Seeing Tu Sui defy convention, Chunyu Yue grew anxious.

"If Commander Tu's men hadn't notified him, why would Zhao Feng have so coincidentally intercepted the boat on the Wei River?" Chunyu Yue said irrationally.

Seeing Chunyu Yue behave this way, Ying Zheng's brows furrowed. "Grand Tutor Chunyu," Wang Wan couldn't help but call out. After all, they both supported Fusu, and he didn't want Chunyu Yue to make a fool of himself right now.

"Grand Tutor Chunyu seems quite unwilling to let Zhao Feng have this merit, doesn't he?" Han Fei couldn't resist speaking up. Having spent several days with Zhao Feng, Han Fei had come to feel a sense of camaraderie with him and couldn't stand by and watch Chunyu Yue's antics.

"Minister Han, what do you mean by that?" Chunyu Yue's expression turned strange, but that was all he could say.

"Commander Tu has already said that General Zhao Feng intercepting and rescuing the Tai Hou at the Wei River was a complete coincidence. Yet, you continue to express your doubts. What is your intention?" Han Fei retorted with a faint smile.

"I refuse to believe it was that coincidental," Chunyu Yue insisted stubbornly.

"Grand Tutor Chunyu, your words are getting out of line," Wang Jian finally interjected, standing up with a rebuking tone. Zhao Feng was his future son-in-law, and now he had performed another great service. Wang Jian couldn't bear to see him targeted by Chunyu Yue like this.

Facing Wang Jian, Chunyu Yue merely glanced at him and didn't dare to talk back. Wang Jian's influence in the court was at its peak, and he was deeply valued by the Great King—a far cry from a newcomer like Han Fei.

"I also believe Grand Tutor Chunyu's words are excessive. Since General Zhao Feng intercepted the criminals and rescued the Tai Hou, the merit is indisputable," Li Si chimed in, naturally seizing the opportunity to criticize him.

Faced with this barrage of criticism, Chunyu Yue was left speechless. He had originally hoped that Tu Sui would take the hint, accept his 'help', and claim the merit. After all, a simple claim of having sent a message would have been enough to secure the lion's share of the credit, and it would have been nearly impossible to disprove. But Tu Sui had refused to play along, making Chunyu Yue frantic.

"Grand Tutor Chunyu," Tu Sui began, reporting the facts of the matter, "it was simply that coincidental. General Zhao Feng was ordered to guard Wei City, and the Wei River is within his patrol jurisdiction. That day, General Zhao Feng was patrolling the Wei River with his trusted aides when he happened to spot the criminals traveling downstream. Alert, General Zhao Feng moved to block them. The criminals immediately attacked, but they were all killed by General Zhao Feng and his trusted aides, who successfully rescued the Tai Hou. If General Zhao Feng hadn't intercepted them, the criminals would have already escaped into Wei with the Tai Hou. By the time I caught up, Wei had already gathered tens of thousands of soldiers for a rendezvous, but they ultimately retreated."

Hearing this, a strange feeling spread through the ministers in the court.

How lucky can Zhao Feng possibly be? To stumble upon such a great merit just by patrolling the Wei River? He truly is blessed by fortune. This merit practically fell into his lap! Saving the Tai Hou and wiping out the criminals… the Great King will value this young man even more now. No wonder everyone says Zhao Feng is lucky. His transfer from the Logistics Army to a main combat battalion was due to luck, and now we've seen it with our own eyes. He managed to secure a major merit while just standing guard at Wei City. To save the Tai Hou just by patrolling a river? It's truly enviable.

For many of them, a situation like this was almost unimaginable.

"So it was just a coincidence that Zhao Feng happened upon them?" Ying Zheng asked, his tone also tinged with strangeness. This coincidence is a little too convenient, isn't it?

"Great King," Tu Sui replied respectfully, "I can assure you it was purely a coincidence."

"I have a question," Chunyu Yue persisted unreasonably. "The criminals who abducted the Tai Hou were highly skilled elites. Even the Yong City Imperial Guards and the pursuing Prefecture Soldiers suffered significant casualties. How could Zhao Feng, with merely a hundred trusted aides, fend them off and rescue the Tai Hou?"

"Grand Tutor Chunyu," Wang Jian stepped forward, his voice cold as he addressed Chunyu Yue. "Are you implying that Zhao Feng's trusted aides are inferior in combat to those criminals? Let me tell you something. The trusted aides at Zhao Feng's side are all brave warriors who fought bloody battles against Han forces with him back in the Logistics Army. When Zhao Feng became a Left Attendant and gained the right to form his own personal guard, these very soldiers who had been through life and death with him were organized into his unit of trusted aides. They have all been tempered by countless great battles. Even if the criminals were elites, Zhao Feng's trusted aides are no weaker—they are all battle-hardened, valiant warriors."

"Senior General…" Chunyu Yue tried to speak again, but Ying Zheng's brow furrowed and he cut in sharply, "Chunyu Yue, what exactly are you trying to say? Why are you so intent on denying Zhao Feng's merit? You weren't there. Do you claim to have seen things more clearly than Tu Sui?"

Hearing Ying Zheng's tone, Chunyu Yue's expression changed, and he bowed hastily. "I would not dare, Great King."

"Zhao Feng's merit in rescuing the Tai Hou is undeniable," Ying Zheng declared loudly. "He must be rewarded."

"The Great King is wise!" the ministers in the court chorused. How could he not be rewarded for rescuing the Tai Hou?

"Draft the decree," Ying Zheng ordered immediately. "For his meritorious service in saving the royal family, Zhao Feng is promoted one rank in peerage to Right Attendant. He is granted 500 mu of fertile land, 1,000 gold pieces, 100 jade articles, 100 servants, and ten Spirit Pills."

"The Great King is wise!" the assembled ministers naturally proclaimed in loud praise.

This time, Zhao Feng had earned the merit of rescuing the Tai Hou. Aside from Chunyu Yue, who clearly had a screw loose to be targeting Zhao Feng, everyone else was smart enough not to argue.

However, when Zhao Feng eventually saw the ten Spirit Pills listed at the end of the King of Qin's reward, he would probably be left speechless.

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