Chapter 370

Moreover, she dispatched Fu Hao to kill several overly aggressive officials!

But... this method of killing one to warn a hundred not only failed to produce results; on the contrary, it escalated even further!

Indeed... some court ministers are already sitting at the entrance of Outside Xianyanggong, declaring their refusal to pay taxes!

In that instant, Seeing Ying Zheng, Zhuge Liang, and Zuo Zuo Zongtang felt even greater pressure!

But everyone understood that they could not Songkou!

In such matters, there is only the difference between retreating one step or countless steps!

Yet the pressure was undeniably real!

The people were left unmanaged, government affairs were left unmanaged, the imperial court's edicts could not be delivered, and the entire nation was on the verge of chaos!

Zhuge Liang, Zuo Zuo Zongtang, Li Si, Kill Xiao He, Yuan Chonghuan, Wei Wei Liaozi, and Seeing Ying Zheng had gone days and nights without closing their eyes to handle state affairs!

And just when everyone was about to collapse, suddenly, someone arrived!

Xiaoyaozi!

He had come to Xianyang!

Not only did he arrive, but he also brought Facing Ying Su's victory report and an imperial edict!

162. Seeing Ying Zheng: Tax exemption! If this rebellious son can exempt the tax, then I, the Retired Emperor, can too!

"Proclaim the edict of Facing Ying Su, the Second Emperor of Great Qin!"..

"After nine months of fierce fighting, Han Xin and Wang Jian, without shaming my mission, have slaughtered the six hundred and fifty thousand Xiongnu down to just over thirty thousand, leaving only Chanyu Modu Chanyu Chanyu Modu to lead the remaining three thousand survivors in fleeing across the snow mountains!"

"Thus, although the Xiongnu have not been completely annihilated, the objective of this campaign has been achieved. I hereby appoint Han Xin as Great General of Great Qin. Wang Li, for his merit in guarding Outside Xianyanggong, is granted the title of Che Hou! Li Yuanba is appointed Left General of Great Qin, and Li Cunxiao is appointed Right General of Great Qin! During wartime, they shall lead armies to pacify the world; during peacetime, they shall remain by my side as bodyguards!"

"Xiaoyaozi and the many experts he brought have all achieved great merit in this campaign to annihilate the Xiongnu. To demonstrate my benevolence and virtue, I specially approve them to receive ranks according to the military merit system. In the imperial court, their military merits must be fully accounted for before ranks are conferred!"

"As for the rest of the people and the remaining soldiers, upon my return to Outside Xianyanggong, I shall reward each one individually!"

"Additionally, although the Xiongnu have been destroyed, vast lands remain. I intend to inspect the northern grasslands for one month to prepare for the development of this region. Incidentally, this will allow the soldiers injured in this battle to recover and rest!"

"On the return journey, I will also pass through various Junxian of Great Qin to examine local customs and folkways. I expect to return to the court in the third month of spring. Before my return, I specially appoint my father, Seeing Ying Zheng, to guard the nation, honoring him as Retired Emperor!"

"Zhuge Liang, Zuo Zuo Zongtang, Li Si, and Kill Xiao He shall serve as four Assistant Ministers of State, assisting the Retired Emperor in handling court affairs and governing the nation! Regarding any matter, after deliberation by these five, they shall have sole authority to decide; all ministers in Manchaotang must fully assist them!"

"Now that the Xiongnu have been destroyed and peace reigns throughout the four seas, I specially issue this edict for universal celebration. All people under heaven shall be exempt from taxes for five years, returning wealth to the common people!"

"However... to stabilize national development, nobles, Wang Zu, and the royal family, with their vast households and estates, must contribute fully. Therefore, for the next three harvests, ninety percent of the grain from noble fields shall be paid as tax, leaving only ten percent for their livelihood!"

"Additionally, this victory report shall be made available for all people under heaven to view!"

At that moment, Xiaoyaozi shouted loudly, proclaiming Facing Ying Su's edict!

At the same time, he held a thick roll of silk cloth high above his head with both hands and bowed toward the imperial throne!

However...

Facing his edict and his current actions!

In that instant, almost everyone in Manchaotang was stunned!

Everyone simply could not believe their own ears!

Even Seeing Ying Zheng was shocked!

What does Facing Ying Su's edict say?

Li Yuanba and Li Cunxiao are not dead?

The Xiongnu have been destroyed? Only thirty thousand fled, not three hundred thousand?

And Han Xin has been appointed Great General?

Most importantly, Xiaoyaozi and his group!

What on earth are they?

They were specially approved by Facing Ying Su to receive ranks under the military merit system?

30 And Wang Li has been granted the title of Hou? Che Hou?

On what grounds does he deserve it!

He did nothing in Xianyang City, yet he can be granted the title of Hou?

The key point is that his Wang family, Wang Jian and Wang Ben, are already Hou, and now they want to grant another one?

On what grounds!

Many people exploded with anger!

But... upon thinking for a moment, it seems understandable!

Wang Jian has achieved such great merit that his military rank and noble title have already reached their peak; his son Wang Ben is also nearly at the limit of his titles.

At this time, the benefit can only go to Wang Li!

Of course, for Seeing Ying Zheng, these are secondary matters!

What is important is that Li Yuanba is not dead?

Li Cunxiao is not dead?

Moreover, it seems Han Xin's army losses were not that great?

If only twenty thousand remained, it would be impossible for them to still be wandering outside!

He was ecstatic, and without any delay, he immediately ordered Zhao Gao to take all those items!

Then, immediately, he examined the victory report!

Undeniably, it is thick!

It is truly thick!

But there is a reason for its thickness!

This victory report records almost the entire battle process!

It includes not only the major battles at Aza Guhe and Tuermuhe!

Even some minor skirmishes were included!

It also mentioned rivers, various battle tactics, Ma Dao swords, lasso ropes, and other weapons specifically designed against warhorses!

Furthermore, it contained a complete overview of the grassland terrain, distribution maps of the various rivers, and more!

To speak without reservation, setting aside the scenes of Li Yuanba and Li Cunxiao slaughtering enemies!

This was completely a manual of experience for grassland warfare!

With this victory report, even if Li Yuanba and Li Cunxiao were absent in the future, one could still rely on this report to strike into the grassland again!

Ying Su recorded all of this!

Ying Zheng flipped through a few pages casually and became so excited he could not control himself!

But he had not yet reached the part he cared about most.

What he cared about most was the casualty situation of the main army!

Very quickly, he saw clearly: in this battle, casualties were actually less than ten thousand!

Before the great snow avalanche, the Xiongnu had already been killed to fewer than one hundred thousand!

Seeing Li Yuanba and Li Cunxiao drawing ever closer, Chanyu Modu Chanyu Chanyu Modu panicked; in his desperation, he directly used his sound technique to shatter the snow mountain, creating an avalanche to block Li Yuanba and Li Cunxiao!

But the price of doing so was also devastating!

He buried the seventy thousand men behind him alive!

Yet, this indeed allowed Chanyu Modu Chanyu Chanyu Modu to escape with thirty thousand men!

But Li Yuanba and Li Cunxiao, not a single one of them died!

Even the army behind them suffered no casualties from this!

"Hahaha... A great victory!"

"Truly a great victory!"

At that moment, Ying Zheng looked at this victory report and laughed excitedly!

Similarly, he personally held this victory report and waved it before all the court ministers.

He showed them the great seal stamped on the victory report: "Received Mandate from Heaven, Long Life and Eternal Prosperity"!

He also showed them the record in the victory report stating that Li Yuanba and Li Cunxiao were not dead!

And the casualty record of Ying Su's army!

He plastered all of this onto the faces of all the court ministers; the purpose of all this was naturally to tell them not to be too arrogant!

Ying Su is returning soon!

Li Yuanba and Li Cunxiao are also returning soon!

However, although Ying Zheng was very excited, how could all this be the topic the court ministers cared about?