The crowd began to stir, and the whispers gradually grew louder.
Lu Yan's words were like sharp knives, piercing their numb hearts.
"If you still want to be maggots trampled in the mud, go ahead!"
"Just pretend I, Lu Yan, farted!"
"From today onwards, you will all serve me like slaves in Shannan Prefecture, work yourselves to death!"
Lu Yan's tone suddenly turned icy, like ice and snow in the dead of winter, sending chills down one's spine.
These words were like a bomb, exploding in the crowd and sweeping over everyone!
This made the soldiers' breathing quicken.
Yes, why do those officials get to live such a life of luxury?
These military households, however, had to guard the border for generations, living like livestock for generations.
Didn't their ancestors shed blood?
Why should I bleed and sweat my way through life, yet still have no way out?
In the crowd, a middle-aged man with a full beard suddenly stood up.
His eyes were red as he roared:
"I quit! I'm not working for Beixiang Kingdom anymore! I'm joining Shannan Prefecture!"
With the first person taking the lead, the rest of the people also stood up.
They waved their fists and shouted:
"Join Shannan Mansion! Join Shannan Mansion!"
"Good! From today onwards, you are people of Shannan Prefecture!"
Lu Yan's gaze swept over the crowd. Although these soldiers were thin and pale, they were all quite large.
Unlike barbarian soldiers, these people were soldiers for generations and were born warriors.
With just a little training, they can become top-notch elite soldiers.
With the establishment of Shannan Prefecture, it was a time when manpower was needed, and Jianmen Pass also needed to be guarded.
Lu Yan turned to Lu Fei and the others and said:
"Recruit soldiers on the spot! Each legion, recruit at least 10,000 men!"
"Pick the good ones, the strong ones, and throw the ugly ones back!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Fei, Zhang Xun, and Han Sheng beamed with joy.
Lu Fei shouted:
"Those who want to eat meat, those who want to drink, those who want to get married, come to the Musketeer Battalion!"
"I'll teach you how to use the most powerful weapon, so you can walk around with your head held high from now on!"
Zhang Xun, not to be outdone, roared at the top of his lungs:
"If you want to ride a tall horse and gallop across the battlefield, come to the cavalry camp! Follow me, kill enemies, earn merit, and get promoted and make a fortune!"
Han Sheng had the softest voice, but he still tried his best to shout:
"The infantry battalion may be tough, but it's the best place to train people! If you want to become a true warrior, come to the infantry battalion!"
"I will personally train you to become warriors capable of taking on a hundred men!"
The three of them chatted away, like vendors at a market, enthusiastically promoting their legion.
The surrendered soldiers below gradually raised their heads, a glimmer of hope igniting in their eyes.
Lu Yan then ordered people to repair the damaged city gate and collect all the remaining grain from Jianmen Pass.
After inventory, it was found that more than 70% of the military rations had been burned, and what remained was only enough to feed these people for three or four months.
Most of the weapons were old, but they could be melted down.
Lu Yan looked at the mountain of spoils and was secretly delighted.
Although the losses in this battle were considerable, the gains were even greater.
Jianmen Pass is geographically extremely important, serving as a vital passage connecting Beixiang Kingdom and Shannan Prefecture.
Taking Jianmen Pass is tantamount to opening the gateway to the Northern Xiang Kingdom.
"My lord, a secret room has been discovered in the city, and it seems to contain many things."
A soldier came to report.
Lu Yan became interested: "Oh? Take me to see it."
The secret room is located in the backyard of the garrison commander's mansion, and the entrance is hidden by a huge stone slab.
It would have been very difficult to find if the soldiers hadn't searched carefully.
Upon entering the secret room, Lu Yan was stunned by the scene before him.
The secret room was filled with gold and silver jewelry, silks and satins, and all kinds of rare antiques.
Clearly, this was the wealth plundered from the people by the general of Beixiang State over many years.
Lu Yan casually picked up a glittering golden chamber pot, weighed it in his hand, and found it to be quite heavy.
"You have to be careful when you pee at night with this thing, lest it blind you."
He turned to look at Li Kui.
"Xiao Kui, this is for you. Use it to pee at night."
Li Kui looked disgusted:
"Sir, please stop teasing me."
"I dare not use this thing. What if I get up at night and get blinded by this golden light and fall flat on my face?"
Lu Yan laughed heartily:
"Yeah, this thing is a bit too flashy. Let's keep it, melt it down later, and use it to pay the brothers a bonus."
At this moment, Li Kui said excitedly:
"Brother, that move you made just now was brilliant! Now, our Shannan Prefecture's military strength has increased considerably!"
Lu Yan smiled and shook his head:
"This is not a brilliant move; it's just the will of the people."
"These people, they just want a hope to live."
"Brother, you're such a good person!"
Lu Fei exclaimed in sincere admiration.
"A good person?" Lu Yan sneered.
"I'm not a good person. I just want to make Shannan Prefecture stronger."
At this point, Lu Yan added:
"Make sure all the credit is tallied up, and then we'll reward those who have done so when we get back."
"Tomorrow, send ten thousand elite troops to guard Jianmen Pass for me!"
Li Kui rubbed his hands together and chuckled:
"Brother, with so much gold and silver we've seized this time, shouldn't we treat the brothers to a good meal?"
Lu Yan glanced at him sideways:
"All you ever think about is money. When will you ever amount to anything?"
"Hehe, following Big Brother, you'll live a life of luxury, get promoted and make a fortune, what more could you want?"
Li Kui looked completely at ease.
"Alright, alright, stop being so cheeky. You'll definitely get your share of the reward this time, but..."
Lu Yan deliberately dragged out his words, looking at Li Kui's nervous expression, before continuing.
"If you want more rewards, you have to produce more merit!"
Li Kui patted his chest and promised that he would work even harder next time.
As they talked, the two walked up to the city wall of Jianmen Pass.
Lu Yan stopped and looked down at the scenery beyond the pass, his heart filled with boundless pride.
He took a deep breath, savoring the joy of victory.
In the distance, the rolling mountains are bathed in the morning light, like sleeping dragons.
"My lord, what are you thinking about?" Li Kui asked, somewhat puzzled.
"I'm thinking about what to do next."
Lu Yan sighed and looked into the distance.
"Next? Of course, we'll press our advantage and march on the stronghold of the Northern Xiang Kingdom!"
Li Kui brandished his fist and spoke with boundless pride.
Lu Yan smiled and shook his head.
"It's not that simple. The Northern Xiang Kingdom is powerful. Although we have now captured Jianmen Pass, we must be careful and proceed step by step."
"You're right, sir."
At this moment, Lu Fei, Zhang Xun, and Han Sheng also came over.
Their faces showed a hint of fatigue, but even more so, the joy of victory.
"The brothers have all worked hard in this battle."
Lu Yan looked at the three of them, his tone tinged with gratitude.
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