A family of loyal martyrs, starting with nine wives to continue the family line.

When Shang Wanqing's last batch of military equipment was delivered to the Guiping camp, Wei Zhao was watching the new army line up in the drill ground.

The wooden crates were pried open piece by piece.

Long spears, rattan shields, leather and wood armor, short crossbows, arrows, medicine boxes, and stretchers.

The eyes of all the new recruits in the camp widened in surprise.

They used to wield hoes, carrying poles, and broken woodcutting knives.

Many people are touching armored shields and other weapons that truly belong to the military for the first time in their lives.

A young, strong man held the leather armor in his arms, his hands trembling.

"Is this for me?"

The officer looked up.

"name."

"Chen Erniu".

"Military status."

"Qingzhou refugee camp, seventh gun formation."

The officer made a mark on the register and pushed the armor into his arms.

"Hold on tight. Anyone who drops the armor will be flogged forty times, and anyone who sells the armor will be beheaded. Wear it to kill the enemy, and you will be credited for your service."

Chen Erniu swallowed hard, clinging to Jia tightly.

Wei Zhao stood on the high platform watching this scene, and the anger in his heart finally subsided by half.

It became.

Shang Wanqing really did it.

Within a month, a million pieces of military equipment arrived at the camp.

Not fancy.

Not precise.

Some of the armor even had rough indentations, the gun barrel wasn't made of precious hardwood, and the crossbow was so ugly it looked like a piece of junk cobbled together by a craftsman.

But they are usable.

It can block arrows.

It can stab people.

This allowed these poor people, who would otherwise only be captured by rebel kings and used as cannon fodder, to stand on the battlefield like soldiers for the first time.

This is enough.

Wei Zhao never expected the first batch of new troops to become the Wei family army.

That's a dream.

Veterans are forged in blood, not something that can be created simply by donning armor.

But as long as this group of people can hold the first line, see the enemy die, personally cut off the first head, and obtain the first land deed.

He didn't need to teach them anything after that.

Tian will teach them.

His wife and children will teach them.

Chaotic times will teach them a lesson.

At this moment, a guard quickly stepped onto the stage and handed over a secret report.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Wei Zhao took it, opened it, and only read a few lines before his gaze stopped.

Liu Suan.

Tianlong Jushi (a Buddhist monk)

Fang Fuyao's mortal enemy.

He advised Han Dashan to change the retreat from Huangjincheng into a "strategic retreat," forcing the eight princes to acknowledge Han Dashan as their leader and prepare for the alliance meeting in Bianzhou.

After reading it, Wei Zhao suddenly smiled.

Zhao Qiniang came closer.

"What is Your Majesty laughing at? The city of gold has been besieged for a month, and the Eight Princes haven't been able to take it. Isn't that a good thing?"

"That's a good thing."

Wei Zhao handed the secret report to Liu Jingshuang.

"But this letter contains an extra troublesome person."

Liu Jingshuang, clad in armor, stood to the side, took the secret report, and frowned after reading it.

"Liu Suan?"

She looked up.

"Never heard of it."

Wei Zhao said, "I have never heard of it either."

Zhao Qiniang immediately smiled.

"Even His Majesty hasn't heard of him? What kind of important figure is he? Just a Taoist priest, he only talks a few words."

Wei Zhao glanced at her.

"People who talk are sometimes more troublesome than people who use knives."

Zhao Qiniang choked.

Liu Jingshuang read the secret report again and said coldly:

"He merely provided Han Dashan with a way to back down and pushed Zhou Laodao out to take the blame. Is he really worth His Majesty's attention so much?"

Wei Zhao did not answer immediately.

He looked towards the training ground.

A million new soldiers are donning their armor.

Leather and wooden armor were put on his body, a rattan shield stood in front of his chest, and rows of spears were erected.

The ranks were still not in order. When the drumbeat changed, several places immediately broke down and were scolded by the old soldiers.

It's completely different now compared to a month ago.

A month ago, these people were just starving people, tenants, surrendered soldiers, and fallen members of aristocratic families.

Now, at least they're like soldiers.

This is the power of a system.

Wei Zhao slowly asked, "Jing Shuang, do you think Fang Fuyao is amazing?"

Liu Jingshuang was taken aback.

"sharp."

"She single-handedly promoted the imperial examinations, abolished the old nobility system, forced the sons of aristocratic families to join the army, and forced everyone in the world to recalculate their own fates." Wei Zhao tapped the secret report with his fingertips. "She didn't go to the battlefield, she didn't kill a single person, but she changed the very bones of the entire Xinwu."

Liu Jingshuang remained silent.

Wei Zhao continued, "And what about Liu Suan?"

"His single strategic shift allowed the Eight Princes to remain united despite their defeat."

"His single sentence, 'Old Zhou's misjudgment,' allowed Han Dashan to ascend to the position of leader despite defeat."

"When he threw away the Bianzhou Alliance, the eight princes, each fearing death, had a reason to temporarily band together."

Liu Jingshuang looked at Wei Zhao.

"Then Your Majesty intends to kill Liu Suan first?"

Wei Zhao smiled.

"think."

He spoke very frankly.

"But we can't kill him now. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has just been deployed there, and Han Dashan will definitely protect him very closely. Besides, Liu Suan is not worth me changing my military strategy."

Zhao Qiniang immediately asked, "Then who should we hit?"

Wei Zhao placed the secret report on the table, his fingertips landing on the military map of Huainan.

"Du Heng".

The expressions on the faces of the people inside the tent all changed.

Xie Daoning had just come from the medical camp when he heard those two words and paused.

"Now?"

"Now."

Wei Zhao's voice was very flat.

"Golden City has been defended. The Eight Princes have retreated. Han Dashan wants a meeting in Bianzhou, so let him have it."

Zhao Qiniang's eyes widened.

"Let them meet? Your Majesty, if the eight princes really band together, it won't be easy to fight them from behind."

"So before they hug you tight, cut off one of their hands."

Wei Zhao looked at Huainan.

Du Heng was sold out by the Eighth Prince.

At this time, Huainan was most afraid.

They feared Wei Zhao's attack, feared the Eighth Prince's refusal to come to their aid, feared the salt farmers and boatmen under their command would turn against them, and feared the new military merit system would be introduced into the water fortress.

Fear leads to chaos.

Wei Zhao knew exactly how to strike at this moment.

What people fear most is not despair.

They thought there was still hope, but then they found that no one came.

Du Heng must still be clinging to a last glimmer of hope that Han Dashan will come to his rescue after the alliance is formed.

But Wei Zhao wouldn't let him wait until that day.

Liu Jingshuang asked, "Should all one million new troops be deployed?"

"Divide into three routes."

Wei Zhao raised his hand.

The guards immediately spread out the military map.

"Liu Jingshuang led the central army, pressing down on the north and south banks of the Huai River."

"Zhao Qiniang led the right army to intercept the salt route."

"Xie Daoning's medical battalion will follow the central army, the light wounded battalion will be placed behind, and the epidemic battalion will be placed separately. They are not allowed to approach the water fortress."

Xie Daoning nodded.

"I understand."

Wei Zhao continued, "The surrendered soldiers are being organized into the vanguard not to send them to their deaths, but to give them the first batch of military merits. There are many people in the Huainan water camp who were forcibly conscripted by Du Heng. As long as they break through the first camp, the military merit system will be announced immediately."

Half a day later.

Nine drumbeats resounded in succession at the Guiping camp.

A million new soldiers donned their armor and lined up in battle.

When the white-robed emperor ascended the command platform, the previously chaotic training ground immediately fell silent.

Wei Zhao was not wearing armor.

Dressed in white, her clothes fluttered in the wind.

Many of the new recruits were seeing him up close for the first time.

Too young.

Too thin.

He was not the emperor of legend who slaughtered his way through the Northern Rong, killed Lu Song, and forced the rebel king to wake up in fear every night.

But as soon as he stepped up, the old soldier knelt down first.

Then came the surrendered soldiers.

Then, the million-strong new army knelt down one after another.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

The sound swept across the training ground, causing the arrows on the wooden frames to sway gently.

Wei Zhao looked at them, feeling no unease whatsoever.

million.

That number sounds alarming.

But he knew how many of them would wet their pants in the first battle, how many would be unable to hold their guns, and how many would die in the mud and water of Huainan.

He can't lie to them.

The morale of an army built through deception crumbles at the first sign of a knife.

Wei Zhao took a step forward.

"I know that many of you are afraid."

No one dared to speak.

Wei Zhao continued, "It's normal to be afraid. I'm afraid too."

Someone in the new army suddenly looked up.

Even the emperor was afraid?

Wei Zhao smiled.

"I fear that once you take up armor and go into battle, you will die needlessly under the enemy's blade because no one will teach you."

"I fear that if you kill the enemy and achieve merit, someone will steal your credit."

"I fear that you will believe the new Wu, only to find that the new Wu is just as rotten as the old Wei."

The drill ground was eerily quiet.

Liu Jingshuang stood below the stage, her hand on the hilt of her sword, looking at the white-clad figure, her eyes softening little by little.

He did not shout "Loyalty to the Emperor".

They didn't shout about righteousness.

He said he was afraid.

But precisely because he spoke of fear, these people, who were so poor they had nothing left but their lives, were willing to listen.

Wei Zhao raised his hand, and his personal guards held up a scroll of land deeds.

"Therefore, I'm putting my words here."

"In the Battle of Huainan, merits were recorded for killing the enemy, breaking through the camp, seizing the boat, and rescuing comrades."

"Three copies of the merit list: one for the army, one for the Ministry of Revenue, and one for the secret archives of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Anyone who dares to steal military merits shall be executed."

"Anyone who dares to claim military merits without authorization shall be executed."

"Anyone who dares to sell weapons, abandon their comrades, or cause chaos in battle shall be executed."

He paused, and his voice turned cold.

"But as long as you stand firm, as long as you dare to kill, as long as you help Xinwu take Huainan."

"The land, I will give it to you."

"Your Excellency, I grant you this."

"I will provide for your wives and children's livelihood."

The drill ground exploded.

It's not chaos.

It was as if countless people slammed their gun barrels to the ground.

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"