Chapter 66: Desire to End, Heart Broken, Ten Thousand Difficulties (5)
"I will not disappoint your trust, Jingyu!" Although Cui Hao was a traditional scholar who excelled in the classics and history, he had undergone several years of tempering after coming from a poor background, and was no longer the simple and naive bookworm he once was.
Although he is currently doing some trivial and uninteresting work, dealing with rural people, businessmen, craftsmen and even farmers' wives every day, despite his wife's frequent complaints that he quit his job as a chief accountant to come here to suffer, Cui Hao persisted in doing so without hesitation.
If it was said that the initial hard work was to show off one's ability and attitude, then after the past ten days, Cui Hao had no choice but to start reflecting on himself. He found that he couldn't understand his usually humble and elegant younger brother at all. This younger brother, since his serious illness, had been doing things that were truly incomprehensible, shocking, and admirable.
First, there was a poem "Qīn Yuán Chūn - Snow" on the Glorious Pavilion, its majestic momentum that swept through the universe and connected with the Star River really shocked several fellow disciples. Although they didn't communicate, due to Cui Hao's familiarity with his fellow junior brothers, he could naturally see the thought that arose in their minds. In fact, wasn't Cui Hao also like this?
Suddenly, bad news came that Zhao Guo Gong and his eldest son died in battle in Shu. Although Cui Hao did not say anything, he secretly worried about his younger brother.
The tragic death of my father and brother is a great calamity, yet within it lies a hidden opportunity. If Little Master can manage to turn the tide and maintain the status of the Zhao State's imperial clan, that would truly be like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate, transforming into a dragon and soaring through the nine heavens.
Zhou Wenbo's next move did not disappoint Cui Hao, although he was unable to complete his task in one go. However, Zhou Wenbo had already gained some breathing space and subsequently went on to recruit new soldiers in various counties, which made Cui Hao see him in a new light, knowing that this young master was absolutely worthy of being called a wise lord!
Cui Hao has been frustrated for half his life, with a belly full of talent but no place to use it. Now he sees his younger brother about to take off, and it's just when there's a lack of talent. If he doesn't seize the opportunity to go and offer his services, then he'll truly be one who has eyes but no pearls.
Cui Hao resigned without hesitation and came to serve his chosen lord, Zhou Wenbo.
Zhou Wenbo entrusted him with important tasks without hesitation, and it can be said that he has already taken the lead in civil affairs under Zhou Wenbo's command. This made Cui Hao proud but also not dare to relax, completing all the tasks assigned by Zhou Wenbo beyond expectations. This is also a case of monarch and minister being on the same page, and Zhou Wenbo was naturally extremely satisfied with Master Brother's ability and attitude.
While working diligently, Zhou Wenbo's work content and diligent attitude were all taken into consideration. Originally, he was still puzzled by Zhou Wenbo's employment of such a large group of villagers and the use of some strange methods to train the troops. However, when he saw these villagers bursting out with super strong motivation in front of visible benefits and those originally dull-eyed weak new recruits undergoing earth-shaking changes within just ten days, he was also infected by this mighty force.
He finally realized the power of the common people at the bottom of this society, which was as deep and unpredictable as an iceberg under the sea.
Although they often quote Mencius' famous saying "The people are the most important, the altars of the land and grain are next, and the ruler is last." However, only by putting aside their usual high-handed attitude, truly integrating with them, and communicating equally, can they gain new insights, and this is what it means to integrate knowledge and action.
According to Zhou Wenbo's previous inquiry of the tailors, with the number of tailors and female workers he hired, they could produce nearly a hundred sets of clothes in one day, and also produce fifty pairs of cloth shoes.
At this rate, the current 1,000 soldiers will probably be able to get a pair of cloth shoes and two sets of hemp clothing each in about twenty days.
Zhou Wenbo decided to hold a series of acceptance tests for the recent training sessions, and would give away the first batch of produced clothes, shoes and socks as prizes to the winners. This would also stimulate the enthusiasm and seriousness of the remaining new recruits towards training.
So on that day at noon, more than 200 soldiers who had reported for duty on the first day of recruitment received a notice to conduct evaluation and acceptance work the next day at noon.
All the new recruits who trained hard and basically mastered all the movements had a sense of expectation, while those who were lazy and sneaky on ordinary days and were not managed by the squad leader were now somewhat flustered.
However, time does not move with people's will, whether it is with an expected mood or a nervous mood, the day's light and shadow quickly passed, and the first evaluation work of the Luhu Army also officially began.
This time the scale of the scene was very large, and in the following days, new recruits who came to join the army were commanded by the squad leaders among them, standing in a neat square array in a corner that had been designated in advance, ready to watch the performance of old soldiers with slightly more seniority than themselves. Many new recruits were also celebrating their ability to have these people take the lead for themselves and explore the way, which was also a gain in experience.
Zhou Wenbo, Cui Hao, Liu Meng and Duan Shichen, among other high-ranking officials of the Luliang Army, sat on the rostrum.
From Zhou Wenbo's perspective, it was clear that the phalanx formed by the batch who came to join the army on the second day was neat and tidy, with a good model; while the new batch obviously had not yet entered the state, the crooked and slanted team was really unbearable, these new recruits who had only stayed in the military camp for one night were also looking around nervously with anxiety and excitement.
As there were only over 200 new recruits in the first batch to participate in the evaluation, they would form a square array and pass through the rostrum, then return to the starting point in groups of five. This way, no more than ten people would be under the gaze of thousands on this route, making it very challenging.
Liu Meng this time as the commander-in-chief of the evaluation, he saw that the sun had already reached the top of his head, and the scheduled evaluation time had arrived, so he loudly announced the start of the evaluation.
Because the order of the 22 teams was determined by the speed at which they won or lost on the day of selecting team leaders, Li Mutang's team ended up in the first row entering the field, while Hua Qing and Song Jinbiao's teams were respectively in the last and second-to-last rows.
Every row should stare at the direction of the first row when marching in step, and Li Mutang undoubtedly became the focus of everyone's attention on the field.
Li Mutang, although having gone through a hundred battles, had long since put life and death outside his consideration. Nevertheless, this solemn and dignified occasion made him recall the scene when the Emperor himself conferred upon him the title of Great Tang Tian Ce Shang Jiang.
The title of Tianxia Shangjiang was an official position set by the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan, for his second son, Li Shimin. As the King of Qin, Li Shimin made great contributions to the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, and Li Yuan had promised to make him the Crown Prince.
However, after the founding of the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan made Li Jiancheng the crown prince and consoled Li Shimin by making him the Supreme Commander of Heavenly Strategy.
Tian Ce Shang Jiang, First Rank, in charge of all military operations within and outside the Great Tang, Head of the Fu, Chief Judge of the Fu Affairs.
The Tian Ce Fu is the first among the military officials, above the 14 Wei Fu; The position of Tian Ce Shang Jiang is above that of the close princes and the three dukes, second only to the nominal head of the civil officials, the San Shi (i.e. Tai Shi, Tai Fu, Tai Bao). The Tian Ce Shang Jiang can recruit personnel by himself as officials in the Tian Ce Fu, known as "permitting self-appointed officials".
There was never again a Tian Ce Shang Jiang in the Tang Dynasty.
Li Mutang was conferred the title of Tian Ce Shang Jiang when the Great Tang had already been destroyed by Zhu Wen's treachery for five years, and the emperor's brother, the last emperor of the Tang Dynasty, died from the severe poison given by Zhu Wen.
The emperor trusted Li Mutang and handed over all the power of this exile regime to him, sealing him as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. However, after years of resistance and hiding, the emperor and empress still died under the blade of the Liang army, and the last bloodline of the Tang imperial family was completely extinguished.
Since the Liang Dynasty was destroyed by the Later Tang, Li Mutang and his remaining forces could finally stop hiding their identities. In just three years, they developed a considerable hidden force in the shadows. However, this force's desire to reclaim dominance and revive the Tang Dynasty could only be realized in daydreams. Moreover, the bloodline of the Tang imperial family had already been severed, so for whom could these remnants of a fallen house possibly serve?
It wasn't until recently, when he saw the girl now known as Hong Zhuang in Luoyi City, that he was surprised to discover that the last bloodline of the Tang Dynasty, the only descendant of their lord, should be called the last princess of the Great Tang, was actually a maid by the side of Zhou Wenbo, the Duke of Zhao of Later Tang!
In this era, women are naturally unable to participate in the struggle for power and the contention for the Central Plains. However, if Princess Tang were to marry Zhou Wenbo and assist him with all her might in unifying the world and establishing a new dynasty, it would be a new beginning. If Princess Tang were to become the empress of this new dynasty and give birth to a crown prince, this child who possesses the bloodline of the Tang imperial family would inherit the empire in the future. Wouldn't that mean that the Tang Dynasty has been revived in some sense?
Li Mutang had been thinking of ways to take advantage of this opportunity ever since he saw the princess's figure and figured out Zhou Wenbo's true nature, until yesterday when he finally understood the truth.
From the observation of these ten days, it can be judged that Zhou Wenbo is undoubtedly a worthy master to rely on. He is young, brave, has great potential, and has the power to strategize. His family is large and wealthy, with abundant capital, truly a hidden dragon!
If it's a gathering of heroes, I will surely seize the opportunity and transform into a true dragon soaring through the nine heavens!
He was overjoyed by the reason he had figured out for himself, and the hope of restoring the Tang Dynasty had long since become a distant memory. However, he had quietly discovered an unusual yet effective path!
Heaven blesses Great Tang!
Li Mutang was so excited that he almost knelt down to thank the heavens, his life finally had hope, he would fight to live until one day he could see the blood of the Tang Dynasty royal family sitting on the dragon chair of the nine-five supreme again!
