Chapter 1
After a long silence, the stern lines at the corners of Nanxiang Bo's mouth softened slightly, which could be considered a faint smile of approval. He waved his hand, and Meng Jianqing understood, standing up and turning to look at Meng Jianchen. Meng Jianchen shot him a fierce glare and was the first to return to the team. Meng Jianqing followed him back into the main group, maintaining a calm demeanor.
Many people deeply resonate with this sentiment, but they simply do not dare to express it so boldly
The crowd was in an uproar. Today marked the birthday of the City God of Hangzhou; devotees from various places traveled from over a hundred miles to celebrate the City God's birthday and to procure New Year goods, turning this day into a small temple fair. Even in the parade ground, one could faintly hear the sounds of drums and music coming from the City God Temple.
Nangxiang Bo could tell that although Meng Jianqing was nervous inside, he was still making an effort to maintain his composure on the surface
After a long while, the Southern Xiang Bo closed the roster, let out a slight "hm" and said: "It seems that this time the candidates are all young talents of reputable backgrounds; there will no longer be any old subordinates of Fang Guozhen from Zhejiang Province being selected into the Jiangwutang."
Meng Jianqing let out a sigh, rubbed his hands and face, and steadied himself in preparation for the examination
Twenty-six guard posts, with five selected youths from each post, plus an additional five chosen by the Hangzhou command, totaling one hundred thirty-five individuals. The Southern Marquis has not disclosed how many slots are available this year in Zhejiang Province, but based on last year's selection circumstances, the number of those who can be selected will not exceed ten.
The magistrate did not dare to ask further, and retreated until he was outside the second gate, only then daring to straighten his back. As the flying snow fell, he felt a chill on his back and realized that he was drenched in cold sweat
A personal guard has turned to that page of the roster and handed it over. The Earl of Nanchang glanced at it hurriedly.
The magistrate hurriedly replied, "Indeed, indeed."
The crowd running ahead suddenly slowed down
These two brothers, due to their different mothers, do not resemble each other much. Meng Jianqing is not as handsome as his younger brother; he appears more composed and steady, looking somewhat older than the age listed in the register—18 years old.
In Nán Hé Township, the elder Bo said: "Outside the City God Temple, the examination venue has been set up. With the sound of a cannon from the command platform, the time for the examination at the City God Temple begins; those who cannot reach the examination venue on foot within the time of a burning incense stick will be considered to have forfeited their right to participate"
The guards have put away the roster
He shouted this sentence with all his might, striking at the most pressing concern in everyone's heart—the thought of changing the course—immediately faded away.
The magistrate secretly broke into a cold sweat, pondering how to mediate the situation, when the Southern County Lord spoke up: "Young man, you are probably thinking that, as a result, I will have a deep impression of you and regard you with special favor, am I right?"
The training ground was enveloped in silence. This candidate actually used the "Imperial Edict" personally written by Emperor Hongwu to criticize the orders of the Marquis of Nanchang
On the main road leading from the training ground to the City God Temple, the crowd surged like a tide, immediately parting to create a pathway
The Southern Township Lord's expression darkened, and he exclaimed: "Disobeying orders is a grave taboo in the army! Throw him out!"
In front of the large stone bridge spanning the West Water River outside the Chenghuang Temple, twenty-eight soldiers stood with their sticks at the ready. Anyone attempting to rush past would be met with several long sticks striking simultaneously, and more than ten individuals had already been beaten into the West Water River. Although it was the depths of winter and the river was not very deep, the water was icy cold, and the mud at the bottom was thick, making it impossible for them to climb back up, leaving them in a state of utter disarray.
After a moment of contemplation, the Southern Country Lord said, "Since that is the case, the selection can begin tomorrow."
He turned towards the chaotic crowd surging upstream and shouted, "If we flee without fighting, we will surely be looked down upon by Lord Deng"
Meng Jianchen, the legitimate son of Meng Yuan, a hundred households of the Ninghai garrison under the jurisdiction of Taizhou Prefecture
With their lead, the surging crowd quickly changed direction
The official from Nanchang stared at him and said: "This matter is already arranged by me; Lord Hu need only follow through with it."
Hu Dusi cleared his throat and said with great effort: "Lord Deng is personally overseeing the Hangzhou Prefecture. This year's selection requires all of us to be extremely cautious. Everyone must be in good spirits, not afraid of the cold, and we must complete this important task of the *Tu* book, so that we can earn some face for our Zhejiang garrisons."
The magistrate hurriedly said, "Then I shall immediately make arrangements. I kindly ask for your guidance on how the competition will be conducted tomorrow."
If he cannot provide an answer, he will undoubtedly be regarded as someone who is indecisive and hesitant.
Even if that place is guarded, the river channel is much narrower than here, so perhaps we can think of another way to cross the river
Meng Jianchen swung his outer robe to wrap around the long staff attacking the upper path, while his left hand reached down to grip the long staff in the middle path. Utilizing the sweeping momentum of the long staff, he leaped into the air, evading the staff aimed at his knee, and immediately plunged into the formation of staffs.
Meng Jianqing halted his steps, surveying the twenty-eight soldiers and the chaotic crowd.
Another candidate from Taizhou, Gongsun Yi, the second son of the Qianhu of Taizhou, gasped and said: "Jianqing, what should we do?"
Meng Jianqing, along with three other candidates from Taizhou, charged into the formation of sticks behind him
In terms of age, Meng Jianqing is not older than them; however, during the three months of training in Taizhou, the three of them unconsciously came to regard Meng Jianqing as someone who could make decisions.
Everyone looked at each other in confusion, uncertain of how the Southern Township Lord would preside over this year's selection, inevitably feeling anxious and uneasy.
The officers and soldiers escorting the candidates from various garrisons gathered outside the drill ground. Although they felt anxious, no one dared to speak in hushed tones due to the formidable reputation of the Duke of Nanchang.
He turned his head to look around him
The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a must-read for military strategists. Upon hearing that the examination conducted by the Southern Township Lord was so easy, everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief
The heavy snow fell throughout the night, and the next day the snow ceased. A bright red sun hung vividly in the azure sky, reflecting the silver-clad houses and forests surrounding the drill ground, creating a truly delightful scene.
However, the Southern Township Lord continued, "The examination hall is not here, but outside the City God Temple"
The Southern Township Lord ascended the platform for the generals, listening to the flag officer calling out names, as the young gentlemen selected from various prefectures and military garrisons of Xijiang passed by in an orderly manner from below the platform, paying their respects to him
Meng Jianchen's expression became even more pronounced, with the corners of his mouth curling up in a faint, mocking smile.
Nangxiang Bo noticed that before Meng Jianchen, there was another candidate named Meng Jianqing, the eldest son of Meng Yuanshu, a hundred households from Ninghaiwei. This Meng Baihu is quite remarkable, as he managed to send both of his sons to the Hangzhou Prefecture for the examination.
In a moment of anxiety, a candidate stepped out of the crowd, knelt on one knee before the Southern Township Lord, performed a bow, and then stood up to speak loudly: "My lord, the common people are gathered outside the City God Temple, which has been set as the examination venue. This may cause inconvenience and disturbance to the residents; furthermore, while it is not difficult to disperse those commoners, it will ultimately take a considerable amount of time, and I fear it may lead to delays."
This left the magistrate at a loss for words. He could only cough a few times and vaguely replied, "Well, Lord Deng will provide guidance on this matter; we shall simply act according to the regulations."
The figure of the Southern Township Lord was not particularly tall, yet his voice resonated like a bronze bell, causing the accumulated snow on the trees to fall in flurries. Everyone inside and outside the training ground was deeply moved and stood in solemn respect.
In the depths of winter, as heavy snow fell outside, creating an atmosphere where one’s breath seemed to freeze, Hu Yu, the commander of the Hangzhou Military Command, was already beaded with fine droplets of sweat on his forehead. Half-bent at the waist, he stood with his hands clasped, a broad smile on his face as he gazed at Deng Nanting, the Deputy Commander of the Left Army of the Ying Tian Prefecture, who was slowly perusing the roster before him
The five candidates from Taizhou rushed over
The young candidate replied confidently, "Meng Jianchen from Taizhou Prefecture."
The officers of the Hangzhou garrison under the command of the Hu Dusi were waiting in the hall. They had long heard of the stern reputation of the Earl of Nanchang, which made them all feel apprehensive, having been anxious for half a day already
The snow on the training ground has been cleared
Meng Jianqing shouted: "Wait! With just the five of us, we cannot break through!"
Meng Jianqing raised her head to meet his gaze
The smooth official road has, in the blink of an eye, been covered with accumulated snow and yellow mud. The candidates lagging behind are splattered with snow and mud, yet they dare not stop to clean themselves.
Meng Jianchen was taken aback and replied, "I would not dare to entertain such thoughts."
Upon arriving at the bridge, the two candidates from Taizhou wiped the mud off their faces with their sleeves while waiting for Meng Jianqing to speak
The singing of names has concluded, and one hundred thirty-five individuals are lined up beneath the platform, awaiting the announcement of today's examination items by the Lord of Nanchang.
Meng Jianqing composed himself and replied, "I believe that you intend to test our composure in the bustling place of the City God Temple."
Everyone let out a sigh of relief
It seems that two full hours have passed, and only then did the Southern Township Lord slowly say: "So, you have no doubts about this military order?"
Candidates continuously caught in the formation were thrown into the West Water River, yet the chaos had already taken shape. Ultimately, the twenty-eight soldiers were unable to stop this large crowd.
Meng Jianqing had just settled into his seat and had not yet had a moment to catch his breath when the sound of a gong echoed, signaling that the examination hall's doors had closed. The latecomers, splashed with ink that was thrown at them, found it impossible to blend in even if they wished to.
Meng Jianchen had already removed his outer robe and, without uttering a word, charged towards the array of staffs. Three long staffs immediately swept in from the upper, middle, and lower paths.
Hu Dusi questioned himself about last year's selection in Zhejiang Province, asserting that he had not dared to engage in any private malfeasance. Although there were instances of oversight, he ultimately did not truly send any of Fang Guozhen's former subordinates' children to the capital's Military Academy, nor did he alarm the Hongwu Emperor. However, in the presence of the Southern County Earl, whose face resembled that of the legendary Bao Gong, even with a clear conscience, being scrutinized so closely by the Southern County Earl for such a long time was inevitably nerve-wracking. It is no wonder that within the military, the Southern County Earl is privately referred to as "Southern Yama."
Meng Jianchen's expression changed slightly, and for a moment he did not know how to defend himself. Behind him, another person stepped forward and said loudly: "My lord, please hold on before taking action! I have something to say!"
Meng Jianqing replied: "I believe that you must have given considerable thought to the matter of the examination; moving the examination venue to the City God Temple must have a purpose."
A brigadier general cautiously inquired: "May I ask, Lord Hu, as the selection process is to begin tomorrow, what preparations should we make?"
He originally thought that the two brothers were acting for his benefit, but the attitude of Meng Jianchen beside him was quite intriguing
Zhejiang Province consists of eleven prefectures. Except for Hangzhou, which serves as the capital and has six specially designated garrisons, the remaining prefectures each establish two garrisons and set up two thousand households, totaling twenty-six garrisons and twenty-six thousand stationed troops. Additionally, there are over one hundred thirty thousand military households, who typically engage in farming and military training, all of which are overseen by the Hangzhou military command.
The gentleman from Nanchang gazed at the young and handsome candidate, exuding charisma, and asked, "Which prefecture do you hail from?"
The candidates from the Hangzhou garrison, familiar with the terrain, upon seeing this situation, estimated that they would not be able to break through the formation of the twenty-eight soldiers for the time being. Moreover, they were also concerned about not wanting to engage in a fierce battle with the soldiers sent by the Southern County Lord for the competition. After a brief discussion, they turned around and ran wildly along the river towards the Hongying Bridge, three miles upstream.
With the sound of a cannon, the first examination officially begins
The official from Nanchang fixed his gaze on him and asked, "What do you think my intentions are?"
Nangxiang Bo looked down at the excited yet anxious young faces in the audience and slowly said: "Today, I represent the state in selecting generals, with a heart dedicated to the public good, I must choose those of excellent quality and character to bear great responsibilities; Heaven, Earth, and the spirits are all witnesses!"
Nangxiang Bo scrutinized Meng Jianqing
The candidate knelt beside him on one knee and clasped his hands, saying: "Lord Deng, I believe that although my younger brother may be impulsive and reckless, questioning the general's orders should not be equated with disobeying them. I have read the 'Imperial Edict,' where the Emperor recalls the various battles during the time of the Dragon's Ascendancy, mentioning the statements of the generals before the battles. It is common for there to be misunderstandings or disagreements regarding the general's orders. Only by addressing everyone's doubts before the battle can we prevent issues arising from misunderstandings during the conflict, which would lead to disobedience of the orders."
He has already decided to force his way through
Meng Jianchen cast a cold glance at them and said: "Take your time to discuss."
On the face of the Southern Township Lord, which was dark and inscrutable, it was impossible to discern any expression, leaving one unable to guess whether he was pleased or angry with Meng Jianchen's bold remarks
Nangxiang Bo waved his hand and said: "Today is the first exam, transcribe the thirteen chapters of Sun Tzu's Art of War, to be completed within one hour"