Chapter 2, Military Service (Part 2)

Yi Ye and Zi Qing could still hear his discontented mutterings from outside the tent—"That Zhao Po Nu kid, ever since he became the Eagle Strike Sima, has only been practicing his verbal skills!"

Montang coldly said: "Last time you sent a Dissu, it was just like a little chick. You said he was good at finding water sources and was an indispensable figure in the army, so I didn't hold it against you. This time, you actually sent another one like this!"

As they spoke, the three of them passed through rows of spacious stables, stopping only in front of the stable where idle horses were kept. Zhao Zhongwen took out a token to present to the stable manager, explaining their purpose, and the stable manager then opened the gate to allow them to select horses.

Zi Qing stood by, suppressing a laugh and remaining silent

This young brother is clever! Zhao Zhongwen said with a smile, Therefore, each of you will also need to choose two horses later, and you must train with one horse every other day, ensuring that you become familiar with both horses.

Fearing punishment, the two hastily tied their hair up in a messy fashion. Fortunately, after putting on their military caps, it was tightly covered, and others could not see through it. The two hurriedly exited the tent and rushed towards the training ground along with the other soldiers.

Zi Qing forced a smile, adjusting the collar of his clothes that had been tugged earlier: "It seems that this cavalry lieutenant from Yue has a rather bad temper"

Seeing that he no longer chased anyone away, Zhao Ponu smiled and walked out, disappearing in the blink of an eye

... ... '' Yi Ye also bent down to take a look, `` Oh, indeed it is a male. ''

Zi Qing smiled faintly and said nothing further

The stable was not far away, yet it was an enormous area, much larger than the encampment where the soldiers resided. The mixed scents of horse manure, straw, and corn wafted through the air, while the sounds of horses chewing on grass, the clattering of hooves, and the snorting of horses filled his ears. Yi Ye was astonished to see so many horses for the first time that he could hardly close his mouth: "So many... so many horses! Does everyone have one?"

Eighteen, this is not in accordance with the rules, is it?" Meng Tang snorted coldly

Yi Ye nodded and smiled, saying, "Alright"

Our lives are tied to them, " Zi Qing said, extending her hand to stroke the horse she had just selected. The horse was rather thin, its prominent spine pressing against her hand. "It is only right that they are well-fed.

Have you chosen it? " he asked in surprise

As if struck by a sharp blade, her pupils suddenly constricted, and Ziqing coldly remarked: "Sharing hardships and joys with the soldiers does not necessarily equate to true righteousness, nor does it guarantee victory in battle"

Forget it, if it's a stallion, then so be it. Don't even mention having a foal; even if it lays an egg, it doesn't belong to us, it all has to be sent back to the stud farm

All the horses of our team are here, this is my horse," he affectionately rubbed his head against a chestnut horse, then hurriedly went to stroke another black horse, "Good, good... you all just tie the horses here, and place the saddles at the back.

Zi Qing replied: "I just led out the two horses that were closest to the gate."

Zhao Zhongwen nodded and said, "Once we enter the vast desert, we will rely entirely on them." Suddenly, he heard the sound of a Hu Jia from outside, a short and long tune. He quickly said, "Let's go, we need to hurry and have our meal, and later I will take you to get the weapons."

Yi Ye touched Zi Qing's head and answered for her. Seeing that someone was supporting her, he felt much more confident.

"... ... is, my dear younger brother," Yi Ye said with a smile, reaching out to pat Zi Qing's head, and explained for her, "He doesn't like to talk, he's been like this since he was little, a gourd with its mouth sawed off."

Zhao Zhongwen, who had just led them to enlist, turned around, his gaze still filled with curiosity, devoid of any malice, and said with a gentle smile: "I have long heard that there would be a change in medics; it turns out you are the ones."

Almost all commonly used medicinal materials were prepared in the tent. The two individuals each checked and then tidied up the bed. A little later, since the two old physicians originally shared a bed, there was only one bed in the tent. Yi Ye then offered the bed to Zi Qing and chose to sleep on the couch himself

Seeing Zhao Zhongwen still affectionately interacting with the horses, Yi Ye leaned over to look at the feed in the trough and was immediately taken aback: "Why are they feeding the horses corn? They eat better than people do. In our village, we can't even get this!"

Di Su obviously was not very willing to mention this weakness of hers, and she retorted with a stiff neck: "Anyway, it is definitely bigger than yours"

The sound of footsteps outside rushed by, leaving no time to ask further. Yi Ye hurriedly dressed and donned his armor, asking, "Where is the training ground?"

"What two months, at most one month." Meng Tang glared, "If you can't learn to ride a horse and wield a spear in one month, then you can take him back."

Dear younger brother

Five grasshoppers strung together on a single string, a scene that both individuals thought of simultaneously

The two exchanged glances for a moment, and after a while, Yi Ye let out a long sigh of relief and broke into a smile: "That was close, we have managed to pass another hurdle, thanks to our ancestors' blessings"

"The general has spoken." Zhao Ponu patted him and comforted, "You are the best at training soldiers. After two months under your command, this lad will surely be different."

This is not considered much; each soldier in our army is allocated only two horses, while each person in the Tiger Might Army is allocated three horses

No

Horses grow strong by eating this, and they also have sufficient endurance when running

The soldier, following orders, led Yi Ye and Zi Qing into the ranks, taking advantage of the faint morning light to observe them for a moment, not concealing the surprise in his eyes, yet he did not dare to utter a single unnecessary word, merely instructing them to stand properly

"No need, no need." Yi Ye hurriedly said

Zhao Ponu pulled Ziqing out from under him, and Ziqing staggered to her feet, unable to stop coughing repeatedly. Yi Ye hurriedly stepped forward to help her catch her breath and then pulled her to a place where Meng Tang could not reach her.

Zhao Zhongwen pulled over two other individuals beside him, one was a thin, dark-skinned boy who appeared to be only sixteen or seventeen years old, and the other was a robust man with a strong build: "This is Di Su, and this is Xu Datie. My surname is Zhao, Zhao Zhongwen. From now on, we will be in the same group, and we should look out for each other."

Yi Ye and Zi Qing were both unfamiliar with the art of horse appraisal. Yi Ye circled around, wanting to examine the horse's mouth but hesitating to pry open its jaws, wanting to inspect its hooves yet refraining from lifting its legs. He simply moved to the back to observe the horse's hindquarters, only to be swept in the face by the horse's tail, leaving him feeling quite itchy. When he looked up again, he saw that Zi Qing had already led two horses out.

Ziqing wanted to refuse, but was silenced by his words, "I am your brother, and you should listen to me," and thus complied and went to bed.

Zi Qing stood nearby, looking up at the boy named Di Su. She saw that he was indeed as Tang had described, quite small and even shorter than herself. Di Su was also observing her, and after a moment, he couldn't help but ask: "How old are you?"

Yi Ye walked quickly alongside him while asking, "As medical personnel, do we also need to practice?"

"Yes," Yi Ye replied with a smile, "My surname is Yi, Yi Ye; he is my younger brother, Zi Qing"

Zhao Zhongwen once again collected saddles and other items for them, leading them towards another stable

It was like a rallying command. Zi Qing turned over, groped for the military uniform armor beside her, and quickly put it on. "Hurry! We must reach the training ground before the sound of the horn ends"

The morning wind was bone-chilling, swirling as it blew, the cold penetrating through the armor and seeping in, a penetrating chill. On the high platform stood Meng Tang quietly, clad in crimson robes and dark armor, as still as a stone sculpture, only his gaze slowly sweeping over the soldiers gathered in the training ground.

A soldier stepped forward.

Well

Zhao Zhongwen smiled and said: "This kid has just been transferred from the Qiang cavalry camp. Seventeen, don't be fooled by his young age; he has great abilities, and you will know it in the future... By the way, how old are you?" He asked Ziqing.

Your temper! Don't keep nagging him

This was indeed unexpected for him, and Meng Tang was momentarily taken aback, still showing a look of displeasure on his face: "How old is he? Is he even fifteen?"

"The general does not concern himself with these matters," Zhao Zhongwen said helplessly. "I am the flag bearer, Xu Datie is the drummer, and Disu is responsible for finding water sources. You two are both medics. In battle, our squad does not need to charge into the fray. However, the general requires us to participate in regular drills, and those who cannot keep up will be punished, with the entire squad held accountable. Therefore..." He did not continue with his words, but his gaze towards the two of them revealed an unmistakable eagerness. However, the general requires us to participate in regular drills, and those who cannot keep up will be punished, with the entire squad held accountable. Therefore..." He did not continue with his words, but his gaze towards the two of them revealed an unmistakable eagerness.

Yi Ye and Zi Qing both understood his meaning: the two of them must not fall behind in the training, otherwise it would result in punishment for every member in the group.

How do you know?" Yi Ye was puzzled, having grabbed the military uniform.

Success success success

Zi Qing answered with the word "shh"

Yi Ye chuckled softly, his hand still stroking Zi Qing's head, resembling the act of petting a small dog even more.

Zhao Zhongwen smiled and said: "It's all right, it's good for the two brothers to be together, as they can look out for each other"

On the high platform, the sound of the Hu Jia (a type of wind instrument) rose again, with one long and one short note, signaling the teams to disperse for their respective training. Meng Tang also descended from the high platform and headed towards the direction of the stable.

Yi Ye, feeling helpless, could only obediently close his mouth

Noticing the unusual tone in her voice, Yi Ye looked up at her in surprise, but she had already turned her back to organize her belongings, unwilling to say more

"No matter what, it can't compare to how well people eat!" Yi Ye still felt uncomfortable in his heart

Yi Ye nodded repeatedly, whispering to Zi Qing in relief: "Fortunately, we ran fast, truly a blessing from our ancestors"

Zhao Zhongwen walked over, bent down to look at his horses, and laughed, saying: "Both of these horses are male, how can they reproduce?"

"... ... What about you?" Zi Qing retorted

Zi Qing, however, had already understood and said: "In the vast desert, making a long-distance dash, changing horses but not changing riders, this is indeed the tactic of the Xiongnu."

How did she choose? He could not discern what was remarkable about the horse she selected

Meng Tang remained silent, and the more than one thousand people below stood in complete silence, trembling in the cold wind. After a long while, Meng Tang finally cast a cold glance at the more than ten soldiers outside the training ground and said: "Those who have not been able to take their place will hold their spears for ten laps, and their comrades will be punished together."

Just like this, do I still need to thank you?! The cavalry officer Yuèqí was frowning like a lump of iron. With a swift motion, he pulled the unsuspecting Zǐqīng closer, saying, "You look just like a little chick; if a horse steps on you, your life will be over, and how can you fight then"

Although Yi Ye and Zi Qing were in the training ground, they were unsure of where to line up. The two stood outside the formation, feeling particularly conspicuous and isolated. Meng Tang's gaze lingered on them for a moment; Zi Qing remained standing quietly, while Yi Ye instinctively shrank his neck. Then, they heard Meng Tang's loud voice:

Xu Datie scratched his head and asked in a silly manner, "Do you know how to read? Could you help me write a letter home to my mother?"

He held the back of her collar, and Ziqing lowered her head, remaining silent

The two individuals secured the horse as instructed

Zhao Ponu detected the softening tone in his voice, stepped forward with a smile, and said: "At eighteen, it's just that the skin is tender; perhaps he already has a wife and children at home"

My younger brother is 18 years old; he may look younger, but in fact, he is stronger than I am

"Holding the spear for ten rounds, unexpectedly, the same group must also bear the consequences together!" Yi Ye gasped in shock, exclaiming softly.

Zhao Zhongwen laughed and said: "In this case, it seems that one cannot judge a person by their appearance. Cheng, everyone knows you now! I will go and inform the captain; we must first take you to select the horses, as this is a matter of great importance"

Indeed, may our ancestors bless us, may our ancestors bless us

Yi Ye was puzzled: "One horse per person is sufficient; even having two or three horses cannot be ridden."

Due to their recent arrival at the military camp, both individuals slept rather uneasily that night. The next day, before dawn, a sudden sound of a long, sharp horn echoed from outside, piercing and high-pitched. Hai Yiye sat up abruptly and exclaimed, "What is happening?"

Zhao Zhongwen

Xu Datie smiled broadly, revealing a set of bright white teeth: "Then I will brush the horse for you and wash the clothes."

Zi Qing mumbled something indistinctly, and he didn't hear it clearly at all

"So convenient..." Yi Ye frowned as he stared at a row of horse rumps. After a while, he also led out two horses, smiling as he said, "I chose the two with the biggest rumps. They say that big rumps are good for breeding. If they give birth to foals in the future, then I will have made a profit."

At this moment, the soldiers finally dared to start speaking, and the buzzing sound in the training ground rose and fell as the various teams dispersed

As soon as the two of them arrived at the parade ground, still catching their breath, the sound of the horn abruptly ceased. Behind them, more than ten soldiers were still rushing towards this place, but upon hearing the horn stop, they despaired and came to a halt, gasping for breath as they stood at the edge of the parade ground, not daring to take another step forward

This is the new physician. Zhao Ponu ignored his anger and said with a gentle smile, "Yue Qiying, last time you didn't get to scold me, so this time you should thank me, right"

Yi Ye sat down on the couch and sighed, "If only we were in General Wei's army, I have heard that General Wei treats his soldiers like his own children. Moreover, there is General Li Guang, who shares both joys and hardships with his troops..."

Zhao Zhongwen observed Ziqing, who stood with her head lowered behind Yi Ye, giving a slight nod.

As soon as the words left his mouth, people in the queue around him immediately began to boo, signaling him to refrain from speaking

"Do not be deceived by his slender appearance; he possesses considerable strength," Zhao Ponu laughed and said, "He can throw a long spear three zhang away, I have seen it with my own eyes"

I don't know, we can just follow the person.

These two medical officers are from your group, take them inside

Montangli stood in place, took another look at Fanziqing, and irritably lifted the tent curtain to go outside