Chapter 706: The Hall Brims with Heroes

Night fell, and the gale, swirling the coarse desert sand, howled past the bleak walls of Tongwan City, sounding like wailing ghosts and howling wolves.

Yet it could not cool the blazing atmosphere inside Tongwan City's government office.

Long tables were arranged along both sides of the hall; instead of delicately carved porcelain plates and jade bowls, they were replaced by massive, rugged ceramic vats.

The whole roasted lamb, golden and crisp, sizzled with oil as it was brought in whole; huge piles of braised beef rose like small hills, and the unsealed jars of strong liquor Toupianxiang exuded an enticing sharp aroma.

This is a night belonging to the victors.

The Left Martial Guard commanders who had just endured a life‑and‑death battle sat together with officials who had long defended Xiazhou and were now exhausted.

At this moment, no one cared about the distinction between civil and military paths, nor the petty bureaucratic rules.

The men, having shed their heavy armor, bared their chests and displayed fierce yet glorious scars; the shouts of dice‑calling rose and fell, nearly overturning the thick roof of the office.

"Drink! Damn it, this battle was exhilarating! That Qi State… damn vanguard, I smashed its head into a hollow with a single spear thrust!"

"Hey, Old Zhao, what's that about? You didn't see General Lu by the Hun River, his voice booming, frightening several Qi soldiers into wetting their pants, their swords trembling!"

Amid the clamor, Chen Yan, seated at the head seat, slowly set down his silver chopsticks.

He was not wearing the Purple Robe that symbolizes supreme authority; instead he wore a plain dark robe, with a rhinoceros‑horn belt at his waist.

Even in such a relaxed setting, his upright, pine‑like posture still exuded an unmistakable pressure.

It was the bearing cultivated by long‑time leaders, further forged into a killing aura amid seas of corpses and blood.

Chen Yan rose slowly.

He made no motion to strike the table, nor raised his voice in scolding.

Just the act of standing was like an invisible giant hand that instantly stifled the whole room's clamor.

The deputy commander still mid‑dice‑calling froze, the Colonel chewing meat stopped mid‑chew, and even the servants pouring wine held their breath.

In just two breaths, the vast Zheng Hall fell into a deathly silence where even a pin could be heard falling. Only the occasional crackle from the brazier's coals reached the ears.

Everyone's gaze, filled with awe and fervor, fixed on the young man.

Chen Yan lifted a large coarse‑ceramic bowl from the table, his eyes slowly sweeping every face present.

His stare was not sharp, yet as steady as a bottomless cold pool, making others dare not meet his eyes.

"Everyone!"

Chen Yan's voice was low, yet in the silent hall it sounded unusually deep and powerful, "According to custom, at this moment this Duke should utter some ceremonial words…"

At this point, a faint mockery curled at Chen Yan's mouth, a disdain for worldly pretenses.

"But tonight, there are no outsiders here, only the living‑and‑dead Pao Ze. This Duke will not speak those nonsense that even ghosts won't believe!"

The words sparked many straightforward generals to grin instantly, their eyes burning hotter.

Chen Yan lunged a step forward, raising his wine bowl slightly: "The victory that drove the Qi army out of Xiazhou is not solely my merit, nor solely the bravery of the generals present. The true primary merit belongs to those brothers who could not sit here drinking."

His gaze passed over the crowd, toward the black night beyond the hall, as if seeing the blood‑and‑flame‑woven Gancao City.

"If Gancao City had not held, if those thousands of brothers had not worn flesh and blood to grind down the Qi army's vigor, those celebrating here would not be us but Ku Di Gan and Yunhe Ti, those barbarians!"

Chen Yan snapped his gaze back, eyes like lightning, straight at the seats on the left front of the hall.

There sat two people whose bodies were wrapped in bandages.

One was Wang Xiong, whose right leg was in a thick splint, forced to sit in a custom wheelchair.

The other was the Gancao City defender Huang Shizhang, his left arm hanging at his chest, his face bearing burn scars.

"Wang Xiong! Huang Shizhang!" Chen Yan barked sharply.

The two jolted, instinctively trying to rise and salute, but their severe injuries made them clumsy.

"This battle's primary merit belongs to you two! This bowl of wine, I the Duke offer to you! This title 'hero', you are worthy of it!"

Wang Xiong heard this, and his face, scarred by wind and frost, flushed bright red instantly.

He struggled to stand, waving his hands repeatedly, his voice hoarse with emotion: "State Pillar… cannot be! Absolutely cannot!"

"This… this is the merit earned by thousands of brothers with their lives!"

"Those brothers who died on the city walls never received this wealth; what merit or ability do I, Wang Xiong, have?"

"This merit, Subordinate General receives it with guilt; this wine… I cannot drink it!"

Beside him, Huang Shizhang also wept, lowering his head, unwilling to meet Chen Yan's eyes; the survivor's guilt shone especially stark at this celebration.

Bang!

The wine bowl in Chen Yan's hand slammed onto the table, splashing wine that soaked his sleeve.

His complexion darkened abruptly, the sudden surge of anger tightening everyone's hearts.

"Nonsense!"

Chen Yan pointed at Wang Xiong, shouting sternly: "Your being alive is the best answer to the fallen brothers! If you refuse this merit, what are those thousands of heroic souls that died? Do they die in vain?!"

"The Duke says you deserve it, then you do! Who dares utter even a single 'no'?!"

These ultra‑domineering words echoed through the hall.

"State Pillar is right!"

The towering Lu Ming was the first to leap forward.

He ripped open his robe, lifted his wine bowl, and shouted loudly: "Brother Wang, Brother Huang! You have guarded so long, you are true men!"

"This bowl of wine, I, Old Lu, toast to you! Whoever doubts, first ask about the horse spear in my hand!"

"Toast to General Wang! Toast to General Huang!"

Feng Muye, Dong Xuqing, Gu Yuci and other fierce generals also rose, clasped fists in salute to the two, and shouted cheers in unison.

The sound roared like a mountain‑crushing wave, shaking the hall's flames.

It was pure respect among soldiers, without any falsehood or courtesy.

Seeing the many sincere and fiery eyes around them, Wang Xiong and Huang Shizhang's eyes reddened again and again, finally they no longer refused.

"Alright! This wine… we'll drink!" Wang Xiong lifted the bowl trembling, tears in his eyes, yet laughing boldly, "For the fallen brothers, we drink this celebratory wine!"

Chen Yan saw this and his complexion eased slightly.

He lifted the wine bowl again, his expression solemn: "This first bowl, not to the heavens, not to the earth, but to the heroes beneath Gancao City!"

Wha—

He tipped the bowl with both hands, slowly sprinkling the strong wine onto the Blue Bricks beneath his feet.

All the generals wore solemn expressions and together poured wine onto the ground.

The fragrance of wine spread everywhere, as if seeing off those departed heroic souls.

After the tribute was finished, Chen Yan filled another bowl, tipped his head, and drank it all in one go.

The spicy wine rolled down his throat into his belly, exploding like a burst of flame and stirring up boundless heroic spirit.

After three rounds of drinking, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.

Chen Yan toyed with the empty bowl in his hand, his gaze turning a bit playful. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes landing on Chief Clerk of Xia Prefecture Zhang Wenqian, who sat at the lower seat, constantly bowing his head to sip the sour wine, his expression complicated.

Old Zhang!

Chen Yan's voice was not loud.

Zhang Wenqian instantly understood, quickly rose, and reached for the small wine cup on the table.

The whole venue fell silent in an instant, and everyone looked at Zhang Wenqian.

Zhang Wenqian lifted the first large bowl with both hands; his grip was so forceful that his knuckles turned white.

Without any hesitation, he bowed deeply to Wang Xiong, then closed his eyes, lifted his head, and gulped down the wine wildly, like a great whale drawing water.

Goo-dong! Goo-dong!

The spicy wine cut his throat like a knife, choking him so that tears streamed, yet he forced not a single drop to spill.

After finishing the bowl, Zhang Wenqian turned the bowl upside down and slammed it heavily onto the table.

His face flushed instantly, his body swayed twice, yet he reached for the second bowl.

He tipped his head again, drinking wildly.

The wine ran down the corner of his mouth, soaking his official robe, but he seemed unaware.

When the second bowl was finished, Zhang Wenqian's eyes were already filled with blood vessels, his stomach roiling like a storm, yet he clenched his teeth tightly and did not let himself vomit.

He leaned on the table, his fingers trembling, yet still reached steadfastly for the third bowl.

Zhang Wenqian's voice had become somewhat hoarse, but he suddenly raised his head, looked at Wang Xiong, his eyes full of pain and release: "To… to the heroic souls of Gancao City!"