Chapter 009: New Beginnings

Confucius slightly nodded, his gaze fixed on Qingji, as if deep in thought. This expression was somewhat familiar to him; when he was studying and had been troubled by a question for a long time, finally arriving at what he believed to be the most appropriate answer, he too would exhibit such confidence and determination

Qing Ji's gaze slowly swept across the entire army, and he took a deep breath to say: "Brave soldiers, during our march these days, we have forgotten our daily drills. Look to your left and right; our morale and spirit have begun to wane. If this continues, I believe we will collapse without anyone needing to attack us. The army requires discipline and coordination; it cannot be a loose collection of individuals relying solely on personal valor to win battles. Otherwise... if I, Qing Ji, am known as the bravest warrior of the State of Wu, I might as well go find Ji Guang myself, so why bother recruiting soldiers and establishing an army?" The army requires discipline and coordination; it cannot be a loose collection of individuals relying solely on personal valor to win battles. Otherwise... if I, Qing Ji, am known as the bravest warrior of the State of Wu, I might as well go find Ji Guang myself, so why bother recruiting soldiers and establishing an army?

Considering that he still needs to strive for the support and endorsement of the noble families within Wu, he must at least make an effort to keep them neutral and not firmly aligned with He Lü. He did not even mention the principle that "nobles without military merit shall no longer hold titles," as he currently requires the unification of all possible forces.

The entire army immediately became energized, and the entire unit had assembled ahead of the scheduled time. Each soldier stood there with their chests out and heads held high, resembling a general capable of commanding on their own, and the demeanor of the entire unit was completely revitalized.

"Master Kong, today it seems that Young Master Qingji is quite different from the past." Zilu looked enviously at Qingji, who stood majestically on the yoke, and whispered to Kong Qiu.

Get up, get up, still sleeping lazily, hurry up and get up

Qing Ji saw this, and a fleeting smile of satisfaction appeared at the corner of his mouth. He drew an arrow from the quiver with his other hand and raised it, proclaiming loudly: "Today, I, Qing Ji, hereby swear an oath here. In future battles, the rewards for my Qing Ji army shall be based solely on military merit. Promotions and titles shall be granted according to military achievements. Should anyone violate this oath, let this arrow serve as a warning!"

The two square formations gradually fell silent. Qing Ji continued, "You are warriors who make a living from military service; you are soldiers. Soldiers must have the demeanor of soldiers. I do not care whether you were fishermen or butchers before, from the moment you come under my command, you must forget the past and start anew. From today onwards, you are to be spirited, rising with the crowing of the rooster each day to practice formations and hone your martial skills"

When Qingji spoke these words, even Kong Qiu, who was listening nearby, was deeply moved and found it hard to believe. Although he was a fallen noble, he placed great importance on lineage. When he had a son, the Duke of Lu sent a fish as a congratulatory gift, a privilege reserved for the nobility. Kong Qiu was very pleased and named his son Li to commemorate this.

His insights are ultimately constrained by the limitations of his era; after all, we are in a time when slavery has not yet disappeared. Nobles remain nobles, and commoners remain commoners, with a clear distinction passed down through generations. Noble slave owners are granted titles simply by participating in military campaigns, regardless of the outcomes; after the war, they will receive their titles, while it is nearly impossible for commoners to attain such treatment. It is one thing for Qing Ji to be promoted based on military merit, but to be granted titles based on military merit as well? This is truly unprecedented, evoking a sense of astonishment.

Form a line, assemble!

To live each day happily in the present also requires capital, does it not

Qing Ji did not urge anyone; he stood proudly on the ox cart in front, head held high, with a bow slung over his back and a spear in hand that had not been wielded since his injury, quietly waiting. A red ribbon was tied across his forehead, and the tail of the ribbon at the back of his head fluttered in the morning breeze, making him appear spirited and full of vitality.

He cast a brief glance and said: "Warriors, you follow me not to achieve trivial matters, do you? Do not regard yourselves as mere soldiers who get by, do not underestimate yourselves. A soldier who does not aspire to be a marshal is not a good soldier! Whether in training, marching, patrolling, or fighting, you must always remember that you are to become a marshal alongside *Tu* and *Shu*. Do you understand?"

He believes that when the time comes for battle and his rewards for merit are truly implemented, countless fierce tigers from Jiangdong will immediately emerge under his command. At that time, his resources will be significantly more abundant

Laughter echoed through the square. The Marshal? The Marshal is the commander of the central army, the highest military position in a nation. This coveted title is something they could only dream of, never having considered it as a possibility. Not only must a Marshal possess immense military achievements, but they also come from noble families; how could it possibly be within reach for these lowly commoners

This seemingly simple statement, at the time, shattered the age-old system that people had long considered to be self-evident for thousands of years. The late Spring and Autumn period marked a significant turning point in history, characterized by the decay of various old social systems and the emergence of new ones. During this time, there was no need for a perfectly comprehensive and flawless new policy without any loopholes; as long as one had an approach that was more advanced than others, one could leave others far behind in this grand era of historical transition between the old and the new. The decay of various old social systems and the emergence of new ones meant that there was no need for a perfectly comprehensive and flawless new policy without any loopholes; as long as one had an approach that was more advanced than others, one could leave others far behind in this grand era of historical transition between the old and the new.

Qing Ji observed that the entire army was filled with high spirits, and many eyes sparkled with excitement. He then smiled with satisfaction, waved his hand as if to cut, and declared in a loud voice: "Good! Now, I grant you half a stick of incense to wash up, and half a stick of incense to don your armor. After one stick of incense, the entire army will assemble to practice martial skills. Those who are late will be executed!"

A hundred years have passed since www.hetushucom.com, and when Shang Yang proposed this, its impact on the Qin army was evident. However, the various states did not follow suit due to numerous obstacles; without a ruler of great ambition, there are always those who cling to the old ways, preferring stability over change. Qing Ji understood that his words would not only have an immeasurable motivating effect on his two hundred soldiers, but once this news spread, countless contemporary heroes would come in response.

Qing Ji issued orders, and the two hundred soldiers each had a captain, referred to as the left captain and the right captain. The two quickly organized the troops into two formations of ten rows each. At this moment, the distinction became apparent; those soldiers who had followed Qing Ji on the battlefield of Chu and Wu and fled to the State of Wei quickly took their positions, while the heroes and wanderers who had come from various states upon hearing the news, though fierce and unafraid of death in battle, were somewhat unaccustomed to such a serious situation outside of combat.

Qing Ji waved his hand grandly, pointing to the vast, sea-like wilderness around him: "As long as there is a tiny spark, it can ignite a raging fire across this land. Why can't a small soldier become the commander of the three armies? Do kings and nobles have any special lineage?"

As soon as these words were spoken, his soldiers erupted into a clamor. The persuasive power of this statement was truly immense; Chen Sheng and Wu Guang relied on this slogan to rally countless brave warriors willing to resist the Qin Dynasty. Achieving great deeds and being granted titles and nobility were enough to inspire passionate men to risk their lives.

Qing Ji was very satisfied in his heart. He did not expect this speech to have a miraculous effect, transforming the entire army overnight. As long as it could raise some morale and enthusiasm, and change the spirit of these weary soldiers, the resulting impact would be quite significant

Qing Ji observed everyone's reactions with satisfaction in his heart. This was a method he had devised after a sleepless night to rapidly strengthen his power. I am a prince of a fallen nation, while He Lu is a monarch of a country; in terms of influence and status, I am inferior to him. However, what others cannot offer you, I can provide, even if it is merely a long-term promissory note, countless people will still come flocking.

Qing Ji waited until the laughter gradually subsided, then suddenly raised his voice by three points, exclaiming: "What, are you afraid to think or unwilling to act? Look at the desolate wilderness around you!"

Early in the morning, it seemed that Qing Ji, who had been reborn, was shouting loudly. Many soldiers got up, rubbed their eyes, and looked at the red sun that had just risen on the horizon, revealing a look of confusion on their faces

Qingji finished speaking and with a snap broke the feathered arrow in his hand. The soldiers in the two formations were momentarily stunned, then suddenly raised their long spears and halberds, cheering loudly: "Young Master Qingji! Young Master Qingji!" The roar was deafening, startling the roosting birds in the surrounding grass and trees, further amplifying the momentum.