Chapter 0006: Take Good Care of You

Tan Feng smiled lightly and replied, "My lord, there is no training in this army that my brothers cannot bear; otherwise, it would be a disgrace to be called the direct descendant of the Tan family."

Tan Feng said: "The first person, Liu Datong, one of our sentinels, comes from a hunting background. Before joining the army, he spent many years hunting in the Xing'an Mountains. It is said that he has captured more than one Northeast tiger, and his skills are quite impressive. Moreover, he has a profound understanding of the mountainous terrain. If we were to send our team into the old forest, he would be the one most likely to come out alive.

Zhang Yi waved his hand and said: "Tan Feng, at this moment, it is just the two of us, there is no need for formalities. I would like to ask you, your family is well-off, and your clan is also a renowned noble family in Cangzhou, why did you choose to enlist in the army?"

Zhang Yi nodded, acknowledging that Tan Feng was skilled and meticulous, undoubtedly a trusted assistant for his future. He then continued to inquire, "Very well, please tell me about these five individuals."

Zhang Yi watched the departing figures of the two, gently shaking his head with a bitter smile. He knew that Zhao Shixiao was a renowned general under Nie Shicheng, possessing genuine skills that were indeed authentic. He still recalled the scenes of Zhao Shixiao practicing his martial arts in the past; while he was indeed impressive, he was still far from being someone who could instill fear in him.

Zhang Yi smiled mysteriously and said, "Brother, just wait. In the special training over the next few months, I will take good care of you."

Tan Feng inquired: "My lord, where did you go this afternoon? I have not seen you for half a day"

Zhang Yi returned to the military and library camp, only to find that Tan Feng had already completed the statistics for this sentry unit, waiting for him in the main tent with the roster in hand. Zhang Yi took the roster, set it aside, and said: "Tan Feng."

Tan Feng looked closely at Zhang Yi, feeling puzzled and truly unaware of where his courage and confidence came from

With the order from General Nie Shicheng being transmitted, the Qing soldiers in the six major camps became aware of the martial arts competition scheduled for tomorrow. Most of them, upon hearing this, curled their lips and thought to themselves: "This Zhang Yi must be out of his mind. Lord Zhao is undoubtedly one of the top experts in the camp, renowned throughout the Huai Army. How could a rookie who has only been in the army for half a year dare to compete with Lord Zhao? Isn't that just asking for trouble?"

Zhang Yi did not explain further and continued, "You can give the order to temporarily cancel the training for the next few days. Once Lord Nie's command arrives, we will begin the real training. I also need to take a good rest; tomorrow, heh heh, is going to be a great day"

Tan Feng smiled and said, "Esteemed sir, I hope you will continue to offer your support in the future"

The commanders of the Lutaizhou Huai Army and the Beikou Training Army secretly shook their heads, expressing dissatisfaction with the orders from the superior. It is a significant matter to organize the new army, yet it is being entrusted to a rookie. Isn't this a public humiliation for us commanders? Tomorrow, tomorrow Zhao Shixiao must teach this kid a good lesson, so he understands how to conduct himself in the future. Having just become a mere sentry leader, he is already excessively arrogant. If he were to become a commander in the future, who knows how arrogant and presumptuous he would become?

Tan Feng shook his head and said with frustration, "My lord, it is not that I wish to diminish our spirit or to enhance the reputation of others. This Lord Zhao is renowned even in the Huai Army camp for his exceptional skills. His mastery of Baji Quan is unparalleled, and he is proficient in both mounted archery and firearms. He is truly a formidable opponent"

Zhang Yi chuckled and said, "What, are you lacking confidence already? Although Captain Zhao's skills are not weak, I am not inferior to him. As for the outcome, we shall see tomorrow at the martial arts arena!"

Zhao Shixiao was preoccupied with tomorrow's examination, which ultimately left him feeling dizzy and heavy-headed, leading him to fall into a deep sleep.

The third person, Mo Ru, is my junior apprentice. He was sent by my grandfather to find me. After meeting me, I decided to keep him as a companion. His Tan leg technique is also quite proficient.

Zhang Yi's expression was calm as he said, "Tan Feng, in the future, follow me closely in your work. I assure you that your dream of safeguarding a territory will be realized in the near future"

The fifth person, Bagen, is a Mongol, a natural cavalryman, skilled in horseback riding and archery, and his dual blades are exceptionally formidable

The second person, Feng Gao, is the strongman of our outpost. His skills in martial arts are exceptional. It is said that he used to roam the rivers and lakes as an assassin, but later was pursued by the authorities and escaped to serve under Lord Nie, where he concealed his identity and became a low-ranking soldier

The fourth person, Xu Huaijin, I have heard that he studied abroad in the past, but I do not know why he later ended up in the military, and he has always been seen with a drink in hand, silent and reticent. However, his skills surpass mine; he is a master.

Tan Feng took a deep breath and replied: "My lord, I have felt inferior since my childhood. When the Western powers invaded our Great Qing, they rampaged through the countryside, relying on the strength of their nations. Those missionaries and merchants committed all sorts of atrocities, trafficking opium. The court was corrupt and incompetent, and the officials in the county were timid and afraid of trouble, with some even acting as accomplices to the oppressors. The gentry and common people suffered greatly. My grandfather taught me a principle from a young age: to avoid being bullied, one must first strengthen one's own country. We must revitalize the nation and strengthen the military; if we do not make the foreign powers behave, we are destined to be bullied. When I came of age and wanted to enlist, my family, because I was a future candidate for the clan leader, actually forbade me from joining the army. In a fit of anger, I secretly ran away from home, wandering beyond the pass, and joined General Nie's ranks. I made a vow: as long as the foreign enemies are not at peace, I will not don military uniform for a single day! However, since joining the army, I have realized that things are far from as simple as I had imagined. Nowadays, the foreign powers possess strong ships and powerful cannons, and the era of relying solely on personal bravery and charging into battle has long passed. The Great Qing's army is now in disarray, morale is low, and military generals are more concerned about their own lives, while the soldiers are fearful of battle. Talents like General Nie are now rare, and even among his eight major camps, they are unevenly matched. The main camp is acceptable, but the ordinary troops have very low combat effectiveness. Some soldiers have been enlisted for over a year and still do not know how to fire a gun. How can such an army compete with the foreign powers?

The entire camp was abuzz with discussions, and the matter was spreading like wildfire. In the training camp, Zhao Shixiao sat in the main tent, his expression dark and his heart filled with anger. This incident had severely tarnished his reputation. How could the superior ask him, a mere captain, to assist the sentry leader? He truly could not comprehend what the superior was thinking. Had he lost his senses? With this thought, Zhao Shixiao suddenly slapped himself. Damn it, how could he, a mere subordinate, presume to guess the superior's intentions? The superior had shown him immense favor; not only should he not lose face, but even if it meant sacrificing his own head, he could not show disrespect to the superior.

Zhang Yi did not respond to his words and asked, "Today, I asked you to understand the situation of the brothers at the post. How is it? Have you discovered any promising and capable candidates?"

Tan Feng bowed and said, "My lord, what are your orders"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi exclaimed loudly: "Good, brother, a man must possess such passion and spirit! You are right; relying solely on good skills to fight against foreigners is unrealistic. No matter how skilled one is, can one evade the guns and cannons of the foreigners? In this current era, it is no longer a time when personal martial prowess can determine the outcome of a war. If we wish to rejuvenate China, we must first strengthen our military, arming ourselves with guns and cannons. To strengthen our military, we must learn the artillery technology of the West. To acquire advanced technology, the country must inevitably look to the West for reform! In this current era, it is no longer a time when personal martial prowess can determine the outcome of a war. If we wish to rejuvenate China, we must first strengthen our military, arming ourselves with guns and cannons. To strengthen our military, we must learn the artillery technology of the West. To acquire advanced technology, the country must inevitably look to the West for reform! Look at the heroes of the past, such as Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, and the current Li Hongzhang, who now hold power in the Celestial Empire; they are all champions of reform. We must protect our homeland and serve our country, and we must follow their example! This country has reached the brink of collapse without reform."

Zhang Yi nodded and said, "Yes, not bad. I have noted these five individuals, and I will pay more attention to them in the future"

As for the other three individuals, I believe they will not become the elite soldiers under your command

Tan Feng replied: "My lord, in fact, we cannot glean too much useful information from this record alone. I have been familiarizing myself with these brothers since I enlisted over a year ago. As far as I know, among them, eight possess commendable skills, and they are all relatively young, in their twenties. However, two of them are secretly using drugs, and one has a poor temperament. I believe the remaining five may be the ones you will focus on cultivating."

Zhang Yi smiled faintly and said, "Today I went to General Nie to seek some support, but the situation escalated. General Nie ordered me to form a new army for training, which ultimately caused dissatisfaction among the officers of Zhao Camp. In the end, General Nie decided that tomorrow I would have to compete with the officer of Zhao Camp, and only if I win will he finally agree to my request to establish the new army"

Tan Feng chuckled and said: "My lord, you truly know so much, far surpassing me. Since this morning's lecture, I have realized that you will undoubtedly become a remarkable figure in the future. My greatest wish is to be a capable general, to govern a region well, while you may very well advance to the military affairs office in the future, hehe."