Oliver Sheng held the Imperial Edict in his hand, looking at the congratulations from his subordinates. He sighed, thinking about how everything was fine when he came, but now there was no going back.

Being promoted to Cavalry General meant he could command five thousand troops, forming his own army from now on.

"General Sheng, please take care of us in the future!" Magistrate Chen said with a smile, looking like a sly old fox who had just stolen a chicken.

With Oliver Sheng in command of five thousand troops, the security of River West County would be elevated by two levels.

Oliver looked at Magistrate Chen. This guy's smile seemed off, as if he was hiding something.

"Please take care of me as well, Magistrate Chen," Oliver said. Despite his promotion, he was still happy.

"General Sheng, now that you've been promoted, aren't you going to treat us to drinks at Misty Willow House?" Magistrate Chen said with a laugh.

"Exactly, General Sheng, now that you've been promoted, you should take us to Misty Willow House to celebrate!" Zane Wang chimed in.

He had long wanted to meet Isla Qin at Misty Willow House, but Oliver Sheng never allowed him to go, keeping him in the camp to train scouts.

Now Zane Wang was a Sergeant, leading a fifty-man scout team.

"Go where? There's so much to do in the army," Oliver glared at Zane Wang.

"Magistrate Chen, military affairs are busy. Another day. Didn't you say you'd never go to Misty Willow House again? Why don't you keep your word?" Oliver looked at Magistrate Chen speechlessly. Every time he came out of Misty Willow House, he said he wouldn't go again, but soon he would forget and start talking about seeing Fairy Isla Qin again.

A simp is always a simp.

Seeing that Oliver wouldn't go, Magistrate Chen was slightly disappointed. Without Oliver, Fairy Isla Qin wouldn't see him. How pitiful.

Magistrate Chen left, slightly disappointed, missing the chance to see Fairy Isla Qin.

Oliver looked at his subordinates, their eyes shining with anticipation.

"Today, we form our own army and must shoulder the responsibility of defending our land. I order the thousand county soldiers to join my troops, recruit another two thousand to fill the ranks, and then recruit another two thousand reserves," Oliver directly issued the military order.

"Cameron Guo, I appoint you as Colonel of the first battalion!"

"Yes, thank you, General!" Cameron Guo shouted happily.

"Wesley Hu, I appoint you as Colonel of the second battalion!"

"Yes, thank you, General!" Wesley Hu was also overjoyed.

Although they had broken through to the Postnatal Realm, staying in the Peace Army, who knew how long it would take to become Colonels.

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Being promoted to Colonel made them Seventh Rank officers, capable of guarding a county and standing on equal footing with the County Magistrate.

"Hunter Tang, you are appointed Sergeant of the tenth squad."

"Owen Hai, you are appointed Sergeant of the eleventh squad."

......

Each subordinate received an appointment. This army was his direct line, following him from the beginning.

The three hundred veterans were either tribuni, Sergeants, or Corporals.

Hunter Tang and Owen Hai also got their wish and became Sergeants.

The remaining two thousand soldiers were quickly recruited by Magistrate Chen and handed over to Oliver.

But Magistrate Chen hesitated about the two thousand reserve troops. A Sixth Rank Assistant General could only command five thousand troops. What Oliver was doing was not allowed; it was overstepping his authority.

"Magistrate Chen, what are you afraid of? I'm not afraid. Hurry up and recruit the troops. Otherwise, what will we use to defend against the Barbarians in the spring?"

"Besides, the Emperor appointed me as Cavalry General and didn't say I could only command five thousand troops. I'm forming my own army; commanding ten thousand wouldn't be excessive."

Under Oliver's persuasion, Magistrate Chen had no choice but to recruit the two thousand reserve troops.

Oliver assigned these two thousand reserve troops to Colonel Felix Wu for training.

Felix Wu had survived thanks to the healing pills Oliver had given him.

However, Felix Wu was not Oliver's direct subordinate, so he was temporarily assigned to lead the two thousand reserve troops.

For a time, Oliver commanded a seven-thousand-strong army.

To train the army, Oliver stayed in the camp all day. Magistrate Chen came several times, wanting Oliver to take him to Misty Willow House, but Oliver refused each time.

Having finally become a General with his own base, Oliver had to build his foundation well and strengthen his power.

What was Misty Willow House? What was Fairy Isla Qin? Could they compare to this?

With an army and a base, Oliver's thoughts began to stir.

The heavy cavalry he had always dreamed of seemed within reach.

The camp had five thousand warhorses, enough to form a thousand-man heavy cavalry unit.

With Cameron Guo and Wesley Hu leading two battalions of four thousand men, he could form a thousand-man heavy cavalry unit under his direct command.

When his subordinates heard that Oliver wanted to form a heavy cavalry unit, they looked at each other in astonishment.

"General, heavy cavalry is too costly. We don't have enough money to form one," Cameron Guo said.

They were just a five-thousand-man army. The court's salary and military pay had to support two thousand reserve troops. Forming a heavy cavalry unit was a pipe dream.

"Heavy cavalry? Even the Peace Army doesn't have the resources to form one. The General Who Guards the North has a two-hundred-thousand-strong army and only three thousand heavy cavalry," Zane Wang added.

"General, please reconsider!"

His subordinates tried to dissuade him from the idea.

Oliver knew forming a heavy cavalry unit was costly.

In the end, it was all about money.

Without money, nothing was possible.

"No worries, I have a plan," Oliver said.

Money? That wouldn't stop him!

He was determined to form a heavy cavalry unit. Only heavy cavalry could effectively deal with the Barbarians and Huns.

A day later, someone arrived outside the camp with a hand-written order, seeking to join Oliver's command as a Colonel.

The guards at the camp gate looked at the person in black before them and then at the order. They were unsure and didn't dare let the person in.

"Go report to the General and let him decide," one guard said, running off to inform Oliver.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Oliver was training the soldiers in spear techniques.

"General, someone is outside the camp with an order from the Ministry of War, saying they are here to serve as a Colonel," the guard reported.

Oliver instructed his subordinates to continue training and went to the camp gate.

At the gate, Xiao Chuyi, dressed in black with a sword at their waist, looked valiant.

Oliver approached and, at first glance, thought Xiao Chuyi was a beautiful woman. But seeing the Adam's apple and flat chest, he confirmed it was a man.

After checking the order from the Ministry of War, Oliver looked at Xiao Chuyi again. The order was genuine, but which noble family in the Capital had pulled strings to get this person assigned to his northwest border army as a Colonel?

"Xiao Batian, right?"

Oliver looked at the delicate-looking person before him and wondered how someone with such a name wasn't a two-meter-tall strongman. Xiao Batian was a mighty name, completely at odds with the person before him.

"Yes!"

Xiao Chuyi sized up Oliver. Was this the man who had killed eight thousand Huns with a thousand cavalry?

The border general whose poetry was famous in the Capital?

"You're late. I already have two Colonels under my command," Oliver said.

He didn't want an unknown person joining his ranks as a Colonel.

"The order was issued by the Emperor through the Ministry of War. What, are you going to defy it?" Xiao Chuyi said calmly.

Well, goodness, pulling out the Emperor's name on his turf. Really?

He had no choice but to comply.

"You can stay, but I don't have extra troops. You'll have to figure that out yourself," Oliver said.

Since it was a connection from above, Oliver let Xiao Chuyi recruit their own troops.

Xiao Chuyi nodded coolly, not refusing. They had been prepared for difficulties.

Recruiting some troops was within their capabilities; otherwise, they wouldn't have come.

The sudden arrival of a Colonel made Oliver uncomfortable. Was this person sent to supervise him?

"Fine, find a place to stay in the camp," Oliver said and left.

He felt a bit more wary of the Empress. Just after his promotion, she sent someone to supervise him?

Did she think he was a traitor? Planning a rebellion?

Oliver's wariness grew. Just after his promotion, someone was sent to watch him. The Empress had a small mind.

Xiao Chuyi entered the camp and found a barrack to settle in.