"Shao Team Leader."
"Team Leader Shao, your archery is divine!"
"Team Leader Shao, you're mighty and awe-inspiring!"
Within the Pan Manor, every squad leader, platoon leader, team leader, and even the stewards and managers who encountered Shao Xun greeted him warmly.
Everyone had a clear understanding of who was truly capable and who could better protect the safety of the farmstead.
When they heard that Yang Bao was not convinced by Shao Xun, everyone couldn't help but laugh.
What skills did Yang Bao have? He only knew how to throw punches from behind a wall.
If it weren't for Shao Xun's divine archery, would the chaotic soldiers have dispersed so easily? Moreover, even without using a bow, in a one-on-one fight, Yang Bao was no match for Shao Xun.
Shao Xun responded to everyone with a humble smile.
Wu Qian and Huang Biao followed behind him, feeling proud.
Even Qin San, who had once been beaten by Shao Xun, had "defected" to his side and was now following along, chatting and laughing.
"This time, we've really made a name for ourselves!" Huang Biao said with pride.
"Throughout the first month, Pan Manor has dealt with three waves of chaotic soldiers, and each time, Team Leader Shao played a crucial role," Qin San said with a smile.
"I think Yang Bao should stop trying to compete. He's just making a fool of himself!"
"It's not that simple," Wu Qian said, waving his horsewhip.
"I heard that the Wang Canjun who came last time has a powerful background. Liu Qia has been trying to curry favor with him. Who knows what tricks they might pull?"
"This..."
Huang Biao was speechless for a moment, then angrily said, "They're always scheming behind the scenes. Shouldn't we warriors rely on our skills to speak for us?"
"If only it were that simple," Wu Qian snorted coldly.
Qin San was dumbfounded.
He had just pledged his loyalty to Shao Xun.
Had he made a mistake?
"Listen up," Shao Xun said, giving them a stern look.
"You guys gossiping like this doesn't make you look like warriors. In this chaotic world, if you're capable, you're capable. If you're not, you're not. No matter how much Liu Qia and Yang Bao jump around, if they're not strong enough, what does it matter to me? Focus on training your troops and stop overthinking things."
"Yes, sir," they all replied.
Shao Xun thought back to the afternoon when he first met the Princess Consort.
She seemed to have been shaken by something, her emotions unsettled, and she instinctively tried to win him over.
If that was the case, then perhaps the Princess Consort could provide him with some shelter from the storm... right?
On the tenth day of the second month, after driving off the last group of a hundred or so chaotic soldiers, things finally began to calm down at Pan Manor.
Everyone seized the opportunity to start the spring planting.
One task followed another, keeping everyone busy.
In late February, Mi Huang, the Protector and Battalion Commander of the Minister of Works' office, who had been stuck in Luoyang, hurriedly arrived at Pan Manor.
"Zi Hui, you've arrived just in time," Princess Consort Pei said expressionlessly in the main hall of Pan Manor.
"Princess Consort, please forgive me. I've been busy with various affairs and neglected military matters," Mi Huang replied awkwardly.
"Mi Jun, you're such an honest man," Princess Consort Pei said with a faint smile.
It was impossible for her not to feel some resentment.
But the reality was what it was, and what could she do? At least in her husband's eyes, quickly securing benefits was the priority.
She could accept this rationally, but emotionally, it didn't sit well with her.
Mi Huang lowered his head.
As the Battalion Commander, he had been absent during the chaos caused by the rogue soldiers.
Pan Manor had effectively been without its highest military officer—even if only nominally—and if anything had gone wrong, the entire farmstead could have been destroyed.
What would have happened then? The wealth would have been plundered, the people would have suffered heavy casualties, and a noblewoman like the Princess Consort would have faced an even worse fate, possibly being sold into slavery.
Where would that leave the reputation of the Prince of Donghai?
But the situation was just that frustrating.
With the Crown Prince Sima Pi in the Minister of Works' office in Luoyang, the Prince of Donghai seemed to pay little attention to matters outside the city.
All his energy was focused on winning over "famous scholars."
In the past two months, several people had taken up positions in the Minister of Works' office.
Xue Jian from Danyang, one of the Five Talents of Jiangdong, whose ancestors had served the Eastern Wu, was recruited by the Minister of Works and promised the position of Canjun.
Gan Zhuo from Danyang, the great-grandson of the famous Eastern Wu general Gan Ning, grandson of the Minister Gan Shu, and son of the Crown Prince's Tutor Gan Chang, was also promised the position of Canjun.
If we include Wang Dao, who was recruited just before the recent conflict, and Zu Ti, the official of Prince Qi Sima Jiong's household who is currently being recruited, the number of people is even greater.
In short, things were very busy.
In addition, the struggle for military power was becoming increasingly intense.
The Minister of Works' office had more talent than last year, but their ambitions were also growing, leading to more and more tasks.
As a long-time follower of the Minister, Mi Huang had recently been busy recruiting deserters and desperadoes, and even secretly contacting officers of the Imperial Guards under the Minister's orders to win them over.
He was also very busy!
As for the battalion at Pan Manor, to be honest, no one cared about it anymore.
The old were old, the young were young—what could they accomplish? The only redeeming quality was that they were all from Donghai—local troops, naturally more trustworthy.
The Prince of Donghai didn't think much of this battalion, and neither did Mi Huang.
Therefore, besides helping the Prince recruit talents from noble families, Mi Huang had also been trying to recruit soldiers.
Under the hereditary military system, soldiers were strongly tied to their regions, making recruitment difficult.
For example, the tens of thousands of soldiers from Yuzhou who had recently scattered—they had land, homes, and families in Yuzhou.
Why would they follow you to another region to become soldiers?
Moreover, it wasn't in line with the rules.
Mobilizing hereditary soldiers from one region to garrison or fight in another wasn't impossible, but it required strict procedures.
For instance, if Yuzhou soldiers were sent to Huainan, it would theoretically be called an "expedition."
Expeditions had time limits—one, two, or three years—during which there were "rest periods" allowing soldiers to return home and reunite with their families before going back on "expedition" until the military operation was completely disbanded.
In essence, they were classical farmer-soldiers.
They were more like farmers than military households, with farming as their main occupation and military expeditions as a side job.
Their skills were not refined, their training was insufficient, and their combat effectiveness was mediocre.
Compared to hereditary soldiers, recruited soldiers were professional warriors.
They didn't need to farm to make a living and spent most of their lives training and fighting.
As long as they had sufficient provisions and pay, they could fight at any time without as many restrictions.
Mi Huang was recruiting soldiers, specifically recruited soldiers.
This was no easy task, involving many aspects and keeping him busy for a while.
"How is the situation in the capital?" Princess Consort Pei asked casually, playing with a fox fur sleeve.
"Prince Changsha is busy cleaning up the mess. He sends people to Ye City for instructions on every matter, showing great respect," Mi Huang said.
"The one in Chang'an has already ordered the vanguard army to withdraw. The crisis in Luoyang seems to have eased slightly."
Princess Consort Pei didn't comment, but a hint of mockery appeared in her beautiful phoenix eyes.
Sima Yi had clearly gained control of Luoyang, so why was he still so respectful to Sima Ying in Ye City, allowing him to participate in governing the empire? It was because the power of the various princes was still strong, especially Sima Ying in Ye City and Sima Yong in Chang'an.
Without winning them over, Sima Yi couldn't secure his position.
In Princess Consort Pei's eyes, having seen much infighting within powerful families, this so-called balance was like making a pact with a tiger.
The relationship between the two sides would inevitably break down completely.
The reason was simple: they were all descendants of the Sima family.
Who wouldn't want to follow in Sima Lun's footsteps and ascend the throne as emperor?
If they could maintain peace for half a year, it would be quite an achievement.
Thinking of this, she sighed softly.
Once a major war broke out, no one could control their own fate.
"Have you brought all the supplies?" Princess Consort Pei stopped dwelling on these worries and directly asked about what concerned her.
Mi Huang breathed a sigh of relief and quickly replied, "Twenty warhorses, sixty riding horses, a hundred draft horses, fifty sets of armor, three hundred suits of armor, a hundred bow staves, five hundred bowstrings, twelve hundred spears..."
After finishing, he subconsciously tugged at his messy beard, his features twisting together.
"I'm ashamed. As the Battalion Commander, I've been negligent for so long that the Princess Consort had to remind me."
Indeed, he had been a very unqualified Battalion Commander.
Although civil and military officials of the Jin Dynasty often held positions without fulfilling their duties, it was rare for someone like him to disappear frequently, running around on other tasks for his lord.
He didn't even know how many people were left in his battalion, and daily training had long been neglected.
He could barely remember what the various team leaders looked like.
"Zi Hui, you should come more often in the future. The times are chaotic, and no one can predict what will happen," Princess Consort Pei said, her eyelids lowered and her fingers lightly intertwined.
Her tone seemed to carry a hint of hesitation and fear.
"The battalion at Pan Manor still needs to be managed. Although the central army in Luoyang is important, it's not easy to win over."
"This..."
Mi Huang hesitated.
He seemed to sense the Princess Consort's tone but didn't suspect anything.
Women were like that, weren't they? No matter how noble or wise, it was normal for them to lose their composure when faced with difficulties.
Previously, when the Princess Consort sent someone to Luoyang to request equipment and supplies, the various advisors in the Prince's household didn't take it seriously.
Only Mi Huang, considering his position as Battalion Commander and the Princess Consort's presence at Pan Manor, spoke up and successfully sent a batch of equipment—after the Yuzhou soldiers scattered, there was no shortage of abandoned equipment, but not just anyone could get their hands on it.
Today, upon arriving, he was first questioned by the Princess Consort, leaving him full of shame.
Now, seeing the Princess Consort looking so worried and fragile, he felt even more guilty.
So he said, "I will report to the Minister tomorrow and select a group of strong recruits to send over."
The Princess Consort's beautiful eyes lifted, showing a hint of surprise, but then she hesitated.
"Recruits are often desperadoes, not people we know well. They might be difficult to manage."
"No problem," Mi Huang said confidently.
"The squad leaders and team leaders will still be filled by soldiers from Donghai. After some training, they'll stabilize."
"In that case, Zi Hui, you'll need to come a few more times to oversee the training," the Princess Consort said.
"This..."
Mi Huang paused again.
It wasn't that he didn't want to come, but he really didn't have the time.
Overseeing training required staying in the barracks, and for a busy man like him, how could he manage that?
Seeing this, the Princess Consort lowered her head, seemingly disappointed.
Mi Huang's expression twisted, and after some thought, he said, "I will certainly come often. But—ah, how about this? We can appoint one or two supervisors to handle daily training and drills. I'll come when I have time to inspect the troops..."
"Zi Hui, that's a great idea," the Princess Consort said, visibly relieved, her eyes filled with a smile.
"Without you, I really wouldn't know what to do."
Mi Huang breathed a sigh of relief, determined to report this to the Minister upon his return.
He then casually asked, "Does the Princess Consort have anyone in mind? After all, Pan Manor is ultimately under your authority."
"I'm just a woman. How would I know about such things?" Princess Consort Pei sighed.
"Since the first month, when the rogue soldiers ran rampant, I've been staying deep within the manor, filled with fear. Fortunately, the soldiers fought bravely, and we managed to avoid disaster. The servants in the household have been talking privately about a team leader named Shao Xun, who is brave and skilled, having shot over twenty bandits with his arrows, making him the top contributor. Perhaps he could be of use."
"I've also heard of this person," Mi Huang blurted out.
"Isn't he the one who secretly gathered young men?"
The Princess Consort was slightly surprised.
"It's him?"
Mi Huang nodded.
"Team leaders Yang Bao and Qin San came forward to report that Shao Xun had secretly gathered young men, plotting something. I haven't had the chance to investigate yet, so it's been delayed until now. I'm ashamed. This person..."
At this point, Mi Huang's expression turned serious, and he was about to continue when he saw the Princess Consort cover her mouth and chuckle.
"So it's him," the Princess Consort said with a smile.
"I remember now. Yang Bao and Qin San once sparred with Shao Xun and were said to have had their hairpins shot off by an arrow, kneeling and begging for mercy. They must have held a grudge, leading to this."
"So that's the backstory," Mi Huang said, suddenly understanding.
He was an honest man, but not a fool.
The Princess Consort's words showed clear favor towards Shao Xun, so he took the opportunity to say, "I will return to Luoyang tomorrow and report to the Minister, requesting the establishment of a supervisor position to oversee training. If approved, I will promote Shao Xun to supervisor."
"If all the Prince's advisors were as diligent as you, what couldn't be accomplished?" Princess Consort Pei nodded slightly.
"You flatter me, Princess Consort," Mi Huang said, his old face reddening.
Before coming, he had taken some Five Minerals Powder at the Bian household, wasting half a day.
He really didn't deserve the praise of being diligent.
The Princess Consort chuckled lightly and didn't continue on that topic.
Instead, she asked, "I heard your son has turned sixteen this year?"
"That's correct," Mi Huang said.
"Has he married yet?"
"Not yet."
"The young men of the Mi family must be quite impressive," Princess Consort Pei said thoughtfully.
"I will keep an eye out and perhaps find a bride from a prominent family for your son."
Mi Huang's face lit up with excitement, and he immediately stood up and bowed.
"Princess Consort, your kindness is greatly appreciated."
"Zi Hui, there's no need for such formality," Princess Consort Pei said, raising her hands slightly.
"The Mi family of Donghai has worked hard and contributed greatly. The Prince is busy with state affairs, and as the mistress of the inner household, it's only natural for me to share his burdens. Zi Hui, just focus on your work."
"Yes," Mi Huang replied respectfully.
After Mi Huang left, Princess Consort Pei carefully examined the fox fur sleeve in her hand.
The fox fur was quite beautiful, and it had been hunted by that Shao Xun in the mountains and presented to her.
His archery skills were indeed impressive.
With a little favor and proper cultivation, he could provide some extra security in these troubled times.
For those with talent and ability, the chaos of the world had loosened the once rigid social order.
They probably relished the opportunity, didn't they?
Some people weren't afraid of death—they were afraid of not having a chance.
"Someone, deliver the finished military uniform," Princess Consort Pei stood up and ordered, looking at the set of bright red military attire on the table.
(End of Chapter)