A strong, dark-skinned young man was pushing a dung cart loaded with horse manure out of the barracks.
In the past month, Chen Mo had eaten much better. Thanks to the profits from the private sale of horse manure, he could afford to buy some meat every now and then.
As a result, his physique had noticeably improved. He was much stronger than when he first started shoveling manure. The wheelbarrow, which weighed more than 200 pounds, could now be moved forward and backward with ease.
"Hurry up, let's pick up the pace today. Maybe we can make it to the market," Chen Mo called out to Ding Bao, who was pushing the manure cart beside him.
Shoveling and delivering manure was hard labor, so the three of them took turns resting while pushing the cart.
The soldiers guarding the gate were already accustomed to their comings and goings. They waved their hands, covering their noses, signaling for them to move quickly.
After pushing the cart for more than ten miles, an old man dressed in sackcloth appeared on the side of the road. He carried a scale in his hand and a basket on his back.
The man was the dung collector, the one who had been buying their horse manure from them over the past month.
"Grandpa, hurry up," Chen Mo urged when he saw the old man's slow pace.
The old man nodded and agreed, but his movements didn't speed up much.
"Forty-four pounds and seven ounces. I'll give you forty-five pounds—how about fifty cents?" The old man lifted the scale and examined it carefully before offering the price.
"Okay," Chen Mo replied with a satisfied nod, not objecting to the price.
Although they could get a higher price by traveling further and selling to the farmers, the risk of being discovered was much greater. Dealing with the old man was safer, and safety and peace of mind were what mattered most.
The old man handed over the copper coins, and Chen Mo counted them carefully before putting them into his wallet.
After the transaction, both parties nodded in agreement, and Chen Mo resumed pushing the cart along the road.
"Brother Mo, when General Sun recruits his personal soldiers, do you think we can make it in?" Ding Bao asked, breaking the silence as they pushed the cart together.
Ever since Chen Mo suggested a month ago that they report their manure-selling activities to He Maguan, Ding Bao and Ma Cai had come to respect him more, even if they didn't fully agree with everything he said. They valued his opinion and were eager to hear what he thought.
Regarding the personal soldier recruitment, Chen Mo had only decided to tell Ding Bao after discussing it with Ma Cai.
The two of them had kept the secret from Ding Bao, but they might not be able to keep it hidden forever. If Ding Bao found out that they'd been keeping things from him, it could disrupt the harmony among them.
Ma Cai had family connections, but Chen Mo had none. When the time came for the recruitment, Ma Cai might leave to become a personal soldier, and Chen Mo would have to continue getting along with Ding Bao.
"Who knows?" Chen Mo answered casually. "There are no clear rules for this. Let's just focus on feeding the horses well."
The Transformation Pearl in his abdomen had absorbed nearly 70% of the energy and blood it needed. He was hoping the personal soldier selection could be delayed a little longer. Although he didn't know the exact criteria for selection, as long as he could complete his first transformation and strengthen his body, he had a good chance of being chosen.
The two men pushed the cart off the main road and onto a small country path, heading toward a military camp.
Although it was called a military camp, it actually resembled more of a manor.
The captain's house covered 300 acres, all cultivated by the soldiers stationed there. Naturally, the harvested grain belonged to the captain. The soldiers who worked the land were fortunate to have enough food to eat, but their treatment was little better than that of slaves.
The two dumped two carts of horse manure next to the dung pile, then left to continue on their way.
After walking another three or four miles, they arrived at the market, which was just about to close.
Chen Mo paid a penny to have someone watch the cart, then he and Ding Bao began strolling around.
Chen Mo had a clear goal: he wanted to eat meat.
He bought more than a pound of unleavened flatbread stuffed with more than half a pound of braised pork. Chen Mo finished most of it in just a few bites.
Feeding horses and shoveling manure was physically demanding work, and in addition to replenishing his strength for the Transformation Pearl, Chen Mo's appetite had grown much larger than that of ordinary people.
After finishing the meal, he handed a copper coin to the stall owner, ate the remaining half of the roll, and then went to buy a pound of sugar and half a pound of pork head for He Maguan.
This was something He Maguan had asked him to do, and he had already given him the money.
Once he bought the items, he took the cart and headed back. Ding Bao returned a little while later, red-faced from having visited the wine stand again.
"Let's go," Chen Mo said, not surprised in the least.
By the time the two returned to the camp, the sun was setting.
Entering the shed where steamed buns were being cooked, Chen Mo lifted the pot lid and found thirteen or fourteen steaming buns inside.
It wasn't just him who helped himself to the horse feed—everyone did it. But Chen Mo ate far more than anyone else.
He ate two buns to fill his stomach and saved the rest for a midnight snack. There would be food later in the kitchen, so there was no need to eat too much now.
The grooms received five coarse-grain steamed buns and a large bowl of vegetarian dishes for each meal. The other soldiers only got three steamed buns.
The personal soldiers of the captain ate fine food every day, didn't have to do the rough work in the barracks, had their clothes washed for them, and received a monthly salary. They also had a rest day every ten days and were given half a pound of wine and a pound of meat.
The treatment of General Sun's personal soldiers was undoubtedly better.
"Brother Mo!" Ma Cai called out loudly as he entered the room carrying some food.
"What's up?" Chen Mo asked as he wiped down the table.
"Did you see the notice posted in the camp? In another month, General Sun will be recruiting personal soldiers," Ma Cai said with a wide grin, his rough face lighting up with excitement.
This was the opportunity Ma Cai had been waiting for since he joined the army. Now it was finally within reach.
"Do they say how the selection will work?" Chen Mo asked.
There was still a month before the recruitment, and as long as nothing unexpected happened, Chen Mo was confident that he could accumulate enough energy and blood to undergo his first transformation.
"They didn't say exactly, but I think it'll be a strength test, something like lifting stones," Ma Cai guessed confidently.
It wouldn't be possible to assess military skills like horsemanship or archery from soldiers who had only done menial work and received minimal training. The most likely method would be to test strength and physical fitness. As long as the foundation was good, the rest could be trained later.
"We'll see when the time comes. I'm not sure if we'll all make the cut," Chen Mo replied, his tone noncommittal.
A month wasn't a long time, but it wasn't too short either. The most important thing now was to eat enough and accumulate more energy and blood.
"I think I can make it," Ma Cai said confidently. He had joined the army because he was strong, and he considered himself the strongest among the three of them.
Chen Mo smiled but didn't say anything. He picked up some steamed buns, strung four of them together, and took out the sugar and pork head he had bought to give to He Maguan.
"Master He," Chen Mo said as he entered He Maguan's barracks.
He Maguan was packing up the brushes used for grooming the horses. Warhorses needed frequent grooming to keep the dust and mud off their coats.
Grooming was a strenuous task, requiring experience. Warhorses were fierce animals, and only Master He had the skill to handle them.
"Here's the meat and sugar. I also brought you some steamed buns for dinner," Chen Mo said, placing the items on the table.
He then took out three copper coins from his pocket and added them to the table. "The pig's head was a little low in weight, so I only had three coins left."
After explaining the origin of the money, he added another twenty-six copper coins to the pile. "I sold the manure for fifty coins. This part is for you."
He Maguan looked at the copper coins and smiled.
It wasn't the first time he had asked someone to buy things for him, but they always seemed to forget something or come up short on the weight. Only Chen Mo had never shortchanged him and had always gotten the right amount.
"You also heard that General Sun is recruiting personal soldiers, right?" He Maguan asked slowly as he pocketed the coins.
End