Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 111 The Capital (It rained today, so I added an extra 4k words. PS: I hate rain.)
Lüqi County.

Farms and ranches outside the county.

Zhang Xian, squatting in the field, is harvesting this batch of sugarcane and cotton.

Since his last failed attempt at cotton processing, he has been thinking about cotton processing every night before going to sleep.

As the saying goes, "fluffing cotton is like fluffing cotton," meaning the cotton must first be fluffed.

Moreover, spinning thread requires first forming the thread.

Only after these two steps are resolved can the subsequent cotton fabric production process proceed.

In addition, to better separate cottonseeds from cottonseeds, he also developed a cotton gin, a device that can separate cottonseeds from cottonseeds by foot-operated transmission.

A hardwood pedal is used to connect the crankshaft and connecting rod, and a two-foot ceramic flywheel is installed to stabilize the rotation speed. The upper roller, made of jujube wood with iron teeth, rotates and tears the cotton wadding, while the lower roller, made of smooth bluestone, crushes and removes the seeds.

The adjusting rod is made of cast iron and is used to control the gap between the rolls.

He put a lot of effort into figuring out this cotton gin. This machine can not only be used for cotton ginning, but also has many other functions by changing the upper roller.

It can be used to extract sugarcane juice, degumme ramie, crush flax, and even coarsely process soybeans into soybean meal before oil extraction. It can also be used to quickly remove the husks from crops with husks by attaching a bamboo sieve!

It can be described as a multi-functional device, a masterpiece that embodies the wisdom of Zhang.

I straightened up and stretched.

In the farms and pastures, sugarcane was laid down in rows, and cotton was also stored in the load-bearing space.

The effects of the replanting were still not apparent, and he was slightly disappointed.

However, cotton processing technology is not yet perfect, so even if a new cotton variety that can be widely promoted is developed, it will not be of use for the time being.

That was the only way he could console himself.

The sugarcane on the ground was trimmed, tied up, and placed on a cart. Later, someone would haul it to the sugar workshop, and then the sugar industry in Lüchi could resume.

Although the monthly output is only a few hundred kilograms, this stuff is indeed favored by people of high status.

He didn't intend to sever the connection with the Ten Attendants. The Wang family had used the Ten Attendants to get Wang Rou into the court. If he cut off this connection, he would only have two paths left: to be at the mercy of others or to rise up in rebellion.

Therefore, one should maintain a good relationship with the Ten Attendants and then use their power to appease them. Only in this way can one maintain a balance in a place beyond one's reach and avoid unforeseen disasters.

Anyway, the Ten Attendants weren't a monolithic group; they also had their own struggles with each other.

After diligently managing the agricultural and pastoral areas, Zhang Xian walked towards the county government office in a cheerful mood.

Once inside the city, walking along the somewhat muddy streets, the spring breeze was just around the corner, and the ice and snow were gradually melting.

"The county public security bureau is good."

"it is good."

"The magistrate seems to be in a good mood today."

"Haha, that's absolutely right."

"Lord County Magistrate, please try some of my family's new brew."

"Haha, you're too kind. I don't drink alcohol."

"County Lord."

"County Lord."

All along the way, I was greeted with enthusiastic greetings.

Zhang Xian responded to each of them, explaining that he didn't ride a horse precisely for this reason. And who could resist such a greeting, like calling someone "handsome"?

Everything in the county government office was in good order, and the clerks in each department worked diligently. With the implementation of a more comprehensive attendance system by their county magistrate, they now had to think twice before they could slack off.

There's no way around it; having once been a member of the army of slackers, I know all too well the joy of slacking off.

So he could only become the kind of person he hated the most back then. However, the one thing that made him more human than that kind of person was that he would let you leave work on time when it was time to leave. If there were any unexpected circumstances that required him to work overtime, the county government would also pay him overtime wages.

"County Lord."

Passersby all greeted him with a bow.

Zhang Xian nodded slightly in response and returned to his seat in the main hall of the county government office.

"Are today's official documents gone?"

Seeing that there were no new documents on the table that he had finished processing that morning, he asked the yamen runner at the door.

The latter bowed and said, "I haven't seen any clerks present any new ones."

"Oh, not bad, it seems everyone's work went smoothly today."

Zhang Xian was very pleased.

Just as he was about to return to his residence to rest, someone ran up to him at the door.

"Urgent news! Urgent news!"

"Reporting to Magistrate Zhang, Jinyang was suddenly attacked by barbarian cavalry last night, and various parts of the city were burned. The magistrate of Jinyang has urgently ordered all counties to strengthen vigilance and block major transportation routes to prevent the barbarian cavalry from getting lost! If any trace of the barbarian cavalry is found, report to the magistrate of Jinyang immediately!"

"oh--!"

Zhang Xian narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. He nodded and addressed the messenger below, whose felt hat was adorned with two feathers, saying, "This county is aware. We will certainly strengthen vigilance and block the road crossings!"

"This humble official takes his leave!"

The messenger, carrying an urgent message, bowed and retreated.

Zhang Xian rose from his seat and paced back and forth, though the curve of his lips indicated that he was very happy.

'Hansheng has succeeded; this will give Wang a headache for a while.'

"Lord County Magistrate! Lord County Magistrate!"

Not long after the courier left, another person came walking briskly.

Zhang Xian paused and looked around, only to see Gu Yu returning to Lüchi, looking dusty and weary.

"Shilin, you're back. Are you alright? I just learned that Jinyang was attacked by barbarian cavalry. Fortunately, you are unharmed. Otherwise, what would I have done?"

Zhang Xian patted Gu Yu's arm, his eyes full of concern.

Gu Yu was taken aback, and a wave of emotion welled up in her heart.

He cupped his hands in greeting: "Thanks to the county magistrate's blessing, I left Jinyang City before last night, which is why I didn't encounter that group of Hu cavalry. If I hadn't heard about that group of Hu cavalry along the way, I probably wouldn't have known about the situation in Jinyang City."

"However, I have not failed the county magistrate's trust and have already visited Wang Ze of the Wang family. Prefect Wang was very satisfied with the county magistrate's hospitality and said he would return the favor. However, Jinyang City is in chaos right now, and I think the prefect's return gift will probably not be coming for a while."

"It's alright, it's alright. As long as the Prefect is safe and sound, that's all that matters. Alas, these barbarians are truly despicable. We border officials are doing our utmost to develop the people's livelihood and ensure that they can live and work in peace and contentment. These barbarians not only don't know how to learn from us, but they also repeatedly raid our borders. I will remember this insult. Once things calm down in Jinyang, I will definitely submit a memorial requesting permission to execute the barbarians at the pass!"

Zhang Xian displayed an air of righteous indignation, as if he were the only one capable of taking on the task.

Gu Yu fully agreed, acknowledging that the county magistrate she had chosen was indeed the most powerful and brave man in the area.

After reporting his affairs, he inevitably looked tired from his long journey. When Zhang Xian saw him glancing at the official documents on the table, he knew that Gu Yu had nothing more to say.

So he patted his arm again: "Shi Lin, you've had a long and arduous journey. Take a day off today and get some rest."

"The County Magistrate—!"

Shi Lin was moved again, realizing he hadn't made the wrong bet. This county magistrate was a kind and considerate one to his subordinates!

He bowed again with his hands clasped, then turned and took his leave.

As he watched his figure disappear into the distance, Zhang Xian could no longer hide the smile on his lips.

"Very good. Gu Yu's visit has shifted the Wang family's suspicions to the Hu people. They've won a small victory with this move!"

"The next step is to figure out how to strengthen ourselves through this chaos. We'll have to wait until Hansheng returns to know the specific losses in Jinyang. We also don't know where Hansheng and the others are."

Thinking it over and over was useless, and with nothing to do at the county office, Zhang Xian simply left and went to the drill ground. Inside the drill ground...

The resting soldiers sat in a circle, watching the contest between the two young generals inside.

Zhang Liao's ring-pommel sword was wrapped in cloth, as was Zhao Yun's.

The two sides fought back and forth in a very lively manner.

Zhang Xian entered the training ground and naturally saw it. He stopped the soldier who was about to report it, waved his hand, and found a good spot to watch it himself.

He could tell that the two had been fighting for a while, and it was now almost the height of their battle.

Zhang Liao stomped his right foot hard on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. The fifteen-year-old boy's muscles tensed, and he slashed his ring-pommel sword diagonally from the lower right to the upper left, the wind from the blade tearing through the cold air as he aimed straight for Zhao Yun's shoulder and neck.

Instead of retreating, Zhao Yun advanced. The sixteen-year-old boy lightly turned his wrist, and the cloth-wrapped blade, like a white snake spitting its tongue, struck Zhang Liao's seven-inch spot with a "ding" just as Zhang Liao's sword strike was about to end.

The moment the two blades clashed, Zhao Yun took a half step back with his left leg, and the back of his blade slid down three inches along the enemy's blade—precisely the position where Zhang Liao would find it most difficult to exert force.

"Good!" The soldiers watching couldn't help but cheer. This move seemed simple, but it required an extremely precise grasp of timing.

Zhang Liao retreated two steps, then suddenly changed his move, switching his blade to his left hand and slashing across Zhao Yun's waist and abdomen like a silver wheel.

Zhao Yun's pupils contracted slightly. He could have leaped back to avoid it, but he saw Zhang Liao's left knee tremble slightly as he swung his sword. This was due to an old injury from the training the day before that had not yet healed.

In a flash, Zhao Yun caught a glimpse of the soldiers watching from the corner of his eye. On a whim, he plunged the tip of his blade into the ground, using the momentum to perform a "bridge" maneuver. As he leaned back, his right toe subtly hooked up some sand.

"Swoosh—" Zhang Liao's blade grazed past Zhao Yun's nose. Suddenly, dust stung his eyes, and Zhao Yun rolled away to avoid it. When he got up, his clothes were covered in dust. He deliberately panted heavily and said, "Wen Yuan, your blade is so fast!"

Zhang Liao rubbed his eyes and attacked again. This time he had learned his lesson. He aimed his blade at the center and thrust it straight at Zhang Liao's heart, but at the last moment he changed his move and slashed downwards, demonstrating the interplay of feint and real attack.

Zhao Yun remained calm and composed, holding his sword at an angle.

"Clang!" The two blades clashed, and Zhao Yun suddenly withdrew his force by half an inch. Zhang Liao immediately leaned forward and was about to fall. Zhao Yun then used the back of his blade to gently support Zhang Liao's elbow, which helped the latter regain his balance.

"Brother Yun."

"Shh, don't make a sound," Zhao Yun whispered, blinking.

off the field.

Zhang Xian burst out laughing.

His own brother Yun was still his own brother Yun. When not facing an enemy, he was always so humble. He could tell that in the two or three exchanges, Zhao Yun had held back at least three times.

Zhang Liao is indeed exceptionally talented, but he still needs time to mature. On the other hand, Zhao Yun, at the age of sixteen, had already trained under Tong Yuan for three years and had experienced several battles, both large and small, after joining him.

It's normal that there are some differences between the two now.

Moreover, Zhang Liao's strength lies not in his fighting skills, but in his strategic command abilities.

The outcome of the battle was already decided. After several rounds of concessions, Zhang Liao had lost the will to fight and bowed with his fists clasped in salute.

"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Yun!"

Across from him, Zhao Yun also clasped his hands in a salute: "Wen Yuan, your progress is remarkable."

"color!"

"Big win!"

The soldiers watching from the sidelines cheered, genuinely impressed by the decisive and skillful fighting of both men. They were so impressed that they wished they could grab their swords and join the battle.

"Excuse me."

Zhao Yun clasped his hands in a fist salute to the four directions, and then called out, "After a short rest, let's continue with the evening exercises!"

"Yes, sir! I will obey the command of the cavalry!"

"Our lord has arrived!"

Several shouts rang out from the perimeter.

The soldiers looked back and saw their lord walking towards them.

"Greetings, my lord!"

The soldiers who had formed a circle parted to make way for it.

Zhang Xian waved his hand with a smile: "Everyone, take a rest."

"Lord."

"Lord."

Zhang Liao and Zhao Yun clasped their hands in a salute.

Zhang Xian patted them both on the shoulder and asked with a smile, "How's it feeling to join the army, Wen Yuan?"

"Everything is fine, and the food is even better than at home."

Zhang Liao chuckled.

Zhang Xian laughed and scolded, "Haha, you've been thinking about eating all the time. Are you even paying attention to the drills?"

Before Zhang Liao could speak, Zhao Yun said, "Wen Yuan is diligent. An ordinary person can lift a stone weight fifty times and then switch hands fifty times, but Wen Yuan can do both two hundred times."

“Ordinary soldiers train by circling the training ground thirty times, but Wen Yuan trains fifty times.”

Zhao Yun showered Zhang Liao with praise, making Zhang Liao feel embarrassed, and his admiration for Zhao Yun became even more evident in his eyes.

But Zhao Yun didn't think that much about it; he was just telling the truth.

"They are quite diligent."

Zhang Xian patted Zhang Liao on the shoulder, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Practice hard. In another two weeks, there will be another military competition. How far you can rise from a lowly soldier depends on your own abilities."

"I will certainly not fail my lord's trust!"

Zhang Liao cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, his face full of solemnity.

Taoyuan has a well-established promotion system.

A competition is held every three months. If you are strong enough, you can fight your way up to the position of squad leader, commanding more than fifty soldiers.

After arriving in Lüqi, the increase in the number of county soldiers also led to Zhang Xian's more detailed division of military ranks.

In Taoyuan, a squad leader is formed by six men, a platoon leader by twelve men, and a platoon leader also serves as a squad leader. A team leader is formed by forty-nine men, and a platoon leader is formed by one hundred men, with a deputy general for one hundred men.

When Zhang Xian arrived at Lüqi, he incorporated the Han military system into this system. The system below the platoon leader remained unchanged, but the 100-man units above the platoon leader were abolished and replaced by garrison leaders who led two platoons totaling 100 men and were appointed as garrison deputy leaders.

Above that is the Junhou, who leads two garrisons with a total of 202 men and is appointed as a fake Junhou. Above the Junhou is the Sima, who leads two garrisons with a total of 406 men and is appointed as a fake Sima.

The Sima system temporarily reached the limit of the county system. The higher-ranking military officers could only be established in the prefecture. Generally speaking, there were usually 2 to 4 military officers in a prefecture, who were proper military officers with a rank equivalent to 1,000 shi (a unit of grain measure).

However, in order to ensure a smooth transition in the future, although Lü Sibing does not have the official position of captain, he has the de facto position of captain.

Zhao Yun currently holds the position of Cavalry Commander, in charge of all the cavalry soldiers of Lüqi, although the force is not yet at full strength.

Zhang Xian had already intended to have Zhao Yun select more than 200 men from the 1,200 county soldiers and infantry to form 300 cavalrymen, and later to make up the 800 cavalrymen quota. After all, the border region was close to the grasslands, and the role of cavalrymen was far greater than that of infantrymen in attack.

Therefore, if Zhang Liao proves himself capable, he can fight his way up to the position of platoon leader, commanding a hundred men.

As for why they could only fight up to the hamlet chief?
That's because to be promoted from a junior military officer to a military commander, one needs real military achievements to be considered.

Moreover, it's not based on the number of kills you get by one person; it has to be the result of an entire garrison to count.

This decision was also made to avoid the emergence of people who have military strength but lack the ability to command troops.

Such people are not bad, but they are not suitable for a position that commands hundreds of people. Zhang Xian has also considered their usefulness.

That means joining the personal guard. It's good to fight anywhere. With such a group of people forming the personal guard, Zhang Xian could replicate the feat of the Overlord's twenty-eight riders breaking through five thousand!
(End of this chapter)