This is a medium-sized training ground, just enough to accommodate 5,000 soldiers for training.
The whole site was leveled with loess, and fences, chevaux de frise, antlers and sentry posts were set up on the periphery. Inside, there were facilities such as the general platform, golden drums, command flags, and arsenal.
On the left and right are large areas of simple adobe and thatched houses, as well as some tents that were temporarily built because of the sudden increase in the number of new recruits, for the garrison to rest.
In the last counterattack against the Quanrong, Mo Qiaosheng led his troops to kill several enemy generals. The hundred-man team he led killed more than a hundred enemy heads. Not only did everyone in his team receive the title of Gongshi, but his own title was also upgraded from the third-level "Zhanniao" to the "Bugeng" qualified to lead an army.
The new army was just established and was extremely short of generals to lead it. In addition, with the lord's slight favoritism, Mo Qiaosheng was very lucky to be appointed as a captain, in charge of the 5,000 soldiers on the parade ground.
At this moment, he was standing on a high platform, looking at the crowds of soldiers in front of him.
Most of these soldiers were born as slaves. Because there was no time to make clothes, some of them wore the standard uniforms of the Jin Army, some wore armor taken from the corpses of the enemies, and some simply went shirtless.
Only some of the elite military personnel such as Qianhu, Baifu, and Shichang were transferred from the old army to assist in guiding the newcomers.
Each of these soldiers had a different mental state. Most of them looked thin and hunched due to long-term malnutrition and overwork.
When they were not fighting and had no military merits to collect, they looked listless, huddled together in groups of three or five with their familiar companions, whispering privately from time to time.
Some people also had excitement in their eyes, showing an eagerness to try. Some of them held straws in their mouths, or crossed their hands in front of their chests, and their eyes looking at Mo Qiaosheng on the stage were more or less full of unyielding arrogance.
To them, the slave's becoming captain might just be luck, and they had every chance to replace him.
Mo Qiaosheng had served as a centurion in a team of slaves before, but he had never commanded such a large number of soldiers.
He did not feel timid, on the contrary, this challenge brought him a sense of excitement. For him, this was his first real troop.
The purpose of training them is to enable these soldiers to survive better on the battlefield, so that they can follow me to build meritorious careers and even become nobles and prime ministers.
They were no longer just cannon fodder as before. No matter how hard he trained his slave soldiers, after a battle, hundreds of brothers were killed or injured without exception.
"Ten people form a row, a hundred people form a square, and a thousand people form a formation. Divide into five formations: A, B, C, D, and E." Mo Qiaosheng spoke loudly, suppressing the noisy voices on the training ground.
"Team C will be in the center, and the rest will line up on both sides. Captains of the Thousands and Centurions, take the order and march."
His voice was not particularly serious, nor was it deliberately screaming. It just sounded cold and clear across the training ground.
The five captains responded nonchalantly, took the command flags slowly and deployed their troops.
Mo Qiaosheng's team was mostly composed of slaves.
Yet these slaves only survived one battle.
Those who performed outstandingly in the battle and made great contributions were able to be promoted to captains, and there were not enough people to become centurions.
Therefore, these thousand captains were the elite generals selected by Helan Zhen from his old subordinates and specially assigned to Mo Qiaosheng. They were all experienced leading officers with many years of experience in leading troops, and of course, they also had their own pride.
To them, although Mo Qiaosheng's military achievements were outstanding and obvious to all.
But as non-commissioned officers, they were resentful of having to work under a slave.
As a result, they acted lazily and perfunctorily.
If the superiors are so lazy, the soldiers who have not been trained for a few days will of course be even more undisciplined.
The soldiers pushed and shoved, and quarreled, and it took them nearly half an hour before they could barely stand in a crooked line.
Mo Qiaosheng said nothing, patiently waiting for them to line up before he spoke.
"Do you remember your position?"
A few scattered responses came out: "I'll remember."
"Okay, disband right here!"
The queue dispersed with a loud noise. Some soldiers were still standing crookedly, while some impatiently squatted on the ground.
Mo Qiaosheng clapped his hands.
Several soldiers brought up a large pot of steaming stew and ten jars of wine.
Mo Qiaosheng slapped open the mud seal of a wine jar, and a strong aroma of wine mixed with the aroma of barbecue spread throughout the training ground.
Suddenly, there was a sound of people swallowing saliva on the field.
As slaves, how long had it been since they smelled meat? The men couldn't help licking their lips, stretching their necks, staring at the wine and meat with green light in their eyes.
"I will count to three. The centurions and sergeants who can form a fast and neat formation will share the reward."
The crowd burst into a roar.
Yang Luhou pulled Yang Sheng's clothes and said excitedly: "Brother Sheng, Brother Sheng, we have to win the championship! I, I haven't eaten meat for a long time!"
Yang Sheng glanced at his brothers behind him who were ready to fight, but he felt something was wrong.
Fighting, fighting, and chopping off people's heads are no problem for him. He can do it without saying a word and just go for it shirtless.
But is this queue neater
Maybe it’s not just about running fast.
He didn't have time to think about it.
Mo Qiaosheng on the podium has already raised the command flag in his hand.
In order to get the meat, the men rolled up their sleeves, bent over, and prepared to rush to their positions.
"one two three!"
The command flag was waved.
The scene suddenly became chaotic, with people bumping into each other, pushing each other, and not being able to find their place in the panic.
The lieutenants pulled their team members in frustration, and the centurions jumped and screamed.
The thousand households were not so interested in wine and meat. They just looked at the scene with amusement, which was even more chaotic than the first gathering, and they didn't understand why.
Compared to the disorder of other teams, there was an inconspicuous team that silently and with astonishing speed quickly formed a neat matrix of 100 people.
Undoubtedly, in the first square of Team C, a square was arranged in an orderly manner in a horizontal and vertical manner.
It took the soldiers several times as long to restore the team.
The whole audience's attention was focused on the tofu-like cube in the first row in the center of the stage.
These 100 people were once slaves under the name of Cheng Qianye. They were veterans that Mo Qiaosheng had brought with him when he was a centurion. They had followed Mo Qiaosheng to participate in the battles to capture Gaoyang, Qixian, and Yongzhou around Bianzhou. Later, they followed the army to capture Zhengzhou and participated in this Bianzhou counterattack. They had followed Mo Qiaosheng through life and death several times.
Under the leadership of Mo Qiaosheng, their entire team escaped from slavery, and at least some of them obtained the first-level title.
At this moment, they had no eyes for wine and meat. They were all silent, looking up at the person on the stage.
To them, whether he was a centurion or a captain, Mo Qiaosheng was already a general worthy of their close following.
Mo Qiaosheng rewarded the centurions and squadron leaders with wine and meat. The centurions and squadron leaders did not eat alone, but shared with the 100 soldiers. Although each person only got a little meat and a small bowl of wine, the soldiers ate very happily on the spot.
The rest of the people stood there, watching their one hundred comrades drinking and eating meat, feeling jealous and hateful, and each of them was itching to get itchy.
Mo Qiaosheng waited until they finished eating, then spoke, "Refer to the first rule of Team C. Today we will only practice this. In the morning test tomorrow, the top three will have meat and vegetables added to their lunch, and the squad leader will be given wine, and the centurion will be given a merit. The bottom three will each be flogged ten times. The squad leader will be given twenty strokes, the centurion will be given twenty strokes, and one demerit will be added."
The parade ground suddenly became busy, with various flags waving and various shouts coming one after another. Everyone began to rack their brains, thinking about how to do this seemingly simple task quickly and well.
I ran back and forth for a while.
Yang Luhou was panting, bent over, and wiping the sweat from his head.
"We've been practicing standing here and there all day, what's the point? It would be better to ask Brother Sheng to teach us martial arts and learn how to chop off more heads."
Yang Sheng ran over and kicked him on the butt: "Just practice your skills, what's the point of worrying about him? Do you want to eat meat or get spanked tomorrow?"
Accompanied by Helan Zhen, Cheng Qianye inspected the major training grounds inside and outside the city.
Yu Dunsu was injured, so Helan Zhen was temporarily in charge of all military affairs.
"How are these new soldiers? General Helan, when do you think we can send troops to Qi County?"
"Please forgive me for speaking frankly." He Lanzhen saluted. "The new army was hastily formed and poorly trained. Often, once the commander gives an order, it takes a long time for it to be accurately executed. I'm afraid it's inappropriate to go on the expedition."
"This is very scary," He Lanzhen explained in detail, fearing that Cheng Qianye didn't understand. "You might order a charge, but the central army has already come up, while the front line is still standing still. You order a retreat, and the archers in the rear start shooting arrows to stop the enemy, but your own people haven't retreated yet."
"General, what you said makes sense," Cheng Qianye nodded and raised his doubts, "But I think they all performed very well in supporting Bianzhou this time."
"My lord, before this expedition, I forced all the soldiers to learn only one thing, which is to follow the captain of the squadron closely. The captain of the squadron followed the flag of the centurion and charged. The centurion was under the control of the captain and learned to read the flag signal of the central army. Ten people killed one enemy. The morale was high, so we were able to break through the enemy army and rush into the city wall in one go."
"Secondly, the Lord's new policy is indeed miraculous. It has greatly inspired the courage of the low-level soldiers to fight for their lives."
"However, this is only effective when we have won a victory, our morale is high, and we are charging headlong. If the battle becomes stalemate or the situation is not favorable to us, these soldiers who have been trained temporarily will be at a loss as long as the enemy cavalry charges and cuts through the square formation. They will immediately lose their position, lose their fighting spirit, and flee in panic."
He bowed his head and clasped his fists: "My lord, you must not be careless because of a temporary victory. Although Qi County is short of soldiers and horses, it is still a county. My lord ordered Qiao Sheng to lead the army to seize it, but I personally think it is not appropriate. Although I admire Qiao Sheng's bravery, he has never commanded a large army alone."
Cheng Qianye patted his shoulder and said, "I am determined to take Qi County. If we don't open up the passage between Zhongmu and Bianzhou, we will always be an isolated city. Even if we take over a few small counties around it, it will only be a place to survive."
He Lanzhen raised his head and said, "May I lead the army and take Qiao Sheng with me?"
"If you go, who will guard Bianzhou?"
Helan Zhen was stunned for a moment.
"Now that General Yu is seriously injured, the only general I can trust is you, General Helan. If you lead the army to fight, Qi County will certainly be within our grasp. But I have no generals in Bianzhou City. If the enemy takes advantage of the situation and enters, wouldn't it be a loss of the greater for the smaller?"
It turns out that my lord trusts me so much.
Helan Zhen was deeply moved and excited when he heard this. The vague unhappiness that his lord sent Mo Qiaosheng to capture Qi County instead of sending him to the battle suddenly disappeared without a trace.
"In that case, I will take time out every day to help General Mo train the new army. I must ensure that when he goes to war, he will have a brave army at his disposal."
Helan Zhen said goodbye to Cheng Qianye and walked towards the training ground where Mo Qiaosheng was.
Although Xiao Mo is very skilled and has made many outstanding achievements, he was a slave before. I don't think the thousand-householders in his army who were born in the military will obey him. I have to help him think of a solution.
How about this, Helan Zhen stroked his chin, and took Qiao Sheng and those old soldiers to Tianxiang Pavilion to hang out for a night. Between men, after drinking together and having sex with a girl, they are brothers, and there will be no more barriers.