Chapter 10 A Test
While Hong Linying was deep in thought, he suddenly saw the curtain at the tent's entrance lift, and a person walked out.
Hong Linying focused his gaze and saw that it wasn't the young man who had entered earlier, instead it was Ji Wenhe who emerged first. Only after he had stepped out and stood at the entrance did another person follow behind him.
Hmm Who's this
Hong Linying's expression froze briefly. He then sat upright, his eyes opening wide, but after a moment he slowly relaxed again, restoring his calm demeanor.
At that moment, down below, Strategist Ji also turned sideways and raised his head to look toward the high platform. He then bowed deeply from afar, with both hands tucked into his wide sleeves in a formal salute, and called out loudly
Marshal!
Hong Linying slowly stood up and replied in a loud voice as well
Oh I came to see how the recruitment for the Imperial Guards was going. If we can fill the quota today, we'll need to arrange for the generals to begin training the new recruits.
Military Advisor, are you heading back to the residence Did you gain anything today
Upon hearing this, a barely noticeable hint of mockery flashed across Ji Wenhe's eyes, but his face still carried a smile. He casually gestured toward Li Yan behind him and said
My lord is most considerate. Haha, after countless calls, he has finally emerged, truly not an easy matter.
As he spoke, he shook his head lightly, showing a look of relief.
You've finally found someone Then let me congratulate you, Military Advisor! Truly like panning for gold in the river. But tell me, how does this one compare to the one you accepted last time
Marshal Hong spoke with an expression of sincere joy.
Upon hearing this, Ji Wenhe's greenish-white face darkened slightly but quickly returned to normal.
He definitely didn't want Li Yan to learn about the previous disciple so soon. If Li Yan learned too much, he might develop doubts and if he became reluctant to train, it would be troublesome.
Cultivation was not something that could be forced. If Li Yan were unwilling, no one could change that.
At this moment, Hong Linying's words carried hidden malice, not genuine congratulations.
Yet Ji Wenhe only nodded slightly, placing his hands behind his back with a satisfied expression.
This child has thoroughly studied the classics and scriptures, and his natural endowments fit my requirements exceedingly well. It must be the work of fate. Compared to the last one, he is countless times better. Wenhe thanks the lord for his concern.
Without waiting for Marshal Hong to reply, he turned to Li Yan and said
Li Yan, why are you not stepping forward to pay your respects to the Marshal
Since stepping out of the tent, Li Yan had been overwhelmed with excitement, unable to pull himself together. Today's extraordinary experience left him dazed and bewildered.
He kept replaying the events that had just unfolded and fantasizing about his future prospects.
Today, not only had he joined the military, but he had also been accepted as a disciple by the renowned Strategist Ji and his monthly salary was far beyond anything he had ever imagined.
At this rate, wouldn't he be able to return home in just a few years to honor his parents
But then he thought, what if Teacher didn't allow him to leave at that time
In that case, should he buy a house in the city, bring his parents and Third Brother over, and live together as a reunited family That would truly be a blissful life.
And after a few days, he could visit Li Yu and Li Shan, surely they would be green with envy...
Right, I'll have to tell Uncle Guoxin about this later, and let him inform my parents. I wonder how happy Father and Mother will be... Third Brother and Fourth Sister will certainly be thrilled too...
In this manner, his mind wandered wildly, his face alternating between joy and worry, lost in countless tangled thoughts.
While he was thus lost in imagination, a loud shout beside his ear startled him awake.
Looking up, he saw Teacher staring back at him, and he froze for a moment.
He had heard parts of the earlier conversation between Marshal Hong and Strategist Ji, but he had been too absorbed in his own thoughts to pay attention to the content.
Now seeing Teacher staring at him, he scrambled to recall what had been said, something about Marshal... and then Marshal Hong mentioned something about last time's disciple compared to now...
Li Yan, why are you still standing there Hurry and pay your respects to the Marshal!
Another shout, this time tinged with dissatisfaction.
Strategist Ji, seeing that Li Yan was lost in thought and not stepping forward as instructed, grew inwardly annoyed.
Could it be that he's brooding over that scoundrel Hong Linying's words Truly infuriating! After we return, I have to resolve this knot in his heart. Hong Linying, how hateful!
Thinking thus, a hint of anger appeared on Ji Wenhe's face.
However, to Li Yan, the soldiers nearby, and even Marshal Hong on the platform, this anger seemed naturally directed at Li Yan for disobeying his teacher.
Seeing Teacher's displeased look, Li Yan immediately grew nervous.
He hurried a few steps forward, stood slightly in front of Ji Wenhe, and knelt on the ground, facing Marshal Hong, bowing deeply.
This humble one greets Marshal Hong. I beg your pardon for my earlier rudeness and await any punishment.
In just half a day, Li Yan had already paid respects to the two highest-ranking officials in the region, something unimaginable for a common peasant.
Seeing the dissatisfaction on his teacher's face, he dared not delay and immediately performed a grand salute.
On the platform, Marshal Hong watched Li Yan kneeling and thought inwardly
This kid... looks a bit slow-witted.
Of course, he didn't realize that Li Yan was not slow-witted at all, he was merely overwhelmed by joy.
Under such extraordinary circumstances, not to mention a country youth, even grown men would struggle to compose themselves so quickly.
Seeing this, Marshal Hong casually waved his hand.
Get up. Your name is Li Yan
He had heard Ji Wenhe call this dark-skinned youth by that name earlier.
Li Yan, still keeping his head lowered, respectfully stood up and answered
This humble one is called Li Yan, a native of Li Family Village, Great Qing Mountain.
Oh Then your home isn't too far from here. It seems our Military Advisor has searched high and low, only to find the treasure close at hand, the person he sought was just at the corner, Marshal Hong said with a smile.
As he spoke, he studied Li Yan carefully.
Li Yan had a dark complexion and very ordinary looks. He was slim and wiry, appearing entirely unremarkable. Even his steps weren't particularly steady, and he showed no sign of internal cultivation at all...
Truly, the standards by which Strategist Ji selected his disciples were completely unfathomable.
Suddenly, Hong Linying tapped the stone platform with the tip of his toe and leapt into the air.
At that moment, Li Yan was still bowing his head, pondering the Marshal's earlier words, when he suddenly felt a powerful force pressing down from above, making his breathing stall for a moment.
Startled, Li Yan quickly looked up, only to see a blur before his eyes. His left wrist was suddenly gripped firmly by someone.
At the same time, a surge of heat rushed from his wrist's meridians into his body, rapidly flowing upward along his arm's meridians and spreading through his body.
Li Yan was instantly alarmed. By instinct, he tried to pull his arm back, but found that it was as if his arm were trapped in an iron vise, it didn't budge at all. His body even staggered backward.
His face changed color several times. Just as he gathered all his strength to pull his arm free, he suddenly felt his wrist loosen.
He stumbled back again and almost fell to the ground.
The person had already released his wrist, and the rush of heat that had just surged through his body had quickly dispersed without a trace.
Everything had happened in the blink of an eye, so fast that Li Yan had no time to react.
He hastily steadied himself and looked carefully, the one who had grabbed his wrist was none other than Marshal Hong.
He didn't even know what movement technique Hong had used to cross from the distant high platform to here in an instant, it was truly as swift as lightning.
Li Yan looked at Marshal Hong, then turned his head to glance at his teacher. His heart was filled with unease, not knowing what was happening.
But Ji Wenhe had stood calmly behind Li Yan the entire time, his face as still as a deep well, as if he hadn't seen anything.
Meanwhile, Hong Linying withdrew his hand and, laughing heartily, cupped his hands toward Ji Wenhe.
Military Advisor, please don't take offense. Hong here was merely curious.
Over all these years of disciple selection, only two people have caught the Military Advisor's eye.
I was simply eager to see what kind of extraordinary individual could be so lucky. My impulsiveness, I hope you won't mind!
At these words, Ji Wenhe's face showed a faint, ambiguous smile.
Then may I ask, did the Lord Marshal see anything unusual in my humble disciple
Hong Linying's expression grew serious. After pondering for a moment, he said
The profoundness of the Military Advisor's sect only makes it seem even more unfathomable to me.
To be honest, when I examined this boy's meridians, they didn't seem significantly wider than those of an average soldier, in fact, in some cases, they were even slightly inferior.
As for his bones and physique... hmm, they are slightly above average, but certainly not exceptional. It is precisely this that confounds me.
Ji Wenhe smiled slightly and replied noncommittally
The Lord Marshal sees very clearly. Indeed, my sect's cultivation method does require fairly good meridians, but more importantly, certain specific meridians within the body must differ from ordinary people's.
Only with such a condition can one fully unleash the power of our martial arts. As for the exact details, they touch upon the secrets of my sect's inner cultivation method, I must ask the Marshal's understanding for not elaborating further.
Then what are your plans next Hong asked.
Ji Wenhe bowed slightly toward Hong.
My humble disciple will return to the residence with me for cultivation. The Lord Marshal knows my condition grows worse by the year, finding a successor cannot be delayed any longer.
Thus, he will mostly be training with me at the residence, but may occasionally assist with minor tasks in the army. As for his monthly salary... hmm, he will be paid the equivalent of a squad leader, deducted from my own salary.
Upon hearing this, Marshal Hong burst into hearty laughter.
Hahaha, there's no need for that! Since your disciple will also be handling some military duties, it's only proper that he has official status.
Let's appoint him as a Vice Commander of Resistances. His salary will be paid by the army, and I'll have someone deliver his military badge to the Military Advisor's residence.
As for the enlistment subsidy, someone from the military department will send it to his family's village within a few days after registration.
Hong was not about to haggle over a little salary, he simply arranged the appointment and even included the subsidy.
Hearing this, Ji Wenhe no longer stood on ceremony.
Then it shall be as the Marshal commands. Li Yan, why are you not stepping forward to thank the Marshal
Ever since his wrist had been grabbed and released, Li Yan had been quietly listening to the conversation between the two great figures.
Gradually, he began to piece together the meaning behind their words.
From what he gathered, it seemed that it was extremely rare for someone to be accepted by the Military Advisor, his teacher had spent years in the army, searching among tens of thousands of soldiers, yet had only accepted two disciples including himself.
Marshal Hong's earlier action, it seemed, was simply out of curiosity about this.
Hearing that the Marshal had bestowed upon him an official position, Li Yan became even more bewildered, he had no idea what a Vice Commander of Resistances was or what responsibilities it entailed.
But when he heard that the enlistment subsidy would soon be delivered to his parents' home, he understood that part very clearly.
Thus, as soon as Ji Wenhe finished speaking, Li Yan hurriedly stepped forward again to offer a deep bow in gratitude.
If he knew that in just half a day, he had risen from a mere commoner to a Vice Commander of Resistances, a rank roughly equivalent to Lower Eighth Rank¹, he would have realized that his family's ancestral grave must have been emitting a huge plume of auspicious smoke today, thick and billowing!
To understand this, ordinary soldiers had to risk their lives through countless battles to slowly climb from Lower Ninth Rank to Upper Ninth Rank, then to Lower Eighth Rank...
Yet he had leapt up in a matter of a few conversations between two high-ranking figures.
Still, what Li Yan cared about most was the silver, the real, tangible money.
Once Li Yan finished his formal thanks, Ji Wenhe bowed slightly toward Marshal Hong.
If there are no further instructions from the Marshal, your subordinate will now take his leave.
Military Advisor, please go ahead, no need for formality! I'm sure your heart has long been elsewhere! Hahaha... Still, allow me to offer my congratulations once again.
Hong still needs to oversee the recruitment of the Imperial Guards and arrange the training of the new troops, I won't see you off.
Marshal Hong laughed loudly as he spoke.
Thus, under the respectful gazes of the soldiers, Ji Wenhe turned and headed toward the main gate of the training ground.
Li Yan, feeling the piercingly envious stares of the soldiers around him, hurriedly followed close behind.
He could feel the sharpness of those gazes like knives against his skin, cold sweat was already seeping out from him.
Watching the backs of Ji Wenhe and Li Yan as they walked further and further away, Marshal Hong stood outside the tent, stroking his short beard thoughtfully...
After staring for a while, he finally muttered to himself in a voice so low that only he could hear
Does this boy truly have some unique trait in his constitution And what exactly is so special about it
(Chapter End)
¹ The Lower Eighth Rank was a rank in the ancient Chinese official hierarchy, part of a nine-rank system used to classify military and civil officials, the Lower Eighth Rank was relatively low in the hierarchy but still represented a significant step up from being a commoner.