The "military leader" of the Qingzhou Rebel Army actually belonged to the faction led by that old schemer Yuann Li.
This answer greatly surprised Zhao Douan, but upon reflection, it wasn't entirely unexpected.
Yu Country had been without major wars for years, hence the promotion of local military generals became much more difficult.
More often, it's not about "battle achievements" or "ability," but about background.
Although the Grand Ancestor Emperor of Yu Country was a martial artist, he advocated the strategy of governing the nation through civil officials, thus making the military officer group represented by the Privy Council rank far lower than the cabinet on the court.
Unavoidably, the local military mansion's military generals' positions were also, to some extent, influenced by the court's political factions.
The "Pure Stream Party" led by Yuann Li was the second-largest group after the "Li Party," so it's no surprise they collaborated to recommend a commander.
