In this era, for anyone living in the Central Plains, the land of Baiyue was nothing more than a barbaric wasteland. No matter how high an official's position was, they would never want to be sent to such a remote place. Going there was equivalent to exile, with no chance of returning to power.
Thus, voluntarily demoting oneself to such a post would not be opposed by those in the court who feared him.
"General Zhao, you're too modest."
"From my perspective, you fully deserve this two-rank promotion," Huan Yi said with a serious expression.
From a military standpoint, Zhao Feng's victory this time was simply too perfect.
It wasn't just the battle of Yanggao City; now, there was also the battle of Daliang City.
The total number of soldiers who died in these battles was fewer than five thousand, with only about ten thousand wounded.
Such a battle record was almost impossible to achieve yet Zhao Feng had done it.
"Lord Han."
"I didn't expect you to be here as well," Huan Yi turned his gaze to Han Fei.
"General Huan Yi." Han Fei cupped his hands in greeting.
"If Lord Han has come here, then it seems Zhao territory has completely fallen under Qin's control."
"This is a great achievement Lord Han, you have secured it," Huan Yi smiled.
"General Huan has also earned his military merits," Han Fei replied with a slight smile.
Compared to Zhao Feng, Han Fei was not particularly familiar with others. Though he maintained a polite expression, there was still a sense of distance.
After exchanging pleasantries, Huan Yi did not linger in the camp for long and soon left.
Back in his tent, Han Fei sighed slightly.
"This Huan Yi is not a simple man."
"It's best to keep your distance from those in the court."
"They may appear friendly on the surface, but behind your back, they wish for your downfall," Han Fei said with a faint smile.
"I am in the military and far removed from the political struggles of the court. Even when I return to Xianyang, I won't have to attend court sessions often. You, on the other hand, should be more careful," Zhao Feng replied with a smirk, turning the warning back onto Han Fei.
At that moment, Zhang Ming entered the tent, carrying a large number of bamboo slips.
"General, these are the records of the refugee camp's officers, as well as the compiled lists from these past few days," Zhang Ming reported respectfully.
Behind him, several guards carried in large wooden boxes.
"Han, these are all for you."
"I'll also leave this tent for you."
"From now on, handle governmental affairs properly."
"If anything comes up, you can find me next door," Zhao Feng said with a chuckle.
With that, he turned and walked out, not giving Han Fei a chance to protest.
Looking at the piles of bamboo slips before him, Han Fei could not help but feel a headache coming on.
Moreover, this was surely only a fraction of the total.
With hundreds of thousands of refugees, these records were just a drop in the ocean.
"This great achievement doesn't seem so easy to claim after all," Han Fei thought to himself with a sigh.
Nevertheless, he quickly shifted into his governing role, sat down in Zhao Feng's former seat, and called out, "Yan Bing."
"I am here," Yan Bing responded, stepping forward quickly.
"Follow the old rules from Zhao territory divide the five hundred scholars into three groups."
"One group for law enforcement, another for household registration, and the last for public works and relief efforts," Han Fei instructed.
"As you command," Yan Bing replied immediately.
Meanwhile, Zhao Feng had settled into another tent.
Inside, Ying Bu was already waiting.
Seeing him, Zhao Feng was not surprised. Sitting down, he finally looked at Ying Bu.
"Master."
"A secret report has arrived from Xianyang," Ying Bu said respectfully, holding a sealed document.
"Just tell me directly," Zhao Feng said.
"It concerns the Xianyang court."
"After your war achievements were reported back, the king wanted to promote you by two ranks, but this was met with strong opposition from many officials especially Wang Wan, who tried to prevent it at all costs."
"Wang Wan even made outrageous remarks."
"He claimed that because you have married into the Wang family, your military power has grown too great, and he feared that Qin could fall into chaos."
"The implication was that if you and the Wang family controlled the army together and decided to rebel, Qin would be powerless to stop you."
"Furthermore"
"Afterward, Wang Jian was summoned to the palace by the king. When he emerged from the meeting, his expression was very grim."
"It seems likely that he was suppressed," Ying Bu said with a serious expression.
"Suppressed my father-in-law?"
Zhao Feng's expression turned slightly amused.
Then he shook his head.
"The King of Qin is not that kind of person."
"But the secret report states that Wang Jian looked very troubled when he left the palace."
"If it wasn't suppression by the king, then what could it be?" Ying Bu asked, puzzled.
The secret reports from the Yan Court had always been reliable.
"If the King of Qin truly intended to suppress me, he would not have granted me a two-rank promotion."
"If he were the type to suppress his ministers, then there would be no victories against the Three Kingdoms today."
"My father-in-law leaving the palace with a troubled expression likely has another cause," Zhao Feng said thoughtfully.
He still trusted the King of Qin.
Not just because of his knowledge of history where Qin Shi Huang never executed any meritorious ministers but also because of his interactions with the king in Xianyang.
He could sense the king's pride the kind that allowed him to dominate his ministers completely.
If he lacked the courage to control his subordinates, he wouldn't be a ruler fit for the ages.
"Then should we take action against Wang Wan and his faction?"
"As long as you give the order "
"The Yan Court is willing to eliminate them for you," Ying Bu said, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
Zhao Feng shot him a cold look.
"Are you trying to make the King of Qin grow wary of me?"
"If I were to be assassinated shortly after being impeached in the court along with my father-in-law, who do you think the court would suspect first?"
Upon hearing this, Ying Bu's face changed, and he immediately bowed. "This subordinate was wrong. Please punish me, my lord."
"Striking directly is a futile move it would only draw the court's attention to me and the Wang family."
"However..."
"There are still other ways to deal with them."
"As the left and right chancellors of the court, I refuse to believe that the Wang and Kui families are entirely clean."
"Have Yan Ting keep a close watch on them for me."
"I want every one of their people monitored every business they own, every action that violates Qin law. Investigate everything thoroughly."
"If we are to move against them, we will do so righteously under the name of Qin law." Zhao Feng said coldly.
Although Qin law was strict, officials were ultimately the ones enforcing it.
Even with King Qin's immense authority and strict legal enforcement, there were bound to be corrupt officials in the court and across the empire.
Even in later generations, Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty loathed corruption and showed zero tolerance for corrupt officials, executing them in such numbers that they feared for their lives yet corruption was never fully eradicated.
Let alone in this Qin era, where the legal system was far from perfect.
Thus, exposing the crimes of Wang Wan and his allies and dealing with them lawfully would be the most justifiable approach.
"This subordinate understands." Ying Bu immediately accepted the order.
"How are the Yan Ting strongholds in Zhao territory?" Zhao Feng asked.
"Rest assured, my lord."
"This subordinate has already identified five hidden strongholds in Zhao territory. Yan Ting continues to recruit people across the region."
"Additionally,"
"The Jiu Xian Lou (Immortal Wine House) is expanding rapidly in Zhao, ensuring a steady flow of funds to support Yan Ting's recruitment and training." Ying Bu reported promptly.
"Is the Heibingtai (Black Ice Platform) still probing us?" Zhao Feng asked.
"They haven't made any further attempts. It seems they've realized that our Yan Ting is not something they can easily test."
"Of course,"
"We also have not provoked the Heibingtai." Ying Bu replied immediately.
"As long as they leave us alone, we won't stir up trouble with them either."
"Keeping a peaceful coexistence is ideal." Zhao Feng said in a firm tone.
"This subordinate understands." Ying Bu nodded.
Zhao Feng didn't ask any further questions.
By now, Yan Ting had grown into a fully developed organization.
"My lord, there is one more matter."
"It is unrelated to Qin's Heibingtai, but rather the secret forces of the fallen states of Han, Zhao, and Wei." Ying Bu suddenly said.
Hearing this, Zhao Feng's interest was piqued.
Though these three states had fallen, many survivors remained hidden, biding their time and plotting their so-called restoration.
Once part of the ruling class, they now lived like rats in the shadows.
Naturally, these former states must have had their underground intelligence networks.
"Tell me." Zhao Feng said.
"These underground forces from the three states have begun moving, secretly recruiting and training assassins."
"Han's secret force."
"Zhao's King's Guard."
"Wei's assassins."
"These are the names of their respective underground factions." Ying Bu reported.
"Since we've detected them, we should investigate them thoroughly."
"Find out how many strongholds they have and uncover as much as possible no time constraints." Zhao Feng ordered after some thought.
Although these groups had not yet clashed with him, the future was unpredictable.
Understanding them now would make dealing with them much easier later.
Ying Bu immediately bowed. "This subordinate accepts the mission."
"However,"
"If we end up in direct conflict with these forces during the investigation, should we retreat or..." Ying Bu asked cautiously.
Zhao Feng furrowed his brows and stared at Ying Bu. "Does Yan Ting ever retreat?"
Ying Bu shuddered and immediately responded, "This subordinate understands."
With that, Ying Bu withdrew.
Once Zhao Feng was alone in his tent, he spoke:
"Claim the treasure chests."
"Congratulations, host, on being promoted to Daliang Zao. Reward: One Tier-2 Treasure Chest."
"Congratulations, host, on being promoted to Siche Shuzhang. Reward: One Tier-2 Treasure Chest."
The system notifications immediately appeared before his eyes.
"Open them all."
Having claimed so many treasure chests before, Zhao Feng's heart remained calm, with little excitement.
"Opening two Tier-2 Treasure Chests."
"Congratulations, host, on obtaining the Heaven-Tier High-Grade Battle Formation Soul of the Army Formation."
"Congratulations, host, on obtaining the Earth-Tier High-Grade Martial Art One Sword Across Worlds."
Zhao Feng's eyes flickered as he saw the notifications.
"This time, my luck is incredible."
"Soul of the Army Formation, a Heaven-Tier High-Grade technique."
"This is the first time I've drawn something of such a high level."
"And this Earth-Tier High-Grade martial art..."
A smile appeared on Zhao Feng's face.
Then, he extracted the battle formation technique.
As the information about the formation entered his mind, the smile on Zhao Feng's face turned into a solemn expression.
"This battle formation... is unbelievably powerful."
"Once trained in it, if the troops reach a certain level, they can merge their collective power into a single individual, manifesting the Soul of the Army in their strikes."
"This is practically a formation from a fantasy world."
"Beginners can condense a Blood Qi Army Soul."
"Intermediate practitioners can condense a Killing Intent Army Soul."
"And those who achieve mastery can condense a True Army Soul from the entire force."
"If my troops learn this formation, even those without any martial arts foundation would become incredibly formidable."
"I can't believe I managed to draw such an incredible technique." Zhao Feng was truly astonished.
Just this battle formation alone was worth more than ten Earth-Tier High-Grade martial arts combined.
This would be of great help to Zhao Feng in the future.
"One Sword Across the Ages."
"Another powerful sword technique."
"However..."
"There aren't many noble ranks left for me to be promoted to."
"If I run out of higher national fortune in the future, what will I do?"
Looking at the two treasures he had successfully drawn, Zhao Feng felt a bit troubled.
He was already at the seventeenth rank, and there were only three higher ranks left.
Even if he attained a title through military achievements, that would only add one more rank, making it four in total.
Even if he factored in an official position, he could only reach the rank of National Commander at most.
If there were no more treasure box rewards in the future, what would he do?
Was there any other way to obtain treasure boxes?
Killing enemies?
"I wonder if, once I attain an official position and my national fortune is complete, there will still be ways to acquire treasure boxes," Zhao Feng pondered deeply.
Time passed!
The governance of Wei territory was still ongoing.
However, with Han Fei contributing his expertise, things became more specialized.
The management of the refugee camps was much more organized.
At this moment
Countless trees were being transported by able-bodied refugees.
They were used to construct houses on the land Zhao Feng had designated.
Now, the outline of a new city had begun to take shape.
As more than half a month passed
The refugees, who had initially been extremely apprehensive, fearing that these black-armored Qin soldiers would slaughter them, and those with daughters fearing they would be assaulted by the Qin army, gradually realized
They had been overthinking it.
The Qin army had strict discipline. As long as they didn't break the military laws set by the Qin forces, they would not be targeted.
And now, as they built the new city their new home not only could they obtain houses to live in, but they also earned more grain, clothing, and other necessities through their labor.
This filled the refugees with enthusiasm.
On a hillside overlooking the new city
"The framework of a city is already emerging."
"Before long, this city will rise from the ground."
"As the one leading this project, have you thought of a name for this new city?"
Han Fei turned to Zhao Feng and asked.
"I'm not good at naming things."
"I'll leave that to His Majesty to decide."
"However..."
Zhao Feng lifted his head, gazing at the new city. "At this point, the mission of my Wu'an Army is nearly complete. I've already issued military orders our forces will return to Yunzhong in batches. Hangu Army Camp has begun taking over this place, and within half a month, all of my Wu'an Army's soldiers will have withdrawn to Yunzhong."
"I originally planned to return to the capital with you," Han Fei said with slight disappointment.
"But there is still much to handle in the refugee camp, so I have to delay my return."
"That's fine."
"When you return to the capital, I'll host a banquet at my residence with fine wine," Zhao Feng chuckled.
"Then I'll be looking forward to it," Han Fei laughed.
Just then
Accompanied by his guards, Xia Wuqi arrived at the hillside under the protection of Ren Xiao and his elite troops.
"Great Physician Xia,"
Zhao Feng and Han Fei immediately greeted him.
"After more than half a month of governance, General Zhao has handled matters well the corpses have been buried or burned, and the city has been sealed off."
"From my decades of experience in medical practice, I can say with confidence that there will be no outbreak of a plague this time," Xia Wuqi said with a smile.
"That is good to hear," Zhao Feng nodded in relief.
If a plague had truly broken out
With the medical advancements of this era
The only response would be mass quarantine and slaughter.
Because in this time, the solution to plagues was isolation... or extermination.
"General Zhao, you should be returning to Xianyang soon, correct?" Xia Wuqi smiled.
"My troops are gradually withdrawing to Yunzhong. Once they have all left, I too will return to Xianyang," Zhao Feng replied.
"Then I can accompany you on your journey," Xia Wuqi said with a pleased expression, his gaze full of anticipation.
"That would be good."
"You came all this way for the sake of the tens of thousands of people in Wei territory. I must ensure your safe return to Xianyang," Zhao Feng readily agreed.
Setting off for Xianyang now and traveling with Xia Wuqi was convenient for both of them.
"Excellent."
Xia Wuqi smiled in satisfaction.
Being able to spend more time with his grandson made him extremely happy.
"Oh, by the way."
"Yan'er is close to giving birth."
"You might make it back in time," Xia Wuqi added with a smile.
"Hmm."
Zhao Feng nodded, a warm smile appearing on his face.
"I missed it last time, but this time, I won't."
"General Zhao,"
"A message has arrived from the Supreme General."
"The Hangu Army Camp has now completely taken over the refugee camp and the surrendered soldiers."
A personal guard from Huan Yi's forces arrived swiftly and bowed to Zhao Feng, delivering the message.
"In that case..."
"We can set off for Xianyang today," Zhao Feng said with a smile.
"Commander Ren Xiao,"
"Please gather the physicians and inform them it's time to return to the capital," Xia Wuqi instructed.
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