Chapter 17

Chapter 651: The Gathering at Xiandagong (1)

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Fang De gave a nod to Shun Wu. It seemed he had something to show Shun Wu. When Fang De took the lead, Shun Wu quickly followed him.

Beside the Ma family's military camp, hundreds of tents were set up. At the center was a horse stable. Hundreds of warhorses were leisurely wandering around, and the soldiers appeared to be as free as could be, with no semblance of military discipline.

Shun Wu tilted his head in confusion.

"General Fang, why are you showing me these people?"

Fang De lowered his voice and said to Shun Wu.

"These are the Jisha soldiers. Even Lord Zhu didn't give them a precise name. Jisha soldiers, Jisha cavalry, Jisha troops, Jisha army—they all refer to these people."

"Having many names suggests a long history, doesn't it?"

"That's right. The Jisha soldiers were established during Emperor Wu's reign."

Jisha soldiers (跡射士).

The Jisha soldiers are a mysterious archery unit whose name is recorded in the Taishi Record. They were a strong force that helped Emperor Wu win consecutive battles against the Xiongnu.

Not only the Xiongnu, but also many other tribes such as the Qiang, Yiju, and Wusun, suffered repeated defeats against the Jisha soldiers.

While they were notorious among the tribes, they were revered as protectors by the people on the frontier.

Although Fang De told this story, Shun Wu found it hard to believe.

Considering the size of the tents and the horse stable, he could easily guess that the number of troops was not very large. Moreover, there was not a single sentry to be found in the Jisha army camp.

Even if it was attached to the Ma family's camp, there should have been at least some guards. That was common sense in military camps.

However, the idea that a few thousand troops without sentries or discipline were the main force of the Guanxi army was hard for Shun Wu to accept.

"The number of warhorses and soldiers seems small, and the discipline doesn't seem strict. How can these be...?"

"Your doubts are not unreasonable."

* * *

Fang De extended his thumb, index, and middle finger one by one and said.

"First, these are only part of the Jisha soldiers. Second, the Jisha soldiers are all equal. There are no ranks, and no one is favored based on their background or age. Third..."

Fang De paused for a moment before continuing. Shun Wu guessed that this third reason was quite important.

"The Jisha soldiers do not train or stand guard. Lord Zhu takes great care to ensure they can perform at their best on the battlefield."

"Such special treatment is impressive. But shouldn't there be a commander for the Jisha soldiers...?"

"Consider this a bet. More precisely, they are gambling with money."

Fang De casually mentioned gambling. However, gambling with money in a military camp was taboo, at least in a disciplined army.

"Gambling? I find it hard to believe. My head is spinning."

Shooting an arrow to hit a target the size of a head from two hundred paces was already hard to believe. The idea that they were gambling with it was even more incomprehensible.

But it happened.

The arrows shot by the Jisha soldiers started hitting the target one after another.

They took turns shooting arrows. They shot so many times that it was clear they were not just practicing. Yet, every single arrow hit the target without missing.

* * *

'Good heavens! They are archery geniuses!'

Shun Wu called the Jisha soldiers 'archery geniuses' after seeing their archery skills. They were that impressive.

Fang De, looking at the dumbfounded Shun Wu, said.

"Do you now understand what it means to say they don't need training? They receive the best treatment in the Guanxi army. They can enjoy wine and meat whenever they want, and they are not assigned to guard duty or labor."

Shun Wu nodded, understanding something.

'They are treated based on their abilities, so background and age don't matter.'

In the Han dynasty, where advancement was often limited by one's background, the Jisha soldiers, along with the Yueji and Huji, were quite exceptional.

Because even if someone had a lowly background, was a Hu, or was even a mixed-blood, they could rise to the rank of a general based on their martial skills.

Shun Wu, having seen the Jisha soldiers' archery skills, could no longer doubt Fang De's words.

"General Fang, how can such people consider a scholar like Mr. Si as their master?"

Shun Wu thought the Guanxi army's military advisor was a weak scholar. Of course, he had never seen him, but most advisors were weak scholars.

However, the military advisor Si Yuan was not a weak scholar like Shun Wu. He was quite the opposite.

"The military advisor's ancestors were from the Jisha soldiers."

Fang De continued to tell the story of Si Yuan and the Jisha soldiers.

Si Yuan's original surname should be 'Xie (謝)'. However, during Emperor Wu's reign, his ancestor Xie Fu was recognized for his archery skills and was given the surname 'She (射)' by Emperor Wu, which has been used ever since.

The Jisha soldiers were later called the Jisha army, and the Jisha general led them.

In the original history, the highest rank among the generals that Lü Bu held was the Fenwu General. The Jisha General was of the same rank as the Fenwu General, indicating the high status of the Jisha General.

The status of the Jisha soldiers continued to rise, and they became a pillar of the Han dynasty, defending the borders.

"Then, Mr. Si's ancestors must have held the position of Jisha General?"

"Of course. The Si family has been the highest martial family in Guanxi, producing Jisha Generals generation after generation. In fact, Lord Zhu once served under Mr. Si's father."

"The Si family has produced many Jisha Generals, which means they have many outstanding warriors. It's only natural. And now, Mr. Si is the master of the Jisha soldiers, which means he must be a great warrior."

"Indeed. But how did it come to this...?"

"The decline of the Jisha soldiers began during the reign of Emperor Huan."

Emperor Huan was the emperor before Emperor Ling. Shun Wu immediately guessed the answer upon hearing the name.

"The supplies that should have gone to the Jisha soldiers guarding the borders were cut off, right? Am I wrong?"

Fang De smiled bitterly.

"There was money in the national treasury, but no supplies were given to the Jisha soldiers. How could the Jisha army operate properly?"

"True. No one can live without food."

"During Emperor Huan's reign, they even built their own fields to grow food. Despite the poor treatment by the court and the Han dynasty, they still tried their best to defend the borders from the tribes."

"Even hatred and resentment can turn into resignation over time. I can understand the feelings of the Jisha army."

Fang De continued to tell the story of the Jisha soldiers. For Shun Wu, this was a good opportunity to gauge the strength of the Jisha soldiers, so he listened intently.

"Even if the Jisha soldiers are impressive, can you believe there is another force that rivals them?"

"Another one?"

"Of course. The Qiangyi Army. An army composed entirely of the Qiang people. They can climb high mountains in an instant, and their bravery in close combat is unmatched."

The Qiangyi Army was also a formidable force, comparable to the Jisha soldiers. Lü Bu had the Gaozhu and Gaoshi warriors, and the Wuhuan and Southern Xiongnu troops, so it was only natural that the Guanxi army would have a tribal unit.

The inclusion of tribal armies in the Han dynasty's military was due to Emperor Wu's policy of 'Yiyizhiyi (以夷制夷)', which aimed to control the tribes with the tribes themselves.

Among these, the most significant achievement was the 'Qiangyi Army (羌異兵)', an army composed of the Qiang people.

The Qiang people are a confederation of numerous tribes. However, they are not a random mix of people with unknown origins, like the Xiongnu.

The Qiang people are descendants of the Western Rong people from the Warring States period, who trace their ancestry to 'Wuyi Yuanjian'.

They are divided into many branches, such as the Xianling, Tangqian, Xiaotang, Zongzun, and Leizi, but they are all descendants of the same ancestor.

"Qiang people? I know the Huang family is called 'exterminators' or 'Qiang killers' by the Qiang. How can an army composed of Qiang people be one of the main forces of Commander Huang? Does that make sense?"

"What can I do if that's the truth? I've told you everything I know. Well, with this information, you won't regret your decision to surrender, right?"

"I understand that the main forces are impressive. But if I or General Zhang are to take important positions in the Ma family's army, what kind of answer should we give in this situation?"

Fang De nodded meaningfully.

"I understand. Let's stop here. Shouldn't we go see Lord Ma now?"

"Let's tidy up our clothes first."

* * *

At Ma Teng's military tent, Shun Wu met Ma Teng and Han Sui. Shun Wu bowed to them and asked slyly.

"Have you decided which of you will receive the surrender of the Dongguan army?"

Ma Teng and Han Sui exchanged glances and sighed. They had not decided. It was natural, as both wanted their names to be used.

Shun Wu, despite being in the position to surrender, rebuked Ma Teng and Han Sui.

"Still undecided? How long do you plan to keep us waiting? This is a simple matter. Just choose one of your names and write it in the surrender document, isn't it?"