Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 492 - 460: A Lifetime in the Military, If You Do Not Abandon...

Chapter 492: Chapter 460: A Lifetime in the Military, If You Do Not Abandon...

"Report—"

Yuchi An was leading the Great Army toward Anzhou when he suddenly received a report that shocked him.

"What!?"

"The Vanguard Army was ambushed?"

"Du Baoshi sacrificed his life for righteousness?"

"Du Baoshi’s personal troops commanded the whole army and counterattacked the Northern Qi Army, achieving a complete victory?"

Even though Yuchi An had weathered many storms in the military for over forty years, at this moment, his mind still struggled to catch up.

"Someone, follow me to the Vanguard Army’s camp."

At this moment, the Vanguard Army had already chosen a location near Songye Pass, a place that was easy to defend but hard to attack, and settled there.

Under the cover of night, many soldiers were still cleaning up the battlefield.

But everyone was happy.

Because, although they had been ambushed, they had turned defeat into victory.

More importantly, tonight, all the soldiers who came out to clean up the battlefield would receive a reward.

It was roughly equivalent to ten days’ military pay.

One night’s hard work for ten days’ pay, anyone would be happy.

Everyone was speaking highly of Wang Junwu.

Because those rewards had been issued by Wang Junwu.

At this time, inside the Vanguard Army’s Central Army tent, Commander Chai, Commander Song, and Changsun Wudiao were the first to report to Wang Junwu the casualties and captives taken by their units.

Wang Junwu had these things recorded and then glanced at the other Capital Commandants.

The other Capital Commandants did not understand how this man, who had been General Du’s personal soldier during the day, was now in charge of the entire army.

And why were these three so obedient?

Some wanted to challenge him, but seeing Commander Chai’s hand constantly on the Horizontal Blade at his waist and his fierce gaze, everyone understood that the Central Army had the strongest combat capability and, being in the Central Army’s tent, who would be insane enough to confront the Central Army’s Commandants here.

So, everyone dutifully reported the battle situation to Wang Junwu.

After hearing the reports, Wang Junwu closed his eyes and pondered briefly before opening them.

"This ambush on our Vanguard Army shows that the Northern Qi Army still has the capacity to fight. Also, the fact that they could quickly regroup demonstrates their strong cohesion. After you all go back, interrogate each captive from the Northern Qi Army to see if we can win some over."

Upon hearing this, everyone scoffed.

If they were that easy to win over, they would have been absorbed by the Great Sui long ago—the fact that they held out in the Three Zhou shows that persuasion was futile.

"It’s not necessary for them to truly accept our overtures, just talk to them and treat them differently based on their attitude—some better, some worse. Let some of them see their comrades being well treated."

"Then, they’ll start losing their loyalty, and when we release some of these prisoners and intentionally let a few escape, these individuals will destabilize the Northern Qi Army’s morale when they get back."

Just a moment ago, everyone had thought Wang Junwu was as inept as Du Baoshi.

But having heard him now, everyone was calling Wang Junwu "big brother."

This strategy outwardly seemed like winning over the enemy, but in reality, it was creating chaos in the entire Northern Qi Army’s morale.

What does it mean to ’capture their hearts first’?

This was precisely what it meant.

At this moment, the several Capital Commandants who had been somewhat unconvinced now looked at Wang Junwu with much more respect.

"Fortunately, if you can indeed develop your own people within the Northern Qi Army, and later they send back some intelligence, it will also be to your credit. So, I had you all try to win over the prisoners you captured."

"Then tonight we can rest from the big battle, I’ve already dispatched someone to send a military report to Old General Yuchi, whose troops are not far from us. So there’s no need to worry about sneak attacks. Just maintain good order in cleaning the battlefield and entering or leaving the camp, and rest as much as possible. Only with enough rest can we be ready to fight again."

Several Capital Commandants felt it made perfect sense and unanimously responded, "Yes, General."

However, after responding, they realized that Wang Junwu was not yet a general.

Just then, a voice came from outside the Central Army’s main tent.

"Old General Yuchi has arrived——"

Everyone immediately went out to greet him.

After the dusty Yuchi An entered, he ordered everyone else to leave, leaving only him and Wang Junwu in the entire Central Army tent.

"Are you the personal soldier of Du Baoshi, who led the Vanguard Army into an ambush?" Yuchi An asked.

Wang Junwu bowed with clasped fists and replied, "That’s correct."

"How did Du Baoshi die?"

"He was ambushed and severely injured. Before he died, he worried the Northern Qi Army might sever his head to disrupt our army’s morale, so he committed suicide on the spot. Commander Chai of the Central Army helped behead him and brought back his head to prevent it from being captured by the Northern Qi Army."

Yuchi An sat in the chief commander’s seat and glanced at Wang Junwu.

"Do you think I don’t know what kind of person Du Baoshi was? Could he actually do such a self-sacrificing deed?"

Wang Junwu clasped his fists and said, "Below here, I have another version. I wonder if Old General Yuchi would like to hear it."

"Speak!"

"In the battle of Baizhou City, I, Wang Junwu, was the first to climb the city wall, the first to cut down the Northern Qi Army flag, and the first to raise the Great Sui Army flag on the battlements. After the battle, on the report, the credited hero was Zhao Erbao."

Yuchi An was surprised by this, having heard of the incident but never imagining that the soldier who had achieved such a feat was this very Wang Junwu.

"Today, I warned about a possible ambush at Songye Pass, but Du Baoshi remained indifferent. Knowing that if he continued to command, the Vanguard Army would suffer heavy losses, I falsely transmitted military orders, using Zhao Erbao’s troop and Du Baoshi’s troop as the front army to enter Songye Pass. Then we surprised the enemy troops and ultimately won."

Yuchi An’s brows furrowed deeply.

According to military regulations, Wang Junwu’s actions warranted decapitation.

However, from a personnel utilization perspective, this man first suffered injustice, then demonstrated his capabilities and strength, and should be promoted.

"Only lament that when I joined the army initially, I thought I could do so without relying on connections. I never took this letter out but enrolled by myself. I never expected it to turn out like this..."

As he spoke, Wang Junwu took out a letter from his chest.

Yuchi An reached out his hand, and with Qi, drew the letter to him, opened it, and discovered it was actually a letter written to him by the Chamber Head of Changle.

Initially, when he went to the capital to report his duties, he wanted to pay a visit to the Chamber Head of Changle, but to help him avoid suspicion, the Chamber Head did not meet him.

Over these years, he had been slighted by Kaihuang, also because he was a loyal old servant of the Northern Zhou.

Unexpectedly, this Wang Junwu was a man recommended by the chamber head and also so ambitious.

Although it was the same letter of recommendation, Wang Junwu seeking to join the army with it and producing the letter after proving his capabilities certainly had a very different effect.

"Who would have thought that General Du, fearing death, would act heroically at the moment of death. I will surely report this to Kaihuang for a dignified burial of a loyal servant. As for you, be promoted to Capital Commandant and assemble your own troops. Temporarily replace Du Baoshi as the acting leader of the Vanguard Army."

After saying this, Yuchi An stood up, ready to leave.

But just as he began to stand, he suddenly thought of how over the years, those in the Centrist Faction, all suppressed and marginalized, had never managed to stand out in over twenty years.

Looking again at the Wang Junwu in front of him, courageous and cunning, of remarkable strength, and recommended by the Chamber Head of Changle.

"Wang Junwu! Do you know there are numerous factions within the army, and if you choose wrongly, one mistake could lead to continual mistakes. I, Yuchi An, am old now. Although I am part of the Centrist Faction, which mostly consists of people as old as me, soon we shall be as good as retired woods. Now that you have decided to join my side, aren’t you worried about your future?"

Wang Junwu of course understood that by presenting the letter of recommendation from the Chamber Head of Changle, he was inevitably aligned with Yuchi An’s faction.

Wang Junwu didn’t know what the Centrist Faction was, but he knew that if the Chamber Head of Changle wanted to help him and qualify him to marry Qiong, then the path she directed him to must be the right one.

Thus, as Yuchi An stood up, Wang Junwu knelt with a thud.

"I, Wang Junwu, lost my mother at a young age, and later my grandfather died in battle. I was raised by my grandfather’s comrade, Uncle Ba. After Uncle Ba died, I joined the Town Martial Office. Although I’ve been cared for by seniors from the Town Martial Office over these years, I have always been alone."

"If Old General Yuchi does not mind, Wang Junwu wishes to acknowledge you as my adoptive father. Henceforth, I will charge into battle for the Great Sui and care for my adoptive father until your last days!"