Rewards for Merit

"Boom, boom-boom-boom..."

Three days after the great victory, the Assembly Drum sounded. Everyone rushed excitedly to the Drill Ground, knowing that rewards for merit were about to be distributed.

Everyone quickly assembled. Zhou Xingzhan stood atop the platform, surveying the army whose morale soared like a rainbow, and loudly announced the military orders.

His voice carried into every corner, and his very first words stunned everyone.

"Soldiers of the Conscripts' Camp, in this battle, you cast aside life and death and fought bravely to crush the enemy. Your achievements are outstanding!"

"From this day forth, all of you shall be incorporated into Great Yan's regular Battle Soldier ranks. You shall receive the full pay and preferential treatment of soldiers of the same rank, enjoying equal rights and glory with the Imperial Court's Battle Soldiers."

Boom!

The moment those words fell, the entire field erupted!

The several thousand soldiers of the Conscripts' Camp froze where they stood, dumbfounded by the overwhelming surprise that had struck them out of nowhere. They could not recover their senses for a long while.

"Roar!"

After a moment of dead silence, deafening cheers exploded forth.

Howls, sobs, and cries of celebration tangled together.

The Conscripts' Camp had always been regarded as cannon fodder, never truly acknowledged.

But now, they had cast off their humiliating status and become proper, official Battle Soldiers, gaining the dignity and glory they had dreamed of.

Thousands of conscripts were overwhelmed with emotion, shouting to vent the excitement in their hearts.

From now on, they too counted as people of the Imperial Court. Their families could receive the Imperial Court's protection and no longer had to fear not knowing whether they would survive the next day.

Some soldiers embraced and wept, their whole bodies trembling as tears of joy streamed down their faces.

Li Xuancang was also somewhat surprised, but he soon understood the Imperial Court's intentions.

After several great battles, barely any of the three thousand Battle Soldiers remained. The Conscripts' Camp's ability to survive such brutal warfare had already proven their strength.

Incorporating them into the Battle Soldiers would make up for the shortage of troops while also using a thousand pieces of gold to buy a horse's bones—killing two birds with one stone.

After allowing everyone to cheer for a while, Zhou Xingzhan finally raised a hand and suppressed the noise across the field.

His sharp gaze swept over the crowd as he began distributing rewards according to merit.

"Thousand-Man Commander Zhou Xiong led the men in cutting off the Barbarians' retreat, rendering tremendous service..."

Zhou Xiong had rendered great merit this time, and he was also Zhou Xingzhan's clansman, so naturally his rewards would not be lacking.

The rewards began with the Thousand-Man Commanders, followed by the Battalion Commanders, and only then came the Hundred-Man Commanders.

Zhou Xingzhan's sharp gaze fell upon Li Xuancang, and his majestic voice rang out.

"Hundred-Man Commander Li Xuancang led from the front in this battle, charging into the fray. He slew sixty-seven Barbarian soldiers, personally killed five Body Tempering Realm cultivators and one Bone-Breaking Realm leader, shattered the enemy's central army, and struck fear into the Barbarians."

The moment these words were spoken, every gaze in the field instantly converged on Li Xuancang, filled with shock and admiration. Even some Battalion Commanders and Hundred-Man Commanders were no exception.

The Bone-Breaking Realm far surpassed the Body Tempering Realm. Many Battalion Commanders had to avoid its edge, yet Li Xuancang had slain such a powerful foe as a Hundred-Man Commander. It was an act that defied the heavens.

Then, one generous reward after another was announced, shaking everyone to the core.

"Granted one hundred jin of refined iron, one hundred-fold forged spear, one suit of armor, and forty superior cultivation pills."

"Granted one hundred taels of patterned silver, ten bolts of silk, and ten mu of fertile land."

"Specially granted one Military Merit Medal, to be entered into the army's Merit Registry, its glory inherited through the generations."

The herald read the rewards aloud. Every line caused an uproar throughout the field. Such lavish rewards made countless people's eyes redden with envy.

Especially the final Military Merit Medal—many Battalion Commanders did not even possess one.

This Military Merit Medal was not merely a symbol of honor. It was a certificate of privilege recognized by the laws of the Great Flame Dynasty and enforced jointly by the entire army and local government offices.

It was also a supreme token that could protect one's entire family and be passed down through generations. Every privilege was explicitly stipulated by the Imperial Court, and no one dared violate them.

With the medal, one could earn promotion, select elite Troops, receive superior weapons and cultivation pills, possess the authority to make on-the-spot decisions during wartime, and be accorded three parts courtesy by officers of the same rank.

Ordinary crimes could receive lenient punishment. So long as it was not treason or rebellion, the holder would be exempt from execution and torture, while local government offices had no authority to arbitrarily detain or interrogate them.

The holder's salary, military rations, and compensation supplies would all be doubled in full.

The holder's immediate family—parents, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—would be exempt for life from all taxes, land rent, military service, and corvée labor, spared the suffering of harsh policies in these troubled times.

Local officials, village gentry, and tyrants were forbidden from harassing, oppressing, or seizing the family's fields and homes.

If a family member was humiliated or harmed, the government had to investigate as a priority and impose severe punishment. Those who disobeyed would be harshly punished.

Every month, the family could receive sufficient grain, silver, and cloth from the local government, ensuring they never lacked food or clothing. During festivals, they would receive additional special rewards, and in years of famine, they would receive priority relief.

The family need not kneel when meeting officials. Ordinary officials had to show them courtesy of their own accord. Should the family become involved in disputes, the government had to favor and protect them, and could not make things difficult for them without cause.

The Military Merit Medal could be inherited by descendants forever and would never lose its validity. With the medal, later generations would receive priority in joining the army, enrolling in schools, and entering officialdom, enjoying the lingering shade of the Lineage.

Even if the holder died on the battlefield, all of the family's privileges would remain for life and never be revoked.

The family's compensation would be issued at double the amount, while orphans and widows would be supported by the government for life.

Once the descendants reached adulthood, they could use the medal to enter military service directly, without beginning as conscripts, and become Battle Soldiers at once.

Even generations later, the Lineage's descendants could still rely on this Military Merit Medal to avoid harsh taxes and oppression, escape the bullying of villains, and receive the courtesy and protection of local government offices.

If the holder died in battle, they could enter the Martyrs' Shrine at the border and receive the worship of later generations. Their family would enjoy the treatment accorded to martyrs' kin for life and be respected through the generations.

This tiny medal had been won with illustrious military achievements and blood shed on the battlefield.

Amid these troubled times, it was a life-preserving talisman that protected one's family and blessed later generations, a certificate of privilege, and the greatest foundation for an entire Lineage to change its fate and remain secure for generations.

Li Xuancang also knew the many benefits of the Military Merit Medal, and excitement surged within him.

With this Military Merit Medal, he would have no more worries behind him. Even if he truly died on the battlefield, his family could still live well.

Li Xuancang stepped forward from the ranks and accepted the reward in a deep voice.

"This subordinate thanks Colonel for your generous favor."

Zhou Xingzhan's gaze softened slightly as he said warmly, "This is what you deserve. So long as you render enough merit, this general will never be stingy with rewards."

Zhou Xingzhan was becoming increasingly interested in Li Xuancang and looked forward to seeing him render further merit.

"Thank you for your instruction, sir."

Li Xuancang bowed in thanks. After receiving his rewards, he slowly withdrew.

Everyone looked at Li Xuancang with red eyes.

Li Xuancang remained expressionless. He had traded his life for all of this, and he deserved it without shame.

It must have been Thousand-Man Commander Zhou who fought for this on my behalf.

Li Xuancang's thoughts turned as he guessed that Zhou Xiong had pulled strings behind the scenes, allowing Zhou Xingzhan to grant him a Military Merit Medal.

This distribution of rewards continued for several hours, and nearly everyone received something.

Li Xuancang sent rewards such as the silver and cloth back home. As he was in the army, he had little use for such things.

He also sent back the Military Merit Medal.

In these troubled times, it was a life-preserving talisman.

So long as they brought out the Military Merit Medal, even the local county magistrate would have to take them seriously.

After finishing all this, Li Xuancang summoned the thirty remaining Battle Soldiers under his command and made a startling move.

"I have no use for these pills. Divide them among yourselves!"

Li Xuancang did not need pills to increase his strength. To him, these pills were as tasteless as chicken ribs; he might as well distribute them to everyone.

At his words, the men stood petrified, their eyes bulging as though they had heard wrong.

These were all superior pills. Even for Hundred-Man Commanders, they were scarce items, utterly beyond the reach of low-ranking Battle Soldiers like them.

Li Xuancang was actually giving the pills to them. Everyone thought they were dreaming.

"My lord, th-this..."

Their eyes burned with desire, yet they dared not move. Stammering, they sought confirmation from Li Xuancang.

These pills gave them a chance to break through into the Body Tempering Realm, and could allow those already in the Body Tempering Realm to advance further. No one could resist such temptation.

Under everyone's gaze, Li Xuancang said calmly, "Take them. Divide them equally."

A sharp light flashed in their eyes. Once they confirmed that they had not misheard, they could no longer restrain the desire and excitement in their hearts.

"Thank you, my lord..."

This was no different from the grace of giving them new lives. One after another, they knelt and bowed to Li Xuancang.

"Get up!"

Li Xuancang did not care much about it. To him, these pills were neither here nor there. Using them to increase his subordinates' strength could at least put them to good use.

The men quickly divided up the pills. After thanking Li Xuancang profusely, they withdrew in high spirits.