Chapter 61: All's Fair in War
The sharp edge of the blade was right before her eyes, carrying a faint scent of blood. The sight drew gasps from the crowd below the stage.
Liang Ping couldn’t help but shout, “Watch out!”
Blade techniques were different from spearplay. Spears were more dangerous than crossbows, and blades were even more perilous than spears. A single misstep could draw blood, and Huang Xiong’s strength was immense. If he failed to rein in his blade, disaster would strike.
This kid—usually so careless was one thing, but how could he space out at a time like this? Liang Ping’s heart pounded with anxiety. Losing focus during a blade match was a fatal mistake!
Huang Xiong seized this exact moment of vulnerability, slashing diagonally toward He Yan. Just as it seemed He Yan had no way to dodge and the blade was about to press against his neck, the young man suddenly raised his head, a sly grin flashing across his face.
Oh no. Huang Xiong’s heart sank as he tried to pull back, but it was too late. He Yan’s left blade was already locking onto his longsword, while the right blade had somehow circled behind him. Panicked, Huang Xiong bent low to evade, only to see the young man’s grin widen. With a swift motion, both blades were back in He Yan’s hands. The Mandarin Duck Twin Blades merged into one, slashing straight toward Huang Xiong’s head. Huang Xiong raised his arms to block, but he was a step too late.
The blade stopped just before his forehead, but the sharp wind it carried still split a thin cut on his brow, drawing a trickle of blood.
The entire arena fell silent.
After a long pause, He Yan sheathed his blades at his side and pulled out a crumpled handkerchief, handing it over. “My thanks for the match.”
Huang Xiong stared at the handkerchief but didn’t take it. Instead, he asked, “You weren’t distracted just now, were you? You were bluffing?”
“All’s fair in war,” He Yan replied with a grin. “What do you think?”
After years of experience, she knew better than to let her guard down at any moment—especially during a match. Even if the emperor himself had shown up just then, she wouldn’t have batted an eye, let alone Xiao Jue. But Huang Xiong’s blade skills were extraordinary, and she wasn’t particularly skilled with blades herself. Without some clever tactics, how could she have won so effortlessly? She had deliberately feigned distraction to lure Huang Xiong in, only to turn the tables at the last moment.
Come to think of it, she was quite clever. Xiao Jue probably never imagined that the person he once called “foolish” had now learned to wield wit and cunning with ease. The thought made her smug, and she glanced toward the stage, eager to see if Xiao Jue was watching her with admiration. But when she looked, there was no sign of him—or Shen Han, for that matter. Only Cheng Li Su remained, waving excitedly at her, his hair ribbon fluttering.
He just… left? He Yan froze.
So, did he even see her dazzling performance or not?
Before she could dwell on it, a crowd surged around her in an uproar. Once again, she had stolen the spotlight, and half of Liang Province’s recruits were now thoroughly impressed. Her mastery of the crossbow, spear, and blades set her head and shoulders above the rest. But the other half only grew more resentful of her arrogance, muttering, “Relying on tricks isn’t honorable. If you’re so skilled, fight fair and square. Only those who know they’re weaker resort to deception.”
“That just proves he’s smart!” someone else shot back.Wang Ba walked among the recruits with mixed emotions. On one hand, he hoped He Yan would keep winning—it would prove she was truly formidable. Losing to a strong opponent was understandable, after all, no one in the entire Liangzhou Garrison could defeat her.
But on the other hand, Wang Ba was deeply unwilling. Why was he the only one among so many who had lost to He Yan who had to call her "boss"?
Why him?!
Then again, Huang Xiong was over forty and had lost to a sixteen-year-old girl—that seemed even more humiliating. The thought eased Wang Ba’s frustration slightly, and he let out a long breath.
……
Beneath the woods of White Moon Mountain in the Liangzhou Garrison, two men walked slowly.
The dense foliage blocked the sunlight, creating a cool and pleasant shade. Birds chirped among the branches—White Moon Mountain’s scenery was truly exceptional.
"You watched the martial arena match earlier," Xiao Jue began. "What did you think?"
Shen Han pondered carefully before answering, "Liang Ping has recruited a good soldier this time. He Yan is a rare talent. To excel in crossbow, spear, and swordsmanship individually is already remarkable. For her to master all three is extraordinary—there’s no second recruit like her in this batch."
"How was her swordsmanship?" Xiao Jue asked again.
"From what I saw, He Yan’s blade work isn’t as refined as Huang Xiong’s, but she makes up for it with agile footwork and quick thinking. She doesn’t fight rigidly—she knows how to strategize," Shen Han replied.
He Yan’s weakness was obvious. Had the match dragged on for another quarter-hour, she would have been at a disadvantage. She likely knew this herself, which was why she feigned distraction to provoke Huang Xiong into a reckless attack, ultimately defeating him.
"What do you think about assigning her to the Nine Banners Battalion?" Xiao Jue asked casually.
"This young girl is resourceful, avoids reckless bravery, excels in archery and horsemanship, and is unmatched in martial skill. I’ve also heard she’s literate. If we’re selecting from this batch of recruits, she’s undoubtedly the best choice," Shen Han answered cautiously.
"You think so too?" Xiao Jue turned, his tone noncommittal.
Shen Han studied the young commander’s expression. The Xiao family’s young governor was always inscrutable, his emotions never showing. His face was calm now, revealing nothing, but Shen Han sensed he didn’t quite agree.
"Governor… do you find something amiss with her?"
"That person has a problem," Xiao Jue said.
Shen Han was stunned.
"During today’s sword match, her blade technique wasn’t polished, but the footwork she used was trained in the Vanguard Battalion."
Vanguard Battalion infantry, charging at the frontlines where death was likely, practiced extremely agile footwork. Though He Yan’s swordsmanship was inferior to Huang Xiong’s, she dodged every one of his strikes. That instinctive retreat and evasion—Xiao Jue recognized it immediately as Vanguard Battalion training. He Yan had probably realized this herself and tried to conceal it, but subconscious actions weren’t always easy to hide.
"This… this…" Shen Han stammered. "How is that possible? She’s only sixteen—has she already been on the battlefield before?"
"Precisely because it’s impossible, she’s suspicious," Xiao Jue said.
Given the tense situation, Shen Han had to be cautious. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked, "Governor, what should we do now?""I want to test this person," Xiao Jue replied.
"How does the Commander plan to test him?"
"He's set up a challenge arena on the training grounds, winning every match day after day. Tomorrow, pick three instructors to compete with him in mounted archery."
Shen Han was taken aback and hesitated. "Is that appropriate? If he wins..." If He Yan won, what would the new recruits think of their instructors—unable to even defeat a mere soldier?
Xiao Jue paused and said coolly, "If he wins, then there's definitely something wrong with him."
"There are no such geniuses in this world, and even if there were, they wouldn't appear in Liang Province."
(End of Chapter)
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