The Grand Military Review was held outside the Northern Garden. There were several venues, and both the emperor and his officials had to ride horses there. The imperial consorts and other women remained in the Northern Garden, and Yao Huang, being pregnant, also didn’t join in that commotion.

However, Prince Hui was summoned by Emperor Yongchang. He set out early in the morning and only returned at dusk after attending a banquet at Emperor Yongchang’s side.

Yao Huang asked him about the day’s two competitions.

In the morning was the running competition. Each of the twenty battalions sent out five hundred men, with one hundred men forming a group that simultaneously ran circuits around the Northern Garden. Every li, they would switch to another person to continue running. Each group combined ran a total of one hundred li, and points were awarded based on the order of arrival at the finish line: the battalion ranking first scored twenty points, while the one in last place only received one point. Since there were five groups in total, the maximum possible score was one hundred.

In the afternoon was archery. Each of the twenty battalions sent out five hundred men for standing archery and five hundred for mounted archery. Each person shot one arrow, scoring one point for hitting the bullseye, otherwise receiving no points. If all one thousand archers from a battalion could hit their marks without missing, the total score could reach one thousand.

Zhao Sui said, “In the running competition, the Eastern Battalion of the capital won with eighty-five points. In both archery events, the Liangzhou Right Command led by Marquis Weiyuan won with four hundred and six points.”

Yao Huang asked, “Out of one thousand soldiers from the Liangzhou Right Command shooting arrows, only four hundred and six hit their targets and that’s considered the most impressive?”

Zhao Sui replied, “Yes, military camp soldiers aren’t assessed as strictly in martial skills as those in the military examinations. Having forty percent hit with a single arrow is sufficient proof that Marquis Cen trains his troops well.”

Yao Huang said, “The Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Battalion is Duke Zhenguo. He and Marquis Cen are truly worthy of being this dynasty’s two most prestigious famous generals.”

These two competitions purely tested the soldiers’ physique and archery skills, requiring no tactical deployment from the commanders-in-chief.

On the second day of the Grand Military Review, the morning featured infantry combat and the afternoon cavalry combat, both in full melee battles.

The venue was chosen on a plain six li outside the Northern Garden. Each of the twenty battalions sent out three thousand five hundred unarmed infantry to form a small army, deploying around one hundred military flags planted in the middle of the plain. When the drums sounded, all armies set out simultaneously. After an hour and a half, it would end, and each army would be scored based on the number of flags they held, with each flag worth five points.

Emperor Yongchang, Prince Kang, Prince Hui, the accompanying civil and military officials, and the twenty commanders-in-chief gathered on horseback on a highland east of the plain to observe the battle.

Before the competition began, at the Southern Battalion, Prince Qing, wearing the battle armor of a deputy commander, gazed from afar toward the eastern highland.

He knew his father emperor was watching from there. This time, he was determined to lead the Southern Battalion to victory and show his father emperor his true capabilities.

However, Prince Qing had learned his lesson. Whatever Cen Jun, who was leading the Southern Battalion’s ten thousand soldiers, told him to do, Prince Qing did, never again attempting to seize command.

When the drums sounded, Cen Jun and Prince Qing led their three thousand-plus soldiers toward the flags in the center, just like the other nineteen infantry units. However, when they got closer, the Southern Battalion’s soldiers deliberately slowed down and spread out on the perimeter, waiting while other battalions were fighting with fists and feet to grab flags. The Southern Battalion quietly conserved its strength.

After more than half an hour, as the flags that had been changing hands in the center began moving outward, Cen Jun and Prince Qing exchanged glances, and each led over a thousand men in two different directions where the flags were most concentrated.

The strategy of waiting fresh to fight the fatigued was a good one, but when it came time to seize and defend flags, they still had to actually fight.

Out of consideration for Cen Jun being from a military family, Prince Qing didn’t compete for command glory, so he had to demonstrate his bravery in capturing flags.

Prince Qing, who had grown up in the imperial palace, who was skilled at mounted archery and using bladed weapons and spears—his only weakness was inexperience in close-quarters combat. Even when practicing martial arts in the palace, he had study companions to spar with in wrestling, but which study companion would dare to truly throw a prince hard to the ground?

The study companions didn’t dare, and the soldiers of each battalion on the field didn’t dare either, but none of them recognized Prince Qing, nor even knew that Prince Qing was participating in this military review. They all assumed Prince Qing was observing the battle at the emperor’s side.

Therefore, in their eyes, Prince Qing wearing ordinary battle armor was just an ordinary soldier, at most a commander or deputy commander from another battalion—someone who could be fought and robbed!

Prince Qing, who still had a chance in one-on-one combat, had just seized a military flag and was about to run out with it when he turned around and was met with an iron fist that struck heavily on his chest. In his pain and shock, the flag was nearly snatched away. It was only because another Southern Battalion soldier blocked in front of him that he had time to react: “Go quickly!”

Prince Qing continued rushing outward. Several “enemy soldiers” surrounded him, punching his shoulders and back, which was normal enough, but someone actually kicked his shin, sending Prince Qing sprawling to the ground with a single kick.

The soldiers’ eyes were only on the military flags. Southern Battalion soldiers seized the flag, and soldiers from other battalions continued the pursuit.

When the flag was far away, the disheveled and dusty Prince Qing finally struggled to his feet. Looking back toward where his father emperor was, having gained an understanding of group combat, Prince Qing once again charged toward a military flag.

The second time he was knocked to the ground by someone’s fist, blood trickled from the corner of Prince Qing’s mouth. The “enemy soldiers” didn’t continue to strike him viciously and went on to seize flags.

Prince Qing wobbled to his feet and looked around, discovering that the Southern Battalion soldiers around Cen Jun had already captured five military flags. After obtaining the flags, Cen Jun removed the flag cloths and handed them to someone to hold, then broke each of the five long poles in half, turning them into ten long staffs. He and nine burly soldiers each took one, guarding the front and beating back the unarmed soldiers who surrounded them.

The soldiers were wary of weapons and turned to rob others instead.

Prince Qing saw an opportunity, ran over, and said to Cen Jun, “Give me one. I’m skilled with the spear!”

Cen Jun looked at this prince with his bruised and swollen face and advised, “Fists and feet have no eyes. Your Highness should go guard the flags instead.”

Prince Qing wouldn’t listen and forcibly took a broken pole from someone else’s hands.

At this point, all the Southern Battalion soldiers had gathered together, and Cen Jun led all his men to attack military camps that had flags but few people.

Prince Qing had just been beaten into a rage. Now with a weapon in hand, he swung the pole at whoever blocked him. Just as he was feeling triumphant, a muscular man suddenly appeared in front of him, his arms bulging as if stuffed with several iron lumps. He grabbed the other end of the long pole, staring at him contemptuously while forcefully trying to wrench it away.

With just one tug, Prince Qing knew he couldn’t overpower his opponent, but if he voluntarily let go, what would become of his dignity?

Just as Prince Qing was struggling desperately, a figure flashed in his peripheral vision. It was Cen Jun using the pole to vault up, his feet stomping heavily on the muscular man’s chest. The man was kicked over and slid along the ground for a zhang, raised his head slightly, then finally lay there unwillingly.

Prince Qing said admiringly, “What excellent skills, Young Master!”

Cen Jun: “…”

In terms of skills, he was far inferior to Prince Hui in his prime.

When the sun was nearing its zenith, the morning’s infantry melee finally ended. The Southern Battalion had captured a total of nine military flags, scoring forty-five points and ranking third.

The soldiers who participated in this battle could now go rest, while Cen Jun, Prince Qing, and the other commanders went to have an audience with the emperor.

Twenty battalions, forty men in total. At a glance, Prince Qing had the most footprints and dust on him that couldn’t be brushed off no matter how hard he tried, and his swollen face from taking punches was also the most conspicuous.

Prince Kang was truly shocked, and words of concern slipped out: “Third Brother, how did you get injured so badly?”

Prince Qing: “…”

Noticing that his father emperor and all the civil and military officials were looking at him, Prince Qing gritted his teeth and restrained himself from glaring at Prince Kang. He thought to himself that if Prince Kang had been in the fight, he probably would have been knocked to the ground before even touching a flag.

“It’s just some superficial wounds. Elder Brother need not worry.” Prince Qing smiled nonchalantly.

Only then did Prince Kang retreat behind his father emperor.

Emperor Yongchang glanced at his third son and said, “I have always known your martial skills are exceptional. Today even you are covered in injuries from head to toe, which shows the valor of our Great Qi’s millions of ordinary soldiers.”

Prince Qing: “…Yes, your son is also deeply gratified by this.”

Emperor Yongchang: “Go back and tend to your injuries. For the next two matches, let the Southern Battalion’s original deputy commander take over.”

The afternoon featured cavalry combat. Though it looked spectacular, it was also more dangerous. Emperor Yongchang only wanted to let his third son taste the soldiers’ prowess and recognize his own limitations, not intending for him to fall from his horse and be seriously injured.

On the third day of the Grand Military Review, the competition was mountain warfare. Each of the twenty battalions sent out three thousand troops, receiving five military flags in advance to defend their camps in the mountains. Whether to send troops to seize other camps’ flags or firmly defend their position was entirely up to each battalion’s tactics.

The mountain warfare lasted an entire day. By the time it was over, every soldier was either injured or showing signs of exhaustion.

As night fell, Zhao Sui finally returned to Cloud Mountain Hall.

Knowing he would need to wash up first after returning, Yao Huang had long since lain down on the bed in the rear courtyard, waiting for Prince Hui to come over after he was done.

“Have the top three been calculated?”

After Prince Hui lay down on the bed, Yao Huang asked.

Zhao Sui: “Yes, Liangzhou Right Command is first, Jizhou Command is second, and the Eastern Battalion of the capital is third.”

Yao Huang: “It seems the border troops are indeed stronger.”

Whenever there was conflict, the border troops fought first, and only when they couldn’t hold out would the court deploy reinforcements from the Four Great Battalions.

Zhao Sui tacitly agreed.

Yao Huang nestled into his embrace and touched Prince Hui’s waist: “You’ve been riding horses for three days straight. Aren’t you tired?”

Ordinary people controlled horses with their legs and got sore legs, but Prince Hui controlled horses with his waist, so after a long time he would surely have a sore waist too.

Zhao Sui grasped his princess consort’s hand: “It’s alright. Tomorrow I won’t need to leave the Northern Garden.”

After another three days of rest here, the two hundred thousand troops would return to their posts, and after that, the imperial entourage should also return to the capital.

Having stayed in the Northern Garden for three months straight, Yao Huang had seen enough of the scenery there. Moreover, the temporary palace had many rules and was far less comfortable than being at Prince Hui’s mansion.

On the twentieth of the ninth month, before the ten thousand troops from each region had departed, Emperor Yongchang received a memorial from Di Xian at Qingxia County in Liangzhou, saying that in another half month, the Fengyan Canal could be completed and the sluice gates opened for a trial water release.

Emperor Yongchang announced this matter at the minor court assembly, and all the officials expressed their congratulations.

Emperor Yongchang swept his gaze over the three princes and looked at Prince Kang, saying, “The Fengyan Canal concerns the irrigation of tens of thousands of qing of local farmland. It is inconvenient for me to leave the capital, so Prince Kang, make this trip on my behalf. If the trial water release is successful, bring Di Xian back to the capital with you. I intend to reward him generously.”

This was the first time his father emperor had assigned him an external assignment, and it was such an easy one that would bring him glory. Prince Kang was overjoyed and stepped forward, saying, “Your son receives the decree.”

Emperor Yongchang advised, “You must personally walk every part of the two-hundred-plus li of new canal, carefully inspecting for any shoddy workmanship. During the trial water release, you must supervise personally, lest something goes wrong somewhere and the officials below conceal it out of fear of punishment.”

Prince Kang solemnly agreed.

Prince Qing lowered his eyes, his gaze falling past his second brother’s wheelchair onto his elder brother’s robes, feeling both sour and cold inside.

Prince Kang didn’t know what his third brother was thinking, nor did he care. Before departing the next day, he first took leave of his father emperor, then went separately to bid farewell to Empress Zhou and his birth mother.

Now that the canal was nearly completed, Consort Xian felt confident about her son’s assignment. What she feared was encountering assassins on the road or some other trap.

“How many guards are you taking?”

Prince Kang smiled and said, “Father Emperor allocated me one hundred guards. Mother Consort can rest assured.”

Consort Xian figured that Consort Rou and Princess Fucheng wouldn’t have such audacity, so she instructed her son not to attend banquets alone with officials along the way, and if he encountered beautiful orphaned girls wanting to sell themselves to bury their fathers or other beauties, not to get involved. If he truly pitied them, just give them some silver to send them away.

Prince Kang agreed to everything. As his mother consort said, his father emperor’s intention to establish him as heir was becoming increasingly obvious. At this critical juncture, he absolutely would not carelessly make mistakes.