The fiercest soldier of the border army

My heart is higher than the sky; I long to soar to the heavens!

Shi Hanshan stood up, a faint smile on his rugged face, it was hard to tell whether it was a genuine smile or a forced one.

Tang Shun knew this was an insurmountable obstacle, so he immediately clasped his hands in a fist and asked, "Commander, what makes you say such a thing?"

Shi Hanshan did not respond immediately, but instead closed the door and took two more steps closer. "When entering the guest room, I stirred up trouble, stepped on those scholars and literati, and attracted the Crown Prince's attention."

"When the Crown Prince arrived, he did not discuss military affairs or military achievements, but only talked about civil administration, clearly wanting to make a name for himself."

Shi Hanshan said calmly, "You've made it so obvious, even a fool could see it."

Tang Shun's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he immediately said, "Commander, you've misunderstood."

"Tang Shun is by no means a treacherous person, and he would never dare to betray his comrades."

"But Tang Shun had his own ambitions and was unwilling to waste his time."

His tone was earnest, his gaze unwavering, "If there is anything I can do to help you in the future, Commander, please feel free to ask, and Tang Shun will never refuse."

Shi Hanshan looked at him and suddenly sighed.

"I don't blame you," he shook his head. "I'm just disappointed."

"What's a pity?"

"It's a pity that you are so capable and a good general, but when you face the Crown Prince, you don't talk about military affairs or your military achievements, but instead talk eloquently about political affairs."

"So you prefer literature to military service?"

Tang Shun was taken aback.

"You are a talented general, skilled in training troops and adept at utilizing strategic advantages. In the battle to defend Xiushui, you even beheaded the Right Commander of the Xiongnu. Who in Beiting doesn't know that now?"

"But you don't strive for military merit and a promising future; instead, you have profound insights into politics."

Shi Hanshan lowered his voice, his expression complex, "What? You also think we soldiers are uncouth?"

"Tang Shun himself was a soldier, how could he think soldiers were crude?"

Tang Shun shook his head with a wry smile, "It's really my ambition."

Shi Hanshan remained silent for a moment, then stopped pressing the matter and asked, "His Highness has kept you here for so long, and you've already mentioned 'from now on,' so you must already have somewhere to go. What has His Highness given you?"

"A town magistrate? Or... a county magistrate?"

When the word "county magistrate" was mentioned, Shi Hanshan hesitated slightly, clearly thinking it was unlikely.

Tang Shun replied earnestly, "I have already informed the Crown Prince of my ambitions. I said that I want to serve as the Prefect of Lingzhou."

As soon as he said it, he felt the weight of the words.

Shi Hanshan, who was standing, suddenly turned his head to look at him upon hearing this, his mouth wide open as if he could fit an egg inside.

"Ling...the Prefect of Lingzhou?!"

Then, he suddenly threw his head back and laughed. The laughter wasn't loud, but it shook the dust in the corner of the room and made it fall in a flurry.

"You actually want the position of governor!" He slammed his fist on the table. "You...you..."

Shi Hanshan was choked for a moment, but after recovering, he burst into laughter, "That's arrogant! That's daring! I like it!"

Tang Shun shook his head and smiled wryly, "I know this move is too reckless."

"Those who seek for the superior will get the middle, and those who seek for the superior will obtain the inferior. It is not impossible to just seek the county magistrate."

"However... after all, bypassing the military governor and reporting directly to the crown prince is probably a taboo."

Shi Hanshan stopped laughing, stared at him for a long time, then suddenly lowered his voice, "Do you know Cui Yuanlang of the Cui family?"

Tang Shun nodded, "I've heard of the Cui family of Hedong before, and I've met Cui Yuanlang today."

"It is said that he has been appointed to govern Lingzhou."

"That's right." Shi Hanshan sneered, "Moreover, he submitted the memorial directly to the emperor, bypassing our military governor. That was a ruthless move."

Tang Shun frowned.

"What does this mean?"

"This means that if he takes over Lingzhou, it will no longer be a territory under the actual control of the Beiting Jiedushi."

Shi Hanshan said slowly, "The imperial court can intervene with the help of aristocratic families, which is perfectly legitimate."

"Once Cui Yuanlang arrived, taxes were transferred to the central government, troop deployments had to be reported to the Ministry of Personnel, and even the military farms and granaries had to be recorded in separate ledgers."

"The power of the military governor was thus stripped away."

Tang Shun was startled.

He originally thought that by requesting an order beyond his rank, he had committed a major taboo within the system and would surely incur the wrath of the military governor.

But look at it this way—

"You mean..." his voice deepened, "that I haven't offended the military governor, but rather helped him?"

Shi Hanshan looked at him and slowly nodded, "Indeed, the military governor has been troubled lately."

"On one hand, it's an appointment by the imperial court."

"On the other hand, there is the Cui family clan."

"If the military governor refuses firmly, he will likely offend both the imperial court and the Cui family, at a great cost."

"Although the Crown Prince and the military governor were close friends, there was no other reason to change the situation."

"The Crown Prince is, after all, the Crown Prince, not the Emperor. If he defies the Emperor's will for the sake of a military governor who holds military power, he will likely find it difficult to move forward in the future."

"And your request for an official position has opened a corner of the deadlock in Lingzhou."

Shi Hanshan patted Tang Shun on the shoulder, "So, you've hit the jackpot by accident. The military governor won't blame you; he'll probably even help you."

Tang Shun's heart tightened, his expression still bitter. "Commander, you're joking. I have no relation to the military governor. Why would he help me?"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Shi Hanshan laughed again, "You little brat, why are you such a coward?"

He spoke crudely, glaring at him as he explained, "You mean we're not related?"

"So he and Choi Won-rang are friends?"

"Cui Yuanlang comes from the Cui clan of Hedong, and it's obvious that he's biased towards Hedong."

"You brat, with no power, no connections, no background, just a true member of the Northern Army, don't you consider yourself one of us?"

"If this isn't a relationship, then what is?"

Tang Shun stood there, his mind reeling as if struck by lightning.

He was taking a desperate gamble, hoping to break the deadlock in the chaotic world and carve out a path for himself.

Unexpectedly, this step they took landed at a crucial point in the power struggle between the regional military governors and the central government.

He wasn't challenging the system; he was protecting a loophole in the system.

If the military governor truly supports him, the position of prefect is not impossible!

The room fell silent, with only the sound of their breathing rising and falling.

Tang Shun looked down at his hands; his knuckles were rough and calloused, the marks from holding a knife and reins.

This hand can kill enemies, issue orders, and now, perhaps even hold a seal.

He looked up, and his eyes changed.

No longer anxious, no longer defending myself, but clearly understanding where I stand.

"I used to think it was my recklessness," Tang Shun said in a low voice, "but now I understand that it was the times that pushed me forward."

Shi Hanshan grinned, looking towards the guest room. "I reckon His Highness the Crown Prince and the military governors are discussing this matter right now."

"I'd like to see if anyone in our Northern Army can climb to the fourth-rank official position by stepping on the shoulders of powerful families!"

"If that's the case, tsk..."

Shi Hanshan clicked his tongue in amazement, looking like he was enjoying the spectacle.

Just then, footsteps could be heard outside.

Approaching from afar, it stopped outside the door.

The curtain was lifted, and a eunuch stood at the door, dressed in a short blue silk robe and holding a wooden plaque.

"Your Highness summons Tang Shun and Shi Hanshan to the main hall for an immediate audience."

Tang Shun took a deep breath.

The main event is here!