The great affairs of a nation lie in sacrifice and warfare. Since the founding of the Great Wei, military exercises and military preparedness have naturally been extremely valued.

The Wei Dynasty’s military exercises were divided into two types: autumn archery and spring competitions. Unlike autumn archery, which was a grand military review gathering troops from across the nation, often mobilizing one to two hundred thousand soldiers, usually held only before wars or when the emperor deemed it necessary for other reasons, the spring competition was established as a regular event, with various regions and armies conducting their training, generally held every spring. Among these, the largest in scale and highest in rank was naturally the spring competition of the six armies of Chang’an.

Two years ago, when Emperor Ming passed away, the spring competition was suspended. Last year, because the young emperor had just ascended the throne and various matters were complex, it could not be held either. Therefore, this year’s six-armed spring competition was the first restoration in nearly three years, naturally making the scale even grander than before. In addition to mobilizing Chang’an’s regular military guards such as the Leading Army, Protecting Army, Left and Right Guards, and Elite Cavalry, all units of the capital garrison troops around Chang’an were also ordered to send personnel, arriving at the imperial capital successively over the past month to conduct various joint military exercise rehearsals and elimination rounds. The various guard units and soldiers finally selected to participate in today’s on-site inspection numbered in the tens of thousands.

The Imperial Grand Training Ground was located northwest of the imperial palace, built at the foot of a mountain range with an open terrain. When Jiang Hanyuan arrived, the various military guards had already formed ranks and were waiting. Looking along the mountain foothills, banners stretched endlessly, with red, yellow, and black colors covering the sky and blocking out the sun. At a glance, they rolled like clouds with no visible end. The armor on the bodies of the arrayed soldiers and the long halberds in their hands gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight, creating a magnificent scene that illuminated heaven and earth.

Today, the young emperor Shu Jian wore full military attire, the battle dress making him appear spirited and heroic. He entered the training ground riding a six-horse golden jade war chariot. The six divine steeds in front were all the same color – red-maned white horses, extremely rare. The chariot rails and yoke bars of the war chariot he rode were wrapped in gold and inlaid with jade, carved with dragons and carved with tigers. As the wheels moved forward, the chariot body gleamed with gold and jade in the sunlight, displaying imperial majesty unmatched in the world.

His uncle, the Regent Prince Lord Qi, rode a five-horse golden carriage, following behind him. Further back were the mounted virtuous princes and various princes, along with chancellors from the Secretariat and Imperial Chancellery, and officials from the six ministries, forming a procession stretching far with over a thousand people.

Around the jade war chariot that the young emperor rode, there were also eighty-one carefully selected halberd-bearing ceremonial guards led by Forbidden Army General Liu Xiang, riding in formation as escorts. These eighty-one men had bright armor and were all heroic and robust, like stars surrounding the moon, highlighting the supreme majesty of the Son of Heaven to the fullest.

When the war chariot, protected by these eighty-one guards, appeared at the entrance of the grand training ground, golden drums sounded all around the field. Ten thousand guard troops arranged in neat formation, like gathering ants, under command, all bowed toward the young emperor and shouted, “Long live!” The metal plates on their armor and their swords and halberds collided with their movements, producing a uniform rumbling sound like muffled thunder, combined with the deafening cries of “Long live,” continuing endlessly and soaring to the clouds.

Such pageantry and majesty could only be displayed by a vast, great nation. The Great He King and his entourage, invited to observe the ceremony today, watched with dazzled eyes and great shock.

At this moment, without doubt, among the ten thousand people, the sole most glorious focus, besides the current young emperor of the Great Wei, was no one else. Even the Regent Prince Lord Qi, who usually wielded government orders and was looked up to by all officials, at this moment also merged into the surrounding stars, appearing dim and without light.

Empress Dowager Lan gazed at this scene, looking at her son who finally displayed the majesty of a Son of Heaven, her face showing a trace of gratified and somewhat proud smile.

Grand Consort Dunyi was advanced in years and did not come to join such occasions. Today, among the palace women attending the ceremony, Empress Dowager Lan held the highest position. She sat upright in the place of honor, under a magnificent canopy several zhang high. With the corner of her eye, she glanced at the Regent Prince’s consort, the Grand Princess, Princess Yongtai, and the Great He King’s daughter, who also sat as honored guests beside her, and a smile appeared at the corner of her lips again.

With the young emperor, regent prince, all officials, and foreign guests like the Great He King all in position, today’s spring competition began. According to the established program, various guard armies would conduct joint military exercises, displaying their usual training and military bearing, including chariot formations, cavalry formations, infantry formations, etc. After completion, there would be competitive matches between various guard armies, competing in mounted archery and combat. Finally, one person would emerge victorious from among the ten thousand, titled Champion of the Six Armies, to receive the emperor’s commendation.

Before all this began, according to past years’ custom, the emperor or someone designated by the emperor would first shoot the opening arrow of the entire event, sending the first arrow onto a drum made of deer hide standing tall in the center of the field, symbolizing receiving Heaven’s mandate with all under heaven submitting.

This year was the first spring competition since the young emperor’s accession, an excellent opportunity to help him establish authority before the six armies and all officials, so naturally the young emperor himself would shoot this arrow.

He usually practiced mounted archery and was skilled with bow and arrow, but Empress Dowager Lan and several veteran ministers in court were somewhat worried, fearing that unexpected changes might occur. They devised a method, secretly making that drum larger, thus making it easier for the young emperor to hit the target. Although the drum was made strictly according to ancient ritual law with regulated dimensions, this secret enlargement, placed in the scene of the spring competition’s grand training ground, would be like a drop in the ocean. With the distance and height, no one would be able to detect any irregularities.

However, the young emperor reacted strongly to this arrangement, firmly refusing, saying he would rather not shoot than change the drum. Empress Dowager Lan and others originally hoped the regent prince would persuade the young emperor, but unexpectedly, the regent prince also rejected this method. However, to ensure no accidents occurred, starting several months ago, a replica drum with identical height, dimensions, and materials to today’s drum was erected in the palace, and the regent prince personally supervised the instruction when he had time.

Empress Dowager Lan was originally somewhat dissatisfied with him, feeling he was too indulgent toward the young emperor and insufficiently valued the significance of this arrow for the young emperor. But once he made the final decision, she was helpless. Fortunately, she later heard that the young emperor practiced until he could hit the target every time, which put her mind at ease. Today, she would sit and watch where the young emperor’s final arrow would land.

The inspection official presiding over today’s spring competition was Minister of War Gao He. Dressed in court robes and feathered crown, he walked toward the viewing platform, approaching the young emperor who sat high in the front row center. A six armies general wearing bright armor held a golden arrow tied with red silk in both hands, following closely behind.

Coming before the young emperor’s seat, after Gao He paid his respects, he declared loudly: “Respectfully requesting His Imperial Majesty to move to the archery platform to shoot the opening arrow for our Great Wei’s spring competition today. Long live Your Majesty, long live! May the Great Wei display martial prowess and conquer all!”

As his words fell, the arrow-bearing general knelt on one knee, raising the golden arrow high above his head.

The young emperor continued sitting for a moment, then finally slowly rose, stepped out from his position, and walked forward two steps.

Just when everyone thought he would take the golden arrow and go to the archery platform temporarily set up in the center of the field, an unexpected scene occurred that no one had anticipated.

He stopped again and turned toward the west side of the viewing platform.

There, under ornate canopies and brocades, the palace women’s viewing positions were located today.

“General Changning Jiang Hanyuan, step forward to receive orders!”

The voice issued by the young emperor was transmitted by a herald officer nearby, spreading from one to ten, ten to hundred, hundred to thousand, so that soon everyone in the entire venue knew.

Shu Shenhui had hurriedly separated from Jiang Hanyuan this morning and had been accompanying the emperor at his side ever since. At this moment, he sat in the seat beside the young emperor, and like others, was quietly waiting for him to take the arrow and mount the archery platform. Suddenly hearing him speak thus, completely unprepared beforehand, he couldn’t help but be startled.

If even he was like this, the rest of the people in the field were even more surprised. From civil and military officials above to six army officers below, they all turned their necks to look in the direction the young emperor was gazing at.

Jiang Hanyuan, sitting on the west side of the viewing platform, suddenly became the focus of everyone’s attention.

As a military general, she was naturally interested in today’s scenes. However, since it had nothing to do with her, she had prepared to purely observe from the sidelines, appreciating how the children of Chang’an’s six armies would compete like dragons soaring and tigers leaping. Suddenly receiving a summons from the young emperor, she was baffled, not knowing what he intended by acting thus at such a moment.

She paused in her seat for a moment. Seeing Empress Dowager Lan, the Grand Princess, Princess Yongtai, and others beside her all looking at her, she silently rose and followed a ceremonial guide who had just approached, walking over under the gaze of everyone behind her.

She thought Shu Shenhui should have known about this and felt slightly annoyed with him in her heart. After spending the entire long night together last night, he seemed to have become muddled, only caring about other things, not mentioning this matter even once. She didn’t know what it meant and he hadn’t let her prepare in advance.

When she approached, she glanced at him with questioning reproach in her eyes. He was also looking toward her.

When their four eyes met, she understood.

He had also been unaware beforehand.

The young emperor was right there. Jiang Hanyuan withdrew her gaze from meeting Shu Shenhui’s eyes and paid her respects.

After the young emperor waited for her to rise, he said, “The Jiang family has shown complete loyalty. The General has guarded Yanmen for the court day after day for decades, making the frontier as solid as gold and stone. General Changning, you are no less accomplished, a fine steed traveling a thousand li, your courage crowning the three armies. Today’s golden arrow for the spring competition, I specially bestow upon you. You shall shoot it into the deer drum on my behalf, thereby inspiring our Wei Dynasty’s heavenly army.”

“If our Great Wei’s officers and soldiers unite as one, with everyone like the General and General Changning, what formation could not be destroyed in battle! What war could not be won in combat!”

The young emperor’s expression was solemn. After finishing these words, which were then transmitted throughout, the entire field of ten thousand people fell silent.

“Bestow armor and robes upon General Changning!”

As the young emperor’s words fell, an attendant quickly approached and respectfully said: “Please follow this servant, General.”

Jiang Hanyuan recovered from her astonishment and instinctively looked again toward Shu Shenhui seated opposite. She saw that his expression had already returned to normal. He sat upright, meeting her gaze, his face showing no expression, but his eyes looking back at her contained faint amusement, as if also carrying some encouragement.

Jiang Hanyuan’s mood was somewhat chaotic. She never dreamed that the young emperor would quietly pull this stunt again today.

In such circumstances, since he had already spoken, how could she decline? So she expressed her gratitude and followed the attendant to receive the garments.

There were naturally pavilions in the field. She entered one of them and saw that indeed a complete set of armor had been prepared inside – helmet, war boots, everything complete. She quickly bound her hair and, with the help of two maidservants, donned the armor and put on the helmet. Soon finished, she emerged, her appearance greatly changed, the battle armor gleaming in the sunlight.

She had suddenly transformed from a noblewoman of moments before back into a female general of the Great Wei Dynasty.

Without the constraint of skirts, she strode with the broad steps she was accustomed to in the army, walked before the young emperor, received the golden arrow from his hands with both hands, then turned and walked toward the archery platform.

What supreme glory this was.

Among the six armies, those who had seen her face were very few. The soldiers only knew she was Jiang Zuwang’s daughter, who had joined the army from childhood and became famous from the battle of Qingmu Plains three years ago, receiving the title of General Changning from the court. Then, at the end of last year, she was established as the Regent Prince’s consort. But after marrying into Chang’an, she lived reclusively and rarely appeared. However, there was a rumor among the six armies that supposedly, the day after her grand wedding with the regent prince, she left the regent prince behind and disguised herself to visit and comfort the families of Yanmen border troops, and was only recognized by coincidence. Many people were extremely curious about her. Today at the spring competition, though she had also come to the scene, she initially sat far away on the viewing platform, making it difficult to see her appearance.

At this moment, all eyes from all directions of the entire venue focused entirely on this famous female general of their dynasty, watching her stride toward the archery platform in the center of the field.

Empress Dowager Lan was stunned, her face turning azure, hands and feet ice cold.

She withdrew her gaze from Jiang Hanyuan’s back and glared fiercely at her son, seeing that he had returned to his seat and was intently watching the female general, completely not looking toward her side.

Her gaze then swept toward the regent prince sitting beside her son.

His eyes were also gazing intently ahead.

Although Empress Dowager Lan usually couldn’t be said to harbor malice toward this uncle-in-law, and even in early years when she was not favored in the harem, because her son’s personality was compatible with his and received much care from him, she had once harbored subtle feelings mixed with some gratitude toward him, at this point she couldn’t help but suspect whether this uncle-in-law had other designs and secretly instructed the young emperor to suddenly give this drum-shooting opportunity to his princess consort under circumstances no one expected!

One must know, this opportunity was of great significance for the young emperor!

Empress Dowager Lan stared at the regent prince’s profile, which didn’t reveal much expression, seeing his gaze always followed that figure striding toward the archery platform in the field.

Empress Dowager Lan stared at him, dark clouds gathering in her eyes. After a moment, she instead looked toward Lan Rong, who sat not far from him.

Her brother at this moment was also looking ahead, with his usual secretive appearance, seemingly not noticing his sister’s foul mood at this moment at all.

Empress Dowager Lan naturally also knew her emotions could not be displayed too much, lest they fall into nearby people’s eyes and invite ridicule.

She closed her eyes, finally reluctantly suppressed her anger, pushed down the various complicated thoughts that had surged up in her heart momentarily, and continued looking ahead.

Jiang Hanyuan had already walked to the front of the archery platform. She steadily mounted the platform and, after standing firm, raised her hand to take the horn bow hanging on the bow rack, slightly testing its weight. The bow was a standard cavalry bow, lighter than the infantry bows of the crossbow battalions. She nocked the golden arrow on it, then drew the bow, pulling it to the appropriate position, aimed at the drum standing tall in the center of the drum platform above, and without any pause, shot the arrow.

The arrow traced a golden light through the air, piercing straight into the sky. In the blink of an eye, it shot before the drum, neither deflected nor biased, with the arrowhead hitting precisely the center position of the drum heart.

This arrow, considering factors like overhead sunlight, temporary wind direction, and upward shooting angle, was certainly not easy to hit. Otherwise, Empress Dowager Lan and those people wouldn’t have been so nervous, racking their brains to assist the young emperor. But conversely, for someone well-practiced in archery, it wasn’t difficult either. Even if they randomly called someone from among the archers in this crowd of ten thousand, the result should be close, just depending on the final arrow placement. Moreover, the original purpose of designing this event couldn’t possibly have been to make things difficult for the emperor or the person the emperor chose.

However, her posture and movements in drawing the bow and releasing the arrow were smooth as flowing clouds and water, carrying some unconscious casualness that instead displayed a kind of domineering aura of “who else but me.”

The golden arrow entered the drum, and the golden drums in the field also rang loudly. All around the grand training ground, a burst of cheering erupted.

Jiang Hanyuan stood alone in the center of the high archery platform, the strong wind blowing the red tassels on her helmet. She first turned toward the viewing platform, performing a military salute in the direction of the young emperor from afar, then faced the six armies’ officers and soldiers. After the cheering gradually subsided, she called out loudly: “His Majesty’s bestowal of the arrow is my supreme honor. But this honor does not belong to my family and surname alone! From the Yanmen frontier where I come, there are countless heroic sons, all brothers and comrades-in-arms with you, each a stalwart warrior, willing to sacrifice their lives and forget death for the Great Wei! The cheers resounding here today should rightfully be theirs!”

Her voice was clear and resonant, like metal and iron, carrying to all four directions.

As her words fell, the more than ten thousand six army officers and soldiers on the scene burst into cheers again. This sound was even more soaring than before, like startling thunder, rumbling and roaring across the plains outside the grand training ground.

“Excellent! A true general indeed!”

The young emperor excitedly shouted, jumping up from his position in one motion, causing the large decorative armor plates on his military dress to make rustling sounds. People around all looked over with various expressions. Only then did he realize his loss of composure and instinctively looked toward his third imperial uncle beside him, but saw that his eyes were still gazing intently at that figure on the archery platform ahead, unblinking, as if he hadn’t noticed him at all. Secretly calling himself fortunate, he hurriedly sat back down.