Chapter 537

The group followed the smooth bluestone road for half a mile before hearing thunderous shouts in the distance, accompanied by the crisp clashing of weapons, which grew more vigorous the further they went.

Feng Muye walked with a light step, rushing to the front to lead the way. Seeing the tall wooden gate of the training ground ahead, he turned sideways, raised his hand, and pointed inside, his tone filled with an eager, credit-seeking warmth: "Great General, this is the training ground where our Left Martial Guard soldiers drill every day!"

Inside the wooden gate, the vast training ground was divided into several areas, where thousands of garrison soldiers were training in formation.

They were practicing combat in unison; amidst the flash of blades and shadows of swords, their roars shook the heavens.

Even as beads of sweat rolled from their foreheads into their eyes, no one blinked; the unyielding ferocity in their eyes could be felt from far away.

Dong Xuqing immediately stepped forward, his face wearing a perfectly measured smile that was both respectful and appropriate, and he added to Feng Muye's words: "Great General, look, the soldiers are training with such fervor!"

"They assemble at the first light of dawn and do not finish their drills until the sun sets behind the western hills; they dare not show the slightest slack."

Chen Yan stood outside the gate with his hands behind his back, his gaze slowly sweeping over the sweating soldiers in the field.

Seeing that even though their clothes were soaked with sweat, their postures remained as straight as pines, their formations were orderly without the slightest disorder, their punches and kicks were full of power, and their brows revealed an indomitable sharpness, he could not help but nod slowly, his tone full of praise: "A tiger-wolf brigade!"

"General Feng, General Dong, Commander Peng, you have certainly trained these troops well!"

"Very good!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Muye's smile became even brighter, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes bunching up like a flower; he immediately cupped his hands and bowed, his voice resonant: "The Great General is too kind with his praise!"

"These are all my duties as a subordinate; they are not worth mentioning!"

Dong Xuqing followed closely, echoing him earnestly: "Only by training diligently now can we follow you into battle and achieve even greater merits!"

Peng Chong, standing to the side, listened to Feng and Dong singing in harmony while he couldn't get a word in, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Why didn't I notice before that Old Feng and Old Dong were so good at talking?"

The shouting in the training ground was intense; Adjutant Shen Zhuoguang, Commandant Xiang Chengyou, and Commandant Fang Chongli were each commanding drills in different areas.

Shen Zhuoguang held a command flag, calibrating the spacing of the formations.

Xiang Chengyou held a horse whip, occasionally pointing out the soldiers' combat postures.

Fang Chongli leaned over to check the soldiers' straps; all three were in military uniform, their hems soaked with sweat and clinging to their backs.

Suddenly, Xiang Chengyou caught a glimpse of the figures outside the gate from the corner of his eye and recognized Feng Muye and Dong Xuqing. He immediately raised his hand to stop the soldiers' drill, and Shen Zhuoguang and Fang Chongli also looked over upon hearing the sound.

The three dared not delay for a moment; they quickly crossed the training formation, the yellow sand beneath their feet rustling, and hurried to the inside of the gate. They cupped their hands and bowed in unison, their movements uniform, their voices respectful and resonant: "Greetings, General Feng! Greetings, General Dong!"

"We did not know the two Generals were arriving and failed to welcome you in time; we hope you will forgive us!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Muye deliberately straightened his face and feigned a reprimand: "You have no eyes!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately turned sideways, respectfully gesturing with both hands toward Chen Yan beside him, his tone switching to one of extreme solemnity as he reminded them loudly: "Why don't you hurry and pay your respects to Great General Chen!"

Xiang Chengyou was stunned, the respectful look on his face freezing for a moment. He frowned slightly in thought, and then a flash of unbelievable astonishment crossed his eyes as he blurted out: "Could it be... could it be our Left Martial Guard's new Great General, the Great General Chen Yan who pacified the chaos in Qinzhou, suppressed bandits in Jingzhou, and quelled the rebellion in Hezhou?!"

Fang Chongli stood to the side, and upon hearing the name "Chen Yan," he was stunned as if struck by lightning. His lips moved, and he muttered in shock: "Great General Chen Yan?!"

Shen Zhuoguang looked closely and immediately recognized the person before him. Joy instantly spread across his brows, and a fiery light burst from his eyes. He stepped forward and exclaimed loudly: "It really is Great General Chen Yan!"

"I have seen the Great General's portrait before; seeing the real person today, he truly has an outstanding bearing and lives up to his reputation!"

After speaking, the three quickly composed themselves, suppressed the shock and excitement in their hearts, straightened their collars, and once again cupped their hands and bowed in a standard military salute. Their movements were even more respectful than before, their heads almost lowered to their chests, and they said in unison: "This subordinate pays respects to the Great General!"

Chen Yan stood where he was, his gaze sweeping over the three faces that were travel-worn but could not hide their reverence. His expression remained peaceful, and he slowly raised his right hand, lifting it slightly: "Gentlemen, no need for formalities!"

Upon hearing this, the three replied in unison: "Thank you, Great General!"

Then, they slowly straightened up, but maintained their bowing posture.

Their eyes were lowered, not daring to look at Chen Yan casually, only the corners of their eyes could not hide their excitement.

This was the Great Zhou Poetry Immortal who was godlike in his use of troops, incredibly righteous, loved his soldiers like his own children, had achieved illustrious military merits before the age of twenty, and had never known defeat!

Seeing that the three had finished their respects, Feng Muye wore an eager smile, rubbed his hands together in front of him, took half a step forward, and said respectfully: "Great General, this subordinate will go and call the boys who are training to come and pay their respects to you!"

"So that the soldiers can see the Great General's demeanor with their own eyes!"

"No need!" Chen Yan's voice was steady and powerful, just enough to stop Feng Muye's steps.

He had only taken two steps, but upon hearing this, he stopped and turned around respectfully.

Chen Yan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping once more over the sweating soldiers in the training ground; those young figures were shouting and thrusting in the sun, their bodies exuding a vigorous sharpness.

Then, he said loudly: "Since they are training, let them train well!"

"On the battlefield, blades have no eyes; shedding more sweat now means shedding less blood in battle—this is more practical than any greeting!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Muye hurriedly bowed and nodded, his face full of admiration: "The Great General's instruction is absolutely correct!"

Chen Yan's gaze then turned to Shen Zhuoguang, Xiang Chengyou, and Fang Chongli, and he said: "You few need not delay here either; go back to your duties, do not miss the training time."

As he spoke, the corners of his mouth suddenly curled into an arc, a sharp and heroic spirit flashing in his eyes as he added: "When there is a war in the future, I will personally lead you to plunder to your heart's content!"

As soon as the words "plunder to your heart's content" were uttered, the eyes of Shen, Xiang, and Fang lit up, and the somewhat reserved look they had previously was instantly replaced by ecstasy.

For a moment, they felt their blood boiling, and they cupped their hands and said loudly: "Understood!"

There was no help for it; those brothers who had followed Great General Chen Yan and returned victorious had long since made them envious beyond measure...

After speaking, the three bowed respectfully again and turned to stride back to the training ground, their steps even more vigorous than when they came.

Their faces were full of energy, and even the shouting in the training ground was several times louder than before.

Subsequently, Feng Muye, Dong Xuqing, and Peng Chong surrounded Chen Yan and visited the Left Martial Guard's various major offices, such as the Bingcao, Zhucao, and Auspicious Time.

Everywhere they went, the subordinate officials welcomed them respectfully; Chen Yan only made brief inquiries and did not interfere too much.

Finally, the group arrived at the Great General's Mansion located in the core area of the Left Martial Guard.

The layout inside the mansion was orderly, with blue bricks on the ground and weapons and armor hanging under the corridors, exuding a rich military atmosphere.

The group was led to a spacious hall; the furnishings inside were simple and grand, and the desks and chairs were all made of solid wood, polished smooth and warm.

After Chen Yan sat in the seat of honor and Feng, Dong, Peng, and Zhu Yi and others sat on both sides, Feng Muye immediately stood up and ordered the attendants to bring the tea leaves he had treasured.

He personally picked out tea leaves from an exquisite jar; the tea leaves were tightly knotted and dark green in color, and a cool, clear tea fragrance lingered at the tip of the nose as soon as he brought it close.

Feng Muye skillfully warmed the pot, washed the tea, and poured water; boiling water was poured into the purple clay pot, and the tea leaves slowly unfurled in the water. In an instant, a mellow tea fragrance permeated the air.

Then, he lifted the teapot, first leveled the tea soup in the fair cup, and then poured it into a white porcelain teacup. He held the teacup with both hands and carefully handed it to Chen Yan, a humble smile on his face: "Great General, you must be a bit tired after visiting so many places today..."

"Just in time to taste the good tea that this subordinate has treasured!"

Chen Yan reached out to take the teacup, a gentle smile appearing on his face, his tone light: "Since it is treasured, I must taste it carefully!"

Feng Muye hurriedly raised his hand in a gesture of invitation and bowed with a smile: "Great General, please!"

As he spoke, he turned and picked up the teapot, pouring tea soup for Zhu Yi, Hongye, Wen Run, and Lu Ming in turn. Each cup was filled to seven-tenths, his movements respectful and constant. When he handed them to the four, he held the cups with both hands and said politely: "The four of you, please enjoy the tea as well!"

Chen Yan picked up the teacup, brought it to the tip of his nose to sniff lightly, and then took a small sip.

The tea soup was sweet and mellow upon entering the mouth, with a long-lasting aftertaste, and the cool, clear tea fragrance lingered on the tip of the tongue, dispelling the fatigue of the journey.

He put down the teacup and praised loudly: "Good tea! The soup color is clear and bright, and the taste is mellow!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Muye's smile became even brighter. Just as he was about to be humble, he saw Chen Yan change the subject, look at Wen Run beside him, point his finger, and say to Feng Muye, Dong Xuqing, and Peng Chong: "By the way, let me introduce you three; this is Wen Run, the new Left Martial Guard Chief Clerk!"

After a pause, he pointed to Lu Ming and continued to introduce: "This is Lu Ming, the new Left Martial Guard Cavalry Adjutant!"

Upon hearing this, the two immediately stood up, cupped their hands, and bowed respectfully to the three: "I am Wen Run (Lu Ming); I hope the three Generals will give me more guidance in the future!"

After Feng Muye returned the salute, he looked them up and down, gave a thumbs up, and praised loudly: "Truly heroic talents!"

"They will definitely be able to shoulder heavy responsibilities!"

Dong Xuqing also hurriedly echoed, nodding repeatedly: "Exactly!"

His gaze then fell on Lu Ming standing to the side.

That height of nearly two meters, even when sitting on a chair, was like a steady little mountain, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist; wearing military uniform made his physique look even more robust, his face was resolute, and his brows carried a stern, fierce spirit.

Dong Xuqing's eyes were full of undisguised appreciation, and he praised sincerely: "Especially Brother Lu, with such a burly figure and extraordinary momentum, he is clearly a good hand at fighting and charging into battle!"

"With such a fierce general here, my Left Martial Guard is like a tiger that has grown wings!"

Chen Yan looked at the three and smiled indifferently, saying: "Both of them are my retainers; I will have to trouble you to take care of them in the future!"

Hearing Chen Yan's entrustment, Feng Muye's smile became even more earnest, and he immediately said loudly: "Great General, that is not the right way to put it! Since they are your retainers, they are our own brothers!"

"Serving in the same place in the future, taking care of each other is only right and proper; there is no need for the word 'trouble'!"

Dong Xuqing nodded repeatedly from the side, his gaze toward Wen Run and Lu Ming becoming even more friendly. He raised his hand and nodded solemnly to the two, his tone straightforward and crisp: "Chief Clerk Wen, Adjutant Lu, General Feng is right!"

"In the army in the future, no matter what happens, just come and find me!"

"If I can help, I will certainly not refuse in the slightest!"

Before he finished speaking, he stretched out his thick palm and patted Lu Ming's shoulder heavily.

These were all the Great General's retainers; even without being told, one had to build a good relationship with them!

If they could be fellow retainers, that would be even better...

Just at this moment, Peng Chong, who had been sitting steadily and quietly, slowly stood up.

He straightened his collar, walked to Chen Yan, and bowed with cupped hands: "Great General, you have been inspecting all parts of the Left Martial Guard today, and you have been running around..."

"It is getting late now, so this subordinate has specially ordered some wine and dishes to relieve fatigue. They are not any rare delicacies, but they are all hearty dishes common in the army, just hoping to relieve some fatigue for the Great General and everyone!"

"I wonder if you would do us the honor of moving to the side hall for a few drinks?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yan put down the teacup in his hand and looked out the window.

The sunset glow spilled into the hall through the window lattice, plating the blue brick floor with a layer of warm yellow halo; it was indeed near dusk.

A hearty smile appeared on his face, and he nodded in agreement: "Old Peng has a heart! Then we must have a good drink today, and not stop until we are drunk!"

Dong Xuqing and Feng Muye looked at each other, both of them having knowing smiles in their eyes, and then they cupped their hands in unison: "Exactly! We must have a good drink!"

"Firstly, to welcome the Great General, and secondly, to welcome Chief Clerk Wen and Adjutant Lu. Our Left Martial Guard has double happiness today, so we should indeed celebrate!"

This was an excellent opportunity to get closer!

No matter what, we must make the Great General happy!

【"The Founding Emperor, concurrently the Great General of the Left Martial Guard, was about to arrive at the camp. From the General down to the garrison soldiers, everyone in the Left Martial Guard stretched their necks and stood on tiptoe, filled with joy.】

【Commander Peng Chong, especially respectful of the Founding Emperor's prestige and virtue, had long since straightened his clothes and waited outside the camp gate to welcome the royal carriage.】

【For the Founding Emperor was invincible in battle, and his prestige shook the four seas. Everyone admired his heroic name, and now that they were under his command, they were all inspired and excited, willing to give their lives for him.】

【Once inside the camp, the Founding Emperor toured the ramparts, inspected the armor and weapons, and comforted the soldiers with warm words. Seeing that the equipment was excellent and the troops were orderly, he nodded in commendation.】

【After the inspection was finished, the Founding Emperor dispensed with ceremony, summoned the generals of the Left Martial Guard into the tent, and held a grand banquet.】

【During the banquet, the Founding Emperor did not pride himself on his nobility, but talked with the generals, discussing military matters or narrating the hardships of the people, with cups passing back and forth and laughter and talk.】

【Seeing the Founding Emperor's sincerity and lack of barriers, the generals all drank happily until the night was deep before stopping. Because of this, the soldiers of the Left Martial Guard respected the Founding Emperor even more, the morale of the army was greatly boosted, and everyone submitted to him wherever he went."】

—— "History of Wei" · Annals of the Founding Emperor Wen】