Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 45 Hidden merit and fame

Yelü Boyang died.

He never saw what the person who killed him looked like until he died.

With his death, the grassland army completely collapsed.

These normally fierce steppe cavalrymen fled as if they had gone mad.

In the process, they jostled and trampled each other, and as a result, many died under the hooves of their own countrymen before even encountering the enemy.

Tong Lei, of course, would not let this golden opportunity slip by. He led the Imperial Guards in hot pursuit, chasing them for dozens of miles, leaving corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing.

Meanwhile, Chen Ye quietly returned to the capital, then went back to his tent on the city wall, where he transformed back into Emperor Yang Zhao of the Great Zhao Dynasty.

The battle, which had lasted all night, finally came to an end as dawn broke.

When Tong Lei led his victorious army back, Chen Ye personally went out of the city to welcome him.

Seeing this, even from a distance, Tong Lei dismounted, quickly walked over, knelt on one knee, and shouted in a voice full of awe and fervor.

"Your Majesty, I have successfully fulfilled my mission and have utterly defeated the barbarians of the grasslands. Only a small number of them managed to escape, but I have ordered a thorough search, and we are confident that we will annihilate them all today."

Tong Lei's attitude was not feigned; at this moment, he admired the young emperor before him to the point of complete deference.

Yesterday evening, Chen Ye secretly issued an edict to him, ordering him to lead his elite troops, fully equipped and ready to attack as soon as the fire broke out outside the city.

At that time, Tong Lei was full of doubts.

You must know that the grassland camp was heavily fortified, and Yelü Boyang was a powerful ruler. How could he allow anyone to easily sneak in and set fire to it?
But the emperor's orders were absolute, and he had no choice but to obey.

So when the towering flames actually ignited in the grassland camp, Tong Lei was utterly shocked.

He even felt that this emperor was the chosen one, secretly aided by gods and spirits, otherwise his unpredictable methods would be inexplicable.

"General Tong, you've worked hard, and all the soldiers have worked hard too."

Chen Ye personally stepped forward to help Tong Lei up, his gaze sweeping over the tired yet excited faces.

"By imperial decree, all officers and soldiers who have rendered meritorious service in this battle shall be promoted one rank and awarded one hundred taels of silver! Those who died in battle shall receive double the compensation and be enshrined in the Martyrs' Shrine to be worshipped by the people!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

A thunderous roar of gratitude echoed through the sky, and every soldier's face was filled with the joy of surviving a calamity and reverence for Chen Ye.

After this battle, Chen Ye's prestige among the government, the people, and the public rose to an unprecedented peak.

Soon, Yelü Boyang's body was transported into the city, and the entire capital was in an uproar.

The jubilant crowds surged into the streets, eager to see what the chieftain looked like.

Wu Xiaorui was also mixed in with the crowd. For the past few days, she had been helping the sisters of the Cai Zi Men to treat the wounded and move supplies in the rear, doing her part in doing what she could.

But at this moment, her gaze was fixed on the slowly passing carriage.

But her focus wasn't on Yelü Boyang's corpse, but on the small knife stuck in his neck.

The design of the knife, and the way the silk thread was wrapped around the end, gave her a strange sense of familiarity.

She suddenly remembered.

The small knife that Chen Ye held back then was just like this.

Just as she was standing there in a daze, she heard the excited chatter of the people around her.

"Have you heard? We have a legendary figure here. Last night, this person sneaked into the enemy camp without anyone noticing. First, he set fire to the barbarians' supplies, then he cut down the commander's flag amidst the vast army, and finally, he personally assassinated that damned Khan!"

"I've heard about it too. If it weren't for this person, General Tong and his men wouldn't have been able to win so easily."

"The key is that this chivalrous man vanished without a trace after accomplishing his task, leaving no name whatsoever. Truly a man of great stature." "Do you think this person could be the legendary swordsman, Ta Yue?"

"It really might be him."

Hearing these comments, Wu Xiaorui shuddered, as if she understood something.

All the previous speculations and signs were confirmed at this time.

It should be noted that after Wu Xiaorui was released from the palace, she heard that Chen Ye had left Rongzi Gate and disappeared without a trace.

Although she was somewhat prepared at the time, she still couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

As the situation grew increasingly tense, she gradually let go of the matter, and even the image of the boy in her memory gradually became blurred.

Only then did Wu Xiaorui realize that Chen Ye was not afraid, nor had he run away.

He simply did something extraordinary in his own way, yet after it was accomplished, he kept his achievements hidden and quietly left.

Thinking of this, Wu Xiaorui raised her head and looked at the rosy dawn on the distant horizon, her eyes unconsciously welling up with tears.

She had a premonition that she would probably never see that carefree boy again.

Meanwhile, in the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Imperial Palace, dozens of concubines were waiting.

They dressed up carefully, trying to show their most beautiful side to the Holy Emperor who had turned the tide and saved their fate.

After all, if the city falls, their fate is predictable.

However, upon returning to the palace, Chen Ye merely glanced at them before waving his hand.

"You may all leave now. It's getting late, so please get some rest."

After saying this, Chen Ye walked straight into the Hall of Mental Cultivation, leaving behind a group of concubines looking at each other in bewilderment, their hearts filled with disappointment.

Once back in the palace and after dismissing all the palace servants, Chen Ye finally had time to take stock of the gains from the battle.

After opening the system panel, lines of text appear before your eyes.

[Profession: Master Thief - The root of thievery, the pinnacle of skill. A thousand faces are your skin, the human heart is your path, all rules of the world can be used to your advantage. The path of the thief will be defined by you.]

[Talent: Clarity of Thieves - All thieving skills are perfected in your hands]

[Skills: Masterful Hands lv10, Swift Blade lv10, Wall Running lv10, Shadow Step lv10, Throwing lv10, Bone Changing lv10, Onomatopoeia lv10]

Looking at the domineering job description, Chen Ye let out a long breath, knowing in his heart that he had maxed out the level of the thief class.

In addition, there was an unexpected surprise: the long-silent ship on the other shore began to glimmer, and then a line of text appeared before my eyes.

The Ark to the Other Shore has been activated. Shall we return?

Looking at these words, Chen Ye felt a ripple in his heart.

He has been in this world for quite some time, rising from a lowly page who was bullied by everyone to where he is today.

The great revenge has been taken, and the powerful enemy has been eliminated.

Logically, he could leave now.

However, after a moment's thought, Chen Ye decided to postpone it for a while.

Do things thoroughly, and see them through to the end.

This dynasty is riddled with problems, and now that I hold supreme prestige, I naturally have to do something.

(End of this chapter)