Chapter 17: All Rejoice
Three hundred meters east of Dingbian City's county office stood the Rebel Army's temporary camp.
On the western side of the main parade ground in the camp, a row of tables and chairs had been set up as the Rebel Army's recruitment station. People thronged the place, making it exceptionally lively.
Because the Rebel Army now lacked neither food nor gold, silver, or copper coins, once they had captured the county seat and raised the banner of recruitment, countless commoners and refugees who could no longer survive came flooding in!
Since human-wave tactics did not work in this high-martial world, and since a large portion of their wealth and food would be impossible to take away when the Rebel Army eventually withdrew and fled—
Rather than let this precious food be consumed by flames then, it was better to find every possible way to use it now and rapidly expand the Rebel Army.
No one knew how other Rebel Army leaders operated, but Zhang Xianzhong did exactly that.
Yet in this wondrous greater world, joining the Rebel Army was not so easy.
Even the various Rebel Armies across the Northwest Three Provinces of the Great Ming, though mostly made up of rabble, did not accept just anyone.
Candidates had to undergo tests of strength, archery, blade and spear work, horsemanship, literacy, and other abilities. Only the cream of the crop would be selected to join the Rebel Army.
Of course, passing just one of those tests was enough; no one was expected to master everything.
If the standards for joining the Rebel Army were too stringent, it would be impossible for it to expand its strength rapidly. That did not accord with reality.
"Your name is Sun Kewang?"
"You used to serve in the frontier army?"
"You're from Mizhi?"
Zhang Xianzhong hurried to the recruitment station beside the temporary camp's main parade ground. After briefly questioning Ma Yuanli, he looked curiously at the burly man who had just been brought before him and asked.
As a Fourth Layer of Martial Dao expert in the Qi Refining Realm, he could clearly sense the intimidating aura on the other man's body, one no weaker than his own.
Sun Kewang appeared to be around thirty. His face bore the marks of wind and frost, and his gaze was resolute. He did not look like a spy from the government army.
In truth, the imperial court was now beset by troubles within and without. It could not possibly send a Fourth Layer of Martial Dao expert capable of commanding an entire army to infiltrate Zhang Xianzhong's Rebel Army—a force that had only just raised the banner of rebellion—as some sort of undercover agent.
That simply was not realistic.
Given the court's current ways, it could not possibly devise such a complicated scheme specifically to target a newly risen band of rabble like theirs.
"Yes, Great King!"
Sun Kewang stepped forward and gave Zhang Xianzhong a military salute. He said with utmost respect, "When you captured this county seat, Great King, I happened to be inside the city."
"Now that I have seen your way of conducting affairs, Great King, I find it vastly different from that of other Rebel Armies. Clearly, you harbor grand ambitions."
"I, Sun Kewang, though unworthy, consider myself somewhat versed in military and political affairs. Thus, I have come to recommend myself!"
"I, Sun Kewang, am willing to be your vanguard, Great King! At the same time, I am willing to acknowledge you as my adoptive father!"
What a fellow. He either said nothing at all, or opened his mouth with words that shattered stone and startled heaven!
He was even several years older than Zhang Xianzhong, the Eight Great Kings!
Yet he wanted to acknowledge Zhang Xianzhong as his adoptive father?
Clearly, Sun Kewang harbored great ambitions.
After all, only by blocking off his own retreat could he win Zhang Xianzhong's trust and promotion as quickly as possible!
In this era, acknowledging an adoptive father or taking an adoptive son was not merely something said with one's lips.
Once one acknowledged an adoptive father, should one defy or betray him in the future, one's reputation would stink to high heaven!
Once the Rebel Army grew strong, did he hope to lead troops away, establish his own banner, or defect to someone else?
At that point, no other Rebel Army leader would dare accept someone of such flawed character.
To succeed in rebellion or establish oneself as king, one's reputation in this era was even more important than one's own life.
Once one's reputation was ruined, no matter how capable one was, no talented people would come to join him. Instead, even the officers and soldiers under his command would become divided in heart and spirit. Then, it would not be long before he walked step by step toward the abyss.
"Ah..."
Zhang Xianzhong, too, was startled by Sun Kewang's decisiveness!
But he was deeply shrewd and naturally knew this was an excellent opportunity.
The other man was betting that he would accomplish great things in the future. If so, Sun Kewang's fortunes would rise with the tide, and being made a marquis or prime minister would not be impossible.
Yet Zhang Xianzhong was not worried that this ambitious Sun Kewang, so hungry for fame and profit, might turn against him someday.
As the old saying went, once the man acknowledged him as his adoptive father and it was announced throughout the army, every path of retreat would be blocked. He would have no choice but to steel his heart and follow Zhang Xianzhong down this single road to the very end!
That way, the man's future achievements would be deeply bound to his own, and there would be no chance to regret it.
Just like the current imperial court: once newly crowned top scholars, presented scholars, and the like acknowledged a benefactor-teacher, everything in their future would be tied to that teacher. They would share glory and glory, fortune and misfortune alike.
"Good!"
Zhang Xianzhong was also a man who could take things up and put them down. He immediately agreed decisively. "Then I shall accept you as my adoptive son!"
"From now on, you shall be called Zhang Kewang."
He used both hands to help Sun Kewang, who had knelt before him, to his feet. Then came the necessary step in accepting an adoptive son: bestowing a surname.
In these chaotic times, taking an adoptive son did not need to be as complicated as it had been in previous dynasties. Everything could be simplified; witnesses merely needed to be present, and the matter publicly announced.
With so many Rebel Army officers and soldiers present, they counted as witnesses.
"Zhang Kewang pays respects to Adoptive Father!"
Having fulfilled his heart's desire, Sun Kewang was overjoyed and knelt once more!
"Good, good, good!"
His fortunes had turned today. He had unexpectedly taken in a fierce Qi Refining Realm general, one skilled in both letters and arms, as his adoptive son. Zhang Xianzhong happily cried out his approval again and again.
"Pass down the order: today, hold a grand feast for all officers and soldiers! Let everyone know that our Rebel Army has gained a Young General from this day forth!"
The addition of a Fourth Layer of Martial Dao fierce general worthy of use was enough to raise this Rebel Army's combat strength by an entire tier.
At a glance, Sun Kewang was clearly not the sort who was all show and no substance. He possessed genuine ability.
Of course, that still needed to be tested in at least two major battles.
Once his performance proved outstanding, Zhang Xianzhong would not be stingy. He would certainly let him command an army alone.
So far, he was the second Qi Refining Realm expert in this newly formed Rebel Army capable of standing on his own.
In order to swiftly cut off any other thoughts Sun Kewang might have, Zhang Xianzhong immediately ordered a grand feast for the entire army and loudly publicized the matter, cementing their father-son relationship.
Naturally, as long as Sun Kewang was not a fool, he would understand that this was an immense boon to himself.
From this day forward, he would become the Rebel Army's second-in-command—below one man, above ten thousand.
If the Eight Great Kings, who harbored such grand ambitions, accomplished great things in the future, he truly would rise to greatness.
Endless glory, wealth, and honor would be there for the taking; that was as certain as a nail driven into a board.
In any case, he no longer had any family and was alone in the world. Now that he had acknowledged an adoptive father, it was no great matter.
Besides, he had confidence in his own abilities. He considered himself inferior to no one. Surely he could help Zhang Xianzhong's Rebel Army swiftly break open the situation and at least dominate one region, could he not?
Sun Kewang was skilled in both letters and arms. Before, a hero had found no place to wield his talents.
Now that he had made up his mind to follow Zhang Xianzhong in raising rebellion, he refused to believe they could not overthrow that utterly rotten imperial court!
For a time, both Sun Kewang and Zhang Xianzhong had fulfilled their heart's desires and were delighted beyond measure.