Cui Yi held a painted halberd, while Yang Qiong wielded a silver spear. Both rode chestnut horses, standing opposite each other on the winter training ground.
The war drums grew more urgent, stirring the heartstrings of the spectators.
Cui Yi lifted his inverted halberd, pointing it towards the opposite side: "It's an honor to spar with the descendant of General Yang Hai. I hope Brother Yang will give it your all and not disappoint me."
Yang Qiong saluted from afar: "I will give it my all."
Suddenly, the drumming stopped, and both men shouted simultaneously, charging forward. The halberd and spear clashed in mid-air, producing a loud clang, drawing cheers from the crowd outside.
Cui Yi attacked aggressively, while Yang Qiong defended firmly. One spun the halberd dazzlingly, while the other swung the spear flawlessly. Several fierce clashes left their hands numb from the impact, yet neither gained the upper hand. They separated momentarily only to turn around and charge again.
Cao Qian cheered loudly from the sidelines. The new recruits had never seen such an exhilarating duel before, shouting "Charge!" and "Go!" as if their lives depended on it. The noise drew curious soldiers from neighboring camps.
Cui Yi aimed for vital spots with every move, keeping Yang Qiong on high alert, desperately blocking. There were several close calls where he almost got cut in half but managed to narrowly avoid them.
After nearly twenty rounds, cracks started appearing on their weapons.
Yang Qiong's ancestral silver spear was made of refined steel, while Cui Yi's halberd was just an ordinary weapon. The wooden shaft of the halberd couldn't withstand repeated impacts and began to crack.
Yang Qiong hesitated: "General..."
Cui Yi remained expressionless: "On the battlefield, how can one retreat?"
Yang Qiong focused, watching his every move intently.
Within moments, they exchanged another seven or eight moves. Finally, Cui Yi's halberd snapped under the strain. Unfazed, Cui Yi switched to dual-wielding short weapons but lost the advantage of long-range combat. Gradually, Yang Qiong took the lead, forcing Cui Yi to retreat step by step.
At a critical moment, Yang Qiong spotted a brief opening and decisively knocked the broken halberd out of Cui Yi's hand with his spear. Then, he turned the spear around and aimed at the horse beneath Cui Yi.
The soldiers outside gasped in unison, and Cao Qian shouted: "Your Highness!"
In a flash, Cui Yi used the remaining piece of wood to block the gleaming spearhead. Yang Qiong felt as if his spear had been wrapped by a soft snake. Hearing Cao Qian's shout, he realized in shock—was this person the Martial King?
But Cui Yi, who hadn't called off the fight despite the damage to his weapon, wasn't about to show mercy now. With a swift twist, he disarmed Yang Qiong, causing the spear to fly out of his hand.
Then, Cui Yi's horse stumbled, letting out a mournful cry and falling to its knees, throwing Cui Yi off its back.
"Thud!"
The drum sounded, marking the end of the match.
Regardless of the disparity in weaponry or the issue with the horse, losing was losing. Cui Yi accepted defeat calmly. Instead of punishing Yang Qiong, who knelt to apologize, he promoted him to Captain and invited him to visit the palace that evening to discuss matters related to General Yang Hai and the Yang family spear techniques.
The new recruits of the Fire Camp looked at Yang Qiong with envy, thinking he had struck gold or played a clever game to catch Cao Qian's attention, thereby earning the prince's favor. Surely, promotions and rewards would follow.
However, Chi Ying thought otherwise. If Yang Qiong had chosen to join the army as a low-ranking soldier instead of directly seeking refuge at the palace, it showed he had no intention of taking shortcuts. She believed that even if Cui Yi wanted to appoint him to a higher position, Yang Qiong would likely refuse, citing lack of military merit.
Sure enough, after Cao Qian finished telling the story, Cui Yi spoke: "I have always admired General Yang Hai. Since you are his descendant and possess remarkable martial skills, I will discuss with General Dai to transfer you to the Sunflower Battalion as deputy commander. When there is a battle on the frontier, you will accompany me."
Yang Qiong immediately rose and bowed: "Thank you, Your Highness. I am willing to dedicate myself to serving under you. However, without any military achievements, accepting the position of deputy commander might cause discontent among the troops. If the soldiers are unhappy, the officers will be powerless, and orders will not be followed. Please reconsider."
"Do you think the position is too small?" Cui Yi frowned, displeased by the refusal.
Yang Qiong smiled lightly: "Not at all. As long as I can fight on the front lines, even as a foot soldier, I am content."
Chi Ying tugged at Cui Yi's sleeve: "Your Highness misunderstands Master Yang. In the military, rewards are given based on merit. As Master Yang has just arrived and hasn't earned any military achievements, it would be improper to promote him consecutively. He fears that if Your Highness breaks this rule, other generals might follow suit, using ranks as favors, leading to chaos."
"What Lady Chi said makes sense," Bai Lichan added. "With Master Yang's abilities, once he enters the battlefield, defeating enemies will be effortless. Not just deputy commander, even generalship is within reach. There's no need to rush."
Cui Yi's expression softened slightly.
Cao Qian, being around the same age as Yang Qiong and also a spear user, felt an instant connection. They chatted animatedly, while Cui Yi occasionally joined in, commenting on their strategies or spear techniques.
Chi Ying asked: "Your Highness uses a halberd, yet you seem knowledgeable about spear techniques?"
Cui Yi grunted noncommittally. Cao Qian smiled: "His Highness mostly uses a halberd, but most long weapons share similar principles. Spears, halberds, staffs, axes, spears, hooks, and forks—all are handled skillfully by His Highness."
Chi Ying nodded admiringly. Cui Yi's face turned oddly red, and he lowered his head, hiding behind his wine cup.
The meal was filled with laughter and chatter. Though Bai Lichan didn't understand spear techniques, he had a deep interest in history. Discussing several of Yang Hai's brilliant campaigns, he found common ground with Yang Qiong.
Xie Yong, however, felt out of place throughout the meal. He ate silently, feeling like an outsider.
He had come to the capital with heavy gifts and his sister, hoping to secure a position through Cui Yi's favor. But Cui Yi accepted the gifts without offering him a job and never consulted him on matters. He even bluntly rejected the marriage proposal. Xie Yong felt forgotten during his months at the palace, especially since his sister repeatedly offended Chi Ying, making it awkward for him to request a position.
Today, he was summoned to the main hall for dinner, hoping it meant Cui Yi finally remembered him. But upon arrival, he realized he was merely an afterthought. The focus of the evening was on a young stranger named Yang Qiong.
During the meal, Cui Yi openly expressed his admiration and trust in Yang Qiong. Although Yang Qiong was a new recruit and posed no immediate threat, Xie Yong still felt a pang of disappointment. Cao Qian had served Cui Yi for six years, and Bai Lichan was the sole strategist and chief guest at the palace. What was his role? Without any notable accomplishments, he felt increasingly marginalized.
These thoughts made the food taste bland and the wine bitter. Even when Chi Ying tried to engage him in conversation, he barely responded, consumed by a sense of exclusion and self-pity.
As the evening neared the hour of Hài (9 PM), Cao Qian and Yang Qiong rose to leave. Cui Yi, slightly tipsy, was supported by Chi Ying and Xiaoqiu back to the main hall.
Cui Yi's face was flushed, and he pushed Chi Ying away: "No need to support me. Just walk carefully."
Chi Ying laughed: "I haven't drunk any wine. How could I fall? Let's get someone else to help His Highness."
Bai Lichan returned to his quarters, leaving Xie Yong alone, brooding outside the mansion. Chi Ying noticed him and asked: "Master Xie, aren't you going to rest?"
"...Yes, I'm going." Xie Yong walked down the steps dejectedly.
Chi Ying sensed something was wrong and called after him: "Is there something troubling you? Is it because of Miss Xie?"
Xie Yong forced a smile: "My sister has caused you much trouble. I apologize."
"It's nothing. She envies me for His Highness's affection, which is natural," Chi Ying replied, dismissing the matter. "Besides, it's not your fault. Why apologize?"
Xie Yong sighed: "Whether it's my fault or not, the outcome is the same. Whenever my siblings caused trouble, I was always the one apologizing. My father would only punish me, being the eldest son."
Chi Ying nodded understandingly: "I'm the eldest daughter too. Anyway, I noticed you seemed distracted during dinner. If there's anything lacking in the household or if you need anything, please don't hesitate to speak with the steward or me."
Xie Yong felt a glimmer of hope. With no one else around and Cui Yi absent, this seemed like an opportunity to express his desire for a position.
"My father recently wrote from Xuancheng, asking about my employment... Well..."
He struggled to phrase his request delicately, avoiding direct questions about when Cui Yi would assign him a role.
Chi Ying blinked: "You're currently a guest scholar at the palace, like Master Bai, right?"
Xie Yong broke into a sweat: "But I don't have an official position. I don't know how to answer my father. Besides, His Highness never consults me on matters. Maybe he doesn't consider me comparable to Master Bai!"
"That's not necessarily true," Chi Ying began, but then heard Cui Yi calling her name drunkenly from inside. "Excuse me. I'll convey your concerns to His Highness. Please be patient."
Xie Yong wanted to say more, but Chi Ying hurried inside, hearing Cui Yi's grumbling fade away.