The grassland really tests your skills, damn it

"What's wrong?"

Wang Ming noticed something unusual and walked over quickly. Seeing the situation, he couldn't help but ask.

The soldier hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the general, this man keeps jumping around and acting all arrogant. You know me, I despise this kind of behavior the most."

"Hmm!" Wang Ming nodded, not saying much else. On one hand, he arranged for his men to completely take over all aspects of Wusheng Pass; on the other hand, he called over the surrendered soldiers to ask about the situation here.

Then... he was once again left dumbfounded!

"Are you saying that Chen Xiong was killed by the Prince of Love of Yunjing? And it was Xiao Che, the Prince of Love of Yunjing, who led you off the city walls?"

"No, this Xiao Che clearly knows nothing about military affairs. Why did he seize power? To fight for merit? But even if it was for merit, you don't do it like this."

Wang Ming expressed that he couldn't figure it out.

However, when the surrendered soldiers mentioned that Xiao Che had them search all over the mountains and plains for a woman, Wang Ming understood.

"So that's how it is."

"Then it's not strange at all, not strange at all."

"The world is already in this state, so the situation in Yunjing must be even more terrifying. For Xiao Che to act like this, it's not surprising."

"By the way, where is Xiao Che?"

After Wang Ming asked around, the men started searching and soon found a bruised and swollen Xiao Che in the crowd. And at this moment, Xiao Che finally caught his chance.

He immediately stood up with a swoosh.

"I am precisely the Prince of Love of Yunjing, Xiao Che."

"Yu Chenglong!"

"Slap!"

Wang Ming slapped him again, interrupting his theatrics, his face full of disgust. "You're already a prisoner, what are you showing off for?"

And with this slap, Xiao Che became docile again.

Questioned by Wang Ming, he explained everything in detail. Only then did Wang Ming completely understand that it was all because of Lu Shuang.

"It seems Lu Shuang was still screwed over by me."

Just as he was thinking this, there was a massive movement of troops outside. Wang Ming hurriedly went out to look and saw Ren Tianye leading a large group of men, surging forward.

He said joyfully, "Lord Duke."

Ren Tianye strode over, staring intently at Wang Ming.

"Wusheng Pass, you've taken it?"

"Yes, yes, Lord Duke. Your subordinate had good luck and took it."

"And you even captured the Prince of Love of Yunjing?"

"Yes, yes, Lord Duke. It's just this Prince of Love of Yunjing who doesn't hold any real power in his hands; he's just a prince in name..."

Before Wang Ming's voice faded, Ren Tianye slammed his hands heavily onto his shoulders. The immense strength almost knocked Wang Ming to the ground.

"Wang Ming, and you still say you aren't the Child of Destiny?!"

Wang Ming: "Ah?"

"Lord Duke, what is a Child of Destiny?"

"It doesn't matter!" Ren Tianye was filled with absolute joy. He had prepared for a tough and grueling battle for Wusheng Pass, and now it had easily fallen into his hands.

There was nothing more delightful than this.

He immediately arranged for his subordinates to comprehensively take over Wusheng Pass.

Not long after, his personal guards reported back.

"Lord Duke, Wusheng Pass has completely fallen into our hands. We have gained nearly ten thousand surrendered soldiers, ten thousand flintlock muskets, and two hundred red barbarian cannons."

"Good, good, good!"

Ren Tianye repeatedly praised.

He had originally obtained quite a few flintlocks and red barbarian cannons from the Lin Family Army, which had been broken up and integrated into his forces. Now, gaining so many more, his strength had grown significantly.

His strength was now much more robust.

The path ahead looked even smoother.

After rejoicing for a while, Ren Tianye suddenly thought of Zhang Shi, who was still on a forced march through the deep mountains and dense forests. He asked, "Can we contact Zhang Shi now?"

"Tell him to come back."

"Sleeping in the wind and dew out there, he might even be eating dirt."

"It's better if he comes back."

The personal guard said awkwardly, "Lord Duke, General Zhang Shi's movements have been secretive since he left. He's only been sending scouts continuously. We... won't be able to find him for a while."

Ren Tianye sighed.

He wondered what kind of sin Zhang Shi had committed!

He said, "Never mind, let him be."

"However, if there's a chance to pass a message, tell him to come back. And tell him to toast General Wang Ming an extra cup of wine at the victory banquet!"

"Yes!"

The scout camp also took Ren Tianye's words as an order and sent out several scout teams to search. Unfortunately, just as expected, after General Zhang Shi returned from his training on the grasslands, his abilities were absurdly strong.

They couldn't find a single trace of him.

This left the scouts feeling helpless as well.

"Damn it, those grasslands really do train your skills!"

Meanwhile, Zhang Shi, who had returned from his training, was looking extremely frustrated because he was blocked.

Originally, leading his light cavalry, he had executed a beautiful flanking maneuver to the rear. Just as they were about to launch a sneak attack on Wusheng Pass from behind, they suddenly discovered a watchtower.

It was set high up at the pass, perfectly blocking the rear of Wusheng Pass.

"This Chen Xiong is a real damn genius!"

"To set up a watchtower in such a place, it looks like they must have arranged beacon fires up there."

"If I pass through here and the beacon fires are lit, I'll be like a meat bun thrown at a dog, destined to be surrounded and eaten."

Zhang Shi gritted his teeth in hatred.

However, his experience of raiding back and forth on the grasslands told him that he needed patience, and more importantly, unwavering determination. Only then could he succeed!

So, gritting his teeth, he decided to detour again.

And this time, he was going to take an unconventional path!

He was going to cross the mountains and ridges!

However, crossing the mountains was very treacherous, especially since the soldiers' rations were running low. If they delayed any further, they would literally have to eat dirt. But the harder the times, the more they needed to grit their teeth.

Turning around, he used a very low voice and said, "Brothers, do you dare to follow this general across the mountains and ridges? Let's go stab Chen Xiong in the rear!"

Many of the men Zhang Shi brought were fierce warriors who had roamed the grasslands with him. They weren't afraid at all.

They immediately gave a soft shout.

"General, why wouldn't we dare?"

"Could crossing mountains be more dangerous than our ambushes on the grasslands? Nothing to be afraid of!"

"General, lead us! This time, having returned from the grasslands, we must show our faces in front of the Lord Duke and let the whole army know our prestige."

...

Zhang Shi beamed with joy upon hearing this and said, "Exactly, that's the spirit. We need to let the whole army know our strength."

"At this victory banquet, I will make sure Wang Ming knows that in the face of absolute strength, everything else is just an illusion!"

"Brothers, follow me!"

Zhang Shi immediately led his men to detour once again.

Meanwhile, Wusheng Pass was already completely peaceful.

With the army stationed, Ren Tianye inspected the various conditions inside Wusheng Pass. The more he looked, the more dumbfounded and incredulous he became.

"I thought the Great Yu Imperial Court was already unrivaled in the world."

"I didn't expect Yunjing to be even fiercer!"

"Truly worthy of being the subordinates of Great Emperor Ruyan."

"To have 'love on the brain' turn into a whole system and institution is simply unimaginable and awe-inspiring!"

Ren Tianye's gaze turned solemn.

He knew that coming to Yunjing this time, his burden was heavy and his road was long.

Not only did he have to conquer Yunjing's territory, but he also had to completely correct the ethos of Yunjing.

He had to completely eradicate this established social operational logic that placed emotion above reason!

And replace it with a new system based on merit, law, efficiency, and practical interests.

With this in mind, Ren Tianye already had a basic plan forming in his head.

First, he had to utilize the Demon Suppression Division.

Second, he needed individuals with special talents.

As for these special talents, Ren Tianye already had a candidate in mind.

Pei Jingzhi!

This man had taken a beating before, and not just an ordinary one.

After his awakening, he had seen blood and blades in the Demon Suppression Division. He was inherently a capable minister fit to govern a nation.

Having him draft and establish the new rules would be absolutely perfect.

Once Ren Tianye thought it through, he immediately issued an order, sending someone to the capital to summon Pei Jingzhi. At the same time, he asked Xie Changfeng, the Deputy Envoy of the Demon Suppression Division who was by his side, to recommend more talents.

Of course, these were long-term plans.

The matters at hand had to be dealt with immediately.

Therefore, Ren Tianye ordered Wang Ming to gather all the soldiers of Wusheng Pass at the drill ground. He was going to give a speech.

After three rounds of drumbeats, the assembly was complete.

Ren Tianye stepped onto the platform, his gaze piercing.

I am Duke Ren, personally appointed by His Majesty. I have been ordered to quell the rebellion and, at the same time, abolish all the absurd, romance-centric laws of Yunjing that confound right and wrong!

Therefore...

From this day forward, in the military camp, you no longer need to collect night dew for women, you no longer need to accept the bi-weekly interviews for the True Love Gazette, you no longer need to pass so-called emotional interrogations, and your rations and pay will certainly never be docked for such things again!

Ren Tianye's voice boomed like thunder.

As it echoed across the drill ground, the newly surrendered soldiers, who were still feeling anxious and uneasy, were instantly stunned.

Soon after, their faces filled with disbelief.

They had lived in Yunjing for at least twenty or thirty years, suffering miserably under these practices. And now, it was going to change?

It was going to change completely?

You are all soldiers, soldiers who protect your homes and defend the country. You used to risk your lives for Yunjing because you are people of Yunjing. But now, the Imperial Court has taken over Yunjing, which means you... are now people of the Imperial Court!

You are my, Ren Tianye's, men!

The soldiers under my command will only ever die fighting on the battlefield; no one will lose their lives in vain over trivial romantic affairs.

Do you hear me clearly?

The soldiers heard him clearly.

Absolutely clearly.

Uncontrollably, tears welled up in the eyes of many.

They lived in a world obsessed with romance, and after joining the army, this obsession had only worsened. But they were soldiers! Where were they supposed to find women to romance in a military camp?

As a result, even though they tied their lives to their waistbands every day on the battlefield, they were treated as inferior simply because they didn't have a reliable lover.

Because of this, their military pay was deducted, they were forced into hard labor, and they had to live this miserable, subhuman existence.

But now...

The Duke had arrived, and all of this was abolished?!

They were finally free from this meaningless cage.

I just looked at the account books. There is a massive amount of wealth in the storehouses of Wusheng Pass, yet all of this money is marked for the defending general, Chen Xiong, to marry his eighteen idealized first love stand-ins. It is truly laughable!

What's even more laughable is...

The vast majority of this comes from your deducted military pay.

As my soldiers, your pay might be delayed due to harsh wartime conditions, but I will never allow a commanding officer to intentionally deduct your pay for his own selfish desires, especially for something as brainless as romance.

Now...

Everyone line up. I am going to issue the back pay that is owed to you!

As the heavy silver fell into the hands of the surrendered soldiers one by one, their already seething and excited emotions reached a boiling point tonight.

They had originally grown numb and accepted their fate, thinking they were just cannon fodder on the front lines, merely a prop in defending general Chen Xiong's romantic roleplay with his stand-ins. Every day they endured unfair treatment, meaningless labor, and a twisted romantic culture.

But now, with the silver in their hands, everyone naturally sobered up and awakened.

Why not truly pledge our loyalty to the Duke?

At the very least, the Duke is reasonable, pays us our wages, and doesn't force people to date!

...