Chapter 231: Hexi Military School Third Class, Jin Prefecture Military Academy
“A great peng rises on the wind in a single day, soaring straight up ninety thousand li.”
In the study, the candlelight flickered, making the writing on the xuan paper alternately bright and dim.
Li Xiao finished the final stroke, his gaze profound as he stared at these fourteen simplified characters on the paper, nodding in satisfaction.
His calligraphy, though not matching those calligraphy masters, still possessed considerable majestic spirit.
No warfare in the Northern Frontier!
During this time, besides his own daily solo training, Li Xiao engaged in daily intimate exercises with the women.
When idle, he would also practice writing and calligraphy, and in a short time, Li Xiao made some progress with ink brush.
Just then, Er Ya entered carrying tea, her steps light.
“Husband, it’s late at night, drink some tea to moisten your throat, time to rest.” Her voice was like a spring breeze, gentle and moving.
She gently pushed the tea cup to Li Xiao’s hand, but the next second, her jade hand was firmly grasped by a large hand.
Immediately she felt the world spinning, and when she came to, she was already sitting in Li Xiao’s lap.
“Husband~”
Feeling the hot breath spraying on her earlobe and neck, Er Ya also let out a quite aroused whimper.
A blush quietly crept onto her cheeks, her hands constantly pushing against Li Xiao’s chest, gasping as she said: “No~”
“To the room~”
Li Xiao smiled, took a sip of tea, held Er Ya’s delicate body in his arms, and softly said: “What do you think of this calligraphy by your husband?”
Er Ya’s originally dazed face gradually regained clarity.
She gazed tenderly at those two lines of characters, admiration and affection swirling in her eyes, and after a moment said: “Majestic, domineering, powerful brush strokes, devouring mountains and rivers.”
“Husband’s calligraphy is getting better and better.”
The Wei Family of Sanhe Fort was not simply a soldier’s family; their ancestors were also accomplished in both civil and military arts.
Thus, under the influence of family tradition, even Er Ya this girl could read and write.
She could even write delicate small regular script.
And in Er Ya’s eyes, Li Xiao’s this piece of calligraphy was already quite accomplished.
“A great peng rises on the wind in a single day, soaring straight up ninety thousand li.” Er Ya murmured.
“This is a line from Zhuangzi’s Free and Easy Wandering, right?”
Li Xiao nodded lightly: “Correct.”
Smelling the faint jasmine scent from her hair, Li Xiao pulled her waist closer, resting his chin gently on her shoulder, and softly said: “This calligraphy is for you.”
His voice low and gentle: “You’re already my Li Xiao’s woman, but calling you Er Ya is ultimately not pleasant; I’ve given you a new name.”
He picked up the wolf brush from the desk and wrote three more characters on the xuan paper—Wei Fuyao.
“Soaring straight up ninety thousand li, from now on you are the great peng soaring at the horizon, except for me, you will no longer be bound by anything.”
Er Ya looked at those three characters, murmuring repeatedly: “Wei Fuyao?”
Her heart grew increasingly joyful, her eyes gradually moistening.
She turned and wrapped her arms around Li Xiao’s neck, burying her face in his chest: “Thank you, husband.”
Favoring sons over daughters was the essence of this era; Er Ya was already considered fortunate, yet still lacked a formal name.
She was a daughter of the Northern Frontier, and over these years following Wei Xuan, she had grown accustomed to a free and unrestrained life, even participating in managing the Hexi Textile Mill.
Now though married to Li Xiao, Er Ya did not want to become like those ordinary women, a caged bird forever staying in the mansion vying for favor.
Li Xiao granting her a formal name was undoubtedly an affirmation of her abilities.
She could still continue doing what she wanted.
At this moment, Er Ya’s heart slowly filled with emotion, and she involuntarily took the initiative.
“Husband~”
Soon after, the items on the table were scattered to the ground, Li Xiao gripping her waist and pressing her onto the desk.
The candlelight instantly extinguished; hearing her own lady’s cry, the maidservant Xiao Tao outside the door was dumbfounded.
The Great Protector was beating Madam again.
Time passed slowly; the Northern Frontier’s winter was exceptionally long.
During this period, Er Hu took his newlywed wife and left Dragon City, returning to Yili.
Da Hu and Wei Xuan did the same; they were respectively the deputy commander and myriad household commander of the Sixth Garrison.
And the Sixth Garrison’s defense area was on the Western Sea Grassland.
Some people left, and others arrived.
On this day the sun shone high, yet no warmth was felt; many places on the grassland still had thick snow remaining.
Amid this vast white heaven and earth, over a hundred war horses crossed Golden Mountain and arrived in Jin Prefecture.
All with three horses per man, about fifty people.
They were precisely officers of the Sixth Garrison, mostly at centurion level.
Seeing Dragon City standing in the distance, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
“Finally back.”
“In this big winter, one should stay home hugging women and sleeping; next year definitely can have a few more boys.”
“The Great Protector sending us to Dragon City is real suffering!”
“Does fighting need learning? Old me was born knowing it.”
“Born knowing with who? If the Great Protector hears, won’t he beat you with the board?”
The group of generals laughed and joked, slowly entering Dragon City.
They immediately encountered a squad of Wuwei Army cavalry; the leader was a young general in red-trimmed yellow armor, tasseled helmet on head, cavalry saber at waist, majestic and awe-inspiring.
The moment they saw him, these generals gradually stopped their clamor.
“Wuwei Army chiliarch?”
“It’s Wuwei Army’s Hou Chiliarch.”
“Did the Great Protector send him to pick us up?” these generals said in low voices.
They had recognized the identity of the man opposite: Wuwei Army chiliarch Hou Shou, that is, Thin Monkey.
He was one of the Great Protector’s most trusted guard generals.
However, now he was not only a Wuwei Army chiliarch but also concurrently deputy myriad commander.
A proper Imperial Army commander.
And these officers were all centurions, so the moment they saw Thin Monkey, instinctive awe rose in their hearts.
They all saluted with hand to chest: “Seen Hou Chiliarch.”
Though not the same unit, superiors and inferiors still had to be observed.
Thin Monkey nodded slightly, slowly riding forward on horseback, his robust physique constantly emanating powerful deterrence.
He was only nicknamed Thin Monkey; in reality, his build was very strong, should be called ‘Fat Monkey’.
“Gentlemen, the Great Protector orders this general to escort you to the military school.”
“After entering the city, no galloping horses at will, no fighting.”
“If wanting to visit family, come find this general for leave.”
The Sixth Garrison generals hearing this dared no objection, all saluting with hand to chest: “We obey!”
Thin Monkey nodded lightly, then turned to leave, having one of his Wuwei Army centurions lead them to quarters.
These Sixth Garrison centurions were all brave and skilled fierce generals, risen step by step from the ranks through slaughter, proud and arrogant, hard for ordinary people to deter.
To prevent these men from causing trouble after entering the city, Li Xiao had Thin Monkey show his face to suppress them.
The effect was indeed good; these Sixth Garrison generals became much more obedient after entering the city.
Led by a Wuwei Army centurion to the Hexi Military School.
However, one among them had already recognized this centurion’s identity.
The two gradually rode side by side.
The Wuwei Army centurion’s originally stern face instantly broke into an excited smile, calling softly: “Elder brother~”
The Sixth Garrison centurion also smiled: “Good kid, quietly became a Wuwei Army centurion.”
“Well done.”
These two brothers were precisely the Yang Family brothers.
The younger brother Yang Shoujing had just been formally appointed Wuwei Army centurion, commanding two hundred elite iron cavalry.
While the elder brother Yang Shouzheng currently served as acting centurion in the Sixth Garrison.
In the previous Eastern Capital battle, both brothers earned considerable military merit and would surely be promoted.
However, because the First Division and Fourth Garrison were stationed in Jin Prefecture, their generals were promoted first.
Next came the other four garrisons.
This time these Sixth Garrison generals came to Dragon City both for the third session training at Hexi Military School and to receive personal appointments from Li Xiao.
Yang Shouzheng this acting centurion would surely be confirmed, and might even rise one more level.
“Becoming this centurion is also the Great Protector’s favor; originally thought becoming deputy centurion would be good enough, after all this is the Wuwei Army!” Yang Shoujing said with a face full of reverence.
Yang Shouzheng nodded proudly: “My brother is capable; the Great Protector has a keen eye for talent.”
“In the future, work hard in the Wuwei Army, don’t bring shame to our Yang Family.”
At this time, the accompanying Sixth Garrison officers also learned this was Yang Shouzheng’s younger brother, instantly closing the distance.
They started chatting familiarly again.
Soon, the group arrived at Hexi Military School.
It was just a courtyard located in the northeast corner of Dragon City, covering over twenty mu, for these generals’ lodging and daily study; training was outside the city.
The red gate stood majestically, with two stone lions over man-height placed outside.
One Sixth Garrison centurion lightly nudged Yang Shouzheng’s arm, pointing to the characters above the gate and on the sides, asking:
“Old Yang, you know lots of characters; what’s written up there?”
Yang Shouzheng looked carefully, a flash of doubt in his eyes, somewhat uncertainly saying: “Those four characters above should be Hexi Military School.”
“As for the sides, this…”
Yang Shouzheng greatly suspected whether this was even Chinese characters?
He was after all from a general’s family; his father had served as general in Western Xia, from childhood he read military treatises fluently, reading and writing was no issue.
But he found he could only recognize half the characters.
Yang Shoujing explained: “This calligraphy was personally inscribed by the Great Protector for Hexi Military School.”
“Iron cavalry ice river, here must cast off tender sentiments; yellow sand ten thousand li, from now emulate tiger wolf might.”
“As for the script, it’s a simplified version invented by the Great Protector, also one of our tasks this time.”
Ancient characters were the same as later simplified characters in some cases, but many were complex to write.
For example, the first sentence in traditional characters is ‘Iron cavalry ice river, here must cast off tender sentiments.’
Connected perhaps guessable by context, but alone uncertain.
Li Xiao wanted to promote Sinicization in the Northern Frontier, let more people read and write, so definitely simplify the script for easier writing.
But other generals hearing this immediately showed troubled expressions.
Some incredulously said: “Make us learn these characters?”
“Better let old me go kill a hundred Mongol People.”
“These characters know me, I don’t know them!”
All a bunch of rough men, probably couldn’t even write their own names, make them study?
Study a fart!
On the contrary, Yang Shouzheng had no worry, having a foundation already.
Soon able to learn these simplified scripts.
He instead appreciated this couplet very much.
Mumbling softly: “Iron cavalry ice river, here must cast off tender sentiments; yellow sand ten thousand li, from now emulate tiger wolf might.”
The more he read, the more amazed he felt, softly saying: “The Great Protector is truly accomplished in civil and military, beyond us.”
When the group entered the gate, they saw a fairly spacious parade ground.
Two stones stood, respectively written in vermilion: “Blood not drained dry, battle not ceased.”
This time Yang Shouzheng recognized it, eyes narrowing, amazed: “Such heavy killing intent.”
“Worthy of Hexi Military School.”
“This time we’ve come to the right place.”
After they entered the school, they found officers from the First, Second, and Fourth Garrisons already there; many from the Sixth Garrison were former comrades.
Chatting enthusiastically with each other.
A few more days passed, and officers from the Third and Fifth Garrisons arrived successively.
Totaling three hundred, all centurion-level figures from the Northern Frontier’s Six Garrisons.
Some formal centurions, some acting; after training, they would be confirmed, some promoted to deputy chiliarch.
All depending on Li Xiao’s decision, and their own military merit and performance.
On this day, three hundred centurions were assembled on the parade ground, densely packed, as far as the eye could see all red, yellow, white armor.
Soon after, Li Xiao in dark golden cotton armor, golden feather tasseled helmet, hand on dragon head cavalry saber, strode to the front of all the generals.
His sharp gaze swept over the crowd, nodded slightly, and loudly declared: “Calling you all here this time isn’t this Protector deliberately tormenting you.”
“It’s an opportunity for promotion, also to let us old brothers catch up with this Protector~”
“Some of you are centurions, some acting centurions, all pillars of my Northern Frontier, backbone of my Six Garrisons.”
“Even more, my Li Xiao’s brothers through life and death!”
“You will stay at Hexi Military School for one month; during this time, specialists will teach you to read and write.”
Hearing Li Xiao, these centurions immediately let out miserable howls, like schoolboys hearing no holiday, wailing like ghosts and wolves.
Making them study was truly worse than real swords and guns against enemies.
“Hehehe~”
Li Xiao laughed, on the high platform pacing lightly, shaking his head helplessly.
“Don’t think this Protector is deliberately making things hard; teaching you rough men a few more characters is for your own good.”
“After one month, whoever can’t even write their own name, this Protector will demote them to shovel horse dung.”
Li Xiao didn’t need them to learn too many characters.
All in their twenties or thirties, minds basically set, hard to learn uninterested things.
At least learn to write their names, some simple characters, sufficient.
Deeper things for the next generation of generals.
However, whoever learned more characters would indeed earn Li Xiao’s higher regard.
Because it showed strong learning ability, smart head, potential worth cultivating.
Under equal military merit, Li Xiao would prioritize promoting them to deputy chiliarch.
But the true purpose of Li Xiao establishing Hexi Military School was not making these generals study literature and martial arts.
Actually just four words: unify thought!
During this time, Li Xiao would occasionally come to Hexi Military School for speeches, some inspirational talk.
Northern Frontier rise theory.
China’s Revival theory and so on.
Even Li Xiao personally compiled several radical thought books as required textbooks for Hexi Military School.
Actually brainwashing these generals to identify with Li Xiao, worship Li Xiao, support Li Xiao without reservation.
Strengthen ties between Li Xiao and these mid-low level generals, let them feel Li Xiao’s grace.
Become more loyal to Li Xiao.
After a passionate speech, Li Xiao left Hexi Military School.
Turned to glance at Hexi Military School’s red gate and the characters he personally inscribed on the sides.
Shaking head lightly laughing: “These rough men~”
On the way back to Great Protector’s Mansion, Li Xiao thought of something and said to Thin Monkey beside him: “Hexi Military School is only for Six Garrisons generals.”
“Our Northern Frontier’s children can’t be neglected.”
Thin Monkey hearing this, slightly stunned: “Great Governor wants to establish a school hall in Dragon City?”
Private schools and academies existed since ancient times, but only for great families, ordinary common people’s children had no chance.
Li Xiao nodded lightly: “It’s a school hall, but not teaching Four Books and Five Classics.”
What Li Xiao truly wanted to establish was like a youth military school, providing reserve officers for Northern Frontier Army.
The reason ultimately these rough men made Li Xiao helpless.
Minds already set, no matter how taught, just so.
Thus, Li Xiao could only shift focus to those children.
Cultivate as many civil-military talents as possible: mount to kill enemy, dismount to govern.
At that time, Northern Frontier wouldn’t need pure civil officials; figures like Xin Qiji, Wen Tianxiang were what Li Xiao truly needed.
In the following days, Yang Shouzheng and these centurions began training at Hexi Military School.
Mornings one hour for literacy, all scratching heads, feeling time passing too slowly.
Afternoons by chiliarchs and myriad commanders lecturing on marching and combat skills.
Teaching these commanders of two hundred to lead thousands or even tens of thousands in battle.
Li Xiao also occasionally came to infuse these generals with soul chicken soup, listening made them spirited and increasingly worshipful of Li Xiao.
Time thus passed slowly; regarding the school hall, Li Xiao had already planned.
On this day, a one-armed man came to Great Protector’s Mansion.
Thin Monkey seeing him immediately respectfully said: “Uncle Wu, this way.”
“The Great Protector is waiting for you.”
This man around forty, wearing thick cotton robe, thin face, scruffy beard, but eyes still sharp.
Nodded lightly, following Thin Monkey to the study.
Seeing Li Xiao, immediately saluted with left hand to chest: “Wu Gang, pays respects to Great Protector.”
Li Xiao rose directly, went before him and gestured to rise: “Uncle Wu, no need for excessive courtesy.”
“Sit!”
“Someone, serve tea!”
Wu Gang was from Hexi Fort, followed Li Xiao in campaigns; in last year’s war with Naiman People, lost his right arm.
Thus, Li Xiao promoted him to deputy chiliarch of First Division, mainly handling chiliarch office civil affairs.
This time Li Xiao called him for an important task.
“Uncle Wu, take a look at this first.”
Li Xiao handed a memorial to Wu Gang, written precisely Li Xiao’s overall plan for youth military school.
The reason assigning youth military school organization to Wu Gang, besides from Hexi Fort pure roots, strong martial prowess, literacy was his greatest advantage.
Young Wu Gang was a rare handsome youth in Hexi Fort.
“Great Protector, this? To establish a school hall?”
After reading, Wu Gang said surprised.
“Correct, a school hall.” Li Xiao nodded lightly.
“I plan to establish one youth armament academy each in Dragon City, Yili, Great Desert, Western Sea, Yin Mountains, North Sea, and Seven Rivers.”
“Recruit Northern Frontier youths for study.”
Wu Gang hearing this, bitter-faced, helplessly: “Great Protector, this subordinate knows a few characters, but as teacher would be laughable!”
“Adviser Chen, Adviser Zhang, Adviser Han, which isn’t more learned than this subordinate?”
Li Xiao laughed, shook head lightly: “They have their skills, you have your advantages.”
Then seriously: “This is not a simple school hall, but armament academy.”
“No need for Four Books and Five Classics; daily one hour literacy, rest mostly training kill enemy skills, troop deployment.”
Li Xiao’s idea also inspired by Temüjin.
Historical Temüjin established youth military school north of Great Desert, specially training youth combat skills.
These youths grown up became main force of Temüjin’s kishig army.
Actually imperial guards.
Armament academy children same, main recruits war orphans: fathers died for Northern Frontier, mothers remarried, themselves unwelcome in new homes.
Li Xiao naturally to care properly, enroll in armament academy full boarding.
When these children grow up, they will become Li Xiao’s direct lineage.
So this armament academy work, Chen Chong them can’t do.
Must give to martial general origin, slightly literate, trustworthy person.
Thus Wu Gang entered Li Xiao’s sight.
Though missing one arm, still more than enough teaching those children.
Moreover, he just headmaster of armament academy, specific courses by other instructors.
“Great Protector, besides orphans, ordinary townsfolk rarely willing send children to school hall.” Wu Gang raised another issue.
Even children are labor at home, herding sheep cutting grass; sending to school loses labor.
Li Xiao considered this, said gravely: “All students entering armament academy have three meals daily supplied by Great Protector’s Mansion.”
“Though lose one labor, also one less mouth; believe townsfolk willing.”
Half-grown lads eat father poor, not just talk.
Of course, just initial measure for armament academy; later when townsfolk understand benefits of children schooling.
When student numbers increase, armament academy only supplies war orphans’ meals, others eat from father’s pot.
“This Protector will order all war orphans in Northern Frontier borders sent to Dragon City, first establish one armament academy in Dragon City.”
“You as headmaster, select batch deputy generals as instructors, teach students kill enemy skills.”
“For literacy, this Protector will select several misters to send.”
Li Xiao and Wu Gang discussed armament academy organization.
Mainly Li Xiao’s ideas, but Wu Gang capable, offered suggestions filling gaps.
Thus, Northern Frontier’s first youth military school—Jin Prefecture Armament Academy—officially established.
