Chapter 31: Nearly Raising an Army

"Please, spare me the praise. I only hope His Majesty won't assign me such tasks again. Leading troops into battle is truly too difficult for me. I need to go back and get some sleep. I leave the military matters to you all!"

After giving his instructions, Li Ye had Xiao Cui help him off to rest. The officers present had been catching whiffs of the fragrant wine, their mouths watering uncontrollably. Of course, while Li Ye was discussing important matters, they felt it inappropriate to ask for a drink. They were especially filled with admiration for how he had managed to win over the leader of Bald Eagle Mountain with nothing more than a table of food and wine.

"Our Sixth Prince is truly extraordinary; I really misunderstood him in the past."

"I never imagined there were so many subtleties in commerce that could be used to such great effect. If any other general had been sent to negotiate with Bald Eagle Mountain, they would never have been able to offer such generous terms. Naturally, the mountain would not have surrendered willingly. Yet, the Sixth Prince managed to settle everyone without imposing any burden on the imperial court. He achieved two things with one stroke. Remarkable, truly remarkable."

Another officer added, "It is said that the highest state of warfare is to subdue the enemy without fighting. I fear that since the founding of our dynasty, only the Sixth Prince has ever achieved this, hasn't he?"

"Don't be so quick to praise the Prince; where did he buy such fine wine? We are forbidden from drinking while on the march, and it is killing me. Once we return, I must buy two jars to savor properly."

"Indeed, the fact that it was brewed by the Sixth Prince himself is truly impressive. Could he be the reincarnation of a wine immortal? This fragrance is heavenly."

"Enough, let's discuss this later. Prepare yourselves to receive the people from Bald Eagle Mountain. We shall be returning in victory soon."

...

Meanwhile, the people on Thunder Eagle Mountain were waiting in anxiety. They had assumed the negotiations would be swift, lasting at most an hour or so. But as time dragged on, there was no news. Lei Zhan, who was very close to Lei Ying, was particularly frantic.

"Could it be that the imperial generals broke their word and arrested our Chief?"

"If it comes to that, I will lead men to attack the camp and rescue him."

"Stay calm and wait a little longer. This is a matter of great importance; we cannot act rashly. Do not let your impulsiveness ruin everything." An elder shouted to silence those who were ready to cause trouble. "If the Sixth Prince truly dared to betray his word and capture our Chief, he would have immediately sent troops to storm our stronghold. Since there has been no movement, they must still be in negotiations."

"That's right! We have already expressed our intent to surrender; there is no reason for things to fall apart. Let us wait patiently."

"How much longer must we wait? I am most terrified that the Chief has been captured and subjected to torture to reveal our defensive layout. If we don't rescue him immediately, he will suffer terribly."

"Wait one more hour. If he hasn't returned by then, I will allow you to lead an attack. If they have dared to capture our Chief, we shall fight them to the death." The elder’s face was filled with murderous intent.

These words settled the hot-headed youths while simultaneously committing them to a path of mutual destruction. Just as the tension reached its peak, a scout came running toward them.

"The Chief and the others have returned!"

Everyone sprang to their feet in excitement. "Is the Chief safe? Why are they back so late?"

"The Chief and the others... they are all drunk!"

At these words, everyone stood stunned, faces filled with disbelief. They were bandits who had gone to negotiate at an army camp, and they had all gotten drunk? What kind of situation was this? Negotiations were inherently dangerous; how could they be so careless as to drink with the enemy? Had the imperial court even agreed to their terms? Many harbored the same questions, but there was no time to ponder. They hurried out to welcome them.

Lei Ying and his men were barely able to stand and had to be supported. They had no idea the wine was so potent. They had gotten drunk in the tent, and after stepping out into the wind, the intoxication hit them even harder. Had they not been escorted, they never would have made it back to the mountain.

Lei Zhan hurried forward to support Lei Ying. "Big Brother, what were you doing? We were worried to death, and yet you went and got yourself drunk?"

Lei Ying gripped his arm tightly, laughing loudly. "Hahaha, fine wine! I have never tasted such fine wine in my life. The Sixth Prince is worthy of trust. The terms he offered are even better than what we requested. Pass the word down: prepare yourselves, tomorrow we shall all descend the mountain..."

"Is this true? Are you just talking nonsense because of the drink?"

They crowded around him, questioning him closely. The elders were furious; how could he get so drunk at such a crucial moment? They dared not believe a word he said. A matter of such magnitude could not be decided so flippantly.

"The Chief is telling the truth! The Sixth Prince has already arranged everything for us. Once we go down the mountain, we will be able to live good lives!" one of the subordinates said.

Lei Zhan’s face darkened. "We trusted you to protect the Chief, yet you all got drunk along with him. Someone, tie them up! Apply military law."

The subordinates sobered up instantly. The military law of the stronghold was brutal; once applied, they would surely be beaten half to death. They begged for mercy: "Second Chief, spare us! We didn't get drunk on purpose. The Sixth Prince and our Chief insisted we drink. We had no idea the wine was so strong; we were drunk after barely two bowls."

Lei Ying, now a bit more lucid, quickly intervened: "Do not blame them, do not punish them. It was my fault for drinking too much. Let me rest for a while, and I will explain everything to you."

Only then did Lei Zhan’s anger subside. "Very well, take the Chief back to rest immediately."

The leaders of the stronghold did not disperse. They waited for Lei Ying to wake up. The news he had brought back was incredibly encouraging. They had expected their terms to be met with bargaining, but they never imagined the conditions offered would exceed their wildest dreams.

It was not until midnight that Lei Ying finally awoke. "That wine is potent! I can usually drink ten pounds of local brew without issue. Who would have thought I’d be so incapacitated after just a few bowls?"

His muttering startled everyone awake. They crowded around him: "Chief, what exactly happened in that camp? How could you get so drunk at a time like this?"

Seeing their worried faces, Lei Ying felt a bit embarrassed. He got off the bed and explained, "The Sixth Prince invited us to taste their own brewed wine just to put our minds at ease. I simply didn't expect it to be so strong, and I accidentally overindulged..."

Lei Ying then recounted the details of the negotiation. Upon hearing that they would be given sufficient land, that houses would be built for them, and that various jobs had even been arranged, they were all in utter shock. Surrender now meant that everyone on the mountain could lead a prosperous life. The happiness came so suddenly that, for a moment, it felt almost surreal.