MLMD -Chapter 96 The Great Military Drill

“One… one… one-two-one…”

“Left turn! Align to the right!”

The crisp shouts echoed across the expanded training ground on the west side of Yuejia Village, now twice its original size. Thousands of soldiers followed the officers’ commands, performing various drills. The scene was bustling with energy and intensity.

“Why won’t the higher-ups acknowledge our achievements? We did kill five hundred Jian (Jurchen) soldiers, and we even captured a fair amount of their armor and weapons. Why can’t that count as merit?”

Shunbao’s voice rang out from a corner of the training ground. Today, he was wearing a full suit of dark gray Gothic armor, a red cape draped over his shoulders, and a long sword at his waist. He looked impressive. Ever since Yue Yang had appointed him as the Defense Officer, he had often worn his armor just to show off.

“Forget it. There’s no reasoning with this. The court just won’t acknowledge it,” said Hu Laosan calmly.

“But we lost over a hundred brothers in the fight! Isn’t it unfair not to give them any recognition?” This was the voice of Cavalry Commander Wu Chengfeng. In the recent battle against Duoduo, his cavalry had suffered the heaviest losses, and he was naturally most heartbroken.

“The problem is, we really can’t report it. Lord Yue went out on his own accord without the court’s or the Ministry of War’s orders. If news of this leaks, we wouldn’t just fail to get rewards—we might even be dismissed from office.” The speaker was Feng Xiaoming, the oldest in the group, though ironically he held the lowest rank.

Hearing this, the group fell silent. Finally, Shunbao said, “But Lord Yue has arranged a compensation fund for the families of the fallen, providing two taels of silver per month for each, so their lives won’t be too hard.”

At that moment, a voice rang out from behind the group:
“What are you all talking about, gathered here like this?”

Startled, the men quickly saluted and called out in unison, “Greetings, My Lord!”

“Hmm, hello everyone!”

Yue Yang, dressed in full military attire, walked over and stopped among them. His sharp gaze swept across the soldiers before he spoke:

“I understand that many of you are dissatisfied that the soldiers who died in the recent battles with the Jurchens didn’t receive recognition from the court. I can sympathize with that. But as Commander Feng said, our last sortie was done without orders from the court or the Ministry of War. It was an unauthorized action. If the court were to pursue it, we’d all be in trouble. Therefore, I didn’t report it.

“However, rest assured: as long as I am in charge, the families of the fallen will not be neglected. And their deaths were not entirely in vain. From this campaign, we captured nearly four thousand warhorses. With these horses, we can now form a cavalry unit of around two thousand men. Commander Wu, your cavalry will benefit greatly from this.”

The last remark was said jokingly to Wu Chengfeng.

“All thanks to your guidance and support, My Lord. I dare not claim credit!” Wu Chengfeng quickly bowed in gratitude. Currently, almost all of Yue Yang’s cavalry were under his command. The larger the cavalry, the stronger his position—something every officer would be happy to see.

“Although your strength has grown, you must also examine your shortcomings,” Yue Yang reminded him. “In the last battle with Duoduo, your one thousand cavalry attacked fewer than two hundred enemies. You nearly annihilated them, but your own losses were severe. This shows that your training is still insufficient!”

“Yes, My Lord. Your advice is correct. From now on, I will train those rascals properly.” Wu Chengfeng’s face reddened at the reprimand. In the battle with Duoduo, he had attacked with five times the enemy’s number, and after enormous effort, he finally defeated them—losing nearly a hundred men in the process. By no means a glorious outcome.

Seeing Wu Chengfeng hanging his head, Yue Yang shifted the topic:
“Judging from the last battle against the Jurchens, I am far from satisfied. Our troops outnumbered them, and our armor and weapons were better. If it weren’t for the new firearms, we likely would have been completely wiped out. Shunbao, as Defense Officer, don’t you have anything to say?”

“Ah…”

Caught completely off guard, Shunbao stammered, “My Lord… I failed to carry out my duties properly and have let you down. I am guilty!”

“Forget it. The main responsibility lies with me. I failed to anticipate what could happen, which led to unnecessary losses.”

Yue Yang took the blame upon himself and continued, addressing the silent group:
“Our forces have grown rapidly, from around five hundred men to seven or eight thousand. While the army has expanded, the soldiers’ training hasn’t kept up. Especially the lower-level officers—squad leaders, section leaders, and company captains—most were selected from old soldiers. They lack experience and leadership skills. This will be especially evident. Therefore, our next phase will not focus on expanding numbers, but on conducting a six-month Great Military Drill to build a truly competent army!”

“A Great Military Drill for the entire army?” The men exchanged glances, clearly puzzled. Shunbao was the first to ask, “My Lord… how exactly will this drill work? Is it really necessary to train the entire army together?”

“Yes, My Lord. Our current force is no longer just a few hundred men. Seven to eight thousand training together will cause quite a commotion,” added Feng Xiaoming.

“Exactly, My Lord. You should reconsider!” Several others echoed the sentiment, trying to persuade Yue Yang.

“No need to reconsider. I have decided. This drill will go ahead!” Yue Yang’s voice was resolute. “Only by sweating during peacetime can we bleed less in wartime. The last engagement with the Jurchens has shown us that bigger armies do not necessarily win—it’s the morale and training of the soldiers that count. Were it not for our luck and the firearms, I would have been reduced to a pile of bones on the steppe long ago.

“Now, I’ll make this clear: if any of you feel incapable or unwilling to endure this hardship, speak up now. I will assign you to farm the fields at Wuli Village’s Outer Bend, where every night you can sleep warm with your wife and children. Anyone willing to go?”

As soon as Yue Yang finished, no one dared respond.

“Really? No one wants to farm?” He scanned them again. All avoided his gaze.

“You all usually boast about your troops’ prowess and your own abilities. You feel invincible, but the truth is victories are won, not spoken about. Two thousand men were thrown into chaos by just five hundred Jurchens. Imagine facing five thousand, or even fifty thousand? One charge and we would be routed!”

Yue Yang’s anger rose as he spoke. In the previous battle, many soldiers had been so terrified that they didn’t even know how to fire their guns. During post-battle checks, one company captain found over ten lead bullets in a soldier’s firearm—a clear sign of how panicked he had been. The captain almost fainted from frustration. Shunbao had relayed this to Yue Yang, which prompted the idea of the Great Military Drill.

“I’ll be blunt: this drill will be unlike any ordinary exercise. It will follow the principle of promoting the capable and punishing the incompetent. Those who perform well will be promoted. Those who perform poorly… hm, I will see to it personally.” Yue Yang’s tone was sharp and authoritative, leaving no doubt that he meant it.

“Finally, I announce this: from today on, all soldiers must learn literacy. Those who recognize over five hundred characters will receive full pay; less than five hundred, half pay. Those who recognize over a thousand may serve as company captains, and over three thousand may serve as battalion or higher officers. Anyone failing to meet the standards—no one, not even the Emperor, may hold office! Understand?”

“Yes, My Lord!”

A few scattered responses came, but many faces were clouded with worry. For many, going to battle was easy—but learning thousands of characters was almost as difficult as a poor man trying to marry a wealthy beauty. Hu Laosan’s face turned pale as he hurriedly pleaded with Yue Yang.

“My Lord, I don’t even know a hundred characters! You want me to learn three thousand? You’ll be killing me!”

Yue Yang replied bluntly, “If you don’t want to do it, remove your tiger pelt and return to Wuli Village as a guard. I won’t stop you!”

“No… My Lord, please, can’t I still try?” Seeing Yue Yang’s serious expression, Hu Laosan quickly agreed.

Yue Yang, maintaining his stern demeanor, addressed the group:
“Very well. That’s settled. Whether you farm or stay in the army, it’s your choice. Your fate is in your own hands!”

With that, Yue Yang turned and walked a short distance away. Though still on the training ground, his mind drifted back to the recent battle, replaying its events…