Chapter 654
Presently, Li Xingzai had about ten thousand troops. Among the provincial lords of the Empire, this number was neither too many nor too few.
The soldiers were mostly recruited from dock laborers who toiled in transporting goods. Their lives were not very pleasant, but the climate of Jiangnan gave them sturdy bodies. After Li Xingzai cleared out the pirates, he also accumulated substantial wealth. Using this wealth, he procured a large amount of sophisticated weaponry.
In arts, there was Chu Yunsheng, and in martial arts, there was Qi Jiguang. Qi Jiguang could also be considered a scholar-official. Although his martial arts skills weren't exceptional, his troop training ability was somewhat horrifying. Under his training, or torment, the Jiangnan troops, who initially displayed no will to fight, surprisingly showed traces of unquestioning obedience and courageous tenacity akin to placing no value on their lives.
