The grasses and trees knew spring would soon depart; a hundred shades of red and purple vied in fragrant splendor.
King Zhou ordered a hunt, and every general in the army sprang into action, selecting fine horses and requisitioning splendid hounds from the West Garden kennels.
Ever since Yang Jian had distinguished himself on a hunt, dogs had become standard equipment for the Hunting Team. Commoners also kept plenty of dogs to guard their homes and hunt in the mountains. Dai Li tallied his merit every day and could not have been happier.
With fine horses, hunting hounds, bows, and arrows ready, thirty thousand troops assembled outside Chaoge City. Zi Shou boarded his carriage, and they set off for the hunting grounds—the same Mountain Forest the nobles of Chaoge had given him earlier.
Although they had already departed, Yang Ren still spoke frankly. "I fear a Field Hunt is not the proper course."
Zi Shou shook his head. "The ancient sovereigns held the Spring Hunt, Summer Hunt, Autumn Hunt, and Winter Hunt, venturing beyond the city in all four seasons to display their martial strength to the world. Now, with turmoil throughout the realm, this is precisely the time to use a Field Hunt to practice warfare."
Yang Ren was at a loss. Had he remonstrated during the preparations, he might have had a chance, but King Zhou had spent the past few days either doing business or playing football. He simply could not get an audience.
Now that the army had already marched out, he could only grumble a little before shutting his mouth.
Three hundred Royal Guards flanked them, each one stout and well-fed. It was hard to tell who the prey really was; ordinary wild boars and deer certainly did not have as much meat on them