Chapter 495 Xiao Hong Gives Gifts
Chapter 495 Xiao Hong Gives Gifts
The recruitment point in Jingkou County was right at the city gate. As soon as you entered the city gate, you would see two huge tents, each covering at least one acre, standing on the parade ground next to the city gate.
There was a line in front of each of the two large tents, one of which was at least a mile long.
However, there were only dozens of people queuing in front of the other big tent.
"Your Highness, the one with fewer people is for recruiting generals!"
Xiao Xia was a little surprised. Previously, recruiting soldiers was done by recruiting troops first and then internal selection. However, Lai Huer directly recruited separately.
“Are there any outstanding generals?”
Lai Huer shook his head. "There are no outstanding ones. Most of them are average. Many people came with martial arts sixth- and seventh-rank imperial certificates, but they couldn't even lift a 200-jin stone lock. It's really disappointing."
Xiao Xia understood it very well. Ever since the Ministry of War started charging for martial arts certification four years ago, martial arts certified by the Ministry of War have become rampant in recent years, and the standards have become increasingly relaxed. Martial arts certification is conducted three times a year, and thousands of people can pass each time. The Ministry of War can earn tens of thousands of strings of money from each certification.
Xiao Xia also heard the rumor that as long as he paid fifty strings of cash, he would be guaranteed to pass the sixth-grade certification.
This has led to the military no longer recognizing the so-called martial arts certification of the imperial court, and those who are truly skilled in martial arts also disdain to participate in the so-called martial arts certification.
The martial arts certification that the imperial court had promoted for more than a decade was coming to an end. However, the warrior assessment among the Guanlong nobles was very strict, and talented people continued to emerge.
At this time, a soldier came running to report, panting, "Commander-in-chief, go and have a look! Here comes a powerful guy who can lift 500 kilograms easily."
Lai Huer was at once surprised and happy. He apologized to Xiao Xia and quickly ran towards the big tent.
Xiao Xia could understand Lai Huer's surprise. Only a person with the sixth level of internal strength could lift 500 kilograms. The military had always regarded weightlifting and horse riding and archery as the standards for selecting talents.
The requirements for horse riding and archery in the South are not high, and more emphasis is placed on weightlifting, followed by archery. If one is excellent in one of them, he can be promoted to a captain, and if he is excellent in both, he can be appointed as a Lang Jiang.
At this time, Xiao Xia saw a warrior about thirty years old walking out of the big tent. He was of medium build but very strong, with a square face and bright eyes.
He held a bow and arrow in his hand and had a quiver on his back, obviously testing the bow and arrow.
The standards for recruiting naval officers are to lift more than 300 kilograms and hit seven out of ten arrows in an archery shoot. They are appointed as deputy lieutenants, colonels and generals based on their performance, while fire captains, team leaders and brigade commanders are selected from the soldiers.
Lang Jiang is the highest position that can be given when recruiting generals. In order to be promoted to Zhong Lang Jiang, one must have sufficient qualifications or military achievements.
Xiao Xia watched the warrior from afar. He saw him standing a hundred steps away, holding two stone bows in his hands. He drew the bows and put arrows on them. The arrows were like meteors, shooting at the target one after another. Every arrow hit the center of the bull's eye. He shot all ten arrows in one go.
Xiao Xia nodded secretly. He was indeed a master, with at least the sixth level of internal strength, and could enter and exit the barrier-breaking state at will.
Lai Huer invited him into the big tent, and after completing the formalities, he came out wearing armor, holding a lance in his hand, climbed on his horse, and followed the recruiting officer to the military camp.
Xiao Xia walked into the big tent and asked with a smile, "Who was that just now?"
Lai Huer also smiled and said, "He is a descendant of the Wuxing Shen family, named Shen Guang. He passed both tests with the highest score. I will appoint him as Langjiang."
As the actual commander of the navy, Lai Huer had certain powers of appointment and dismissal. He had the right to appoint or dismiss generals below the rank of Lieutenant General, while those above the rank of Lieutenant General were appointed by Xiao Xia.
The imperial court was not in charge of military positions, but they were responsible for military ranks, which were of course recommended by Xiao Xia and approved by the imperial court.
It turned out to be Shen Guang. Xiao Xia nodded secretly. Historically, Shen Guang should have joined the army at this time and participated in the Battle of Liaodong City. He performed brilliantly in the battle and was appreciated by the emperor. From then on, he became the emperor's personal bodyguard.
Xiao Xia nodded, "This man is a rare talent, come on General, train him well." "I obey your order!"
After a brief inspection of the recruitment situation, Xiao Xia left the recruitment ground and returned to Jiangdu on the other side of the Yangtze River.
When packing, Xiao Xia unexpectedly found a scroll in his bag. He then remembered that it was a gift from Xiao Hong, but he forgot to read it because he was busy.
He then opened the scroll, and found that it was actually a gift list. Much to Xiao Xia's surprise, all of them were collections from the former Southern Dynasty imperial palace, including treasures, paintings and calligraphy, and weapons, a total of 120 items.
Xiao Xia looked more closely and it seemed that there were not only treasures from the Jiangning Xiao family, but also treasures from the Jinling Xiao family and weapons collected by Xiao Lin, a total of fifty items.
Xiao Xia suddenly discovered a dagger, which turned out to be the Cold Sword. The Cold Sword was clearly in his own house, so how did it end up on this list?
This left Xiao Xia completely puzzled. Are there two cold swords?
What Xiao Hong sent was a gift list, and the gifts should have been delivered to his house. Xiao Xia decided to go back to the house first to see what was going on with the cold sword.
Soon, the boat docked at Jiangdu Pier. The personal soldiers led their war horses off the boat, and Xiao Xia rode directly back to the mansion.
As he walked into the mansion, he met his wife Cui Yu. Xiao Xia asked, "Did anyone send more than a hundred gifts?"
"I was just wondering about my husband. I don't know who sent them, but there are 120 pieces in total."
That's right, it was sent by Jiangning Xiao family. Xiao Xia went straight to the backyard and saw a room full of wooden boxes, big and small, long and short, of all kinds.
He found a box that looked like a dagger. When he opened it, Xiao Xia was stunned. There was indeed a cold sword in the box, exactly the same as his cold sword. He slowly took out the cold sword, and when he felt it light in his hand, a familiar feeling arose spontaneously.
Isn't this the fake cold sword that Zhang Jue gave him? In the end, it was taken away by Xiao Hu.
Xiao Xia thought about it for a moment and gradually understood that this was something that belonged to Han Wang Yang Liang. This fake Han sword was presented to Yang Liang by Xiao Hu, so some of the things of the Jinling Xiao family were included in it, all of which were obtained by Yang Liang through blackmail.
When Yang Liang was directly demoted back to Chang'an, he had no time to take the things away, so they were kept in the Xiao Mansion in Jiangning. Of course, Xiao Hong didn't dare to take them back, so he gave them to himself as a favor. Anyway, if Yang Liang asked about it in the future, he could say that he had taken them away.
As expected of the Jiangning Xiao family, they were so "sincere" in giving gifts. They simply borrowed Yang Liang's things to give to themselves.
Of course Xiao Xia would not return these 120 precious weapons to Yang Liang. Since they were already in his hands, they belonged to him. If Yang Liang remembered them in the future, he could ask the Jiangning Xiao family for them directly. What did it have to do with him?
After lunch, Xiao Xia went to the General Manager's Mansion again, probably because a lot of things were waiting for him.
Xiao Xia walked into the official room and Fang Xuanling followed behind.
"Your Highness, a thousand craftsmen from Chang'an have arrived!"
This news really surprised Xiao Xia. He stopped and asked, "When did you come?"
"We just arrived this morning. Lord Gao and Liu Changshi are busy with this matter in the North Army Camp."
Xiao Xia nodded and said, "Anything else? Have the military supplies from the imperial court arrived?"
"Not yet, but I heard that they have already reached the Huai River. It's a very large fleet."
Xiao Xia sat down in his seat and looked at a pile of memorials. He still had no intention of reviewing them, so he stood up and went to check on the craftsmen.
(End of this chapter)