The commotion on the training ground had barely begun before it was quelled by Wang Dao's retreat.
Mi Huang personally sought out Shao Xun and, after a careful look, smiled and said, "You do have a bit of a heroic air about you. It seems my efforts with Wang Canjun weren't in vain."
"Your kindness, Supervisor, is deeply appreciated," Shao Xun replied.
Though he hadn't heard the conversation between Mi Huang and Wang Dao, he wasn't foolish and quickly grasped the underlying meaning.
"It's not me, but the Princess Consort's great benevolence," Mi Huang said seriously.
"The Princess Consort has shown me great favor, and you, Supervisor, have shown me great trust. I will remember both in my heart," Shao Xun responded.
Mi Huang nodded in satisfaction.
"Enough of that. I'm handing these two squads of recruits over to you. Train them well, and don't let the Princess Consort down. As for those youths and elders, do you have any thoughts?"
"Perhaps they could be settled in the estate and given tasks within their capabilities," Shao Xun suggested.
"In battle, quality matters more than quantity. If these children and elders were to scatter in panic, it would only harm morale."
"You make a good point," Mi Huang said after a moment's thought.
"Then I'll leave them all under your command. Arrange them as you see fit."
"Yes, sir," Shao Xun replied.
His impression of Mi Huang had changed.
Before, he had thought of him as a typical, out-of-touch scholar-official.
But after this interaction, he realized that Mi Huang had many admirable qualities.
First, he was honest.
Promoting Shao Xun to the position of Supervisor was an act of kindness, but Mi Huang didn't take credit for it.
Instead, he spoke the truth.
Second, he was intelligent.
Knowing that Shao Xun had been teaching the children to read and write, Mi Huang didn't separate him from them but continued to let him lead, fully considering Shao Xun's personal wishes.
Some scholar-officials might seem lazy, but they weren't stupid.
"Come, I'll introduce you to the new recruits," Mi Huang said, beckoning.
"These are the real deal—strong, skilled with various weapons, some even former soldiers from the disbanded central army. And then there are the outlaws..."
At this, Mi Huang glanced at Shao Xun.
Yes, he was tall and sturdy, but at only sixteen, he hadn't fully matured.
Could he really handle these men?
Shao Xun followed silently behind.
The iron armor gleamed in the sunlight, and with a bow on his left and a sword on his right, he walked with the confidence of a tiger, his eyes filled with determination, as if no one could stand in his way.
They soon arrived before the formation.
A hundred men stood in perfect order, spears in hand.
Shao Xun surveyed them with a professional eye.
This group was quite a mix.
Some looked strong and powerful, but their faces were honest, their eyes timid.
Clearly, they had never seen battle or "bullied" anyone.
They were just good, simple folk.
There was a widespread rumor in later times that honest, simple people made the best soldiers.
But in the Western Jin Dynasty, after some experience, people had already dismissed this notion, considering such soldiers "dull" and "weak," unfit for battle.
Shao Xun didn't think much of them either.
At best, they were passable soldiers who needed significant training.
Far from being excellent.
Others had stern, indifferent faces, as if they had long since lost all passion and ideals in the chaos of the times.
Now, they were just killing machines, living day by day, not caring if they died.
These were likely soldiers from the central army in Luoyang, probably scattered during the Sima Lun rebellion.
They had no intention of returning to their units, just drifting aimlessly in the chaos.
The third group had a fierce, menacing air, mostly bandits who had likely killed more than once.
In these times, even bandits had it tough.
If they could still rob merchants and kill commoners to survive, why would they willingly join the army and submit to discipline?
"These soldiers..."
Mi Huang seemed to know their backgrounds but hesitated, unsure how to explain.
Finally, he said, "Train them well. Don't let them cause trouble."
"Yes, sir," Shao Xun replied, his eyes scanning their faces.
Some instinctively lowered their heads, others met his gaze calmly, and a few seemed resentful of his youth, looking at him with a hint of challenge.
Ha! Interesting.
He loved dealing with troublemakers.
"Supervisor Shao, you can say a few words," Mi Huang said, coughing lightly.
"Yes, sir," Shao Xun replied, saluting.
He walked straight into the formation and stopped before a man with an honest face.
"What's your name?"
"Zhang Gu."
"Why did you join the army?"
Zhang Gu hesitated.
"The King of Qi tore down my house, and I had nowhere to go. When my parents were alive, they arranged a marriage for me. I thought I could become a live-in son-in-law and have a meal, but the butcher Zheng no longer wanted me and called off the engagement."
Laughter erupted in the ranks.
Zhang Gu's face turned red, and he looked lost.
"You speak well. Butcher Zheng made a mistake," Shao Xun said with a smile.
"What skills do you have?"
"I've slaughtered pigs, sheep, and cows. I'm quick and clean, one cut and they're dead. I can skin them fast too," Zhang Gu said, puffing out his chest.
"Have you ever killed a man?" Shao Xun asked.
"No," Zhang Gu's face paled.
"Killing a man is no different from killing a pig," Shao Xun said.
"One cut, and they both feel pain, both die. The difference is, when you kill a pig, it screams and defecates. When you kill a man, he fights back, begs for mercy. Now that you're a soldier, you need to learn how to kill. Kill until others fear you, until they avoid you. Then, when you stand before Butcher Zheng, he won't dare look down on you. Understand?"
Zhang Gu nodded meekly.
"Look at you, so timid!" Shao Xun scoffed.
"From now on, follow me, and I'll teach you how to kill. One day, when you've made a name for yourself, Butcher Zheng will see how wrong he was."
"Yes, sir," Zhang Gu replied.
Shao Xun punched him lightly.
"Don't lower your head when you speak. My soldiers are all brave men. Brave men don't cower. Stand tall, don't be afraid. Killing a pig is killing, killing a man is killing. If you keep acting so meek, you'll be looked down upon for life. Understand?"
"Understood!" Zhang Gu shouted.
Shao Xun nodded and moved to another soldier, grabbing his arm and opening his palm.
"How long have you been using a bow?" he asked.
"About seven or eight years."
"Where did you serve before?"
"The Youji Battalion."
"Under which general?"
"The Right Guard General."
The central army stationed in Luoyang was known as the "Seven Guards," each led by a general: Left Guard, Right Guard, Front, Rear, Left, Right, and Cavalry.
Specifically, the Right Guard General's forces were divided into three main parts:
The Vanguard Battalion (heavy infantry, led by the Tiger Guard General), the Youji Battalion (archers, led by the Archery General), and the Strong Crossbow Battalion (crossbowmen, led by the Crossbow General);
The cavalry units, led by five commanders: the Marksman Tiger Guard Commander, Tiger Guard Commander, Imperial Guard Commander, Cavalry Commander, and Elite Force Commander;
The Palace Guard General's forces, mostly infantry with a few archers and cavalry.
This soldier, who had been using a bow for seven or eight years, came from the Youji Battalion under the Right Guard General.
His skills should be decent—if this battalion, named after the famous archer Yang Youji, hadn't deteriorated.
"Why did you join the army?" Shao Xun asked.
The soldier seemed lost, as if he hadn't thought about it.
After a moment, he replied, "My family is gone. I have nowhere to go."
"A real man doesn't worry about finding a wife," Shao Xun said, patting his shoulder.
"You're still young. Fight bravely on the battlefield, earn some merit, and starting a family will be easy. Don't give up on yourself."
He knew that if he didn't gather these scattered soldiers, someone else would.
If Liu Yao, Liu Cong, or Shi Le came to Luoyang and raised their banners, these seasoned soldiers would naturally join them.
Who cares who they fight for? Do they really care about national loyalty? The Han soldiers under Shi Le were the main force.
How many soldiers could the Jie tribe, with its small population, really provide?
"I'll remember your words, Supervisor," the soldier said with a sigh.
Shao Xun moved to another man, looking him up and down.
"You look like a bandit. Killed a lot of people, huh?"
This was a burly man with a scar on his face.
He replied gruffly, "A dozen or so. I've even tasted the flavor of an official's daughter."
Real bandits were different.
Seeing Shao Xun's youth, he felt a bit of resentment and spoke without thinking, not caring if he might be arrested and tortured to confess his crimes.
Shao Xun's face darkened, and he twisted the man's arm.
The scarred bandit tried to resist but was quickly forced to his knees.
Shao Xun grabbed his hair, pulled a small dagger from his boot, and pressed it to the man's throat.
"The Supervisor's duty is to enforce discipline and train soldiers. You've defied your superior and deserve a whipping—do you submit?"
"I submit, I submit," the bandit said, his voice trembling as he eyed the gleaming dagger.
"Take ten lashes," Shao Xun said, releasing him.
The bandit slunk out of line.
Huang Biao and two youths stepped forward and dragged him aside.
The youths, likely never having seen such a fierce man, were shaking, but the bandit didn't resist.
He was stripped and lashed.
Shao Xun drew his bow, strung it with a flourish, and without looking, turned and fired.
The arrow flew through the air and struck a straw dummy dozens of paces away.
"Follow orders, and you'll have wealth and honor. Defy them, and don't blame me for being ruthless," Shao Xun said, putting away his bow.
The soldiers, who had been staring in awe, immediately shouted in unison, "Yes, sir!"
The bandit, still lying on the ground after his whipping, looked at the trembling straw dummy and swallowed hard.
"Supervisor, with skills like that, I, Chen Yougen, will follow you!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet, still bare-bottomed.
"Yougen, do you have the guts?" Shao Xun asked, glancing at Chen Yougen's crotch.
"Supervisor, you underestimate me!" Chen Yougen shouted.
"If I don't have the guts to kill the enemy, I'll cut off my own balls!"
Everyone laughed.
Even Mi Huang couldn't help but smile.
It takes a tough man to handle tough men.
This newly appointed Supervisor Shao seemed to have some real skills and might just be able to lead this unit well.
But—why was he so skilled?
A sixteen-year-old boy, acting like a seasoned veteran who had crawled out of a pile of corpses? It was baffling.
(End of Chapter)