The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 349 Elite Cavalry Camp

After the bandit suppression was over, the student soldiers returned to the school camp.

During the assessment, the supervisors brought by Li Shurong followed them throughout, firstly to record their performance, and secondly to immediately take over command and lead the student soldiers to fight the enemy if danger arose.

The final result was good.

In this practical assessment, all 300-plus students passed, and a few students, including Chen Muzhi, received excellent ratings.

The practical assessment was successfully completed, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

But this ease didn't last long. Two days later, a cavalry unit of the Wuwei Army, dressed in yellow armor with red trim, entered the school camp.

They split into small teams and meticulously cleaned the mountains, forests, and valleys surrounding the camp, leaving no place unchecked that might be lurking in danger.

"It's the Imperial Guard! They're protecting His Majesty from danger!"

The students recognized the armor of the Wuwei Army and were secretly excited.

The king is really coming!
The next morning, the deafening sound of horses' hooves echoed in the distance.

"Boom boom boom~"

More Wuwei Army cavalrymen than yesterday rode in, their yellow flags and armor gleaming in the morning sun like a flowing golden river.

Chief Instructor Zhao Lie and half of the instructors were waiting outside the camp early in the morning. When they saw the Wuwei Army troops stop in front of the camp, they immediately led everyone to go forward to greet them.

When Li Xiao appeared at the front of the group, Zhao Lie and the others all placed their right hands on their chests and loudly proclaimed, "This humble general, Zhao Lie, along with the instructors of the Jinzhou Military Academy, pays respects to Your Majesty!"

"Meet the king!"

Li Xiao wore dark gold dragon-patterned armor, a plumed helmet, and a dragon-headed cavalry saber at his waist, exuding an aura of majesty and sharpness.

He dismounted and said in a loud voice, "We're all on the same side, no need for formalities."

As everyone stood up, they noticed a small figure following Li Xiao.

Jin Dao also rode a gentle horse and wore a small dark gold armor. The dragon pattern on the armor was replaced with a python pattern, which was both noble and childlike.

He had a short sword given to him by Li Xiao at his waist, and a small red cloak draped over his back. He sat upright on his horse, looking exactly like a young general.

Although no one has ever seen Jin Dao, his identity can be guessed from his clothing and stance.

"His appearance is somewhat similar to that of the King, so he must be the young prince."

"Judging by his age, this should be the Queen's eldest son, Prince Zhao?"

"Although the young prince is young, he already exudes a majestic aura, befitting the king's eldest son."

Looking at Jin Dao's appearance, Zhao Lie and the other instructors secretly speculated.

Li Xiao's next words confirmed their guess.

"Jin Dao, come and pay your respects to the instructors." Li Xiao beckoned Jin Dao forward.

With the help of his guards, Jin Dao jumped off his horse and walked up to Zhao Lie and the others. He bowed and patted his chest in a gesture of respect, just like an adult: "Li Shizhao greets all the instructors."

Zhao Lie and the others quickly stepped aside, patting their chests and saying, "Your Highness is too kind to us. We dare not accept such an honor."

“You all deserve it.”

Li Xiao chuckled, stepped forward, and patted Jin Dao's head: "Next year, Jin Dao will enter the military academy. You will all be his teachers then, teaching him riding, archery, and tactics."

“This bond between teacher and student certainly deserves his bow.”

"You don't need to treat him as my son. Train him however you want. I won't feel sorry for him."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Lie and the others were deeply moved.

Ordinary nobles would dote on their children, but the king took the initiative to send the young prince to a military academy with harsh conditions to train with ordinary students. This vision and foresight are truly admirable.

Afterwards, the crowd escorted Li Xiao into the camp. As Zhao Lie led the way, he gave Li Xiao a detailed introduction to the current situation of the Jinzhou Military Academy.

After all, Li Xiao had been away on campaign for three years, and the situation at the academy had changed quite a bit.

For example, Li Xiao was unaware of the situation of the third cohort of students.

This is because these students were recruited shortly after Li Xiao went on his expedition.

"Your Majesty, the school now divides students into three groups according to age: the first group is fourteen to sixteen years old, the second group is ten to thirteen years old, and the third group is seven to nine years old."

"The first phase has 346 people, the second phase has 568 people, and the third phase has 832 people."

……

There are two main reasons why the number of older students decreases. The first is the strict elimination system.

The Jinzhou Military Academy conducts annual assessments. Students who fail two consecutive assessments will be held back a year, and those who fail again will be expelled.

Like gold being sifted from sand, only the truly exceptional remain, naturally resulting in a smaller number of students.

On the other hand, there are restrictions on the source of students.

Many parents are reluctant to send their children here because boys are the main breadwinners in the family. If they stay at home, they can herd sheep, do farm work, and can also join the army to make a living when they grow up.

Therefore, most of the students in the first cohort were war orphans.

However, as living conditions in northern Xinjiang have improved, more and more insightful people have realized the benefits of schools, which not only teach skills but also give children a bright future.

Even if the family loses a laborer, there is one less mouth to feed. Moreover, students can earn their food expenses by herding sheep and doing chores at school, so they are not eating and living there for free.

Therefore, more and more people began to send their children to school, and the number of students naturally increased with each new term.

But as the saying goes, only the strong survive the test of time; those who remain are the true heroes.

The Qin state vigorously developed education, primarily to improve the overall quality of its people, but more importantly, to select and cultivate elite talents.

The elite of the entire Qin state will be brought under my control and put to use.

Listening to Zhao Lie's introduction, Li Xiao nodded slightly, showing satisfaction with the development of the Jinzhou Military Academy.

He then turned to a one-armed middle-aged man beside him and asked in a deep voice, "Military Advisor, when the military academy was first established, Jinzhou and the desert were used as pilot sites."

"How is the Desert Academy doing now? What about the other academies?"

Wu Gang was born into a Han Chinese family in Jinzhou and rose to the rank of deputy commander. He lost an arm in the war with the Naiman people and chose to change careers. He was appointed by Li Xiao to establish the Jinzhou Military Academy.

He was the first head instructor of the academy, and he managed the Jinzhou Military Academy with great success. (See Chapter 232)
It's fair to say that if Wu Gang hadn't changed careers, he would be at least a wealthy man by now.

However, after changing careers, he also ushered in the second spring of his career.

After the first batch of students successfully completed the pilot program, Li Xiao decided to expand the Northern Frontier School system and established the Education Department under the Grand Protectorate, which was on the same level as the Department of Revenue, the Salt and Iron Department, and other departments.

Wu Gang was appointed as a military advisor in the Education Department, responsible for overseeing all military and educational affairs in the northern border region.

Upon hearing Li Xiao's question, Wu Gang stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Your Majesty, the Desert Martial Arts Academy is slightly smaller than that of Jinzhou. The first class had 235 students, and the second class had 508 students..."

“Besides Jinzhou and the desert, the military academies in Yinshan, Yili and Gansu have also been put on the right track.”

Wu Gang continued, "Yinshan Academy currently has over three hundred students; Yili Academy is located near Qihe, where wars are frequent, resulting in even more orphans, and has six hundred students."

"Gansu School was the smallest in scale because it was newly established, with only over three hundred students."

Jinzhou and the desert were the foundation of the Qin state, one being the political center and the other the economic center, and many policies were implemented first in these two states.

But other states are also making steady progress.

In addition to the military academy, the Education Department also established a 'prefectural school' in each thousand-household garrison.

Many people are unwilling to send their children to school, as that would mean the family would lack an important source of labor.

However, education in northern Xinjiang still needs to be further developed, at least to enable more people to learn to read.

Thus, the prefectural school was established. It was not as comprehensive or professional as the military academy; it was more like a literacy class.

Due to limited resources, only one or two teachers could be assigned to each household, and their core task was to teach the children to read.

Even if you only know your own name and can write one, two, three, that's good enough.

In addition, there is a special group in the education system: war orphans.

All war orphans were raised in special camps, where female workers were hired to take care of their lives; these camps were essentially orphanages.

When the children reach the age of six, they will be streamed according to their gender: girls will enter vocational schools to learn skills such as spinning and weaving, enough to support themselves.

Given the limited circumstances of the era, allowing them to grow up peacefully, get married, have children, and contribute to the population growth of northern Xinjiang was their duty.

Boys would enter military academies to receive military training, but the academies implemented a strict elimination system, with annual assessments. Those who passed would be promoted, and those with talents in medicine or craftsmanship would be transferred to specialized schools for further training.

Those who fail repeatedly will be held back a grade. If they still do not improve, they will be assigned to herd sheep on a state-owned ranch, so as not to waste educational resources.

It's not that we're giving up on them, but everyone has different talents. Perhaps when they grow up, they will also shine on the battlefield, but they will definitely have to put in more effort than students from academies.

As Li Xiao walked into the camp, he listened to Wu Gang's brief introduction of the various schools, academies, and preschools, nodding from time to time.

He said in a deep voice, "Education is a long-term plan, and it is fundamental to the foundation of our Great Qin Dynasty."

“You have done a thorough job in the prefectural schools to promote literacy, early childhood education to lay a solid foundation, and military training to cultivate talent. None of these can be neglected. You have done a very good job.”

As they spoke, the group arrived at the training ground.

All that could be heard were the sounds of horses' hooves, shouts of killing, and constant yelling, as the student soldiers were undergoing various training exercises.

Some were doing pull-ups, their arm veins bulging; some were practicing slashing with sabers, their movements swift and precise; others were circling the sand table, deducing tactics under the instructors' guidance.

Chen Muzhi was leading several team members to adjust the Tiger Cannon and calibrate the muzzle angle.

Although they were cavalry, they still needed to have some knowledge of artillery, so that they could at least replace artillerymen and perform simple tasks in critical moments.

At that moment, Chen Muzhi's gaze fell upon the crowd in the distance, and instantly, his mind was shaken.

"That's~"

“Your Majesty!!”

The leader was dressed in dark gold dragon-patterned armor, tall and imposing, with an extraordinary aura.

Although the distance is still far, his expression is exactly the same as Li Xiao's in my memory.

Three years have passed, and Your Majesty remains as mighty as ever.

The other students also turned to look, their eyes instantly gleaming with excitement—the King has arrived!

Despite their excitement, no one spoke out or left their posts without permission; instead, their training movements became increasingly standardized and powerful.

Seeing this, the instructor in charge whispered, "Focus on training."

"Show your true skills, so as not to disappoint the King's expectations!" The students responded in unison, and the shouts on the training ground suddenly rose several notches.

Beside Li Xiao, Zhao Lie pointed to the training ground and introduced, "Your Majesty, these subjects are all being conducted according to the syllabus you formulated back then."

"We warm up with morning exercises, learn tactical sand table and cultural lessons in the morning, practice horse archery, physical fitness and artillery use in the afternoon, and learn wilderness survival and first aid in the evening."

"Just as you said, only those who are good at fighting, strategizing, and literate can be considered qualified soldiers of the Great Qin."

Li Xiao's gaze swept across the training ground, and seeing the students' high spirits, a hint of approval appeared on his lips: "Not bad, they haven't wasted their time."

At this moment, Zhao Lie took a neatly folded report card from the instructor behind him and handed it over with both hands: "This is the final assessment report card for the first batch of 346 students."

"In addition to the previous actual combat bandit suppression, the results also included scores in subjects such as horsemanship and archery, tactics, and cultural studies. The entire process was supervised by Li Baihu and other members of the Wuwei Army to ensure fairness."

Li Xiao took the report card and his eyes fell on the familiar names.

"Chen Muzhi achieved 'Excellent' in horseback archery, 'Excellent' in tactical simulation, 'Excellent' in academic subjects, and 'First Class' in combat assessment."

All results were among the best.

Following closely behind were Mu Ying, Zhang Hatu, Liu Damao, Feng Hu, and Xiao Mouen, all of whom were outstanding members of the student army.

He pointed to the list and nodded with satisfaction: "They are all good sons of my Great Qin."

"They are skilled in horsemanship and archery, have strong tactics, and can read and write. They are much better than we were back then."

"You have worked hard to cultivate these outstanding students."

Zhao Lie quickly replied, "It's all thanks to Your Majesty's excellent teaching. Every rule and every subject in the school was personally set by you, and your subordinates dare not slack off."

Who says the 'Black-Faced God' is cold-blooded and ruthless? He's quite adept at social skills in front of Li Xiao, always full of nice words.

"Emergency gathering!"

A moment later, Zhao Lie gave the order in a loud voice.

An emergency assembly call immediately sounded at the training ground. The student soldiers reacted instantly, quickly putting down their training exercises and rushing towards the square.

"Tap tap tap tap~"

In just a short while, more than 300 students had formed ten neat square formations, perfectly straight and completely silent except for the faint rustling of their clothes, demonstrating their strong discipline.

Above the square, the golden sun and moon battle flag fluttered in the wind, and the portrait of Li Xiao under the flag was lifelike.

Before the portrait, Li Xiao stood personally, clad in dark gold dragon-patterned armor. Sunlight shone on the armor, reflecting a dazzling light, and his imposing aura silenced the entire square.

His gaze slowly swept over each young face, from Chen Muzhi's resolute eyes to Mu Ying's straight back, and then to the slightly nervous and excited expressions of the boys in the back row.

Finally, he spoke, his voice booming like a bell: "My lads, it has been three years, and I have come to see you again."

Li Xiao was not a hands-off manager when he established the Jinzhou Military Academy.

Previously, whenever he was in Jinzhou, he would often take time to visit the school.

Sometimes he would personally demonstrate the techniques of slashing with a saber, sometimes he would sit by the sand table and work out tactics with the students, and sometimes he would even eat naan and drink porridge with the children.

Chen Muzhi's students were almost all people he had watched grow up.

Three years have passed since the Eastern Expedition. The child with the innocent face of yesteryear has now grown into a tall and handsome young man, so much so that he can hardly recognize himself anymore.

"Do you still remember three years ago, when I last came to the school, Chen Muzhi, you were dismounted from your horse by Mu Ying because you were short, and you vowed to take revenge and surpass Mu Ying."

Li Xiao suddenly looked at Chen Muzhi in the first row, his tone somewhat teasing: "Now that I have been on an eastern expedition for three years, you have become stronger and taller."

"He was able to lead a team to wipe out bandits and even got first place in the assessment. Well done."

Chen Muzhi blushed and subconsciously straightened his back, his eyes filled with emotion. The king actually remembered his embarrassing incident from back then.

Li Xiao's gaze shifted to the other side: "And you, Mu Ying..."

When Li Xiao met the students, he talked about some of their past experiences, which instantly brought back memories of three years ago, or even earlier.

The way she looked at Li Xiao became even more affectionate and excited.

However, Li Xiao's tone soon became serious: "You have not disappointed me in this practical assessment."

"More than 300 people wiped out two bandit groups with zero casualties. This is not only a success of Daqin Education, but also the result of your hard work."

"You must remember, you are not ordinary teenagers, you are the future of Qin, the backbone of China."

He paused, his gaze becoming distant: "Regardless of your origins, from the day you stepped into this camp, you shared a common identity: warriors of the Northern Frontier, soldiers of the Great Qin!"

“In the future, you may go to the grasslands to defend against foreign enemies, or you may go to Guanzhong to protect the people, or you may become officials and lead the people of Qin to cultivate and herd livestock.”

"But wherever you are, remember the word 'China'."

"This land is the root of the Chinese people, the home that our ancestors have guarded for thousands of years."

"I hope that one day, you will follow me and let the banner of 'Great Qin' fly over all the lands where the sun and moon shine, and let the name of 'Huaxia' be so respected that the barbarians of all directions will never dare to look down upon it again!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the students shouted in unison:

"Loyal to Qin! Loyal to the King!"

The sound reverberated through the valley.

Jin Dao stood beside Li Xiao, raising his small fist as well, his eyes filled with determination.

Next year, he will also become a member here, just like these older brothers, fighting for the Great Qin.

Li Xiao nodded in satisfaction and continued, "I assure you that as long as you are willing to work hard, learn, and contribute to the Great Qin, I will never treat you unfairly."

"Those who make merits will be rewarded, and those who make mistakes will be punished. Whether you are the child of a general or the child of a herdsman, you must earn your future through your own abilities."

“In the future, some of you will surely become generals, pillars of the state capable of standing alone. I await the good news of your achievements.”

Li Xiao's voice echoed across the square, and the students' eyes shone even brighter.

As soon as he finished speaking, he changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat solemn: "And now, I will give you an even more substantial reward, bestowing upon you a new designation."

"This unit is called the 'Valiant Cavalry Battalion'!"

Li Xiao's voice was firm and resounding: "The name 'Xiaoqi Camp' is derived from the meaning of 'brave and skilled in battle, the vanguard of cavalry'."

"From this day forward, you will be the first soldiers of the Great Qin Cavalry!"

At the same time, two soldiers from the Armed Police Force came up carrying a battle flag and a suit of armor.

The battle flag was not any of the colors commonly seen in the Qin army of the Seven Garrisons, but a deep black with a white sun and moon pattern embroidered in the center and silver tassels along the edges.

As it unfolds in the wind, it exudes a sharp, murderous aura.

The other person held a set of cloth armor, also with a dark background, with fine cloud patterns engraved on the edges of the plates, and sun and moon symbols on the chest. It was more exquisite and more intimidating than the training armor the students had worn before.

The students erupted in cheers, their eyes filled with unbelievable surprise.

They thought that the assessment would just be a graduation assignment, but the king actually gave them new unit numbers and bestowed upon them exclusive battle flags and armor.

Chen Muzhi clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and he was so excited that he could hardly speak.

"The Valiant Cavalry?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhao Lie and the others' eyes. They originally thought that the students were just being assigned numbers, but they did not expect that the king would be forming a brand new army.

Li Shurong, however, knew more inside information and whispered to the crowd, "According to the King's wishes, the core of the Valiant Cavalry Battalion will be composed of 346 students from the first class of the Jinzhou Military Academy and 245 students from the first class of the Desert Military Academy."

"In addition, Your Majesty will recruit more than 500 good young men aged 16 to 18 from the common people, and select 50 elite soldiers from the Wuwei Army to serve as junior officers and instructors."

"Once we have gathered 1,200 men, we will officially form the Valiant Cavalry Battalion!"

The Swift Cavalry Battalion was modeled after the Six Garrisons system, only with a change in name.

The current plan is to form six centurions, with four cavalry centurions as the core, and additional artillery centurions and crossbow centurions, supplemented by engineering corps, logistics corps, and communications corps.

A versatile elite force capable of both frontal assaults and handling complex situations such as fortification defense and logistical support.

It is also a completely professional army, unlike the Six Garrisons.

He walked up to the set of dark armor, reached out and stroked the armor plates, his tone filled with expectation for the future: "You students are the root of the Valiant Cavalry."

"The veterans of the Armed Forces will be responsible for showing you around the battlefield, while the teenagers recruited from the civilian population will be led by you."

"Teach them all the riding, archery, tactics, and discipline you learned in school, and make the Elite Cavalry Battalion a truly united and iron-willed army."

He looked at the excited young men before him, his eyes full of meaning: "My expectations for the Valiant Cavalry are not just about winning a few battles or eliminating a lot of enemies."

"You must remember that you are not only soldiers, but also the 'seeds' of the Qin army."

“In the future, some of you may become captains, centurions, or even higher-ranking officers in the cavalry.”

“Some will go to other units to serve as instructors, spreading the style and tactics of the Elite Cavalry Battalion throughout the entire Northern Frontier Army; some will take what they have learned here to guard every inch of the Qin territory.”

"On your shoulders you carry not only the battle flag of the Valiant Cavalry, but also the future of the Great Qin."

Li Xiao raised his voice, his gaze sweeping over each student, "I hope that ten or twenty years from now, when someone mentions the most elite troops of the Great Qin, the first thing they will think of is you—the Valiant Cavalry!"

"Thinking of how you all set off from this military academy, carrying your loyalty to the Qin Dynasty and your protection of China, and were invincible on the battlefield!"

"We swear to serve the King to the death! We swear to protect the Qin Dynasty to the death!"

The students shouted excitedly in unison, their voices making the battle flags on the square flutter loudly.

They all raised their right hands and solemnly swore an oath to Li Xiao and the Sun and Moon Battle Flag, their youthful faces filled with determination.

In Li Xiao's mind, the Valiant Cavalry Battalion also had another name—"Training Camp".

He never intended to treat this unit as just an ordinary combat unit from the beginning.

The reason for using student soldiers as the backbone is that they have received systematic education, are highly malleable, and can perfectly execute the tactics and discipline he has set.

The purpose of recruiting good young men from civilian families is to expand the pool of recruits and allow more young men from northern Xinjiang to receive formal military training.

The purpose of drawing on the elite and trusted members of the Wuwei Army was to make up for the lack of combat experience in the student army and to form a virtuous cycle of "veterans leading new recruits and key personnel passing on their experience".

At this moment, the elite cavalry battalion was nothing more than a seed.

Li Xiao's plan was to wait until these student soldiers were tempered on the battlefield and truly grew into qualified officers.

As more students graduate from the military academy and join the ranks, this "training camp" will take root and flourish like a tree.

First, it expanded from a thousand households of 1,200 people to ten thousand households of 5,000 people, then grew into a town of ten thousand people, and finally became the core force of the Qin army, shouldering the heavy responsibility of protecting China and expanding its territory.

(End of this chapter)