Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 372 Great Zhou Imperial Guard Cavalry Soldier ~ Lin Dao
He fastened his armor and took out his weapon.

He leaned against the wall near the window with his back to it, and used the muzzle of his gun to slightly pry open the window and look out.

Outside the window was the bumpy, broken road through the village, where a hundred or so cavalrymen were riding back and forth, shouting and beckoning everyone in the village to come out.

These cavalrymen mostly wore narrow-sleeved short robes and trousers with drawstring cuffs, and leather boots on their feet.

Most of them were not wearing armor, and some did not even have weapons in their hands.

The few soldiers who wore armor were wearing two-piece armor.

Seeing this, Lin Dao's heart stirred slightly. "This doesn't seem like they're here to massacre the village."

He had witnessed a real massacre of a village; at the very least, one had to be properly dressed.

The soldiers, armed with armor, massacred the village, leaving the villagers with virtually no power to fight back.

"Everyone out, get out now!"

The soldiers rode back and forth, shouting, "By order of the Great Zhou Emperor, we are summoning those from Zezhou who dare to fight to join the army and assist in the battle."

"Is there anyone willing to be a guide?"

This Zhou army has come from afar from Bianzhou and needs a guide to lead the way.

Given the style of the military in this era, it is already quite good that they were able to give a heads-up first.

A large number of soldiers began storming courtyards and digging up houses to arrest people.

The entire village was in chaos, with shouts of people and neighing of horses.

When the soldiers rushed into the house in the forest, they looked around and saw that there was nothing in the dilapidated house, so they turned around and left.

A moment later, Lin Dao reappeared, now dressed in linen clothes.

Lin Dao tugged at his collar to cover his chainmail underneath, glanced at the situation outside, and decisively seized the opportunity to go out.

The villagers, young and old, were gradually gathered together.

Everyone was filled with fear and unease.

After all, these days, warriors would draw their swords at the slightest dissatisfaction.

Lin Dao blended into the crowd and wasn't particularly conspicuous.

"Please don't panic, everyone."

The cavalry commander rode forward and said, "I am under the command of the Great Zhou Imperial Guard Cavalry Commander."

"By order of the Emperor of the Great Zhou, we have come here to resist the rebel army of the false Han."

"We have come from afar and urgently need a guide."

"Anyone willing to fight and join the army is welcome."

The villagers were somewhat surprised.

This constable is very kind!
These days, it's rare to find a warrior who speaks so kindly.

However, still no one was willing to step forward.

After so many years of fighting, the people aren't stupid.

They had a smattering of knowledge about what the military was like.

Nobody dared to go.

The military commander's expression gradually turned cold.

The villagers didn't react; they were being incredibly ungrateful.

Just as he was about to lose his temper, a tall, burly man pushed through the crowd and stepped out.

"I go."

Lin Dao clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I will go with you, please don't make things difficult for me."

"What a valiant man!" the military commander exclaimed. "Can you ride a horse?"

They were cavalrymen from the Imperial Guard, and they didn't need infantry as cannon fodder, so there was no need to forcibly conscript villagers.

If it were foot soldiers who came here, all the able-bodied men in the village would have been taken away.

Lin Dao nodded. "Yes."

He checked the information last night.

Knowing that the Central Plains of this era belonged to warriors.

Starting from scratch was too troublesome, so on the advice of netizens, he took the initiative to infiltrate the military system of the Later Zhou Dynasty.

They simply seized Chai Rong's power.

Anyway, Chai Rong wasn't a good person either.

In chaotic times, people only care about their own interests, and there are really very few good people among them.

Just like this time, in order to deal with the combined forces of the Northern Han and the Khitan, Chai Rong practically wiped out his entire army.

The record states that "an imperial edict was issued to all provinces to recruit strong and courageous fugitives from the mountains and forests and send them to the capital, whereupon they were still referred to as 'strongmen.'"

The emperor, recognizing that many agile and courageous men came from among bandits, ordered local authorities to recruit them. Those who answered the call were pardoned and placed under the protection of the imperial guards.

Chai Rong ordered that a large number of bandits and outlaws who had gathered in the mountains be recruited into the army, then pardoned their crimes and led them to fight.

Chai Rong, who was capable of such a thing, was a ruthless and cunning man, definitely not a good person.

The military commander ordered, "Bring that horse over to him."

In terms of military system, the commander of the cavalry was called the Military Commissioner.

The infantry commander is the head of the battalion.

A tall packhorse was led over; its coat was dry and dull, and it looked thin and listless.

The cavalry would naturally cherish their horses, but this particular horse was sick and had not been cured, so it was temporarily given to Lin Dao to ride.

Seeing Lin Dao skillfully put the bridle on the horse, fasten the saddle, and nimbly mount the horse.

The envoy nodded in satisfaction; indeed, he was a skilled horseman.

"Lead the way to Gaoping."

Gaoping, or Gaoping County, was under the jurisdiction of Zezhou and was located at the northernmost point of the Zezhou Basin.

The combined forces of the Northern Han and Khitan, advancing south from the north, would inevitably pass through this area.

Waving goodbye to the villagers who were seeing him off with tears in their eyes, Lin Dao turned his horse around and headed out of the village toward the official road.

Having lived in different times and spaces in ancient times, he knows everything he needs to know.

The main passage connecting different places was the official road.

Gaoping County is in the north; just go north on the official road.

The Zhou army cavalry who followed along were all astonished; Lin Dao's horsemanship was truly exceptional.

If they hadn't been riding a sick horse, they probably would have shaken them off long ago.

During their rest, the military commander chose a sandbar nestled between the official road and the riverbank to rest.

The cavalrymen led their horses into the water to wash and water them.

Lin Dao, on the other hand, carefully examined the horse's teeth and eyes.

"It looks like they've been infected with parasites."

Actually, the best way is to check the horse manure.

But Lin Dao wasn't interested.

Logically, brewing some deworming herbs would have been enough, but I don't know if the horse didn't take the medicine or if the medicine wasn't effective enough.

"Have something to eat."

The military commander stepped forward and handed over some dry rations.

Seeing his imposing stature and superb horsemanship, they decided to recruit him.

If it were a chubby guide, he'd be lucky to escape being cooked, let alone be given food. Lin Dao took the dry rations, squeezed the hard biscuit in his hand, and felt it was as hard as a rock.

"Eating this stuff is like opening a beer bottle with your teeth with every bite."

"Wait a minute."

Lin Dao strode toward the woods on one side of the official road. "I'm going to get some food."

Zhou's cavalrymen didn't care and continued to go about their business.

They were not worried about Lin Dao escaping.

This place is dozens of miles away from the previous village, and there are still squads of Later Zhou soldiers on the road ahead.

If they couldn't take the official road, they would have to travel hundreds of miles of mountain roads to escape back.

Traveling a hundred miles through mountainous terrain by oneself? That's suicidal!
Of course, Lin Dao wouldn't go hunting.

Many forests look vast, but in reality, there aren't many large prey, and the search and pursuit can take a long time.

He went to the Shanglin Garden in the Yuanshuo era and asked the garden supervisor for a deer.

They twisted the deer's neck, carried it on their shoulders, and returned.

When he appeared carrying the deer, the hundreds of cavalrymen in the city erupted in cheers.

Venison is a really good thing.

"You're amazing."

The military commander laughed and exclaimed, "It hasn't been long at all, and you've already brought back a deer!"

"A broken neck? Not even a single arrow wound!"

"You are the most skilled hunter I have ever seen. I will take this pelt and grant you entry into the capital as a soldier."

The more intact the leather, the higher the price.

Seeing that he was a talented person, the military commander decided to recruit him directly.

In just half a day, Lin Dao's status was promoted from cannon fodder leading the way to a real Later Zhou cavalry soldier.

The officer in charge of the city's weapons delivered equipment to him.

Lin Dao obtained a set of two-piece armor, which is the simplest armor consisting of two pieces of armor, front and back, connected by leather.

He received a leather conical helmet with an iron plate attached to the forehead, a long knife, a long spear, and a bow and arrow quiver.

"Once we arrived at the main camp..."

The troop commander, in a good mood, comforted Lin, saying, "I'll find you another good horse."

“This horse is quite good.” Lin Dao pointed to the packhorse he had been riding all the way. “If it weren’t sick, it would definitely be a fine steed.”

"You have quite a good eye." The military commander nodded repeatedly. "It was my mount before, extremely magnificent."

"I don't know what illness I have, and I've taken a lot of medicine but it's not getting better."

"Since you like it, then I'll give it to you."

A healthy, fine horse is quite valuable, so it's obviously not something I can give away.

But a fine horse that is sick and cannot be cured can be given away without any pressure.

The military commander thought that this kid would be able to get more undamaged deerskins in the future.

The bureau chief in charge of local documents and logistics asked him to do the data registration.

"Name."

Lin Dao, courtesy name Zihou.

Cheng Ju, who was taking notes, looked up in surprise. "You've been to school?"

Ordinary people rarely know how to write characters.

"Hmm." Lin Dao thought carefully, "I've studied for more than ten years."

Chengju didn't believe it. If someone really had that kind of skill, they could be a staff member in the shogunate. How could they be hunting in the mountains?

He shook his head and continued asking.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen~"

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen~"

No matter how you ask, Lin Dao only acknowledges that he is eighteen.

Helpless, Director Cheng shook his head and continued.

What is your place of origin?

Lin Dao thought for a moment, "Zezhou, Jincheng County, Heyan Village."

He is a very honest person.

In every time and spacetime, wherever the time portal appears, that's where he belongs.

Like in the previous Zhizheng era, when he appeared in Yingzhou, he always referred to himself as a native of Yingzhou.

The only worry is that the time portal might appear in Songjiang Prefecture.

Even if he were from Lindao, he wouldn't dare call himself a native of Songjiang.
After making the record, the bureau chief left.

Once he arrives at the main camp, his military register will be made.

Thus, he officially became a member of the Imperial Guard of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The lowest rank of cavalryman.

After eating venison, the people of Yidu continued their journey along the official road and finally arrived in Gaoping County before nightfall.

Our army set up a large camp here, and the constant stream of troops from various units arriving created a great commotion.

After settling the horses, each team went to their respective tents to rest.

As soon as Lin Dao entered the tent, he saw his ten generals sitting imposingly on stools.

Several cavalrymen in his unit stared at him, eager to test their skills.

"Kid, don't be afraid."

The ten generals stroked their thick beards. "It's a military rule. It might hurt a little, but it won't break your bones."

Lin Dao showed no fear and even laughed.

"I know."

"If I win, then I'll be the one in charge of this team, right?"

The group exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

"Kid, you're pretty arrogant."

A short, stocky cavalryman with a face full of scars stepped forward, clenching his calloused fists. "Even if you're a tiger in the village, you'll have to cower here!"

After saying that, he punched Lin Dao in the face.

He had long disliked that handsome and extraordinary face!

'Boom! '

A dull thud came from the middle of the road, and the short, stocky cavalryman was kicked and sent flying, knocking over the tent in the process.

Hearing the commotion, the nearby soldiers gathered to watch the excitement.

Lin Dao shook his neck and snapped his fingers.

"Don't waste time, all of you come at me together."

(End of this chapter)