Border Soldier: My fiancée snatched credit and broke off the engagement, so I promptly became a marq

Han Zhao looked at Chen Mu as if he had heard a joke.

The Black Tiger Battalion cavalrymen behind him also laughed.

Three hundred black-armored cavalrymen stopped in the snow, their horses snorting white breath, the sound of their swords striking the stirrups as rhythmic as an iron wall.

The ordinary guards of Blackrock Fortress were so oppressed that they dared not raise their heads.

The Black Tiger Battalion was not Zhao's personal guard.

The Zhao family's personal guards were only able to harass the fortress.

The Black Tiger Battalion was a border army camp that had actually killed people.

They routinely patrolled the border, escorted grain, apprehended fugitives, and also did some shady things for their superiors.

The lowly soldiers of Blackrock Fortress naturally felt inferior when they saw them.

Han Zhao took a step forward.

"Thirty-seven barbarians died last night?"

He glanced at the list of military merits.

"Who counted them?"

Chen Mu said, "The military officers counted them, and the Lu family's personal guards verified them."

Han Zhao then asked, "Where are the Black Wolf Guards?"

Chen Mu took out the black wolf domino.

"Here."

Han Zhao reached out his hand.

"show me."

Chen Mu did not move.

Han Zhao smiled.

"What, afraid I'll steal it?"

Chen Mu said, "I'm afraid."

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Han Zhao's face darkened.

He didn't expect Chen Mu to answer so directly.

Chen Mu looked at him.

"I was robbed last night."

"I still have the memory."

Someone in the crowd couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Han Zhao glanced at the scene, and the laughter immediately stopped.

Zhao Hong stood at a distance, his face grim, but he did not speak.

Zhao Chenglie also rushed back after clearing the body from the South Gate.

He still smelled burnt, and his face looked terrible.

Seeing Han Zhao and Chen Mu face off, a hint of pleasure finally appeared in his eyes.

Han Zhao is here.

What good is Chen Mu's eloquence?

At most, a corporal would only be temporarily protected by Lu Shuangyi.

But behind Han Zhao is Han Wenshan, the deputy general of Jingbei.

Would Lu Shuangyi dare to break ties with the Han family for Chen Mu's sake?

Han Zhao looked up at the list of military merits.

"Your handwriting is quite good."

"Unfortunately, the rules are wrong."

He turned to look at the crowd, his voice suddenly rising.

"Military merits of border troops must be verified by the centurion, examined by the brigade commander, and approved by the commander-in-chief before they can be included in the official register."

"A squad leader who was just promoted last night, and a deputy commander of the personal guard who was temporarily appointed, dare to post a temporary notice."

"Is this a sign of taking credit, or a sign of military disarray?"

No one dared to speak.

Han Zhao sneered.

"Tear it up."

Two Black Tiger Camp cavalrymen immediately stepped forward behind him.

Zhou Tie and the Lu family guards blocked them.

The two swords were drawn almost simultaneously.

The atmosphere in front of Blackstone Castle suddenly became tense.

Han Zhao looked at Zhou Tie.

"Where is Lieutenant General Lu?"

Zhou Tiedao: "Commander Lu is investigating the Zhao residence's treason case."

Han Zhao smiled.

"A case of treason?"

He turned and glanced at Zhao Hong.

Zhao Hong cupped his hands in greeting, his face revealing suppressed anger.

"Commander Han, the Zhao family has been slandered, and their house has been ransacked."

"My son was forced to go to the South Gate to clean up the corpses."

"The Zhao family's private soldiers have been detained."

"Now even the Black Stone Fortress military merit list is being manipulated by a lowly cook from the kitchen staff."

"We urge Commandant Han to uphold justice."

Han Zhao nodded.

"Did you hear me?"

He looked at Chen Mu.

"Commander Zhao says you have slandered your superiors and disrupted military achievements."

Chen Mu said, "His opinion doesn't count."

Han Zhao's eyes turned cold.

"Then who decides?"

Chen Mu placed the black wolf dominoes on the wooden table below the military merit list.

Then Zhou Tie was instructed to display the short knife used by the accomplice inside the South Gate, the bronze plaque from the Zhao residence, and the burnt letter.

"Evidence speaks for itself."

Han Zhao didn't even look at it.

"I'm taking these things with me."

Chen Mu said, "No."

Han Zhao's smile vanished completely.

"Chen Mu, do you know who you're talking to?"

Chen Mu said, "Han Zhao, the Black Tiger Battalion Commandant."

"The adopted son of Han Wenshan, the deputy general of Jingbei."

"The Zhao family has powerful backers."

"He's the person who was supposed to come pick someone up at noon, mentioned in that tattered letter."

The last sentence is like a stone thrown into ice.

The surroundings fell silent instantly.

Han Zhao's eyes finally changed.

His hand slowly pressed down on the hilt of the knife.

"What did you say?"

Chen Mu said, "Did I say something wrong?"

Han Zhao took a step closer.

"Those who slander the Black Tiger Camp shall be executed on the spot according to military law."

Chen Mu did not back down.

"Destroying the list of military merits is punishable by immediate execution according to military law."

The two were only three steps apart.

Han Zhao was tall and strong, wearing a black cloak, and exuded an imposing aura.

Chen Mu was pale, and his body was still injured, with the wounds under his outer robe beginning to seep open again.

But he stood before the list of military merits, not retreating an inch.

Su Wan stood behind the crowd, watching this scene, her fingers clenching tightly into her palms.

She used to think that Zhao Chenglie looked very handsome standing on the high platform, receiving congratulations from everyone.

But now, Zhao Chenglie stood behind Han Zhao, his eyes filled with malice and evasion.

Chen Mu stood in the wind and snow, clearly on the verge of collapse from his injuries, yet he dared to use a single sentence of military law to hold off three hundred Black Tiger Camp cavalry.

The two people suddenly became different.

No.

Actually, they've always been different.

She just couldn't see it before.

Han Zhao suddenly smiled.

He loosened the handle of the knife.

"it is good."

"If you want to talk about military law, I'll talk to you about it."

He turned to the people behind him and said, "Retrieve the patrol order."

A cavalryman immediately presented a document.

Han Zhao unfolded the document.

"Commander of Jingbei".

"The Black Tiger Battalion is patrolling Black Stone Fortress to review last night's battle. The military merit register, soldier register, and grain register are temporarily sealed."

He looked at Chen Mu.

"Now, I will seal the book."

"Whoever obstructs is disobeying orders."

A smile finally appeared on Zhao Hong's face.

This is what he's been waiting for.

Han Zhao doesn't need to fight for the rankings.

As long as the book is sealed.

Once the military merit register was sealed, Chen Mu's merits could no longer be increased.

When we bring it to the military headquarters, how it's written will be up to them.

Zhou Tie's face was grim.

The documents from the Jingbei Military Command are genuine.

Even if this thing comes down, Lu Shuangyi, who is present, will demand an explanation.

Chen Mu asked, "Just the official register?"

Han Zhao frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Chen Mu asked, "Did the patrol order include a notice of closure?"

Han Zhao's eyes narrowed slightly.

Chen Mu continued, "Do you need to provide evidence after writing it down?"

Han Zhao remained silent.

Chen Mu asked, "Did you write down that you took away the accomplice from the south gate?"

Han Zhao's face darkened.

Chen Mu picked up the tattered letter.

"If Commandant Han only wishes to bestow an official title, I will not object."

"The military merit register can be sealed."

"But the list of military merits has already been posted, and the evidence has been made public."

"You can seal the book, but you can't seal the three hundred eyes of Blackstone Fortress."

The breathing of the guards around them changed.

Han Zhao finally understood why Chen Mu insisted on posting the notice.

He had been preparing for this move for a long time.

Military merit records are inanimate objects.

It can be blocked, modified, or discarded.

Once the notice is posted and people see it, it's not easy to remove it.

Especially the seventeen dead men from the cookhouse.

Once their names are written down, erasing them isn't just about changing a single line; it's about silencing the entire cookhouse.

This was the first time Han Zhao had taken a serious look at Chen Mu.

This lowly soldier is more troublesome than Zhao Hongxin described.

Zhao Hong also realized it, and his eyes twitched incessantly.

Chen Mu said, "Commander Han wishes to issue the official seal. Please."

"But the evidence remains."

"Leave the list of military merits."

"Those inside the south gate should remain."

"Keep the black wolf dominoes."

Han Zhao coldly replied, "What if I want to take them all?"

Chen Mu took down the deputy commander of the personal guards and placed it under the list of military merits.

"Then you should cut me first."

The wind and snow suddenly stopped.

Zhou Tie suddenly looked at Chen Mu.

Lin Qinghe stood at the entrance of the medical tent, her face pale.

Su Wan's heart trembled violently.

Han Zhao stared at Chen Mu.

"You think I wouldn't dare?"

Chen Mu said, "I know you dare."

"But if you kill me in front of the military merit list today, everyone in Blackstone Fortress will know that the Black Tiger Battalion is not here for patrol."

"They're here to silence the Zhao family."

Han Zhao's eyes were terrifyingly gloomy.

Chen Mu continued, "Lieutenant Han can gamble."

"I bet you'll kill me and then General Lu won't report it."

"Is the death of the Lu family guards at the South Gate in vain?"

"I'm betting on whether those seventeen dead family members from the Fire Head Camp will shut up after receiving the reward."

"I'm betting on whether Zhou Tie, who guarded the south gate last night, will admit that I disrupted the morale of the troops."

Zhou Tie gripped the knife handle tightly and took a step forward.

"Zhou Tie testified."

"If Chen Mu hadn't been there last night, the south gate would have been breached."

Several of Lu family guards also stepped forward.

"We are our witnesses."

The old cook knelt in the snow, his voice trembling, but clear.

"The cookhouse is our witness."

"Sergeant Chen is recording the merits of his fallen brothers; anyone who tears down the list is tantamount to not letting the dead rest in peace!"

One sound followed by another.

"The cookhouse bears witness!"

"The guard at the south gate testifies!"

"Corporal Chen did not cause any disturbance!"

The sounds are increasing.

Han Zhao's smile finally crumbled.

Zhao Hong hadn't expected the situation to turn out this way, and shouted sternly, "Are you trying to rebel?"

No one cares about him.

All eyes were on Han Zhao.

Just when the atmosphere was at its most tense, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar.

Lu Shuangyi has arrived.

She rode a white horse, wearing silver armor and a red cloak, followed by more than ten guards.

In the wind and snow, she dismounted and went straight to the list of merits.

Let's look at the rankings first.

Let's look at the evidence again.

Finally, let's look at Han Zhao.

"Captain Han."

"What a magnificent sight!"

Han Zhao squinted.

"Commander Lu."

Lu Shuangyi said, "I'll take a look at the patrol order."

Han Zhao handed over the documents.

Lu Shuangyi nodded after reading it.

"The order is real."

Han Zhao said, "Then I will confer the title. Does Lieutenant General Lu have any objections?"

Lu Shuangyi said, "No objection."

Zhao Hong breathed a sigh of relief.

Han Zhao also gave Chen Mu a cold look.

But the next moment, Lu Shuangyi said again:

"But before sealing the book, I need to add a line."

Han Zhao frowned.

"What do you mean by 'supplement'?"

Lu Shuangyi took the pen from the registrar and, in front of everyone, wrote a line at the end of the military merit book.

Chen Mu, temporarily serving as a squad leader, joined Lu Shuangyi's personal guard battalion.

The merit of the South Gate was personally verified by Lu Shuangyi.

If the record is destroyed, it will be regarded as the destruction of Lu Shuangyi's personal military merit.

After she finished writing, she threw the pen down.

"Seal it."

Han Zhao's face darkened completely.

This is not about adding a new line of text.

This is to link Chen Mu's achievements with Lu Shuangyi's face.

From now on, anyone who touches this booklet will not be targeting Chen Mu.

It was Lu Shuangyi.

Lu Shuangyi looked at Chen Mu.

"Can you still stand?"

Chen Mu said, "I can stand firm."

Lu Shuangyi walked to his side and reached out to help him put the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard back on his waist.

In front of Han Zhao.

In front of Zhao Hong.

Three hundred Black Tiger Cavalrymen were in front of him.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"My people."

"Anyone who moves should ask my knife first."

The snowfield was deathly silent.

Su Wan stood at the back of the crowd, and tears finally fell.

She looked at the token at Chen Mu's waist.

He saw Lu Shuangyi standing beside him.

Suddenly she realized that after last night, she was no longer the person who had the most right to speak to Chen Mu.

She wasn't even worthy of standing next to him.

Han Zhao stared at Lu Shuangyi.

After a long silence, he let out a cold laugh.

"it is good."

"Since Lieutenant General Lu is so protective, then I'll wait and see."

"Just how tough is this lowly soldier's life?"

He turned and mounted his horse.

The Black Tiger Battalion did not leave.

Instead, they set up camp outside the fort.

Han Zhao turned to look at Chen Mu and said calmly:

"Chief Chen".

"Sleep soundly tonight."

"The nights are long at the border."

"It's not uncommon for people to die in their dreams."

Chen Mu looked at him.

"Captain Han, you should sleep soundly too."

"I have a good memory."

"I'll keep a record of anyone who wants me dead."

Han Zhao's face turned cold, and he spurred his horse away.

Lu Shuangyi and the others from the Black Tiger Camp retreated a distance before whispering:

"You just forced him to kill you."

Chen Mu said, "He wouldn't dare."

Lu Shuangyi looked at him.

How did you know?

Chen Mu pressed his hand against his chest, which was bleeding again.

"He brought three hundred cavalry into the fortress to bestow titles, not to massacre the fortress."

"If I die before the list of successful candidates, things will get really serious."

Lu Shuangyi remained silent for a moment.

"You have a very accurate understanding of people's hearts."

Chen Mu said, "I'm just afraid of being robbed again."

Lu Shuangyi looked at his pale face, her voice turning cold.

"Return to the medical tent."

Just as Chen Mu was about to speak, everything suddenly went black.

This time, he couldn't hold on.

The spear slipped from his hand.

Lu Shuangyi reached out to support him.

Lin Qinghe also rushed out from the crowd.

"Chen Mu!"

Su Wan also subconsciously took a step forward.

But she stopped as soon as she stepped out.

Because when Chen Mu fell, he leaned against Lu Shuangyi's arm.

Lin Qinghe knelt beside him, her eyes red with anxiety.

She stood outside the crowd, her hands empty.

Like an outsider.