Chapter 7: Chaos (Part 1)

That is good. Sun thought for a moment; after all, the other party was a Yuanzi, the future Prince of Yanping. The issues he valued were not actually problems for Zheng Kezang. Since that was the case, he would not dwell on this matter and continued, "However, the Eastern Capital lacks iron. Although the Ministry of War can produce bows, arrows, and bird guns, the quantity is limited, and they also need to supply the western expeditionary forces, so it may not be easy to gather them all at once. The same goes for the flintlock cannons and the red-haired cannons. Although the English trading post and Spanish merchant ships occasionally sell them, the prices are very high, and the quantities are also quite limited."

"You cannot escape punishment." Hong Hui and several others were led away dejectedly, and only then did Zheng Kezang attend to the rest. "He Jiao Xi," Zheng Kezang commanded Sun Youlao's deputy. "All classes for reading and writing, as well as martial arts, are suspended today. All time will be spent standing as punishment; you will keep an eye on them." This statement had a double meaning, and it took He Jiao Xi a moment to grasp its true intent. "Additionally, dinner is canceled. If they are not hungry, they might not remember..."

However, Zheng Kezang smiled at him and said, "General Sun, please rest assured and focus on your recovery. I will return and look through some books to find the rules of cuju from the Tang dynasty, so that we can implement them as soon as possible..."

Upon hearing that it was merely hunger rather than the consumption of military rations, Hong Hui and other privileged youths breathed a sigh of relief, while Ma Ying and other impoverished youths expressed their good fortune. However, they would soon come to understand how deeply this would resonate with them.

This point has also been considered. Although Zheng Kezang had already thought of these matters, Sun Youlao's ability to consider them from his own perspective still pleased him greatly. I believe that the youth camp consists entirely of young boys, and those who cannot draw a strong bow of over one stone may not be able to do so, nor should military weapons such as bird guns be allocated to them; they need to wait for a while until they grow up, three years, and then we can organize them according to this structure. Sun Youlao became increasingly confused as he listened; what did Zheng Kezang mean? He then heard Zheng Kezang continue. However, weapons can wait for people, but people should not wait for weapons and equipment. Therefore, we must begin to prepare them gradually from now on. What does General Sun think?

Sun Youlao and three others stumbled to free themselves from their supporters, bowing down and saying: "We, the subordinates, willingly accept the punishment imposed by our superiors, and have no complaints whatsoever"

There is a reason why Zheng Kezang did not adopt the configuration of combining firearms with long spears as he had in his previous life in the time-travel narrative. In fact, throughout Chinese military history, there has never been an instance where victory was achieved by a single type of troop or merely by a few types of troops. The mixed deployment of both melee and ranged support weapons is the true path to success in this era

Eighteen! Nineteen! Twenty! With the final few counts, the executioners finally ceased their actions. Several soldiers stepped forward to assist the condemned, announcing to the entire camp. Observing the bloodied backsides of the four individuals, the young children recoiled in fear, some even covering their eyes with their hands, while a few others began to cry openly.

Sun Youlao gritted his teeth, realizing that it was too late to regret: "Once the four horses have bolted, they cannot be recalled"

With a loud shout from the executioner, a series of muffled sounds echoed around. The faces of the four military officers facing the youth camp twitched, and large beads of sweat rolled down from their foreheads. However, the executioner showed no sign of mercy or hesitation, and struck again with his staff.

Zheng Kezang's demeanor left Sun Youlao quite taken aback, prompting him to hurriedly respond: "How can the eldest son speak in such a manner without causing trepidation in his subordinate? I am willing to dedicate my life and loyalty to the eldest son."

"I am afraid there may be some excess later on." Zheng Kezang did not provide further explanation. "However, General Sun, rest assured, if my father has any doubts, I will persuade him myself"

Soon, the physician finished administering the medication to Sun Youlao and, with keen insight, took his leave. At that moment, Sun Youlao hurriedly leaned over to Zheng Kezang, expressing his remorse: "Young Master, I am incompetent and have caused you trouble."

Upon hearing the meaning of Sun Youlao's dedication and reward, Zheng Kezang could not help but reveal a faint smile. Indeed, to eliminate the external influences and fully take control of the Tongzi Camp, he needed Sun Youlao's assistance. However, having lived two lives, he knew how to conceal his emotional fluctuations, so he merely waved his hand gently

No!

"Young Master." Seeing Zheng Kezang suddenly reveal a childlike demeanor, Sun Youlao was taken aback once again

Sun was overjoyed, for this was exactly the result he desired: "Please rest assured, young master, I would not dare to be negligent in my duties."

When the four individuals were helped back to the reviewing platform, Zheng Kezang calmly asked, "Do you all comply with my military law or not?"

"The eldest son, most of them are still young." Sun Youlao thought for a moment. "It is best not to use the methods of military training."

After handling all of this, Zheng Kezang turned and went to Sun Youlao's residence. Upon seeing Zheng Kezang arrive, Sun Youlao, who was applying medicine, struggled to get up. Zheng Kezang immediately pressed him down, saying, "Don't move, wait until the doctor finishes applying the medicine."

Sun Youlao was taken aback; he had not anticipated that Zheng Kezang's plan would be so grand. For a moment, he lost his composure, but he quickly realized that Zheng Kezang's statement was both a safety net and a test, perhaps to gauge his own performance.

"Young Master, it is the inadequacy of my subordinates that has led to this situation. There is nothing we can do; Sun has no choice but to first offer his apologies. I hope, Young Master, that you will impose punishment accordingly"

Zheng Kezang's face seemed to carry a hint of a smile, yet his cold tone sent shivers down the spines of those present, including Sun Youlao. It is understandable that Zheng Kezang was in a bad mood; ever since the reception of the young recruits began, various minor accidents and disputes had continuously arisen in the camp. However, the large-scale brawl that spread throughout the entire camp was unprecedented, leaving these seasoned soldiers at a loss for words. It is understandable that Zheng Kezang was in a bad mood; ever since the reception of the young recruits began, various minor accidents and disputes had continuously arisen in the camp. However, the large-scale brawl that spread throughout the entire camp was unprecedented, leaving these seasoned soldiers at a loss for words.

The scouts observing the punishment inhaled sharply, as if the one being struck was not someone else but themselves, and the entire venue fell into a profound silence

"General Sun, your words are mistaken. The king is still alive, and even if you are willing to sacrifice everything, how could I dare to accept it lightly?" Of course, Zheng Kezang was also afraid that being overly cautious would lead General Sun to misunderstand that he looked down on him, so he made a promise in a roundabout way. "General Sun, it is best for you to take care of your injuries first. Once I have trained the young soldiers by tomorrow, I will certainly recommend you to the king. At that time, I hope General Sun will remain as steadfast as ever."

At this moment, Zheng Kezang's gaze had shifted to the restless youths standing by: "Have the chief instructors and team leaders all been punished, yet the class monitor and the charge officer bear no responsibility?"

The expressions of several class leaders and charge officers standing in the queue suddenly changed dramatically. After a long while, a few of them, visibly anxious, stepped out from the line, kneeling on the ground with sorrowful faces. With a leader taking the initiative, the others, even if no longer as fearful, did not dare to step forward. Thus, the front of the queue quickly filled with the young officials who had been in high spirits just moments before.

"It is best to be consistent in words and actions." Zheng Kezang nodded and then addressed the instructors present. "You instructors and team leaders, although you have not effectively supervised the youth camp, your prompt actions afterward to stabilize the camp and prevent further losses among the young boys can be considered as mitigating your faults. Therefore, there will be no punishment this time. Please assist Sun Xie and the others back, and find a military doctor to treat them."

The eldest son has a well-thought-out plan. Sun Youlao cast a doubtful glance at Zheng Kezang. Although he had long felt that Zheng Kezang did not resemble a typical twelve-year-old child, this scene left him utterly astonished. After much contemplation, he could only explain it with the notion that a sage is endowed with divine wisdom. "I believe it is possible, but if that is the case, then a battalion of soldiers would likely be equivalent to the current alliance."

"This is something Yu will handle." Zheng Kezang abruptly interrupted Sun Youlao's words. "There is no need for General Sun to concern himself with this."

"General Sun, in fact, you need not be so modest. In terms of age, you have much more than I do; in terms of military rank, you are at least a fourth-rank military officer, which is certainly not comparable to my position as a mere camp officer. As for battlefield experience, there is no need to compare further." Zheng Kezang reassured Fang. "Now that the general is willing to be the chicken used to scare the monkeys, I can only express my gratitude and would never blame the general."

Upon this thought, Sun Youlao immediately expressed his stance. "Young Master, rest assured, I am willing to do my utmost to assist you."

"Good, very good," Zheng Kezang clapped his hands and laughed heartily. After a moment, his gaze became serious. "General Sun is an old soldier; I have a matter to consult you about." Sun Youlao hurriedly replied that he did not dare. Zheng Kezang took out a piece of paper from his pocket. "General Sun, please take a look." Sun Youlao took it and read it quickly while Zheng Kezang explained. "I propose a group of five, with two individuals holding rattan shields and short weapons, two holding spears and other long weapons, and one either holding a bow and arrow or a bird gun. Each squad consists of three groups, and each team consists of three squads, with the squad leader and team leader free to choose their weapons. A battalion should have four teams, with one team equipped with a flintlock cannon, while the other three teams are similarly equipped..."

Excellent, I have only been away for one day, and you all have created such a huge mess. Truly wonderful

Zheng Kezang would not treat these future direct descendants with a friendly demeanor. This is not due to his inherently harsh nature, but rather because he understood from his previous life, while researching for time-travel literature, that in a feudal era, the notion of blurring class distinctions and mingling the upper and lower classes is fundamentally unfeasible. The inevitable consequence of such actions would be the gradual loss of the authority and mystique of the superiors, ultimately leading to a sense of contempt or curiosity among subordinates—only the naive of later generations would believe that a shared desire between superiors and subordinates guarantees victory.

"Punishment is inevitable," Zheng Kezang pointed at Sun Youlao and the three team leaders. "You have failed to manage the entire camp effectively; you, you, and you, the supervisory team has not performed well, each will receive twenty military lashes." At this point, Zheng Kezang commanded, "Release all the boys from the camp, let them witness firsthand what military law is..."

The group of instructors was intimidated by Zheng Kezang's methods, each one bowing in submission. Zheng Kezang waved his hand, and a few of them assisted Sun Youlao and others back to recuperate, while the rest stood tall and straightened their postures, invigorated and more resolute.

"By the way, I just thought of a way to expend the excess energy of the scouts in the camp," Zheng Kezang said, suddenly recalling something. "Cuju, that's right, the cuju from the Tang Dynasty." Zheng Kezang suddenly began to gesture animatedly. "It involves both competition and cooperation; I believe it will be very interesting."

"The eldest son is wise." Sun Youlao understood that it was a method of gradually accumulating the weapons needed for the future, akin to how a mouse moves its home bit by bit. This approach is likely much easier than preparing everything at once. "However, while bows, arrows, and bird guns may be feasible, the flintlock cannon and the Red Yi cannon may not be..."

Regardless of who is right or wrong among you, there is one principle: if one person makes a mistake, the entire group is held accountable; if one group errs, the entire class is implicated; if one class is at fault, the whole team bears the consequences. Zheng Kezang said coldly, causing several children who understood to tremble in fear. As an official, if subordinates make mistakes, they must be punished even more severely. Bring them here, imprison these few, and let them go hungry for a day and a night, to see if they dare to forget their own identities next time.

"Good, good," Zheng Kezang said repeatedly. At this point, the preliminary discussions had concluded, and Zheng Kezang shifted the conversation to the main topic. "In the next three years, in addition to the normal running, formations, martial arts, and physical training, the instructors must teach military discipline above all else. It is imperative that they ensure strict adherence to orders and prohibitions."

Zheng Kezang did not fully trust Sun Youlao; however, he currently had no one else to rely on, so he had no choice but to recruit whoever he could: "Words spoken are actions taken"

Then call upon more military doctors, and additionally, prepare more medicines for treating falls and injuries, as well as for preventing heatstroke and pestilence. Zheng Kezang pondered for a moment but still insisted on his decision. Do not be afraid to spend money; if there are any shortages, feel free to request from the Ministry of War. If they do not comply, just hand it over to me, and I will personally seek out General Chen for the necessary supplies. At this point, Zheng Kezang revealed his plan. Even if there are losses, do not be afraid; I plan to recruit at least an equal number of youths into the camp each year. Everything is just beginning.