"Borrowing troops from Jiangnan?"
The news of the request for troops quickly spread to the major Horde of Northern Yan. The recruitment order had been conveyed through messengers, and many soldiers were discussing it.
Most of the kingdoms in the Northern Wasteland are Horde, including the Northern Yan. Apart from the large city of Northern Wolf City, the Northern Yan has no other cities in the grasslands of the Northern Wasteland. All its herdsmen are in Horde system that moves around at any time.
The so-called soldiers, especially those without blood ties, are just herders in the Horde on ordinary days. They serve as auxiliary soldiers in times of war, and in peacetime, they are no different from ordinary herders.
The powerful and middle class live in warm cities, while ordinary people pitch tents on the cold snowfields. This is the living condition of the people of the Northern Wasteland, and it is the living condition of most of the lower class for generations.
Those who can live in Northern Wolf City are mostly from bloodline families or sorcerer families, or are privileged scholars. Northern Wolf City is the closest trading city, where there is salt, grain, and cotton clothing. The cattle and sheep raised by the Horde can only be exchanged there. There are almost no other options, unless a merchant from the Northern Lands passes through Northern Wolf City and is willing to search for scattered Horde in the vast snowfield.
The warriors and sorcerers of the Northern Wolf City possessed absolute military power and controlled the strategic location for trade, making them virtually invincible to the scattered Horde. Generation after generation, they could only graze cattle and sheep on the cold ice plains, and occasionally have to deal with some unruly wolf demons.
At this time, news came from above that Jiangnan was borrowing troops, and that 500,000 elite soldiers should be drawn from the Horde to go to Jiangnan.
This news caused a huge uproar!
Is this news true or false? What do you think?
Outside a small Horde's tent, several young men who had driven their cattle and sheep back gathered together, discussing the momentous event that had Horde the tribe.
"The messenger has arrived, how could it be fake? Didn't they also spread rumors a while ago that our Northern Yan had submitted to Jiangnan?"
Upon hearing this, the group pondered. Although the previous news was shocking, it had little to do with them. According to the older generation, the various kingdoms of the Northern Wasteland had always been dependent on the Central Plains. In any case, it was mostly transactions between the upper-class nobles and the Central Plains, and the benefits were basically irrelevant to them, the lower-class herders.
But this time...
"If this is true, then do we have a chance to go to Jiangnan?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's heart skipped a beat.
The only time they had a good life was when the Great Yan was full of martial prowess, conquered the Central Plains, and occupied the Sixteen Cities of Youyun.
At that time, due to insufficient population, herders were needed to help manage the city. Many herders finally experienced the life of minor nobles, living in warm stone houses, enjoying tea and music in the backyard, and living a stable life like the people of the Central Plains.
Unfortunately, these good days didn't last long, and they were driven back to the ice fields. However, since they were only driven back in recent years, many middle-aged herders still remember that day.
Moreover, that was the same dry and cold climate in the Northern Lands. They had heard that the water towns of Jiangnan were incredibly beautiful, with picturesque landscapes and an abundance of resources. Many of them had heard of Jiangnan, where grain was so plentiful that warehouses couldn't hold it all, and every household could brew fine wine. It was said that the Blood Ginseng Wine, which was sought after by nobles there, was drunk like water by the locals!
"You want to go?" The oldest and tallest man inside glanced at the person who had spoken first.
" Brother Chao'er, don't you want to go?"
"You guys think too simply," the man called Brother Chao'er shook his head. "No matter how good Jiangnan is, those good things aren't something commoners can enjoy. You've all seen the faces of those nobles; they'd rather let food rot in their warehouses than give a single grain of rice to those who are starving. Jiangnan being rich doesn't mean ordinary people are rich. Life there might not be any better than here. And if you answer the call, what will happen to your cattle and sheep? Will you give them to your brothers back home?"
The group was about to suggest selling the sheep, reasoning that even a trip to Jiangnan with the money would be better than herding sheep in this godforsaken place, the Northern Wasteland.
But when they thought about the recent prices of cattle and sheep, the group sighed again.
This year has been strange; cattle and sheep have suddenly started attacking and eating people. Few people dare to buy live cattle and sheep, and dead cattle and sheep are also hard to sell in Northern Wolf City.
The reason is that the pythons in the Northern Lands would occasionally bring some monster meat. Now, there is too much monster meat piled up in every household, which has greatly impacted the price of beef and mutton on the grassland. Now, the price of fresh beef and mutton is less than half of what it used to be.
Many herders are reluctant to sell their hard-earned cattle and sheep now, waiting for the monster meat from Northern Wolf City to be depleted and for beef and mutton prices to recover.
But at this very moment, soldiers were being recruited in Jiangnan.
Just as the group was sighing, the Horde suddenly announced that they were to assemble.
"It should be the Horde elders who are coming to discuss this matter. None of you should show your faces. If you can avoid it, then do so, especially you, Hanzi. You've done a great service, and you have the most yaks. If you manage things a little well, you'll be able to get married soon. Don't do anything rash now."
The boy called Hanzi nodded upon hearing this, but a hint of resentment flashed in his eyes.
He didn't want to spend his whole life herding sheep here, marrying a woman and continuing that work until old age. Oh, until old age was a pipe dream. People like them were very likely to be called to the front lines the next time the nobles wanted to wage war, once again becoming cannon fodder for those blood-born nobles.
When the group arrived at the open space outside the largest tent, there were already several hundred able-bodied young men standing there.
The elder nodded slightly upon seeing that everyone had arrived, then turned to a towering man and smiled, "General, everyone is here."
The man nodded slightly, and the elder quickly said, "This is a general from Jiangnan. He has come with His Majesty's permission to conscript soldiers. Everyone, stand at attention. Those whom the lord has his eye on can go to a good place like Jiangnan."
Many young men looked curiously at the tall man upon hearing this. The armor on the man's body was truly impressive, both imposing and majestic. The cavalrymen of the grasslands liked to look down on the armor of the Central Plains, considering it to be like a tortoise shell, which was nothing more than a target to be beaten in front of the unparalleled archers of the grasslands.
But seeing it now, they didn't think so. This dazzling armor made him look more like a soldier.
And with such a majestic and tall stature, he must be a descendant of the Jiangnan, right?
Just then, the man spoke, " Han Lin, the leader of a ten-man squad under the Seventh Army of the Jiangnan Fighter Army. Today, I have come to your Horde to select ten men to serve as my soldiers. Stand at attention. This selection is not forced. If you are unwilling, you can say so immediately. I will not force you. Even if no one in your Horde is willing to follow me, I can go to the next Horde. There is no need for such resistance."
These words reassured many people a little; what they were afraid of now was being chosen and forcibly taken away.
However, what's also worth noting is the other party's identity. Judging by their aura and physique, is this just a ten-man squad leader? In their grasslands, that's just a quartermaster, right?
Are you kidding me?
The elder also looked at the soldier with curiosity. Those who could become Horde elders were basically bloodline descendants, only their bloodline was not very pure. But having lived for so long, his eyesight was not bad. The man in front of him was full of blood and energy. When he walked over just now, the snowflakes falling from the sky could not get more than three feet away. Walking next to him was like having a mobile furnace.
Is this the kind of man who is a captain?
He'd be more than qualified to be a centurion, wouldn't he?
Then, the big man's actions in selecting people became even more surprising. He reached out and groped around each person.
The elder couldn't help but ask, "Sir, are you feeling your bones?"
"Hmm," the Fighter Army replied succinctly, clearly not one to talk much.
"But..." The elder was somewhat puzzled. Bone reading is something that only aristocratic families with strong bloodlines do. When the children of aristocratic families are young and it is not yet certain whether they can inherit the family bloodline, bone reading can predict the strength of the child to the greatest extent. If good bones are nurtured in childhood, the body will be stronger and more likely to withstand the powerful bloodline of the family.
But is it really necessary to choose ordinary soldiers?
"My lord," the man who had previously warned others against easily choosing to go to Jiangnan said, "Is bone reading necessary when selecting auxiliary soldiers?"
He was puzzled. Bone-touching was usually something done when children were young, but the bones of the people here were basically fully developed, so what was there to touch? And what use would it be? Could commoners like them really use high-end medicinal herbs to temper their bones?
Upon hearing this, Han Lin stopped what he was doing and looked at the other person. "Who told you that this is a selection of auxiliary soldiers?"