Chapter 30

Five days later.

Lu Yao lay on a slope, squinting to avoid the glare of the setting sun.

The ground beneath him vibrated rhythmically, gradually growing closer. It was the soldiers doing their long-distance running training. After the formation of the unit, Lu Yao immediately organized various training sessions, such as swordsmanship and archery. However, the twice-daily long-distance runs were truly a torment for everyone. Every morning, before the sun came up, the three hundred soldiers had to be fully equipped and carry all their supplies, running two laps around the entire Ji City. Those who couldn't finish the run wouldn't get breakfast. The squad leaders and platoon leaders suffered even more, as they wouldn't get breakfast if even one soldier under their command failed to complete the training. After breakfast, the regular training, patrols, and night watches continued without reduction. And before dinner, they had to do it all over again.

The ground's vibrations became clearer, and the faint sound of Xue Tong's hoarse shouts could be heard. Xue Tong was naturally strong and skilled in martial arts, so he didn't mind the ten-mile run with a heavy load. He claimed he could lead the other soldiers by at least five miles. However, after hearing this, Lu Yao ordered him to wear three layers of sleeve armor, an iron helmet, and carry a large saber, a long spear, a bow, and ten days' worth of food and water, totaling over 240 pounds. An ordinary person would probably collapse after fifty steps with such a load, but Xue Tong managed to push through, though he was exhausted. Especially in the final stretch, he always looked on the verge of collapse.

The soldiers behind Xue Tong were even worse off, each one on the brink of death from exhaustion. Some of the less physically fit soldiers were almost dragged to the finish line by their comrades. Others collapsed dozens of yards from the flag, unable to get up.

At this moment, Deng Gang revealed his secret weapon. Over a dozen cooks lined up behind the flag, carrying large pots filled with food. The aroma of the food wafted through the air, pushing the soldiers to their last reserves of energy.

The intensity of the training Lu Yao arranged far exceeded the usual standards, and the soldiers' daily physical exertion was enormous, making their appetites astonishing. The food provided by the camp was never enough to meet their needs.

Fortunately, Lu Yao was prepared. Every night, he sent people to set traps in the mountains and forests, catching countless birds and beasts for extra meals. A meal with meat was incredibly attractive to the soldiers, always motivating them to push forward.

Lu Yao had read many web novels about time travel in the modern era. In those novels, the protagonist, after arriving in a historical period, could train a powerful army using military knowledge learned from TV shows. However, when he himself traveled back to the Western Jin Dynasty, he realized that the fantasies in web novels were not to be trusted.

Since the rise of China, from the time of the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor to the Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties, each dynasty was born in the midst of war. Chinese ancient history is almost a history of war. Countless battles have naturally led to the formation of advanced military systems and military management ideas.

Taking the Han Dynasty as an example, there were fifty-three schools of military thought, with 790 chapters. During the end of the Han Dynasty, when the world was in chaos and heroes rose, Cao Cao's "Mengde Xinshu" and Zhuge Liang's "Twenty-Four Chapters of Military Strategy" became widely known. The military system of the current dynasty is based on the Han and Wei systems, with some modifications. Whether in formations, combat tactics, weapons, or in the use of drums, flags, and emblems, there are unique aspects that are far beyond the imagination of a modern man.

The main reason limiting the combat effectiveness of an army is not military thought or training methods, but rather logistics support. An army is a bottomless pit that consumes money and supplies, and the consumption during operations, training, and mobilization is even greater. Therefore, military strategy states: "Whenever an army of 100,000 is raised and sent on a campaign of 1,000 miles, the expenses of the people and the state amount to 1,000 gold pieces per day. The internal and external turmoil, the fatigue of the people on the roads, and the inability to engage in productive work affect 700,000 households." With the production levels of ancient times, how could such consumption be sustained?

Training elite soldiers, equipping them with sharp weapons and fine horses, and supplying them with sufficient provisions, 100,000 soldiers could dominate the world... but who could achieve this? What would 100,000 soldiers eat? What would they wear? Where would the weapons come from? These three questions could bring a prosperous dynasty to its knees.

Emperor Wu of Han, relying on the rich accumulation of the Wenjing era, raised an army to drive out the Xiongnu. After several major battles, the empire was left exhausted and the people suffered. The current dynasty, not long after the chaos at the end of the Han Dynasty, has not yet recovered its strength and cannot afford the cost of maintaining an army. Therefore, the current dynasty disbanded the provincial and commandery armies and returned the soldiers to farming, a decision often criticized as a result of the court's complacency, but also due to the inability to bear the financial burden.

After the Rebellion of the Eight Princes, the various princes raised their own armies, often controlling only one province or commandery, with forces numbering in the tens of thousands, far exceeding the capacity of the local population to support them. With almost no logistical support, these armies became little more than armed bands of refugees.

Therefore, Lu Yao did not intend to use his limited military knowledge from his previous life to transform his troops. What he wanted was to emphasize the troops' obedience and team spirit.

His subordinates were remnants of the Bingzhou army, with the advantage of being experienced warriors. However, many of them were seasoned soldiers who were good at self-preservation and often paid lip service to orders while secretly disobeying them. Additionally, since they were hastily assembled, they lacked trust and cooperation.

These shortcomings could be addressed through the high-intensity long-distance running training. The training was monotonous and exhausting, but it also trained the soldiers' obedience as they struggled to complete it.

Moreover, Lu Yao stipulated that each squad and platoon must finish the run as a team. This forced the stronger soldiers to help the weaker ones, encouraging mutual support and teamwork.

"Dao Ming's training methods are quite unique!" Wang Xiu's voice came from beside him. This close subordinate of Liu Kun had become very familiar with Lu Yao and often came to chat with him when not on duty.

Lu Yao knew that this might also be the intention of Lord Yuanshi, who might be using Wang Xiu's eyes to see if he was fit for the position of deputy general.

"Brother Zi Hao, this long-distance running training may seem useless, but it is actually very beneficial for forming a new army. It enhances the soldiers' physical strength, endurance, obedience, and the camaraderie among comrades," Lu Yao smiled. "Mozi said: 'In ancient times, King Helu of Wu trained his army for seven years, wearing armor and carrying weapons, running 300 miles before resting. This training lasted for seven years. After seven years, the Wu army could march a thousand miles, win five battles, and capture the capital of Chu, thus establishing their hegemony.'"

"Such remarkable effects? My men must also undergo such training!" Wang Xiu said eagerly.

Lu Yao shook his head repeatedly. "It's too late, too late."

"What do you mean, Dao Ming?"

"After the soldiers sweat through their heavy clothing, if they don't promptly wipe their bodies and keep dry, they are prone to disease. Throughout history, disease has been a major taboo in the army. Sunzi said: 'An army without a hundred diseases is certain to win.' This links the ability to overcome disease and maintain the health of the soldiers to the success of the war. Therefore, the camp must provide a large amount of hot water for the soldiers to bathe and change clothes. We don't have such conditions now. Once it gets cold and snowy, we must stop the high-intensity training."

Lu Yao pointed to the large pots at the camp entrance. "Additionally, whether military training can achieve good results also depends on whether nutritional supplementation can keep up. Without sufficient supplementation, excessive training will only lead to physical decline and mental fatigue."

"What is this 'nutritional supplementation'?" Wang Xiu asked, puzzled.

"How should I explain it?" Lu Yao frowned. He wasn't an encyclopedia and couldn't explain it clearly right away. After a while, he said, "Nutritional supplementation is roughly the process of ingesting beneficial components from food to replenish the body's consumption."

He thought for a moment and added, "For example, the starch and sugar in grains, and the protein in meat, are all important nutritional supplements. Our army lacks provisions, so these past few days, I've sent people to hunt in the mountains to provide meat for the soldiers. In these few days, we've almost cleared out all the birds and beasts in the area... Even if Brother Zi Hao wants to follow suit, there's nothing left in the mountains to use."

As they were talking, they suddenly heard a deep drumbeat from the camp. Wang Xiu's face changed. "The lord is gathering the officers!"

He jumped up, grabbed his horse, and gave it a hard whip. The horse neighed and galloped toward the camp.

Lu Yao didn't dare to delay and hurriedly followed on horseback.

******

Thank you to all the readers of this book. I hope you can join me in slowly stepping into that age of iron and horses, where brave men can mend the sky with their bare hands. I will continue to update twice today, hoping for more support. Additionally, I am very, very eager for more favorites.

(End of page)