Battle for the Grand Camp, First Encounter of Two Heroes

Chapter 136 Battle for the Grand Camp, First Encounter of Two Heroes

At dawn, as the sky was just beginning to brighten and the thin mist had not yet dissipated, the deep sound of watchtowers echoed from the camp outside Guangling City.

Liang Shanbo, clad in armor and riding his Red Wind Horse, rode alongside Xiao Hu. Their hooves pounded the thin layer of frost on the official road as they galloped straight into the camp gate.

The first thing the two did upon entering the camp was to summon their personal guards and gather them on the drill ground.

Bo Mo of Liangshan had fifty personal guards under his command, including Yin Sheng, Luo Ning, Chen An, and Guo Shou. These fifty men were elite soldiers whom he had trained rigorously with a clear system of rewards and punishments over the course of more than half a year at the Zhu Family Manor in Shangyu. They were all brave, loyal, and obeyed orders without question.

Xiao Hu had one hundred personal guards under his command, all of whom were private soldiers brought from the Xiao family of Qiantang. The Xiao family was a powerful local clan with strong military force, and these one hundred men were well-trained and well-equipped.

The two men's personal guards, when combined, numbered only a mere 150.

Liang Shanbo intended to use these 150 men as the backbone to quickly expand and build an elite vanguard of 2,000 men.

Looking at the mere hundred or so people on the drill ground, and then at the vast camp and the barracks of the new recruits who were still waiting to be trained, Xiao Hu sighed and said, "Soldiers, we only have a mere one hundred and fifty personal guards right now. It will not be easy to build an elite vanguard of two thousand men in a short period of time."

Most of the new recruits were refugees, deserters, or wandering knights-errant; their quality varied greatly. Training them into an elite vanguard would likely be a difficult task.

Liang Shanbo nodded: "What Xiaogu said is indeed true, but it depends on human effort. As long as we work hard, lead by example, and train day after day, we will eventually train an elite force."

General Xie has entrusted us with the important task of leading the vanguard, which is a great trust and expectation in us.

If we can't even build and train this elite vanguard of two thousand men, how can we be qualified to serve as their military advisors and supervisors?

Not only have I failed General Xie, but I have also failed the 150 brothers who stand here today, the brothers who have followed us.

Just then, they heard the sound of galloping hooves. A messenger rode up, dismounted, and bowed, saying, "Military Advisor Liang, Protector Xiao, General Xie has arrived at the camp and is about to hold a meeting. Please come to the main tent immediately!"

Liang Shanbo and Xiao Hu exchanged a glance, then immediately mounted their horses and followed the messenger toward the general's tent.

Inside the general's tent, more than ten military officers had gathered.

Among them were Liu Laozhi, He Qian, Gao Heng, Zhuge Kan, He Meng who was in charge of leading Xie Xuan's personal guard, and Liang Shanbo and Xiao Hu.

The tent was filled with generals, their armor clanging, creating a solemn atmosphere.

Liu Laozhi, courtesy name Daojian, is from Pengcheng. He is thirty years old this year and is in his prime.

His family had been generals for generations. His grandfather, Liu Xi, was known for his archery skills and served as the governor of Beidi and Yanmen counties, where he was a formidable figure on the frontier. His father, Liu Jian, was a capable military general known for his bravery and strength, and rose to the rank of General Who Conquers the Barbarians.

Liu Laozhi learned martial arts from a young age, possessed extraordinary strength, was skilled in using the horse spear, and was proficient in riding and archery. He was renowned among the armed refugees in the Jianghuai region.

His face was purplish-red, his beard was like a halberd, and his eyes shone brightly. He had an extraordinary appearance that commanded respect without anger. He was fierce and bold, valuing practical combat over books and bravery over discipline. He was a typical veteran of the battlefield.

Liang Shanbo knew that Liu Laozhi had become a famous general in his previous life, so he paid special attention to Liu Laozhi.

Xie Xuan sat in the middle, wearing a black cloak over his armor. His gaze swept over the people in the tent, and he announced in a loud voice: "I have appointed Liang Shanbo as my military advisor, leading the elite troops as the vanguard. From now on, Liang Shanbo will have priority to select elite troops from the newly recruited soldiers to form the vanguard battalion."

The people in the tent reacted in different ways.

He Qian remained expressionless, merely glancing at Liang Shanbo with his light.

Gao Heng's lips curled into a cold smile.

Zhuge Kan stroked his beard, lost in thought, and looked at Liang Shanbo with a scrutinizing gaze.

Suddenly, a deep voice rang out: "General, I have something to say!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Liu Laozhi step forward, clasped his hands in front of his chest, and staring intently at Xie Xuan.

Xie Xuan's expression remained unchanged; he merely nodded slightly: "Daojian, please speak."

Liu Laozhi’s voice boomed like a bell, echoing in the tent: “General, this Liang Shanbo is not yet twenty years old, has never been on the battlefield, has neither experience nor merit, yet he is suddenly given the position of military advisor and entrusted with the task of vanguard. How can he win the hearts of the people? How can he make his soldiers willing to die for him?”

The vanguard is the sharpest blade of an army, charging into battle and leading the charge. Only a seasoned general with extensive experience can shoulder this responsibility. If the vanguard falters, the entire army will fall into chaos! If the general wishes to train elite vanguard troops, he has no shortage of seasoned veterans in his ranks. Why entrust this crucial task to a mere newcomer?

These words were blunt and sharp, and the atmosphere in the tent suddenly became tense.

The officers exchanged glances, but remained silent.

He Qian remained expressionless, while Gao Heng's lips curled into an even deeper, cold smile.

In fact, Liu Laozhi had already made his plans. He knew that leading the elite vanguard was the easiest way to make merit and get promoted, so he was determined to get it.

He was confident that his seniority, bravery, and military achievements were the best in the army, and that the position of vanguard commander should rightfully belong to him. Unexpectedly, Xie Xuan gave this position to Liang Shanbo, who was only eighteen years old and had never been on the battlefield.

He had thoroughly investigated Liang Shanbo's background. He came from a poor family in Shanyin, Kuaiji, and had studied at the Wansong Academy in Qiantang. He entered the staff of Xie Xuan because of Xie Xuan's appreciation, and he relied on his connections with the Xie family of Chenjun.

In his eyes, these people were nothing more than poor kids who had gotten in through connections, who had never actually fought on the battlefield, and what qualifications did they have to lead elite vanguards?

Liang Shanbo sat upright, his face as calm as still water, showing neither anger nor panic.

Xie Xuan looked at Liu Laozhi, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and instead asked, "Does Daojian believe that the key to the vanguard lies in courage or in strategy?"

Without hesitation, Liu Laozhi replied confidently, "Both are essential, but courage is paramount. If the commander-in-chief cannot lead the charge and inspire morale, how can he command the entire army to fight to the death?"

Xie Xuan nodded slightly and then asked, "In that case, would Daojian be willing to have a contest with Shanbo, each displaying their strengths?"

All eyes were on Xie Xuan.

Xie Xuan publicly set the rules for the competition: "Shanbo and Daojian will each lead twenty personal guards, and each will select two hundred new recruits, making a total of two hundred and twenty men for each of them. They will have half a month to train. After half a month, the two units will line up in the training ground to compete, and I and my officers will jointly judge who is superior."

A glint of light flashed in Liu Laozhi's eyes, and he decisively clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Your humble servant obeys!"

He turned to Liang Shanbo, a disdainful smile playing on his lips.

Liang Shanbo calmly rose, bowed to Xie Xuan, then turned to Liu Laozhi, cupped his hands and said, "Military Advisor Liu, please give me your guidance."

The two locked eyes, one fiery, the other calm, creating an eerie atmosphere in the tent.

At this moment, Liang Shanbo was still somewhat nervous.

This was his first time at the Guangling camp, and now he was about to face off against the renowned general Liu Laozhi in public. This test came faster and more directly than he had anticipated.

In fact, Xie Xuan came to the camp outside the city today specifically to test Liang Shanbo.

This time, he entrusted Liang Shanbo with such an important task and arranged for Xiao Hu to be Liang Shanbo's military advisor and protector. He was indeed bearing great risks and pressure from the court and the public, so he naturally could not be completely at ease.

The purpose of this competition is to let Liang Shanbo show his true skills in front of everyone and silence those who doubt him.

Xie Xuan, along with Liang Shanbo, Liu Laozhi, and other officials, arrived at the training ground with the roster of new recruits.

Hundreds of newly recruited soldiers had already gathered on the training ground.

These people come from various backgrounds.

There were refugees who had fled from the three prefectures of Xu, Yan, and Qing, dressed in rags and with pale, malnourished faces.

There were old soldiers who had been scattered and had nowhere to go, their clothes and armor tattered.

There were wandering knights who came to join Xie Xuan's army after hearing that he was recruiting many brave warriors. They were dressed in different styles and had the chivalrous air of people from the martial arts world.

There were also troops and loyal followers conscripted from the fortified villages in the Jianghuai region, in groups of three or five.

These people are a mixed bag, each with their own agenda.

Under the watchful eyes of Xie Xuan and a group of military officials, Liang Shanbo and Liu Laozhi began selecting new soldiers on the spot.

The rules for selecting soldiers were set by Xie Xuan. Liang Shanbo would first select ten men, then Liu Laozhi would select ten men, and then Liang Shanbo would select ten men again, and Liu Laozhi would select ten men, and so on, until each of them had selected two hundred men.

Xie Xuan's intention was to prevent either side from having the opportunity to select all the soldiers first, while also allowing everyone present to witness the differences in their methods of selecting soldiers.

Standing in the first row of new recruits was a man named Cheng Daniu. He was as burly as an iron tower, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. Standing there, he resembled a small mountain and stood out prominently.

Seeing that Cheng Daniu was so strong and muscular, Liu Laozhi thought he was exactly the elite talent he had in mind, and subconsciously assumed that Liang Shanbo would choose him first, which made him feel regretful.

In fact, Liang Shanbo did notice Cheng Daniu first, but after lingering for a moment on Cheng Daniu's bloodshot eyes and cloudy whites, and carefully inquiring about his background and observing his responses, he gave up on him.

Liu Laozhi then chose Cheng Daniu first, and sneered at Liang Shanbo, "Such a brave man, yet Military Advisor Liang rejects him. I'd like to ask you, who are you going to choose?"

Liang Shanbo calmly said, "This man was originally a private soldier of a powerful family in Xuzhou. He was drunk and got into a fight, which resulted in him injuring someone. He fled the fortified village and wandered around until he ended up here to join the army. His eyes are fierce and his face is menacing."

Such individuals, once they enter the camp, are unruly and difficult to control, and may become a problem for military discipline in the future.

While courage is essential for forwards, courage without discipline is nothing more than a disorganized rabble. On the battlefield, not only will they fail to defeat the enemy, but their individual brute force will also disrupt the entire team's formation.

Although he said these words to Liu Laozhi, he was actually deliberately explaining them to Xie Xuan, who was standing to the side.

Liu Laozhi scoffed: "Military discipline? On the battlefield, a hero is one who can kill! When two armies clash, swords and spears meet, what matters is courage and the fearlessness to face death! Is Military Advisor Liang trying to turn the vanguard battalion into a school for scholars by being so picky?"

These words carried an undisguised sarcasm.

Liang Shanbo said solemnly, "Military Advisor Liu, today General Xie has set the rules: you and I will each select two hundred new recruits. You will select the bravest, and I will select the most capable. Who is superior and who is inferior will be clear on the training ground in half a month. Arguing now will not help but delay the selection process."

Liu Laozhi snorted coldly and said nothing more, thinking to himself, "No matter how nicely you talk, in half a month when we get to the training ground, swords and spears have no eyes. Watch how I beat this new recruit to a pulp."

The two continued selecting soldiers.

Liu Laozhi's method of selecting soldiers was simple and crude, and could be understood at a glance.

He specifically chose strong, muscular men, judging them solely by their frame and muscles, ignoring everything else. Each time he pulled a strong man from the line, he would nod in satisfaction.

Liang Shanbo's method of selecting soldiers was different.

He doesn't care about body shape or strength; he chooses burly, strong men, or even those of medium build or lean and wiry build.

Before selecting anyone, he would first observe their eyes; those with clear and bright eyes would stay, while those with unfocused and confused eyes would leave.

Next, inquire about their background. Those with a clean family history are allowed to stay, while those who have committed crimes or are on the run are sent away.

Observe their response further: those who speak sincerely and have a calm demeanor will be kept, while those who are eloquent and have shifty eyes will be dismissed.

Because Liang Shanbo was very selective in choosing people, he had to carefully consider each batch of ten, sometimes observing them and sometimes questioning them, so the process was slow.

Xie Xuan did not urge them, but quietly watched the two of them select soldiers.

From sunrise to sunset, several hours passed before Liang Shanbo and Liu Laozhi each selected one hundred new soldiers.

Xie Xuan actually watched from the sidelines for several hours.

As dusk approached and darkness fell, Xie Xuan said to Liang Shanbo and Liu Laozhi, "Let's stop here for today. We'll continue the selection tomorrow, and we must each select two hundred people."

You two should return to the city today to prepare your belongings. Starting tomorrow, you will need to stay at the main camp for half a month.

Within the next two weeks, unless there is an emergency, neither of you may leave the camp without authorization. Focus on training your respective recruits. After two weeks, I will personally come to the training ground to see how you two have performed.

Liu Laozhi and Liang Shanbo bowed and accepted the order, saluted Xie Xuan, and then turned to settle the new recruits who had been selected that day.

Xie Xuan did not rush to leave. He stood with his hands behind his back, watching the two newly formed teams on the training ground.

Most of the new recruits on Liu Laozhi's side were burly and imposing, and they looked quite imposing standing together. However, Cheng Daniu had just joined the team today and got into a fight with someone over a trivial matter in the ranks. If it weren't for Liu Laozhi's personal guards shouting to stop him, they would have almost come to blows.

Liang Shanbo's side had a variety of heights and builds, and while they didn't look as imposing as Liu Laozhi's side, most of them stood properly and appeared calm and composed.

Xie Xuan turned to Zhuge Kan beside him and asked, "Zishu, you've been reading for most of the day. What do you think?"

Zhuge Kan, courtesy name Zishu, was born into the Langya Zhuge clan. He was a distant relative of Zhuge Liang, but not a direct descendant.

He was fair-skinned with a light beard, well-versed in history, prudent, and good at judging people; Xie Xuan respected his opinions.

At this moment, Zhuge Kan stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "General, the two men each have their strengths, and their methods of selecting soldiers are different."

The soldiers Liu Canjun selected were mostly brave and strong men, whose strength was extraordinary. If used in battle, they would indeed be good weapons.

However, while they possess plenty of courage, they lack discipline. As the general witnessed today, Cheng Daniu got into a dispute with someone as soon as he joined the team. Whether he can be controlled within half a month remains to be seen.

Zhuge Kan turned his gaze to the new recruits on Liang Shanbo's side and continued, "When Liang Shanbo takes recruits, he does not care about their physical appearance, but only their eyes, their background and their character."

When I observe his selection of soldiers, I look into their eyes to see if they are reserved and resolute, I ask about their background to see if they have a clean foundation, and I observe their responses to see if they are sincere.

This method of selection, though seemingly meticulous and tedious, is actually deeply in line with the principles of military strategy. Just as selecting materials is like selecting wood, while beams and pillars must be sturdy, sturdiness is useless if the grain is not regular and the wood is not tough.

The people he chose, though of different builds, mostly had bright eyes and calm demeanor, and rarely showed any signs of being unruly or difficult to control.

In my humble opinion, compared to other methods, Military Advisor Liang's method of selecting troops is more reliable and sustainable, and is also more suitable for leading elite vanguard troops.

Xie Xuan nodded slightly, stroking his beard without saying a word.

This nod means agreement.