In the seventh year of Yuansui, it was the eleventh day of the fifth month.
A full half month has passed since the day when the two children first entered Mulu City. Although the wounds on the black-eyed boy's chest and back have not yet healed, tender new flesh has grown. Recently, there has been a lot of pain around the shoulder blades.
The itching made him want to reach out and scratch it, but he was afraid of reopening the wound, so he had to grit his teeth and endure it.
What was more itchy than his body was the heart in the child's chest that he couldn't hold back for a long time. Finally, the day promised to Baili came, and he didn't want to wait any longer.
Walking about five miles from Fubo Gate in the west of Mulu City, we arrived at the Baisha Camp of the Yeguo Marine Division in Westport. The sea sand in Westport is different from other places. Not only is it more delicate, even the color is as pure as milk.
It is white, and the Baishaying located here is named after it.
Ye State has the most powerful naval division in the world, but the training in the camp has not slackened for a day. Baisha Camp is divided into four camps: Bihai, Weiyu, Wulan, and Qianyuan. Normally,
As long as you stand outside the camp gate, you can clearly hear the killing shouts from each battalion during drills.
But at the moment, Jiang Yan's sight was first attracted by the more than 20 huge warships that were more than ten feet tall and weighed more than 10,000 tons docked on the pier. At the moment, several large Kui skin drums placed on the ship were being played by the sergeant.
Raising his arms and striking hard, he made a sonorous and powerful sound like thunder, which was overwhelming and magnificent.
On the other side of the camp, there is a field that is 500 paces from north to south and 500 paces from east to west. It is a school ground used by soldiers for training. At this time, this square area paved with white sand is surrounded by four tall turrets.
On the field, along with the rumble of drums, hunting flags were erected one after another. Black-armored soldiers lined up neatly and filed out. They stood still on the edge of the field and then remained motionless, as if waiting for someone to arrive.
After questioning, the young man found out that today was actually the last day of the four recruitments for the Marine Division before summer. After hearing the news, more than a thousand people came from neighboring villages to sign up. As soon as the drums sounded, the crowds who had gathered outside the camp gate in twos and threes also started to sign up.
They gathered together, formed a column, and marched slowly towards the Chinese army's tent opposite the camp gate.
The previous attack on the Jade Bone Lake camp finally made the king decide to issue an edict and launch his first recruitment of troops after more than 30 years of succession. However, now that the war has not yet come, life in the Ye Kingdom is not bad, and the first three
The recruitment of soldiers ended up with no one interested.
Therefore, the camp had to lower the recruitment standards again and again - in this way, families in various counties and counties who gave birth to boys were finally willing to send their children to join the army early. After all, the food of soldiers is much better than that of ordinary people's families.
, you can also receive some salary to send home for expenses.
Most of the people in the long queue are teenagers aged thirteen or fourteen, and here and there you can see a few children younger than Jiang Yandu. Many of them look good-looking and skinny, but on the contrary
It makes the child with dark eyes look stronger.
As someone kept shouting "Next" in front of the big tent in the distance, the chaotic recruitment team began to move forward slowly. When they arrived in front of the tent, Jiang Yan saw several medical officers at the head of the team, one by one.
Screening the children who came to sign up.
The boat division is not different from the land division - in the ever-changing sea, those who are not strong enough can hardly even take care of their own bodies, let alone cope with training and combat. Naturally, the physical requirements of the new recruits are quite high.
Many people in front of Jiang Yan were kicked out of the queue by the medical officers due to physical weakness or illness, and they turned around and left angrily. Those who passed the screening had to enter the tent one by one.
Within the military household register, you can record your name and fingerprint on the military household register, and then go to the quartermaster's office to receive a set of cowhide breastplates that can only protect your vital parts, and a simple wooden knife for training.
From a distance, Jiang Yan saw Xiang Baili, dressed in blue and green robes, sitting upright in the tent, carefully asking about the situation of each recruit, and he couldn't help but feel a little more admiration for him in his heart.
However, he also knew that he could not enter the camp at will, so he had to move forward slowly with the crowd. When he finally entered the tent, he arched his hands and saluted him. However, the green-robed general sitting opposite the desk was
Without raising his head he asked:
"Name, age, place of origin."
Jiang Yan thought the other party didn't recognize him, so he took another step forward:
"It's me, General Baili. We are recruiting troops in the camp today and you are busy with matters at hand. Why don't you let me come back another day?"
Hearing the boy's voice, Xiang Baili raised his head and grinned at him:
"Of course I know it's you. I specially asked you to come to the camp today because you have stayed on my Yeguo ship before, and I wanted to ask if you are interested in officially joining the military and working under my account?"
Jiang Yandeng was immediately confused by the other party's question - on the one hand, he felt a little flattered by the invitation extended to his hero; on the other hand, he was overwhelmed by the inexplicable attention Xiang Baili paid to him from beginning to end.
And I felt a little confused and uneasy.
However, before he could think of how to respond, he suddenly heard the kui drums on the boats in the harbor sounding intensively again. The calls of the sentries on duty in the camp also floated into his ears one after another:
"Welcome the Lord Governor into the camp!"
"Tsk, why is it so much earlier than the scheduled time!"
Xiang Baili, who was in the tent, frowned slightly, but still got up from the table and went outside the tent to greet the visitor. Jiang Yan felt a little embarrassed standing there alone, and he quickly followed him out.
The navy governor's traveling ceremony was not as luxurious as the young man imagined. There was only a team of less than twenty people accompanying him. There were no canopy of clouds and flags in the sky and gongs, drums and horns to clear the way. There were only two rows, one in front and one behind.
The neat cavalry and infantry, and the black falcon flags fluttering in the wind in their hands.
The short and fat Marquis Jinghai got out of a carriage drawn by four packhorses and bowed to Xiang Baili who was greeting him:
"I am so sorry that I suddenly advanced my schedule without knowing the general. I'm sorry!"
"What did the Governor say? It's just that it's still early. The troops are practicing martial arts and shooting. I'm afraid it will take half an hour to get ready. Please go to the tent and rest for a while."
"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. In fact, I had a sudden idea last night. Before the martial arts performance, I planned to select a few good players from these young people who had just joined the military to compete with the seniors of the boat division to have fun. That's why I came here.
It’s a little early.”
"Discuss for fun?" General Tsing Yi looked puzzled.
"Exactly. For this reason, I have specially brought some prizes. Whoever can win today will be rewarded generously!"
Marquis Jinghai waved as he spoke, and the servants behind him immediately picked up a shallow square plate. When he opened the red cloth covering the plate, he found that there were a hundred dominoes neatly stacked in it.
of pure gold ingots.
When Xiang Baili saw this, he immediately shook his head: "I'm afraid there's something wrong with what the Governor is doing -"
However, before he could finish his words, Marquis Jinghai laughed and interrupted: "General, you are serious. You are just letting young people warm up their skills on the school field without using real swords and guns. What's wrong with that?
"
"One side is an elite soldier who has been training hard all day long in the camp, and the other side is a young man who may have never even touched a sword. With such a disparity in strength, what's the point of even if there is a winner?"
Marquis Jinghai smiled, the flesh at the corners of his eyes and chin bulging more and more, and his tone was calm and firm:
"General Baili, people are driven by interests. No matter whether they are ordinary people on the streets or people in temples like you and me, how many people are willing to die without considering personal gains and losses? Let the people in the camp
Isn't it a good thing for the country to be able to truly reward young people for their bloodshed and struggle on the battlefield?"
"But the soldiers were supposed to be comrades who went into battle to kill the enemy, but now they are luring each other with benefits. Regardless of the final victory or defeat, they may have resentments in the future. How are they different from mercenaries? Mutual suspicion and distrust.
It's deadly in the military formation!"
"Few people in the military formation can come back alive. General, do you still remember what happened at the Jade Bone Lake camp a few days ago? The weak defeating the strong is something that everyone likes to see. If the veteran comes out on top today,
This can just be used to boost the morale in the camp, which has been depressed for a long time. And if one of the new recruits wins, all the soldiers in the camp will rise up to practice, so why not?"
Xiang Baili still wanted to argue, but the pudgy prince reached out and patted his shoulder, and walked straight to the martial arts stage next to the school grounds without looking back.
"According to the order of the Governor, five young men under the age of 18 were dispatched from each battalion of the new barracks and the boat division to compete in martial arts in the school grounds to boost the military power. Both sides were issued unsharpened wrought iron long knives, armed with small
Cowhide armor. A contest of martial arts, until the point is reached, the winner will be rewarded with a hundred gold ingots!"
Although the young people standing outside were unaware of the previous conversation between the two adults, they all saw the plate of rewards shining golden light in the sun, and the crowd immediately became excited. After all, twenty gold ingots were enough to pay for the prize.
Two years' salary for an ordinary captain.
Soon, the candidates for both sides of the competition were decided. Xiang Baili, who couldn't resist Marquis Jinghai, had no choice but to go to the martial arts stage and accompany his opponent to watch the battle.
At Xiang Baili's request, the recruits selected were all strong and capable warriors who had practiced martial arts. However, when compared with the warriors selected from the camp, these young men still became timid.
No one dared to step forward to challenge.
"Hmph, how dare you cowards like you come to the navy to make a living! Who wants to be the first to fight me? Now that we are not using real weapons, are we already so scared?"
Standing in the middle of the school grounds and mocking loudly, was a young man named Yu Li from the Benhai camp. His face was ashen, his eyes were always bulging and he looked fierce. Although he was only fifteen or sixteen years old,
He looks a full head taller than children of the same age, almost like an adult. He is usually good at wielding a thick and heavy broad-backed saber called Jianyue.
Including Xiang Baili, no one in the camp knew exactly where this young man came from. They only knew that he was brave and fierce, had superb martial arts, and was highly valued by Marquis Jinghai. And Yu Li seemed to know exactly what he wanted to gain.
, in less than two years, he had already led his troops to wipe out the pirates who harassed the coast several times, made many military exploits, and was promoted to become the youngest captain in the history of the Benhai Camp.
"Stop looking down on others and take the fight!"
One of the new recruits didn't know how powerful the opponent was, so he was immediately excited and rushed forward, standing five steps away and saluting. Unexpectedly, before he could get ready to fight, Yuli flew up and kicked him directly.
Forechest.
Seeing that the long sword in Yu Li's hand was not unsheathed, the boy only took half a step back, then raised the weapon and tried to knock the opponent's calf on the shin. Unexpectedly, when Yu Li was halfway through the kick, he reversed his attack and used his leg to hit the boy instead.
He swept it away from his lower body before he could stand firmly. In a flash of lightning, the young man fell to the ground, and the knife in his hand was snatched away by Yu Li.
"Didn't I say that the guys selected today are all guys who know how to fight? Is that all they have?"
Yu Li threw the weapon back to the boy and kicked him hard on the back. He squinted at the faces of the other four recruits who had lost their color on the sidelines, "Why don't I give you another chance?
Let’s go up together, five of us.”
The child lying on the ground looked at each other with his companions, but instead of picking up the knife and standing up again, he directly stretched out his arms to hug Yuli's legs!
Seeing that their companions had restrained their opponents, the other children also plucked up the courage to attack with swords. However, the young captain on the field did not panic because of this. Before the boys could rush closer, he did not hesitate.
He swung the long knife that had not been unsheathed and struck the left arm of the boy who was tightly restraining him.
Suddenly, a heart-rending scream echoed across the school grounds. Yu Li's men didn't leave any room. Under the heavy blow, the wooden scabbard split into two halves on the spot. Let's look at the boy's left arm and arm bones.
It was actually broken in the middle. The white bone stubble directly broke through the muscles and skin and was exposed, with traces of bright red blood on it.
When the four recruits gathered around saw this, they instantly lost their will to continue the attack. Instead of daring to step forward to save others, they dropped their weapons on the ground as a sign of surrender.
"Alas, it seems that I still lost my bet."
Marquis Jinghai did not expect that all the civilian children would be defeated in the first competition. He patted the railing in front of him with some disappointment, but there was an imperceptible look of pride in his eyes.
The hundreds of new recruits who were watching were also stunned by the tragic scene in front of them. They never thought that the so-called "stop at the drop of a hat" in the warlord's mouth actually ended with blood splattered on the spot and a broken arm seriously injured. They watched the injured boy.
Being carried down by the medical officer, these half-grown children were all frightened, but they secretly hoped that someone on their side would step forward and teach the domineering young captain a lesson.
"Huh, what a bunch of losers! You would have been injured in the competition, but you cry like this when your arm is broken? It will grow back in a hundred days!"
Yuli still stared at his round eyes and looked towards the crowd contemptuously. After confirming that no one dared to confront him, he turned back to the martial arts stage and saluted, then went to the side to collect the bounty. But he just
After taking half a step, I suddenly heard a loud voice from the crowd behind me:
"It is ruthless to bully people who are weaker than you. The people standing by you may become your comrades in the future who wield swords against the enemy. Didn't you even have a trace of compassion when you struck?"
Yu Li was suddenly startled. He couldn't believe that anyone dared to question his absolute victory. He turned around and glared in the direction of the sound - he saw the recruits taking the initiative to make way for a young man.
He has black hair, black eyes, and an obvious scar between his right eyebrows.
The gaze of Xiang Baili on the martial arts stage was immediately attracted by this new change on the field. When he looked up, he found that the person speaking was actually his favorite General Yan, and he couldn't help but reveal a slight smile on his face.
smile.
"Does General Baili know this child?" Marquis Jinghai asked with some surprise.
"So we know him. I originally planned to recruit him to my tent today as a personal soldier."
"Oh? General Baili's personal soldiers are not something ordinary people can do easily. Is there anything special about this child?" Marquis Jinghai suddenly narrowed his eyes and asked again.
"It's nothing, I just think this kid is quite interesting."
Xiang Baili did not answer truthfully this time. But he felt more and more in his heart that the stubbornness and courage radiating from the black-eyed boy who was slowly walking onto the school grounds were very similar to his own rough background when he was young.
Not only are they similar, they are exactly the same!
Thank you for your tasteful attention to "Twin Moon". I hope the wheat grown by Xiaoli will suit your taste. You can follow the official account of the same name~