The Frontier Prince: Starting From Scratch - Chapter 42 - Recruitment

“Fight, fight, fight…”

Amidst the uproar, Xu Lie and Lv Chang squared off, ready to engage.

Both were unarmed, relying solely on their fists and feet to determine the victor.

“Apologies,” Lv Chang said as they bowed to each other. He then lunged forward, reaching for Xu Lie.

Caught off guard, Xu Lie tried to dodge but couldn’t escape in time. Lv Chang’s grip on his shoulder was unyielding.

With a sharp gaze, Xu Lie countered by grabbing Lv Chang’s arm, only to realize Lv Chang’s strength was extraordinary.

Recalling Chang Wei’s words about Lv Chang’s brute strength, Xu Lie swiftly aimed a kick at Lv Chang’s lower body.

Lv Chang, caught off guard, stumbled slightly as his knee buckled.

Seizing the opportunity, Xu Lie landed a punch on Lv Chang’s arm, freeing himself from the grip.

“Good!” Cheers erupted from the soldiers.

On the command platform, Liu Fu’s face broke into a wide grin.

In the field, Lv Chang chuckled, unfazed by the turn of events. His bull-like eyes fixed on Xu Lie, searching for an opening.

Xu Lie, now cautious, engaged Lv Chang with care.

The two exchanged blows for over ten rounds, neither gaining a significant advantage.

During another clash, Lv Chang suddenly roared and charged at Xu Lie, wrapping his arms tightly around Xu Lie’s waist.

Xu Lie struck Lv Chang’s back with his elbow, but Lv Chang seemed impervious to the pain.

With a mighty roar, Lv Chang lifted Xu Lie above his head.

From the platform, Zhao Xu observed and said, “That’s enough.”

Hearing Zhao Xu’s voice, Lv Chang set Xu Lie down and said earnestly, “Apologies.”

Xu Lie stood firm, not angered but rather impressed, and remarked, “Battalion Commander Lv, you have great strength.”

With that, they returned to Zhao Xu.

Liu Fu, looking dejected, said, “Commander Xu, you cost me ten taels of silver.”

Xu Lie retorted with a smirk, “I didn’t ask you to bet.”

Zhao Xu turned his gaze to Lv Chang, “Indeed, you’re suited to be a fierce general. From today, the prefectural troops will merge with the personal guard. You’ll serve with them.”

Lv Chang was overjoyed, “Thank you, Your Highness. This way, I can join General Chang in fighting the Beidi.”

To him, the prefectural troops were merely gatekeepers, dealing with minor bandits. The Prince’s personal guard was the real army.

Zhao Xu nodded, “But don’t get complacent. If Xu Lie had his bow and dagger, you might not have won.”

In his view, Lv Chang was more of a frontline tank, ideal for battlefields, while Xu Lie was versatile, making him perfect for protection.

Lv Chang wasn’t foolish. When he lifted Xu Lie, Xu Lie had punched his neck. If it had been a dagger, he would have been dead, so he nodded in understanding.

Zhao Xu’s visit was primarily to bond with the soldiers and win their loyalty.

He didn’t want his own troops to be unfamiliar with his appearance.

Descending from the command platform, Zhao Xu mingled with the soldiers.

He squeezed one soldier’s arm and asked, “What did you have for breakfast?”

The soldier, visibly excited, replied with a slight tremble in his voice, “Your Highness, I had a bowl of rice porridge, three steamed buns, and some pickled vegetables.”

“Did you have enough?”

“Yes, I did. Here in the army, we get plenty. I’ve never eaten this well at home,” the soldier replied loudly.

“Heh heh…” The soldiers all laughed, their faces showing satisfaction.

Clearly, like this soldier, joining the army had improved their food and clothing compared to before.

“Well, being full is just the basics. I’ve already made arrangements to ensure you all get some meat in your diet. For instance, adding eggs to your morning porridge and having some meat for lunch,” Zhao Xu spoke earnestly.

Despite the soldiers’ diligent training, he noticed some areas that needed improvement.

There were quite a few skinny soldiers, which was due to their previous lack of adequate food and clothing.

Such soldiers couldn’t match the physical prowess of the Beidi soldiers, who grew up on a diet of beef, lamb, and dairy.

So, true splendor was secondary; without the strength to withstand impact, it was meaningless.

Soldiers needed strength.

And strength training required sufficient nutrition; otherwise, their bodies would break down under the intense training.

Furthermore, Zhao Xu’s vision for his personal guard was not just to recreate an ancient standard army but to evolve it into a modern force.

The standards of a modern army were not just about weapons but also about physical fitness, discipline, and ideological strength, enabling them to withstand greater losses without collapsing.

Unlike ancient armies, which would crumble with just a ten to twenty percent loss.

Currently, constrained by the Dasong Dynasty’s laws, he could only recruit twenty thousand personal guards.

Thus, he had to pursue a path of elite soldiers.

“That’s a lot of eggs. Even if you gathered all the chickens in Yan Prefecture, they wouldn’t lay enough eggs,” a soldier said, drooling with anticipation.

Even the commanders found it somewhat unrealistic.

When Chang Wei returned and mentioned it, they merely chuckled and didn’t take it seriously.

After all, even commanders hadn’t eaten this well before.

Zhao Xu glanced around at the faces of the soldiers. “Just wait and see. I won’t go back on my word.”

Whether true or not, the soldiers were delighted that Zhao Xu, with his status as Prince Yan, would make such promises to them.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” the soldiers shouted in unison.

Zhao Xu chatted casually with the soldiers for a while longer, then went to inspect the barracks.

In the Dasong army, a squad consisted of ten soldiers led by a squad leader, a company consisted of a hundred soldiers led by a captain, a battalion consisted of five hundred soldiers led by a battalion commander, and a regiment consisted of five thousand soldiers led by a military commandant, above whom was the general.

For easier management, the Northern Barrack was divided into districts according to battalions.

After making his rounds, it was evening by the time Zhao Xu left.

As they watched Prince Yan depart, the soldiers’ excited hearts gradually calmed.

To them, having Prince Yan personally visit the barracks and interact with them was the highest honor.

After all, the regional magnates of Yan Prefecture usually carried an air of arrogance, treating them like dirt.

“Prince Yan is so young, yet so approachable.”

“Indeed, my palms are sweating with excitement.”

The soldier whose hand Zhao Xu had shaken stared blankly, “I’m not washing my hand for a month.”

As the sky draped its black curtain, the Northern Barrack was gradually enveloped in darkness.

And tonight, the soldiers of the personal guard had only one topic of conversation-Prince Yan.

Meanwhile, unexpected news was coming from the business dealings in Jinling.