Ying Zheng flicked his sleeves, his voice booming like a great bell: "I have decided to grant the wicked man the title of Grand Master of the Fifth Rank and the official position of Commandant of the Thousand Oxen."
"He will be granted three thousand taels of gold, fifty servants, a large mansion, and a fief of three hundred households!"
“The villagers of Kaoshan Village will be exempted from three years of corvée labor and taxes, and will be given farm tools and oxen.”
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty is mighty!" The wicked man grinned and bowed repeatedly in gratitude, extremely satisfied with Ying Zheng's reward, but he did not notice that the atmosphere in Zhangtai Palace had become even more strange.
Apart from the ignorant bumpkin who was extremely excited, everyone else present remained calm, knowing that the real grand finale was yet to come.
Ying Zheng's decision to open the table so early in the morning, even going so far as to confront Lü Buwei head-on, suggests that it was far from just empty promises and a meager reward.
Even though being promoted nine ranks in a row might sound exaggerated, everyone standing in Zhangtai Palace today is a person of high rank and power, and they don't care about or even look at such a reward.
Perhaps amused by the wicked husband's mercenary appearance, Ying Zheng said in a relaxed tone, "General Meng Ao highly praises our wicked husband's elite troops, saying that you are exceptionally brave and your martial prowess is like that of Chi You in the world."
"You're satisfied with just this small reward?"
Upon hearing this, the wicked man chuckled and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, before I joined the army, I was nothing but a wild man from the mountains. To receive such a reward is truly an honor for my ancestors."
Ying Zheng smiled slightly and said, "I have heard that you are skilled in training troops, that your soldiers are unparalleled in combat power, and that they cooperate seamlessly and obey orders without question. Is this true?"
The wicked man paused for a moment, then nodded without any concealment, “Yes, Your Majesty. When I first joined the army, I was fortunate to be appreciated by Lord Kuo Erwubai, who appointed me as a squad leader. All ten of my men are young men from my hometown.”
"In order to ensure their survival, I devised a training method, which has been quite effective."
He never expected that this matter would reach Ying Zheng's ears.
Come to think of it, back then he was just a greenhorn who had just joined the army. Apart from being a bit stronger in combat, he was no different from any other new recruit.
Who would care about a training method devised by a greenhorn?
But when he made countless contributions and his status rose, the performance of Erniu and others naturally caught everyone's attention. After a little thought, they realized that his military training methods were indeed effective!
Ying Zheng was delighted with his husband's frankness and immediately said, "In the past, General Sima Cuo drew inspiration from the Wei Wu Zu to create the Iron Eagle Swordsmen, who were the elite of the elite, making the other states tremble with fear."
"I wish to reclaim the name of the Iron Eagle Swordsman of yesteryear, and become the sharpest sword to sweep across the six kingdoms in the east!"
At this point, Ying Zheng looked directly at his wicked husband and said in a loud voice, "Wicked husband, are you confident that you can train a group of Iron Eagle Swordsmen that belong to me?"
These words caused an uproar in the audience.
This was tantamount to telling everyone present that the wicked husband would be under his direct command from now on, and that he would be in charge of the elite of the elite, with unlimited potential for the future.
The wicked man put away his smile and said solemnly, "This humble general will never fail Your Majesty's trust and will train an elite army that will be victorious in any battle."
Without flowery language or thunderous slogans, the simple statement, "If there is a war, we will surely win," filled Ying Zheng with confidence in him.
"Good!" Ying Zheng clapped his hands and laughed, then said, "In that case, I'll wait to inspect your work."
Just then, Lü Buwei, who had been silent for a long time, finally couldn't hold back any longer. He half-closed his eyes and quietly swept over an old minister who was over fifty years old. The latter immediately understood.
"Your Majesty, I, Tian Meng, the Imperial Censor, humbly request that Your Majesty reconsider!" Tian Meng, a confidant of Lü Buwei, was a master at seizing power and profit for him. Countless old ministers who disdained to associate with Lü Buwei had fallen victim to his silver tongue.
"I believe that although the wicked man is brave and fierce, he is too young and has no experience in leading an army. How can he be entrusted with such a great responsibility?" Tian Meng looked directly at Ying Zheng and said in a very strong tone.
Ying Zheng's anger surged, and he wished he could stomp on Tian Meng's wrinkled old face a few times. If it weren't for Lü Buwei backing him up, how would this old man dare to be so presumptuous?
"oh?"
Ying Zheng suppressed his anger and said calmly, "Am I young?"
Well...
Tian Meng was momentarily stunned, not expecting Ying Zheng to ask such a question, and was speechless for a moment.
"I ascended the throne at a young age, bearing the future of Qin on my shoulders. Do you have the right to say I'm young?" Ying Zheng's voice carried an undeniable authority.
"How can a wicked husband be compared to Your Majesty?" Tian Meng was shocked and quickly apologized. He had not expected Ying Zheng to be so tough, willing to fight against him for the sake of his wicked husband. This was an unprecedented situation.
Ying Zheng's gaze swept over everyone present, finally settling on Tian Meng: "I know you are doing this for the sake of Qin, but my decision is not to be questioned. If this wicked man is incompetent, I will deal with him myself. Today I have made my decision, and it cannot be changed."
Tian Meng's expression changed. Ying Zheng had already said so much, he couldn't continue speaking, so he could only lower his head and retreat.
Ying Zheng turned to look at his wicked husband, a hint of expectation flashing in his eyes: "Wicked husband, is there anything else you want to say, or is there anything else you need?!"
The wicked man wasn't stupid; he naturally understood that Ying Zheng was asking him to make a statement. If he continued to remain silent, he would inevitably be alienated by Ying Zheng.
"Cough cough..."
Thinking of this, the wicked man cleared his throat and asked in a serious tone, "This wicked man is ignorant and wonders if the title and military rank bestowed by His Majesty just now are equal to those of this Lord Tian Meng?"
These words caused Ying Zheng's expression to turn cold, his face filled with confusion as he wondered what the other person meant. Nevertheless, he replied, "The Iron Eagle Swordsmen are of extraordinary significance, and they obey my orders directly; no one else has the right to govern them..."
"clear!"
The wicked man's lips curled into a knowing smile. He took a few steps up to Tian Meng and stretched out a finger, almost poking Tian Meng's eye. "Old man, do you think being half-buried in the ground and only having a sharp tongue is useful?"
Whoosh...
These words caused an uproar among the court officials.
Meng Kuo's heart pounded wildly. She couldn't help but wink at her wicked husband, cursing inwardly, "I told you to make a statement, not like this!!"
Meng Ao's lips twitched. Looking at the teasing gazes of Wang Jian, Yang Duanhe, and other military officers beside him, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.
Lü Buwei had been keeping an eye on him for a long time, and the wicked man was someone he had brought out, while Tian Meng was Lü Buwei's trusted minister. This incident would completely shatter the temporary peace between the two.
Lu Buwei suddenly opened his slightly closed eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them. He slowly turned his head to look at his wicked husband, who had the appearance of a tough nut to crack, and said softly, "Young man, don't be too arrogant. Who here isn't a senior who has weathered many storms? How can you be so presumptuous?"
The wicked man puffed out his chest, head held high, looking completely indifferent. He shrugged and said, "What kind of young man isn't full of vigor? If you have energy, why not use it now? Are you saving it for when you're old and just spouting nonsense?"
Good heavens!
Even the generals, including Wang Jian, were astonished, casting shocked glances at him. While confronting Tian Meng could be understood as a newcomer, to dare to act so directly in front of Lü Buwei—where did they get the courage?
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