Chapter Thirty-Five: Physical Ability

  From a distance far from the barracks, you can clearly see that the barracks are already brightly lit, with soldiers lined up in two rows, running around the barracks in circles. The kitchen is filled with smoke rising gently, drifting east and west with the gentle morning breeze, eventually disappearing into thin air, dispersing into the darker night sky above.

  The originally open military camp now has a circle of wooden fences, and once the gate is closed, the camp becomes a closed space. There are always two soldiers standing guard at the gate with long guns. This was not arranged by Gao Yuan, but a decision made by Sun Xiao. Gao Yuan strongly supports Sun Xiao's idea and is also very pleased, because they have finally started using their own brains to think and make some necessary and correct decisions.

  After running laps, the soldiers began different exercises in units of partners. During this period, to improve the physical quality of the soldiers, such as strength, agility, and flexibility, Gaoyuan tailored a training plan for them. Every day, Sun Xiao arranged the training plan, and it seemed he did a good job. The soldiers completed one exercise after another, in an orderly manner. The training ground was filled with thunderous applause and cheers whenever they finished a high-quality exercise.

  Gao Yuan nodded in satisfaction, Sun Xiao was a good subordinate, Cao Tiancheng may not be good at leading troops, but he was very capable of doing logistics work, in this era, having someone who could read and write in the army was a remarkable thing, and Yan Haibo, Gao Yuan was making his final assessment of him, previously he had performed very well, if he could maintain such high enthusiasm and quality training in the upcoming exercises, it would not be unexpected that another battalion commander position would be his.

  Leading the horse, Gao Yuan slowly walked towards the military camp.

  "Bing Cao is back, Bing Cao is good!" At the main gate, two guards stood with their right fists clenched and placed on their left chest, saluting Gao Yuan.

  "Good job!" Gaoyuan nodded and led the horse into the military camp.

  The soldiers who were practicing in the military camp saw Gao Yuan coming from afar and saluted him one after another. Gao Yuan nodded his head and signaled everyone to continue, walking to a corner of the camp, tying up his war horse, Sun Xiao had already run over.

  "Bing Cao, how come you're so early? I thought you'd be late!" Sun Xiao wiped the sweat from his forehead, slightly panting.

  "Can't sleep at home, can't put my mind at ease, so I came to take a look. Sun Xiao, you're doing great!" Gao Yuan nodded in satisfaction, "After breakfast, come to my room and we'll discuss the next step of your training plan, come take a look."

  "Yes, Adjutant."

  As they spoke, Cao Tiancheng also hurried over, "Quartermaster, after you left yesterday, the military uniforms we ordered were delivered, two sets per person, one set of single-layer clothing and one set of padded clothing. Since you weren't here, they haven't been distributed yet. Do you think it's okay to distribute them today?"

  "Send it out, why not send it?" Gaoyuan smiled and said: "Your tattered clothes are really an eyesore, change into new ones, you'll look more spirited. Going out like this will make me lose face."

  Both of them burst out laughing. "It's just that the military officer is from a wealthy family background, and we're all used to it. As long as the egg can be covered, other places being broken don't matter."

  "You are soldiers, not ordinary people!" Gaoyuan said without a smile. "Having a neat military appearance is the most basic requirement. In your previous state, those who knew you would say you were soldiers, while those who didn't know would think you were bandits from somewhere. It's already good that people dare to hope you can protect their homes and defend the country, rather than fearing you will bring disaster to them."

  Looking at the distant and solemn expression, Sun Xiao and Cao Tiancheng also converged their smiles. "Yes, the military advisor has a broad vision, we are far from it. From now on, I will strictly require every soldier to dress properly."

  "Right, Old Cao, after you've had breakfast, go into town and buy a batch of sturdy cloth strips, about 2-3 inches wide, try to get longer ones."

  "Adjutant, what's the use of buying these cloth strips?"

  "Of course it's useful!" Gaoyuan waved his hand, "You'll know when the time comes, it should be solid and also soft."

  "I understand!" But he didn't know what kind of tricks Cao Tiancheng was playing behind the scenes, and could only put his doubts in his heart.

  The sound of the squad leader's orders came from behind, and the morning training had already ended. The soldier on duty to cook also brought out a basket of miscellaneous steamed buns in time, two large buckets were filled with vegetable soup, and the soldiers who had just finished their training cheered and rushed over, forming two neat columns.

  "Come on, let's go get some breakfast!" Gaoyuan said with a smile, "Get the food and eat while we talk!"

  Gao Yuan led Sun Xiao and Cao Tiancheng over, unexpectedly, Gao Yuan was actually at the end of the line.

  "Bing Cao, you don't need to queue up anymore, right?" Sun Xiao said hesitantly.

  "Why not line up?" Gaoyuan smiled and ignored the two men, standing steadily at the end of the line. The soldier in front of him looked a bit uneasy, constantly twisting his body back and forth. Seeing this scene, Sun Xiao and Cao Tiangcheng could only stand behind Gaoyuan in an orderly manner.

  He took a steamed bun and a bowl of vegetable soup, and Gao Yuan led Sun Xiao and Cao Tiancheng into his own room. He placed the bowl on the table, biting into the bun while rummaging through a stack of papers from under the bedhead, pulled out one sheet and handed it to Sun Xiao, "Sun Xiao, take a look, for the next ten days, we'll be doing this!"

  Sun Xiao took the paper and handed it over to Cao Tiancheng, "Old Cao, read it for me."

  Cao Tiānchéng took the paper and only glanced at it. With a "pu" sound, he spat out the mouthful of soup he had just drunk, splashing Sun Xiaoyi's entire body. Sun Xiaoyi was furious: "Old Cao, are you doing this on purpose? I just washed these clothes yesterday! Are you trying to ruin me?"

  "Sorry, sorry!" Cao Tiancheng waved his hands repeatedly, "There will be new clothes distributed today, there will be new clothes distributed."

  After seeing Cao Tiancheng's reaction, Gao Yuan didn't bother to respond and sat down by himself, eating his meal slowly and steadily, one mouthful of rice and one mouthful of soup at a time.

  "Old Cao, what's going on? Hurry up and tell me, what task has been arranged by the military officer?"

  "For the next ten days, every day we will march quickly from the military camp to the top of Nan Mountain, after arriving, rest for half an hour, and then return!" Cao Tiancheng looked at Sun Xiao, reciting slowly word by word.

  Sun Xiao's expression froze instantly, from here to the foot of Nan Mountain, it was about five miles away, back and forth, that would be ten miles, if he were to climb up the mountain, this training volume would increase by at least twice, not to mention that there were no main roads on Nan Mountain, only some winding and tortuous small paths.

  "Sun Xiao, there's a time limit for this mission. One trip, one hour!" Cao Tiancheng stuck out his tongue and looked at Sun Xiao.

  Sun Xiao suddenly felt that the bowl of vegetables in his hand weighed a thousand pounds, and his hands were shaking slightly. "Bing Cao!" he called out.

  Before he could speak, Gao Yuan had already stood up. "Old Cao is getting old, no need to go, Sun Xiao, the two of us will lead the team for training."

  "Are you running away too, soldier?"

  "Of course I'll run, and whoever wins will be heavily rewarded!" Gao Yuan said with a smile. "Today is a rest day, so we won't have training, but tomorrow morning we'll start again. Sun Xiao, don't mention this in the team today."

  "Understood, Lieutenant!" Knowing that things decided by Commander Gao were unchangeable, Sun Xiao could only nod in agreement despite the bitterness in his heart.

  "Ah, right, Secretary Cao, yesterday County Magistrate summoned you, what happened?" Cao Tiancheng suddenly remembered yesterday's events.

  "It's nothing major, just that our team has been paid in full, Zheng Xiaoyang went to the county magistrate's place and made a fuss about wanting to be paid in full too. The county magistrate had me summoned for questioning." Gao Yuan said calmly.

  Sun Xiao was furious, "This son of a bitch Zheng Xiaoyang, is he looking for death? Our team issues full pay, and the money we get is from the private funds of the army officer. If Zheng Xiaoyang has the ability, he can give his brother's salary himself. What does it mean to make trouble all the way to County Magistrate?" Sun Xiao and Cao Tiancheng were both old soldiers, they naturally knew what Zheng Xiaoyang's fuss meant. The County Magistrate would either have to give Zheng Xiaoyang full pay as well, or make things fair and square for everyone. They couldn't do things this way here, if the money they got was going to be spat back out, no one would be happy.

  "It's nothing, you guys don't need to worry about it, the money was sent by me and is my own private matter. Let Zheng Xiaoyang go make a fuss at the county magistrate's office if he wants to. Gaoyuan smiled and said, "You guys just focus on doing your own jobs well and taking care of your own affairs. I only have one thing to say: as long as I'm still in this team serving as a soldier, I won't owe you guys a single penny of salary!"

  "Thanks, General Cao! I'll follow you for the rest of my life, Sun Xiao shouted loudly!"

  "Haha, don't worry, Xiao Sun, those who follow me will never be at a loss. By the way, aren't you over thirty now? Have you said wife yet?"

  Sun Xiao's face turned red, "Bing Cao, I'm only 28! Not yet 30, you've seen me like that before, where can I find a wife? Don't mention me, in our team, only Old Cao has a wife and kids, the others are all bachelors like me. Half of them don't even have family, it's really 'naked and unencumbered'."

  "It's still acceptable without a wife, but how can you even afford it before? How come you don't have any family members now?" Gaoyuan asked in surprise.

  "Adjutant, our Fufeng County is a border county, and more than half of the troops are from villages outside Juliguan Pass. Those villages are looted by the Eastern Hu people once or twice every year. The families of these men have all been killed or taken away by the Eastern Hu people. If they didn't have any attachments, why would they join the army? Sun Dou's case is similar, his whole family was gone overnight, and he escaped alone, that's why he joined the army." Cao Tiancheng said heavily.

  "It's those Eastern Barbarians again!" Gao Yuan's face fell, "What about the others?"

  "Some families are also inside the pass, a bit better off, but with many people at home, they can't make ends meet and have no food to eat, so they can only come to be soldiers too, at least they won't starve to death, right?" Sun Xiao said.

  Gao Yuan patted Sun Xiao's shoulder, "Do well, one day we'll lead our brothers to the Eastern Hu people's territory and take revenge."

  Sun Xiao smiled bitterly, "The Xiongnu are too powerful, even our own Governor doesn't dare to provoke them. When the Xiongnu come, we can only defend the city and not dare to engage in battle outside the city walls, watching helplessly as the people outside the city are plundered. What's the point of talking about revenge? I've given up!"

  Gao Yuan's face changed, "Sun Xiao, I'm leaving my words here today, you just wait and see, I, Gao Yuan, am a man of my word, one spit is one nail, one day, I will wipe out the Dong Hu people."

  "If you dare to act, I'll give this life of mine to you!" Sun Xiao suddenly became excited.

  "If you want to take revenge, you must first have patience!" Gao Yuan said: "To forge iron, one's own body must be strong. The Eastern Hu people are powerful, so we must first strengthen ourselves. When we have built up our strength, then we can go and find their weaknesses. We cannot act impulsively, or else we will be going to our deaths. Do you understand?"

  "I understand!" Sun Xiao nodded heavily. "No wonder the military affairs came to discipline the troops and train soldiers. It turns out that the military affairs have been ambitious all along. I, Sun Xiao, misjudged him before, but from now on, I'll follow him."

  "Alright, I'll keep that in mind. However, Sun Xiao, you can't be illiterate, so when you have some free time, follow Old Cao and learn a few characters. At the very least, you should be able to read military orders!"

  "Soldier Cao made me study, I studied, Sun Xiao is not afraid of death, let alone learning a few words?" Sun Xiao puffed out his chest.