[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties":3,"chapter-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-81":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Really Am Not Neglecting My Duties",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2363350,4622,"Chapter 81: Everyone, Line Up and Tell General Qi He","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-81",81,"\u003Cp>I truly am not fulfilling my duties. Volume 81: Everyone, line up and tell General Qi he’s amazing! Li Ruosong, son of Li Chengliang, Regional Commander of Liaodong, a military jinshi, was an exceptionally formidable warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Battle of Bicheguan was an ambush and encirclement by Japanese forces aiming to annihilate the main Ming army during the Wanli campaign to aid Korea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Japanese fielded thirty thousand troops; the Ming army, only four thousand five hundred, led by Li Ruosong and Cha Dasou. Surprised by an enemy six times their number, Li Ruosong and Cha Dasou led their Ming soldiers in bloody combat, eventually breaking out with about five hundred casualties, while inflicting at least fifteen hundred losses on the Japanese.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Japanese, outnumbering the enemy sixfold, suffered over three times the casualties in this ambush and encirclement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A general who can fight the Japanese is a good general.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun gripped his telescope; he had noticed Li Ruosong because the man was extraordinarily massive—standing there like a small mountain, radiating a heavy, oppressive presence!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The test-cut was the event Li Ruosong participated in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The targets were one long staff and one short staff: the long staff, seven feet long, placed behind; the short staff, three feet five inches long, placed in front. Both staffs were about a fist’s thickness; the short staff represented a horse’s leg, the long staff its head. Soldiers held their blades with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the examination began, all stepped forward with the right foot, simultaneously slashing upward at the short staff, then turning to strike downward at the long staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sequence sounded complicated, but in practice it was swift as a cunning hare—on command, a flash of blades, and both staffs snapped cleanly in less than a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some cut the first staff but failed the second, forced to leave in silence. This continuous cutting motion was simple, rapid, and immensely powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The test-cut, “dingzi back-slash,” was a standard maneuver for northern infantry against cavalry: slashing horse legs and severing horse heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun tried it himself—he was too young to even cut the short staff, so he could only practice the motions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What were they arguing about just now?” Zhu Yijun asked Feng Bao, peering through his telescope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Bao had not left; he had already inquired earlier. He smiled and said: “Li Ruosong dislikes the custom of military officers deferring to civil officials. Seeing Minister Tan, he assumed Tan intended to control the Capital Garrison, so after the test-cut, he planned to leave and return to Liaodong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ruosong said: ‘The Capital Garrison selects talent; I had no desire to come. My father forced me. I heard civil officials in the capital suppress military officers, treating them like servants, dependent on civil officials’ breath. At first I didn’t believe it—but now that I’ve arrived, it’s true.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After Li Ruosong completed the test-cut, he tried to leave, but was stopped by General Qi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the eldest son of the Liaodong Regional Commander, Li Ruosong was already conspicuous; this commotion naturally drew General Qi’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A troublemaker,” Zhu Yijun immediately understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong believed himself invincible and held the capital’s civil officials in utter contempt. Perhaps in his eyes, Qi Jiguang, Yu Dayou, Ma Fang—all were merely men who had become famous because no true heroes existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His ambition soared higher than the heavens, yet his martial skill was extraordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two other troublemakers were Ma Gui and Ma Jin—both young generals. Ma Gui and Ma Jin were troublemakers from Xuan-Da; Li Ruosong was the troublemaker of the Liaodong garrison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Qi said: ‘There is no Viceroy overseeing military affairs here, and no civil official may command you. Li Ruosong boasts he wants to challenge General Qi to a martial contest,’” Feng Bao added the full context.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun asked curiously: “Didn’t Ma Gui demand to spar with General Qi during the test-cut?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He did,” Feng Bao bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two troublemakers,” Zhu Yijun grinned. “General Qi seems to have accepted. This will be good entertainment! I bet on General Qi to win! Anyone want to wager?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng’s expression changed instantly. He glanced at Feng Bao—how could a ten-year-old emperor understand gambling? This was surely the eunuchs fooling the young emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng stepped forward and bowed: “Your Majesty, I dare to overstep. According to ancestral law, gambling merits amputation of the hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As emperor, Zhu Yijun was being overstepped upon—but Zhang Juzheng, as his tutor, spoke this as counsel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun immediately waved his hand: “No money wagered, no money wagered. If Mother found out about gambling, she’d be heartbroken again. Master Yuan taught me filial piety—I won’t gamble. But if General Qi wins, the loser must say to him: ‘General Qi is amazing!’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think, Master Yuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng blinked: “You’re wagering just one phrase—‘amazing’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew General Qi was amazing. He was extremely amazing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun nodded. He wouldn’t wager anything else—just this one phrase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng no longer objected. The emperor was sulking. The young emperor clearly resented court ministers calling Qi Jiguang a mere wart, and this was his chance to defend him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun smiled: “Anyone want to wager?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Qi is forty-four, past his prime. Li Ruosong is twenty-four, Ma Gui twenty-eight—both in their prime. Anyone want to wager?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ge Shouli looked around, then stepped forward and bowed: “I’ll wager on Ma Gui’s victory. Ma Gui trained since childhood; at ten he could leap and control horses, ride and hunt, and draw the strongest bow. I believe Ma Gui will win.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winning or losing didn’t matter. Since the emperor spoke, one must respond—to honor the sovereign’s authority and preserve the Jin Party’s dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vice Censor-in-Chief Zhao Fu stepped forward and bowed: “I believe the eldest Li Young Master  will win. Li Ruosong trained since childhood, became a military jinshi in Longqing Fifth Year, won the martial top rank without a single opponent, and can draw the strongest bow. I believe Li Ruosong will win.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun looked at Zhao Fu. Years ago, when Li Chengliang was forty and destitute, unable to afford travel expenses to the capital to claim his father’s post, Zhao Fu had given him funds—enabling Li Chengliang to enter the capital and assume the post of Garrison Commander of Xianshan. Since then, he rose steadily through military merit, collecting the heads of northern barbarians and Jurchens to build his reputation, now becoming Regional Commander of Liaodong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Court ministers all doubted Qi Jiguang. At forty-four, he was past his prime. No matter how skilled, could he match a twenty-something strong youth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Gui, twenty-eight, was at the peak of his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s starting, it’s starting!” Zhu Yijun stared through his telescope at the training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Gui and Li Ruosong were both troublemakers from frontier garrisons. If they challenged Qi Jiguang and he refused, he’d appear weak—how could he command? If he accepted and lost, every troublemaker in the Capital Garrison would rise up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment Ma Gui and Li Ruosong provoked him, Qi Jiguang had no choice but to accept. This provocation was deliberate—insubordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang looked at the two troublemakers and smiled gently, gesturing for them to go first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first contest was long-range shooting. The infantry target was eighty paces: one step forward with the left foot was a “kui,” then the right foot completed a “bu”—one step roughly five feet. The small target was the same as Zhu Yijun’s practice target; the large target stood seven feet tall and two feet wide, sized like a mounted rider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bows were divided into four grades: Tiger Strength Bow, Upper Strength Bow, Second Grade Bow, Third Grade Soft Bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The troublemakers challenged the Regional Commander. Everyone paused their examinations to watch the three men at the range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horns blared; drummers hammered their mallets fiercely; autumn winds whipped the banners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After warming up, Ma Gui picked up a five-foot Upper Strength Bow, assumed a firm stance, nocked his arrow swiftly, fixed his gaze, left hand steady, right hand drawing—the bow drawn full as a full moon, arrowhead gleaming coldly toward the distant targets. Ma Gui fired ten arrows in rapid succession, breathing heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun used a thirty-pound soft bow—far below even the Third Grade Soft Bow’s sixty-pound standard. Second Grade Bow was eighty-five pounds; Upper Strength Bow, one hundred pounds; Tiger Strength Bow, over one hundred twenty pounds. The young emperor struggled with his thirty-pound bow, shooting nine arrows, his arms and chest aching. Ma Gui fired ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nine hits on the red center—Superior!” a target officer reported.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His last arrow, exhausted, veered off and embedded in a distant post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ranks: upper three, middle three, lower three—nine grades total. Above the nine was Superior. Nine grades, one Superior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eight hits: Upper-Upper. Seven hits: Upper-Middle… No hits: Lower-Middle. No knowledge: Lower-Lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No knowledge” meant not knowing how to shoot—arrow not fired, or injured oneself—directly Lower-Lower. Lower-Lower meant immediate expulsion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The command officer rode up to announce Ma Gui’s score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun couldn’t help exclaiming: “Amazing! No wonder when Minister Yang was alive, he saved him. If I were him, I’d save him too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Gui was worth saving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Gui heard his score and smiled, raising his bow and swinging it vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Li Ruosong stepped forward. He initially reached for the Tiger Strength Bow—but set it down. Qi Jiguang’s eyes brightened at the gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tiger Strength Bow could be drawn at most thirteen times; within seven days, no one—not even the strongest—could draw it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Upper Strength Bow allowed at most fifteen shots per day; only every other day could one draw it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong clearly could draw the Tiger Strength Bow—but he chose not to, not to prove his strength. This restraint earned Qi Jiguang’s increased respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Southern Qi, Northern Li”—Li Chengliang and Qi Jiguang were equally renowned. Li Ruosong’s martial virtue was unquestionable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong stood firm and began rapid shooting. Soon, ten arrows fired, his face flushed, he stretched his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten hits on the red center—Superior!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The score silenced the crowd. They’d heard Li Ruosong was fierce, but not this formidable. Ten for ten—even though both were Superior, Li Ruosong had bested Ma Gui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Gui was dissatisfied—but he could not deny it. In martial arts, there is no second place. He was simply weaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang warmed up slightly, stepped onto the training ground, and picked up the Upper Strength Bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Wen glanced at Ma Gui, then at Li Ruosong, and shook his head. Troublemakers from the three frontier garrisons? They’d all been tamed by Qi Jiguang—made obedient. Tell them to move three feet east, they wouldn’t dare move three feet one inch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why bother provoking General Qi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang picked up the five-foot Upper Strength Bow and began shooting. His movements were unhurried, effortless. After five arrows, he switched grip—left hand behind, right hand forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he shot five more, unhurried. He exhaled sharply, his breath slightly disordered, adjusted the target, and said to Tan Lun with resignation: “I’m old.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed,” Tan Lun sighed. No use denying age. At twenty-eight, Qi Jiguang had shot ten Upper Strength Bow arrows without a single breath out of place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he far surpassed Ma Gui’s exhausted final arrow—and even outperformed Li Ruosong, whose face was flushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten hits on the red center—Superior!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that score, everyone looked at Qi Jiguang with new awe. Shooting left and right alternately was hard enough with Third or Second Grade Bows—but with Upper Strength Bows? And to hit ten out of ten? That was extraordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Qi Jiguang’s “I’m old” was a subtle insult to the two young generals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In humiliation, Qi Jiguang had his own unique method: immensely strong, yet unusually humble—making the two troublemakers look even worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both targets were infantry targets. In terms of red center placement, Qi Jiguang’s arrows were more concentrated—he shot more accurately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang had already won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, test mounted archery,” Qi Jiguang said calmly to Ma Gui and Li Ruosong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Qi is mighty! General Qi is amazing!” Ma Gui surrendered first. He was exhausted; continuing would only bring further humiliation. He’d lost—no need to prolong it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Assistant Regional Commander?” Qi Jiguang turned to Li Ruosong. In terms of score, both had achieved ten-for-ten in foot archery. Li Ruosong still had a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang was raised among southern troops, but he was from Dengzhou, Shandong. He wasn’t worried about losing in mounted archery—best case, a tie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mounted archery used only Third Grade Soft Bows—sixty pounds. It tested horsemanship and archery. Li Ruosong was confident here. Though he’d lost in foot archery, he believed he could win back honor in mounted archery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mounted archery had three forms: Dui Deng, Mo Qiu, Fen Zong. Dui Deng shot left; Fen Zong shot front and small right area; Mo Qiu shot directly rear. The right rear was typically the blind spot—but mastering left-right alternation eliminated blind spots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong went first. This time he demonstrated his left-right alternation skill: nine out of ten. One arrow missed—he misjudged the timing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mounted archery was extremely difficult! Even with full concentration, missing was common. As horse and rider rose and fell like waves, there was a moment of suspension at the peak—perfect for releasing the arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong missed one due to poor timing—but his score still drew gasps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong was truly formidable! Nine out of ten!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when Qi Jiguang’s score came out, Li Ruosong fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten out of ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang dismounted, returned his bow to the range, and smiled: “You’re very good. You simply lack experience. I’ve just ridden horses twenty years longer than you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang’s martial skill was extraordinary, yet he was always gentle in daily life—his ferocity reserved for enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Cen Gang, he had longed for reinforcements—but only he and his soldiers fought to the end. Qi Jiguang avoided grudges with anyone—but against enemies, he would kill without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou were both master commanders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Qi is truly formidable! I apologize for my earlier rudeness; please, General Qi, forgive me!” Li Ruosong conceded wholeheartedly—he had indeed lost the archery contest, having been hit by one more arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang patted Li Ruosong on the shoulder and smiled: “No harm done. Keep testing yourself. When you face battle, we’ll all be comrades fighting back-to-back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, General Qi!” Li Ruosong straightened his posture, clenched his fists, puffed out his chest, and shouted with all his might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong was deeply grateful for Qi Jiguang’s magnanimity; having provoked him was already shameful, and losing made him even more humiliated—but Qi Jiguang did not humiliate him further, for on the battlefield, they would all be comrades fighting back-to-back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made Li Ruosong feel even more ashamed—ashamed that he had judged a noble man by his own petty standards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emperor Zhu Yijun, watching from Wuying Tower, was delighted— he had known Qi Jiguang would win; Yang Wen was Qi’s loyal subordinate, and had Qi not been certain of victory, Yang Wen would have stepped in to accept the challenge himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Gui was strong, Li Ruosong stronger, but Qi Jiguang was stronger than both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun sat up straight, looked at the ministers, and said seriously: “General Qi has won. All of you—without exception—go now, stand before General Qi, and say: ‘General Qi is formidable!’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We humbly obey your command,” the ministers replied reluctantly, and went to praise General Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court ministers had always known Qi Jiguang was brave, but they never imagined he was this astonishing! This was merely a training ground—if on the battlefield, Qi Jiguang could kill Ma Gui and Li Ruosong as easily as swatting flies—his experience in killing far surpassed theirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A line of court ministers rushed to Qi Jiguang, shouting “General Qi is formidable!” Qi himself was utterly bewildered, repeatedly glancing toward Wuying Tower, unsure why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene was now especially amusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha!” Zhu Yijun laughed uncontrollably—these ministers, who looked down on whom? By the time they’re in their forties, they won’t even be able to conquer a beautiful concubine! But General Qi still conquers on the battlefield!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, we’ve finally avenged the court’s earlier contempt—when they dismissed him as a mere wart!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng merely shook his head beside him; he had not joined the petty bet, for he had known Qi Jiguang would win— the young emperor, just like him, had a narrow mind, and still held a grudge against Qi Jiguang, now a nobleman!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun peered through the telescope and exclaimed: “They’re fighting!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Zhang Juzheng asked in confusion: “Who’s fighting whom?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ruosong and Tan Lun are fighting!” Zhu Yijun gasped: “Tan Lun practices martial arts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He does,” Zhang Juzheng confirmed: “General Qi was originally not skilled in close combat; Tan Lun taught him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t Tan Lun a civil official?” Zhu Yijun, hearing this for the first time, stared at Zhang Juzheng in astonishment—this open-minded Jinshi was also a warrior?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Lun passed the imperial examination in the twenty-third year of Jiajing, one among countless scholars who had squeezed through a narrow gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng reflected and bowed: “The Six Tigers of Taizhou were local militias Tan Lun recruited as magistrate of Taizhou; over thirty years of military service, Tan Minister claimed a total of 21,500 enemy heads. He is both a Jinshi and a general, often leading troops personally into battle—during the Taizhou campaign, Tan Lun himself led a band of death volunteers into bloody combat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Minister of War is truly formidable!” Zhu Yijun’s smile broadened upon hearing this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Excelling in scholarship was one thing, but Tan Lun also possessed military genius!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re fighting—finally, Zhu Yijun’s favorite moment had arrived!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Lun changed into a short shirt and pants, stretched his body, and began warming up; to Zhu Yijun’s surprise, Tan Lun’s warm-up consisted of a forty-jin stone weight—he swung it twice, then adopted a horse stance and lifted the forty-jin stone weight into his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s drawing his blade! Zhu Yijun let out a soft gasp—Tan Lun had this in him too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After warming up, Tan Lun entered the training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Minister Tan knows martial arts?” Li Ruosong was utterly astonished—he never expected his opponent to be Tan Lun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that surprising? A true gentleman masters the Six Arts. My archery may not match yours, but in close combat, you’d better be careful.” Tan Lun drew his waist knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi family waist knife measured three feet eight inches in blade, one foot two inches in hilt, totaling five feet; its lack of guard made it lethal, its slender, elongated tip—though called a short weapon—was two inches longer than Zhu Yijun’s height at age ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Tan Lun and Li Ruosong held wooden replicas of the Qi family waist knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I injure Minister Tan, will the court hold me accountable?” Li Ruosong took up the wooden replica and said arrogantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Lun smiled: “Blades have no eyes—of course not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trumpeters blew horns and drummers beat drums—the duel began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Lun and Li Rusong began sparring; after exchanging a few strikes, Tan Lun suddenly thrust out his left foot and slashed upward with his wooden sword, deflecting Li Rusong’s blade, then spun around and brought the wooden sword down in a vertical strike—by the time Li Rusong’s sword was knocked away, he had already retreated, but Tan Lun’s blow still landed squarely on the back of Li Rusong’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong had been dodging, stumbling, but this blow knocked him off balance; he dropped to one knee, his neck instantly swelling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong stood frozen in the autumn wind—Qi Jiguang was stronger than him, he could accept that, but a civil official was stronger too?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of world is this! Why does the Minister of War fight like a general?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the battlefield, that blow would have killed Li Ruosong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Lun used the classic Dingzi reverse slash, but reversed—yet his speed was astonishing, too fast for Li Ruosong to dodge or block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I led death squads against the Japanese pirates in Taizhou, you were still playing with mud and urine! Who are you looking down on? I served as your overall commander, and you still held your nose high! Even your father would bow respectfully before me!” Tan Lun walked over, kicked Li Ruosong in the buttocks, then reached down and pulled him up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong rose, dazed and lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now you understand that there’s always someone stronger?” Tan Lun patted his shoulder and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong answered humbly: “I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Lun smiled: “Do you know why you lost? Because you underestimated me. You looked down on me as a scholar, assumed I couldn’t match you—otherwise, how could you have lost, given your martial skill?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On the battlefield, blades have no eyes. Even if you’re strong, you must shed that arrogance. One misstep, and you’re doomed—you die, your soldiers die with you; your defeat drags down the entire army, one thread pulls the whole fabric—do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As a military commander, if you’re so arrogant, how can your soldiers entrust their lives to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Minister, for sparing my life! Thank you for your teaching!” Li Ruosong took a deep breath, bowed deeply again, and conceded wholeheartedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong did not lose through strength—he lost through arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, Tan Lun struck him on the neck with the flat of the blade, not the edge. Had it been a real cut to the side of the neck, it would have been fatal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Tan Lun truly killed him, his father wouldn’t have come to Beijing to seek revenge—he would have come to apologize to Tan Lun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ruosong was a junior, already arrogant and disrespectful; this was a training ground, a duel arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Gui watched from the side, eyes wide as copper bells—thank goodness he hadn’t provoked Tan Lun; being knocked down by a Jinshi would be so humiliating!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside Wuying Tower, Zhu Yijun couldn’t believe it: “Minister Tan actually won.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing the imperial examination meant he was clearly scholarly, but if he was this brilliant in scholarship, how could he also be this skilled in martial arts? Li Ruosong was the undisputed champion of the martial examination in the fifth year of Longqing—the martial zhuangyuan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet Tan Lun knocked him flat with a single strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A hair’s breadth difference leads to a thousand-mile gap,” Zhang Juzheng patiently explained. “Li Ruosong looked down on Tan Lun from the bottom of his heart, didn’t take him seriously, and that’s why he was knocked down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eunuch Feng, Eunuch Zhang,” Zhu Yijun gestured into the air, still bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant is here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why can’t I make the Dingzi reverse slash as powerfully?” Zhu Yijun stepped forward, swung his blade, turned, and slashed downward, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Bao was speechless—he couldn’t say Tan Lun had practiced decapitation drills for decades, while the emperor had only trained for half a year and was too impatient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Hong whispered: “Your Majesty is still young and weak; you’ll grow stronger with time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, that makes sense,” Zhu Yijun said, ever skilled at self-consolation. Today’s outing had opened his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang could command a hundred thousand troops across three frontiers as if they were extensions of his own limbs—his brilliance went far beyond merely leading six thousand southern soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Lun’s reverse Ding-character counter-slash was truly astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon, Zhu Yijun departed from Beitu Cheng; in the afternoon, Zhu Yijun summoned the Marquis of Qian’an to the palace for an audience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve trained for half a year now. Since the capital’s military examination will assess martial skill, I must be tested too—let General Qi evaluate me.” Zhu Yijun bowed slightly to Qi Jiguang, as if paying homage to a master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng had implemented the Kaocheng system in court, which the young emperor strongly supported; support must be demonstrated in action—the emperor took twenty-nine written examinations monthly, but had never been tested on martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang had returned to the capital; the assessment could now begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I dare to overstep,” Qi Jiguang said—he had known before entering the palace why the emperor summoned him: he and the Imperial Guard Commander would test the emperor and his twenty trainees in martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the assassination attempt, I’ve trained every day except one—the day the Duke of Cheng passed away. I pride myself on diligence; please, General Qi, correct me harshly if I’m wrong.” Zhu Yijun clarified his motivation—the assassination attempt—and hinted he’d welcome blunt criticism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That morning, watching Qi Jiguang, Tan Lun, Li Ruosong, and Ma Gui train at Wuying Tower on Beitu Cheng, Zhu Yijun felt his own training was worthless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First test: forms—the thirty movements of the fist techniques from Chapter Fourteen of the “Jixiao Xinshu.” Zhu Yijun trained diligently; his entire routine was a proper warm-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second test: twenty-step target with a thirty-jin light bow. Zhu Yijun assumed a solid stance and hit all three arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third test: decapitation drill—the Dingzi step, upward slash, turn, downward slash, using a wooden blade; not aiming to cut anything, only to execute the motion accurately and swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fourth test: sparring. Zhu Yijun’s opponent was the most defiant man in Ming China—Lu Sigong, son of the Chief of the Judicial Office, Lu Bingliang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very same Lu Sigong who slacked during horse stance drills, got kicked down by the Imperial Guard Commander, and was pulled up by Zhu Yijun himself!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Sigong had zero deference!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During sparring, Lu Sigong always fought with full force, never held back—thankfully, Zhu Yijun trained hard and always won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Imperial Guard Commander had once scolded Lu Sigong, but he fought fiercely because the emperor had ordered him not to hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Sigong obeyed only the emperor, not the Imperial Guard Commander; even when his parents scolded him at home, he still obeyed only the emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, Zhu Yijun only sparred with Luo Sigong; when fighting others, the young emperor seemed to have perfected a divine art—his wooden sword carried the aura of sword qi, and before he even swung it, his opponents would collapse to the ground, making it truly dull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Sigong was so obedient that if the emperor ordered him to strike the emperor, he’d do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, after seeing Tan Lun use the reverse Dingzi slash, Zhu Yijun tried it himself—only to be caught off guard by Lu Sigong, who deflected his blade and delivered a forward lunge kick straight to his shoulder, sending him tumbling to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t supposed to happen!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shouldn’t the cool Dingzi reverse slash have sent Lu Sigong screaming for his mother?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant is guilty of capital crime!” Lu Sigong realized what he’d done only after kicking—normally, the emperor dominated him, and he only had to defend; today, he hadn’t held back and had actually knocked the emperor down—he fell to his knees, trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun stood up, walked over to Lu Sigong, pulled him up, and smiled: “I told you to use your full strength—so use it! What crime is there? Get up, get up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun realized the reverse Dingzi slash was extremely difficult—he hadn’t practiced it and tried to use it prematurely; of course he got kicked down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparring resumed; Zhu Yijun stopped showing off. Lu Sigong was now completely on the defensive, and as the fight heated up, he completely forgot his earlier terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sparring was also a form: basic sword techniques paired with footwork, repeated endlessly, usually decided after one or two contacts. Zhu Yijun held back slightly—he’d accidentally struck Lu Sigong last time, and the man couldn’t walk properly for days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun took a few blows himself, his body bruised from the wooden blades, painfully sore—but the young emperor still wore a grin—he won more than he lost; he was still the best!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think, General Qi?” Zhu Yijun sheathed his blade, ending the sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of the twenty-one, Your Majesty and Lu Sigong are the most skilled,” Qi Jiguang said, already astonished by Imperial Guard Commander Zhu Xixiao’s boldness—yet even he was shocked by Lu Sigong’s audacity!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The point of sparring is to take hits—the more you take, the better you become.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang couldn’t understand why the emperor trained so hard—he’d never fight on the battlefield; was such self-punishment truly necessary?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Qi, I can’t seem to master the reverse slash—what’s the secret?” Zhu Yijun asked, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang smiled: “Minister Tan is left-handed, so he executes this technique flawlessly, achieving such speed. If you wish to use it, you must practice diligently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s how it is.” Zhu Yijun understood—Tan Lun’s mastery of this technique was innate, no wonder it was so smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun calmed his breath and asked, as if casually: “Commander Qi, how are the candidates selected this time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All are capable officers,” Qi Jiguang replied after a moment’s thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ma Gui, Ma Jin, and their Assistant Regional Commander are from the Jin Party; Li Rusong is the eldest son of Li Chengliang; Yang Wen counts as yours, and also as part of the Zhe Party, since Yang Wen is one of the Six Tigers of Taizhou and belongs to Grand Secretary Tan Lun. If the Marquis of Qian’an faces difficulties, let me know.” Zhu Yijun decided to grant Qi Jiguang full authority—he would not let Qi Jiguang struggle, but would offer support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone Qi Jiguang disapproved of could be removed before the list was made public.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Zhu Yijun, backroom dealings carried no moral burden whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor held unlimited discretionary power over the selection of officers in the Capital Garrison; Zhu Yijun intended to wield this power to back Commander Qi. Though Qi Jiguang had lost the banner of the Quanzhou Hall, with the protection of his noble title, he was no longer a target any civil official could easily strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang, having weathered decades of ups and downs, naturally understood the Emperor’s intent. Though young, the Emperor had Feng Bao to explain things; if Feng Bao failed, Zhang Juzheng would submit a memorial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun was well aware that contradictions were widespread, and that only after resolving such doubts could the infinite principles of all things advance further—but the Capital Garrison was the very core of the state policy to enrich the nation and strengthen the military.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, they are not of the Jin Party, nor the Zhe Party, nor Li Chengliang’s faction in the northeast—they are all officers of the Great Ming,” Qi Jiguang bowed and said: “I can control them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang had spent his entire life training troops and fighting wars—he had countless ways to handle these unruly youths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll leave it to Commander Qi—the list stays unchanged.” Zhu Yijun felt a hint of disappointment, yet also relief—that Qi Jiguang had never intended to turn the southern troops into his personal army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disappointment was that he had failed to manipulate the list behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Qi Jiguang, Zhu Yijun was a classic moral petty man—if he could manipulate things behind the scenes to benefit his own people, he would give them every advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Men’s rivalries are simple: one cry of “impressive!” is honor! Requesting monthly votes, woohoo!!!!!!!!!!\u003C\u002Fp>",5202,"2026-06-21T07:55:54.218Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","14750e098706bbec1245913c9c66ac09f33a7b80b9756b9b82873f5a2d25a7f3","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-82","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-80",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-cover.jpg"]