Divine Martial General Feng Tang

Feng Ziying gave Jia Heng a surprised look and laughed. "Are you joking, Brother Heng? Shanglin Park mostly holds golden pheasants, red-crowned cranes, deer, and the like, sent as tribute from all over the country for the imperial family to admire. How could anyone hunt there?"

Jia Heng fell silent for a moment before saying, "During Liu Han, Emperor Wu recruited young men from respectable families in Guanzhong and organized cavalry units beneath Jianzhang Palace. They rode to and fro, practicing mounted archery, their armor and weapons a magnificent sight. They were known as the Yulin... I imagine they once practiced their riding and archery in Shanglin Park."

He seemed to have found the reason Chen Han was constantly held down by the northern barbarians in the Northern Borderlands.

There was not enough martial spirit.

Just look at the descendants of the Dukes of Rongguo and Ningguo. If not a single worthy man could be found among these scions of noble houses whose fortunes were bound to the nation's, how could the country fare well?

Seemingly noticing Jia Heng's contemplation, Feng Ziying said, "Our dynasty has enjoyed peace for too long, favoring civil affairs and suppressing the military. Only since the rise of the Jurchens have military officers gained a little standing. But civil officials still direct frontier affairs, and even the great generals at the border must watch their faces before drawing breath."

Jia Heng sighed inwardly. It still resembles the Late Ming.

More than merely resembling the Late Ming, this is only natural. The older generation of dukes and military marquises fought through blood and fire precisely to win titles for their wives, privileges for their sons, and wealth and honor for their descendants. By the third generation, the will to fight and kill inevitably dwindles. Meanwhile, new officers seeking to rise must shelter beneath eunuchs, hereditary nobles, or civil officials—whoever holds power. From Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou of the Former Ming to the military clans of Liaodong, none were exceptions.

Jia Heng asked again, "Are there no able men among the young men of Guanzhong to serve as soldiers?"

The Three Qins region of Guanzhong had produced formidable soldiers and fierce generals throughout history. There was even the proud saying that generals came from west of the passes, ministers from east of them. This land had never lacked men willing to fight.

Feng Ziying sighed. "Such is the spirit of our dynasty. It cannot be changed without years of effort. Fortunately, these princes seem to have some interest in military matters."

He left the rest unsaid, stopping at a mere hint.

An interest in military affairs did not necessarily make someone another Emperor Wu of Han, a man of towering ambition and sweeping vision.

Jia Heng fell silent for a time, his face thoughtful.

As they talked, they rode into the Divine Capital and arrived outside the residence of Divine Martial General Feng Tang.

The household of this Chen Han Divine Martial General, who shared his name with General Feng Tang of the former Han dynasty, was a military family through and through. Several personal guards stood outside the gates with sabers in hand.

Seeing Feng Ziying return, a middle-aged man dressed in a short gray tunic, evidently a steward, emerged through the side gate with several servants behind him. He approached with a smile. "Young master, you're finally back! The master has been waiting for you for quite some time."

"You there, hurry and tell the master," he added, addressing a dark-cheeked servant.

Feng Ziying dismounted and handed his reins to the steward beside him. "If Father's waiting for me, he's probably worried something might have happened."

"Isn't he just? He practically wished he could follow you out of the city himself," the steward said with a smile, holding the reins.

Two sons of the reigning emperor had gone out of the city to hunt. Though they had concealed their identities and were surrounded by fierce officers and guards from the palace, it was not the ten thousand safe occasions one feared, but the single mishap. If anything went wrong, the trouble would be greater than heaven.

The Divine Martial General, in particular, as the commanding officer responsible for guarding the imperial palace, would have more consequences than he could swallow.

The middle-aged steward now noticed Jia Heng beside them and asked in surprise, "And who is this young gentleman?"

"A friend from the Jia Family," Feng Ziying replied with a smile.

The steward's expression shifted slightly before he smiled. "Young Master Jia, leave your horse with me. I'll have someone feed it."

Jia Heng handed his reins to a servant and thanked him. "Sorry for the trouble."

The middle-aged steward and the servants led the horses through the side gate to the stables.

Feng Ziying and Jia Heng entered the courtyard as well. Passing through a covered corridor, they met an elderly serving woman, who said with a smile, "Young Master Ying, the master is waiting for you at the training ground."

A military household was naturally different from others; its conversations were not held in the study.

Feng Ziying acknowledged her, then told Jia Heng beside him, "The old man's waiting to question me now."

"Will it be all right that you left partway through?" Jia Heng asked.

Feng Ziying smiled. "Other mounted guards from my family were with them. Uncle Zhao just told me those personages have all returned safely to their residences. Besides, Princess Xianning herself said I needn't accompany them. The old man won't blame me."

Jia Heng thought that Feng Ziying was indeed a tiger's cub born to a military house. Though the household fell short in wealth and lavish splendor, its strict discipline was apparent even along the way.

On their walk through the residence, he had seen almost no young, pretty maids-only old servants and elderly serving women.

This was, in fact, quite necessary. A person's upbringing mattered greatly to his character. A boy raised amid powder and rouge would naturally lack the spirit of martial courage.

And Feng Ziying was indeed worth befriending.

Yet even sound discipline could not guarantee that he would not become a lawless strongman one day...

If the nation lay shattered and foreign peoples ran rampant, a strongman might yet be the rightful heir to the Chinese tradition.

As they talked, they passed through a moon gate and arrived at a training ground spanning more than ten mu, open and spacious, its earth leveled flat.

A military officer of about forty stood bare-chested despite the growing autumn chill, lifting and tossing a stone training lock to build his strength. Sweat streamed down his bronze arms, and the powerful knots of his muscles caught the eye.

Several household servants stood nearby with hot water and towels ready.

"Father," Feng Ziying called.

The middle-aged officer set down the stone lock, took a towel from a servant, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "You're back. Have you eaten?"

Feng Ziying smiled. "I've only just come back from the city. I haven't had dinner yet."

Feng Tang said, "The two of us can eat something in the hall shortly. Your Uncle Zheng sent over a deer earlier, and the kitchen has finished preparing it by now. Have those personages all been escorted home?"

"They all returned safely," Feng Ziying answered with a smile.

Jia Heng listened calmly to the conversation between father and son. Beneath its plain, simple words lay a deep affection, like a cow tenderly licking her calf.

Especially rare was the fact that his first question had not concerned the princes and princess.

Compared with the likes of Jia Zhen and Jia She, who corrected others before putting themselves right, beat and scolded at every turn, and constantly paraded their authority as elders, here was something different. With those men, the upper beam was crooked and the lower followed suit, leaving fathers and sons facing each other in hatred.

Children raised that way rarely emerged with much manly ambition.

Feng Ziying, however, seemed scarcely aware of any of this and merely winked and made faces at Jia Heng.

Only after putting on his clothes and fastening his belt did Feng Tang turn to Jia Heng. A trace of surprise crossed his stern, square-jawed face. "This young fellow looks quite unfamiliar."

The Divine Martial General spoke with full-bodied vigor, his voice resonant as a great bell. The moment he opened his mouth, a grave, commanding presence came with it.

Jia Heng composed his expression and cupped his hands. "Jia Heng, a descendant of the Duke of Ningguo, pays his respects to Uncle Feng."

He felt rather helpless about it himself. Even though he did not wish to mention the Jia Family, he still had to bring it up when introducing himself. This was not a deliberate attempt to flaunt his birth, but a customary courtesy when giving his name.

It made his background clear and showed sincerity.

Sure enough, Feng Tang paused and looked Jia Heng up and down. His expression remained indifferent as he asked, "A descendant of the Duke of Ningguo? From the Eastern Mansion?"

"From a collateral branch of the Duke of Ningguo's line," Jia Heng replied clearly.

Feng Tang did not ask whether he was that Second Young Master Bao who had been born with jade in his mouth. He merely turned an inquiring look toward Feng Ziying.

Feng Ziying smiled. "Brother Jia Heng isn't from either the Eastern or Western Mansion. He belongs to a distant branch of the Duke of Ningguo's line. He's an excellent fighter-and he can draw a two-shi bow."

At that moment, Feng Ziying no longer resembled the noble young gentleman who had conversed so effortlessly earlier. He seemed more like a child who had discovered some treasure and wanted to show it off to an elder.

A flicker of surprise indeed appeared on Feng Tang's resolute face. He looked at Jia Heng and asked, "You can draw a two-shi bow? Truly?"

Clearly, Jia Heng's connection to the Jia Family had not impressed him. Only this detail brought a new light into his eyes, and even his indifferent expression vanished. Compared with his earlier politeness, his tone now held a measure of warmth.

The army valued brave men above all, and Divine Martial General Feng Tang was especially fond of courageous young officers.

Jia Heng seemed to show a young man's bashfulness. "Uncle, I've only just begun practicing. I can draw a two-shi cavalry bow, but my aim is poor."

Feng Tang smiled. "That's remarkable enough. To have such strength at your age shows exceptional natural gifts. As for your archery, there's no hurry. You can improve it gradually."

His words were almost identical to what Princess Xianning had said.