Chapter 45: Advantage of the Vanguard! Troops Arrive at Handu!

"Commander."

"We are now less than ten li from Handu. Are there any orders from above?" Zhang Han looked toward Zhao Feng and asked with anticipation.

"Do you want to be the vanguard?" Zhao Feng saw through Zhang Han's intentions at a glance.

"Hehe."

"This is a golden opportunity to claim great merit."

"Whoever is the first to break the city will receive the primary credit. How could I not want it?" Zhang Han replied with a chuckle.

"The first to break the city must endure the enemy's most ferocious defense. It is a life-or-death gamble. Are you not afraid?" Zhao Feng asked curiously.

"Perhaps because you just came from the logistics army, Commander, you aren't aware of the situation regarding the vanguard?" Zhang Han asked back with a smile.

"What situation?"

Zhao Feng was stunned; he truly did not know. "Tell me."

"If one serves as the vanguard and dies in battle, the pension will be doubled. If one survives, the military merit for killing enemies will be recorded as double."

"If one has offspring, those children will be exempt from military service, and the imperial court will provide for them until they reach the age of fourteen," Zhang Han said with a solemn expression.

Hearing this, Zhao Feng was slightly surprised, but he quickly regained his composure. "No wonder every elite soldier in the main combat camp fights to be the vanguard. Once successful, the merit is doubled."

"Exactly so."

"This rule was personally established by the Great King."

"Before the Great King set this rule, very few actually dared to join the vanguard," Zhang Han said with a look of awe.

"Perhaps this is the case of 'great rewards attracting brave men'!"

"Qin Shi Huang truly understands human nature!" Zhao Feng thought to himself.

The rewards for the vanguard were designed to address every aspect of an elite soldier's concerns: first, double military merit to incentivize; second, double pensions; and third, support for their families.

This completely removed any worries for the soldiers. Who wouldn't fight for such an opportunity?

"Based on what Major Zhang says, I'm afraid the entire army will be scrambling for the vanguard."

"Our Commander's camp might have a hard time getting a chance," Wei Quan spoke up from the side.

"Indeed!"

"I wonder if our camp will have a chance to lead the vanguard," Zhang Han nodded in agreement.

"There is no use discussing it now; everything depends on the arrangements from above."

"If it really does fall to our camp, then I will lead you all to claim that merit," Zhao Feng said with a smile. It seemed like a casual remark, but it was filled with confidence.

Hearing Zhang Han's words, Zhao Feng was naturally tempted by the benefits of being the first to break the city.

Now that Zhao Feng had entered the main combat camp and become a commanding officer, he was settled.

His mindset had shifted. Seeking military merit, gaining promotions, preparing for the end of the Qin dynasty, and preparing for his future hegemony—all of these required higher authority.

There was also his mother and the precious Blood Ginseng in the royal palace.

And Wang Yan.

All of this required power.

Zhao Feng would naturally strive for it with all his might.

"That kid Zhao has definitely run into something," Wei Quan thought, feeling even more certain after hearing Zhao Feng's words. He knew Zhao Feng too well.

At that moment, a messenger from Chen Tao's command arrived.

"Is Commander Zhao here?" the messenger shouted loudly.

Zhao Feng stood up immediately. "I am here."

"By order of General Chen: tomorrow, all archers from the Ten Thousand Generals Camp shall be mobilized to rain arrows upon Handu."

"General Chen orders Commander Zhao to handle the coordination," the messenger relayed.

"Please inform General Chen that I have received the order," Zhao Feng replied, cupping his hands.

The messenger returned the salute and quickly turned to leave.

"It looks like our General didn't grab the chance to be the vanguard, so you all can rest easy," Zhao Feng said with a smile as he sat back down.

"I wonder which of the Ten Thousand Generals Camps got the opportunity," Zhang Han asked curiously.

"Who cares which camp it is?"

"Once the city is breached, I'll lead you all to charge in together, and we can still claim merit."

"I've heard," Zhao Feng added with a smile, "that there are quite a few Han troops in the city."

"That's true," Zhang Han replied, smiling as well.

"Alright."

"The great battle begins tomorrow."

"Everyone, return to camp and rest."

"I'm heading back too."

Zhao Feng waved his hand and walked toward his own camp, lying down directly on his prepared couch.

After returning to camp, Zhao Feng closed his eyes slightly.

He expanded his mental strength.

"I still cannot sense the existence of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy. Is it possible this world lacks it? Or is my mental strength still too weak?"

"Sigh, whatever."

"I'll just practice the Dragon-Elephant Technique."

"I've been practicing for less than ten days, and it already increases all my attributes daily, even without the assistance of spiritual energy. If I sense spiritual energy in the future, the daily attribute increase will surely be significant."

With that thought, Zhao Feng circulated the Dragon-Elephant Technique and began his nightly cultivation.

***

The next day!

*Wooo!!*

*Wooo wooo!!*

*Wooo wooo wooo!!!*

The loud, piercing sound of horns echoed outside Xinzheng, the capital of Handu.

"The Qin army is attacking!"

"Quickly, get to the walls!"

...

As the Qin horns resounded, panic spread through the Han troops within Xinzheng.

The horns had sounded, but the Qin army had not yet attacked, yet the morale of the Han army had already collapsed.

For Handu, this was the moment the enemy was at the gates.

Most people in the city understood that they could not hold out.

"What is all this chaos?"

"Why the panic?"

"General Cao, is this the army you lead?"

Looking at the chaotic Han soldiers in the city—unorganized and lost—Zhang Ping walked forward slowly, his brow furrowed.

"Chancellor."

"This general is incompetent."

The commanding officer, Cao Yi, hurried forward, his face filled with terror.

The state of Han was already declining; Bao Yuan was the last general in Han with the capacity to command troops.

It is easy to find a thousand soldiers, but difficult to find a single capable general. This has been true since ancient times.

And Han no longer had any capable generals. Without them, the command of the troops was naturally weak.

"You..."

Looking at Cao Yi, Zhang Ping's eyes were filled with disappointment.

But he had no choice. The Cao Yi before him was already the most capable general in Xinzheng.

"Where are the Imperial Guards?" Zhang Ping shouted.

"Here!"

Within the city, ten thousand guards shouted in unison.

"Five thousand guards are to be converted into overseers. Anyone who dares to abandon their post or desert the battlefield shall be executed!"

"Anyone who dares to disrupt military discipline shall be executed!"

"A great enemy attacks today!"

"I shall personally guard the city gates to block the enemy!" Zhang Ping roared.

"We obey the Chancellor's command!"

The many guards responded in unison. They drew their weapons and glared in all directions. Under the pressure of life and death, the Han soldiers and slaves guarding the city became cautious, which helped resolve the initial chaos.

"Tell all the soldiers!"

"Do not think that Great Han has lost. I have received word that millions of reinforcements from the states of Zhao and Wei are already on their way!"

"As long as our capital holds for one month, we will surely wait for the reinforcements to annihilate the Qin rebels!"

Zhang Ping scanned the crowd once more and shouted loudly.

Hearing this, the Han soldiers, who had been feeling despair, regained a measure of morale.