In the first examination, twenty-three people failed to reach the examination venue in time; eighteen were eliminated for missing or incorrect characters in their recitation of Sun Tzu’s Art of War. Standing below the command platform in the afternoon were ninety-four remaining candidates. After the herald counted them, he ordered those with odd numbers to step left out of formation.

The Earl of Nanxiang looked around and said, “This second round will test your martial arts and weapon skills!”

The herald announced the rules for this round: every two people would form a group for ground combat, competing on the spot. Within one incense stick’s time, whoever fell out of the marked white circle would lose. If no one fell out within one incense stick’s time, both would be eliminated.

When this latter rule was announced, all the candidates were secretly alarmed.

The first to compete were five groups from Hangzhou Garrison.

Meng Jianqing and Meng Jianchen stood at opposite ends of the five men from Taizhou Garrison. Meng Jianqing’s opponent was a candidate from the Ningbo Garrison.

Both of them, along with Gongsun Yi, the second son of Taizhou’s Battalion Commander, easily won their matches.

Only forty-one people remained on the drill ground. Between Meng Jianqing and Meng Jianchen, only Gongsun Yi stood.

Gongsun Yi’s expression was naturally not pleasant as he secretly counted, trying to figure out whether he would face Meng Jianqing or Meng Jianchen next. However, with heads bobbing chaotically in the front ranks, how could he count clearly?

But in the second round, the herald didn’t divide them into odd and even numbers again, instead ordering them to draw lots below the command platform.

Gongsun Yi drew number forty-one—a bye.

Gongsun Yi breathed a huge sigh of relief, unable to suppress a secret grin—such good fortune wasn’t something everyone could encounter.

Meng Jianchen drew an opponent who was the son of Yanzhou’s Battalion Commander. Meng Jianqing drew Hu Jinyong, Commissioner Hu’s nephew.

The two brothers exchanged glances.

A mocking smile appeared at the corner of Meng Jianchen’s mouth: “Elder brother, I wish you good luck in currying favor with Commissioner Hu.”

Meng Jianqing replied indifferently, “Likewise.”

Meng Jianchen said, “For me, there are no fathers or sons on the battlefield. But for you, elder brother, it’s probably not the same. In your elder brother’s heart, you must be very conflicted right now—wanting to win this round, yet worrying about what to do if you offend Commissioner Hu after winning. After all, we probably won’t reach Commissioner Hu’s current position for another ten years, and we’ll always have to serve under him. Perhaps if the elder brother shows wisdom this year, Commissioner Hu might give the elder brother a better opportunity next year.”

Meng Jianqing smiled slightly: “Commissioner Hu is not that kind of person.”

Meng Jianchen looked at Commissioner Hu standing respectfully behind the Earl of Nanxiang and sighed, “Elder brother truly admires Commissioner Hu greatly. I hope these words reach Commissioner Hu’s ears.”

Meng Jianqing smiled without answering.

The red sun had already slanted westward.

The second round was mounted combat. Those who fell from their horses or lost their weapons would lose. Once two horses were separated in their charge, the entire drill ground was barely sufficient, so only one group could compete at a time.

Meng Jianchen’s opponent used a meteor hammer, while Meng Jianchen chose a hook-sickle spear. The incense stick had only burned a small portion when Meng Jianchen hooked the meteor hammer, gave a great shout, and cleanly dragged his opponent off his horse.

Cheers erupted across the drill ground.

The opponent climbed up with shame written all over his face. But Meng Jianchen didn’t return his weapon. Amid the cheering, he threw the hook-sickle spear backwards with the meteor hammer still attached, embedding it in the weapon rack so forcefully that the rack swayed precariously.

Meng Jianqing secretly frowned. What kind of occasion was this? Still acting so willfully and ostentatiously, making him also the target of everyone’s sideways glances.

Soon it was his turn to compete.

Hu Jinyong was tall with long arms and great strength, so he chose a nine-ring broadsword.

Meng Jianqing briefly considered and chose a long spear.

Dusk was gathering. Around the drill ground, dozens of pine torches had been lit, reflecting off the snow and illuminating the drill ground as bright as day.

Hu Jinyong spurred his horse forward, charging with battle cries.

Meng Jianqing rode to meet him, but as they were about to clash, he suddenly veered to the right. Though he was evading, he did so with such agility that it won a round of applause.

The nine-ring broadsword barely swept past his left side.

As the two riders passed each other, Meng Jianqing twisted around on his horse and thrust his spear backward.

Hu Jinyong hastily turned his blade to block, but with all his strength committed to the forward charge, he couldn’t fully deploy his power and was overwhelmed by Meng Jianqing’s spear thrust.

Hu Jinyong wheeled his horse around, and Meng Jianqing also turned his mount.

This time, Hu Jinyong was doubly careful, not allowing Meng Jianqing to attack from the side again. His nine-ring broadsword chopped down from above, forcing Meng Jianqing to meet it head-on. Both man and horse were pushed back more than ten steps before stabilizing.

Gongsun Yi said worriedly, “Jianchen, will your elder brother lose? Hu Jinyong is a famous warrior of Hangzhou Garrison.”

Meng Jianchen said coldly, “Don’t worry. That old fox has plenty of methods to win.”

Hu Jinyong spurred his horse into a gallop, with the momentum to decide everything with one strike.

Meng Jianqing also spurred his horse forward to meet him.

Inside and outside the drill ground, people couldn’t help but sigh.

Hu Jinyong roared as he raised his nine-ring broadsword.

Meng Jianqing suddenly leaped from his horse’s back, touched his spear tip against the blade, borrowed the force to flip to Hu Jinyong’s right side, and delivered a series of flying kicks to Hu Jinyong’s armpit while airborne.

Hu Jinyong was charging forward with full force when Meng Jianqing kicked him in the armpit, immediately losing his balance and falling from his horse.

Meng Jianqing planted his spear tip on the ground to support his falling body, then leaped up again and flipped back onto his horse.

Hu Jinyong jumped up, his face completely red, shouting, “You cheated! Lord Deng specified this round was mounted combat—what you did wasn’t mounted combat at all!”

Meng Jianqing held his spear calmly and replied composedly, “All is fair in war. As for not being mounted in combat, when did I ever touch the ground?”

On the command platform, Commissioner Hu felt very uncomfortable and turned to the Earl of Nanxiang, stammering, “This… my lord, what do you think?”

The Earl of Nanxiang’s face showed nothing as usual, only giving a noncommittal “hmm.” Without receiving clear instructions, the herald followed regulations and declared Hu Jinyong’s fall from his horse a defeat.

The Hangzhou Garrison candidates were in an uproar. If not for their awe of the Earl of Nanxiang’s reputation, they would have already erupted in protest.

Meng Jianchen crossed his arms over his chest, watching this scene coldly, muttering to himself, “If you have the Earl of Nanxiang’s favor, you indeed don’t need to worry about Commissioner Hu’s opinion.”

Meng Jianqing must have calculated this point long ago. No wonder he showed no mercy to Hu Jinyong.

But Meng Jianchen felt something was still not quite right.

This didn’t quite match Meng Jianqing’s usual style. This person had always been tactful and watertight in his dealings. Even if he was certain of the Earl of Nanxiang’s attitude, he wouldn’t so ruthlessly offend Commissioner Hu. After all, their father was still a Battalion Commander under Commissioner Hu’s jurisdiction.

Was Meng Jianqing trying to put himself in a desperate situation to find new life? Was Jiangwu Hall so important to him? So after making up his mind, he would give everything, even ruthlessly cutting off his retreat?

At this thought, Meng Jianchen was startled, while also grudgingly feeling a trace of unwilling respect.

The crowd at the drill ground didn’t disperse until midnight.

Twenty-one candidates successfully passed. Among them, Taizhou Garrison had three, while Hangzhou Garrison also had only three passes. The garrisons that were eliminated were quite indignant. On the road back to the city, seeing that the Earl of Nanxiang’s hellish gaze was no longer fixed on them, candidates from Yanzhou Garrison were the first to cause trouble, clamoring for Meng Jianqing to show his real skills and compete properly with Hu Jinyong to convince everyone. Otherwise, they would report to the Hongwu Emperor to have him removed.

Hu Jinyong had been holding back his anger, and when provoked by those Yanzhou candidates, he immediately exploded.

Meng Jianqing listened impassively to the cursing from across the crowd. Meng Jianchen sneered, “Elder brother, are you feeling regretful now?”

Meng Jianqing glanced at him: “Given another chance, I could only do my best. You can retreat one step and still have room to maneuver; if I retreat one step, there’s nowhere left to go.”

Their father, though only a minor Battalion Commander, held a hereditary position that could be passed down to descendants.

Meng Jianchen scoffed: “That hereditary position—tasteless to eat, wasteful to discard. Who wants to stay in that remote wilderness forever? If elder brother values it, I’d gladly give it to you—” Before he could finish, the cursing people had begun insulting their parents. Meng Jianchen’s face turned iron-blue as he gritted his teeth: “These bastards are cursing too foully! Let me go teach them a lesson!”

His hand reaching for his sword was pressed down by Meng Jianqing, who looked at the Yanzhou candidates, cursing from within the crowd, and said, “If we fight with Hu Jinyong, it would be private combat, and Lord Deng would eliminate us.”

Meng Jianchen impatiently shook off his hand: “This won’t work, that won’t work—what exactly do you want to do?”

Meng Jianqing didn’t answer. Instead, he turned toward Hu Jinyong and the Hangzhou candidates supporting him, raising his voice: “Martial competitions are simply to select officers who can defeat enemies on the battlefield. Private fighting is forbidden in the military. If Brother Hu insists on settling this, would you be interested in making a wager with me?”

Hu Jinyong’s side immediately called out: “A wager it is! What’s there to fear?”

Meng Jianqing said, “From here to Yanzhou, riding hard both ways takes only three hours. The rebel troops have been holed up in Tonglu Mountain for over a month. With the New Year approaching, the Yanzhou garrison troops besieging Tonglu Mountain have all suspended their offensive to prepare for the holiday. The mountain rebels must be lax in their defenses. How about Brother Hu borrowing two good horses from the Hangzhou Commissioner? Before Lord Deng begins the final examination tomorrow morning, whoever brings back the most rebel heads from Tonglu Mountain wins. If I win, there’s nothing more to say. If I lose, I’ll gladly yield my position to Brother Hu!”

Which of these young men didn’t love excitement? Hearing Meng Jianqing’s proposal, they all cheered loudly. While Hu Jinyong went to borrow horses, Meng Jianqing assigned candidates from various garrisons to guard the road entrances, preventing anyone from going toward Yanzhou to tip off the rebels or interfere with their competition.