Exiled to the Frontier, He Became the Empire’s Most Powerful Lord - Chapter 17

“Your Highness, these three families have deeply entrenched connections in Python City! Ten thousand troops within the entire city are under their control!”

Hong Jiuming said in a low voice.

“The people in these border regions hold the Great Zhou in the highest esteem! Even if I came here alone, they would still treat me with utmost respect! Don’t worry, they pose no threat whatsoever!”

Zhou Lingfeng smiled.

This place is not like the area bordering the Turks and Xiongnu; the situation there is much more severe.

“However, it won’t be easy to win them over without offering something truly special!”

He said slowly.

In reality, what he wanted most was the million barbarian soldiers in the Savage Mountains. Once they could form an army, they would be the greatest asset in the struggle for the world.

“Little Hongzi, how much longer will it take you to break through to the peak of the third rank?”

Zhou Lingfeng changed the subject and looked at the little eunuch he trusted most.

“It should be possible in another six months to a year!”

Hong Jiuming pondered for a moment before giving his answer.

“What if it’s a second-grade item?”

Zhou Lingfeng still asked a question.

“Even second-rank experts rely on luck, but Your Highness, the health preservation technique you passed on is truly extraordinary.”

Since Hong Jiuming began practicing the Iron Family Health Preservation Technique, he felt his entire physique undergoing a transformation.

This is a mysterious and powerful technique that can cleanse the marrow and bones of one’s bones. If it were to become known, it would surely cause a bloodbath.

“The strength of the Imperial Guard is not enough. It would be best to cultivate some third-grade Grandmasters!”

Zhou Lingfeng still said with concern.

He currently has some fourth-rank martial artists under his command, but the promotion rate from fourth-rank to third-rank is so high that perhaps only one in a hundred can achieve it.

After all, anyone above the third rank can be considered a grandmaster.

“Does Your Highness mean to pass on the secret techniques you taught your servants to them?”

Hong Jiuming was slightly taken aback.

It should be noted that Zhou Lingfeng’s ancestral martial arts secrets are extremely powerful, capable of increasing the success rate of advancing to the third-grade Grandmaster realm by 50%.

“You can choose a few people and train them carefully!”

Zhou Lingfeng nodded, and the matter was settled.

“To contend for the world, righteousness, legitimacy, wealth, military strength, martial prowess, and literary talent are all indispensable. Now, Emperor Yuanwu is at the height of his power, and righteousness lies with him! As the crown prince of the central palace, I am born with legitimacy! The million barbarians in these barbarian mountains are my military strength.”

Zhou Lingfeng looked up at the sky, and his focus shifted to financial resources, military strength, and cultural influence.

Financial resources are not a problem; with the numerous modern technologies stored in his mind, he can easily acquire a continuous stream of wealth by simply using a few of them.

However, martial arts experts and strategists skilled in governance are not so easy to find.

Especially those Grandmasters of the first or second rank, who are extremely rare in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, but he didn’t have a single one.

Although his own internal energy was powerful and surging, he was not really confident that he could defeat a second-grade Grandmaster.

“Your Highness, the three great families have sent a lot of gold, silver, treasures, and gifts!”

Mo Li came in at this moment and said happily.

“Take it! They won’t feel at ease if you don’t!”

Zhou Lingfeng said dismissively.

Mo Li smiled and then left.

Three days after the barbarian king entered the city, it seemed that nothing had changed in the entire city of Python!

However, Lei Xingmie and the others did not receive any orders from Zhou Lingfeng, and their anxiety grew.

What exactly does His Highness the Barbarian King mean? How should the power in Python City operate from now on? We need him to give us clear instructions.

Zhou Lingfeng hadn’t been idle for the past three days either, carefully reviewing a lot of information about Python City, and felt that Python City was still too small.

Moreover, there are many intricate relationships involved!

Resolving these conflicts will take more time, but city construction is the longest-term plan and the first step.

Although a population of 200,000 is not small for this border region, it pales in comparison to the Jiangnan region.

With such a small population, once the economy develops, even manpower will be a problem!

So, as a first step, Zhou Lingfeng decided to find craftsmen to develop the cement-making process before starting to build roads and expand the city.

All the raw materials for making cement are readily available on Manshan Mountain!

This is a natural treasure trove, and we can also take some barbarians down the mountain along the way.

Secondly, Zhou Lingfeng plans to brew wine! Various mountain fruits are abundant on Man Mountain!

Although it is winter now, Mangcheng is located in the tropics, and the temperature is still in the twenties, with some seasonal wild fruits available.

So he plans to make fruit wine!

If the winemaking of the Great Zhou Dynasty were made in modern times, even dogs wouldn’t drink it!

Moreover, most wines are cloudy, with only the finest wines being relatively clear.

In addition, the materials for making glass can also be found in the mountains, but the specific materials and processes require further research by craftsmen before a certain scale of production can be achieved.

In addition, there is the cultivation of medicinal herbs. This time he went south and bought a lot of medicinal herb seeds, such as mugwort, which needs to be cultivated on a large scale.

Lei Xingmie and the other two were still a little apprehensive when they received Zhou Lingfeng’s invitation to the banquet!

Upon arriving at the Barbarian King’s Palace, they found that the palace’s signboard was already hanging high, clearly indicating that His Highness the Barbarian King had no intention of building a new palace.

Their hearts skipped a beat; this didn’t make sense!

Normally, there wouldn’t be such a frugal prince, after all, he had been demoted to a remote border region and had long lost his fighting spirit.

Every day begins with debauchery, and they live a life of extravagance and debauchery.

As the maid entered the inner hall, they saw Zhou Lingfeng sitting alone in the main seat, with Hong Jiuming attending to him with a cold expression.

“You three have arrived. Please have a seat!”

Zhou Lingfeng gently raised his hand, and the three of them immediately and carefully chose a place to sit down.

They were somewhat nervous, after all, they really couldn’t understand it.

If Zhou Lingfeng wanted to harm them, Hong Jiuming could kill them all by himself, and they wouldn’t even be able to escape.

“I am not a man-eating tiger, so you three can relax!”

Zhou Lingfeng smiled, and then the maids filed in to serve the dishes.

Zhou Lingfeng originally wanted to have some drinks to liven things up, but considering how awful the drinks in Mangcheng were, he gave up the idea.

“I have summoned you three today to announce a few things!”

As soon as Zhou Lingfeng spoke, the three of them immediately stopped eating.

Moreover, they have noticed that Zhou Lingfeng said “announce” rather than “discuss”.

In other words, they have no choice but to obey.

“From this day forward, the Barbarian King’s Palace shall be established! I shall appoint five Chief Secretaries of the Cabinet. All matters concerning Python City shall be discussed by the Cabinet and submitted to me for approval! The Cabinet shall be divided into six departments: Military Administration, Legal Administration, Civil Administration, Finance, Public Security, and Education. The Cabinet shall decide what other departments need to be established under these six departments.”

Zhou Lingfeng said calmly.

Lei Xing and the other two were taken aback. They knew about the cabinet; it had been established in the previous dynasty, the Great Yan, and was changed to a system of left and right prime ministers in the Great Zhou.

The names of these six departments are somewhat strange, but their functions are immediately apparent.

Without a doubt, this is modeled after the departmental setup of the imperial court!

If these functions can each perform their duties effectively, it should be quite advanced.

But is such a grand display necessary for Mangcheng, a mere border town?

“This barbarian king has lofty ambitions!”

Lei Xingmie suddenly shuddered and stared at Zhou Lingfeng in horror.

“The original garrison of Mangcheng and the Barbarian King’s army will be merged and placed under the unified management of the Military and Political Affairs Department. From this day forward, all artisans in Mangcheng will also be placed under the management of the Military and Political Affairs Department.”

As Zhou Lingfeng uttered his orders, Lei Xingmie and the others were completely dumbfounded!

“Are any of the three interested in taking up the position of Chief Cabinet Secretary?”

Zhou Lingfeng suddenly said.

The three of them immediately came to their senses, and looked at Zhou Lingfeng with surprise and delight.

Everything the Barbarian King said was about concentrating power!

But they never dreamed that they would actually occupy three of the most important positions as Chief Cabinet Secretaries!

What courage this man possesses!

“Your Highness, we are barbarians! There are only five of us in this cabinet, aren’t you afraid…?”

Lei Xingmie asked cautiously.

“Barbarians are also people of the Great Zhou, and also my subjects! I have always trusted those I employ and not employed those I don’t trust! In these three days, I have also learned a little about the three of you. Your people are all kind and virtuous, and your families have a long tradition of scholarship!”

Zhou Lingfeng nodded and smiled.

The three exchanged glances, and at that moment they all realized that Zhou Lingfeng was an ambitious and enlightened ruler, and that his status was also noble enough!

Although he has now been enfeoffed in Mangcheng, the fate of the imperial family is still uncertain until the very last moment!

If these three families could submit to the barbarian king at this time, and if the barbarian king were to actually sit on that throne in the future, then the future of these three families and the fate of the barbarians might be completely changed.

After all, no one wants to be trapped in the poor mountains and bad waters for the rest of their lives. Seeing that many of their people cannot even guarantee their basic needs and suffer from the miasma in the mountains.