Chapter 150

The aftermath of the Battle of Gaoping was like a huge stone thrown into the torrent of the times.

The ripples it stirred are profoundly reshaping the landscape of Zhongyuan, incessantly.

The Later Zhou, a fledgling regime not long established, had once been tempest‑tossed.

Thanks to this battle, it not only successfully resolved the gravest survival crisis since its founding.

Moreover, it established its prestige in one battle, and the nation's fortunes surged!

The main force of Northern Han suffered a devastating blow, making it hard to pose a mortal threat in the short term;

The Khitan's proud iron cavalry foundered and broke their spears on the Gaoping plains.

The edge of their southern thrust was snapped off, forcing them to reassess this newly emergent southern rival.

The news spread, and all quarters trembled.

The surrounding warlord factions that had been watching or even slighting the Later Zhou now all restrained their thoughts.

Some sent envoys to congratulate, while others secretly heightened their guard.

In the heartland of Zhongyuan, scholars and common folk long ravaged by war and yearning for unity.

From this they saw a glimmer of hope; the name of Chai Rong began to be spread far and wide, no longer confined to a corner of Chan Prefecture.

And in this battle that decided the nation's fate, the brightest star among the commanders undoubtedly belonged to Chen Wen.

The name "Chan Prefecture's Chen Wenzhong" was accompanied by legendary epithets such as "savior of the lord," "breaker of enemies," and "guardian of Huo."

At an unprecedented speed, it spread to every garrison across the realm.

He was no longer merely a promising newcomer drawing attention within the Chan Prefecture military.

But had formally joined the ranks of the era's top generals.

He became a figure that every faction's intelligence files had to highlight and treat with caution.

Whether it was the northern mortal enemy, the southern neighbors, or the emperor and senior ministers deep in the Bian Liang palace.

All had to begin seriously studying this twenty‑five‑year‑old who had already been ennobled and given command, wielding real power.

Chan Prefecture, too, saw its status soar because of this battle.

It was no longer merely the northern defensive frontier; it had become the political and military center of the Later Zhou, second only to Bian Liang.

Chai Rong's prestige shone at its zenith, and the civil and military talents gathering under him grew ever more numerous.

A cohort centered on him, coalescing strong strength and a will for unity, had already taken shape.

Its momentum was like a dragon leaping from the abyss—unstoppable.

Facing River, Thus entries: Thus entries: Anping, and Luo River—these three counties formed the foundation of Chen Wen's base.

Under this momentum, they entered an unprecedented period of rapid development.

With the official title of Prefect of Chan Prefecture's Defense and the authority to act on his own initiative, Chen Wen encountered far less resistance in implementing his policies.

He applied Ability Granting more systematically and covertly in administration, military industry, and drill, so that the construction and development of the three counties changed day by day.

Fields were laced with lanes, water‑conservation facilities steadily improved, and grain stores grew ever fuller.

The artificers' camp expanded in scale, output surged, not only continually supplying the Jun Ying with fine equipment.

Even some improved farm tools and textiles began to flow to the market, improving livelihoods.

The size of the Jing'an Army grew steadily while maintaining strict quality control.

New recruits, under the guidance of veteran soldiers, underwent rigorous and efficient training, and their combat power grew day by day.

The entire three‑county region presented a stark contrast to the era's prevailing chaos and decay—an atmosphere of orderly vigor and burgeoning life.

All of this, like solid bedrock, firmly supported Chen Wen's ever‑rising status and prestige.

That day, Chen Wen inspected the newly reclaimed fields in Luo River County, asking an old farmer about the growth of the winter wheat.

Zhang Cheng came from behind, delivering a secret letter from Chan Prefecture.

The letter was penned by Chai Rong himself; aside from routine military‑political updates, it casually mentioned a sentence at the end.

"Recently, Bian Liang has seen many envoys traveling between the garrisons; you may also receive visitors at your post, so be on the alert."

Chen Wen finished reading, turning the paper between his fingers, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Envoys from Bian Liang?

This meant the Imperial Court—or rather the hidden emperor—after being shaken by the Battle of Gaoping.

Finally began to act more proactively, seeking to reorganize its relations with the powerful regional fiefdoms.

Especially its relationship with the flourishing Chan Prefecture bloc.

This was both a probe and could harbor designs of division and counterbalance.

"What is destined to come will come."

He murmured to himself, his face showing little surprise.

He was no longer the petty figure who constantly worried about surviving from morning to evening.

Now he commands troops, holds land, governs the people, bears a name, and enjoys the trust of the heroic lord Chai Rong.

Facing the wind and rain from Bian Liang, he now has greater leeway and confidence to respond.

He turned his gaze southward, as if he could pierce thousands of mountains and rivers to see that prosperous yet turbulent capital.

He knows that his future path is destined to be bound up with that city.

And with the power struggles within that city, countless threads of connection arise.

At the same time, he has not forgotten the northern threat and the enemies lurking in the shadows.

Northern Han and the Khitan, though defeated, are not destroyed; the Iron Crow Army and its eerie "Purification Plan" behind them remain shrouded in mist.

These are swords hanging over his head, reminding him that the time to rest easy is far off.

Yet, whether it be open spears or hidden arrows, court intrigue or battlefield conquest.

Now Chen Wen possesses the qualification and strength to confront and even repel them.

The Battle of Gaoping was like a clear watershed.

Before that, he struggled to survive in Jiao Tu Zhen, and carefully managed affairs in Chan Prefecture.

Although he had shown promise, he was still in a stage of accumulating strength and relying on a powerful patron.

After that, relying on his extraordinary achievements, he leapt to become one of the pivotal figures of this era.

Having secured his own solid foundation and great strength, he truly possessed the qualification to make a move on the chessboard of the turbulent age.

The wind has already risen from the end of the green duckweed.

The clouds are gathering at the shores of the four seas.

The era of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, this act of a tumultuous and heroic age, is gradually moving toward its most climactic chapter.

And Chen Wen, this young man who started with a firewood axe, rose from obscurity, relying on his own efforts and the aid of a mysterious system.

He has already broken through all shackles and limitations, like a hidden dragon emerging from the abyss.

He has officially ascended to the core, most dazzling stage of this turbulent age.

His arrival, his choice, his strength, will surely give this era.

Bringing unprecedented variables, composing a chapter of a prosperous age that is utterly different…