Chapter 92

I had another dream, dreaming of the graceful woman by the Chunming Pond, but I still couldn't remember her name. As I chased and tried to grasp her, the scene seemed to return to the past, when I, as a sponsored student of the Andong Luo family, first arrived in Luodu.

In the biting spring chill, the opulence and splendor of the nine imperial capitals over a thousand years, made the "me" who was accustomed to the warm and humid climate of Guangfu, feel a heart-shaking, intense yearning and excitement.

With the advantages of a穿越者 (time traveler) in literature, knowledge, and perspective, that "me" easily stood out in the outer college, which was dedicated to the sons of vassal states, who were just there to eat, wait, and gain seniority.

It was easy to get enough recommendations from teachers and senior students in the village where money was thrown around, and then formally enter the Economics Institute of the Imperial Academy, and even cross-study in the Political Institute, achieving excellent grades.

That was the golden time of my life, when I was most glorious and proud. I even joined several clubs and was introduced to many noble and powerful families, regularly attending social events or private banquets, thus making a large number of peers, including high-achieving students from the Imperial Military Academy and their small circles.

As a result, I got involved in many disputes. Those who envied and hated me, or whose credits and opportunities I had taken away, found reasons and opportunities to vent their frustrations.

After only a year as an assistant lecturer, I was kicked out, which made me completely calm down and re-evaluate my identity and mission. Then, with the last bit of connection to my teachers, I found a job at the Royal Grand Library and the Universal Museum.

At this time, an older senior also helped me, making me a part-time tutor in the Xia Ma Pushe's residence, a rising political star of the current dynasty.

I still clearly remember, on the night of the Lantern Festival, she, taking advantage of my drunkenness, fell onto me, pinching my vital points and threatening to do something, putting me in a hesitant and difficult situation.

The woman's face kept changing, from Senior Dugu to the beautiful women in the ice cellar, known or unknown, and finally settled on Li Shiniang, who was leaning over me.

To be honest, I miss Li Shiniang. I miss the taste of her lips, her gentle and shy demeanor, and her soft and beautiful figure under my hands.

Although I left my contact information and address, I still feel a bit lost and worried.

Slowly sitting up, the not-so-pure glass window cast the already whitened sky onto the ground.

The girl, wearing only a silk undergarment, curled up beside me like a cute doll, seemingly very comfortable and content, even drooling a bit in her sleep.

Although her figure was still flat, her smooth and tender skin felt very comfortable to touch.

Feeling my touch, she mumbled and rubbed her saliva on my hand, then fell into a deeper sleep, her smile becoming even more rounded, as if she was dreaming of something wonderful.

It will probably take a few more years before she can be of any use, I thought regretfully. For now, she can only be a warm, real-life pillow.

I haven't been able to find a satisfactory cook or servant yet, and even the cleaning staff are borrowed from the mysterious creature next door.

Because of the many external affairs, the few people I have are mostly assigned to various tasks, leaving only some guards. They can handle occasional heavy lifting, but expecting them to do housework is too much to ask.

Therefore, for daily living and meals, I can only do it myself for now, which is a waste of the large house and its furnishings.

However, I have been living like this with the girl for the past half year, and I don't feel any discomfort.

After a simple wash and dressing, I left the girl to watch the house and read, and called two attendants to drive me to the temporary training camp I bought outside the city.

On the way, I bought some soup noodles, holding them in my hands and eating them as I went, which served as breakfast. The streets were already much quieter, with almost no street vendors or peddlers, only some shops still open, filled with customers whispering or sighing.

Many seemingly prosperous families had already moved away, and the area behind the city, after taking a long, overgrown path, was even more desolate and dilapidated.

The surrounding land and houses were somewhat dilapidated, as a fire years ago had left the area abandoned. The only advantage was its proximity to the city.

However, this suited my needs. After encountering a few passersby, I arrived at my destination, the former warehouse on a riverbank terrace.

In the field full of equipment, about two to three hundred people, ranging from teenagers to young adults, were sweating profusely, divided into multiple groups, lifting and raising, stretching and strengthening their muscles, practicing formations, running and climbing, or holding wooden swords and spears, engaging in mock battles.

Occasionally, someone would collapse or reveal a weakness and be knocked down, dragged to the side to be treated, and then, after a while, they would have to drag themselves back into the formation.

According to the strict requirements and standards of the drill instructors, as new recruits, they were not allowed to blink or be distracted, even when facing weapons. If they did, they would be knocked down again, and then, under the supervision of the drill instructors on horseback, they would have to run until they were exhausted as punishment.

Some people, due to excessive dodging or inconsistent rhythm, would collide with their companions, disrupting the formation, and be pulled out for punishment.

New weapons had been partially distributed to a few who performed well, and they were practicing basic tactical movements like chopping and thrusting on human-shaped straw dummies and wooden boards.

For now, individual bravery or agility was not required; the focus was on developing team coordination.

Others, holding leather-covered wooden shields, were ordered to crouch and run, jumping to avoid and block the headless arrows shot at them, crossing a wide distance.

If they failed to block or dodge, they would easily be knocked over by the inertia of the arrows, and would have to start over, repeating the process.

Typically, a live animal like a chicken, duck, pig, or sheep would be placed in the target straw dummy, to simulate live combat, and the mangled animal would be given as a reward to the best-performing group.

According to Han Liangchen, they could not yet practice more complex battle formations. The three simplified versions currently in use were:

One was a small team formation of swords and shields, suitable for narrow spaces or areas.

Another was a combination of spear and crossbow formations, with some mobility, suitable for alternating cover.

The third was a defensive formation, either curved or reverse-curved, relying on the terrain, effective against cavalry and infantry, and could be used with firearms in the future.

If the formations were larger, I wouldn't have enough people to form them. These three to five hundred people are the maximum I can currently muster, and I expect to eliminate some, placing them in reserve or support roles.

I am somewhat looking forward to the results of Yuyan Luoluo's efforts in recruiting refugees.

It is clear that, with the incentive of daily rewards and the elimination mechanism based on daily rations and treatment, both the drill instructors and the trainees are working very hard, repeating actions countless times until they are drenched in sweat and their voices are hoarse, yet they cannot stop.

During short breaks, they almost collapse in groups, squatting on the ground, exhausted like dogs in the sun, and then, under the kicking and shouting, they have to get up, help each other, drink water, and relax their bodies.

In the evenings, they spend at least several dozen strings of coins on lamp oil and textbooks to teach them basic literacy and arithmetic, as a prelude to using firearms in the future and better learning commands and drills.

According to my requirements, they are not just soldiers who follow orders; I also want to select officers with sufficient learning ability and quick thinking. The minimum requirement is that they can become the backbone of a new unit when needed.

Han Liangchen is responsible for the overall training guidelines and various formation changes, Feng Juanqi for military commands and group coordination, and Bo Fu for supervising and guiding them in various unarmed and armed combat techniques.

With the addition of Feng Juanqi's subordinates and the mounted guards borrowed from Lady Chen, each person can lead a group of five to ten people.

The current focus is on training them to rely on their instincts to respond to various situations, avoid harm, and coordinate attacks.

The biggest difference between an army and bandits is organization and discipline, followed by equipment and other factors.

Once they are accustomed to the basic drills and regulations, the role of the drill instructors can be reduced and passed down, turning into a tradition of experienced soldiers leading new recruits.

The basic structure and foundation of an army are thus formed. Of course, this is a hopeful vision for the future; it can't be achieved all at once.

I did not go directly to them to give a speech or show my presence, but instead went around the front gate to the kitchen, which was full of the smell of cooking oil, to check their daily meals. The variety was simple, but the oil and flavor were sufficient.

Large pots of soup made from the scraps from the market, such as shrimp heads, tails, and vegetable stalks, or fish innards and ginger and garlic, were not very fresh, but the flavor was strong.

The main food was not the common early rice from Guangnan, but steamed buns made from wheat flour by a northern chef, almost unlimited.

Cheap bean products like bean buns, bean cakes, tofu, and soybeans replaced the need for meat, but they still had to kill a pig and a dozen chickens or ducks, or buy cheap fish and shrimp left in the fishermen's boats, to improve their diet.

Additionally, some cheap canned goods nearing their expiration date were used as extra rewards for good performance in training.

This cost several dozen strings of coins a day, but the long-term benefits for improving physical strength, endurance, and reflexes were obvious.

Unlike the overly exhausted and thin laborers and porters on the street, these trainees had a robust and energetic appearance, even at night, they had good vision.

I had already planned this on the ship. The mutiny in Qingyuan was an opportunity. Through Lady Chen's operations, we could give these people a public identity, such as the name of the new militia of Xiboluo Prefecture, under the pretext of preparing for enemies and chaos.

Although, by convention, the so-called militia, especially those of distant vassal states, were the lowest in the vast military hierarchy of the Southern Dynasty, and all their needs, from weapons to provisions and personnel, had to be self-funded, they could legally carry weapons and perform various security tasks around me, with no specific limit on numbers, as long as they could support themselves.

If that didn't work, we could register a small militia group under the Boloro Prefecture Guild, and then assign them to our family's properties, but this would come with more restrictions, such as only carrying short weapons and not being allowed to reside in the city, and having to report to the local officials regularly.

Thinking about this, I went to the suburban area outside the city, where I met Yuyan Luoluo and her group.

"It's not that fast..."

The mysterious creature almost jumped like a cat whose tail was stepped on.

"How long have you left this mess to me..."

"How many people have you recruited so far..."

"Besides, we need skilled people, which is not easy to select..."

"Although there are long lines every day, most are just there for a meal..."

"To find young, strong people without family burdens is even harder..."

"Honesty and integrity are not written on their faces; if we're not careful, ruffians and troublemakers will slip in..."

"We need people with education first; are you treating the refugee group like a talent market of future university students?"

"Even if we round them up, some will climb over the walls and run away at night..."

I wanted to ask about the progress, but she started complaining to me.

"Um, you've really worked hard..."

Seeing her puffed-up, cute appearance, I couldn't help but touch her head, but she slapped it away.

"In the end, I need more investment and help," she said, glaring at me.

"Lady Chen's people, give me some more..."

"How many?"

"At least twenty to thirty, to control a larger area..."

"No, they have urgent training tasks... at most ten, with additional pay."

"Not enough, at least twenty... people with local strongman or gang backgrounds have already come to investigate."

She argued logically.

"I need their presence to intimidate those with ill intentions and potential troublemakers, and to manage several points; fewer won't work."

"Then fifteen, and I'll send a team from the training camp to you..."

I said decisively.

"They are bold and experienced in combat; they should be enough to maintain order and control the scene."