Chapter 10 is about my Great General, "The Backbone of the Great Wei! Loyal to the Country!"...

At dinner time, the messengers who were to deliver messages to the various Imperial Guards arrived.

Ningguo Prefecture was no exception.

"Tomorrow at 5:45 AM? They're training at the Daming Palace at 7:00 AM? Does that mean we have to get up at the beginning of 5:00 AM?"

Jia Rong gasped. He could sleep at dawn, but he couldn't wake up at dawn.

"Wasn't that a nominal position you got in your early years? You didn't even get a salary, and you still had to train?" he muttered under his breath. Jia Zhen kicked him and said, "Just go when I tell you to!"

After finishing the beating and scolding, Jia Zhen comforted him, saying, "He's a fifth-rank Imperial Guard, and he's from a prestigious family. What can he do to you? It's just that the Emperor Emeritus remembered you and you have to put on a show. Stand up straight!"

Jia Rong shrank back, and Jia Zhen said again, "Can't you ride a horse or shoot an arrow? Look at the pathetic sight you're making!"

Jia Rong glanced at his father subconsciously. Riding a horse and shooting arrows?

They can ride horses, but can they shoot arrows? They practice archery every day in their mansion, and they dare to call that archery?

Blindfolded, arrows broken off, leaving only the shafts, bound with cotton and cloth, and smeared with rouge, then used to shoot at the women who were serving drinks; whoever was hit would become the one serving drinks.

Is this archery?

Sometimes two arrows hit the same person—in broad daylight, he was too embarrassed to even think about it.

Clearly, Jia Zhen had been thinking about something quite erotic from his son's eyes. He flicked his sleeve and said, "Go to sleep early, or you'll embarrass yourself tomorrow!"

After taking a couple of steps, Jia Zhen felt that the word "shameful" wasn't quite accurate, so he turned back and softened his voice, emphasizing, "You can't be worse than others, at least not the worst one."

They were told to enter the palace at 5:45 AM, but no one dared not arrive early. Jia Rong was no exception. He got up before dawn, didn't even dare to eat breakfast, and only drank a large bowl of ginseng soup. He changed into short military uniform and waited outside the Donghua Gate at 5:15 AM.

All three hundred Imperial Guards were present. Regardless of whether they stood in perfect order, at least their appearance was acceptable.

Jia Rong spotted several people he had practiced "riding and archery" with at the Ning Mansion, gave them a nod of greeting, and cautiously approached them.

"Any news?"

The man shook his head: "I don't know what happened, we—"

We just paid money to buy a status; none of us actually thought we could become palace guards.

After waiting for a while, Dai Quan, dressed in the bright red official robes of a eunuch, came out in person and said, "Come with me into the palace."

Jia Rong, neither tall nor short, stood in the middle as they entered the main gate of the Daming Palace. Once inside, he looked up and became even more nervous.

Leaving aside the most eye-catching one, who stands there like an iron mountain, this one must be the Dragon Guard General.

The key point is that both the retired emperor and the emperor were present, each with a chair, sitting on the high platform, one on the left and one on the right.

Jia Rong quickly lowered his head and followed the order to bow, feeling increasingly uneasy.

The three hundred scions of noble families have never experienced hardship since childhood, and even if their fathers are not good-looking, the good-looking mothers of several generations have combined to make them very handsome, and their figures are also acceptable.

In addition, it was still quite dark at Chen Shi (7-9 AM), and the Emperor Emeritus's presbyopia made it difficult to see clearly. In short, details such as the dark circles under his eyes and the puffy face could not be seen.

"Hmm." The Emperor Emeritus nodded in satisfaction. "My Great General, please."

The emperor is not feeling well. What does "my Grand General" mean?

That's my great general!

However, the emperor knew a thing or two about the scions of noble families, so things were out in the open. As for whether he would embarrass himself, that depended on Mu Chuan's choice.

Will he disappoint me?

Will he disappoint the retired emperor?

The emperor and the retired emperor exchanged a glance, as if a thunderbolt had struck.

Mu Chuan stepped forward, his armor clanging powerfully. He first bowed halfway to the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor, then turned around and looked at the bunch of good-for-nothings below him.

He naturally wanted them all.

He wanted "all to perish," but Mu Chuan did not lose.

He wanted both the retired emperor and the emperor to feel that they were on his side, but he also wanted them to feel a little uneasy.

In short, keeping things hanging in the balance is the essence of being successful in all directions.

Mu Chuan shouted, "The backbone of the Great Wei! Serve the country with utmost loyalty! Shout it with me, the backbone of the Great Wei! Serve the country with utmost loyalty!"

It was the first time the three hundred Dragon Guards had trained, and it would be a miracle if they could even shout in unison. However, Mu Chuan didn't care. Although the control group was quite poor, the difference in strength was like heaven and earth, which did not prevent him from being excellent.

After being called twice, Mu Chuan led his men and started running.

Choosing running is simple; you can't exactly ride a horse or shoot arrows, as those activities are too dangerous for someone who's only half-baked.

A powerful warrior in iron armor, with a strong voice like a bell, running with loyal commands—that's Mu Chuan. How exciting and exhilarating it was to see him running!

The retired emperor was so excited that his hands were trembling, and the emperor even stood up.

But looking at those behind him, who had looked respectable when standing, they all turned into deformed monsters when they ran. The Emperor Emeritus's excited mood was clouded over.

They can't even shout the slogan of the Great Wei's backbone properly, so how can they be loyal to the country?

The emperor was very pleased.

He was pleased that Mu Chuan hadn't tried to cover things up; he had exposed the hypocrisy of this bunch of good-for-nothings and also revealed the true face of the retired emperor.

Mu Chuan was in first place.

His tall stature, strong physique, and the added protection of his armor made each step he took land with a thud.

Although there shouldn't be any dust in the palace, both the retired emperor and the emperor seemed to see the dust kicked up by Mu Chuan's every step, and it seemed that if he stepped on it a couple more times, he could crush the bluestone slabs.

Mu Chuan wasn't running very fast. After one lap, he had a general idea of ​​how fast he was going.

The area around the front hall of Daming Palace is less than 400 meters, which is not very friendly to runners because the ground is paved with bluestone slabs, which are too hard. Forget about shock absorption, you can feel your head buzzing after just a few steps without any skill.

If he was like this, then the people who followed him were even more so.

After completing one lap, many people were already pale and sweating profusely.

"The backbone of the Great Wei! Loyal to the country!"

Mu Chuan maintained his pace and continued to lead the pack.

After two laps, all the young men from prominent families were slightly out of breath.

"How could he, he, he be running and shouting at the same time?"

Mu Chuan turned around: "Rhythm, adjust your breathing."

He had a clear plan for advancing and retreating. The newbies behind him were already in disarray, and with this adjustment, they were not even able to catch their breath. Some of them even vaguely saw the Great Healer.

But the retired emperor and the emperor were watching, so even if he saw the Great-Grandmother, he would still have to run away.

After the third lap, the last few people had already moved. They looked at each other and lay down. Anyway, there were others to take with them. If they were going to die, they would die together.

You definitely shouldn't lie down after running.

Although it was only three laps, these people had indeed reached their physical limit.

Mu Chuan grabbed a guard's spear and slapped it on the knee, breaking off the spearhead.

He struck the men with a long pole: "Get up and keep going!"

Just as he was thinking that since he was no longer the worst Jia Rong, he was about to lie down with him when he was startled and stumbled forward two steps.

The emperor smiled broadly as he looked at his father: "Father, Minister Mu is indeed a pillar of the state."

The retired emperor sneered: "Indeed, it is a blessing for our Great Wei!"

The emperor was pleased, thinking that Mu Chuan was very promising, and continued watching without saying a word.

The retired emperor was displeased, feeling that his three hundred imperial guards were utterly incompetent, and remained silent, continuing to watch.

But if you can't run, you can't run. After four laps, there were only a dozen or so people still following Mu Chuan.

Mu Chuan stopped and stood in front of him. Although he didn't speak, the three hundred Dragon Guards stood in front of him.

—The stance isn't very good.

"Spread out half a zhang in all directions, and I will now demonstrate the military boxing style of Pingnan Town."

Mu Chuan was tall and imposing, and his set of boxing techniques was powerful and vigorous, with a sense of returning to simplicity.

It's like using the Taizu Fist style to achieve the effect of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.

Especially when bathed in the morning sun, there are not only sound effects but also light effects.

The emperor grew increasingly delighted, while the retired emperor adjusted himself, saying, "My Imperial Guard General is fine; the problem lies with the Imperial Guard Commander."

The Emperor Emeritus glared at Dai Quan: "These are the three hundred Imperial Guards you found! Relying on them to protect me is less effective than the bolt behind the palace gate!"

Dai Quan lowered his head, took a step back, and tried to minimize his presence.

After finishing a set of boxing techniques, Mu Chuan said, "It will take you a long time to reach my level. Today we will practice three basic movements: the forward punch, the upward punch, and the downward punch, as well as the most basic stance."

"Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, and raise your arms. Very good."

Standing meditation is indeed the most basic exercise, and these three hundred Imperial Guards all learned it when they were young, but... they can't hold it for long.

Before even half a cup of tea had been brewed, most of the people had started shaking.

Mu Chuan frowned and shouted, "Hold on!"

He naturally stood as upright and sturdy as a pine tree.

Anyway, the emperor liked it very much, while the retired emperor felt both bitter and astringent.

As I said before, with the retired emperor and the emperor sitting in front of them, these imperial guards below them are only considered done when they collapse to the ground.

The most outrageous thing was that after a Dragon Guard in the front row lost his footing, he seemed to lose control of his legs and rushed to the left, knocking down two people. After being pushed, he rushed towards Mu Chuan.

Unfortunately, he tripped over Mu Chuan's leg and tumbled over.

"Ah!" the emperor exclaimed, turning to look at the retired emperor: "He stands so steadily."

"Yes," the Emperor Emeritus said sourly, "That Imperial Guard—" was a fat man, weighing at least two hundred pounds, and when he bumped into him like that, Mu Chuan didn't even sway.

After a short while, everyone except Mu Chuan was sitting on the ground rubbing their legs, not daring to even lift their heads.

Mu Chuan's face darkened, his displeasure evident in his tone: "How can you protect the Emperor Emeritus like this—"

He didn't hear what was said after that, but the Emperor Emeritus's mood soared again. These Imperial Guards were really too outrageous!

“Go back and train. The first thing you must do every morning is run, and you must also practice standing meditation. After a month, anyone who can't stand for the time it takes to burn an incense stick can forget about being a Dragon Guard!”

Actually... if they hadn't been notified so urgently yesterday, they would have resigned yesterday.

Many people below had this idea.

Mu Chuan turned around, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed to have failed your grace."

He thought the performance that morning was very good.

Leading troops into battle takes a long time to see results, and besides, it's impossible to demonstrate one's strength in front of the retired emperor or the emperor himself. Therefore, that person's powerful military strength is the first choice.

Especially the Imperial Guard who tripped him up; Mu Chuan decided that if he was still around next time, he would treat him a little better.

"It's alright, it's alright." The emperor laughed and stood up. Taking advantage of his youth and strength, he grabbed Mu Chuan's arm before the retired emperor could reach him. "Come, follow me to the Imperial Study. I have something to say to you."

"Wait!" The Emperor Emeritus simply sat down again. "General Mu is valiant, I—" The Emperor Emeritus turned his head around, "I want to reward you with a set of Dragon Armor. Dai Quan, go and prepare it."

Mu Chuan left with the emperor, but he still turned back to look at the retired emperor.

The retired emperor sensed a lingering attachment in his eyes, and then sighed reluctantly.

Dai Quan helped the retired emperor back to the palace. In the large square in front of the Daming Palace, only three hundred imperial guards who could barely stand were left. Before long, a little eunuch came and made sarcastic remarks.

"Should we arrange some people to help you? If you can't walk, how about we arrange a sedan chair?"

In the imperial study, the emperor laughed heartily.

"Qiao Yue, you are my Qiao Yue!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing this inscription!"

The emperor knew that Mu Chuan had not received a proper education. Although he had learned to read and write in the army, his literacy level was not high, so he explained in great detail.

He didn't even ask the eunuch to speak for him; he spoke himself.

"When you returned that day, I thought of two words: Chong'a and Jieqiu, both meaning tall and magnificent mountains. But later, I thought of Qiaoyue."

“In some ancient books, Qiao Yue is used as a synonym for Mount Tai. Listen to me—” The emperor reached out and pressed down on Mu Chuan’s refusal.

“Since the previous dynasty, the emperor has stopped performing the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai. Firstly, it was a waste of resources and manpower, and secondly…” The emperor hesitated for a moment, but still told the truth, “Emperor Shang performed the Fengshan ceremony three times, but still became a ruler who lost his country. He single-handedly made the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai a joke, but Mount Tai is still Mount Tai.”

The emperor was a fairly honest person; at least he had good intentions.

Mu Chuan's expression became somewhat sincere: "With Your Majesty, it is a blessing for all the people, and also a fortune for me! I will stand firm and unyielding, as solid as a mountain!"

The emperor laughed loudly: "Very good."

At noon, Jia Rong was carried back to Ningguo Mansion.

To be honest, he was faking it halfway, but he genuinely didn't want to be a Dragon Guard Commander anymore.

Jia Zhen's hands were trembling. Although he usually looked down on this son and beat and scolded him, the Ningguo Mansion could not be without an heir!

Jia Rong cried and complained, "I almost thought I was going to die in the palace. If there's a next time, I won't be able to see my father again."

The Ningguo Mansion was in an uproar, and by the afternoon, the news had reached the Rongguo Mansion, which was also in an uproar.

Yuanyang heard about it while strolling through the courtyard. The Grand View Garden was a beautiful place, loved by everyone in the Ning and Rong mansions. Not only did the master's concubines enjoy visiting it, but the concubines from the neighboring Ning mansion also came often.

"He's such a jerk! Does anyone think their master just fell from the sky? Letting him do this to them."

"I didn't eat lunch, and I can't even drink water."

"I have a fever. The imperial physician came to see me and said it was due to overwork and that I need to rest properly. But how can I rest? That general said I can't rest even at home; I have an exam next month."

Since Grandmother Jia never leaves her courtyard, Yuanyang is her eyes and ears. Although it's for Grandmother Jia's own good and for the peace of the Jia family, some things shouldn't reach Grandmother Jia's ears, but this one clearly can't be kept secret.

Yuanyang hurried back and whispered, "...Master Rong has been thoroughly exhausted and can't get out of bed anymore..."

Although Mu Chuan didn't know who Jia Rong was, that didn't stop Jia Rong from embellishing the story, and the concubines continued to add fuel to the fire.

By the time it reached Grandmother Jia, the situation had changed from "the three hundred Imperial Guards' poor performance in their first training session" to "the Marquis of Zhongyong targeting the Jia family's sons."

Grandmother Jia felt her aged heart pounding again: "Go and call Daiyu here, I want to ask her."

A note from the author:

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