Chapter 432: There Are Courtiers Who Easily Get Promoted!

On the seat of the general nearest the Gaotai, Helian Shi was already standing holding a wine bowl; when Chen Yan's words just finished, he slammed the bowl onto the table, splashing a few drops of wine without caring, and shouted hoarsely, "All thanks to the Grand General's proper command!"

Beside him, He Ba Le immediately rose, slapping Helian Shi's shoulder heavily; his voice was even louder, and his tone full of admiration: "To achieve such a great victory, we wholly rely on the Grand General's godlike tactics!"

Their shouts rode the evening wind across the camp, and the soldiers, as if ignited, all echoed in response.

"Grand General is mighty!" "Follow the Grand General, achieve glory!" the chants rose and fell, even the torch flames seemed lifted higher by the fervor.

Chen Yan raised his hand and pressed down gently, palm facing down; the shouts below gradually quieted, and countless gazes refocused on him.

He looked at the soldiers' fiery eyes, his tone modest, his voice amplified and crystal clear: "I do not deserve the praise!"

After a pause, he lifted his arm, made a vague bow toward all the soldiers below, his posture sincere yet bold: "I, the General, have only played a minor role; it is the three armies risking their lives, fearless and undaunted!"

From below, a coarse hoarse shout suddenly rose, from a front‑row soldier with a full beard; clutching his wine bowl, veins bulging on his neck, he cried: "I hope next time I can still serve under the Grand General, to fulfill my duty to the Grand General!"

That shout rang especially loud, like a spark landing in a pile of dry wood.

Immediately, the soldier beside him shouted in kind, layers of voices rippling outward, spreading from the front rows to the back, the sound coalescing into a force: "Serve the Grand General!" "Still follow the Grand General!"

Whether Hezhou soldiers, Wei Zhou soldiers, or Shan Zhou soldiers, they all reached a common consensus:

Follow Grand General Chen Yan, there are victories to be won, merits to be earned, plunder to fill the bowl, and promotions to be granted!

With such a commander, who would not be willing to risk death to serve?

"Come!"

Standing on the Gaotai, watching the boiling scene below, his smile deepened, and he raised a distant toast: "I, the General, offer you all a cup!"

As the words fell, he tipped his head and drained the wine from the bowl in one gulp.

He then tossed the empty bowl toward the ground below; the bronze bowl struck the stone floor with a crisp clang.

The soldiers below instantly boiled again, each raising a wine bowl, shouting loudly: "Cheers to the Grand General!"

"Gentlemen, it's been a long time since we've had big bites of meat and big gulps of wine, hasn't it?"

Chen Yan laughed heartily, his voice bright through the loudspeaker: "Tonight everyone must eat joyfully and drink to the full!"

There is a prohibition on alcohol in the army; not to mention the soldiers, even in campaign, Chen Yan himself has not touched a drop of wine…

Just as Chen Yan stepped down from the Gaotai, He Ba Le's arm, reeking of wine, slung over and rested heavily on his shoulder.

The hand holding the Wine Jar deliberately swayed, amber wine spilling a few drops from the rim, leaving dark stains on the stone slab.

"Grand General, tonight Subordinate General may have the honor to drink a good cup with you!" He Ba Le's laughter rode the evening wind, his eyes reflecting the distant campfire, bright.

"Drink!"

Chen Yan reached for the new Wine Jar Zhu Yi handed over, a hearty laugh bubbling from his throat, the fine lines at his eyes warming: "I guarantee to drink with you till we're thoroughly drunk!"

Speaking so, he turned his wrist, first filling a coarse porcelain bowl for himself, the wine splashing fine foam along the rim.

"Grand General, enjoy!"

He Ba Le reached for the nearby coarse porcelain bowl, lifted the Wine Jar and poured it in forcefully; the wine overflowed, streaming down his fingers, and he kept pouring until a thick froth piled up at the rim: "Then Subordinate General will first drink in respect."

Immediately he raised the bowl, clinked it against Chen Yan's, brought it to his lips, tipped his head and gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing rapidly, soon reaching the bottom.

Seeing this, Chen Yan gave a calm smile, unhesitant, and directly drained the wine from his bowl in one gulp.

The surrounding seated generals, witnessing this, could no longer hold back.

Those who had been huddled by the campfire gnawing on sheep meat suddenly rose, even their breaths tinged with urgency.

Wang Xiong was the first to act, snatching the empty bowl before him, tilting the Wine Jar to refill it, the wine splashing on his fingertips without him noticing.

He lifted the bowl and approached, his face full of smile, his tone teasing: "Grand General, you must not favor some and neglect others!"

Before the words finished, He Ba Le, already holding half a Wine Jar, stood up; his coarse palm patted the outside of the Wine Jar, the clink of wine mixing with laughter rang out: "Having drunk with General He Ba, you must also drink with Subordinate General!"

Everyone grew restless, each seeming ready to drown their own Grand General in wine!

Chen Yan looked at the gathering generals, let out a light laugh, raised his hand, lifting the refilled wine bowl even higher, his voice, curious, drowned the surrounding cheers: "Rest assured, none of you will miss out!"

"Don't just drink, eat meat!"

As the words fell, he first slammed his wine bowl hard against Wang Xiong's rim.

With a crisp "clang", both tipped their heads and drank to the bottom together.

The instant he set down the empty bowl, Chen Yan reached for the gleaming, oily lamb leg on the table.

His fingertips still stained with juices, he bit a large mouthful, the fat streaming down his mouth corner.

Riding on Lord Chen Yan's line, future promotion now has a path… Hua Jiao watched Chen Yan surrounded in the center, a smile tugging at his mouth, thinking to himself with a chuckle.

Immediately, he pushed through the noisy crowd, his palm steady supporting a wine bowl, standing before Chen Yan, first lowering his bowl rim half an inch below the other's, his voice tinged with deliberately restrained excitement: "Grand General, Hua respectfully salute you!"

It is well known that in the world of fame and profit, nothing is more important than taking a good position in the line…

As the saying goes, there are people in the court who can easily get promoted!

Now, having tied a patronage with the favored person before the Grand Preceptor, why still worry about not being promoted later?

Shan Zhou Commander Dai Zhou, hands tucked, stood at the end of the line, his gaze glued to Chen Yan, a smile never leaving his mouth, his hand hidden in his sleeve absentmindedly rubbing his belt, his heart already blooming with joy: "Such a once‑in‑a‑thousand‑years opportunity, I, Old Dai, have seized…"

"Future promotion looks promising!"

"Hahaha!"

The more he thought, the hotter he felt, and he quietly unfastened the clasp at his collar.

His fingertips brushed the wine flask, and he couldn't help taking a sip; even the wine aroma seemed richer than usual.

After all, the Shan Zhou soldiers under his command performed admirably in this campaign…

And who doesn't know Lord Chen Yan treats his subordinate generals the best!

It also required the Grand Preceptor to assign Shan Zhou under Lord Chen Yan's control, allowing followers to achieve great deeds—pure luck!

Lu Ming stood beside the campfire, his nearly two‑meter‑tall figure casting a tall shadow in the flames, the wine bowl in his hand unmoved for a long while.

His gaze fell on the dancing flames in the distance, his mind lost in thought.

"Lu Ming, you kid, stop standing there dazed!"

Gu Yu Ci, holding a wine bowl, walked over, his elbow gently bumping his shoulder, wine splashing tiny bubbles, and said, "The two of us will drink!"

"Good!"

Lu Ming only then came to his senses, the daze in his eyes fading, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. He raised his hand, holding his wine bowl level with Gu Yuci's, and said, "Brother Gu, I salute you!"

With a crisp "clang—", the two bowls clashed.

Lu Ming tipped his head and drank to the bottom; as his Adam's apple bobbed, the wine ran down his mouth corner. He raised his hand, casually wiped it, then turned and refilled Gu Yuci's bowl.

Gu Yuci plopped onto a stone beside the bonfire, his wine bowl casually set at his feet. He reached out and gave Lu Ming's shoulder a firm pat, his eyes full of approval: "With your merits, once we return to Chang'an, you'll at least earn the title 'General Who Quells Bandits'!"

As he spoke, he tossed a log onto the fire; sparks crackled. His voice deepened, bearing the gravity of one who's been there, and he earnestly advised, "Work well under the Grand General; a splendid future awaits you!"

Lu Ming tightened his grip on the wine bowl, looked at Gu Yuci's earnest gaze, and solemnly nodded.

He knew this Brother Gu was looking out for him…

Night had deepened.

Zhu Yi half‑supported, half‑hoisted Lu Ming into the office; the nearly two‑meter‑tall man reeked of alcohol, his steps buoyant as if walking on cotton.

"Drink! Keep drinking!"

Lu Ming swayed, his arms flailing aimlessly, his slurred voice unusually clear in the night: "We won't go back until we're drunk!"

The lanterns in the office courtyard were still lit; Lu Ning, coat gathered, stood at the steps. Hearing the footsteps, she and Huan Jing hurried forward, and as they approached, a strong scent of alcohol enveloped them.

She looked at Lu Ming, half‑supported by Zhu Yi, his head tilted and drooping, her brows gently furrowing. She reached out and brushed his brother's cold earlobe, her tone full of concern: "How much has Ah Ming drunk?"

Zhu Yi steadied Lu Ming against a pillar, wiped the sweat from his forehead, recalled the empty Wine Jar by the bonfire, and vaguely replied, "Just a few large vats…"

Lu Ning keenly noticed the returning Chen Yan, who, though tinged with some alcohol, only had a faint blush; his dark robe accentuated his upright stature, and his steps remained steady.

His eyes still held a lingering sparkle, starkly different from his brother's drunken limp beside him.

Lu Ning, puzzled, glanced again at her brother's oblivious drunkenness and asked in doubt, "Grand General, why are you unaffected?"

One must know that at such a celebratory gathering, the chief commander Chen Yan would certainly not drink less; everyone would pour wine for him…

Yet he didn't even need support, not a hint of drunkenness!

What a bizarre occurrence!

Chen Yan's shoulders gave a slight shake, a narrow smile flickering in his eyes, his voice retaining a post‑drinking lightness: "Because I took a sobering remedy beforehand…"

He's not a greenhorn like Lu Ming, fresh to the field; after years of drinking bouts, Mr. Chen would surely know the tricks those veteran rascals play.

He had long ago taken the secret sobering pill from Yun Xi…

Otherwise, with that amount of wine, he'd probably have to sleep for a day and night!

Lu Ning, hearing this, first gave a slight startle, then lightly pressed her red lips, the doubt in her eyes fading, replaced by a hint of helplessness. She gently shook her head and remarked, "Grand General, you truly remain ever foresighted…"

The matter was indeed unexpected yet reasonable.

It matched her stereotypical image of this Zhou State soldier‑immortal…

"I didn't expect Ah Ming's drinking capacity to be so poor; next time I'll have him take the sobering pill first…" Chen Yan also shook his head, raised his hand, gently patted Lu Ming's shoulder hanging at his side, and said.

"Hmm."

Lu Ning gave a soft reply, then as if recalling something, turned her body toward the rear courtyard, raised a finger, and said with added solemnity, "By the way, Inspector Liu and Commander Yang, have been waiting for you, Grand General, for quite some time!"

"Oh?"

Chen Yan followed the direction of her finger, his gaze passing over the wutong branches in the courtyard, landing on the slightly lit window of the side hall.

The smile that had been on his face gradually faded, his brows lifting imperceptibly.

The lightness in his eyes, left over from the drink, faded, replaced by a deep, spreading glow, as if pondering something…

He recalled that the two had left early…

He then led Hongye and went straight away.

The side hall's door was just pushed open, the candlelight flickered, illuminating the two waiting inside.

Liu Zhuang and Yang Langhui, hearing the sound, rose at once, tidied their robes, and together bowed to the entering Chen Yan, their voices respectful and synchronized: "Greetings, Grand General!"

Chen Yan strode into the room, a warm smile still at his lips, his gaze sweeping over the two. Without waiting for them to finish bowing, he hurried forward, reached out and gently lifted each of their arms, saying, "No need for such formalities, both of you!"

After sitting down and making brief small talk, Liu Zhuang's eyes involuntarily met Yang Langhui's; he then raised his hand, rummaged in his chest for a moment, and produced a thick stack of items.

He cupped the items with both hands and handed them to Chen Yan, his torso slightly bent, his tone even more reverent than before: "Grand General, this is a small token from the two of us…"

Yang Langhui, standing nearby, quickly stepped forward half a pace, fearing his words were incomplete, and added, "Just a few Silver Notes and some Land Deeds in Chang'an…"

"We hope you'll accept them, Grand General!"

Chen Yan took them, glanced over; the amount of Silver Notes was striking—roughly over a hundred thousand taels—and the Land Deeds covered at least several hundred mu, truly a generous offering.

He placed the items gently on the table, leaning back slightly, a half‑smile curling his lips: "It seems you both have a request of Mr. Chen?"

"Inspector Liu knows the relationship between the Grand General and the Grand Preceptor…"

Liu Zhuang, without beating around the bush, wore a beaming smile and pleaded, "Please, Grand General, after returning to Chang'an, say a few kind words for the two of us!"

Although they had fought several battles through Hezhou and Tuyu Hun, they had forged a deep revolutionary friendship…

But however strong the bond, there's no reason to ask for favors empty‑handed.

Thus, after pooling together, they gathered a modest tribute…

Yang Langhui clasped both fists tightly to his chest, arms straight, solemnly declaring, "The two of us are immensely grateful to the Grand General!"

To turn merit into atonement, one needs connections; isn't that what mediation is about?

Moreover, it could deepen our rapport with Lord Chen Yan; why not?

"I'll accept these, Mr. Chen…" Chen Yan's gaze swept over their faces; his fingertips twirled the items on the table, offering no refusal, he gathered the stack of Silver Notes and Land Deeds and slipped them neatly into his bosom.

His decisive action let Liu and Yang both breathe a sigh of relief.

He paused, then his tone shifted sharply, deepening a few degrees: "But I must say a couple of words to you both!"

Liu Zhuang and Yang Langhui, hearing this, immediately concealed their delighted expressions, bowed together and replied, "Please, Grand General, give us instruction!"

"What instruction, you ask?"

Chen Yan suddenly laughed, rose, stepped forward, lifted his hand and lightly patted both shoulders—firm yet gentle—with a touch of camaraderie: "We're brothers who were born into death together, fighting rebellions and striking enemies side by side!"

He paused, then continued laughing, "You two brothers are being way too formal!"

Given Chen Yan's wealth, he doesn't lack this sort of thing.....

He accepted it only to put their minds at ease!

Providing the He Dong Liu Clan youths and the defense‑skilled generals with timely aid, winning goodwill, this deal is very profitable!

It worked..........

Liu Zhuang and Yang Langhui exchanged a glance, involuntarily relaxed, quickly changed their address, and laughed, "Brother A Yan is absolutely right!"

Chen Yan hooked the two on his shoulders, laughed loudly, "Come on, the three of us brothers will have a good drink!"