"You've got a clear eye, lad, but matters involving His Highness's intentions and military promotions aren't yours to speculate about at will, are they?"
"You're right to reprimand me, sir. I wouldn't dare comment recklessly. It's just... General Lei went from an obscure common soldier to where he is today, fighting his way up through the ranks one step at a time. How much hardship and injustice must he have endured, how much blood, sweat, and toil must he have put in?"
"Yes, he's probably the only one who knows all the bitterness behind it. But why bring this up all of a sudden? What does it have to do with you?"
"Have you forgotten, venerable sir? I'm just a little demon from the countryside myself. When I came to enlist with those friends from my hometown, wasn't I also hoping to win myself a future and rise in the world, just like General Lei?"
"Our East Sea is boundless and rich in resources. Where couldn't a little crab like me make a living? If all I wanted was a full belly, why would I leave home to join the army? I could find a quiet beach, dig a hole to crawl into, catch little fish and shrimp every day, and nibble on seagrass and seaweed. A lifetime would pass quickly enough that way."
"Oh? Then wouldn't you be better off following Lei Chuanyun and earning yourself a future through military merit? How did you end up pursuing it here in my Military Adviser’s Residence instead?"
"Sir, you're absolutely right. With military merit, there are naturally great prospects in the army.
"But have you forgotten? After I enlisted, you did me a bad turn."
"I could have become a common soldier like my friends, and that would have been perfectly