Great Wilderness Demon Lord

"No." Gu Yan shook his head. "With a formidable enemy at hand, resisting the enemy should be the top priority. Xiao Yunlan can restrain the Wolf Rong forces, which is beneficial to the overall situation, and we should support him. My intention is that supporting his resistance against the enemy and curbing the Xiao family's expansion through this means should go hand in hand, and the latter should be done in a more subtle way."

"Oh? How so?"

"The system of rewards and punishments is a public instrument of the court," Gu Yan said slowly. "If Xiao Yunlan makes meritorious contributions, the court should not hesitate to reward him. He can be generously granted titles, wealth, and honorary positions to recognize his achievements and to reassure the Xiao family."

However, the granting of actual duties, military power, and especially key positions in the defense of the northern border must be done with utmost care.

His achievements could be publicized throughout the land, his rank promoted, and he could even be transferred to a post in the capital, receiving great honor and favor. However, this would invisibly sever his direct command relationship with the northern border army.

This is an open conspiracy; even if the Xiao family is fully aware of it, they cannot openly oppose it.

Li Xuan nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping across the vast battlefield outside the city, as if she could see through hundreds of miles of wind and snow to reach that solitary ice city: "A promotion in name only is indeed a prudent strategy. But... Mr. Gu, do you know what the state of Shuofeng Plain was like before?"

A scene of ruins, a hundred or so remaining soldiers, surrounded by jackals, with wolf-like cavalry coming and going like shuttles.

This man had only been in office for a little over a month, yet he was able to build an ice city, take in prisoners, and repeatedly repel enemy probing attacks, even forcing Hechi to divide his forces to besiege the city.

Such methods cannot be simply summarized by the word "capable of fighting".

Reading their battle report, I found that their methods of defending the city were quite well-organized, and what was even more commendable was their decisiveness—capturing jackals to provide labor and sealing the city gates to prevent future troubles. It seemed like a risky move, but in reality, it was a step-by-step strategy.

This young man... is someone who can find a way out of desperate situations.

She paused, tapping her fingertips lightly on the brick wall: "Such a person, transferred to the capital and left idle, certainly avoids future troubles, but it also loses a potentially sharp weapon that could have expanded territory and guarded the borders. Isn't that a pity?"

"Your Highness," Gu Yan raised his eyes, his gaze as calm as an ancient well, "Which is more important, talent or loyalty? Xiao Yunlan's talent may be useful to the court, but the Xiao family behind him may not be of one mind with the court."

The northern border is not lacking in capable generals. Deputy Commander Han and Lieutenant Lin are both seasoned veterans and are loyal and reliable.

Adding Xiao Yunlan might increase our chances of victory; but if this allows the Xiao family's influence to infiltrate the core of the border army, it might take ten or a hundred times more effort to eliminate them in the future. Which is better, the gain or the loss?

He paused briefly, lowering his voice slightly: "Moreover, the Xiao family is not a monolithic entity. The other branches of the Xiao family may not be happy with Liu's actions."

The imperial court could use this opportunity to divide the enemy and weaken them internally, rather than watching them consolidate their power through external military achievements.

As for Xiao Yunlan himself... if he is truly as Your Highness says, a sharp talent capable of blazing a trail in desperate situations, then even if he is transferred to the capital, he may still find other opportunities to use his abilities.

However, that must be under the complete control of the imperial court.

Li Xuan remained silent for a moment.

The cold wind blew the hem of her battle robe, and the sounds of battle below the city wall seemed to fade into the distance.

Gu Yan's words were all based on the long-term interests of the court, and also reflected the emperor's mindset.

As the eldest princess in charge of military affairs in the northern border, she deeply understands the importance of maintaining a balance.

It is extremely difficult to strike the right balance between harnessing the power of powerful families to fight against enemies for the country and preventing them from becoming too powerful.

"What you say, sir, is wise and experienced in governing the country." After a long silence, she spoke slowly, her tone deep, "However, the situation on the battlefield is constantly changing, and it is still unknown how far Xiao Yunlan can go."

He might not even live to see the day when the court rewards those who have rendered meritorious service. For now, let's just wait and see.

He will receive the full support he deserves; and we must remain vigilant at all times.

She turned to Gu Yan and said, "I still need you to take good care of things such as the allocation of grain and fodder within the pass, the conscription of laborers, and the resettlement of the wounded. In particular, the coordination with the local government of various prefectures and counties is crucial. Many of those local officials have powerful families behind them, and it is common for them to be slow and shirk their responsibilities."

"Sir, with my imperial decree, expedite what needs expediting and suppress what needs suppressing, ensuring that supplies to the front lines are uninterrupted."

"Your subject obeys." Gu Yan bowed and acknowledged the order, then hesitated for a moment before adding, "Your Highness, there is one more matter. Recently, there have been some rumors circulating within the pass, concerning Shuofeng Plain..."

"explain."

"There are rumors that Xiao Yunlan killed prisoners indiscriminately in Shuofeng Plain, using cruel methods that violated human morality. Some also say that he secretly colluded with unknown forces and his whereabouts were elusive... The source of these rumors is unknown, but they spread quite quickly," Gu Yan said cautiously.

A cold glint flashed in Li Xuan's eyes: "Oh? That's interesting. Is someone trying to smear him beforehand, or testing the court's attitude?"

"I believe that both are true," Gu Yan analyzed. "Within the Xiao family, there may be some who do not want to see the Liu family rise to power through Xiao Yunlan; other forces within the pass may also not want to see another powerful figure in the northern border."

Although rumors may have no basis, if they are ignored and allowed to accumulate, they may become an obstacle when it comes to recognizing achievements in the future.

"Ignore him." Li Xuan waved her hand decisively. "With a major battle at hand, everything is decided by merit. In a place like Shuofeng Plain, being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself. As for colluding with unknown forces... if he can really bring in help to defend the isolated city, I'll thank him."

"Pass down the order: anyone within the pass who spreads such words that undermine morale and disrupt the rear will be severely punished without exception."

"Yes."

After Gu Yan withdrew, Li Xuan stood alone on the city wall, the cold wind whipping the hem of her crimson military uniform. Outside the pass, smoke curled from the Wolf Rong camp, clearly preparing for the upcoming battle.

Within the Great Wall, the landscape appears calm on the surface, but beneath lies a turbulent undercurrent. The interests of powerful families, court officials, the military, and local authorities intertwine here.

The name Xiao Yunlan is no longer just a code name for a border army captain; it has become a delicate focal point, affecting the nerves of many parties.

"The Xiao family... a family with a thousand-year history..." Li Xuan murmured, chewing on these words, her gaze deep and unfathomable.

She recalled the records about the Xiao family in the royal archives.

This family's history is even longer than that of the Dayong Dynasty. Their ancestors can be traced back to ancient times. They survived the rise and fall of several dynasties, relying not only on wealth and talent, but also on the accurate grasp of the situation and amazing resilience that are deeply rooted in their blood.

They are like an old tree with intertwined roots, seemingly gentle and harmless, but in reality, their roots have penetrated deep into every corner of the earth, closely connected to this land and inseparable.

Dealing with such a family, a forceful eradication is far from the best course of action, as that would shake the very foundations of the state. The only option is to utilize them while simultaneously maintaining a balance of power, gradually pruning their overly entrenched influence and guiding their power in a direction beneficial to the court.

Xiao Yunlan's appearance may be a new fulcrum for the Xiao family; for the imperial court, it is also a window to observe, intervene in, and even influence the Xiao family.

"I hope you can truly bring some surprises, Xiao Yunlan." Li Xuan looked northeast and murmured to herself, "Let me see just how far you, this chess piece, can go on the chessboard, and whether you can... jump out of the chessboard and become the one who moves the pieces?"

As dusk settled, torches began to be lit on the fortified walls, illuminating this majestic northern pass like a winding fire dragon. Outside the pass, the wolf-barbarian camp was also dotted with firelight, like the eyes of a lurking pack of beasts.

The night is about to deepen. And what is the scene like in the distant, hundreds-of-miles-away ice city of Shuofeng Plain, besieged by wind, snow, and enemy forces?

Li Xuan didn't know. But she had a premonition that the story there was far from over.

The name Xiao Yunlan is destined to occupy an undeniable place in the future chess game of the Northern Territory, regardless of whether he lives or dies, succeeds or fails.