The king pondered for a moment, knowing full well what his daughter was thinking.
Princess Mingyue had previously praised Lu Yan highly and even took the initiative to propose a marriage alliance with him.
At the time, the king thought that this lowly prefect was not good enough for his daughter.
In retrospect, perhaps this was a good choice.
"Mingyue, you mean..."
“Father, I wish to go to Shannan Prefecture to discuss the marriage alliance with Lu Yan.”
Princess Mingyue spoke with a firm tone.
"Your subject believes that as long as we can persuade Lu Yan, we can not only avoid war."
"It will also allow my Northern Xiang Kingdom to gain a rare talent. Moreover, I also have a good impression of Lu Yan."
Looking into his daughter's determined eyes, the king felt reluctant to part with her, yet he was also somewhat moved by her words.
He hesitated for a moment, struggling internally.
Torn between the fate of the nation and his daughter's happiness, he found himself in a difficult position.
“Mingyue, do you know how dangerous this journey to Shannan Prefecture is? That Lu Yan is cunning and treacherous; what if he…”
“Father, I believe that Lu Yan is not a treacherous person.”
"If he were truly a power-hungry person, how could he single-handedly protect the peace and tranquility of the people of Shannan Prefecture?"
"Moreover, I am not going alone. I will have guards to protect me, so Father need not worry."
Princess Mingyue offered gentle words of comfort, but her eyes revealed an unwavering determination.
The king sighed deeply, knowing that his daughter had made up her mind and that no amount of persuasion would change her mind.
Deep down, he was both worried about his daughter's safety and secretly hoped that her trip would be successful.
They also believed that Lu Yan was indeed a powerful enemy, and that befriending him would be more beneficial than harmful.
"Sigh, Mingyue has really grown up and has her own opinions now."
"Very well, we'll do as you say. But the journey to Shannan Prefecture is long, so you must be careful in everything you do."
"If things don't go well, return immediately; do not be stubborn."
He looked at his daughter and silently prayed:
Hopefully, Lu Yan is truly the kind of person Mingyue said he is, someone you can entrust your life to.
If he dares to bully my precious daughter, I will make him pay the price!
"Thank you, Father!"
Princess Mingyue thanked her with joy, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
He turned and left, beginning preparations for his journey to Shannan Prefecture.
...
Meanwhile, Lu Yan was supervising the construction work in a county.
The construction of the Shannan Prefecture sub-county (formerly the land of the barbarians) is also nearing completion.
Brand new houses have sprung up, and wide roads have been built in all directions.
The once desolate land of barbarians has now been completely transformed.
The disaster victims from Qingzhou gradually migrated here and began a new life.
Looking at the thriving scene before him, Lu Yan felt a great sense of accomplishment.
He recalled the scene when he subdued the barbarians and couldn't help but chuckle.
Those once fierce barbarians
Now they have all become honest farmers, working hard in the fields.
"Li Kui!"
Lu Yan shouted loudly.
"Brother, I'm here!"
Li Kui came running over excitedly, his face beaming with smiles.
"Hey kid, come here and see what these barbarians have become!"
Lu Yan pointed to the busy barbarians in the fields and said with a smile.
Li Kui scratched his head and chuckled:
"Brother, they're all law-abiding citizens now, they're all honest and law-abiding."
"Hmm, not bad."
Lu Yan nodded.
"However, these people are strong and healthy. It would be a waste of talent to just let them farm."
"Here's what we'll do: select some strong and capable men from among them and form a new army."
"A new unit?"
Li Kui's eyes lit up.
"Brother, that's a great idea! These barbarians may not be very bright,"
"But each of them is incredibly strong, making them perfect for fighting!"
"Yes, but we must be very strict in our selection process, keeping only those who are loyal to Shannan Prefecture."
"Send all the disloyal ones back to farming!"
Lu Yan said seriously.
"Don't worry, brother, I understand!"
Li Kui patted his chest and assured him.
After rounds of selection, Li Kui finally chose three thousand strong and capable barbarians.
A new unit called the "Big Sword Team" was formed.
They are called that because the weapons these barbarians are best at using are broadswords.
Lu Yan appointed Li Kui as the captain of the Big Sword Team and earnestly said to him:
"Li Kui, this team is in your hands now. You must train them well."
"Let them become a loyal and invincible elite force!"
Li Kui trembled with excitement. He knelt on one knee and shouted:
"Don't worry, brother, I will do anything, even risk my life, to live up to your expectations!"
Lu Yan looked at Li Kui and nodded in satisfaction.
He knew this was a "big sword squad" composed of barbarian warriors.
They will become an important force in Shannan Prefecture and play a significant role in future wars.
Standing on the command platform, Li Kui looked at the dark mass of barbarian soldiers below and felt a chill run down his spine.
These barbarian soldiers were all big and burly, with bulging muscles.
His eyes had a wildness about them, like a pack of hungry wolves waiting for their meal.
He cleared his throat and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"You all look like wilted vegetables after a frost! Anyone who didn't know better would think I dug up your ancestral graves!"
"Get up and straighten up, all of you!"
The barbarian soldiers below looked at each other.
It made a few indistinct murmurs, but didn't react much.
Li Kui cursed inwardly, "A bunch of clueless idiots."
The volume was increased again:
"You bastards! Listen up! From today onwards, you're all fleas in my crotch!"
"I am known by my real name and surname, and I am known in the martial arts world as Li Kui! Master Kui!"
"From now on, whenever you see me, call me 'Master Kui,' understand?"
This time, the barbarian soldiers finally reacted.
He called out "Master Kui" a few times here and there.
The sound was like muffled thunder, making Li Kui's ears ring.
Li Kui grinned, revealing a set of big white teeth:
"That's more like it! You little rascals, listen up, Grandpa!"
"If you don't train properly, I'll slap your butt with my invincible, deadly Thunder Palm!"
Upon hearing that they were to be spanked, the barbarian soldiers immediately stirred.
Some people even showed expressions of horror.
Seeing this, Li Kui chuckled inwardly.
These barbarians may look fierce and menacing, but they're actually more timid than rabbits.
He continued:
"Of course, if you perform well, I, Kuiye, will reward you handsomely!"
"Gold, silver, jewelry, beautiful women, and fine wine—you name it!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com