Zhao Sheng was struck dumb, his heart filled with humiliation and confusion. Logically speaking, the King of Qin should have received the message that the Qin army had withdrawn, so why did he need to rush here to deliver gifts and beg for the withdrawal?
He couldn't understand it, he really couldn't understand it.
Unfortunately, no one will answer his question.
Ying Zheng suddenly said, "I appreciate King Xi of Wei's kindness, but we can discuss the eternal friendship later. Now I want to reward my Qin soldiers, so you may leave."
Upon hearing Ying Zheng's order to expel him, Zhao Sheng could only set off to return to the State of Wei with doubts in his heart.
However, at least his mission was successfully completed, and he can go back with an explanation.
After he left, Zhangtai Palace erupted in thunderous laughter that lingered for a long time. Meng Tian and Wang Li, the two young men, laughed until tears streamed down their faces, flanking the wicked husband on either side and inquiring about the details of his battle.
After a long while, the laughter gradually subsided.
Ying Zheng secretly rubbed his face, which was stiff from smiling, and then waved his hand to signal the officials to be quiet. "Today, the elite soldiers of my Qin state have returned in triumph, and we should celebrate this great occasion."
"I hereby decree that fine wine, cattle, and sheep be bestowed upon the elite soldiers as a reward, and that the ban on alcohol within the army be lifted. Tonight, I will personally go to the Lantian camp!"
"All those who have made meritorious contributions should be rewarded according to their military achievements, and the compensation and aftermath of the fallen soldiers must not be handled in any way."
Sun Sheng, the Prefect of Grain Supply, bowed solemnly and said, "I will obey the king's command."
No one questioned this; Qin law was strict, yet rewards and punishments were clearly defined. The soldiers had shed their blood and sacrificed their lives—this was what they deserved.
The officials' minds were not on this at all; they were all waiting to see how Ying Zheng would reward the wicked husband.
"General Meng Ao led the expedition to avenge the previous humiliation of the Allied Forces attacking Qin. However, he had also been defeated here before. Considering the General's hard work on this expedition, he is hereby rewarded with an additional thousand households of fief."
Meng Ao clasped his hands in a salute, showing no dissatisfaction with Ying Zheng's arrangement. His purpose in going out this time was to protect his wicked husband, and being able to avenge the past in his lifetime was already the greatest reward!
Moreover, the current king is still young, and if he, who has already reached the pinnacle of power, were to advance further, he would inevitably leave himself vulnerable to attack.
Ying Zheng's actions were also to protect him!
"Biao Gong conquered a city, killed 30,000 Wei soldiers, and was granted a promotion of one rank, 100 hectares of fertile land, 500 bolts of cloth, and 100,000 coins."
Biao Gong hurriedly stepped forward to bow and express his gratitude, his smile deepening the wrinkles on his old face. At his level, the difficulty of advancing in rank was comparable to ascending to heaven, and he could be considered to have benefited from his wicked husband's influence, advancing a rank simply by conquering a city.
"Next, I shall speak of the greatest contributor to this battle—the wicked man." Ying Zheng's voice echoed in the empty Zhangtai Palace, and all eyes were focused on the wicked man, secretly thinking that the main event was about to begin!
They couldn't wait to see how Ying Zheng would reward this newly risen nobleman.
The wicked man strolled to the center of the hall, his face calm and indifferent. He wasn't putting on airs; he genuinely didn't care too much about the small rewards.
Now he has status, military power, plenty to eat and wear, a large house, and servants to wait on him. He is already very satisfied.
Having transmigrated from a prosperous and splendid world in his previous life, this era is equivalent to a barbaric wasteland for him. Even with money and power, he cannot live the extravagant and decadent life he once had.
It wasn't that he had entered a state of enlightenment; it was simply that the era was so dull and backward that he had no choice but to enter this state.
"Your Excellency is brave and skilled in battle, possessing both wisdom and courage. You have saved me from dire straits several times. You are truly a pillar of our Great Qin." Ying Zheng's voice was full of praise. "I hereby bestow upon Your Excellency the title of Commandant of the Guards and concurrently the position of Assistant Commandant of the Central Army. You shall also be granted the rank of Junior Master of the Imperial Guard and the authority to drive a five-horse chariot, in recognition of your merits. In addition, I will bestow upon you one million coins, one thousand bolts of cloth, one hundred fine horses, and one hundred servants to support your needs."
These words caused an uproar throughout Zhangtai Palace once again.
The Commandant of the Guards is one of the Nine Ministers, in charge of the garrison troops at the gates of the royal palace, while the Vice Commandant of the Central Army, though slightly below the Commandant of the Guards, is not a position that just anyone can hold. This position is in charge of the security of the royal capital and is the chief of the royal capital's garrison.
These two positions could only be held by the emperor's trusted confidants, and it was unprecedented for one person to hold both positions concurrently, which shows how much trust Ying Zheng placed in his wicked husband.
If any wicked man harbors even the slightest ambition, the throne will surely fall into the wrong hands, and Ying Zheng would definitely not live to see the next day.
The wicked man solemnly bowed and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your reward and trust." His voice was firm and powerful, echoing throughout the Zhangtai Palace.
Ying Zheng chuckled and joked in front of all the civil and military officials, "You wicked husband, you're even more likely to succeed than that Lao Ai!"
"Your Majesty, you must treat her well." The wicked husband winked and unconsciously adopted the witty banter he used in his past life.
The civil and military officials in the hall were dumbfounded, wondering to themselves if the two had become so close.
Looking closely at the wicked man's face, he was indeed quite handsome. Although he came from a military background, he had fair and delicate skin, and he was also about the same age as Ying Zheng...
Could it be...?
In an instant, everyone's gaze toward the wicked husband changed, and even veteran generals like Wang Jian fell into deep thought.
Wang Li and Meng Tian exchanged a glance, and subconsciously took a few steps back, moving away from where the wicked husband had been standing.
"Tonight I am hosting a grand banquet in the palace, so please do not be late!"
"Your subject obeys."
...
After the court session ended, the wicked husband became the focus of attention, surrounded by a group of ministers.
"The wicked general is young and promising; we should keep in touch with him in the future."
"General, my granddaughter is sixteen years old, and she has grown into a beautiful young woman. Look at her..."
"Your granddaughter is a long shot. I'm a seasoned warrior, and even a glance at her makes my heart flutter. She's way too far behind my daughter."
"......"
The scene became noisy due to the verbal sparring between the two, which then drew in more and more ministers. They didn't even notice that the wicked husband had run away, as they were too busy arguing.
The wicked man who escaped from Zhangtai Palace was filled with lingering fear; he had almost been devoured alive. It truly proved the saying: once you gain power, even the mighty Zhetian Jue will become a sycophant.
The wicked man shook his head, then quickly led Wang Li and Meng Tian to the carriage and headed back home.
Back at the mansion, unable to resist the demands of Wang Li and Meng Tian, the wicked husband spared no expense, ordering the maids to prepare fine wine and food to entertain the two.
As luck would have it, just as the fine wine and food were being served, a servant from the manor came to report that Wu Shilu had arrived with several carriages of gifts to offer his congratulations.
Thinking it would only be a matter of adding another pair of chopsticks, the wicked husband had someone invite Wu Shi Luo in, after all, she had brought so many generous gifts.
As soon as Wu Shilu stepped into the main hall, he loudly congratulated, "This humble one congratulates the general on his promotion and has brought this gift to express my congratulations."
The wicked husband waved his hand and pulled him to sit down and eat, which made Wu Shilu feel flattered.
In truth, the wicked husband had shown him kindness and support. Since the wicked husband mediated between them, he had been able to don the "prince's hat" and openly engage in trade.
Although he only made a tiny fraction of it, he still made a fortune, accumulating wealth at a rate dozens or even hundreds of times faster than before.
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