Chapter 31
Spring was coming to an end, and even the rain was beginning to have the heat of summer.
The last day of the conscription had ended. The long tabs for filling in paperwork at the racetrack had been closed and were replaced by countless small tabs. After bidding farewell to their families, the other recruits had already gathered. After tonight, they would set off for Liangzhou the next morning.
The tent was very small, and it was barely enough for a few people to squeeze in. He Yan and Hong Shan sat next to each other. Hong Shan had taken a slightly larger tent, and because they didn't have much luggage, it was quite spacious. From last night to tonight, He Yan had stayed here for an entire day.
Here, they would give him steamed buns to eat, two at a time. When they settled down in Liangzhou, they would give him more. There was nothing else, except that it was inconvenient to go to the outhouse. He Yan had to wait until it was late at night, when no one was around, to sneak in.
As soon as she came out of the outhouse, she walked to her tent and lifted the flap. There were two more people inside. Hong Shan was talking to them. Hearing the noise, the two men turned around to look.
They were probably a pair of brothers, and they looked somewhat similar. They were tanned and thin, and had a kind of honest and handsome aura. They weren't old, the older one was about sixteen or seventeen years old, and the younger one looked about the same age as He Yunsheng. The older one was probably the older one, and he was taciturn. The younger one was probably the younger one. When he saw He Yan, he smiled and asked as if they were close friends, "This older brother is …"
"This is your older brother A He Ge." Hong Shan helped He Yan to recognize a younger brother, and then said to He Yan, "These are the two new brothers today. There's no tent outside, so they'll be squeezing in here with us." He pointed to the taciturn young man, "This is Shi Tou." Then he pointed to the young man with a simple and honest smile, "This is Xiao Mai."
Shi Tou, Xiao Mai. They were probably brothers from poor families. Otherwise, a better family would have given them good names.
He Yan found a place to sit down. With two more people, the tent suddenly seemed a little crowded.
"Are you from the capital?" He Yan asked. He felt a little thirsty, so he unscrewed the water bottle at his waist and took a sip.
Shi Tou didn't like to talk, but his younger brother, Xiao Mai, was very lively. He said, "We live on Xianghuai Mountain and spend our days hunting. The last time we went down the mountain, we saw that they were recruiting soldiers. After discussing it with my brother, we decided to join the army."
It turned out to be a family of hunters on the mountain.
"Your parents might want you to join the army?" Hong Shan asked. Generally speaking, even if one's family was poor and wanted to join the army, they wouldn't let their two sons join together. They had to leave a way out for their family.
"My parents are long gone. I grew up with my brother."
Hong Shan sighed. "Then you should cherish your lives even more. Why did you come here to join the army? It's not fun to join the army. Don't tell me you … "He pouted in He Yan's direction." You want to make a name for yourself like him, right? "
"A real man should make a name for himself," Xiao Mai said naively. "Besides, this time, the commander of the army to Liangzhou is the Right Military Governor, Military Governor Xiao. My brother and I have admired him for a long time. It's our honor to be able to work for him!"
He Yan was drinking water while listening to them talk. When he heard this, he spat out a mouthful of water and almost choked.
Everyone in the tent looked at her.
"Who do you think is going to Liangzhou to be the commander?" she asked.
Xiao Mai thought she didn't know "Military Governor Xiao", so he deliberately explained, "It's the current General Fengyun, the second son of the Xiao family, Xiao Huaijin."
He Yan's heart trembled.
How could Xiao Jue go to Liangzhou to be the commander? With his official position, he didn't need to go to Liangzhou. Besides, he had his own troops and horses. Why would he bring a new soldier to Liangzhou? Unless he was demoted.
Xiao Jue was demoted?
Xiao family in the capital.
Xiao family's residence was specially renovated according to his wife's preferences when Old General Xiao was still alive. Xiao family's later generations never changed the layout of the courtyard. Therefore, although they were a military family, the courtyard was renovated to be as elegant and unique as a small courtyard in Suzhou.
Past the flower wall was the main room. Next to the main room was a pomegranate tree. It wasn't time to bear fruit yet. Looking in from the window, one could see yellow pine shelves full of books. Someone was sitting at the table reading.
The young man was fair and beautiful, but his expression was indifferent and a bit lazy. Because he was in his own residence, he dressed casually. He wore a brocade robe with cloud patterns and a green jade belt, which made him look even more handsome. There was a sword hanging on the wall. The color was like frost and snow, sparkling and translucent. Although it wasn't unsheathed, one could see its majesty.
The door was pushed open and someone walked in.
It was a man and a woman. The man was 70% similar to Xiao Jue. However, he wasn't as cold as Xiao Jue. He was more gentle and bright. He was Xiao Jue's elder brother, Xiao Jing. Next to Xiao Jing was his wife, Bai Rongwei. Although she wasn't a stunning beauty, she was still a beautiful and dignified woman with white teeth.
The husband and wife stood together like a jade couple. It was very pleasing to the eye.
"Huaijin," Bai Rongwei spoke. She put the package in Xiao Jing's hands on the table and said, "These are the shoes and clothes that we prepared for your trip to Liangzhou. Try them on later."
Ever since General Xiao and his wife passed away, the Xiao family only had Xiao Jing and Xiao Jue. The eldest sister-in-law was like a mother. In the past, General Xiao's wife sewed clothes for Xiao Jue. Now it was Bai Rongwei.
"Thank you, eldest sister-in-law." Xiao Jue nodded.
Bai Rongwei smiled and said, "You brothers talk. I'll go see if the soup is ready." Then she left.
After Bai Rongwei left, Xiao Jing stared at Xiao Jue for a moment. Finally, he sighed and said, "Huaijin, you really don't need to go to Liangzhou."
"Recently, Xu Jiefu has been targeting you in court. He's looking for trouble with the Xiao family." Xiao Jue's expression didn't change. He only said, "If the Emperor listens to Xu Jingfu's words, I'll be causing trouble in the capital. It's good to go to Liangzhou for a while. Moreover, there are many suspicious things about Father's death. Now that there are clues, perhaps there will be new discoveries. "
Speaking of General Xiao's death, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy.
After a moment of silence, Xiao Jing reached out and patted Xiao Jue's shoulder. "You always think more than I do, but there's nothing I can do for you."
"Eldest Brother's situation in court is much more complicated. When I'm not here, the Xiao family depends on Eldest Brother." Xiao Jue smiled and looked at Xiao Jing. "Eldest Brother, take care of yourself."
"You take care too." Xiao Jing sighed with emotion. Perhaps in order to lighten the bitter atmosphere, he deliberately joked, "It's not that I don't want you to go to Liangzhou. It's just that you're now twenty years old and it's time for you to get engaged. Of the girls that your sister-in-law helped you find, do you like any of them? "
Hearing this, Xiao Jue's smile disappeared. His expression became even more indifferent.
"No need. I don't plan on getting married."
Chapter 32
The capital had been peaceful for the past few days, but there were undercurrents in the imperial court. Spring had finally come to an end, and after summer had begun, the continuous rain seemed to be endless. The entire city was covered in misty rain.
Right Army Commander Xiao Huaijin volunteered to be the commander and led the new soldiers to the Liang Province Guard. After Xiao Huaijin left, the situation in the imperial court changed again. The Crown Prince's faction was elated, and the word "happy" was almost written on their faces.
The common people still had no way of coming into contact with the matters of the imperial court, and they continued to live their daily lives. A few days ago, the capital Fan Family's young master had been killed, and the murderer had still not been found. The Fan Family had searched everywhere for the murderer, but they had failed, so they vented their anger on Lady Fan. Who would have thought that Madame Fan's family, the Minister of Household, was not an ordinary person. After waiting for a long time, after the seventh day of Fan Cheng's death, he forced Master Fan to write a letter to release his wife and take his daughter back to the manor. Tang Ying was in her prime, and her husband had died shortly after she married. How could the Tang family allow her to become a widow at such a young age? Naturally, they had to plan for her future. She and Fan Cheng had no children, so the Fan Family could do nothing.
In comparison, He Yan, who had been killed along with Fan Cheng and drowned in the Chunlai River, had become an insignificant supporting character in this incident. He didn't even have the right to be discussed. Other than the He family, no one mentioned him. It was as if He Yan had never existed in this world.
He Yunsheng went out wearing a bamboo hat as the rain grew heavier. After He Yan's accident, he had temporarily stopped going to the academy. He Yan had told him to go to the Willow Spring Residence to collect the letter in five days. Today was already the tenth day, and He Yunsheng finally found some time to go out. He was afraid that the Fan Family would be waiting outside to observe his movements. He Yan had fought so hard for the opportunity for the He family, so he couldn't let it be ruined in his hands.
In the past few days, he had already looked around the house. The Fan Family watching the He family had all withdrawn, and only then did he feel at ease to go out. He changed into an old set of clothes so that he wouldn't attract any attention. He lowered his head and wore a bamboo hat as he walked out of the back door, braving the rain.
He Yunsheng lived a life worse than death for the past ten days. He couldn't fall asleep every night. He wanted to hear news about He Yan, but he was also afraid to hear news about He Yan. Luckily, ten days had passed and the authorities had not caught He Yan yet. Perhaps from another perspective, He Yan was safe.
But he couldn't help but think, He Yan is still in the capital, where can she go? Other than the He Family, she didn't have any other friends, so she was bound to wander about. Did she eat well? Did she sleep well? Did she get bullied? Thinking of this, He Yunsheng quickened his pace.
The reason why Willow Spring Restaurant was called Willow Spring Restaurant was because there was a spring at the back door of the restaurant. Beside the spring was a row of willow trees. There were not many people in the tavern on this rainy day. He Yunsheng went in without anyone noticing.
He still remembered what He Yan said at that time.
"Go to the west of the city. There is a tavern called Willow Spring Restaurant. There is a row of willow trees in front of the tavern. Find the third willow tree from the left and dig three inches down. I will leave a letter for you there."
He Yunsheng squatted down.
He dug three inches down from the third willow tree from the left.
The soil that he dug out was still wet from the rain. As he dug, his fingers touched something hard. He Yunsheng's heart skipped a beat. His hands moved even faster. A moment later, he dug out an oiled paper bag. He didn't immediately open it to take a look. He only put the oiled paper bag into his arms and quickly filled it with the soil he dug out. Then he turned and left the tavern.
After he left, he trotted back home. When he got home, He Sui wasn't there. He Yunsheng went back to his room, locked the door, and took out the paper bag.
He had been holding it in his arms, so the paper bag wasn't wet. It was well protected. He Yunsheng opened the paper bag with trembling hands and saw what was inside.
There was a piece of clothing and a letter.
He Yunsheng opened the letter first. The letter was probably written in a hurry. The paper was crumpled and the handwriting was sloppy. It was probably flower paper used to wrap snacks for others. There were still oil stains on it. On the side without patterns, there were a few lines of flamboyant words written with a brush.
"I have joined the army and am going to Liangzhou. The mountains are long and the rivers are wide. After the cold spring, the hot summer follows. I hope you will cherish yourself. When we meet again in the future, please take care. "
He Yunsheng stared blankly at the few lines of words as if he didn't recognize them. After a moment, he finally understood. He gritted his teeth and went to take the clothing.
It was a summer shirt made by the old tailor. When He Yan parted with him that day, they each wore one in order to disguise themselves. This one was neatly folded by He Yan and sent back.
The material was very cold. When he touched it, he seemed to see the cool smile on the girl's face that day and her comforting words.
"Don't worry, we will meet again."
The room was silent.
After a moment, someone choked with sobs.
"Liar …"
He Yan, who was called a liar, didn't know that he was being scolded behind his back.
Speaking of which, they were already on the way from the capital to Liangzhou. This time, they recruited less than 20,000 soldiers. There were new recruits on the way. Now that summer had arrived, the journey became difficult. It was fine to leave early, but by noon, they were sweating profusely.
Hong Shan sat on the grass, eating dry food and picking up a leaf to fan himself. It was so hot that he grimaced. "Damn it, the weather is too hot. When will we reach the end?"
"It will take more than two months to reach Liangzhou from here." He Yan poured water into his mouth. "Take it slow."
"I miss the mung bean soup in the capital." Xiao Mai smacked her lips. "Put it in a bowl and soak it in the well for a few hours. Sprinkle some sugar on it. It's sweet and cold. It really quenches thirst!"
His description was so detailed that the people who listened swallowed their saliva.
"Don't talk about it. We're soldiers. Don't talk about mung bean soup. It's good enough that we don't starve." Hong Shan sighed. "If we want to eat it, we may have to wait until we receive a reward and get promoted. Then we can eat it, just like Military Governor Xiao."
He Yan laughed in his heart when he mentioned Xiao Jue.
She joined the army and followed everyone to Liangzhou. They traveled day and night and slept in a tent in the wilderness. Even so, she didn't even see Xiao Jue. He and his men rode at the front of the team. The tent they stayed in at night was different from the tent of the soldiers. In addition, He Yan knew that Xiao Jue was the most fastidious person when he was in the Xianchang Mansion. The second son of a Xiao family was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Even the princess was not as fastidious about his food and clothing.
Thinking about it, even if they were traveling now, his life was much better than theirs.
They were both young generals, but they had different fates. Now that she was reborn, she had actually become a soldier under his command. He Yan sighed. Who would believe it if he said it out loud? She still wanted to earn military merits and get promoted quickly. However, Xiao Jue was very picky. It was not easy to become a soldier under him.
What could she do? She had already been registered in the military register. She could only look at it as she walked.
Chapter 33
The two-month journey from the capital to Liangzhou was not an easy one. They had to clear a path and fill a bridge when they met a river. By the time they reached Liangzhou, everyone was exhausted and had lost a lot of weight. He Yan sat by the lake and looked at herself in the water. Lady He used to have fair skin, but after two months of traveling under the sun, she didn't even need to wipe the dust off her face. She was the same color as Xiao Mai.
If the real Lady He came back now, she would definitely want to strangle herself. She suddenly had this thought. She found it funny and laughed.
"Why is A He Ge laughing so happily?" Xiao Mai asked.
Hong Shan glanced at He Yan by the lake and said with understanding, "If we walk for another half a day, we'll be able to reach Liangzhou before dark. The bitter days are coming to an end, how can we not be happy?"
"That's true," Xiao Mai agreed and said to Shi Tou, "Big Brother, are you happy?"
The taciturn Shi Tou also nodded.
The two-month journey was indeed not a human task. Even though most of the people who came to join the army were poor and suffered hardships, it was still much harder than they had imagined. Some of the people with poor health had already died on the way. They didn't have time to reach Liangzhou and couldn't return to the capital.
This was a path of no return.
In the evening, the army finally reached Liangzhou. Liangzhou was located in the northwest. They thought it was desolate and barren, but when they arrived, they found that it was quite prosperous. Even though it couldn't be compared to the capital, it was still lively and rich. He Yan followed everyone forward. He thought that Xiao Jue really knew how to pick a place. Liangzhou was much better than the Mo County where she joined the army. When she went to the Mo County, there was nothing there. The people couldn't even afford to eat. The soldiers were the ones who had a really hard time.
When they arrived at Liangzhou, they first had to go to the Liangzhou Guards. The Liangzhou Guards were stationed at the foot of Mount Baiyue. There was a large open space at the foot of Mount Baiyue that could be used as a training ground. They could stay in tents at night, but now they were all staying in the Liangzhou Guards' office.
With so many people, there weren't enough rooms in the office. They could only squeeze a dozen people into a small room and sleep on a large shared bed. He Yan naturally stayed with Hong Shan and Shi Tou. They didn't have any luggage, so they found a shared bed and relaxed.
"I saw a river nearby," Xiao Mai excitedly said. "Many people are bathing in the river.... let's go... too.."
"Okay, I'm already sweating from the heat!" Hong Shan took off his coat and was about to run out.
Mai Mai looked at He Yan. "Brother He, you're not going?"
... he.........................................................
. The first time Hong Shan invited her to bathe in the river, He Yan explained that she had once drowned when she was young. Since then, whenever she went into the water, she would feel dizzy and short of breath. Hong Shan didn't suspect her. To be honest, He Yan wasn't lying. She was really afraid of water now.
But … He Yan lay down on the shared bed. "Creak." She couldn't help but frown. For a moment, she didn't know if it was because she was too skinny or because the bed board was too hard. After a while, she could only sigh in her heart. "It's easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but difficult to go from extravagant to frugal." She had lived in the barracks for three years, but she had only been Young Mistress Xu for one year. She was already used to the soft bed and felt that the bed board made her angry.
Xiao Jue was still the best. His bed should be soft. He Yan felt that it was unfair.
She rested in the room for a while until Hong Shan and the others came back. Then, she followed them to the Guards' office to eat.
Today was the first day. For the past two months, they had been eating dry rations and clear water on the road. It was their first meal in Liangzhou, and they finally had a hot meal. Even the simple porridge and buns were piping hot. The recruits were all sitting on the ground and eating heartily. Those who didn't know better would think that they were eating some delicacies.
"The meat filling of this bun is only a little bit big." Hong Shan complained while licking his fingers. "It's not satisfying."
"It's good enough to have a hot meal." He Yan said, "It's better than dry rations."
"It's okay. I just asked around. There are many wild animals and rabbits on Mount Baiyue." Xiao Mai smiled and said, "Brother and I can go hunting. If we catch a rabbit or wild boar, we can wash it clean and string it on a branch. Or we can wrap it in a leaf and sprinkle some salt on it. Then, we can roast it. It's delicious!"
Xiao Mai was a foodie. Every sentence she said was about food. Hong Shan became hungrier after hearing her words. He finished the porridge in front of him in one gulp and slammed it on the table. "Damn it. I can't wait to go up the mountain now."
"There's a military order about not going up the mountain without permission." He Yan poured cold water on them.
"There will be a time when we go up the mountain." Hong Shan didn't agree.
After eating and drinking to their fill, everyone simply tidied up. The commander of the training had already informed them in advance that they would gather at the training field at five in the morning tomorrow. Today, they would rest early.
He Yan followed Hong Shan back to his room in the Guards' office. There were already many people in the room. Some were already asleep, while others were still chatting. They couldn't hold back their excitement.
He Yan slept in the innermost part of the bunk. One side of him was next to Xiao Mai, while the other side leaned against the wall. He heard Hong Shan say cheerfully on the other end, "Compared to the previous hurried journey, this is the life of an immortal."
They had food, water, baths, and beds to sleep in. They didn't have to be exposed to the sun and rain outside. They also didn't have to be bothered by mosquitoes at night. It indeed looked much better than before.
Xiao Mai said softly, "If we train the soldiers here, I think it's easier than hunting in the mountains. And there are so many people here. We can play together. "
He Yan: "…"
Silly child. How could anyone say that training soldiers was easier than hunting in the capital? These people were all joining the army for the first time. They only thought that their future would be as easy as tonight. But this was like a prisoner on death row who had to eat a meal before he was executed. After this meal, it would be their last meal.
Tonight would be the most relaxing night they had ever spent in Liangzhou. Starting tomorrow, the real torture would begin.
He Yan closed his eyes. He would let these silly children have their sweet dreams for a while.
Sure enough, the next morning, before the sun had even risen, the loud sound of a horn could be heard from the open space outside the Guards' office.
"Oh, it's so early. Can't you sleep a little longer?" Xiao Mai turned over and rubbed her eyes. She found that He Yan had already finished dressing and was standing in front of the bed.
"A He Ge, why are you so early?" He asked sleepily.
"You didn't answer my call, didn't show up at the appointed time, and didn't show up on time. This is called a slow soldier. You will be punished with a military rod," she said with a smile. She didn't look drowsy at all, as if she wasn't tired at all.
"If you don't want to be flogged, get up quickly."
Chapter 34
On a summer day, it was already dawn. They woke up even earlier than before. It was their first time arriving in Liangzhou last night, so everyone was excited and couldn't help but sleep late. When they arrived at the training field, everyone was sleepy and some even wore their shoes inside out.
Shi Tou was fine, but Xiao Mai and Hong Shan were walking while tying their belts. The two saw that He Yan was full of energy and asked in confusion, "A He, aren't you sleepy?"
"I slept early last night, so I slept enough," He Yan replied.
Xiao Mai praised, "You're amazing!"
As they spoke, they had already arrived at the training field. Because today was the first day, they still lined up according to their previous schedule. On the high platform stood a strong man wearing a red suit. He had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he was tall like a tree. He held a long spear in his hand and looked very impressive.
"Who is that?" He Yan asked.
"He's the instructor in charge of supervising our training, Shen Jiaotou." Xiao Mai was a nosy person, so she had already asked around.
He Yan nodded, but in her heart, she thought that Xiao Jue would personally come to train the soldiers. She didn't expect that she wouldn't even see him today. Speaking of which, although they were all young men who joined the army and were conferred the title of general, every general had their own way of training soldiers. He Yan wanted to see Xiao Jue's methods and secretly learn from him. However, it seemed that it was impossible for now.
"I'm your chief instructor, Shen Han." Shen Jiaotou's voice was like a bell. The training field at the foot of Mount Baiyue was surrounded by mountains, so listening to his voice made one's scalp tingle. "From today onwards, I'll be leading you." He shook the military register. "Now, let's start the roll!"
The roll call had to be fast. Today was the first roll call. After a few days, the soldiers would be divided into five, one hundred, one brigade, and one division. Then, the appointed five commanders, one hundred commanders, one brigade commanders, and one thousand commanders would be in charge of the roll call, saving a lot of time.
This group of people were all unaffiliated soldiers recruited from the capital. In the past, they had never received any training. After listening to someone call out the soldiers for several hours, they could only stand in the martial arts arena. He only felt uncomfortable all over and moved his body from time to time. Xiao Mai whispered to her brother, "Big Brother, A He Ge isn't moving. It looks like a piece of Shi Tou."
Shi Tou looked at He Yan.
Compared to him, He Yan seemed to be more deserving of this name. She stood as straight as a pine tree with her arms by her side. Her eyes were bright as she looked at the high platform. She didn't seem to be tired or bored. It gave people the illusion that she could still stand like this even after two hours.
Shi Tou thought of the time when he and Xiao Mai hunted in the mountains. There were wild beasts in the mountains. When the wild beasts caught wild hares, they also hid quietly in the grass without moving. At first glance, they looked like a lifeless piece of Shi Tou. He had hunted with Xiao Mai for so many years. He was fine, but Xiao Mai couldn't help but come down. Why was He Yan able to do it? He heard from the Hong Shan that He Yan joined the army because his family was in dire straits. Looking at his appearance, he seemed to have a good family background. Why did such a person have the patience and perseverance of a wild beast?
After all, He Yan didn't need to hunt.
He didn't get an answer from his contemplation. The roll call was over.
Shen Jiaotou closed the military register book and said, "From today onwards, a hundred people will form a team. Each team will have one instructor. You will train here, set up formations, and practice how to charge! Today, I will be teaching you military orders! " At this point, Shen Han's face revealed a smile. For some reason, when everyone saw this smile, they only felt a chill in their hearts.
Sure enough, they heard Shen Han shout, "You didn't answer the call, you didn't arrive on time, and you didn't arrive on time. This is called a slow-moving army. Those who break this rule will be whipped! Today, you are late by a minute. You should be punished according to military law. However, since this is your first offense, I will be lenient. "
Everyone's hearts were beating up and down after hearing his words. As soon as they landed, they heard the stern instructor's emotionless voice.
"Everyone, carry sandbags and run laps around the barracks. Ten laps! You can't miss a single lap. Each team's instructor will be guarding you. Whoever dares to slack off will be punished according to military law! "
Everyone present sucked in a breath of cold air.
The training field at the foot of Mount Baiyue was the barracks. One lap was at least one li long. Ten laps was more than ten li long. They still had to carry sandbags. When they woke up early, it was still early and they didn't feel hot. Now, after the roll call, the sun was high in the sky. It was hot and hanging above their heads. Just standing there made them sweat non-stop.
They had to run laps under the sun. The surrounding area was suddenly filled with wailing.
Xiao Mai said, "A He Ge, what Shen Jiaotou said is exactly the same as what you said. Hey, how did you know that he would say that?"
How did she know? Naturally, it was because when she entered the barracks, it was the same situation. Just like the killing stick, the new recruits were first put in their place and let them know that they didn't join the army to enjoy life. Even if it wasn't for this, Shen Han would find some other reason to punish them.
"Remember more military orders." He Yan patted the young man's shoulder. "It's good for you."
Xiao Mai nodded, not fully understanding.
Sure enough, according to what Shen Han said, there were so many soldiers and they were divided into teams of a hundred people. Everyone went to collect sandbags. He Yan initially thought that the sandbags were the size of a palm, just like the ones she and He Yunsheng used to chop firewood in the mountains. They could be tied to the legs. However, when he reached the end, his eyelids twitched.
That sandbag was the size of a bundle. It wasn't tied to the legs, but carried on the back. It was heavy to carry and definitely not comparable to her sandbag.
"Damn it, running ten laps with this thing on your back, that's too much!" Hong Shan shouted.
Xiao Mai secretly looked at He Yan's expression. He Yan's calm face finally cracked when he picked up the sandbag. Xiao Mai secretly heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed that A He Ge was also an ordinary person and wasn't omnipotent.
He Yan didn't know what to say.
When she was training the new recruits, in order to increase their physical strength, it was necessary to run with weights. However, it was done step by step. Most of the time, she used the sandbags she made in the He family. They increased the weight little by little.
In the past, she didn't know about Xiao Jue's training methods. Now, she finally knew. Xiao Jue was so fierce right from the start. She didn't expect Xiao Jue to be so ruthless even though she had a beautiful face. She still underestimated how ruthless Xiao Jue could be.
She was a ruthless person.
"A He, you …" Hong Shan was about to ask if she needed his help to carry the sandbag on her back when He Yan picked up the sandbag and tied it to her body.
She was too thin and small. In the military camp full of men, she looked like a teenager who hadn't grown up yet. The sandbag was big and heavy, and when it was on her back, it seemed to make her shorter. She looked very pitiful and tottering.
Shi Tou was a man of few words, but he couldn't stand it anymore. He only said to her, "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay." He Yan smiled at him.
When they saw her smiling face, they were slightly relieved. They thought that she was still a young and strong man. Although she looked thin and weak, she still had strength.
He Yan cursed Xiao Jue a million times in her heart.
With such a load, it was naturally no problem for her to pass. However, Lady He had a delicate body. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't turn Lady He into Hercules overnight.
Therefore, it was really heavy.
Chapter 35
A hundred people formed teams and set off in order.
It was a spectacular sight to see a mighty team running around the barracks at the foot of the mountain. Although everyone was complaining and yelling, they didn't delay anything. The instructor in charge of He Yan's team was called Liang Ping, and his surname was Liang. He was as fierce and ruthless as Chief Instructor Shen. He said, "Quick, get into formation and set off!"
At his command, everyone followed the team and started to run with weights.
He Yan was carrying such a big sandbag on her back. She felt like she was carrying a piece of Shi Tou, and she couldn't keep her balance. Ever since she became Lady He, she accompanied He Yunsheng to the mountains to chop firewood every day. However, she could only make her weak body healthy, or at least a little stronger than other girls her age. However, Xiao Jue's iron-blooded training method was really too much for her.
He Yan in the past could do it, but He Yan in the present was very difficult.
There were people constantly overtaking He Yan. Most of the people who came to join the army were tall and strong. Even those who weren't so tall were mostly from poor families and used to heavy labor. Although running with a sandbag was tiring, it was still okay. There were very few people as weak as He Yan. Only a few of them died on the way to Liangzhou. It could be said that in the Liangzhou Guard Station, at the foot of Mount Baiyue, He Yan was the weakest one in terms of physical aptitude.
Shi Tou and Xiao Mai ran very fast. They hunted in the mountains and often had to chase after prey. Once they caught the prey, they tied it to their bodies. They were used to running around with the prey, so it was quite easy for them. Hong Shan was probably older. After running one round, he was panting. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "Sigh, this is really inhumane."
He didn't hear He Yan's reply. When he turned around, He Yan was already more than ten steps behind him. He slowed down slightly and waited for He Yan to catch up. He asked, "A He, can you still hold on? You look a little uncomfortable. "
He Yan's face was pale. Large beads of sweat rolled down from his forehead to his chin and into his clothes. Carrying a sandbag on his back, he looked just like those children on the docks in the capital who were sold by their parents to do manual labor for the gang leader. It was a pitiful sight.
"I'm fine. Brother Shan, you don't have to worry about me. You run first. I can't run fast, so let me run slowly behind you." He Yan smiled and said, "You can rest in the shed after you finish running. Don't wait for me."
"Why don't you tell the head instructor," Hong Shan said hesitantly. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, he leaned closer and whispered, "Or you can secretly run fewer laps. No one will see you anyway."
"I know what I'm doing." He Yan laughed. "Brother Shan, you go first. We'll meet up later."
Hong Shan repeatedly confirmed that He Yan did not need help before he ran off with the sandbags. He Yan scratched his head and smiled helplessly.
Did the instructor say he couldn't do it? How could that be possible? Once he entered the military, he would have to do it even if he couldn't. Secretly run fewer laps? How was that possible? Although there was no one around, the instructors were very smart. There were also hidden guards on the side of the road. If he really ran fewer laps, it would be a violation of military discipline. He would be dragged out and beaten. She knew this when she was a general. When she was a soldier, there was no reason for her to hide.
But … she wiped away the sweat on her eyelids and looked at the golden sun hanging above her head.
It was so hot!
Someone walked out of the city guard station.
Cheng Lisu fanned himself with a folding fan and looked at the mountain peak covered by clouds in the distance. He said happily, "The scenery here is so good. It's ten thousand times more beautiful than the capital! Uncle has such good taste! "
Xiao Jue followed behind him. She was wearing a black gold robe embroidered with cloud patterns. There was a long sword at her waist. Her eyes were like stars and her lips were red. She was talented and beautiful. She looked like a noble child who happened to pass by. She added a layer of color to this bitter cold place.
"They're running, tsk tsk tsk." Cheng Lisu shook her head. "If I had to do this, I definitely wouldn't be able to last 15 minutes."
"Then you should go back." What answered her was cold mockery.
"Ah, what did you say? The wind is so strong, I can't hear … Uncle, look who's here." Cheng Lisu stiffly changed the topic.
The person who came was Shen Han, Shen Jiaotou. He stopped in front of the two and bowed to Xiao Jue. "Commander in chief."
"How are the new recruits?" Xiao Jue asked.
"They look pretty good. There are a few who can't do it, but they'll get better after some practice." Shen Han replied.
"What's wrong with that person?" Cheng Lisu pointed in the distance. "He looks like he's about to kneel down."
On the long road, there was a short young man running. Although he was running, he was running too slowly. He had already pulled away from the group in front of him. In fact, he looked so weak that the sandbag on his back was heavier than his body.
"That's Liang Ping's soldier. He's running his fourth lap."
"Fourth lap?" Xiao Jue raised her eyebrows.
The rest of the people had already started their seventh lap, but this person had only started his fourth lap. He was so far behind. He said lightly, "His aptitude is too poor."
Cheng Lisu and Shen Han looked at each other and didn't say anything. If Xiao Jue said that his aptitude was too poor, it meant that he was really poor and couldn't go on the battlefield.
"It's okay if his aptitude is too poor." Cheng Lisu thought of something and smiled. "It's not bad to be a squad leader. What if his skills are good?"
He Yan, who was hoped that his skills would be good, was running so fast that he didn't know what to say. The sandbag on her back was really heavy, but she had to continue. She clearly understood that the current physical training was just the beginning. After a period of time, they would gradually increase the training of skills, such as bows, knives, and arrows.
However, if she couldn't even endure the physical training, she wouldn't be qualified to continue the training of skills and would be directly thrown out to be a squad leader.
She didn't want to be a squad leader.
Near the pergola, Hong Shan finished his last lap and finally found Xiao Mai and Shi Tou resting in the pergola. He went over and sat down next to them.
Xiao Mai looked around and asked, "Where's A He Ge? Hasn't he come out yet? "
"I don't know. I didn't see him." Hong Shan was also a little worried. "Could it be that this guy can't run anymore and won't come out?"
"Didn't you tell A He Ge to secretly run two laps less?" Xiao Mai whispered. "Anyway, no one saw."
"I told him long ago! This guy is a stubborn donkey. He doesn't listen to me. What can I do? "Hong Shan spread out his hands.
As the two of them were talking, Shi Tou suddenly said, "He's here."
They followed his gaze and saw a young man running slowly towards them from the end of the long path in the forest. The sandbag on his back was too big for his body. His hair was wet in clumps, and beads of sweat slowly dripped from his forehead to his chin and sank into the soil under his feet. He ran past the pergola but didn't look in their direction. Instead, he continued to run forward and started a new lap.
"He's still running …" Xiao Mai murmured.
He Yan didn't stop.