Rewards

"Roar~"

In the wilderness, the roar of a lion echoed for dozens of miles.

Like headless flies, the lion's roar continued, but the sound grew farther and farther away from the crowd.

This prompted Wei Qing to mutter "karma" in frustration.

The Xiong State used small groups of soldiers to hold his 10,000-strong cavalry regiment in check, and he retaliated by using small groups of soldiers in return.

He couldn't find the direction of the Xiong State's army, and neither could the great cultivators like Nine Spirits Primal Sage.

Of course, if Nine Spirits Primal Sage came alone, Wei Qing would be happy to fight him, since they had quite a few powerful cultivators on their side, and they had a certain chance of winning by ganging up on Nine Spirits Primal Sage.

"Giddy up!"

With a gentle flick of the whip, his mount sped up even further.

The effects of the Bodhi Lotus were remarkable. The originally exhausted army was completely rejuvenated. Many people were influenced by the Bodhi Lotus and had a lot of anger on their bodies. They looked like they wanted to fight someone and appeared somewhat murderous.

Unfortunately, everyone's mounts couldn't withstand the strain, and even Wei Qing had to crack his whip to urge them on.

"We're not far from Yanmen Pass!"

Zhang Xuezhou pointed forward.

Having halted his rapid flight, Zhang Xuezhou spent several days traveling around with the legion.

Two days later than expected, it took the group eight days to finally approach the territory of the Great Han.

War is indeed not a matter of ideal calculation. A thoroughbred horse can travel a thousand miles in a day, but it cannot travel ten thousand miles in ten days. Similarly, war is not a matter of 20,000 men necessarily killing a legion of 10,000 men. It involves many factors such as the condition of the legion members and their equipment and supplies.

Finding an opponent in the vast wilderness is a difficult task. Wei Qing and his group had difficulty locating the Xiong State's legion, and the Xiong State's great cultivators also failed to track them down, losing track of Wei Qing's legion as well.

This kind of warfare is completely different from the methods used in the past in the Southern Jambudvipa Continent, such as cutting off the enemy's supplies and launching surprise attacks on cities.

Zhang Xuezhou had some thoughts in his mind; the new emperor was clearly experiencing a greater impact.

You can never truly empathize without experiencing it firsthand. High-speed flight at high altitudes simplifies many things, but ordinary people still make up the majority of the world, and it's impossible for them to live as freely as great cultivators.

When dealing with high-ranking monks, legions are always the best weapon.

An ordinary soldier can hardly inflict direct damage on a great cultivator, but the combined strength of ten, a hundred, or a thousand soldiers is different. If a powerful cultivator can be interspersed among them, it is enough to kill an opponent who was previously superior by a factor of one or even several.

Wei Qing's slaying of cultivators while riding around Dragon City is the most direct example.

If the coordination is proper, even the Nine Spirits Primal Sage could perish.

"What a pity!"

The new emperor let out a sigh.

"Why choose this time when there will be other opportunities!"

Zhang Xuezhou replied.

He understood the new emperor's intentions perfectly. The new emperor even had the intention of luring the Nine Spirits Primal Sage. After all, everyone's cultivation was quite good, and they had experienced the fortuitous opportunity in the Dragon City Ancestral Land, which made them stronger than they used to be. The new emperor obviously wanted to test whether the sword was even sharper.

Zhang Xuezhou's attitude tends to be conservative; he doesn't think now is a good time.

They might be able to defeat Nine Spirits Primal Sage, but no one could stop Nine Spirits Primal Sage when he fled.

If he couldn't inflict a fatal wound on Nine Spirits Primal Sage, causing its death, Zhang Xuezhou knew without a doubt that he would be responsible for cleaning up the mess. He wasn't even confident in dealing with the Feiyu Demon King, let alone Nine Spirits Primal Sage.

Besides, Zhang Xuezhou didn't bring the spirit wood staff with him. He was more inclined to meet up at Yanmen Pass and then take stock of the spoils of war.

Thinking about the committee's allocation of the thirteen poisonous tree staves, Zhang Xuezhou couldn't help but tentatively inquire about the new emperor's allocation plan.

Don't worry, you'll definitely get a share!

There seemed to be some misunderstanding. The new emperor assured Zhang Xuezhou that he would not mistreat him, which led Zhang Xuezhou to conclude that the spoils of the Dragon City ancestral land were still aimed at the high-ranking officials, even though many of them had not participated in the Dragon City campaign.

"Could we distribute them to these soldiers?"

Zhang Xuezhou pointed to the constantly advancing army and then asked in a low voice.

"Them? What use would it be to give them?" The new emperor replied in a low voice, puzzled. "They are just a group of ordinary soldiers. Even if their archery skills are of a certain level, they are not young. Accumulating cultivation resources on them will not be of much use. The army has a corresponding system for rewarding and rewarding them. Giving them some money would be more practical!"

"The book says that wise rulers in ancient times would be supported by all the people, not just a few close confidants," Zhang Xuezhou advised after thinking for a moment.

"But we must be realistic. Good iron should be used where it's needed most, and good cultivation resources should be given to those who can develop," the new emperor said, shaking his head.

"Even if those people had no military achievements, is that the case?" Zhang Xuezhou asked, "Like those marquises in Chang'an City who quietly wait to be fed?"

"I won't allocate any to marquisates or noble Aristocratic Clan, as for the Shanglin Garden..."

"Those people can gain something without doing anything. They might risk their lives for His Majesty once or twice to repay a favor, but can they fight for His Majesty in the long run?"

Zhang Xuezhou's attempts to persuade him with ancient teachings were useless, as were his comparisons Aristocratic Clan the marquisates. The new emperor was not pedantic, nor would he simply follow the Great Han's marquisate system and allow these marquisates' descendants to share in the spoils of war without contributing anything.

He even mentioned the people he wanted to cultivate using the resources of the ancestral land of Dragon City, but when Zhang Xuezhou mentioned that these people were used to getting something for nothing and that even if they had the ability, it would be difficult for them to continue to work hard in the future, the new emperor couldn't help but feel a sudden jolt in his heart.

The new emperor believed that those he selected would be very loyal, after all, he cultivated his trusted confidants almost like death squads.

The treatment of training assassins is not just about providing food; it involves cultivation resources, generous rewards, delicacies, and luxury. The new emperor also often treats them with humility and courtesy.

When he needs people, those he has trained will step forward without hesitation.

He believed that these people would fight bravely, but the war could not be over in one battle. The Xiong State forces that were giving the Great Han Dynasty a headache could not be resolved in one war.

In fact, without the battle at the ancestral land of Dragon City, the Great Han Dynasty would have already suffered a crushing defeat.

"Even if I bestow these gifts upon these people, it will only increase the gratitude of a thousand others, and their gratitude will not last long," the new emperor said through gritted teeth in a low voice. "Moreover, they are easily susceptible to misfortune when they acquire things that do not belong to them!"

"If you're worried about causing unforeseen disasters, you can simply use other suitable assets to convert the money into cash. This is the first major victory for the Great Han Dynasty, and many may envy you for it. But the gratitude you've gained is far more than just the thanks of these thousand people!"

Zhang Xuezhou whispered a reminder, causing the new emperor to ponder it deeply.

If the imperial court has sufficient resources, or if the ancestral land of Dragon City is of a slightly lower quality, it is not a big problem to bestow it as a reward.

The problem is that Dragon City, the ancestral land, was a place where the Xiong State had accumulated his spoils over the years, and the quality of the spoils was extremely high.

Although many of the items in the boxes remain unidentified, those treasured by the Great Chanyu of the Xiong State must have been of high quality, and it would be a waste to bestow them upon ordinary people.

For example, the array artifacts and dragon bones they took from the underground palace—if such treasures were used on ordinary people, the new emperor felt that this would be a waste of resources.

If other goods were used for exchange and conversion, the imperial court would have to pay a high price.

He remained silent for a long time without answering Zhang Xuezhou. It wasn't until darkness fell and a loud shout like ocean waves came from afar that the new emperor quickly raised his head and looked at the sea of people on the distant horizon.

The Great Han Dynasty's first victory in its proactive offensive had a tremendous impact. The cheers and shouts of encouragement that echoed from afar far exceeded the new emperor's expectations.

Zhang Xuezhou is right. Giving rewards under such circumstances could set an example that would inspire envy in many.

This caused the new emperor's resolve to waver.