Chapter 099

Chapter 099

After boosting the morale, Xiao Mu began to appoint officers.

Naturally, he took command of the Wei County Army, and for the position of deputy commander, he chose Xiao Zhen.

Xiao Zhen stood on the stage as well.

Xiao Mu patted his second grandson's shoulder and addressed the crowd: "Xiao Zhen served in the military for six years, earning numerous commendations. He personally led two hundred young men from Lingshui Village to attack Imprisoned Dragon Ridge and led the ambush against the rebel army of twenty thousand soldiers just the other night. In both battles, not a single man was lost. Now I appoint him as the deputy commander. Is there anyone who disagrees?"

None of the new recruits spoke up.

Suddenly, Xiao Ye shouted, "I—I agree!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Xiao Mu glared at his mischievous grandson, waited for the laughter to subside, and continued, "Our Wei County Army will recruit a total of over six thousand seven hundred men, forming six battalions: one cavalry battalion and five infantry battalions. The cavalry battalion will be led by Xiao Zhen, while the five infantry battalions will be commanded by Xiao Shouyi, Sun Dian, Xiao Yan, Xiao Ye, and Qiao Changshun. Please step forward."

Xiao Shouyi and his four cousins were already staying within the city, and Sun Dian had rushed back to Lingshui Village yesterday after having dinner at the Xiao residence. He returned before dawn this morning and now stood proudly among the ranks, aligning himself with the Xiao family members, facing the troops on the martial arts platform.

Xiao Zhen also jumped down.

These six men, all towering over eight feet tall, were robust and imposing. Their presence would rival any general in a proper border army.

Xiao Mu said, "I chose them because I know their abilities. They have all earned their battle honors. In the military, prowess and achievements speak louder than words. If anyone here believes they can surpass any of these five, feel free to challenge them. The victor will become the new battalion commander."

Enticed by the rewards, several burly new recruits stepped forward to challenge.

Apart from Xiao Shouyi and Xiao Zhen, the other four faced challenges.

Sun Dian rolled up his sleeves and lifted the challenger, slamming him to the ground. Xiao Yan allowed his opponent to use weapons but still defeated him bare-handed. Qiao Changshun, smiling, delivered a powerful punch to the stomach of his opponent, causing him to curl up in pain.

The youngest, twenty-three-year-old Xiao Ye, nearly knocked out his opponent's teeth with a sweeping kick!

Seeing this, the new recruits were thoroughly convinced.

Suddenly, Xiao She stepped forward.

Xiao Ye: "...Go back, you're not eligible if you're under twenty."

Xiao She grumbled and retreated back into the ranks.

Sun Dian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao She, though young, possessed incredible strength. He had once wrestled with Xiao She in Lingshui Village and lost. If this boy came forward, he would likely choose Sun Dian to challenge.

Tong Sui, standing behind the elder, was also convinced by the appointment of these six battalion commanders.

The positions below battalion commanders would be selected and reported by these six. So next, the five thousand plus new recruits needed to be divided among the six battalions.

Cavalry was special, so Xiao Zhen would select his troops first. Given that the city had enough horses, he would select a full thousand soldiers and corresponding officers.

The one hundred ninety men left at Imprisoned Dragon Ridge, excluding Xiao Ye, Sun Dian, and Zhang Wengong, would join the cavalry battalion. Today, Xiao Zhen needed to select another eight hundred thirty-seven men.

Xiao Zhen said, "Cavalrymen are often vanguard troops, making it easy to earn merit but also dangerous. Those skilled in riding and fearless should step forward."

Who wouldn't want to ride a warhorse and look impressive?

However, after Xiao Zhen explained the advantages and disadvantages, the new recruits were less impulsive.

After weighing their options, some began stepping forward.

Among the five thousand eight hundred young men, some had served in the military, others had guarded homes or owned livestock. In the end, more than a thousand men stepped forward.

Xiao Zhen led them to the stables for a riding test. Those who passed joined the cavalry battalion, while those who failed returned to become infantrymen.

Xiao Shouyi and the other four had a simple method: each stood in a different area, and the new recruits chose whom they trusted and liked, forming their own lines. If the numbers exceeded the quota, the battalion commanders would select some to move to other battalions. For those short on numbers, they would wait, as more recruits would arrive in the coming days, ensuring complete battalions.

This process was somewhat chaotic. Tong Sui saw her second brother initially go to Xiao Zhen's cavalry selection but soon returned, looking at the other five, and finally chose Sun Dian.

Xiao Mu smiled and explained to Tong Sui, "The centurion position under your second brother will be reserved for the village cavalry who stayed at Imprisoned Dragon Ridge for five months. Since they all have merits, assigning your brother-in-law temporarily might lead to gossip and wouldn't be good for your second brother."

Tong Sui replied, "It makes sense to choose from the cavalry in the mountains. My second brother probably just wanted to be a cavalryman, not an officer."

Xiao Mu added, "Even if he doesn't want to be, he must be. With his skills and being family, he is trustworthy. A centurion position is crucial, and he deserves it. With two-thirds of the cavalry being village elders, they can help assess the loyalty of new recruits. Having him as a regular cavalryman would be a waste. It's better for him to be a centurion elsewhere, where he can help stabilize the troops if needed."

Tong Sui understood the true reason behind the Xiao family's decision, beyond mere favoritism.

She admired the strategic thinking of her grandfather and felt embarrassed about her brief misunderstanding.

Xiao Mu looked at her affectionately, "You're only eighteen and haven't dealt with such matters before. It's normal to overlook things. Learn slowly; many future responsibilities will depend on you."

The young girl, trained in the mountains with exceptional resilience and martial arts, lacked experience in social intricacies due to the simplicity of Taohuagou and her family's harmonious relationships.

Tong Sui nodded, understanding the lesson, and then noticed someone familiar among the new recruits, asking quietly, "Grandfather, isn't that Pan the blacksmith from the east of the village?"

Xiao Mu glanced and said, "Yes, look at his build. Though he's around your uncle's age, he's no less fit than a twenty-year-old. Since he wants to join, we should accept him."

Pan Yong had chosen to join under Xiao Shouyi, which made sense given their similar ages.

Noticing Pan Yong, Tong Sui found his son Pan Dai had joined under Xiao Ye.

After about half an hour, the five infantry battalions were formed, none fully staffed, requiring further recruitment.

Other positions in the army included Xiao's brother-in-law as the chief quartermaster, with three deputies: Sun Wei responsible for weapon preparation and distribution, Qiao Changan for food transport, and Zhang Wengong for the treasury.

Tong Sui's maternal grandfather Zhou Jingchun was the chief medical officer, with his sons Zhou Yuanbai and Zhou Xian serving as doctors in the army.

Tong Sui's father, Tong Youyu, did not join the military but instead became the city's chief constable, responsible for patrols and arrests.

As the men prepared to take their troops to their respective camps, Tong Sui had seen enough excitement for the day and rode back to the Xiao residence, waiting for Xiao Zhen to show her around the camp and the city walls when he had time.

As soon as she returned to the Xiao family, Xiao Yuchan and Lady He pulled her aside to inquire about the appointments for various military ranks.

Since these were not secrets, Tong Sui shared everything she knew. When she mentioned that the old man had appointed Xiao Zhen as deputy commander, Xiao Yuchan remained composed, but Lady He's smile faltered slightly.

Tong Sui pretended not to notice and, after finishing her explanations, went to find Liu Chu and Lin Ningfang to chat. After lunch, she headed to the eastern courtyard next door.

Zhou Qing smiled and said, "I didn't expect your second brother to get a position as a hundred-household commander."

Lady Jiang remarked, "What do you mean by 'get'? Tong Gui is the most capable young man in Taohuagou. Even Old Man Xiao said they chose him because of his abilities. If Tong Gui were as skinny as a bamboo pole, with Old Man Xiao’s temperament, he wouldn’t have given him an official post just because of our family ties."

Tong Sui agreed, "Grandfather is indeed not that kind of person."

Initially, one might instinctively want to be modest or avoid any conflict when hearing such news, but upon reflection, her second brother truly deserved his position as a hundred-household commander in the current defense army.

Zhou Qing's pride was evident in her smile. Although Tong Rong and Tong Gui were her nephews, they were raised by her and her husband, almost like their own children. Thus, their achievements brought her great joy.

Zhou Gui whispered, "Everything else is fine, but the deputy commander is actually your brother-in-law. Of course, he is capable, but since he is an elder, won’t he feel uncomfortable?"

Both Zhou Qing and Lady Jiang looked at Tong Sui.

Tong Sui gave a bitter smile. She did not know what Xiao Shouyi thought, but Lady He was clearly unhappy.

---

At noon, the men of the Xiao family did not return home for lunch; they were all busy handling new recruits at their respective camps, dealing with a flurry of trivial matters.

However, once their immediate tasks were completed, the men gathered at the southern camp where the old man was overseeing operations.

Xiao Ye brought over Li Zhen, the younger brother of the rebel king, and Mr. Fan, the strategist, playing with his large saber. "The time is almost up. Do you think it will be your two-thousand-strong army or fifty thousand taels of silver arriving?"

Li Zhen and Mr. Fan, who had not eaten since being captured yesterday and were only given some rice gruel, had empty stomachs growling loudly.

Li Zhen, weakly, said, "Please give my older brother more time. I am his only blood brother, and he will not abandon me."

Mr. Fan hung his head low. As a strategist who could easily be replaced, he lacked confidence.

Xiao Yan, Xiao She, Qiao Changshun, Sun Dian, and Tong Gui, tired of wasting words, went to watch from the city walls.

As the sun began to set, turning red by dusk, it cast a magnificent glow over the city and its surroundings.

Xiao Yan gazed at the sunset, thinking how beautiful the view was from high up. He decided to bring his wife here someday.

Xiao She, who did not have a wife, eagerly watched the southwest direction, hoping to see the rebel king’s fifty thousand taels of silver.

Within the city, wealthy families and commoners also awaited the outcome, hoping for silver rather than the rebel army.

As the red sun neared the distant mountains, a group of people and a carriage finally appeared from the southwest.

Xiao She rejoiced and hurriedly sent someone to fetch the old man.

Xiao Mu, upon receiving the message, continued talking with Xiao Shouyi and Xiao Zhen in the southern camp.

When Xiao She personally ran over, laughing and scolding, "Grandfather, they’ve reached the city walls. The carriage is loaded with gold and jewels. It looks like the fifty thousand taels are all there, but the rebel king is too cautious. He sent soldiers riding old donkeys, and even the carriage is pulled by two old donkeys. He’s afraid we might covet them."

Qiao Changan chuckled, "Actually, donkey meat is quite delicious."

Sun Wei suggested, "Why not keep them and cook them for the brothers in the camps to improve their meals?"

Zhang Wengong added, "Even though they’re old donkeys, I’m sure the brothers won’t mind."

Xiao’s uncle-in-law: "..."

These young men were even better at finding ways to save and make money than he was.