Chapter Seven, this is the ultimate skill specifically designed to counter the Eight Banner Heavenly Soldiers

You... but bamboo is not durable; it breaks with just one poke

Ah, now it is settled, Wang Zhongxiao has become a dual loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty, aligned with both the Ao Bai faction and the Wu Sangui faction

At this point, Wang Fuchen still felt that the atmosphere was somewhat off! He could only see the group of strange figures under the Pingxi King Wu Sangui, each frowning, squinting, and shaking their heads, as if deep in thought. Among them, Wu Guogui, Ma Bao, Wang Pingfan, and Wu Shicong were particularly unable to hide their sinister expressions.

Of course not, there aren't that many bamboos in Datong. Replacing the long spear with bamboo is an idea I came up with, and I have surpassed my predecessors! Wu Er, just think about how cheap the bamboo is in Yunnan. You could easily chop down a pile in your backyard.

"You shameless person, Wang..."

Wang Fuchen further stated: "Later, when I followed General Jiang in rebellion, I often led a hundred or so of my retainers armed with long spears to charge at the formations of the Eight Banners soldiers and the Green Standard Army, and in eight or nine out of ten instances, we could break their formations, but it was of little significance.

On the afternoon of the second day, outside the city of Kunming, in an open wasteland near the Guo Gui Tian Zhuang of the Wu state, a group of loyal subjects of the Qing dynasty, well-versed in rebellion, gathered under the command of the Prince of Pingxi, Wu Sangui. They were all dressed in neat robes, their riding boots shining, surrounding Prince Wu Sangui as they watched Wang Zhongxiao and Wu Shijue engage in a war of words.

In those years, when I was in Datong Town following General Jiang, I often trained alongside the more than one hundred household servants passed down from my father. Over time, we became proficient. We could arrange over a hundred cavalry in a line, forming a dense formation to advance and charge, capable of charging two to three hundred steps without breaking formation

At that moment, Wu Yingqi interjected, "Why is it not useful?"

Wang Fuchen pondered: Are they really contemplating rebellion?

Wang Fuchen explained: "Firstly, the cavalry unit I lead is small, consisting of only about one hundred riders. Even if we can break through the enemy lines, we can only strike once and retreat; we cannot engage in a protracted battle with the enemy. Secondly, the cavalry of the Eight Banners is numerous. Wherever I manage to break through, they will immediately rush over. If I slow down, I will be surrounded by them. Therefore, General Jiang ultimately still ... "

Wang Fuchen felt somewhat speechless under the gaze of these expectant eyes. Why are you all so excited just because you heard about the extraordinary skills of the Eight Banners White Armored Soldiers? Do you all intend to learn them and then rebel? ... However, this skill is not that impressive; otherwise, my pitiful godfather Jiang would have already plotted to usurp the throne and become the emperor, and I would then be a prince ... . ... Forget it, it would be better if the Prince of Pingxi explained it more clearly. However, this skill is not that impressive; otherwise, my pitiful godfather Jiang would have already plotted to usurp the throne and become the emperor, and I would then be a prince ... . ... Forget it, it would be better if the Prince of Pingxi explained it more clearly

How could Wu Shijue agree to this? He immediately began to argue with Wang Zhongxiao in front of his grandfather, Wu Sangui.

Equestrian combat requires adherence to rules, involving specialized armor and long lances—these are modified by removing the tips and binding them with cotton cloth bags filled with lime powder, referred to as "lances." The cloth bags, when struck against the armor, are unlikely to be fatal and will leave a white mark. After the competition concludes, the referee simply counts the white marks to determine the winner and the loser.

Then let's change it, break one and exchange it for another, can't we just poke one white-armored soldier down at a time

Wang Fuchen listened to Wu Sangui boasting about his son and cheerfully said: "Your Highness, that little rascal is just like me, exceptionally clever, proficient in both literature and martial arts, and he can even recite the 'Doctrine of the Mean'... This time he wants to go to Beijing to seek a position as a bodyguard, and in the future, he aims to become a general just like me"

The loyal minister Wang Fucheng of the Qing Dynasty pondered for a while and finally said sincerely to Wu Sangui: "To be honest, Your Highness, I do not possess any special skills specifically for dealing with the Manchu White Armored Soldiers; I merely excel at utilizing cavalry to charge into battle."

Upon hearing about the unique skill specifically designed to combat the Manchu White Armored Soldiers, all loyal subjects of the Qing Dynasty within the Silver Peace Hall were no longer drowsy. Everyone was focused intently on Wang Fucheng, with several even inquiring about him...! ... They felt it was essential to learn this skill well, didn't they?! It might come in handy in the future! Even if it doesn't, having more skills is never a burden!

Wu Sangui nodded and said, "Anyone can charge with cavalry, but to charge in formation and not scatter for two or three hundred paces is not easy. Minister, how did you manage to do it?"

"A white-armored soldier at a time? What do you think a white-armored soldier is? A cabbage?"

Did your esteemed father use a wolf spear to knock the white-armored soldiers off their horses

Wu Sangui waved his hand and said, "No problem, I just want to go take a look." He then turned to Wu Shicong and said, "Shicong, you go arrange it, set the competition venue in the open space outside the village. When the time comes, I will go with General Wang to observe the match... Tell Shijue and Zhongxiao to have a good competition and show their true skills!"

No, of course there is no problem. Wang Fuchen said with a smile while shaking his head, "It's just that my son doesn't have much real ability; he merely deceives people with grandiose talk."

If there could be several thousand armored wolf cavalry, then the Great Qing Dynasty would...! This group of loyal subjects of the Great Qing, upon thinking of this and the books, displayed particularly loyal expressions on their faces

Wu Sangui could not help but let out a "loyal laugh," and said to Wang Fucheng beside him, "Hehe... Fucheng, you have given birth to a good son!"

"Wu Er, don't be anxious! It's just a few bamboo sticks! Let me finish what I have to say... This bamboo, once dried, is very light, and with so many little bits on it, it can hit faces, both human and horse faces! When I hit you later, you better dodge a bit!"

General Wang, please speak up and let us broaden our horizons

What? My backyard? These bamboos were cut from my backyard?

Thus, Wang Zhongxiao did not hold a grudge against Wu Shijue, but instead looked at the old traitor Wu Sangui, who was sitting upright in a grand master's chair, with a smile and said leisurely: "Brother Wu, do not be anxious, I mentioned to you yesterday that I want to compare the ultimate skills of my family's old man in defeating the Manchu White Armored Soldiers with you!"

However, last night Wang Zhongxiao sneaked into Wu Guogui's bamboo grove with Master Yu, cut down seven or eight bamboo poles each about two zhang long, and intended to use them as "fake guns" for their martial arts practice

These bamboo poles are quite ordinary, neither thick nor thin, and not particularly long, roughly measuring around 1.8 to 1.9 zhang, almost 2 zhang in length, and naturally not very heavy. The tops of the bamboo poles still have many fine branches and leaves. In Yunnan, finding bamboo poles of such thickness and length is exceedingly easy; one can have as many as needed, and the cost is certainly very low.

The reason these two "little men" are talking but not acting, of course, is not because of the Prince of Pingxi, Wu Sangui, coming to watch the excitement, but rather due to a few eight-foot-long snake spears, no, it is eight-foot-long bamboo poles

Indeed, indeed, what the prince has said is absolutely correct! Wang Fucheng hurriedly nodded, saying, "If that is the case, then I, as a minister, would be utterly guilty and unable to escape death!"

Wu Sangui furrowed his thick brows, his tiger-like eyes gleaming, seemingly lost in thought

At this moment, Wu Sangui suddenly spoke up, and the old traitor said: "Although the methods proposed by the minister are simple, it is indeed not easy to execute them well. Forming cavalry formations is inherently difficult, and one must also identify the weaknesses of the enemy amidst the thousands of troops, strike decisively, and then retreat swiftly without any delay. Minister, your skills in cavalry tactics and your brilliance akin to the living Lü Bu are indeed not unfounded. If there were a few more troops, with several thousand iron cavalry, and combined with infantry and artillery to launch an attack, perhaps General Jiang's stronghold would... Minister, your skills in cavalry tactics and your brilliance akin to the living Lü Bu are indeed not unfounded. If there were a few more troops, with several thousand iron cavalry, and combined with infantry and artillery to launch an attack, perhaps General Jiang's stronghold would... would lead to a grave mistake!"

Hehe, Wu Er, today I will take you down, and that maid of yours will be mine!

Wu Sangui nodded and smiled, saying, "Very good, you have ambition!" The old man waved his hand again, calling Wang Zhongxiao over, and instructed, "Zhongxiao, you should cut off all the little bits and pieces from those wolf bristles and then have a match with Shi Jue... You must make him lose convincingly! If you win this match, I will write a letter to Ying Xiong, asking him to recommend you to Master Ao. With Master Ao's and my influence, what is a mere guard?" If you win this match, I will write a letter to Ying Xiong, asking him to recommend you to Master Ao. With Master Ao's and my influence, what is a mere guard?

Hehe, let us also learn this skill, in the future... in the future, we can use this ability to pledge loyalty to the Qing Dynasty

It is certainly understood that the longer the weapon in hand, the easier it is to strike someone, and it is also known that being hit in the face by the branches and leaves of a rapidly moving bamboo pole is no trivial matter; getting hit can lead to disfigurement, and with a moment's inattention, one could be poked in the eye, which is unbearable for both humans and horses

Isn't this the wolf spear that the Qi family army once used? It's still so long... Can this thing be used for horseback competitions? Wang Er, do you understand the rules?

Well, having real skills means that in the future, one can honestly serve the Qing Dynasty, right

What? Is there really a secret technique for defeating the Eight Banners soldiers?

Wang Fuchen smiled and said: "Your Highness, this is not very difficult. It is merely a matter of first clarifying the approximate distance in feet that one's own warhorse covers during a slow walk, a brisk walk, a trot, and a gallop. Then, one must determine how many slow steps, brisk steps, trots, and gallops are to be taken when initiating a charge... Finally, through repeated training, with a better rider paired with a smarter warhorse, practicing together for a few months, it will all be mastered."

Wu Sangui laughed again and said, "Minister, I still find it unsatisfactory to hear your explanation; I would rather witness it with my own eyes. Tomorrow, I wish to watch your son and Shi Jue's duel. Is that acceptable?"

Wang Zhongxiao would certainly not indulge this inconsiderate Wu Shijue. He was being exceptionally benevolent, considering that both Wu Shijue and his elder, Wu Guogui, later embarked on the irretrievable path of rebellion against the Qing dynasty, and thus he kindly took it upon himself to teach them some genuine skills.

If a row of eight-foot-long wolf spears were to come flying over, even the white-armored soldiers would have to flee in panic

When these two loyal ministers of the Qing Dynasty were bickering, Wu Sangui and his subordinates, those old loyal ministers of the Qing, all wore expressions of concealed delight—these individuals were indeed experts in horseback combat.

Yes, it is about using words, not actions

Wu Shicong performed a cupped-hand salute and said solemnly, "The grandson has received the order"

However, Wu Shijue still believes that Wang Zhongxiao's act of using this item to compete with him is a serious violation of the rules! It is the behavior of a shameless scoundrel!

Indeed, the ability to fully utilize the Manchu White Armored Soldiers is quite impressive