Chapter 251

First Volume, Chapter 251: Joy Begets Sorrow

The Liang Emperor suppressed his inner joy, his expression unreadable as he gazed at the ministers and asked pointlessly, "My loyal ministers, what do you make of this new army's glory in Beixi?"

The Ministry of War officials remained silent, waiting for ministers from the Ministry of Revenue or the Ministry of Personnel to speak first.

The ministers from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel wore expressions of embarrassment; praising the new army would bolster the Ministry of War's prestige, yet deliberately belittling it would make them appear blind—truly caught between a rock and a hard place.

For a moment, all ministers from the two ministries fell silent, the hall plunged into deathly stillness.

Only Grand Commandant Gao Ming remained composed; he stepped forward, bowed deeply, and lavished praise: "A mere few dozen men, marching a thousand li to the Northern Border, fought successive battles, eliminated hundreds of local bandits, annihilated two hundred Beidi Elite Raiding Cavalry, and beheaded the Legendary Fang General—this single victory has dramatically boosted the morale of the Liang Army. This battle proves the unprecedented, unmatched tactical advantage of the New Army Soldiers!"

"I propose we assign these New Army Soldiers to each garrison camp as instructors, teaching open field tactics to strengthen every unit's combat power. Surely, our Great Liang will then gain wings like a tiger!"

What a clever ploy of feigning restraint to later strike!

Gao Ming was truly the most cunning of them all!

Qin Feng had poured immense resources into forging these elite soldiers, yet now, with a single word from Gao Ming, they were to be scattered across every camp—effectively cutting the ground from under his feet and weakening Qin Feng's power.

Fortunately, Qin Tianhu reacted swiftly, stepping forward and loudly rebutting: "Grand Commandant, your words are mistaken. If we divide these elite soldiers among the camps, won't that dilute their combat power? My Quan Lang founded the New Army precisely as a dagger aimed at the Beidi's vital point—would following your suggestion not betray its very purpose?"

"If other camps wish to learn the New Army's tactics, they may send trusted officers to observe and study at Tianji Camp, then bring those methods back—instead of cutting the very foundation."

Li Xu quickly seized the opportunity, sneering: "Cutting the foundation? Minister Qin, are you accusing the Grand Commandant of corrupt intent, disrupting our grand war effort and disregarding Liang's prosperity? If you have no proof, publicly slandering the Grand Commandant—what crime is that?"

Xie Bi, the Duke of Ning, who had always avoided factional strife, stepped beside Qin Tianhu and said gravely: "Minister Qin and the Grand Commandant are discussing the future of the New Army; though their words may have been sharp, they are reasonable. Minister Li, as Minister of Personnel, you've dragged this into factional politics—is that not inappropriate?"

Li Xu flung his sleeve aside and snorted: "The Duke of Ning is Qin's in-law—of course he defends Qin!"

Watching the entire court erupt in debate, the Liang Emperor inwardly sneered.

In the Imperial Court, even the pettiest matters inevitably spiraled into factional strife.

The Liang Emperor was long accustomed to this.

Moreover, when the two factions clashed and checked each other—so long as they didn't blindly oppose everything and twist truth into falsehood—it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

The Liang Emperor cared little; he turned his gaze to Qin Feng and said with deep implication: "Qin Feng, you're usually so eloquent—why today become a mute jar? Have a few days as Beixi County Magistrate dulled your edge? These New Army Soldiers, with their unprecedented strength, were trained by your own hand. The ministers merely offer suggestions—I still need to hear your opinion."

The earlier factional clash had given Qin Feng a wake-up call.

In truth, he was merely a nominal "instructor," with no real control over the New Army.

If he trained the entire New Army only for others to reap the benefits, he might as well go smash his head against a tofu block.

Yet now he held no military rank; if he grasped control too tightly, he'd give his enemies ammunition for future impeachment.

After careful thought, the safest course was to flexibly control the New Army's Command Authority, while firmly holding onto the control of the three hundred soldiers—leaving no room for challenge.

These three hundred soldiers would be Qin Feng's foundation in Jingdu.

After all, politics is an extension of military power—without a gun in hand, one's voice can never ring true.

Qin Feng finally shifted his gaze away from the Ministry of Personnel officials.

All Ministry of Personnel officials, especially the Minister of Personnel, exhaled in relief.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Qin Feng wore a shrewd merchant's grin and replied with a question: "What if I make a deal with His Majesty?"

Even the Liang Emperor and the entire court were long accustomed to Qin Feng's shocking remarks.

After all, the New Army itself had been founded on a "deal."

Though this statement bordered on disrespect, everyone tactfully pretended not to hear.

The Liang Emperor had already tasted the sweetness of "deals" and was deeply intrigued: "Oh? What kind of deal do you propose? Tell me."

Qin Feng rubbed his hands and chuckled: "I sought control of Beixi County for the sake of our Great Liang."

"Beixi County lies on the Northern Border's frontier—a critical gateway of our realm—yet ravaged by corrupt officials, its people's livelihood has collapsed, and Beidi Cavalry constantly infiltrate and ambush it. Not only do the people suffer, but this also plants a hidden threat along the entire Northern Battle Line. If a decisive war erupts and the enemy uses Beixi County as a springboard to infiltrate, plunder civilians, cut off Grain Escort lines, and strike at our rear, won't this severely weaken Liang's tactical advantage?"

"I swear a military command: within two months, I will turn Beixi County into an iron-clad gateway, making Beidi Cavalry infiltration impossible. I will also make Beixi County a vital stronghold for Biancheng and the safest military grain transit hub."

At Qin Feng's words, the entire Grand Hall fell silent.

The Liang Emperor stared fixedly at Qin Feng, speechless for a long while.

Beixi County held immense geopolitical importance, yet its distance made it unreachable, its local power structures complex, and Beidi infiltration relentless—so the court could only watch helplessly as Beixi decayed, with no good solution. Before Chen Li, the Ministry of Personnel had already sent two highly capable officials.

The first was driven out by collusion between local gentry and Zhou Fu officials.

The second was assassinated in his sleep by Beidi assassins!

In short, if Beixi County stabilized, half of Liang's Front Line would be secured—but this was the last thing Beidi wanted.

The more chaotic Beixi County became, the better it suited Beidi.

If Qin Feng could deliver on his word, it would play a decisive role in the fate of the nation.

The Liang Emperor, though filled with hope, remained extremely cautious, and asked gravely: "I won't ask how you'll do it—what do you want from me in exchange for Beixi County's stability?"

Qin Feng didn't beat around the bush: "Three conditions. First, grant me these three hundred soldiers as my personal bodyguards. As for the other two battalions of the New Army, I will only command them on your behalf—their actual control remains yours. Second, I alone shall serve as Beixi County Magistrate for life—no one else shall replace me!"

"Third, I may send any Materials and Supplies into Beixi County without reporting to the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Personnel, or the Ministry of Works."

At these words, the entire court erupted in uproar.