Chapter 80: The Banner Contest
Seven days were enough for the wound on He Yan's leg to heal completely. Although the injury on her hand hadn't fully recovered, it didn't hinder her daily activities as long as she didn’t practice with the crossbow or spear.
And so, during these seven days of waiting, the day of the Banner Contest finally arrived.
The night before the contest, Liang Ping came to check on He Yan and asked about her condition. Fearing she might be barred from participating, He Yan hastily replied, "I'm great, absolutely great, perfectly fine! Instructor Liang, would you like to spar with me?"
Recalling his previous archery competition with He Yan, Liang Ping felt a twinge of embarrassment and coughed lightly. "No need. As long as you're alright, you can join the climb tomorrow."
Once he left, He Yan nearly cheered out loud.
Hong Shan laughed. "Well, you finally got your wish."
"I wonder what the Banner Contest is really like," Xiao Mai said, looking at He Yan pleadingly. "Brother He, you have to tell us every single detail when you come back down."
"Your brother is going up the mountain too. Why only ask He Yan?" Hong Shan teased.
"My brother won't say anything," Xiao Mai pouted.
With tens of thousands of recruits in Liang Province's garrison, not everyone could participate in the Banner Contest. Moreover, since this was to select candidates for the vanguard battalion, only those who had performed exceptionally well in the Martial Arts Field were chosen. Xiao Mai and Hong Shan were considered average in skill and thus weren’t selected. In their entire room, only Shitou and He Yan were chosen to ascend the mountain.
"Your hand injury isn’t fully healed yet," Hong Shan said worriedly. "Don’t push yourself too hard. If you can’t win, just run, alright? The whole Liang Province garrison knows how capable you are—one loss won’t change that."
"But that’s so unfair for Brother He," Xiao Mai grumbled. "If not for the injury, Brother He would definitely take first place."
"It’s fine," He Yan reassured them. "Even injured, I’ll still take first place."
The others in the room burst into laughter.
"Here we go again! Our champion He is going to set up another arena on the mountain. Anyone want to bet some dry rations?"
"Bet my ass! I still owe from last time!"
Amid the noisy banter, He Yan’s tension eased slightly. Truthfully, it had been a long time since she last participated in a "Banner Contest," and her previous experience hadn’t been particularly pleasant—she hadn’t been the most outstanding performer then. This time, no one knew how things would turn out.
But more important than the outcome was her performance during the contest. Admission into the Nine Banners Battalion wasn’t solely determined by this one event. She suspected that all the instructors were hidden on White Moon Mountain, observing every participant’s actions. The one who performed the best might just earn a spot in the Nine Banners Battalion.
In other words, rather than a competition, this was more like a performance—with only one audience member from start to finish: that Young Master Xiao, the Second Young Master. She had to muster every ounce of focus to ensure every move she made was flawless and deliberate, just to catch Xiao Jue’s attention.
She could do it.
...
Outside the garrison, Shen Han clasped his hands toward Xiao Jue. "Commander, everything is ready."
Green Ears pawed the ground twice beside them. Xiao Jue stroked its head and said, "Let’s move out."
Shen Han nodded, then suddenly remembered something. "What about Young Master Cheng…?"
"I’ve already arranged for covert protection. No need to worry." He glanced toward White Moon Mountain. "It’s about time. Have them set off immediately."
Shen Han bowed. "Understood."
...He Yan arrived at the Martial Arts Field but didn’t see Liang Ping. Instead, she spotted Du Mao holding a register. He called out He Yan and Shitou’s names, and the two stepped forward, noticing Jiang Jiao, Huang Xiong, and Wang Ba standing nearby as well.
“The flag competition is in groups of five. You’ll be in the same group,” Du Mao announced. “In the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, you’ll set out from here on foot and head up White Moon Mountain. Do not cross the mountain. Red flags are planted at various points on the mountain. Before sunset, you must return here.” He paused before adding, “There are thirty groups of recruits heading up the mountain for this competition. The group with the most flags in hand upon returning here will be the winner.”
“There are weapons on the racks—quickly choose one that suits you. Crossbows are not allowed. During the flag competition on White Moon Mountain, do not harm your comrades. Stop at the slightest touch. Do not take lives, and always remember the bond between brothers-in-arms.”
The group nodded in unison.
Jiang Jiao selected the long spear he was skilled with, while Huang Xiong carried his golden-backed broadsword. Though Wang Ba excelled with crossbows, they were forbidden in this competition, so he chose a phoenix-headed axe, which still looked quite dashing. Shitou picked up an iron-headed staff. Everyone turned to He Yan, expecting her to take the paired swords, but instead, she grabbed a Nine-section whip from the rack.
“You…” Shitou hesitated. They all knew He Yan was skilled with blades, crossbows, and spears, but none had seen her use a whip before. Whips simply didn’t carry the same imposing presence as swords.
“You’ll see once we’re on the mountain,” He Yan said with a smile. “Let’s go.”
With their weapons in hand, the group hurried toward White Moon Mountain.
Behind them, Du Mao called out cheerfully, “I’ll be waiting here for your good news. Go on, lads!”
Birds scattered in alarm as the group vanished into the forest. From a distance, Ma Damei and Liang Ping approached, each leading a horse. Ma Damei said to Liang Ping, “It’s about time. Let’s set off too.”
…
Thirty groups, over a hundred recruits, disappeared into White Moon Mountain like fish in the vast sea. The moment they stepped into the woods, Wang Ba suddenly spoke up, “Wait!”
The others halted and looked at him. “What?”
“Groups went ahead of us. What if they’ve set up ambushes or traps in the woods?”
“Don’t worry,” He Yan reassured him with a laugh. “The competition has just begun. Everyone’s busy hunting for flags. We don’t have a single one yet—what’s the point of ambushing us? I bet most of the groups ahead are heading toward… the white rocks in the southern part of the mountain.”
“Why the white rocks in the south?” Jiang Jiao asked.
“Shitou, show them the map,” He Yan said, turning to Shitou.
Shitou pulled out a rolled-up sheet of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. The map was crudely drawn, with only rough markings for the red dots indicating flag locations. Each group had a map showing the general positions of the flags, but the details were sparse—no landmarks like trees or rivers, just the four cardinal directions.
“Look, there are twenty flags in total,” He Yan pointed to the lowest red dot. “The one closest to the base of the mountain should be around the halfway point. Recruits entering the mountain would naturally go for the nearest flags first to secure them. Near the white rocks in the south, there’s a small stream with open surroundings and no tree cover. That flag should be the easiest to find. So, I’d guess most of the groups ahead are heading there for it.”“How do you know it’s the white stone in the southern mountain?” Huang Xiong asked suspiciously. “There’s only a dot on this map.”
“It’s just a guess, but don’t worry. When I patrolled the mountains before, I memorized the routes. Even if there’s a slight deviation, we can find it with a little searching.”
“Wasn’t that the time you were chased by wolves?” Wang Ba couldn’t help but interject. “And you still remember the way?”
“Mhm, I checked the path while being chased by wolves, and I reviewed it again on the way back. I know it well.” He Yan grinned at him. “You should trust your leader—absolutely no problem.”
Wang Ba, hearing this, suppressed his anger and turned away, refusing to look at He Yan.
He Yan chuckled to herself. On the battlefield, memorizing terrain and routes was essential. She had once served in the vanguard camp, where the most crucial rule was to scout the enemy’s situation and surrounding environment early on to strategize accordingly.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s head straight to the white stone in the southern mountain and grab the flag!” Huang Xiong slung his broadsword over his back. “Which way do we go?”
He Yan: “…” This guy had no sense of direction.
“We’re not going that way,” He Yan said.
“Why not?” Huang Xiong frowned.
“Right now, there must be a lot of people fighting over the same flag there. Too many opponents—it’s not worth it.” He Yan shook her head. “Let’s not join that mess. We’ll go this way instead.” She pointed to a red dot in the opposite direction on the map.
“There’s a dense forest here, and the path is steep—easy to get lost. I thought about it, and unless someone remembers the route very clearly, it’d be hard to find this flag. So it shouldn’t be easily taken. Let’s head straight there and secure this one first.”
“There are only twenty flags in total. I think if we get more than half, we’ll win. So from the start, we should target these hidden, less-noticed flags to save effort. After all, flag-seizing isn’t just about brute strength—it’s about this.” She tapped her temple.
Was this her roundabout way of boasting about her own cleverness? The others were speechless. Huang Xiong asked, “You really remember the way?”
“Absolutely,” He Yan said with a blink. “I never forget a path I’ve taken.”
The young man in crimson martial attire, though small and frail, had exceptionally cunning and lively eyes. Sunlight filtering through the forest canopy cast a glow upon him, making him seem radiant.
“Fine, fine, let’s go then,” Wang Ba said first. “Hurry up, or others will snatch them all. What’s the point of fighting over scraps?”
Shitou was on He Yan’s side and naturally had no objections. Jiang Jiao, being young and already impressed by He Yan’s earlier spear match, also raised no dissent. With everyone else in agreement, Huang Xiong—the oldest—said nothing more. Most importantly, he was utterly directionally challenged; without a guide, he could wander for days.
And so, the five of them, almost unconsciously, began following He Yan’s lead.
The group trekked up the mountain. Without horses, the rugged mountain path was tough, and at first, they worried He Yan might struggle to keep up. But seeing her move with light steps, her expression relaxed and unstrained, they gradually eased their concerns. It was clear her stamina would hold—reaching the summit wouldn’t be a problem.He Yan indeed lived up to her words, navigating the paths of White Moon Mountain as if she had walked them countless times, memorizing every hidden trail. She avoided all main routes where they might encounter other groups, sticking to narrow paths instead. Though the going was tougher, the distance was much shorter. Moreover, every seemingly impassable thicket parted under her hands, revealing yet another path.
"You lot, always think a few steps ahead," He Yan sighed. "Does the path have to be straight? Can't it be winding? Must people walk only on the ground? Can't you learn from geckos and climb walls? Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. Put some thought into it—many things aren't as complicated as they seem."
The group: "..."
Huang Xiong grumbled, "I'm forty-six this year."
He Yan continued walking as she replied, "Mhm."
"And you're only sixteen."
The implication was clear—what right did a sixteen-year-old brat have to lecture his elders? Elders had eaten more salt than he had rice!
He Yan said, "Yet you still don’t know the way."
Huang Xiong had no retort. What kind of person was this? Utterly impervious to reason or criticism!
As they chatted, they crested a small hill and spotted a lone flag hidden among the bushes, standing upright in the ground.
"Found it!" Jiang Jiao's eyes lit up as he rushed forward and grabbed the flag. "It's really here!"
"To think they actually found it," Wang Ba muttered, watching the young man lean casually against a tree. "I told you—I never forget a path."
The overseers hidden in the distant bushes exchanged glances and stepped forward, whispering, "What's going on? How did they find it so quickly?"
Logically, this flag was deeply concealed, and the path here was treacherous. Most groups should have been fighting over the flag near the southern white rocks by now. Yet this team had come straight here from the start, encountering no obstacles along the way. Had they... known the flag's location in advance?
"Never mind that—send word immediately." One overseer quickly scribbled a note and slipped it into the copper tube attached to a pigeon's leg.
...
In the garrison's quarters, a game of Go was underway, black and white stones scattered across the board.
A pigeon landed on the young man's shoulder, cooing twice. He retrieved the copper tube from its leg and unfolded the note inside.
Shen Han looked at him questioningly.
Xiao Jue handed him the note. After reading it, Shen Han exclaimed in shock, "They found it already? That fast?"
"Expected," Xiao Jue replied, his lips curving slightly, his gaze sharpening. "Given the timing, they must have headed straight there from the start."
Among the twenty flags placed on White Moon Mountain, the nearest one was by the southern white rocks. Though it had been spotted early, the sheer number of contenders fighting over it meant no one had claimed it yet. Instead, the flag in He Yan's hands had become the first to be retrieved—precisely because no one else had come for it.
"He memorized the route?" Shen Han was skeptical. Even with the initial reconnaissance, it was impossible for someone to remember the paths so precisely. Moreover, the recruits hadn’t known the purpose of the reconnaissance, so they wouldn’t have deliberately memorized the routes. Remembering even half of them would have been impressive.
"Not necessarily," Xiao Jue mused. "Perhaps he simply knew about today’s flag hunt in advance."
If he had known beforehand, he would have paid special attention during reconnaissance. Or, delving deeper—perhaps He Yan had obtained a detailed map of White Moon Mountain from the start. So when he saw the flags, he already knew their exact locations.Shen Han furrowed his brows. "So there are indeed suspicious points about him. What should we do next?"
"Continue," the young man replied with a faint smile, leisurely moving a chess piece. "It's not over yet. The outcome is still uncertain. We'll only know the result at the very end—no need to rush."
...
After He Yan found this flag, she led the other four up the mountain. Her path seemed shorter than others'. Occasionally, when they couldn't avoid running into recruits from other groups, before being spotted, He Yan would have everyone hide in the grass or behind bushes to avoid direct confrontation.
Wang Ba was dissatisfied. Having been a mountain bandit leader, he wasn't used to such caution. "We're not afraid of them. Why hide? Let's just go up and take what we want!"
"It's still early," He Yan patiently explained. "The recruits we meet may not have flags, but we do. If a conflict arises, winning might not yield any spoils, but losing would mean forfeiting the flag we already have. Wouldn't that be a poor trade?"
Seeing Wang Ba still reluctant, she unfolded the map for him. "I've checked—there are three flags hidden deep in the forest like the one we just found. We've already taken one, leaving two more. Following this path, we should find them easily. The last one is near the mountaintop."
"Once we have all three, we'll reach the summit," she added. "Then we can plan our next steps."
This barely convinced Wang Ba. "Fine, but if those two flags aren't there," he shook his fist, "you'll regret it!"
Unfazed, He Yan grinned and pushed his fist aside. "Little brother shouldn't be so disrespectful to his leader." She glanced ahead. "Let's go."
The sun grew stronger.
Though the dense forest wasn't as hot as the foot of the mountain, the rugged path left everyone drenched in sweat. The mountain teemed with birds, beasts, and insects, and they even encountered a few snakes. Surprisingly, He Yan handled these situations effortlessly—more like a true mountain lord than Wang Ba. If not for knowing she was a recruit from Shuo Capital, one might mistake her for a native hunter of White Moon Mountain.
She hadn't lied. Though the path was rough, she led them smoothly to the other two flags. The last one was claimed by Jiang Jiao. Huang Xiong looked ahead uncertainly. "The summit should be just ahead."
He Yan nodded. "Right." She glanced downhill. "We took a shortcut and haven't seen any other groups moving faster than us. I think we'll be the first to reach the top."
While other recruits were busy fighting over flags, their group avoided conflicts and focused solely on retrieving them, saving considerable time.
Wang Ba sat under a tree, unscrewing his canteen to take a big gulp. "Apart from killing two snakes, we've done nothing but collect flags—hardly a real challenge. Feels more like scavenging than raiding."
Though Huang Xiong and Jiang Jiao didn't say it, their expressions agreed with Wang Ba.
Shitou spoke up. "Winning is what matters. The method isn't important.""Brother Shitou is indeed clever," He Yan laughed. "If you want a match, why not go straight to the Martial Arts Field and challenge someone? The flag competition doesn't test individual skills alone."
She clapped her hands and smiled at the group again. "But I never said we'd stay hidden here forever," He Yan continued. "Everyone, get ready."
"Ready for what?" Jiang Jiao asked, puzzled.
He Yan grinned. "A heist."
One more chapter to come.
(End of chapter)
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