I’m the Farmgirl You Can’t Mess With
Chapter 761 - Chapter 761 Patriot

Chapter 761: Patriot Chapter 761: Patriot Editor: Atlas Studios When Qi Xiuyuan heard that Prince Rong had dragged Yuan Zhao into the palace to seek an audience, he was stunned for a moment.

He blinked his sore eyes before summoning to see them.

It was understandable that Yuan Zhao entered the palace to seek an audience, and he also did not find it strange that Haoran entered the palace.

But why were the two of them together?

Qi Xiuyuan held his chin curiously as he waited for the two of them to arrive.

There was no need for Qi Xiuyuan to ask.

Qi Haoran immediately did a quick bow before eagerly expressing that Yuan Zhao and Yuan Wulang were willing to share the Emperor’s burdens.

Of course, he also expressed that Great Qi urgently needed talents like Yuan Zhao and Yuan Wulang, singing high praises of them.

So much so that he was just short of saying that Great Qi could not live without them.

This made Yuan Zhao’s face turn red and he looked at the Emperor uneasily.

Would the Emperor think that he was the one who lured and deceived Qi Haoran into interceding for the two brothers?

After all, Prince Rong had praised them too much.

Yuan Zhao was thinking too much.

Qi Xiuyuan knew his younger brother very well and understood his intentions almost instantly.

If General Yuan’s sons all submitted to him, would the Yuan family army still exist?

Moreover, Great Qi was indeed lacking in generals.

The generals nurtured by his younger brother would still need two to three years before they could be deployed.

However, even if they were all deployed, Great Qi still lacked talents who could lead troops to war.

Other places lacked generals, but in the Yuan family army, there was no lack of good generals.

This was because General Yuan had been in charge for more than 20 years and had groomed many talents along the way.

Seeing as the Yuan family army had grown from 10,000 to 200,000 people, it could be seen how many good generals had been nurtured.

Yuan Zhao had also led an army in the Yuan family army, but it did not mean that he could fight wars independently.

In the Yuan family army, not only did he have to listen to his father, but he also had to obey the orders of several generals ranked above him.

Therefore, there was a limit to how much he could display his talent.

In addition, his father always used his military achievements to promote his deputy generals or subordinates, causing Yuan Zhao’s subordinates to receive important responsibilities before him.

It could be said that the generals under Yuan Zhao did not have trouble receiving promotions.

Therefore, the generals in the Yuan family army could be continuously nurtured.

This was also the reason why Yuan Zhao could leaveaEUR”he was pretty much dispensable.

What military merits could a dispensable general accumulate?

Yuan Zhao did not want to be said to be plucking ripe peaches when he took over his father’s position ten years later.

He was not an incompetent silkpants.

He was capable, bold, and had more than ten loyal subordinates.

It could be said that as long as he was given the chance to show his capabilities outside, he would be able to make his mark and not be inferior to anyone.

Qi Xiuyuan glanced at his brother approvingly and personally went down the stage to help Yuan Zhao up.

He said with a smile, “It’s my and Great Qi’s fortune to have you guard the border for me.” Qi Xiuyuan pondered for a moment and said, “Tongchuan Prefecture’s Ba Province guardhouse lacks a general and is currently guarded by the lieutenants left behind by the previous dynasty.

As West Xia is not far from there, it’s along the route West Xia takes to invade our Great Qi.

I wonder if you’re willing to be deployed there.” The highest-ranking officer in the Ba Province guardhouse was of Grade 3A, one grade higher than Yuan Zhao’s current Grade 3B.

If he continued to stay on in the Yuan family’s army, god knew how many years he would have to wait for his father to request a promotion to Grade 3A for him.

So touched that tears welled up in his eyes, Yuan Zhao knelt on one knee and said, “Your Majesty, I’m willing to repay you with my life.” Qi Xiuyuan hurriedly pulled him up and said with a smile, “I still have to thank you for guarding the country for me.

I’ve also heard from Haoran mention your fifth brother.

Since you’re unfamiliar with Ba Province, you’ll probably need some help.

So why don’t you bring your fifth brother along?

However, he doesn’t have any military achievements here, so it’s impossible for him to be promoted before being deployed there.

I can let him retain his current rank for now.

Hardship is inevitable at the Ba Province guardhouse and can’t compare to the Yuan family army, I don’t know if he’s willing.” When had the sons of the Yuan family ever been afraid of hardship?

It was better to suffer in Ba Province than to be suppressed in the Yuan family army.

Knowing his fifth brother’s personality well, Yuan Zhao quickly thanked him on his behalf.

Qi Xiuyuan patted his shoulder and returned to the throne.

He asked, “Do I issue a decree now?

Or do you want me to give you the appointment document after you go back and discuss it with your father?” Yuan Zhao did not expect the Emperor to be so considerate.

But since the Emperor treated him sincerely, he naturally did not want to arouse suspicion, so he knelt down and said, “Your Majesty, please give me an official document now.

I’ll explain to my father personally when I return to the north.” The sons of the Yuan family were indeed upright, making Qi Xiuyuan feel a little guilty.

He looked at Qi Haoran and waved his hand slightly to dismiss him.

The emissary in the hall also retreated.

Only then did Qi Xiuyuan step forward to help him up.

“Dalang, since you’re a patriot, I will naturally treat you like one.

I won’t hide it from you.

I do value you because of your talent, but I also have the intention to weaken the Yuan family army.” Yuan Zhao looked at Qi Xiuyuan in shock.

He didn’t know if Qi Xiuyuan was too noble or if he trusted him too much to tell him about this.

However, regardless of what reason it was, Yuan Zhao sincerely submitted.

He lifted his robe and knelt at Qi Xiuyuan’s feet again.

If you treat me like a patriot, I will definitely repay you as a patriot.

This is not only a promise and sentiment that only scholars have, but he, Yuan Zhao, also had such a mindset and ambition.

Qi Xiuyuan didn’t help him up again.

Instead, he looked at the top of his head and said word by word, “The Imperial Court doesn’t allow anyone other than the Imperial Court and the royal family to own a family army.

However, the Yuan family army is special, so I won’t take back the military power forcefully.

I just hope that after General Yuan is gone, the Yuan family army can officially integrate into Great Qi and no longer belong to a family alone.

If you and your brother have the ability, I will definitely put you in an important position.

Even if not, I can guarantee you prosperity for three generations.” This was already an excellent promise, and moreover it was pragmatic.

Compared to those who enticed people with empty promises they couldn’t live up to, Yuan Zhao felt much more at ease.

He could not make a choice for his father and younger brothers and could only choose his own path.

However, he did not think that the Yuan family army could be passed down to the second generation.

His father had no intention of nurturing them, or perhaps he had not expected this crisis.

He valued his subordinates too much and underestimated his own family and five sons.

The reason why the Yuan family army could be united now was because of their father’s prestige.

Once their father passed away, the five brothers would not have enough prestige to suppress those generals.

The Emperor only needed to sow discord and the Yuan family army would fall apart.

However, in that case, the valiant Yuan family army might no longer exist.

The hard work of more than 20 years could be destroyed in a day.

Yuan Zhao could tell that the Emperor didn’t want this either.

The Emperor did want to keep around the valiant Yuan family army, but he couldn’t let the army be loyal to the Yuan family.

If the brothers all found another way out, there would no longer be members of the Yuan family in the Yuan family army.

When the Emperor tried to divide the army, the army would not be in turmoil and such a situation would naturally not happen.

The Emperor was more farsighted and wiser than he had thought.

Yuan Zhao said sincerely, “Your Majesty, I’m willing to defend our country.

If I can’t pacify the northwest and take back our homeland, I won’t return to the capital!” In other words, he would not interfere in the matters of the Imperial Court and the Yuan family army.

Qi Xiuyuan laughed and pulled him up, then patted his shoulder and said, “Since you’re in the palace, stay for lunch with me today.

Let’s have a good drink.”