Ji Zhenyun truly felt at ease leaving Meng Zhao in charge—or perhaps "trust" and "esteem" would have been more fitting words.
That day, with Ji Rulin's help, Meng Zhao gathered the five thousand Dan Chi warriors in a mountain plain spacious enough to accommodate them all. Ji Rulin then delivered a speech that Meng Zhao found rather unremarkable, yet which seemed to have an explosive effect on the Dan Chi warriors.
With Ji Rushuang's coaching, Meng Zhao could barely understand forty to fifty percent of it. Had Ji Rulin spoken more slowly, he might have caught sixty or seventy percent. Still, he grasped the general meaning.
It was mainly an introduction to Meng Zhao's identity and an announcement that he would exercise the authority of both the clan chief and young clan chief. The five thousand Dan Chi warriors were ordered to obey Meng Zhao's command and deployment; any who disobeyed would be dealt with according to clan law.
Why did Meng Zhao feel the effect had been so explosive?
For one thing, once the introduction was over, he could sense countless gazes laden with every sort of emotion falling upon him. All kinds of auras mixed together. Though there was no obvious hostility, the pressure was indeed considerable.
At the end, Meng Zhao stepped forward and said a few words himself. The Dan Chi language Ji Rushuang had taught him the previous night proved immensely useful.
He merely introduced himself in an orderly manner and stated that he would lead the five thousand clansmen into battle for the Dan Chi Ji Clan. He did not say another word, appearing aloof and mysterious.
After dismissing the group, Ji Rulin summoned four particularly tall and imposing men to his side.
Meng Zhao was not face-blind, but looking at the four of