Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 340 Southern Capital

Yao Yao blinked, not quite understanding.

In her view, if killing bad guys makes good guys happy, then they should be happy.

Lan Fenghuang sat opposite, twirling a copper coin in her hand. Hearing this, she asked softly:

"Husband, what do you think are the differences between Zhao Deming and Zheng Zhitong?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment, then held up two fingers:

"Zheng Zhitong openly robbed, while Zhao Deming secretly stole."

He withdrew one finger:

"Those who blatantly robbed deserve to die."

Then another one was retrieved:

Those who steal in secret deserve to die even more.

Lin Chen paused, then added:

"Zheng Zhitong has troops under his command, is capable of rebellion, and has great destructive power, so he deserves to die."

Zhao Deming was just a civil official, without soldiers or horses, but he was cunning and ruthless. He didn't kill people, but he tortured them, making them suffer but not die. This kind of person—"

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes:

"Even more deserving of death."

Lan Fenghuang nodded, asked no more questions, twirled the copper coin in her hand, and then put it into her sleeve.

The carriage wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, making a "gurgling" sound, and slowly left Linjiang City.

The cheers, firecrackers, and the smell of gunpowder from behind still lingered faintly, and the sounds of them chasing the carriage gradually faded away after a while.

Lin Chen closed his eyes to rest, his fingers tapping lightly on his knees, and suddenly spoke:

"Are there enough substitute officials available?"

Lan Fenghuang smiled wryly, "To be honest... it's not enough."

She pulled out a booklet and flipped through it:

"In Xijing, the Empress directly dispatched thirty-seven reserve officials to accompany her, which she thought would be more than enough."

"As a result, you've been killing too many people along the way... You've already used up twenty-nine of them. At this rate..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear—

If we kill a few more, we'll run out of stock.

Lin Chen opened his eyes, glanced at Lan Fenghuang, and a slight smile appeared on his lips:

"Are you saying I've killed too many people?"

Lan Fenghuang gently shook her head: "No, I mean... the Empress probably didn't expect this either."

Lin Chen closed his eyes again and said slowly:

"Reply to the Empress and tell her to prepare another hundred."

Blue Phoenix: "..."

Yao Yao muttered to herself, "Is a hundred enough?"

Lin Chen didn't answer, but the curve of his lips widened a little more.

The carriage continued forward, the curtains billowing in the wind, letting in the bright sunlight.

Linjiang City was far behind us, and the row of heads at the city gate was still hanging there, swaying slightly in the wind, as if nodding to someone.

It's also like telling someone in the next city—

Get ready, it's your turn.

……

The carriage continued south!

After wandering around for more than half a month, we finally arrived at the southern border fortress—Nandu City.

It's called a fortress, but it's actually about the same size as Xi'an.

The city wall was high and thick, built of bluestone, and was ten zhang high. It was covered with dense array runes that shimmered in the sunlight.

Two rows of soldiers stood at the city gate, their armor gleaming and their spears like a forest, looking far superior to the men from Xijing.

Lin Chen lifted the carriage curtain, glanced inside, and nodded:

"It's alright, at least it looks somewhat presentable."

Yao Yao leaned closer: "Husband, this place is even bigger than Xijing."

Lin Chen nodded: "The Southern Border Fortress is to defend against the Hundred Tribes of Nan Yue, so we can't be careless."

The carriage stopped at the city gate; the welcoming party had already arrived.

The leader was a middle-aged general, dressed in full armor, with a dark complexion and a burly, robust build.

He was followed by a large group of generals and civil officials, a dense crowd of at least a hundred people.

The general stepped forward, clasped his hands in salute, and spoke in a loud and clear voice:

"This humble general, Jiang Zhen, respectfully welcomes His Highness the Prince of Zhenbei!"

Lin Chen got off the carriage and glanced at him.

Marquis Jiang Zhen of Zhennan, with a peak Grandmaster cultivation level, has been living in the Southern Territory for over a decade and has always been quite honest.

This man looks rugged, but his eyes are sharp; one glance is enough to tell he's cunning.

Lin Chen nodded: "Lord Jiang, please get up."

Jiang Zhen straightened up, his face beaming with smiles: "Your Highness must be tired from your journey. I have prepared a small feast at my residence..."

Lin Chen waved his hand: "No rush."

He glanced at the soldiers at the city gate. "How many troops are stationed in your Southern Capital?"

Jiang Zhendao reported: "Your Highness, the total number of troops stationed in Nandu City is 100,000."

"One hundred thousand, that's a lot!" Lin Chen smiled. "How much silver would it cost to support an army of one hundred thousand in a year?"

Jiang Zhen's One-Stop Righteousness:

"Your Highness, the annual military pay, plus provisions, equipment, uniforms, and training materials, will cost approximately 1.2 million gold coins."

The imperial court allocates one million taels annually, with the remaining two hundred thousand taels supplemented by tax revenue from the southern capital.

Lin Chen asked, "How much tax revenue does Nandu City collect in a year?"

Jiang Zhen said, "About 400,000 taels, 200,000 taels to supplement military pay, and the remaining 200,000 taels to be handed over to the imperial court."

Lin Chen nodded, mentally calculating the costs and benefits.

The imperial court allocated one million taels of gold, and the capital city of Nanjing supplemented it with two hundred thousand taels. One million two hundred thousand taels of gold were allocated annually to support an army of one hundred thousand, which was just enough.

But the question is—can the Southern Capital really collect 400,000 taels of tax revenue a year?

He glanced at Jiang Zhen, didn't press further, and smiled:

"Lord Jiang is a skilled military commander, and the city of Nanjing is as solid as a rock. I am at ease."

Jiang Zhen quickly replied, "Your Highness is too kind. This humble general was merely doing his duty."

Lin Chen nodded: "Let's go into the city."

The carriage drove into the city.

The streets are wide, not much different from those in Xijing.

The shops on both sides were lined up one after another, and people were coming and going, making it very lively.

Yao Yao exclaimed excitedly, "Husband, this place is so lively!"

Lin Chen hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the shops on both sides of the street, and he understood the situation.

This southern capital is even richer than Linjiang City.

Silk, tea, porcelain, spices, medicinal herbs, jewelry, weapons—they sell everything.

The people on the street were dressed smartly, and it didn't look like a military fortress at all.

Upon arriving at the Foreign Affairs Office, Jiang Zhen arranged a banquet.

The dishes were exquisite, the wine was fine, and there was singing and dancing to entertain the guests.

The dancing girls were dressed in brightly colored clothes, and their waists swayed like water snakes.

Lin Chen sat in the main seat, legs crossed, drinking wine and watching the song and dance performance, his face expressionless.

Jiang Zhen sat beside him, carefully keeping him company, occasionally offering a few polite words:

"Your Highness's reputation is widespread; even I, your humble servant, have heard of it in the southern border region."

As they marched forward, corrupt officials trembled with fear, and the people lined the streets to welcome them—it was truly gratifying!

Lin Chen smiled and said, "Lord Jiang, you flatter me."

Jiang Zhen added, "I have been in the southern border for fifteen years and have always wanted to return to the capital to visit, but unfortunately I am tied up with military affairs and cannot leave."

"It is truly an honor to meet Your Highness today."

Lin Chen looked at Jiang Zhen, then changed the subject:

"Lord Jiang, you've spent fifteen years in the southern border region. Would you like to be transferred back to the capital?"

Jiang Zhen was taken aback, then laughed:

"Your Highness is too kind. I am a rough man and I am not used to staying in the capital. I am more comfortable in the southern border, guarding the frontier, fighting and killing, which is very enjoyable."

Lin Chen nodded and said nothing more.

After a few rounds of drinks, Lin Chen put down his glass and glanced at Jiang Zhen:

"Lord Jiang, you have been in the southern border for fifteen years, and you know the situation in Nan Yue better than anyone else."

Jiang Zhen nodded: "Yes, this humble general has been dealing with Nan Yue for more than ten years."

Lin Chen asked, "Then tell me, what's the current situation with the Hundred Tribes of Nan Yue?"