Chapter 663: Merit Comes from Heaven

The Northern Court envoy came up with such a move, like a floating gourd in a water tank, pressed down before it could float up, without splashing a drop of water.

The meaning in between was self-evident.

Light and breezy.

Greatly boosting face!

The Emperor is happy, and with the New Year, will there be fewer rewards?

What is hard to obtain and easy to lose is time; what arrives without turning the heel is opportunity.

Everyone outside says "holding spears toward the frontier is not as good as the Feather Forest Army," but the family knows their own affairs. It is really not easy to achieve merit in the Feather Forest Army. Fighting mosquitoes in summer, freezing frost and snow in winter, unable to reach connections, not entering the Jiang Zongshi, all relying on seniority to endure.

Maybe before the seniority is endured, the family's old man dies first, returning to inherit the title, looking glorious on the surface.

Meng Qiang looked for Liang Qu at night for two purposes.

First, to see Liang Qu, test the other party's quality, confirm it was correct, lead the person to the Heavenly Feather Guards to see, everyone touches the bottom, and appropriately arranges combat tactics against the enemy.

King against King, General against General.

The youngest must be against the youngest, and there must be no accidents.

Win, win beautifully, win cleanly.

Nine wins out of nine, compared to eight wins, seven wins, the meaning is completely different.

If not.

Nothing to say, the capable go up and the mediocre go down, immediately replace with Heavenly Feather Guards. If the Northern Court asks, directly let Liang Qu claim illness and not appear, hanging up the "no war" sign high.

Second, make a friend.

More friends, more roads, more enemies, more walls.

Even if the competition is ordinary, it doesn't hinder Liang Qu's high realm cultivation, and the future is promising.

Eighteen-year-old Great Hunting Tiger, famous, before early summer, the world will know.

All the nobles in the imperial capital, who doesn't want to invite Liang Qu to their mansion to sit, and let their own children get to know him?

The Marquis of Ji'an and others have already started blowing.

"The Northern Court genius is nineteen and broke Wolf Smoke, entering Hunting Tiger, but that was summer. More than half a year has passed, and now he is definitely over twenty years old. The Northern Court is not stupid, they will definitely seize the age advantage and demand a competition in the same age group."

"The people we can send are roughly under twenty-three or twenty-four years old. In the entire Heavenly Feather Guards of the imperial city, it is not that there is no one, we can still find a few, all are your candidates."

"Why twenty-three, twenty-four?"

Liang Qu didn't understand.

Why is there zero and whole?

"Guessing." Meng Qiang explained, "I said before that the node chosen by the other party is particular, specially coming to kill our morale, and after the New Year, the imperial court will prepare for the Martial Examination and Imperial Examination. There is only one month in between. It just so happens that our dynasty's Martial Examination evaluates the twenty-eight constellations of Wolf Smoke, and the Martial Examination is not based on success or failure, but on points."

"Points?"

"Minister Liang doesn't know?"

"My background is not good, I was poor and struggling to live when I was young, and after entering the martial arts, I was designated by His Majesty as a from-eighth-rank River Patrol, so I don't know much about the content of the Martial Examination."

"Heroes and heroines have no difference, Minister Liang is a native Great Shun person, this is already the best background."

Liang Qu felt awe.

In just half a quarter of an hour of conversation, it can be seen that Commander Meng is very enterprising, no wonder he can be a commandant in the Heavenly Feather Army full of experts.

"Enlightened, Commander Meng continue."

"Great Shun's Martial Examination only takes those under thirty, divided into five major items: strength, skill, archery, strategy, and fighting. The weight of the scores is different, and finally, the ranking is determined by the comprehensive score, among which three years is a boundary, with extra age ratio bonuses.

For example, in the fighting item, a twenty-seven-year-old who failed to beat a thirty-year-old can still rely on age points to surpass the other party.

Twenty-four fighting thirty, the bonus points are higher. The Sea Night-fork you dealt with in Huangzhou, the actual wins in the fighting item were not many, relying on the three-fold age bonus to surpass."

Liang Qu nodded.

Reasonable.

Since the Northern Court jumped to the face, naturally they want to jump big.

It is called using your rules to defeat you, maximizing benefits.

Discussing for a long time.

Meng Qiang was thirsty and drank tea.

"What does Minister Liang think?"

Liang Qu pondered slightly, thinking there was no big problem.

If the Northern Court envoy didn't jump, everything would be peaceful, and he would just mix into the ranks of the hundred officials and finish.

Jumped.

Not afraid either.

Fight if you want to fight.

"How does Commander Meng plan to arrange it?"

"The day after tomorrow is New Year's Eve, it's better to be early than late. It's too late today, so tomorrow morning at the Chen hour, let's meet at the Feather Forest Army training ground in the north of the city, I will lead you to compete with a few candidates and make a bottom-line test.

Don't say any nonsense about looking down on you, this matter is done, it's not just your merit, this matter is not done, it's not just your loss."

"Good!"

Meng Qiang drank the tea and said goodbye.

On Jishuitan, the silhouette drifted on the water.

Liang Qu looked into the distance.

He hadn't noticed where Meng Qiang came from before, but looking at it now, it seemed he boarded a certain pleasure boat?

Xu Zishuai put down the grilled fish: "Ashui, what's the matter? Feather Forest Army pulling people?"

"About the same, sitting at home, merit comes from heaven."

Liang Qu laughed happily.

January 27th.

Morning.

Thin mist shrouded.

The door plaque with the two characters "Liang Residence" wiped away the water mist and was hung high on the door beam.

Long Yao counted two pieces of broken silver and gave rewards to the workers who hung the plaque, causing the craftsmen to shout "fairy."

It was still a while before the Chen hour.

Liang Qu was not in a hurry to go to the training ground, put on his clothes, brought the Abyss Wood and Fubo, and stepped out of the door, rushing to the east of the palace.

Eaves were connected, streets and alleys were crowded, red lanterns were hung high everywhere, festive, infected by the atmosphere on the road, not feeling cold.

The Emperor stopped writing and took a vacation on the 26th of the twelfth lunar month, and all the officials in the imperial capital were on holiday.

As a result, there were many fewer second generations on weekdays, and they were nowhere to be seen.

The old men were all on holiday at home, and the noble children couldn't go out to mess around, so they had to honestly stay at home to read and practice martial arts.

Imperial Horse Office.

Xilülü.

The groom led out the blood-red Chishan, held the reins with both hands, and respectfully offered them.

The strong and wide chest was covered with dense scales, flowing with silver light as the horse's hooves rose and fell. The red horse raised its head and puffed out long breaths, as if swallowing clouds and spitting fog, lingering for a long time.

After several days, the third-rank Chishan advanced another level!

The mount of a fairy in heaven was not comparable to ordinary beasts.

Just this one Dragon Blood Horse, ordinary martial artists might not be able to deal with it!

"Second-rank Dragon Blood Horse, crossing mountains when encountering mountains, crossing rivers when encountering rivers. From now on, my lord, if you take the land route from Pingyang to the imperial capital, knowing the road conditions, it probably won't take ten days, and there is no need to feed or drink during the period, a real heavenly horse treasure!"

Ten days!

Liang Qu was secretly shocked.

He knew very well how far it was from the imperial capital to Pingyang.

A short ten-day journey, at this time, was really no different from being separated by two prefectures!

"Second rank is already like this, what about first rank and super rank?"

"From the imperial capital to Southern Zhili, without carrying heavy objects, traveling day and night, five days is enough for the first rank, and Wolf Smoke martial artists can't ride it. As for super rank, I don't know much." The groom said a shocking number, "There are not many super-rank Dragon Blood Horses in the entire imperial capital, mostly used for breeding. Ordinary grooms can't see them, and since the disappearance of the Jianghuai Dragon Lord, the imperial court's own cultivation is also difficult. Sometimes they don't see one willing to be rewarded in a year, barely able to maintain their own number."

"So that's it, thank you!"

Threw out the reward silver.

Liang Qu turned over and mounted the horse, aimed at the direction, drove Chishan to jump into the pool, and headed to the training ground in the north of the city.

Shuah!

Water splashed on the hooves.

Circles of ripples pointed into a line.

Red blood horse, cloud-thunder clothing, stepping on the river, all the cruise ships on the river were surprised.

The cabin windows opened, people dressing up pointed at their hair and leaned out to look into the distance, secretly wondering which family's handsome son it was.

"Coming!"

In the training ground in the north of the city, many Heavenly Feather Guards looked up one after another, witnessing the red horse galloping across the river.

The morning mist had not dispersed, water rolled and smoke rose, just like a blood-fire ball rolling on the river surface.

Majestic!

"What a kid who loves to show off."

Someone curled their lips.

Meng Qiang patted his shoulder: "If I were an eighteen-year-old Great Martial Artist, I would also love to show off. Not to mention anything else, first hold a ten-day flowing water banquet!"

Everyone laughed loudly.

"We don't eat flowing water banquets, we have to let the commander treat us to the best restaurant!"

"If you really want to, why not."

"Even if it's not done, it doesn't hinder the commander from treating first!"

"Think about it, let's go, go forward to welcome, don't let people feel that we people in the imperial capital are rude."

The cold wind scraped, and the withered branches flicked off the snowflakes.

The Feather Forest Army training ground was cleared by Meng Qiang, leaving only the honor guards from the Tianchen Hall on the first day of the first lunar month.

Twenty-six people in total.

According to age, from twenty-three to forty, all were present.

Knowing that the Northern Court had the purpose of jumping to the face, Meng Qiang sent people early to find the officials of the Court of Diplomatic Reception, asked clearly about the number of people in the Northern Court envoy group.

After that, he squatted for two days, especially at meal times.

Based on this, he roughly guessed which nine people would make trouble, and specially arranged troops according to age and weapons.

Basically, one person corresponded to two Heavenly Feather Guards, one main selection, one candidate, to prevent emergencies.

The other party's age was different, undoubtedly playing a good abacus, winning by different ages and even genders.

Good thing.

Less wear more.

Far less than nine people winning all nine games.

One person winning all, only shows that Great Shun has a monster, which will make people have fluke psychology, but nine people winning nine games, that is the younger generation crushing!

Everyone's merit is also more.

As for whether there are enough people.

The key link of twenty years old is filled, Meng Qiang is not afraid of the rest.

The Heavenly Feather Guards are already the best of the best, and the ones in front of them are the essence.

If the younger generation of the Southern Frontier and Northern Court all came, maybe the Feather Forest Heavenly Army would be stretched.

Just a Northern Court, not enough to look at!

"Minister Liang, introduce, Hua Qingdu, twenty-three years old, entered Hunting Tiger at twenty-two, realm equivalent to you, born with feather bones, good at archery, has three peak-level archery techniques, all cultivated to perfection, and has signs of integration.

Especially good at surprise bursts, once shot and defeated a Hunting Tiger mid-level Great Martial Artist, close combat is not bad, regardless of realm, the archery strength in the entire Heavenly Feather Guard is number one."

Hua Qingdu was very tall, at least one meter nine, carrying a tall bow, shoulders wide but not bulky, arm span particularly prominent, hands past knees!

"Powerful!"

Liang Qu was sincere.

Three true-art archery techniques perfected, truly gifted.

He now only cultivates one "Falling Star Arrow," most of the time is spent on cultivation, really no time to polish martial arts, barely great success, far from perfection.

Especially the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone changed into Catching Dragon and Subduing Tiger, as long as the realm does not exceed too much, relying on strength alone, it is enough.

So Liang Qu gave birth to "sloth," the time acceleration of the Mirage Insect is rarely used now, all saved to go to the Immortal Island to polish the True Gang.

This person should be the strongest under twenty-three in the Feather Forest Heavenly Army, right?

Hua Qingdu looked at the big bow behind Liang Qu, recognized the origin at a glance: "Uncle Liu's Abyss Wood Bow from the Northern Army, I saw it at home the year before last and it didn't have such momentum, it must have been raised by you, have a chance to exchange archery skills."

"Good!"

Continued to introduce.

"Li Bingzhong, good at spear, twenty-four, realm equivalent to you, no martial bones..."

Liang Qu didn't dare to underestimate.

No martial bones, twenty-four-year-old Great Martial Artist, amazing talent.

"Zhang Shaofan, born with Melting Gold Overlord Body, half-divine body, age twenty-three, realm much higher than you, Hunting Tiger lower level, buried a divine ability seed, also Melting Gold Overlord Body, when achieving Great Martial Artist, just twenty-one, one true-art fist technique perfected, one horizontal practice true-art perfected."

Small mountain moved.

Looked up.

Zhang Shaofan was about two meters two tall, skin color bronze, face firm, giving people a metallic luster, as if a metal sculpture.

"Half-divine body?"

Liang Qu looked at Meng Qiang.

Meng Qiang pressed Zhang Shaofan's shoulder.

"Born with martial bones, martial bones will grow with the growth of strength, so when fighting, when all aspects are equal, most can press a head.

But some martial bones can be cultivated by external forces, and the growth is far higher than ordinary martial bones. Melting Gold Overlord Body does not show power when born, at fourteen or fifteen, it is even worse than ordinary martial bones.

But the advantage is that he can swallow various minerals to strengthen his own martial bones' defense and strength, almost as a divine ability. So it is called a half-divine body."

Fist's armor, beaver's teeth?

Awesome.

Great Shun really has young talents, an imperial capital has so many experts.

If Liang Qu didn't appear, even if the Northern Court won, it wouldn't be too easy.

"Without Minister Liang appearing, this year the Northern Court made such a move, the one who greeted the barbarian would probably be Shaofan. Looking for you today is to compete with one of the three to make a bottom-line test.

Our internal order, under twenty-four, Zhang Shaofan is first, Hua Qingdu is second, Li Bingzhong is third, Minister Liang wants to enter, no need to beat Zhang Shaofan, just beat Hua Qingdu, we will let you go up, can't beat..."

Meng Qiang's meaning was straightforward.

It concerns Great Shun's face, there must be no mistakes.

Taking this merit, digesting it alone in the Feather Forest Army undoubtedly has huge risks, at least it must be internal number one.

Hua Qingdu took down the long bow behind him, adjusted the string.

Liang Qu raised his hand to stop.

"No need, just compete with brother Shaofan, at least it won't leave people with words, right?"

"Good!"

Meng Qiang cheered.

Letting Liang Qu deal with Hua Qingdu is to give respect to the eighteen-year-old Great Martial Artist.

It is even better that the other party can take the initiative to deal with Zhang Shaofan.

As he said, there will be no words left.

Court of Diplomatic Reception.

Approaching New Year.

The entire post house was noisy, all kinds of accents flying.

There were no fewer than dozens of small country envoy groups gathered, all waiting to offer gifts, and then waiting for "price increase and reward."

If ordinary people came, the names of many countries were very awkward and difficult to remember.

Let alone an envoy group of at least ten, up to a hundred people, gathered together, there were thousands of people, just the daily eating and drinking was a huge expense, and even picking manure had to be specially arranged for many people.

Two days ago, two envoy groups scolded each other because of some trivial life matters, and angrily rose to fight in groups. In the end, the Feather Forest Army came to suppress it.

It was really difficult for the officials of the Court of Diplomatic Reception.

In the residence of the Northern Court envoy group.

The murderous wind cut the withered branches.

Everyone was sharpening their knives, practicing seriously, preparing for the battle on the first day of the first lunar month.

Not entering the Jiang Zongshi, not smelting a hundred scriptures, there is a gap between relaxing for three days and persisting in hard practice.

However, there was one person with a different painting style.

The meat mountain standing like a mountain ate meat with a big mouth, and the golden oil flowing down from the whole roasted lamb filled a basin.

"You guys are from the barbarian tribe, are you all so good at eating?"

"Asu, don't disturb!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 664 =====

"Ah Su, don't go disturbing them!"

(End of chapter)