Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield

Chapter 691: Chapter 281: Imperial Envoy! Master of Qin Military Authority! ”The merit of this battle.” ”All the elite soldiers and generals who attacked Chu have rendered great merit.” ”How could I not know this?”

Ying Zheng let out a laugh.

With Zhao Feng’s return, the smile on Ying Zheng’s face only grew deeper.

In the past, upon the court, Ying Zheng always wore a cold expression; only upon hearing reports of victory would a faint smile emerge, but now that had evidently changed. ”Huan Yi.”

Ying Zheng spoke with authority. ”Your minister is here.”

Huan Yi instantly bowed in salute. ”In this campaign against Chu, Shangjiangjun Huan Yi has rendered great merit.” ”I hereby promote you two ranks in nobility, grant you a thousand gold, one hundred thousand coins, one thousand slaves, and a hundred pieces of jade artifacts,” Ying Zheng declared solemnly. ”Your minister thanks the Great King’s immense graciousness.”

Huan Yi bowed again, overwhelmed with emotion.

He had been of the fourteenth rank of nobility, but with this double promotion, he was now comparable to Wang Jian.

Of course.

Upon receiving such heavy rewards, Huan Yi naturally cast a grateful glance toward Zhao Feng.

If it had not been for Zhao Feng, his camp at Hangu Pass might have been wiped out, and how then could he have earned such great achievements? ”May I address Your Majesty?” ”In the matter of destroying Chu, the Hangu Pass Camp merely played a supporting role. The real foundation of Chu’s destruction lay in Lord Wu’an and the Wu’an Camp.” ”When the invasion of Chu State began, if Lord Wu’an had not sent word warning of Mi Qi’s betrayal, I would not have been alert at all, and the outcome would have certainly been total annihilation. This was all due to Lord Wu’an’s merit.” ”Thereafter, Lord Wu’an led the army to break through the northern border of Chu, slew the Chu army, took the capital of Chu, and cut down Xiang Yan.” ”Lord Wu’an is indeed the key contributor to the destruction of Chu,” Huan Yi spoke loudly again in memorial.

Seeing Huan Yi honor Zhao Feng like this, a smile also appeared on Ying Zheng’s face.

Regarding this battle,

Huan Yi was genuinely, inwardly grateful to Zhao Feng.

Had it not been for Zhao Feng, Huan Yi would have returned not with honor, but with guilt. ”The great service of Lord Wu’an—how could I be ignorant?” Ying Zheng smiled.

Then his expression turned stern, and he called out in a loud voice, ”Zhao Feng.” ”Your servant is present.” Zhao Feng immediately bowed deeply, his face brimming with anticipation.

Grand Commandant of a Vassal State—one step further, and he would receive another third-tier Treasure Box.

This was the pinnacle for a military official. ”Zhao Feng, commander of the Wu’an Camp, has contributed to the destruction of Chu.” ”He killed the King of Chu, slew Xiang Yan; his merits are exceptional and deserve substantial reward.” ”Today.” ”I appoint Zhao Feng as the Grand Commandant of Qin, head of all military officials, granting him half of the Tiger Talismans of the four great camps, and invest him with the authority over the armies of Qin,” Ying Zheng announced in a voice of thunderous majesty.

His tone left no room for doubt.

Hearing this reward,

Zhao Feng instantly bowed: ”Your servant thanks the Great King for your grace.”

And on the court, the courtiers each nursed their own thoughts. ”So, it has come to this day.” ”Prime Minister Wang, this Zhao Feng is now a force unto himself—head of all military officials, and truly first among all those who hold authority in the Great Qin Dynasty court.” ”We should not have opposed him so. In that case, your clan would not have faced total annihilation.” ”Hereafter, the Eldest Imperial Son’s path will not be easy,” Huai Zhuang sighed inwardly, full of desolation.

Now, the situation on the court was wholly transformed.

Without anyone realizing,

Zhao Feng had grown to become head of the military officials, ranking above even the Senior Generals.

Moreover, Han Fei—the head of the civil officials and Left Minister—was a close friend of Zhao Feng.

Without anyone knowing,

Zhao Feng, at only twenty-six years of age, held sway over the entire court.

Who now would dare to offend him?

Han Fei aside, as the one whom the King of Qin trusted most, Yu Liao, and the Tingwei, Li Si, both seemed, quietly, to stand on Zhao Feng’s side.

Guiguzi had invited Zhao Feng for a discussion at Guiguzi’s abode.

Thus, imperceptibly, marking him as someone in close alliance with Yu Liao.

As for Li Si, all his sons served as generals in the Wu’an Camp—the significance of which required no more words.

As for Fusu?

The situation was now terribly unfavorable for him.

For, due to Mi Qi’s betrayal, the power of Fusu’s maternal clan was utterly dismantled, and in Ying Zheng’s mind, Fusu held no position at all. Many courtiers had given up supporting Fusu, which was a severe blow for him.

Meanwhile, Hu Hai seized this opportunity to win over support in grand fashion, and now stood as the most high-ranked prince on the court.

As Qin approached unification, the future increasingly seemed uncertain for Fusu. ”Qin is soon to be unified.” ”If we wish to seek a path for the Eldest Imperial Son, to seek a path for ourselves, perhaps we must wait until unification and then seek partition and enfeoffment.” ”Though the Eldest Imperial Son lacks military merit, he is the King’s eldest son. If he cannot obtain the title of Crown Prince in the future, he may yet have a royal title. At that time, to follow the Eldest Imperial Son to his fiefdom would surely secure the clan’s survival.” ”As for Zhao Feng, if the enfeoffment system is indeed followed, perhaps he too will be made a king.”

Many among Fusu’s supporters thought to themselves in secret.

Now, with the fall of Chu State, the trend toward Qin’s unification was obvious, and many ministers were already envisioning the path Qin would take once unified.

The enfeoffment system— many court ministers openly supported it.

After all, it deeply concerned the interests of many people as well.

If, at enfeoffment, the lands under heaven were divided into vassal states, then ministers on the court might be sent to the vassal states as commanders, or as Prime Ministers, or as ministers in their own right.

In a vassal state, one could attain the highest honors. ”Bestow the Tiger Talisman.”

Ying Zheng waved his hand.

In response,

Zhao Gao respectfully lifted a box from the imperial table at the side.

He cautiously walked to the center of the hall.

With deference, he presented the box containing the Tiger Talisman to Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng took the box with both hands. ”Your servant receives the Tiger Talisman,” Zhao Feng responded loudly.

This Tiger Talisman was essential for mobilizing troops.

In peacetime, all Tiger Talismans were kept under the king’s control.

When war was declared, the King of Qin would bestow the Tiger Talisman, thus granting the right to move troops.

The regulations of the army recognized only the Tiger Talisman.

Now, the box indeed contained the Tiger Talisman of the four great camps.

Only, each one was but a half; the other half remained in the King of Qin’s possession.