"What time is it?" The commanding general of the Xue Pi Army, General Zhou Fugui, a brave warrior of the Great Yan Kingdom, commander of the San Nan and San Qi cavalry, and border general, rode a magnificent black steed. Clad in bright armor, with a heavy sword at his waist and the Sun-Chasing Bow on his back, he spoke loudly before more than ten thousand soldiers of the Xue Pi Army: "Today is the fifth day of the third month of the second year of the Huang Ming era, the day our Xue Pi Army was established."
Even with Zhou Fugui's booming voice, it couldn't reach the ears of tens of thousands of Xue Pi Army soldiers, but there was no need to worry, as messengers within the army would relay his words.
Zhou Fugui paused, then continued addressing the tens of thousands of Xue Pi Army soldiers standing at attention in the fierce wind: "The fifth day of the third month of the second year of the Huang Ming era may seem like an ordinary day. But in years to come, when people speak of this date, they will surely do so with reverence. You, the soldiers of the Xue Pi Army, and your descendants, will speak of this day with immense pride! The reason is simple: starting from today, our Xue Pi Army will shake the world! Our allies will rejoice, and our enemies will tremble with fear at the mere mention of our name! Soldiers, history will forever remember this day!"
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
With just a few words, Zhou Fugui ignited the hearts of tens of thousands of Xue Pi Army soldiers, who responded with raised weapons and low roars.
To make a name for oneself and be remembered in history is something everyone in this world yearns for, regardless of their status, unless they are imbeciles or utterly disheartened. Disheartened people do not lack the desire, but the ability.
"I, Zhou Fugui, with the courtesy name Hancang, am a humble son of an ordinary farming family from Yan Yun, of poor background and low birth," Zhou Fugui declared loudly, waving his hand. "As for you and all of you, some are farmers, some are herdsmen, some are hunters, some were thieves, some were brokers, some were ruffians, some are monks, some are Daoists, and so on. People from all walks of life are here. Among you are Han, Jie, Di, Xianbei, and even Xiongnu people, among others. Today, I declare that regardless of your status or origin, in our Xue Pi Army, starting from today, there is only one identity: that of a soldier of the Xue Pi Army. Our Xue Pi Army is a family. Within this great family, there are no distinctions between races or backgrounds, only brothers-in-arms. From this day forward, anyone who judges matters based on status or origin, or divides people by race, will face military law and will not be pardoned lightly! This is the first order of this commanding general. I hope you will obey it with respect! We are all descendants of Yan and Huang, so why differentiate?"
The fifth day of the third month of the second year of the Huang Ming era, the day the Xue Pi Army was established, was also the day Zhou Fugui first proposed the slogan "Han and Hu are one family."
"Brave General! Brave General! Brave General!"
"Commander! Commander! Commander!"
"We swear to obey!"
"If anyone dares to disobey, they will not even need the commander's hand; we will kill them ourselves!"
"We are all descendants of Yan and Huang, so why differentiate?"
Upon hearing this, the tens of thousands of Xue Pi Army soldiers felt greatly reassured. Within the Yan army, there were indeed distinctions in rank, status, and family background. The origins of most of these tens of thousands of soldiers were humble and low, with many even being slaves. Now, with Zhou Fugui publicly announcing this first strict order, it meant that from now on, in the Xue Pi Army, they would be treated equally, regardless of origin, family background, status, or race. Only merits and demerits would matter, with rewards for achievements and punishments for wrongdoings.
This first military order from Zhou Fugui firmly captured the hearts of the Xue Pi Army soldiers, thus gaining their loyalty and even the hearts of the people.
The various ethnic groups in the world were engaged in mutual slaughter, and nations waged war against each other. After many years of conflict, the common people of the world had long yearned for a wise ruler to emerge, to resolve grudges, quell wars, and bring peace and a peaceful life back to the land and its people.
Therefore, the tens of thousands of impoverished soldiers of the Xue Pi Army raised their weapons and shouted, expressing their heartfelt agreement and support.
"A life is but a season for grass and trees!" Zhou Fugui waved his hand to stop the cheers, then continued loudly: "To live as insignificantly as a weed, and to die as insignificantly as a weed, is one kind of life. To be remembered in history, to achieve glory and status, to be granted noble titles, to ensure the prosperity of one's descendants, is also one life. Since this is the case, why shouldn't we fight for it? Why not gamble? Even if we fail, even if we perish in the attempt, we will not have lived this life in vain, nor will we have lived as men of substance!"
"Indeed!" The tens of thousands of Xue Pi Army soldiers' blood boiled, and they responded with raised weapons and loud cheers.
To be granted noble titles, to ensure the prosperity of one's descendants, and to achieve glory and status were the desires in everyone's hearts, unless they were imbeciles or utterly disheartened. The disheartened did not lack the desire, but the ability.
Zhou Fugui painted a grand vision, giving them hope, igniting their desires, and making their blood surge.
"However, there will always be those who obstruct us, and there will always be injustice in the world," Zhou Fugui roared loudly. "Today, this commanding general declares that if anyone obstructs us, if there is injustice in the world, only swords and spears will speak!"
"Understood!" The tens of thousands of Xue Pi Army soldiers' blood boiled again, and they responded with raised weapons and loud cheers.
Clear rewards and punishments were the foundation of establishing an army, but material incentives were far from enough. They also needed a belief. The first belief that Zhou Fugui gave them at this moment was to eradicate all injustice in the world. There would be many more such beliefs in the future, but at this time, the conditions were not ripe, and Zhou Fugui dared not propose them.
With a belief in their hearts, they would be invincible.
At this very moment, Zhou Fugui had captured the hearts of the army and even the hearts of the people, thus achieving success. The reason for this was not only Zhou Fugui's exceptional eloquence and his grasp of the army's and people's sentiments, but also his identity.
In the past, with his minor rank as a subordinate general, and as an unknown soldier, if Zhou Fugui had uttered such words, he would have been scoffed at. But it was different now. Besides his official titles as a brave general of the Great Yan Kingdom, commander of the San Nan and San Qi cavalry, and border general, there was also his reputation.
With two hundred elite soldiers, venturing far into the northern desert, causing utter chaos in the Xiongnu royal court, defeating one Xiongnu army after another, achieving one great victory after another, and finally returning safely, how many people in the world could have done this? How many people possessed such courage and strategy?
His fame spread far and wide, and his power struck terror throughout the land. This was, in itself, a capital that could inspire trust, even blind obedience.
Zhou Fugui's exploits were even turned into plays and spread throughout the Nine Provinces.
"My Zhou Lang, my husband, he is indeed no ordinary man!"
On the day the Xue Pi Army was established, Murong Huiying was also present, but she could not show herself. She hid among the soldiers, watching her lover Zhou Fugui speak with passionate fervor, igniting the soldiers' spirits, and her own heart also burned with emotion. She secretly marveled.
Murong Huiying had a desire for reclusion, but Zhou Fugui disagreed. At the time, she was quite unhappy and dissatisfied. But at this moment, Murong Huiying finally understood Zhou Fugui's ambitions, or rather, his aspirations. Besides being surprised, she felt an extraordinary pride.
Just as Zhou Fugui had said, to live a lifetime in a daze was one life, and to strive and struggle was also one life. Since this was the case, why not strive? To know and love such a man with grand ambitions, how could Murong Huiying not feel immensely proud? To be able to unite the hearts of tens of thousands of soldiers into one string in such a short period of time, how could Murong Huiying not feel proud of such an ability?
And the united hearts of the tens of thousands of Xue Pi Army soldiers were truly terrifying, their destructive power immense, especially under the command of such a skilled warrior as Zhou Fugui.
At this moment, Zhou Fugui had long shed his youthful immaturity and was gradually maturing.
Murong Huiying felt proud and honored for another reason: she was a descendant of the Qi people, a child of the grasslands, and in her bones, she possessed an innate wildness. If it were a Han woman from the Jiangnan region, she might have been indifferent; they generally preferred a life of romantic encounters.
"Was the wine and meat from yesterday palatable?" Zhou Fugui then asked.
Before establishing the army, Zhou Fugui had rewarded his troops.
"Haha, the meat was fatty and the wine fragrant, of course it was palatable!" Xue Wentai, the commander of the Third Battalion of the Xue Pi Army and the General of Sweeping the Barbarians of the Great Yan Kingdom, a monk who loved wine and meat, became animated at the question. Rubbing the black hair on his chest, he laughed loudly, "What? Commander, are you rewarding us with wine and meat again today?"
"Hahahaha!" The soldiers burst into laughter.
Zhou Fugui's style of commanding troops was characterized by a balance of rigor and leniency. When he was amiable, he was like a big brother next door, but when he was strict, he was ruthless. Xue Wentai and other trusted confidantes of Zhou Fugui were already accustomed to this.
"Hmph!" Zhou Fugui flicked his whip lightly and mockingly asked, "I really want to know how you, a wine-and-meat monk, became a monk!"
"Where are the commanders of each battalion?" Zhou Fugui then asked sternly and loudly.
"We are here, Commander!" The commanders of the First Battalion, Suo Dacheng; the Second Battalion, Xu Mancang; the Third Battalion, Xue Wentai; the Fourth Battalion, Baima Wu; the Fifth Battalion, Yang Xinhong; the Sixth Battalion, Wu Tianqi; the Seventh Battalion, Chen Kunkun; the Eighth Battalion, Hu Tieniu; the Ninth Battalion, An Minghai; and the Tenth Battalion, Pan Jiangui, all bowed solemnly and received the order.
Xue Wentai no longer dared to laugh and also bowed solemnly to receive the order.
This shift from relaxation to tension, from looseness to tightness, could scare one to death...
"Take your men to train. The old rule applies: those who excel will have meat and wine, while the cowards will eat chaff and wild vegetables," Zhou Fugui ordered loudly.
After speaking, Zhou Fugui glanced at Murong Huiying, who was hiding in the crowd.
The training of the Xue Pi Army followed the methods of the Ice Bone Camp, which was exceptionally cruel and cold-blooded. Only in this way could a formidable iron army be forged. Zhou Fugui knew this all too well.
"Your subordinates obey the commander's order!" The generals responded in unison and then led their respective battalions to their posts.
"Go, hurry up, what are you still looking at? You fools!" Xue Wentai, the great monk of Guanzhong, shouted at his subordinates. "Don't you understand? Pass the test and you get wine and meat, otherwise, you'll eat chaff and wild vegetables."
"Camp commander, haven't you also eaten chaff and wild vegetables before?" a soldier asked with a smile.
"That was... Hmph! You rascal, how dare you tease me?"