Chapter 15: Appointed Battalion Commander!

Quickly!

Main command tent.

Wei Quan led the main command into the tent.

As soon as they entered.

Every eye turned toward Zhu Ying.

Curiosity, surprise, astonishment.

Various emotions appeared in the eyes of the officers.

Clearly.

Upon seeing Zhu Ying’s youth, his boyish appearance, they were stunned.

When they heard of Zhu Ying’s battlefield achievements, they assumed he must be a massive, burly, fearsome giant—but now they saw he was nothing like their image.

Had he not worn armor and military garb, had he not carried that aura of killing, Zhu Ying could have passed for a scholar in a long robe.

“Your Excellency, Commander.”

“Squad Leader Zhu Ying has arrived,” Wei Quan bowed deeply before Bu Wan.

“Your subordinate pays homage to Commander.”

Zhu Ying immediately bowed low.

Bu Wan raised his gaze, fixed it on Zhu Ying, studied him for a moment, then burst into loud laughter: “Hahahaha! Truly, heroes emerge from the young! I expected a man who achieved such feats to be fearsome and brutal—but now I see, he is nothing like I imagined.”

“Thank you for your praise, Excellency.”

“Your subordinate is a soldier of Great Ming, bound to kill enemies for the nation,” Zhu Ying replied with calm dignity.

Seeing Zhu Ying’s demeanor—no arrogance, no pride from merit—Bu Wan nodded with greater satisfaction, then said: “Your battlefield achievements are substantial: one hundred enemy slain, an enemy commander cut down, an enemy battle standard seized, securing our victory.”

“According to His Majesty’s official Great Ming military merit system, you are promoted five ranks.”

“What do you think of this?” Bu Wan asked with a smile.

“I vow to serve Great Ming with my life.”

Zhu Ying immediately bowed.

Promoted five ranks.

At that moment, Zhu Ying’s heart surged—this was nothing short of ascending to heaven for a Squad Leader.

Power, status—all transformed.

Remember, he had been forced into the army less than four months ago, barely three months in total.

Yet in these mere three months, he had earned battlefield merit others spent years to achieve.

“Good.”

Bu Wan’s expression turned serious.

Then.

He picked up his brush, took a blank military order, and wrote Zhu Ying’s commendation. After finishing, he seized the Commander’s seal and stamped it firmly upon the order.

The commendation order took effect immediately.

“First Assistant Camp, First Battalion Command, Squad Leader Zhu Ying, attend your decree,” Bu Wan declared, holding the order aloft.

“Your subordinate attends the decree.”

Zhu Ying bowed instantly, his face alight with anticipation.

“Squad Leader Zhu Ying fought the Tartars, slew one hundred, cut down their commander, seized their battle standard, and secured our victory—great merit!”

“By His Majesty’s military merit system, he is promoted five ranks, appointed [Battalion Commander], to command a thousand troops, and awarded one hundred taels of gold!” Bu Wan proclaimed loudly.

Zhu Ying bowed and replied loudly: “Your subordinate thanks Excellency! I vow to serve Great Ming with my life, to kill enemies and earn glory for the nation!”

Then.

Bu Wan smiled, rose from his seat, walked slowly to Zhu Ying’s side holding the commendation, and first helped Zhu Ying to his feet.

Then he smiled: “Battalion Commander Zhu, I hope you continue striving, to earn new glory for Great Ming.”

“Your subordinate will never disappoint you,” Zhu Ying replied at once.

“Good.”

“Take your order.”

Bu Wan smiled and extended the order to Zhu Ying.

Zhu Ying immediately received it with both hands.

“Bestow armor, bestow saber, bestow sword, bestow gold.”

Bu Wan waved his hand.

Instantly.

Beside them.

Several Personal Guards had already prepared everything.

They stepped forward at once.

One carried armor and helmet, one carried a sword, one carried a saber, and another carried a box holding one hundred taels of gold.

“The saber is for the battlefield; the sword is for readiness.”

“Battalion Commander Zhu, receive them.”

Bu Wan smiled.

“Your subordinate accepts the order.”

Zhu Ying did not hesitate—he took the armor, the saber, the sword, and accepted the gold as well.

“Gentlemen.”

“Battalion Commander Zhu has been promoted five ranks—this is the Great Ming military merit system.”

“All our Great Ming soldiers are treated thus.”

“I am the Prefect of Danning, entrusted by His Majesty and the Crown Prince to temporarily hold the post of Commander. Therefore, I swear: as long as I hold this position, no merit will go unrewarded. Every achievement shall be rewarded.”

Bu Wan addressed all the officers in the tent.

“Your Excellency is wise!” All shouted in unison.

“Battalion Commander Zhu’s battlefield feat—slaying a hundred, cutting down a commander, seizing a standard—is a victory that will stir the entire Great Ming army.”

“I have decided: this battle report shall be submitted to Yingtian alongside the report of the Tartar defeat. I am certain His Majesty and the Crown Prince will be greatly pleased,” Bu Wan added with a smile.

Hearing this,

Many officers’ faces showed a flicker of envy.

To submit a report to Yingtian, to reach the eyes of the Crown Prince and the Emperor—what an honor?

To have the Crown Prince and the Emperor remember your name—that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“Your subordinate vows to serve Great Ming with his life.”

All officers bowed.

“General Chen.”

“Zhu Ying is now Battalion Commander—does your Assistant Camp have a vacant Battalion Commander post?” Bu Wan asked Chen Heng.

“Your Excellency.”

“Yesterday’s battle.”

“My Assistant Camp’s First Cavalry Battalion charged the enemy; their Battalion Commander was severely wounded—the post is vacant,” Chen Heng replied at once.

“Good.”

“Then Battalion Commander Zhu shall be assigned to the First Cavalry Battalion as its Battalion Commander,” Bu Wan nodded decisively.

“Your subordinate accepts the order.”

Zhu Ying’s eyes lit up—he bowed instantly.

Battalion Commander of the Cavalry Battalion—to command cavalry—this was a prime posting.

In this age, cavalry was the most potent force; cavalry battalions offered greater chances to earn merit and acquire attributes.

Zhu Ying naturally did not refuse.

“Battalion Commander Zhu, take your seat.”

“We still need to discuss strategy against the Tartars,” Bu Wan smiled at Zhu Ying, his tone warm.

“Yes.”

Zhu Ying nodded, holding the armor and weapons, scanning the tent for a seat.

“Sit here.”

Chen Heng smiled and pointed directly to a seat beside him.

Zhu Ying did not refuse—he sat down.

“General Liu.”

“How is the pursuit going?” Bu Wan asked Liu Zhen, the other Assistant Commander alongside Chen Heng.

“Your Excellency.”

“Our ten thousand troops have pursued north for dozens of miles, slain many Tartars, caught up with fleeing Tartar border tribes, intercepted them, and are now sending them back to Great Ming in batches—faced little resistance.”

“In my view,”

“The Jianzhou Tartars, though vassals of the Yuan court, are merely a small tribe. They dare not commit their entire people against Great Ming. After this defeat, they will be subdued and dare not reach for us again.”

“With Jianzhou Tartars severely crippled, our Danning Prefecture’s thirty thousand troops can now fully crush bandits and refugees.”

“Thus.”

"The bandit threat will surely be resolved," Liu Zhen replied immediately.

……

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(End of Chapter)