Finest Servant

Chapter 238 Night Patrol of the Three Camps

Lin Wanrong and Gao Qiu, accompanied by Zhao Liangyu and several flag bearers, spurred their horses into a gallop. They arrived at the base of Langya Mountain in one breath, where from a distance, they could see a few tents lit up, bustling with shadows of people, presenting a lively scene.

"Commander Zhao, your camp seems quite lively. It appears that the brothers have a rather vibrant off-duty life!" Lin Wanrong said with a playful grin.

Zhao Liangyu, the hundred-men commander, awkwardly laughed twice without giving a reply. They hadn't even approached the camp when they began to hear the nonstop clamor, coupled with the sound of dice hitting cups. Several soldiers were loudly yelling, "Roll, roll, one, two, three, six, small, house wins all!"

Having spent a long time in the palace, Gao Qiu knew that gambling with the guards was common, but he was surprised to find that the soldiers had the audacity to hold public gambling events while in the army camp.

Lin Wanrong squinted his eyes and asked, "Commander Zhao, what is that noise?"

Zhao Liangyu's face turned alternately red and pale, feigning ignorance, he said, "Reporting to the general, I don't know. Perhaps the soldiers are just making a ruckus out of boredom during the march."

Lin Wanrong chuckled. If the officials were out whoring, the soldiers would be in the houses gambling. This Divine Machine Unit was indeed chaotic from top to bottom, covering all forms of indulgence.

As they dismounted, they saw two massive cannons placed in the center of the camp. A soldier was lazily leaning against a carriage, dozing off, oblivious to their approach.

Lin Wanrong carefully examined the two large cannons, made of pig iron, with long and thick barrels that bore no signs of firing. These must be the improved cannons that Xu Wei had mentioned. He stroked the cold barrel, his interest piqued. He wondered about the power of these cannons and thought that he might fire a couple of rounds himself when he had the chance.

Zhao Liangyu saw the newly arrived Military Strategist, General Lin, staring intently at the two cannons he was transporting, and seemed very interested. He promptly boasted, "These two cannons are the latest creations of the ingenious craftsmen of our Divine Machine Unit and have not been used yet. It is said that these cannons are extremely powerful and accurate. Once on the frontline, they will surely obliterate those White Lotus rebels."

‘Accurate firing? Even the most accurate cannon would become a decoration in the hands of these ‘tofu’ soldiers,’ thought Lin Wanrong as he sneered, "Oh, is that so? In that case, I'm looking forward to seeing the power of these cannons tomorrow. I won't hide it from you, Commander Zhao, I've never seen a cannon fired."

Lin Wanrong, accompanied by Gao Qiu, entered the central tent, where about twenty soldiers surrounded a small table, engrossed in their gambling.

Lin Wanrong signaled to Gao Qiu with a glance. Gao Qiu strode forward in three steps, grabbed the cup of dice, and loudly announced, "Who dares to gamble with me?"

The crowd, seeing his towering and intimidating figure but noticing his lack of armor, didn't know where he came from. A few soldiers yelled, "You audacious lad, this is the sacred ground of the Divine Machine Unit, not a place for the likes of you to trespass."

Zhao Liangyu hurriedly said, "Watch your manners. These two are the newly arrived Military Strategist, General Lin, and his accompanying officer. Shouldn't you all pay your respects?"

The soldiers were terrified at the revelation, hastily bowing and paying their respects to the two high-ranking officials. Lin Wanrong, laughing, said, "No harm done. Since you brothers enjoy gambling with dice, then allow my companion, Officer Gao, to join in on the fun. However, to make it truly interesting, we should add a little something extra."

Seeing the newly arrived Military Strategist speak, everyone fell silent and listened attentively. The General continued, "Here's the deal. All the brothers participating in the gambling here will each get a turn to gamble individually with Officer Gao. If you win, then the matter of today's gambling within the army has nothing to do with you. But if you lose," General Lin smirked, "you'll have to accept the military punishment of fifty heavy strokes. Oh, and I think Commander Zhao should be the one to personally administer the punishment."

At these words, the people in the tent began discussing amongst themselves. According to the laws of the Great Hua army, gambling in the army was a serious crime, punishable even by beheading. However, the soldiers of the Divine Machine Unit, who were accustomed to being arrogant, didn't really care about these military regulations. The sudden arrival of the Military Strategist threatening real consequences had left them somewhat afraid.

Lin Wanrong had already guessed their thoughts. He smiled and said, "Brothers, don't worry. My rule is very fair. Since everyone enjoys gambling, I've specially opened this game. If you win, that's your skill, and I, as a general, have nothing to say. But if you lose, then you must accept the loss. We soldiers, what's a flogging to us?"

Upon consideration, the men realized that indeed, the ones who agreed to gamble must accept the loss. Moreover, the general had given everyone a chance, so why not go up and test their luck? Several brave soldiers stepped forward to challenge Officer Gao.

Gao Qiu, a master of gambling and a martial arts expert, could easily manipulate the dice. Whether he wanted big or small, he got what he wished for. These soldiers were no match for him, and after one round, they were defeated. Within moments, all the twenty soldiers in the tent had lost.

Seeing all the soldiers dejected, Lin Wanrong swept his gaze over them and loudly asked, "Who else wants to gamble?" After witnessing Gao Qiu's prowess, none of the soldiers dared to act out. They all remained silent.

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "I've given everyone a chance. This rule will always be in effect. If anyone can beat Officer Gao, at any time, any place, even if it's in the middle of a battlefield, I won't mind at all. But if you lose, the flogging is inevitable."

He smirked at Zhao Liangyu, "Commander, these brothers are all yours. Twenty people, if you break five rods, that's acceptable."

Upon hearing this, the soldiers drew in a sharp breath. The Military Strategist was smiling, but his actions were brutal. The fifty heavy strokes would leave them bedridden for several days. But rank scares the brave, and with these being military rules, they considered themselves unlucky to have crossed paths with this general today.

General Lin had given Commander Zhao an unyielding order to break five rods, and given that Zhao Liangyu himself was at General Lin's mercy, he dared not hesitate. Gathering all his strength, he personally carried out the punishment. These soldiers, bold enough to publicly gamble in the camp, were all Zhao Liangyu's confidants. However, today they had to endure their Commander's harsh punishment, which naturally left them extremely unsettled.

Listening to the wails from outside, Gao Qiu worriedly said, "Brother Lin, punishing so many people at once, could it cause any trouble or mutiny?"

"Mutiny?" Lin Wanrong gave a bitter smile and shook his head, then sighed. "Brother Gao, I'm not afraid of them mutinying. If they did mutiny, it would indicate that they still have some of a soldier's spirit. I'm afraid that they don't even have the courage to mutiny."

Gao Qiu contemplated his words and found them quite insightful. These soldiers of the Divine Machine Unit were usually arrogant and overbearing, appearing fierce but truly they were bullies who feared the tough. Speaking of soldier's spirit, they indeed seemed lacking. Brother Lin's view was indeed unique, seeing right to the heart of the issue. No wonder Mr. Xu held him in such high regard.

After a while, a heavily sweating Zhao Liangyu came in to report, "General Lin, all twenty men have been punished, and five rods have been broken, please verify." Immediately, the banner officers following him presented the five broken rods, which were spotted with blood.

Lin Wanrong waved his hand dismissively, smirked, and said, "Good job, Commander Zhao. Pass the order down. From now on, anyone found gambling in the camp will be punished in the same way. Also, pass my command. Tomorrow morning, the Divine Machine Unit will hold an exercise with live fire. I want to personally inspect it."

The few men answered in unison, and the banner officers arranged the tasks overnight. Lin Wanrong stopped Zhao Liangyu and said, "Commander Zhao, where are the soldiers from Zhejiang and Shandong stationed? Lead me to inspect them."

Zhao Liangyu had a completely new understanding of this smiling general. Swift in action and ruthless in method, he was not someone to be trifled with.

The tent of the Divine Machine Unit was on the far left, and a mile away was the camp of the two hundred soldiers from Zhejiang. A mile further was the camp of the Shandong soldiers. The three groups, each led by a hundred-men Commander, didn't interfere with each other, forming three small clusters.

When Zhao Liangyu led Lin Wanrong and Gao Qiu to the Zhejiang camp, it was not as noisy as the Divine Machine Unit. The camp was brightly lit, with several carts loaded with food and grass stationed there, and soldiers were moving about.

Lin Wanrong carefully observed the soldiers and found that they were indeed as Zhao Liangyu had described: old or young, weak and emaciated.

The two hundred men from Zhejiang were led by a hundred-men Commander named Du Xiuyuan. When Du Xiuyuan learned of General Lin's arrival, he hastily came out of the camp to greet him. Commander Du, with a clean-shaven face and lively eyes, saluted Lin Wanrong, "I am Du Xiuyuan, honored to meet General Lin."

"Commander Du, it's interesting," Lin Wanrong said with a smile, "This is my first visit to your camp, yet it's so quiet. There seem to be no guards. Could it be that all the soldiers in the camp are asleep?"

"General Lin, you misunderstand," Du Xiuyuan hurriedly explained. "It's not that I haven't arranged for any defense, it's just that the soldiers under my command, both from the old regiments and the newly recruited, vary greatly in age, with the oldest being in their forties and the youngest barely fourteen or fifteen. With such disparity and no unified training, if we were to openly display our formation, the enemy would instantly gauge our strength. That would be unwise."

"Oh?" Lin Wanrong looked at Du Xiuyuan with interest. This clean-shaven man seemed to have some ideas. "What's your strategy?"

“Instead of exposing our weakness, it's better to hide in the dark," Du Xiuyuan explained. "Although my troops are weak, they can still prove their worth." He clapped his hands thrice, and from the camp, around seventy soldiers emerged, old and young, yet physically stronger than expected. They formed a defensive formation, with spearmen on the outside and swordsmen inside.

Du Xiuyuan continued, "These are the elite troops I've chosen from the more than two hundred soldiers under my command. They secretly guard the camp, far stronger than those openly flaunting their strength."

So it was a strategy of appearing relaxed while maintaining tight internal control. This Du Xiuyuan did have some ideas. However, observing his troops, their formation was good, but their individual abilities were quite lacking. Lin Wanrong sighed and said, "Commander Du, you have ideas, and that's good. However, your soldiers need more training." He walked up to a spearsman, pulled him with both hands, and the soldier lost balance, falling sideways.

Zhao Liangyu's troops, even though they were from the Divine Machine Unit, were much better than these Zhejiang soldiers. Seeing the flimsy formation of the Zhejiang troops, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Lin Wanrong shot him a sharp glare, ‘What's so funny? Wait until tomorrow morning when the Divine Machine Unit tests the cannons. I'll give you something to laugh about then.’ Du Xiuyuan's face turned red and white, not knowing what to do. Soldiers from the south were physically weaker than those from the north, not to mention these were the leftovers.

Looking at Du Xiuyuan, this Commander seemed to have a strategy but was not good at training troops. Lin Wanrong nodded and patted Du Xiuyuan's shoulder, "Brother Du, don't worry. Training troops is not an overnight task. Your strength lies in strategy, focus on that. You seem to be educated, what does your family do?"

Du Xiuyuan answered, "General, I'm from Hangzhou, my family has been in business for generations. But under my management, our fortunes declined, and since I was interested in the military, I joined the army."

"A businessman?" Lin Wanrong was very interested when he heard this. No wonder Du Xiuyuan had some strategic acumen. Businessmen are cunning, bringing that to the military might not be a bad thing. "We are colleagues then, I'm also a businessman in Jinling, and this time Mr. Xu asked me to take on this temporary duty."

After touring the Zhejiang camp, Lin Wanrong noted that Du Xiuyuan's soldiers, though individually weak, were somewhat skilled in formation, reflecting Du Xiuyuan's hard work.

Not one to back down from a challenge, Lin Wanrong, accompanied by two hundred-men Commanders, decided to head straight into the Shandong camp. They were still a considerable distance away from the camp when they heard the cacophony of a massive skirmish, punctuated by the occasional whinny of a war horse. Startled, Lin Wanrong exclaimed, "What on earth is going on? Has a fight broken out?"

Du Xiuyuan by his side explained, "General Lin, you may not be aware, but this is how Hu Bugui, the Commander of Shandong camp, trains his troops. He does this morning and night, relying solely on brute force. I fear it may be of little help on the battlefield." The disdain in Du Xiuyuan's voice was evident; it seemed he was not in agreement with Hu Bugui's methods.

Before Lin Wanrong and his entourage could approach the Shandong camp, several soldiers sprang from the roadside, challenging them: "Who dares to trespass on our camp at night?"

Gao Qiu shouted back, "Quickly inform your Commander. General Lin is here on a night patrol." Immediately, one of the soldiers went to relay the message while the rest kept a wary eye on Lin Wanrong and his party, as though they were the enemy.

Noting that these soldiers were merely fourteen or fifteen years old but already possessed a certain hardness, Lin Wanrong nodded slightly. "Young fellows, how long have you been in the army?" he asked.

One of the boys, who appeared to be the leader, responded aggressively, "Don't try to extract information about our army."

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily at this spirited young man. Looking toward the camp, he saw dust swirling under the bright lamplight, with two platoons of men engaging in fierce combat on horseback, while others trained vigorously against wooden dummies. Despite being composed of leftovers from other units, they possessed a certain ferocity. From these sentries alone, one could see that Hu Bugui certainly had a knack for training troops.

While he was musing over this, a burly, dark-faced military officer in his forties approached, his fast and urgent stride exuding an air of authority. Before the man arrived, his gruff voice could be heard, "Which of you is General Lin?"

Lin Wanrong stepped forward with a smile, "I am Lin San. Are you the illustrious and valiant Commander Hu Bugui?"

Upon seeing this youthful, joking man of about twenty who seemed to be flattering him openly, Hu Bugui felt a wave of disdain. However, noticing that both Zhao Liangyu and Du Xiuyuan were following Lin Wanrong, he figured that this man's status must be genuine. Bowing respectfully, he said, "Hu Bugui greets General Lin."

"There's no need for formality, brother Hu. I just arrived in Chuzhou today and thought I'd take a look around. I hope you won't take offense at my intrusion," Lin Wanrong replied cheerfully.

Hu Bugui thought to himself, ‘as my superior, it's only natural for you to inspect my camp. Still, you have to pretend to be modest and talk about intruding. This man is incredibly insincere.’ Hu Bugui internally sneered at General Lin, and said out loud, "General Lin, you're too polite. Please, follow me."

As they walked past the young soldiers, Lin Wanrong turned to the young man who had previously rebuffed him, asking, "Young man, what's your name?"

The young soldier thought his previous words and actions had offended Lin Wanrong, and a hint of fear flashed across his face. However, he quickly recovered, raising his chin in defiance and declaring, "My name is—"

Hu Bugui, unable to decipher Lin Wanrong's intentions but noticing the young soldier's expression, preemptively intervened, "General Lin, these soldiers are under my command and act only upon my orders. If there is any blame to be laid, it should fall on me."

Though Hu Bugui was somewhat brash, he was loyal to his troops. Lin Wanrong laughed and responded, "Why would I punish anyone, Hu? This young lad has shown courage and commitment to his duty. He should be praised, not reprimanded."

Hu Bugui couldn't fathom the true intentions behind the grinning general's words. Whether genuine or not, he quickly guided Lin Wanrong further into the camp. Throughout their journey, the camp was disciplined, with sharp weapons and stern soldiers. The atmosphere was a stark contrast to that of the Divine Machine Unit and Zhejiang Camp. Even though the two hundred Shandong soldiers were of varied ages, their physical strength and size far surpassed the soldiers from the south. Hu Bugui's training prowess was impressive; in such a short time, he had transformed this motley crew into formidable fighters.

The two groups of soldiers practicing nighttime combat were Hu Bugui's trump card. They were expert horsemen with lethal swordsmanship, presenting a formidable spectacle. Lin Wanrong, intrigued, asked, "Commander Hu, how long have you been training these soldiers?"

"About a month," Hu Bugui replied.

Lin Wanrong was astonished. A mere month of training had produced such a formidable force. Despite being in his forties, Hu Bugui's talents were undeniable. However, Lin Wanrong couldn't help but wonder why someone as skilled as him was only a hundred-men Commander.

"Brother Hu, in your opinion, is there really such a significant difference between the soldiers from the south and those from Shandong?" Lin Wanrong asked, his tone hinting at something deeper.

Hu Bugui responded, "The southern soldiers are generally softer and physically weaker compared to those from the north, due to their geographical nature. However, this isn't a deciding factor. If the southern soldiers were under my command, I could make them just as fierce as my Shandong warriors. My years of military experience have proven that there are no weak soldiers, only weak generals."

The implication of his words directed at Du Xiuyuan was clear. Du's face reddened as he retorted, "Your focus on individual soldiers and neglect of group tactics and formation training will cost you on the battlefield."

"And you believe those delicate soldiers of yours, who couldn't even squish an ant, will win the battle by showing off some flashy moves?" Hu Bugui retorted.

Though they hailed from Zhejiang and Shandong—regions not typically at odds—they somehow found themselves in a heated argument. Lin Wanrong, however, found this technical debate intriguing. As someone who had little patience for flattery, the candid exchange between Du Xiuyuan and Hu Bugui was exactly what he wanted.

Observing these Commanders' incessant quarreling, Lin Wanrong suggested with a smile, "Gentlemen, there's no need for this dispute. Coincidentally, I am scheduled to inspect the Divine Machine Unit's artillery tomorrow morning. Why don't we seize the opportunity to conduct a live drill? Both of you should bring your troops and engage in a battle simulation. That way, we can settle the argument once and for all."

The idea was good, and the two Commanders had no objections, so they agreed to hold a joint training session the following morning.

General Lin Wanrong was intrigued by the quality of the soldiers under Hu Bugui's command; they were clearly superior in their individual abilities. He was especially curious about the man with the big beard. Grasping his arm, he said, "Brother Hu, I see that you have a unique way of training and leading soldiers. How is it that you are still only a hundred-men Commander? You should at least be a thousand-men Commander, or even a garrison Commander."

Hu Bugui gave him a wary look, unsure whether he should answer. Lin Wanrong laughed and said, "It seems I've overstepped our acquaintance. Perhaps Brother Hu is not yet familiar with me. I am a straightforward, honest, modest, and studious man. It was for these qualities that Mr. Xu sent me to lead troops in Chuzhou. Though we've just met, I have a weakness for seeing talents mistreated. That's why I dared to ask, wishing to speak up for you."

Seeing him boast, Hu Bugui found it amusing. But he had to admit that this man was genuinely open-hearted, so he replied, "To tell you the truth, General Lin, I am a man of Jining."

"Jining?" Lin Wanrong furrowed his brow. Wasn't that the origin place of the White Lotus cult? He continued to ask, "Brother Hu, did you get involved because of this White Lotus cult?"

Hu Bugui nodded, "The White Lotus cult deceives the people and does evil, and I find them contemptible. I was originally fighting against the barbarians in the north, and was promoted to a thousand-men Commander. But when the White Lotus incident happened, the court distrusted all the officers from Jining, and I was called back and demoted to a hundred-men Commander."

No wonder Hu Bugui was proficient in leading troops; he had once fought against the barbarians and had served as a thousand-men Commander. Lin Wanrong shook his head and said, "The court is absurd. How can they distinguish between loyal and treacherous officials based on region? These people only think with their asses."

Although his words were coarse, they appealed to Hu Bugui, who quickly changed his opinion of General Lin. He laughed, saying, "It seems General Lin shares my sentiments. While the White Lotus cult is evil, they are simply a rabble and easy to deal with. The true enemies of our Great Hua Empire are the nomadic barbarians from the north. Although I am from Jining, my ancestors lived in the north. My father died under the hooves of the barbarians, and I bear a deep grudge against them. My original name was Hu Shouxin, but I changed it to Hu Bugui, meaning 'the barbarians shall not return,' to express my resolve to resist them."

So the name Hu Bugui was one he had chosen for himself. Lin Wanrong laughed and gave him a thumbs-up, "Brother Hu, you have such grand ambitions. I admire you. Don't worry, I have a good relationship with Old Xu. When I have a chance, I'll speak on your behalf. It distresses me to see talents being mistreated."

Hu Bugui was shocked when he heard him refer to Marshal Xu as Old Xu. He wondered who this Military Strategist, General Lin, really was. His tone was so big, could it be that he was really close with Marshal Xu?

Lin Wanrong, newly arrived in Chuzhou, had visited three camps in one breath and was truly exhausted. Among the three camps, aside from the lax discipline of the Divine Machine Unit, the other two were passable, which brought some comfort to his mind.

Spending his first night in the military camp, the sound of patrolling soldiers intermittently walking past kept him awake for a long time. Life was indeed strange. From the moment he entered the Xiao family, his life had inexplicably changed. He had done a lot of messy things, met many people, and now, as a mere servant, he was leading hundreds of soldiers to the frontline. Who would believe it if the news were spread?

He sighed, a multitude of faces flashing across his mind. Where was Qingxuan? Did she know that he had been dragged into the army inexplicably? Was Qiaoqiao, the little girl, sound asleep? She must be thinking about him. The Second Miss was probably praying for him again. And Luo Ning, was that girl counting the days for his return? And the Eldest Miss, he wouldn't see her for a while. He was not used to not having his daily banter with her.

Upon reflection, they were all women, women with whom he had ambiguous relationships. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. Having entangled himself with so many wives and potential wives, he was indeed quite a character.

As he was drifting between sleep and wakefulness, he suddenly heard a soft voice whispering in his ear, "Young master, young master..."

He turned over groggily, intending to sink back into sleep when he suddenly became aware. He was in the army camp. Where would a woman be talking to him?

Startled awake by the surprise, he quickly sat up on the bed. To his astonishment, there was a woman sitting by his bed, smiling at him with alluring charm.

"Xian'er?!" Lin Wanrong exclaimed in surprise, softly calling out.

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