Chapter 166 Talent
The two battalions of Chen Zhen and Zhou Ben had the least problems. In addition, the two battalions coming down from Tianzhu Mountain had much better military appearance and discipline than Li Yuanhui had expected.

There were almost no problems with the Tuoqi Battalion led by Liu Xuanji himself, because among the eighteen battalions, his three hundred troops were almost all well-trained and experienced veterans.

Because it is a heavy cavalry battalion, even when selecting people, they have to choose from the elite veteran riders of the light cavalry.

So from the barracks, training, to daily military appearance and discipline, there is basically nothing wrong to find.

The people under Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Ju had the most problems. Liu Ju was used to being lax, and his people were mostly bandits, so it would be difficult for him to straighten himself out in a short period of time.

As for Lao Zhu, it was because he was the last one to be formed into the army and the last one to be recruited, so naturally he did not keep up with the daily military management and training. After all, from a farmer digging for food in the fields with a hoe to a soldier fighting with swords and guns, it is not a simple matter of giving orders to enforce discipline.

Even in modern times, new recruits have to train for three months before they can be assigned to a company.

Li Yuanhui patrolled the camps with the commanders of each camp and several trusted aides, so he saw the situation in each camp with his own eyes, and when the commanders were reprimanded, they had nothing to say.

"What are you talking about? What can I say? Everyone else can do it well, but you can't? We are all soldiers. We came a few days later, but we have enough food to eat and the uniforms are all the same. What's the difference? Why do you eat less and drink less in the general's mansion? I lost face in the general's mansion, and you have to find it back. If it happens again, don't blame me for turning my back on you."

When Old Zhu returned to his camp, feeling that he had lost face, he brought all his old buddies over and made some harsh remarks. After that, he saw that these people were angry again, so he turned around and left the tent.

All his brothers lowered their heads and drooped their eyes. Tang Wu, who had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant, saw everyone like this and said, "Isn't that what General Zhu said? All of you raise your heads. We are all from Huaishang. We are not any worse than them. We are embarrassing General Zhu. Just follow what General Zhu said. All right, all right, disperse. All of you are at least captains now. Get yourselves in order first."

After sending everyone back, Tang Wu left the tent and went to the river to look for Lao Zhu.

"General Zhu."

Old Zhu, who was standing by the river, looked back and forced a smile, saying, "My uncle is here. In private, you can just call me Chongba."

Tang Wu shook his head. "How can that be? As long as we are still wearing this leather, the rules cannot be broken. General Zhu, you are the commander-in-chief. Actually, you know some things. We were the last to form an army. These people were farmers before. They suddenly took up swords and guns. They don't look like soldiers. Don't be impatient. Take your time and give them some time."

Old Zhu shook his head and said, "Uncle, I was scolded by the general in front of everyone in the hall today. I have nothing to say. I also thought that I came back the latest and had the shortest time to form an army. But as the general, doesn't he know these things? In front of more than a dozen camp owners, the general said, 'I know that some of your camps have just returned after recruiting soldiers in the past few days, but if Jiangdong invades tomorrow, do I still have to give you a few months? Even if I give you time, will the Eastern Wei in Jiangdong and the Western Wei Huang Niu Jiao in Jingzhou give you time?' Tell me, uncle, what else can I say? Once you are a soldier, you have to obey orders. Although the general didn't tell us when the war will start, it's hard to say when the Wei thieves in Jiangdong will attack. By then, with the current situation in our camp, can we withstand it?"

Tang Wu nodded: "I understand. Don't worry, we men can't do errands. I will help you keep an eye on them and make them follow the rules."

Old Zhu said, "Oh, by the way, Uncle, when the general was inspecting, there was a group of people under your command in our camp. The tents were clean and tidy, and there was no feces or urine around. The group stood straight. Who was the leader?"

Tang Wu thought for a moment, then said, "It's Xu Dalang from Nanzhuang."

Old Zhu said: "If everyone in our camp was like his team, we wouldn't be scolded so much in the hall. This guy is a talented general, so let him be a captain."

Tang Wu naturally had no objection, "Okay, you have the final say."

Just as he finished talking to Tang Wu, a guard from the general's mansion came over to announce that the general wanted to see General Zhu.

Old Zhu immediately tidied up his appearance, then had someone lead the horse over and walked all the way to the east gate of Hefei City.

Before he even entered the door, Zhu saw Li Yuanhui, Liu Xuanji and Zhang Jian talking and laughing in front of the moat.

Old Zhu got off his horse and walked over, clasped his fists and saluted, saying, "General."

Li Yuanhui waved his hand to indicate that there was no need to be polite, then smiled and said, "It's nothing official. I asked you to come here to have a drink. There's a happy event. Old Liu wants to treat us today."

Old Zhu was a little confused when he heard this. Why is there suddenly something worth celebrating? Why is there a treat?
Seeing his confusion, Liu Xuanji laughed and said, "Hahaha, Luoyang sent a letter, so I'm the Aye too, hahaha."

It turned out that Liu Xuanji's wife had given birth to a son, and this Mrs. Liu was not someone else, but Li Yuanhui's cousin. Liu Xuanji got the news from a family letter just from Luoyang, so he excitedly came to tell Li Yuanhui, his brother-in-law and matchmaker.

And he offered to treat a few old friends to a drink.

"Congratulations, this is a big happy event. Is it a son or a daughter?" "It's a boy, hahahaha"

Although Liu Xuanji was the one who treated everyone, in the end the meal was held at the general's mansion.

After all, the Hefei New City where the garrison was stationed was a typical military fortress, with few residential buildings, and naturally no wine shops or restaurants. The cooks in the camp made some food, which was not bad and filling.

If we really want to eat well, we have to go to the cooks in Li Yuanhui's general's mansion. There is a cook brought specially from Luoyang who can cook the popular Luoyang cuisine, and there is also a cook sent by the Zhang family who is good at cooking river seafood from the Jianghuai area.

Li Yuanhui himself was a person who loved to eat, so he had very high requirements for food, and everyone in the General's Mansion knew this.

But in general, in terms of life, for a man of Li Yuanhui's status and position, it was already very restrained to only employ a few cooks.

A few people chatted outside for a while, and Lao Liu even asked his uncle Li Yuanhui to help him think about what name to come up with.

Li Yuanhui said that this should be done with caution and let him think about it.

After a while, the servants from the mansion came over and said that the wine and food were ready.

The four of them went back to the back hall of the general's mansion and started drinking.

As soon as Li Yuanhui drank the wine, he asked a question that surprised Old Zhu.

"Brother Zhu, I saw a group of people in your camp today. They were standing straight and well-groomed. Do you know who the leader is?"

Old Zhu was stunned for a moment when he heard this, because he had just asked Tang Wu who this person was before he came. Unexpectedly, Li Yuanhui also noticed it. He thought to himself, the general is too careful in his observation, his eyes are really sharp.

"This is a fellow from our Nanzhuang village, named Xu Dalang, a captain."

When Li Yuanhui heard the surname Xu, he knew what was going on, and said, "Seeing the big picture from the small details, this person is a great talent, you should promote him well."

Lao Zhu said: "I have already ordered him to be a captain."

Li Yuanhui shook his head when he heard this. "Not enough. Just make him a lieutenant."

Old Zhu was a little puzzled, "Captain? Is that too high? I'm afraid people won't obey him."

Li Yuanhui said seriously: "Brother Zhu, the soldiers in your Huainan Right Camp are all brave men, the men of Huaishang, brave and martial, but they still need to be tempered to form an army. What you lack now is a general. With such great talents, don't be stingy with official positions. If you are reluctant to give him an official position, then let him come to the Yabing Camp directly, and I will give him a lieutenant."

When Lao Zhu heard this, he got anxious and said, "That won't do. We are short of people in our camp. A lieutenant is a lieutenant. We will arrange a position for him when we get back."

Li Yuanhui laughed when he heard this, and then said to Liu and Zhang beside him: "Look at the face of Monk Zhu who is protecting his food, he is so petty."

Liu Xuanji and Zhang Jian also laughed when they heard this.

When Old Zhu heard Monk Zhu being called this, he did not object at all and laughed out loud, because he suddenly remembered that more than a year ago, he was still a monk.

At the beginning, Li Yuanhui directly gave this monk the position of Sima of a separate department and the power to recruit soldiers on his own.

What did he know at that time? He was not as good as Xu Dalang now. Li Yuanhui trusted him so much. Just this temperament and courage are enough for me to learn.

Of course, Li Yuanhui never dreamed that he would be regarded as a standard to be learned and emulated by Zhu Yuanzhang.

(End of this chapter)