Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 77 The Blood of the Han People

Yuzhou parade ground, this is the last stop for Zhao Han to select elite troops.

Thousands of soldiers were lined up like a forest, their spears and halberds flashing coldly in the sunlight, making it impossible to open one's eyes.

Zhao Han stood on the platform for reviewing the generals, his eyes like blades, slowly sweeping over the soldiers.

Zhao Zongquan standing aside always maintained a humble smile, showing no sign of dissatisfaction.

"I have been ordered to select elite soldiers to serve in the Cavalry Battalion. Those who can draw a three-stone bow, please step forward!"

The Great Zhou’s military selections were always based on archery and horsemanship.

One stone weighs about 120 jin. Most ordinary soldiers use a one-stone bow, and those who can use two-stone bow can be called elite.

As for the three-stone strong bow, it can only be controlled by someone with immense arm strength, which has always been an iron rule for selecting warriors.

Pei Hu stepped forward, his sonorous voice echoing across the training grounds, "The monthly salary of the Cavalry Battalion is five strings of cash, and double it in wartime!"

"Those selected will immediately receive ten strings of silver for military service, and their entire family will be exempted from corvée service. If they achieve military merit, they will even be granted official land!"

"Five strings of cash?!" Zhao Ceying, who was standing on the side, frowned and his fingers unconsciously clenched the sword at his waist.

You know, the monthly salary of the imperial guards of the Great Zhou Dynasty was only two strings of cash, but this salary was more than doubled.

There was a sudden commotion on the training ground, with soldiers whispering and talking among themselves.

Soon, more than thirty people came out sparsely.

These men are all strong and muscular with thick arms. Although they are not many in number, they have an air of toughness.

Pei Hu raised his hand and pointed at a soldier on the far right, "You, come forward and try your bow!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he strode forward and picked up a three-stone bow that was as black as ink, with a bow body wrapped in cowhide and a bowstring as thick as a thumb.

"Squeak--" the bowstring slowly stretched until the full moon.

Zhao Han nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. Yuzhou is indeed a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers are everywhere.

"Okay! Register the Cavalry Battalion!" Pei Hu announced loudly.

Immediately afterwards, the rest of the soldiers came forward one by one to try their bows, and eventually twenty-three people passed the test.

Zhao Han stood with his hands behind his back, and after everyone finished their trials, he said in a deep voice, "Those who are skilled in archery and horsemanship may not necessarily be good at fighting."

"Next, let's have a martial arts demonstration in the training ground. The winner stays, and the loser leaves!"

On one side of the training ground, Shen Congxing lowered his voice and said, "I've already found out. The situation on the border is getting serious."

"This Lord Zhao has signed a military order before all the civil and military officials, pledging to train an elite force capable of rivaling the Western Xia cavalry within a year."

"No wonder they spared no expense, five strings of cash a month for salary, ten strings of cash for household maintenance."

"With such a huge reward, I'm afraid we'll have to recruit all the brave men in the states."

"The emperor actually trusts him so much." Zhao Ceying looked solemn and couldn't help but sigh.

Yuzhou is located at the strategic point of the capital, and is only a day's ride from Bianliang.

They have been walking on thin ice all these years and never dared to make any move to stand out.

Especially his father, at the slightest sign of trouble, he would either stay at home or hide in the farm outside the city.

But even so, Prince Yan and Prince Yong would send people to test them openly or secretly from time to time.

He was really afraid that one day when the emperor became seriously ill and chaos broke out in the imperial city, he and his father would meet with an unexpected disaster.

"Who knows? They probably have some special abilities," Shen Congxing said indignantly. Six or seven days had passed, and the selection process for the Xuan Yi Army in Yuzhou was nearing its end.

Pei Hu handed over the list and said in a deep voice, "Sir, a total of 213 elite soldiers have been selected, including over a hundred skilled in riding and archery."

Zhao Han nodded slightly and glanced at the soldiers lined up in neat rows on the training ground.

At this time, Zhao Zongquan walked over with his entourage, with a simple smile on his face.

"Master Zhao, I heard that the selection is over, so I came to congratulate you."

Zhao Han bowed and glanced at Zhao Zongquan inconspicuously.

"Zhao Tuanlian is very polite. This trip was only possible thanks to the bravery of the Yuzhou soldiers."

Zhao Zongquan waved his hands repeatedly, showing a bit of panic, and his tone was full of humility, for fear that he would say something wrong by accident and arouse suspicion.

"Master Zhao, you're joking. Yuzhou is just a small place, and there are only a few capable soldiers."

"Lord Zhao has taken the trouble to personally select the candidates. I truly admire him."

"I heard that Your Excellency will be setting sail tomorrow. I have already ordered people to prepare wine at the post station. Although it is not as delicious as the delicacies in the capital, it is all the specialty of Yuzhou."

Zhao Han smiled softly and said, "Zhao Tuanlian is so thoughtful. I am very grateful to you."

After seeing Zhao Han off, Zhao Zongquan breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly returned to his previous life - either working in the fields with a hoe, or fishing by the river.

In the city of Bianjing, for the next period of time.

In addition to being busy with the daily training of the soldiers of the Cavalry Battalion, Zhao Han was also busy purchasing war horses.

The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun are rich in water and grass, and the Hexi Corridor has vast pastures, both of which are ideal places for raising horses.

It’s a pity that at present, one is under the control of the Liao cavalry, and the other is firmly controlled by the Western Xia.

Therefore, the horses in the imperial guards of the Great Zhou Dynasty were either poor horses that were not capable of charging into battle, or war horses that were exchanged for tea and silk from Dali, Tubo and other places, and they were often held hostage by the Western Xia.

After many twists and turns, it was not until the end of December that they were able to gather 5,000 good horses with shoulder heights of more than four feet.

The Western Xia cavalry has always been elusive, and is accustomed to taking advantage of the wind and sand to suddenly attack like ghosts.

After the Great Zhou soldiers formed up in battle array, they dispersed into cavalry and shot arrows from around the formation.

Therefore, Zhao Han changed the previous conservative training method of the Great Zhou cavalry, with three riders in a group and nine riders in a team.

Using the horn as a signal, each group and team can move around flexibly and respond to each other.

Moreover, the Great Zhou had been fighting with the Western Xia for many years and rarely won.

Whether it was the wing troops or the imperial guards, there was a general fear of the Western Xia cavalry.

Whenever we faced the Western Xia, there were often soldiers who trembled at the sight of the dust.

To eliminate the fear of the enemy in the army and awaken the bloodiness in the bones of the Han men.

Zhao Han deliberately dressed all the scarecrows on the parade ground in Xixia costumes and let the soldiers chop them with real swords and guns.

This method has shown some results after only a month of implementation.

Every time the soldiers chopped the straw men, they were filled with a fierce murderous aura, as if they wanted to wipe out the humiliation of the years.

　There will be another chapter later, and I plan to ask the editor to put it on the shelves tomorrow. I hope you guys can give me a subscription then.

　　Also, please vote for me, please vote for me, I’m going to work hard tonight.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)