Chapter 144: The Young Lord’s Performance

Upon hearing the command to rise and be seated, everyone present bowed once more, shouted in unison, "We thank the Young Lord," and then slowly stood up.

All eyes once again turned toward the high platform, where Wei Wuji sat upright and composed amid a throng of guards, gazing straight ahead, emanating an aura of untouchability.

Carefully settling back into their seats, the men glanced sideways at Wei Wuji once more, waiting for his next instruction.

Now, it was Wei Wuji's turn to perform. Tonight was not merely a victory banquet; it was his grand stage.

Slowly standing to his feet, Wei Wuji looked out at the multitude below, his heart filled with excitement. To command three armies and shatter powerful foes—a true man ought to live thus!

"Gentlemen!" Wei Wuji's voice resonated with ample breath as he uttered his first words.

Because the scene was remarkably quiet, practically all the soldiers could hear him, especially since they were listening with rapt attention.

"Today we hold a victory banquet—it is your victory banquet!" Wei Wuji proclaimed loudly, now the absolute focal point of the entire arena.

"If not for your desperate, bloody fighting, how could we have defeated such formidable enemies? If not for you... how could the rest of us have preserved our lives amidst the chaos of battle..." Wei Wuji walked toward the edge of the table, his presence steadily climbing.

"The glory belongs to you!" Wei Wuji shouted out, striking a chord deep within the soldiers' hearts.

Taking two more steps forward to draw closer to the rank-and-file, Wei Wuji passionately declared, "I propose... that all commanders from the rank of company commander and above, raise your cups and toast a bowl to the brothers under your command."

Wei Wuji's words were no less than a seismic wave, stirring up tumultuous ripples among the soldiers.

In everyone's impression, they had never heard of a victory banquet being conducted in such a manner.

Yet the Young Lord's words were law, and laws had to be executed. Naturally, the military officers could not disobey.

At that moment, with a wave of Wei Wuji's hand, Zheng Dali stepped forward holding a bowl of wine.

Seeing this, the officers dared not hesitate any longer, hastily picking up the wine bowls before them. Strictly speaking, such behavior was not entirely unacceptable after all.

Finally, the dumbfounded soldiers picked up their wine bowls in sheer astonishment. They had never encountered such a scene before.

"A toast to our brothers!" Wei Wuji stood above, his voice booming like thunder, before draining the wine in his bowl in a single gulp.

Witnessing this spectacle, the officers and soldiers below likewise drank with their respective commanders.

***

"Well done!" Wei Wuji praised heartily, placing his wine bowl back on the table and motioning for Zheng Dali to refill it.

"Now that we've finished the first bowl, let me share some good news with you all!" Wei Wuji walked back to the table and looked out over the crowd beneath the high platform.

Hearing that there was good news, the soldiers immediately perked up. If the Young Lord said it was good news, it was bound to be good news.

Seeing everyone craning their necks in eager anticipation, Wei Wuji could not help but smile before continuing, "Your military achievements have already been reported by me to the Military Bureau, and not a single shred of merit has been left out."

Just as the men were about to burst into cheers, Wei Wuji immediately added, "The officials of the Military Bureau have fully accepted them, and your rewards will be distributed shortly."

This second piece of news was undoubtedly even more gratifying to the soldiers, as it tied directly into their personal interests.

Now, the gazes fixed upon Wei Wuji grew increasingly filled with satisfaction. Being able to secure imperial rewards for one's subordinates was the most crucial benchmark for judging the caliber of a commanding general.

The cheers of the crowd rolled on ceaselessly like the tide. Not only the common soldiers, but even the higher-ranking officers joined in the chorus of jubilation.

What does one enlist as a soldier and risk one's life a thousand miles from home for? Was it not precisely for rewards and a better life for one's family?

Sharing joy with others is far better than enjoying it alone—this adage held true. Take Wei Wuji, who brought joy to the multitude; at this moment, he felt immensely happy.

"Brothers..." Wei Wuji roared once more.

The soldiers closest to him quieted down first, the silence spreading outward in ripples until everyone fell entirely silent.

To be addressed as "brothers" by a Young Lord was regarded by all as supreme glory—a validation of their very identity.

Regardless of status or background, everyone was a comrade-in-arms sharing the same battle array.

"For our martial glory, let us drain another bowl!" Wei Wuji accepted the cup handed to him by Zheng Dali, raising it toward the assembled throng.

Under the gaze of the multitude, Wei Wuji bellowed the word "Bottoms up!" and drained his bowl in a single draft.

This sight set the blood of the soldiers below surging with passion, and they roared in unison, "Bottoms up!"

Then, with crisp and decisive motions, they drank their bowls dry. The heroic spirit of true men was instantly revealed, and none could help but be deeply moved by the solid unity and cohesion of this army.

"Splendid!" Wei Wuji shouted again, tossing his bowl back onto the table behind him, letting it clatter and rock for a moment before coming to a standstill.

When the scene had quieted once more, Wei Wuji held up two fingers and announced to the crowd, "There is a second piece of good news that I must also share with you!"

***

With their wine bowls refilled, everyone stood at strict attention, awaiting Wei Wuji's instructions.

Pausing for a moment, Wei Wuji said to the crowd, "Why are you all standing? Sit down... sit down. Today there are no young lords, commandants, or captains—there are only comrades-in-arms who have lived and died together."

Wei Wuji repeatedly breached these "boundaries," leaving even the ordinary soldiers struggling to accept it. Most of them thought to themselves, *We all know the Young Lord treats us well, but these rules cannot be thrown into disorder.*

Seeing that everyone was still hesitating, Wei Wuji put on a stern face and said in a deep voice, "I told you to sit down, so sit down. This is a military order—are you going to disobey?"

Faced with this, the soldiers finally sat down one by one, though they felt rather awkward inside. Where was the logic of a Young Lord standing while everyone else sat?

Wei Wuji cared nothing for such conventions, continuing from above, "This second piece of good news is..."

A sentence suddenly interrupted at such a crucial juncture was agonizingly torturous, and the soldiers below felt it too, though their anticipation only grew stronger.

"Our Sovereign has utterly defeated the state of Qi, and will soon return in triumph!" Wei Wuji projected his voice to its utmost limit, infusing it with the most spirited tone possible.

Once emotional bonds were fostered, it was time to introduce tangible benefits to rope them in and consolidate their loyalty. The final piece of news Wei Wuji threw out was meant to instill a universal sense of pride.

Ever since the defeat suffered under Marquis Cheng, the State of Wei had strived to make itself stronger, holding back its breath all this while, desperate to completely shatter the encirclement of the various feudal states.

The fathers and grandfathers of many men present had fought and strived for this very goal, while the uncles and grandfathers of others had once fought alongside Marquis Cheng on the front lines.

From the time they could remember, many of the men here had been taught by their elders: they must revitalize the Great Wei, defeat the various states, and have the Son of Heaven place the ducal crown upon the head of the ruler of Wei.

Now, hearing that Qi had also been defeated, and that the two strongest forces in the East and West had both been crushed, did it not mean their highest ideal was one step closer to realization?

"Long live Great Wei..." someone roared from below, immediately eliciting even more echoing responses.

"Long live our Sovereign..." another started a different slogan.

The commotion grew louder and louder, audible even across several military camps. The sheer magnitude of the momentum surpassed even the previous training sessions of the Wei Wu Warriors.

Yet Wei Wuji had no cause for worry; no one could find any fault in this. Praising the Marquis of Wei could never, under any circumstances, be wrong.

Achieving such an effect was also thanks to Wang Xiu and the others, who had not yet scattered the news of the Marquis of Wei's return to the wider public.