I asked you to go hunting, and you ended up wearing a yellow robe?

After Zhao Bingkun finished speaking, he frowned first.

He was a scholar.

Logically speaking, rewards and punishments are commonplace in military training.

Qi Shan spent half a day today just for a few baskets of eggs.

This doesn't resemble a thousand-household military training exercise.

It's like raising children in the countryside.

Zhao Bingkun hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Brother Qi, it's just a matter of posture, why make such a fuss?"

Qi Shan did not answer immediately.

He looked at the drill ground.

Some people had sweat on their foreheads, some had pale lips, and some swayed, only to be supported by their companions with their shoulders.

Who were these people before?

Zhao Bingkun said, "Refugees, tenants, hunters, porters, and those who have fled famine."

What are they most afraid of?

"starve."

What do you believe in the least?

Zhao Bingkun remained silent.

Qi Shan spoke for him: "I don't trust officials."

Zhao Bingkun stopped holding the folding fan.

Qi Shan said, "The government said they would provide relief grain, but they haven't seen any. They said they would be exempt from taxes, but then messengers came knocking. They said they would conscript men for three months, but they went and never came back. Do you expect them to believe military law, military orders, and me, Qi Shan, on the very first day?"

He shook his head.

"They only believe what they have in their hands."

Zhao Bingkun said in a low voice, "So you're giving out eggs?"

"right."

Qi Shan said, "I said I'd give them what they need when the line is full, and I'd give them what they need when the line is full. Today it's eggs, tomorrow it's military pay, and the day after it's compensation. I want them to understand one thing."

Zhao Bingkun looked at him.

Qi Shan's voice wasn't loud, but it drowned out the panting sounds from the training ground.

"For me, rules are not meant to deceive."

Zhao Bingkun felt a jolt in his chest.

He suddenly realized that Qi Shan wasn't practicing a standing posture.

It is faith.

If someone believes in it, they will dare to obey orders.

If a group of people believe in each other, they will dare to stand shoulder to shoulder.

Only when the entire battalion believed in this did they dare not retreat when the enemy cavalry charged.

These words are also found in books.

But it wasn't written in the book, so how could people who had experienced hunger believe it?

Qi Shan used an egg to deliver the truth to them.

Zhao Bingkun smiled wryly: "Brother Qi, if you were to become the county magistrate, I'm afraid I wouldn't stand a chance."

Qi Shan glanced at him: "Don't worry, Your Excellency, I find the paperwork too much."

Zhao Bingkun was taken aback, then burst out laughing.

The laughter had barely begun when someone on the training ground couldn't hold on any longer.

A new recruit bent his knees and fell forward.

The two people next to him reached out at the same time and forcefully held him down.

Meng Da roared, "Who gave you permission to move?"

The two men turned pale.

The recruit, who was being held up, stammered, "I...I didn't fall."

Meng Da said coldly, "Once it's done, it's done!"

The two men gritted their teeth and lowered their heads.

The drill ground fell silent.

Many people looked towards Qishan.

According to the rules from this morning, none of these three should have received a reward.

Qi Shan walked over.

He looked at the recruit who had almost collapsed: "What's your name?"

"Li... Li Mazi."

"Can you still stand?"

Li Mazi's face was covered in sweat: "Yes."

Qi Shan then looked at the two people who had helped him up: "Why did you help him up?"

One of them, forcing a smile, said, "If he falls, he'll have no balls left."

Someone nearby chuckled softly.

Another person exclaimed, "No! He didn't eat enough this morning; his eyes rolled back just now!"

Qi Shan asked, "Are you in squad one?"

"Yes."

"Where is the corporal?"

A veteran in his forties stepped forward: "Sir, I am..."

Qi Shan said, "Someone in the village couldn't hold on, didn't you notice beforehand?"

The veteran's face changed: "I have failed in my duty."

Qi Shan nodded: "Li Mazi will not receive any rewards this afternoon. The two who helped the man will each receive half the amount. Squad leader, after dinner, take the whole squad on an extra mile."

Li Mazi's eyes reddened, but he didn't dare to argue.

The two people who had helped the person breathed a sigh of relief.

The veteran immediately clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I accept the punishment!"

Many people on the training ground exchanged glances.

It's not a one-size-fits-all approach.

It wasn't a random punishment.

There is a cause and an effect.

These rules are cold, but they make sense.

Qi Shan turned around and went back to the shed.

Zhao Bingkun said softly, "You can even figure out such a small thing."

Qi Shan said, "If you can't handle small matters, big matters will lead to death."

Half an hour later, the gong sounded.

This time, more than half of the people stood until the very end.

Meng Da personally counted the names on the roster.

Five hundred and twenty-one people.

When Su Yue and her men carried the wooden baskets out, the drill ground erupted in chaos once again.

It wasn't a cheer.

It's the sound of inhaling.

The white eggs were piled up like a small mountain.

In the morning, some people suspected that Qi Shan was just using three eggs as a pretense.

More than 500 are now on display.

Even the dumbest person knows that the reward from the Qingyang garrison is real.

Meng Da distributed the items according to the roster.

"Yan Zhi!"

"arrive!"

"reward!"

"Thank you, sir!"

"Shen Yan!"

"arrive!"

"reward!"

"Niu Er!"

Niu Er was taken aback, then his voice changed: "Here!"

Meng Da slapped the egg into his hand: "You didn't squat this afternoon, that's good."

Niu Er held the eggs, his face sweaty but smiling.

He raised his chin at the person who had laughed at him that morning: "See? I have one too."

The man cursed, "What are you bragging about? I'll take some tonight too."

Qi Shan heard it.

That's exactly what he wanted to hear.

After everyone finished eating the eggs, they thought that today's training should be over.

Meng Da then struck the gong.

"Line up!"

The drill ground fell silent.

The recruits' expressions all changed.

Again?

Niu Er almost swallowed the eggshell.

Meng Da looked at Qi Shan.

Qi Shan walked up to the crowd.

He did not stand on the high platform.

He stood on the muddy ground.

"Three training sessions a day, today is the last one."

A low wail came from the crowd.

Meng Da's eyes widened, and he immediately fell silent.

Qi Shan continued, "This time, let's change the rules."

Everyone looked up.

Qi Shan held up two fingers.

"Everyone stand up, two eggs each."

The drill ground fell silent instantly.

The next moment, his breathing became erratic.

two!

Two for each person!

Many people's eyes lit up.

But Qi Shan's next words left that glimmer of light stuck in his throat.

"If even one person fails to stand still, the entire camp will receive no reward. Furthermore, everyone must run five li (approximately 2.5 kilometers) before they can eat dinner."

The wind swept past the edge of the training ground.

No one spoke.

Even Meng Da was taken aback.

This is not about rewarding or punishing individuals.

They are tied together.

Niu Er was the first to panic: "Sir, what if someone is deliberately causing trouble?"

Qi Shan looked at him: "So you need to keep an eye on him."

Someone shouted, "I can't even stand up straight myself, how can I judge others?"

Qi Shan said, "Then let the squad leader, the platoon leader, and the people around them take a look."

He scanned everyone.

"It's the same on the battlefield. If one person retreats, a breach is created. Once a breach is created, it's not just him who dies."

As soon as those words were spoken, the complaints from the drill ground ceased.

Yan Zhi stood at the front of the crowd and suddenly thought of Gui Jianchou.

That day, he slipped and fell, saving the lives of the entire group.

If Qi Shan hadn't turned around, all five of them would be dead.

It turns out that rules are never meant to scare people.

It's a lifesaver.

Shen Yan looked down at his hands.

He kept a small piece of the eggshell from the morning and tucked it into his belt.

Now, he raised his head again.

"I can stand firm."

He didn't say much.

But several people nearby heard it.

Niu Er gritted his teeth: "I can stand firm. Anyone who tries to make me lose my balls, I'll watch them sleep tonight."

Someone yelled, "Take care of your own legs first."

"What's it to you?"

"Okay, then let's keep an eye on each other."