Chapter 003: Promotion through Nine Levels
Immediately following, as Yu Wenshu and others entered the grand hall, they heard Yang Guang on the throne proclaim loudly: "Today, Left Wing Guard Chen Kefu displayed extraordinary courage, demonstrating the might of our Heavenly Dynasty among a million troops. I am greatly pleased. I bestow two horses, forty bolts of silk, promote him to the rank of Eagle-Soaring General, grant him one hundred taels of gold, and also award him ten servants. The remaining nine are all promoted to the rank of Cavalry Lieutenant, each receiving one horse, ten bolts of silk, and ten taels of gold."
Indeed, as the saying goes, one cannot fault excessive courtesy. Yu Wen Shu was somewhat surprised by Chen Ke Fu's evident understanding of etiquette, as he had initially thought that such a valiant person might merely be an uncouth warrior.
Before he could come up with an explanation, several knights with torches confronted them.
Emperor Yang Guang's imperial camp was arranged in the very center of the entire encampment, surrounded by the densely packed Six Armies of the Son of Heaven. At a glance, apart from the sight of tens of thousands of black-clad knights quietly surrounding the camp, and the groups of patrolling cavalry coming and going, not a sound of clamor could be heard. Only the occasional moans and cries of the wounded from afar, along with the strong winds blowing from the Liao River, caused the bright yellow banners to flutter and snap.
Chen Kefu looked from a distance at this ruler of the Central Plains, a king who had once been renowned for his talents and military prowess in the first half of his life. He sighed inwardly, recognizing that the campaign against Goguryeo could be seen as the beginning of Yang Guang's downfall, and it also marked the prologue to the demise of the Sui Dynasty. After this king's death, the new dynasty bestowed upon him the infamous posthumous title of "Yang." However, Chen Kefu had no intention of approaching him to say, "Your reign will not last long; Li Yuan will become the new ruler of the Central Plains." Chen Kefu was not foolish; perhaps if he uttered those words, his head would roll immediately. Nevertheless, Chen Kefu had no intention of approaching him to say, "Your reign will not last long; Li Yuan will become the new ruler of the Central Plains." Chen Kefu was not foolish; perhaps if he uttered those words, his head would roll immediately.
Yang Guang is indeed very generous; no wonder his country later fell. This fellow is simply a spendthrift. Such lavish rewards for merit are unheard of. What Chen Kefu did not know was that Yang Guang had become somewhat obsessed with the campaign against Goguryeo. The Great Sui had already suffered the loss of millions of troops in Liaodong, and he had now staked the fate of his nation on this endeavor. If he could conquer Goguryeo, perhaps his dynasty could continue, but if this million-strong army were to suffer further losses here, he would be unable to suppress the surging undercurrents among the peasants and nobles.
Yuwen Shu personally dismounted and took a few steps forward to help Chen Kefu up. After examining him several times, he said with great delight: "Indeed, you are truly a fine son of our Left Wing Guard. Today, in front of the entire army and before His Majesty, you have greatly brought honor to our Left Wing Guard."
A general clad in golden armor stood in front of the enormous tent at the center. He was tall and imposing, unmistakably a seasoned warrior who had fought on the battlefield countless times. Surrounded by flickering torches, numerous knights in exquisite armor encircled this general like stars around the moon. The torches illuminated the golden armor, reflecting a dazzling light, showcasing the magnificent golden battle attire and the yellow cloak behind him. Chen Kefu realized that this must be Yang Guang, the current emperor, who had been granted the title of king at a young age and had made significant contributions to the establishment of the Sui Dynasty.
Chen Kefu felt immensely grateful to the former owner of his body, realizing that in any era, one must have attention to succeed. With Yang Guang's attention, he was immediately promoted from a team leader managing ten men to a fifth-rank Eagle-Soaring General. This was the Sui Dynasty, not the Qing Dynasty. In the Sui Dynasty, the first rank was a nominal position, while the second rank held prestigious titles. The well-known positions equivalent to that of a prime minister, such as "Shangshu and Left and Right Pushe," were only at the second rank, and the ministers of the six departments were only at the third rank. Yet, a mere soldier like him was directly elevated to the fifth rank, which was equivalent to the level of a provincial governor or a general. In later generations, this would correspond to a departmental level in local governance, or a divisional level in the military.
Chen Kefu sighed inwardly, feeling pity for the original classmate Chen Kefu, who had come up with such a brilliant idea, fought so hard on the battlefield, and successfully attracted the emperor's attention. Yet, in the end, it was he himself who truly reaped the benefits. He wondered if that classmate, who had already passed away, would be aware of this and whether he would be upset again. Regardless of all that, since he had inexplicably crossed over to this Sui Dynasty, there was no turning back. He decided to live well in this millennium on behalf of the Chen Kefu he had never heard of before.
"Zuo Yiwei's soldier team leader Chen Kefu, why are you not quickly presenting yourself before General Yuwen of Zuo Yiwei!" Cao Liang, seeing that Chen Kefu was still casually sitting on his horse, immediately darkened his face and shouted loudly.
After receiving the courtesy, Yang Guang cast a gaze filled with a sense of authority towards Chen Kefu. Chen Kefu had originally thought that the descriptions of imperial majesty in books were mere exaggerations, but when Yang Guang's eyes focused on him, he truly felt a wave of nervousness. The reason was simple: the man before him was known as a tyrant, alongside Qin Shi Huang. If things went awry, he might lose his head without even understanding why. This likely explains why people fear the emperor's authority; their lives are in his hands, how could they not be anxious
Thus, it can be said that Chen Kefu has also had a stroke of luck today; their contributions have been rewarded doubly. Yang Guang's aim is to inspire a million-strong army to advance courageously, paving the way for him to conquer Goguryeo
As they approached Yang Guang, just a few hundred steps away, Chen Kefu and the others had already dismounted and were walking on foot. When they were only a few dozen steps from Yang Guang, they hurriedly knelt down on the ground alongside Liang and the others. While Chen Kefu performed the ceremonial gestures with everyone, he secretly sighed to himself, having only been in the Sui Dynasty for half a day, yet he had already knelt twice. The experience of being a low-ranking soldier was truly unpleasant; he hoped that under Yang Guang's good mood this time, he might be granted an official position.
Let us take it one step at a time, but I still let out a silent sigh in my heart
This loud shout finally made Chen Kefu realize that the person before him was indeed the superior of his direct superior, likely the highest authority. The man dressed in purple was General Yuwen Shu of the Left Wing Guard. If we were to regard the Sui Dynasty as a multinational corporation, this individual would be equivalent to the president of the Greater China region. Such a big boss must not be offended; Chen Kefu was no longer the previous leader who only had heroes and brave men in his mind.
Chen Kefu hurriedly rolled off his saddle and gave a signal to the few men behind him. He knelt on one knee and, with a voice like thunder, said: "I, Chen Kefu, the squad leader under the Left Wing Guard, present myself with my fellow guards before the General!" The previous owner of this body had never encountered such a high-ranking official, and for a moment, Li Chenxin did not know what kind of etiquette to use, so he casually imitated the routines he had seen on television. With a voice like thunder, he said: "I, Chen Kefu, the squad leader under the Left Wing Guard, present myself with my fellow guards before the General!" The previous owner of this body had never encountered such a high-ranking official, and for a moment, Li Chenxin did not know what kind of etiquette to use, so he casually imitated the routines he had seen on television.
As he spoke, he extended his hand to gently pat the dust off him, and finally, with a smile, he patted his shoulder and said: "In today's battle, Your Majesty observed from a high vantage point and is very pleased with the performance of both the Left Wing Guard and you. He has specifically sent me to take you to meet His Majesty, so come with me quickly"
Yang Guang's words had barely faded when a wave of gazes turned towards him, filled with astonishment and envy. Chen Kefu was acutely aware of the implications behind those looks; not only were they surprised and envious, but he found himself feeling surprised and envious of his own situation as well. Based on the knowledge stored in his memory, he had gained some understanding of the Sui military system. The Sui Dynasty governed the military through twelve guards, each referred to as the Eagle Yang Guard, with the upper guard consisting of 1,200 men, the middle guard 1,000 men, and the lower guard 800 men. The Eagle Yang General was the head of an Eagle Yang Guard, holding a rank of the fifth grade. The Sui Dynasty governed the military through twelve guards, each referred to as the Eagle Yang Guard, with the upper guard consisting of 1,200 men, the middle guard 1,000 men, and the lower guard 800 men. The Eagle Yang General was the head of an Eagle Yang Guard, holding a rank of the fifth grade. The household soldiers under him, who held the title of Cavalry Lieutenant, were the main officers of the cavalry within the Eagle Yang Guard, holding a rank of the sixth grade. However, each Eagle Yang Guard typically had only two Cavalry Lieutenants, and now, with nine emerging all at once, along with his newly appointed General, it was likely that they would not know how to allocate them.
Indeed, it is the young general in the white robe from today, come forth quickly, so that I may have a look at you
Chen Kefu hurriedly stood up and bowed his head to walk towards Yang Guang, who scrutinized him with a gaze as penetrating as X-rays for quite some time. Yang Guang even struck him several times with his dragon-claw-like hand before bursting into hearty laughter and returning to the main account.
Among them was a man named Chen Kefu, who had just accepted ten jars of fine wine purchased from the kitchen yesterday, and thus agreed to let the valiant general Cao Liang go into battle today. Beside him stood a tall man dressed in a purple cloak and purple battle robe, adorned with a golden and jade belt. Fortunately, his face was not purple; otherwise, Chen Kefu might have truly thought he was looking at a giant eggplant.