I, the prince, only want to be deposed.

Chapter 374: First Test of Command
An hour passed while many soldiers were discussing.

It was just about sunset, and the entire army was setting up camp for rest.

As the saying goes, good news never travels far, but strange news travels a thousand miles.

At this time, most of the soldiers in the army had already known about this matter, and they were all eagerly waiting to see how Liu Ju would end the matter, whether the soldier wearing women's clothes would get Liu Ju's reward as he wished, and how Liu Ju would treat him in the future.

So, when the soldier came to Liu Ju's carriage still wearing women's clothes.

There were also many soldiers who did not need to be on duty or set up camp who gathered together, but under the command of their respective grassroots officers, no one came too close, and most of them just looked from afar.

After all, Liu Ju was a high-ranking prince, and they were all armed soldiers with differences in rank. If they approached with weapons, it would be considered an act of usurpation.

In such an atmosphere.

Liu Ju slowly lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage, then jumped off the carriage and stood in front of the soldier dressed in red and green.

"What's your name?"

Liu Ju asked in a calm tone with a warm smile on his face.

The soldier had obviously never spoken to the prince at such a close distance before, and he saluted Liu Ju awkwardly, but his words were a little halting:
"To reply to your Highness, my name is Zhang Xishan, and I am a soldier of the Great Halberd Battalion of the Northern Army..."

"What do you plan to do with these ten gold coins?"

Liu Ju took a heavy tray from Guo Zhen behind him, looked at Zhang Xishan and asked again.

"I plan to save it first. If I can come back alive this time, I will repair the old house in my hometown and buy a few acres of land. If there is still some left, I will use it to honor my mother at home."

Zhang Xishan's answer was simple and plain.

"Good! Well said! Love your family first, then you can love your country!"

Liu Ju's tone suddenly became higher, and he immediately handed the tray in his hand to Zhang Xishan in front of many soldiers in the distance.
"These ten gold coins are yours... Where is the general of the Great Halberd Camp?"

"The general is here!"

A middle-aged man in chain mail stood out from the crowd and responded with a military salute.

"I will personally take care of the money."

Liu Ju said seriously,

"If Zhang Xishan survives this battle, let him take the body back and do what he wants. If Zhang Xishan dies in battle, you will hand it over to his mother and fulfill his wish. Can you do it?"

"promise!"

The middle-aged man sang loudly.

"Shhh..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a slight discussion arose among the soldiers who were watching.

Just this small detail has already caused a significant change in their impression of Liu Ju.

The army is a place with the strictest hierarchy. A higher-ranking official can absolutely crush people, especially some old soldiers who have long been accustomed to some bad habits in the army. They know that after Zhang Xishan gets the ten gold reward, there may not be many that can actually fall into their hands. If unfortunately they die in the battle, they will not be able to keep any of the money.

Liu Ju's move undoubtedly ensured the destination of the bounty and guaranteed the interests of grassroots soldiers like Zhang Xishan.

This is enough to prove that Liu Ju's reward was by no means pretentious. He even put himself in the shoes of the grassroots soldiers and considered the situation and thought of the most appropriate arrangements in advance.

At this moment, he seemed not only a high-ranking prince, but also one of these low-level soldiers. Otherwise, how could he understand the difficulties of the low-level soldiers?
Amid the discussion, Liu Ju turned around and climbed onto the carriage, standing where Guo Zhen usually sat when driving for him, and suddenly asked loudly:
"My fellow soldiers, do you know why our Han Dynasty is on an expedition to Loulan and Gushi today?"

The discussion stopped abruptly.

After everyone reacted for a moment, someone shouted loudly:

"General Zhao said at the oath-taking ceremony that it was because Loulan and Gushi repeatedly robbed the Han envoys and killed the Han envoys that the Han could no longer tolerate it and had to conquer them!"

"That's true, but it's also not true!"

Liu Ju shook his head, taking an ambiguous attitude towards this answer.

"This……"

Zhao Po Nu, Wang Hui, Sima Qian, Su Wu and others were also watching in the crowd. When they heard this, they looked at each other in confusion. They really didn't know what Liu Ju meant.

"..."

Liu Xijun sat in the carriage with a corner of the curtain opened. She silently looked at Liu Ju standing on the high ground, and a little light appeared in her beautiful eyes.

Although she had never met this young uncle the prince before, she had heard of him a long time ago. After all, Liu Ju was not a low-key person, and his deeds had long been well-known, at least in Chang'an.

However, when she saw Liu Ju in person this time, she felt that this uncle was very different from the one in the rumors.

But until now, she couldn't be sure what kind of person Liu Ju was. At least from the rumors and her personal feelings, this uncle was very complicated, so complicated that it was difficult to summarize it in words.

But she had to admit that after just a few words today, she felt unprecedented peace of mind and reliability from Liu Ju...

"Your Highness, what's wrong with this?"

One of the soldiers asked in a joking voice.

Zhao Po Nu and others immediately followed the sound and looked around, wanting to see which soldier was so bold as to stir up trouble for Liu Ju without permission?
Liu Ju didn't care. He took a deep breath and said in a louder voice:
"As far as I'm concerned, the repeated robberies and murders of the Han envoys by Loulan and Gushi were just inducements. The real reason why the Han army went on an expedition to Loulan and Gushi was because the Han army was strong enough and you Han men were brave enough!"

"In ancient times, when sending out troops for expeditions, the goal was always to win first and then to fight."

"If you are all weak and incompetent, sick men who can't stand a single blow, how could my father, even if he wanted to avenge the Han envoy, dare to rashly lead an expedition? Could it be that he thinks the Han treasury is too full?"

"So I can say responsibly that you are the source of the Han Dynasty's strength. Is there anyone who disagrees?"

"..."

How could anyone in the military deny such politically correct words when they were spoken? How could anyone dare to deny it?

When many soldiers heard these words, their chests straightened up unconsciously, as if they were awarded a medal, and their blood was inexplicably boiling.

"Your Highness's brain... such an unconventional interpretation really amazes me. Why didn't I think of it?"

Zhao Po Nu was impressed when he heard this.

He was once one of the famous generals under Huo Qubing. How could he not know the impact of Liu Ju's words on these soldiers and how they would boost their morale?
However, even he himself did not realize that the eyes of many soldiers looking at Liu Ju had changed. There was even a bit of indescribable enthusiasm, and there were faint signs of the people returning to their roots.

Liu Ju's full control is quietly taking effect.

And he, the Xionghe general, was being sidelined without his knowledge.

(End of this chapter)