C88. Drills in Youzhou.
On August 8th, the weather was clear and sunny.
Around the parade ground, banners fluttered as one thousand selected soldiers stood in perfect formation at the center of the field.
Under the scorching sun, their skin soon turned red from the heat, with sweat dripping down their bodies.
The soldiers nervously gazed at the many officials sitting under the tent in front, some swallowing nervously and striving to stand taller and more imposing.
Those standing in the front rows, able to clearly see the officials' faces, stared intently at the governor seated in the middle.
Outside the parade ground, more soldiers eagerly crowded around, although they were not selected, they were curious about the competition. Yuan Li instructed Wang Er and Guan Zhihuai to take them to watch from outside the grounds, to inspire their longing and admiration, and to cheer them on from the sidelines to boost their morale.
Yuan Li had a strange feeling akin to that of a past upper-level leader inspecting the troops, but now he was the one doing the inspecting.
This feeling was both strange and refreshing. Sitting in the shade, Yuan Li surveyed the entire parade ground, taking in the excited yet nervous expressions of the soldiers.
They all hoped to become Yuan Li's personal guards, wanting to present their best selves before him.
A strange feeling arose in Yuan Li.
His heart rate slightly increased, and he reached out to touch the armrest of his chair, suddenly feeling the beauty of this sensation.
It was somewhat addictive.
Though a thousand men may seem few, in reality, it was quite a lot. Particularly when these one thousand soldiers stood in identical positions, with uniform gaps between each, appearing in rows as if in a straight line, the scene was grand and imposing.
Seated to Yuan Li's right were Chu Hechao and his subordinates. And on Yuan Li's left side, Guo Mao swiftly took up a position by the lord's side.
At that moment, Guo Mao held a feather fan and tenderly fanned Yuan Li, praising, "My lord, though our new recruits have only trained for a few months, they already exude great power. Perhaps only your new recruits could achieve this."
Enjoying the cool breeze as a result of Yuan Li's presence, Chu Hechao cast a sideways glance at Guo Mao.
Guo Mao quickly smiled and said, "General's soldiers are also renowned as fierce warriors throughout the land."
Yuan Li smiled helplessly, "It is indeed commendable that these recruits have achieved this in a few short months, thanks to Wang Meng and General Guan. However, compared to the battle-hardened soldiers under General's command, these new recruits still have a long way to go."
Wang Meng was the alias Yuan Li had given to Wang Er.
Despite Wang Er's outstanding training of the recruits, Yuan Li was actually being realistic.
These new recruits had not yet experienced the horrors of war and bloodshed. Even though they were skilled and physically strong, they could not match the soldiers under Chu Hechao who had experienced multiple battles on the battlefield.
However, they would soon be sent to battle and become a truly elite force.
The military camp competition was named by Yuan Li as the "Youzhou Army's First Competition Cup," consisting of four events: wrestling, endurance running with weights, wilderness survival and ambush tactics, and swimming.
These four events tested the soldiers' strength, endurance, knowledge of wilderness survival, and swimming which was not a forte for northern soldiers - all measuring their individual combat abilities.
The first event was wrestling, where the one thousand soldiers paired off and the winner was the one who managed to take down their opponent. This stage alone quickly eliminated five hundred soldiers.
Upon Wang Er's command, the soldiers swiftly paired up, and with Yuan Li's approval, the strong and sturdy soldiers roared and charged towards their opponents.
The parade ground quickly turned into a lively and intense battleground.
The soldiers who had made it to this stage were the cream of the crop, having climbed from the ranks to stand out among many. Each of them was a force to be reckoned with, whether they relied on pure strength or skill, their wrestling and grappling techniques were all impressive.
In pairs, soldiers gripped each other's arms and legs, exerting all their strength, faces flushing and veins bulging. The powerful collision of strength and determination was enough to ignite passion and excitement in onlookers.
Kong Ran encountered a formidable opponent, gritting his teeth, veins popping, determined to bring the other down.
"I absolutely cannot lose!" he thought to himself.
However, as he observed his opponent's flushed face and clenched jaw, he knew the other also had no intention of losing.
No one wanted to lose here, and all the soldiers gave their all.
Amidst the scorching weather, the cheers of the soldiers outside the parade ground were hotter than the sun, shouting encouragements like "Take him down, great job!" and "Trip him! Attack his lower body!"
Initially, no one dared to shout, fearing they might offend the officials. However, when the captains and centurions realized this was the governor's intention, they began to cheer, and soon the soldiers were caught up in the excitement.
"Hold on! Keep your stance steady!"
"You're about to win, keep going!"
Even the crowd under the tent became excited. Yang Zhongfa, in particular, was so filled with excitement that he stood up from his chair, loudly exclaiming, "Well done!"
He Lang also got caught up in the excitement, standing up and craning his neck, remarking, "Wow, they're really impressive!"
Yuan Li watched intently, feeling nervous himself, sweat beads forming on his forehead.
Chu Hechao, too, was sweating profusely, but he couldn't undress for relief in such a public setting. Glancing at Guo Mao leisurely fanning himself with a feather fan, he became irritated and extended his hand, saying, "Give it here."
Guo Mao, returning to reality, glanced at the general's hand and the feather fan in his hand, wisely placing it back into the general's hand.
Taking the fan, Chu Hechao vigorously began to fan the air, the breeze passing over Yuan Li lifting a few strands of hair at his temples, causing the sweat on his face to pause momentarily, and Yuan Li suddenly felt a refreshing, cool sensation.
He quickly moved his chair closer to Chu Hechao's side, openly saying, "I appreciate your efforts, may I borrow some of that cool breeze."
Surrounded by people, their every move watched by many eyes, they dared not reveal their true feelings. Chu Hechao's gaze briefly swept over Yuan Li's fair neck and the sweat beads hanging from it before lazily turning back, asking, "What's borrowed must be returned, so... will you return the favor when you borrows?"
Those who heard this had no response.
Return the favor?
Was the general joking with the governor?
Many discreetly perked up their ears, curious about the conversations between the two leaders of Youzhou.
Yuan Li's ears twitched slightly, maintaining a calm smile, "Let's exchange later, and I'll let you borrow my cool breeze as well."
"Alright," Chu Hechao responded.
They watched the parade ground, exchanging a few meaningless words. After a while, Yuan Li took the feather fan from Chu Hechao's hand and started fanning himself.
Due to the hot weather, Chu Hechao was not wearing his gloves. When the feather fan was handed over, their fingertips inevitably touched a few times.
In the midst of a large audience, such a simple touch became intimate and enchanting. Yuan Li looked up, locking eyes with Chu Hechao for a moment before quickly looking away.
With only a few flicks of the fan, the soldiers on the parade ground had already determined the winners and losers.
The victorious five hundred soldiers stood heaving, some still energetic and relaxed while others were pale and exhausted.
Kong Ran gasped for air, leaning on his knees to regain his strength. Drenched in sweat, drops falling into his eyes, he wiped them and felt a burst of belated elation.
He had emerged victorious!
After allowing the soldiers a brief rest, they were given thirty-pound packs containing food, water skins, fire starters, utensils for cooking and building camps, tools for maintaining weapons and armor, and their own weapons, along with some medicinal herbs.
These were essentials for soldiers during a campaign to Jixian. They had to don their leather armor, carrying the thirty-pound packs, and run to the base of the hills in Panshan outside Jixian County.
Those who could reach the foot of the hills within an hour would win, while those who didn't would be eliminated.
The soldiers quickly understood the task at hand, swiftly putting on their armor and shouldering their packs to head towards Panshan.
Below the tent, Yuan Li and the others rode ahead, arriving early at the foot of Panshan.
They arrived well before the designated hour and settled in the shade of the trees patiently waiting for the soldiers to arrive.
The area at the foot of the mountain was much cooler than the parade ground, and Yuan Li heaved a sigh of relief. He was concerned about the soldiers suffering from heatstroke under the scorching sun.
During the lull, Yuan Li inquired about the southern merchants from Guo Mao, "They have been staying in Youzhou for a month now, do they have an urgent need to return home?"
"They were initially eager to return, but after the passing of the former Emperor, they are aware of the dangers of returning now. They have requested to stay in Youzhou without my intervention," Guo Mao said with a smile.
"The sugar made in the workshop is done. The white sugar made from five carts of sugarcane is limited, and it is estimated that it may not be enough for them to purchase. Therefore, we have only shown them a bit to pique their interest. My Lord, you have no idea how many gifts these merchants have sent me, in hopes of purchasing the white sugar. However, privately, I am considering teasing their appetite further. Sugarcane is not suitable for cultivation in the north, so I am contemplating persuading these merchants to grow sugarcane in the south, fostering a stable and longstanding partnership."
After Emperor Jianyuan's death, Yuan Li entrusted the task of selling white sugar to Guo Mao. Guo Mao was a shrewd person, skilled in conversation, and not even cunning merchants could outwit him, as proven now.
Yuan Li chuckled and teased, "Oh? What good things did they send you?"
"Gold, silver, jewelry, silk, and beautiful women," Guo Mao pulled out a paper from his pocket and respectfully handed it to Yuan Li. "While these items may be common, their combined value is not insignificant. Although I have accepted them, I dare not keep them for personal use. I have recorded everything on this paper, including the women sent by the merchants, all of whom I have arranged to reside outside the mansion."
Glancing casually at the list, Yuan Li remarked, "You handle these matters with self-restraint and dedication. I trust you completely."
Then, jesting, he added, "By placing the women outside the mansion, are you trying to avoid angering your wife at home?"
Guo Mao's wife was known within a hundred miles for being a strict and fierce woman. If Guo Mao dared bring a woman home, he would surely face a severe scolding and be kicked out by his wife.
Yuan Li admired Guo Mao's wife's strong personality. Though Guo Mao employed cunning tactics in his actions, his moral standards were higher than many upright individuals.
He owed his ability to read and write to his wife, and even after becoming Yuan Li's advisor, he never forgot her contributions. Maintaining a sense of gratitude, he conscientiously played the role of a respectful son-in-law, upholding his integrity and commitments steadfastly.
Guo Mao nervously touched his ear and said, "My Lord, I still want these ears!"
Yuan Li burst into laughter, enjoying the humorous exchange with Guo Mao.