Chapter 303: Establishing the Cavalry Camp

Zao Ying felt somewhat shaken.During this year of great disaster, being a horse bandit was truly difficult.

She couldn’t bring herself to rob common folks, while looting government offices grew increasingly challenging. Yesterday, when Hong Chengchou’s private soldiers chased after her, she genuinely felt a little panicked. For the first time, she worried about the future of her promising horse bandit career.

Since old ghost, Xing Honglang, and Dian Deng Zi Zhao Sheng could all live happily here… perhaps she could too?

After finishing the tour, Thirty-Two left her alone to consider it and returned to the main fortress.

Zao Ying continued wandering aimlessly through Gaojia Village. After circling widely, she ended up back in front of the military camp. There, she spotted the militia handling the five hundred warhorses captured just yesterday.

With steady rainfall around Gaojia Village, grass grew abundantly. The horses here had no worries about food or drink. Having eaten their fill, they now flicked their tails in satisfaction.

Gao Chuwu led a tall horse and grinned at Zheng Daniu: “Daniu, I even helped you mount up yesterday. Can you do it by yourself now?”

Zheng Daniu snorted, “Tsk, what’s so hard about mounting a horse? Watch me.”

He pressed his hands on the horse’s back and vaulted upward with a whoosh. His movement was quite agile.

However…

His momentum carried him too far. He flipped clean over the horse’s back, landing with a thump on the other side. His heavy frame raised a cloud of dust upon impact.

Gao Chuwu roared with laughter, “Hahaha! Daniu, you’re such a fool!”

Zheng Daniu retorted, “I’m no fool! Keep watching!”

He pushed off the horse’s back again, flipping with a whoosh.

This time, he managed to land seated. But the warhorse disliked his rough handling, tossing its hindquarters irritably. Before Zheng Daniu could find his stirrups, he toppled sideways and hit the ground again with another thump.

“HAHAHAHA!”

Gao Chuwu doubled over with laughter beside him.

Zao Ying shook her head and walked over. “Watch closely. This is how you mount up.”

She slid one foot into a stirrup, then swung her body aboard with effortless grace. Her other foot traced a smooth arc through the air as she settled firmly into the saddle. The horse offered no resistance, merely giving an obedient snort as if ready to charge into battle.

Gao Chuwu exclaimed, “Wow, that lady is amazing!”

Zheng Daniu muttered, “Oh… I see now.”

Cheng Xu stepped out from nearby. “Boss Zao’s horsemanship is truly impressive.”

Zao Ying sighed, shaking her head again, “It pales compared to the Mongolians or Jurchens.”

Cheng Xu replied, “Why compare them? Let’s start with how our own men stack up first. Surely you notice how far behind my boys are.”

Zao Ying nodded quietly.

Cheng Xu continued, “That’s precisely why Gaojia Village sincerely hopes Boss Zao will stay. Only then can our future cavalry unit begin to take shape. Otherwise… with just these clumsy lads here? Even with horses, we couldn’t form a proper cavalry.”

Zao Ying remarked, “Your village harbors significant ambitions.”

Cheng Xu smiled faintly. “Big and not so big.”

Zao Ying asked, “How so?”

Cheng Xu answered, “Not so big? Because Gaojia Village doesn’t have plans for this world.”

Zao Ying: “What about the scale?”

Cheng Xu: “Regarding scale, what we schemed was to save all the common people under heaven.”

Zao Ying didn’t know how to retort at that moment; it took several seconds before she rolled her eyes. “You act too much like an official, saying nice and nasty words with just your mouth. The previous statement sounded grandiose, but then the next one revealed your true intent.”

Cheng Xu laughed heartily: “I wouldn’t say this to ordinary people. Only to someone like a boss of your stature. You’d have seen it anyway, whether I said it or not.”

Zao Ying understood: This group was plotting rebellion! But their method seemed ingenious; they hid in the small mountain village at the border between Chengcheng County and Heyang County, built up the town, improved farming, accumulated power… Yet in the martial world, only names like Wang Er, King of Disruption, Wang Jiayin, Bu Zhan Ni, and Wang Zuogua were heard; Gaojia Village was unknown.

If she hadn’t come here herself, she wouldn’t have known such a powerful force was hidden here.

A great figure in the early Ming Dynasty had done this kind of thing.

He built high walls, stored grain widely, and delayed declaring kingship.

His name was Zhu Yuanzhang!

Zao Ying: “To be honest, I’m quite interested in joining. But I’m used to freedom and dislike being controlled. If I join, what rank would I be? How many people would give me orders?”

Cheng Xu considered the question seriously before spreading his hands. “Unfortunately, we don’t have such ranks.”

Zao Ying: “?”

Cheng Xu smiled: “Gaojia Village started from scratch with everything needing rebuilding, so each department is being set up step by step. I can’t manage Xing Honglang, nor Dian Deng Zi Zhao Sheng, nor Thirty-Two… Of course, they can’t manage me either; we each handle our own tasks and manage our own areas. If Boss Zao Ying joins, you’d definitely manage the cavalry camp; it’s an independent department, and probably no one would oversee you.”

Zao Ying made a surprised sound. “Then who is the ultimate authority?”

Cheng Xu pointed to the sky. “The Deity is, naturally!”

Zao Ying: “Where is the Deity?”

Cheng Xu: “The Deity is a god. If He wished to appear, He would. If He didn’t, no one could see Him. If you, Boss Zao Ying, insist on someone managing you, then from now on, it must be the Deity overseeing you.”

Zao Ying raised her head and looked at the sky.

The sky was cloudless, clear and blue.

Li Daoxuan had covered the lid of the box, so the people inside couldn’t see him at all, and even the low cloud representing him disappeared.

Zao Ying thought to herself: Since arriving in this village, she’d heard about the Deity several times but hadn’t seen Him. That meant this village had no real manager.

What a lovely, free place it was!

Zao Ying: “Then I’ll stay here.”

Cheng Xu smiled. “We welcome you very warmly.”

Zao Ying: “Next, what should I do?”

Cheng Xu: “I think first we must establish the cavalry camp. Find a suitable spot nearby for building a stable, fence in the land, then find Thirty-Two and get him to send laborers to build barracks for the cavalry. If the Deity feels inclined, He might bestow a barracks directly from heaven. If the Deity isn’t inclined, building slowly is fine.”

“Before the cavalry camp is constructed, your people can stay with me. After all, we’re all responsible for fighting; we are one family.”

Zao Ying: “So next is recruiting soldiers and buying horses?”

Cheng Xu nodded. “Recruit cavalrymen, breed warhorses, train cavalry… You surely know more about these than I do, so I won’t elaborate. All necessary supplies can be handled through Thirty-Two.”

Zao Ying cupped her fist. “Thank you for the guidance.”