Chapter 21: Lu Su, Startled

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The next morning, at dawn.

Lu Su had always been an early riser, and today was no exception.

No sooner had he opened his door than he found two maids already waiting for him—one holding a basin of steaming water, the other carrying a tray of food.

“Sir, our young master rose early to prepare chicken broth especially for you,” one of the maids explained as she entered.

“Ah, this…” Lu Su was moved and did not refuse; in his heart, however, his estimation of Chu Feng rose even higher. This was more than merely honoring a worthy man—this was treating him as a confidant and kindred spirit!

After his meal, Lu Su stepped out into the front courtyard, where Chu Feng was practicing with a halberd, drenched in sweat. After hanging up the halberd, Chu Feng picked up a fine bow nearby, nocked an arrow, and let fly.

The arrow whistled through the air and struck dead center on the target.

“Well done, my lord! What fine archery!” Lu Su clapped and laughed, marveling at Chu Feng’s many talents—superb martial skill, sharp strategic mind, and a deep respect for men of talent. It all seemed too much for one man.

“You flatter me, Zijing. Archery is not my strong suit,” Chu Feng replied with a modest smile, then asked, “Zijing, how did you find the taste of that soup?”

“It was exquisite!” Lu Su answered earnestly.

For one so young to be so humble and composed—surely no ordinary man.

“I am glad you enjoyed it!”

“My lord, as the saying goes, ‘Know yourself and your enemy, and you need not fear a hundred battles.’ I wonder where our soldiers are stationed? We must soon plan great affairs and cannot afford delays over small matters!” Lu Su was already shifting into his role.

“Ahem, well… Very well, I’ll take you to the barracks myself,” Chu Feng replied. He had intended to brush Lu Su off, but seeing Lu Su’s talent, he realized that would be beneath him.

…

The barracks had been expanded fivefold.

The area was tightly controlled, hidden deep in a dense forest, with transplanted trees further shielding it from Yuan Shu’s eyes.

Along the way, Lu Su’s surprise grew.

The tenant farmers who rose early did not treat Chu Feng with resentment—they greeted him cheerfully, making Lu Su all the more certain he had chosen the right man to follow.

Just outside the barracks—

Lu Su was glancing around when suddenly three strong young men dropped from the trees. Two held daggers, dressed in close-fitting, nomadic-style garb, colored in grayish green.

Their sudden appearance startled Lu Su; he thought, if not for following Chu Feng, he might have died without knowing why.

Chu Feng raised an arm in a gesture.

At his signal, the three men, agile as cats, scrambled back up the ancient trees. Blending with their outfits, they were nearly invisible to the untrained eye.

“My lord, these soldiers don’t seem like any I’ve seen before!” Lu Su swallowed nervously.

Chu Feng said nothing and strode ahead.

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They moved unimpeded through the camp. Observing the troops in training, Lu Su kept glancing around in amazement—the combined camps could not number more than a thousand men!

“My lord, are there other camps elsewhere?”

“No.”

“But… didn’t you say you commanded ten thousand?” Lu Su asked, bewildered.

“If each can fight ten men, is that not ten thousand?” Chu Feng replied solemnly.

Lu Su: “???”

He twitched at the corners of his mouth, utterly dumbfounded.

At that moment, Chu Feng stepped forward.

Before he could speak, Zhao Fan called out, “All troops, assemble!”

What followed was a feast for the eyes.

Lu Su’s gaze grew increasingly grave, for in the blink of an eye, more than a thousand men stood before him, fully armed, in perfect order.

Such speed was unprecedented.

The spirit and discipline were unmistakable; these were elite soldiers. Perhaps “one against ten” was an exaggeration, but in a real fight, they could certainly tear a chunk out of any foe.

“Brothers, this is Lu Su, styled Zijing. Hereafter, treat him as you would treat me. His word is my word. Any who show him disrespect will be severely punished!” Chu Feng announced.

“Yes, sir!” came the thunderous, unified reply.

Lu Su was utterly won over by Chu Feng’s words, feeling that urge men have to lay down their lives for a true leader. Though Chu Feng had yet to rise to power, he gave all that he could.

“Just now, I told you that you could each face ten men, but Lu Zijing doubts it. Now, show him with your strength what it means to be the finest warriors!” Chu Feng’s voice was strong and clear.

“Hah! Hah! Hah!”

Three booming shouts shook the air.

Then Zhao Fan personally led a squad of fifteen—front in an inverted wedge, rear in two flanking wedges, arranged in three teams, using Chu Feng’s promoted five-five system.

Under Lu Su’s watchful gaze, they entered the training ground. Instantly, multiple straw targets popped up all around at a distance of at least fifty paces.

Each man performed his assigned role with practiced skill: the vanguard advanced, while the covering fire team raised crossbows and shot the straw men through.

Then the vanguard slipped back to cover, and others advanced.

The accuracy at such distance was impressive enough, but the tactics left Lu Su momentarily stunned—covering fire, advance, archery suppression, all executed in seamless coordination.

Just fifteen men advancing, yet Lu Su felt at a loss for how to counter them. He had never seen such battle formations before—but then reconsidered. On a battlefield of thousands, such formations would be of limited use; perhaps in small skirmishes they were effective, but not in open battle.

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As time passed, Lu Su’s astonishment deepened—not so much at the tactics, but at the individual skills displayed by each man.

And the crossbows they held—

They could fire repeatedly, almost never pausing to reload. Lu Su had never heard of such a thing.

“My lord, forgive my curiosity, but why can these crossbows fire so many times without reloading?” Lu Su asked in wonder.

“This is my own design—the Sun-Yi repeating crossbow. It fires accurately up to a hundred paces. The arrows are loaded in a box, ten at a time; you can swap out the box quickly in battle,” Chu Feng replied, showing off the weapon.

“A repeating crossbow—ten bolts at once? And… you designed it yourself? My lord, you can do this too?” Lu Su stared at him in disbelief.

“I know a thing or two,” Chu Feng replied modestly.

“Ah…” Lu Su pressed his lips together.

“Oh, and this as well—I designed this anti-stab vest, also called cloth armor. It’s cheap to make, light to wear, and a weaver can finish one in half a month. It stops swords and knives!” Chu Feng continued.

He signaled for two guards to strike each other with blades; the armor was unscathed. It was a display of strength—otherwise, with nothing to his name, how could he win over a partner?

“My lord, you are truly a man of genius!” Lu Su exclaimed. That such protection could be made from mere stitched cloth—and for so little cost!

Today’s experiences left Lu Su deeply enriched.

In fact, he felt suddenly unworthy, a frog at the bottom of a well; he had thought himself worldly, but now realized he had been gazing at the sky from his narrow hole.

“Zijing, you overpraise me. These are mere trifles,” Chu Feng waved away the compliment. If Lu Su knew that people in the future could soar into space or dive beneath the seas, he would be speechless.

“Oh, I nearly forgot—I promised to show you the high-yield potatoes. With all these distractions, I lost track of time. The first batch should be ready for harvest,” Chu Feng prepared to unveil another surprise.

“My lord, there’s no rush. I have a close friend, Liu Ye, currently in Lujiang. He is ambitious but has yet to find a worthy lord. I shall go and seek him out,”

“When he arrives, we can all observe together!” Lu Su hastened to suggest.

Before today, he would not have been so hasty.

But after just one day in Chu Feng’s company, he was sure that Chu Feng would accomplish great things. Of course, whether Liu Ye would stay depended on Chu Feng’s own abilities.

“Excellent!” Chu Feng laughed heartily. “Someone, bring my warhorse!”

In no time, the black steed was brought forth.

“Zhao Fan, take a squad and escort Zijing as household guards. Ensure his safety on the road,” Chu Feng instructed, then added with concern, “Zijing, go swiftly and return soon.”