Gains and Losses

"Pass the order down. All units will rest for a quarter of an hour."

"After that, we'll enter the mountains!"

Li Jinghong's expression was grim. As if he had not seen the Patrol Inspectors' low morale at all, he issued the order.

He Ping hesitated for a moment before summoning his courage to advise him, "My lord, since the Rebels dared to ambush us so boldly, they must have completely seized control of Qili Village. How about sending someone back to the County first to report the situation, then waiting for reinforcements to arrive?"

Li Jinghong looked at He Ping and demanded, "Qili Village has only a little over thirty households, with fewer than thirty able-bodied men. We have two hundred armored soldiers. What is there to fear?"

After saying this, Li Jinghong continued speaking to himself. "The Rebellious People of Qili Village violently resisted Forced Labor, ignored the might of the Imperial Court, killed a Patrol Inspector, then gathered a crowd to ambush us and killed more than ten Imperial Court Patrol Inspectors..."

"Such actions are tantamount to treason!"

"If we do not execute these Rebels, then when will we?"

Hearing this, He Ping froze for a moment before immediately realizing what was going on. The inspection from above was about to arrive. If they did not wipe this mess clean quickly, and the people above discovered it, everyone would lose their heads!

He Ping then cautiously asked, "My lord, how about sending someone to investigate again?"

"If the Rebels had not ambushed us like that just now, this general might still have felt somewhat apprehensive!"

"But despite having such an excellent opportunity just now, the Rebels did not take advantage of it to pursue and slaughter us. That proves they do not dare face us head-on. They are merely bluffing to make us wary!"

"So what is there to fear?"

As he spoke, Li Jinghong glanced at the dispirited Patrol Inspectors. "Tell them this: in this battle, anyone who dares disobey military orders or shake the army's morale will be executed, and their entire family will be exiled to the Forced Laborer Bitter Camp!"

"Besides, this battle is to suppress the Rebels, so the Military Merit Reward System of the Imperial Court will be applied. Notify them of that as well."

"This subordinate obeys."

He Ping clasped his fists, acknowledged the order, and withdrew.

Once the order was issued, the temporary camp erupted into an uproar. But soon, under the deterrence of the military order, the uproar turned into hushed whispers.

The threat that disobedience meant execution was aimed at the individual, while the threat of the Forced Laborer Bitter Camp undoubtedly cut off the future of every Forced Laborer present.

Although labor in the Mine was harsh, under normal circumstances, the chances of safely completing half a year of Forced Labor were not small.

The Forced Laborer Bitter Camp, however, was clearly an entirely different matter.

The so-called Forced Laborer Bitter Camp was where criminals were sent to work after being exiled to the Mine.

However many years they were sentenced to, that was how many years they had to labor in the Bitter Camp.

In a sense, the life of an ordinary Forced Laborer was still fairly valuable. If one died in the Mine, Qinghe County would even provide compensation to the family.

But the Forced Laborers in the Bitter Camp were clearly completely different.

Whatever job in the Mine was the most dangerous was precisely the job assigned to the Forced Laborers in the Bitter Camp.

If they died, then they died. Their lives were as cheap as grass, not worth mentioning! With such a punishment, who among those with parents or children could possibly not fear it? Chu Mu was alone in this world, so although the punishment startled him, he did not care too much about it.

What he cared about was what He Ping had just said about rewards under the Imperial Court's Military Merit Reward System! The Patrol Inspector position was half military in nature, so he naturally knew something about these so-called Imperial Court military merit rewards.

Below Squad Leader, military merit was calculated by beheadings.

For Squad Leaders and those above them, military merit was calculated based on command. For example, in a war, how were the casualties and results of the unit commanded by a Squad Leader or a higher-ranking officer, and how well were orders obeyed...

The main factor was the calculation of gains and losses, and Chu Mu had not learned much about it.

But he knew quite a lot about the Beheading Merit System for those below Squad Leader.

After all, he was merely a small soldier...

According to the reward system, an ordinary soldier who took one head in a battle would be awarded Thirty Silver, while his parents and children would be exempted from Forced Labor for three years.

Taking five heads would raise his military rank by one level, exempt his parents and children from Forced Labor for ten years, and earn him two hundred silver.

Taking ten heads would raise his military rank by two levels, exempt his parents and children from Forced Labor for life, and earn him ten gold! As for beheading accomplices, their military ranks would not rise; instead, they would receive gold and silver rewards according to the number of people killed.

Without a doubt, this Military Merit Reward System gave the soldiers at the bottom an opportunity to soar to the heavens in a single step.

Taking ten heads would raise one's military rank by two levels!

An ordinary soldier could rise directly to Squad Leader, commanding several dozen Soldiers! In an ordinary small town, the Patrol Inspector Soldiers numbered only a few dozen in total, just one squad's establishment. The Squad Leader was practically the town's ruler!

Even in a strategic location like Nanshan Town, with its special establishment of two Hundred Household units and nearly five hundred Patrol Inspectors, there were only a little over ten Squad Leaders in total.

This had undoubtedly exceeded Chu Mu's expectations.

After all, the Imperial Court's Military Merit Reward System was meant for major disasters already registered with the Imperial Court.

For example, a rebel army sweeping across a region and alarming the Imperial Court, or a war against the Barbarians.

How could this minor scuffle in a small village possibly have anything to do with the Imperial Court's Military Merit Reward System?

At most, the County would formulate some rewards of its own.

More likely, it would simply belong to the normal accumulation of merit and promotion within the Patrol Bureau system.

According to Chu Mu's original plan, he would put on a modest performance and try to catch the eye of someone above him.

If some people died this time and some positions became available, he would see whether he had a chance to take one.

Of course, the prerequisite for all this was ensuring his own safety.

Just like during the sudden arrow barrage earlier, he first had to ensure his own safety.

Instead, such a huge sweet date had been thrown at him.

The date was simply too big and too sweet!

Chu Mu was deeply tempted.

This tangible reward was undoubtedly far more realistic than Li Gang's private, ethereal promise.

Although he did not have much desire for power or status, after being in this world for more than a month, it was not difficult for him to see that in this era, without power or status, a person truly was not a person! Sometimes, without a certain degree of power and status, one could not even lay eyes on many things! Now that an opportunity to pursue power and status lay before him, how could he not be tempted?

Chu Mu took a bite of the dry rations he had been issued and chewed slowly. The light in his eyes had clearly begun to turn resolute.

Wealth and honor were found amid danger.

He was alone in this world.

Having no one to rely on also meant that there was nothing in this world he could obtain without working for it.

If he wanted something, he had to pay the price.

This risk was worth taking! After swallowing the last bite of dry rations, Chu Mu grabbed a handful of snow and vigorously rubbed it over his face.

The bone-piercing coldness stimulated Chu Mu's nerves as his palm moved across his skin.

Chu Mu was perfectly clearheaded, and he was certain that his blood had not run hot and clouded his judgment.

"Mu Ge'er, are you planning to take a gamble?"

Xu Yuan looked at Chu Mu with some worry.

"Yes."

Chu Mu nodded firmly.

Then he slapped Xu Yuan on the shoulder and earnestly instructed him, "You don't need to be afraid. I've read the local gazetteer for this area before. Qili Village has only around thirty households in total, and its people have already been conscripted for Forced Labor several times. There definitely aren't many left now."

"Those who dare to rebel will definitely be only a minority among them!"

"We have so many people. As long as you hide in the back and don't charge too far forward, just put on an act, and you shouldn't be in too much danger."

"Mu-ge..."

Xu Yuan wanted to persuade him, but Chu Mu stopped him.

"Don't worry, kid. I value my life much more than you do. I won't act recklessly."

Chu Mu's expression was just as serious. His blood had not run hot, and he possessed plenty of Self-Awareness.

This was merely a preliminary choice made after distinguishing gains from losses.

If the situation truly proved impossible, he would not recklessly charge in. He would continue weighing the gains and losses.