ten

Yuran was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said, "You must not promise such expensive gifts; otherwise, if you give me something else later, I will refuse it."

Birthday?" Ji Ye was a bit surprised

Not bad! However, to get on the field, securing one of the seven spots is no easy task. How many scions of noble families yearn for this opportunity to stand out but cannot obtain it? Nevertheless, I have received a letter of recommendation from General Xi of the Imperial Guard, which makes it almost certain. The rest depends on your martial skills

Ji Ye stood up, looking into the distance, his tone calm and serious, "I am not lying, I will definitely seize it and give it to you!"

He turned to his sons and said, "Listen carefully, next month the envoy from the Northern Liao Jinzhang Kingdom will arrive in Nanhua to pay a visit to the monarch. The Tang and Qingyang tribes are forming an alliance and are about to sign a treaty. The Qingyang tribe is sending seven young warriors to escort the young lord of the Jinzhang Kingdom, Lu Guichen, to Nanhua as a hostage. The barbarian tribes are rough and violent, with a strong martial spirit. In order to showcase the might of our Eastern Liao nations, the monarch has already ordered the selection of young warriors to compete with the seven young men from the barbarian tribes on the fifteenth of August. If their martial skills are recognized by the monarch, they will at least be granted the position of deputy commander"

However, this time Ji Ye's response was somewhat indifferent

Ji Ye withdrew her left hand from the gun barrel, raised it high, and said, "I will only use one hand; you come at me."

He suddenly stepped forward, half-turned his body, and drew his sword with the strength of a twisting waist. Once he charged out, all the fatigue in his body vanished; he glided in a spin, delivering a horizontal slash with his sword. Ji Ye turned almost simultaneously, the obsidian-colored spear slicing down with a whistling sound. He used only one hand, and the spear bounced off the sword blade, unable to withstand the force of Chang Ye's two-handed frontal attack. As Ji Ye stepped back, he pressed down the rebounding spear tip and thrust it forward, causing Chang Ye to retract his sword in shock, crossing it in front of his chest. He used only one hand, and the spear bounced off the sword blade, unable to withstand the force of Chang Ye's two-handed frontal attack. As Ji Ye stepped back, he pressed down the rebounding spear tip and thrust it forward, causing Chang Ye to retract his sword in shock, crossing it in front of his chest. The spear tip embedded itself into the blood groove of the heavy sword

Hehe, "Ji Qianzheng laughed heartily, "The warriors I have trained certainly possess their own confidence. If there were no Ye'er, Changye would naturally suffer losses, but with Ye'er, the more I think about it, the more I feel this situation is exquisite. The warriors from the Eastern Palace thought they could take advantage by staying behind, but they did not anticipate that there would be a marksmanship like Ye'er's to support Changye in advancing."

Do you know? You know nothing! Ji Ye's voice was cold and icy

Indeed! Yu Ran widened her eyes seriously and said, "In our Ningzhou, we always receive gifts on our birthdays, so you must remember to give me something."

Ji Ye was momentarily taken aback, then turned and sat down at the table, sitting side by side with Chang Ye.

She felt somewhat despondent, "But now they are all gone..."

Ji Ye scratched his head and said, "So what gifts are you from the Feather Clan sending?"

"This is rather pointless, let's make a bet. Whoever loses will forfeit their pocket money for this month," Chang Ye said, while slowly moving to stand behind Ji Ye.

"Then if we win, won't all the credit be taken by him?" Chang Ye asked anxiously

Both of you must go!" Ji Qian was slapping the table, "Come! From today onwards, I will teach you martial arts every day. The day when our Ji family can hold our heads high is not far away!

"You have practiced the Dragon Force for so long, do you not have the slightest thought of bringing glory to your family?" Ji Qian was filled with anger, "What a waste of my efforts in recommending you with such eloquence."

Ji Ye was stunned, looking at her father in disbelief, "How... can I also go?"

She circled around Ji Ye like a cunning little cat. Finally, she pounced on him and covered his eyes, saying, "Guess who I am, guess who I am"

I do not know how skilled General Xi's nephew is in martial arts," Ji Ye said, "but when it is my turn to take the stage, I will knock down the remaining barbarians.

"What do you understand at such a young age?" Ji Qian scolded, "The blood of the barbarians is fierce, and their physical constitution is different from ours in the East. Especially the warriors selected to protect the young master should not be underestimated. Back in the day, your great-grandfather fought fiercely against the barbarians with unparalleled spear skills, and it was a battle of both fighting and retreating. Rather than saying he fought his way to the foot of Tongyun Mountain, it would be more accurate to say he escaped to the foot of Tongyun Mountain.

In the garden, a father and his two sons stood in a triangle formation.

"If my child can be selected, wouldn't that be a great opportunity to enhance the prestige of the Ji family?" Chang Ye understood his father's meaning

The situation of advancing and retreating suddenly returned to a standstill. Chang Ye wanted to exert force, but he could not. He saw his brother holding the gun with one hand, the barrel tucked under his armpit. Ji Ye resembled a tiger poised on a rock, waiting to pounce, slightly lowering his body.

Not allowing him to take the field

She turned her head and was surprised to find Ji Ye staring at her motionlessly

She changed her tone and said fiercely: "Do not forget!"

Ji Qianzheng said while supporting his young son's shoulder: "The remaining two must be defeated by Changye, so that Changye will be the last victor among the young warriors of the Tang Dynasty, and the position of deputy general will belong to him."

He thought he had misheard; when he turned around, Ji Ye had already walked into the rain

The couple engaged in a back-and-forth discussion, yet they failed to notice the rare smile on Ji Ye's face gradually fading away. He stood there in a daze, looking at his father, who was filled with resentment, his sharp gaze seemingly dimming all of a sudden

Later, Ji Ye began to grow impatient and shook off her hand, saying, "Stop making a fuss." Consequently, Yu Ran became quite displeased

"Chang Ye, Chang Ye! The door is open!" Ji Qian was half soaked, calling at the door in a mumble until he recognized it was his eldest son. He paused for a moment, put away the umbrella, and straightened his clothes.

Chang Ye's mother picked up the letter and glanced at it briefly, her face suddenly breaking into a smile, her voice trembling, "This... this letter of recommendation from General Xi, does it really work?"

Sit down

You know nothing! Ji Ye wields a sword in his left hand and a gun in his right, advancing step by step

Still those annoying black eyes, Chang Ye slightly lowered his head to look at his right hand gripping the gun, avoiding eye contact with him. The tiger-toothed gun was pointed at the sky, and Ji Ye held it steadily in the lower middle section, without trembling. However, Chang Ye knew the weight of that gun; no matter how strong a person was, they could not maintain that grip for long. He was not in a hurry to attack. However, Chang Ye knew the weight of that gun; no matter how strong a person was, they could not maintain that grip for long. He was not in a hurry to attack

Ji Ye did not turn around, "You also do not lack pocket money, there is no point in betting on this."

However, it is ultimately three against seven," Chang Ye's mother said with great concern, "Chang Ye is only ten years old, how can he withstand two barbarians? Moreover, if Ji Ye cannot handle three opponents, Chang Ye is likely to be in danger.

Although each month the two brothers receive two silver coins as pocket money from their father, Chang Ye also takes money from their mother's room, which far exceeds just the two silver coins.

As he roared, a force like a landslide erupted. Chang Ye's arms were utterly unable to withstand such a terrifying charge, and the blade struck heavily against his chest. He wanted to take a breath to steady himself, but an even greater force recklessly pushed forward, causing him to continuously retreat while bracing his heavy sword. His entire body was drenched in cold sweat, and all his strength and courage flowed away with it. He could only grit his teeth and push his sword fiercely, relying solely on the shallow blood groove on the blade to block the spear's tip; otherwise, it would have pierced through Chang Ye's chest. His entire body was drenched in cold sweat, and all his strength and courage flowed away with it. He could only grit his teeth and push his sword fiercely, relying solely on the shallow blood groove on the blade to block the spear's tip; otherwise, it would have pierced through Chang Ye's chest.

"Jiye?" The wife cautiously glanced at Jiye and asked, "Can we rely on him?"

As he was leaving, he suddenly heard Ji Ye say from behind: "Thank you, Father"

"If you get hurt, don't regret it!" Chang Ye's grip on the hilt of the sword gradually changed as he slowly circled around Ji Ye, unwilling to reveal the direction of his attack.

The tiger still points at the sky, motionless

Later on, in order to make Yuran happy, Jiye would make some wild guesses, saying, "Is it a little pig?" or "Is it a caterpillar?" This would cause Yuran to giggle and bounce away, which also made Jiye very happy

Jiye's voice was cold, "I don't understand, but you will have to wait until my hand gets sore, and that will take a long time. Are you coming or not? If not, then forget it."

You... you are using foul language

How can three people defeat seven?" Chang Ye's expression was somewhat grim

Ji Ye suddenly turned around with a fierce momentum, launching a side kick. Chang Ye felt a force rising from below applied to his sword, causing the tip of the sword to whistle as it flew up, only to be caught by Ji Ye, while Chang Ye fell into the muddy ground

"It is simple," Ji Ye said coldly, "as long as we keep defeating the last warrior of the barbarian tribe, we will win. It does not matter if there are no warriors from the royal family!"

What are you looking at me for? I am not asking you to pick the star orchids; such flowers do not exist in the Eastern Land.

Chang Ye was filled with fear, he took a small step back, suddenly turned around and ran into the house, shouting: "Mother, Mother!"

Indeed, I had anticipated this," Ji Qian said with a smile, "therefore, it is not merely about achieving a stalemate with the barbarian tribes; you must do everything in your power to prevent that young warrior from the royal family from taking the stage!

"Barbarians?" Ji Ye said coldly, "Isn't it enough to have the warriors of the Crown Prince's East Palace defeat them? Those people are fighting on the streets all day long"

Jiye has never been as obedient in answering the door as Changye. Jiye turned to leave, but was abruptly stopped by his father, who said, "Your heart is all over the place; there is something important! Bring your brother and come to the study with me."

Finally, she could no longer bear it and began to hum a tune, tiptoeing around on the surrounding tiles, swaying as she stood at the very tip of the eaves. Her song was incomprehensible to anyone, filled with long breaths, like a distant melody carried by the wind

Jiye was taken aback, "Is it a little pig?"

The Donglu Huazu is a nation of etiquette. In families with daughters, it is rare to disclose their birthdays to others. Even couples who are engaged from a young age only truly learn each other's birthdays when they see the wedding invitation.

The two brothers fell silent, and the sky grew increasingly overcast. Chang Ye contemplated several times throwing his sword back into the house, but his elder brother remained motionless, and he did not dare to move. During these days of sparring with his brother, he not only failed to win but often could not even withstand a single blow. With his brother's back turned to him, he felt as if there were a snake quietly lurking on his sword sheath, and naturally, he did not dare to draw his sword to strike the snake, yet he also did not dare to abandon his sword. He felt his joints gradually becoming somewhat weak and soft, but when he wanted to take a step and move, he did not dare to break the silence of their standoff. With his brother's back turned to him, he felt as if there were a snake quietly lurking on his sword sheath, and naturally, he did not dare to draw his sword to strike the snake, yet he also did not dare to abandon his sword. He felt his joints gradually becoming somewhat weak and soft, but when he wanted to take a step and move, he did not dare to break the silence of their standoff.

Hmph! Chang Ye jumped up in anger, pulling out two silver coins from his belt and throwing them harshly into the distance. "I know you want money to buy things for that girl! What good does it do to curry favor with her? Do you really think she will like you? In her eyes, you are nothing at all; many people buy things for her!"

Yuran chuckled softly, tossing her light golden long hair from side to side, and sat back down beside Jiye, hugging her knees.

Ji Ye was momentarily taken aback, but surprisingly nodded and said, "Alright!"

Chang Ye was momentarily taken aback by his words, feeling as though his thoughts had been seen through. He was somewhat annoyed, yet did not dare to rush forward. Although his brother had his back turned to him, he remained completely still, as solid as a rock.

Well said! Ji Qian is rarely seen praising his eldest son. The first to appear is General Xi's nephew, followed by Ye Er, then Chang Ye, with the warriors selected by the Crown Prince and the King placed at the back.

Chang Ye joyfully went to the room to fetch his sword, only to remember that the sword was still left in the rain-soaked ground. Without even grabbing an umbrella, he dashed outside. Ji Qian did not stop him; he merely smiled and patted Ji Ye on the shoulder, saying, "Let’s practice martial arts in the rain-soaked ground. A mighty eagle spreads its wings to soar into the sky; what is a little rain to us?"

"Come! We will practice until sunset today," Ji Qian said with great ambition.

Ji Ye walked to the opposite side of Chang Ye with a gun in hand, his head lowered, and Ji Qian could not see his eyes

Although this statement is somewhat arrogant, it still possesses a certain spirit, " Ji Qian was encouraging his son, " General Xi's nephew is a well-known young warrior in Nanhuaicheng. I believe he can at least defeat two barbarians. Ye, your martial arts are superior to your brother's, so you should at least defeat three.

It was only after Yuran arrived in the East Land that she learned to play this game, and she played it with great enthusiasm. At first, Jiya was always very honest and would say: "Yuran." Besides Yuran, no one else would play with him

Ji Ye shook her head, "I know there are no star orchids, but there is a very beautiful golden chrysanthemum. I want to take it and give it to you"

Ji Ye walked to the maple tree, retrieved the two silver coins that Chang Ye had just thrown away, and washed them with the rainwater. He approached the door, just as he was about to open it, he saw his father rushing in with an umbrella.

It was agreed! Two silver coins, do not renege on the debt if you lose

Listen! Ji Qian has drawn his great sword. We will each send seven warriors, and the victor will guard the arena until one side no longer has any warriors left to fight. It is said that among the barbarians, there are two warriors who are descendants of renowned generals, so we must be extremely cautious. Among our warriors, three have been selected from the Crown Prince's companions in the Eastern Palace, one is the nephew of General Xi, and another is a young man from the royal family, who is highly favored by the sovereign

Yuran swung her legs while sitting on the roof ridge, idly gazing at the distant lights resembling stars in Phoenix Pool. Ji Ye sat beside her, resting his chin on his hand as he looked in the same direction, but Yuran felt that he was not actually looking at Phoenix Pool, but rather at nothing in particular. She longed for Ji Ye to accompany her again for a leisurely stroll in the quiet alleys at night, but Ji Ye had been silent for half the evening, and she felt helpless.

Ji Qian was surprised by how obedient his eldest son was this time, thinking that he must have been moved by the position of the deputy general, and he couldn't help but feel gratified. There were many young military generals in the Tang dynasty, and every child training in martial arts envied them. Ji Ye knew that envy was a sign of some achievement.

I have no regrets like you do" Ji Ye looked at him coldly

However, Ji Ye still ignored her, silently gazing into the distance

"Then let the younger brother go and try the power of the Great Qi Sword Technique," Ji Ye said

Of course it is effective! Ji Qianzheng could not hide his pride, saying, "General Xi Yan is the foremost figure in our Tang military, even the commander-in-chief Tuoba Shanyue is beneath him. He is also a marquis conferred by the emperor, a general of the Imperial Guard. Not to mention the Minister of Rites or the Minister of Works, even the sovereign must show respect to General Xi!"

Yuran shook his arm and said, "Hey, Jiye, Jiye, my birthday is coming up soon"

Chang Ye laughed, "Do you understand? It's just a formality. If we are to bet something, I can't afford to lose. I will return it to you later."

"Take a look at this letter of recommendation!" Ji Qian was spreading a letter on the table, "Madam, you should take a look as well."

"Not necessarily," Yu Ran shook her head, "On the year of my sister's birthday, the most handsome boy in our city-state went deep into the mountains to gather a large basket of star orchids for her, weaving them into a flower chain for her long hair with silver threads. When the boy's birthday came, my sister borrowed his longbow. He still didn't know why, but my sister twisted mulberry bark into fine threads and combined them with golden threads to tightly wrap his bow, returning it to him on his birthday. Everyone was astonished by my sister's craftsmanship." He still didn't know why, but my sister twisted mulberry bark into fine threads and combined them with golden threads to tightly wrap his bow, returning it to him on his birthday. Everyone was astonished by my sister's craftsmanship.

A faint rumble echoed in the sky, and rain began to fall softly. The cold rain splashed against Chang Ye's head, causing him to shiver all over, as if he sensed his brother's body tremble slightly as well

"Ye'er," Ji Qian noticed Ji Ye's expression, "do not be disheartened. You have protected Chang Ye in seizing the position of deputy general. In the future, when Chang Ye is promoted, he will certainly recommend you to take over his position as deputy general."

He knows that such matters do not concern him. He has made an appointment with Yuran, and with two silver coins in his pocket, he is still thinking about going out to have some fun