Chapter 29: From Scattered Parts to a Unified Whole, the Military Formation

"Very well," Zhao Ang stepped forward and helped Jiang Cheng to his feet. "I shall have to rely on you from now on."

"I am willing to go through fire and water for you, my Prince!"

As Jiang Cheng pledged his loyalty, Zhao Ang did not bother with empty gestures. With a wave of his hand, Liu Yu respectfully produced several manuals from his robes and handed them to Zhao Ang. These were the very techniques he had previously extracted from the old Prince.

"Since you are all willing to serve me, I naturally will not treat you poorly." Zhao Ang displayed the manuals before them. "These are top-tier martial arts techniques. The top ten performers in training each month shall be granted the right to study them!"

As soon as Zhao Ang finished speaking, the eyes of the men ignited with fervor. Even death squads could not resist the allure of such techniques, especially since the ones Zhao Ang presented were genuine, high-level manuals. Without Zhao Ang, they would never have had access to such treasures in their entire lives.

"We shall train with all our might! We are willing to go through fire and water for you, my Prince!"

Someone shouted, and the voices instantly merged into one. The sound was powerful and unified, moving even Jiang Qin. She had only ever seen such solidarity when the old Prince addressed the troops. While the manuals were likely the catalyst, she could not ignore the influence Zhao Ang exerted over them.

"This subordinate is also willing to go through fire and water for you, my Prince!"

She had already been shocked by Zhao Ang’s strength back in the carriage, and now she was won over by his charisma. It was not every commander who would be so generous with such valuable techniques.

"Good. It is late, so let us drink and be merry tonight," Zhao Ang said. "Training begins tomorrow, and I expect you all to give your best!"

With that, Zhao Ang looked toward Fugui, who hurried off to the wine cellar. The cellar held fine vintage wine he had originally saved for Zhao Ang’s own pleasure. Seeing these death squad members drinking it so recklessly, he felt a pang of heartache. "I shouldn't have bought such good wine!" he muttered to himself, though he offered a guilty smile when he caught Zhao Ang’s gaze.

"You, still as stingy as ever," Zhao Ang said with a playful rap on Fugui’s head. "Don't worry, your master has plenty of money now." He wondered where Fugui had picked up such miserly habits; the old steward wasn't like that at all.

"My Prince, even if you have money, you shouldn't spend it like this. If it were for you, that would be one thing, but..." Under Zhao Ang’s teasing gaze, Fugui’s voice trailed off. Oh well, it was the Prince’s silver; he could spend it however he pleased.

"Everyone, join me in a toast to the Prince!" Jiang Cheng stood up, and the others followed suit, their eyes fixed on Zhao Ang with intense devotion.

"To the Prince!"

"Good," Zhao Ang held out his bowl. "Cheers!" He drained his drink in one go, and the others did the same.

"The Prince has a fine capacity for drink!" someone praised. Zhao Ang waved a hand, finished drinking, and called Jiang Cheng into the room.

Trusting his men completely, he handed the manuals over directly. "I leave these in your care. You shall also be the one to decide who the top three performers are for future training!"

The manuals were light, yet Jiang Cheng felt them as heavy as Mount Tai. "I cannot, my Prince. This is your bounty; how could I presume to act in your stead?" He tried to return them, but Zhao Ang pressed his hand down.

"I trust you!"

Those three simple words brought tears to Jiang Cheng’s eyes. To serve a lord who trusted him so completely was the fortune of a lifetime. "I shall serve you with my life!" Jiang Cheng knelt, his voice both a pledge and a vow of loyalty.

"There is no need for that," Zhao Ang said, helping him up as they began to discuss the training. "I intend to reorganize these soldiers and teach them battle formations."

"I am familiar with formations, but which ones does the Prince intend to teach?"

"The Long Snake Formation and the Seven-Star Big Dipper Formation."

Zhao Ang had already decided on the drills. The Long Snake Formation was highly mobile, allowed for mutual support between head and tail, and was vicious in attack—perfect for a force of a few thousand. The Seven-Star Big Dipper Formation was versatile and powerful, capable of trapping the enemy completely. The two complemented each other and allowed for future expansion.

"This..." Jiang Cheng looked troubled. "I have heard of the Long Snake, but the Seven-Star Big Dipper is unheard of!"

"It matters not. I shall be here for half a month, and I will teach it to you myself. Beyond that, there are others like the Eight-Gate Golden Lock and the Three Talents Infinite formations. I will teach them all to you."

The Great Qian was a nation that had never existed in Zhao Ang’s memories, so it was natural that some formations were unknown here. However, that was no obstacle; he knew them by heart, and half a month was more than enough.

"In that case, I shall strive to learn them with all my might." Seeing Jiang Cheng bow again, Zhao Ang patted his shoulder. "No need for so much ceremony here. Go back and enjoy your drink."

"Understood, my Prince."

***

Carefully tucking the manuals away, Jiang Cheng walked out and ran into his daughter. Meeting her curious gaze, he felt a wave of helplessness. "Alright, stop staring. Speak, what do you want to ask?"

"Father, what did the Prince say to you?" Jiang Qin asked, grabbing his arm and looking at him inquiringly.

Jiang Cheng recounted what had happened, not forgetting to admonish her. "I know you looked down on the Prince before, but rumors are just rumors. He is little different from the old Prince. You must be respectful and diligent while serving him!"

"Fine, I know." Jiang Qin was not fond of seeing her father so deferential. She admitted she had misjudged Zhao Ang’s ability, but to compare him to the old Prince was impossible! Besides, those ridiculous formations—she had never even heard of them. Zhao Ang was likely just feeding her father nonsense because he knew he was gullible. She refused to believe Zhao Ang was truly that capable.

Seeing her expression, Jiang Cheng knew she remained unconvinced. He sighed. It was no matter; she would learn in time. He only hoped she wouldn't provoke the Prince during the next fortnight.

Outside, the soldiers continued to drink, and Jiang Cheng joined them.

The next day, just as dawn broke, they were hauled up by Liu Yu. "Now, everyone, run around the mountain!"

Zhao Ang had decided to adopt modern training methods: running, drills, and obstacle courses—none could be omitted. Considering the soldiers already had a foundation in martial arts, he increased the intensity tenfold. Fortunately, the estate was vast and backed by a mountain, or there would have been no room to maneuver.

"Father, what is the point of running around the mountain?" Jiang Qin wiped the sweat from her face, eyes full of confusion. They were all martial artists who could leap several meters in a single bound. To be forbidden from using their skills and forced to run like this was like taking off one's trousers just to pass gas—a completely useless endeavor!

Unlike Jiang Qin, Jiang Cheng could perceive the deeper meaning behind these methods.