Dawn of the Empire

Chapter (4:56)

On the way back to the camp after the banquet, Du Chuijiao said with a casual smile, "I think the captain's method works well." In his opinion, the construction of the city by the Han army has little to do with Xia Guoying.Liu Zhijian patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "These people are ignorant." Zhao Xingde also smiled.

On the foundation site of Nanshan City in the distance, work was almost non-stop day and night.The wooden poles held the lanterns high, and the shirtless peasants were panting heavily, pounding down with heavy rams and pestles, making the sound of "Pu" and "Pu" again and again.Beside the half-built city wall, there were groups of load-carrying workers, mud workers, and wicker workers sweating profusely. This scene reminded him of the big construction sites of later generations.

After returning to the camp, Du Chuijiao and Liu Zhijian resigned.Zhao Xingde's thoughts turned back to building the city. "Taibai Mountain is full of volcanic ash, maybe we can try to make some concrete." He smiled self-deprecatingly. "I'm the captain of Xia Guochengying's Eighth Battalion, not a city builder. Just think about it like Chuanjiao and Zhijian did." Zhao Xingde said to himself.He felt a little stuffy in his heart, so he took out the horizontal knife that he carried with him, took off his armor, and started hacking outside the tent one by one, gradually entering the state of forgetting both things and me.This set of horizontal saber techniques in the army is not fancy, only a few chopping and stabbing movements coming and going.A few seemingly boring and clumsy movements have been practiced thousands of times. It is said that the swordsmanship is so good that even if the enemy is wearing several layers of armor, he can cut it in half with a single knife.

Han Ningshuang put down the pen in her hand, finished sorting out the official documents at hand, and it was time for the moon to come out of Dongshan.Stretching, she relaxed a little, and couldn't help but think of the method of building a city from a factory that Zhao Xingde mentioned during the dinner.

There is no doubt that the factory-based fortification method can greatly improve the progress of fortification. Han Ningshuang was really tempted by the words, but Wang Xuansu, who was in charge of the fortification in the Han army, firmly opposed it, so he gave up.As a general, you can't use everything for yourself.Wang Xuansu may not be right, but he is the most proficient in city building in the Han army. Han Ningshuang chose to believe his judgment, but she felt a little apologetic towards Zhao Xingde in her heart.

Zhao Xingde is like a real craftsman, that kind of seriousness and focus, as well as the expression of extreme disappointment after the suggestion is not accepted, cannot be pretended.The gentle smile that followed was even more impressive.Even in the Xia Kingdom, the status of the captain of the Huguo Mansion is higher than that of ordinary craftsmen.Han Ningshuang can only attribute Zhao Xingde's talent for engineering to a hobby.She is familiar with history books, and is used to all kinds of things in the world. She knows that aliens have some weird hobbies, which are untouchable like the reverse scale of a dragon.For example, there was once an emperor who liked to do business. He pretended to be a small shopkeeper and asked eunuchs and maids to buy, and he could even haggle over the price.It is also better than the former prime minister who liked to instruct the chef to cook some ingenious dishes based on ancient poems and essays. The taste was bland and weird.Another example is that there is an empress dowager who likes to design some official kilns. If a concubine who is less advanced has a heart and insight to recognize treasures, a compliment or two is better than giving her any treasures.However, any porcelain in the palace that does not suit her will be banned, no matter how exquisite.In many cases, the hobbies of the rich and powerful are as innocuous as playthings. In other cases, their hobbies are a great disaster to the community and grassroots.Because of this, although Han Ningshuang has learned piano, chess, calligraphy and painting since childhood, she has always maintained an indifferent attitude towards these things.

From Han Ningshuang's point of view, Zhao Xingde's enthusiasm for craftsmen such as iron smelting and city building also came from a heartfelt hobby.Just like some people like to listen to music and have fun, and some people like to drink and eat.But on the other hand, when he was denied by others in this respect, the setback he suffered was much greater than what others thought.But after all, he did not insist on his own proposition and respected the decision of the Han army.

A gentle smile appeared in front of her eyes, and a smile appeared on the corner of Han Ningshuang's mouth, but then she frowned slightly. "Does this person really not care?" Zhao Xingde's talent, preference and confidence in the craftsmanship of the craftsman cannot be faked.To be able to accept it so calmly. "Is he persevering and ruthless, or is he deeply possessed?" She put the cloak on her shoulders and stood up. "Lieutenant Zhao has done his best for the Han army. If there is an opportunity, he must make up for it." Han Ningshuang stepped out of the camp.

"Marshal, do you want to patrol the camp?" Wang Ji asked in a deep voice.

"Yes." Han Ningshuang nodded.

This is also a perennial habit.After reading the official documents in the evening, he took the guards to patrol the sentry post, which not only relieved the fatigue of the day, but also visited the subordinates on duty.As the camp of the Han army became larger and larger, it was no longer possible for Han Ningshuang to patrol all the guard posts every day, but her habit was preserved by almost all the generals of the Han army.The generals can only sleep in peace after checking the sentry.

A round of bright moon hung in the sky, Han Ningshuang took a deep breath of air, her pupils became cold, and her eyes became a little bit harsh.In terms of military tactics, the night of the full moon is most suitable for sneak attacks and robbing camps.

"Marshal." "Marshal." The sentry teams encountered along the way consciously saluted at the side of the road.

Several generations of the Han family have worked hard for decades, and Han Ningshuang has worked hard in many ways to maintain and manage such a force in Liaodong.Among the Han army in Guannan, Suzhou, five or six thousand of them were elite veterans who had been there for many years, which is what Han Ningshuang said in the Huguofu. The total number of the Han army was about five to six thousand.The other 6000 people are recruits recently recruited by the cottage. Although they haven't practiced for a long time, one has old soldiers as the backbone, and the other has neat uniforms, armor, knives and arrows, and looks like a strong soldier. .At this time, Han Ningshuang felt as happy as the head of the family.

Han Ningshuang also nodded to them, and the road was unimpeded, stopping and going.When I came to the place where Xia Guoying set up a stronghold, I heard a loud shout: "Stop coming!"

Han Ningshuang was taken aback for a moment, then stopped in her tracks.

Wang Ji strode ahead of the marshal, and wanted to take a few steps forward, but shouted from behind the camp: "Who is coming? If you try to force your way into the camp again, you will have to shoot arrows." Xia Guoying had only arrived in Suzhou for half a day. , They built a low wall around the camp assigned to them, dug a trench, and found antler pickets from nowhere to block the entrance.The torches at the gate of the camp were pointed outwards, illuminating the surroundings of the camp, but the sergeants hid in the dark behind the low walls and antlers, and only the light of bows and arrows and knives could be seen faintly shaking outside.

Because Suzhou Guannan is a safe hinterland, the camps of the Han army are far simpler than Xia Guoying. Many of them are just tents.Xia Guoying's way of camping like facing an enemy is the rule of the Marching Division, and it is a perennial habit.In the eyes of the Han army, it was an act full of hostility.

Wang Ji's face froze, and he said in a deep voice, "Marshal Han inspected the barracks, but he still hasn't opened the gate."

From behind the antlers came the voice of Du blowing the horns: "Don't blame General Xiao Wang. There is no military order. The gate of the village is locked at night, and no one is allowed to enter the camp."

Han Ningshuang frowned slightly, but Wang Ji had already shouted: "Du Dutou, what are you talking about? Marshal Han is here, so he is not allowed to enter?"

Du Chuanjiao smiled and said: "President Han, please forgive me, the rules are so, even if it is His Majesty of this dynasty, General Zhang Shang is here, without General Zhao's order, he is not allowed to set foot in the camp."

Wang Ji saw that he had no intention of giving in at all, so he couldn't help saying angrily: "Suzhou is the place where our Han army belongs, and you can't wait to be so presumptuous!" He just took a step forward, only to hear a "swish", and the arrow shot It shot straight into the place not more than three inches away from his front feet, half of it was buried in the ground, leaving only a section of tail feathers that could not be shaken.

Du Chuijiao apologized loudly: "I'm sorry, General Wang, it's hard to violate military regulations, so don't make things difficult for your brother."

Wang Ji's face was livid, how could Fang Gang, who was full of blood, bear this bad breath, and was about to explode when he heard Han Ningshuang's voice say, "I'm bothering Dudu, General Tong Bing Zhao." A majestic voice came: "What's going on?"

Zhao Xingde swung his knife and hacked thousands of times, his single clothes were soaked in sweat.He heard the voice at the gate of the camp, and walked over.Du Chuijiao Bing said: "Lieutenant Zhao, Marshal Han is here to inspect the sentry post. The last general has told them that without a military order, even His Majesty and the General cannot set foot here." He spoke very confidently.When the new sergeant taught the military training, as usual, he had to set an example for Zhou Yafu's refusal of Emperor Hanwen to enter the camp. Emperor Xia and the general would not make fun of themselves in this matter.

Zhao Xingde nodded to Du Chuijiao, walked to the front of the antlers, and said in a deep voice: "If you want to enter the camp at night, you can't just say nothing, you have to go through multiple military orders. If Marshal Han wants to come in, you only need to be a Marshal of Han." You can just give the government military order to Zhao." He paused, then smiled, "The military discipline is like this, please be more considerate. If Marshal Han calls for something, Zhao will come to the tent at any time to obey orders."

Han Ningshuang's face was slightly cold at first, but when she saw Zhao Xingde, she couldn't get angry.Seeing him coming out with the scabbard in his hand, sweat stains on the skirt, he asked through the antlers, "Is General Zhao practicing horizontal saber?"

"That's right," Zhao Xingde patted the scabbard lightly, and said with a smile, "It's the ability to save your life." He cupped his hands to the guards behind him, "Everyone has worked hard in patrolling the camp." Zhao Xingde has a lot of prestige in the Han army , Wang Ji and other guards of the Han army bowed their hands and returned the salute one after another, and some even said: "Mr. Zhao is flattering you."

Han Ningshuang looked left and right, then looked at Zhao Xingde, her eyes moved slightly, and said with a smile: "In this case, it is inconvenient for us to disturb you." She bid farewell to Zhao Xingde, turned around and left with the guards, and after walking a certain distance, sighed secretly He said: "Only with such a military discipline as iron can it be called as solid as a rock. When did our Liaodong Han army have such a military discipline and such a general." Thinking of this, Zhao Xingde's appearance became more and more vivid.A smile appeared on the corner of her mouth: "He is famous for being good at bows and arrows. I didn't expect that he is still practicing horizontal swordsmanship. No wonder you can see that Zong Han's head and shoulders should be slightly turned in the opposite direction every time before he uses his sword."