Chapter 261: Awarding Achievements - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 261: Awarding Achievements

It wasn't that Shan Yan didn’t know; it was that the place he mentioned had long been empty.

The Ninth Prince, furious, stormed into the prison and beat him mercilessly! The more bloodshed, the more excited he became.

His bloodthirsty demeanor frightened even his subordinates.

Shan Yan, who had not eaten for several days and had been tortured continuously, finally succumbed.

Seeing Shan Yan lying motionless, the Ninth Prince stopped whipping him.

“Go check if he’s dead.”

“Yes.”

One of the subordinates approached, checked his pulse, and with a grave expression said, “Your Highness, he is dead.”

“Then he’s dead. Send the news back to the Eastern Capital, telling the Emperor that this former governor, fearing torture, committed suicide by biting his tongue. As for his body, just throw it in some unmarked grave. Continue searching for the silver notes; if he won’t talk, interrogate his family. I refuse to believe no one knows where it is!”

“Yes!”

After dropping the whip on the ground and wiping the blood off his hands with a handkerchief from Long Guang, the Ninth Prince left with his entourage.

In the prison, countless horrific screams could be heard, but the whereabouts of the silver notes remained undiscovered.

Meanwhile, in Liangzhou City, Xiao Ji was deeply troubled by the message sent by General Su.

He called for Feng Shan, the head of the Feng family, and Elder Chen to discuss countermeasures.

“I never expected that the governor would be colluding with the Northern Di. No wonder he initially hosted the Ninth Prince’s welcoming banquet. Not only did it delay the army's advance, but he also deliberately reported the Liangzhou situation when everyone was drunk, forcing me to travel overnight. This led to the Northern Di's successful bridge explosion due to my oversight!”

He slammed his fist on the table, causing it to crack at the corners.

Xiao Ji knew he was mourning the soldiers who had drowned, so he could only pat his shoulder and offer words of comfort.

“Fortunately, General Su has caught him with evidence, and he won’t have a good end. But now we need to think of a plan. If the Ninth Prince crosses the bridge and comes to Liangzhou City to create trouble, how can we protect the disaster victims?”

The so-called disaster victims were actually foreigners.

Recently, nearly 8,000 had arrived, almost a tenth of the original population of Liangzhou City.

Moreover, more were expected to arrive, though the final number was uncertain.

However, their attitude was to accept everyone.

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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com

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If Liangzhou wanted to rise to a higher level, it had to embrace everything around it.

Among these foreigners, there were indeed some who were unambitious and engaged in petty crimes, but they were a minority. Most were hardworking, and their presence had even made the previously somewhat lazy people of Jin Dynasty more diligent.

“Rather than being complacent and looking down on foreigners, we must stay vigilant.”

Elder Chen saw through the issue and spoke directly, “The Ninth Prince’s move is just to claim credit for the Liangzhou battle. If General Xiao could divert this glory to the Ninth Prince, it might ensure peace in Liangzhou.”

Xiao Ji pursed his lips and remained silent.

Xiao Mu Qian beside him could no longer sit still.

“Why should we? We fought hard for our military achievements, only to hand them over to the Ninth Prince, who spends his nights in Gansu City, living a life of pleasure. Why should we?”

As a military officer of the Jin Dynasty, gaining more honor through military achievements was the desire of most.

Especially for lower-ranking soldiers and officers, who hoped this great victory would lead to promotions, increased pay, and better support for their families.

If they surrendered their achievements, it would demoralize their troops.

A small change could have a significant impact, leaving Xiao Ji in a difficult position.

Feng Shan had been silent but now spoke up, having understood his thoughts.

“General can write a letter, attributing the rapid recovery of Liangzhou City to the Ninth Prince. This is not a small credit. The Emperor will surely reward the Ninth Prince greatly if he knows. This way, you can exchange the glory for the honor of your subordinates. The Ninth Prince will likely agree.”

“But the post-war reconstruction is the achievement of Feng Brother, the other family heads, and Elder Chen. My military achievements can be forfeited, but if your contributions are erased, there may never be another opportunity.”

In the social hierarchy of merchants, they had little status.

Xiao Ji originally hoped to use this opportunity to restore some dignity for these selfless family heads, even if it was just a plaque from the Emperor. This could significantly elevate their status.

But now…

Feng Shan smiled broadly and exchanged glances with Elder Chen.

His magnanimity impressed Xiao Ji.

“General Xiao, rest assured. We are rebuilding our own home. If Liangzhou becomes more prosperous, we merchants will naturally earn more. This is much better than intangible achievements. Moreover, we have provided disaster relief, which the people have seen. A mere name is insignificant. We don’t care about it. I believe the other family heads feel the same. Elder Chen, do you agree?”

“Yes! Please do not worry about us. This small matter is nothing. The peace of Liangzhou is more important!”

With this, Xiao Mu Qian’s mood eased considerably.

He said to Xiao Ji, “Second Uncle, rest assured. As long as the soldiers get the credit they deserve, I won’t raise this issue again!”

“Good! This time, our Xiao family’s sons have done well.”

Seeing that all three were humble and selfless, Xiao Ji felt grateful. Liangzhou City was fortunate to have them.

The next day, Xiao Ji confidently wrote a detailed memorial attributing both the Liangzhou battle and the post-war reconstruction achievements to the Ninth Prince. The thick report was promptly delivered to the Ninth Prince.

Upon reading it, the Ninth Prince’s delight was barely contained in his smile.

“General Xiao is indeed a pillar of the nation. This prince is deeply impressed. Since this memorial has been drafted, let’s expedite it to the capital. The Emperor must be eager to see it.”

“Understood!” The messenger was General Su. Though he did not agree with General Xiao’s actions, he recognized it as the best choice given the circumstances.

If the Ninth Prince were to cause trouble in Liangzhou, not only would they lose military credit, but many others would also suffer.

Better to let the Ninth Prince have the glory, while the truth remained known to the prince.

In the future, those deserving rewards would certainly not be overlooked!

Taking advantage of the Ninth Prince’s high spirits, he quickly added, “The Ninth Prince commanded the campaign excellently, but the soldiers fought valiantly as well. I hope the Ninth Prince will reward them generously for their efforts.”