Song Xiu

Chapter 54 The Beginning of a Powerful Army
Kaifeng during the Five Dynasties period was essentially a powerful war machine.

Everything in Kaifeng was designed to serve the hundreds of thousands of elite imperial guards inside and outside the city.

Once Zhao Kuangyin, the ruler of Kaifeng, set out the strategy, this war machine, tasked with securing the country and stabilizing the nation, quickly began to turn.

One by one, the Imperial Guard officers, personally promoted by Zhao Kuangyin, canceled their leave and entered the military camp to faithfully convey combat missions to him and conduct pre-battle mobilization.

The numerous imperial guard officers acted like Zhao Kuangyin's tentacles, subtly helping him maintain firm control over the hundreds of thousands of imperial guards.

After Zhao Kuangyin's battle orders were fully disseminated, a tense atmosphere before the battle gradually formed like dark clouds in the sky, making the people in Kaifeng feel somewhat suffocated.

Inside the Taiyuan Marquis's residence, Zhao Dexiu felt the heavy atmosphere, but his memory involuntarily returned to the night of the Chenqiao Mutiny.

Standing outside the command tent that night, he witnessed firsthand how Zhao Kuangyin, inside the tent, quietly and successfully orchestrated a momentous upheaval.

"Simplify complexity, and lighten burdens."

This is the military experience that Zhao Kuangyin summarized after spending half his life in the army.

Thanks to Zhao Kuangyin's teachings, Zhao Dexiu has gained a basic understanding of this military experience, and now it is time for him to put this valuable experience to use.

Led by Huyan Zan, Zhao Dexiu rode his horse to a small training ground outside Kaifeng City.

This training ground was temporarily set up under Huyan Zan's command. In the past few days, two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou who belonged to Zhao Dexiu have been training in this small training ground.

As Huyan Zan had given prior instructions, the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou were already lined up in neat rows, waiting for Zhao Dexiu's inspection in the training ground.

When Zhao Dexiu rode his horse into the training ground, he saw two hundred strong men, each wielding a sharp spear and wearing heavy lamellar armor.

Since Zhao Kuangyin presided over the reform of the Imperial Guards, he has had strict requirements for the recruitment of the Imperial Guards, especially for the elite "Palace Guards".

For example, regarding height: each person was required to be at least five feet eight inches tall; in later units, each person would have to be a strong man of 1.8 meters.

To prevent people from being all show and no substance, Zhao Kuangyin imposed strict requirements on physical strength, age, and social status.

New recruits must be from respectable families and under 25 years of age. They must be able to carry a heavy bag weighing over 80 jin (approximately 40 catties) for 50 steps, or be able to draw a bow with a strength of over one shi (approximately 50 kg).

In addition to these initial standards, new recruits also need to undergo intermediate assessments in areas such as archery, horse archery, spearmanship, and battle formations.

After the assessment is completed, each person will be assigned a specific task based on their area of ​​expertise.

Some outstanding recruits pass or even excel in every assessment, and these recruits will be directly selected into the "Palace Guards".

After undergoing these rigorous assessments, the quality and initial skills of the new recruits in the contemporary Imperial Guard are quite impressive.

As for the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou, because Murong Yanzhao had a good impression of Zhao Dexiu, he selected the two hundred new recruits for Zhao Dexiu according to the requirements of "Palace Guards".

With their tall stature, strong limbs, and imposing, cold armor and weapons, the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou exuded a fierce aura simply by standing there.

Looking at the two hundred burly soldiers of Chanzhou in front of him, Zhao Dexiu couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

No wonder there have been people in history who dared to accomplish great things with just a few hundred elite troops.

Facing two hundred elite troops, a sense of pride began to rise within him. If he were given several hundred more such elite troops, his youthful vigor might lead him to do something drastic.

In front of his own sons, Zhao Dexiu did not, like others, first proclaim his own status.

He raised his whip and waved it, and several heavy donkey carts slowly entered the training ground behind him.

Each donkey cart was covered with a black cloth, making it impossible to see what was inside. When the carts were pushed in, Zhao Dexiu jumped off his horse and went to the first cart.

Under the watchful eyes of two hundred tiger guards, Zhao Dexiu reached out and ripped off the black cloth covering the donkey cart. As the cloth fell away, several wooden buckets neatly arranged on the cart came into view of the crowd.

As the wooden barrel appeared, the breathing of the two hundred tiger warriors became rapid.

Looking at the small hill made of copper coins peeking out from the top of the wooden barrel, which Tiger Warrior would not be tempted?
As if hearing the rapid breathing of the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou, Zhao Dexiu jumped onto the donkey cart, pointed at the copper mountain below, and shouted loudly:
“You are all fine young men of the Central Plains. You followed me from the Imperial Guard, and I will never let you suffer any injustice!”
Each of you may receive ten strings of cash as enlistment money today.

No one in the Imperial Guards had this ten strings of cash for enlistment, but anyone who followed me, Zhao Dexiu, would!

As soon as Zhao Dexiu finished speaking, the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou could no longer contain their joy and excitement, and they all raised their guns and shouted.

At this moment, a light called loyalty gradually emerged in their eyes as they looked at Zhao Dexiu.

With frequent wars in various regions, it is difficult to have a unified standard for prices.

If we take an average value for grain, one string of cash can buy one shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain at present, which is roughly equivalent to 400 yuan in purchasing power in later times.

It sounds like the purchasing power is very low, but if we calculate based on the fact that a family of five in the world consumes at least 1.5 shi of grain per month, then 10 guan is equivalent to about half a year's worth of grain for a family of five.

For the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou, this "enlistment fee" at least guaranteed that their families would not starve to death within six months in this era of frequent war.

The world is vast, but not starving to death is the most important thing!
At that moment, the two most basic words came to mind: "to risk one's life!"
The fact that Zhao Dexiu came to the training ground in person today is a great favor he has bestowed upon us.

Noticing the change in the eyes of the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou, Zhao Dexiu spoke loudly again.
“The average Imperial Guard soldier’s monthly salary is at most 700 coins. You are my people, Zhao Dexiu’s people.”

I will give you a monthly salary of 1 guan, and each of you will also be given 2 shi of rice per month!
In addition, every spring and winter I will give each of you a bolt of silk and a bolt of cloth, so that your family will never suffer from cold or hunger!

These rewards will be delivered to your home on time, without any delay.

Even if some of you unfortunately die in battle in the future, I will continue to distribute the above rewards to your offspring until they grow up!
I, Zhao Dexiu, swear to Heaven that if I break this vow, may Heaven not bless me!

Zhao Dexiu solemnly promised the two hundred soldiers of Chanzhou.

Upon hearing Zhao Dexiu's words, the emotions of the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou became highly excited once again.

If an ordinary person makes an oath, its credibility is not high.

But given Zhao Dexiu's status, as a member of the royal family who has always believed in destiny, who would rashly make a false oath to the heavens?

If the ten strings of cash for enlistment was a temporary benefit, then what Zhao Dexiu is promising them now is a long-term guarantee that will benefit their families.

Since they chose to enlist in the army during those chaotic times, most of them were not afraid of death.

What they feared was dying in an inappropriate place, and that their families would be left without support after their deaths.

Now, Zhao Dexiu's vow has completely resolved their concerns. That's all!
When the fighting spirit of the two hundred soldiers from Chanzhou reached its peak, Zhao Dexiu pointed to himself and shouted one last time:

"What should I do with those who oppose me?"

Is someone going to be an enemy of the people who made their lives and those of their families better?
Upon realizing this, the two hundred tiger warriors' eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and the veins on their necks bulged.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Without hesitation, the two hundred elite soldiers raised their guns and pounded the ground, letting out a heart-wrenching cry of resistance.

(End of this chapter)