Chapter 26: Training

At this moment, his gaze fell upon the encampment of the three thousand troops.

In the distance, the three thousand soldiers were scattered into small groups, chatting idly. Some were even sitting on the ground, soaking in the sun, showing no regard whatsoever for their roles or status. A sense of doubt immediately arose in Chu Nan’s heart; how could the state of this army be so lax?

"What is this?" Chu Nan could not help but ask in a low voice, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward Shangguan Ya'er.

Shangguan Ya'er smiled slightly and said nonchalantly, "Are you not here to take charge of them? It seems the Second Princess's concerns were not without merit."

He did not press further, knowing that the situation was far from trivial and required him to understand the circumstances for himself. As he walked closer, Chu Nan noticed that these soldiers possessed no sense of tension. Their eyes held only comfort, as if this were nothing more than a casual drill.

"What is wrong with these soldiers?" Chu Nan could not help but ask a nearby officer.

The officer lowered his head and replied dismissively, "Sigh, there’s nothing to do, so we just hang around here."

A faint tightness gripped Chu Nan’s heart. The scene before him had clearly exceeded his expectations. These soldiers lacked any sense of military discipline, displaying instead a pervasive laziness that left Chu Nan increasingly uneasy.

*It seems the Second Princess's worries were indeed well-founded,* Chu Nan thought to himself.

Just then, he noticed that Shangguan Ya'er had already turned and left.

"Miss Shangguan?" Chu Nan was momentarily stunned, barely having time to react.

Shangguan Ya'er cast him a gentle smile, then departed without looking back, leaving behind a single sentence: "These three thousand men are now yours."

Her tone was as light as if she were handing Chu Nan the simplest of tasks.

Chu Nan stood in the center of the North Camp training grounds, his gaze sweeping over the three thousand lethargic soldiers. His expression remained calm, yet his heart felt as though it were weighed down by a stone. These soldiers sat lazily on the ground; some were simply leaning against their weapons to doze off. Others were gathered in circles of two or three, gambling, while some had even taken off their armor to use as cushions, looking entirely self-satisfied. Further away, a young soldier was even whistling while teasing a horse tethered by the roadside.

Seeing Chu Nan standing in the center, the soldiers reined themselves in slightly, but the disdain in their eyes was barely concealed.

"Yo, is this young master the one here to manage us?" a burly soldier asked, leaning against his long spear and letting out a yawn. His voice was not loud, but it was clear enough for everyone nearby to hear.

"That’s right, I heard he was sent by some big shot," another soldier scoffed. "Look at those skinny arms and legs; can he really manage three thousand of us?"

The soldiers erupted in laughter, dripping with mockery. Some even cast sidelong glances at Chu Nan, their expressions filled with provocation.

Chu Nan remained standing there, his expression unchanged. He could see from the soldiers' attitudes that they did not take him seriously at all. Clearly, in their eyes, he was nothing more than a "wealthy young master" using connections to "gild" his resume in the military. However, Chu Nan knew that this defiance was precisely the greatest obstacle he currently faced. If he wanted to control this undisciplined force, he had to establish his authority starting now.

He cleared his throat gently, his voice low but filled with composure: "Who is the commanding officer? Step forward."

In an instant, the surrounding laughter subsided. The soldiers looked at one another, and a middle-aged man dressed in slightly neater attire stepped out. He was sturdy, with a rugged temperament in his features. Around forty years old, his eyes were sharp as a hawk’s, and he wore a slightly worn sword at his waist. His gait was steady, and his entire demeanor suggested the seasoned experience of a battlefield veteran.

"Subordinate Liu Zhi, commanding officer of the North Camp."

He walked up to Chu Nan and bowed, his tone respectful, yet his eyes held a trace of undisguised contempt.

Chu Nan nodded slightly, his gaze never leaving Liu Zhi. Though Liu Zhi appeared respectful on the surface, there was no true awe in his eyes, only a layer of derision.

"Officer Liu, has this state of affairs with these three thousand men always been the case?" Chu Nan asked calmly, his tone flat yet carrying a hint of sharpness.

Liu Zhi was taken aback, then lowered his head to answer, "Reporting to Young Master Chu, these three thousand men are the border defense reserve unit. They are primarily responsible for garrison duties, so training has indeed been somewhat lax."

"Somewhat lax?" Chu Nan arched an eyebrow, a trace of coldness in his tone. "This is far more than just 'somewhat lax'."

Liu Zhi lowered his head without responding, but his expression showed little guilt, as if he had long since grown accustomed to this state of affairs.

Chu Nan swept his gaze over the surrounding soldiers and said coldly, "From today on, I will be taking over the training of these three thousand men. I hope you are all prepared."

The moment he finished speaking, an uproar broke out among the soldiers.

"Taking over training? Him?"

"Are you joking? Let him manage us?"

"Heh, probably just another one sent from above to go through the motions. What could someone like him possibly know about training?"

The soldiers muttered amongst themselves, some even sneering with open contempt. They did not take Chu Nan seriously at all, believing him to be a "noble" who had entered through connections and would leave after a few days of playing around. Liu Zhi watched from the sidelines, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, as if waiting for the moment Chu Nan would make a fool of himself.

Yet, Chu Nan seemed to hear none of the chatter. He simply turned to face the soldiers, his voice raised a notch: "From today on, your training will be completely different from what you are used to. If anyone does not wish to follow orders, you may leave now."

At these words, the field went silent for a few seconds, only to erupt into another round of laughter.

"Training? What does he want us to train for?"

"Leave? I’d like to see what he could possibly do to us."

Amidst the laughter, no one moved. It was clear that these soldiers did not believe Chu Nan could effect any real change, nor did they take his threat to heart.

Chu Nan smiled coldly and turned to Liu Zhi. "Officer Liu, give me the roster of the three thousand men. I will begin re-planning their training from this moment on."

Liu Zhi paused, then nodded and immediately had someone fetch the register. But he was even more confused—what exactly was this young man trying to do?

A few minutes later, Chu Nan finished looking through the roster, his gaze sweeping over every name. He then spoke slowly: "Today’s first task: everyone is to run thirty laps around the camp."

"What?!"

"Run thirty laps? He’s lost his mind!"

"Are you kidding? We are soldiers, not mules!"

The field erupted once more, the soldiers' faces filled with rage. Some even stood up, their expressions dark as they said, "Young Master Chu, this is no place for jokes. Thirty laps? Why don't you run them for us and let us see!"