"Boom... boom... boom..."
"Wail... wail... wail..."
The sun set, and after the deep night came the dawn. A fiery red sun slowly rose from the horizon, illuminating the snowfield with ten thousand rays of light. Beneath the rosy glow stood rows upon rows of warriors, helmets on, armor donned, wielding various weapons. The sunlight glinted off their armor and blades, making them shimmer. Large banners fluttered in the wind, displaying fierce patterns or striking characters, predominantly a ferocious white bear.
"Snow Bear Army." After the White Tiger Camp was upgraded to an army, it was renamed the Snow Bear Army to commemorate the white bear Chiyou, and to echo the border army's "Flying Bear Army."
"Boom... boom... boom..."
After another volley of fierce drumbeats, the commander of the Snow Bear Army, the valiant General of the Great Yan Kingdom, San Nan, Cavalry Commander, Border Garrison General Zhou Fugui, rode a black divine steed, clad in gleaming armor, a heavy sword at his waist, and the Sun-Chasing Bow on his back. He slowly approached the officers and soldiers of the Snow Bear Army, gazing at their young faces in silence. Behind him, a large crimson cloak fluttered in the strong wind.
"First Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui roared after a long pause.
"The Vanguard Camp is at your command!" The commander of the First Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the eighth-rank Eradicating Bandit General of the Great Yan Kingdom, Suo Dacheng, stood tall and saluted with clasped fists.
The First Camp was primarily cavalry, and Zhou Fugui intended to forge it into a heavy cavalry force whenever possible.
"Second Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui roared again.
"The Shattering Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Second Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the subordinate eighth-rank Sweeping Difficulties General of the Great Yan Kingdom, Xu Mancang, had a broad back and a bear-like physique. He emerged with clasped fists, his arm muscles bulging.
Vanguard and Shattering were the primary and secondary camps for storming cities and breaking enemy lines, capturing generals and tearing down banners. Suo Dacheng, the commander of the First Camp, also served as Zhou Fugui's deputy.
"Third Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui roared.
"The Guan Ba Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Third Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the Enemy Subduing General of the Great Yan Kingdom and the Great Monk of Guanzhong, Xue Wentai, emerged and clasped his fists. His tattoos were particularly striking.
"Fourth Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui roared.
"The Martial Spirit Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Fourth Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the ninth-rank Wild Tamer General of the Great Yan Kingdom, the Di tribesman Bai Ma Wu, emerged with enthusiasm, clasped his fists, and responded loudly. His beard was exceptionally thick.
Zhou Fugui's criteria for appointing people were loyalty first, then true ability, regardless of ethnicity. Whether Han, Hu, or even Xiongnu among the Hu, all were treated equally. Although Bai Ma Wu of the Di tribes had some minor grievances during the campaign in the northern desert, he was generally loyal to Zhou Fugui, especially after Zhou Fugui led his troops to one victory after another. As for his abilities, there was no need to elaborate; he was skilled in riding and archery and possessed a calm mind, hence Zhou Fugui appointed him as a general.
"Fifth Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui roared again.
"The Sun-Shooting Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Fifth Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the subordinate ninth-rank General of the Great Yan Kingdom, Yang Xinrong, clasped his fists and responded loudly after emerging. His young face exuded great determination.
The Sun-Shooting Camp, as the name suggests, primarily focused on bows and crossbows. In this world, bows and crossbows were the main ranged weapons and indispensable in any army.
Zhou Fugui intended to develop firearms in the future, even to replace bows and crossbows with them, though this was something for many years to come.
"Sixth Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui roared.
"The Mandarin Duck Hook Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Sixth Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the subordinate ninth-rank Lieutenant General of the Great Yan Kingdom, Wu Tianqi, clasped his fists and responded loudly. His somewhat slender body stood erect in the strong wind.
The name of the Mandarin Duck Hook Camp was somewhat peculiar; it primarily focused on formations and winning battles through various tactical arrangements. The Yan land was rich in horses, so cavalry was the mainstay. Zhou Fugui required them to be capable of fighting on horseback and forming formations on foot.
"Seventh Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui continued to roar.
"The Divine Sharpness Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Seventh Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the subordinate ninth-rank Lieutenant General of the Great Yan Kingdom, Chen Kunkun, clasped his fists and responded loudly after emerging. His slightly short stature gave an impression of remarkable steadiness.
"Eighth Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui continued to roar.
"The Propelling Might Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Eighth Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the subordinate ninth-rank Lieutenant General of the Great Yan Kingdom, Hu Tieniu, clasped his fists and responded loudly after emerging. His sturdy physique stood firm in the strong wind, truly living up to his name.
"Ninth Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui roared loudly again.
"The Loyal Descendant Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Ninth Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the subordinate ninth-rank Lieutenant General of the Great Yan Kingdom, An Minghai, placed his left hand on his chest and his right hand on his saber, standing firm in the strong wind and responding loudly.
"Zhou" and "Zou" (胄) had similar pronunciations. In fact, the Ninth Camp of the Snow Bear Army had another name, but An Minghai insisted on renaming it the Loyal Descendant Camp to show his loyalty to Zhou Fugui and his willingness to die for him, even if it meant utter destruction.
An Minghai and others were originally humble beast fighters, their lives as precarious as duckweed on water or fallen leaves in the wind. It was Zhou Fugui who saved them, granted them freedom, and now gave them official positions in the army. Although minor roles, it was a world of difference compared to their past. How could An Minghai and the other beast fighters not be overwhelmed with gratitude? They regarded Zhou Fugui as a divine being.
These official positions were all secured by Zhou Fugui for them.
If Zhou Fugui was willing to risk his life, why wouldn't he demand a hefty price?
"Tenth Camp of the Snow Bear Army!" Zhou Fugui finally roared.
"The Eight Eyes Camp is at your command!" The commander of the Tenth Camp of the Snow Bear Army, the subordinate ninth-rank General of the Great Yan Kingdom, Pan Jiangu, who usually spoke in a peculiar tone, now solemnly cupped his fists and accepted the order. The young Túlún tribesman Yelihu stood beside him. Yelihu was too young to be the main commander of the camp, so Zhou Fugui appointed him as the flag bearer.
The Eight Eyes Camp, as the name suggests, was the scout camp of the Snow Bear Army, its eyes and ears. They were responsible for reconnaissance, sowing discord, and even assassination. Zhou Fugui's orders to them were to achieve their goals by any means necessary.
Although the Eight Eyes Camp was the tenth and last in ranking, it was the most elite and equipped with the finest weapons. The reason was self-evident: reconnaissance was paramount in military campaigns.
In addition to these ten camps comprising nearly ten thousand soldiers, Zhou Fugui also established auxiliary camps such as the Logistics Camp, the Medical Camp, and the Armory Camp, with a total of over eleven thousand personnel. Veterinarian Wei the Blind and the old blacksmith Yi Jisheng, among others, held positions in these auxiliary camps.
Furthermore, Zhou Fugui had a personal guard camp, led by Pi E and Hu Jue, numbering around five hundred men.
The military strategist, Counselor Li Qing, stood behind Zhou Fugui.
Finally, he had his own complete army. Riding his strong horse, Zhou Fugui looked at the commanders of the ten camps and their troops, his heart filled with emotion.
The Snow Bear Army, although ostensibly a force of the Great Yan Kingdom, was built by Zhou Fugui himself. Its generals were all trusted confidants who had followed him back from the northern desert. Therefore, the Snow Bear Army was Zhou Fugui's own force, his private army, completely loyal to him.
The Great Yan Kingdom permitted the existence of private armies, such as those in Murong Boli's fiefdom and the private armies in the territories of various princes and nobles. These were known as feudal territories.
In times of chaos and war, with poor communication and Emperor Murong Xi's extravagance and neglect of state affairs, the Yan court allowed local recruitment, giving officials or generals the opportunity to expand their influence. While the Yan court could still exert control now, it would eventually lead to border generals becoming too powerful, forming feudal blocs and becoming self-reliant, acting on heaven's mandate but not obeying it, or feigning compliance. However, at present, the Great Yan Kingdom had feudal territories but not yet full-fledged secession.
The existence of private armies within the Great Yan Kingdom did not imply that Zhou Fugui was allowed to have one, nor did it mean that private armies were permitted in the strategically important northern border regions like Xuelin City and the other three passes. On the contrary, the Yan court maintained strict control over the border armies.
Zhou Fugui's establishment of his own private army at this time was merely exploiting a loophole. The Empress Murong Qing and the Border Army Protector Marquis Zhong Longao had asked Zhou Fugui to risk his life for them, and Zhou Fugui was naturally not going to miss this opportunity to demand a high price.
Thus, Zhou Fugui had both money and manpower. The establishment of an army primarily required money and people. Food, weapons, and horses were allocated from the treasury, personally approved by Marquis Zhong Longao, while the personnel were recruited by Zhou Fugui from various border army units or from fierce border dwellers.
Marquis Zhong Longao personally allocated funds, supplies, weapons, and horses, in addition to the wealth Zhou Fugui had plundered from the Xiongnu royal court. Even the treasure hoard of the late Xiongnu Great Chieftain Duo Yongjian, which had been buried deep, was unearthed by Zhou Fugui and his men and brought back to Xuelin City.
Consequently, Zhou Fugui now possessed ample funds. He had even lavishly thrown gold in the Holy Mother's Temple of the Earth… it was a rare display of extravagance for him, but it was because he had money, and thus confidence.
With sufficient funds and confidence, recruiting people became effortless. Coupled with Zhou Fugui's reputation for bravery and skill in battle, the Snow Bear Army was quickly established—a force ostensibly subordinate to the Yan court, but in reality, truly his own.
However, all of this would eventually need to be repaid by Zhou Fugui, perhaps with his life.
Therefore, Zhou Fugui openly recruited soldiers, and Marquis Zhong Longao turned a blind eye. What puzzled Zhou Fugui was that the commander of the border armies, the Grand Commander Hu Yan Sheng, also behaved similarly, allowing Zhou Fugui to do as he pleased, or even to run rampant.
Perhaps Hu Yan Sheng did not know, nor could he know, that the first task Empress Murong Qing and Border Army Protector Marquis Zhong Longao had assigned Zhou Fugui was to kill him and seize power. Zhou Fugui could only interpret it this way.
Zhou Fugui did not want to kill Hu Yan Sheng; he simply couldn't bring himself to do it. However, to appease Empress Murong Qing and Marquis Zhong Longao, and for his own grand ambitions, for Murong Huiying, and for his mother and other family members, he had to act ruthlessly.
A ruthless heart is necessary for a man of ambition; all who achieve great things are necessarily hard-hearted and cruel!
Without troops, one could not kill and seize power. Therefore, Zhou Fugui built his army first, then committed the act of violence. Marquis Zhong Longao and the others understood this perfectly and were even pleased to see them turn on each other.
The reason Zhou Fugui could rapidly establish the Snow Bear Army was his leveraging of "borrowed power" and the nearly a thousand confidants who had followed him through countless battles.
And in the near future, the Snow Bear Army would rise like a meteor across the sky, plunging the world into turmoil. Its fame would spread far and wide, instilling terror wherever it passed, causing all who heard of it to flee in panic.