Meng Jianqing had originally thought that the three years at Jiangwu Hall would continue to pass in such a tense yet lively manner.
With autumn’s crisp air and rich grasslands, the third-term students who had been dispatched to various garrison posts for practical training returned. The annual military exercises were about to begin, and the air at Jiangwu Hall was immediately filled with excitement.
One hundred and twenty new students, ninety-six second-term students, and seventy-two first-term students drew lots to be divided into two teams—one black, one white. The black team would attack while the white team defended. Each team was given three days to prepare, after which they would depart for Moling Pass for the formal exercises.
Moling Pass bordered the Qinhuai River to the east and controlled the southeastern gateway to Yingtian Prefecture, with strategically important terrain. Meng Jianqing had originally thought the two teams from Jiangwu Hall would respectively attack and defend Moling Pass, but during the assembly training, he realized his assumption was wrong.
The white team’s commander and officers at all levels were held by first-term students, with the commander being the renowned outstanding student Guo Ying. Guo Ying came from a distinguished family background, was extremely accomplished in worldly affairs, and possessed exceptional natural talent, so from the moment he entered Jiangwu Hall, he stood out distinctly above the crowd. After the lot drawing, Guo Ying led his team to the eastern training ground reserved for second-term students, called out names one by one to organize units: five men formed a squad with a squad leader; two squads formed a section with a section leader. The entire army was divided into left, center, and right companies, each with a company commander. Under each company commander was a deputy; if the commander was injured and unable to command, the deputy would take over. If the deputy was injured, replacement would begin with the first section leader, and so forth.
Meng Jianqing was grouped into a squad with another Zhejiang student, Gongsun Yi, and a first-term Shaanxi student. The other two members were a second-term Shaanxi student—the formidable fighter Guanxi—and another second-term Jiangxi student. Guanxi was appointed squad leader. Meng Jianchen, however, was assigned to the black team.
Guo Ying read aloud the military discipline and exercise procedures from the platform. The black and white teams would engage in field battle before Moling Pass; Crown Prince and Prince Yan would personally observe the exercises.
The Prince of Jin was enfeoffed at Taiyuan, the Prince of Ning was enfeoffed at Datong, and Prince Yan, enfeoffed at Beiping, commanded heavy troops and guarded the frontier passes. All were called “Frontier Princes.” Prince Ning alone commanded 150,000 elite cavalry to control and resist Mongol incursions from beyond the passes. The three Frontier Princes took turns traveling south for annual court audiences. With autumn’s crisp air and rich grasslands, this was precisely when Mongol cavalry would launch major border raids, so Prince Yan would also have to return to his defense post soon.
Meng Jianqing immediately understood why Jiangwu Hall’s exercises had chosen field battles.
The Great Ming’s primary enemies were the Mongols who roamed in the northern frontiers and southwestern corners. What Jiangwu Hall students would face in the future was not siege warfare, but how to defeat Mongol cavalry that came and went like the wind.
On the day of exercises, the weather was clear and fine. Looking down from Moling Pass, one could see two teams of troops with bright armor in orderly formation. Prince Yan nodded and said, “Though they’re just a group of students, their bearing doesn’t look bad at all. Big brother has truly taken great care in training them well!”
The Crown Prince, who held the title of Chief Instructor of Jiangwu Hall, smiled and looked toward Cai Ben beside him: “Those words should be said to Chief Instructor Cai.”
Deputy Chief Instructor Cai Ben cupped his hands and said he dared not accept such praise. Originally he wanted to offer a few more modest words, but then thought that since Jiangwu Hall was after all under the Crown Prince’s name, it really wasn’t appropriate for him to be modest on the Crown Prince’s behalf, so he stopped there and said no more.
The first drumbeat sounded, and the exercises officially began.
The black team attacked first. The black team’s commander was Guo Ying’s old rival Ling Feng, who had been competing openly and secretly for three years, determined to knock Guo Ying from his horse. As soon as the drums sounded, he charged directly with his entire army toward the white team’s center, intending to unhorse Guo Ying first.
Seeing Ling Feng’s charging momentum, the instructors observing from Moling Pass immediately understood his tactics. Prince Yan smiled slightly. Among the prince’s retinue, someone spoke the words Prince Yan had left unsaid: “Capture the thief by first capturing the king—the black team’s tactics aren’t bad either. However, this reckless style of fighting inevitably has the drawback of killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of one’s own.”
Tactics Instructor Sima Xiu bowed and replied, “If the white team can withstand this round of attack and has strength left to counterattack, it might indeed cause such casualties.”
Instructor Sima was displeased to see either side disparaged.
Guo Ying did not personally lead the charge like Ling Feng, but steadily held the center, waving his commander’s flag to direct spearmen to intercept Ling Feng’s vanguard. Cavalry from the left and right flanks inserted from the sides, cutting his troops in two. Viewed from Moling Pass, the white team’s left and right wings were like a pair of giant hands slowly surrounding the black team’s rear guard, tightening the encirclement like a great serpent strangling its prey.
Ling Feng abandoned his rear guard and charged forward with a battle cry, swinging his blade down.
They all used unsharpened long swords and spears. Even so, two white team soldiers were struck down from their horses by Ling Feng’s overhead chop. The center guard protecting Guo Ying was slowly being torn open.
If Guo Ying’s left and right companies could finish strangling Ling Feng’s rear guard and attack Ling Feng’s back in time, attacking from front and rear, he would undoubtedly lose. But if Ling Feng could cut down Guo Ying and his commander’s flag before this happened, the white team would likely suffer a crushing defeat.
Now it only depended on who could be first.
The squad blocking Guo Ying’s front was finally struck down from their horses by Ling Feng and his deputy.
Guo Ying reached out and grasped his long saber.
But someone beside him charged out even faster—it was Guanxi and Meng Jianqing. Guanxi, tall and strong, struck first with his blade toward the approaching Ling Feng. The blade’s wind was fierce; though Ling Feng was brave, he dared not take it lightly and fought back with full strength.
As Meng Jianqing spurred his horse forward, he suddenly leaped from horseback. The deputy’s slash struck empty air as Meng Jianqing swept past the front of the deputy’s horse, backhanded his blade to strike one of the horse’s front legs. The horse stumbled forward, throwing the deputy down. As this happened, Meng Jianqing pressed his left hand against the horse’s belly, borrowed the force to leap up, flipped around, and struck again. The deputy was hit squarely in the waist by the blade coming down from above, cried out in pain, and could not get up for some time.
Meng Jianqing touched his left foot to the ground, bounded forward, and went straight for Ling Feng’s mount.
Prince Yan couldn’t help but sigh in admiration: “Shoot the man by first shooting his horse, capture the thief by first capturing the king. Instructor Sima, it seems your students have all learned very well!”
Instructor Sima showed satisfaction on his face and bowed in reply: “Your Highness honors us with such praise.”
Ling Feng was locked in fierce combat with Guanxi and had no guard against someone attacking his mount. Though he glimpsed this from the corner of his eye, he couldn’t spare his hands for the moment.
But Meng Jianqing’s blade was blocked.
Meng Jianchen thrust his spear diagonally to block Meng Jianqing, saying with a half-smile, “I guessed you would make a sneak attack.”
Meng Jianchen’s long spear shook out, its red tassel dancing wildly, cold air rushing forward. Meng Jianqing performed several backflips in succession before finally retreating from the space covered by the long spear. A squad of white team soldiers inserted from both sides to protect Guo Ying, engaged Meng Jianchen’s long spear, while Meng Jianqing leaped back onto his horse and swung his blade to intercept several black team soldiers charging in.
Guo Ying suddenly waved his commander’s flag, and the drummer behind him struck the great drum.
Viewed from Moling Pass, the white army’s left and right companies that had been pincer-attacking Ling Feng’s rear guard suddenly spread apart like two flower petals slowly opening, closing from top to bottom to completely envelop all the troops engaged in close combat.
Guo Ying drew his long saber. The moment for counterattack had arrived.
Just then, from behind a small hill, a troop in red armor suddenly charged out.
Both Guo Ying and Ling Feng were greatly surprised. Today’s Jiangwu Hall exercises were such a solemn affair, with strict security and all residents within several li temporarily relocated—how could such a troop suddenly appear?
As soon as this troop appeared, they charged at everyone regardless of whether they were black or white team. In the confusion, Guo Ying ordered his drummer to beat signals, having the left and right companies that had been surrounding the black team spread out to first block this troop of unknown origin. Ling Feng used his horn to rally his troops, just in time to engage the red team’s vanguard that had broken through the white team’s forces.
By now, everyone had discovered that this red team’s sabers and spears were also unsharpened.
Even the slowest person should understand that this was still an exercise—only the opponent had changed.
On Moling Pass, Jiangwu Hall’s instructors had originally thought this surprise attack was the Crown Prince’s arrangement, but seeing the Crown Prince’s bewildered expression, they understood it must be Prince Yan’s arrangement to test how well Jiangwu Hall students could adapt to unexpected situations. At this point, all the observers were satisfied to see that Guo Ying and Ling Feng’s two teams, faced with this encounter battle, quickly calmed down after initial confusion. Guo Ying gathered his troops to steadily defend the center while Ling Feng charged out from the flank to intercept the red team’s rear guard—exactly the tactics Guo Ying had just used.
Prince Yan raised his left hand. A retainer behind him blew a horn.
The red team began to retreat. The withdrawal gongs of Jiangwu Hall also rang out.
Prince Yan smiled and said to the Crown Prince, “Big brother, I’ve taken a liking to several people—may I ask you for them?”
The Crown Prince waved his hand: “Don’t ask me, just ask Cai Ben.”
Cai Ben bowed and replied, “To receive Your Highness’s approval is Jiangwu Hall’s honor. Except for students who have already received appointment orders from the Ministry of War, all others are available for Your Highness to choose.”
Prince Yan laughed heartily: “The first-term students of Jiangwu Hall won’t graduate until year’s end, yet the Ministry of War has already taken notice of people so early—they must be exactly the ones this prince has noticed too! Good, this prince won’t make things difficult for you—I’ll go argue with the Ministry of War myself. You just sent an instructor to accompany this prince to select people!”