Chapter 0002: Crossing into the Qing Dynasty

Li Biao was startled when he saw Zhang Yi faint. He quickly called out for help: "Someone! Someone! The boss is in trouble, the boss has fainted!"

Zhang Yi shook his head and asked, "Which production team are you from? Where am I?"

At that moment, seven or eight bodyguards rushed in from outside, and everyone hurriedly lifted Zhang Yi onto the bed

After noon, Zhang Yi finally woke up, but at that moment, his mind was filled with an additional memory: Zhang Yi, a native of Baoding in Zhili, 19 years old, enlisted in the army six months ago, and was promoted to sentry officer the day before yesterday due to his bravery in battle, commanding a post of seventy-two men

At present, he lifted the piece of bluestone that was half a foot wide and over two feet long. In his previous life, he had diligently practiced Baguazhang and Xingyiquan, and had also trained in Iron Sand Palm and other martial arts, making him a well-rounded expert in both internal and external disciplines. For him, such a bluestone slab was a piece of cake. In this life, Zhang Yi also had a passion for martial arts since childhood. Although he was far inferior to his previous incarnation, he could still be considered a half-expert, and he believed that he could manage to break a piece of bluestone.

Zhang Yi seemed to have experienced a long nightmare, dreaming of being besieged by numerous enemies, trapped in a tight encirclement, feeling immense pressure as if he would collapse at any moment. After much effort, Zhang Yi opened his eyes; the sunlight streaming in from outside was somewhat blinding. He raised his head to look around and discovered that he was inside a military tent. But was this in Africa? How could there still be such primitive military tents? And books.

Zhang Yidun suddenly felt a mix of laughter and tears; he laughed at the fact that he was still alive and had taken on a new identity as a mere nineteen-year-old recruit, but he cried because he had inexplicably traveled back to the late Qing Dynasty and found himself in Korea, on the brink of the Sino-Japanese War. In this inevitable war of defeat, would he be able to survive

Zhang Yi asked, "Are you sure you are talking to me? What are you calling me?"

Zhang Yi nodded and said, "Well, since you all want to learn, I will not hold back and will definitely teach you exceptional skills. Issue the order, all personnel, gather immediately, I want to take attendance"

As Zhang Yi was pondering, a bodyguard walked in and chuckled, "Captain Zhang, you are awake? Drink some hot soup to help clear your head. After a hangover, your stomach will feel quite uncomfortable."

Upon thinking of this, Zhang Yi felt a surge of confidence and said: "It is certainly a good thing that you want to learn, but I fear you may not be able to endure hardship; you are a bunch of softies"

With a sharp command from Zhang Yi, the lethargic team gradually took shape, and the playground fell silent

Several individuals turned around and went out to deliver the message

Zhang Yi looked at the eager faces of his personal guards, a surge of warmth rising in his heart. He thought to himself: "These are a group of good men. Although I have crossed over here alone and possess nothing, can I not rely on my own abilities to restore a bright and clear world to China?"

After a while, Zhang Yi came to his senses and said: "What is your name www.hetushu.com.com and what is your position?"

Zhang Yi placed the青石across his right knee, channeling his energy to his dantian, with his right palm shaped like a blade, he struck down towards the青石. The attention of the crowd had already been drawn to Zhang Yi, and they gathered closely to watch.

The bodyguard said, "My name is Li Yi, and I come from within the pass."

Zhang Yi was astonished and opened his mouth wide, how could this be? Had he really crossed over just like that? He was a staunch atheist and a member of the proletariat; could such a thing actually happen?

A few bodyguards surrounded Zhang Yi and said: "Chief, you must be very careful. We are on the battlefield and must always be prepared for battle. The enemy from the East is formidable. Even if we cannot defeat them, we cannot afford to be too exhausted to run away, can we? You are now a celebrity in the army; after the battle the other day, your reputation soared as you shot down six enemies. Your marksmanship is truly commendable. If you have time, you must teach us."

Zhang Yi shouted: "Stand properly! Do you have any semblance of a soldier?"

Zhang Yi squinted his eyes as he glanced over, noticing a slab of blue stone lying beside him, approximately four to five centimeters thick. An idea suddenly struck him. With a cold laugh, he exclaimed, "I know I am not very old, and many of you may feel unconvinced in your hearts. Today, let me show you something!"

The Qing soldier replied: "Sir, you seem to be quite intoxicated, as we discussed yesterday. My name is Li Biao, your future personal guard. I will rely on you for guidance and support in the future."

Zhang Yi murmured to himself: "The Qing Dynasty, is this still the Qing army camp in Korea? Could this be the Battle of Jiawu?" Upon thinking of this, Zhang Yi's expression changed dramatically, and he hurriedly asked: "Li Biao, what is the date this year?"

At that moment, Zhang Yi suddenly felt a sharp swelling in his head, as if something had burrowed into it, causing unbearable pain. "Ah!" Zhang Yi let out a terrible scream and fainted from the pain

Several bodyguards replied: "Yes, chief!"

Li Biao replied: "Boss, today is the 20th day of the 4th month in the 20th year of the Guangxu era."

Zhang Yi knocked on his body, dressed in a full set of traditional clothing. What dynasty is this outfit from? Why does it look so shabby? What about the wounds on his body? He clearly remembered being shot at least six or seven times by an assassin on the mountaintop, with the last shot hitting his spine. How come he felt no discomfort at all?

The Qing soldier, utterly bewildered, scratched his head and replied, "Boss, what is a film crew? We are in Korea, in the Qing army's camp. The day before yesterday, due to your bravery in battle, you were just promoted to sentry by the superior. Yesterday, the brothers celebrated together, and you accidentally drank too much, sleeping for a whole day and night."

Zhang Yi was startled by the entering bodyguard, who was dressed in the attire of a Qing soldier and had a waist knife tucked into his belt. He thought to himself, could it be that he was saved by someone acting in a play

Several bodyguards, upon hearing this, felt a surge of anger in their hearts. One of the bodyguards said: "Chief, we are also honorable men, all of us are capable men! What hardship can we not endure? If we cannot endure hardship, what are we doing as soldiers? As long as you are willing to teach us, we can learn well!"

About half an hour later, the sentries finally gathered. Zhang Yi took a glance and nearly crinkled his nose in disgust. This group of soldiers was a motley crew: some were sitting, some squatting, some standing, and others leaning against each other, forming small clusters. This was hardly a military camp. Looking at these lazy Qing soldiers, Zhang Yi sighed inwardly: "No wonder we suffered such a disastrous defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. Not to mention the disparity in weaponry and military training, with such lax discipline and no semblance of military decorum, how could we possibly win a battle? It would be strange if we didn't lose!"

The several bodyguards around saw that Zhang Yi had woken up and hurriedly gathered around, all expressing their concern. Zhang Yi waved his hand and said: "It's fine, everyone don't worry, I'm alright now. It was mainly due to excessive drinking that I felt a bit unwell earlier, but I'm fine now"

Zhang Yi continued, "Just now, several brothers among you told me that you want to follow me to learn marksmanship and skills. I agreed, and I am willing to pass on my skills to you. Since we are on the battlefield, we are true brothers in life and death. At critical moments, no one can face thousands of guns alone; we can only entrust our lives to the brothers beside us. If our brothers are strong, I can better protect my life and achieve victory in battle. But look at yourselves, do you have any semblance of a soldier? You are nothing but a group of fleeing farmers! With your current state, how can you protect your lives? How can I trust you with my back? I, Zhang Yi, do not want useless brothers; I want brothers who are capable and valiant, with the courage of a tiger! Today, I declare here that for this squad, I only need thirty men. The rest are of no use to me and will only be a burden. I want elite soldiers, not scattered bravery! From today onwards, I will conduct special training for you, lasting three months. After three months, those who can endure will definitely be the elite among the elite, each capable of taking on ten opponents. As for the remaining useless ones who are eliminated, I will pay them off and send them back home. It’s the same message: I want elite soldiers!"

Most of the Qing soldiers in this group are veterans, having long since become seasoned soldiers in the barracks. They did not pay much attention to Zhang Yi's words, and a few of them were even quietly chatting, engaging in light-hearted conversation.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi's spirits were lifted, and he exclaimed loudly, "Good, you possess the spirit of a man. What is your name?"

The Qing soldier replied with a puzzled look, "Zhang Tóu'er, of course I am talking to you, I am calling you Zhang Tóu'er. Haven't you sobered up yet?"