Chapter 65: Awe of the Entire Army!

"Look, Captain Zhao is standing in front of the prison cart, and those escorting it are all his men. That means he was the one who captured the King of Han!"

"Incredible."

"This time, Captain Zhao led the charge to breach the city and even managed to capture the King of Han. When the king of Qin learns of his merits, we'll probably need to start calling him General Zhao!"

"Indeed. I hope Captain Zhao gets promoted to general and leads us in the future. That would be a great blessing!"

"I agree."

"I heard that under Captain Zhao's command, every soldier in his unit has killed at least five enemies, earning them significant military achievements."

"They owe it all to Captain Zhao, who led them through the bloodbath."

As they watched Zhao Feng escort the prison cart into the royal palace, the surrounding soldiers couldn't help but discuss among themselves. Their eyes reflected admiration for Zhao Feng, a strong figure in the military. They even looked enviously at the soldiers under his command.

A full day and night had passed since the fall of Han's capital city.

News of Zhao Feng's triumph in the battle had spread throughout the army, including the exceptional combat performance of his unit.

At the palace gates:

General Li Teng, clad in full armor with his hand resting on his sword hilt, stood surrounded by his guards. Beside him was Central Army Quartermaster Sima Kuai Pu.

Their expressions were full of anticipation as they gazed toward Zhao Feng and his men escorting the captive King of Han.

"General Li," Sima Kuai Pu said with a smile, "with the King of Han captured, the campaign to destroy the state of Han is now complete."

"Haha!" Li Teng laughed. "Indeed. With the king in custody, the stone weighing on my heart has finally been lifted."

"You owe Zhao Feng a great debt of gratitude. Without his discovery of the secret passage or his relentless pursuit, we wouldn't have been able to locate the king," Sima Kuai Pu remarked.

"Of course, I'll thank him properly," Li Teng replied. "But the best way to express my gratitude is to report his achievements to the king. With his merits this time, Zhao Feng might even be promoted to a commanding general."

Sima Kuai Pu shook his head with a smile. "Though Zhao Feng's contributions are significant, becoming a commanding general isn't so simple. One needs seniority, merit, and proven ability to lead troops all of which require thorough assessment."

Li Teng nodded, refraining from further discussion as Zhao Feng and his men arrived with the prisoner.

"General Li," Zhao Feng saluted, "the King of Han has been captured. I request your orders for his disposition. The two hundred royal guards accompanying him have also been detained and are being held with the other surrendered soldiers."

"Well done, Captain Zhao. You've worked hard," Li Teng said, stepping forward with a smile.

"Just doing my duty," Zhao Feng replied.

Li Teng approached the prison cart where the King of Han was held and sneered. "King of Han, you fled quickly, abandoning your ministers and subjects. With a king like you, it's no wonder Han fell."

The King of Han, though seething with anger, remained silent. Defeat left him with no grounds to argue.

"Men!" Li Teng commanded. "Temporarily imprison the King of Han. Once the city has been fully secured, he'll be sent to Xianyang as a gift to the king."

At his command, Li Teng's guards stepped forward to take custody of the prison cart.

"Captain Zhao, you and your men have done well. Return to your camp and rest. For breaching the city and capturing the King of Han, I will reward your unit with a cask of fine wine each. Tonight, you may celebrate to your heart's content."

"Your achievements and those of your unit have been recorded by the Central Army Quartermaster. The state of Qin will never overlook the contributions of its heroes," Li Teng declared.

"Thank you, General Li," Zhao Feng said gratefully.

"This is well deserved," Li Teng replied with a smile. "Go rest now."

"General, there's still plenty of time before nightfall. I request permission to lead my men in clearing the city of corpses," Zhao Feng said.

"Your men rested last night, but you haven't taken a break since breaching the city. Aren't you going to rest?" Li Teng asked, surprised.

"I'll rest after the city is cleared," Zhao Feng replied with a smile.

Hearing this, Li Teng nodded approvingly. "Since you're so committed, I'll allow it."

"Thank you, General." Zhao Feng saluted before turning to Wei Quan. "Brother Wei, tell Zhang Han and the others to bring their troops to help clean up the battlefield. Remind them that the general has rewarded us with fine wine for tonight."

"Understood!" Wei Quan responded enthusiastically.

As Zhao Feng headed into the city to organize the cleanup, Sima Kuai Pu couldn't help but remark, "Captain Zhao is an interesting man. Even after joining the main battle corps, he still enjoys cleaning up the battlefield."

"Perhaps it's his calling," Li Teng said. "On the frontlines, he's a fearless warrior. In logistics, he diligently cleans up the aftermath."

"I heard Zhao Feng is also skilled in medicine. Is that true?" Sima Kuai Pu asked curiously.

Li Teng smiled. "Indeed, he is. The chief military physician in Xianyang, Master Xia, wanted to take Zhao Feng as his final apprentice. But Zhao Feng was transferred to the main battle corps before it could happen."

"Master Xia? The medical sage of Qin?" Sima Kuai Pu exclaimed in astonishment.

"Precisely," Li Teng confirmed with a nod.

"Truly, there's always someone more talented," Sima Kuai Pu sighed. "Zhao Feng seems young, yet his skills are extraordinary."

With the King of Han captured Li Teng's immediate concerns were alleviated, allowing him to focus on taking control of other cities within Han's former territory.

Meanwhile, Zhao Feng and his men worked tirelessly to clear the battlefield.

"Brothers!" Zhao Feng called out. "Work quickly to clean up. Tonight, we drink to our heart's content!"

"Our priority is to handle the corpses of the Han soldiers. Transport them out of the city for burial. As for our fallen comrades, other units will take care of them." patreon.com/LordoftheReader