Driven by those with hidden motives, the news that the imperial court intended to extensively establish commanderies and counties in Goguryeo quickly spread across the country.

Spreading alongside this news was the victory dispatch that Shentu Yang had led fifty thousand troops to break through the Goguryeo royal capital of Wandu.

Compared to the fierce, powerful, and highly skilled Xiongnu horse archers, the combat strength of the Goguryeo people was inferior by more than just a bit. If it was said that during the peak of the Yin Dynasty, one Han soldier could take down five nomadic warriors, then during Shentu Yang’s campaign against Goguryeo, it was practically a ratio of one Han soldier to a hundred Goguryeo fighters.

The reason for such an exaggerated and lopsided contrast was primarily because fifty thousand fully armored heavy cavalrymen were practically invincible when facing Goguryeo infantry and cavalry who wore almost no armor at all. During the clashes between the two armies, Goguryeo’s poor quality weapons could not damage the armor and protective gear of the Yan elite cavalry at all. In contrast, the blades of the Yan cavalrymen could harvest the lives of the Goguryeo people as easily as cutting grass.

Relying on their superior horse tack and sharp blades, the Yan cavalry secured victory with absolute ease. After breaching the Goguryeo royal capital of Wandu, Shentu Yang led his main army to ruthlessly plunder the royal palace and the treasuries of the high officials. They brought all the rare treasures, grain, and livestock back to Ji County, and distributed whatever they truly could not carry back to the local Goguryeo populace on the spot.

The Goguryeo citizens who received the food never expected the Yan officers and soldiers coming from afar to be so generous. Upon receiving the grain, they knelt on the ground one after another, loudly hailing them as a righteous army and welcoming the arrival of the Emperor’s forces. Some even begged the Yin Dynasty soldiers to stay behind, expressing their willingness to support the imperial army. This baffling behavior left Shentu Yang and the Yan soldiers completely bewildered, as they had no idea what they had done to suddenly become a righteous army. By this time, Shentu Yang had already received the urgent courier dispatch sent by the imperial court at top speed, and he knew that Yin Shuhuai intended to fully convert Goguryeo’s territory into commanderies and counties of the Yin Dynasty. To further win over the hearts of the people, Shentu Yang, inspired by the local populace, made frequent stops on his journey back. Whenever he arrived at a place, he would carefully ask the local citizens if there were any local tyrants or bullies who committed all kinds of evil crimes. Then, based on the clues provided by the people, he led his main army to storm directly into the homes of those tyrants and bullies. He would drag them to the execution grounds at the market crossroads to be punished according to the law, while simultaneously confiscating the property of the rich to distribute the land to the poor. As for the money, grain, and treasures that could be carried away, they were naturally all taken.

Yet, it was precisely this simple and brutal behavior that won the full support of the Goguryeo populace. Every single one of them eagerly looked forward to the imperial decree implementing the commandery and county system within Goguryeo. Some people even lined the roads with food and drinks to welcome the imperial army during Shentu Yang’s return march.

The popular support was built on incredibly solid ground.

By the time Shentu Yang led his main army to escort the spoils of war and the captured Goguryeo royalty back to the capital, it was already the spring plowing season of the fifth year of the Jianyuan era. The several cities where Goguryeo bordered the State of Yan had all been transformed into commanderies and counties of the Yin Dynasty. The military agricultural colony troops were clearing the wilderness and farming on both sides of the roads, digging water channels, creating a bustling scene of busy agricultural work.

This was exactly the sight that met Shentu Yang as he led his army all the way back.

“The imperial court acts so fast,” remarked Jiang Yang, who had followed Shentu Yang to crush the Goguryeo royal capital and had earned countless merits over the winter. He widened his eyes in astonishment, looking at the agricultural troops working diligently along both sides of the road. For a moment, he found it difficult to accept that the imperial court could move at such high speed.

“Of course,” Zhou Tai said with a face full of pride. “Did you think our State of Yan is like your Luoyang court?”

What their State of Yan followed was the principle that speed is crucial in war and that orders must be executed without fail. Since His Majesty wanted to establish Goguryeo as commanderies and counties, every person across the State of Yan would naturally obey such a grand achievement of expanding the empire’s borders.

It was nothing like those corrupt officials who merely sat around doing nothing at the Luoyang court, who would not even know how to close their fists to hold onto a merit even if it were handed directly to them.

Jiang Yang glanced at Zhou Tai but said nothing. He also admitted that the civil and military officials of the Luoyang court were indeed divided in their loyalties, and their efficiency could not compare to the Ji County court. However, that was entirely due to the prominent families and powerful clans constantly placing obstacles in their way. Now that the imperial court had relocated the capital to You Province, if it were not for the full support of the Duke of Yan, Shentu Yang, how could the prominent families and noble clans throughout the court have completely changed their ways?

Speaking of which, Zhou Tai and the other Yan generals became even more enthusiastic.

Why did the civil and military officials across the court slack off and practice malicious compliance back in Luoyang, yet completely change their ways upon coming to Ji County? Was it not because their own master was incredibly powerful? Those prominent families and powerful clans might have wanted to keep acting out, but they had to see if the people across the State of Yan would tolerate it!

Just as the tens of thousands of elite troops returning from the campaign against Goguryeo were feeling shocked by the speed at which the imperial court was establishing the new commanderies and counties, the Ji County court also received the news that Shentu Yang was leading his main army back in triumph.

Yin Shuhuai ordered the Prime Minister of Yan, Yao Wenruo, to lead the civil and military officials of the entire court to welcome the victorious army at the city gates, and arranged for a victory banquet to be held in the imperial palace that very evening.

Having been apart for several months, Shentu Yang truly missed Yin Shuhuai immensely.

In order to leave a wonderful impression on the Prince whom he had not seen in a long time, the very first thing Shentu Yang did upon returning to the Yan Prince’s manor was to bathe and burn incense. After dressing himself up meticulously to look radiant and sharp, he finally entered the palace to attend the victory banquet.

This time, Shentu Yang had led fifty thousand troops to pacify Goguryeo, bringing the entire Northeast region into the territory of the Yin Dynasty. This achievement of expanding the empire’s borders naturally went without saying. If it were anyone else, or under a different emperor, everyone would be worried about whether Shentu Yang’s high merits would overshadow the ruler. However, at present, there was no need to worry about such things at all.

At the victory banquet, Shentu Yang was in high spirits as he accepted everyone’s toasts. After the banquet concluded, he used the excuse of being drunk to stay the night in the palace.

Yin Shuhuai did not want to argue with a drunkard, so he had the eunuchs assist Shentu Yang in undressing and washing up, gently coaxing him to go to sleep.

Yet, he never expected that Shentu Yang would actually use the alcohol to act like a rogue.

“Your Majesty, this is the world your humble servant has conquered for you,” Shentu Yang said, his inner robes hanging wide open, revealing well-defined chest muscles and a clear set of eight-pack abs. His bronze skin radiated a honey-colored sheen under the candlelight. He stood barefoot on the newly drawn map of the Yin Dynasty, bursting with youthful vigor and gesturing grandly as he spoke, “How do you intend to reward your humble servant?”

The Yin Emperor stood quietly with his hands tucked into his sleeves, dressed in his formal imperial robes. Standing at the edge of the map, he calmly looked at the striking, imposing, and easygoing Shentu Yang, and asked softly, “What kind of reward do you want?”

Shentu Yang chuckled softly and stepped closer to the Emperor, his breath carrying the fresh scent of bamboo-infused salt. “I wish to offer myself to your bed. What does Your Majesty think?”