xymnovel Chapter 606 The Duke of Zhenguo!
Chapter 606 The Duke of Zhenguo!
Su Ye's gaze inadvertently drifted down and lingered on a bright yellow imperial edict lying quietly not far from the desk.
The imperial edict was embroidered with gold thread and entwined with dragon patterns. Even before it was opened, one could feel the supreme imperial power and solemnity contained within it.
This imperial edict was issued not long ago by the Great Qian Dynasty, conferring upon Su Ye the title of "Duke of Zhenguo," a prestigious title specially created to recognize his outstanding military achievements in suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
The word "镇" (zhen, meaning "to suppress") carries profound meaning. It signifies that Su Ye's rule over the Great Qian Dynasty is as solid as a rock, while also implying the court's wariness and attempts to win him over as he holds significant military power and commands a region.
Su Ye gently stroked the cover of the imperial edict, a faint smile playing on her lips, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Behind this imperial edict conferring the title of Duke lies a hidden undercurrent in the Great Qian court, a complex web of calculations and power struggles between the old and new factions.
With a new emperor ascending the throne and the previous ruler having just passed away, the Great Qian Dynasty is now at a delicate turning point.
With the court in turmoil and various warlords stirring up trouble, the armies of the Night King and the Flame King are closing in from the outside.
Therefore, Su Ye, the heir of the Prince of Yun, who commanded hundreds of thousands of elite troops and was a powerful figure in the region, naturally became the most feared yet indispensable figure within the imperial court.
Conferring upon him the title of Duke was both an acknowledgment of his achievements and a bait thrown out by the court to restrain his potential ambitions and maintain the temporary peace of the dynasty.
Su Ye knew perfectly well that the title of Duke was both a lure and a shackle.
Now, his every move has begun to affect the nerves of the entire dynasty and even the whole world.
Su Ye sighed inwardly, slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the deep night sky outside, his heart filled with complex thoughts.
Moonlight filtered through the clouds, casting dappled patterns on his face and revealing a deep, thoughtful expression.
He turned around, stared at the rolled-up imperial edict again, and a smile flashed in his eyes.
Whatever the Great Qian Dynasty's plans are, given that Su Ye is not prepared to openly confront the Great Qian Dynasty completely.
This imperial edict conferring the title of Duke was indeed a powerful weapon for Su Ye.
With the title of Duke of Daqian, clearing out Hengzhou will undoubtedly be much easier.
It would even make things much easier to start another war in the future.
Whether it's being ordered to punish traitors or purging corrupt officials, the reasons are much easier to find, aren't they?
Thinking of this, Su Ye slowly walked back to his desk, gently rolled up the imperial edict, and carefully put it away, already having made up his mind.
...
A gentle spring breeze, carrying a hint of early summer warmth, drifted through the staggered eaves and finally landed softly on the threshold of the government affairs hall.
At this time, within Tianheng Prefecture, after a period of rest and adjustment, Hengzhou, under the governance of Gao Jiong, Di Renjie, and others under Su Ye's command, gradually restored its former order and prosperity. The streets were bustling with activity, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, presenting a harmonious scene.
But for Su Ye, who now seemed somewhat idle amidst the surrounding crowd, this tranquility seemed too bland.
Therefore, on a sunny afternoon, Su Ye strolled into the government affairs hall.
There, Gao Jiong and Di Renjie were engrossed in a mountain of documents, occasionally glancing up to exchange opinions, their understanding perfectly in sync.
Su Ye gently pushed open the door, and a faint scent of ink wafted into his nostrils. He smiled slightly and stepped into the hall.
He then coughed softly, breaking the silence in the room. The two men looked up at the sound and, seeing that it was their lord, quickly stood up and bowed.
"You two have worked hard."
Su Ye's gentle voice instantly attracted their attention.
Gao Jiong and Di Renjie quickly stood up and bowed, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes, clearly not expecting their lord to visit so suddenly.
"My lord, what brings you here? What urgent matter requires our immediate attention?"
Gao Jiong spoke first, his tone respectful.
"Don't be nervous, I just have an idea that I'd like to discuss with you."
Su Ye waved his hand, gesturing for the two to sit down.
"Please speak, my lord, we would like to hear the details."
Di Renjie frowned slightly, his eyes revealing curiosity.
"Recently, I have observed that heroes have emerged throughout the land, and our Cangzhou army has also gained many new and valiant warriors."
"However, now that the war in Hengzhou and even Cangzhou has temporarily ceased, although they have superb martial arts skills, they have no war merits to rely on, and I'm afraid it will be difficult for them to win over the masses."
"Therefore, I want to hold a 'Martial Arts Tournament' in Hengzhou. Firstly, this will be an opportunity to test their strength and make reasonable job assignments. Secondly, it will also be a chance to recruit talented people and attract those capable individuals out of the wild to work for me."
Su Ye slowly walked to the window, looked at the bustling city outside, and said slowly.
To put it bluntly, Su Ye is just bored out of his mind right now.
Currently, due to the recent acquisition of the Era Card, Su Ye has recently gathered many powerful war gods under his command.
However, I currently have no plans to start any more wars.
Therefore, even if Su Ye knew of their exceptional skills, he couldn't rashly give them a suitable position without any prior military achievements.
Otherwise, it would inevitably provoke discontent among his own troops.
Now, Su Ye's forces are at least a regional overlord controlling three states.
Naturally, a complete promotion system has been established, and it's no longer possible to let Su Ye do whatever he wants as before.
He could put whoever he wanted in charge, even though Su Ye knew there was nothing wrong with his arrangements.
But what do the others who work diligently and fight hard under Su Ye think?
I've been working hard for you for years, and now a new guy has taken my place.
Who can bear this.
Therefore, Su Ye's operations are now expanding, and he needs to start considering various factors.
I can no longer act recklessly according to my own whims.
Therefore, Su Ye planned to hold this "Martial Arts Tournament" to let these newcomers shine at the tournament.
Firstly, if they achieve a good ranking, Su Ye will have a suitable reason to assign them positions.
Secondly, we can take advantage of this time when the Era Cards and various random characters are released to see if we can recruit some other talents from the wild!
Whether there are dates or not, you can always pick one or two by casting a shot.
Moreover, all those divine steeds and weapons I've been buying from the system store over the years finally have a use.
It can be used as a prize for this conference.
You must understand that for these warriors, a good divine weapon and a valiant steed are more important than their wives!
"My lord, this method is feasible. It can both motivate the soldiers and attract talent, truly a win-win strategy. However, holding such a large-scale conference requires careful preparation to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Gao Jiong pondered for a moment, exchanged a glance with Di Renjie beside him, and nodded to Su Ye.
He could tell that his lord was bored and wanted to find something to do.
Therefore, they naturally wouldn't discourage their lord.
Besides, this is indeed something that benefits all three states currently under Su Ye's control.
Now that the three states under Su Ye's command have been embroiled in war for a long time, they certainly need a grand event to ease the tense atmosphere.