Few people in the military camp knew that Ding Chen was the Ninth Prince.
What was more, the Ninth Prince was using the alias Ding Chen. Li Sheng looked down on him even more and did not regard Ding Chen as a prince at all.
In any case, the Li Family supported Sixth Prince Ning Hong. Even if Ning Hong failed to take the throne in the future, with his imperial consort mother's status, Ning Hong would still become a great prince.
As for Ninth Prince Ning Chen, he probably would not even be able to secure the title of Duke.
"Speak." Li Sheng stared at Wang Pei.
Wang Pei said, "Brother Sheng, think about it. Ding Chen knows he has no status or backing and is weak and useless, so why would he still dare come to the front army to temper himself?"
Li Sheng frowned. "Was he pretending before?"
Wang Pei nodded. "It's the art of concealing one's brilliance and biding one's time. Ding Chen wants to seize this opportunity: first, to establish merit and make a name for himself; second, to build up his own trusted followers and power. Otherwise, how could he possibly be qualified to contend with the other princes in the future?"
Hearing this, Li Sheng sneered disdainfully. "With him? He wants to contend with the other princes? Is he tired of living?"
Wang Pei said, "No matter what, we definitely cannot let him lead his cooks to the front army, slaughter demons, and establish merit."
At that moment, the armored young man seated to one side had a flicker in his eyes. He suddenly smiled. "Young Master Sheng, there is actually a way. Let Ding Chen lead his cooks onto the battlefield to fight, but record all the merit they earn under your name."
"That way, you gain the credit. And perhaps one day, when they encounter a powerful demon, Ding Chen will die. Then you can also give the Sixth Prince an answer, can't you?"
Li Sheng and Wang Pei both looked toward the young man. His name was Mu Feng, and he was likewise one of the scions of Kyoto's powerful families.
After thinking it over, Wang Pei could not help clapping his hands and laughing heartily. "Brother Mu is right! It kills two birds with one stone!"
Li Sheng furrowed his brows. It truly was a good scheme. "He is a cook. Once he enters the front army, he becomes a Demon Slayer Soldier of the front army, not a Head Chef Army. How can we transfer the merit to my name?"
Mu Feng's lips curled upward. "Young Master Sheng, isn't that simple? The Cooks' Camp was originally under our Head Chef Army's authority. Assign Ding Chen a fifty-man cooks' unit. Stop making them cook, and have them represent the Head Chef Army on the battlefield against demons."
"That way, no one can call our Head Chef Army turtles hiding in their shells anymore. Once word reaches Kyoto, His Majesty will surely reward you!"
When Li Sheng heard that, he clapped his hands repeatedly in approval. "Mu Feng, you've got skills!"
He immediately sent someone to summon the dark-gold-armored man from earlier.
The dark-gold-armored man was a lieutenant of the Cooks' Camp, named Liao Zipeng.
"Greetings, Commander Li!" Liao Zipeng wore an expression of utmost respect.
Li Sheng not only held a higher military rank than he did, but was also the son of Kyoto nobility. Liao Zipeng only dared curry favor with him and harbored no other thoughts.
Li Sheng did not waste words with Liao Zipeng and directly told him of the plan the three had just devised.
"A cooks' unit?"
Liao Zipeng opened his mouth and said, "Commander Li, wouldn't fifty men be a little too few?"
Li Sheng's expression darkened. He too felt that fifty men was somewhat shabby.
At that moment, Wang Pei sneered. "Then give him a hundred."
A hundred men were nothing. They could not amount to much anyway.
"Yes, sir. I'll handle it immediately!" Liao Zipeng nodded.
Mu Feng called after him. "Clear out a place for them in the military camp, specifically for them. Let them train a little before heading to the battlefield, so no one can say that the Head Chef Army deliberately sent the cooks' unit to the battlefield to die."
"Yes!" Liao Zipeng nodded.
After Chen Xian and the other five buried the seven cooks, they returned to camp and began training.
Suddenly, Zhao Tong ran over. He first asked after Cao Fang and Zhao Yu with concern.
Then he called Ding Chen away.
Inside a large tent in the Cooks' Camp, Liao Zipeng sat in the seat of honor. Beside him stood an armored young man, a second lieutenant of the Cooks' Camp.
The military ranks were squad leader, chief medic, second lieutenant, lieutenant, commander...
A squad leader commanded fifteen men, a chief medic commanded thirty, a second lieutenant commanded a hundred, a lieutenant commanded three hundred, and a commander commanded a thousand.
Liao Zipeng was a lieutenant, the highest-ranking officer in the Cooks' Camp.
Naturally, he still had to obey the commanders of the Head Chef Army.
Ding Chen walked in and saw that the second lieutenant who commanded him was also present. His eyes flickered slightly as his gaze fell on Liao Zipeng, and he snorted coldly in his heart.
Who knew what tricks that dog Li Sheng was going to pull this time.
"Ding Chen, have you reached the Blood Moving Realm?" Liao Zipeng asked directly.
A chill flashed through Ding Chen's eyes. "Reporting to you, sir, Blood Moving Beginner."
"Very good!"
Liao Zipeng nodded. "Our Cooks' Camp is forming a hundred-man cooks' unit. After three months of observation, this lieutenant has found that you and your brothers are all brave and skilled fighters. You are hereby promoted to second lieutenant of the cooks' unit, commanding a hundred-man cooks' unit. You will train day and night, then head to the battlefield in half a month to contribute to the court."
Ding Chen was stunned upon hearing this!
Though he had come to Demon-Slaying Pass to establish merit and make a name for himself, why did it have to be a cooks' unit? Why could he not join the front army?
Besides, he had only just entered the Blood Moving Realm, yet he was being made to form a military unit and fight demons on the battlefield in half a month. This was no different from sending him to his death!
A second lieutenant needed at least Blood Moving Perfection strength, or Origin Charging strength.
"Lord Liao, may I ask what strength the hundred cooks possess?" Ding Chen asked.
Liao Zipeng's eyes flickered. "Blood Moving Realm strength!"
The commander-in-chief of Demon-Slaying Pass had strict regulations. Soldiers below the Blood Moving Realm were not permitted to fight demons on the battlefield.
Even that Young Master Li would not dare violate this rule.
"This subordinate accepts the order!"
After pondering for a moment, Ding Chen agreed.
This might be his only chance to turn his life around. If he refused, Li Sheng would still suppress him and prevent him from going to the front army to establish merit.
"Second Lieutenant Lu, take him to inspect the site!"
Liao Zipeng did not waste any more words and had Second Lieutenant Lu, who stood beside him, take Ding Chen away.
Only then did Zhao Tong come back to his senses. Confused, he asked, "Sir, didn't you dislike Ding Chen?"
He truly could not understand it. Last night, Liao Zipeng had sent Ding Chen and the others to their deaths, so why had he promoted Ding Chen to second lieutenant today?
A cooks' unit second lieutenant was still a second lieutenant, with a rank above his own.
Liao Zipeng snorted coldly. "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. Go!"
Zhao Tong frowned slightly, bowed, and withdrew from the tent.
Ding Chen walked into the tent expressionlessly.
The moment Wang Yan and the others saw that something was wrong, they immediately crowded around him.
Chen Xian also opened his eyes and looked over.
"Brother Ding, what happened?" Wang Yan asked.
Ding Chen sat on the communal bunk. He glanced at Cao Fang and Zhao Yu, who were still unconscious, then drew a deep breath. "It's good news, but it's also bad news."
He immediately told them about Liao Zipeng calling him over and speaking of forming a cooks' unit.
"A cooks' unit?"
Everyone was instantly dumbfounded.
There was the front army in camp, then the reserve army and the Head Chef Army. Why form some cooks' unit as well?
They did not want to give them proper status, yet wanted them to fight on the battlefield. This was clearly a trap!
Wang Yan frowned. "Brother Ding, someone is definitely targeting us!"
Qin Fei and the others thought the same, but on careful reflection, they had not offended anyone since arriving at Demon-Slaying Pass.
Who would target them?
Chen Xian sat cross-legged off to one side without saying anything, but his gaze remained fixed on Ding Chen.
In his view, it was not that they were being targeted. Ding Chen was the one being targeted; they had merely been dragged into it.
Ding Chen sighed helplessly. "We only have half a month. Time is tight. Hurry and pack up. Carry Cao Fang and Zhao Yu, and move to the cooks' unit camp immediately."
Before you continue