She Came to Heal, Stayed to Conquer

The soldiers saw the scene and instantly fell silent. The previously joyous atmosphere seemed to be frozen by an invisible force, with a heavy sense of oppression lingering in the air.

Someone whispered in surprise, "It’s General Ma Cheng!"

Although Ma Cheng was no longer a general, many soldiers were still accustomed to calling him that.

"What’s wrong with General Ma Cheng?" someone asked with a trembling voice.

No one answered; all eyes were focused on Zhao Zun.

Zhao Zun dismounted from the motorcycle, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, finally resting on Li Gang’s face.

His eyes were cold and sharp, like a poison-tipped ice arrow, piercing straight into Li Gang’s heart.

Li Gang’s facial expression changed slightly but quickly returned to calm.

He stepped forward, a fake smile on his face, with a hint of insincere concern in his tone.

"Prince, are you injured? Thanks to your help, you’ve really achieved a great merit this time!"

Ha! A person who only knows how to talk about merits and benefits. Who accomplished the feat, is life important?

Every battle, he also had trusted aides getting injured or sacrificing themselves in the fight. But that was a face-to-face battle with the enemy, for defending the homeland, for protecting the people of Da Jing.

Even if his trusted aides died on the battlefield, it was their glory.

But this time it’s different.

This time, if it weren’t for Emperor Jing’s suspicion, there wouldn’t have been that ridiculous imperial decree.

This time, if it weren’t for the incompetence of Cao Xiong and Li Gang in handling the Turkic army’s invasion, he, already a leisure prince, wouldn’t have had to lead his trusted aides back to the battlefield.

His trusted aides wouldn’t be lying coldly on the carts.

And Ma Cheng, if it weren’t for Cao Xiong making things difficult for him, maybe he should have been the one smilingly commending his soldiers for their achievements.

But now, Ma Cheng lay with his head down in the cart, while Li Gang, who only knew how to wave imperial decrees, stood cheerfully in front of him.

All because of these fools’ selfish thoughts, everything changed.

He was once the commander-in-chief of the Beiguan army, and he knew the soldiers’ desire for glory and merit.

But he was also a man of flesh and blood, a man standing upright, with a bottom line in life, never disregarding the lives of his men for his own selfish motives.

After hearing Li Gang’s words, Zhao Zun sneered, gave a rigid salute to Li Gang, his tone cold and sarcastic.

"Vanguard Camp Zhao Zun reporting, thanks to Mr. Li’s blessing, the mission was successfully completed. Now that the battle is over, I trouble Mr. Li to take care of the brothers from the Vanguard Camp. I take my leave."

After speaking, Zhao Zun ordered the trusted aides to remove the bodies of the Vanguard Camp brothers from the cart, neatly placing them on the ground. He said no more, turned around, and got back on the motorcycle.

Han Lei started the engine, and the motorcycle roared low, speeding away, taking with it the bodies of the trusted aides and Ma Cheng, leaving behind only dust and the silent crowd.

Li Gang stood in place, the smile on his face gradually disappearing, replaced by a hint of coldness.

He didn’t care about Zhao Zun’s attitude; what he cared about was that Zhao Zun didn’t stay to fight for credit with him.

He glanced at the bodies lying on the ground, then waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to carry the bodies of the Vanguard Camp soldiers away for burial.

The atmosphere in the camp grew heavy once more. Although the joy of victory was still present, the death of Ma Cheng and the departure of Zhao Zun seemed to cast a shadow over the victory.

The soldiers turned silently and left, filled with complex emotions. Even Hua Tianyou awkwardly stuck out his tongue, putting away his excitement for earning merits, and lowered his head as he returned to his tent.

Zhao Zun’s words and the cold bodies of the Vanguard Camp brothers made him feel deeply ashamed.

Zhao Zun never mentioned merit from beginning to end, but what about him? The thought of military merit had clouded his mind.

He had just resolved in his heart to learn from Zhao Zun how to become a hero admired by all, but now, he felt he should learn more about Zhao Zun’s selfless spirit.

Zhao Zun and his group, despite their exhaustion, exited the south gate of Yong’an City. They didn’t travel far before stopping to rest in a quiet mountain hollow beside the official road.

They had endured for so long and needed to rest. Here, there were no enemy forces, no fighting, and no sight of Li Gang’s petty face, making it a very safe place.

The trusted aides fetched water from the nearby river to cleanse themselves, tended the horses, and cared for the wounded.

Han Lei purchased boxed meals from the system and, together with Ping Chuan, distributed them to everyone.

After their meal, they could finally relax and sleep on the ground here.