Chapter 4

"I want to be rich, to rise to prominence..." Shao Ge, lying on the old bed, was drenched in sweat, muttering in his sleep. The sky outside was just beginning to lighten, and the faded, tattered paper on the soot-blackened wooden window rattled in the wind.

In a daze, he felt as if he were back in his previous life. His mother, gravely ill, had wanted to eat watermelon before she passed away, but it was winter—where could he find watermelon? He felt very regretful. There were more problems: after his mother's death, they would have to arrange the funeral, and with the huge medical expenses, where would they get the money?

What he found hardest to let go of was his living sister. Later, his sister hastily married into a relatively wealthy family, and most of his educational expenses were covered by his brother-in-law, but he vaguely learned that his brother-in-law treated her poorly. Many times, he wanted to ask his sister if she had done this for his sake, but he never brought it up.

One day, he would rise to prominence, earn a lot of money, and make up for everything!

"Sis, sis..."

At this moment, Shao Ge was shaken awake, sitting up abruptly and staring blankly at the person who had woken him with his confused eyes. The woman's voice said, "Shao, you were having a nightmare."

"I was having a nightmare," Shao Ge repeated mechanically.

Yulan turned her head, avoiding his gaze with her swollen left cheek, and handed him a wet towel. Shao Ge wiped his face haphazardly, then got up, pushed open the wooden bed, and started searching.

Yulan asked, "You have a sister?"

Shao Ge didn't answer. After a while, he found the land deed from a hidden compartment under the bed. Yulan looked at him in surprise, and Shao Ge said, "This shop is in a good location, with many people passing by. No matter what business you do, it can sustain a living. It will be useful for you."

"Though we are old acquaintances, you don't have to be so good to me," Yulan said, but she didn't refuse much. She must have really needed it. She asked again, "Why don't you keep it for yourself?"

Shao Ge, without turning his head, said, "The Northern Han and the Khitans are joining forces to invade the south, and everyone in the capital knows it. The army of Zhaoyi in Luzhou has been defeated, and the imperial guards are frequently mustering troops. The expedition is likely to start soon. I have to go to war and can't take care of the shop."

In the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, An Chongrong of the Later Jin dynasty once revealed the truth: "Is the Son of Heaven born of a different seed? He who has strong troops and sturdy horses is the one." Warlords fought each other, and the people suffered, but it was a good time for the ambitious. Of course, you had to survive to rise through the ranks by military merit.

Yulan didn't try to persuade him. She only said softly, "You still think of the lady, don't you..."

Both she and Shao Ge had stayed at Li Shouzhen's residence, and the lady clearly referred to Lady Fu. Yulan, usually timid, was actually very smart and knew a lot. Shao Ge shook his head calmly: "The only ones worth loving are those who truly care for you. I treat those who are good to me well. It's not because she is wealthy and beautiful that she deserves others' sacrifices; she is not related to you."

When he said this, he was very serious, as if opening his heart to the world. Yulan understood. She lifted her head, her eyes reflecting the morning light, with a smile that didn't quite reach her lips, a look that was completely different from her usual timid self.

After that, Shao Ge found a clean undershirt and took a bath early in the morning. In the chilly spring, anyone who dared to bathe with well water must have a strong body. It was said that changing into clean undergarments before battle could reduce the risk of infection from wounds. Shao Ge, after arriving in the ancient era, had formed this habit, always bathing and changing clothes before donning armor if possible.

The newly forged chest plate armor hung on a wooden rack in the bedroom. Today, Shao Ge didn't plan to wear it, as he wasn't going to war and didn't need to stand out. He wore his usual chainmail armor, which weighed over fifty pounds and required Old Huang's help to put on. Then he took a saber from the wall, not carrying any long weapons or bows.

When Shao Ge, hand on his saber, walked out of the bedroom, he had transformed into a man encased in iron, the heavy metal gleaming with a cold, fearsome luster. His steps were heavy and clanged as he walked. Old Huang, seeing his master, showed a look of reverence, and Yulan outside the door also stiffened, both bowing to Shao Ge. The armor made Shao Ge's usual gentle demeanor disappear, his eyebrows forming a stern look. The usual Shao Ge had turned into Shao the Commander.

Soon, a soldier outside the shop called for Shao the Commander. Shao Ge strode to the front door.

On the street, vendors and passersby avoided the group of armored soldiers, none daring to provoke them, even if they had no ceremonial entourage or were on foot. In the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, soldiers held high status. Most of the soldiers in the capital and other cities were professional warriors who had been fighting for years, and if a military officer was arrogant, local officials had little power to control them. No one dared to provoke them.

Walking to the northern training ground, soldiers from various homes and garrisons in the city also arrived one after another. For a moment, dust and people filled the sky, and from a distance, it looked like a sea of iron and steel.

The families of professional soldiers moved with the army, and the imperial guards were usually stationed near the capital, so most of their families were also in the capital. When there was no war, except for the rotating duty and garrison troops, other soldiers often returned home to rest and could bring their salaries and supplies back to their families. Therefore, many, like Shao Ge, came directly from their homes to gather.

With over ten thousand people on the training ground, it was initially chaotic, but when the time came, they began to form ranks, and each unit reported their numbers. The procedure was similar to Shao Ge's modern military training. The soldiers stood with their legs apart, heads held high, and the ranks were very neat and orderly, at least giving the impression of a well-trained elite force.

These men were not just well-dressed and well-organized; they had something more. Shao Ge's armor weighed over fifty pounds, and without strength, it would be difficult to wear such heavy armor and carry weapons. The long-range archers were trained from a young age, and it usually took at least three to five years of training. They were not just a bunch of strong men. The infantry and cavalry were battle-hardened, having survived through blood and fire, and had been fighting for generations.

Shao Ge's commander was the Chief of the Imperial Guards, Zhang Yongde, but it wasn't easy to see the commander. For half a day, there was no sign of Zhang Yongde.

After a long time, a group of heavily armored cavalrymen, holding banners, escorted a general into the training ground. Someone in the cavalry was wearing a red cloak. They rode past the front of the formation, and Zhang Yongde's face was barely visible before they passed.

Then, someone in front shouted, "Order from the Military Council: We will set out in five days! Prepare your equipment and report to your respective camps within three days. Those who fail to do so will be charged with desertion. No mistakes!"

The general on the platform stood for a moment, then quickly mounted his horse and left. After a while, Shao Ge's commander, Wang Degong, a middle-aged man with a round face and a black beard, returned on horseback. Shao Ge recognized him because the commander was their direct leader.

According to the military structure of the Zhou dynasty, during combat and training, a unit of five hundred men was typically commanded by a commander. Higher-ranking generals usually did not directly manage affairs below the commander level, and only the commander was the direct leader of the middle and lower ranks. Each commander had five units, each with about a hundred men, led by a military officer or unit leader. Each unit had four squads, each with about twenty men, led by a squad leader. Shao Ge was a squad leader, commanding about twenty men.

Commander Wang Degong, with his personal guards, came to the front of his unit, dismounted, and immediately shouted, "Yang Biao! Where is Unit Leader Yang Biao?"

Shao Ge, hearing Yang Biao's name, immediately perked up because Yang Biao was the unit leader of his squad.

A tall, horse-faced man reluctantly squeezed out of the formation. A nearby officer immediately scolded, "Yang Biao, do you know your crime?"

The horse-faced man angrily replied, "They cheated in gambling, otherwise I wouldn't have led people to smash them to pieces... I admit, I went a bit too far and injured someone..."

"Smack!" Without warning, a horsewhip lashed out, "You don't know when to die and don't understand the rules!" He cursed and looked at Commander Wang's face, seeing the bearded man nod slightly, then said sternly, "Disarm him, take off his armor, and beat him!"

Hundreds of people stood still, not daring to move or breathe. Yang Biao was immediately pinned to the ground by several personal guards. Soon, he looked ridiculous, his upper body stripped bare but still wearing his helmet, looking like he had been shaved.

"Smack! Smack..." The whip whistled through the air, and the sound of it hitting flesh was terrifying. The horse-faced man, pinned to the ground, gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

Fortunately, after a few lashes, Commander Wang raised his hand, "Enough, we don't have time for him to recover. Remember, we'll settle accounts when you return. Yang Biao, you are no longer a unit leader. You will be demoted to the fourth squad leader of your unit. The fourth squad leader of your unit is Shao Ge?"

Shao Ge, hearing this, was stunned for a moment, then quickly replied, "I am here! Commander Wang, I am the fourth squad leader."

"You will replace Yang Biao and become the unit leader," Commander Wang said calmly.

Shao Ge was completely baffled. With over five hundred men under the commander, how could he remember a small squad leader so clearly? What merit did he have to suddenly be promoted several ranks, from a squad leader to a unit leader?

But arguing with the commander at this moment was clearly unwise. Shao Ge quickly responded, "I thank Commander Wang for your promotion and cultivation!"

Wang Degong looked at him and even smiled slightly, "You, a squad leader, have been personally praised by Commander Zhang. How can I not look at you differently?"

Shao Ge was speechless. How could he gain the trust of the troops by relying on connections? Indeed, he glanced at the "shaved" Yang Biao, whose eyes were already filled with hostility.

The biggest problem was, where did he get these connections? Zhang Yongde was not only a high-ranking general but also the emperor's brother-in-law, and they had no connection at all... After much thought, could it be because of Lady Fu, the Dowager of Wei?

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