Summoning Zhu Ying

"My lord."

"Zhu Ying had rendered such great merit. By the Great Ming's military merit rewards and penalties, based on the number of enemies he killed alone, he could be promoted four ranks. If his merits of slaying a general and capturing a banner were included, he could be promoted one more rank," Chen Heng said without hesitation.

After seeing the battle report, Chen Heng had already calculated it carefully.

Below the rank of Thousand-Household, one could be promoted through enemy kills. Above Thousand-Household, however, ordinary enemy kills were no longer enough for promotion.

This was also the military merit system personally established by the current Emperor.

Below Thousand-Household—

As long as one killed enemies for the country, one could continue rising. If one achieved great merits such as slaying generals, one could rise further.

All of it was military law personally decreed by Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Zhu Ying is currently a Squad Leader. A promotion of five ranks would make him a Thousand-Household."

"My heavens."

"Five promotions in a single day—other than before our Great Ming was founded, who could have done such a thing?"

"Back when His Majesty was still an obscure dragon, he rose from an ordinary soldier to vanguard. That was far more than five ranks."

"A promotion of five ranks—his future is boundless."

"In this one battle, he killed more enemies than an ordinary soldier could kill in a lifetime. Perhaps he truly is a born fierce general."

"Killing a hundred enemies in one day, slaying a general, and capturing a banner—there was no trickery involved. A promotion of five ranks is what he deserves."

"Indeed."

"This is how the army should be..."

Hearing Chen Heng's words, all the generals in the tent were astonished, yet none raised any objection.

After all, the army spoke through military merit. Military merit was everything.

If they, as military commanders, rejected promotion based on military merit, they would be rejecting their own future paths. No commander would be that foolish.

"Since there is a military merit system to follow—"

"Then he should be rewarded accordingly."

"General Chen, is Zhu Ying in the camp?" Bu Wan asked with a smile.

"My lord, he is resting in the camp," Chen Heng replied at once.

"Quickly summon Zhu Ying into the tent. I too wish to see what kind of man this warrior of such courage from Daning Prefecture is," Bu Wan said with a smile.

It was not only him.

The many generals in the tent were also filled with curiosity.

Chen Heng immediately looked at Wei Quan. "Thousand-Household Wei, Zhu Ying is in your Thousand-Household Battalion. Go summon him to the main camp."

"This subordinate obeys."

Wei Quan bowed and swiftly withdrew.

At that moment!

Liu Zhen quietly moved closer to Chen Heng and said with a cheerful smile, "Brother Chen, can we discuss something?"

The moment he heard that—

Chen Heng glared and immediately said, "No."

"I haven't even said what it is, and you've already refused?" Liu Zhen said helplessly.

"You don't need to say it for me to know. You want Zhu Ying under your command, don't you?"

"Keep dreaming."

"Such a fierce general naturally belongs under my command," Chen Heng said smugly.

Seeing Chen Heng like this, Liu Zhen could only glare at him resentfully.

First Thousand-Household Battalion.

By the bonfire.

Many soldiers sat around the fire, eating flatbread. As they talked, they all carried the relief of survivors who had lived through a great battle.

At the Northern Frontier—

Even though autumn had only just begun, the nights were already bitterly cold. Without a bonfire, it truly would have been freezing.

Zhu Ying sat beside the fire.

As he ate his flatbread, his heart was filled with joy.

"List the collected attributes." Zhu Ying communicated with the panel.

The next moment—

"Collected 98 Strength."

"Collected 102 Speed."

"Collected 103 Physique."

"Collected 99 Endurance."

"Collected 89 Spirit."

"Collected 454 days of lifespan."

These were the attributes Zhu Ying had successfully collected after the battle ended.

"Congratulations, Host. All attributes have exceeded 400 points. Reward: one ordinary treasure chest."

As these attributes merged into him, the panel's notification appeared as well.

"Attribute Panel." Zhu Ying immediately checked it.

Host: Zhu Ying

Age: 14

Strength: 584 points. One point corresponds to one jin of force.

Speed: 512 points. The higher the value, the faster the speed.

Physique: 431 points. The stronger the physique, the stronger the defense and the faster the recovery from injuries.

Endurance: 415 points. The higher the endurance, the more inexhaustible one's energy and the more abundant one's stamina.

Spirit: 402 points. The higher the spirit, the clearer the mind.

Lifespan: 88 years, 1,138 days

Storage Space: 4 cubic meters

"Five treasure chests now."

I hope I can open more treasures this time. The key is still increasing my strength and staying alive on the battlefield, Zhu Ying thought to himself.

Just as he was about to open a treasure chest—

"Where is Zhu Ying?"

A voice rang out beneath the night sky.

The many soldiers around him raised their heads and looked toward the source of the voice.

"Squad Leader, it seems the Thousand-Household is calling for you," a soldier beside Zhu Ying shouted.

Zhu Ying froze for a moment, then came back to his senses. He raised his head and hurriedly stood up. "I'm here."

The next moment—

Wei Quan strode over.

After spotting Zhu Ying, he looked him over from head to toe, then immediately smiled. "Good lad. I never expected someone like you to emerge from my Thousand-Household Battalion."

"Thousand-Household, is something the matter?" Zhu Ying asked tentatively, though inwardly he was filled with anticipation.

"Brothers!"

"Do you know how many Tatars Zhu Ying of our Thousand-Household Battalion killed in this battle?"

The soldiers of the Thousand-Household Battalion all turned their gazes toward him.

"Zhu Ying of our Thousand-Household Battalion is fiercely brave and unmatched."

"By his own strength, he slew over a hundred Tatars, killed their commanding general, and captured their battle banner, dealing a severe blow to the Tatars' morale and bringing about our army's great victory."

"By order of the Commander, this Thousand-Household has come to summon Zhu Ying to the main camp, where he will be rewarded according to his military merits," Wei Quan declared loudly.

At this moment—

Wei Quan's tone carried a sense of pride as well.

Though he had not earned this merit himself, and he had not known Zhu Ying before—after all, he commanded more than a thousand men, so it was impossible to know everyone—after this battle, throughout Daning Prefecture, who would not know Zhu Ying?

Zhu Ying had risen to prominence in his Thousand-Household Battalion. Naturally, Wei Quan felt greatly honored.

"Killed over a hundred enemies."

"Killed the Tatar commander?"

"Is... is he even human?"

"Zhu Ying—our Thousand-Household Battalion actually has such a fierce man."

"He'll definitely receive a promotion and a noble title."

"He doesn't look particularly big. How could he be so formidable?"

"Comparisons really do make people furious..."

"Zhu Ying."

"Come with me."

"The Commander and the two generals are waiting for you."

Wei Quan smiled at Zhu Ying and led the way.

"This subordinate obeys."

Zhu Ying immediately bowed and followed him.

It looks like I really am getting promoted this time.

Although the Hongwu Emperor dealt ruthlessly with corrupt officials, he placed immense importance on the army. Promotions and rewards based on military merit are handled with strict fairness.

I wonder how many ranks I'll rise this time.

I hope it's higher. The greater my authority, the greater the opportunities I'll have in the future, Zhu Ying thought with intense anticipation.

His goal of gaining rank and title was very clear.

That was why he had fought so madly on the battlefield—not merely to collect attributes and strengthen himself, but also for power and authority.

PS: Brothers, please support the novel by following along. I'd be immensely grateful. During the new-book period, there will be four thousand words of updates every day without interruption. It is currently waiting for PK, and I hope it can make it all the way through. That's how brutal Qidian is now. Please keep reading—continued readership is king. Thank you.