Chapter 37: Hidden Masters Among the Common Folk

Jiang Yi gathered the villagers at the square on the east side of the village to announce an important matter. Young men in the village between the ages of eighteen and thirty were permitted to join a local militia to protect their homes. The Prefect of Hanzhou had granted permission for villagers outside the city to organize such defense groups, and he had dispatched a number of experienced soldiers to serve as their instructors. Three to five soldiers were assigned to each village within the Hanyang jurisdiction, not only to train the populace but also to supervise them.

Jiang Yi promised to provide three meals a day, and as long as they remained part of the militia, each man would receive a daily wage of fifty wen. He arranged for the village women to be responsible for laundry and cooking, with those skilled in sewing following the instructions of Shen Rong. They would be paid forty wen per day. As for the elderly and children, they would be relocated to the outskirts of Niutou Mountain, where they would temporarily reside in tents under the protection of assigned guards.

Some young, able-bodied women requested to join the militia, hoping for the higher pay, but Jiang Yi declined their request, believing that women should not participate in direct combat. He insisted that their role in logistics was sufficient, which he also viewed as a form of protection.

One hundred and five young men from the village joined the militia, and they were set to undergo military training over the coming days. Including the beggars and servants previously recruited, the militia’s ranks numbered over one hundred and sixty. Jiang Yi kept the news that over five hundred Fire Lotus Sect members were arriving in two days to himself, wanting to avoid unnecessary panic.

Qin Lu and Chang Youliang were tasked with training the villagers of Funiu and supervising their conduct to ensure they did not secretly collude with the Fire Lotus Sect, which would threaten local security. Chang Youliang now held the rank of Hanyang Security Lieutenant, a ninth-grade military official. The Prefect of Hanzhou had made these arrangements specifically to prevent local unrest.

Qin Lu was strict with the training. After three days, only Jiang Yi and his own servants reached the required standards. Jiang Yi and Pang Xiong performed the best, executing the training drills with excellence. Almost everyone followed Jiang Yi's orders, as they were guaranteed daily wages and three meals provided by him. In other villages, while militia groups existed, the men were not paid and had to provide their own food and clothing. Qin Lu and Chang Youliang greatly admired Jiang Yi’s military aptitude and deferred to his suggestions, finding his approach to training more professional and effective at ensuring absolute obedience.

Jiang Yi received word that the Fire Lotus Sect would arrive in Funiu Village the following day. "You have all been training for three days," he announced. "Today, I will conduct a small assessment, and those who perform excellently will be rewarded."

The top three performers would receive food and copper coins. The first-place prize was a large white goose, second place was a live chicken, and third place was ten fresh eggs. The prizes were displayed before them, and the competition included archery, sprinting, and weightlifting, with rewards for the top three in each category. This was Jiang Yi's way of encouraging them and identifying those with the greatest potential.

These prizes were provided by Jiang Yi, as other villages were also holding assessments, though their rewards—usually a peck of millet or buckwheat flour—were not as valuable. "Please prepare yourselves, choose the event you excel at, and the competition will begin shortly," Jiang Yi said. He encouraged them to do their best and hoped to hold such competitions more often in the future if conditions allowed.

Pang Xiong chose weightlifting; possessing great strength, he believed he would easily take first place. Few chose weightlifting, while sprinting was the most popular, followed by archery. After a short break, Jiang Yi announced the start of the competition, beginning with archery. The closer one hit to the bullseye, the better the score. Jiang Yi, Chang Youliang, and Qin Lu recorded the results while the others watched. The archery was impressive; if everyone performed this well, they would have more confidence in facing the Fire Lotus Sect. Each participant fired ten arrows, and their total score was calculated. One man, a village blacksmith named Zhao Yong, hit the bullseye with every shot. Jiang Yi smiled, having kept a close eye on him; Zhao Yong had worked in a Hanyang forge for a long time before returning to Funiu Village to defend his home. Second place went to Chang Kun, a carpenter.

After the tally, Jiang Yi announced, "First place, Zhao Yong; second place, Chang Kun; third place, Wang Duan. Congratulations on your excellent performance!" As the prizes were awarded, the crowd erupted in applause. Zhao Yong and the others were thrilled; the prizes were secondary to the recognition of their skill. "They are the village's master archers," Qin Lu remarked, impressed. "If they could be recruited into the regular army, it would greatly enhance our overall combat strength." He told the three men, "Once we eliminate the Fire Lotus Sect, I will petition the commander to have you three join the military."

Despite their age, their skills would be valuable. However, Zhao Yong, Chang Kun, and Wang Duan all declined, citing the hardship of military life, insufficient pay, and the reputation of the army for poor discipline and the mistreatment of subordinates. "Lieutenant Qin," Jiang Yi interjected, "let us not force them. Everyone simply wishes for a stable life." He understood their perspective—the pay was better working in the city than in the army. Qin Lu relented, respecting their choice.

The competition continued with weightlifting, Pang Xiong’s specialty. The goal was to hold a stone lock aloft for as long as possible. Pang Xiong lifted it easily, his strength far exceeding the others. He wanted to perform well before Jiang Yi, not just for the prize, but to express his gratitude and ensure he could keep his position for a long time. He held the lock the longest, taking first place to cheers from the crowd, and walked away with the white goose.

The final event was a sprint to test endurance. Participants ran from the west end of the village to the east. Jiang Yi and his team monitored the route to ensure fairness. The top three arrived after fifteen minutes. Despite only three days of training, these men were physically fit from years of manual labor. Jiang Yi was delighted, noting down the names of these talented individuals to recruit as his personal guards in the future. He promised himself that as long as they worked hard, he would treat them well.