Chapter 49: Boy

Ming Huashang had just arrived in a strange place and did not sleep well at night. She woke up before dawn the next day. She knew that she would have to rely on herself for everything in the future, so she did not dare to delay and quickly got up to wash up. As soon as she was ready, there was a slow and strong knock on the door.

Ming Huashang quietly walked to the door, opened it suddenly, and smiled widely: "Good morning, second brother!"

Ming Huazhang was afraid that Ming Huashang was not used to it, so he came a little earlier today. Unexpectedly, the door opened from the inside as soon as he knocked.

He was dazzled by the bright smiling face in front of him. It was as if the sky suddenly brightened, the clouds cleared and the rain stopped, and even the cold wind in early summer became gentle and affectionate.

Ming Huazhang reacted, surprised at his own absent-mindedness, and said with a smile: "Naughty. Let's go when you are ready."

Ming Huazhang took her to have breakfast first, and then to the training ground. This base does not allow slaves to enter, and it is completely closed. There is a canteen for three meals a day, and if you want to eat at other times, you have to find a way yourself.

They came out early and there were not many people on the road. Ming Huazhang whispered to her about various places. Ming Huashang listened carefully and memorized the routes.

After arriving at the training ground, more and more people came. Ming Huashang looked around and saw a large open space with targets, weapons, wooden figures and other objects in the middle. There was also a nearly vertical cliff to the southwest.

In the dim morning light, Ming Huashang looked at the vague black shadows on the cliff and thought she was seeing things: "Is that a person? Did they get up there like this?"

Climbing with bare hands without rope or protective gear?

"Yes." A voice suddenly came from behind. Ming Huashang was startled and turned around hurriedly. After seeing who was coming, she quickly saluted: "Greetings, General."

Han Jie waved his hand and said, "I'm just here to take a look. Don't be nervous. This cliff is just the most basic test. You will have to climb it in a few days."

Ming Huashang's breath was choked: "Then...what if I fall down?"

Han Jie looked at her with his hands folded and said with a smile: "Then be careful in your next life."

Ming Huazhang said calmly: "Don't be instigated by him. The training is gradual and we won't ask you to climb a cliff right from the start."

Ming Huashang smiled but didn't feel comforted.

While Han Jie was away, Ming Huashang lowered his voice and asked Ming Huazhang: "Second brother, what exactly is the content of the training?"

"If you ask about the training grounds, we learn everything we can, including riding, archery, boxing, weapons, and concealed weapons. Rock climbing is just the most basic exercise to train our lower body. In the afternoon, we also have literature classes, including astronomy and geography, secret code transmission, secret code decryption, dialect customs, and corpse destruction."

Ming Huachang's face became more and more confused as she listened: "Destroy the corpse... destroy all traces?"

"Yes." Ming Huazhang looked at her calmly. "When carrying out a mission outside, after killing the target, it is very important to remove all traces on the body. Dismemberment and burning are the lowest level methods. It would be best to pretend it is a natural death."

Ming Huashang's expression was completely broken. She asked with a droopy face, "Brother, if I say I want to quit now, is it too late?"

Ming Huazhang was not surprised at all and said calmly, "What do you think?"

"Sister, what are you talking about?" A clear and smiling voice came from behind. Someone held Ming Huashang's shoulders and tilted his head to look at her face. "Why are you so depressed? Who made you unhappy?"

A strong wind came towards Xie Jichuan, who dodged it by leaning to the side, spun around and stood on the other side of Ming Huashang, but he put down his hand that was on her shoulder. Ming Huashang shook her head, but still couldn't be happy: "I'm fine."

Xie Jichuan looked at Ming Huazhang accusingly and said, "It must be your fault."

Ming Huazhang curled his lips coldly and said, "If you can't take care of your hands, I don't mind helping you."

I don't know when the training ground was already full of people, but Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan, one as bright as the moon and the other as gentle as the wind, both wearing white training clothes, with narrow sleeves and waists, and long legs, stood together and were very eye-catching. Unconsciously, a separation zone was created around them, and Ming Huachang was forced to follow and enjoy the attention of thousands of people.

She was feeling uncomfortable, but fortunately Ren Yao and Jiang Ling came and rescued Ming Huashang in time. Ren Yao walked along and saw such a large venue and so many weapons, his eyes lit up: "What a great place."

Jiang Ling yawned weakly and muttered, "You are ignorant. What good is this?"

Ren Yao was not polite and slapped Jiang Ling on the back of his head: "If it weren't for me today, you would be late. How dare you complain?"

Jiang Ling became even angrier when she talked about this: "How dare you say that! I was sleeping soundly, and you kicked the door open and took away my quilt! Are you still a woman?"

Ming Huashang's eyes rolled around, watching the scene in front of her curiously. Ren Yao also angrily scolded: "Do you think I want to do this? If he hadn't said that if one person is late, the whole group will be punished, would I care about your life or death?"

Ming Huashang turned around quickly, and Xie Jichuan nodded: "I said that. But I didn't teach her to lift the quilt."

They were making too much noise here, and more and more people were looking at them. Ming Huazhang coughed and said, "Wei Yue, you go and call him next time. After all, there is a difference between the two of them, and it's not decent to do this."

Xie Jichuan ruthlessly refused: "I don't have the hobby of lifting a man's blanket. Why don't you go and I'll go wake up my sister."

Ming Huazhang responded by sweeping his long legs and kicking hard. Xie Jichuan jumped back in time to avoid Ming Huazhang's attack. Xie Jichuan was not ready to give up and raised his eyebrows and said, "You are breaking the rules by attacking your fellow disciples during non-combat time."

Ming Huazhang initially just warned him, but Xie Jichuan was so careless that Ming Huazhang unbuttoned his cuffs, revealing his slender and thin arms, and was determined to teach him a lesson even if it meant committing a foul. Ming Huachang saw that something was wrong and quickly hugged Ming Huazhang: "Brother, calm down, the general is coming soon!"

The remaining two men still had their hands in their sleeves. Jiang Ling said in a sinister tone, "Oh, is this the case of lighting a beacon fire to tease the nobles and getting angry for a beautiful woman?"

"If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense." Ren Yao said, "However, if you want to fight, you can use weapons. If you can't kill anyone, what's the point?"

Ming Huashang was furious. She hugged Ming Huazhang's waist and turned around and shouted, "Shut up!"

Su Yuji and Su Xingzhi also came. Su Yuji looked at the five people fighting not far away and frowned, "What are they doing?"

Su Xingzhi also didn't understand. He looked ahead. The sun was rising, and the bright sunlight fell on the five boys and girls. The three men had different temperaments, but they were all tall and long-legged, full of youthful vigor and heroic spirit; the two girls were one heroic and the other sweet, with their hair tied up high, revealing their slender necks and pure cheeks, just like the morning sun shining from behind, so beautiful that it made people sigh.

Su Xingzhi couldn't understand, didn't they know where this place was, why could they be so bright and cheerful? It was as if they were not in a secret base for training secret guards, but in Qujiang and Luoshui, where the spring breeze was in full swing and the young people of Wuling were flying freely.

Ming Huashang didn't know that others were looking at them with strange eyes at this moment. Before their group could develop into an internal fight, Han Jie appeared. Ming Huashang breathed a sigh of relief and said hurriedly: "General Han is here, stop messing around, stand still!"

Ming Huazhang was helpless. She had just arrived yesterday, and she dared to scold him today. However, the matter had its priorities. In front of Han Jie, he couldn't be too disrespectful, so he could only temporarily suppress the thought of punishing Xie Jichuan.

Finally, the noise calmed down. Everyone raised their heads and looked at Han Jie above. Han Jie did not give a lecture or show off his power like a general in an ordinary army camp, but smiled and said, "Everyone is here, that's good. I thought there would be troublemakers today, what a pity. No matter what your status was before joining Xuanxiaowei, once you enter, you must abide by the rules of Xuanxiaowei. Fortunately, the rules of Xuanxiaowei are very simple. Many tasks can only be successful, not failed. No matter what means are used, it is the same in Xuanxiaowei. The only thing that matters is the result, and the winner is supreme."

This was very different from the military discipline in everyone's mind. Han Jie didn't care how much shock the young people below him caused. He smiled and said, "Okay, let's start training. I don't like those empty things. Let's start with actual combat. A master will come to teach you how to fight. Now, run ten laps around the training ground to warm up."

Ming Huashang heard his breathing stagnate slightly: "Ten laps?"

She scanned the endless training ground in a daze, her head buzzing.

However, no one explained, as someone in the team had already taken the lead and ran away. Except for Ming Huashang and a few others, everyone else entered as a single person, and was used to fighting alone, so they certainly didn't care about the lives of others.

In the blink of an eye, the training ground was in chaos, with everyone scrambling for advantageous positions without any formation at all.

Ming Huazhang looked at Ming Huashang, and the meaning in his eyes was self-evident. Ming Huashang gritted her teeth, thinking that it was only ten laps, she had hands and feet, she didn't believe she couldn't do it. Ming Huashang said to Ming Huazhang: "Second brother, you don't have to worry about me, you go first. I'm sure I can't keep up with you, so why not take your time at the back."

Ming Huazhang also knew this. He didn't expect Ming Huachang to finish the race. He gave him face by making it through one lap. Ming Huazhang said, "Do what you can. Han Jie won't do anything to you while I'm here."

Ming Huashang nodded, her smile full of vigor, but when Ming Huazhang turned around, her face fell.

Ming Huashang turned around and exchanged glances with Jiang Ling beside her. Jiang Ling asked tentatively, "How about we go together?"

"Okay." Ming Huashang agreed happily, "Run slowly, whoever is faster is a dog!"

Ren Yao had been practicing martial arts since she was a child, so this level was nothing to her. After she finished running a lap, she passed Ming Huashang and Jiang Ling and heard them cheering each other up: "It's actually very easy, there are only nine and a half laps left, it's not worth mentioning!"

With commendable courage, Ren Yao mercilessly passed by them, leaving behind a sentence "You guys are the last one" and then flew away.

越來越多人超過他們，明華裳的體力飛速枯竭，視線裏只有單調的黃土，和自己越發粗重的喘氣聲。她感覺到江陵似乎超前一步，她終于圖窮匕見，拖住江陵道：“不許先走！”

她死也要拖着江陵當最後一名！

江陵也龇牙咧嘴道：“放開我，我至少能當倒數第二！”

韓颉站在高處，看到校場上千帆競發，百舸争流，而在一片龍騰虎躍中，有兩條漏水的船顯得格外突出。

明華裳和江陵相互拉扯，本來就慢，還試圖把對方踩在自己身後。韓颉良久無語，片刻後對身邊人說：“你覺得怎麽樣？”

明華章不知何時站到韓颉身邊，淡淡道：“你撿的人，你覺得呢？”

韓颉皮笑肉不笑呵了一聲，仔細聽似乎有磨牙的聲音：“還真是一對卧龍鳳雛呢。”

明華章沒有繼續這個話題，道：“她從小嬌生慣養，而這裏許多人要麽已有武功基礎，要麽先前做過探子，将她和他們放在一起訓練，并不公平。”

韓颉聽後笑了笑，揶揄道：“久聞明中郎将正直公謹，恪守君子之德，沒想到，竟也會有徇私的時候？”

明華章沒理會他的玩笑，說：“以她的身體狀态，兩圈就已足矣。你不要逼得太緊，差不多就讓人叫停，帶她去休息吧。”

韓颉卻挑挑眉，不說答應不答應，而是道：“好，只要她停下放棄，我就派人去給她解困。”

明華章不滿韓颉這樣敷衍的承諾，但明華裳最是靈活，應當不會讓自己受苦的，他也沒有過分強求，轉身道：“一言為定。”

明華章以為明華裳很快就會停下，然而，直到所有人都跑完了，場上只剩下明華裳和江陵緩慢挪動，她依然沒有停下腳步。

明華章一直盯着那個小小的白色身影。無論他嘴上再絕情，都不可能真的不管明華裳，想來明華裳也知道這一點。她只要停下，韓颉的人就會适時出現，給她尋個借口，體面地免除剩下的圈數。她明明清楚，為什麽還不放棄？

謝濟川抱臂看着艱難挪動的明華裳，道：“她比我想象中堅強得多，換成尋常女子，現在早受不了了。”

跑步不只是身體的折磨，更是精神上的。沒人會覺得跑步是件愉快的事，這是一場意志力和本性的漫長拉鋸。堅持下去需要許多決心，而放棄，只需要順從自己的心願就夠了。

何況，她還是當着衆多人的注視，在明知不如人的情況下堅持。江陵再怎麽說都是個郎君，當了這麽多年纨绔，臉皮厚的很。可明華裳不同，在今日之前，她是嬌生慣養、衆星捧月的公府小娘子，如今卻要被這麽多視線打量、奚落。若換成普通小姐，現在早就哭鼻子了。

任遙也皺着眉，說：“他們沒有安排好體力，現在才第五圈，看她的樣子，體力已經耗空了。這樣不行，接下來根本撐不下去。”

有人冷哼一聲，道：“不是說玄枭衛裏勝者至上嗎，我們的時間多寶貴，為什麽要等那兩個廢物？”

任遙聞言大怒：“你說什麽？”

對方并不收斂，反而嘲諷道：“我說的有錯嗎？看他們那個龜樣，這麽久了只跑了一半不到，恐怕烏龜都比他們強。怎麽，莫非廢物還金貴起來，說不定罵不得，要勞煩我們這麽多人等他們嗎？”

任遙氣得不輕，然而教授武藝的師父卻道：“時間已到，兩兩站好，接下來傳授拳法。都聽好了，我只講一遍。”

任遙氣不過，她管不了武藝師父，還管不了這些人嗎？她大步走到剛才說風涼話的人身前，冷冷道：“他們是跑得慢，但是他們沒有放棄。你不是很厲害嗎，和我打，我看你有沒有他們堅持的久。”

武藝師父對下面的争鬥睜一只眼閉一只眼，擺出起手式，說：“此乃衛王所創拳法，衛王身雄力猛，武藝精強，為滅隋建唐立下汗馬功勞，因此他創建的拳法有幸冠以國號，在軍中流傳。衛王唐拳第一式，貓竄。”

任遙握緊拳頭，一個直拳揍到男子鼻梁上。對面男子沒料到一個女人竟有如此力道，他狼狽地捂着鼻子，控訴道：“師父，她用的根本不是你教的拳法。”

任遙冷笑：“打不過就打不過，我揍你，還要挑你會的招式來嗎？”

前方的師父充耳不聞，收腿換手，做出犬狀：“第二式，犬閃。”

校場中心在發生什麽，明華裳已完全看不到了。她眼前一陣陣白光，呼吸沉重得像灌了鉛，嘴裏泛起血腥味。

最開始她扒拉着江陵，到後來，換成他們兩人相互拉扯，不讓對方停下。

江陵比明華裳的狀況好一點，但也氣喘籲籲：“明華裳，我跑不動了，我先停下來了。反正我爹是江安侯，他們不敢對我太過分的。”

“不行。”明華裳連說話的力氣都沒有了，卻還緊緊攥着江陵的衣服，喘息說，“你打算日後每次介紹自己，都說你是江安侯的兒子嗎？已經第七圈了，再堅持一會，別人能做到的，沒道理我們不行。”

謝濟川自小學君子六藝，會拳腳功夫，但系統學習拳法還是第一次。衛王是天生猛将，當年號稱玄霸力猛第一強，他所創拳法亦講究剛猛實用、殺傷力強，後來太宗進一步改善、發展此拳，推廣到全軍，這才有了戰無不勝的天策鐵騎。

全套唐拳不是普通人能學到的，謝濟川也很珍惜這次機會。可惜和他對練的人心不在焉，謝濟川一拳沖向對面那張俊臉，明華章聽到風聲本能避讓，側身捏住他的手腕，皺眉道：“你做什麽？”

謝濟川笑道：“在對招中走神，你說我做什麽？別看了，十圈而已，跑不死人的。”

最後一圈，明華裳的速度比走路還慢，但她不肯放松，還是堅持跑下去。她和江陵已說不清是誰支持着誰，不知過了多久，她在一片白光中踏上剛出發的位置，她立刻像散架的木偶一樣，癱倒在地上。

江陵就癱在她身邊，過了許久，才有力氣說：“我長這麽大，從沒有受過這種罪。”

太陽不知什麽時候已升得老高，明華裳被刺的眼睛疼，擡手覆在眼睛上，有氣無力道：“你以為我受過嗎？”

“你為什麽非要跑完？”

她躺了很久，等嘴裏的血腥味散下去一點後，才說：“我兄長是最君子高潔的人，我不想讓他為難。”

江陵躺了一會，哈哈笑了。明華裳用盡力氣踹了他一腳，罵道：“你跑傻了嗎，笑什麽？”

“暢快。”江陵道，“我以為我就夠傻了，沒想到還有你這麽蠢的人。難怪我們被分到玄武組，這回真成了烏龜了。”

明華裳和江陵終于跑完了，此時，武藝師父已經教完一套拳法，學員都實戰了許久，他們的速度實在不比烏龜快多少。可是，這回沒人嘲笑他們，唯有明華章一言不發離開人群，朝另半邊校場的二人走去。

任遙又一個過肩摔把人砸到地上，居高臨下睨着他，道：“可惜今日無槍，饒你一命。以後再敢亂說話，我見你一次打你一次。”

明華裳覆着眼睛，大量運動下驟然躺倒，她很快昏昏欲睡。她隐約感覺到臉上的陽光沒了，費力睜開眼，看到明華章站在她面前，伸手為她擋去陽光。

明華裳眨眨眼，都恍惚了：“阿兄……”

明華章輕輕嘆氣，彎腰，抱着她起來：“剛跑完不能停下，站起來，慢慢走，回去休息。”

明華裳“嗯”了一聲，扶着明華章的肩膀，任由他抱她起來。她先前近乎機械地擡腿，只覺得麻木，現在才發覺雙腿酸疼，連站都站不直。

明華章的手安穩有力，讓她将大半體重都壓在自己身上，扶着她緩慢而堅定地走遠。

日光盛大，天地安靜，背後衆多人靜默看着他們，無人說話。

明華章過來的時候，江陵伸手，但明華章看都沒看，徑直越過他走了。江陵想着明華裳畢竟是親妹妹，明華章先顧着妹妹合情合理。他眼睜睜看着明華章像對待珍寶一樣将明華裳抱起，扶好，江陵再一次伸出手，然而，明華章還是沒看他。

江陵：“……”

這時候，地上傳來咚咚咚的腳步聲，他耳邊的石子似乎都在彈跳。江陵還來不及擡頭看，腿就被重重踢了一腳。

江陵發出殺豬般的叫聲：“男人婆你瘋了！”

“給我起來！”任遙黑着臉，指着他怒道，“我為你剛和人打了一架，你要是再敢讓我丢臉，我殺了你！”