In the blink of an eye, another ten days had passed. Everything was peaceful. Both the Qin and Shang Dynasties needed time to recuperate while the Celestial Empire remained dormant.
In the past month, Lin Muyu had been working hard and preparing for war. What he did the most was to prepare provisions and weapons. Qin Yin and Tang Xiaoxi had also come from Xishan Province and brought 150,000 elite soldiers to help Lin Muyu defend the three provinces in the south. To the Qin Empire, these three provinces were the backlines of the Qin Empire. They had to be defended well, otherwise, they would not be able to establish a foothold in this foreign land.
…
Spring had arrived, but there was no sign of spring in the world. Every three to five days, there would be a heavy snowfall, and the temperature was always fluctuating around the melting ice and snow.
Hongyan City was a strong city. When He Song ruled Hongyan City, he was cruel and merciless. He captured civilians and sacrificed them for wolf souls. This caused a lot of complaints. However, after the Qin Empire occupied Hongyan City, they immediately issued a notice to pacify the people. They copied thousands of imperial charters and distributed them to all the prefectures and prefectures. They ordered the entire nation to follow the constitution and rule the country according to it. After all, even the empress had to follow this decree. Thus, the entire society became orderly.
What the people needed was actually very simple: a sense of security, a guarantee of life, and fairness.
Lin Muyu's injuries gradually healed. Although the speed was much slower than expected, it was still better.
Early in the morning, Ren Baqian, who was wearing the Marshal's cloak, slowly walked out of his room and came to the bitterly cold courtyard. He saw that the peach blossoms in the courtyard had not bloomed yet. Only the small flower buds were covered with snow. If the weather continued to be cold, it was likely that they would not bloom this year. Those flower buds would freeze to death as the weather changed.
"Sigh …"
Lin Muyu looked up at the peach branches and couldn't help but sigh. The weather was still cold. This could only mean that the aura of the demonic world was still surging and seeping into the six realms. Although the heavenly punishment had passed, the chaos was still there.
"You're up?"
Behind him, Qin Yin's gentle laughter could be heard, "Come, drink some hot soup first."
"Thank you, Xiao Yin."
Lin Muyu turned around and took the soup. She then looked at Qin Yin's beautiful face and said, "Xiao Yin, is there any news from the West Mountain Province and the Kingdom of Shang?"
"Not yet." Qin Yin blinked her eyes and said, "For the time being, General Feng, QianFeng, and Ding Xi are watching over there. It's okay. Brother Yu, the most important thing is to take good care of your body."
Lin Muyu drank a mouthful of soup and continued to look at the peach branches. "This year's peach blossoms won't bloom."
"Yeah, maybe." Qin Yin clenched her fists and looked at the footprints on the snow. She said thoughtfully, "Brother Yu, have you ever considered …"
"What did you consider?"
"Hand over the military power and let Wei Chou control the Longdan Army Camp and Bai Ze Mercenaries?" Qin Yin said carefully, "I'm worried about your body … so don't waste your energy. Xiao Xi thinks the same."
Lin Muyu couldn't help but smile. She looked down at her and said, "Xiao Yin, you're not worried about my body. You're worried about my confidence, right? After the defeat at Red Rock City, are you worried that I'll develop a psychological fear of Chen Yu? "
"This … I …" Qin Yin stammered, tacitly agreeing.
Lin Muyu placed the bowl on the stone table and stepped forward to support Qin Yin's shoulder. She looked straight at her and said, "That's right, Chen Yu is very strong, so strong that I don't have the confidence to defeat him. But Xiao Yin, you must know that Chen Yu is a hurdle for me. He used a scheme to kill my general, Xu Jiantao. If I can't overcome this hurdle myself, if I can't defeat Chen Yu and use his blood as a sacrifice to Xu Jiantao, I'm afraid I'll regret this for the rest of my life. I'll be ashamed to face Xu Jiantao's spirit in heaven."
"But …"
"Don't worry, hatred won't make me lose my cool. I've already recovered." Lin Muyu smiled, her clear eyes filled with incomparable confidence.
Qin Yin smiled as well. Just as Lin Muyu had said, the invincible Lin Muyu had returned.
Slowly sitting down on the cold stone bench, Qin Yin ran her fingers through her hair and said gently, "Brother Yu, are you planning to start a war with the north and south?"
"Yes."
Lin Muyu's eyes shone like torches, "Feng Jixing, QianFeng, and Ding Xi are guarding the West Mountain Province. There's a total of 500,000 soldiers, more than enough to suppress and even destroy Yangshang's army. What I need to do is to delay Chen Yu here, not allowing him to make any rash moves. I'll wait for big brother Feng to destroy the Kingdom of Shang and take control of the Blackstone Empire and the Tianji Empire. When the time comes, the north and south will march east together and destroy the Celestial Empire will only be a matter of months."
"Do you have any plans?"
"Yes." Lin Muyu naturally trusted the empress wholeheartedly and said, "No matter how resourceful Chen Yu is, most of his troops are new recruits, and it's a very objective fact that they lack combat strength. Therefore, as long as Chen Yu mobilizes his troops and the Forest of Never Return attacks Feng Jixing and QianFeng, I'll have a chance. Setting off from the eastern pass of Hongyan Province, the light cavalry will be able to approach Scorching Han City within two days. If Chen Yu dares to attack Feng Jixing, I'll immediately launch a surprise attack on his lair. Without the support of Scorching Han City, Chen Yu's 800,000 soldiers will naturally collapse."
"Aren't you worried that Chen Yu will feign an attack and set up an ambush midway?"
Lin Muyu laughed, "Even my Xiao Yin can predict that Chen Yu will use this strategy, so why would Chen Yu show off his slight skill in front of an expert?"
Qin Yin couldn't help but grumble coquettishly and laughed, "Are you saying that I'm stupid?!"
"Not at all."
Lin Muyu held her warm little hand and said, "I'm just stating the facts. Xiao Yin isn't stupid, but I don't want you to get involved in this treacherous world of conspiracies."
"Hmm …"
"Where's Xiao Xi? She disappeared early in the morning."
"Oh, she and Yao went out to buy some vegetables. She said that she wanted to personally buy some fresh vegetables to cook for you to nourish your body."
"There are so many chefs in the Spiritual Fire Department, yet they actually need to personally cook …"
"It's a different kind of intention."
"Alright …"
Not long after, bustling noises could be heard from outside. It seemed that Si Kongyao and Tang Xiaoxi had returned. The two girls' personalities were inclined towards liveliness, so it was extremely lively when they were together. Lin Muyu and Qin Yin immediately walked out of the courtyard. As expected, in the courtyard of the mansion, Tang Xiaoxi and Si Kongyao walked side by side. Si Kongyao was extremely excited, she said, "Big Brother, I brought someone back, guess who it is!"
"Who?"
"Here …"
Si Kongyao moved aside, and behind her was a travel-worn girl. She was wearing the clothes of a noble girl in Tianji City, but the hem of her skirt was covered in mud. It was obvious that she had a bumpy journey. Her face was considered delicate and pretty, and she looked very familiar. Lin Muyu recognized her at a glance, she said in astonishment, "Miss Shang Qian?"
It was the Eldest Miss of the Shang Family!
After Shang Qian saw Lin Muyu, her eyes couldn't help but redden, she bowed and said, "Shang Qian greets the Marshal …"
"Why so polite …"
"You are the Marshal, you are no longer that person …" Shang Qian moved her red lips, she said, "And I am just the daughter of a destroyed country, a pitiful person with a broken family."
"What is going on?" Lin Muyu was puzzled.
Si Kongyao said, "Big Brother, don't you know? The Chamber of Commerce of Sister Shang Qian's family is called the Shang League. The business of Shang League used to control nearly 30% of the economic lifeline of Tianji Empire, and the Shang League was also known as the richest in the world. But later … Beiming Yuan was not the Emperor anymore, and the new Emperor Yangshang kept squeezing them, until a few days ago … I made a secret agreement with Sister Shang Qian that the Shang League would secretly provide military rations to Xishan Province. This matter was exposed, and the whole Shang League was affected … "
Shang Qian's eyes were red, she said, "Twenty days ago, my father and brother were killed. Because I was not in Tianji City, I was lucky to get the news. I mixed in with the refugees along the way, and after several troubles, I came to Red Rock City. The servants following me also reduced from more than 70 at the beginning to four now … I have no relatives left, and Yao is the only one I can rely on …"
Behind Shang Qian, the four servants also looked travel-worn. One of them was even seriously injured, and half of his arm was chopped off. It seemed that they had really experienced hardships along the way.
Lin Muyu said apologetically, "Miss Shang Qian, please restrain your grief … This matter started because of our Qin Empire. Please rest assured, the Qin Empire will not let the Shang League down. Yao, what are you going to do? "
Si Kongyao shook her head, "I don't know for now. Let's arrange for Sister Shang Qian to stay in Red Rock City first …"
"Okay."
Lin Muyu nodded, and her expression was a little hesitant. Qin Yin who was beside her naturally knew what she was thinking, so she got close to her and whispered, "I did hear the news that the whole Shang League was almost annihilated, and more than 300 people were killed. If it was a traitor, then the price was too high, and Shang Qian's despair was definitely not faked."
"Okay, I understand."
Lin Muyu nodded and said, "Shang League was once a famous clan, you must have friends all over the world in the business world?"
Shang Qian was startled, "En, that is indeed the case. Marshal, why are you asking this …?"
"I mean …" Lin Muyu shrugged and said, "I want to hand over the business lifelines of the three southern provinces to Young Miss Shang Qian, and all the businesses in terms of clothing, food, housing, and so on and so forth will be provided to you through the channels of the government. You have to revitalize the economy of the Darkstone Empire as soon as possible, I wonder if Young Miss Shang Qian is willing?"
"Ah?" Shang Qian was clearly very surprised, "I … I am afraid …"
"What?"
"It is not that I am unwilling, but I am afraid that I am not capable enough." Shang Qian lowered her head, and muttered, "Furthermore, why would Marshal trust a woman like me, who had betrayed you all before?"
"That is because we all serve our own masters, it is not considered betrayal. Now, is Miss Shang Qian willing to accept my invitation to become the number one person of Great Qin's Shang League in Heaven's Pole? "
"I … I am willing." Shang Qian looked at him with her clear eyes, and said, "It is just that the Blackstone Empire's territory has always been dominated by martial arts. They look down on merchants, and even more so, look down on Shang League's business. Thus, the Shang League rarely interacts with the people of the Blackstone Empire, because they do not pay attention to the rules. Since Marshal and His Highness trust Shang Qian, then you must first agree to a condition of mine."
"Speak."
"Revise a commercial law to protect the interests of the Shang League. Only then can we fundamentally change the situation of the three southern provinces, as well as the people's opinion of the Shang League."
"No problem." Lin Muyu nodded, and Qin Yin, who was beside her, also smiled, and said, "The people from the Congress will discuss the drafting of this commercial law with Miss later."
Shang Qian's eyes brimmed with tears, and she bowed deeply, "Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Marshal, for giving me the opportunity to revitalize the Shang League!"
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