Chapter 95 Autumn Hunt for Martial Arts (Minor Revision)
"Madam Jiang is very fortunate."
The Minister's wife offered her congratulations with a smile.
They were invited to attend the ceremony today, and they hadn't paid attention to the age of the eldest son of the Jiang family before. They just thought he was young and promising. Because he didn't smile much, the women in the inner quarters praised him as calm, sensible and reliable. In any case, compared to their own children, he was truly enviable. Little did they know that he was only just turned twenty.
That means he had already reached the fourth rank before he even came of age, which was even more impressive than his father's.
However, seeing the heavily pregnant eldest daughter-in-law of the Jiang family, everyone regretted not having thought of arranging a marriage with the Jiang family earlier.
"What good fortune? If you ask me, the Minister's wife is the most fortunate. Your twins are the most enviable." Zhao Xian began with humble and flattering words, a practiced habit.
"Oh, you should have said so earlier! Our two families should have become in-laws. The twins would have ended up in your family. What a pity."
"Haha, what a pity, what a pity."
"It's no pity, there are still younger generations."
"Ha ha……"
"It's still very early."
They each said a few words, and the topic turned to the marriage of the younger generation. Zhao Xian did not respond, saying that they would talk about it later.
"It's getting late. Ladies and young ladies, please follow me to the Ziwei Garden for a banquet. This way, please."
After the coming-of-age ceremony, Zhao Xian invited the women back to the Crape Myrtle Grove. This time, the Jiang family's banquet for the women was held in the garden full of crape myrtle flowers.
The garden features a stage, a painting area, pavilions for playing the "flying flower" game, and children's favorite activities like shadow puppetry and pitch-pot.
After the banquet, the opera performance continued on stage.
Some ladies enjoyed playing leaf games, and Zhao Xian would accompany them.
Lu Zhaoying also sat down and chatted with her friends whom she had known since childhood.
Before she got married, she had several close girlfriends. After the Lu family had their troubles, they became somewhat distant. Later, when she married into the Jiang family, some people still wanted to befriend her, but she was unwilling to. She didn't break off relations, but the relationship wasn't as close as before.
Today, she was accompanied by her closest confidant, and she spoke even more recklessly.
The woman pulled Lu Zhaoying aside and whispered, "Yingying, has your mother-in-law been pressuring you to have a baby?"
"Huh?" Lu Zhaoying was shocked by the sudden whisper and shook her head repeatedly, "No."
The other person's eyes were full of envy. "That's true. You have an older brother and sister-in-law, and your sister-in-law has already given birth to a daughter and is pregnant again."
It seems that Madam Jiang will no longer put pressure on the second branch of the family.
Lu Zhaoying smiled awkwardly. The real reason wasn't that. She and Jiang Heng hadn't consummated their marriage yet, and her mother-in-law knew about it.
Because she was not yet of marriageable age, her mother-in-law and mother had already discussed it before she got married.
Of course, they wouldn't pressure her to have children.
The woman lowered her eyes, looking down at her fair hands, kneading a handkerchief in them. Her mother-in-law, who had just gotten married, was already eager to have a grandson, and after a month, she started staring intently at her belly, her gaze frightening her.
She dreams of being pregnant, but she can't conceive, and she's so worried that she can't sleep.
"Sister, you've lost so much weight. I remember you loved cantaloupe stuffed ice cream. Have some." Lu Zhaoying noticed the weariness in the woman's eyes and took the dessert that the maid had just brought.
The woman looked at the cantaloupe stuffed with shaved ice in her hand, glanced at her mother-in-law subconsciously, and shook her head, "No, I shouldn't eat anything cold right now."
Since her mother-in-law started pressuring her to have a child, she has been abstaining from many things, and can only use things that her mother-in-law approves of.
Lu Zhaoying looked at the small bowl in her hand. Since it was just a snack, the portion was small. She ate it politely, taking several bites, but if she wasn't polite, it would be gone in one or two bites.
"Then use some almond and walnut milk, warm."
"Thank you." The woman took the dessert and ate it in small bites, but couldn't help glancing at the sweets prepared by the Jiang family. There were many kinds, half of which were chilled and half were hot drinks, taking care of everyone.
Although the weather has become much more pleasant since autumn, the sun is shining brightly today, making my skin feel warm and cozy. I watched as those young ladies happily enjoyed their iced drinks without any restraint.
She was the same before marriage, but after marriage, she was controlled by her mother-in-law in every way.
Lu Zhaoying wasn't unaware of the other person's emotions, but she didn't know how to offer comfort. Judging from the information the other person had revealed, if she kept saying that she wasn't being pressured to have children, it might only upset the other person.
Since it wasn't true, she couldn't fabricate it out of thin air, so she simply took the woman to play and changed the subject.
On Cui Tingyue's side, some people secretly inquired about her entering the palace to accompany the Empress, but she evaded the question with a few words, preventing them from getting the information they wanted to know.
Xu Yanhan was a guest and had never been to Jin'an before, so she had no one she knew to talk to. Li Lianniang then took her around and introduced her to the noble ladies in the inner quarters.
Everyone was exhausted after a long day.
Just before falling asleep at night, a servant announced that the second young master had arrived.
Zhao Xian met Jiang Heng in the outer room, yawning, "You'd better have something on your mind to stay up so late."
Otherwise, don't force her to slap him when she's most satisfied.
Jiang Heng sat down on a small stool, gently patted Zhao Xian's legs with both hands, and said in a flattering tone, "Mother, why don't you take your daughter-in-law with you to the autumn hunt this time?"
Zhao Xian covered her mouth with her hand to yawn and shook her head, "No, Lian Niang is pregnant. The autumn hunt will be noisy, and we're afraid of being disturbed. We can't go."
Jiang Heng's expression faltered. "Mother, I was referring to your second daughter-in-law."
He shouldn't be begging on behalf of his sister-in-law.
Zhao Xian knew, of course, that she was asking for it on behalf of Lu Zhaoying and was just teasing him, but she didn't understand why he insisted that she take Lu Zhaoying to the autumn hunt. Was it Lu Zhaoying who asked for it?
"With your official rank, this is against the rules."
Jiang Heng pounded the door with utmost care, but his tone became even more obsequious. "I've come to beg you, Mother. My official rank isn't high enough, but Father is. As a third-rank imperial consort, no one will say anything if you bring another daughter-in-law."
Seeing his mother about to say something, Jiang Heng interrupted, "Mother, His Majesty doesn't hold autumn hunts often. If we miss this one, we don't know when we'll be able to go again. Please take Yingying with you. I'm going back to the city guard camp early tomorrow morning, and Yingying will be so bored at home alone. Please, Mother, you're the best. Please take Yingying with you, Mother~"
Zhao Xian looked at Jiang Heng seriously, "Think carefully. Yingying went on the autumn hunt, and she won't be home when you take your day off."
Jiang Heng: "I have to go on a mission this time and won't have a day off, so I asked my mother to take Yingying out to play."
"Alright."
Jiang Heng's interruption eased Zhao Xian's drowsiness considerably, and she didn't fall asleep for a long time afterward.
The next day, Jiang Heng returned to the city guard camp to pay his respects before leaving, but she did not see him.
After Zhao Xian regained consciousness and had breakfast, Yingchun entered the room and reported, "Madam, Young Master Qi and his wife have come to say goodbye. They are outside the door right now."
"Please come in."
Zhao Xian politely asked them to stay longer, saying, "I heard from the maid that you've come to say goodbye. Why don't you stay a few more days? It's a rare opportunity for you to come to Jin'an."
Qi Zhengheng cupped his hands in greeting, "I would like to stay with my wife for a while longer, but I can't take much leave from Pingyang, so I have no choice."
Zhao Xian nodded: "The important business cannot be delayed, so I can't keep you any longer."
Qi Zhengheng's wife, Xu Yanhan, is a gentle girl. Zhao Xian had also observed her and wondered if she resembled Li Lianniang, but she couldn't see any similarities.
The plot has long been unrecognizable. To this day, the tragic heroine and the gentle second male lead have barely met or spoken a few words to each other. On the other hand, Li Lianniang and Xu Yanhan get along extremely well and are practically inseparable.
Moreover, they are all still young, and the second male lead has not experienced the pain of losing his fiancée. His personality is not as gentle as described in the book; on the contrary, he is straightforward with a passionate and honest nature.
"Peony, go find the eldest young mistress and get the storeroom key, and prepare a thank-you gift."
After bidding farewell to Qi Zhengheng and his wife, the Jiang family continued with their lives as usual.
Although the old man has returned, he is used to his freedom and his two grandsons are grown up and busy with their own things.
After his coming-of-age ceremony, Mr. Jiang began visiting friends.
Before resigning from his official post, the old man had made many acquaintances. Although he had not returned to Jin'an for many years, his reputation remained unchanged. Sometimes he would go out and return in a day, and sometimes he would return after several days.
When Zhao Xian had some free time, she continued to practice drawing the bow every day, and she also brought along another person, her second daughter-in-law Lu Zhaoying.
Cui Tingyue was taken along by Zhao Xian after returning from the palace.
The little girl is just starting to practice, and her arm strength is not enough to draw the bow. There is still time for the autumn hunt, so there is no rush and she can take her time.
"Madam, Third Master Zhao and Young Master Yao have arrived."
Zhao Xian handed the bow to the maid beside her, and took the handkerchief from Shaoyao to wipe her sweat. "Please come in quickly."
Zhao Zhi stayed by the old man's side almost constantly, and thanks to his care, Zhao Xian and Jiang Liangxu felt much more at ease.
Even when she was young, Zhao Xian knew that her third cousin was bold and meticulous. Otherwise, why would he be the one to stay by the old man's side for so many years when the old man had so many places to stay?
Jiang Liangxu, the biological son, didn't spend as much time with the old man as Zhao Zhichang.
Two figures, one tall and one short, followed the maid into the courtyard of Begonia Residence.
Zhao Wenyao cupped his hands in a gesture reminiscent of Jiang Wei, and said, "Yao'er greets Aunt Axian, Cousin, and Second Sister-in-law."
Zhao Xian reached out and touched the child's head. "Good child."
Cui Tingyue and Lu Zhaoying also greeted them, "Third Uncle, Cousin Yao'er."
"Peony, go and get some pastries and candied fruits." Zhao Xian said, then looked at Cui Tingyue and Lu Zhaoying, "You two go ahead and get busy."
Her third cousin's sudden arrival with Yao'er was probably not out of boredom.
After Cui Tingyue and Lu Zhaoying left, Zhao Xian raised her hand and said to Zhao Zhi, "Third Brother, please sit down."
Servants brought tea, snacks, fruits, candied fruit, pine nuts, and other treats, placing them in front of Zhao Wenyao. He sat upright and did not make a fuss.
"Yao'er is much quieter than Third Brother was when he was a child."
Zhao Xian remembers that Zhao Zhi was the most mischievous child. He could do anything, from climbing mountains to swimming in rivers. He was often beaten, but he was quick-witted and full of ideas, so a bunch of kids were willing to play with him.
After Zhao Xian joined in and started devising ways to make money, things became even more lawless.
I still remember that Zhao Xian thought she was on the path to wealth through farming, and she rolled up her sleeves with great ambition.
Unfortunately, their little antics were considered trivial by the adults. The farthest they had ever been was limited to villages and towns. Because of their young age, the adults did not take them to any further places, which severely limited their path to wealth.
Zhao Zhi glanced at his quiet son, and thinking back to the past, he smiled and said, "That's right."
After drinking half a cup of tea and chatting about the past, Zhao Zhi suddenly took out a palm-sized brocade box, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of Zhao Xian.
Zhao Xian was puzzled. "What is this?"
"Ah Xian, open it and take a look."
The brocade box was opened, and inside was a piece of jade about the size of a child's fist, which had not been carved.
"What does Third Brother mean by this?"
Zhao Zhi said somewhat embarrassedly, "I brought Yao'er here today because I have something to ask of you, sister."
Zhao Xian didn't respond, waiting for him to continue.
Zhao Zhi picked up his cup and took another sip of tea. "Yao'er is not a child anymore. It's not a good idea for him to keep following me around. I want him to go to school so he can interact with other children. As you can see, he's not as lively and active as the other children."
I have to take care of the old man, so I haven't had time to look after him. I've come here today, even though I'm a bit shameless, to ask my sister for help. Also, I'm not familiar with Jin'an and don't know which school is good... I'd really appreciate it if Ah Xian could help her brother with this."
He himself was not good at studying. Although he was a little clever, he was really bad at reading. The old man said that Yao'er was good at studying and could be sent to school. He should not run around with him anymore.
Yao'er's biological mother had a difficult childbirth, and the child had no mother to take care of him.
His hometown was too far away. It would take him at least half a year to travel back and forth with his child. After thinking it over, he realized that his hometown was not as good as Jin'an, so he shamelessly asked his cousin for help.
"What are you saying, Third Brother? The child's matter is important. I'll send someone to inquire about it."
The Jiang family did not establish its own school. If someone wanted to enroll, they had to study at another family's school. Generally, such schools were for children from the family, and it was very difficult for outsiders to get in.
This requires asking around at several places.
"Third brother thanks his sister in advance."
Zhao Xian pushed the brocade box back, "No need for thanks. We're family, so there's no need for formalities. Take this back. My third brother has worked so hard taking care of my father-in-law all these years. My husband and I are happy to help with this little thing. There's no need for you to be so polite. It just makes us seem distant."
Zhao Zhi insisted that Zhao Xian accept it. After a brief exchange, Zhao Xian decisively refused, saying that she would save it for Yao'er.
When Jiang Liangxu returned that night, Zhao Xian brought up the matter with him, "Which family's clan school is good? Can we arrange for Yao'er to study there temporarily?"
“The best clan school is the Liu family's, but the Liu family never allows outsiders to study there.” Jiang Liangxu took off his coat and hung it on the rack, then unbuttoned his coat. “Why do we need to send Yao’er to study elsewhere? We can send him directly to the Imperial Academy.”
"Then take care of this when you have some free time."
"good."
The autumn hunt was scheduled for the fifteenth of September, but the journey to the imperial palace had to be made earlier.
After visiting friends for a few days, the old man couldn't resist going out again.
He instructed Zhao Zhi to pack his things and left Jin'an before the autumn hunt.
As for Zhao Zhi's son, Zhao Wenyao, he has already been arranged by Jiang Liangxu to study at the Imperial Academy.
The Jiang family has a quota available, and currently there is only one younger member in the family, Jiang Shuxiu, who is not yet of school age. That quota is perfect for Zhao Wenyao to use.
By September 12th, Haitang Residence was bustling with activity early in the morning.
My luggage was packed well in advance, but as it was time to leave, I still needed to pack and gather many everyday items.
His Majesty is not a monarch who enjoys pleasure. The hunting ground he uses is the Shanglin Garden, which was built when the late emperor was alive. The imperial palace is not too far from Jin'an, about a three-day journey.
Ministers and their families followed the emperor and empress's carriage along the official road.
Martial law was in effect along the route from Jin'an to the imperial palace where the autumn hunt took place.
The Ministry of Rites was responsible for this trip and the miscellaneous matters of the autumn hunt.
The Minister of Rites was only promoted a few months ago, and this autumn hunt was the most important event for him since taking office. All the arrangements were in good order.
The emperor and empress's carriages were at the very front, followed by princes, princesses, and imperial relatives, then ministers, and finally the women of each family.
The Jiang family's carriage was at the back of the procession.
Inside the carriage, Zhao Xian looked at Lu Zhaoying and Cui Tingyue and instructed them, "It will take at least three days to get to Shanglin Garden. Except for resting at the post station, don't wander around. Try to stay with me."
There weren't many ministers' families who could come along, but there were still about ten households, and it was unknown how many people each family had brought. Since there were always many people mixed together outside, it was best to avoid any trouble if possible.
For this autumn hunt, Zhao Xian only brought two of the Jiang family's female relatives, Lu Zhaoying and Cui Tingyue.
As Jiang Heng's wife, Lu Zhaoying shouldn't have been qualified to come according to her official rank. However, Jiang Heng begged Zhao Xian to bring Lu Zhaoying with him.
After some training, both of them could draw the simplest bow, but their accuracy was not good enough.
The two nodded obediently.
"So many people."
When they arrived at the meeting point, Lu Zhaoying secretly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and saw countless carriages and their entourage.
All the carriages were arranged in an orderly fashion.
Until the eunuch announced the arrival of the Emperor and Empress.
Because the Jiang family's carriage was among the group of women at the back, they couldn't see anything in front of them, so they just had to kneel down.
Just as they were being reminded that they could board the carriage, Qi An, the Empress's head maid, came over with her maids and called out, "Madam Jiang."
Zhao Xian had already stepped onto the footstool, but upon hearing the sound, she withdrew her foot, turned around, stood up straight, and asked with a smile, "Aunt Qi'an, what brings you here? Did Her Majesty the Empress give any instructions?"
Qi An glanced at Cui Tingyue and said to Zhao Xian, "Her Majesty the Empress misses Miss Cui and has instructed me to come and fetch her to accompany the Empress."
Other ministers' families were also present in front of and behind the Jiang family's carriage. Some stopped to watch, while others listened intently with their curtains closed.
Zhao Xian glanced at Cui Tingyue; the Empress seemed to care about her quite a bit. "Go. Things outside are not like in the palace. You must listen to Aunt Qi'an in everything you do, and you must not wander off from Her Majesty the Empress."
Cui Tingyue nodded: "My daughter saved it."
"Aunt, I need to trouble you to take care of my adopted daughter."
"Madam Jiang, you're too kind."
After the Empress summoned Cui Tingyue away, she did not let her return. It was Zhao Xian who sent someone to deliver Cui Tingyue's clothes.
A rest stop at night.
Xi Yu had just instructed the servants to put away the boxes containing clothes and jewelry and was about to go fetch water when she saw Dong'er returning from outside. She asked in confusion, "Dong'er, when did you go out?"
Dong'er rolled her eyes and said in a cold voice, "Do you think you're the master now? You're even telling me where I go. Do I have to tell you if I want to go out in the future?"
"No, I..."
Before Xiyu could finish speaking, Dong'er snorted and deliberately bumped into Xiyu, saying, "Get out of the way. Just because the young lady took you into the palace once, you think you can fly to the sky?"
Xi Yu was jolted slightly by the impact and opened her mouth to explain, but Dong'er had already gone inside.
Ever since the girl asked her to come to the palace last time, Dong'er has never given her a kind look since they returned.
Xi Yu pursed her lips and continued fetching water with the basin.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the group arrived at Shanglin Garden, where they were hunting.
Upon entering the imperial palace where Shanglin Garden is located, one must undergo inspection, and all items brought and the number of servants must be registered.
The martial law at the temporary palace was no less stringent than that at the palace, and perhaps even stricter, as it concerned the emperor's safety and there was no room for carelessness.
At the imperial palace for the autumn hunt, the emperor, empress, princes, princesses, imperial relatives, and ministers each had their own designated places to stay.
At least Zhao Xian knew after inquiring that the residences of the ministers and their families were quite far from the emperor and empress's palace.
Jiang Liangxu returned as darkness fell, still smelling of alcohol.
"Why are you so late? You've been drinking!"
Tomorrow is the autumn hunt, and even if one is prone to drinking, one should not do this. Besides, Jiang Liangxu is not the kind of person who likes to drink excessively.
Jiang Liangxu rubbed his temples. "Isn't Madam worried about the autumn hunt? I spoke with a few generals about it."
Zhao Xian herself hadn't noticed this recently, and handed over the warm water she had poured, asking, "Have you noticed anything unusual?"
The plot of the autumn hunt is mostly unfolded from the perspective of the female protagonist in a tragic novel. In the book, Jiang Wei takes Li Lianniang and Cui Tingyue with him.
To be honest, given Jiang Wei's official rank, he himself couldn't have gone, let alone bring his family. Yet, in the book, not only did he go, but he also brought the female lead and the female supporting character with him.
In the book, Li Lianniang was not pregnant, and the Crown Prince of Yu was not in any danger. The villain even chased after Li Lianniang during the autumn hunt, trying to win her favor despite the fact that she was already married, and insisted on ruining her reputation.
Li Lianniang endured too much gossip in the inner quarters, and Jiang Wei's distrust of her and the existing estrangement between them meant that they lacked the atmosphere and opportunity to have intimate conversations, and naturally, he wouldn't inform her about the situation in the court.
In the book, when the emperor was in trouble, the female protagonist of the tragic story was still being harassed by the villain, so she was unaware of the details.
Jiang Liangxu took the cup, sipped the warm water, and said, "Not for now."
"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Jiang, for remembering this all along."
Zhao Xian wasn't too worried, probably because the male and female protagonists of the angst-filled novel hadn't come.
The male and female protagonists in this angst-filled novel seem like two bitter gourd spirits, permeating the entire book with a bitter taste, and even the plot itself isn't exactly joyful.
The plot has now been completely altered, and the villains have not appeared at all. Instead, the sweet romance novel heroine who was exiled in the book has appeared at the Autumn Hunt this time.
It's unclear whether this will change the situation.
Despite her worries about the unknown plot, Zhao Xian wasn't overly anxious.
After resting for one night at Shanglin Garden, the autumn hunt began the following day.
Before dawn, candles were already lit throughout the palace.
Zhao Xian helped Jiang Liangxu fasten the belt of his court robe.
She herself was wearing the official robes of a noblewoman, not the riding and archery uniform.
The autumn hunt was not just about hunting; there were two other things before the actual hunt: martial arts training and the martial arts examination.
This military parade is similar to a military review, but it also includes military training, drills, and exercises.
The martial arts examination was used to select martial arts candidates, and the ten winners were directly promoted to second-class imperial guards.
His Majesty does not often participate in the autumn hunt, and the autumn hunt held again after several years is of great significance. The Second-Class Imperial Guards are military officers of the fourth rank, and their numbers are limited and will not be expanded. If ten people are promoted, ten people will inevitably be removed.
The competition is fierce.
I ate breakfast.
The ministers went ahead, while the women went to pay their respects to the Empress and then followed her to the martial arts training ground.
"Madam Jiang is here quite early."
"Good morning, Madam Liu."
...
Zhao Xian didn't arrive early; there were already princes' wives or other ministers' wives waiting ahead of her.
The ladies greeted each other upon meeting. They were all acquaintances, and even those who hadn't exchanged many words and weren't very close knew each other's identities.
Suddenly, Zhao Xian smelled a scent of perfume that made her body tense up involuntarily; it was the scent that belonged only to the former Princess Rongyang.
Looking back, they saw that the princess's sedan chair had stopped, and Lin Nianzang was helping the princess out of the sedan chair.
Zhao Xian, who was already standing at the back, spoke along with the lady next to her, "Greetings, Princess."
Upon hearing this, the ladies all turned around and greeted him.
The princess walked forward, and Lin Nianzang helped her as they passed in front of Zhao Xian, whose familiar aura was even stronger.
Zhao Xian couldn't help but hold her breath. The last time she smelled this familiar scent was on the Qixi Festival.
Why did Lin Nianzang suddenly start using the face powder that her mother was used to?
Zhao Xian narrowed her eyes, recalling that she hadn't smelled this scent last time in the palace.
It had been a while, and Zhao Xian thought back. She didn't have a strong memory of that time in the palace, but if she had smelled it then, she definitely would have noticed.
In other words, Lin Nianzang wasn't used in the palace last time. Why? That's strange!
Perhaps Princess Rongyang left such a deep impression on Zhao Xian that she couldn't help but be on high alert whenever she smelled the familiar scent of perfume.
Qi An placed her hands in front of her and said in a firm voice, "Her Majesty the Empress invites everyone into the palace."
In addition to the Empress, two other imperial concubines, Consort Shu and Consort Yu, were also present for this autumn hunt.
Following the announcement of peace and well-being.
Leading the procession were the eldest princess and several princes' wives, followed by the ladies of high rank and their daughters and daughters-in-law.
The group entered the hall to pay their respects to the Empress and the concubines.
Zhao Xian glanced at Cui Tingyue, who was standing beside the Empress alongside Qi An, and the latter nodded slightly to her.
The Empress told everyone to rise and then briefly mentioned the arrangements for today's autumn hunt, "...come with me to the training ground."
Upon arriving at the training ground, a huge, sturdy stone grandstand stands tall in the distance, its flags fluttering in the blue sky and white clouds.
The stands had three levels. The emperor and his ministers were on the top level, while the empress and her female relatives were on the second level.
One side of the stands is open, offering a view of a vast, flat area.
The morning sun peeks out from the distant mountain peaks, casting golden rays that make the verdant grassland appear as if it's covered with a soft layer of gold.
Before the martial arts training began, the Emperor began a ritual under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
This was the first time Zhao Xian had witnessed an imperial sacrifice. Although she was too far away to hear the emperor's prayers clearly, the steps alone showed how elaborate and solemn the ceremony was.
When the Emperor returned to the stands, a eunuch announced, "His Majesty has decreed that the martial arts training shall begin."
Suddenly, the once quiet and deserted training ground was filled with the melodious sound of horns and the deafening roar of huge drums.
The next moment, galloping horses and the sound of hooves filled the air, banners fluttering in the wind, their movements rhythmic and crisscrossing. The once empty plain was instantly filled with chariots, infantry, and cavalry.
Different branches of the military, different uniforms, yet a large, orderly, and disciplined group.
Zhao Xian regretted not having a telescope and a camera; it was too far away to see clearly.
"Long live the Emperor! May His Majesty be blessed with boundless fortune! Long live the Emperor! May His Majesty be blessed with boundless fortune!"
The voices of the soldiers were deafening.
Before long, the neatly arranged soldiers began to change, and the sounds of horns, gongs, drums, and flags fluttering in the wind filled the air.
Although I couldn't see the faces of those young men clearly, I could see the soldiers' discipline: they advanced when the drums sounded and retreated when the gongs rang.
In addition, there is another type of command, because the spectators cannot see anywhere else from the stands, they can only see the formations sometimes in square formations, sometimes in circular formations, and there are also arrowhead formations, goose formations, fish scale formations, and so on.
The drills featured ever-changing formations and coordinated actions between various military units, demonstrating a dynamic yet disciplined and orderly approach.
Zhao Xian held her breath, her hair standing on end.
Mingming's eyes were fixed on the field the whole time, but when he came to his senses, he realized that the three types of soldiers had changed at some point. Some were carrying arrows and holding bows, some were holding broadswords, some were holding longswords, and some were at the front of the formation holding red-tasseled wooden guns. One after another, they displayed their martial arts skills. The soldiers' shouts and cheers were deafening, making people's blood boil and feel proud of the strength of the Jin army.
This training program only included military drills and exercises, without any military exercises, which is likely related to the Shanglin Garden site.
These tactical changes alone were enough to impress Zhao Xian, who was quite pleased, as they were something she rarely saw.
After studying martial arts, one could take the military examination.
Unlike the martial arts training group, the martial arts examination was a selection process that relied on the individual's ability to demonstrate their skills.
All the soldiers withdrew, and the once bustling area was instantly cleared and quieted down.
But the sounds of horns and drums seemed to linger.
"How can they be so amazing? Their formation changes are dazzling to watch."
"It is thanks to His Majesty's wisdom that our Jin Kingdom possesses such national strength."
"Your Majesty is wise..."
While Zhao Xian was still savoring what she had just seen and heard, praise and flattery began to emanate from her surroundings.
"Your Majesty, there are forty people participating in this martial arts selection, and they are all in place. Please give your word."
The soldiers' loud voices drowned out the flattery, all waiting for the emperor to speak.
...
"allow."
...
This martial arts selection process consisted of four events: archery, horsemanship, weightlifting, and close combat.
Archery is divided into mounted archery and foot archery; horsemanship includes horse control, charging, and fighting on horseback; carrying heavy loads involves carrying heavy objects forward, running, and climbing; and close combat provides close-quarters combat with knives, swords, and guns.
All participants must undergo the selection process, and the ten most elite individuals will be chosen and directly appointed as Second-Class Imperial Guards, transferred to the Imperial City to be at the Emperor's command and responsible for the Emperor's safety.
Lu Zhaoying gently tugged at Zhao Xian's sleeve and whispered, "Mother, I think I saw my husband."
Previously, the vast open space was full of people, all wearing armor so their faces were obscured, making it impossible to distinguish who was who. Now, the number of people participating in the martial arts competition was limited, and they had changed out of their armor. Even though they were wearing the same tight-fitting clothes, without the armor to cover them, it was easier to recognize them.
"Where is it? Point it out to me." Zhao Xian glanced at Lu Zhaoying teasingly.
She suddenly understood why that brat Jiang Heng insisted she bring Lu Zhaoying to the autumn hunt. He had kept it a secret; he was probably just waiting for this moment to show his skills.
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