Love Lock

Chapter 301 Six Harmony Formation

The early spring morning breeze still carried a chill, and like a little rascal, it darted around among the dark military formations outside the east gate of the capital, sometimes tugging at the hem of a soldier's clothes, sometimes tugging at the edge of a banner, making quite a racket.

Emperor Jing, dressed in a black dragon-patterned robe, stood in the wind, personally seeing off the soldiers heading to Dongguan.

He raised his voice to speak words that boosted morale, emphasizing each word as if he wanted to send them into the ears of every soldier on the wind.

"Warriors of the Great Jing!" This shout cleaved through the long wind, even drowning out the sound of the banners fluttering.

"You don your armor and weapons today not for personal gain, but to protect our nation and ensure the peace of our people! I have heard that the Eastern Ming cavalry intends to invade our borders—"

His fist slammed heavily against the railing of the platform. "Such behavior is intolerable!"

"The soil of Dajing is buried with the bones and blood of your ancestors, and carries the aroma of your wives' and children's cooking smoke!"

A young soldier's rifle tassel trembled slightly. Emperor Jing strode forward and pressed down on his shoulder armor: "Are you afraid? When I accompanied the late emperor on his campaigns, my palms were also drenched in cold sweat. But remember—"

He suddenly turned around and pointed to the city gate, "In the capital, there are wine sellers waiting for your return, and at home, there are young children longing for their father's triumphant return!"

He took the wine bowl from the servant, raised it above his head, and then drank it down in one gulp. His Adam's apple bobbed as the strong liquor went down his throat, and he smashed the bowl on the high platform with a thunderous sound.

"I hereby swear: those wounded in this battle will receive a lifelong stipend, and the children of the fallen will be raised by the Imperial Household Department! If I break this oath, may I be punished like this bowl!"

Just as Emperor Jing finished speaking, a sudden gust of wind arose, and thousands of spears struck the ground simultaneously. The soldiers' shouts, like a tsunami, shook the snow off the branches.

Emperor Jing spoke with great passion, but in his heart he was furiously complaining: "Have those barbarians from the Eastern Ming Empire lost their minds? They actually want to come to Great Jing to 'roast a whole lamb,' do they think Great Jing is a barbecue place?!"

Nearly seventy-year-old Marshal Li Jianyong sat upright on his horse, holding a long spear, looking spirited and vigorous despite his advanced age. However, his white beard, visible beneath his gilded armor, was fluttering in the wind, and the deep-set eyes held the marks of time.

Faced with the overwhelming force of the Eastern Ming Empire's army, Emperor Jing frowned. After personally giving a pep talk before setting out on the expedition, he stepped forward and tightly grasped the reins of Li Jianyong's warhorse.

He looked up at the old marshal with anticipation, "The Dongming rebels are coming on strong, and I cannot sleep at night."

In fact, he couldn't sleep at night. When the news came that the Eastern Ming Empire was coming to Dajing to "roast a whole lamb", he didn't even go to the palace of Consort Ru, which he missed the most.

Emperor Jing raised his voice a few decibels higher, continuing to energize Marshal Li Jianyong.

"Back then, the old marshal guarded Dongguan for thirty years. When did the iron cavalry of the Eastern Ming Empire ever dare to cross the line? What those barbarians feared most was the general's black gold spear!"

Li Jianyong bowed slightly on horseback, his armor clanging: "Your Majesty flatters me. This old minister's bones are only able to serve you again thanks to Your Majesty's grace."

Li Jianyong had no complaints about Emperor Jing replacing him last time. After all, he was so old, and it was only natural for him to return to the capital to enjoy his grandchildren and live a peaceful life.

He was quite pleased to be reinstated by the new Emperor Jing, feeling that the new emperor valued him.

After all, during the decades he served as the Eastern Gate Marshal, the Eastern Ming Empire did not really do anything significant except for harassing and attacking with a small number of troops.

What he didn't know was that the reason why the Dongming Empire, as the most powerful country on this continent, hadn't launched a major attack on Dajing all these years wasn't because Li Jianyong was particularly good at leading troops, but because war itself comes at a cost.

The reason the Eastern Ming Empire was so determined to conquer the Great Jing Dynasty, assembling an army of 300,000, was because of intelligence reports sent back by the Grand Commander of the Eastern Ming Empire's Intelligence Bureau.

Emperor Qian was mysteriously killed in an explosion, leading to a change of dynasty in the Great Jing Dynasty. The new emperor had just ascended the throne, but his power was unstable. The King of Cangzhou also raised the banner of rebellion, causing serious internal strife in the Great Jing Dynasty.

At this time, attacking Dajing would be the least costly thing for the Eastern Ming Empire.

With such an excellent opportunity, how could the emperor of the Eastern Ming Empire not be tempted?

Emperor Jing took the golden goblet from Li Zhongxin and personally handed it to the old marshal: "This cup is to wish the old marshal a great victory! With the old marshal here, I and the people of Great Jing can rest assured."

Li Jianyong laughed heartily, then slammed his black gold spear into the ground with a loud "bang!"

"Your Majesty, rest assured! Those traitors from Dongming want to roast a whole lamb, but they'll have to ask this old minister, this spear, if he agrees!"

After speaking, Marshal Li Jianyong raised his arm and shouted, "All troops, listen to my command! Set off!"

The old general knew perfectly well that His Majesty's words were eloquent, but if he were to truly lose, he might not even be able to get a bite of leftovers from the imperial kitchen.

Banners fluttered and armor clanged.

The army surged eastward like a black torrent. Emperor Jing stood there for a long time, watching Marshal Li Jianyong's departing figure on horseback, lost in thought.

After a long while, he rubbed his sore neck and sighed to himself, "Sigh! I still need to make some more plans."

He suddenly turned around, his worried expression turning into urgency: "Prepare the carriage for the Jingzhao Prefecture!"

Emperor Jing ascended the imperial carriage, which was quickly escorted by the Imperial Guards through the streets of the capital. In less than half an hour, they arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture government office.

At this time, a three-zhang square arena was newly erected in front of the Jingzhao Prefecture. The eighteen kinds of weapons on the weapon racks on both sides gleamed coldly, making Emperor Jing's eyes hurt.

A group of martial arts practitioners dressed in martial arts attire were rubbing their hands together, eager to try their skills.

When Minister of War Cao Ge saw the emperor, he hurriedly knelt to greet him. Before the emperor could set up his ceremonial guards, he quickly walked to the viewing platform and stared intently at a pair of burly men fighting on the stage.

The two muscular men were fighting fiercely, making Emperor Jing's eyes twitch. If this were in the inner palace, even the sturdiest rosewood bed wouldn't withstand their weight.

"Have you found a suitable person?" Emperor Jing asked the Prefect of the Capital beside him in a low voice, praying frantically in his heart: "Please send someone reliable! Preferably someone who can take on ten men at once."

The arena for the Jingzhao Prefecture has been set up, and notices have been spread throughout the streets and alleys of the capital.

Emperor Jing knew that he had to choose a capable general, someone who could turn the tide and stand up to the Dongming cavalry, in this most desperate way.

Although the military generals he named in court were all confidants of Emperor Qianlong, they were either lacking in real talent or were making repeated excuses out of fear of the growing power of the Eastern Ming Empire.

Shen Daohong, a true military leader, had once again fled with his entire family. He had no choice but to coax and trick the nearly seventy-year-old marshal Li Jianyong into donning his armor and taking to the battlefield.

Thinking of this, Emperor Jing cursed Emperor Jing in his heart.

He scolded him for being paranoid and failing to appoint people based on merit, instead keeping a bunch of incompetent officials in the court. Now, with war looming, he's resorting to last-minute measures, wanting to select talent through martial arts competitions.

How absurd!

How dire the situation!

Emperor Jing closed his eyes, as if he could hear the whistling of fists and the clash of swords on the arena, and that every move was silently scraping his face.

On the arena, fists and feet flew back and forth, and seven or eight pairs of fighters had already passed each other, but Emperor Jing's brows furrowed more and more tightly.

He gently stroked the edge of the teacup with his left hand, while unconsciously tapping his knee with his right. Each shake of his head caused the Minister of War, Cao Ge, and the Prefect of the Capital to break out in a cold sweat.

"Sigh—" Emperor Jing sighed again, leaning back in his chair. "They're all just reckless brutes who only know how to show off their bravery, or they're all all show and no substance, utterly useless." Cao Ge quickly bowed and whispered, "Your Majesty, please calm down, there are many more to come..."

"Enough, enough." Emperor Jing waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the dark mass of people below the stage. "If everyone is of this caliber, we might as well return to the palace and review the memorials sooner."

If Dongguan falls, the powerful Eastern Ming Empire will strike directly at the heart of the enemy, and the people of the Great Jing Dynasty, including him, will become "two-legged sheep." Marshal Li Jianyong is already very old; can he withstand the attack?
Emperor Jing felt irritated just thinking about Marshal Li Jianyong's gray beard, and he had no confidence at all.

Below the arena, many people crowded around to watch. In the northwest corner, Da Jiu and his five brothers from the Big Character Team were also mixed in with the crowd.

They wore the coarse cloth clothes of ordinary people, but their taut muscles and upright posture still revealed traces of military service.

"Ninth Brother, this can't go on!" The Sixteenth Brother whispered, "His Majesty is clearly looking for generals who can lead troops. Even if we lowly soldiers win the martial arts competition, we won't catch His Majesty's eye."

Da Shiqi chimed in, "I think that guy wielding the gun just now wasn't even as skilled as our battalion's instructor, yet he dared to go up on stage."

"Ninth Brother, what should we do?" Da Shi looked at Da Jiu expectantly, waiting for him to make a decision.

Da Jiu smacked his lips, crossed his arms, and frowned on his bronze face.

Having received the prince's orders, they waited here early in the morning.

Of them, only Da Jiu served as a centurion in the Beiguan military camp, and he was also the best at martial arts. The others were just common soldiers in the Beiguan military camp.

However, Emperor Jing wanted to select generals who could lead troops to resist foreign enemies. Even with Da Jiu's seniority, even if he went up to compete in martial arts, he would not be able to take this opportunity to infiltrate the army.

Unable to complete the orders given by the prince, they were all very anxious and whispered among themselves, discussing what to do.

Da Jiu's gaze never left the arena, his voice as deep as iron: "The task the Prince entrusted to us must be accomplished even at the cost of our lives. But His Majesty desires capable generals, not mere warriors. This is somewhat..."

Before Da Jiu could finish speaking, a burly man on the stage was thrown to the ground, eliciting a burst of laughter.

Emperor Jing shook his head and said to Cao Ge, "He doesn't even know the most basic technique of deflecting force; he only knows how to fight head-on. If we rely on such brute force in border battles, I don't know how many soldiers will lose their lives in vain."

Upon hearing this, Da Jiu's eyes sharpened, and he suddenly lowered his voice to say to his brothers, "I have a way."

The group immediately gathered around, and Da Jiu whispered quickly, "One-on-one combat won't show your leadership skills. I'll go up there later, and you guys do this..."

After listening, the Seventeenth Brother hesitated and said, "Ninth Brother, is this feasible? What if it angers His Majesty..."

"Let's take a gamble. What if we get lucky?" Da Jiu's eyes were firm. "His Highness said that the key to military strategy is adaptability. Today, let His Majesty see what skills are truly useful on the battlefield."

Da Jiu's attitude, however, was very firm.

Regardless, they were all people who had actually been on the battlefield and killed enemies.

Although they were just soldiers, they had trained in the Beiguan military camp for several years. Even if they had never eaten pork, they had seen pigs run. Weren't they better than those people on the arena who had never even seen a battlefield?

At that moment, another challenger was thrown off the ring, and boos erupted from the crowd.

Just as the referee was about to call the next person, Da Jiu suddenly shouted, "Wait!"

All eyes turned to this direction.

Da Jiu strode out of the crowd, clasped his hands in a salute to Emperor Jing on the viewing platform, and said, "This humble subject has a request, but I do not know whether I should speak or not."

Emperor Jing leaned forward slightly: "Granted."

"One-on-one duels are merely displays of individual bravery. Defending the borders relies on the soldiers' willingness to fight and effective command." Da Jiu's voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the arena. "This humble subject humbly requests Your Majesty's permission to allow me and five companions to demonstrate a small-team offensive and defensive duel, which may reveal the true strength of the matter more clearly than a one-on-one duel."

Just as Cao Ge was about to reprimand him, Emperor Jing hissed and raised his hand to stop him, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.

"Granted! I'd like to see what tricks you can come up with."

Da Jiu gave a wink to the man behind him, and the five men immediately climbed onto the stage.

They quickly spread out and took their positions, without any fancy formations, yet naturally formed a formation that was both offensive and defensive.

The audience fell silent, everyone holding their breath, waiting for this unique competition.

Da Jiu and his five companions quickly changed formations on the arena, the six of them moving as one, advancing and retreating with perfect control.

Three men wielded wooden sticks as spears, thrusting and parrying from the front, while two others used wooden shields to protect the flanks. Da Jiu commanded from the center, occasionally shouting orders, and the formation changed accordingly. When attacking, it was as sudden as thunder; when defending, it was as solid as a rock.

They demonstrated how a small squad responds to an enemy cavalry charge during a real border battle—shieldmen deflect arrows, spearmen stab the horses' legs, and flanking maneuvers cut off their retreat.

Their every move was concise and ruthless, lacking any aesthetic appeal, yet each action conveyed the life-or-death decisions made on the battlefield.

Emperor Jing had unknowingly sat up straight, his fingers resting on his knees, and all weariness had vanished from his eyes.

When Emperor Jing gave the order, the six suddenly changed formation, and his comrades who were simulating a cavalry charge were instantly "strangled" to the ground. Emperor Jing even leaned forward slightly.

"Stop." Emperor Jing spoke, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible excitement. "You, step forward and answer."

Da Jiu strode to the front of the stage and knelt on one knee: "This humble subject is here."

Emperor Jing asked, "Where did you learn this battle strategy?"

"Your Majesty, we are all from the Southern Border Army and served under Marshal Shen Daohong. This is the 'Six Harmonies Formation' used in the army to deal with cavalry charges. The Marshal personally improved and trained it, and it has been tested in various battle formations."

Da Jiu's voice was calm and composed, neither humble nor arrogant.

Emperor Jing's gaze sharpened: "Since you were serving in the border army, why did you desert the camp?"

"Two years ago, I was seriously wounded on the battlefield. Commander Shen, out of consideration for our years of fighting, allowed us to return home. But when we heard that the battle in Dongguan was critical, we, though we have laid down our arms, dare not forget the war." Da Jiu lifted his clothes, revealing the large and small scars on his body.

When he looked up again, Da Jiu's eyes were burning. "When I saw the government's notice about the martial arts competition to select generals, I specially invited my companions to give it a try. I am willing to serve the court with this crippled body."

"To serve the court once more!"

The brothers in the Big Character Team spoke in unison, lifting their clothes to reveal the scars on their bodies.

"Hiss... Hmm..."

Emperor Jing stroked his chin, his eyes half-closed, his gaze sweeping over Da Jiu and the others with flickering intensity.

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