105: Chapter 15 Northeast Flag Change

### I

Ten days after the capital was reclaimed, the secret envoy from the Northeast Warlords arrived.

The visitor was a senior aide under the Northeast Warlords, surnamed Zhao. In his forties, with a goatee and dressed in a well-tailored robe and mandarin jacket, he spoke flawlessly, clearly a seasoned man of the world.

Li Ling received him in the main hall of the prince's manor.

"Young Master Li, I have long looked forward to meeting you," Advisor Zhao said, cupping his hands in salute with a face full of smiles. "On the orders of my Marshal, I have come specifically to offer our congratulations."

"Congratulations?" Li Ling leaned back in his armchair, crossing his legs with a faint, knowing smile. "For what?"

"To congratulate you on reclaiming the capital and wiping out the rebels," Advisor Zhao smiled. "Your contributions to the state are immense, and your prestige shakes the world. My Marshal admires you immensely."

"Your Marshal certainly has a way with words." Li Ling picked up his teacup and took a slow sip. "Speak, what is it?"

Advisor Zhao pulled a letter from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. "This is a personal letter from my Marshal. Please have a look, Young Master."

Li Ling took the letter and opened it. Written in a highly formal style, its general meaning was: the Northeast Warlords were willing to submit, but hoped to retain their territory and army. In exchange, they were willing to provide Li Ling with military funds and provisions, as well as military support in future wars.

Li Ling smiled after reading the letter.

"Your Marshal has quite an appetite." He placed the letter on the table. "Retain territory, retain the army, and he even wants me to pay his troops? Has he got things backward?"

Advisor Zhao's smile stiffened for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "You misunderstand, Young Master. My Marshal means that he is willing to follow your command, but the situation in the Northeast is unique, and it is difficult for outsiders to govern. If you trust him, my Marshal is willing to share your burdens and govern the Northeast on your behalf."

"Share my burdens?" Li Ling sneered. "Your Marshal just wants to continue being his own local emperor, doesn't he?"

Advisor Zhao's expression shifted slightly, but he forced a smile. "You jest, Young Master. My Marshal is utterly loyal to you and has no second thoughts."

"Utterly loyal?" Li Ling stood up, walked over to Advisor Zhao, and looked down at him. "Go back and tell your Marshal that if he wants to submit, he can, but he must hand over his territory and army and accept reorganization. I will give him a respectable position, like a senator or an advisor. As for governing the Northeast, he doesn't need to worry about it."

Advisor Zhao's face turned completely pale. "Young Master, this condition..."

"There is no room for negotiation," Li Ling interrupted him. "Either accept it, or fight. Take your pick."

Advisor Zhao opened his mouth to say something, but seeing the cold light in Li Ling's eyes, he swallowed his words.

"I will certainly convey your words, Young Master," he said, cupping his hands. "Farewell."

"I won't see you out."

### II

After Advisor Zhao left, Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan walked in and asked, "My Lord, do you think the Northeast Warlords will accept?"

"No," Li Ling shook his head. "If he accepts, he will have nothing left. If it were you, would you accept?"

"No," Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan admitted honestly.

"So, this battle will have to be fought sooner or later." Li Ling walked to the map and pointed to the Northeast. "However, now is not the time. Our main forces are still in the north, needing rest and replenishment. The Northeast is freezing cold with complex terrain; if we rush in blindly, we might suffer a setback."

"Then what do you plan to do, My Lord?"

"Stabilize them first," Li Ling said. "Reply to the Northeast Warlords that the conditions remain unchanged, and give him three months to consider. After three months, if he does not accept, we go to war."

"Yes!"

After Li Ling sent his reply, there was a long silence from the Northeast Warlords.

Half a month later, the Northeast Warlords sent another secret envoy. This time, it was his son, a young man in his early twenties, wearing a Western suit with parted hair, looking like he had studied abroad.

"Young Master Li, my father asked me to tell you that he is willing to accept your conditions," the young man stammered, clearly very nervous. "But he hopes you can give him some time to slowly hand over the territory and army."

"Slowly hand over the territory and army?" Li Ling laughed. "Does your father take me for a three-year-old child? Slowly hand them over? Until when? Ten years? Twenty years?"

The young man's face flushed red. "No, my father meant..."

"Enough, no need to explain." Li Ling waved his hand. "Go back and tell your father: three months, not a single day more. After three months, if he doesn't hand them over, I will take them myself."

The young man left dejectedly.

### III

The three months passed quickly amidst the busy preparations.

Li Ling was incredibly busy, reorganizing the newly incorporated troops, training his elite forces, stockpiling supplies, and planning the next phase of military operations. He was constantly on the move, sleeping only four or five hours a day, sometimes even working through the night.

The Princess felt sorry for him, having the kitchen stew soup for him every day; Empress Su Wanqing helped him organize documents, sharing his workload; Emily helped him handle diplomatic affairs, dealing with foreign envoys. The three women performed their respective duties with tacit understanding, saving Li Ling a lot of worry.

"Husband, you are too tired." The Princess entered the study carrying a bowl of chicken soup and placed it on the table. "Take a break."

"I'm not tired." Li Ling didn't even look up. "There are still a few documents to read."

"If you keep going like this, your health will fail." The Princess walked to his side and gently pressed down on his hand holding the pen. "Listen to me, take a break, just a short one."

Li Ling looked up, and seeing the worry in the Princess's eyes, his heart softened.

"Alright, I'll take a break."

He put down his pen, picked up the chicken soup, and took a sip. The temperature of the chicken soup was just right, rich and savory, personally stewed by the Princess.

"Your Highness, thank you," he said softly.

"What is there to thank?" The Princess smiled. "I am your wife, it is only right for me to take care of you."

Li Ling took her hand and gently stroked it. "Once the country is unified, I will make you the Empress."

The Princess blushed. "Who cares about being the Empress?"

"You don't care? Then I'll give it to someone else."

"You dare!" The Princess glared at him, and then laughed herself.

The two looked at each other and smiled, the atmosphere warm and sweet.

### IV

On the final day of the three-month deadline, the Northeast Warlords finally made their decision.

They did not accept Li Ling's conditions, but instead announced a 'change of flags'—submitting to Li Ling in name, but actually retaining their territory and army, merely changing the flag.

Upon receiving the news, Li Ling sneered.

"A sly old fox indeed," he said to Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan. "Trying to fool me with a 'change of flags,' thinking he can continue to be a local emperor just by changing the flag? In his dreams."

"My Lord, what should we do then?"

"What should we do? Fight." Li Ling stood up and walked to the map. "Order the entire First Army Group to set out and march toward the Northeast. The Second Army Group will follow as reserves. The Air Force will provide full support, and the Special Forces will infiltrate in advance."

"Yes!"

Three days later, Li Ling's troops set out from the capital, marching majestically toward the Northeast.

Along the way, the common people lined the streets to send them off, some offering tea and water, some giving grain and vegetables, while others beat gongs and drums, setting off firecrackers.

"Young Master Li, you must defeat the Northeast Warlords!" An old man held Li Ling's hand, tears streaming down his face. "We have been oppressed by them for too long!"

"Rest assured, old gentleman," Li Ling patted his hand. "I will definitely drive the Northeast Warlords from power and let you all live a good life."

The old man nodded repeatedly, sobbing uncontrollably.

Li Ling mounted his horse, waved to the people, and then rode forward.

Behind him, tens of thousands of troops marched in a grand procession.

### V

After the troops entered the Northeast, the first challenge they encountered was not enemy resistance, but the harsh natural environment.

Winter in the Northeast came exceptionally early, with snow starting to fall in October. Heavy snow blocked the mountains, making roads difficult to travel and supplies hard to deliver. Clad in thick cotton clothes, leather hats, and gloves, the soldiers marched with difficulty through the snow. Every step sank into ankle-deep snow, making a crunching sound.

"My Lord, such weather is not suitable for fighting," Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan said worriedly. "Should we wait until spring to fight?"

"We won't wait," Li Ling shook his head. "The Northeast Warlords want to drag this out until spring, waiting to strike when we face supply difficulties and low morale. We cannot fall into his trap."

"But..."

"No buts," Li Ling interrupted him. "Order a full-speed advance. We must reach the designated position within three days."

"Yes!"

The troops marched through the wind and snow for three days and nights, finally reaching the designated position.

The Northeast Warlords' troops were already waiting in battle array. They had constructed solid defensive fortifications outside the city, dug trenches, set up artillery, and had a force of about fifty thousand men, twice that of Li Ling's troops.

"My Lord, the enemy's strength is twice ours, and they hold the geographical advantage," Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan said worriedly. "If we launch a frontal assault, casualties could be very high."

"So we won't assault," Li Ling put down his binoculars. "Besiege them first, and cut off their supply lines. Have the Air Force bomb their ammunition depots and granaries. Let the Special Forces infiltrate the city to sow chaos."

"Yes!"

The siege lasted for half a month.

For half a month, the Air Force flew daily sorties to bomb the Northeast Warlords' ammunition depots and granaries. The Special Forces caused havoc everywhere in the city, blowing up communication facilities, assassinating officers, and spreading rumors. Prices in the city skyrocketed, panic spread, and the soldiers' morale plummeted day by day.

Half a month later, the city gates opened.

The son of the Northeast Warlords, the young man who had come to negotiate earlier, came out holding a white flag, accompanied by several generals.

"Young Master Li, my father... my father is willing to surrender," the young man knelt on the ground, his voice hoarse. "I only beg you to spare my father's life."

Li Ling dismounted, walked over to the young man, and helped him up.

"I have said that we treat prisoners well and do not kill the innocent. Since your father has surrendered, he is one of my people. I will not kill him, but I will not let him continue to act as a local emperor."

Tears streamed down the young man's face as he nodded repeatedly.

Li Ling turned to Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan and said, "Order the troops to enter the city. Take over the city defenses, reorganize the prisoners, and reassure the common people."

"Yes!"

### six

When the troops entered the city, it was already dark.

Along both sides of the streets, the common people held torches, lining the way to welcome them. Although it was already late at night, no one slept; everyone had been waiting for this moment.

"Long live Young Master Li!" someone shouted.

"Young Master Li has saved us from suffering!"

"Young Master Li is our second parent!"

Li Ling rode through the streets, waving to the people. A smile graced his face, but his eyes were moist.

These people had been oppressed for too long; their eyes were filled with gratitude and hope. He could not let them down.

He could not.

That night, Li Ling set up a temporary headquarters in the Northeast Warlords' Marshal Manor. He interrogated the captured Northeast Warlord overnight to understand the situation in the Northeast and prepare for the next step of governance.

"System," he called out silently in his mind.

"Hmm?" The System's voice was a bit groggy, as if it were dozing off.

"Tell me, how did I fight this battle?"

"Not bad," the System said. "Better than I expected."

"Not bad?" Li Ling laughed. "You never want to praise me."

"If I praise you, you'll get cocky," the System said righteously. "If I don't praise you, you'll actually do better."

"Your logic is truly something else."

"Of course."

Li Ling shook his head, no longer bickering with the System.

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night sky outside.

In the distance, the torches on the city walls flickered in the night wind, like a winding fire dragon. Further away, the cheers of the people still echoed, lingering for a long time.

"Soon," he muttered to himself. "Soon, everyone will live a good life."

Outside the window, the moonlight flowed like water, spilling over the ancient city walls, dyeing everything in silvery white.

---

Li Ling stood by the window, not leaving for a long time.

He was thinking about how to proceed on the road ahead.

The north was basically pacified, the Northeast Warlords had surrendered, Yuan Shikai of Zhili was still watching from the sidelines, and the warlords of the southern provinces were also starting to make moves. Although the foreign powers had temporarily retreated, they would never let things rest. They would surely look for an opportunity to make a comeback, supporting new proxies to continue throwing this country into chaos.

He cannot give them any opportunity.

"Send the order," he turned and said to Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan. "In three days, convene a military meeting to discuss the next phase of our operational plan. I want to unify the north within a year, and the entire country within two years."

"Yes!" Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan stood at attention and saluted, his eyes filled with excitement.

Li Ling walked to the table, picked up a pen, and drew a line on the map.

That was his next route of attack.

From the Northeast, to Zhili, to Shandong, to Henan, to Shanxi...

Step by step, inch by inch, until his flag was planted on every single inch of this land.

Outside the window, the night grew deeper, but the eastern sky was already beginning to turn the color of a fish's belly.

A new day was about to begin.