Chapter 279.1
By this time, the entire Great Xia court was completely transformed after a four-month-long bloody corruption purge.
Many people had entered, and many had been brought down.
Those who remained were either clean officials or smart people.
If you werent smart, you really couldnt survive. If you harbored even a sliver of wishful thinking or tried to muddle through, you would be dealt with by Lin Beifan.
Several Grandmasters had fallen at his hands, let alone these corrupt officials without the power to fight back?
At the same time, the treasury of the Great Xia Kingdom had grown by an additional 30 million taels of silver.
When the corrupt officials fell, Lin Beifan prospered.
This move not only purged the court and increased the national treasurys income but also won the applause of the people across the country. Lin Beifans prestige soared even higher, and he was hailed by the people as a sage ruler.
The four-month purge has ended. Those who continue to serve in the court are my trusted ministers, my left and right arms!
As the saying goes, out with the old, in with the new! After this purge, Great Xia welcomes new development and a brand-new era! I hope the ministers will continue to serve me and the country!
Live with integrity and serve as a clean official!
Do not reach out, for if you do, you will surely be caught!
Lin Beifan sat on the dragon throne in the court and addressed the full assembly of civil and military officials.
Yes, Your Majesty! The entire assembly of officials breathed a sigh of relief.
They had finally gotten through this ordeal!
These four months had been like walking on thin ice, filled with trepidation. They never wanted to experience it again in their lives.
They silently warned themselves not to reach out, not to be greedy, and not to act recklessly.
Otherwise, the emperor would surely take action against you.
After dealing with this matter, Lin Beifan turned his attention to the territories south of the Hengduan Mountain Range.
By now, after more than half a year of development, the territories south of the Hengduan Mountain Range had been basically integrated.
The people there were filled with a sense of belonging to Great Xia, proudly considering themselves citizens of Great Xia.
The same was true for the recently annexed Great Hong Dynasty.
Although the people there had joined Great Xia for less than five months, their lives had already undergone earth-shattering changes.
Many common people had jobs, money to earn, food to eat, good houses to live in if they worked hard, the chance to find a good wife to carry on the family line, and the opportunity for their children to receive an education. Life was full of promise.
They hoped that such a life could continue forever.
As for the original nation of the Great Hong Dynasty, they had long since forgotten it completely.
In fact, the demands of the common people are quite simple.
As long as someone provides them with food, gives them the opportunity to earn money, and leads them to a better life, they will follow that person.
Dont talk to them about sentiment or the greater good of the nation. They dont understand it nor do they want to hear about it.
Those are concerns for people who have too much time on their hands.
Meanwhile, the two neighboring dynasties, the Great Yan Dynasty and the Great Liang Dynasty, were plunged into deep trouble.
Although Lin Beifan was on a northern tour during this time, he did not forget about these two nations.
He sent pests like snakes, insects, rats, and ants from within the Great Xia territory to infiltrate these two countries.
These little creatures might look small, but once they gather in large numbers and create a plague, the destruction they cause is immense!
For instance, locust plagues are known as one of the three great ancient calamities!
Each occurrence leads to a reduction in crops, which in turn triggers a series of national problems.
Comparable disasters include rat and ant plagues, among others.
Thus, under the scourge of various pestilences, the days of the people in these two nations grew worse by the day, and they were full of complaints about their ineffective government, leading to chaos everywhere.
In reality, the government was receiving unfair complaints. What could they do in the face of such plagues?
Even in modern society, pest control is a focus during the spring and summer seasons to reduce the damage caused by pests.
As for ancient times, they simply did not have the means to do this.
Unable to make a living, many people had no choice but to go to the territory of the Great Xia to seek a livelihood and were gradually assimilated by Great Xia.
At this point, Lin Beifan felt the time was right and ordered the Great Xia army stationed in the south to march towards the Great Yan Dynasty and annex it.
Upon receiving the order, the million-strong Great Xia army set out in a mighty procession.
Inside the imperial palace of the Great Yan Dynasty.
At this moment, the Great Yan Emperor sat on his throne with a worried frown.
His head had sprouted many white hairs, his face bore more wrinkles, and he had become much thinner, looking several years older.
All this was because their Great Yan Dynastys Grandmaster Murong Qiushui had disappeared.
Due to Great Xias invasion of the Great Hong Dynasty and the threat to Great Yan four months ago, he had asked Murong Qiushui to assassinate Great Xias Innates and generals to alleviate the crisis.
But since then, Murong Qiushui had vanished without a trace, and there had been no news for over four months.
This worried him greatly!
Without a Grandmaster, he was restless day and night.
Just then, a soldier rushed in hastily.
Your Majesty, theres terrible news! The million-strong army of Great Xia has crossed the border and is marching towards our Great Yan Dynasty!
The Great Yan Emperor was shocked: What! Theyre attacking us?
He had always known that Great Xia would eventually come to attack, but he did not expect it to happen so soon. It hadnt been long since they had conquered the Great Hong Dynasty, and now they couldnt resist attacking them.
Anxious and agitated, The Great Yan Emperor immediately summoned his civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures.
He appointed a general known for his prowess in battle as the marshal to lead the nations troops in defense.
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