Chapter 70: Incredible

As the city gates opened, the soldiers erupted with maximum enthusiasm, sprinting at full speed toward the enemy camp.

The orders were issued simultaneously, but transmission required time.

Colleagues who received the news later wore expressions of bitter regret.

After waking up, they hadn’t just missed the first kill—they were even too late to collect the heads.

They knew full well the enemy camp had been in chaos last night, yet failed to send anyone out to join the fray; many now bitterly regretted it.

The worst off was the group from the North City Battalion Command, who had thought serving under the commander inside the inner city was a good posting.

They never imagined the massive rebel force was all show—its actual combat power was trash.

Every other unit had fought the enemy; their share of the credit for the defense was guaranteed.

They never even touched an enemy, and when it came time to collect heads, they got nothing fresh.

Other units were stationed along the walls and could charge out immediately upon receiving orders; those stationed inside the inner city were stuck with the worst luck.

By the time they assembled their troops, the others had already finished their work—and they barely made it in time to clean up the corpses.

“Commander, we patrolled the streets day and night—surely we’ve earned some merit, even if not from combat!”

“Could you please allocate a few heads to us on the battle report…”

Before Su Battalion Commander could finish begging for credit, he drew a wave of disgusted glares.

What nonsense—these rebel heads were won by sheer skill; how could they be simply divided up?

Connections mean nothing here; everyone present is a connection.

The North City Battalion Command ranked last among the Five City Military Commands, meaning its officers had the weakest networks among peers of equal rank.

“Don’t say I’m not looking out for you—the moat is filled with the corpses of enemy soldiers.”

Since you missed chasing down the remnants, you'll handle clearing the riverbed—still a share of the credit."

Move quickly—the temperature is high; corpses rot easily.”

The Ministry of War is the most demanding; they won’t recognize rotten rebel heads as valid.”

The Marquis of Wuyang spoke with a pained expression.

Being a commander is hard—trying to balance everything fairly is simply too difficult.

Military merit has always been taken by force, never given away.

Hard work means nothing in the Great Yu Dynasty.

“Your servant obeys!”

As Su Xiaofei agreed, the spoiled rich kids under his command instantly rebelled.

It was too much—they’d been excluded from interrogating the salt merchants and reaping the benefits.

Now, when distributing military merit, they were given only scraps, treated as if they didn’t exist.

Though they never fought, their ranks were high—they held multiple nominal deputy commander posts, even some nominal commander posts.

“Marquis, this is unacceptable!”

We maintained order in the city, arrested rebel accomplices—this too was great merit!”

Had we not stabilized the city, Yangzhou would have fallen long ago—there would be no great victory today!”

The frontline commanders’ merit should at least be half ours!”

As Rong Zhishi spoke, the atmosphere turned heavy; countless murderous gazes locked onto him.

Li Mu, who had just thought the Emperor cruel for sacrificing his own kin to reform the salt monopoly, now suddenly felt Emperor Tianyuan hadn’t gone far enough.

I’ve seen fools, but never one this foolish.

Even the finest merit means nothing if you’re dead collecting it.

If you truly want a share, quietly buy some heads privately—everyone wins, no one exposes you.

To demand half everyone’s merit out of thin air is to offend every powerful officer here—you won’t live to return to the capital.

“Commander Rong has rendered great service, but imperial edicts strictly state: military merit belongs to whoever claims the head.”

The rebellion has only just begun; more major battles lie ahead.”

Here’s a solution: in future operations, rotate assignments.”

Let those who haven’t fought get priority to go into battle and earn merit!”

Li Mu smiled, digging a deep pit.

As the top merit recipient of this battle, if he didn’t respond when others pushed their luck, he’d have no standing in the army.

“Li Battalion Commander’s suggestion is excellent—we’re all colleagues; everyone deserves a chance to earn glory.”

Commander Rong’s bravery is famous in the capital.”

Surely clearing a few rebel remnants is no challenge for him!”

When Zhao Yawei of the East City Battalion finished speaking, the room erupted in laughter.

Commander Rong was indeed brave—but not on the battlefield, only on women’s beds.

He once held the record of bedding seven women in one night; details unknown, but he was carried home unconscious.

The scandal rocked the capital; when Emperor Tianyuan heard, he flew into a rage. Had the Imperial Consort not pleaded for him, he’d already be in hell.

Those sent here as cannon fodder all had similar “achievements.”

Either they’d shamed the imperial family or disgraced their own clans.

Each was loathed by all, yet protected by powerful elders, leaving their families’ leaders in agonizing dilemmas.

“Both of you speak wisely—I propose Commander Rong lead the provisional battalion as vanguard, to annihilate the rebels entrenched in Taizhou and Nantongzhou!”

Tang Jincheng, the West City Battalion commander, followed with another knife twist.

With the three battalion commanders setting the tone, all officers piled on.

Sensing the mood, the spoiled rich kids themselves, half-drunk with the moment, joined in blindly, cutting off any escape for Commander Rong.

“Very well—since Commander Rong is the unanimous choice, in future battles, he shall lead the provisional battalion as vanguard.”

The Marquis of Wuyang sighed, exhausted.

Clearly, the military aristocrats were setting a trap—but these fools actually believed it.

Even if the rebels were weak, they weren't something a band of spoiled rich kids could handle.

Perhaps in their eyes, everyone was the same.

After all, these battalion and company commanders had once frequented brothels and taverns just like them before taking office.

Forget it—if they want to die, let them. I won’t be dragged down with them.

Earlier, when assigning troops, able-bodied men were fought over—but the five battalions of the provisional unit were passed around, none wanting them.

Let these pig teammates kill themselves; the Emperor’s nephew had repeatedly urged him before departure to purge the empire’s poison.

The two Huai salt clans were a tumor; these imperial pests were tumors too.

The minor incident ended. A battle report from Yangzhou spread across the realm.

Nanjing Ministry of War.

“Impossible!”

“How could the Five City Military Commands—those useless wastes—defeat hundreds of thousands of rebels and decapitate tens of thousands?

This is a colossal joke!”

Minister Tian Zhisheng immediately declared this was false reporting.

Officially an army, but the Five City Military Commands’ real function was no different from yamen runners or police inspectors.

It was filled with the empire’s most numerous connection-holders—how could it possibly produce elite troops?

“Sir, this report was delivered by the Marquis of Wuyang.”

We verified with Zhenjiang: when delivering supplies, the rebel forces surrounding Yangzhou had vanished.”

Since the Marquis dared let us verify the heads, the report is likely true.”

Vice Minister Yin Dengjia hurried to explain.

Nanjing’s Ministry of War lacked the clout of its northern counterpart.

If we didn’t send someone to verify the heads promptly, the imperial relatives and nobles would accuse us of dereliction of duty—and we’d be in deep trouble.

“This makes no sense!”

The Seven Great Salt Clans of Huai rebelled—how could they compare to ordinary bandits?”

Those salt soldiers were ferocious; ordinary imperial troops couldn’t stand against them.”

The Marquis of Wuyang doesn’t seem like a man who can command troops.”

Could it be that these noble youths truly inherited their ancestors’ valor?”

Minister Tian’s question received no answer.

The Marquis’s report listed only results: a night raid burned the enemy’s grain stores, then a full-scale assault crushed the rebels.

The detailed combat sequence, specific events—all were standard, vague, brushstroke-style phrasing.

Statistically, the Five City Military Commands had fought an exceptionally brilliant battle.

(End of Chapter)