Three days later.
Like a black torrent, the Qin State's Central Army arrived beneath Yang City's walls. A tall, burly armored general entered the city with more than a dozen guards. He was broad-backed and thick-waisted, with a square face, tiger eyes, and bushy brows. He bore some resemblance to Meng Wei.
Meng Wei personally led men to greet him at the city gate. The moment he saw the man, a warm smile spread across his face, and he clasped his hands in a formal salute.
"Brother, it's been so long. How have you been?"
The tall general was none other than Meng Wei's elder brother, Meng Wu.
Meng Wu laughed heartily. "Hahaha, I'm doing well! And how have you been lately?"
"Very well." Meng Wei's sharp gaze swept over the young officer beside Meng Wu, and his smile grew broader. "Hm? This kid looks rather familiar."
The youth, who had kept his head slightly bowed beside Meng Wu, finally looked up, revealing a cheerful smile. His youthful face carried an easygoing brightness. "Second Uncle! You recognized me. I thought that after several years, you surely wouldn't know who I was."
Meng Wei patted his shoulder. "How could I not recognize you? I watched you grow up. It's just that we haven't seen each other in years, and now you're even taller than I am."
Meng Tian grinned sheepishly. "If I didn't grow tall and strong, how could I take the field, kill enemies, and make a name for myself?"
"Good!" Meng Wei praised him, then looked at Meng Wu. "Brother, did you see the letter I sent?"
Meng Wu nodded. "I did, I did. Since when did you learn to brag? That story you made up is hardly believable!"
Meng Wei sighed helplessly. "That kid really does have the makings of a warrior who could face ten thousand men alone. When have I ever deceived you, Brother?"
As they talked, the two arrived at the main gate of the military camp beneath the city wall—the Sima Gate.
Meng Wu took out the Tiger Tally and the king's order, then verified them with Meng Wei. "I've come to requisition troops and provisions. The king ordered me to march on Nanyang and put pressure on Han. Military regulations can't be set aside."
"I trust your judgment, of course. But the Central Cavalry—especially the Assault Cavalry Battalion—is made up entirely of elites, selected through layer upon layer of tests. You can't just stuff anyone into its ranks. You know that."
"But since he's one of your trusted men, I'll naturally make the proper arrangements for him."
Meng Wei was at a loss for words. You say you trust my judgment, but if you really did, wouldn't you be begging me to send him over?
So you think I'm trying to pull strings!
Fine, then. Don't come begging me later.
Thinking this, Meng Wei wasn't in the least bit worried. "That's fine. Military regulations must be upheld. Let him serve here in the county for a year first, and we'll see after that."
"But the new recruits we took in some time ago should be tested as well. As it happens, you've just arrived. Come with me and see how this batch does. Those who pass can be transferred with you and sent to the front lines. That'll be a good way to temper them in battle."
"Very well." Meng Wu wasn't particularly interested, but he didn't refuse.
It had been a long time since they'd seen each other, and he wanted to catch up with Meng Wei while they were handling the troop transfer. Besides, requisitioning troops and provisions would take time anyway.
At that moment, nearly a hundred recruits stood on the Martial Field, clad in black armor, with bows and arrows on their backs and three days' worth of rations.
The load weighed a full fifty or sixty pounds.
For the trials ahead, they would have to keep moving under that weight. Many of the recruits were already groaning and complaining.
As a candidate for the Elite Soldier trials, Zhao Cheng wore bronze scale armor instead of the leather armor worn by ordinary recruits.
Its plates were rounded rectangles, laced together with leather straps or hemp cord. It was heavier, but sturdier.
Yet Zhao Cheng looked full of energy and moved as if unburdened, showing no sign that the armor weighed him down.
When Meng Wei brought Meng Wu and the others to the Martial Field and led them up to the viewing platform, Zhao Cheng had already spotted them and guessed what was going on.
Meeting Meng Wei's distant gaze, Zhao Cheng gave a slight nod.
Meng Wei smiled and ordered his subordinate, "Begin."
An officer on the field read from a document. "The trials consist of a three-li run under load, scaling a low wall, crossing a trench, lifting stone weights, and drawing a five-stone bow for ordinary soldiers or a twelve-stone bow for Elite Soldiers, then shooting at a moving target."
"The cavalry trials consist of galloping while holding the reins in one hand, stopping and turning sharply, bending down to pick up an object, crossing a trench, scaling a low wall, riding around posts, and shooting at a moving target from sixty paces."
The cavalry trials would come after the regular ones, so the tasks would be added on.
When the officer finished speaking, he gestured for the trials to begin.
The nearly hundred recruits immediately set off at a run, heads down. One of them surged ahead at once, leaving the others far behind in just a few breaths!
And he kept accelerating, charging like a fierce tiger descending a mountain, unstoppable!
On the viewing platform, Meng Wei and Meng Wu chatted and laughed.
"Meng Wei, your way of training troops is as good as ever. These recruits all look promising."
"They're nothing compared to your men, Brother."
"And now you're being modest. Once we take Nanyang, the fall of Han won't be far off. By then... hm!"
As Meng Wu spoke, the swift, tiger-like figure on the Martial Field caught his eye. His attention was drawn to it at once.
He studied the runner closely, somewhat surprised.
The youth was moving at astonishing speed, yet he was wearing bronze armor. To run that fast under such a load showed considerable physical strength—but how long could he keep it up?
The trial was three li long. If he poured on the speed from the start, he would likely run out of steam before the end.
Thinking this, Meng Wu shook his head and continued talking with Meng Wei, though his gaze remained fixed on the youth.
Zhao Cheng was still accelerating. In a short time, he had drawn half a li ahead of the other recruits and reached the first low wall.
The wall was only half a zhang tall, about five feet. He didn't even try to climb it. With a single push from his feet, he soared over it, then cleared the trench with ease.
Before long, he had finished the three-li run. When he reached the stone weights, his face wasn't flushed, he wasn't out of breath, and he hadn't even broken a sweat.
Meng Wu was now genuinely surprised. He stopped chatting with Meng Wei and watched intently.
He saw Zhao Cheng walk straight up to two twelve-stone weights as large as millstones, then take one in each hand...
And lift them!
The two millstone-sized weights rose slowly above his head. He held them as steady as Mount Tai, his body not trembling in the slightest!
"This!"
Meng Wu jolted, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.
What incredible strength!
He glanced silently at Meng Wu beside him, only to see him smiling serenely, looking utterly at ease as he watched without saying a word.
Meng Wu opened his mouth, but said nothing. He continued watching.
Beside them, Meng Tian could no longer hold back. "Second Uncle, are your stone weights the same size as those used elsewhere? Is that really a twelve-stone weight?"
Meng Wei smiled. "Of course. The weights are the same everywhere. Do you think I'd fake it?"
Meng Tian was astonished. "What a natural-born strongman! That kid looks about eighteen, yet his strength is astonishing. He can lift a thousand jin. He'll definitely become a peerless general one day."
Meng Wei smiled with quiet pride. "He turned sixteen this month. He's just a raw recruit who enlisted a little over a month ago."
"This..." Meng Tian was truly dumbfounded. He'd assumed the youth was one of Meng Wei's trusted men, brought out to show off so Meng Wei could slip him into the Central Army. He hadn't expected him to be a new recruit!
Meng Wei pointed toward the Martial Field. "Why are you in such a hurry? Watch the trials."
The real show hadn't even started yet.
Let's see whether your father comes begging me for him in a bit...
Before you continue