Chapter 9: Observations in the Barracks

At this moment, the one speaking in front is Xu Junhou, whom he is familiar with

The Doctrine of the Mean is not mediocrity; it merely requires one to not be the most outstanding or the most eye-catching.

He could not help but frown in distress

The third great expedition that was meant to come has not been delayed...

It is merely a large pancake accompanied by two stalks of green onion, a dish of dipping sauce, and a bowl of vegetable soup

This is not the same kind of role-playing as in a past life; this is a living, breathing world of danger

... ...

Wang Qi's recruitment test is quite simple, after all, under his special talents, as long as the physique is decent and the age is appropriate... No, even if it is somewhat inappropriate, it does not matter

Wang Qi still does not know what the specific situation of the bandits' rampant activities is like, and the person chatting with him, Xu Junhou, did not mention it either

The first internal speech of Sanlangqu ended in a whirlwind, while Wang Qiyi, following the crowd to the food distribution point to collect his meal, was carefully analyzing the information revealed in that speech.

Now, everyone go and get your meals. After finishing your meal, go to bed early. Tomorrow morning, we will set off to meet with the other group.

Instead, he stayed at the training ground to assist those veterans with their tasks... He had already learned that the officer who had previously assessed him, General Xu, was the soon-to-be-established commander of the archers, overseeing a mid-level officer responsible for two hundred men

Wang Qichu, upon entering an unfamiliar environment, exerted his mind to analyze all the information around him, striving to piece together the parts that would be useful to him.

From this point of analysis, it can be inferred that among the personal guards of Lieutenant Lin, there should be sixty squad leaders, twelve team leaders, six camp leaders, three army commanders, and at least one army strategist who excels in archery

He has already begun to feel the difficulties, reminiscing about the time he spent hunting for survival in the mountains with Wang Dashan, regardless of anything else... At least he could eat meat every day

At just sixteen years old, Wang Qi is quite concerned about his future development status He feels that his primary task moving forward is to find ways to increase his food intake

This discovery made Wang Qi particularly cautious, and he was also mentally prepared to "flee" if the situation turned unfavorable

Only after he had made up his mind did he begin to eat the food he had brought... Then he started to feel a bit uncomfortable

If the other two archers are also in this situation

In order to boost morale, Xu Sanlang released forty squad leader positions for the new recruits, while the grassroots officers above the squad leaders were already filled.

Therefore, although the archers only recruited 600 individuals, which is equivalent to three squads, their status is undoubtedly significant... One can discern clues from the fact that this training ground is exclusively designated for the assessment of archers

However, regardless of the circumstances, bandits can only be considered a minor ailment, while the Northern Expedition is the grand strategy of the nation

Thus, Wang Qi was directly included in the list of 'promising candidates', indicating that he was predetermined to be well nurtured

As of now, what he can be certain of is...! ... he must occupy one of the forty squad leader positions!

As preparations were underway for the third major battle against the Northern Hu, a small force of three thousand was specifically selected for its troops solely to march south to confront the mountain bandits

After the meal, the person in charge came to the camp to recognize the team and the squad leader... In fact, it was just a pre-assigned team of fifty people all sleeping in one tent

However, Wang Qi, due to his familiarity with the situation in the Great Peng Kingdom, analyzed and identified some discrepancies.

At this moment, the benefits of having already become familiar with the various officials in advance have emerged

On that day, he was issued an identity badge, marking his official entry into the military, and only then was he informed of some details regarding the unit to which he belonged

As the day of recruitment gradually came to a close with the darkening sky, Wang Qi had already become familiar with several veterans, knowing that they were actually the personal soldiers or followers of Lieutenant Lin, all possessing exceptional skills.

Wang Dashan originally said that ever since that incident ten years ago, Jin Shang has become obsessed with the Dan Ding Dao Fa... Wang Qi thought that at least the people of Da Peng could have had a period of rest and recuperation over these ten years

He does not understand, and he does not ask much; the more questions he asks, the more trouble it brings

It is not that Wang Qi despises the mountain bandits; rather, these bandits are actually people who, during the five hundred years of the Warring States period before the establishment of the Great Peng Empire, sought refuge in the mountains to escape the ravages of war. Strictly speaking, these individuals share the same origins as the people of the Great Peng Empire who occupy the Central Plains, but they have become accustomed to the daily life of descending from the mountains to plunder.

The other eight crossbowmen and four sword-and-shield soldiers seem to exist solely to support the archers

It is also unknown what the situation is like on the side of the spear soldiers and the sword-and-shield soldiers

Of course, what specific skill it is, he cannot know at this moment. What astonishes him is that the Zhao scribe at the entrance not only has the identity of a scholar from the Imperial Academy... It is truly unexpected. How could a Confucian scholar come to a military camp, a place considered the most vulgar by their standards

The one who came here for conscription was a bandit captain surnamed Lin, who was ordered to suppress the mountain bandits in Danyang County, located in the northern part of Yangzhou, south of Xuzhou.

Moreover, his long arms are truly well-suited for archery. He is only sixteen years old now, and as he grows older and gains more strength, drawing a strong bow with iron limbs will be a piece of cake.

My name is Xu Sanlang, and from now on, you will all be soldiers of my 'Sanlang Tune.' Today, I will not take the time to introduce each of your squad leaders, team leaders, and section leaders; I do not have that kind of time. You only need to remember that if you perform well, not only will you receive additional rewards, but outstanding individuals will also be selected as squad leaders.

Unless there is something special in the mountains to the south

At the end of this day, it was Xu Junhou who summoned all the new recruits gathered in Langya County... Many people only began to meet the comrades with whom they would share meals and living quarters from this moment onward

Although these things can definitely fill one up, Wang Qi believes they lack nutrition and are coarse and unappetizing... So this is what it is like to be a soldier.

Thus, his team rate and what he saw at a glance was Wang Qizheng, who needed special attention, looking troubled and distressed

The current sovereign has reigned for thirty years, engaging in minor campaigns approximately every three years and major campaigns every ten years. Although it is said that the once formidable Northern Hu have been worn down to the point of exhaustion, even the Chanyu court has been dismantled and reorganized once.

Today, the greatest threat to the life and death of the state of Peng is undoubtedly the northern Hu tribes. Since the unification of the Central Plains, the state of Peng has experienced three generations of governance, and it is only under the remarkable military achievements of the current ruler that a favorable situation has been established against the northern grasslands.

This newly recruited army is called the 'Divine Archery Battalion'... The name itself indicates that it is centered around archers

The other troops appear to be expendable, so Wang Qi naturally chooses to be a competent yet unremarkable archer

In Laozi's 'Sanlang Qu', there are a total of 200 members, among which 40 squad leaders are selected from among you... Train well

On this day, the king's abandonment displayed an extraordinary diligence; he was already predetermined to be admitted, yet he showed no signs of complacency.

Here, Wang Qi has a total of only one hundred seventy-four archers. This number should not be just for today, but rather the total collected over the course of three days... Better to be selective than to be excessive

However, the consumption of Pengguo's military and civilian resources is also immense

His strengths and team dynamics had already been thoroughly discussed before coming here, and it is important to pay special attention to which promising candidates are present.