Volume 5: Iron Blooded Cavalry Chapter 4: Kindness and Authority

  More updates coming soon, take your time to read. By the way, I recommend a few books: For book lovers who are looking for something new to read.

  The exhausted Qin soldiers finished their simple breakfast hastily and then formed a line to slowly march towards the military camp. In order to allow the Qin army time to recover their strength, Fu Su did not urge them strongly, but seeing the Qin soldiers' sluggish appearance as they marched, Fu Su couldn't help but secretly laugh: "Don't worry, there will be a big feast waiting for you later!"

  Five kilometers is neither long nor short, and the Qin army, maintaining a normal marching speed, took nearly an hour to return to the camp. By this time, it was almost noon.

  Fu Su stepped onto the observation deck and coldly swept his gaze over the Qin soldiers: Although the 3,000-strong Qin army had not fully recovered from the exhaustion of the 10-kilometer armed cross-country march, their morale had improved significantly, and their formation was more orderly and solemn than during the march. Fu Su nodded secretly: The military discipline of the Qin army was indeed very good, and the physical quality of the ancients also surpassed that of modern people. If an ordinary modern army were to start with a 10-kilometer armed cross-country march, they would probably have collapsed from exhaustion long ago!

  Fu Su suddenly raised his face and shouted: "The three armies listen to the order: all armor will be removed, wait for orders!" The Qin army was now somewhat intimidated by Fu Su's ruthless tactics, regardless of three or seven or twenty-one, they quickly and orderly executed the command: after putting down all their armor and weapons, they returned to the ranks.

  Fu Su was satisfied in his heart and continued to give orders: "The three armies listen to the order: The whole army turns around, squats down, and puts their hands behind their backs with fists clenched together!" Although the Qin soldiers were somewhat perplexed, they still followed suit. For a moment, the drill ground was filled with more than 3,000 burly men squatting, which had a somewhat comical flavor to it.

  Fu Su nodded in satisfaction and shouted loudly: "Maintain a squatting position, jump forward, turn your head back at the camp gate and return to the original place!" (Hehe, this is called 'frog jumping'!) The Qin soldiers were stunned by his words: What does this mean? Squatting on the ground with their hands behind their backs, aren't they becoming frogs? For a moment, everyone felt embarrassed and hesitated without moving!

  Fu Su's face turned stern, and he shouted: "Military orders are like mountains! Who dares to disobey? First-time offenders will be punished, second-time offenders will be executed! Carry out the military order!" Suddenly, a military officer from the Trap Array Camp stood up, his tall and robust body radiating intense anger, and shouted: "Young master, we of the Trap Array Camp are brave warriors who fight to kill the enemy. You can't humiliate us like this!"

  Fu Su's eyes were red, and he said sternly: "This is training, not humiliation! Jiang Huai doubted the military order in front of him and has already been punished; you disobeyed the military order behind, and will be beheaded without pardon! Where is the central army? Bring down the execution report!" The people of the 'Trap Array Camp' have always been stubborn and unruly, fearing neither death nor punishment. If Fu Su did not punish a few of them, it would be difficult to maintain strict military discipline, so when he got the chance, he showed no mercy!

  The guards rushed forward at the order, and immediately overturned the military marquis to the ground, dragging him away. The angry military marquis refused to surrender, roaring and struggling like a caged beast under the restraints of the guards, his enormous strength causing five or six guards to be busy and unable to cope. One of the guards was enraged, striking the back of the marquis's head with the hilt of his sword, instantly knocking him unconscious. Then the sharp sword flashed, "Ka Cha" a sound, one knife cut off his head, presenting it! The three armies were shocked!

  Looking at the bloody head with a scowling face and eyes that refused to die, Fu Su's heart was churning like a stormy sea, but he still kept his face stern, gritted his teeth and shouted loudly: "A soldier's duty is to obey orders, those who disobey will end up like this. The deputy will take over the position. All troops, listen to the order: advance by leaps!"

  The Qin soldiers saw Fu Su being so ruthless and were extremely shocked in their hearts. Seeing the bloody lesson before them, they did not dare to disobey orders. They could only grit their teeth, stiffen their scalps, and all the officers, big or small, started to hop forward with a "frog jump". This made Sima Yue and others so angry that they were furious!

  At that moment, more than 3,000 Qin soldiers on the school grounds all turned into 'frogs', jumping around on the ground with a strange posture and sorrowful faces. The middle army guards couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight. Fusu heard the commotion, came back to his senses, coldly stared at the guards for a moment, and shouted: "Think it's funny? You all go down too, frog jump forward!"

  The guards were shocked and dared not disobey the order, so they had to swallow their pride and leave the drill ground. As a result, another group of frogs appeared on the drill ground, with the previous "trap array" and cavalrymen all shouting and scolding in unison, loudly cursing the central army for bringing it upon themselves.

  From the starting point to the school field and back, it's over a thousand steps away. Relying on frog jumps to advance such a long distance is not an easy task at all. The amount of exercise involved is enormous, probably no less than a 10-kilometer armed cross-country run. As a result, after just jumping three or four hundred steps, the Qin soldiers were already exhausted, panting like wolves with their tongues hanging out. Everyone felt extremely hot all over, dizzy and confused in their heads, and their eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of fog; their legs felt like they didn't belong to them, especially with countless blisters on their feet that had been rubbed raw, each jump causing a piercing pain... Although the Qin soldiers were suffering greatly and were exhausted to death, military orders are like mountains, and they had to persevere even if it killed them! Moreover, if they were sent back to their original unit like those ten or so brothers who had fainted from exhaustion earlier, wouldn't that be a loss of face for the men of Qin?! So the Qin soldiers gritted their teeth, steeled themselves, and let out beast-like roars from their throats, persisting with all their might: I'll jump! I'll jump again!

  At first, the Qin soldiers' ridiculous and hilarious appearance made Wu Ya, who was normally extremely cold-blooded, reveal a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. Although Wu Xin and others didn't dare to laugh openly, they were secretly laughing so hard that their stomachs hurt, thinking to themselves: "This Fusu Gongzi can really stir up trouble, this method is actually considered a good way to train soldiers?" However, later on, seeing the Qin soldiers' painful and pitiful state, Wu Xin and others couldn't help but feel sympathetic. But looking at Fusu's solemn and unyielding expression, they swallowed their words of advice...

  The sun was high in the sky, and it was already noon. When all the Qin soldiers returned to their original positions, relying on frog jumps, a miserable scene appeared: almost all the Qin soldiers, regardless of size or rank, were completely exhausted and collapsed to the ground, lying horizontally and vertically, covering the entire field. Everyone was panting heavily, each one seemingly only exhaling, without any inhaling left. For a moment, the speed of everyone's rapid breathing on the training grounds created a thin mist!

  This series of intense physical training has almost crippled all the Qin military officers!

  Fu Su did not speak, he just stood quietly on the stage watching. Although his heart was aching, as the commander, he absolutely could not show it, otherwise, it would be difficult to lead the army in the future. After about a minute or so, the Qin soldiers finally managed to catch their breath, and their limbs, which had almost lost all sensation, began to feel a sharp pain. Many of the Qin soldiers who were normally extremely fierce now looked like they were on the verge of tears, feeling wronged and humiliated in their hearts. In their opinion, what kind of crazy training method was this?!

  Fu Su's heart was clear, and he calmly ordered Wu Xin: "Beat the drums, form the array!" Wu Xin let out a light sigh, took orders and left, picked up two drumsticks, and suddenly beat them fiercely. The sound of the war drums instantly echoed throughout the entire school field. Although the Qin soldiers were exhausted like dead dogs, almost all over their bodies, they had lost consciousness, but the inertia of executing orders had deeply penetrated their blood. So everyone gritted their teeth, supported their sore body from the ground and slowly got up, re-formed the array. On the ground, at least 20-30 Qin soldiers were exhausted after this crazy frog jump, and they fell asleep, unable to move for a while!

  Fu Su carefully observed that this formation was vastly different from the one they had gathered at dawn, both in terms of its layout and momentum. Even compared to their formation after running ten kilometers, it was still far inferior. Looking at the Qin soldiers, they all seemed drowsy, with soft bones and tired tendons, each one leaning forward, bowing their heads, and sagging downwards. It's estimated that if given a pillow now, more than 90% of the Qin soldiers would fall asleep without hesitation on the training grounds!

  Fu Su's face, which had been tense all along, suddenly relaxed and he smiled slightly: "I was thinking, are you all hating me?" The Qin soldiers didn't say a word, but the ferocity and hatred in their cold eyes couldn't be concealed. It's just that no one dared to speak out loud, if they did, they would definitely be 'beheaded' by this ruthless young master on the spot! The lesson of the past is not far away!

  Fu Su continued nonchalantly: "You don't have to answer me, I already know the answer: Yes, you all hate me! This doesn't come as a surprise to me, and it won't affect my attitude towards you either. As long as you can strictly follow military orders, I will be the most concerned commander for you! Now, I'll tell you the deeper meaning of today's two training items. First, this morning's long run, which I call '20-mile armed cross-country'! You should understand what it means? This is not to bully or humiliate you, but to temper your endurance. On the battlefield, the enemy situation changes rapidly, and without good physical strength and endurance, you can't react quickly and strike at the enemy's weakness! So I chose this '20-mile armed cross-country' long run to train your endurance. Second, it's the 'frog jump' that you just finished, which you thought was ridiculous and shameful. In fact, it's not laughable at all. The 'frog jump' can not only train your endurance but also greatly enhance the explosive power of your legs and the balance and coordination of your entire body! Both exercises are very beneficial for enhancing your combat effectiveness! Today is the first and last time I'll explain the deeper meaning of training, and in future training sessions, I won't explain again. Maybe you think my military orders are strange or even unreasonable, but I just hope you can obey orders without questioning them. In my army camp, those who disobey orders will be put to death! Do you understand?" "Yes!" The Qin soldiers finally understood Fu Su's intention and knew he wasn't intentionally bullying them, so their mood improved a lot.

  Fu Su smiled and said: "As my soldiers, I won't treat you unfairly! Today, regardless of rank or position, everyone will have meat to eat and wine to drink! Go ahead, no need to line up, today is the first day, let's make an exception!" The Qin soldiers were momentarily shocked, not expecting that the strict and ruthless Fu Su would have such a gentle side. They looked at each other, although they were happy in their hearts, but didn't even have the energy to cheer, so they just walked towards the barracks in small groups, supporting each other. From afar, everyone's footsteps were heavy and difficult, clearly all exhausted to the point of collapse.

  Fu Su smiled and said to Wu Xin and others: "The prince is indeed a strange person, who can conquer the hearts of the people with his might and win their hearts with his kindness. This branch of Qin army will become one of the best in the world within three months!" Fu Su smiled again and said to Wu Xin and others: "In fact, governing an army is like governing a country. As long as you grasp the right measure, use both kindness and severity, and apply the right strategy, anyone can do it well. Isn't there an ancient saying that says 'governing a big country is like cooking a small fish'? The principle is just like that!" Wu Xin and others fell silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.

  Fu Su smiled and said: "Forget it, let's go eat. I'm starving after being busy for half a day!" Wu Xin said: "Yes, young master, let's head back to the camp. Huo Feng and the others should have prepared lunch by now." Fu Su thought for a moment, then shook his head and said: "No, we're not going back to the camp. Let's go to the logistics camp instead. I want to eat with the soldiers who have been with us for the past three months. If you guys want to go back, you can go ahead!"

  Wu Xiao said: "Young Master, isn't this looking down on us five brothers? We are all Mohist disciples, we have always taken pleasure in being poor and simple, what kind of hardship can't be endured. Young Master is willing to set an example with his own body, deeply entering the army, naturally we will also accompany him to death, without any excuses!" Fu Su smiled and said: "Let's go, then let's also taste the military rations of Qin State!" The several people laughed loudly and stepped out walking.

  In the logistics camp of the Qin army, hundreds of large military pots were scattered on the vast open space, emitting hot steam. The fire under the pot was burning fiercely, making a "crackling" sound. The entire air was filled with a strong aroma, which was the savory smell of beef and the clear fragrance of rice, making Fu Su and others who were also hungry rumble their stomachs!

  At this time, the more than 3,000 Qin soldiers standing around the hundreds of large pots were leaning against each other with their helmets and armor askew, letting out exhausted sighs. Taking advantage of the brief moment before dinner, everyone took off their shoes, revealing feet covered in blood blisters. The Qin soldiers smiled bitterly as they helped each other pop the blisters, the intense pain causing their eyebrows to furrow and their lips to tighten, filling the air with the sounds of painful sighs, foul foot odor, and the faint smell of blood, truly a pitiful sight!

  This tragic scene made Fusu's chest and abdomen churn with a wave of nausea, almost vomiting. Even the unsuspecting onlookers were shocked, thinking to themselves: "This time the Qin army was thoroughly tormented by young master Fusu!"

  Before long, dinner was served, and the Qin army officers and men, who were almost half-walking and half-crawling, still followed their usual military discipline to line up in order to eat their meals. They casually found a vacant spot to sit down, without even caring whether it was clean or not. Faced with the tempting aroma of food, the Qin army, who were as hungry as a pack of wolves, wolfed down beef and their respective dishes, using warm wine to ward off the cold and alleviate fatigue. For a time, everyone was truly delighted, loudly exclaiming how wonderful it was.

  Just as the Qin soldiers were eating with gusto, they suddenly saw Fusu leading a few guards walking towards them in big strides. They immediately fell silent, and even the sound of chewing stopped abruptly. The Qin soldiers were clearly both extremely fearful of Fusu and had not expected that as the crown prince, he would actually come to the chaotic campsite.

  Fu Su didn't say a word and directly walked towards the big pot that was steaming hot. At this time, Zhou Jian, who had sharp eyes, also saw Fu Su coming and hurriedly welcomed him with a smile: "I didn't expect to welcome you, young master. What instructions do you have for me?" Fu Su smiled and said: "General Zhou, I'm here to catch the autumn wind for us, can you get some food ready for a few of us?"

  Zhou Jian was stunned for a moment. The ranking system in the Qin Dynasty was extremely strict, and it was rare for generals to be willing to eat with soldiers together. Even low-ranking military officers like Jun Hou and Xiao Wei had their own barracks and ate separately. So Zhou Jian thought he must have misheard: "Young master, I didn't quite catch that, could you repeat yourself?"

  Fu Su smiled and said: "I told you to bring us some food, is that a problem?" Zhou Jian finally heard clearly this time and hastily replied: "Alright alright, come on, quickly prepare a few more portions of the meal for General Sima and General Ying!" Fu Su shook his head hurriedly upon hearing this and said: "No no, whatever my brothers eat, we'll eat too." Suddenly, Fu Su saw a Qin army cavalryman eating beside him and said: "Just like that one, bring us six portions!" Zhou Jian took a look and almost fainted: "My goodness gracious, this is the coarse grain meal for the lowest-ranking officers!" He couldn't help but hesitate.

  Fu Su saw this and said displeasedly: "How come, can't even handle such a small matter, I think you're not competent as a lieutenant!" Zhou Jian saw that Fu Su's tone was unfriendly, and hastily replied: "No problem, no problem!" He quickly ordered several soldiers to prepare a meal for Fu Su and the others.

  Fu Su and Wu Xin each carried a tray and came to the side of a team of Qin soldiers, finding a quiet place to sit down casually. This made the Qin soldiers stunned: "Impossible! With such a noble identity as the young master, you actually want to sit with us ordinary soldiers and eat the same food?"

  Fu Su looked at the tray in his hand and exclaimed excitedly: "Let me see what good things our brothers from Qin are eating! This is rice, hmm, not bad, smells pretty good, should be fine grain rice! This is sauce, not bad, it's meat sauce too, but there's a bit less meat and more vegetables! These are greens, surprisingly fresh! And finally, the beef for extra meal, even more fragrant. Wu Xin, the food isn't bad at all!"

  Those who were present looked at each other in dismay, thinking to themselves: "Is this considered good? Which time did you have a meal in the palace that wasn't a lavish spread of big fish and meat with over ten dishes! It seems the young master has either gone crazy from hunger or is trying to buy people's hearts again!" The few people exchanged knowing glances, then also began eating heartily. For the humble and austere people of the Mo Gate, even relying on eating bran and wild vegetables to get through difficult times was normal, so having this kind of meal now was already quite good!

  As soon as Wu Xie and others started eating, Fu Su also picked up his chopsticks and began to eat on his own, taking big mouthfuls without any sign of hesitation. The surrounding Qin soldiers were stunned, their jaws dropped, and they couldn't help but wonder: "How can the young master eat such coarse food with such relish? Is there some kind of magic medicine in his bowl that makes it edible for someone of his refined status?"

  Fu Su was eating when he suddenly felt that the surroundings were quiet, so he raised his head and saw that the Qin soldiers were staring at him with a look of surprise, gratitude, and admiration in their eyes. He couldn't help but smile and say: "What's wrong, haven't you seen a young master eat before? Or are you jealous of this meal? Which brother is not full, I'll share some with him!" The Qin soldiers heard this and burst out laughing, their expressions complex as they continued eating, feeling that the food was especially delicious.

  Fu Su asked a Qin soldier beside him while eating: "What's your name? Where are you from?" The Qin soldier saw Fu Su ask and was frightened, hastily putting down the tray, wanting to kneel and answer. Fu Su hurriedly stretched out his hand to hold him back, saying: "No need, no need! During training we are commander and soldiers, but in peacetime just treat me as an ordinary Qin soldier, or consider me a brother or friend! You sit down, I'm just chatting with you!"

  The Qin soldier was momentarily taken aback, but the warm and gentle aura emanating from Fu Su's body immediately dispelled more than half of his tension. Almost involuntarily, he sat down, looking a bit stiff, and replied: "Reporting to young master, my name is Jing, and I'm from Hanzhong." Fu Su smiled and said: "No need to be nervous, relax. Hanzhong, that's a great place! The mountains are beautiful, the water is beautiful, and the people are beautiful too. Does your hometown have any nice girls?" Jing's face turned red as he replied with some embarrassment: "There is, but I don't have enough money to marry her yet. I've just joined the Hu Bao army, and although I receive a military salary, it'll take me three or four years to save up enough to buy a small house in Xianyang and bring my family and her there." The other Qin soldiers chuckled quietly at first, but then thought of their own families and fell silent. (The great Qin dynasty, while building a massive army, also created countless tragic love stories!)

  Fu Su smiled and said: "You want her to wait three or four years? How can that be? Not to mention the long nights and many dreams, but I also cannot let my subordinates suffer losses! Alright, here's what we'll do. Three months from now, I and the general appointed by my father will have a competition. If at that time you can win me honor, then the money you need will be provided by me, even if it means giving you a reward." Jing heard this and was overjoyed, saying: "Thank you, young master! I will definitely work hard!"

  Fu Su smiled and said: "Don't thank me, whether you can get the reward or not depends on your own efforts. By the way, I'll ask you another question, how is our Qin army's food supply usually arranged? I want to know the details!" Jing thought for a moment and said: "It's like this. Depending on the rank, the meals are different: For example, those with third-class ranks like us can have refined rice one dou, sauce half sheng, vegetable dishes one plate, and dried meat half stone; Those with second-class ranks like Shangzao can only eat coarse rice one dou, also with vegetable dishes one plate, and a small amount of salt and pepper supply; As for those with first-class ranks like Gongshi, it's already good if they can fill their stomachs. As for military officers above the rank of Military Marquis, the conditions are much better, with wine and meat supplies at every meal, and they even have separate accounts! After talking to Fu Su for a long time, Jing was no longer nervous at all, speaking very fluently, because Fu Su now looked not fierce at all, but rather like a curious big kid next door, full of longing for knowledge. When Jing spoke, he only smiled and listened with great interest.

  "Oh, so that's how it is!" Fu Su thought to himself: "The Qin army's hierarchy is indeed strict and unmatched, even the food for different ranks is vastly different, which has created an endless pursuit of rank among the Qin soldiers! No wonder the history books record that whenever the people of Qin heard about going to war, they would all beat their chests and stamp their feet in eagerness, because war to them meant delicious food, luxurious houses, or even beautiful wives! How could they not fight with all their might?!" Fu Su couldn't help but feel secretly shocked by the iron-blooded system of Qin.

  Very soon, Fu Su finished eating and patted Xing's shoulder, laughing: "Well done! If you succeed, not only will I reward you with a gift, but I'll also attend your wedding!" Xing couldn't help but nod repeatedly, feeling honored: "Yes, young master. This humble one will definitely live up to the young master's expectations!" Fu Su put down his tray and looked around at everyone, seeing that all the Qin soldiers had almost finished eating, yet no one dared to leave first. He smiled to himself and left with Wu Xin, who had already finished eating a long time ago.

  This meal successfully brought Fusou closer to the Qin soldiers. From their eyes, he could see a mix of surprise, acceptance, and admiration. In his heart, Fusou secretly smiled: "I learned this trick from the Communist Party, it's really effective!"

  Who would have thought that just turning around, they would run into a group of high-ranking military officers including Ying Qiang and Sima Yue, who were hastily rushing over with awkward expressions on their faces. Looking at the crowd's hasty appearance with food stains still on the corners of their mouths, Fu Su smiled and said: "Don't worry, generals, I'm just chatting with my brothers and having a meal. I don't require you to do the same, this is purely voluntary. You can all go back, hurry up and finish eating, we'll continue training in the afternoon!" "Yes!" The military officers responded in unison, their eyes momentarily filled with complex emotions: admiration, fear, trust, confusion, but all were grateful for Fu Su's tolerance, clearly not everyone was willing to dine with the Qin soldiers.

  Watching the distant figure of Fu Su, Sima Yue said to Ying Qiang in a low voice: "Fu Su is not simple, he has both might and kindness, strictness and leniency, and is well-versed in the way of ruling subordinates. It seems that in the future, our great Qin emperor will be none other than him!" Ying Qiang was taken aback: "What do you mean?" Sima Yue smiled: "This is a good opportunity for us to form connections. Whether we can rise to prominence and make a name for ourselves in the future depends on our efforts over the next few months!" Ying Qiang nodded his head with a complex expression!