Kill the enemy and get a wife? I'll single-handedly slaughter my way through the Northern Barba

Zhenyuan City, General's Mansion.

The banquet hall and the courtyard outside were filled with banquet tables and chairs, with no corner left empty.

The banquet was filled with officers of all ranks from the Zhenyuan City garrison and the Liaodong Army, creating a warm yet solemn atmosphere.

In the center of the banquet hall was a main table, around which sat Zhang Liao, the garrison commander of Zhenyuan City, Li Ping'an, the commander of the Liaodong Army, Su Mo, the military advisor of Liaodong, and other core high-ranking military officers.

A guard leaned close to Zhang Liao's ear and whispered a few words.

After listening, Zhang Liao pondered for a moment, then looked up and gave Bian Xi a meaningful look.

"Bian Xi, Zhang Lu has brought Lin Feng to the outside of the mansion."

"Lin Feng is new to the General's Mansion and doesn't know the way. Go and greet him."

Bian Xi understood immediately, got up to accept the order, and quickly left.

Zhang Lu was originally Zhang Liao's personal guard and was very familiar with the layout of the general's mansion. With him leading the way, how could Lin Feng not find the banquet hall?

It was clear that something had happened between Zhang Lu and Lin Feng, and it was inconvenient to point it out in public, so Bian Xi had to go and handle it.

Sitting to Zhang Liao's left, Li Ping'an's eyes lit up upon hearing the name "Lin Feng," and he asked softly, "Is that the sharpshooter Lin Feng who made great contributions at Elephant Trunk Mountain?"

When Lü Zheng returned and met with Zhang Liao, he had already given a detailed account of the battle at Elephant Trunk Mountain.

Li Pingan, Bian Xi, Su Mo, and the others all heard it clearly.

The battle was so arduous and perilous, a fight where life and death hung in the balance, that it made one's heart pound. One felt both anxious for the fate of the people involved and deeply admired their courage and perseverance.

At this moment, Lü Zheng was sitting opposite Li Ping'an. He had washed and changed into a neat brocade robe, but his thinness and haggardness were still hard to hide.

Since returning from the arduous battle at Elephant Trunk Hill, he had lost a significant amount of weight and appeared exceptionally thin.

"It's Raymond Lam!"

Zhang Liao smiled and explained to Li Ping'an, "He has several old friends in the city. After returning, he was busy visiting them to let them know he was safe, which is why he was delayed for a while."

"Lü Zheng and his group were able to escape from Elephant Trunk Mountain thanks to Lin Feng's strong support."

"He even deliberately led everyone on a detour back to Zhenyuan City, avoiding the pursuit of the barbarian general Baoyin. His contribution was immense!"

The crux of the matter lies in the fact that the survivors, including Lü Zheng, failed to meet with the messengers sent by Zhang Liao as agreed.

Lin Feng had anticipated that Bao Yin would lead his troops south to pursue them, so he simply changed the original route and chose a remote and rugged road.

Although they successfully evaded their pursuers, they were much later than the agreed return date, causing Zhang Liao to believe that everyone had died for their country, which caused him great grief.

About fifteen minutes later, Bian Xi led Lin Feng and Zhang Lu into the banquet hall.

As soon as Raymond Lam appeared, he instantly became the focus of the entire event.

The officers who had never seen him all wanted to see what this legendary archer looked like.

He was tall and upright with well-proportioned features, and his eyes and brows exuded a heroic spirit, giving him an extraordinary demeanor.

Years of fighting have given his skin a healthy wheat color, and his eyes reveal a hidden glint of intelligence.

Anyone who sees him will secretly admire him: What a heroic young man!

Bian Xi walked to the main table and reported to Zhang Liao, "General, Squad Leader Lin Feng has arrived!"

Zhang Liao's smile deepened, and he beckoned, "Bian Xi, bring Lin Feng over and sit down!"

At the main table were military officers of the rank of commander of a thousand or above.

Lin Feng was taken aback upon hearing this and quickly declined, saying, "General, I am merely a squad leader; such an arrangement is... truly inappropriate."

Zhang Liao pointed at him, his tone resolute: "So what if you're a squad leader? You performed a great service at Elephant Trunk Hill, buying precious time for Zhenyuan City to prepare for battle."

"If it weren't for you, Zhenyuan City would probably have long been reduced to a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood."

"Sit down! You deserve it!"

Li Ping'an chimed in, his tone tinged with admiration: "I've long heard that Squad Leader Lin slaughtered over a hundred Northern Barbarians in a single day. I've been wanting to meet you for a while now. Please take a seat; if you keep declining, our brothers will be starving!"

These witty remarks drew laughter from the surrounding officers, instantly easing the previously somewhat reserved atmosphere.

Lin Feng stopped refusing and sat down at the table with Bian Xi.

Everyone at the table looked calm, except for Qiao Ping, who seemed a little uncomfortable.

His trusted confidant Zhuang Yan had already died, but Lin Feng was unharmed. Judging from Zhang Liao's attitude, he clearly intended to promote Lin Feng.

Before Zhuang Yan died, he probably didn't reveal what he had entrusted to him, right?

Did Raymond Lam know that he was going to harm him?

Will they seize the opportunity to retaliate?

Qiao Ping's mind was racing, and he secretly resolved to find an opportunity to test her in the future.

After several rounds of drinks, Zhang Liao raised his cup first, his voice booming: "I was ordered by the imperial court to guard Zhenyuan City, a weighty responsibility. Now, the Liaodong army has rushed to our aid from a thousand miles away, relieving Zhenyuan City of its urgent crisis!"

"This toast is to all the soldiers who risked their lives for the safety of Zhenyuan City, and also to our brothers from Liaodong who have come from afar! Cheers!"

Zhang Liao raised his cup in invitation, and everyone inside and outside the banquet hall rose to their feet, raising their glasses in unison: "General, please! Cheers!"

After downing a cup of wine, Zhang Liao refilled his glass, stood up, and glanced at Lü Zheng and Lin Feng. His tone grew heavier: "The Battle of Elephant Trunk Mountain was a matter of life and death for Zhenyuan City. Of the more than 1,200 soldiers, only 209 returned. I am deeply saddened, but their sacrifice for the Great Qian Dynasty will forever be etched in history!"

"This cup is offered to Elephant Trunk Hill and all the heroic souls who sacrificed their lives in the city!"

Lin Feng's face was solemn, the images of his comrades who had perished in Elephant Trunk Mountain flashing through his mind, and the wine glass in his hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

He rose with the others and shouted, "A tribute to the fallen heroes!"

After drinking the wine, Zhang Liao let out a long sigh and said loudly, "The survivors of the Battle of Elephant Trunk Mountain are all heroes of our Great Qian! Each of them will be rewarded, and today I will focus on promoting a few of them."

"Firstly, Commander Lü Zheng, who led a small force deep into Elephant Trunk Mountain, is loyal, brave, and indomitable! Effective immediately, he is promoted to Deputy General of the Zhenyuan City Army!"

The military system of Zhenyuan City differs slightly from the regular military system of the Great Qian Dynasty.

According to the regulations of the imperial court, the army usually has positions such as commander, deputy commander, and assistant commander.

However, due to the successive loss of more than ten cities by the Great Qian Dynasty, and the loss of all the important northern towns, the soldiers of Zhenyuan City were all remnants of various forces.

Therefore, Zhang Liao specially created the position of deputy general under his command, and below the deputy general was the commander of a thousand households, without further subdivision of the ranks.

Lu Zheng was stunned. He had longed for Zhang Liao's approval all his life.

Lin Feng had been resentful ever since Zhang Liao bestowed the Cheng Ying Sword upon him.

In order to be promoted to deputy general and prove himself, he has always been working hard and even risked his life in this battle.

Now, my wish has finally come true.

"This humble general...this humble general thanks General for your promotion!"

Lu Zheng's voice trembled, his eyes reddened, and he almost couldn't hold back his tears.

After promoting Lü Zheng, Zhang Liao's gaze fell on Lin Feng, and his tone became even more impassioned: "Secondly, there's Lin Feng! Squad Leader Lin Feng has been in the army for less than a year, yet he has killed countless enemies. In the battle of Elephant Trunk Mountain alone, he killed more than three hundred Northern Barbarian Tartars, making him the bravest soldier in the entire army!"

"This young man possesses exceptional martial arts skills and unwavering loyalty to his country. Such talent must not be overlooked; therefore, he is exceptionally promoted to the rank of centurion!"

There is a rule in the army that those who have served for less than two years shall not be promoted to the rank of centurion.

This move was originally intended to prevent nepotism from gilding the lily and enabling rapid promotions.

However, Lin Feng's achievements are obvious to all. Zhang Liao's "promotion without regard to precedent" is both reasonable and convincing. All the officers present nodded in approval.

In addition to Lü Zheng and Lin Feng, Zhang Mao and Zhu Yong were also promoted to centurions.

The four surviving soldiers under Lin Feng's command—Wang Dahu, Zhang Ergou, Li Ke, and Wang Tu—were all promoted to platoon leaders.

The trip to Elephant Trunk Hill was fraught with peril, and those who survived received the rewards they deserved.

As for the soldiers who died in battle, the army would also issue generous compensation payments, which would be delivered to their families one by one.

After that, the banquet was filled with clinking glasses, laughter, and lively conversation, and the atmosphere became increasingly heated.

Lin Feng rose to prominence in the military overnight.

With the favor of Zhang Liao bestowing a sword upon him, and his exceptional promotion due to his great achievements, it was clear to everyone that he had a bright future ahead of him.

Therefore, a constant stream of officers came to toast and congratulate him.

Unable to refuse Lin Feng's hospitality, he was eventually forced to drink until he was completely drunk, and in the end, he couldn't even remember how he got back to the barracks.