Chapter 393: Choice

In the Great Han Empire, there was a type of official title that could either be appointed by the Central Bureaucracy or be inherited. This official title was known as the protectorate general.

Protectorate generals could only be seen at the borders of the Great Han Empire. For the sake of managing the ethnic minorities and tribes at the borders, as well as to defend the frontier and strengthen the nation’s authority, the Great Han Empire had assigned many protectorate generals at its borders.

In the beginning, the protectorate general positions were only filled through the appointment of the Great Han Empire’s Central Bureaucracy instead of being inherited. It was only later that this official title gradually became a hereditary title due to the preference for local leadership. The protectorate general’s son would succeed his father’s position and then obtain the approval from the Central Bureaucracy as a formality. In order to pacify the border regions, the Central Bureaucracy also tacitly agreed to make the protectorate general a hereditary title.

Based on Yan Liqiang’s knowledge, the closest title to the protectorate general from his previous world would be a colonial governor. However, a protectorate general commanded troops. Not only that, but their military power was greater than many colonial governors he knew in his previous life. Aside from that, the protectorate general also managed the tribal chiefs and diplomats of ethnic minorities in the areas under his control on behalf of the Great Han Empire. Protectorate generals were only required to pay a small amount of taxes and tributes to the Great Han Empire annually as a sign of loyalty.

The Great Han Empire had established many protectorates around the frontiers in all directions. These protectorates varied in size. The bigger protectorates like the Nanjiang, Yibei, Heishan, Baiyue Protectorates had jurisdiction over areas or regions equivalent to the size of one to multiple provinces in the Great Han Empire. There were many smaller protectorates that had jurisdiction over various-sized areas. The smallest protectorate might have control over territory that was smaller than a county, or even only the size of a few villages.

As a result, protectorate generals in the Great Han Empire were not ranked. The luckiest protectorate generals might be as well-off as a Second Grade high official in the imperial court and be able to set up an independent regime over a territory. The unluckier ones might end up worse than a county magistrate or a town constable.

In the history of the Great Han Empire’s northwestern region, there was once a protectorate called the Qiyun Protectorate.

The jurisdiction of the Qiyun Protectorate spanned over a vast area that included Mount Qiyun beyond Gan and Lan Provinces, as well as the Gulang Plains. Before the Shatu Seven Tribes occupied the region to the east of the Gulang Plains and Mount Qiyun, this region was occupied by smaller tribes and clans like the Wusu, Cheshi, Piyue, Shali, and Dayue that had migrated from the western countries. The Qiyun Protectorate governed these small tribes and clans.

Everything changed when the Shatu Seven Tribes moved in. After they settled down around the Gulang Plains and Mount Qiyun, the Qiyun Protectorate was ‘attacked by bandits’. Everyone in the protectorate was killed overnight, thus wiping out the former Qiyun Protectorate General’s clan. Therefore, the Qiyun Protectorate was reduced to nothing but an empty shell.

In recent decades, Yan Liqiang read in a book that the Great Han Empire seemed to have appointed another Qiyun Protectorate General. However, it had only been several days after the Qiyun Protectorate General exited the White Stone Pass before he and his companions were decapitated. Their heads were then put into a box and delivered to the

Gan Provincial Governor’s Office. The cause of the incident was also due to a ‘bandit attack’. From then on, the Great Han Empire and the central bureaucracy had chosen to forget about the Qiyun Protectorate as though it had never existed. Even so, the establishment of this official title still existed until now…

Qiyun Protectorate General was a hereditary official title. In the Great Han Empire, Mount Qiyun and Gulang Plains were under the jurisdiction of the Qiyun Protectorate General and was therefore known as the Qiyun Protectorate General’s territory. This territory was bigger than the Gan and Lan Provinces put together. By right, every tribe that lived in this territory, including the Shatu Seven Tribes, was to live under the Qiyun Protectorate General’s rule.

On the surface, everything seemed to be wonderful!

However, in reality, everyone knew that the Great Han Empire’s authority in this territory was close to zero. Now, the ones who spoke in this territory were the Shatu Seven Tribes and their scimitars. The influence of the Great Han Empire in this area was extremely low…

Yan Liqiang totally didn’t expect the Emperor to give him the title of the Qiyun Protectorate General as his second option.

What did His Majesty mean by that? Did he wish for Yan Liqiang to return to Gan Province with an honorary title and spend the rest of his life there? Or was he expecting Yan Liqiang to make a difference in this position and give him a huge surprise by turning his strategy of dealing with the Shatu people, which he shared with Sun Bingchen before, into a reality? If it was the second, then the Emperor certainly thought too highly of him.

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The superintendent of Gan Province’s weaponsmiths quarters was no doubt a high-paying and stable position without many uncertainties. It could be considered an ideal high-level job with fewer responsibilities. On the other hand, the so-called Qiyun Protectorate General was a job that would either bring one to heaven or hell!

Thoughts rushed through Yan Liqiang’s head as he weighed the pros and cons of both official titles.

If the future of the Great Han Empire was peaceful, then Yan Liqiang would rather choose to become the superintendent of Gan Province’s weaponsmith quarters. The idea of leading an easy life for the rest of his days sounded pretty good. However, knowing that everything in the Great Han Empire would change in four years time and that the Shatu Seven Tribes would seize the opportunity to invade Gan Province and precipitate a bloodshed in Pingxi Prefecture, Yan Liqiang’s choice began to grow clearer to him…

From a certain perspective, it was like the Emperor had brought Yan Liqiang a pillow just when he was about to sleep.

“Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, am willing to return to Gan Province and accept my appointment as the Qiyun Protectorate General!”

After thinking for only a moment, Yan Liqiang gave the Emperor his resolute answer.

“Hahahaha…!” The Emperor immediately laughed heartily, looking obviously delighted at his reply. “We are definitely not mistaken about you!”

“I, your humble servant, can only do everything I can with my limited abilities. I hope Your Majesty will not be disappointed should I fail to live up to your expectations!”

“We are naturally aware of the challenge. The position has been given to you, so you can choose to advance or retreat. Just do whatever you wish, do not worry too much about it! You are only fifteen years of age this year and have plenty of time ahead of you. We can even give you a decade to work on your results!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

“Apart from this title, We shall award you with a hundred thousand taels of silver when you return to Gan Province as an initial fund for setting up the Qiyun Protectorate!” The Emperor looked at Yan Liqiang, waved his hand, and spoke with generosity, “If you need anything else, you may make a proposal!”

At this moment, Yan Liqiang suddenly recalled Eunuch Liu’s words. He pondered for a moment before speaking up. “To pass through Mount Qiyun and Gulang Plains, I will definitely require various support, weapons, resources, and money. The Gan Province’s Pingxi Prefecture, my hometown, is adjacent to the White Stone Pass and the Shatu Seven Tribes. I would like to request for the weaponsmiths quarter in Gan Province’s Pingxi City to be given to me, Your Majesty. I wish to have control over it as my base.”

The Emperor laughed. “Hahaha, it is only one weaponsmiths quarter. We shall bestow it upon you. Do you have anything else you need?”

As expected of the Emperor. The Pingxi Prefecture’s weaponsmiths quarter occupied a vast land with many people in it. Even so, the Emperor had bestowed it to him without a second thought. Yan Liqiang couldn’t help but secretly gasp in surprise. Of course, he could still ask for more, but the more he asked, the higher expectations the Emperor would have for him. Not to mention, there might be more interference in the future, and the Gan Province and Pingxi Prefectures would experience more resistance. Therefore, after thinking about it, Yan Liqiang chose to sensibly stop there.

“That is all. I shall return to Gan Province and slowly think about the rest!”

“Good!” The Emperor gave Yan Liqiang a look of approval again. He was very satisfied with Yan Liqiang’s sense of proper limits. “So, when will you leave for Gan Province?”

“The 20th day of this month. For the next few days, I wish to bid farewell to my friends in the Imperial Capital and make the necessary preparations before I leave!”