Song Yinghuai's words left everyone utterly stunned.
Those scions of the noble families, filled with suspicion, hurriedly followed.
"Your Highness!" came a furious shout from behind.
Song Yinghuai reined in his horse and turned around. He saw a sturdy young man stepping out from the left formation.
At this moment, the young man glared angrily, his jaws clenched tightly. He shouted at the top of his voice, "Your Highness, why don't you take those of us who have a deep grudge against the river pirates but instead choose these noble scions who lack fighting spirit? Is it because of their superior birth that you want to take them to make contributions and gain merits?"
Birth?
The more than a dozen noble scions following Song Yinghuai wore arrogant smiles on their faces. One of them grinned and said, "A bunch of commoners. Do you think you can climb above us?"
"The Great Ye has opened up a path for commoners to make contributions and gain merits, allowing us to change our destinies through our achievements. Why can't we strive for it?" The young man stared angrily at the speaker. "You are all opportunists. You only got into the military camp because of your ancestors' merits. Now you want to steal our merits with your family background..."
"Fine. You can take the merits if you want, but!" the young man roared. "Your Highness, why do you abandon us and deprive us of the chance to avenge ourselves?"
Sitting on his horse, Song Yinghuai looked down at him coldly and asked, "What's your name?"
Thinking that Song Yinghuai was going to punish him, the young man was not afraid. He stuck out his neck and replied, "Leng Fei!"
"Do you want to follow me to Lingbi to avenge yourself?"
"Yes!" Leng Fei shouted. "My second elder sister went to Peixian County from Yangzhou to visit relatives some time ago. When passing by Lingbi on the Feishui River, they encountered river pirates... The pirates not only killed all the men and children in the family but also... " At this point, Leng Fei's eyes were so red that it seemed blood would drip from them.
Everyone fell silent. Everyone could imagine what would happen to a woman who fell into the hands of the pirates.
"My second elder sister's parents died two days ago after learning about the misfortune of their sons and grandchildren. My mother is seriously ill after knowing what happened to her daughter!"
"I swear that I will eliminate the pirate threat on the Feishui River for good in this lifetime!" Leng Fei said, wishing he could tear a piece of flesh from the pirates to offer sacrifices to his second elder sister's family.
Song Yinghuai nodded and praised, "You are a man of courage."
Leng Fei was overjoyed, thinking that Song Yinghuai had changed his mind.
However, Song Yinghuai said coldly, "It's a pity that on the battlefield, I least need hot - blooded and impulsive people like you!"
"Why?" Leng Fei roared.
Song Yinghuai stared at him and asked, "If you and those who have a blood feud with the pirates see them, will you rush up and kill them regardless of the consequences?"
"Of course! I swear I won't rest until I kill them all!"
A soft chuckle escaped from Song Yinghuai's throat. He said word by word, "So, I can't take you with me."
"On the battlefield, military orders are absolute. If you refuse to obey my commands and disrupt our formation, taking you with me would be like seeking death. You would not only drag me down but also harm our comrades. Why should I take you?"
This...
Leng Fei and the others were stunned.
The excited people on the right were also stunned.
"Your Highness, then, what about us?" The people on the left couldn't help but speak up. "We don't have a blood feud with the pirates. Why don't you take us either?"
Song Yinghuai said, "You are all the bread - winners of your families. Without your military pay, it would be difficult for your families to make a living, right?"
"Yes!"
"Listen up." Song Yinghuai said coldly. "I've heard that there are thousands of river pirates outside Lingbi. This mission is extremely dangerous. Are you willing to take such a risk just for the reward for a few pirate heads?"
"This..."
Song Yinghuai's question made the people on the left look at each other in dismay, hesitation flashing in their eyes.
Song Yinghuai sneered, "As I expected. If you see so many pirates, for the sake of your families, you will surely be the first to turn around and run away as deserters!"
"If I take you to fight the enemy and you turn around to run, alarming the enemy's main force, won't we be dragged down by you?"
"I might as well take these noble scions. Although they are the most useless, their family honor is tied to their military merits. On the battlefield, if they dare to be deserters, their families will be disgraced! If they dare to disobey my military orders, I will immediately behead them and implicate their entire families!"
Implicate the entire family!
The noble scions who were originally beaming with pride turned pale instantly.
As everyone knew, an individual's life was insignificant compared to the fate and reputation of the family.
They could be lazy and idle in the military camp, but they must never disgrace their entire family!
"Your Highness! We will definitely obey military orders!" A group of noble scions quickly pledged their loyalty.
"Obey military orders! Never be deserters!"
"Never be deserters!"
The more than a dozen noble scions suddenly roared in unison, giving a feeling of a great boost in morale.
Seeing these lazy soldiers in the military camp act like this, how could those hot - blooded people with a feud against the pirates hold back?
Leng Fei blurted out, "Your Highness, I'm willing to obey military orders. As long as Your Highness takes me to fight the enemy, I'm willing to obey anything!"
"Yes! We are willing to obey anything!"
"We want to follow Your Highness to fight the enemy! We will all follow Your Highness's command!" Everyone responded one after another.
A faint smile that was hardly noticeable played on Song Yinghuai's lips. He nodded and said,
"Good! Since you've seen the light, I will naturally take you to make contributions and gain merits."
"Outside the capital, the pirate threat has been a problem for many years and has not been eradicated. The imperial court has long issued a reward order. Anyone who kills three pirates will be rewarded with three bolts of silk and three strings of coins. Those who kill five pirates will be rewarded with seven bolts of silk and eight strings of coins. Those who kill more than eight pirates will be promoted with first - class military merits. Those who kill the pirate leader will be rewarded with money, silk, and a large mansion, and will also be granted a hereditary official position!"
Everyone's eyes lit up!
Especially those ordinary soldiers who joined the army to support their families. When they heard the words "hereditary official position", they were yearning for it.
They might never have the chance to fight on the battlefield and obtain a hereditary official position in the Xinchang City Defense Camp in their lifetime, but it would be different if they followed Song Yinghuai this time.
Everyone knew Song Yinghuai's status on the battlefields of the Great Ye.
Following His Highness the Prince of Yan was a great opportunity to make contributions and gain merits!
If His Highness the Prince of Yan was not afraid to face such a large number of pirates, what did they have to fear?
As long as they took a bold gamble, the fates of their descendants would be rewritten!
"Your Highness! We are not afraid of death either!"
"Your Highness, take us with you!"
"We will never be deserters!"
For a moment, the shouts from above and below the general - appointing platform merged into one.
Sitting on his horse, Song Yinghuai listened to the deafening shouts of battle. Finally, he showed a sincere smile:
"Not bad. You finally have a bit of courage."
He turned his horse's head and gave the order, "All of you follow me!"
Everyone replied in unison, "Yes!"
No longer were they as listless as when they were first gathered. Each of them had a wolf - like glint in their eyes as they followed Song Yinghuai onto their horses and left the city.
Ji Qian and a few other royal guards were left standing in the city. For a moment, they were so shocked that they couldn't speak.
After a while, Ji Qian came to his senses and sighed in his heart, "If the Great Ye's country is in the hands of the Prince of Yan, why worry about the country not being stable forever?"
It was already the second quarter of the Xushi hour.
Fireflies were flying like flames in the wilderness, and the spring breeze was blowing gently.
"We'll be in Lingbi in eight or nine li," Han Fen said to Caiyu in the carriage. "We can feel safer after entering the city."
Just as he finished speaking, several figures leaped down from the hillside in front. They were extremely fast, as agile as leopards in the dark night.
Han Fen and the others' expressions changed. They quickly drew their long knives and shouted at the approaching figures:
"Who goes there?"