novelraw #144 - Chapter 144: The Test of the Auxiliary General
#144 - Chapter 144: The Test of the Auxiliary General
After a long time, the incense candles burned out, and the songs faded away.
The ceremony of presenting captives and heads was considered complete after burning incense and offering sacrifices.
At this point, according to custom,
the Auxiliary General, as the chief officiant, should comfort the Dragon骧 Army and then announce the court's rewards.
Especially the conferral of titles to Li Yuan, who made the first contribution in this battle.
Li Yuan had the merit of killing the Tiele Bohu warrior in the Chishui River battle, and also contributed to the strategy of encircling and annihilating the Tiele army.
In addition, he beheaded several Tiele centurions and chieftains.
It was appropriate to reward Li Yuan with the title of Township Earl.
This was also the condition negotiated between Marquis Longxiang and various forces in the court beforehand.
However, the ceremony of presenting captives and heads had ended,
but the Auxiliary General was nowhere to be seen to announce the rewards.
This made the Dragon骧 Army and the female Marquis very puzzled.
Marquis Longxiang Bai Jing looked up.
She saw the Auxiliary General sitting on the high platform with a indifferent expression.
Holding a white porcelain teacup in his hand, he was sipping fragrant tea, showing no sign of getting up to announce the rewards.
The female Marquis frowned, feeling puzzled. What was the Auxiliary General doing?
She hurried forward a few steps to the front of the high platform and bowed to the head of the nobles sitting on the platform.
"Auxiliary General, the ceremony is over."
"My Dragon骧 soldiers, please grant the court's reward."
Auxiliary General Zheng Tianxiong looked at the female Marquis below, and a slightly lazy voice came over.
"Now that the ceremony is over, let's disperse first."
"There are still doubts about some of your achievements, and they need to be investigated and verified."
"The matter of conferring rewards will be discussed later."
"Let's talk about it in a few days."
As soon as he said this, there was an uproar in the audience.
Announcing the rewards and conferring titles to the first meritorious person after worshiping the heroic spirits was a customary practice of the Great Liang.
People did not understand what the Auxiliary General meant by doing this?
The female Marquis's eyes turned slightly cold.
She took another step forward and bowed again.
"May I ask Auxiliary General, you said the achievements are far-fetched, may I ask which achievement is far-fetched."
"My Dragon骧 Army soldiers are all here, if the General has any doubts, we can verify them on the spot!"
Hearing this, Zheng Tianxiong got up from his chair, and then slowly walked to Marquis Longxiang and said.
"You ask which achievement is far-fetched? Then I will tell you."
"Among the achievements you reported, you said that there was a military household named Li Yuan, who single-handedly, with a spear, killed the Tiele Bohu warrior."
"And you want to ask the court to grant him a title."
"Hmph, how could I believe such an absurd thing."
"A military household killed a Tiele brave general with a spear?"
"How is that possible!"
"Do you think this General is a fool?"
Hearing this, Marquis Longxiang's almond eyes widened and she retorted loudly.
"Auxiliary General, please investigate clearly."
"Li Yuan's merit of killing the Tiele Bohu warrior with a spear was witnessed by thousands of soldiers of my Dragon骧 Army."
"Furthermore, the defending generals of the four prefectures can testify."
"Why do you say it's false!"
The Auxiliary General looked at Marquis Longxiang with a sneer.
"But you have to be patient."
"Let's wait three to five years first."
Hearing the Auxiliary General's words.
A fire of anger rose in Marquis Longxiang's heart.
In front of tens of thousands of people in the capital,
refusing to grant a title to the first meritorious person of the Dragon骧 Army.
It was equivalent to slapping the faces of Marquis Longxiang and the Dragon骧 Army in public.
How could the female Marquis not be angry at this time.
She once again clasped her fists at the Auxiliary General and shouted loudly.
"Soldiers kill enemies, and the court rewards them generously, this is the right principle."
"If the Auxiliary General treats the soldiers so poorly, wouldn't it chill the hearts of those who want to serve the country."
"If the Northern barbarians invade my Great Liang's borders again in the future, who will be willing to defend the country!"
"Bold!"
Hearing this, the Auxiliary General was slightly angry in his heart.
"Saying that your Dragon骧 Army's achievements are not true is my duty."
"How could a military household kill a Tiele Bohu warrior, wouldn't it be ridiculous to spread it out."
"I want to investigate carefully, what's wrong."
"Marquis Longxiang, you step back first, don't say any more!"
The female Marquis was furious and was about to continue to argue.
A clear voice rang out from behind.
"Auxiliary General, how do you know that my killing of the Tiele Bohu warrior is false?"
Everyone looked over and saw a heroic man walking to the front of the high platform, it was Li Yuan.
Zheng Tianxiong narrowed his eyes and reprimanded coldly.
"Li Yuan! You are just a small military household!"
"This is not a place for you to speak."
"Get down!"
Li Yuan smiled coldly and asked with cupped hands towards the high platform.
"Then may I ask, Auxiliary General."
"Who is this magnificent triumphal ceremony welcoming?"
"Who is this ceremony of presenting captives and heads worshiping?"
"If the merits of my Dragon骧 Army have not been determined, isn't this grand triumphal ceremony mocking the people of the world?"
Hearing this, the Auxiliary General was furious.
He slammed the table with his hand and shouted loudly.
"A small military household, so rude!"
"How dare you defy your superiors! This is outrageous!"
"Come on, arrest him!"
Li Yuan didn't understand why the Auxiliary General was targeting him.
However, through Insightful Eyes, Li Yuan could see the red light representing hostility from the Auxiliary General.
Since this was the case, he was not polite to the Auxiliary General.
Li Yuan knew that even if the Auxiliary General had great power, he would not dare to directly arrest the first meritorious person in the triumphal ceremony in front of tens of thousands of people in the capital and the Dragon骧 Army.
Several military generals beside the Auxiliary General were about to step forward to arrest him.
Only to hear a rustling sound of armor, dozens of Dragon骧 guards each held the hilt of their swords, protecting Li Yuan in the middle.
For a time, the two sides formed a confrontational situation.
The Auxiliary General stared at Marquis Longxiang Bai Jing with anger in his eyes and questioned.
"Bai Jing, are you going to disregard the court's dignity and defend a small military household?"
The female Marquis replied coldly without fear.
"Auxiliary General."
"It's not us who are disregarding the court's dignity."
"Li Yuan is a meritorious official of my Liang army, and countless Dragon骧 soldiers were saved by him."
"Although the General is the head of the military officials, he cannot indiscriminately shame a meritorious official!"
Hearing these words, the Auxiliary General became even more furious.
"Rebellious! You are really rebellious!"
"You dare to be so arrogant after gaining some merit."
The Auxiliary General's so-called arrest of Li Yuan just now was actually to test how far Marquis Longxiang could protect Li Yuan.
Now it seems that not only Marquis Longxiang, but even the generals of the Dragon骧 Army are actively protecting Li Yuan.
In this way, this person already has a good reputation within the Dragon骧 Army.
This further strengthened the Auxiliary General's determination to remove this person.
However, this matter cannot be done too obviously.
It must be done slowly.
Zheng Tianxiong was, after all, an old fox.
His face changed faster than flipping a book.
His expression suddenly softened, he chuckled a few times, and then pointed at Li Yuan and said.
"Alright, you are of humble origin and do not know etiquette, so I will not blame you."
"However, I still do not believe in your merit of killing the Tiele Bohu warrior with a spear."
"It is necessary to prove it in public."
Hearing this, Li Yuan and Marquis Longxiang exchanged puzzled glances.
Li Yuan stepped forward and asked with cupped hands.
"But I don't know, Auxiliary General, how do I need to prove it?"
Zheng Tianxiong suddenly laughed loudly, and then said leisurely.
"This is simple"
"Li Yuan, as long as you can defeat a Tiele Bohu warrior in front of me again."
"This General will naturally believe it."