My strength increases by one percent every day; I can destroy stars with my bare hands.

A group of military generals traveled together to the commander-in-chief's tent.

The guards outside the tent saw a group of generals gathered together and dared not stop them. They immediately went inside to announce their arrival.

Inside the command tent, Du Tianfeng sat upright at his desk, reviewing military intelligence documents.

Upon hearing that a group of generals were requesting an audience, he had already guessed seven or eight parts of the reason, and his expression remained calm and unmoved.

"Let them in."

A moment later, the generals filed into the tent and bowed in unison.

"Greetings, Your Excellency..."

Du Tianfeng nodded slightly. "Please sit down!"

After everyone was seated, they took turns speaking, each sentence filled with accusations.

"My lord, Li Xuancang has achieved success at a young age and is arrogant and domineering, wantonly violating the rules and regulations of our army camp."

"The compensation for wounded soldiers in the army is governed by the established regulations of the imperial court and the laws of the army. This has been the case from ancient times to the present. However, he took it upon himself to seek official positions beyond his rank and secure lifelong employment for his wounded soldiers."

"His actions may seem benevolent, but in reality, they are a deliberate attempt to gain fame and win over the hearts of his troops."

"Now, the soldiers only know that Li Xuancang is benevolent, but they don't know that military discipline is strict. Everyone is comparing themselves to others and becoming lax. We have lost all our authority and it will be difficult to manage the army in the future!"

"I implore Your Excellency to severely punish Li Xuancang in order to uphold military discipline and reassure the generals."

A centurion took the lead in challenging the rules, his words making perfect sense, and demanding that Li Xuancang, who had broken the rules, be severely punished.

"Sir, Li Xuancang..."

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, each sentence taking a serious stance, distorting Li Xuancang's benevolent act into a grave mistake of violating military regulations, seizing personal power, and forming a clique, insisting that Du Tianfeng be punished.

Du Tianfeng remained calm and did not speak.

After everyone had finished speaking, the tent fell silent. Everyone stared at Du Tianfeng, waiting for him to give instructions on how to deal with Li Xuancang.

After the accusations were finished, Du Tianfeng slowly put down the documents in his hand, glanced at the resentful crowd in front of him, and remained calm and composed.

"I understand what you have said."

He was neither angry nor did he reprimand Li Xuancang.

"Li Xuancang showed compassion for his comrades and cared for the wounded soldiers. He never sought personal credit, overstepped his authority, privately mobilized troops, or disobeyed military orders."

"His request for a civilian position from the state government is a matter of private morality, not a military offense. He has not violated military regulations or national laws, so I have no way to punish him severely."

With just a few words, he easily accepted all the accusations and completely shut everyone down.

In short, it sets the tone.

Li Xuancang was innocent and therefore could not be punished.

Before anyone could argue, Du Tianfeng continued in a deep voice.

"As for the decline in morale and the damage to the officers' prestige, it is because you are rigid in your military management and do not understand how to be considerate, rather than because Li Xuancang has done anything wrong."

"He won over the hearts of the troops based on his own conscience, loyalty, and military achievements, not by forming private cliques or disrupting military discipline."

Instead of worrying about saving face, you should reflect on how you treat yourselves in the face of death.

With just a few words, gentle yet resolute, he directly rejected all the demands of the generals.

Du Tianfeng sneered inwardly. Everyone in Anzhou City knew that Li Xuancang obeyed his every command and was his strongest henchman.

These people want to use this incident to sue Li Xuancang. Isn't that a slap in his face?

How could he possibly agree to that?

The generals were instantly speechless, their faces flushed red. They had a lot of grievances and a thousand reasons to say something, but they couldn't find the words.

The charges and accusations they meticulously listed were completely unfounded in Du Tianfeng's eyes. Instead, they were interpreted as petty grudges stemming from narrow-mindedness and jealousy.

"grown ups……"

They tried to speak, but Du Tianfeng interrupted them by raising his hand.

He didn't want to waste any more energy and waved his hand dismissively.

"This matter ends here. Everyone, focus on your duties and military affairs. Do not dwell on personal grudges or let internal strife drain the morale of the army. You may all leave!"

There's no turning back now.

Feeling frustrated and helpless, everyone could only bow and take their leave, departing dejectedly.

His fear and hatred of Li Xuancang only deepened.

After everyone had left, the command tent returned to silence.

Du Tianfeng remained silent for a moment, then ordered his personal guards, "Summon Li Xuancang into the tent."

Before long, Li Xuancang strode into the command tent, his posture upright, and stood at attention, bowing respectfully.

"This humble servant greets Your Excellency."

He was unaware of the collective complaint that had just been filed by everyone, and assumed that Du Tianfeng was simply inquiring about military affairs.

Du Tianfeng looked at Li Xuancang, who was sharp and ambitious but too young and naive about the ways of officialdom, and slowly spoke.

"Xuan Cang, are you aware that just now, a group of generals jointly requested that I severely punish you?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xuancang was slightly taken aback, then honestly shook his head.

"This humble general is unaware."

Du Tianfeng slowly got up, walked into the tent, looked out the window at the entire military camp, and slowly revealed the deep rules and interests that no one in the army dared to easily touch.

"Do you think that the cold, rigid rules of the military and the indifferent attitude of the generals are because they are inherently heartless and unwilling to care for their soldiers?"

Du Tianfeng shed his usual imposing demeanor, revealing a more profound and insightful air.

"No."

"Military rules have always been about what can and dare not be changed, not because no one wants to, but because no one can or dares to!"

Li Xuancang's heart skipped a beat, and he listened intently.

"The army across the land has hundreds of thousands, even millions, of soldiers who fight year after year, die and are wounded every day, and are injured year after year."

"If every general were to make exceptions to secure lifelong positions for wounded soldiers, bestow undue rewards, or show favoritism, how would the local government bear the burden? How would the imperial court's salaries be sustained? How would the surplus labor force across the land be accommodated?"

"Today, you have secured the safety of a few dozen wounded soldiers by virtue of your own reputation and the merits of a single battle. The prefecture and government have shown you respect and courtesy."

"But if everyone follows suit and breaks the rules every time, military regulations will become meaningless, the system will completely collapse, and the imperial military affairs and local civil administration will be in complete chaos."

Du Tianfeng turned to look at Li Xuancang, whose expression was moved, and pointed out the core issue.

"So-called military regulations, though seemingly cold and ruthless, are in fact the bottom line for maintaining the operation of the army, balancing the rights and responsibilities of all parties, and stabilizing the overall military and political situation."

"Many generals are not ignorant of benevolence and righteousness, nor are they unaware of caring for their soldiers. It is just that they have held high positions for many years and have witnessed the chaos caused by unconventional practices, the disasters caused by personal favors, and the complete defeat of the army caused by the collapse of rules."

"Their adherence to the old rules is not out of indifference, but out of concern for the overall situation, the balance, and the order upon which millions of people depend for their livelihood."

Du Tianfeng's words were a wake-up call for Li Xuancang, making him realize how ridiculous his previous thoughts had been.

"You are young, brave, and kind-hearted. Seeing the suffering of your soldiers, you wanted to defy the rules and follow your heart. This is a great virtue and a great benevolence."

"But you are too sharp and act too ruthlessly. You have broken the rules of the military for your own selfish interests. You seem to be benefiting your comrades, but in fact you have broken the balance of power and responsibility and the tacit understanding of interests in the military."

"If you win the hearts of the soldiers, you lose the hearts of the officers; if you gain the support of the lower ranks, you offend many generals."

His words were like a thunderclap, peeling back the layers of the military and political situation that Li Xuancang had never seen through before.

He had only wanted to secure a stable job for everyone, but he never expected it to involve such a wide range of people. Only now did he suddenly realize the truth.

The rules of the world are never about right or wrong, but about balance.

Many things are not a matter of unwillingness to be compassionate, but rather a matter of the greater good.

Many people are not inherently cold-hearted, but rather limited by their social standing.

He only cared about the safety of the remaining dozens of soldiers, but ignored the vast system of military and political affairs in the chaotic world, the rules and advantages accumulated over the years, and the intricate balance of interpersonal relationships.

Li Xuancang took a deep breath, bowed solemnly, and spoke with a tone full of gratitude and understanding.

"This humble general has learned a great deal and thanks you for your guidance, sir."

Looking at Li Xuancang, who had undergone a sudden transformation and whose mindset had improved dramatically, Du Tianfeng's eyes revealed a hint of satisfaction.

They are malleable, capable of recognizing mistakes, understanding lessons, knowing when to advance and retreat, and grasping the big picture.

Given time, it will surely become a force to be reckoned with, and all his hard work will not have been in vain.