Governing the country, enriching the people, an unparalleled imperial tutor

After passing Dayuan, the road began to head into the mountains. The mountains on both sides became higher and higher, the valleys became narrower and narrower, and the road surface changed from a dirt road to a gravel road, making a continuous, soft crunching sound as the wheels rolled over it.

Xiaolan sat in the passenger seat, holding the map in her hand and looking at it for a while. She then looked up at the terrain outside the window and said, "If we continue along this road, we should be in Jiankun's territory. In the past, caravans traveling this road would usually stop at the valley entrance to rest, because further ahead was their territory."

Lin Yanzhou slowed down the car. Sure enough, there were people standing at the entrance of the valley: two soldiers in leather armor, holding spears in their hands. Their shoulders were broader than those of the Central Plains people, and their faces were red, as if they had been standing in the wind for a long time.

They paused for a moment when they saw the dark gray iron vehicle, then a soldier stepped forward and shouted something in the local language, speaking quickly, as if asking about the identity of the newcomer.

Lin Yanzhou stopped the car, turned off the engine, opened the door and got out, patting non-existent dust off his hands: "I come from Xuanshuo, and I want to see your king." The other party repeated what he had just said, this time faster, as if to confirm that he was not dreaming.

Lin Yanzhou returned to the car, took out his phone, typed the sentence into a translation app, and turned the screen towards the other person. The soldier looked down at the text on the screen for a moment, whispered a few words to his comrade, then turned and ran quickly along the dirt road inside the valley, like a secret order being passed on.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the soldier returned, followed by a person in a dark robe with several copper ornaments hanging from his waist. The soldier walked at a moderate pace, his boots making steady strides on the gravel road.

He stopped in front of Lin Yanzhou and said something, his tone slightly calmer than the guard's. The translation software's subtitles read: "The King is waiting for you in the palace." Lin Yanzhou put away his phone and followed him into the valley.

The palace hall was simpler than expected, with old felt covering the floor and several faded tapestries hanging on the walls. A man in his forties sat in the center, wearing an old leather hat, with a wooden bowl on the low table in front of him.

Lin Yanzhou stood in the center of the hall, stating his identity and purpose, explaining that Xuan Shuo could provide seeds, farming tools, breeding techniques, and established trade routes. Subtitles from the translation software appeared line by line on the screen.

After reading the translation while leaning back on the low couch, the king put down the wooden bowl he was holding. His voice wasn't loud, but his tone was much heavier than before, and his pace noticeably quickened: "You mean, you come from the east and want me to submit?"

Lin Yanzhou did not evade the question: "You could call it cooperation, or you could call it submission. Jiankun provides loyalty, and Xuanshuo provides technology and resources. It's mutually beneficial."

After reading the translation, the king snorted and slammed the wooden bowl heavily on the table: "How far is your country from here? Have you ever been here? Have you ever lived on this land? You can't even speak the local language, so what makes you think you have the ability to help me?" He spoke faster and faster, his voice gradually rising, and the guards beside him gripped the hilts of their spears tightly.

The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense. The translation software's subtitles could no longer keep up with his pace of speech, displaying only fragmented sentences: "You can't even understand what's being said here. Even if you had those things, they might not actually be of any use."

Just as Lin Yanzhou was about to say something more, someone moved from the side of the hall. Three military officers walked out from the side door almost at the same time. The one in front was a head taller than the average person, with broad shoulders, a thick back, and strong arms. The muscle lines on his forearms were visible at the edge of his sleeves, and his hands were so big that they looked like they could hold a whole bowl.

Without hesitation, he walked straight towards Lin Yanzhou, reaching out a large hand to grab Lin Yanzhou's shoulder. Lin Yanzhou took a half step back, pulled out a short black stick from the side of his belt, pressed his thumb on the end, and a layer of fine blue electric arcs appeared at the tip of the stick, making a continuous crackling sound in the air, like the edge of an old fabric being torn apart and burning in the air.

The tall warrior's hand froze the moment it touched the surface of the short stick. His whole body trembled violently from his shoulder to his arm, as if something unseen had pulled him back from the point of contact. His arm curled up in mid-air and then fell down, his hand still half-open, and he didn't know how to close it.

The two men behind him moved simultaneously, one approaching from the front and the other flanking from the side, their hands already outstretched. Lin Yanzhou put away his stun gun, drew his Type 92 pistol with a backhand motion, and pulled the trigger.

Gunshots rang out in the hall. The general in front had a small hole slightly to the left of the center of his chest. He took half a step forward before stopping, his knees hitting the ground first, and then he fell sideways onto the felt. The second man's hand was already halfway out when another shot rang out. He looked down at the gash in his abdomen, his body slowly tilting forward, dying without understanding how he had died.

The third man stood a few steps away, his hand still outstretched, but he had stopped. The gun barrel had turned halfway and was aimed at his chest. He stood still, his body slowly tilting to the side, his knees buckling, and then he fell to the ground with a thud.

The hall fell silent. Lin Yanzhou lowered the muzzle of his gun, but didn't put it away. He looked up at the king and said, "I come from the Celestial Realm. Even your God must listen to me. Every soldier in my army is equipped with this weapon, as well as those stun batons. If you want to continue fighting, I can send a batch of men over within half a month. If I can get through this road once, I can get through it again." After displaying these words, the translation software screen paused for a while before going dark.

The king remained seated on the low couch, motionless. He glanced down at the three men on the ground, then looked up at the gun in Lin Yanzhou's hand, and said helplessly, "What are the contents of the letter of surrender?"

Lin Yanzhou said, "Damn it, you won't listen to reason, so here comes the punishment. First, you must pay homage and tribute every year. Second, I decide what kind of material aid to send, how much to send, and when to send it, depending on my mood. Third, we will advance and retreat together militarily. If I need you to send troops, you must send troops, otherwise I will send troops to wipe you out."

The king remained silent for a long time, then took out a roll of old parchment from under the low couch, spread it out on the low table, picked up a charcoal pencil, wrote a few lines on the paper, and then pushed it over.

Lin Yanzhou took it and glanced at it, thinking he still needed to keep her in check: "There's one more thing. After signing the surrender document, you'll send your princess with me to be responsible for translation and assistance along the way. Um, as my maid, she'll also have to keep me company tonight."

The king was silent for a moment, then turned his head and spoke a phrase in the local dialect towards the outside of the hall. A moment later, a young woman entered, wearing a deep red dress with a tightly cinched waist and her hair braided into a long plait at the back of her head, the ends of which reached her waist.

She walked in and stopped in the center of the hall, her eyes downcast, as if she had already been told what was about to happen. She tilted her head slightly in her direction: "Her name is Ayiguli, my youngest daughter. She can speak some languages ​​of neighboring countries. With her by your side, the journey ahead will be much easier."

Lin Yanzhou carefully put away the letter of surrender, not giving the young woman much attention. However, his gaze swept over the guards at the entrance of the hall who were readjusting their positions, confirming that they had removed their hands from their sword hilts. Then he turned and walked towards the door, glancing at Ayiguli as he passed by: "Come with me. From now on, you will be my servant."