We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

At the north gate of Chaoyang City, the central square.

Originally this place was a ruin. After Li Che asked Liu Ye to replan the residential area, he deliberately turned this area into a square.

On weekdays, people can gather in the square to socialize, or set up stalls to supplement their family income.

The square was bustling with people at this time. Soldiers and laborers from the four teams gathered here, surrounded by curious residents of Chaoyang City.

The soldiers around were wearing armor, holding weapons, and standing upright, like statues.

Only when the breeze blows will their battle robes flutter gently.

The sun was high in the sky, but it seemed to be infected by the solemn atmosphere, and its light became soft and heavy.

In the middle of the square, a huge object was covered with a red cloth, its outline vaguely visible in the sunlight.

The people gathered closely behind the soldiers, standing on tiptoe, trying to see the object covered by the cloth through the gaps in the crowd.

Just then, the sound of horse hooves broke the silence of the square.

Li Che rode a warhorse and walked slowly towards him. His expression was serious and determined. He slowly walked to the object covered by cloth and stopped.

Behind him, four production and construction regiment commanders followed closely, and behind them were the fully armed guards.

He was also wearing a set of pitch-black iron armor, with a visor covering his head so that his face could not be seen, and a blood-red cloak draped over his back.

The Royal Guard Battalion has completed the merger with the Rangers, and incorporated elite soldiers from various armies and camps, making up a total of 800 people and renamed it the Royal Guard.

These eight hundred people are the most powerful soldiers in the Fengtian Army. Each of them is a warrior who can fight ten people at the same time. They are the ancient version of special forces.

Li Che looked around and rode to the center of the square.

He put down the reins with both hands and looked at the crowd in silence.

All eyes around were directed at Li Che. At first, noisy discussions could be heard, but as Li Che remained silent, the discussions gradually stopped.

Li Che nodded secretly. The failed student was not deceiving me. This is the power of silence!

He cleared his throat and said:

"Half a year ago, this king came to this city and defeated those corrupt aristocratic families of the previous dynasty."

"Many people died in that battle."

Everyone looked sad, and the atmosphere became sad and solemn. Many people's families and friends were the victims of that battle.

"Afterwards, I led my army in a surprise attack on the Mohe, defeating five tribes in one night. From then on, all the Mohe tribes south of the Liao River began to surrender."

"And many people died in that battle."

The Mohe barbarian soldiers in the crowd lowered their heads with expressions of shame on their faces.

Before this battle, their positions were contrary to Fengguo's and they were in a hostile relationship.

Now when I listen to Li Che's words again, I always feel uncomfortable.

"Five months ago, the Fengtian Army launched its first expedition. Ten thousand of them defeated a hundred thousand and drove the Koreans back to their homeland!"

"The battle is over. We lost over a thousand soldiers, and more than half of the army was wounded!"

When the soldiers of the National Protection Army heard this, they all looked at Li Che with gratitude and admiration.

It was this battle that allowed tens of thousands of National Protection Army soldiers to integrate into Feng State and allowed the wandering wanderers to return home.

"Two months ago, the Khitan invaded and provoked us. This king led the Ninggu and National Protection Armies to fight back!"

"We have captured two Khitan cities and defeated their 140,000-man army. The Khitan Khan, Yelu Daha, has surrendered to our Feng State. All the barbarians outside the Great Wall are awed by the prowess of our Feng Army!"

"This battle is the greatest foreign war victory Daqing has achieved since its founding!"

"Your Majesty is overjoyed, the court is shaken, and millions of people across the country are celebrating and congratulating him."

Everyone felt their blood boiling, as if there was a raging fire in their chests that they couldn't help but express.

But looking at the many vassal states of Daqing, which one could achieve such great results in less than a year after its establishment?

This is group cohesion!

Tie the glory of the country and personal honor and disgrace together, and they will prosper together.

Li Che was riding on a horse and could see everyone's expressions clearly.

Feeling that the effect he wanted had been achieved, he suddenly changed the subject:

"However, how could the officials in the court know how much my country paid to win this battle?"

"How could Daqing know that in the battle under Liaoyang alone, 4,581 soldiers of our Fengtian Army were buried in that city forever!"

Everyone lowered their heads, remained silent, and remembered.

Especially the soldiers of the National Protection Army, they thought of their colleagues who died defending the city, and their companions who died calmly...

I thought of the heroic spirits who marched against the enemy on that night among the 800 elite cavalrymen who attacked the enemy camp.

"They will forget, but I will not forget!" Li Che's voice suddenly became high-pitched.

He reached out and grabbed the red cloth behind him, then pulled it hard. The red cloth slowly slid down, revealing the true appearance underneath.

The soldiers held their breath, staring at the front, almost forgetting to breathe.

It was a tall monument with a solid base and a smooth body.

There is an iron shell on the monument, on which are densely engraved countless names - the names of those soldiers who died heroically in the war.

On the side of the stele, two sentences written by Li Che were engraved:

【I hope the morning sun will always shine on my land】

【Never forget the blood of the martyrs】

The Fengguo official couldn't help but read out these two lines of words, with a sad and sorrowful look on his face.

Li Che looked at the monument and continued:

"This monument is forged from the weapons of fallen soldiers. Eight thousand nine hundred and sixty names are engraved on the blood-stained vermilion."

"They are the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country since I left the imperial capital. I have ordered the names of every one of them to be recorded."

"Their sacrifice has not been forgotten by this king, nor will it ever be forgotten!"

As Li Che spoke, tears welled up in the soldiers' eyes.

They tried hard not to move and could only stare wide-eyed, trying to see the names on the monument clearly and find the comrades who had fought side by side with them.

The atmosphere in the square became more solemn. Some people covered their mouths, and some began to sob softly.

Among these names may be their sons, husbands, and friends.

Li Che stood in front of the monument, bowed deeply, and did not stand up for a long time.

Then he raised his head and said in a loud and heavy voice:

"This king sincerely hopes that these names will not be added any more and that this monument will not grow any taller."

"However, this king also knows that this is impossible. If Fengguo wants to survive outside the Great Wall, it must fight against heaven, earth, and people."

"As long as there is struggle, sacrifice is inevitable."

Li Che stretched out his hand and brushed across the blood-stained words.

“Perhaps, in the future there will be one, two, or even ten more monuments erected here!”

"But this king will not forget, the people will not forget, and the country will not forget!"

"May the morning sun always shine on our land, and never forget the blood of the martyrs!"

As Li Che spoke, people in the square bowed their heads and paid their deepest respects to these heroes.

The wind seemed to sense the tragedy of the moment, blowing gently as if whispering to these heroic spirits.

Li Che looked behind him at the soldiers and civilians of the Production and Construction Corps, and said slowly:

"Today is the day that Fengguo sets out again. Forty thousand pioneers will leave this Chaoyang City and go to the wilderness to carve out a new home."

"I wish you all a safe journey and success in everything."

"You are about to embark on a road full of challenges. You will open up new territories and win glory and dignity for the country."

"Remember, you are not alone. You represent the hope and future of Fengguo."

"You must take every step firmly, fight every battle with all your might, and every heroic spirit that sacrifices will return home."

"Don't be afraid, don't be confused! Because behind you is our home, our loved ones, and our country!"

Li Che drew the sword from his waist and pointed it at the sky outside the city: "Let's go, for the country!"

After hearing Li Che's encouragement, the soldiers' eyes flashed, and they all raised their weapons and struck the ground.

Weapons fell in rows, and the soldiers roared loudly:

"Long live the country! Long live the country!"

"Long live His Highness! Long live His Highness!"

The sound echoed in the city for a long time.

The four captains walked forward, came to the front of their respective teams, and shouted in unison: "Move!"

Then they rode forward in an orderly formation, heading out of the city.

Their figures gradually disappeared at the end of the sight, leaving only a cloud of dust and an empty city gate.

Wang Xizheng, who was standing beside Li Che, watched the Fengguo flag disappear from his sight and sighed with some envy.

Li Che glanced sideways and asked with a smile, "Are you feeling uncomfortable because I didn't let you go?"

Wang Xizheng quickly bowed and said, "I dare not. Your Highness does not allow me to go. You must have your own plans."

Li Che nodded slightly.

Among the five people, Li Che finally chose to keep Wang Xizheng.

It’s not that he is not good enough, on the contrary, among these people, Li Che is most optimistic about Wang Xizheng.

This boy has a pure heart. Although he studied under a famous scholar, his thoughts are not pedantic and he is a man who gets things done.

But because of this, he seems too simple and has a low emotional intelligence compared to the other four.

This kind of person is suitable for doing one thing to the extreme, rather than being a commander who coordinates the overall situation.

However, Li Che did not treat him badly. He made him the second-in-command of the Ministry of Agriculture, in charge of Fengguo's agricultural affairs.

With his abilities, he will surely be promoted in the future, and even the position of being in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture is not a bad idea.

In ancient times, he would be the Minister of Agriculture, one of the Nine Ministers, and he was in a very high position and had great power.

"By the way, have you written letters to your fellow brothers and sisters?"

Wang Xizheng was also the successor of the Taoyuan School. His senior and junior brothers were all talented in agriculture, and Li Che had long coveted them.

After a few days of contact, the relationship between the two became better and better, and Li Che naturally proposed to invite Taoyuan to come to Fengguo.

Wang Xizheng gladly accepted the invitation and volunteered to write a letter on behalf of Li Che to invite his fellow apprentices.

"The letters have been sent out. One letter was given to the master and the other to the eldest brother." Wang Xizheng replied.

"The Taoyuan Sect is not valued by His Majesty. My brothers have many skills but they are useless. I believe that after receiving His Majesty's invitation, they will immediately embark on the journey to serve the country."

"That's great." Li Che nodded slightly.

They are all agricultural masters and practical talents, and I am very jealous of them.

I'll write a letter to persuade him first. If literary tactics don't work, I'll be forced to resort to force.