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

Everyone held their breath.

"The first option is to continue serving in the military."

"Those who are willing can join my Zhenbei Army. I will break you up, reorganize you, and subject you to the most rigorous training. Here, there will be no withholding of rations or mistreatment of comrades. As long as you are willing to train like your life depended on it, as long as you dare to kill the enemy on the battlefield, you will be able to eat your fill, wear warm clothes, and receive three times the salary of the imperial court. If you make meritorious contributions, you will receive rewards and promotions. If you die in battle, your families will be cared for by my Northern Protectorate!"

These words caused quite a stir in the crowd.

Military pay three times higher than the imperial court's? And family members are also taken care of?

This treatment is simply unheard of!

Many soldiers, who were originally from professional military households, began to see a glimmer of hope in their eyes. To them, being a soldier was simply a means of making a living; as long as the pay was good, what difference did it make who they served?

"The second path is to retire from the military and return to farming."

Xiao Jingchen's voice rang out again.

These words made many people's hearts skip a beat.

"I will not force those who do not want to fight anymore."

"From this day forward, you may take off your military uniforms and become citizens of my Northern Territory."

"I don't care where you're from or what you've done. Once you're in Northern Xinjiang, you're 'Northern Xinjiang people.' I'll give you land, thirty mu per person. I'll also give you farming tools, seeds, and even your first year's rations."

"For the next three years, no taxes will be levied on the land in the northern frontier. The grain you grow, besides feeding yourselves, will be entirely yours."

"I just want you to remember one thing: here, as long as you are willing to work hard, no one will let you go hungry, no one will dare to take your land, and no one will dare to bully your wife and children."

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

When Xiao Jingchen finished speaking the last word, the entire surrendered soldiers' camp fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned.

Their eyes widened and their mouths gaped open, as if they had heard something utterly unbelievable.

Land redistribution?

Thirty mu per person?

Return the farm tools, the seeds, and the food rations?

Three years without tax?

Is this...is this real?

Most of them joined the army for food because they had lost their land and could no longer survive. For them, land was an obsession etched into their bones, the very foundation of their livelihood.

Now, this enemy who defeated them is offering them land?

"He...he didn't lie to us, did he?" a soldier murmured, his voice trembling.

"What kind of good thing is this? We lost the battle, and instead of being killed, we get land?" Another person looked incredulous.

"But...but what's in it for him? He released us all and gave us back the land, what good does that do him?"

After a brief silence, the crowd erupted in uproar.

It wasn't because of anger or panic, but because of a huge, almost overwhelming ecstasy and disbelief.

"Your Highness! Is what you're saying true? You're really going to give us land?" A bold man shouted at the top of his lungs.

Xiao Jingchen looked at him and nodded: "I, Xiao Jingchen, keep my word."

"Thump!"

Without warning, the man knelt down and kowtowed heavily towards the high platform.

"This humble subject...this humble subject Li Si thanks Your Highness for saving my life! Thanks Your Highness for bestowing this land upon me!"

His voice was choked with sobs.

A person kneeling down is like a signal.

"Splash! Splash! Splash!"

Thousands upon thousands of people knelt down in a sea of ​​black.

They had no unified slogan, and no one organized them. It was a most instinctive, heartfelt gratitude.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

"We will never forget Your Highness's great kindness and virtue!"

"I...I'm not joining the army anymore, I want to go home and farm! I want a wife and kids!" A man in his thirties knelt on the ground, crying like a child.

He served in the army for ten years, and didn't go home for ten years. He thought he would die in the military. But now, he suddenly saw hope of going home, hope of family reunion, and hope of a warm bed with his wife and children.

This sentiment quickly infected everyone.

Cries, laughter, and shouts of gratitude mingled together, echoing throughout the entire camp.

Standing on the high platform, Zhang Qinian looked down at the faces contorted with excitement, at the sea of ​​people kneeling in the darkness. His eyes also welled up with tears.

He finally understood.

He finally understood why Xiao Jingchen had done that.

These are hardly generous terms; they're clearly a scheme to undermine your character!

No, it's more powerful than attacking someone's heart.

This is about winning people's hearts! It's about using the most direct and tangible benefits to win over the hearts of these millions of people!

From this day forward, these millions of people will no longer be considered surrendered soldiers. From the bottom of their hearts, they will consider themselves "people of the northern frontier".

If anyone dares to disrupt their current life, if anyone tries to take those thirty acres of land from them, they will be the first to stand up and fight that person to the death!

What Xiao Jingchen gave them was more than just land and food.

What he gave them was dignity, hope, and the thought of living a peaceful life.

These are things they could never obtain in the army of the Great Yan.

Xiao Jingchen looked at the excited crowd below, his expression remaining calm.

He nodded to Su Mou beside him.

Su Mou understood, stepped forward, and said loudly, "Everyone, be quiet!"

"Registration will begin now!"

"Those who wish to continue serving, register on the left! Those who wish to retire and return to civilian life, register on the right!"

"After registration, new identity documents and certificates will be issued immediately! Those who wish to return to farming will have their certificates specifying the location of the land they will be allocated! Those who wish to join the army will be immediately assigned to new camps and issued new uniforms and rations!"

Su Mou's words once again caused a huge uproar.

People scrambled to their feet and rushed to the registration desks on either side. The scene was somewhat chaotic at first, but it quickly returned to order thanks to the efforts of the Zhenbei Army soldiers.

The long queues formed two dragons.

The number of people who chose to retire and return to civilian life was significantly greater than those who chose to continue serving. Their faces radiated anticipation for a new life in the future.

When the first farmer to receive the "land certificate" trembled as he looked at the paper stamped with the red seal of the "Northern Protectorate" and clearly wrote his name and the words "granted thirty mu of land," he could no longer hold back and burst into tears.

He carefully tucked the paper into his pocket like a treasure, then knelt down and kowtowed three times in Xiao Jingchen's direction before following the guiding soldiers, turning back every few steps, towards another camp. There, steaming hot meat porridge and steamed buns awaited them.

Those who chose to join the army quickly received brand-new black military uniforms. They took off their tattered uniforms, put on the new clothes, and their entire spirit seemed to change.

Looking at all this, Zhang Qinian was filled with emotion.

He knew that from this moment on, Tian Kui and the imperial army had truly and completely disappeared.

In its place came millions of new recruits and civilians, whose hearts were set on the Northern Frontier and who were willing to shed blood and risk their lives for Xiao Jingchen.

He walked to Xiao Jingchen's side, bowed deeply, and spoke with utmost sincerity.

"Your Highness possesses extraordinary talent and ability; I am completely convinced of it."

Xiao Jingchen didn't turn around, but simply looked at the two long queues in the distance and said calmly:

"The world is sick. I just prescribed them a strong medicine."

Whether they can be cured or not depends on themselves.

He paused, then turned his gaze towards Yunzhou.

"Pacifying the surrendered soldiers is only the first step. The real battle is yet to come."