Chapter 119: Chapter 95: Zhao Ying: My Brother Became a General? (Part 3)
"After breaking the city, he slew countless enemies, beheaded the newly appointed Han Senior General, and cut down Chancellor Han."
"He breached the Han Royal Palace, but the King of Han had already fled. With keen perception, Zhao Feng searched the palace for a secret passage. He followed it to the King of Han’s hiding place and captured him, achieving a great accomplishment."
"The Great King is extremely pleased with the merits Zhao Feng has established."
"By assessment of merit, the rewards are as follows:"
"Zhao Feng is hereby granted the tenth noble rank, Zuo Shulang, with an annual stipend of five hundred dan. He is appointed Deputy General of Great Qin, with a monthly salary of twenty-five dan, amounting to an annual salary of three hundred dan. His total annual stipend is eight hundred dan."
"The lands granted for his noble rank will be personally designated by the Prefectural Governor."
Chen Fen read the edict aloud, his face filled with reverence and awe.
When everyone at the village entrance heard about the military exploits Zhao Feng had achieved in less than a year, they were all stunned. Whether it was the Village Chief, Zhao Ying, or the other villagers, they all stared in utter disbelief.
The entire village entrance fell silent.
Everyone was flabbergasted by the military feats Zhao Feng had accomplished.
After a long silence, the crowd erupted.
"The Zhao family’s boy beheaded Han’s Senior General, killed Chancellor Han, took the Han Capital, and even captured the King of Han?"
"This has to be a joke, right?"
"I was once fortunate enough to hear someone speak of the Han Senior General. I think his name was Bao Yuan, a man with a renowned reputation for his might. I never imagined Zhao Feng could kill him. He’s just too incredible!"
"Forget the Senior General! Zhao Feng even captured the enemy’s king! He captured a king!"
"He’s made it! The Zhao boy has really made it big!"
"To think our small village could produce a general. How amazing!"
"Indeed."
"I recall the Village Chief’s eldest son was eventually ennobled as a Junhou, and that was the highest rank anyone from our village ever reached. But Zhao Feng was made a Deputy General! When I was conscripted, I learned that a Deputy General is a true high-ranking general, commanding tens of thousands of soldiers! It’s incredible, truly incredible!"
"Our Sha Village has produced an exceptional man..."
Hearing the list of Zhao Feng’s accomplishments for Great Qin left everyone dumbfounded. When they first heard him addressed as "General Zhao," they were puzzled. Could that really be Zhao Feng? After all, they had seen him off when he was conscripted. By their count, it had only been eleven months, not even a full year.
Yet now, he had become a general. What’s more, based on these military achievements, he certainly deserved the rank.
"Don’t just talk about him becoming a general—he’s been ennobled too! He’s been conferred the title of Zuo Shulang! That title comes with a thousand mu of prime farmland, and it’s a perpetual hereditary title! His eldest son can inherit all of it, the land and the rank."
"That’s right!"
"Zuo Shulang! A title that can be passed down as long as the family line continues."
"Zhao Feng has truly risen in the world. Our Sha Village has produced a truly great man!"
"Incredible, just incredible."
"Who would have thought Zhao Feng was so formidable."
"I always felt that boy was extraordinary, and now look at him. He truly is!"
"Yes, he always stood out as exceptional, and now he’s even more impressive..."
Everyone discussed the news with great excitement, and almost every villager was singing Zhao Feng’s praises.
Perhaps this is just human nature. Although Zhao Feng had generally gotten along well with the villagers, there were some he didn’t. After all, wherever there are people, there is conflict, even in a tiny village. But now that Zhao Feng was a general and had risen to power, the entire village naturally flattered him.
My brother became a general? And he beheaded Han’s Senior General? Took the Han Capital? Captured the King of Han? Is this... is this really my brother?
As his fraternal twin sister, Zhao Ying was completely dumbfounded. Having grown up so close to him, she never imagined her brother could be so capable. She had only prayed that he would avoid misfortune on the battlefield, never dreaming he would return with such an immense surprise.
If Mother heard this news, she would probably refuse to believe it. Did my brother really do all this?
Even now, with an official from the government office reading the announcement, Zhao Ying still found it hard to believe. It was as shocking as if her brother had suddenly become the top scholar in the imperial examinations. But her brother’s military exploits and his promotion to general were far more incredible than becoming a top scholar.
"My lord," Village Chief Wu said, looking at Chen Fen to seek confirmation once more. "Is this true? Has Zhao Feng really become a general? Could there be a mistake? After all, there are many people in our Great Qin with the same name."
It was better to be absolutely sure about such things, lest it turn out to be a ridiculous misunderstanding.
"His place of origin, his age—it all matches up," Chen Fen replied with a smile. "Furthermore, this is recorded in the registry issued by the Shaofu. It has all been personally verified by the Imperial Court’s Shaofu. How could it be a mistake?"
"That boy... has really become a general," Village Chief Wu said, utterly astonished.
"Village Chief Wu, your village has produced a remarkable man."
"A sixteen-year-old Deputy General of Great Qin. He is one of a kind in all of Great Qin, even in the entire world."
"General Zhao is now a Deputy General, and his future prospects are immeasurable. The current Great King himself has issued a Royal Edict to spread word of the general’s military exploits throughout the army and inspire every single Sharp Warrior."
"While the common folk might not know of General Zhao’s renown yet, within the army, we are all familiar with his great name. Which soldier in the entire army doesn’t respect General Zhao’s martial valor, and who doesn’t respect the military merits he has earned for the state?" Chen Fen added, his voice filled with reverence.