TPITWOHEF

Chapter 147

Duoti had thought that the treatment of the soldiers in Jing Country was even worse than on the grasslands, because Jing Country valued propriety and literature, as was well known on the prairies.

Even the cavalry horses were just purchased from their grasslands this year.

At the border area where the two countries met, Duoti had also seen Jing Country soldiers in the trade markets, all looking dejected, somewhat old, and clearly not very capable.

Those soldiers looked even less cheerful than ordinary citizens of Jing Country.

"Brother Duoti, we'll reach our Capital Outskirts Camp in half a day's travel," said Hou Yuchuan, leading Duoti and about ten accompanying grassland cavalrymen. "We'll need to ride through the night, so why don't we stop for a meal first?"

The Capital Camp the Emperor spoke of naturally did not refer to the main camp.

The capital city of Jing Country was the paramount priority for military defense, housing at least three-tenths of the entire elite forces of Jing Country.

These elite troops were not concentrated in any single camp, but divided into five major guard units.

Apart from the West Mountain Camp, there were four other major ones.

Within each guard unit, there were further subdivisions with their own encampments for training.

The camp that Hou Yuchuan brought Duoti and his men to today was the closest thousand-strong unit camp to the sparring grounds designated by Xiao Yunzhou.

Even if the grasslanders harbored ill intentions and leaked information about Jing Country's defensive layout, at most they would only know the locations of these thousand-strong units.

Hou Yuchuan dismounted, tying his horse to a tree, and took a rest on the ground.

He instructed his subordinates to prepare some food, then smilingly made small talk with Duoti, "Brother Duoti, have your men in Yun County ever sparred with our Jing Country soldiers?"

Yun County was located at the border between the two countries.

Wu Yun Country and Jing Country had opened trade markets there, each dispatching a hundred guards to maintain order in the market area in rotation.

There were no major conflicts, but minor clashes were hard to avoid.

Even family members quarrel at times.

"No," Duoti answered bluntly.

The ten-odd grassland warriors behind him all revealed a hint of disdain.

One even gestured at Hou Yuchuan with his burly arm, as if to say he could take out a Jing Country soldier with a single punch.

If it weren't for the Emperor of Jing Country's outlandish idea, they wouldn't have bothered sparring with Jing Country soldiers at all.

"But if we beat you guys up, wouldn't that violate the trade rules? Then if you guys make a fuss and stop selling us grain, we'll be the ones at a disadvantage," one of the grassland men behind Duoti grunted.

"..." Hou Yuchuan's expression changed. "Brother, are you underestimating the capabilities of our Jing Country soldiers? Before any sparring, with the outcome undecided, who knows who would beat whom?"

Duoti frowned to stop his subordinate's impulsiveness, giving Hou Yuchuan a glance. "Arrows from the grasslands are only shot at prey."

With the trade markets open, and the transition from autumn to winter, they had been busy stockpiling food and hadn't even had time for the final hunt of the season on the grasslands.