Chapter 47: Martial Arts Training Stage
Yan Xuanyu has great confidence in this group of people, and is full of expectations for the "Supervisory Office" to be established in the future - an organization independent of the court and directly under his command.
Su An said that he had recruited a group of new people not long ago. Yan Xuanyu looked at their general learning situation for a while, picked up his pen and wrote back to Su An, writing down in detail the content that they needed to train next.
For example, the composition of officials in various regions of the Great Zhou, the map of the Great Zhou, and the routes to various regions...
In the future, this organization can become his eyes, reaching out to all directions of the world for him.
After finishing writing, he rubbed his slightly sore arms, knowing that this could not be rushed and that training also took time - Yan Xuanyu was very much looking forward to the day when the results would be inspected.
Now comes the big thing.
Yuan Kang brought news from the border town that the Turkic king had died and the eldest Turkic prince had become the new Turkic king.
The old Turkic king passed away several days ago, but it took a few days for the letter to reach Yan Xuanyu. Looking at the letter in his hand, Yan Xuanyu couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Yuan Kang said in the letter that the current situation of the Turks was complicated. The old Turkic king was dead, but his brothers were still alive. It was impossible for them to all be honest. The Turkic king had just become the leader and urgently needed to consolidate his position and improve his reputation so that others could see the ability of him as the new Turkic king.
Therefore, Yuan Kang speculated that the Turkic tribe would launch a war against the cities around Da Zhou, and then ask Da Zhou to use gold, silver and grain to redeem the cities.
He believed that the Turks would not really declare war on the Great Zhou at present. The current situation of the Turks was complicated. The Turks were now divided into Eastern Turks and Western Turks. Many royal families in the Eastern Turks were at odds with the new Turkic king. If there was to be a war, at least they would have to wait until they were internally stable first.
The current situation is indeed that the Great Zhou is in an unfavorable situation. The problems of the Great Zhou army did not form overnight. Yan Xuanyu is more inclined to concentrate all military power in Yuan Kang's hands.
Separate management is not as good as centralized management.
He admitted that he had cheated a bit. He knew what kind of person Yuan Kang was from the original owner's memory, which was why he was so confident in using him now.
So he never hesitates to show his trust.
The other generals wouldn't easily hand over their military power, so Yan Xuanyu had Yuan Kang first interact with Wang Qingyun. Wang Qingyun was a relatively unremarkable general, ordinary but not guilty of any unforgivable wrongdoing. Yuan Kang could slowly recruit Wang Qingyun, and the combined forces of these two generals would be more than enough to defeat the other generals.
It's not just about the number of troops, but also the quality of the soldiers.
Yan Xuanyu spent a lot of money on the "Border Town Express" shipped from the capital at that time. He made various foods such as stewed noodles with the grain he harvested from several farms outside the capital and nearby fields. The bacon and liquor were enough to feed the soldiers in the border town for a long time.
Yuan Kang's soldiers have begun special training according to the training methods written by Yan Xuanyu. Now that they have enough food and clothing, they naturally have the strength to train. Yan Xuanyu wrote down all the methods he could think of: training physical fitness and combat skills, how the weapons commonly used by the soldiers of the Great Zhou can play a greater role on the battlefield, and how soldiers can cooperate in combat.
He stopped there. As Yuan Kang came from a family of military generals, he definitely knew a lot more than him, a layman. Yan Xuanyu just took advantage of the future and wrote down those special training methods, which might give Yuan Kang some inspiration.
While the Turks were sorting out their internal chaos, Yuan Kang's soldiers were undergoing special training.
Yan Xuanyu also agreed with Yuan Kang's opinion. The current military strength of the Great Zhou... is indeed just like that. If they insist on sending troops to attack the Turks, who knows how many people will be killed and injured.
He finally wrote back to Yuan Kang, asking him to focus his main energy on training soldiers. As for the Turks, Yuan Kang could cause them some trouble on a small scale.
...
Border town, Yuan Kang's residence.
"What?! Do you know what you are saying? Do you really want to give me your training method?" Wang Qingyun's rough face was full of disbelief at this moment!
The winter has been getting colder recently. Since Wang Qingyun discovered that Yuan Kang had wine, he has been coming here more and more easily.
The border cities around Da Zhou are far away from the capital, and the order management is loose, and the control over wine making is not so strict. However, the price of grain at the border is high, and the wine made from a large amount of grain is worth a fortune.
That day, Wang Qingyun shamelessly came to drink for free, but Yuan Kang threw a booklet at his head.
Yuan Kang knew why Wang Qingyun came to the border town so diligently, but he turned a blind eye.
"Well, there is also my Yuan family's military training method in it. You can use it on your soldiers." Yuan Kang said.
Wang Qingyun's eyes almost popped out of their sockets in shock. He glanced at a few pages of the book with an expression of "You are fucking lying to me". He could still read, and he was really stunned when he saw that what was written in the book was exactly the same as what Yuan Kang said.
He took a big gulp of the wine, and the spicy liquid went down his throat, bringing warmth to his whole body.
"You know that military training methods are what military commanders value most," said Wang Qingyun.
Military generals all have their own methods of training troops. Some are developed by themselves, but more are passed down from their families. This is also what they rely on as military generals.
Yuan Kang was the first one to give it to others so openly!
Yuan Kang crossed his arms. He and Wang Qingyun were both military commanders, but their appearances were completely different. Wang Qingyun had a beard and a rugged look. His behavior was even more unruly, while Yuan Kang was tall and slender, with a very strong physique. Judging from his appearance alone, he looked like a young man from a scholarly family.
"This is what your Majesty wants," Yuan Kang said.
"Little Emperor... What does Your Majesty mean?" Wang Qingyun stood up suddenly. He had just changed his words and addressed him as Your Majesty.
"Do you think these things are just for you to be a big Buddha in the border town?" Yuan Kang laughed.
Wang Qingyun said, "...He wants to take back the military power?"
His heart was filled with shock. The young emperor thought that it was easy to accomplish something that the previous emperor hadn't been able to do?
Unexpectedly, the emperor had such great ambitions just after ascending the throne.
Yuan Kang smiled but said nothing.
If Wang Qingyun is unwilling, he can just stop associating with him and even join forces with other generals.
But he didn't believe that Wang Qingyun had the courage to gamble. What he valued was Wang Qingyun's caution and prudent nature.
"You..." Wang Qingyun's already dark face became even darker and uglier, "You are really loyal."
"I have built a new martial arts training ground here. General Wang, why don't you come with me to take a look?" Yuan Kang asked.
Wang Qingyun glared at him fiercely and said, "Let's go! I want to see what tricks General Yuan is up to."
After saying this, he stood up, but immediately remembered something and picked up the bowl on the table and drank the remaining wine.
...
The training ground was very simple, with only two partitioned platforms and three circles inside and outside surrounded by many soldiers.
The two of them could hear the cheers that almost overturned the sky from a long distance away.
"Everyone, get out of my way." Wang Qingyun roared without any awareness of being in the territory of other generals.
"General!" When the soldiers saw Yuan Kang coming, they all saluted their general.
"Who is on the stage?" Yuan Kang asked.
"Replying to the general, it was General Yuan and a soldier named Asi." The person who spoke was a soldier in front of Yuan Kang.
Wang Qingyun looked over and saw two people fighting each other on the martial arts stage. Yuan Sheng and Yuan Kang were teaching them personally, so their kung fu was naturally excellent. However, the soldier named Asi surprised Yuan Kang.
Asi's moves seemed to be unsystematic and unruly, but he was able to block Yuan Sheng every time, leaving Yuan Sheng with no way to start. Yuan Kang could see that he was testing Yuan Sheng's approach.
I’m afraid that if Yuan Sheng doesn’t guard against it, he will be wiped out immediately.
As expected, Ah Si threw another punch, which just exposed the vital point. Yuan Sheng was overjoyed and quickly gathered his strength to attack, but he didn't expect that this was a flaw that Ah Si deliberately exposed.
"Bang!"
With a loud bang of a heavy object hitting the ground, Yuan Sheng lost.
There was a sudden burst of thunderous cheers in the martial arts training ground.
Yuan Sheng was not angry. Losing was losing.
"Is this a soldier?" Wang Qingyun was dumbfounded.
This damn soldier dared to hit General Yuan's brother? Is he trying to kill himself?!
But the next scene surprised Wang Qingyun even more. After being helped up, Yuan Sheng said loudly to Ah Si, who was wearing ordinary soldier's clothes: "I lost today. Let's fight again another day!"
Before he finished speaking, a cowhide wine jug tied with a hemp rope was thrown over and Ah Si caught it steadily.
All the soldiers' eyes were drawn over there. Asi opened the wine jug and the smell of liquor immediately spread over a small area.
"Everyone can come to the training grounds, and the winners will get some wine!!"
Everyone's eyes in the audience lit up. They were playing a "ring" game. If Asi won, the next person would have to fight him.
...
Yuan Kang seemed to have really just come to the martial arts training ground to "take a look", and he couldn't help but applaud when he saw the exciting parts.
This is also a place to test the training results of the soldiers. Although in Yuan Kang's opinion the soldiers' boxing and kicking skills still have many loopholes, it is already a huge improvement compared to before.
Wang Qingyun watched silently. This scene would never happen to him.
What were his soldiers like? Lifeless, yet cunning. Previously, when they were chased and beaten by the Turks, Wang Qingyun was furious but also helpless.
After all, they were all his soldiers. Although he was not a saint or a good man, he did have human feelings. Wang Qingyun knew that these people had nothing to eat or drink. A few months ago, a hungry man was plucking wild grass and stuffing it into his mouth. He accidentally ate a poisonous weed and died after suffering from diarrhea for several days.
Asking them to fight against the fierce Turks on horseback would be tantamount to sending themselves to death.
The little emperor's trick was indeed too simple, but it forced Wang Qingyun to be loyal.
There was food, drink, and Yuan Kang's military training methods. It was like giving Wang Qingyun a piece of candy wrapped in poison. Even though he knew it was poisonous, he still tried desperately to stuff it into his mouth.
The difference between his soldiers and Yuan Kang's soldiers is too obvious...
Even if Wang Qingyun didn't care about the Turks, he cared about his own life and the lives of his soldiers.
"I've made up my mind. I'll follow you from now on. If you say go east, I'll never go west." Wang Qingyun clenched his fists.
Yuan Kang was not surprised. He called a deputy general to lead the way and took Wang Qingyun to the place where the grain was stored.
There were several layers of soldiers guarding the place. When they saw Yuan Kang coming, they all saluted and said, "General!"
"Your Majesty has already prepared food for General Wang's city," Yuan Kang said with a smile, "and also some strong liquor, which will be delivered to General Wang tomorrow."
Wang Qingyun's dissatisfaction at being plotted against disappeared, and his heart became hot.
That's food and wine!
Not to mention how many years it had been, he had never seen such supplies shipped from the capital!
He became extremely angry when he thought that Yuan Kang's soldiers had already eaten something called stewed noodles.
"General Wang." Yuan Kang stretched out his hand.
Wang Qingyun reluctantly took out a cloth bag from his arms, revealing a tiger talisman with a polished corner.
The military commanders of the Great Zhou all had a very exquisite and tiny tiger talisman, which represented the military power given to them by the court.
However, these military generals have been guarding the border for so many years, and even without the tiger talisman, there are still people who obey their orders.
"General, please keep these things secret." Yuan Kang put away the tiger talisman.
He also has one, which was given to his father by the late emperor.
I believe that before long, all the small tiger talismans of the Great Zhou will disappear and be replaced by newly melted military talismans.
The matter of Wang Qingyun surrendering his military token ended peacefully. Even Wang Qingyun was persuaded to give in by simply offering him food and liquor.
In fact, Yuan Kang has more, but he won’t show them now.
...
The training on the martial arts arena was also over. After all, the soldiers could not go wherever they wanted. They had to patrol and guard the city.
After taking a few sips, Asi put the cowhide wine flask on his waist and ran to a tent.
This is where the injured soldiers are placed.
"Youngest..." he called out.
A man lying outside in bloodstained clothes sat up and said, "I'm here."
"Why are you outside?" Asi asked.
The youngest laughed and said, "You think I can be bullied? I saw those soldiers were freezing so I switched places with them."
"Here." Asi took out the wine jug from his waist and handed it over.
He never talked much and was bullied because of his taciturn nature when he first arrived at the military camp. It was the youngest brother who pulled them apart when he passed by. The youngest brother was a veteran under General Yuan, and the group of people dispersed.
"What is this?" The youngest took it. "I just drank some porridge..."
These wounded soldiers were all accommodated. If they were in other places, they might have been thrown away with a straw mat and left to fend for themselves. However, their general specially set up tents for them to recuperate and provided them with porridge every meal.
As soon as he opened it, the aroma of wine wafted out.
"Where did you come from?!" The youngest one quickly covered it up.
"You won the martial arts arena, and it's given to me." Asi said.
“Good boy!!”
This is wine! Such a precious thing, people like them can't even see it!
The youngest took two sips, and his mouth was filled with a spicy yet fragrant taste.
"You... go give each of them a drink to warm them up." The youngest licked his cracked lips, as if trying to absorb the last bit of alcohol flavor from them.
Just when he opened the wine flask, he felt countless eyes on him.
Asi nodded.
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