Chapter 1 Ye Tao did not return to the central army camp, and in the following months, he was stationed in Ganduo, beginning to deal with the complicated post-war affairs. After several major battles, although Dongping's combat power was superior and the overall casualties were within an acceptable range, Yunzhou had long prepared sufficient funds for compensation and rewards. However, Ye Tao did not intend to use the surplus money for other purposes. Compensation for the seriously injured and killed was naturally raised again, and the remaining funds were used to establish Yunzhou's military education organization for young children: the Tongjun Camp (Children's Military Camp).

This was also in response to the request of several generals in the Rongjun Camp (Veterans Camp) system. The Rongjun Camp performed extremely well in this battle against Liao. The performance of the Rongjun Camp, based on farms and ranches, and with family and ethnic ties to each other, was amazing. In the Battle of Qianze Lake, the four Rongjun Camps, which were supposed to be reserves, even held the line when the left flank was in danger, resisting the repeated attacks of the enemy's 40,000 infantry. When the four camps retreated, the casualty rate exceeded 60%, but there were no signs of collapse or disarray. The generals of the Rongjun Camp won everyone's respect with their outstanding achievements. And the questions they raised were also very sharp. Apart from joining the Rongjun Camp, the children of the Rongjun Camp did not have many other avenues for joining the army. Unlike the children of those prominent military families, who could attract the attention of the military's high-level officials from an early age and be carefully cultivated, the children of these ordinary military households also showed outstanding leadership and military qualities from a young age, but they had too few opportunities. If they wanted to join the army, they would likely have to start as ordinary soldiers and climb up step by step, and some of their talents would be wasted.

Ye Tao also agreed with this. The requirements for generals, staff officers, and ordinary soldiers were different. Those with strong leadership skills might not necessarily have strong individual combat skills. Giving children from poor families the same opportunity to rise to the top, and being systematically trained to become qualified generals from an early age, was indeed a very attractive idea.

Ye Tao spent a full four days completing the framework for the Tongjun Camp. The Tongjun Camp was divided into two levels: a permanent juvenile military school and a temporary summer camp or winter camp-style intensive training. The Tongjun Camp divided activities into four age groups from six to fourteen years old. As long as a family had children who were interested in participating in the Tongjun Camp's activities, they could sign up without paying any fees. The temporary activities of the Tongjun Camp included conventional military projects such as mountaineering, camping, marching, and reconnaissance, but the main purpose was to explore nature, understand ecology, accumulate knowledge, and strengthen the body. It did not particularly strengthen military training, but focused more on cultivating children's team spirit and developing their positive, curious, and exploratory spirit. The six-to-eight-year-old and eight-to-ten-year-old groups did not have a permanent juvenile military school, only temporary camp activities. Those who demonstrated good demeanor, character, and leadership in the activities, and those who performed well in various special training sessions, would win medals. Different medals had different ratings, and when the points reached a certain limit, they could enter the permanent juvenile military school to study. In the Tongjun Camp, all judgments were based on performance, not background. Those outstanding children from poor families would receive more attention and have the opportunity to receive better professional education. Even those children who did not have much expertise could benefit from learning various basic knowledge and skills in the Tongjun Camp.

After Ye Tao laid down the basic articles, Dai Qiuyan and Tan Weishi worked on designing a set of uniforms and logos for the Tongjun Camp. Su Fei also chimed in and came up with a series of utensils for the Tongjun Camp. The most attractive thing was a wide black sash with gold trim, on which badges could be fixed with pins, making it look majestic and handsome. Since the Tongjun Camp was a completely free organization, the Yunzhou finance had to bear the cost of these clothes and utensils. Although clothes were distributed, it was against the rules to wear Tongjun Camp clothes at other times than when the Tongjun Camp was gathering. Not only would the clothes be confiscated, but the family would also be punished. This also eliminated the possibility of sending children to play for a while to get a set of clothes. Other items such as backpacks, armed belts, satchels, tool sets, and a series of other supplies for the Tongjun Camp were all marked with obvious Tongjun Camp seals and could only be exchanged with points earned in the Tongjun Camp. However, there were no restrictions on the daily use of these items.

This whole plan was quite attractive not only to children, but also to adults. And this was a typical luxury that only existed in peaceful times. Previously, Yunzhou was surrounded by enemies on all sides, and no family would dare to let their children run outside to climb mountains and camp. It was hard to guarantee that a major battle would not break out at that time and place. But now, Yunzhou and a large area of Benlang Plain were extremely safe. Even small groups of bandits had been wiped out. Could a few unpromising rogues be a match for the guards who protected the children? Since safety was guaranteed, what could be more attractive than exploring the surrounding mountains and rivers, seeing the creatures that lived in the wilderness and mountains, playing and having fun with partners, and finding one memorable place after another? Moreover, in the initial list of optional gathering projects listed by Ye Tao, in addition to exploration projects, there were also production and learning projects, such as going to wineries and orchards to pick grapes or participating in other work processes, or going to Benlang Plain to see the festivals of the grassland tribes and learning how to get along with horses, etc.... Even Tan Weishi and Dai Qiuyan felt excited.

While Ye Tao was arranging things himself, he sent the plan to Danyang. Unexpectedly, before a few days had passed, the two children couldn't bear it anymore and hurried back to stay, afraid of missing the first Tongjun Camp training. Ye Wenxuan and Ye Wenji were not pampered young masters. They had always played wildly. Although they had never really suffered, they were definitely used to traveling and camping in the wilderness and did not regard it as a chore. They were naturally very happy to be able to gather a large group of friends to play with.

It would take time for the Tongjun Camp to become popular, but the first call-up was quick. In addition to the children recommended by the main generals of Yunzhou and the Rongjun farms and ranches, there were also the eligible children of the soldiers who died in the battle of Liao. Since the call-up was divided by region, this Tongjun Camp in Ganduo and the surrounding areas had more than 500 people. After the solemn flag-awarding ceremony, each child was given clothing and basic supplies. The children of those fallen soldiers also received their first medal in the Tongjun Camp: the Military Soul Medal, to commend their fathers and brothers for their contributions to Yunzhou and Dongping, and to express admiration for the courage of these strong children to continue in the footsteps of their ancestors... And after that, all medals had to be earned through their own efforts. Although it was already winter and the weather was a bit cold, the activities of the Tongjun Camp were in full swing. Under the guidance of experienced officers, the children of the Ganduo camp quickly completed the project of exploring the mountains and finding a campsite. A semi-permanent camp gradually took shape in the hands of the children. From site selection to collecting building materials, building houses, decorating and repairing them, and collecting food, all were completed by the children under the guidance of experienced officers. Ye Wenxuan and Ye Wenji's performance also made Ye Tao proud. Neither of them revealed their identities, and they entered the team under the names of Wen Xuan and Wen Ji respectively, but Ye Wenxuan became the king of the children in less than two days. He was extremely skilled and had sophisticated interpersonal skills. The camp instructors directly handed over many projects to him to allocate manpower, and he did a very good job. Ye Wenji played an even greater role in the construction of the camp than the old sergeant who was guiding the camp. He had grown up in Ye Tao's studio and was very familiar with various construction methods and tools. He was also good at using his brain and could find ways to carry out the requirements put forward by the old sergeant in a way that the children could do. Back and forth, the old sergeant and Ye Wenji were not in a superior-subordinate relationship, but more like a pair of partners, one making various requests, and the other being responsible for the implementation of the details... Some of the traditional procedures of the Tongjun Camp were constantly formed in such a happy atmosphere.

Tan Xiaopei was also very interested in the Tongjun Camp project. Compared with Yunzhou, the imbalance between the poor and the aristocratic families in the original territory of Chunnan was much more serious. After all, Dongping had been established for a long time, and the gap accumulated over generations could not be bridged in a short time by providing many opportunities for the general public. Although the achievements of opening up new territories could cultivate a group of new nobles to balance the power of the old aristocratic families, what about the future? Unless the Lord constantly reshuffled the aristocratic families generation after generation, without a measure, the gap between the poor and the aristocratic families would continue to widen in general, and one day it would become a factor of national instability. If the spirit of the able being promoted and the mediocre being demoted could be engraved in the children's minds from an early age through the Tongjun Camp, so that they could take constantly honing their abilities and believing in the power of teamwork as their life guidelines, that would be great...

Tan Xiaopei soon began preparing for the first Tongjun Camp in Danyang. Such a small matter was actually being personally inquired about by His Majesty the Lord, which showed how much Tan Xiaopei valued it. However, wealthy families also welcomed this kind of family-like military camp life. Everyone understood that children had to endure hardship to become useful, and the Tongjun Camp provided plenty of such opportunities. Aristocratic families who were very confident in their children hoped that their children could make friends with outstanding partners and friends in the Tongjun Camp, especially those capable children from poor families. In the future, when they grew up, these friends who grew up together would be the best partners and subordinates. This kind of friendship was much more reliable than the friendship between the head of the family and the retainers.

Among the many new things related to Ye Tao, it was rare to find something that could please all parties, especially something that could be welcomed and praised by both the aristocratic families and the general public at the same time. Each new technology product would affect the relevant market, and the interests of some people would be harmed. Those who were willing to cooperate with Ye Tao could certainly gain many benefits and grow rapidly, thus forming a huge interest group around Ye Tao and Ye's Workshop. Even the Lord Tan Xiaopei was a member of this group, but it would inevitably create various enemies for Ye Tao. This was independent of anyone's will. But now, the Tongjun Camp project was very rare in that it received praise from all sides. And under the promotion and checks and balances of all parties, it was very close to the Tongjun Camp that Ye Tao had envisioned.

The history of North Liao did not turn another page. In December, Chi Xianping had already met with the troops from Yunzhou and the troops from Zhenning Pass in the northwest of Yanjing, and then surrounded Yanjing. After besieging Yanjing for only three days, the Lord of North Liao surrendered in person and handed over the scepter representing the kingship to Chi Xianping. Apart from treating the people of North Liao kindly, he did not ask for anything for anyone. He actually understood that this was inevitable. North Liao was originally the weakest of the four countries, and Dongping was now undoubtedly the strongest. Although there were loyal ministers and brave generals who had been withstanding the pressure, they could not shake Dongping's determination, and their own abilities were indeed inferior to Dongping's emerging generation. The gap between the two countries was getting bigger and bigger... He may have been harboring a fluke, hoping that Dongping would give up because they were unwilling to pay too much loss. But as a large number of North Liao's elite troops were annihilated in the two battles and Gao Senqi died in battle, North Liao no longer had the ability to resist. In the court, when a civil official proposed that they should persevere until the end of the year, so that the year number could turn another page, he finally realized everything.

The last Lord of North Liao restored the family's old surname and no longer used the surname bestowed by the Great Tang Dynasty when it unified the world. Even the name was returned to the genealogy. Chen Zelong, the last Lord of North Liao, immediately boarded a comfortable carriage and went all the way to Danyang. Chi Xianping had guaranteed that Dongping would treat the people of North Liao kindly and treat the family of the Lord of North Liao well. Although it was impossible to guarantee that the Chen family would be as rich as before, there had to be some differences from the past, but at least the Chen family could be treated as an important aristocratic family of Dongping and treated equally. Even if the Chen family's children were willing to serve as officials, Dongping could arrange for them to serve in places outside the territory of North Liao. The ban on Chen family children serving in the territory of North Liao would also be lifted after thirty years. Chi Xianping had been appointed as the Jinglue Shi (Pacification Commissioner) of Liao, and before that, he was the Taiwei (Grand Commandant) of Dongping. The guarantee made with such an identity relieved the North Liao up and down. Dongping's attitude was very frank, and the way they treated the Chen family was quite generous. Those courtiers who felt even more insignificant also let go of their hearts. At least there would be no purges or anything like that. Although the subsequent screening and handling of the many aristocratic families of North Liao was inevitable, it was believed that things like extermination of the family could be avoided. This really relieved the North Liao up and down.

Chi Xianping began to rectify the surrendered soldiers of North Liao. As a former Taiwei, he was originally responsible for building and managing the army, so this business was naturally very skilled. Now there was no need to leave too many troops in Yanjing. That would clearly show that they did not trust the surrendered North Liao, and it would be difficult to win people's hearts. Chi Xianping only kept 30,000 troops in Yanjing, including 20,000 Tianxuan Army and 10,000 elite tribal cavalry. He also kept a total of 50,000 Tianxuan Army, Zhenning Pass garrison, and other tribal troops for garrisoning the vast territory of North Liao. The remaining troops returned to their respective garrisons after completing their repairs. Then, the original North Liao troops were constantly screened, rectified, and trained. The original command system was naturally broken, and the officers and generals were also changed. For the time being, Chi Xianping did not pay much attention to the combat command ability of the generals, but instead valued those soldiers who were of good character and had some goodwill towards Dongping. Now, what he needed first was stability, and second was combat effectiveness. Besides, since the original North Liao army training system was completely different from Dongping's, those who were strong in managing the army in the North Liao system might not be very suitable now. According to this idea, Chi Xianping rectified 100,000 new Liao troops in one month. They began to gradually take over the defense and carry out some bandit suppression operations. After the war, it was almost inevitable that the defeated soldiers would form bandits, especially in this kind of war of annihilation. Those generals who were loyal to North Liao and gathered in the green forest were not ordinary trouble. However, Chi Xianping allowed the airship troops to cooperate with the ground troops, and with the full intelligence support provided by the special operations battalion and the intelligence bureau, plus Chi Lei's frequent presence to command, every battle was won. It was through this series of small battles that the military's hearts were constantly gathered. With enough controllable combat power, North Liao became more and more stable.

Then, there was a series of repairs and construction work. Yanjing was not damaged much, but a series of repairs to the city's facilities were started, and a series of civil affairs facilities were included in the repairs. The large amount of military food originally stockpiled by North Liao was distributed as remuneration for the repairs and supplies for disaster relief to the poor and widowed, which quickly left a good impression of Chi Xianping in the minds of the North Liao people. In other cities, where there was a surplus of military food, this was the way to deal with it. The quality of the military food stockpiled by North Liao was not high, and much of it was old grain. This was also why Chi Xianping wanted to dispose of this military food as soon as possible. In this day and age, the storage of food was a big problem. Instead of cheapening the rats and mold, it was better to let this food play its role as soon as possible.

Since planting could not be done until spring, the repair of farmland water conservancy facilities was also given a high priority. Chi Xianping saw the results of Ye Tao's previous stabilization of a large area of territory with one season of harvest, and he simply followed suit. The North Liao people naturally cooperated greatly with this kind of good thing, and the tribal cavalry enthusiastically followed the construction teams that went deep into the countryside to learn planting and water conservancy.

Then, there were the roads. Chi Xianping knew that the railway from Ganduo to Yanjing had already started construction, but the roads used for tasting still had to maintain a fairly high standard. After all, the current railway could not go deep into every city, but could only be used to connect the most important cities. If this railway was not of great value to consolidating Dongping's rule in Liao, the Dongping court might not be willing to allocate huge sums of money to build the railway. The cost of this entire railway was as high as 24 million silver dollars, and it was expected to be completed and opened to traffic in the beginning of the year after next. But as the railway progressed, the control of Dongping over the borders of North Liao would also gradually progress. When the railway connected Yanjing, Chi Xianping, who was stationed in Yanjing, could completely relax.

The construction of roads was not a simple matter. Since Dongping was originally carrying out a large amount of road construction, talents who were proficient in road construction were now in high demand. However, Chi Xianping still received strong support in this regard. Danyang gave him four construction teams with rich construction experience and six technicians. In addition, Ye's Workshop also supported him with four technicians and a batch of construction and exploration equipment, allowing Chi Xianping to build this team.

After Chi Xianping's efforts, more than half of the total of more than 4 million taels of silver harvested from the North Liao Household Department's silver vault in Yanjing was consumed. But an even more amazing thing happened. Chi Xianping did not skimp on money and posted notices in various cities, announcing that the disabled soldiers of North Liao would be taken care of. Those men who had lost their livelihoods in the war, the helpless widows and orphans, and the orphans were all included in the care. In the first phase, basic food and medical security would be provided for this part of the population for a period of three months. Subsequently, this part of the population would gradually be settled in the new type of villages established in imitation of the Yunzhou Rongjun farms and ranches. Naturally, these villages would not require them to carry out daily military training, and the land they received would probably not be the most fertile part, but for people who were hungry and panicked, this was a great blessing.

What else could Chi Xianping do if he had no money? Some people were waiting for Chi Xianping's next move. But how could Tan Xiaopei and Tan Weixin let Chi Xianping lack money? The Dongping national treasury was now very wealthy, and they had confiscated the property of the entire North Liao inner court. The Chen family had received one-fifth of all the assets and already felt that Tan Xiaopei was a soft touch. But the confiscation of four-fifths of the assets had made the Dongping national treasury the most abundant in history. The confiscation of local treasuries in North Liao was still being inventoried separately. Two Tiger Fang ships transporting silver coins were docked at Fuyu Port. Subsequently, a large number of tribal troops escorted 4 million silver dollars to the silver vault in Yanjing.

Without high-profile announcements, without frequent wine parties and banquets to socialize with aristocratic families, without suppressing and wooing, or playing any tricks to get everyone to fight among themselves, Chi Xianping relied on practical governance methods and worked hard for four months, but he won the unanimous favor of the North Liao up and down. And Dongping's rule in North Liao, in these four months, gradually deepened from the surface to the daily life of the North Liao people, penetrated into everyone's life, and was regarded by everyone as the most normal thing.

While Chi Xianping was busy in Yanjing, Ye Tao was stationed in Ganduo. Although the Yunzhou army was letting the horses graze on Nanshan Mountain and was undergoing training, it still maintained an elite force of 50,000 people, always preparing to deal with unexpected events. The Blood Kirin Army did not return to Danyang during this time, but was training and waiting for orders in Zhenning Pass. The original garrison of Zhenning Pass ran to Yicheng for reorganization. Everyone knew that this force would definitely have to fight another war of annihilation in the future... If the battle record was outstanding, it might be more than just one battle.

After Chi Xianping rectified the situation in North Liao, Ye Tao leisurely took his family to Danyang. Tan Xiaopei was already considering who the next target would be. How could Ye Tao, Tan Weixin, and Dai Yun not be present when he made such an important decision?