xymnovel Chapter 58 Whose subordinate is this?
Chapter 58 Whose subordinate is this?
Three days later.
Outside the county town, a military camp.
The barracks were set up on an open area south of the city, backed by the moat, and surrounded by a simple wooden fence. The camp was quite large, enough to accommodate over a thousand men and horses.
In the very center was the central command tent of County Commandant Chen Yuan, with the tents of various powerful families' private armies arranged on both sides, and further out were ordinary people conscripted from various villages and towns mixed with soldiers from the prefectures and kingdoms.
Those private soldiers' camps were even more orderly than those of the official soldiers.
The major families of Chen, Zhou, Wang, and Xu in Xiapi County, along with some small landlords who were dependent on them, all sent their own retainers, ranging from thirty to fifty men to over a hundred.
Each family's flags stood in front of the camp, their armor gleaming, and their personnel plentiful.
These powerful clans usually concealed their populations and raised private armies, leaving the imperial court powerless to stop them. Now, however, they have become an indispensable force in the campaign against the Yellow Turbans.
In contrast, the majority of the troops were local militia recruited from various villages and towns. Their camps were scattered, their morale was low, and they were essentially a group of poor farmers.
They often gathered in small groups, dressed in coarse linen clothes and without any armor, in their designated areas, lounging around and whispering to each other, showing no trace of the might of a powerful Han army.
Some villagers even had grudges against each other, and they started fighting each other in the camp.
Several ringleaders shouted at the top of their lungs, but no one paid any attention.
On the open ground in front of the camp gate, several minor officials were busy registering and compiling records.
Just then, a muffled sound came from afar.
Neat, powerful, one beat after another, like the beating of a drum.
The officers and soldiers in front of the camp gate looked up and followed the sound.
On the official road to the southwest, a procession is approaching.
The man at the front, dressed in a dark brown robe, with a long sword at his waist and a halberd on his shoulder, walked with a steady gait; it was Li Sheng.
Several oxcarts followed behind him, piled with spears, swords and shields, bows and arrows, and some grain sacks.
The wheels creaked and groaned as they turned, kicking up a cloud of dust on the dry ground.
On both sides and behind the oxcart were soldiers lined up in neat rows.
Four columns, clearly separated front and back. Each column has about forty people, with equal spacing between them.
Most of the men were unarmed, except for the twenty elite soldiers selected by Li Sheng, who were armed with spears and divided into four columns of five men each.
This marching formation, though seemingly simple, actually contains hidden secrets.
The four columns are staggered, with just enough space between each column for two people to turn around, and each column is about ten paces apart. This is what military strategy refers to as "when at rest, it is a camp; when moving, it is a formation." The columns support each other and unfold in sequence. When encountering the enemy, the front column can quickly disperse into a horizontal formation, with spearmen advancing through the gaps to repel the enemy, and archers providing cover from the rear. This allows for both maintaining speed and being able to engage in battle immediately upon being attacked.
All weapons were placed on oxcarts, allowing soldiers to march empty-handed and conserve energy. Upon encountering the enemy, swordsmen and shieldmen would first take up their shields and form ranks, followed by spearmen drawing their spears, and archers drawing their bows last. The advance was methodical and orderly, progressing layer by layer.
Li Sheng had never read any military books, and none of his troops were from powerful or aristocratic families and knew anything about military affairs. But this did not prevent him from making such an arrangement.
He knew that "war is a matter of great importance to the state," and that military campaigns were not child's play; everything had to be done with utmost care. Therefore, he had made preparations long ago.
First, there was the relevant knowledge and experience accumulated in his previous life; second, there were oral accounts from Liu Wu and those among the local militia who had personally participated in the training of Han Dynasty soldiers. The most useful of these was the knowledge Liu Wu had inherited from his father. Liu Wu's father had served as an officer in the army, achieving considerable merit and possessing extensive experience in military affairs.
Li Sheng combined these scattered experiences and applied them to his daily training.
He led the local militia, meticulously refining each movement and rhythm. Without family tradition or renowned teachers, all they had was day after day of hard work and over a month of repeated practice.
They managed to train a team of peasants into such a disciplined group.
Although none of their clothes were new, and some were even patched, no one in the group whispered to each other or looked around.
The creaking of the oxcart wheel hubs was drowned out by the footsteps of the people, whose footsteps landed almost in unison, and even their breathing seemed to be on the same beat.
The commotion in front of the camp gate gradually subsided.
Most of the scattered soldiers put down what they were doing, and several who were about to fight each other loosened their grip. Even the soldiers in the nearby strongmen's private camp who were drinking and playing drinking games stopped their bowls and craned their necks to look outside.
The military camp, which had been as noisy as a marketplace just moments before, had now fallen silent.
Inside the central command tent, County Commandant Chen Yuan was discussing military affairs with several subordinates. Suddenly, there was silence outside the tent. He first frowned, then looked up.
"What happened outside the tent?"
Chen Yuan asked.
The guards on duty outside the tent poked half their bodies inside.
"Reporting to the county magistrate, a troop has arrived outside..."
"A team?"
Chen Yuan put down the bamboo slips in his hand.
"Where did this team come from?"
"We don't know yet, but..." The guard hesitated for a moment, "The county magistrate might as well take a look for himself."
Chen Yuan glanced at him, stood up, lifted the curtain, and went out.
Outside the tent, the sunlight was blinding.
He squinted at the direction of the camp gate, his pupils suddenly contracting.
A team is slowly approaching.
The orderly ranks, synchronized steps, and high morale of the soldiers—this well-trained composure far surpassed that of the undisciplined soldiers and private troops in the military camps.
This is not a hastily assembled rabble.
This is a truly formidable force.
Chen Yuan wasn't an expert in military affairs, but as a county commandant, he was used to seeing all sorts of people and troops. He could tell at a glance that this force was extraordinary. He had never seen such imposing presence before; even the troops led by Sun Jian and Sun Wentai couldn't compare.
He blurted it out, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Whose subordinate is this?"
The adjutant beside him was also stunned, his mouth agape, unable to utter a word.
Chen Yuan frowned and beckoned a personal guard to him.
"Go and find out where this group came from."
The guards received the order, mounted their horses, and galloped away.
A moment later, the guards returned.
"The county magistrate is the head of Siyang Township, Li Sheng's, troops."
Chen Yuan was stunned.
Li Sheng.
He recalled the scene three days ago when he summoned the young man, treating him as just an ordinary village head, giving him instructions and then dismissing him.
He remembered that Chen Deng had mentioned this name before. At that time, Chen Deng said, "Li Sheng is a man of great talent."
He didn't think much of it at the time, but now it seems...
He raised his head again and looked at the troops that had stopped in front of the camp gate.
Li Shengzheng stood at the front of the line, holding the roster, and met with the officers and soldiers at the camp gate.
The group remained behind him, with a few elite soldiers scanning their surroundings warily, while the rest remained in their ranks, like wooden stakes driven into the ground.
Chen Yuan slowly exhaled.
This person is no ordinary individual.