Chapter 7: The Armies Begin to Unite in Loyalty-Marquis Wu of Wei(Falling petals chase after drifting leaves.)

“Brothers, please rise! I am deeply ashamed to receive such respect from you!”

Standing on higher ground, Wei Wuji imitated the grand gestures of important figures he’d seen on television in his previous life, delivering an impassioned speech to the Wei soldiers gazing up at him.

“You are all meritorious heroes of Great Wei, warriors truly worthy of the name. It is you who should be saluted!” As he spoke, Wei Wuji actually bent at the waist, bowing slightly to everyone present.

This left the crowd bewildered. They had all heard of ministers bowing to their lords, but rarely had they seen a lord bow to his soldiers.

“I am the prince of Great Wei, but also your commander and general. When you fought to the death against the Chen forces, I could only stand by and watch you risk your lives, unable to help. I am truly ashamed.

You have obeyed the king’s orders, responded to the call to arms, parted from your beloved wives and young children, unable to fulfill your filial duties to your parents, all for the sake of Great Wei. For this, I am profoundly grateful.” These words came from his heart.

Perhaps it was the sincerity of his words, or perhaps thoughts of fallen comrades and longing for their families, but in the midst of these iron-willed men, the sound of sobbing began to rise.

A man's tears do not flow easily—unless his heart is truly broken.

“Prince!” someone called out, voice trembling with tears. You truly understand us!

As if a dam had broken, the soldiers all began to call out “Prince!” In that moment, Wei Wuji became their spiritual pillar.

From one voice, to ten, to a hundred, then a thousand, the wilderness echoed with the shouts of men who, over the past days, had bottled up their fear, terror, and loneliness, now all released in a single great cry.

Wei Wuji always claimed the pressure he bore was great, but compared to the soldiers at the heart of war, his burden was nothing. They faced life and death, the threat of being shattered to pieces, the iron hooves of the enemy, and blades flashing from horseback—pressures unimaginable to Wei Wuji’s as-yet fragile nerves.

Right now, what the Wei army needed most was a pillar, someone to give them hope. As the prince of Great Wei and commander of the forces, and given his decent performance in the recent battle, the soldiers chose—selectively—to forget his earlier disgrace in fleeing the city.

Thus, Wei Wuji naturally became their ideal spiritual anchor.

With this widespread sentiment, and spurred on by Wei Wuji’s stirring words, their emotions inevitably erupted.

But Wei Wuji did not intend merely to make his men cry—what mattered most now was to lift their morale. Without that, they wouldn’t even be able to flee, let alone fight another battle.

“Brothers, it’s all behind us now—we are the victors! What is there to cry about? Ten thousand Chen cavalry could do nothing against our three thousand infantry, and have been thoroughly beaten. This is something to celebrate!”

Listening to Wei Wuji, the soldiers gradually tucked away their sorrow, raising their heads to look at the spirited figure above them.

“I have already ordered Sima Wang to record every merit earned by each of you in this battle. Once we return in triumph, rewards will be given, and every family will gain another dozen acres of land—life will only get better!”

At this, he glanced down and saw that the tears had stopped. Instead, hopeful eyes watched him, silently urging him to continue.

Wei Wuji would not disappoint them; now was the time to strike while the iron was hot, or the hard-won momentum would be wasted.

Clearing his throat, he went on, “I promise you this: I will see to it that you each receive the rewards you deserve—your blood will not be shed in vain!”

Of course, Wei Wuji had no particular virtue in mind—instead, he made the rewards they were due seem as if they were favors he would personally secure for them.

Sure enough, as soon as his words fell, someone below shouted, “Thank you, my prince!”

“We thank the prince…”

Some wept for joy, others sobbed aloud, but the hopelessness was gone from their faces.

Wei Wuji pressed on, “So, you must live well! Otherwise, what use are honors and titles if you don’t survive to enjoy them?”

“I swear, I will bring every one of you home safely. Then we’ll slaughter dozens of oxen, roll out hundreds of jars of fine wine, and drink until we’re all satisfied!”

“Long live the prince!” someone cried out, and the shout was quickly taken up by the crowd.

“Long live the prince!”

Not only did their voices ring out, but their gazes toward Wei Wuji were now filled with fervor. To have such a devoted leader was no small fortune.

As for the mistakes he’d made earlier, the soldiers now dismissed them. After all, even sages err from time to time.

What the common soldier wants is simple: a little care from their superiors, a few favors, and they will repay you with gratitude and loyalty, even at the cost of their lives.

For Wei Wuji, as a prince to humble himself and speak such heartfelt words was a rare gift to the men at the bottom.

He then gathered the soldiers from the other two brigades and repeated his rousing speech.

Finally, he even boasted extravagantly. He promised that every man present would one day marry a Chen woman to keep his bed warm, and that together they would storm the court of the Lord of Chen and each relieve themselves on the dais to flood it...

Unlike the banter among the officers earlier, the spectacle created by the masses of common soldiers was far more impassioned. The once oppressive silence of the forest, which had made one uneasy, was gone for good.

Wei Wuji mingled among the men, greeting them warmly.

“Brother, is your hand all right? Once it heals, you’ll be swinging that club again!”

“Your armor needs replacing—I’ll speak with the quartermaster in a few days to get you new ones...”

Wei Wuji wandered through the ranks, thoroughly enjoying the adulation. The feeling of being carried on the shoulders of his men was intoxicating—it was no wonder some chose power over beauty.

But before he could revel in it any longer, a soldier who looked like an orderly ran up to him.

After saluting, the man respectfully said, “My prince, supper is ready. Please come and dine with the generals.”

Wei Wuji rubbed his stomach; he was indeed hungry. Since waking, he’d had nothing but a little water.

Rubbing his hands, he turned to Wang Xiu and the other officers, “Very well, let’s go eat. A full stomach is the key to fighting well!”

The orderly added with a smile, “Prince, the meat Old Chen stewed is delicious!”

Wei Wuji was surprised—how did they still have meat at a time like this?

He turned to his orderly, “Where did we get meat?”

“We hunted game in the woods this afternoon, my prince.”

Wei Wuji pressed further, “If we’re eating meat, does everyone get some?”

“This…” The orderly hesitated, unable to answer.

Wei Wuji turned back to his officers, “If we, the officers, eat meat—what are our brothers eating?”

Liu Xuanba and the others were puzzled—why would the prince ask that? What the soldiers ate was a given; surely they couldn’t eat like the captains and Sima, could they?

Wei Wuji paid that no mind. After scanning them, he fixed his gaze on Wang Xiu amid the officers and repeated, his voice now cold, “Wang Xiu, tell me: if we eat meat, what do our brothers eat?”

Wang Xiu was forced to step forward, stammering, “Prince, during our retreat we abandoned all supplies, so the men have had to make do. The meat we’re eating was just hunted, and even the pot for stewing was scavenged from a deserted village…”

“I asked you, what are the men eating?” Wei Wuji roared, his voice startling distant birds into flight.

Seeing his fury, Wang Xiu could only steel himself, “Prince, everyone below the rank of captain is eating wild fruits, wild vegetables, and roots…”

Before Wang Xiu could finish, Wei Wuji’s anger erupted, “Enough!”

“Our brothers have bled and risked their lives, yet must eat wild grass and vegetables? What kind of rule is this? You stand here in your fine uniforms—are you not ashamed?”

“Well, my skin isn’t that thick. If you are, then go ahead and eat your meat!” Wei Wuji pointed at the officers coldly.

Faced with his sudden wrath, Liu Xuanba and the others were at a loss to understand their prince’s mood, but they knew for certain now was not the time to go eat meat.

So, after his words, all the officers hung their heads in silence.

“If you won’t go, then let’s not waste it!” Wei Wuji said coldly. “Everyone, obey my order.”

Turning to the men, he shouted, “Every last one of you, go eat meat!”

After a brief silence, the soldiers erupted in cheers.

“Long live the prince!”

Looking at the faces filled with admiration, Wei Wuji felt deep satisfaction with his performance.

He had finally lifted the spirits of his men and truly become one with the army, earning their genuine acceptance.

And most importantly—he could now continue his escape with peace of mind!