Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 123 Recruitment Exam (Bonus Chapter 4k for Dragon Boat Festival)

night.

Luqi County outpost

With Zhang Xian's approval, Lü Bu's two squads of personal guards set up camp here.

The tents were brightly lit by the firelight.

Inside the main tent, Lü Bu and several others sat in a circle.

Song Xian, quick to speak his mind, said, "General, why didn't you just accept the offer from the General today?"

Wei Xu also had this thought in his eyes. Putting aside everything else, Zhang Xian's martial prowess today was enough to make them serve him.

Lü Bu sighed softly, "Alas, how could I not know that you value me, General? But I joined the army at fifteen, and from the very beginning, I was favored by my adoptive father, who later took me in as his son. If I were to choose a lord now, wouldn't that be disloyal and unfilial?"

Gao Shun nodded: "General, you were right not to immediately agree to Zhonglang's request. Choosing a lord now would only ruin your reputation. If Zhonglang truly values ​​you, it would be better to wait until he negotiates with Prefect Ding."

"Boping's meaning is the same as mine. It's late tonight, everyone should rest."

Lu Bu waved his hand somewhat irritably.

The generals withdrew.
-
Ten days later.

Lü Bu and his entourage departed early.

He also took with him the recruitment notice Zhang Xian had given him, which he intended to post in the counties of Yanmen.

Meanwhile, during these ten days, Zhang Xian also sent people to post notices in various counties, announcing a wave of recruitment information.

Upon learning that it was Zhang Xian, the newly appointed General of the Central Army, who had beheaded three thousand Hu cavalry (a normal exaggeration of his military achievements), the young men of several prefectures were quite tempted. Who wouldn't want to follow a general who could win battles and try to make a living? So, for a time, there was a strong trend of enlisting.

The powerful Wang family and others were watching with growing anxiety. If they used underhanded tactics, they feared Zhang Xian, the new official, would retaliate against them. If they didn't, they would just watch him grow stronger. They were caught in a dilemma.

After ten days of preparation, we are officially starting to recruit members today.

no way.

This time, Zhang Xian wants to recruit 4,000 infantrymen and 1,700 cavalrymen. There are definitely not enough people in Lüqi County. If so many soldiers are forced out of the less than 40,000 people in Lüqi County, then this year's farming will be impossible.

Therefore, we need to recruit from outside.

Fortunately, with the position of General of the Xiongnu in hand, Zhang Xian's source of recruits could encompass the entire Bingzhou province.

Luqi County Government Office, Morning Discussion

A map of Bingzhou was spread out on the table, and Zhang Xian's finger traced across the counties of Taiyuan, Shangdang, and Yanmen.

"Hansheng, Brother Yun." Zhang Xian's eyes were piercing: "This recruitment of soldiers is no small matter. Four thousand infantrymen and seventeen hundred cavalrymen are not enough for the strength of a single county. I hold the authority to establish my own government and have the right to recruit good men, skilled officers, and knights from the five counties of Bingzhou. However, the quality of soldiers is more important than the quantity. It is better to have fewer but better soldiers."

"Understood, Your Majesty!" Huang Zhong's voice boomed: "The key to infantry lies in strength, skill, and obedience to orders. I will personally go to Taiyuan Prefecture, Jinyang, and surrounding major cities to set up recruitment points, with veteran soldiers as the backbone, and conduct rigorous testing." He paused and added: "Bingzhou has many mountain people who are hardworking and good at hiking, and can be selected as strong soldiers."

“Good,” Zhang Xian nodded.

Zhao Yun clasped his hands in a fist salute, his eyes sharp: "The foundation of cavalry lies first and foremost in horsemanship and courage. The three counties of Yanmen, Wuyuan, and Yunzhong have long been located on the frontier, and their people are known for their fierce and valiant nature. Many families are skilled in riding and archery. I intend to lead three hundred elite cavalrymen from my old troops to recruit them in the border towns and horse markets of each county, using warhorses, fine armor, and military merit as incentives. I will pay particular attention to those brave men from the border regions who frequently trade with Hu merchants and are familiar with the grassland routes."

Zhang Xian nodded and smiled: "Brother Yun has grown up, that's good. You've arrived."

"Your humble servant is here," Han Ji replied immediately.

Zhang Xian tapped the table and braced himself with both hands: "Food, weapons, clothing, and funds for settling down must be guaranteed, in accordance with the Han law 'Regulations for Garrison Soldiers' and 'Regulations for Newly Recruited Soldiers of the Liaodong Camp'."

To recruit men from good families, an initial payment of three thousand coins and ten bushels of grain will be made. For those serving as officers or cavalrymen in border regions, additional positions will be filled based on their existing qualifications and skills.

All recruited soldiers will be registered in the military register, and their families will be exempted from taxes and labor service for one year according to the law. The money and grain needed will be drawn from the county treasury and the spoils of war. If there is any shortfall, the governor's office will be notified to coordinate, stating that this is a recruitment of soldiers by imperial decree by the Protectorate of the Xiongnu General's Office to guard the northern frontier! Zhang Xian's tone was resolute, clearly showing that he wanted to display the authority brought by holding the imperial seal and establishing his own government in Bingzhou.

If you have a big flag, why not raise it?

"Yes!" Han Ji replied confidently.

He had been preparing for it for ten days.

"Zhicai," Zhang Xian said, looking at Xi Zhong. "Military law and training regulations must be detailed."

New recruits, upon entering the camp, must first be taught military discipline, then skills. Those who are cunning or cowardly, even if skilled, will not be accepted. It is imperative that the new soldiers understand that joining our Liaodong and Xiongnu protection camps is for the purpose of safeguarding the country and its people, and sweeping away the barbarian dust, not for engaging in violence and infighting.

"Rest assured, my lord, I have already worked with the law minister of Taoyuan Camp to draft the 'Seventeen Articles of New Training' and the 'Detailed Rules for Performance Evaluation and Rewards and Punishments.' Fifty Taoyuan enrolled soldiers will serve as military judges and accompany the recruiting teams to each recruitment point to ensure that the recruitment of soldiers is fair and just and that the recruits are of good character," Xi Zhong said solemnly.

"Very well! Gentlemen, let us set off immediately! We await your good news!" Zhang Xian waved his hand.

"We will not fail our lord's trust!"

Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun responded by kneeling on one knee.
-
Taiyuan Prefecture, west of Jinyang City, recruitment camp

As the capital of Bingzhou, Jinyang was densely populated and well-informed. The news that Zhang Xian, the General of the Xiongnu, was opening his own office and recruiting soldiers, along with the generous resettlement allowance and tax exemption, had already spread far and wide through official announcements and traveling merchants.

The recruitment point was set up in an open area outside the west of the city. A temporary wooden platform was erected, towering high, with two large flags fluttering in the wind: one was a banner with the character "Han" on it, and the other was "Zhang, the General of the Xiongnu."

Huang Zhong, fully armored and with his hand on his sword, stood on the platform, exuding an imposing aura without being angry.

Behind him stood dozens of fully armed, menacing veterans of the Lüchi army, as solid as a rock.

Below the stage, the crowd was huge, with applicants forming several long lines. Most of them were strong and muscular men, with occasional resolute-looking young men, and even quite a few with arrogant eyes who looked like wandering knights.

The county soldiers, armed with long halberds, did their best to maintain order and keep the ranks in formation.

Huang Zhong stroked his beard and smiled at the old soldiers from Taoyuan who had come with him, saying, "Our lord's might has swept across Bingzhou. Look at this scene, Taiyuan alone might be enough to recruit enough new soldiers."

The old soldiers around them laughed: "Lieutenant Liao, look at the treatment our lord is giving us. Let alone them, we'd like to try it too."

"Who says otherwise? Why don't we take off our uniforms now and join the queue? If we manage to get a spot in the army, it's three thousand coins and ten bushels of rice!"

"Then I won't accept it." Huang Zhong laughed and kicked one of them.

After laughing, he became more solemn: "That's about enough. You all go and do the preliminary selection, while I go to take the exam. Hurry up!"

"promise!"

Huang Zhong headed towards the makeshift training ground.

The line over there is like an interview; as long as you look human, have no obvious illnesses, and are physically healthy, you can pass.

The crucial step is passing the skills test; only those who pass the test can enter the Duliao camp.

The examination area was also bustling with people, as many had come to the Jin Yang City recruitment this time.

Huang Zhong didn't delay and immediately stepped forward to take charge.

The assessment is roughly divided into three stages: a test of physical ability, a test of skills, and an assessment of personal conduct.

Several hard bows and stone weights of varying weights, ranging from 100 to 300 jin, were placed beside the test site. Applicants were required to be able to easily lift a stone weight of 150 jin and open a hard bow of one and a half jin to pass the test.

If a strong person attempts to pull a 300-jin stone lock or draw a 3-stone bow, Huang Zhong will take notice and have his officers mark them as "strongman" or "strong archer" on their roster.

The skills test area is set up with a simple wooden stake array and straw targets on the side.

Recruiters can showcase their skills, such as sword and shield coordination, spear thrusting, throwing short spears or flying stones, so that they can be assigned to the appropriate troop type later.

A man who came from a hunter's background threw stones at a small target from thirty paces away, hitting it seven or eight times out of ten. This prompted the military officer in charge of recording to shout, "Good at throwing! Record it!"

Some wandering swordsmen wielded ring-pommel swords with fierce and flashy moves, but their foundation was solid. They were specially marked as skilled in short weapons and would be assigned to the sword and shield battalion for training after entering the camp. The interrogation and verification were specially instructed by Zhang Xian. Those who passed the first two tests had to be questioned before the military judge.

"Where are you from? How many people are in your family? Have you committed any crimes?"

"Why join the army? For money and provisions? For fame and fortune? Or for killing the barbarians?"

"If you are ordered by your commander to hold your ground and not retreat when facing a large enemy force, what will you do?"

"If a comrade is wounded and trapped in enemy territory, would you rescue him or not? How would you do so?"

These are the main questions. Zhang Xian has also provided many standard answers. As long as the respondent's answer path is roughly similar to the standard answer, then it is considered passed. If any military judge is really unsure, the case can be sent back to Luqi for Zhang Xian to make a decision personally.

As for why this rule was set up, it was to screen recruits again. Doing so would definitely make recruiting much more difficult, but it would also make the moral character of the soldiers in the army much more stable.

As for whether it's useful or not, Taoyuan Zu has already given the answer: it's definitely somewhat useful.

The recruitment of infantrymen was in full swing, and Huang Zhong personally oversaw the selection of recruits. As soon as a batch of strong soldiers were recruited, he would immediately call out, "Next batch!" without wasting even a moment.

Huang Zhong's voice was as loud as a bell.

A group of about twenty young men, dressed in old but clean clothes, walked in roughly the same direction, led by the recruiting officer.

The leader was not tall but unusually sturdy.

The recruiting officer stepped forward and whispered, "Lieutenant Liao, they all passed the strength test with ease. They are all strong soldiers who can lift a 300-jin stone lock and a 3-stone strong bow."

"However, the skills test results were somewhat subpar; most participants were not skilled in martial arts and only knew some simple techniques."

"Yes, I understand."

Huang Zhong nodded. He could tell that these young men were farmers who had been working in agriculture for many years. Their skills were lacking, but their physiques were indeed quite good.

"How is the verification process going?"

The recruiting officer handed over the interrogation slips, and Huang Zhong glanced at them and smiled.

According to the records, they came from the same village in the Taihang Mountains south of Taiyuan. They were all from good families. Because their hometown was barren, they came together after hearing that the recruitment of soldiers was generous.

"good,"

Such a source of soldiers is exactly what our lord desires.

"It might be tough!" he asked in a deep voice.

"Reporting to the superior, although we have not practiced advanced martial arts, there are many wolves and leopards in the mountains. We often hunt in groups and are not afraid of hardship or physical labor."

The young man in the lead answered neither humbly nor arrogantly, and the others echoed his response.

Huang Zhong's eyes revealed appreciation: "Good! What is your name?"

"Reporting to my superior, my name is Hao Tong!"

"Excellent! Then you shall all join the Mountain Battalion, commanding heavy armor!"

Huang Zhong picked up his pen and recorded everyone's information.

The Duliao Camp was divided into four battalions, named after wind, forest, mountain, and fire.

Among them, the Fengzi Battalion, which mainly uses spears, is considered the main force of the Duliao Battalion. It was given the most slots, accounting for 2,000 of the 5,000 soldiers in the Duliao Battalion.

The Linzi Battalion is mainly composed of swordsmen and shieldmen, and requires brave and courageous individuals, occupying 800 positions.

The Mountain Battalion, mainly composed of heavy infantry, wore heavy armor and was equipped with horse-cutter armor. It was used by Zhang Xian to deal with cavalry charge and break through enemy lines, and also served as the main force for attacking cities and capturing strongholds.

The Mountain Battalion offers the best benefits, but has the fewest openings, with only six hundred available.

The Fire Battalion, on the other hand, was an archery battalion, primarily composed of infantry archers, and comprised a force of one thousand.

The remaining 600 slots were allocated to auxiliary positions such as messengers, cooks, and sentries.

Everything went smoothly for Huang Zhong. In just one day, he recruited eight hundred new soldiers. If it weren't for the fact that many people were stopped by the interrogation process, the number would have been several times higher.

the other side.

Yanmen County, Mayi City, Border Market Horse Farm
Unlike the hustle and bustle of Jinyang, the cavalry recruitment point outside Mayi City in Yanmen County had a rugged and solemn atmosphere unique to the frontier. It was close to the Great Wall pass, and not far away was the bustling horse market where the Han and Hu people traded with each other. The air was filled with the smell of livestock and leather.

Zhao Yun, clad in silver armor and a white robe, sat astride a magnificent pure white warhorse, exuding heroic spirit and standing out from the crowd.

Behind him, three hundred elite cavalrymen, their helmets and armor gleaming, stood in a disciplined formation, silently displaying the demeanor of a powerful army. Their very presence served as the best recruitment advertisement, drawing considerable attention.

Mayi Grassland.

Zhao Yun's white robe fluttered in the wind at the pass.

At the edge of the grassland, the Hu merchant unloaded his camels laden with leather and squinted at the group of Han knights. Their braided hair and silver ornaments swayed in the wind, much like the restless wild grass on the grassland.

"Whoosh!"

An arrow pierced through the leather target that was swinging wildly in the wind and embedded itself in the hitching post behind it.

The foreign merchants exchanged glances and silently moved a little further away.

Zhang Liao rode up to Zhao Yun and said, "Brother Yun, the horses are all ready. Lü Xiao's cavalry has borrowed three hundred horses, which is enough for the test."

Zhao Yun nodded: "Then give the order to begin. Brother Liao, pay close attention to which Hu merchants there are."

"promise!"

Zhang Liao accepted the order from horseback with clasped hands.

In Luqi, he rose from a novice to the rank of cavalry captain, and now leads more than fifty cavalrymen under Zhao Yun.

Similar to the infantry skills test in Jinyang, Zhao Yun's side also set up a cavalry skills test.

The skill tests for cavalry soldiers are even more numerous.

Horsemanship is fundamental for cavalrymen; applicants may bring their own horse or choose one on-site for the assessment.

Riding without a saddle, controlling the horse solely with both legs, galloping quickly, stopping abruptly, and turning within a designated area, showcasing the perfect harmony between rider and horse.

Immediately draw your bow, spur your horse at full gallop, and shoot at a fixed target fifty paces away (hitting the target is enough) and a moving target thirty paces away (bonus points for hitting the target).

Bending down to pick up an object while riding a galloping horse, bending down to pick up a short spear or quiver from the ground tests one's core strength and horse control stability.

Obstacle course: riding a horse to cross several low fences or ditches in succession.

Originally, there weren't many new recruits from Zhao Yun's side, but as the tests progressed, they attracted quite a few local figures.

Many men who claimed to be "good riders" fell off their horses in disarray when they were saddleless or bending down at high speed to pick up items. However, after returning home, whether out of resentment or a desire to see some amusement, they took the initiative to become promoters, bringing in many men who originally had no intention of enlisting.

Over the course of several days, Zhao Yun's cavalry recruitment assessment attracted a lot of attention, with many people cheering loudly as they watched the men charging back and forth on horseback.

After several attempts, he managed to recruit more than four hundred cavalrymen.

After staying in Mayi for a while, Zhao Yun and his men headed to the next recruitment point.

(End of this chapter)