A hundred people formed teams and set off in order.
It was a spectacular sight to see a mighty team running around the barracks at the foot of the mountain. Although everyone was complaining and yelling, they didn't delay anything. The instructor in charge of He Yan's team was called Liang Ping, and his surname was Liang. He was as fierce and ruthless as Chief Instructor Shen. He said, "Quick, get into formation and set off!"
At his command, everyone followed the team and started to run with weights.
He Yan was carrying such a big sandbag on her back. She felt like she was carrying a piece of Shi Tou, and she couldn't keep her balance. Ever since she became Lady He, she accompanied He Yunsheng to the mountains to chop firewood every day. However, she could only make her weak body healthy, or at least a little stronger than other girls her age. However, Xiao Jue's iron-blooded training method was really too much for her.
He Yan in the past could do it, but He Yan in the present was very difficult.
There were people constantly overtaking He Yan. Most of the people who came to join the army were tall and strong. Even those who weren't so tall were mostly from poor families and used to heavy labor. Although running with a sandbag was tiring, it was still okay. There were very few people as weak as He Yan. Only a few of them died on the way to Liangzhou. It could be said that in the Liangzhou Guard Station, at the foot of Mount Baiyue, He Yan was the weakest one in terms of physical aptitude.
Shi Tou and Xiao Mai ran very fast. They hunted in the mountains and often had to chase after prey. Once they caught the prey, they tied it to their bodies. They were used to running around with the prey, so it was quite easy for them. Hong Shan was probably older. After running one round, he was panting. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "Sigh, this is really inhumane."
He didn't hear He Yan's reply. When he turned around, He Yan was already more than ten steps behind him. He slowed down slightly and waited for He Yan to catch up. He asked, "A He, can you still hold on? You look a little uncomfortable. "
He Yan's face was pale. Large beads of sweat rolled down from his forehead to his chin and into his clothes. Carrying a sandbag on his back, he looked just like those children on the docks in the capital who were sold by their parents to do manual labor for the gang leader. It was a pitiful sight.
"I'm fine. Brother Shan, you don't have to worry about me. You run first. I can't run fast, so let me run slowly behind you." He Yan smiled and said, "You can rest in the shed after you finish running. Don't wait for me."
"Why don't you tell the head instructor," Hong Shan said hesitantly. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, he leaned closer and whispered, "Or you can secretly run fewer laps. No one will see you anyway."
"I know what I'm doing." He Yan laughed. "Brother Shan, you go first. We'll meet up later."
Hong Shan repeatedly confirmed that He Yan did not need help before he ran off with the sandbags. He Yan scratched his head and smiled helplessly.
Did the instructor say he couldn't do it? How could that be possible? Once he entered the military, he would have to do it even if he couldn't. Secretly run fewer laps? How was that possible? Although there was no one around, the instructors were very smart. There were also hidden guards on the side of the road. If he really ran fewer laps, it would be a violation of military discipline. He would be dragged out and beaten. She knew this when she was a general. When she was a soldier, there was no reason for her to hide.
But … she wiped away the sweat on her eyelids and looked at the golden sun hanging above her head.
It was so hot!
Someone walked out of the city guard station.
Cheng Lisu fanned himself with a folding fan and looked at the mountain peak covered by clouds in the distance. He said happily, "The scenery here is so good. It's ten thousand times more beautiful than the capital! Uncle has such good taste! "
Xiao Jue followed behind him. She was wearing a black gold robe embroidered with cloud patterns. There was a long sword at her waist. Her eyes were like stars and her lips were red. She was talented and beautiful. She looked like a noble child who happened to pass by. She added a layer of color to this bitter cold place.
"They're running, tsk tsk tsk." Cheng Lisu shook her head. "If I had to do this, I definitely wouldn't be able to last 15 minutes."
"Then you should go back." What answered her was cold mockery.
"Ah, what did you say? The wind is so strong, I can't hear … Uncle, look who's here." Cheng Lisu stiffly changed the topic.
The person who came was Shen Han, Shen Jiaotou. He stopped in front of the two and bowed to Xiao Jue. "Commander in chief."
"How are the new recruits?" Xiao Jue asked.
"They look pretty good. There are a few who can't do it, but they'll get better after some practice." Shen Han replied.
"What's wrong with that person?" Cheng Lisu pointed in the distance. "He looks like he's about to kneel down."
On the long road, there was a short young man running. Although he was running, he was running too slowly. He had already pulled away from the group in front of him. In fact, he looked so weak that the sandbag on his back was heavier than his body.
"That's Liang Ping's soldier. He's running his fourth lap."
"Fourth lap?" Xiao Jue raised her eyebrows.
The rest of the people had already started their seventh lap, but this person had only started his fourth lap. He was so far behind. He said lightly, "His aptitude is too poor."
Cheng Lisu and Shen Han looked at each other and didn't say anything. If Xiao Jue said that his aptitude was too poor, it meant that he was really poor and couldn't go on the battlefield.
"It's okay if his aptitude is too poor." Cheng Lisu thought of something and smiled. "It's not bad to be a squad leader. What if his skills are good?"
He Yan, who was hoped that his skills would be good, was running so fast that he didn't know what to say. The sandbag on her back was really heavy, but she had to continue. She clearly understood that the current physical training was just the beginning. After a period of time, they would gradually increase the training of skills, such as bows, knives, and arrows.
However, if she couldn't even endure the physical training, she wouldn't be qualified to continue the training of skills and would be directly thrown out to be a squad leader.
She didn't want to be a squad leader.
Near the pergola, Hong Shan finished his last lap and finally found Xiao Mai and Shi Tou resting in the pergola. He went over and sat down next to them.
Xiao Mai looked around and asked, "Where's A He Ge? Hasn't he come out yet? "
"I don't know. I didn't see him." Hong Shan was also a little worried. "Could it be that this guy can't run anymore and won't come out?"
"Didn't you tell A He Ge to secretly run two laps less?" Xiao Mai whispered. "Anyway, no one saw."
"I told him long ago! This guy is a stubborn donkey. He doesn't listen to me. What can I do? "Hong Shan spread out his hands.
As the two of them were talking, Shi Tou suddenly said, "He's here."
They followed his gaze and saw a young man running slowly towards them from the end of the long path in the forest. The sandbag on his back was too big for his body. His hair was wet in clumps, and beads of sweat slowly dripped from his forehead to his chin and sank into the soil under his feet. He ran past the pergola but didn't look in their direction. Instead, he continued to run forward and started a new lap.
"He's still running …" Xiao Mai murmured.
He Yan didn't stop.