Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After deliberating for a moment, Yan Liqiang firmly shook his head. “Although Solo Cloud will be helpful, this is not the time to look for them or Situ Feixing!”
“Ah, why not?” Fu Changde asked.
“Didn’t Master Chang mention that Situ Feixing is very arrogant? My opponent is a cavalry of a mere thousand men from the Northwestern Transportation Office. If I can’t even solve a small problem like this and seek his aid by showing him the Shuiyun Token, how will he look at me?”
“Ah!” Fu Changde finally caught on. His expression slowly turned grave after coming to realize that, and then he slowly nodded. “You are right, Liqiang. I was really too hasty and failed to consider that. People are bound to change. Putting aside the possibility that Situ Feixing still considers himself as part of Qiyun Protectorate’s private army and will bow to the Shuiyun Token, he may have different opinions even if we seek his aid. I worry he may be difficult to control. Past dynasties and generations have again and again proven that a weak master and a strong servant is known to be the source of calamity!”
“Yes, that’s what I’m thinking too. If I were to risk it by exposing my identity to do this, I might end up losing more than what I can gain!” Yan Liqiang smiled. “It’s not that we cannot contact Solo Cloud and Situ Feixting, but now is definitely not the time!”
“How prudent of you, Liqiang!” Fu Changde’s eyebrows slowly knitted together after that. “The cavalry of a thousand men from the Transportation Office…”
“Didn’t Master Chang say that I can easily gather a troop of more than five hundred men in the Hui Clan Gathering?”
“That’s right. It’s so simple that it can be done with a word from me!”
“Didn’t Master Chang say these five hundred people know how to draw a bow and ride a horse?”
“Of course everyone knows how to draw a bow. Although their skills vary, they can still shoot an arrow. Their aim is decent, and their arrows are deadly if they hit the targets. Although the Hui Clan Gathering is poor and can’t afford fine horses, the children here grew up with horses. I can’t say that they are extremely skillful in bowmanship and horsemanship, but they definitely have no problem in drawing bows and riding horses. If they didn’t, the people of the Hui Clan Gathering wouldn’t be able to survive in this inhospitable environment!”
“That’s good to hear. Master Chang can hand over these five hundred people to me. I shall train them intensely for twenty days, then pick three hundred candidates. Dealing with the cavalry of a thousand men from the Transportation Office isn’t a difficult matter!” Yan Liqiang said confidently.
Fu Changde glanced at Yan Liqiang deeply. “The younger generation of the Hui Clan Gathering is led by my son. I shall invite him over later and introduce him to you. Let my son lead them this time!”
“Oh? Who is your son, Master Chang? Have I met him before?”
Fu Changde suddenly roared with laughter. “Of course you have met him, Liqiang! When you visited the Hui Clan Gathering for the first time with Sun Bingchen, you both even fought against each other!”
Yan Liqiang immediately recalled the person Fu Changde was talking about…
…
Yan Liqiang talked privately with Fu Changde in the room for two hours. Fu Changde then left the inn’s room for a short while and brought his son over to meet Yan Liqiang.
Fu Changde was known as Chang Lu in Hui Clan Gathering. It had been a long time since he changed his surname and name. Naturally, his son followed his father’s new surname and was named Chang Kuan. This person was none other than the archer whose bow was broken by Yan Liqiang’s arrow when he first came to this place with Sun Bingchen, and he could be considered a fine archer. He was the leader of the younger generation and was greatly admired by them.
While Fu Changde was an astute and patient man, his son Chang Kuan gave Yan Liqiang a feeling that he was a very tough and frank person, and he soon found out that this was true. When Yan Liqiang fought with Chang Kuan last time, he had completely subjugated him. Not only that, but Yan Liqiang’s reputation had also grown rapidly over the past two years. Therefore, when both parties were reunited this time and Chang Kuan found out about Yan Liqiang’s identity, he very quickly worshipped Yan Liqiang.
With the father and son from the Chang Clan on Yan Liqiang’s side, the rest was easy.
After resting a night in the inn, the field in the Hui Clan Gathering was filled with young men who got the news the next day at dawn. They had been waiting in excitement, looking at the huge chests with dazzling silver sitting in them with their sparkling eyes while secretly salivating.
Yan Liqiang picked up an ingot of silver, then threw the first question at the young men. “Do you wish to earn this silver?”
“YES!” Everyone roared.
“It’s very easy to earn this silver. All you have to do is two things — obey commands and kill. Of course, we aren’t going to commit crimes. The people we will be killing are not commoners but bandits. Tell me, do you dare to kill?”
“YES!” The crowd roared even louder.
“Will you obey my command?!”
“We will if we’re getting paid, hahaha. Otherwise, why would we listen if we’re not getting paid…?” A young man replied while laughing.
“Oh, then let me give it a try…” Yan Liqiang said, then pointed to a barren hill about three to four thousand meters away. “See that hill over there? Whoever gets to the hilltop and picks up a stone that is no less than two jin in weight will be rewarded with an ingot of silver. The first to make it back will be given four ingots, second will be given three ingots, and third will be given two ingots. The rest will get an ingot each!”
“Seriously?” Everyone’s eyes lit up.
“I am in the Hui Clan Gathering. Are you afraid that I might escape?”
The first to make it back was of course, Chang Kuan. When the rest came back with their stones and exchanged it for the silver in Yan Liqiang’s hand, the Hui Clan Gathering grew rowdy.
The rest of the event went smoothly.
With money as well as Fu Dechang and his son’s support, Yan Liqiang quickly established his reputation for keeping his words in the Hui Clan Gathering. His recruitment also worked out very well. In just a day, he managed to recruit 516 men in the Hui Clan Gathering. Each and every one of them was valiant and energetic young men who knew how to draw a bow, ride a horse, and was experienced in fighting against robbers and mounted bandits. These people were trained by Fu Changde in the Hui Clan Gathering since young, and hence they were highly disciplined. Among them, Chang Kuan and another man named Zhao Hui had even progressed into Martial Warriors. Such a group of people only required a little more effort in polishing them into a powerful troop. Yan Liqiang was extremely pleased with them.
After gathering the group, Fu Changde brought Yan Liqiang to visit a few more villages and gathering places around the edge of the mountainous region for the next two days. There, they recruited another three hundred young men who were skilled with bow and riding. The two groups merged, then trained in the Hui Clan Gathering for two days.
On the sixth day, a fleet of four-wheeled carriages arrived at the Hui Clan Gathering. The eight hundred young men gathered here were assigned to the carriages and were transported back to Pingxi Prefecture where they began Yan Liqiang’s intensive demonic training as requested…