Song Ziyu was taken aback.
This is clearly my grandfather's handwriting, how could my grandmother not recognize it?
He looked up, about to speak, when Song Tingyue pinched his arm.
Meeting her gaze, Song Ziyu suddenly understood.
The author's identity is never mentioned in this sword manual, and even the signature is a pseudonym. No one except those familiar with my grandfather's handwriting can identify it.
My grandfather was not good at writing and was away on campaigns for many years. Most of his books, military books and other items were left in the general's mansion. Apart from the late emperor, no one else would be familiar with his handwriting.
Song Ziyu understood the situation and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, the matriarch of the elders said to the examiners, "Sirs, although the person who wrote this sword manual tried his best to imitate the handwriting, I can be sure that this is definitely not the old general's posthumous work!"
The people were in an uproar.
The person who knows General Song best is none other than Yuan.
No one doubts what she says.
"Could this sword manual really be a forgery?"
"Jiang Shi dares to do such a thing? This is extremely disrespectful. Has she gone mad?"
Some martial arts practitioners, seeing this, boldly snatched the sword manual.
"Since it's not a martial art passed down in the Song family, we won't stand on ceremony!"
Song Yu's swordsmanship was exquisite, and they were very envious, all wanting to see how he did it.
The elder lady's eyelids twitched slightly.
Song Ziyu was heartbroken and had to be held down by Song Tingyue to suppress the urge to snatch it back.
Jiang Wan sneered and took the sword manual back.
“Even if Grandmother doesn’t like me and Yu’er, she can’t let the Song family’s martial arts be passed on to outsiders and disregard Grandfather’s life’s work.”
"Ah Wan, you still won't admit it?"
The matriarch shook her head.
"It is truly because of your moral failings that you have taught Yu'er to be just like you, so immoral and disgraceful, doing such things that disgrace the family!"
She looked at the examiners on the stage: "Jiang and Song Yu are despicable and have disrupted the imperial martial arts examination. I am ashamed to face them. I beg you, sir, to disqualify Song Yu from the competition in accordance with the law. I will not plead for her."
"The old lady is truly wise and righteous."
One of the examiners went along with it.
"In that case..."
"Wait a minute," Jiang Wan suddenly said.
With a calm expression, she opened the sword manual in her hand and displayed one page to everyone.
The matriarch remained completely calm.
She had just checked the book from beginning to end, and there was no signature on it, so there was no indication that it was related to General Song.
But then Jiang Wan said softly.
"Even if Grandmother is old and her eyesight is poor, and she can't recognize Grandfather's handwriting, surely she doesn't even know this name?"
On the corner of the open page, the signature clearly reads two characters: Beichen.
The matriarch was taken aback: "What does this have to do with your grandfather?"
"During the battle in Qinghai, my grandfather used the alias Beichen to contact a general in the same camp. It was the two of them who created this sword manual together."
A smile flickered in Jiang Wan's eyes.
"As far as I know, my grandmother followed my grandfather in the army back then. How could you not know that?"
The elder's wife paused, her brows furrowing.
She had indeed never heard of the name Beichen.
She volunteered to go to the battlefield with General Song back then, just to gain a reputation for being a devoted and virtuous woman.
With the war raging, she stayed in the rear military camp day and night, worrying about her own safety. How could she have the mind to attend to General Song's daily life? She also didn't care about his alias in the army or what sword techniques he practiced.
Even she knew nothing about these old stories, so how could Jiang Wan possibly know?
She concluded that Jiang Wan had been driven to a dead end and was talking nonsense.
"That's ridiculous."
The elder's wife immediately denied it.
"Back when Qinghai was in chaos, your grandfather and General Shaoguang fought side by side and repelled the enemy. My wife and I shared life and death on the battlefield, and I know everything about him. As for the Beichen you mentioned, I have no idea who he is!"
Jiang Wan raised an eyebrow: "Then what about this 'Ying Xing'?"
"This is utterly incomprehensible," said the matriarch. "Stop making baseless accusations; admitting your guilt is the only right thing to do."
Song Yu, who was standing to the side, suddenly chuckled softly.
"What a pity."
He took out a notebook from his sleeve and read it aloud in a clear voice.
"In the third month of the Xuanfeng era, the army marched to Yunmu Mountain in Qinghai and discussed code names for military communications. Shaoguang and I observed the cold stars at night and were moved. We changed our names to Beichen and Yingxing, intending to pray for the blessings of the stars and moon and for peace and prosperity for the country. When the mood struck us, we sparred with short swords under the moon and created a sword technique together. We found kindred spirits in each other and were extremely happy. I hereby leave this record."
"This is my great-grandfather's notebook. Beichen represents him, and Yingxing represents General Shaoguang."
Looking at the increasingly pale face of the matriarch, Song Yu spoke slowly and deliberately.
"It seems that although you share a bed with your great-grandfather, you have no concern for him whatsoever."
The elder lady clutched her chest and nearly collapsed.
Song Ziyu reacted quickly, rushing over to support her, and angrily said, "You unfilial son, you're talking nonsense!"
He looked at Jiang Wan, his face full of anger.
"Since you can forge a sword manual, what difficulty would it be for you to forge a notebook? What right do you have to use this to humiliate your grandmother?"
"This notebook bears my grandfather's seal. If the general does not believe it, he can ask His Majesty for verification."
Jiang Wan smiled coldly and glanced at the old lady who was having a sudden change of heart.
"However, this round trip will take time. If Grandmother is unwell and faints, this matter will probably be left unresolved. It's better not to go through all that trouble."
With a single glance, Biluo pulled a letter from her sleeve.
"My lords, General Shaoguang heard that my young master used this sword manual to participate in the martial arts examination, so he specially wrote a letter to give some pointers. It was delivered to the capital just now by express courier."
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