Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield

”Good.” Zhao Feng nodded, then swept his gaze over Chen Tao and the other generals. ”The Great King bestowed this Royal Edict upon me to ensure I hold Wei City,” he said coldly. ”My authority is not limited to appointments and dismissals but also extends to matters of life and death. From this day forward, the entire army of Wei City will obey only my command. Anyone who dares to disobey will be dealt with by military law.”

These words were aimed particularly at Chen Tao and Zhao Tuo.

Ever since Zhao Feng had assumed the role of Deputy General, the one who was perhaps most insubordinate was Chen Tao. Once, Zhao Feng was merely a Capital Commandant under him, but now Zhao Feng had become his direct superior—a reality that was likely difficult for Chen Tao to accept.

Of course, this wasn’t limited to Chen Tao; there were probably others in the army who felt the same. When commanding an army, it’s impossible for everyone to be compliant. Even the sovereign on his exalted throne faces defiance.

Seeing Zhao Feng’s cold demeanor, Chen Tao was inwardly alarmed, clearly understanding that Zhao Feng was targeting him.

The generals all responded in unison, ”We understand, General.”

”Wei Quan, Luo Hua, Liu Wang, Zhuang Wei,” Zhao Feng called out again.

”Present!” The four men immediately hurried over, their expressions filled with excitement.

”From today onward, you are all acting Wanjiangs, tasked with commanding a Wanjiang camp on my behalf. If you achieve military merit in the future, I will petition the Great King to remove the ’acting’ from your title,” Zhao Feng said solemnly.

”We will not disappoint you, General!” the four declared excitedly.

”Very well,” Zhao Feng said with a wave of his hand. ”You are all dismissed. Zhang Han and Tu Sui, stay behind.”

”We will take our leave.”

The other generals departed one by one.

”General,” Zhang Han said angrily as soon as the others had left. ”That Chen Tao is always so confrontational. It’s truly infuriating.”

”General, why is General Chen so hostile toward you?” Tu Sui asked, puzzled.

”Because in the past, our General was a Capital Commandant under Chen Tao’s command. But due to his many military achievements, such as breaking through the Han Capital and capturing the King of Han, our General has now surpassed Chen Tao in rank. He is likely resentful,” Zhang Han explained with a hint of mockery.

”In our Great Qin, official positions and noble titles are all earned through military merit. General Zhao earned his through his own capability. For Chen Tao to act like this... it just shows how petty he is,” Tu Sui remarked with a sigh.

”Forget about him,” Zhao Feng said coldly. ”With this Royal Edict, he won’t dare to act rashly. If he’s displeased, I’ll just let him stay displeased.”

Now, Zhao Feng was his superior, a position earned through military merit. Back then, Chen Tao had wanted his own confidant to gain glory and gave the vanguard position to Liu Wu. As a result, Liu Wu was nearly killed and suffered a major defeat. He could play that game, and so could Zhao Feng. Chen Tao wanted to earn merit? Zhao Feng simply wouldn’t let him. Since he chose to oppose me, I will indulge him.

”Later, tell Mr. Wei and the others to come see me at the Military Council Hall tonight,” Zhao Feng told Zhang Han.

”Understood,” Zhang Han immediately nodded.

”General Tu,” Zhao Feng said, turning to Tu Sui. ”These surrendered soldiers still need your personal attention for their reorganization. Break them up as much as possible. A major battle is approaching. We cannot afford any oversights.”

”Understood,” Tu Sui gladly accepted the order.

After the two generals left, Zhao Feng watched the soldiers gathering on the drill ground with a smile on his face.

An army of one hundred thousand, and five of the Wanjiangs are my men. As for Tu Sui and the other two generals—not including Chen Tao and Zhao Tuo—they follow orders by the book. That means eighty thousand troops are fully under my command.

The Royal Edict from the King of Qin had granted him full authority over military affairs, including temporary appointments. Zhao Feng naturally had to seize this great opportunity. As long as they could withstand the upcoming attack from Wei, the Wanjiang positions for Wei Quan and the others could be made permanent.

「Nightfall.」

Outside the Military Council Hall, when everyone arrived, they all knelt and paid homage to Zhao Feng. At this moment, they were not performing a military salute, but the rite of a servant to their lord.