The Rise of History’s Most Powerful Empire

Chapter 24: Imperial Guards

[Imperial Guards

Trained since young in deadly skills and seasoned in the way of battle. They may not have an ability or great power, but each man can hold back ten, meaning they were elites.

Morale: high (they will face any challenge without fear.)

Loyalty: undying (they will follow their lords commands to the letter and without question)

Size: 100 (this team is enough to hold a grip on your lands.)]

"Ha-ha-ha" An unrestrained laughter exploded from his throat. The system does look after me, or my luck is godlike. I'll get whatever I need most every time. Now I finally have an undying team of soldiers.'

Unlike the Yellow Turban Army, who were bandits at some point and had no notion of loyalty. If his actions weren't within their expectations, their loyalty would suffer.

Also with how many died, the Yellow Turban Army's loyalty became despair. While the savages always looked at him with revenge. The only thing keeping his life and not lying in a ditch somewhere were the three hundred recruits.

But now it will change. Who plays who, who will kill the other. Everything is jumbled up.'

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With his new guards, it would push his plan further ahead, since the people didn't listen, having lost trust in him without soldiers. He had to put his plans on hold over his safety. 

Wonder what those keyed up soldiers and disloyal people will think when they see my undying guards.'

Wretched despair by my accounts. Since they never were truly friendly to me.'

And how would the cruel lord handle them? What brutality would these traitors be left to endure? 

Zhong Yu thought with joy. His cold smile took the warmth out of the room, making the people and soldiers outside feel a shiver.

The population he got from the refugee camp was more than if he exchanged with fortune, but they lacked in one aspect, loyalty. It was low, but the personnel bought from the system would have a far higher loyalty.

The only reason these refugees fell in line and did not resort to crimes, was because they needed their lord to protect their lives and way of life from the dangers of savages around.

Why would they ever listen to me out of the goodness of their hearts? They are bound to lash out and steal everything from me, occupy my seat of power and either exile or kill me.'

But using fortune is not worth it.' System told him one point of fortune was worth ten people; 100 points a thousand people.

The loyalty was nice but they were far too few. With a 100 fortune I can get a basic refugee camp. (newbie discount. It will disappear after the nation is formed.)

The basic refugee camp pumped out 700-2100 people, a gamble where he could win or lose. Last time Zhong Yu won, having gained 800 extra people and saving him 80 points.

It made using fortune highly inefficient while the refugee camp would provide much more people. 

Whereas if he had the points, he'd use them to exchange directly. It would work towards the safety and the stability of his domain.

With many loyalists in his lands, it would influence the rest and change their minds from rebelling, slowly turning them into loyalists as well. Ah, people, they have the strongest herd instinct.'

Pondering these questions, Zhong Yu's mind regained balance. He walked out of the study and went to his personal training ground to take out his 100 imperial guards.

In a flash of light, the field was populated by an extra hundred soldiers. They wore red and black armor, a type of chain armor with short sleeves that protected the back and front while also wearing a helmet; it was very similar to the Han Dynasty's armor. The armor was tough, with the helmet having a high crest on it. While beneath, they had a generic garment of the third century; wide and long to the knee. 

Their waist was adorned with a sword, a longbow on their backs, an intricate crossbow hanging from a side and a bronze mask, bearing the savage face of a Taotie. (T/N: a Taotie is  an ancient Chinese mythological creature symbolizing gluttony.)

What had Zhong Yu elated was that each came with a warhorse, meaning they were cavalry. It was only natural, since imperial guards could go to battle mounted, they knew archery and could fight in melee. They were elites and the emperor's personal army.

Their numbers weren't high. Just a few tens of thousands could match a regular army. It would safeguard the dynasty for generations.

The way Zhong Yu saw it, in a normal world without superpowers, where such soldiers didn't just pop out of nowhere, he'd need decades of time and effort to drill a hundred thousand soldiers at this standard. 

But now, this crack team was his to command. No one could take them from him as they had undying loyalty. He was truly confident in the system's ability. 

Zhong Yu examined them, his mind going a mile a minute. Just an hour ago he was vexed and tormented about his survival.

While now he had this team of seasoned soldiers, removing all his problems. They would tear anything and everything that threatened his safety with their swords.

Let the plan start!'