Chapter 5: A Small Merit

Wang Xiu waited anxiously in a corner outside the Tongyuan Gate, his heart burning with urgency.

Time passed minute by minute, each second feeling like a torment on his heart.

He didn't know whether Li Duozuo and the others had entered the palace smoothly, nor whether the details recorded in history would deviate.

This fear of waiting for the unknown was more tormenting than letting him personally draw his sword and go into battle.

Just as he was about to lose patience, a blaze shot up into the sky in the direction of the Xuanwu Gate to the north of the imperial palace.

Immediately after, faint shouts of killing carried on the night wind.

It has begun!

Wang Xiu's spirit lifted, and his blood seemed to boil at that moment.

He dared not delay, and immediately, following Li Duozuo's orders, he grabbed his tally and sprinted toward the Feather Forest Army Main Camp outside the North Gate.

In the darkness, he ran until he was out of breath, his lungs burning with pain.

The effect of the Strong Body Health Pill he had just taken barely allowed him to keep up with this intense exertion.

The Feather Forest Army Main Camp was located in the northern outskirts of Luoyang, not far from the imperial city.

When Wang Xiu arrived, he found the camp gate already in utter chaos.

Orderlies constantly rode in and out on fast horses, the camp buzzed with voices, obviously having received the news as well.

"Halt! Who goes there!"

As Wang Xiu approached, the guard soldier at the gate blocked him with a spear.

"Sir, I have urgent military news; I need to see General Wang Tongjiao!" Wang Xiu said, panting and hurrying.

"General Wang? What proof do you have?" the soldier eyed him warily.

Wang Xiu quickly handed over the tally Li Duozuo had given him.

"This is the tally of the Right Feather Forest Guard General, General Li!"

The soldier took the tally, examined it carefully in the firelight, and his expression shifted slightly.

They, as soldiers, naturally recognized Li Duozuo's tally.

"Wait here!"

The soldier dared not delay, immediately turned and ran into the camp.

Soon after, a young general in armor, with a stern visage, emerged quickly, flanked by a few personal guards.

"Who holds General Li's tally?"

Wang Xiu instantly recognized him as General Wang Tongjiao.

"General, it's me!" Wang Xiu stepped forward quickly.

General Wang Tongjiao's gaze was sharp as a blade, scanning him up and down: "Who are you? What business does General Li have sending you?"

Wang Xiu dared not waste time, and immediately repeated Li Duozuo's words verbatim.

"General Wang, General Li orders me to tell you: the Xuanwu Gate is open! Please immediately lead your troops into the palace to reinforce!"

After hearing this, General Wang Tongjiao's expression hardened, and he pressed: "Is this true? Have General Li and his men already succeeded?"

"Absolutely certain! The Xuanwu Gate fire is the signal; General, please look!" Wang Xiu pointed to the unextinguished blaze in the direction of the imperial palace.

General Wang Tongjiao followed his gaze, and his eyes turned resolute.

He hesitated no longer, turning to roar at his deputy: "Convey my orders! Assemble the army, target the Xuanwu Gate, march out at once!"

"Yes!"

The entire camp sprang to life instantly; thousands of armored soldiers quickly mustered, the clamor of armor never ceasing.

General Wang Tongjiao mounted his horse, and before departing, he gave Wang Xiu a deep look.

"What is your name?"

"Your servant, Wang Jin."

"Good, Wang Jin, I will remember you. For delivering this order, you have earned merit; once the matter is settled, I will surely reward you handsomely."

Having said that, he lingered no more, whipped his horse, and led the army forward like a steel torrent sweeping toward the imperial city.

Watching the departing army, Wang Xiu's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

At last… he had completed his mission.

He was soaked in cold sweat, and the night wind made him shiver uncontrollably.

Now, he had done all he could.

What remained was left to fate.

He dared not linger at the camp gate, dragging his weary body back home in silence.

That night, Wang Xiu hardly closed his eyes.

He lay in bed, but his ears remained attuned to any outside disturbance.

Shouts of killing, hoofbeats, and various clamorous noises continued throughout the whole night.

Only when dawn approached did the outside gradually quiet down.

When the first ray of morning light streamed through the window, Luoyang had undergone a change of heaven.

Wang Xiu waited anxiously for two days.

During those two days, he did not step out of his gate, merely piecing together outside news from the occasional reports his great‑grandmother brought back when she went out to buy vegetables.

Wu Zetian abdicated, yielding the throne to Crown Prince Li Xian.

The brothers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were executed, and their followers were wiped out.

Zhang Jianzhi, Jing Hui, Cui Xuanwei, Huan Yanfan, and Yuan Shuji, five men, were all enfeoffed as princes for their merit in planning the coup.

Li Duozuo, for his merit in raising the rebellion, was made Prince of Liaoyang with a stipend of a thousand households.

Wang Tongjiao likewise received promotion and ennoblement.

Everyone who participated in this coup received generous rewards.

Upon hearing this news, Wang Xiu felt both anticipation and unease.

Do Li Duozuo and Wang Tongjiao still remember him, this tiny order‑bearer?

Or will they forget him, this nameless foot soldier, once the deed is done?

Just as he was torn between hope and fear, on the morning of the third day, someone knocked on his gate.

The visitors were two young eunuchs dressed in palace attendant robes, followed by several Imperial Guards soldiers carrying boxes.

The leading eunuch pinched his voice and shouted loudly, "May I ask which one is Wang Jin, Mister Wang?"

Wang Xiu's heart leapt up to his throat.

He straightened his attire, hurried outside, and cupped his hands, saying, "I am Wang Jin; may I ask what business you esteemed eunuchs have?"

That eunuch sized him up from head to toe, a smile spreading across his face.

"So it's Mister Wang; we, your humble servants, offer our respects." He flicked his horsetail whisk, his voice shrill as he announced, "Wang Jin, receive your reward!"

Wang Xiu hurriedly knelt down.

"For his service in delivering orders during the Shenzong restoration, Wang Jin is hereby awarded one hundred taels of gold, ten bolts of Shu brocade, and appointed to the rank of Xuanjie Xiaowei; so decreed!"

Having finished, the eunuch handed him a yellow appointment document, smiling, "Commander Wang, rise and accept your reward. This merit was jointly requested by the Prince of Liaoyang and General Wang, and personally approved by the emperor."

Wang Xiu took the appointment with trembling hands, still dazed.

One hundred taels of gold! Ten bolts of Shu brocade!

And… a Xuanjie Xiaowei?

Xuanjie Xiaowei is a military scattered-officer rank of the Tang dynasty, sixth rank, lower grade.

Although it is merely a rank without real authority, this means that Wang Jin, from a commoner, has risen in a single step to become an official!

It all happened too quickly, making him feel as if he were dreaming.

"Thank you, eunuch, thank you for the emperor's grace!" Wang Xiu exclaimed, his words tumbling out in excitement.

He quickly pulled out a few pieces of silver from his bosom and stuffed them into the eunuch's hand.

The eunuch weighed it, and his smile grew even wider.

"Commander Wang, you're too polite. The items are placed in your courtyard; please check them. We must return to make our report, so we'll take our leave now."

After seeing off the eunuch and soldiers, Wang Xiu gazed at the several heavy chests in his courtyard and the official document in his hand bearing the two characters "Wang Jin," finally convinced that it was all real.

He had manipulated his ancestors, and it truly succeeded!

Just then, before his eyes, the game interface visible only to him popped up a prompt.

【Ding!】

【Congratulations! The family's fate has undergone a major turning point!】

【Family Prestige: unknown → slight fame】

【Family Status: commoner → official (sixth rank, lower grade)】

【Family Assets: newly added 100 taels of gold, 10 bolts of Shu brocade.】

【New Feature Unlocked: Family Panel】

Wang Xiu eagerly opened the newly unlocked 【Family Panel】.

A detailed list appeared before his eyes.

【Wang Clan】

【First-generation Head of Family: Wang Jin】

【Family Prestige: 10/100 (slight fame)】

【Family Influence: 2/100 (insignificant)】

【Family Assets:】

【Real Estate: one three‑courtyard residence west of Luoyang】

【Currency: 100 taels of gold, 20 taels of silver, 5 strings of copper coins】

【Items: 10 bolts of Shu brocade, Strength‑Health Pills x0, Golden Sore Medicine x1, Soy‑Sauce Beef Jerky x4】

【Family Members: 2 (Wang Jin, his wife Lady Li)】

Looking at this Era Name List, Wang Xiu's mouth split up to his ears.

Success! This is the first step in the rise of the Wang clan!

His gaze finally settled on the "100 taels of gold" column.

Beside it, a familiar 【Manifest】 button flickered faintly.