"… I hear: Meritorious service will be rewarded,
Mistakes will be punished,
Only a wise ruler.
In ancient times, there was Huo Qubing of the Han Dynasty,
When he was 18 years old, he was conferred the title of Marquis.
Today, there is a Secondary Grade 3 Champion General,
Imperial Army Commander Li Lian,
When he was 18 years old,
His service was outstanding,
He was both majestic and virtuous,
His achievements were announced,
His crown began,
His will was strong,
Swearing to the mountains and rivers, he was conferred the title of Champion Marquis … Cutting Lun County and Wan County as Champion Marquis, he was conferred the title of Champion Marquis … He inherited 1,400 mu of land … Announcing to the world, Envoy Xian heard about it, and he was here.
First year of Jinghe, 12th month, 24th day.
"
Even someone as calm as Feng Zizhi could not help but be overjoyed.
He was conferred the title of Marquis.
Li Lian was conferred the title of Marquis.
This was the pinnacle of officials. All of the civil servants looked at Li Lian with envy.
It was easy for generals to be conferred the title of Marquis.
However, in ancient times, there were not many civil servants who were conferred the title of Marquis, apart from those who helped found the country.
It was even harder to say,
Li Lian was conferred the title of Champion Marquis.
Champion,
This was the title of Marquis that appeared in the Western Han Dynasty,
It was derived from the title of "Champion of the Army".
From ancient times to now,
There were only three people who were conferred the title of Champion: Huo Qubing of the Wolf House, Jia Fu, and Dou Xian who helped the Northern Chanyu escape.
Moreover, it was a hereditary land of 2,500 mu!
Based on Da Zhou's example, all of the officials conferred the title of Marquis had the chance to obtain land that was exempt from taxes. No matter what, the court would not tax the land.
Moreover, it was a full 2,500 mu of land!
One must know that the amount of land that a newly conferred Duke could inherit was only this much!
Furthermore, did they hear the contents of the imperial edict?
First year of Jinghe, 12th month, 24th day. That year, Li Lian was only 18 years old!
This was enough to prove that in Zhou Hedi's heart, even though Li Lian was still young, he had already achieved the most meritorious service and was the general that he valued the most.
What made everyone surprised. "Li Lian is still young. although I have some small achievements, it is all because of the Emperor's might and the spirit of the country, I dare not accept the title of Champion Marquis, please retract the Emperor."
Li Lian knelt on the ground and refused the title.
Indeed, even 27 years old was too early to be conferred the title of Marquis. Many old generals who had served the country for most of their lives had never been conferred the title of Marquis.
If this imperial edict had been read when Li Lian was 18 years old, it would have caused an uproar. But now, who in Da Zhou dared to refuse to accept Li Lian's achievements?
Just the fact that he had subdued hundreds of thousands of barbarians was enough for him to be conferred the title of Marquis.
"My beloved subject, don't slander yourself. Based on my beloved subject's contributions, the title of Marquis Champion should have been given to you long ago.
Zhou Hedi's smile widened.
Seeing that Li Lian still wanted to decline, the Retired Emperor said, "Enough!
If it wasn't for me, this imperial edict would have been announced ten years ago!
Accept the decree!
"
"This subject accepts the decree and thanks for your kindness!"
"
Although this imperial edict had been delayed for ten years, it had already been kept in the palace ten years ago. Therefore, the salary and rewards that the Marquis Champion should have received in the past ten years were all sent to the Marquis Champion's residence the next morning.
"Wow!
Old Third!
Conferred the title of Marquis!!
You've been conferred the title of Marquis!!!
"
Before dawn, Jia Xie acted as if she had taken an aphrodisiac. She was extremely energetic and banged on the door of the Marquis Champion's residence. She kept yelling for the door to open, disturbing people's dreams. She was almost beaten up by the guards at the door.
Seeing that Jia Xie's eyes were filled with red hearts and that she was like a pervert, carefully caressing the imperial edict and almost drooling, Li Lian's face couldn't help but darken.
"You've been saying this for more than two hours!
If you wake me up early in the morning just to be crazy, don't blame your younger brother for being ruthless! "
Li Lian was enjoying the warmth of the hibiscus tent with Feng Zizhi. Unexpectedly, a guard suddenly knocked on the door to report that Count Rong had arrived. He had no choice but to come out and "entertain."
"Old Third!
You're amazing!
You've surpassed your older brother! "
This sentence was okay, but the next sentence was: "Although our family has one marquis and one uncle, Old Third, you have great power. This time, you're completely standing on the heads of the Shi brothers!"
"Old Third!"
Shi Ding?
Li Lian gently frowned, "Why are you arguing with the Shi brothers?"
"Old Third!"
"Humph!
Shi Ding, that fellow, is not convinced of our family!
Two years ago, with the help of Nan 'an Jun Wang and Xi' ning Jun Wang, he was conferred the title of Marquis Zhongjing. Although he didn't say anything, the way he looked at your older brother was as if his eyes were not his eyes, and his nose was not his nose!
Just looking at him makes me angry!
Serves him right that the Emperor doesn't like him. His family has been poor for two lifetimes! "
From the Shi Clan's side, Shi Ding was their cousin.
To be honest, the Shi Clan's situation was very complicated.
As far as Li Lian knew, the previous Marquis Baoling had three sons: The eldest son, Shi Nai?
The second son, Shi Nai, and the third son, Shi Ding.
The eldest son, Shi Nai?
His body was not good, and he died young.
Not long after his death, his wife fell ill from longing and also passed away, leaving behind only a daughter.
Thus, the title of Marquis Baoling was inherited by his second son, Shi Nai.
The eldest son, Shi Ding?
He and his second son, Shi Nai, were the legitimate sons of the previous Marquis Baoling's first wife. His mother died during childbirth.
Thus, the previous Marquis Baoling married a second wife. Not long after, the third son, Shi Ding, was born.
The third son, Shi Ding, was the grandson of Nan 'an Jun Wang and Xi' ning Jun Wang.
That's right!
He was the grandson of both of them.
As for the specifics, Li Lian didn't know much about seniority and relationships, so he just called them grandson.
Simply put, Xi 'ning Jun Wang's shu sister married Nan' an Jun Wang as a concubine. Nan 'an Jun Wang and the concubine gave birth to a daughter, and the daughter married the previous Marquis Baoling as his second wife.
Xi 'ning Jun Wang only had one sister, and this concubine was also favored by Nan' an Jun Wang. Thus, Shi Ding was also favored by the two Jun Wang.
This was not!
After stuffing Shi Ding into the army for a few years, he coincidentally followed the Li Lian to the west to pacify the barbarians. With the help of the two Jun Wang, he was actually given the title of Marquis Zhongjing.
Of course, this Marquis title was a bit empty. No, it should be said that it was very empty.
Not only was there no official title, he couldn't get the corresponding taxes, and he didn't even get to live in a village. Shi Ding could only get the title of Marquis and a few hundred taels of silver every year. To him, it wasn't even enough for a meal.
Furthermore, others didn't know how he got his title of Marquis, but how could the civil and military officials in the imperial court not know?
The civil officials despised this nobleman who relied on relationships to get to his position. The military officials were very disdainful of this second generation who relied on Li Lian's merits to become a Marquis. The imperial relatives were apprehensive of the Li Lian and didn't like the two Jun Wang, so they all expressed that they didn't want to interact with him.
Thus, Shi Ding, who was isolated in the imperial court, could only flaunt his power in front of the officials and commoners.
However …
What did this have to do with him!!???
Li Lian clenched his fists and took a deep breath. He decided to give Jia Xie another chance to speak.
"Ahem!"
Seeing that her younger brother was really angry, Jia Xie thought about the weather and couldn't help but feel a little guilty. However, when she thought about the important matter she was going to talk about, she immediately held her head high and puffed out her chest.
Reluctantly putting down the smooth texture of the imperial edict, Jia Xie said seriously, "Old Third ah!
Although the imperial edict was only received last night, you were still conferred the title of Marquis at the age of 18.
You were conferred the title of Marquis by the Emperor at the age of 18, and you're even the Champion Marquis!
This has never happened since the founding of Da Zhou. In a few years, you'll make even greater contributions to the Emperor. At that time, the title of Marquis will become Duke! "
"Alright.
After saying a few words of seriousness, Jia Xie began to talk nonsense again, "Aiya!
Old Third, does this count as going down in history?
At that time, your older brother will also be able to go down in history with you. It'll also bring honor to our Jia family … "When history books record Old Third, there will always be one or two words about his background.
At that time, wouldn't his older brother, Count Rong, appear in history books?
Hehe!
Who would have thought that there would be a day when his name would go down in history!!!
The more Jia Xie spoke, the happier she became. However, when she saw the murderous look on Li Lian's face become heavier, she quickly shrank back and said, "Actually, I just wanted to ask if you want to go to the ancestral hall to worship the ancestors?
After all, your name will go down in history!
"
Thinking about such an important matter, Jia Xie became even more excited. She smiled and said, "I'll go to Nephew Zhen and ask him to inform the elders to prepare incense and offerings …"
Li Lian shook his head without hesitation and refused, "I'm not going."
"Yes."
Jia Xie became anxious, "Go!
You have to pay your respects. It's a good thing and a happy thing. You have to let the ancestors know!
The ancestors would be happy if they knew!
He couldn't wait for the whole world to know about such a glorious thing.
If it weren't for Li Lian's many years of "teaching" and the lack of time, he would have knocked on the door a long time ago.
Mother?
Bull?
Breaking the pupa and squatting down until the end of the pupa?
Happy?
Is it the Blooming Cherry Blossoms of the Spring Forest?
Urgent binding?
Haimi Haimi
For the sake of Li Lian, Jia Xie's hereditary title of First-class General of the State was changed to Earl Rong 'en, and Jia Zhen's hereditary title of First-class General of the State was changed to First-class General of the State.
However, Li Lian stopped his excitement with one sentence. "My surname is Li, not Jia.
"
Jia Xie blinked and opened her mouth wide.
That's right!
Old Third was bestowed the surname Li by the Emperor!
Jia Xie immediately collapsed on the chair in frustration.
He thought for a while, "But … but … your brother's surname is Jia!!!
Jia She's words suddenly jumped out of her mouth.
Li Lian rolled his eyes. His father's surname is Jia!
"And … you know, other than your branch, I haven't seen anyone else with the surname Jia for a long time."
In fact, Li Lian felt that his behavior was very obvious.
Jia Xie raised his fingers and counted, "That's right!
During the holidays, if you're not attending the banquet in the palace, you're being summoned by the Retired Emperor to accompany him.
Usually, you're busy. Even Hu 'er and I only see each other three or four times a month. You don't have time to interact with other people.
"
"It's not because I'm busy, but because my surname isn't Jia, I have to avoid suspicion."
Li Lian explained to Jia Xie in detail, "If you weren't my biological brother, and Hu 'er and Lian' er were brothers, I wouldn't even be able to interact with you."
"
After Li Lian's explanation, Jia Xie had an epiphany.
"Is … is … which one???"
He shrunk his head and tail and gently pointed upwards as he asked hesitantly.
Li Lian nodded.
"Sister-in-law has long understood. If it wasn't for her, why would she only ask Hu 'er and Lian' er to give me things and never ask me to eat or stay at the residence?"
He couldn't help but praise the late Chang Clan's wisest move. It was to hire his niece as Jia Xie.
"No!"
Jia She suddenly slammed his palm on the table and stood up.
"Maybe Nephew Zhen has already received the news. I have to quickly stop him!
I can't let him cause trouble for our family! "
After saying that, Jia Xie hurriedly left the Marquis of Champion's residence.
After his previous life, Jia Xie was extremely respectful of the imperial power.
No matter what the reason was, since the imperial family didn't like it, he was determined not to do it. He didn't want to be remembered by the two on the dragon throne and sent to the frontier again.
Li Lian didn't know what to do with his brother. He could only shake his head and walk to the training field.
Before reaching the training field, Li Lian heard a conversation.
"Your posture is wrong. You should raise your hand higher.
"
"Okay."
"Yes."
"Yes, maintain it like this."
"Yes."
"Master, I want to learn the light and heavy swords."
"Yes."
"What light and heavy swords?"
"Yes."
"Heavy swords have no edge, but light swords can fly for thousands of miles."
"Master, Master, I heard that in the Tang Dynasty, there was a very powerful sect called the Hidden Sword Villa. The disciples of the villa were all equipped with light and heavy swords.
The girl's voice was filled with deep worship and endless yearning.
"Nonsense. A sword is a sword. What light and heavy swords are!?"
The man's tone was light and didn't sound like he was reprimanding her.
"Of course not!
I'm telling the truth! "
"Ah!
Pain! "
His slender fingers flicked the girl's forehead. The force was neither light nor heavy, but the girl cried out in grievance.
Li Lian stood still and looked from afar. He saw that it was Lin Han and his niece Qi Yu.
"Your hand is low. Raise it higher."
Lin Han urged.
After pouting for a while, Qi Yu couldn't help but continue, "I heard that the Hidden Sword Villa has two mental cultivation techniques. One is called the Water-Seeking Art. When used with a light sword, one's body will be light and agile, as fast as the wind. It can also accumulate sword qi, which can be used to attack and defend, advance and retreat.
"
"The other is called the Mountain Abode Sword Intent. When used with a heavy sword, one's attack power will greatly increase.
"
He didn't know where Lin Qi Yu had heard it from, but it sounded so reasonable.
"That's just to trick little girls."
Lin Han had never heard of this mental cultivation technique.
Qi Yu argued, "Of course not!"
If there was even a Heavenly Policy, then the Hidden Sword Villa and Zhuang Hua must also exist!
At this moment, Lin Han noticed a gaze coming from the entrance of the training field. He looked up and saw Li Lian's figure.
After whispering a few words to Lin Qi Yu, he walked to Li Lian's side.
"Commander."
"Yes."
Li Lian curled his lips, crossed his arms, and joked, "How rare!
We should let Brother Jizong and Old Ran come and see how the iceberg melts! "
"
Lin Han didn't respond, only glancing at him indifferently.
"You're already quite old!
When do you plan to get married?
After you get married, you'll have a family and someone who understands you. "
"In the future, when you have children, you can also personally teach them martial arts!"
Li Lian thought that he liked children and tried to persuade him patiently.
Ten years had passed, and Niu Jizong, Ran Feng, and the other old brothers had all gotten married one after another.
For those who didn't have money or houses, Li Lian prepared betrothal gifts for them and prepared houses for them.
For those who didn't have a partner, Li Lian worked hard to act as a matchmaker for them. He didn't even know how many red packets he received from the matchmaker.
Now, among the old brothers, only Lin Han was left alone. It was quite pitiful.
"Enough idle chatter!
What do you plan to do about Ming Wei (Li Mingzhu's military position)? "
Lin Han asked with an indifferent expression.
Li Lian also knew he was shy. Thinking of how Niu Jizong had wantonly teased him in the past, he didn't dare to say anything more.
But …
"I really can't understand Hu Hanye's thoughts."
If he wanted to form an alliance through marriage, the Emperor had several young princesses. If he didn't want to be inferior to the Emperor, the Retired Emperor was old but vigorous. He also had two princesses who were about to reach marriageable age.
"You're in the situation and can't see through it."
A clear voice came from behind him.
Li Lian turned around and smiled, "Yan Nian."
"Yan Nian."
"Yan Nian."
Lin Han nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Feng Zizhi was Li Lian's wife, but the people of Tientse Province didn't feel good calling her sister-in-law or the Commander's wife.
If they called each other eunuchs or factory managers, there seemed to be a layer of distance between them. In the end, they could just call each other by their courtesy names.
Feng Zizhi nodded and continued, "Don't forget that Junzhu is not only the Junzhu of Da Zhou, but also the only female general in Tientse Province."
"…"
"If the political marriage really happens, the Emperor will definitely confer Junzhu the title of Princess."
According to the rules, when a Princess marries into another country, in addition to gold, silver, jewelry, clothes, furniture, antiques, paintings, daily necessities, and medicinal herbs, there will also be dozens of palace servants, hundreds of imperial bodyguards, and hundreds of craftsmen and their families as dowry. "
Feng Zizhi ignored the other dowry and only talked about the people.
He analyzed, "Junzhu is the General of Tientse Province. Naturally, she will choose soldiers from Tientse Province as dowry."
When the time comes, the Xiongnu people will be able to understand Tientse Province's military formation and break it through. "
Frankly speaking, the dowry will be the Tientse soldiers as sparring partners. They will fight in advance to familiarize themselves with the Tientse soldiers' formation and won't take their lives.
What?
Won't it be fine as long as those Tientse soldiers don't become sparring partners?
Haha!
How can one not lower one's head when one is under someone else's roof?
No matter how unwilling one is, when the time comes for Xiongnu people to provoke them or pretend to be mounted bandits, no matter how unwilling one is, one will still have to fight! "
"Moreover, Mingwei is a female general. Naturally, a portion of the soldiers she selects will be female.
Women are easily soft-hearted and moved. In the unfamiliar grasslands, they only need to send a few handsome Xiongnu men or pitiful Xiongnu children. After interacting with them day and night, they will be able to obtain the internal strength mantras and spear techniques of Tientse Province.
Even the male soldiers can use the honey trap. Perhaps it will be easier to succeed! "
Li Lian rubbed his chin and deduced many things from one example.
The main reason why Tientse Province was able to suppress Lam Tin Tai Camp in the past ten years and had never been defeated was because of the two Tientse mantras, the three Great Spear Techniques, and the three Great Formations.
These internal strength mantras were extremely rare and could only be obtained by large clans or sects that had been passed down for a long time.
Generally, they were treated as family heirlooms and were not seen to be passed down to outsiders. They were passed down to males and not females, and only children and not grandchildren.
Even if they were passed down to an 'outsider', that 'outsider' would either be a direct disciple or a loyalist.
How could they be like Li Lian and choose to contribute to the country?!
Moreover, the mantras and spear techniques of Tientse Province were much stronger than those of other clans.
In order to prevent people from deliberately sneaking into Tientse Province and leaving after learning the mantras and spear techniques, apart from the first batch of eight thousand recruits, every time new recruits were recruited, Li Lian would use the system's subordinate panel to check if there were any people with bad intentions.
"There are also those craftsmen. There are farmers who specialize in farming, craftsmen who specialize in construction, and blacksmiths who specialize in forging and making weapons."
Lin Han calmly said, "If Mingwei can't guard her heart, Hu Hanye will be able to obtain more information from her mouth."
Li Mingzhu was a true third in command of the Tientse Province. He knew a lot about the internal affairs of the government, the defense of Da Zhou's border army, and the political situation in detail.
Feng Zizhi added, "In addition to people, the dowry will also include hundreds of ancient books, hundreds of medical prescriptions, countless grain seeds, and so on."
These were all things that could strengthen Xiongnu's power.