Jinting Han people

After entering the military camp, Liu Xian led Sima Yi on a systematic tour.

Their current camp is only one part of the Changshan Kingdom's military training grounds. Because the original plan was to recruit nine thousand elite soldiers, Liu Xian divided the training camp into three main sections, each with three thousand men. To ensure the effectiveness of the training, each section was not built like a typical military camp, but rather as a well-fortified, long-term military fortress.
Besides the usual military drill grounds, shooting ranges, fences, tents, stables, and warehouses, the camp also had trenches, watchtowers, and beacon towers. It even included unusual civilian buildings such as schools, ironworks, and clinics.

These arrangements greatly surprised Sima Yi, who asked Liu Xian, "When I read military books, I always thought that military training should be simple. Why has Your Excellency arranged it to be so complicated?"

Liu Xian walked beside Sima Yi and explained with a smile, "Your Highness is right. I did train troops in Guanzhong, but this method cannot be promoted everywhere. We must also adapt to local conditions."

"Adapt to local conditions?"

"Yes, the customs and environments vary from place to place, so the methods of training soldiers will naturally differ as well..."

This was not Liu Xian's first time training troops. Back in Xiayang, he had recruited several hundred county soldiers, and the training consisted mainly of changing formations and improving physical strength. Later, he recruited several thousand more in Beidi Commandery, using the same method. The subsequent success of suppressing the rebellion proved that this was indeed sufficient. Regardless of the generals' performance or the outcome of the battles against the Hu rebels, the soldiers' combat skills were impeccable.

However, after arriving in Changshan and undergoing some training, Liu Xian discovered that his previous experience could no longer be applied.

The reason is actually very simple: the people of Kansai live in poverty and frequently suffer from various natural and man-made disasters.

Cultivating barren land yielded meager harvests, yet the people of Guanzhong still suffered exploitation by corrupt officials, raids by bandits and nomadic tribes, and even betrayal from their own neighbors. If they were to encounter locust plagues or droughts, survival became even more precarious. Therefore, the people of Guanzhong had no choice but to hone their martial arts skills in their daily lives. This allowed them to hunt more game, compete for water and land, and be more wary of bandits. Some, driven to desperation, even became bandits themselves.

Such able-bodied men who enlisted were naturally top-quality recruits. They only needed to focus on discipline, build up their physical strength, and be taught military orders to quickly form an army.

In contrast, the people of Hebei did not suffer from such troubles. Even though the taxes were heavier, they still lived better than those in Guanzhong, so they naturally had no need to be aggressive or combative.

Moreover, since Cao Cao pacified Hebei, the region had not experienced any major warfare for nearly eighty years. After the conquest of Wu, there was a complete cessation of hostilities. This resulted in many able-bodied men in Hebei not only lacking knowledge of military formations, but also failing to even master archery.

Therefore, Liu Xian had to start training from scratch. He not only needed to teach these new recruits how to form ranks, but more importantly, he needed to let them systematically experience the atmosphere of war and establish basic knowledge of warfare. In comparison, simply practicing martial arts was less important.

With these considerations in mind, Liu Xian took the opportunity of building the camp to simulate various battlefield fortifications, giving them a preliminary understanding of the nature of warfare.

After listening to Liu Xian's explanation, Sima Yi nodded repeatedly, then chuckled and said, "According to what you're saying, sir, aren't people from Hebei useless as soldiers?"

Liu Xian laughed and said, "Of course not. Every inch has its advantages and every foot its disadvantages."

"It is true that the people of Guanzhong are skilled in martial arts, but most of them live in poverty, which results in them being short in stature. Although they are brave in private fights, they are also cunning and not easy to control. Even if military discipline is repeatedly emphasized, once the battle is not going well, desertion is inevitable."

"People from Hebei certainly have their problems, but in the end, it all boils down to a lack of exercise. However, they have been well-fed and clothed since childhood and have a good physical foundation. Although they need to spend more time training, they are also more courageous and strong after they succeed."

"Long periods of peace are not all bad. At least they have fostered a gentle and kind character in the people of Hebei, and many of them are literate, which makes it easier to maintain discipline in the army. Training troops is also much more efficient. In the future, as long as the generals are capable, they will be able to make better use of their troop strength on the battlefield."

At this point, everyone was completely convinced by Liu Xian's explanation.

Just then, the group passed by the shooting range. Sima Yi smiled at Liu Xian and said, "Lord Liu, you've just talked so much, but I don't know how effective it has been. Why don't you let me see how well the soldiers have practiced their archery?"

Liu Xian gestured lightly and said, "Your Highness, please observe."

At this moment, there were nearly 500 soldiers practicing shooting at the shooting range. This was a rule set by Liu Xian. Since archery was of utmost importance in military campaigns, he specifically ordered the soldiers in the camp to be divided into five battalions, taking turns to practice shooting at the shooting range for one hour each day.

To avoid wasting arrows, the soldiers first had to practice drawing their bows, and only after they could draw the bow thirty times consecutively in the air with both hands could they shoot at a target with a real object. Even now, only about two-thirds of them have reached this standard.

Therefore, the soldiers practicing archery were divided into three groups. New recruits practiced drawing their bows to strengthen their archery skills, while qualified soldiers practiced regular archery. However, a small group of soldiers stood out from the crowd and attracted Sima Yi's attention because their method of shooting at the target was quite unique.

First of all, the archery target was unusual. Ordinary targets are made of animal hide with the bullseye and rings drawn on it. But the target they used was not a target at all, but a wooden stake covered with thick cowhide, which was only about seven inches thick.

Secondly, the distance from which they shot their arrows differed. Generally, archery practice should be done from a hundred paces in front of the target, but these people shot their arrows from twenty paces in front of the target.

What's most striking are the bows and arrows these people use, because their bows are exceptionally long, a full foot longer than ordinary bows. The arrows are also unusually long, and the arrowheads are the strangest of all, crafted flat like a small, flat shovel with a curved tip.

A man nocked the arrow on a longbow and drew it back at a steady pace. Once fully drawn, he released the bowstring with a whoosh, and the arrow flew through the air in an arc before thudding into the wooden stake, having pierced the cowhide and penetrated deep into the wood.

Upon seeing this, Sima Yi quickly walked over and asked in surprise, "What are they practicing?"

Linghu Sheng, who was accompanying them, explained: "This is a shovel-headed arrow specially designed to deal with the Imperial Guards; it is also called a crescent-shaped arrow."

"Crescent Moon?"

Liu Xian stepped forward, took a long arrow from a soldier, handed it to Sima Yi, and explained, "Your Highness should know that when it comes to armor and equipment, the Imperial Guards of Luoyang are the best. Not only do they all wear armor, but a considerable number of them wear iron armor. If we want to win in a head-on confrontation, no matter how well I train my troops, I'm afraid it will be difficult to achieve my goal."

"Therefore, I started thinking about whether I could approach it from a different angle."

“Starting with bows and arrows was one of my ideas.”

Liu Xian ordered his men to remove the cowhide from the wooden stake and unfold it for everyone to see: "Generally speaking, using crossbows to break through armor is the best option. However, crossbows are too expensive, and if we start making them now, there probably won't be enough time. So I thought we should select skilled archers and use these specially made crescent-shaped arrows to shoot the enemy."

Sima Yi noticed the huge gash in the cowhide and clicked his tongue in amazement, asking, "Shovel-headed arrows are usually used as hunting arrows, excellent for bleeding, but only so for armor penetration. How can you use such an arrow with such power?"

"Yes, that's true for ordinary shovel-headed arrows. That's why I took these things into consideration, which is why I used a specially made longbow and modified special long arrows to train people to fire volleys at closer range, but not at close-quarters combat."

Sima Yi suddenly realized, and immediately imagined a scenario in which it could be used on the battlefield:

"Before close combat even begins, an arrow like this, whether aimed at infantry or cavalry, is enough to pierce their armor and render them incapable of fighting. If it hits the neck, it would probably sever their head as well."

“That’s right.” Liu Xian nodded with a smile, then stroked the longbow and sighed, “This is not my original creation. It’s just that by strengthening it to this extent, the arrowhead is heavier and uneven than ordinary arrows, making it more difficult to control. Only skilled archers can use it. It is also more expensive to manufacture, so it cannot be widely promoted.”

"More importantly, the archers need to have enough courage in front of the army to wait until the enemy gets close enough to penetrate their armor. That's no easy feat!"

“But using them in a concentrated manner as a surprise force is certainly a viable approach,” Sima Yi added with a smile, clearly quite satisfied with the idea.

Because he practiced archery regularly, seeing this bow and arrows made him itchy to try it himself. He simply told everyone to disperse so he could shoot a few arrows. Just as Liu Xian had said, the arrowheads were flat, and both the bow and arrows were longer than usual, which Sima Yi found quite difficult to get used to. He practiced for a while, getting a feel for it. But when he shot his first arrow, it went astray. The arrowhead grazed the wooden stake, flew off, and landed on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. It had even made a small crater in the ground, demonstrating its power.

After gaining experience, Sima Yi roughly knew how to use it.

He steadied himself, tightened his chest and abdomen, and aimed his gaze and the arrowhead at the wooden stake simultaneously. With effortless ease, he drew back the bowstring. At its maximum draw, Sima Yi remained completely still, like a still pool or a towering mountain, only releasing the string with his right hand. The crescent-shaped arrow struck the wooden stake with a resounding thud, penetrating a full four-tenths of an inch into the wood, its fletching still trembling.

This arrow demonstrated Sima Yi's skill, and everyone around cheered in approval.

Sima Yi was also very satisfied. He handed the longbow to Linghu Sheng and asked, "You stopped me at the gate earlier. I wonder if you have any real archery skills?"

Linghu Sheng had just acquired Sima Yi's beloved horse and was worried about not having a chance to show off, so he immediately agreed.

He skillfully drew his bow and shot an arrow, hitting the wooden stake squarely. But this time, whether due to Linghu Sheng's exceptional strength or the stake's already weakened state, the arrow broke the stake in two!

The crowd cheered loudly again, their hands clapping until they were numb. Sima Yi smiled at Linghu Sheng and said, "You really are a brave warrior! I'll be waiting for you to achieve great feats on the battlefield next year!"

After replacing the wooden stakes, Sima Yi ordered the archers at the shooting range to shoot one by one. Nine out of ten hit the target, and he was extremely satisfied with the success of the test. He then said to Liu Xian with great satisfaction:
"If we can train a group of archers like this, who are not crossbowmen but are better than crossbowmen, how about we form them into a battalion and call it the Victorious Crossbow Battalion?"

Liu Xian thanked him and said, "Since Your Highness bestowed this name upon us, the entire camp will certainly not dare to fail Your Highness's expectations!"

The group continued their patrol, which lasted for about two more hours until darkness fell, at which point Sima Yi's patrol finally ended. He stayed at the camp as the sun set that day. Some knights who had gone hunting returned, bringing Sima Yi two deer. They lit a campfire and roasted the skinned and gutted deer over it.

While grilling the meat, Sima Yi and Liu Xian drank and chatted.

Sima Yi had an enormous capacity for alcohol, far surpassing Liu Xian's. Fortunately, Sima Yi didn't pressure him to drink, and the two drank according to their own capacity, remaining quite comfortable together. As the wine flowed and their spirits rose, they began to talk more.

Sima Yi first asked Liu Xian, "I see that you, Lord, are skilled in training troops, so why do you often look worried?"

Liu Xian shook his head and sighed, "Your Highness, in your eyes I am skilled in training troops, but in my opinion, there is still a long way to go before I can defeat the Imperial Guards!"

"Oh? Does Your Excellency have any other thoughts?"

Liu Xian asked, "Does Your Highness know about Shanggu Camp?"

"Who doesn't know that?" Sima Yi said, tapping his knee. "The cavalry was personally trained by the Duke of Shanggu, and it's said to be the best in the world!"

Liu Xian nodded and said, "Yes! I have personally witnessed the power of Shanggu Camp. There are only three thousand cavalry in total. But every cavalryman is equipped with fine iron armor, a long spear for self-defense, and complete horse armor. Even if there are 100,000 troops in front of them, they can be forcibly broken through."

"An army like this, with a renowned general like Meng Guan in command, is truly invincible! Although I think Sun Xiu is not making the best use of everyone's talents, the thought of possibly encountering them on the battlefield still fills me with fear and panic."

"Therefore, during this period, I pondered every day what way I could possibly win?"

Sima Yi had never seen such a scene before and couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Isn't the Shengnu Battalion enough?"

“Of course not.” Liu Xian calmly assessed, “In the heat of battle, facing such cavalry, the Shengnu Battalion will only have one volley of arrows, which might cause some casualties. After that, the Shanggu Battalion will break through and there will be no chance to fire a second volley of arrows.”

"Moreover, the armor of Shanggu Camp is the finest Mingguang armor. The crescent blade can easily break through leather armor, but can it break through Mingguang armor? I'm not confident. I can probably only aim specifically at the neck."

"Your Highness, I think the most urgent task is to establish a cavalry force. The horses in the camp are still too few."

Sima Yi did not rush to make a promise, but instead asked in return, "What kind of cavalry does Your Excellency intend to establish?"

Liu Xian said, "I have two ideas right now, but I haven't decided which one to choose yet."

"Oh?" Sima Yi became curious. "Please tell me first, Lord Prefect."

"The first option is to train a special cavalry unit that uses blunt weapons to engage the enemy. They will use specially made long wooden sticks to meet the enemy. They will strike with the sticks as soon as they see them. Even if the enemy is wearing heavy armor, the blunt weapon can ignore their defenses and directly break their internal organs."

Sima Yi first nodded in approval, but then he also saw the flaw in this method and said, "It is indeed a good method, but if this tactic can be used, I'm afraid we will have to recruit strongmen and train them for a long time before it will be effective."

Liu Xian nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, that's why I hesitated."

"What about the second method?"

"The second option is to use light cavalry."

Liu Xian explained: "Although heavy cavalry is virtually invincible in terms of both impact and defense, it does reduce their mobility. They may have an advantage against infantry, but against light cavalry, they are definitely not as swift. So I think we can train a light cavalry force that can outnumber and outmobile the enemy, and then use a hail of arrows to wear down the heavy cavalry and eventually break them down."

"As for the flaws..."

Sima Yi continued, "It will require a large amount of money and grain to purchase a large number of horses."

He immediately made a decision: "The matter of money and provisions is not something you need to worry about, Your Excellency. I will find a way. No matter how difficult it is, I can guarantee that I will bring you ten thousand fine horses this year!"

Thus, the strategy for building the cavalry was finalized.

The two then discussed their views on war and military strategy, and the atmosphere gradually became more pleasant. Unexpectedly, at this moment, a knight arrived at the campfire and quietly handed a letter to Liu You, a scholar from Changshan.

After opening the letter and reading it by the firelight, Liu You's expression immediately changed. A moment later, he interrupted Sima Yi's conversation with Liu Xian, handed the letter to Sima Yi, and briefly explained:

"Yang Man has sent a letter saying that five days ago, the King of Zhao and the King of Huainan fought each other in Luoyang, and the King of Zhao won a great victory! The King of Huainan's entire family was implicated, and his followers were also wiped out. The King of Huainan's faction has been destroyed!"

These words caused everyone present to change color. Sima Yi even stood up, and after examining the scene repeatedly in the firelight, his righteous indignation gradually subsided, and he said:

"The King of Zhao has cut himself off from the world." (End of Chapter)