Chapter 155: Instructing the Elite Troops of Wei

"What do you mean?" Seeing Wei Wuji's calm and collected demeanor, Captain Chen's vigilance instantly spiked.

The two men standing before him were clearly not fools. To remain this composed under such circumstances could only mean they had formidable backing.

"What do I mean?"

Zheng Dali took a sharp step forward, his voice cold and booming, "If you still consider yourself a subject of Great Wei, you should kneel at once and beg the Young Lord for forgiveness!"

His voice was like a clap of thunder, startling Captain Chen so much that he took an involuntary step backward. Zheng Dali radiated a tremendous sense of threat.

Beg for forgiveness... Hearing these words, a cold smile crept into Captain Chen's heart, thinking that these two still failed to grasp the situation.

However, as his brain began to process the words "Young Lord," the smile on his face slowly froze, and his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword grew tense.

"Young Lord?" Captain Chen repeated the words under his breath, looking somewhat dazed.

A Young Lord of Wei? He felt a lingering doubt, having never laid eyes on the person before him!

The eldest young lord was far away in the state of Qi as a hostage, the second young lord and the ruler had both gone to the front lines, and he had met the third young lord before; it was definitely not this man... Captain Chen mentally eliminated them one by one, running through all of Wei's existing young lords.

Could it be... him? A thought flashed through Captain Chen's mind.

With that, he stared intently at Wei Wuji's face, searching for confirmation of the rumors...

One look was all it took to give him a severe jolt. Vaguely, Captain Chen caught a glimpse of the Marquis of Wei mirrored in Wei Wuji—that supreme and untouchable figure.

Captain Chen's mind was violently shaken, a flurry of thoughts racing through his head as cold sweat began to bead on his forehead. The offense he had committed today was destined to be far from minor.

As the Wei Wu Z卒, who were the most deeply trusted by the ducal house and the most fiercely loyal to it, they had just committed the scandalous act of intimidating a young lord. His position as captain might not survive this.

If the consequences proved even graver, Captain Chen might even lose his head. Right now, he was racking his brains to figure out how to settle the matter amicably.

Captain Chen feared no one of high status in the state of Wei, but members of the ducal house were absolute taboos—people who could never, under any circumstances, be touched.

"Your subordinate, Chen Xu, pays his respects to the Young Lord!" Captain Chen cupped his hands and bowed deeply to Wei Wuji.

Though he did not drop to his knees, his back arched noticeably lower. Faced with Wei Wuji's soul-searching accountability, he had no other choice.

So this fellow's name is Chen Xu, Wei Wuji thought to himself. From beginning to end, he had never been particularly nervous.

"Well, are the few of you still going to arrest me?" Wei Wuji smiled, casting a glance at the stunned armored guards.

"Scoundrels, why haven't you paid your respects to the Young Lord yet!" Before the guards could react, Chen Xu barked a reprimand at them first.

His behavior was easy to understand; he needed to demonstrate his utmost respect for Wei Wuji right now, making it clear that he had no intention of offering any resistance whatsoever.

Although he would have loved to teach Chen Xu a lesson, Wei Wuji knew he neither could nor should do so at this moment.

Since the other party had already backed down, he ought to display a degree of magnanimity and seize the opportunity to build a good relationship with the Wei Wu Zong.

If you want to be friends with the strong, you must first win their recognition in terms of strength.

Without a doubt, Wei Wuji had now earned that qualification.

As for whether he could actually become friends with them or build a favorable image, it would all depend on his subsequent maneuvers.

As for the soldiers below, today was without a doubt the most unforgettable day of their lives.

First, someone had broken all precedent by challenging the Wei Wu Zong, putting on quite a grand spectacle for them to watch.

Then, an even more astonishing development unfolded: the Zhao military commander whom they had all considered invincible suffered an unexpected defeat—a clean, crisp, and decisive loss.

This prompted the soldiers to retract a fraction of their contempt for the arrogant young lord before them.

Next, their very own captain stepped into the fray.

Yet, just as he was about to succeed, this same captain abruptly underwent a complete change in attitude and began bowing to the "spineless dandy."

"The Young Lord, he is the Young Lord..." In the crowd, the soldiers who heard the news first began whispering it among themselves.

To have a young lord present in the flesh—how could they not feel thrilled and surprised?

They were newly selected recruits into the Wei Wu Zong who had yet to witness any truly grand spectacles. How could they not be excited upon suddenly encountering a high-ranking big shot of Wei Wuji's caliber?

Not to mention that the person before them was none of other than the son of the great Marquis of Wei, bearing such noble blood.

"It's the Young Lord..."

"He is the Young Lord..."

A commotion rippled through the crowd, a sight exceedingly rare within the ranks of the Wei Wu Zong. Ordinarily, the arrival of even the loftiest dignitaries would never elicit such a reaction.

Seeing the soldiers eagerly discussing him with flushed faces, Wei Wuji felt a surge of elation. The absence of hostility was a step in the right direction.

Yet Wei Wuji overlooked the fact that the crowd was not excited because of *him* personally, but rather because of his identity as the son of the Marquis of Wei.

This discrepancy did not manifest any negative consequences just yet, and Wei Wuji continued to smile warmly at the assembly.

"You have all worked hard during today's military exercises!" Standing beneath the scorching sun, Wei Wuji wiped the sweat from his brow and called out in a clear voice.

Hearing Wei Wuji's words, the men all cupped their fists in unison and shouted, "Greetings, Young Lord!"

With a casual downward press of both hands, Wei Wuji signaled for everyone to quiet down.

"Silence yourselves and listen to the Young Lord's instructions..." Chen Xu barked out preemptively. Strictly speaking, this was completely unnecessary, as the discipline of the Wei Wu Zong was already exemplary.

It wasn't that Chen Xu had no shame; had any other young lord arrived, he would have merely accompanied them through the motions and never shown such obsequious enthusiasm.

The crux of the matter, however, was that Chen Xu had severely offended Wei Wuji.

In Wu'an City, the rule that one must never offend anyone bearing the surname Wei applied just as strictly inside this military camp.

Because over the years, anyone who had crossed the House of Wei—regardless of who they were—had been reduced to ashes. That included the powerful clans that had been exterminated when the current Marquis of Wei ascended the throne.

What Chen Xu truly feared was the high and mighty Marquis of Wei, not Wei Wuji.

Wei Wuji could easily see through this, but he didn't mind. If these men were ever placed under his command, he was confident he could whip them into absolute obedience.

"My brothers..."

The very first word Wei Wuji uttered startled the soldiers below.

*Brothers?* Is he calling us that? Is this really how a young lord's address is supposed to go?

No matter how fearsome the reputation of the Wei Wu Zong was, they were still ordinary soldiers, vastly inferior in status to Wei Wuji. Hearing themselves addressed as brothers made them feel overwhelmingly flattered, as if they had received unexpected favor.

This also explained why everyone in Wei Wuji's captaincy unit was willing to risk their lives for him.

It wasn't just that Wei Wuji treated them fairly; it was also because he called them "brothers" day in and day out, making them feel uniquely valued and respected.

Facing the crowd gathered beneath the sparring platform, Wei Wuji stood with his hands clasped behind his back, speaking with effortless poise, "The Wei Wu Zong are renowned throughout the world. Your military exercises today have truly opened this young lord's eyes."

Praise them! Handing out compliments is never a wrong move anyway! Wei Wuji thought to himself.

He had to admit that Wei Wuji was thoroughly enjoying the moment. Before him stood neat formations of neatly arrayed, strictly disciplined troops—the terrifying Wei Wu Zong feared by all under heaven.

And yet, here he was, delivering an address to them. Preaching to the Wei Wu Zong.

"However, I have seen more than just your glory. Behind that glory, I also saw a path paved with blood and tears, hardship and suffering..." Wei Wuji said righteously, his expression solemn.

"You are the sharp sword of Great Wei, the backbone of Great Wei, the blade suspended above the heads of all rival states..."

Hearing such exalted praise, the soldiers below wore broad smiles, and the lingering resentment they held toward Wei Wuji all but vanished.

One had to hand it to him: as long as you flattered someone correctly, conflicts could be resolved swimmingly. Wei Wuji was a shining example of this.

Even his earlier victory over Zhao Jun now felt entirely natural to the onlookers; a young lord of Great Wei ought to possess such extraordinary valor.