Chapter Six: Training the Displaced Populace

“What’s going on?”

As the bandits from the archer battalion approached, Liu Heng asked instinctively.

The bandit replied, “Chief Chen sent word that the people have already been brought to the clearing near the archer battalion. They’re just waiting for you to come over, Captain Liu.”

“All right, I’m heading there now.” Liu Heng’s face brightened with joy. Turning to the bandit driving the supply cart, he said, “I’ll go with him first. You take the grain back to the archer battalion and make sure it’s settled.”

He arranged for the grain carts to enter the camp on their own, then led several bandits swiftly to the other side.

Before getting close, Liu Heng saw a few hundred people scattered in small groups under the shade of the trees.

“Second Brother, there must be two or three hundred here, right?” Approaching Chen Xunping, Liu Heng’s face lit up with delight.

Chen Xunping smiled, “I’m glad we didn’t fail. Yang Yuan and I selected three hundred from the refugee camp to bring here. If that’s not enough, recruiting a few hundred more from the camp won’t be a problem.”

“That’s enough, more than enough,” Liu Heng said with a smile. “If this plan succeeds, Second Brother, you will have taken the lead.”

Chen Xunping’s expression carried a hint of concern. “With so many mouths to feed all at once, grain will be a big problem. Every battalion is short on supplies right now. We can’t sustain so many people for long.”

Liu Heng replied, “I managed to get over two stones of grain from the rear camp. We’ll mix in some wild vegetables to stretch it out. That should feed these people for a few days. Brother Shu Heng can help supply some grain. If we gather enough to feed them for ten days, I can handle the grain issue beyond that.”

“Brother Shu Heng is agreeable to that,” Chen Xunping said. “When I recruited these refugees, I spoke with him about your efforts. He promised to prepare ten stones of grain for you.”

“That’s wonderful,” Liu Heng said happily. “With this grain, we can train these refugees properly.”

Chen Xunping added, “That’s all the help we can offer for now. Future grain supplies will depend on you.”

“I understand. I’ll find a way to secure the grain,” Liu Heng assured him. Then he turned to Yang Yuan, “Take some men and divide these refugees into thirty squads, ten men each, arranged in columns.”

Yang Yuan acknowledged and began rounding up the refugees resting under the shade to organize them into squads.

After quite a while, they finally managed to arrange the refugees into somewhat orderly formations.

With everything prepared, Liu Heng strode to the front of the assembled refugees and called out loudly, “Do you see those pancakes?”

He pointed toward the baskets of flatbreads Chen Xunping had brought earlier.

Those standing in the first two rows could easily see the baskets, while those behind strained to get a better look, pushing forward.

The previously tidy ranks became chaotic once more.

Fortunately, the archer battalion bandits Chen Xunping brought held sharp blades, intimidating the refugees from causing too much disorder. At most, they craned their necks to peer forward, with only a few managing to squeeze ahead.

“Stop the pushing! Stand properly! Anyone causing trouble won’t be spared,” Chen Xunping drew his waist knife and wore a fierce expression.

Several bandits nearby also showed grim faces, brandishing their weapons to intimidate the refugees.

Once the formation settled, Liu Heng spoke coldly, “Don’t worry. The pancakes are all prepared for you. From now on, every day I’ll have fresh pancakes sent here. If you eat my pancakes, you are my subordinates and must obey my orders. If not, don’t blame me for cutting off your food.”

The several hundred refugees stirred with murmurs.

They were all coerced into this ragtag bandit force, their status low and their daily meals often just wild vegetable soup—barely enough to fill their stomachs. Only by joining one of the main battalions as bandits could they hope to eat these flatbreads and be half-satisfied.

For them, being selected into a proper battalion was the greatest hope.

“Quiet! Quiet!” Liu Heng pressed his hand down to calm the crowd.

Yang Yuan and his men suppressed a few unruly refugees, restoring order.

Liu Heng raised his voice, “Now, these three hundred of you have been divided into thirty squads. From now on, the man at the front of each squad is the squad leader. All squad leaders, roll up the left leg of your trousers as I am doing.”

He bent down and rolled up the left leg of his trousers above the knee.

He chose the left leg to avoid confusion among the refugees, preventing them from mixing sides during training. With only ten days, there was no time for extra complications.

The thirty newly appointed squad leaders in the front row obediently rolled up their left trouser legs.

Once they were ready, Liu Heng continued, “Squad leaders, manage the men in your squads. Roll up your left trouser leg. Everyone else, stand still and do not move.”

Chen Xunping suddenly interjected, “Good idea. Each squad leader only manages ten men. The formation won’t get too chaotic. You only need to manage these few dozen squad leaders.”

As the squad leaders went to their men to have them roll up their left trouser legs, the refugees were somewhat scattered. Fortunately, with their own leaders keeping order, the gathered groups did not descend into chaos.

After about fifteen minutes, all squad leaders had their men’s left trouser legs rolled up and returned to the front of their squads, standing properly.

Liu Heng stood before them and shouted, “Starting today, I will teach you two movements: one is called ‘Attention,’ the other is ‘Marching Step.’ Anyone who cannot perform them properly within ten days will receive thirty lashes. Anyone who deliberately causes trouble will be executed!”

As he spoke the last word, “executed,” Liu Heng struck down sharply with his right hand in the air.

At his gesture, many of the thirty newly appointed squad leaders instinctively shrank their necks, feeling a chilling breeze at the back of their necks despite the coming summer.

“Attention means standing still, silent, and motionless. If you can hold this for half an hour, you will be considered qualified.” He clasped his hands and fingers together, adopting a standard military stance as known in later generations.

He had experienced two military trainings during middle and university school, so standing at attention was second nature to him.

“Now, all squad leaders, stand at attention like me,” he ordered the thirty men at the front.

They tried to imitate Liu Heng’s posture but could only manage a rough approximation, unable to match his spear-like precision.

Liu Heng was patient, correcting each squad leader individually. He did not demand perfection—just close enough.

After about half an hour, the squad leaders’ postures were mostly corrected, no longer awkward, and they showed some spirit. The rest was just refinement.

Having finished with the squad leaders, Liu Heng instructed them to teach the same movements to their squads.

After learning ‘Attention’ in the morning, they began practicing marching steps in the afternoon.

Over the next several days, all the refugee squads relentlessly drilled these two movements. Except for eating and sleeping, every moment was dedicated to training.

As bandits, life was cheap. Liu Heng had prepared whips made from woven willow branches. Anyone caught slacking off received a lash without hesitation.

With the whips at their sides, the refugees dared not be lazy. They learned quickly, even the dullest among them remembering the moves after a few lashes.

News of Liu Heng’s training of the refugees soon spread throughout the entire bandit army’s camps.