Chapter 45: Forming an Army (2)

  Liu Mang didn't know that his casual remark had captured the hearts of these one thousand eight hundred and fifty people.

  Liu Mao had never commanded a thousand men. The military system consisted of five men in a squad, with a squad leader; ten men in a company, with a company commander; fifty men in a battalion, with a battalion commander; a hundred men in a regiment, with a regimental commander; two hundred men in a brigade, with a brigadier; and a thousand men in a division, with a division commander. Liu Mao himself was the Colonel, while Cheng Yu became the Marshal.

  Liu Mang's eighty-five veteran soldiers were all demoted to ordinary soldiers, and only Cheng Yu was left as the deputy commander. Lü Bu wanted to make Cheng Yu his vice general, so the entire camp's second-in-command position had to be given to him. If Liu Mang wasn't around, then he would be in charge of the whole camp.

  The name of this camp, Liu Mang had already thought of it. 21st Century. What is the strongest troop? Two words: City Management. What are the strongest warriors? Four words: City Management Team Members.

  So Liu Mang's big camp was called Chengguan Army, lend me three thousand city management personnel and I dare to dominate the world.

  All the team leaders were in place, and Liu Mang gave the order. Everyone thought that Liu Mang would lead them to practice martial arts, but unexpectedly, Liu Mang led everyone to prepare for sunbathing.

  Martial arts? If Liu Mang were skilled in martial arts, even a sow would be able to count, his combat strength is less than five, such trash shouldn't show off, even if he's Cheng Yu, he's just a second-rate general.

  Liu Mang can only do one thing, and that is to discipline the troops! The first step in military training is just this kind of thing.

  "Han Yang has been making his troops stand for half a day already?!" Lu Bu's face turned strange upon hearing the report from the soldiers below. What kind of general would make his subordinates stand around? The sun was high in the sky, and just standing there could boost their combat strength? Lu Bu got a headache, he wondered if it was a mistake to give Liu Mang's troops to him.

  "What about Cheng Yu? Didn't he stop him?" Lü Bu asked. Lü Bu didn't know this young general before, but after the breakout at Xiaoyang and the Battle of Baima, Cheng Yu proved to be quite outstanding. If not for Liu Bei's intention to establish his own army, Cheng Yu might have already appeared in Gao Shun's camp or Zhang Liao's Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry, and even Lü Bu had considered making him his personal guard.

  "No, Cheng Sima is also standing!" The soldier replied.

  "Huh?!" Lü Bu furrowed his brow but didn't immediately stop them, instead waving his hand to let the soldiers go, "Standing? Still standing with posture?"

  That's right, now the entire city management army is standing, under the scorching sun everyone's legs are numb from standing, and their whole body is covered in sweat, but out of one thousand and eighty-five people not a single person dares to have any complaints, because their general, Liu Mang himself is also standing on the scene.

  "Yes, bring your feet closer together and parallel, with the toes sixty degrees apart! What, you ask what is sixty degrees?!" Liu Mang was at his wit's end. In his past life, even the most basic requirement for being a soldier was a high school diploma, but now he was facing this group of big-headed soldiers? Not to mention high school, probably even kindergarten kids from his past life would understand more than them.

  "Sixty degrees is, clench your two fists and put them between your two feet, that's sixty degrees!" Liu Mang didn't expect them to be precise, but at least they had to look the part.

  "Hmm, not bad! You guys look like a real army!" Liu Mang saw that Cheng Yu was indeed a born soldier. With just one instruction, he could grasp the essence of military posture, being stern yet not cold, majestic and solemn.

  "Keep your legs straight; slightly tuck in your lower abdomen, naturally lift your chest; keep your upper body straight, slightly leaning forward; your shoulders should be level, slightly arched backward; your arms naturally hang down, fingers together and slightly bent, thumbs touching the second joint of the index finger, middle fingers touching the middle of the thighs. Your head should be straight, neck straight, mouth closed, lower jaw slightly tucked in, eyes looking forward horizontally." Liu Mang was helping them correct their posture one by one, as if teaching little kids.

  "Is everyone tired?!" Liu Mang said with a smile, actually he himself was tired. Damn it, during military training before, he thought those instructors were so relaxed just standing there giving orders, now he didn't expect it to be so tiring.

  "Tired!" The soldier standing next to Cheng Yu was about to speak when he was suddenly kicked in the stomach by Cheng Yu, and under his lead, instantly changed his words. "General, we're not tired!"

  "My goodness, Cheng Yu, you're doing it on purpose! Liu Mang saw Cheng Yu's action. If you guys aren't tired, how can I, the boss, have the face to order a rest? Not ordering a rest, do you want me, the boss, to be exhausted to death?"

  Actually, Liu Mang misunderstood Cheng Yu. No matter which general it was, during training the least favorite thing to hear from their subordinates was "we're tired". In their opinion, soldiers were just tools for war; if they didn't train properly, how could they help them build achievements?

  But Liu Mang is different, his modern thinking is too strong. He should say that he has never seen a real large-scale military training. In his opinion, when training soldiers, officers and men must be together. If the officers do not lead by example, how can they make their soldiers obey them?

  "You're all tired, it's obvious! Liu Mang fully displayed his shameless style, if he continues to practice like this, his small body won't be able to hold up."

  "The whole army sat down on the spot, and each squad leader led by the team leader went to fetch water!" Liu Mang had already asked the Huotou Army to boil hot water before training. For Liu Mang, although the river water was clear at the end of Han Dynasty, it was not clean either. There were always microorganisms. If he just let the soldiers drink it, they would get stomach problems, so he asked the Huotou Army to boil the water.

  It's much better after boiling than drinking directly.

  Taking the glass of water handed over by Cheng Yu, Liu Meng took a big gulp. It was too tiring, standing at attention on such a hot day, and having to correct each of them one by one. They couldn't do it themselves, so they had to rely on him to help them again and again.

  Cheng Yu also saw that Liu Mang was very tired, many soldiers didn't do well, but Liu Mang went to correct them one by one. If it were the past, General Cheng Yu would have whipped him with a leather whip, once not doing well would get one whip, twice two whips, three times not doing well and he could be dragged away and beheaded.

  After drinking water, Liu Mang discovered the problem again. He couldn't just sit there like that! All these soldiers were staring at him with eager eyes, making Liu Mang feel extremely uncomfortable.

  "Hey, hey! Can you guys sing a song?!" Liu Mang's mind flashed with inspiration, recalling how during military training, the instructors would either chat idly or have them sing when they were resting.

  "Sing a song?!" Cheng Yu was taken aback, had this king gone mad? This is a military training session, what's with the singing? Singing is something scholars do when they're idle, isn't it?!

  "Right, singing!" Liu Meng looked at them and knew that most of them wouldn't be able to do it. After all, what kind of people were they? Before becoming soldiers, they were all rustic farm boys who couldn't even recognize a single character, how could they possibly sing songs?

  "Are you going to make it rain?!". It seems like Cheng Yu has a bit of culture after all.

  "Got it!" Cheng Yu nodded.

  "Huh?!" Liu Meng was slightly surprised, Cheng Yu could actually sing.

  "But I only know one, it was taught by my mother when she was alive!" Cheng Yu said, his eyes dimming. Liu Mang also knew that he had touched a sore spot in Cheng Yu's heart. Old Cao, why did you have to come and massacre the city? You could have just attacked Xuzhou and settled accounts with Tao Qian, why did you have to do this?!

  Liu Mang patted Cheng Yu's shoulder, as if encouraging and comforting him at the same time. "Sing it out loud, in front of all your brothers!"

  "General, I!" Cheng Yu wanted to refuse, but was stopped by Liu Mang.

  "If your mother were still alive, she would also want you to live happily! Sing now, everyone sitting here is a brother, didn't we all say that we share life and death, wealth and honor together? Your mother isn't our mother too?! Sing!" Liu Mang shouted at the soldiers below "Let Cheng Sima sing us a song, how about it?"

  "Good!"

  "Come on, Cheng Sima, sing! We're all from Xuzhou, brothers are all supporting you!"

  "You see!" Liu Mang said encouragingly.

  "Me!" Cheng Yu was still hesitating about something.

  "Cheng Yu, are you still a man or not? You're being wishy-washy like a woman. The brothers only let you sing because they look up to you, don't be shameless!"

  "General, I!" Cheng Yu's face turned red "I am a man, not a woman!"

  "Alright, you sing then! If you don't sing, you're a sissy!"

  "Sing it!" Cheng Yu suddenly stood up.

  "Everyone welcome!" Liu Meng led the applause, and the soldiers below also followed suit. When did they ever hear someone sing? Those who could sing were basically those aristocratic families, these peasant children, couldn't even eat their fill, let alone sing?

  How can I be said to have no clothes? I share a cloak with you. The king is about to raise an army, I will sharpen my spear and halberd, and share the same enemy with you.

  Shall I say there is no clothing? Share with you the same blessings, King upon inspecting the troops, sharpen my spear and halberd, and share with you the making of them.

  How can I be said to have no clothes? I will share my cloak with you. The king is going to raise an army, I will repair my armor and weapons, and go with you.

  Is it said that there is no clothing? With affection and sincerity, I will lead the expedition, repair my bow and crossbow, and share the same aspiration with you.

  My chariot is sturdy, my horses are strong. Four stallions, galloping, drive me eastward.

  Four yellow horses are harnessed, two outside horses are not whipped. Without losing their speed, they shed arrows like a broken thing.

  The horses neigh softly, the banners flutter gently. The riders are not startled, the cauldrons are not full.

  The son is on an expedition, there are rumors but no news. Fortunately, the gentleman has a great achievement.

  Liu Meng clapped his hands in accompaniment while encouraging Cheng Yu, who was a rough and unpolished man. It was really embarrassing for him to sing, but wasn't singing just an expression of emotion? When you're moved, you express yourself; when you're happy, you let it out.

  Cheng Yu has already sung all his thoughts of missing his mother into his songs.

  This is a Qin song that reflects the spirit of unity, friendship and joint defense against strong enemies among the soldiers of the Qin state. The whole poem is divided into three chapters, using the tone of soldiers talking to each other. On the eve of the fierce battle, the soldiers gathered together to nervously repair their weapons. At this time, someone worried that they had no clothes.

  His comrades comforted him with friendship: "Who says there is no clothing,

  "I and you wear the same military uniform!" He also used great righteousness to inspire his companions: "The country sends troops to fight, we must repair our weapons well, I and you face a common enemy." From the poem, we can not only see the friendship between soldiers but also their willingness to make great sacrifices for the sake of patriotism in times of national crisis. The poem's rhythm is short and urgent, its tone passionate, vividly depicting the Qin state soldiers' scene of unity against a common foe, generously going to war.

  Cheng Yu's mother was able to teach Cheng Yu this song, which suggests that his late mother was not just a simple rural woman.

  Liu Meng saw the tears in Cheng Yu's eyes, a man has tears but doesn't easily shed them. When facing Cao Jun of Xiapi, Cheng Yu didn't shed a tear. In the final battle at Kaiyang, Cheng Yu didn't shed a tear. But today, with just this one song, Cheng Yu cried.

  "Come on, Cheng Yu!" Liu Mang patted this big boy. Cheng Yu was even younger than himself, only eighteen years old this year. If he were in his previous life, he would still be just a kid, having just left high school and entered university, with wonderful times waiting for him. But now it's the end of the Han Dynasty. Can you imagine that this big boy has killed no less than a hundred people?

  "Look, Cheng Yu! There are over a thousand brothers below us! Your mother is gone, but you still have us, your sworn brothers. If she knew how unhappy you were, if she knew you weren't living well, would she be at peace?!" Liu Meng was also an inexperienced person, but now he had to take care of a big boy even younger than him.

  "General!" Cheng Yu wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

  "Eyes need to look forward, your front is bright, your front is the great way, brave charge ahead, behind you are our thousand brothers!" After saying this sentence, Liu Mang's face suddenly turned cold.

  "Cheng Sima!"

  "Alright!" Hearing Liu Mang call out his military order, Cheng Yu stood up straight. "I have an important task for you now! This task is to teach the song that your mother taught you to the thousand brothers below! Any questions?"

  "Yes!"

  "Go!" Liu Mang said with a smile, looking at Cheng Yu who had merged into the crowd of one thousand city management soldiers. Only then did Liu Mang turn his back, and there were also tears in the corners of his eyes, as he thought of his mother due to Cheng Yu's actions.