Chapter 799 A Dream of Youth 331
Then they discovered that the people Matsusaburo had chosen were all of good height and appearance. Although some were a bit thin, they were all generally good-looking. One of them was almost 1.9 meters tall, about the same height as that prickly guy, but not as strong.
Suddenly Xie Ning's gaze paused, his eyes narrowed, and he raised his hand to beckon him over, "Stretch out your hands."
His hands, with their large, calloused knuckles, looked like they had been working hard all year round, and there was some redness and swelling on them, probably from frostbite.
The right foot is always prosperous, the left inch is always empty. Xie Ning was silent for a while, but still waved for him to go back.
Matsusaburo whispered, "I select men according to military standards. People like them certainly don't meet the standards of the Imperial Guard, but we are just miscellaneous soldiers, so I lowered the standards a little..."
Xie Ning hesitated, unsure how Song Sanlang dared to use the Imperial Guard's standards to recruit people for her. After all, as far as she knew, the Imperial Guard, regardless of other aspects, was first-rate in terms of military bearing.
Those who could enter the Central Imperial Guard were all at least 1.75 meters tall. In addition to height, leg strength, waist strength, physique, and appearance were also considered.
Of course, the requirements for the military examination were even higher.
Xu Hongying had taken the martial arts exam before, and her height was no less than 1.75 meters. Xie Ning thought she was about 1.8 meters tall, but he didn't know if she could grow any taller.
But these are just the basics. Passing the martial arts examination is not so simple. Although they passed the first test, neither of them had much hope for the subsequent tests.
"Stop for now. Hand over the group you selected to the team leader for training, and the rest to the town chief. He needs to protect the town, and he can't do without someone in charge."
Xie Ning was exhausted, but she still had to go in and discuss the distribution of supplies with the town commander, and teach him how to defend the town. She didn't need to worry about the major aspects, but she did need to pay attention to the minor details.
It's impossible to rely solely on the town's patrol officer, so it's best to mobilize everyone in the town to repair the city walls, dig trenches, prepare medicine for wounds, send people to the clinic to learn how to stop bleeding, and how to hide the elderly, weak, women, and children if the town can't hold out.
"Sir, have some tea." A young boy suddenly ran in from the side, startling the town magistrate who was listening attentively to the lecture. He quickly pulled the boy to his side.
"Thank you, sir. My son is ignorant and has troubled you."
Xie Ning looked at the bewildered child, smiled, and took the tea from his hand. She was indeed hungry. "Thank you, young master."
He then used a silver needle to check the boy's condition. Seeing that nothing was wrong, Xie Ning lowered his eyes and slowly began to drink. The town official could not see Xie Ning's actions, but he simply rubbed the boy's head and then sent him back to the backyard.
On his way back to the inn, Xie Ning passed by the tall young man again, who immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, sir."
"Are you really going to join the team?"
The young man was puzzled by Xie Ning's question. He suddenly met Xie Ning's gaze and looked somewhat uneasy. "Joining the team will earn me half a string of cash, enough for my mother and younger brother to live on for a long time."
Xie Ning suppressed another thought in his mind, "Then work hard to earn military merits. In addition to the money I promised afterward, I will not hold back your merits. I will remember them all. When I see General Xu and His Majesty, I will definitely speak up for you."
After saying that, he glanced at the other people who were eavesdropping.
Everyone's eyes lit up; those who were willing to sign up for the army at this time must have families struggling to make ends meet.
Zhang Qi, who was not far away, glanced at the tall, thin young man, then looked down at his own muscular physique, and snorted coldly. These new recruits also want military merits?
They're really ignorant of their own limitations; that's something you have to risk your life for.
The team leader led his men out of town, but Song Saburo, who had been following Xie Ning, noticed Xie Ning's unusual interest in the tall young man and tentatively asked, "Lord Xie, was there anything wrong with that young man just now?"
"There's nothing wrong with him, it's just that he's too thin."
Matsusaburo didn't believe it. Many of them were as thin as sticks, but the young man stood out. Since Xie Ning didn't say anything, he wisely kept quiet.
His father sent him out to earn some credit.
Xie Ning woke up in the early hours of the morning. It was still dark outside. After she put on her armor, Song Sanlang and the others were waiting downstairs.
The innkeeper's waiter shakily brought over some food. "Thank you, sir. This is what the master prepared for you so you can have a good journey... Ouch!"
The shopkeeper slapped the waiter hard on the back of the head. "You brat, you can't even speak properly!"
Then, bowing obsequiously to Xie Ning, he said, "Lord Xie, please don't be offended. This child is young and can't speak properly. Our master doesn't know when Lord Xie will set off, but he instructed the kitchen to keep the food warm so that a warm meal can be served when you go to war."
The patriarch said, "Your Excellency has planned for the sake of the people, and I have nothing else to give you. I was wrong to wrong you in the past, and I feel ashamed. I only wish for your triumphant return."
Xie Ning took a bite of the steamed bun; it was filled with pork, but it was delicious.
"What is your family head's surname?"
The shopkeeper's smile deepened. "Our master's surname is Zhou."
"I've got it."
The inn not only prepared food for Xie Ning, but also handed them a large bundle of steamed buns, probably thinking of the soldiers outside.
Xie Ning had just left the town when a figure flashed past like a white lightning bolt, "Snowball."
"Go and report the news." With that, she led the hundred people waiting at the town gate toward Wenshui County, as they were going to survey the terrain ahead of them.
When Xie Ning and the others reached the city gate of Wenshui County, they saw flames soaring into the sky. The city gate was about to collapse, the city walls were piled with corpses, and the moat was covered in blood.
"Has the stuff arrived yet?"
"We'll arrive in about 15 minutes."
What Xie Ning was talking about was a small catapult that she had the craftsmen of Songshi Fortress rush to make. Don't underestimate its size; it has a long range, and what they throw is not fireballs or stones, but another type of thunderbolt.
Unfortunately, the materials were limited, so not many could be made; otherwise, Xie Ning could have blown up all three or four thousand Northern Jin soldiers.
"They're here!"
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