Chapter 21: Special Training Camp

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Although Yang Guozhong informed Yang Xi that the court had appointed a military inspector, there was still some time before Li Jingzhong officially arrived at Tongguan to assume his post.

For the time being, Yang Xi chose not to concern himself with this and continued with his existing military plans.

Among the garrison troops at Tongguan, there were elite soldiers of the imperial guard as well as hastily recruited commoners from the markets. Overall, their combat effectiveness was weak. To transform these over 100,000 men into 100,000 elite soldiers required prolonged training and extensive real combat experience.

Such a transformation could not be achieved quickly, but Yang Xi firmly believed this goal would eventually be reached.

Training had already begun before Yang Xi’s return to Chang’an, overseen by more than ten generals, including Wang Sili, Li Chengguang, Tian Liangqiu, Lü Chongben, Li Fude, and Liu Guangting. Wang Sili and Li Chengguang, longtime rivals, each took charge of training 20,000 troops, while the other generals trained over 10,000 soldiers collectively.

Wang Sili and Li Chengguang had always been at odds, having clashed during Geshu Han’s command. Yang Xi knew that the defeat at Lingbao was partly due to the infighting between these two, but he did not want to delve into who was responsible at that time—that was the court’s concern. His immediate task was to win their loyalty and even exploit their rivalry and competitive spirits to better control them. During training, he openly declared that whichever commander’s troops performed better and showed stronger discipline would be credited with the merits.

This declaration spurred the stubborn Wang Sili and Li Chengguang to pour their utmost efforts into training, pushing their soldiers to the brink of exhaustion.

Tian Liangqiu and Lü Chongben also had conflicts, though not as severe as those between Wang Sili and Li Chengguang. Yang Xi skillfully alternated between toughness and leniency with these contentious generals, aiming to make each feel trusted by him and ultimately loyal.

Daily training logistics were managed by the military advisor Gao Shi.

Yang Xi also witnessed Gao Shi’s talents firsthand. This renowned frontier poet was not only gifted in poetry but also exceptional in administration. When there was no active combat, Yang Xi barely needed to worry about mundane military affairs—supply allocation, training schedules, performance evaluations, and disciplinary systems were all meticulously handled by Gao Shi, earning Yang Xi’s deep admiration.

Historically, Gao Shi’s poetic fame did not rival that of Li Bai or Du Fu, but his political career far surpassed these “poetry immortals,” holding official ranks that the others could never attain, undoubtedly due to his remarkable administrative skills.

Yang Xi recognized Gao Shi as a man capable of great achievements and felt fortunate to have recommended him as military advisor, solving many difficulties for him.

With most training and military management responsibilities assigned, Yang Xi focused on procuring advanced military supplies, such as telescopes—items unheard of in this era—and began selecting and training special forces units. While producing telescopes was somewhat troublesome, he devoted most of his energy to the selection and subsequent training.

Among the 100,000 troops at Tongguan, many were battle-hardened veterans with solid physiques. Of course, strict evaluations were unavoidable for those wishing to join the special forces training camp.

Yang Xi personally presided over the assessments, which included pull-ups, push-ups, weighted runs, balance tests, and endurance runs—the fundamental trials for special forces selection. Candidates also had to demonstrate their best skills, including martial arts techniques. Yang Xi sought to recruit only the top performers, and those who completed the training and remained in the special unit would be truly outstanding.

His training had both public and private purposes. Publicly, he declared the goal was to forge an elite unit capable of handling special missions with exceptional combat prowess. Privately, he intended to control this highly skilled force personally, using it to safeguard his own interests.

Such a force under his command could prove decisive at critical moments.

The selection was voluntary and lasted three days. Among those who passed all tests, exactly 800 were admitted—comprising ordinary soldiers and some junior officers, all under the age of twenty-five.

After selection, the chosen soldiers trained at a camp outside Tongguan personally selected by Yang Xi.

On the first day of training, the 800 soldiers gathered in formation, arranged in dozens of rows by height. Wearing light armor, Yang Xi began his address.

“Brothers, the purpose of this special training unit selection is to cultivate an elite force with exceptional combat capability. I train you not only to fight fiercely in battle but also to excel in executing special tasks—missions that ordinary soldiers cannot accomplish—ensuring absolute success,” he declared.

“To guarantee your combat power far surpasses that of regular soldiers, you must endure rigorous special training. I will personally oversee your progress and constantly monitor your results. You may not yet understand what special training entails, and I will not elaborate today, but it will become clear in time. For now, know this: you must each become extraordinary fighters, capable of killing with a single strike during engagements, leaving the enemy no chance to counterattack or raise an alarm. You will master skills to operate under any circumstances, with sudden and effective defensive methods. In short: there is no mission you cannot complete.”

“The training camp enforces strict discipline, which you must obey unconditionally,” Yang Xi pointed to a plaque at the training ground’s edge. “The rules are posted there; study them carefully. Violations of discipline or orders will be severely punished without exception! Training will be grueling. If you cannot endure, you may voluntarily apply to withdraw and return to your original units. Poor performance or major mistakes during training will also lead to elimination. Evaluations will be held regularly, and those who fail will be dismissed and sent back to their original troops.”

Yang Xi had already appointed twenty training squad leaders, all outstanding performers from the selection tests, whom he deemed to have the greatest potential as special forces soldiers. Training began with him working closely with these leaders, who in turn trained the soldiers.

He himself trained alongside the troops. Although he had practiced martial arts steadily and maintained good physical fitness, his abilities still lagged far behind those of future times. He was determined to reach the level of prowess he would possess in later eras.

Among his personal guards, those with good endurance also joined the training.

After finishing his speech, Yang Xi noticed many soldiers wore expressions of doubt, clearly skeptical of their young commander’s words. He knew he had to demonstrate what “special abilities” truly meant.

“You, come out and spar with me,” Yang Xi calmly approached a robust soldier and motioned for him to step forward.