You were made to farm, and now you're the emperor of an empire?

Chapter 158 Commendation for Taiwan-French Wife
The next morning.

A soldier stood in front of Roman.

He had a sunken nose, a face full of acne scars, and slightly uneven eyes. His right ear had been frostbitten and the rest had shrunk into a fleshy lump.

Living conditions are harsh, and it is common for people at the bottom of society to have deformed or misshapen appearances.

In this era, the biggest standard for beauty or handsomeness is simply having regular facial features, without even needing to be particularly exquisite.

As for breathtaking beauty and captivating handsomeness, one must develop a unique personal charisma on the basis of well-proportioned features.

This is the awards ceremony platform.

Thousands of eyes in the audience were watching Roman's every move.

“You are Rick, and after being charged, you overcame your fear, hooked a cavalryman’s right leg with your harpoon, and pulled him off his horse, right?”

Roman witnessed firsthand how horrific the cavalryman's death was. His legs were dangling from the stirrups, while his body lay on the ground, dragged a great distance by the packhorse, his bones broken and tendons crushed by its hooves.

Rick was surprised that the lord knew about this.

Perhaps someone else told the instructor, who then reported it to the master, because he hadn't mentioned it to anyone.

When he saw his comrade killed on the battlefield, his instinct was to run away, but he stopped himself and chose to fight back.

He used to be a slave, but after arriving in Sig Town, he passed the test and accidentally became a soldier. From then on, he lived a life of plenty, a life he never dared to imagine before.

He had been trained to deal with cavalry charges. Instructors Dick and Aaron had practiced with them on horseback, demonstrating how to handle such situations in a very slow and repetitive manner.

But the real battlefield is far more brutal than the exercises.

Even now, the thoughts of his fallen comrades still linger in his mind, which is why he remains silent. His comrades have lost their lives, yet he sought personal glory; he feels guilty about it.

"Soldier Rick, you did a great job. Your efforts were worthwhile. You held off the pursuers and saved a thousand people," Roman said to him and to all the soldiers sitting below the stage.

Some came on crutches, some were carried over, and most of the soldiers were sitting on the benches unharmed.

More than five hundred soldiers watched intently as their lord awarded a medal to the longbowman Rick.

It was an iron badge with two long guns inserted inside the halo, indicating it was a medal for second-class merit. Rick's salary didn't increase, but he had the foundation to become a sergeant.

Rick wasn't the only one; some distinguished longbowmen also received such medals, and the entire longbowmen unit was awarded a collective second-class merit.

The other soldiers felt no envy whatsoever, because they had faced the most brutal battlefields and paid a bloody price.

The soldiers who fought in the Battle of Putton Village were also awarded a collective third-class merit.

Therefore, today's award ceremony was exceptionally long, and there was a sense of solemnity throughout the process.

Everyone stood up straight and head held high, displaying a unique spirit, and sat in a neat row.

The six hundred recruits behind them dared not whisper to each other, silently watching the scene unfold before them, feeling no sense of pride or joy. Some of these recruits were the pursuers Roman had mentioned earlier, and they felt restless and uneasy.

"Kao, you have proven yourself with force. I hereby appoint you as my Knight of Conquest!"

His injuries hadn't fully healed, and he was carried over. He struggled to sit up and kiss Roman's hand.

Many soldiers were somewhat afraid of Khao, simply because the boy didn't seem like a child; his pale face was like a cold, sharp blade.

Now he has become one of the knights of conquest, one of their instructors.

"Nathan, you fought bravely, and I hereby award you the rank of sergeant."

The tall, burly Nathan had a thick neck that almost connected to his chin, so Roman even had to bend over slightly to properly place the medal on him.

His reputation in the army is now no less than that of Khalil, and he is extremely tough, earning the support and respect of the soldiers. Following a powerful commander is something they all dream of.

But Nathan was focused on something else. When Roman awarded him the medal, he said softly, "I will organize another operation in Kande this summer. After the war, you can leave and bring your wife over. It shouldn't be difficult."

Nathan stared at Roman for two seconds, indicating that the previous agreement was null and void.

He nodded heavily.

Life here is better than he expected, and bringing his wife here is not a bad thing.

He has established himself here, and his living standards will certainly be far better than if he stayed in Thales County.

Roman was awarded more than sixty second-class and third-class merits today.

The awards ceremony ended, but the crowd did not leave. They looked at Roman, and as expected, they heard him say loudly, "Soldiers without wives, step forward!" In unison, nearly five hundred soldiers stood up.

Most soldiers were bachelors, and many had been slaves before becoming soldiers, destitute and penniless, worse off than beggars, so how could they be qualified to marry and have children?

Of course, soldiers who are widowed or separated from their wives and children also meet the condition of not having a wife.

"Line up here to draw lots; your wives are right here!"

Roman asked Jimmy to bring out a wooden box for drawing lots.

This wasn't a sudden idea; we had prepared for it beforehand.

Roman couldn't possibly watch his soldiers remain single. It was impossible for them to date; there wasn't the time, and not everyone could find someone.

Arranged marriages are the only option left.

He led his soldiers to attack Kant's territory, ostensibly to save it, but that was to have a legitimate reason for sending troops.

Anyway, that's how Roman promoted his message in the army.

But this does not change the fact that it is plunder.

Those women were people they had plundered.

Roman selected a number of eligible women to match the number of soldiers. When registering their identities, he would specifically ask the girls if they had a fiancé, lover, or secret admirer.

After going through layers of screening, their identity information was written on slips of paper and placed in a wooden box.

Whether or not it went against the woman's wishes was not within Roman's consideration.

They used violence to bring those people here, resulting in the deaths of more than sixty people and injuries to more than thirty others.

He knew they were risking their lives for him, and he also had to make arrangements for their funerals.

What do you mean by going against your will? If I punch you, does that also go against your will?
If you can't fight back, then you'll have to suffer!

Roman had informed everyone of this yesterday, and all the soldiers knew it. They lined up with excitement and anticipation, determined to continue serving their lord to the death.

Military service wasn't exactly painful, but it was very monotonous, and every day's training left me exhausted.

They train 29 days a month and live entirely in the military camp.

On the last day of each month, Roman would personally distribute their military pay, but they would stay in the barracks on their days off and never go home.

The reason is simple: some soldiers who were born into slavery had no home.

But they had it in the future.

Everyone has a deep longing for family, a safe haven for the soul. No matter what storms one encounters outside, returning to this haven allows for a great deal of relaxation for both body and mind.

But those at the very front of the line were the disabled.

The more severe the injury, the higher the priority for the lottery.

Since they can no longer serve in the military, Roman has to make arrangements for their future lives.

He also supported them for the rest of their lives, providing them with annual compensation, setting an example for other soldiers, and demonstrating to everyone the consequences of risking their lives for him.

For each slip of paper they drew, Jimmy would read out the name on it so they could remember it.

The young soldier with the severed hand also came over. Just as he was about to put his hand into the wooden box, Roman suddenly slipped a piece of paper into his palm and winked at him gently.

The soldier with the severed hand felt a sudden jolt in his heart. He glanced around discreetly and found that no one had noticed what was happening.

His mouth was a little dry, so he held the note in his hand and handed it to Jimmy.

"Soldier Tucker, Laura, your future wife will be named Laura."

Tucker silently memorized the name, the name of the wife the lord had specially chosen for him.

After queuing for more than an hour, everyone finally received the name of their future wife.

Roman sat down with a smile. He stood up and said, "My good soldiers, my good lads, go and bring your wives here, bring them before me, and I will witness your wedding!"

(End of this chapter)