Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 128 "The Dragon-Slaying Order" and "Setting Things Right"

When Su Dong woke up again, he saw Wu Fei in the cell.

A pot of wine and a table of food were placed in front of him. However, the shackles on his body were not removed, and the soldiers beside him fed him the food and wine. After he had eaten and drunk his fill...

Wu Fei wanted to speak to find a flaw, but the smile on his face was too hypocritical. This dragon descendant understood his fate, and was far more composed than Tang Du'ao had been back then. He stared at Wu Fei, and instead of speaking, he asked in an interrogative tone, "May I ask who defeated me?"

Wu Fei: "My surname is Wu, and my given name is Yuanchang." After finishing his drink, Wu Fei took out a newly released plan to show him. It was a "Dragon-Slaying Order."

Of course, this "dragon-slaying order" has not been issued. Wu Fei is now applying maximum pressure, hoping that this dragon descendant will make an appropriate choice.

However, when Su Dong saw the "Dragon-Slaying Order" given to him by Wu Fei, he laughed wildly and overturned the table. Wu Fei quickly dodged the flying bowls and chopsticks, glanced at the old general's death-seeking appearance, sighed and shook his head.

Several days later, he was escorted to the execution platform. Before the many elders of Bo County, the executioner approached with a large black iron sword. Su Dong saw the sword and laughed loudly: "A fine sword, a fine sword!" He then offered his neck for execution. The blade flashed, and his fine head fell.

Wu Fei sighed and ordered his men to hang the man's head high. Then his gaze hardened.

At the end of April, Wu Fei proclaimed the "Dragon Slayer Order" to all four directions of Bo County.

…Originally, I wanted to appease them, but I couldn't avoid going to extremes…

From Donglei City to Wangjiadu and then to Lujiao City, after the regional battles ended, Wu Fei completed the complete annihilation of Haotian's army, announcing to the people of the area that the Dongshi Army had the power to change the landscape of the place once again.

As victory proclamations were posted everywhere, the political actions accompanying the military operations of the Dongshi Army unfolded in Boji.

Before determining the political strategic direction, Wu Fei realized that he was a "minority" in the local area, even though the descendants of Haotian Dragon were also a "minority".

However, Bohai was occupied by the descendants of Haotian Dragon for seven years, and the benefits of Zhao City's consecutive victories were still in effect. Many aristocratic families had pledged allegiance to them, so they actually held an advantage over the Eastern Market Army.

With all parties in Bohai observing the situation, and too many neutral forces present, Wu Fei said: This won't do.

Xuan Chong's historical perspective: The Anti-Japanese United Army failed because of numerous betrayals; this was because the local powerful clans were too neutral, possessing the power to waver between the puppet Manchukuo regime and the Anti-Japanese United Army. They even enjoyed this feeling of being mutually bought off.

Xuan Chong, a "mass" member who couldn't join the "party" in his previous life, thought very maliciously: if a Japanese soldier were stationed at the gates of these neutral powerful families, there wouldn't be so many traitors within their ranks.

In a war between nations, any organization that does not align itself with the greater good of the nation must not be allowed to have an easy time.

Every small or medium-sized faction in the war zone that can wield a knife can appear "neutral," but must secretly report to the organization. The organization will not arbitrarily sacrifice those who align themselves with it, but those who do not align themselves with the organization are necessarily abandoned.

…Xuan Chong: I have brought you firewood; you cannot lie still…

Wu Fei drafted the "Dragon Slaying Order," plagiarizing the work of King Minwu. The specific provisions were quite discordant, which in the previous life would have been considered extreme hatred by scholars, belonging to "extremism."

Of course, Wu Fei wasn't blindly cosplaying King Min Wu as an idol. Rather, he had no choice but to do so after trying a more lenient approach that didn't work.

Countless lessons learned from practice in Eastern culture have revealed that in life-or-death struggles, if the leading group does not allow its subordinate forces to stab the enemy in the back, then a powerful enemy can use the strategy of "only punishing the ringleader" to dismantle your team.

Wu Fei was well-educated, but he also knew about the ways of the world; in a team full of opportunists, one couldn't survive without being extreme and ruthless.

Wu Fei's original appeasement policy was based on inducing a dragonborn to betray the enemy, causing internal disintegration first. In this way, the enemy would fall into division and collapse, and he would not have to resort to extreme measures.

However, Su Dong was very principled, which Wu Fei greatly admired, but he had to deal with him with the utmost respect.

The dark side of Xuan Chong: When it's clear that he can't win them over, and at the same time, he determines that the enemy's numbers aren't so large that a "concentration camp" can't hold them all, then he'll burden his own armed forces and bear the blame himself.

…He who kills shall be killed; when the decision to kill is made, every second counts…

After issuing the "Dragon-Slaying Order," Wu Fei immediately returned to the main camp for a meeting. However, it was less of a meeting and more of a persuasion of his subordinates in order to announce another decision.

Facing his officers, Wu Fei explained to these people from the capital the cause and effect of the "Dragon Slaying Order" being issued.

Sergeant A, seeing Wu Fei's worried expression, asked in return, "Sir, these scaled demons are no big deal if you kill them. Why are you so troubled? These dragon monsters don't deserve your kindness."

Wu Fei glanced at everyone and said, "You all think I'm reluctant to kill, but once the killing begins, I'll drag you all down with me."

Sergeant B: "Sir, we are willing to go through fire and water!"

Subsequently, more non-commissioned officers pledged their loyalty. In these two wars, Wu Fei successfully proved his true skills on the battlefield. After experiencing the opportunity to make contributions, these non-commissioned officers have now become accustomed to "loyalty".

Wu Fei calmed the crowd's excitement and said slowly, "I know you are all loyal, but I need to bring you all out of the battlefield safely so that you can meet your family in style. If I can't do that, how can I face going back to Dongshi to drink?"

At this point, everyone was also stirred up with homesickness and thought Wu Fei's words were very pleasing. However, being intelligent people, they didn't know what Wu Fei was trying to say in detail.

Wu Fei unleashed the "Dragon Slayer Order" and slowly said, "Now is the time for a life-or-death struggle with the pseudo-Hao in the north. You will all have to fight those evil dragons with your swords. I will not let you suffer like this. We must find more people to fight alongside us."

Wu Fei tapped on the map of Bo County, then took out a list of the major local families in Bo County. Wu Fei said, "These big families also have to come with us."

Sergeant C: "Sir, should we arrest them all?"

Wu Fei: "Forced relationships are never sweet. We need to rally them. There are some things I need to do that will draw criticism from the court, so please try not to interfere."

Sergeant A: "Sir, ignore the criticisms from the court. We are your soldiers!"

Just as the officers were pressing for answers, Wu Fei slammed his fist on the table and stopped them, saying, "Shut up! You are all soldiers of the imperial court."

After a moment of silence, Wu Fei said gently, "You are all future pillars of the nation, so you should start paying attention to your reputation from now on."

When Wu Fei explained what he wanted to do, all the officers fell silent. If it weren't for his previous words, they would have immediately objected, but now, after Wu Fei finished explaining his plan, some hesitated to speak.

They knew that Wu Fei was now taking on the task that would most likely arouse the court's suspicion.

Xuan Chong: So-called politics has two elements: First, tell the person you need to win over, "You and him (the opponent) are not on the same side"; Second, you and I are on the same side.

…A bowl of yellow wine is poured onto the yellow earth, and the soul-summoning banner flutters in the wind…

On May 1st, immediately after the "Dragon Slaying Order" was issued, Wu Fei changed into coarse cloth and invited the elders of various prominent clans and villages in the area. Bowls of local wine were served to everyone, while the three sacrificial animals, awaiting the blood oath, were tied up and prepared in the hall.

These village elders had clearly been away from a life of luxury for a long time; their teeth were worn down by grains and sand. Yet, when the topic of "returning to their hometown" came up, their voices still resonated powerfully. Wu Fei exclaimed on the spot: "Bojun is home to many heroes and valiant warriors!" He then announced two things, one of which the elders already knew: the "Dragon-Slaying Order." Everyone was apprehensive about this order, for they all knew that the Great Yao court wanted them to be the executioner now.

However, what Wu Fei announced first was beyond their expectations. The first thing he did was to exonerate Han Yong, the prefect who was captured when Gu Shou Pass was breached (Chapter 24). Previously, because he was suspected of being a member of the Bo King's faction, the emperor lost Bo County. Later, the Zhou King suffered a great defeat and failed to reclaim it. In order to shift the blame to the two "culprits" who lost the land, the court did not give them the title of loyal and righteous.

Xuan Chong's inner thoughts: Because of the loss of Bozhou, the biggest culprit is Emperor Shu. Secondly, there is King Zhou, who commanded the fifteen armies and ultimately had to "retreat." According to court politics: if Han Yong's loyalty is affirmed, then to some extent, it is to emphasize the "mistakes" of the other two. For any official in the court, revealing this issue would be political suicide.

But Wu Fei doesn't care about any of that now. His whole family isn't in Yaodu, and besides, he's come here with no intention of backing down. He's used to being burdened by debts; what matters most to him is winning the war!
The Emperor's favor is irrelevant; the system sent me north to complete missions, not to be the Emperor's dog. In this chaotic world, battle achievements are equivalent to reputation, so I must make the most of them.

As expected, after Wu Fei announced the exoneration of the two loyal men of Bo County, and offered to personally inscribe a message, affix his official seal, and inscribe the epitaph, the village elders present, with tears streaming down their faces, declared, "The affairs of the officials are our affairs."

Clearly, these village elders highly endorsed the "Dragon-Slaying Order" and were all willing to swear an oath of blood to follow Wu Fei.

…Explanation divider…

This wasn't something Wu Fei could brainwash into these local elders into willingly sacrificing themselves for him. Rather, it was a clear-cut transaction: joining them in resisting the "dragon slayer" was a risky and bloody undertaking, and such undertakings required a blood reward to incentivize them.

Blood money is a "pathway to upward social mobility." The emperor's involvement in the "Great Case of the Guhe River" was so extensive that even the former governor of Bo County and the generals of Gu Shou Pass were implicated. As a result, they did not receive the treatment they deserved after their deaths in battle. This is because the top-level political structure openly declared that "these two people are unreliable."

Within the Eastern Dynasty system of Yao State, the "two high officials" are not just two people, but also include the clans of Bohai! They are all defined as unreliable and cannot be promoted within Yao State.

Even if they were extremely loyal to Da Yao, their labels were the same as those of the previous generals who guarded the pass and the martyred governors; their achievements could not compare to those two who died for their country. Seeing this "label," the Da Yao bureaucratic system dared not employ them.

When local intellectuals cannot advance through the empire's normal channels, it's already a great favor to the empire not to follow the example of An Lushan or Huang Chao. What, do you expect them to bring their own food and blood? No way.

Therefore, many local forces in Bo County began to split off and join the Hao Kingdom.

As for the other group of local forces, although they had conflicts with Haotian, they dared not completely turn against Haoguo along with Da Yao's army. After all, Haoguo's retaliation was real, and they, due to their status, would not have the blood to fight for.

Wu Fei has essentially erased their original sins with a single sentence! This is something that would seriously offend the top echelons of Da Yao. Therefore, in the past, no political group within Da Yao had ever attempted to "rehabilitate" them.

Now that Wu Fei has led the elite troops of the capital to annihilate a large army of Hao Kingdom in one battle, he has the strength to take responsibility for this matter, and even the Emperor of Shu has to grit his teeth and accept it for the time being.

However, if Wu Fei were to lose, the Emperor would immediately deny it.

Wu Fei is now demonstrating his "determination to redress the injustice" in front of the village elders, even setting up a pretext to erect a monument. These elders of Bo County are not about to let Wu Fei lose!

For these village elders, it's just a matter of people dying; many have starved to death in recent years due to the lack of food security. As long as the "bad label" is removed and the younger generation in the family has a chance to succeed, it's all worth it.

Therefore, Wu Fei is now bound to a community of shared interests.

…On the other hand, the military is very united…

In the camp, the non-commissioned officers began to whisper among themselves.

Sergeant A: Sir, you really exonerated those two.

Sergeant B: Yes, it's really... for us to just stay silent.
Soldier C: We'll be quiet as long as the officers don't tell us to make a sound.

Sergeant A: Oh, I see. You just want to make a fortune quietly.

Sergeant C: I was just saying that we should obey orders from our superiors and keep our lives in order to be useful in the future.

Sergeant A: You're a coward.

Sergeant Ding immediately advised Jia: Do not disobey military orders.

……

As the assembly whistle blew, the group of sergeants dispersed, but some clenched their fists, their expressions conflicted.

This is Jupiter's language. He is advising everyone to preserve their lives for future use. However, he also has another identity: a member of the secret guard. In other words, he is responsible for writing reports to the Emperor and revealing his token at crucial moments, namely, to restrain Wu Fei if he harbors any disloyal intentions.

He sighed as he looked at Wu Fei's tent, and still gave the truthful report, but added some of his own narration.

After he finished writing, he put the bamboo slip back into the well. Then the bamboo slip transformed into a dragon and entered the earth. A few hours later, it emerged from the well dug at the residence of Emperor Xu, and was collected by the secret guards and presented to Emperor Xu.

After completing his duty, Jupiter looked extremely guilty, clearly believing that this was a betrayal according to his morals. After a long while, he murmured in Wu Fei's direction, "My lord, may your martial arts prosper."

Even if the imperial court replied and allowed him to use the token to control Wu Fei, it would be virtually impossible.

Jupiter's words were very clear: currently, the officers in the camp have a higher opinion of Wu Fei.

…inside the main tent…

Wu Fei was unaware of Jupiter's situation, but he knew that there were definitely people from the Emperor of the Northern Wei in the team he was leading.

Therefore, in the matter of "rehabilitation", Wu Fei did not "take matters into his own hands", but instead carried out a "discussion" process, that is, he stood on the side of the interests of the non-commissioned officers and told them the reasons for doing so!

Wu Fei made them understand that he was taking the blame to help them gain credit and reduce their risks. After following Wu Fei in planning numerous operations, all the soldiers also understood "what was permissible and what was not."

Every officer knew that killing all the descendants of the Hao Kingdom's dragons with just these 10,000 men was impossible, but if they could incite the local forces to fight, it was possible!

The achievement of annihilating an army was clearly not enough for these "spoiled brats." To reclaim the entire Bozhou region was the true achievement they would proudly display upon returning to the capital.

Inside the tent, after confirming that the curfew was in effect in all areas, Wu Fei lit a lamp and looked at the map.

Looking at the other cities of Bo County on the map, Wu Fei regarded the garrison of those two cities as worthless, but his heart was filled with a sense of urgency that every second counted.

Wu Fei said nervously, "That guy (Zhao Cheng) should have noticed me by now, right?"

After taking out the report from the rear pond, Wu Fei speculated, "Even if they noticed it, they don't have time right now."

Xuan Chong (Wu Fei) commented on his current situation: "Thousands of troops avoid the white-robed general, but Erzhu Rong is not at home."

(End of this chapter)