where the gap between himself and Xiao Jingchen lay.

That wasn't force, nor was it a scheme.

Rather, it is the insight and control over people's hearts.

"My lord... what do you intend to do with us?" Zhang Qinian asked with difficulty, voicing the question that concerned him most and that he feared most.

The fate of millions of surrendered soldiers rested on Xiao Jingchen's single decision.

"As I just said, I want to subdue them, not kill them." Xiao Jingchen stood up and walked to the map.

"The northern frontier is vast and sparsely populated, and has suffered from raids by three ethnic groups for many years, resulting in severe population loss. These millions of people are not a burden to me, but a precious asset."

His finger lightly traced across the map.

"I will break them up and resettle them in batches in various parts of northern Xinjiang."

"Those who wish to continue serving in the army can be reorganized and trained to fill positions in the various corps of the Zhenbei Army."

"Those who are unwilling to serve in the army should be discharged and returned to their fields. They should be given land, farming tools, and seeds so that they can become citizens of the northern frontier."

"I don't care what they did before, whether they were soldiers, bandits, or ordinary farmers. Once they arrive in the Northern Frontier, they only have one identity—Northern Frontier people."

"Here, as long as you are willing to work hard, you can have enough to eat, own your own land, and live a peaceful life."

"This is the way out I'm giving them."

Zhang Qinian was stunned.

He had considered that Xiao Jingchen might recruit them or treat them as laborers, but he never expected that Xiao Jingchen would offer them such generous terms.

They distributed land, farm tools, and even provided meals.

This...this is even better than the treatment of soldiers serving in the imperial court!

"My lord...you...you're telling the truth?" He could hardly believe his ears.

"My word is my bond."

Xiao Jingchen turned to look at Su Mou.

"Su Mou, I'm leaving this matter to you."

"You draft the specific rules. Be quick, but also steady. I don't want to see any trouble."

"Yes, Your Excellency," Su Mou replied with a bow.

He knew that this was an incredibly massive undertaking.

However, this is also a project that can lay the foundation for the eternal prosperity of the northern frontier.

Once these millions of people are successfully assimilated, the strength of northern Xinjiang will experience an explosive growth.

By then, the northern frontier will no longer be just a military stronghold, but will become a powerful vassal state that is truly self-sufficient and can even export its resources.

"My lord, what about... the imperial court..." Su Mou reminded him.

After all, such a big matter couldn't possibly be kept secret from the capital.

"It's time to have a proper talk with Her Majesty the Empress."

A strange smile appeared on Xiao Jingchen's lips.

He returned to his desk, picked up his pen, but hesitated to put it down.

He was pondering how to write this memorial.

Is it to plead the consequences and beg Your Majesty's forgiveness?

Or are they seeking credit and rewards, demanding money, grain, and official positions?

No.

Neither is correct.

He no longer needs to be mindful of anyone's feelings.

He has a million soldiers in the northern frontier, millions of surrendered soldiers he has just subdued, and the hearts of the people of Yunzhou and the northern frontier.

He now has the right to engage in equal dialogue with this corrupt dynasty.

What he wanted was neither reward nor forgiveness.

What he wants is rules.

It was Xiao Jingchen who re-established the rules for this world.

"Su Mou".

"Your subordinate is here."

"Draft a memorial for me." Xiao Jingchen's voice was calm yet powerful.

"It is said that the rebel generals Tian Kui and Zang Baiyuan of Yunzhou, who plotted a rebellion, have been executed by me. Their millions of troops, grateful for Your Majesty's grace, have voluntarily surrendered."

"Now, the northern frontier is in dire need of reconstruction, and the surrendered soldiers are starving. We earnestly request Your Majesty to open the national treasury and allocate funds and provisions to appease the surrendered soldiers and rebuild the northern frontier."

"Furthermore, to prevent the three barbarian tribes from taking advantage of the situation and to better protect the capital region, I propose to reorganize the military affairs of the Northern Frontier and Yunzhou, and establish the 'Northern Protectorate' to oversee all military and political affairs in both regions. I request Your Majesty to issue an edict granting permission."

Su Mou's palms began to sweat as he listened to Xiao Jingchen's words.

He knew that if the Marquis's memorial were submitted, it would be like a thunderbolt from the blue.

How can this be considered a memorial to the emperor?

This is clearly an ultimatum!

They don't question guilt, they don't ask for credit, they just demand money, grain, and power!

They also want to establish a "Northern Protectorate" to oversee military and political affairs. Isn't this just a way of declaring themselves kings and becoming the local emperors of the north?

"My lord, this... isn't this too much..." Su Mou's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"Too direct?" Xiao Jingchen glanced at him. "To deal with smart people, you have to use the most direct method."

"Her Majesty the Empress is a wise woman. She will understand what I mean."

"This world is sick. Very sick."

Xiao Jingchen's gaze turned to the window, as if piercing through layers of obstacles to see the prosperous yet decadent capital city.

"It's time to change our way of life."