Chapter 48: The State Preceptor's Guard, Special Forces

The next day, Yang Zimo did not wake up until around the巳 hour (the late morning). Having enjoyed a pleasant evening of deep conversation and considerable drinking with Ying Zheng the night before, the two of them had returned to their respective residences in a pleasantly intoxicated haze.

After drinking a bowl of sobering broth and eating a small piece of pastry, Yang Zimo led his servants to East Street.

East Street was the liveliest area in the entire city of Xianyang, and the Marquis's Drunken Immortal Pavilion was situated right there. Before long, the group arrived.

"Someone, put up the recruitment notice!" Yang Zimo instructed his servants to post the freshly written recruitment flyer on the designated notice board on East Street.

Next to his restaurant, he then set up a temporary registration booth, placing stone locks, stone weights, and other strength-testing tools all over the ground.

"You! Go up and shout a few words," Yang Zimo pointed to a servant trailing behind him before heading up to the restaurant to wait.

"Understood!" All the servants in Yang Zimo's household had been tutored by the estate's resident scholars, so simple literacy posed no problem for them.

The surrounding crowd instantly made way in front of the notice board when they saw the servant's attire. The servants of the Grand Tutor and Marquis of Zhenguo were simply too easy to recognize—each of them had a red Chinese character for "Zhen" (Suppress/Guard) embroidered on the left side of their chest.

Across the entire state of Qin, only one peerage bore the esteemed character "Zhen" in its title: Yang Zimo, the Grand Tutor and Marquis of Zhenguo. Therefore, anyone spotting that embroidered character knew immediately that the person belonged to the Grand Tutor's estate.

This distinctive style of dress had even been eagerly emulated by many wealthy and noble families in Xianyang. While many households ended up adopting similar designs, none dared to embroider the characters "Zhen" or "Huang" (Imperial), as one belonged exclusively to the Grand Tutor's residence and the other to the Imperial family.

"Make way, everyone, an official from the Grand Tutor's estate is here," someone shouted upon spotting the arrival.

Though relishing the crowd's respectful address, the servant dared not be careless. He immediately puffed out his chest, gazed at the gathered populace, cleared his throat, and announced in a clear voice: "The Marquis of Zhenguo's estate, under the command of the Grand Tutor, is forming the Grand Tutor's Guard. We are now recruiting individuals of great physical strength and martial prowess. The monthly stipend is one tael of silver, one bolt of cloth, and one shi of grain. Those interested may register at the booth beside the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!"

"Whoa!" With a collective cry of amazement, the crowd surged with excitement. Such generous terms offered by the Grand Tutor's estate would have tempted even the existing servants of the residence, let alone ordinary commoners.

For an ordinary commoner family farming a hundred mu of land, the annual income, after subtracting food expenses, would leave enough surplus grain to sell for perhaps a dozen taels of silver. However, if a family were to buy meat to eat, purchase a little wine, make a few new sets of clothes for the household members, and set aside a portion of grain, managing to save just a few taels of silver by the end of the year would already make them a shining example of thrift and diligence.

Though odd jobs were available nowadays, the highest pay rarely exceeded a few dozen cash a month. Yet the Marquis's estate was offering a full tael of silver monthly, instantly electrifying everyone present. Not to mention that working for the Grand Tutor's estate was a path to prosperity and distinction—merely speaking of it brought immense prestige. Furthermore, the duty involved protecting the Grand Tutor himself, which filled everyone with boundless enthusiasm. The wonderful life they now enjoyed had been brought to them by the Grand Tutor; they would have been willing to serve even without pay.

Those who grasped the details eagerly called upon friends and companions to register at the booth, which was soon surrounded by a dense throng. The registration clerk, looking at the chaotic mob pressing in from all sides, had no choice but to shout at the top of his lungs, "Form a line! No loud shouting! Otherwise, you will not be registered!"

"Swish!" At the stern shout of the clerk, the crowd spontaneously sorted themselves into an orderly queue, which quickly stretched into a long dragon. This soon aroused the curiosity of other passersby, who, upon learning the specifics, immediately squeezed into the line, making the queue even longer.

This scene not only stunned Yang Zimo, but even Ying Zheng in the Xianyang Palace could not help exclaiming upon receiving the news, "The Grand Tutor is truly beloved by the people!"

Hearing these words, Shang Ying and the other eunuchs shivered violently, their faces turning pale as they dared not utter a sound.

"You are truly cowardly! I am no such person!" Seeing their expressions, Ying Zheng instantly realized that his remark had been misunderstood.

*Since the Grand Tutor is so deeply loved by the people, it only proves that his heart lies with them, making him all the more inseparable from the state of Qin,* Ying Zheng thought silently to himself.

The news of the Grand Tutor's estate recruiting a guard unit quickly spread throughout the outskirts of Xianyang. In just three days, over fifty thousand people applied, and even after screening, more than seven thousand eight hundred remained.

When Yang Zimo received the report, he was left torn between laughter and tears. Fortunately, Ying Zheng held no suspicions against him; otherwise, the mere crowd of several thousand people gathered in the secondary courtyard would have been enough to warrant a charge of treason.

Yang Zimo promptly reported the matter to Ying Zheng, who simply gave him a single sentence: "I trust the Grand Tutor."

Yang Zimo thereupon prepared the second round of screening at the secondary courtyard.

"Since you have all chosen to participate in the examination for my Grand Tutor's estate, please treat it seriously. This Marquis will treat everyone equally! All of you have eaten your fill and are well-rested. Now, obey this Marquis's command: set out from the secondary courtyard, run one full circle around the entire wall of Xianyang City, and return here. The first two thousand to arrive will advance to the next round of examinations.

Those who fail will be awarded one shi of grain by the estate as a reward for participation. Anyone caught violating the rules or using underhanded tricks during the examination will be disqualified without exception!

Additionally, as the distance this time is quite long, this Marquis hopes everyone will prioritize their own physical well-being. If anyone feels any discomfort along the way, do not force yourselves to continue running."

"Now, listen to my command: Ready!"

"Run!"

At Yang Zimo's command, several thousand people surged forward like a mad torrent. Accompanying them were officers of the Security Guard responsible for maintaining public order in Xianyang. Yang Zimo had specifically borrowed them from Ying Zheng out of fear that an accident might occur with such a massive crowd.

Mounted on fine steeds, the Security Guards maintained strict surveillance throughout the entire route to prevent anyone from resorting to foul play or rule-breaking, while also keeping watch for anyone who might collapse so that medical personnel could be notified to administer aid.

As time passed, the examination that had caused a sensation throughout Xianyang gradually drifted into the afternoon. The massive formation of several thousand people slowly thinned out. Along the twenty-seven-point-eight-kilometer-long perimeter beneath the walls of Xianyang City, running or jogging examinees could be seen everywhere, accompanied by countless cheering spectators rooting for them along the sides.

Two hours later, participants began arriving back at the secondary courtyard one after another. Yang Zimo hurriedly arranged for places of rest; given the physical constitution of people in ancient times, running a distance close to thirty kilometers could easily lead to trouble if not handled with care.

Half an hour later, the first two thousand participants had all arrived at the secondary courtyard, resting in the open space nearby. More continued to trickle in behind them. After two hours, every single participant had returned to the courtyard. Their faces were covered in dust and sweat, bearing testimony to the serious dedication they had given to the examination.

By this time, it was already the *shen* hour (mid-afternoon). Looking over the crowd gathered in the courtyard, Yang Zimo took out a roster, stepped onto the elevated platform, and announced, "Your efforts have all been witnessed by this Marquis. Now, those whose names are called by the estate steward, please step to my left."

"Begin the roll call!"