If I made you cannon fodder, how did you manage to achieve your goal of conquering the wolf's l

After Xu Qingshan finished speaking, the council hall fell silent for a moment.

Tang Su looked at him.

"You haven't even received the seal of office yet, and you're already demanding authority from me?"

"What Lord Tang gave us were three border fortresses that could fall at any moment."

Xu Qingshan pushed the documents from Tiemenbao and Duanhebao aside.

"If even changing a fortress commander requires sending someone to Yunzhou to request instructions, by the time the military order is sent back, the fortress gate may already be displaying a barbarian flag."

Tang Su asked, "What powers do you want?"

"First, all the original troops in Sanbao have been re-verified."

"Those who can fight will stay, those who are drawing salaries without working will be dismissed, and I will deal with the generals who are derelict in their duties or collude with the enemy."

Tang Su tapped his finger on the table.

"What does the handling include?"

"Removed from office and detained."

Xu Qingshan looked at him.

"If you open the door and surrender to the enemy during wartime, I will kill you."

"Investigate thoroughly before killing."

"Can."

"And the second one?"

"The four forts are permitted to recruit refugees, border residents, and demobilized veterans."

"Yunzhou won't provide soldiers, so I'll have to find people myself."

Tang Su said, "Unauthorized expansion of the army is also a crime."

"So I'll ask now."

Xu Qingshan answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Tang Su looked up at him.

How many are you planning to recruit?

"First, replenish the fighting force of the four fortresses to three hundred."

"If it exceeds three hundred, it needs to be resubmitted."

"What if the barbarians come several more times within three months?"

"Report first."

"They've already reached the city walls, and you expect me to send someone with official documents?"

Tang Su remained silent for a moment.

"No more than three hundred in peacetime. In wartime, military households may be temporarily conscripted, and the number will be re-verified after the war."

"This one is acceptable."

Xu Qingshan continued, "Third, the spoils captured at the Sibao battlefield shall be disposed of by ourselves."

"Warhorses, armor, weapons, food, and prisoners should be prioritized for defense, and Yunzhou should not transfer them away for any reason."

Tang Su frowned.

"Battlefield spoils are cataloged according to military regulations, and a portion of them are to be sent to Yunzhou."

"The more than four hundred warhorses, more than three hundred prisoners, as well as the armor, weapons and food in Luoyan Valley, were all obtained by Black Stone Fortress at the cost of human lives."

Xu Qingshan pointed outside the door.

"The bodies of the fallen soldiers have only just been buried."

"If Yunzhou wants to take it, they can send someone to their graves to say so."

Tang Su said, "Don't try to force me with dead bodies."

"I'm just making things clear."

The two stared at each other for a moment.

Tang Su finally said, "All spoils must be registered."

"During the three-month trial period, the spoils captured by the four fortresses shall be used by the inmates first, and the weapons and warhorses shall not be sold privately, nor shall prisoners be executed arbitrarily."

Xu Qingshan asked, "What about those whose hands were stained with the blood of border residents?"

"After investigation, the matter will be handled according to military law."

"Can."

"The last one."

Xu Qingshan said, "The armory, the three crossbows, and the Zhenbei cavalry of Black Stone Fortress are all under the command of the Fourth Fortress Garrison."

"Yunzhou must not be suddenly ordered to be transferred, nor can it send anyone else to take over."

Tang Su said, "You really don't trust Yunzhou at all."

"Those thirty-five men from Qingya Fort were once quite at ease with Yunzhou."

Tang Su's expression darkened as he recalled the grass roots and moldy grain in the granary.

"I can agree."

"However, the Zhenbei Cavalry shall not leave the Sibao defense zone without authorization within three months."

Does pursuing the barbarians count as leaving?

"The pursuit must not exceed one hundred li."

"That's enough for Baili."

Tang Su took the draft document and added the four conditions.

Just as the ink was halfway written, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Zhao Wu pushed open the door and walked in.

"My lord, I have heard that you intend to appoint Xu Qingshan as the garrison commander of the Fourth Fortress?"

Tang Su didn't even look up.

"Who let you in?"

Zhao Wu stopped at the door.

"This humble general has just received a message from the personal guards concerning military affairs at the North Wall, so I have no choice but to come and request an audience."

"I've seen it now."

Tang Su continued writing.

"Go outside and wait."

Zhao Wu's face grew increasingly grim as he saw the map and appointment documents on the table.

"Xu Qingshan is only a centurion of Black Stone Fortress."

"His crimes of killing his superiors and seizing their seals have not yet been investigated, yet he is now to command the four forts, which is against military regulations."

Xu Qingshan said, "Commander Zhao just lost a match, but he's quite well-informed."

Zhao Wu looked at him coldly.

"This is a military appointment discussion; it's not your place to interrupt."

"It seems like I was the one who appointed him."

"It is precisely because it is you that I, the captain, must object."

Zhao Wu clasped his hands in a fist salute to Tang Su.

"My lord, the four fortresses along the northern wall are crucial to the safety of Yunzhou. How long has Xu Qingshan been promoted from a common soldier to a centurion?"

"How can the soldiers be convinced if such a person is directly appointed as a garrison commander?"

Tang Su finally put down his pen.

"When Qingya Fort was besieged, you stood outside Black Stone Fort with three hundred men."

"Fifty cavalrymen from Zhenbei traveled all night and rescued the man."

"Today, the vanguard battalion of 150 men faced off against the Black Stone Fortress of 80 men, and lost their main flag in nine breaths."

"Zhao Wu, who do you think is more suitable to guard the north wall?"

Zhao Wu's face stiffened.

"The vanguard battalion is simply unprepared today."

"Do the barbarians give you time to prepare before each southward invasion?"

"This humble general is willing to personally lead the troops to garrison the three fortresses!"

Tang Su looked at him.

"Your military command is still suspended."

"The assassin who killed Commander Wang was wearing the Vanguard Battalion's badge, and the warhorses that Ma Qingfu acquired were also regularly sent to the Vanguard Battalion."

"Before these matters are investigated, you should first find a way to keep your position as captain."

Zhao Wu clenched his fist.

"Aren't you worried that Xu Qingshan will become too powerful?"

"I am more worried that the three border fortresses will be taken by the barbarians first."

Tang Su pushed the completed document in front of Xu Qingshan.

"The North Wall doesn't care about background or who gets promoted the fastest."

"Whoever can hold the city has the right to stand there."

Xu Qingshan looked down at the documents.

The three-month trial period is already stated above.

During his trial period, he temporarily served as the garrison commander of the four forts on the north wall, and was in charge of the military affairs, defense, and personnel reorganization of Black Stone Fort, Green Cliff Fort, Iron Gate Fort, and Broken River Fort.

The original three charges have been temporarily suspended.

Three months later, the situation was reassessed based on the survival of the four forts, the resettlement of border residents, and the crossing of the border by barbarians.

If any fortress falls, Xu Qingshan will be responsible for defending it.

Xu Qingshan picked up his pen.

Zhao Wu suddenly said, "You'd better look carefully."

"Three border forts won't give you many men, but they will take away most of Blackrock Fortress's food supplies."

"The walls of Qingya Fort have collapsed, and Sun Kui of Tiemen Fort will not listen to the orders of a mere centurion like you."

"There has been no news from Duanhebao for two months, and we don't even know if the people inside are alive or dead."

"It's easy to pick up this seal, but it's difficult to put it back."

Xu Qingshan wrote his name at the end of the document.

"I'm not used to Commander Zhao suddenly showing me so much concern."

"I just don't want to see you implicate the soldiers and civilians of the North Wall."

"rest assured."

Xu Qingshan put down his pen.

"When it really comes to my death, I'll try my best to die after you."

Zhao Wu's face turned ashen.

Tang Su reached out his hand to the guard beside him.

The guards brought over a rectangular wooden box.

The wooden box was somewhat worn, and inside was a bronze seal.

The seal knob is cast in the shape of a city wall, with eight characters engraved on the bottom.

The four forts along the north wall are fortified for defense in case of emergency.

Tang Su picked up the bronze seal.

"This seal was originally used more than a decade ago during the most intense period of the battle at the North Wall."

"Later, the troops of the four forts were dispersed, the garrison post was abolished, and the copper seal was kept sealed in Yunzhou."

"I'm handing this over to you today; you only have three months to serve."

Xu Qingshan accepted it with both hands.

The bronze seal fell into his palm; it was heavier than he had imagined.

Zhao Wu said coldly, "Can a centurion really afford to be one?"

Xu Qingshan weighed the bronze seal in his hand.

"good."

"Lighter than Ashina's head."

A suppressed laugh came from outside the door.

Hou San had only poked half his face in when Qin Yuennu pulled him back in.

Zhao Wu looked at Tang Su.

"Does Your Excellency truly intend to hand over the Four Fortresses to him?"

"The documents have been signed."

Tang Su said, "From now on, Xu Qingshan will be the acting garrison commander of the four fortresses on the north wall."

"The original centurion seal of Blackstone Fortress is temporarily sealed, and all military affairs of the four fortresses shall be based on this garrison seal."

"If Iron Gate Fortress and Broken River Fortress resist military orders, Xu Qingshan has the right to take action first and report back to this envoy afterwards."

Zhao Wu's lips moved a few times, but in the end he could only clasp his hands in a fist salute.

"This subordinate understands."

After he finished speaking, he turned and left.

As they reached the door, Xu Qingshan suddenly spoke.

"Commander Zhao".

Zhao Wu stopped in his tracks.

"Is there anything else?"

"Remember to plant your vanguard battalion's main flag a little shallower next time."

Hou San's laughter came from outside the door again.

It seems Qin Yuenu couldn't stop him this time.

Zhao Wu turned and left.

Xu Qingshan looked down at the guard seal in his palm.

At the same time, lines of dark red text appeared before my eyes.

[The system has detected that the host has acquired temporary control over the four fortresses north of the wall.]

The territory's boundaries have changed.

[Current Territory: Blackrock Fortress, Green Cliff Fortress, Iron Gate Fortress, Broken River Fortress.]

[Territory Mission Now Open: Rebuild the North Wall Defenses.]

[Phase One Goal:]

[I. Keep the beacon fires at the four forts operational for three months.]

[The survival rate of soldiers and civilians in the second and fourth forts reached 90%.]

[III. Combatant strength reaches three hundred men.]

[IV. Actual control of four border fortresses.]

[Mission Completion Rewards: Increased territory construction privileges and expanded legion control area.]

The last line of text paused for a moment.

[Currently under actual control: One border fortress.]

Xu Qingshan looked at the Iron Gate Fortress and Broken River Fortress on the map.

Tang Su said, "The official seal is yours."

Whether you can live to complete the full three months depends on your fate.