Chapter 56

In mid-February, Wen Qiao arrived at the military camp where Lu Yao was stationed. Wen Qiao was no ordinary civil official; he was well-versed in both literature and martial arts, and had a very high standard for military affairs. However, upon entering the camp, he was completely stunned by the scene before him.

Hundreds of soldiers were neatly lined up, either forming battle formations, advancing to the beat of drums, or retreating at the sound of a gong. Those soldiers who had seemed quite lax just half a month ago were now completely transformed. The spirit and vigor they exuded from within made Wen Qiao exclaim involuntarily, "This is truly a well-disciplined army!"

Lu Yao, who had accompanied him into the camp, shook his head: "It only looks decent now, but there's still a long way to go. It's just a facade. We need to train hard for three to five months and go through the baptism of a major battle. Only those who survive by next year can be considered usable troops."

These words were not just polite talk; they were indeed Lu Yao's true thoughts. From his perspective, the training level and combat skills of these soldiers were far inferior to the elite urban management forces of later times, and even fell short of ordinary local militia. However, due to objective limitations, there was no room for improvement in the short term.

Take daily physical training, for example. Improving physical fitness is a long-term process that requires a large intake of carbohydrates and proteins to compensate for the energy expended, as well as fats, vitamins, and minerals. But where would these nutritional supplements come from? Although the army's food supplies were somewhat ample recently, they were far from sufficient to meet the needs. Moreover, the wild deer, boars, and other game in the forests around Jinyang had long been hunted to extinction. This made it impossible to sustain high-intensity physical training.

As for combat skills training, it was currently overseen by several experienced officers, but their methods were outdated and the skills taught were mixed and disorganized. Lu Yao had once intended to compile a "Training Manual" to standardize the training requirements for different types of soldiers. However, the entire army was composed of rough men who only knew how to fight, and fewer than five of them could read and write. Furthermore, compared to modern people who had undergone more than fifteen years of education, most ancient people had weaker learning abilities and logical thinking skills. Even with a formal training manual, it would be extremely difficult to make it effective.

Even the military uniforms were a problem. Uniforms not only serve as a means of identification but also have a psychological impact on the enemy and help foster a sense of identity and pride among soldiers. However, in the desolate city of Jinyang, no one cared about such matters. Even if Lu Yao could find tailors, there was no place to gather the necessary fabric. As a result, the soldiers' clothing was a motley assortment, making them look like armed beggars, which disheartened Lu Yao.

These and other difficulties were numerous and interconnected, far beyond the capabilities of a mere deputy general like Lu Yao to resolve. Thinking about all this, Lu Yao was momentarily lost in thought.

After a few steps, he couldn't help but sigh: "I know of an army: their fighting spirit is like fire, their discipline like steel. They always win in battle and capture their objectives. Even when exhausted, they never give up, and they have traveled 25,000 li, breaking through the encirclement of a million enemy troops... Only an army loyal to its faith can achieve such feats. We are far from that."

Wen Qiao smiled: "How could there be such a powerful army in the world? Even historical records do not mention it. Could Dao Ming be referring to celestial soldiers and generals?"

Lu Yao was taken aback and forced a smile: "It's just a legend from a remote village, involving strange and supernatural elements. A gentleman should not take it seriously. Please don't take it to heart, Chief Secretary."

After a few more exchanges, Lu Yao invited Wen Qiao to the living room for a detailed discussion. Wen Qiao, who never visited without a reason, was no exception this time. After they were seated, he took a document from his sleeve and handed it to Lu Yao: "Dao Ming, please take a look."

Lu Yao opened the document and his face turned pale after reading just a few lines. He read through the entire document carefully, then slowly folded it and put it away, sneering: "Such a trivial matter, to trouble the Chief Secretary to deliver it in person, how can I possibly bear it?"

Wen Qiao smiled bitterly: "Why must Dao Ming be so sharp-tongued? I know this request is somewhat unreasonable. However, our army is just starting, and even the lord must weigh many factors. Moreover, Dao Ming, your strict military discipline is indeed effective in battle, but don't you know: 'Water that is too clear has no fish'?"

He stood up and bowed to Lu Yao: "I hope Dao Ming will follow the order and not make things difficult for the lord."

"Chief Secretary, rest assured. I will certainly obey the military order," Lu Yao said coolly, then fell silent.

The hall was silent for a moment, and then Wen Qiao got up to take his leave. Lu Yao did not try to retain him and formally escorted him to the camp gate.

Upon returning, Lu Yao opened the document again and read it through, then suddenly threw it to the ground, almost wishing to stomp on it to vent his anger.

The document was very brief, just over a hundred words, and bore the seal of the General of Martial Valor. The content, however, was quite frustrating. It was an order to transfer the main officers under Lu Yao, including Gao Xiang, to serve under the General of the Horizontal Wilderness, Long Jimeng, for the upcoming campaign in Shangdang.

Lu Yao was shocked. In the current dynasty, the military system was hereditary, and all soldiers and their families were under the jurisdiction of their commanding officers. Over the years, this had become a deeply entrenched system where soldiers belonged to their commanders. In such turbulent times, one's subordinates were the foundation of a military leader's power. The General's Office had suddenly transferred Lu Yao's direct subordinates to another commander, which was highly unusual.

Lu Yao was even more furious. The purpose of this transfer order was clear: it must have been the result of a prior agreement between Long Jimeng and Gao Xiang. Long Jimeng, with whom he had no prior relationship, had suddenly decided to transfer his capable officers. Moreover, since the establishment of Jicheng, he had always treated his soldiers with sincerity and trust. For capable officers like Gao Xiang, he had relied on them as his right-hand men and trusted them greatly. Even when Gao Xiang had committed serious offenses in Guo Family's fortress, Lu Yao had painstakingly persuaded him and even avoided punishing him. But Gao Xiang had betrayed his trust. Now, upon reflection, he realized that Gao Xiang had been uneasy in his presence for the past few days, but he had not noticed it earlier!

The more he thought about it, the more Lu Yao blamed himself. Lu Yao, as a remnant of the defeated Bingzhou army, was originally a low-ranking military commander with no achievements or reputation. Lord Yu Shi had shown him favor and promoted him to general, allowing him to select elite soldiers and officers under his command. Such favor had made many people jealous in secret. This transfer order was a warning to him!

But... Long Jimeng, though high in rank, did not have the power to initiate this transfer. Since joining Liu Kun's command, he had been cautious and had good relations with his colleagues. Could he have inadvertently offended someone who was now causing him trouble behind his back? Lu Yao regretted letting Wen Qiao leave, as he could have at least gathered some information.

He paced back and forth in the hall, creating a whirlwind. After a long time, he took a deep breath to calm himself down.

He picked up the document, smoothed it out, and placed it on the table in front of him. Then he lifted the curtain and called to the messenger outside: "Go and bring Captain Gao here."

Before he could lower the curtain, another soldier came panting: "Report to the general, something terrible has happened! Captain Gao suddenly gathered his troops and left the camp. General Xue is trying to stop him... It looks like... it looks like they're about to fight!"

"What?" Lu Yao was startled and broke out in a cold sweat. Gao Xiang had acted so quickly?

At that moment, Lu Yao was not in the main tent but in a living room on the west side of the camp, which was far from the camp gate. By the time he rushed there, the situation had escalated beyond his expectations.

At the camp gate, Gao Xiang and Xue Tong, two burly men, were facing off. Gao Xiang looked disheveled, while Xue Tong, with his hair and beard bristling, resembled an enraged lion.

On either side of them, over a hundred soldiers were divided into two groups, eyeing each other warily. Most of them had visible signs of having fought each other. They were already armed, and the blades and spears in their hands glinted menacingly, ready to erupt into a fierce melee at any moment.

Outside, Shen Jin, Deng Gang, Guo Huan, and others, along with their subordinates, had surrounded the scene, jumping with anxiety but unsure of what to do. Both Xue and Gao were influential figures in the army, and once the conflict escalated, others would be at a loss.

It was clear that Gao Xiang had suddenly decided to take his troops out. The soldiers guarding the gate were Xue Tong's direct subordinates and immediately blocked them. Gao Xiang tried to force his way through, which led to Xue Tong's intervention. Despite their friendship, Xue Tong, with his rigid and almost old-fashioned character, could not tolerate Gao Xiang's actions. The situation escalated from verbal conflicts to physical altercations, and both sides were now heated.

"What are you doing!" Lu Yao shouted as he approached. A few of Gao Xiang's trusted subordinates hesitated and took a few steps forward, seemingly to block him, but they retreated under Lu Yao's fierce gaze. The other soldiers did not dare to step forward and stepped back, parting like the sea to make way for Lu Yao.

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