The Grand Military Review was held outside the North Park. There were several venues, and the emperor and his ministers all had to ride over on horseback. The concubines and others remained inside the North Park, and Yao Huang, who was pregnant, did not go to join in the excitement.
Prince Hui, however, was called over by Emperor Yongchang. He set off early in the morning and only returned at dusk after attending a banquet hosted by the emperor.
Yao Huang asked him about the two competitions held that day.
In the morning, there was a footrace. The twenty camps each sent five hundred men, running in relays of one hundred men at a time around the North Park. They switched runners every li. A single group had to run a total of one hundred li. Points were awarded based on the order they reached the finish line: the first camp to finish scored twenty points, while the last place only got one point. Since there were five groups in total, the maximum possible score was one hundred.
In the afternoon, there was an archery competition. The twenty camps each sent five hundred men for infantry archery and five hundred for cavalry archery. Each man shot one arrow; hitting the bullseye earned one point, otherwise, no points were given. If a camp's one thousand archers could all hit the mark without missing a single shot, the total score could reach as high as one thousand.
Zhao Sui said, The Capital's East Camp took first place in the footrace with eighty-five points, and the Liangzhou Right Command, led by the Marquis of Weiyuan, took first place in the two archery events with four hundred and six points.
Yao Huang asked, Out of the one thousand soldiers from the Liangzhou Right Command who shot arrows, four hundred and six hitting the target was actually the best?
Zhao Sui replied, Yes, the martial arts assessments for military camp soldiers are not as strict as the imperial military examinations. Having four out of ten hit the target with a single arrow is enough to prove that Marquis Cen is highly skilled in training troops.
Yao Huang said, The Chief Commander of the East Camp is the Duke of Zhenguo. He and Marquis Cen truly deserve to be the two most prestigious and renowned generals of our dynasty.
These two matches relied entirely on the soldiers' physique and archery skills, not requiring the commanders to arrange any tactical formations.
On the second day of the Grand Military Review, the morning featured infantry combat and the afternoon featured cavalry combat, both of which were chaotic melees.
The venue was chosen on a plain six li outside the North Park. The twenty camps each sent three thousand five hundred unarmed infantrymen to form a small army. They arranged their formations around one hundred military flags planted in the middle of the plain. Once the drum sounded, all armies would set out simultaneously. The match would end after an hour and a half, at which time points would be tallied based on the military flags held by each army, with each flag counting for five points.
Emperor Yongchang, Prince Kang, Prince Hui, the accompanying civil and military officials, and the twenty chief commanders gathered on horseback on a high ground on the eastern side of the plain to watch the battle.
Before the competition even began, over at the South Camp, Prince Qing, wearing the armor of a vice commander, gazed from afar at the high ground to the east.
He knew his imperial father was watching from there. This time, he was determined to lead the South Camp to victory and show his father his true capabilities.
However, Prince Qing had learned his lesson. He did whatever Cen Jun, who was leading the ten thousand soldiers of the South Camp, told him to do, and no longer attempted to fight for command.
As soon as the drum sounded, Cen Jun and Prince Qing led their three thousand-plus soldiers, just like the other nineteen infantry armies, sprinting wildly toward the military flags in the center. However, as they got closer, the soldiers of the South Camp deliberately slowed down and scattered on the periphery. While the other camps were punching and kicking each other to snatch the flags, the South Camp silently preserved its strength.
Over an hour later, as the military flags that were constantly changing hands in the center began to move outward, Cen Jun and Prince Qing exchanged a glance. The two of them each led over a thousand men toward the two directions with the most military flags.
Waiting at ease for an exhausted enemy was a good tactic, but when it came to snatching and defending the flags, they still had to actually fight.
Since Cen Jun was the capable son of a military family, Prince Qing did not compete for the merit of commanding; therefore, he had to display his valor in the capturing of the flags.
Prince Qing, who had grown up in the imperial palace and was highly skilled in horseback riding, archery, and wielding swords and spears, lacked experience solely in close-quarters hand-to-hand combat. Even when he studied martial arts in the palace and had study companions spar and wrestle with him, which companion would dare to truly throw a prince hard to the ground?
The study companions wouldn't dare, and the common soldiers from the various camps present wouldn't dare either, but none of them recognized Prince Qing. They didn't even know Prince Qing was participating in this military review, assuming he was watching by the emperor's side.
Therefore, Prince Qing, wearing ordinary armor, was just an ordinary soldier in their eyes, or at most a commander or vice commander from another camp, someone they could absolutely hit and rob!
Prince Qing, who still had a chance of winning in a one-on-one fight, had just snatched a military flag and was about to run outward with it in his arms when he turned around and was met with an iron fist that smashed heavily into his chest. Amidst the pain and shock, the military flag was almost snatched away. It was another soldier from the South Camp who blocked in front of him, giving him time to react: Go quickly!
Prince Qing continued to charge outward. Several enemy soldiers surrounded him. It was normal for them to use their fists to hit his shoulders, chest, and back, but someone actually kicked him in the calf, sending Prince Qing sprawling to the ground with a single kick.
The soldiers only had eyes for the military flags. The South Camp soldier snatched the flag away, and the soldiers from the other camps continued to pursue.
Once the military flags were far away, the dirt-covered Prince Qing finally struggled to his feet. Looking back in the direction of his imperial father, Prince Qing, who now had an understanding of group brawls, charged toward a military flag once again.
The second time he was knocked to the ground by an unknown fist, blood trickled from the corner of Prince Qing's mouth. The enemy soldiers did not continue to act ruthlessly toward him but went on to snatch flags.
Prince Qing swayed as he stood up straight. Scanning the area, he found that the South Camp soldiers around Cen Jun had already captured five military flags. After securing the flags, Cen Jun took off the banners and handed them to one person to hold, then snapped the five long poles into two halves each, turning them into ten short staffs. He and nine burly soldiers each took one, guarding the front to repel the unarmed soldiers swarming them.
The soldiers were wary of the weapons and turned to rob others.
Seeing an opportunity, Prince Qing ran over to Cen Jun and said, Give me one, I am good with a spear!
Cen Jun looked at the bruised and swollen prince and advised, Fists and feet have no eyes. Your Highness should go guard the flags.
Prince Qing refused to listen and forcefully snatched a broken pole from someone else.
By this time, the soldiers of the South Camp had all gathered together. Cen Jun shifted to leading all his men to rob military camps that had flags but few people.
Prince Qing had just been beaten into a fiery rage. Now that he had a weapon in his hand, he swung the pole at anyone who tried to block him. Just as he was feeling exhilarated, a burly man whose arms bulged as if stuffed with iron lumps suddenly appeared opposite him. The man fiercely grabbed the other end of the long pole, looking at him with contempt while forcefully trying to wrest it away.
With just one tug, Prince Qing knew he could not outmuscle the opponent. But if he let go on his own accord, what would happen to his pride?
Just as Prince Qing was struggling bitterly, a figure flashed in his peripheral vision. It was Cen Jun, who used his pole to vault into the air, landing his feet heavily on the burly man's chest. After being kicked down, the burly man slid several feet across the ground. He raised his head, but ultimately lay there in frustration.
Prince Qing said in admiration, Great skills, Heir Apparent!
Cen Jun: ...
In terms of skills, he was far inferior to Prince Hui back in the day.
As the sun neared its zenith, the morning's infantry melee finally ended. The South Camp captured a total of nine military flags, scoring forty-five points and ranking third.
The common soldiers who participated in this battle could go rest. Cen Jun, Prince Qing, and the other commanders went together to seek an audience with the Emperor.
Among the twenty camps and a total of forty people, at a glance, Prince Qing had the most footprints and dirt on him that could not be patted off no matter how hard he tried, and his face, swollen from taking punches, was also the most eye-catching.
Prince Kang was genuinely shocked and blurted out words of concern: Third Brother, how did you get hurt so badly?
Prince Qing: ...
Noticing that his imperial father and all the civil and military officials were looking at him, Prince Qing gritted his teeth, restraining himself from glaring at Prince Kang. He thought to himself that if Prince Kang had taken the field, he probably would have been knocked to the ground before he could even touch the military flag.
"It is just a superficial flesh wound, Big Brother need not worry," Prince Qing smiled nonchalantly.
Only then did Prince Kang step back behind their imperial father.
Emperor Yongchang glanced at his third son and said, "I have always known your martial arts are outstanding. Today, even you are covered in injuries, which shows the bravery of the millions of ordinary soldiers of our Great Qi."
Prince Qing replied, "...Yes, your son also feels deeply gratified by this."
Emperor Yongchang said, "Go back and recover from your injuries. The original Vice Commander of the South Camp will take over for the next two matches."
The afternoon featured horseback combat, which looked spectacular but was also more dangerous. Emperor Yongchang only wanted his third son to taste the prowess of regular soldiers and realize his own limits; he had no intention of letting him fall from a horse and suffer severe injuries.
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The third day of the grand military review featured mountain warfare. The twenty camps each dispatched three thousand soldiers, who received five military flags in advance to defend their camps on the mountain. Whether they sent troops to capture other camps' flags or held their ground depended entirely on each camp's tactics.
The mountain battle lasted an entire day. By the time it ended, every soldier was either injured or showing clear signs of exhaustion.
When night fell, Zhao Sui finally returned to Yunshan Hall.
Yao Huang knew that he would need to wash up upon his return, so she lay down early on the bed in the rear courtyard, waiting for Prince Hui to finish his business and come over.
"Have the top three been calculated?" Yao Huang asked once Prince Hui lay down on the bed.
Zhao Sui replied, "Yes. The Right Division of Liangzhou is first, the Jizhou Division is second, and the Capital's East Camp is third."
Yao Huang said, "It seems the border armies are still stronger."
Whenever a war occurred, the border armies were always the first to fight. Only when they could no longer hold out would the imperial court dispatch troops from the four major camps to reinforce them.
Zhao Sui silently agreed.
Yao Huang leaned into his embrace and touched the side of Prince Hui's waist. "You have been riding horses for three consecutive days. Are you tired?"
Riding a horse by gripping with the legs makes the legs sore, but Prince Hui used his waist to control the horse. Over a long period, his waist would definitely be sore as well.
Zhao Sui held his princess consort's hand. "I am alright. Tomorrow I will not have to leave Beiyuan."
The army of two hundred thousand would rest here for another three days before beginning their return journey, after which the imperial carriage would also head back to the capital.
Having stayed in Beiyuan for three consecutive months, Yao Huang had seen enough of its scenery. Furthermore, the temporary palace had many rules, making it far less comfortable and free than her life in the Prince Hui Estate.
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On the twentieth of September, before the tens of thousands of troops from various regions had started their return journeys, Emperor Yongchang received a memorial submitted by Di Xian from Qingxia County in Liangzhou. It stated that the Fengyan Canal would be completed in another half a month and could be opened to test the water flow.
Emperor Yongchang announced this matter during a minor court assembly, and the officials all expressed their congratulations.
Emperor Yongchang swept his gaze over the three princes and looked at Prince Kang, saying, "The Fengyan Canal is crucial to the irrigation of tens of thousands of hectares of local farmland. It is inconvenient for me to leave the capital, so Prince Kang shall make the trip on my behalf. If the water test is successful, bring Di Xian to the capital with you. I intend to reward him heavily."
Being assigned an external task by his imperial father for the first time—and one that was both easy and capable of bringing him glory—Prince Kang was overjoyed. He stepped forward and said, "Your son receives the decree."
Emperor Yongchang advised, "For the over two hundred miles of new and ancient channels, you must personally walk through every section and carefully inspect for any cut corners in materials or labor. When testing the water, you must oversee it personally to prevent lower-ranking officials from covering up any mistakes out of fear of punishment."
Prince Kang solemnly agreed.
Prince Qing lowered his eyes. His gaze passed over his second brother's wheelchair and landed on the hem of his eldest brother's robes, feeling sour and cold in his heart.
Prince Kang did not know what his third brother was thinking, nor did he care. Before departing the next day, he first bid farewell to his imperial father, and then went to bid farewell to Empress Zhou and his mother, respectively.
With the canal about to be completed, Consort Xian felt very reassured about her son's errand. What she feared was him encountering assassins or other traps along the way.
"How many guards are you taking?"
Prince Kang smiled and said, "Imperial Father has allocated one hundred guards to me. Mother, please rest assured."
Consort Xian figured that Consort Rou and Princess Fucheng did not have the audacity to try anything, so she instructed her son not to attend the banquets of local officials along the route alone. She also warned him not to get involved with beautiful orphan girls offering to sell themselves to bury their fathers, or any other beauties. If they were truly pitiful, he should just give them a sum of silver and send them away.
Prince Kang agreed to all of it. Just as his mother had said, his imperial father's intention to establish him as the heir was becoming increasingly obvious. At this critical juncture, he absolutely would not be careless and make a mistake.
