Chapter 1077

"The scout unit has merit, your great general Cao's great merit cannot be lacking either!"

Chen Wuji spoke loudly, "You have successfully created the fastest record of the Zhongyuan dynasty attacking Magic Capital Mountain, unprecedented in history, truly an irresistible force! I hope you will forever remain at the peak, and also be the last peak of the Han army's attack on Magic Capital Mountain."

"Our army must become the master of this place, not a guest army shouting against those who do not submit."

"Cao Mu!" Chen Wuji suddenly shouted in a deep voice.

"Deputy General is here!"

"I give you a task: on this mountain, pick a stone that pleases you most and can withstand the ravages of time, carve today's merit upon it, and have me erect it on the highest peak here!"

"Ah?!" Cao Mu was dazed.

Inscribing merit on stone is what warriors throughout history most desire.

It is also undoubtedly one of the highest honors.

But attacking Magic Capital Mountain was not just him; there were seven full route armies, he was merely the first to break in—would it be appropriate to let him inscribe merit?

Furthermore, this merit should rightly belong to the lord, shouldn't it?

"Ah what ah, I see it as first to ascend!" Chen Wuji said in a deep voice.

"The merit of the central army scout unit, you may record one entry or not—it makes no difference; I have other rewards for them, you need not worry."

"Magic Capital Mountain holds an extraordinarily high position in the Huihe kingdom; it can be called their eastern gate. Inscribing merit on this mountain to display our army's virtue is proper and reasonable, not at all cold-hearted. I further wish to use this stele to tell the world and future generations that henceforth this land bears the Han surname, it is Han family land!"

"From now on, if war is fought here again, it shall not be called conquest but recovery! Right, remember to add a line on the inscription: which grandson dares to lose this place for me, I will spit and curse his dead self!"

Cao Mu's mouth corner twitched violently.

Chen Wuji's reasoning made him quite excited, but this inscription, somewhat childish.

However, what the lord said is indeed reasonable—write it!

"Deputy General obeys orders, I will now command people to find stone!" Cao Mu lifted his head forcefully and shouted loudly.

Record it, since the lord has said so, this merit must be recorded.

Previously, so many generals had conquered Magic Capital Mountain, they did not record it—that was their affair.

They were aloof, disdaining the height of Magic Capital Mountain, but Cao Mu does not disdain it.

He can today inscribe merit on Magic Capital Mountain, tomorrow he can do the same on Yanran Mountain!

"Wait, has the Huihe king's eldest son been found?" Chen Wuji suddenly recalled this matter.

In the scout's report, this youth seemed not to have marched out with the Left General, but remained behind to guard the Magic Capital Mountain defense line.

Cao Mu's face instantly fell: "My lord, Deputy General has failed in duty, letting that youth escape. I interrogated several Huihe commanders; they said when our army entered Deer Cry Gully, before several passes, the Huihe king's eldest son retreated along a small path under the cover of his subordinates."

"I sent people to pursue him, but……we did not catch up."

Chen Wuji felt some regret upon hearing this, the distance to collecting the Huihe king's sons card had grown further.

"When inscribing merit, write this down too, remember to add the two characters for regret." Chen Wuji said.

Cao Mu's face stiffened: "My lord, this……does it count as a sin?"

"Not a sin, I count it as regret for you, strive to make it up later."

"……Yes!"

After Cao Mu left, Xu Zengyi and others immediately gathered around.

"My lord, you let Cao General inscribe merit on Magic Capital Mountain; other generals may harbor resentment." Zhao Chen advised, "Deputy Officer suggests, if inscribing merit, why not inscribe all of them?"

"Agreed, Deputy Officer also shares this concern."

Several people chattered seven voices eight tongues, except Xu Zengyi who said nothing, everyone else voiced opposition, all worried that favoring Cao Mu alone would breed resentment among other generals, destabilize military morale, and even lead to worse consequences.

"Several actually have not understood the lord's meaning." Xu Zengyi smiled faintly and spoke.

"Since our army's establishment, the lord has always bestowed rewards on the character 'name' for those who were first to ascend, the first."

"You have overthought it; other generals will at most mutter a few complaints, not truly do anything. Cao General's stele, once erected, will not cause any turmoil in our army's morale but rather should arouse the fighting spirit of all units—this is a good thing."

Guo Shuhan frowned and said: "Xu Gong, but, this is inscribing merit on stone."

"From now on, this will become customary; the Huihe east has the eastern gate Magic Capital Mountain, the west surely does not lack a lofty mountain peak and range? Then we only need to let the generals know this matter."

Xu Zengyi finished speaking, then bowed to Chen Wuji: "Deputy Officer dares to suggest, may I ask if I have guessed the lord's true intention?"

"No more nonsense, if you guessed it, say it straight, still playing tricks with me!" Chen Wuji said helplessly.

"Indeed I mean this; of course, what I told Cao General is also intention. This stele, remember to record not only our army's merit and regret, but also as a boundary marker—I want to tell the world, this territory, henceforth belongs to us!"

After the strategists pondered for a moment, no one raised objection again.

Their inner concerns remained, yet they felt that letting Cao Mu erect this stele brought benefits that seemed somewhat greater.

"Let the other units remain stationed where they are, the guard camp follows me up the mountain; since we have come, I too will go see the scenery of Magic Capital Mountain." Chen Wuji said.

"Yes!"

Entering the interior of Magic Capital Mountain, Chen Wuji felt as if he had come not to fight but to tour a scenic area.

The Huihe truly invested great capital in this first eastern defense line.

Their development of the mountain interior and strategic points had nearly reached the limit of their ability.

"We truly need to thank the Huihe people, carry luggage and move in—since raising troops until now, I have never enjoyed such treatment!" Chen Wuji sighed thus on the mountain path mid-slope.

Behind him stood continuous stretches of buildings, dense and numerous, nearly filling the entire mountain.

Directly ahead lay layered peaks and ridges of mountain range, that was the path they had just walked, Deer Cry Gully lay within it.

Here, one can clearly see the highest peak of Magic Capital Mountain, that peak acclaimed as the Heavenly Throne, Gonglin Snow Mountain.

The Huihe value this mountain range immensely; naturally, that towering peak piercing the clouds acquired mythological color.

In Huihe mythology, it is said that Gonglin Snow Mountain was once where heavenly divine beings overlooked the world.

However, Chen Wuji dislikes this myth.

In Huihe myth, where does the god seated high on Gonglin Snow Mountain overlook?

Could it not be Zhongyuan!

Just the shape of that mountain, saying He sits there watching His own people, is somewhat not lifelike.

"Several people, since you've all come, lend a hand to rename Gonglin Snow Mountain, and change the mythology's guise!" Chen Wuji said, "Since this place is now our land, there's no need to still regard the Uyghur mythology as our legend."

Chu Xiu, upon hearing, nearly blurted out: "My lord, Deputy Officer offers a name: Qiumo Feng!"