His entire family perished in battle; he rose from the ashes to conquer the world.

"This must be the newly appointed Governor of the Southwest, Lord Ma Chengwu."

Mu Yuan smiled broadly, appearing harmless and completely non-threatening.

"The Mu family's reputation is legendary, but it's a pity I've lived in the capital for so long and never met them. Now that I've just arrived in the southwest, I'm delighted to meet them today. I never imagined that the Commander-in-Chief would command the Western Army at such a young age. Truly, heroes emerge from among the young!"

Ma Chengwu responded enthusiastically, but his expression seemed somewhat unnatural.

Beneath his feigned enthusiasm and scathing exterior, he was already feeling a chill of horror in his heart.

The imperial court sent him to the southwest to serve as the governor of the southwest. The whole process was extremely rushed, and not a word of it was revealed.

Even if the news leaked, it couldn't have reached the southwestern border region in just two or three days.

Mu Yuan not only knew that he was the newly appointed governor of the southwest.

He also accurately stated his name.

Where did the news come from?

Is there a potential spy in the capital, specifically gathering intelligence on the imperial court, behind the Mu family?

The thought that news from the imperial court could reach Mu Yuan's ears in such a short time, and with such accuracy, sent chills down Ma Chengwu's spine, and he felt a wave of fear wash over him.

Mu Yuan noticed every subtle change in Ma Chengwu.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

Being recommended by Prince Ning and valued by the emperor, he must be meticulous in his thinking.

Having spent a long time by the emperor's side, one must constantly try to guess his intentions.

It's inevitable to overthink it.

Mu Yuan said this intentionally to make Ma Chengwu guess. If he couldn't figure it out, he would be caught in a dilemma, which would make him wary of him and dare not act rashly.

"Lord Ma, you flatter me."

Mu Yuan responded extremely politely to Ma Chengwu's praise, paused for a moment, and then said:

"When Lord Ma first arrived in the Southwest, I was thinking of hosting him as a host. Unfortunately, I promised these brothers that I would train with them. Please forgive me, Lord Ma."

The phrase "brothers" not only brought him closer to the soldiers of the Western Army.

It also warmed the hearts of the soldiers present.

However, Ma Chengwu felt a sense of crisis.

The imperial court sent him to the southwest to serve as the governor of the southwest in order to suppress the Mu family and gradually weaken their power in the southwest.

This allowed the imperial court to take over all affairs in the southwest.

Mu Yuan grew closer and closer to the Western Army.

The more disadvantageous it is for him.

"The commander's compassion for his soldiers is a blessing to the Southwest," Ma Chengwu laughed, keeping his intentions understated.

Mu Yuan narrowed his eyes, a half-smile playing on his lips.

This person seems even more difficult to deal with than Prince Ning, Zhu Zheng.

Prince Ning, Zhu Zheng, was of noble birth, arrogant and conceited. Such a person may have people under his command offering advice, but his own scheming is written all over his face, making him easy to deal with.

In contrast, Ma Chengwu, though showing some unusual behavior when faced with a situation, did so very subtly.

It's hard to spot without careful observation.

They can even quickly hide their emotions to prevent others from seeing through them.

Both sides engaged in a tentative exchange.

"Military affairs are busy, so I will not keep Your Highness and Lord Ma any longer." Mu Yuan used training as an excuse to politely dismiss the two.

Ma Chengwu smiled and waved his hand, saying:

"General, to be honest, I came here today not only to meet you, but also to spend some time with the soldiers of the Western Army."

"I have a request, however impolite, but I would like to train alongside the Commander-in-Chief and the soldiers of the Western Army."

Upon hearing this, Mu Yuan's expression became playful.

He was naturally aware of Ma Chengwu's intentions.

This move is nothing more than an attempt to win people's hearts.

The Mu family has controlled the southwest for many years and firmly holds military power in the western prefecture. Most of the soldiers in the army are loyal to the Mu family.

Ma Chengwu represented the imperial court.

There were naturally many people in the army who were loyal to the imperial court.

Ma Chengwu's request was intended to unite some soldiers who were loyal to the imperial court and put them to his service.

Moreover, if Mu Yuan refused on the spot, it would make him, as the commander of an army, seem petty and narrow-minded, giving others ammunition to criticize him.

"Since Lord Ma is willing, I will naturally agree."

Mu Yuan readily agreed, then turned to Yang Daye and instructed, "Select a set of armor for Lord Ma and enlist him in the army. Today, he will follow me and train with the brothers."

Yang Daye immediately agreed and personally went to the armory to select a set of armor.

When Ma Chengwu put on his armor, he felt as if his whole body was filled with lead, making it extremely difficult to walk.

This moment.

He instantly regretted the decision he had just made.

They had hoped that training together would win people's hearts, but unexpectedly, the armor was so heavy.

Since things had come to this, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and persevere.

"Let's begin training!"

Mu Yuan gave the order.

On the drill ground, the entire Western Army ran wildly around the field, kicking up dust that filled the surroundings, creating a truly awe-inspiring scene.

"Cough cough cough..."

Ma Chengwu was among them, and the smoke and dust filled his nose and mouth, making him cough.

The most painful thing was that he was also wearing heavy armor.

He was also frequently bumped into by soldiers who overtook him.

The impact of the armor made his shoulder ache.

In contrast, Mu Yuan soaked in the "Heart-Changing and Bone-Corroding Soup" for several days in a row. Although he suffered terribly from the domineering medicinal water during the bathing process.

However, the results afterward were extremely significant.

He led the way, his face rosy and his breathing steady, earning him many soldiers' respectful glances.

Just as the soldiers were training diligently.

Sudden--!

"Lord Ma has fainted."

A deep, resonant voice rang out.

The soldiers of the Western Army all stopped in their tracks.

Behind them, Ma Chengwu lay motionless on the dusty ground.

Several soldiers surrounded Ma Chengwu to prevent him from being trampled.

In the distance, Prince Ning, Zhu Zheng, saw Ma Chengwu faint and his face showed alarm. He cursed Ma Chengwu as a "fool" in his heart and ordered his attendants to rush to his aid!

The attendants rushed into the marching column and, with great effort, managed to carry Ma Chengwu out.

"Your Highness, what should we do?"

Seeing the unconscious Ma Chengwu, the attendant looked up at Zhu Zheng, seeking his opinion.

"What should we do? Of course, we should carry him back to the city and get him treated by a traditional Chinese medicine doctor! You idiot, do you even need to ask that?"

Zhu Zheng never expected that Ma Chengwu would be so stubborn. He failed to win people's hearts and instead made Zhu Zheng dizzy.

That's incredibly embarrassing.

"General, it seems this governor is nothing special," Yang Daye laughed loudly.

"It's not that simple."

Compared to Yang Daye's hearty laughter, Mu Yuan's face showed no smile. Ma Chengwu's public humiliation was something that might inspire the soldiers loyal to the Mu family.

But this also sowed the seeds of future problems.

That is, will the soldiers in the army who are loyal to the imperial court feel sympathy for Ma Chengwu?

This incident then escalated within the military.

Different voices emerged.

It affects morale.

Mu Yuan felt that things were not so simple, and even suspected that Ma Chengwu's move was a deliberate tactic of retreating to advance.