Chapter 4: A Good Man Should Not Be a Soldier

  In the courtyard, Wu Ji leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowed in enjoyment as Yang Xiuxiu massaged him, a wave of comfort spreading through him, unable to help but let out a soft moan.

  "Wu Lang, you're about to become the commander of the camp. But can your body take it? If you can't bear it, then don't go." Yang Xiuxiu massaged Wu Ji's shoulders as she spoke, her brow furrowed with worry, her curved eyebrows twisted into a crescent shape.

  "Xiu Xiu, you don't know this, but it's precisely because my body is weak that I want to join the army!" Wu Ji lightly grasped Yang Xiu Xiu's jade-like hand, feeling the icy chill emanating from it. She was very worried: "Only by joining the army, being ruthless and undergoing rigorous training can my body become strong."

  The army is a crucible, and as long as it is used well, it can turn weak people into strong ones. This time, Wu Jie deeply felt that without a strong body, many things cannot be done, and he also made up his mind to temper himself into a good physique.

  "But, however... Good men don't become soldiers!" Yang Xiuxiu hesitated for half a day and still spoke out her concerns: "Those who join the army are all useless! Only those who can't fill their bellies or support their families would go to war! Wu Lang, you're a scholar, as long as you work hard and take the imperial exam in the capital, becoming a jinshi will bring boundless prospects!"

  The Song Dynasty valued literature over martial arts, and the status of military generals and officers was very low. Moreover, corruption and greed were rampant in the army, making it a place where talent was buried. In the army, even tigers would become sheep. Wu Ji was a scholar, and rather than joining the army, he might as well work hard at reading books and strive to pass the imperial examination to become a jinshi (a successful candidate).

  Wu Ji didn't think so, and smiled: "Don't worry! This is the border area, wars will break out from time to time, that's when my chance comes! As long as the Liao dog dares to come, I'll make sure the Liao dog has no return! Once I achieve great merit, I will be promoted, and my future will be bright. Not to mention, Wu Shi Jun Gong needs a legitimate identity, and once I become the commander of the camp, everything will be easy."

  "Ah! Fighting!" Yang Xiuxiu's voice suddenly became sharp and anxious: "That's life or death! If they start fighting, it's a matter of nine deaths and one life. What if... what if..."

  She smiled without finishing, Wu Ji also understood that she was worried about Wu Ji's safety. She comforted her with a smile: "Don't worry! You don't know my skills yet? The ruthless Flowing Wind Thief was destroyed by me, what can the fierce Liao dog do to me?"

  Yang Xiuxiu hesitated for a moment, and could only nod her head, no longer speaking.

  "Brother Jiu, we're back! We're back!" Wu Jian and Wu Xing rushed in, their faces filled with surprise, as if they hadn't seen each other for days, just like they hadn't seen Wu Jiu for years.

  "Are you back? Go home and have a good rest." Wu Ji was overjoyed to see Wu Jian and the others arrive. These people were his closest relatives, or rather, they were his family.

  "Ji'er, what's there to say? Let's go back and talk about it, they're so infatuated that their eyes are turning green!" Wu Qing hurried over, shouting from a distance: "They want us to tell them about the annihilation of the Liufeng thieves, and just listening to it made their eyes drop to the ground! The Liufeng thieves, how ruthless, weren't they annihilated by me?"

  Wu Qing was getting more and more spirited as he spoke, his chest puffed out high, his neck stretched back to a ninety-degree angle, with an air of triumph and satisfaction.

  They were unwilling to be officials, but willing to follow Wu Ji as artisans. However, the extermination of the Liufeng thieves was a matter in which they exerted great effort and could be considered one of the most satisfying things in their lives. They very much wanted to tell this story to their relatives and friends. In short, they just wanted to boast a bit and satisfy their weak hearts.

  Wu Ji understood them and gave them a few days off to return home and reunite with their loved ones, telling them to have a good talk about this matter and be happy.

  The happiest one was Wu Qing, his age is not small, a lifetime has not done anything big, just this one thing worth boasting about, as soon as he returned to the village, he blew loudly, blowing wildly, as if he had destroyed the Flowing Wind Thief.

  "Father, you are the one who exterminated the Liufeng bandits, how did you become him?" Wu Jian discovered his mistake and quickly corrected himself.

  "You little scamp, how dare you interfere with your father?" Wu Qing also noticed the mistake and felt that he had snatched too much credit from Wu Ji. His old face couldn't bear it, so he started scolding Wu Jian.

  "Haha!" Wu Jian rushed to Wu Qing, made a ghost face, hid behind Wu Ji, and whispered in his ear: "Brother Ji, I'll tell you, when Dad returned to the village, he boasted so much...". Telling Wu Qing's boasting story in the village, Wu Ji couldn't help but laugh.

  Along with Wu Qing, there were also many young and strong men from the Wu family village. This was a task entrusted to them by Wu Jie. Once Wu Jie became the commander of the camp, he could use the "Hui Yi Fa" method, making the Wu family's military industry legitimate. In modern terms, they had obtained the qualification for legal production, and expansion was inevitable.

  This requires a lot of craftsmen, Wu Ji still decided to recruit from Wujiazhuang, because these people, he is most familiar with.

  "These sturdy fellows came over and paid their respects to Wu Qi."

  "We're all brothers, no need for formalities." Wu Ji waved his hand and looked them up and down, his eyes lighting up with a smile. "I have something to discuss with you all. I'm about to become the commander of the camp, and I'll be able to have my own personal guards. Personal guards, of course, are people I can trust completely. You're all my brothers, I know you well and trust you deeply - would you be willing to serve as my personal guards?"

  "Are you from the army?"

  "When will you arrive?"

  A burst of astonishment was followed by silence. A group of strong men, you look at me, I look at you, no one spoke, all with a look of embarrassment.

  "Brother Jī, I've come to be your personal soldier, do you want me?" Wu Jian was quite enthusiastic.

  "Brother Jī, don't forget about me!" Wu Xīng also chimed in.

  "Qian'er, don't talk nonsense!" Wu Qing's face turned stern as he scolded, his expression severe and very angry.

  Wu Jie was a scholar, a big shot in Wu's village. With the elimination of Liu Feng and his gang, his prestige had reached its peak. His request, however, was met with silence from these people. Wu Jie was perplexed and asked, "What's going on here? If there's something to say, just say it straight out, no need to be difficult."

  "Ah! Wu Xiuciai, we are here to work at the Wu's military factory."

  "General Wu, I've never been a soldier before, how can I be one now?"

  A group of strong and capable men found excuses, just unwilling to join the army.

  "Good steed, it's not that they're unwilling to join the army, nor are they unwilling to serve as your personal guards. But can those soldiers be relied upon?"

  "Wu Qing spoke quickly, speaking on behalf of the crowd: "Ji'er, think about it, whether it's the ten generals or the commanders, which one is a good thing? They embezzle military pay, delay military pay, and leave families with no food to eat. Who wants to starve? Not only do they oppress soldiers, but they also force their family members to work like cattle for them. Who would want to jump into a fire pit? Only those who are useless would go and become soldiers! Good men shouldn't join the army! Good men shouldn't join the army!"

  The Song Dynasty military officers were notorious for their evil deeds, not only oppressing soldiers but also extending their cruelty to the families of the soldiers. Han Shizhong was infamous for one particular incident. Although he was a renowned general, he had a weakness - he was a womanizer. One day, while strolling around the camp, he was looking for a beautiful camp follower to have some fun with. He actually found a rather attractive camp follower and couldn't resist his lust, wanting to indulge in some pleasure.

  Who would have thought that this camp woman was actually Yue Fei's first wife? After Yue Fei joined the army, the Jin-Song war broke out, and she couldn't bear the loneliness, so she eloped with someone. After eloping, she was abandoned by him, and after several twists and turns, she married a soldier in Han Shizhong's army and became a camp woman.

  When she finished speaking, Han Shizhong was shocked. At this time, Yue Fei was already one of the four great generals of the middle revival, a famous general with high status and power. Han Shizhong did not dare to be slow, and quickly sent a message to Yue Fei. His wife eloping with someone was a pain in Yue Fei's heart, he didn't want to see her, so he sent Yue Yun to meet her instead.

  This is the famous story in Chinese history "Yue Yun recognizes his mother".

  Even a famous general like Han Shizhong couldn't avoid oppressing his family, it's hard to imagine how many such cases there are. Going to war is no different from jumping into a fire pit, nobody wants to do it.

  "Don't you worry, you are my personal soldiers, under my command. Except for me, no one else can control you. Don't you still trust me?" Wu Ji was somewhat depressed, the reputation of Song Jun's army wasn't good, and it had even affected him.

  As soon as Wu Jie's voice fell, a group of sturdy men's eyes lit up, some were eager to try, but in the end no one was willing to be his personal soldier.

  "Ji'er, you're trustworthy. Following you as a personal guard is good!" Wu Qing's tone was drawn out and slow, "If only it didn't involve tattooing, that would be great! The body and skin are gifts from one's parents, they cannot be harmed. Having words tattooed on the forehead, how can that be justified to one's parents? It's embarrassing to meet people too!"

  In the Song Dynasty, soldiers were tattooed, which was a brutal policy and a trampling of human dignity. Many people did not want to become soldiers because of this tattooing. In ancient times, people attached great importance to their bodies, considering them gifts from their parents. Once they were damaged, it would be related to filial piety and unfilial to their ancestors.

  Even the famous general Yue Fei was not a regular soldier, he was an effect. The so-called effect is similar to modern volunteer army. It was a temporary measure in the Song Dynasty, because tattooing would block people who wanted to join the army, and it was a temporary solution.

  "I'm telling you, I will never get a tattoo!" Wu Ji stood up and said loudly.

  The voice was not loud, but it made people dare not have the slightest doubt. The eyes of a group of strong men suddenly lit up: "Lord Wu, do you think I'm suitable?"

  "Brother Qian, can you capture Third Uncle?" Wu Qing's dull eyes also lit up.