Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Indeed, but sooner or later I want to climb to the summit and erect a monument there,” Li Jue said with a smile, ”But such training is really demanding, we’ll probably have to purchase a batch of provisions soon.”

”Money is nothing compared to the amusement of raising troops; it’s a pity that this broken place in the Western Regions can’t keep up with our training when we grab some people,” Guo Si said helplessly, ”If only there were Qiang people, at least they could barely serve as auxiliary troops.”

Li Jue was also helpless; they hadn’t recruited locally, but the locals simply couldn’t meet Li Jue’s requirements.

But on the other hand, a normal person plunged straight into this kind of high-intensity training with the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, surviving was already considered a good aptitude.

”To find suitable soldiers, we must recruit in Liangzhou, if that doesn’t work, should we send someone there?” Guo Si suggested.

”That’s feasible, anyway, Liangzhou has plenty of remote locations, just train them a bit, which one of us will go?” Li Jue asked, ”But what’s going on with the think tank, why haven’t they sent any troops over yet?”

”Probably delayed,” Fan Chou sighed slightly and then looked at Guo Si alongside Li Jue.

”Why make me go?” Guo Si said with a dark expression.

”You’re a bandit, clearly the most familiar with maps among us three,” Li Jue said shamelessly. Of the three, Li Jue was slightly better off, considered a wealthy household, while Fan Chou hailed from Zhuo’s soldiers, akin to Township Brave, and Guo Si was directly a bandit.

”How many troops should I recruit?” Though annoyed by Li Jue’s comment, Guo Si did not refuse; indeed, he was the most familiar with Liangzhou among the three.

”Recruit ten thousand, see if there are any wild horses; if so, get more, if not, raid some Qiang people’s ranches,” Li Jue estimated.

”We can’t sustain that many, ten thousand cavalry alone will eat us into ruin,” Fan Chou said speechlessly, managing logistics among the three, finally understanding why Li Jue was reluctant to provide provisions back in Chang’an; food was truly a major issue. ”With fewer people, we can raid and still be well-fed; with more, raiding alone won’t suffice.”

Li Jue was stumped; he had no good solution. ”We need a clever person to help us constantly think about food shortages, otherwise, we can’t survive.”

”Aduo, remember to snatch a smart one to help manage the logistics for us next time,” Li Jue said with a headache, unable to come up with any solutions, and finally waved it off, leaving it to Guo Si to raid one in Liangzhou.

”Anyone snatched surely isn’t smart!” Guo Si’s mind flashed.

”What then?” Fan Chou asked irritably.

”Aduo, why don’t you sneak a look at the think tank? Anyway, didn’t the King of Dayuan give us a piece of beautiful jade? Bring it back and give it to the think tank,” Li Jue mused while stroking his beard.

”That could work, it’s a fine piece, giving it to the think tank is no disgrace, but the think tank is far on Mount Tai, while I could order troops in Xiliang, traveling between Xiliang and Mount Tai spans thousands of miles and won’t be quick,” Guo Si frowned.

”Fool, after reaching Liangzhou, go to Mount Tai alone, it won’t take long. Besides, didn’t the King of Dayuan gift us three Ferghana horses? Though not purely Ferghana horse, they can cover thousands of miles a day easily, won’t waste many days,” Li Jue said dismissively, ”We’ll lend you our war horses, quick enough.”

”Oh, that sounds good, once on Han Territory, use the seal ribbon,” Fan Chou chimed in. Their title as marquis wasn’t abolished, and they had the Commander’s Baton representing the Emperor, so in Han Territory, they had nothing to fear.

”Then I’ll leave shortly,” Guo Si nodded, ”I’ll take a hundred-man squad, the rest is up to you.”

After finishing the meal, Guo Si selected one hundred cavalry skilled soldiers, with each carrying ten days’ provisions and three horses, embarking on their journey.

After watching Guo Si depart, Fan Chou asked Li Jue, ”Zhiran, why the sudden urgency to recruit troops?”

”I have a strong premonition that there will be war here,” Li Jue said with a solemn expression, ”Same numbers, as long as terrain suits cavalry’s display, except for the Military Spirit Legion, we’ve nothing to fear, but powers here are too complex and numerous.”

”Going to war?” Fan Chou was first startled, then delighted; as a war hawk, he detested life without war.

”We’re strong, but we’re also weak,” Li Jue said shaking his head helplessly, ”Old Fan, think carefully; how did you defeat the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry led by Marquis Wenn with similar numbers back then?”

”How would I know?” Fan Chou said bemusedly to Li Jue, ”I only recall being extremely furious, determined to defeat every enemy ahead; who knows how it happened.”

”Marquis Wenn had Legion Talent back then, his leadership of Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry was greatly enhanced, and you defeated him at that time, essentially nearing Legion Talent,” Li Jue sighed.

To be fair, Li Jue, Guo Si, Fan Chou, and the late Zhang Ji all had competent troop-command abilities, but only Li Jue pushed open the door to Legion Talent, whereas the other two remained stuck.

”I have no impressions at all,” Fan Chou said helplessly, ”If I could awaken, I would’ve done so long ago; but considering our united forces, if I awaken, who does it bolster?”

”Such discussions should wait for your awakening,” Li Jue said irritably, but pondered Fan Chou’s words; he was the brightest among the three.

{”Logically, their troop-command abilities, though perhaps lesser, aren’t far off; why can’t they awaken, is it truly my fault?”} Li Jue thought quietly, {”Forget it, better not ponder this; Onion Ridge seems uncanny; wonder what Vologases V is up to.”}

While Li Jue pondered Vologases V’s actions, this historically renowned Parthian Emperor who reclaimed Mesopotamia, during the time buffering Rome’s domestic purges and subjugating Northern barbarians, finally amassed enough power to target Parthia’s Seven Great Nobles.

Certainly not aiming to annihilate all seven nobles in one strike, but rather selecting one family; Vologases V couldn’t disrupt the other six great noble families now, considering his royal lineage is formidable, yet the few short years from ascension haven’t sufficed to gather forces capable of overthrowing the Seven Great Nobles.

Thus Vologases V chose one family—the Sulun Family from Sistan—the most dignified among Parthia’s Seven Great Nobles, holding the special privilege of coronating the King, second only to the King, commanding vast retinues and private armies!

It was essentially the strongest military aristocracy in Parthia; this supremacy, during Vologases IV’s reign, included the royal lineage, and now Vologases V contemplated striking that family, albeit with trepidation.

After all, it was a potent family, even incorporating the royal’s forces, without external intervention, if clashing openly, the royal’s victory was uncertain.

However, Vologases V had no choice; he needed military authority, and the Sulun Family held onto Parthia’s military power, posing a significant obstacle to him; thus he needed to subjugate the Sulun Family in any way necessary.

Contemplating such, the best resolution would be subjugation, and if unattainable, heavy damage rendering control was his only course; previously during inspections in Wang City, he met Atlatome who trained an exceedingly formidable elite for him, this elite was his greatest reliance.

This elite embodied his aspirations, hence he named them Parthian Sacred Cavalry, hoping they may descend like deities and pull the declining Parthian Empire from its depths.

This was the Parthian Empire’s most illustrious Cavalry Corps before its twilight—a force currently elite, intended to eradicate the Seven Great Nobles and, with Vologases V seizing Mesopotamia and repelling Rome, ascends into the Military Spirit Legion!