A Test

As Hong Linying pondered, the tent flap below the platform was suddenly lifted, and someone emerged. Hong Linying focused his gaze, only to see that it was not the person who had just gone inside, but Ji Wenhe, who came out first. Only after he emerged did another person step out behind him.

"Hm? What is this?" Hong Linying froze, then straightened in his seat. His eyes suddenly widened before he slowly relaxed again, his expression returning to calm.

Below the platform, Strategist Ji also turned and looked up toward the high platform. From afar, he offered a salute, bowed slightly, and clasped his hands within his wide sleeves as he called out, "So Marshal Hong is here as well. This subordinate offers his respects."

Hong Linying slowly rose to his feet and called back, "Oh, I came to see how the Imperial Guard recruitment was progressing. If we can fill the ranks today, we'll have to arrange for the officers to handle the new recruits' training afterward. Strategist, are you returning to your residence? Did you gain anything today?"

Upon hearing this, Strategist Ji glanced at Marshal Hong, and an imperceptible trace of mockery flashed through his eyes. Then he smiled, pointed behind him at Li Yan with his right hand, and said, "The Marshal has been thoughtful. Heh, after a thousand calls and ten thousand summons, he finally came forth—truly no easy matter." As he spoke, he gently shook his head.

"Oh, you found the person you were seeking? Then congratulations are in order, Strategist Ji. You've truly sifted gold from the sands of the waves. I wonder, how does this person compare to the one you took in last time?" Marshal Hong asked with an expression of heartfelt delight.

At those words, Strategist Ji's bluish-pale face darkened several shades. He did not want Li Yan to immediately learn about his previous disciple. If Li Yan learned too much and harbored doubts, whether he would still be willing to cultivate would be hard to say. Cultivation could not be forced.

If Li Yan was unwilling, no one could make him do it. Hong Linying's words were hardly the congratulations they appeared to be, but with matters having reached this point, what could he do? He clasped his hands behind his back and said, "This child is well versed in the classics, and his aptitude suits my heart exceedingly well. This, too, is something fated in the unseen. Compared with the last one, he is better by who knows how much. Wenhe thanks the Marshal."

Without waiting for Marshal Hong's reply, he turned back to Li Yan and said, "Li Yan, why are you not coming forward to pay your respects to the Marshal?"

Ever since emerging from the tent, Li Yan had remained trapped in his joy, unable to pull himself free. This strange encounter had left him not yet fully awake. Not only had he joined the army today, he had also become the disciple of the renowned Strategist Ji, and his monthly salary far exceeded anything he had imagined. At this rate, would he not be able to return home in a few years and honor his parents? But then he thought: what if his teacher refused to let him leave? Should he buy a house in the city, bring his parents and Third Brother over, and let the whole family reunite in perfect happiness? That would surely be one of life's finest blessings. And in a few days, he could go find Li Yu and Li Shan; they would certainly be green with envy. Mm, and once he went out, he would tell Uncle Guoxin, so he could return home and inform his parents first. He wondered how delighted they would be. Third Brother and Fourth Sister would surely be overjoyed as well. For a time, his thoughts ran wild; joy appeared on his face one moment, worry the next, as countless thoughts tangled into an impossible knot.

Just as he was letting his mind roam over heaven and earth, he suddenly heard a sharp shout by his ear. He immediately snapped awake and looked up to see his teacher turned around and staring at him. For a moment, he was rather stunned. He had heard the conversation between Marshal Hong and Strategist Ji just now, but his mind had been occupied with his own affairs, and he had automatically ignored what they were discussing. Now that he saw his teacher looking at him, he hurriedly tried to recall why. His teacher seemed to have said something about "Marshal," while Marshal Hong had mentioned something about "the person taken in last time" and "comparison."

"Li Yan, hurry and come forward to pay your respects to the Marshal." Another sharp shout rang out, this time carrying a faint note of displeasure. Strategist Ji had told Li Yan to come forward and pay his respects, yet Li Yan stood rooted to the spot in a daze, seemingly lost in thought. A thought stirred in his heart. Could it be that Hong Linying's words just now have given him some ideas? That bastard's intentions are truly vexing. After we return, I'll have to untie this knot in his heart. Hong Linying is truly infuriating. At this thought, traces of anger appeared on his face, and he shouted at Li Yan again. Yet in the eyes of Li Yan, the nearby soldiers, and Marshal Hong atop the platform, that anger was naturally directed at Li Yan for failing to heed his master's words.

Seeing that his teacher seemed displeased, Li Yan hurried forward several steps, stopping slightly ahead of his teacher. He knelt toward Hong Linying on the platform and bowed. "This youngster pays respects to Marshal Hong. Please punish me for my earlier discourtesy." Within half a day, Li Yan had already met the two highest-ranking officials in the region. How could an ordinary commoner ever achieve such a thing? Naturally, he hastened to offer the grandest of salutations.

Marshal Hong focused his gaze slightly on the kneeling Li Yan and thought to himself, Why does this boy look a little slow-witted? He did not know that Li Yan was not slow-witted at all. Li Yan had merely been overwhelmed by immense joy. One tremendous stroke of fortune after another had fallen upon him within a single day; anyone would feel dazed, as if dropped into a dream. Let alone a mountain-village youth like him—even an adult would have found it hard to free himself from such joy in so short a time. Seeing this, Marshal Hong waved his hand and said, "Rise. What is your name?"

Li Yan rose with his head lowered and answered respectfully, "This youngster is named Li Yan, from Li Family Village on Great Green Mountain."

"Oh? Your home is not too far from here, then. Our Strategist Ji searched for him a thousand times among the crowd, only to find that person close at hand amid the fading lanterns. Heh heh." Marshal Hong spoke with a smile as he carefully examined Li Yan, who was now standing. The boy's complexion was dark, his features ordinary, and his body lean and wiry. He looked exceedingly unremarkable. Strategist Ji's criteria for selecting disciples were truly unfathomable. Suddenly, he tapped the bluestone platform with the tip of his foot, and his body actually leaped into the air.

Li Yan was still lowering his head, pondering Marshal Hong's words, when he suddenly felt a fierce gust of wind pressing down upon him. He hurriedly looked up, only to see a blur before his eyes. Then his left wrist tightened as the newcomer seized it firmly. A stream of heat abruptly surged in through the meridians of his wrist, traveling up his arm and swiftly coursing through his body. He was instantly alarmed and instinctively tried to pull his arm back, but it was as though his arm had been cast into an iron clamp, utterly immovable. His expression changed repeatedly. Just as he was about to use all his strength to wrench his arm free, he discovered that the newcomer had already released his left hand. The heated current that had rapidly traveled through his body had vanished without a trace. Only then did he feel slightly relieved. He hurriedly focused his eyes and looked carefully, only to see that Marshal Hong had somehow crossed from the platform more than ten meters away to stand before him. The person who had seized his wrist was none other than him.

Li Yan looked at Marshal Hong, then turned to look at his teacher, his heart uneasy as he had no idea what was happening.

What had just occurred was like a rabbit rising and a falcon falling, completed within only a few breaths. Yet from beginning to end, Strategist Ji had stood not far behind Li Yan, his face as placid as an ancient well, as though he had seen nothing. By then, Marshal Hong had withdrawn his right hand. Amid laughter, he clasped his hands toward Strategist Ji and said, "Strategist, please do not take offense. Hong was merely curious. Strategist has selected disciples for several years, yet only two people in all have entered your discerning eye. Hong merely wished to know what sort of extraordinary person, blessed with such exceptional sinews and bones, could be so fortunate. I was momentarily impulsive. Strategist, please do not take it to heart."

Strategist Ji wore a smile that was not quite a smile as he said, "Then has the Marshal discerned what is different about this unworthy disciple of mine?"

Marshal Hong's expression turned serious. After pondering briefly, he said, "The profound depths of your sect leave Hong even more unable to fathom them. To speak frankly, Hong finds that this child's meridians are not necessarily broader than those of many young men in the army; indeed, they are even inferior to some. As for his sinews and bones? Mm, they may be considered above average, but not exceptionally so. This is merely Hong's view. Yet since Strategist has chosen this child, he must possess something special. Hong simply cannot see it."

Strategist Ji smiled faintly. "Marshal Hong is entirely correct. Besides requiring relatively sound meridians, our sect's mental cultivation method chiefly requires several meridians within the body to differ from those of ordinary people. Only then can one bring out the martial arts of our sect. The reason concerns our sect's cultivation method, so forgive Ji for being unable to say more."

Upon hearing this, Marshal Hong asked no further. He then said, "How does the Strategist intend to arrange matters from here?"

Strategist Ji bowed slightly to Marshal Hong and said, "My unworthy disciple will return to my residence with me to cultivate. The Marshal also knows that my health is worsening by the day. Finding someone to inherit the mantle of my sect can no longer be delayed. Thus, he will generally cultivate at my place, though from time to time he will also help me with minor military affairs, as training and a chance to relax his mind and body. As for his salary... mm, simply draw from my own stipend each month and give him the same amount as a squad leader."

After considering it briefly, Marshal Hong said, "That will not be necessary. Since your disciple will also help handle military affairs, it would be inappropriate for him to have no position. Let him serve as a Deputy Commandant of Guarding Against Insult. His salary will be paid by the army. I will have someone send his waist token to the Strategist's residence. At the same time, the enlistment subsidy will be delivered to his village by the Military Logistics Department in the next few days, registered, and handed over to his family."

Marshal Hong would not be stingy over such a small amount of salary, so he simply granted the subsidy as well.

After hearing this, Strategist Ji did not stand on ceremony further. "Then we shall proceed according to the Marshal's wishes. Li Yan, why are you not stepping forward to thank the Marshal?"

After his wrist had been seized and then released, Li Yan had stood to the side watching the two converse. His heart had gradually calmed. From the words of these two great men, he gathered that becoming Strategist Ji's disciple had apparently been extremely difficult. His teacher seemed to have chosen for several years within the army, and among so many soldiers, had selected only two disciples including Li Yan himself. Marshal Hong had been exceedingly curious about this, which was why he had tested him just now.

Then, upon hearing of the official position bestowed by Marshal Hong, Li Yan was still completely bewildered. He had no idea what kind of office a Deputy Commandant of Guarding Against Insult was, or what it did. But he understood perfectly clearly that the enlistment subsidy Marshal Hong had mentioned would be delivered to his parents in the village within the next few days. Delighted, he stepped forward again to offer his thanks.

If he had known that in the space of half a day he had risen to the Lower Eighth Rank, his ancestral graves would have been sending up enormous plumes of pure smoke today—pure smoke turning into billowing clouds of dense smoke. An ordinary soldier had to risk his life how many times before rising from common soldier to Lower Ninth Rank, Upper Ninth Rank, Lower Principal Ninth Rank, Upper Principal Ninth Rank, and only then to Lower Eighth Rank.

Yet for him, it had taken only a few words from two great figures. But then again, even if he knew he was Lower Eighth Rank, he still would not know exactly how great an official that made him. What he cared about more was solid, tangible silver.

Once Li Yan had finished giving thanks, Strategist Ji bowed slightly to Marshal Hong. "If the Marshal has no further instructions, this subordinate will take his leave."

"Strategist, please do as you wish. I imagine your heart is no longer here. Hahaha, Hong still needs to inspect the Imperial Guard recruitment and arrange certain matters concerning the new army's training, so I will not see the Strategist off," Marshal Hong said with a laugh.

Thus, amid the respectful gazes of the soldiers nearby, Strategist Ji turned and walked toward the gates of the military training grounds. Under the envious and jealous gazes of those soldiers, Li Yan hurried after him.

Watching the backs of Strategist Ji and Li Yan grow ever more distant, Marshal Hong stood outside the tent, rubbing his short beard beneath his chin as he pondered. He stood there blankly for a while before murmuring words only he himself could hear: "Does that boy's constitution truly possess something special?"