Song Xiu

Chapter 37 Hu Yanzan, the Neglected One (Please read on! Please vote!)
With Murong Yanzhao's guidance, Zhao Dexiu was able to ride his horse to within a hundred paces of the commander's tent.

Along the way, many patrolling soldiers cast curious glances at Zhao Dexiu.

Why is there suddenly a valiant young man in the camp today?

Some of the Imperial Guards who had participated in the Chenqiao Mutiny felt that Zhao Dexiu's appearance was familiar at first glance, but later most of them realized who he was.

That young man was the eldest prince who acted decisively that night.

Every drink and every bite has a cause and effect.

Zhao Dexiu's actions that night in front of tens of thousands of imperial guards had already left a decisive impression on some of them.

Today, Zhao Dexiu's attire once again revealed his heroic and martial demeanor. This demeanor, combined with his past impressions, caused the news of Zhao Dexiu's entry into the camp to gradually spread throughout the military camp.

Zhao Dexiu was unaware of this matter. After dismounting a hundred paces away from the commander's tent, Zhao Dexiu followed Murong Yanzhao into the tent.

After entering the command tent, Murong Yanzhao asked Zhao Dexiu:

"How many soldiers does Your Highness require for the imperial guards?"

The fact that Murong Yanzhao could ask this question shows that Zhao Kuangyin did not mention this point in the imperial edict.

Zhao Kuangyin wanted Zhao Dexiu to decide for himself.

Faced with Murong Yanzhao's question, Zhao Dexiu really wanted to shout out the number eight hundred.

Even if Zhao Dexiu dared to shout, Murong Yanzhao wouldn't dare to answer him.

The regular Imperial Guards guarding Xuande Gate only number 1,500 per squad. Why did Zhao Dexiu want 800 elite troops from the start?

Two hundred is enough.

Two hundred? Is that enough?

Zhao Dexiu's words made Murong Yanzhao frown.

Murong Yanzhao's bottom line is around one hundred.

Two hundred Imperial Guards may not seem like a large number, but they are all veterans of countless battles, and in the city where stability is paramount, two hundred Imperial Guards constitute a considerable force.

With at least these two hundred Imperial Guards, they could easily defeat the Kaifeng Prefecture's garrison.

Zhao Dexiu sensed Murong Yanzhao's predicament; he dared to propose two hundred, which meant he had already considered the matter.

"Don't worry, Commander Murong, I don't need elite troops, just give me two hundred new soldiers."

Zhao Dexiu had carefully considered why he wanted new recruits.

While elite troops are desirable, the core of the Song Dynasty's Imperial Guards consisted of troops from previous dynasties, making their composition quite complex.

If Zhao Dexiu is determined to have elite troops, how can he guarantee their loyalty?
Only newly recruited soldiers selected from various regions can guarantee both physical fitness and maintain a certain degree of purity.

Although retraining takes time and effort, it is entirely beneficial in the long run.

If these two hundred men are successfully trained, they will form the framework for Zhao Dexiu to quickly build a large army with high loyalty and combat effectiveness.

Upon hearing Zhao Dexiu's words, Murong Yanzhao's expression immediately brightened.

Both are two hundred, but new recruits and elite soldiers are completely different concepts.

In this way, Murong Yanzhao would be able to accept it.

"Does Your Highness wish to select them personally? After the selection, I will have them registered and recorded, and then send two hundred people to Your Highness's residence after Your Highness leaves the palace."

Personal selection was necessary, but before that, Zhao Dexiu had one more thing to do.

"Lord Murong, I have another request."

"Oh? Your Highness, please speak."

Murong Yanzhao was somewhat surprised, but he was still willing to listen.

After receiving Murong Yanzhao's permission, Zhao Dexiu said:
"I am not familiar with military affairs, and I have no such talent around me. I wonder if the commander could recommend a few basic officers in the army who are familiar with military matters."

With the local militia in place, a capable general is still needed to lead them.

As soon as Zhao Dexiu finished speaking, a smile appeared on Murong Yanzhao's face.

Even with the imperial edict as his guide, Zhao Dexiu's every move has demonstrated his "knowing how to behave appropriately."

Furthermore, Zhao Dexiu's respect for him was undisguised.

Murong Yanzhao had no reason not to feel favorably toward these princes and nephews. After listening to Zhao Dexiu's request, Murong Yanzhao turned around and took out a register from a shelf inside the tent.

"This roster was written by His Majesty after personally observing the junior officers in the army when he was in office."

After some names are listed in the register, there are also some comments written by His Majesty.

You can choose one based on the reviews.

During the chaotic Five Dynasties period, sons of military families were numerous and not considered rare.

Since he was a junior officer, not much different from an ordinary soldier, Murong Yanzhao could make the decision himself.

After receiving the roster from Murong Yanzhao, Zhao Dexiu began to peruse it.

Zhao Dexiu trusted his father's judgment, so he focused on those who had made positive assessments.

After reading a few pages, Zhao Dexiu's eyes were immediately drawn to one name—Huyan Zan!

That "tattooed champion"?
Almost instantly, Zhao Dexiu pointed to his name and said to Murong Yanzhao with absolute certainty:
"I want him!"

Zhao Dexiu's confident tone surprised Murong Yanzhao.

This connection happened so quickly.

Murong Yanzhao followed Zhao Dexiu's finger and looked at the person's name. Murong Yanzhao was a little embarrassed.

"Your Highness, this person is perhaps not quite suitable."

Murong Yanzhao's reminder was not because he was reluctant to part with it.

Rather, it lies in Zhao Kuangyin's evaluation of Huyan Zan, which reads: "Brave and strong, but strange by nature, easily punished for his words."

At first glance, Zhao Kuangyin's evaluation of Huyan Zan in the first half seems quite good, but the five words "easily punished for speaking out" reveal why Huyan Zan was never given an important position.

“Huyan Zan has a rough and straightforward personality, and I fear he may offend Your Highness in the future.”

Murong Yanzhao thoughtfully gave Zhao Dexiu a reminder.

If it were anyone else, they might have given up the idea of ​​recruiting Huyan Zan after Murong Yanzhao's reminder, but Zhao Dexiu, who knew Huyan Zan's life story, would not.

He's both brave and loyal, practically a reincarnation of Yuchi Gong. What's wrong with him speaking his mind?
In my past life, I argued with my girlfriend and heard all sorts of nasty things. This is nothing to me.

"I want him!"

Seeing that Zhao Dexiu was determined to do so, Murong Yanzhao gave up the idea of ​​continuing to persuade him.

Sometimes, fate is a really hard thing to understand.

"Then I will take Your Highness to see him."

Huyan Zan, who was training soldiers at the military camp's drill ground, also heard about Zhao Dexiu's arrival at the camp.

Hu Yanzan was somewhat dismissive of the growing praise for Zhao Dexiu's "heroic" qualities circulating in the military camp.

Heroism is not something that can be achieved by simply wearing armor and riding a horse around the military camp a few times.

A military officer friend standing beside him noticed that Huyan Zan seemed rather uninterested in the arrival of the eldest prince, and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

You should change your temper!

The problem with you not getting promoted lies in your temper.

As a close friend, he knew that Huyan Zan had great ambitions, but what use were those ambitions?

If he hadn't met a wise ruler, Huyan Zan might have remained unknown and obscure his entire life.

Hu Yanzan knew what his friend had said, but how could he easily change his nature?

Looking at the soldiers training in archery and horsemanship in the training ground, Huyan Zan couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "Am I destined to be just an instructor for the rest of my life?"

...

As Zhao Dexiu headed towards the training ground, some Imperial Guard generals who had learned of his arrival at the camp also arrived at the camp under various pretexts.

Those people, whether concerned, probing, or wary, could not possibly ignore Zhao Dexiu's arrival.

Just like Zhao Guangyi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Guard.

　Are there any book lovers out there who would like to add this book to their reading list?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)