chsdbacks Chapter 3: Beset by internal and external troubles, he takes command and goes to war!
Chapter 3: Beset by internal and external troubles, he takes command and goes to war!
Wei Zhao was startled.
The Imperial Music Bureau?
He understood instantly.
This is even more insidious and ruthless than simply taking back military power!
The nine sisters-in-law all came from distinguished backgrounds.
The eldest sister-in-law, Liu Jingshuang, is a daughter of a military family and enjoys extremely high prestige within the Wei family army.
Second sister-in-law Su Qingyun is a wealthy woman from Jiangnan who controls the Wei family's finances and resources.
Third sister-in-law Huo Qingluan is a master of formations, and fourth sister-in-law Tuoba Yue is a princess of the Western Qiang...
Each and every one of them is an indispensable part of the Wei family, this great tree.
Once the Wei family is convicted, the sisters-in-law will be forced into prostitution or be forced to remarry.
The promises were made to those so-called "meritorious soldiers," who were undoubtedly henchmen of the treacherous minister Lu Song.
At that time, the Wei family's connections, financial resources, and military morale will be completely undermined and destroyed!
What a wicked scheme!
"The family business that your nine brothers risked their lives for must not be lost."
"The flag of the Wei family army must not fall."
The old lady stared intently at Wei Zhao, her gaze carrying an extremely heavy weight.
"Taking them as wives and leading troops into battle is the only way to protect them and the Wei family right now."
"As for the rest, you don't need to worry about it!"
"I will personally take command; you can just watch the show from the sidelines!"
Wei Zhao's heart sank little by little.
He finally realized that this was not an absurd decision at all, but a life-or-death political game.
The old matriarch is using this extreme method to declare to the court and the world—the Wei family has not fallen!
No one is allowed to touch the women of the Wei family!
She has even decided to personally lead the expedition, making a final gamble to preserve the Wei family bloodline!
"I……"
Wei Zhao's throat was dry. He wanted to say something, but found that any words seemed pale and powerless at this moment.
The old lady slowly stood up and walked step by step to him.
She took out a token from her bosom.
The token is made entirely of black iron, with a "Wei" character engraved on the front and a roaring tiger on the back.
The Wei family head issued an order.
Seeing this decree is like seeing the head of the household.
He can command all the Wei family's retainers, properties, and... 300,000 Wei family soldiers!
The old lady extended her wrinkled and scarred hand and presented the heavy token, heavy enough to crush a mountain, to Wei Zhao.
"Zhao'er!"
"The Wei family, now only you are left."
Her voice regained its initial calmness, but was more powerful than ever.
The old lady paused, her withered fingers gripping the token tightly.
"From this day forward, the Wei family, the 300,000-strong army, and the lives of your nine sisters-in-law are all in your hands."
Wei Zhao reached out and took the token.
Shen.
It was much heavier than he had imagined.
The cold black iron pressed against his palm, the character "卫" on it seemed to weigh a ton, causing his arm to sink slightly.
But he did not hesitate.
He tightened his fingers, gripping the token in his palm.
"Son, receive the command."
Three words, not many, but clear enough.
In this empty mourning hall, I wandered among the nine coffins.
The old lady stared into his eyes for a long time.
Wei Zhao neither dodged nor deliberately puffed out his chest.
He sat there on the wooden bed, his face pale and his body thin, but the hand holding the token was steady like that of someone who had been ill for fifteen years.
What is he thinking?
To be honest, he himself wasn't entirely sure.
He hadn't fully processed the fact that he had time-traveled.
One second he was working a 9-to-5 job in modern society, and the next he was lying on a wooden plank in a funeral hall, with nine coffins in front of him, nine sisters-in-law he had never met kneeling beside him, and an old woman with white hair who had entrusted the fate of the entire family to his hands.
Anyone would be stunned.
Despite his confusion, Wei Zhao's mind was racing.
The Wei family was full of loyal martyrs; nine of their elder brothers died on the battlefield, leaving behind nine sisters-in-law and a sixty-five-year-old woman.
Foreign tribes are pressing in from the outside, and treacherous ministers are plotting against us from within.
Slack off?
Where will it rot?
If he backs down, the old lady just made it clear enough what will happen to these people.
The Imperial Music Bureau.
Matchmaking.
The Wei family army was swallowed up.
not to mention……
He glanced down at the pale golden light flashing in his palm; the panel that only he could see was still hovering in front of him.
[The template for the God of Slaughter, Bai Qi, has been bound.]
[Killing Power Value: 0]
Bai Qi.
He was the foremost of the four great generals of the Warring States period, and fought more than seventy battles, large and small, without a single defeat, beheading nearly a million people.
It's no exaggeration to say that this person was born to kill.
Go to the battlefield?
Wei Zhao felt his pulse—steady and strong, completely different from half an hour ago.
His physical condition improved from near death to normal. Although he's not exactly a fierce warrior, at least he won't be panting like a bellows after just a few steps.
Moreover... there was a thought that even he himself found somewhat insane.
He is not afraid.
He was even somewhat looking forward to it.
The power that surged from the God of Slaughter template still lingered in his limbs, stirring restlessly, like a caged beast that had been imprisoned for too long smelling blood.
"it is good."
The old lady finally spoke, uttering only one word.
Her face revealed little emotion, but a faint glimmer of light flashed in the depths of her cloudy old eyes.
Glad?
I guess so.
Wei Zhao understood that the old lady did not have high expectations for him.
What can one expect from a young son who has been recuperating in a Taoist temple for fifteen years?
But when it comes to backbone, you either have it or you don't.
She knew better than anyone else what flowed in the Wei family's bloodline over the decades.
The husband is this kind of person, and so are the nine sons.
Although Lao Shi was physically weak and had never touched a weapon before, his hand did not tremble when he received the token.
This is enough.
She had already arranged everything else.
"Get some rest."
The old lady, leaning on her cane, rose and walked deeper into the mourning hall:
"You have two things to do first thing tomorrow morning."
"First, the wedding."
"Second, set out on the expedition."
-
The next day, before dawn.
Inside the mourning hall, new white candles were placed.
There was no red silk, no "double happiness" characters, no suonas or firecrackers.
The scene was still filled with white mourning clothes, with white banners fluttering slowly in the morning breeze, and the eternal lamps in front of the nine coffins burning all night long.
This is probably the most absurd wedding in the world.
Wei Zhao, dressed in clean plain clothes with her hair tied up, stood in front of the memorial tablet.
Ten memorial tablets were placed in front of him—at the top was the name of the old patriarch of the Wei family, and below them, in a row, were the names of his nine elder brothers, engraved on brand-new wooden tablets, the ink still wet.
He picked up three incense sticks and lit them over the candle flame.
The smoke from cigarettes rose gently, mingling with the lingering sandalwood scent in the mourning hall, making his eyes sting.
Wei Zhao silently recited the nine names in his mind.
Defend the war, defend the destruction, defend the army, defend the Qiang, defend the weapons, defend the strategy, defend the vanguard, defend the peace, defend the safety.
He had never met these nine people.
But within this body's memories, there are scattered fragments—
When he was little, his eldest brother took him to see a military camp once, his second brother whittled a wooden sword for him, and his third brother taught him to play chess...
The images were all very blurry, so blurry it was as if there was a layer of fog between them.
But even the soul of a time traveler cannot suppress the pull of blood ties.
With a thud, Wei Zhao knelt down.
His forehead slammed hard against the cold stone.
Once, twice, three times.
Each strike was delivered with force, the dull sound echoing throughout the mourning hall.
"Father, nine elder brothers."
Wei Zhao straightened up, his voice not loud, but each word was pronounced very clearly.
"I, Wei Zhao, will take on all nine of my sisters-in-law."
"From now on, if anyone dares to lay a finger on them, I will send their entire family down to apologize to you."
"The Wei family's military flag will not fall, and I will avenge the Wei family army one by one."
"First eliminate the enemy, then punish the traitors."
The incense sticks were inserted into the burner, and the smoke rose straight up without any deviation.
A very soft change in breathing came from behind me.