After being demoted, my 300,000-strong army trampled the imperial city!

"Of course, they couldn't survive without money and food, so they had no choice but to come to the northern frontier to make a living. But we did not harm anyone, so please forgive them, Your Majesty."

Chu Jiang knelt on the ground, clasped his fists, and looked completely at ease.

Chen Futu then asked, "Tell me, what is the current situation of the Northern Mountains?"

Chu Jiang didn't mince words and immediately told the whole story.

In short, after Sun Chengzong left, the rebel leaders fought each other for territory, and the situation became increasingly out of control. Some leaders even harmed the people. He couldn't stand it and killed a few, which angered the other rebels. They gathered tens of thousands of people and surrounded him. He led his men in a fierce battle and eventually broke through the encirclement to escape to the northern border. The wounds on his body were from that time.

It's inevitable that rebel armies will fight for territory; only with enough territory can they become true rebel kings and have the qualifications to contend for the world.

Then look at those emaciated and sallow-faced soldiers in disarray.

Chen Futu ordered them to be escorted back to camp, and then provided them with food, wine and meat.

Seeing that the King of the Northern Frontier not only spared their lives but also provided them with wine and meat, the eyes of the mutinous soldiers immediately welled up with tears.

No wonder everyone says the King of the Northern Frontier is a great ruler; seeing him now, it is indeed so.

Chu Jiang didn't understand what Chen Futu meant, but he said gratefully, "This humble general thanks Your Majesty for your kindness."

Chen Futu beckoned him to join him for a drink. Chu Jiang was flattered and surprised. Dian Wei patted him on the shoulder with a laugh, "If you had let your troops kill people, you would have been dead long ago. Coming to rob grain is somewhat understandable. Why would the King hold it against you?"

"I see. Then the criminal has overstepped his bounds."

Chu Jiang scratched his head sheepishly and sat down.

Seeing Chen Futu's mocking expression, Yue Fei understood about 70-80% of the situation.

The next banquet was quite lively. Chu Jiang had a good capacity for alcohol, and after half of the wine, he suddenly left the banquet, knelt down, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, this sinful general is willing to surrender to the Northern Frontier. I hope Your Majesty will accept me."

"I wish to recruit you into my ranks, but the chaos in the Northern Mountains is escalating daily, and I cannot bear to see the people suffer. Therefore, I have a military order for you. Are you willing to go?"

Chen Futu's true colors were revealed.

Chu Jiang, unsuspecting, nodded repeatedly, "Your Majesty, please speak. As long as this humble general can accomplish it, I am willing to die for you!"

"I will send you back to the Northern Mountains to pacify all the forces there and consolidate your territory. Then, when my army marches south, you will have nothing to worry about."

Upon hearing this, Yue Fei was overjoyed, exclaiming, "Your Majesty's method is brilliant!"

The Northern Frontier currently has an alliance with the Great Qian Dynasty, so it's not convenient to take action for the time being. Besides, those arrogant and peerless generals would definitely not be happy to pretend to be rebels and seize territory. Chu Jiang, however, is a suitable candidate, and he is very familiar with the rebel leaders in the Northern Mountains. All he lacks is money and supplies.

Chu Jiang suddenly realized and said in a deep voice, "This humble general is willing to clear the way for Your Majesty!"

"Very well. Tomorrow, find a secluded place to set up camp. I will order Longcheng to allocate weapons and provisions for you. Nothing else is permitted. Do you understand?"

"I will finally understand!"

Chu Jiang now understands Chen Futu's demands: to completely eliminate the rebellious army in the Beixing Mountains and then cooperate with the Northern Frontier to resettle the people. This is a covert operation and a buffer zone for war. When the Northern Frontier moves south in the future, the Beixing Mountains will fall without a fight, and the army can cross the mountain pass and advance straight in. Chu Jiang will be the biggest rebel king in the Beixing Mountains in the open.

After discussing these matters, Chen Futu formally appointed Chu Jiang as a general under Yue Fei, and said that he could contact Yue Fei directly if needed.

Yue Fei smiled slightly and pulled Chu Jiang out of the camp to talk.

After the two men left, Dian Wei asked in a low voice, "My lord, is this man trustworthy? Should I go with him?"

"No need. There are Jinyiwei and Shadow Guards secretly monitoring him, and his character is relatively pure. Now he can temporarily take over the Beixing Mountains in my place, making them a buffer zone against the Daqian Northern Expedition. The development of the Northern Frontier can then be more secure."

Even with the Chu River as a defensive line, Qin Liangyu could withdraw from the southern front in a short time. With logistical support, Chu River could probably wipe out the regional leaders and gather all the troops within six months.

As for whether it will lead to trouble?

Chen Futu didn't care at all. The Northern Frontier was full of fierce generals and strategists. Even if Chu Jiang became powerful one day, he would never be a match for the Northern Frontier. His role was only to maintain local stability for the next year or two. Once the Northern Frontier's military and resources were fully mobilized, he would be useless.

If he successfully transfers the rights, that's fine; otherwise, well…

The following morning, Chen Futu and Dian Wei led one hundred Yue Family Army soldiers back to Longcheng, while Yue Fei stayed temporarily in Sunjia Town. He wanted to teach Chu Jiang, that hothead, the methods of governing the army, the way of training soldiers, and specific battle plans.

Upon returning to Longcheng, Chen Futu immediately instructed Yu Qian to allocate supplies and military equipment to Sunjia Town.

Upon hearing the inside story, Zhuge Liang repeatedly praised him, saying that surprise attacks were something the king always liked to do. With a buffer zone in the war, all aspects of the northern frontier would be preserved and improved to the maximum extent. Chu Jiang was a henchman that the king of the northern frontier had raised in the south, or you could call him a troublemaker, specifically used to withstand pressure.

After the new emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty dealt with Sun Chengzong, the military officials in the court will inevitably take the stage again, and the internal strife in the Great Qian Dynasty will become even more intense.

Half a month later, Yue Fei returned from Sunjia Town. According to his description, Chu Jiang was indeed born with superhuman strength and even had great talent. Under his guidance, Chu Jiang's strength soared to the fifth rank in just half a month. It was likely that he would soon become another peerless general.

In the days that followed, things went well for the royal court.

Villages and towns surrounding Longcheng have sprung up, infrastructure has been established, and cement roads have even been built connecting various places.

Chen Futu also taught the art of waterwheels and set up workshops along the Xuan River to increase productivity through water conservancy.

As for the steam engine, it is still in the research stage.

In just two months, Northern Xinjiang has been completely transformed. The changes are not limited to Longcheng, but also extend to other major towns. Commerce is more prosperous, and more merchants are coming to Northern Xinjiang seeking stability.

On the other side of the Northern Mountains, Chu Jiang finally made his move. Upon his arrival, he swept across a large area with overwhelming force, killing more than ten leaders of the rebel army and firmly establishing his foothold.

In contrast, the chaos in Daqian was getting worse, and the Wuxun Group dispatched more than a dozen generals to lead troops south.

Chen Futu did not think they could succeed. Most of these people were relatives of the imperial family and noble generals. They were good at fighting for power and profit, but they might not be good at fighting. Some of them would hold military power and deliberately entangle themselves with the rebel army in order to seize more benefits and resources from the court.

It's clear to everyone that the Great Qian Dynasty is nearing its end and is rapidly heading towards collapse. Anyone who tries to stop it is destined to suffer the same fate as Emperor Chengzong.

According to intelligence reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Great Qian Dynasty has a vast territory and has indeed produced several remarkable rebel kings.

It is true that troubled times create heroes, and heroes are also created in their time.

In the future, they are destined to be rivals of northern Xinjiang.