You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 306 Enko Under the Firepower~
The officers panicked, and the soldiers panicked even more.

Those who knew it were a hawk, while those who didn't thought it was a vengeful ghost.

Seeing his own troops' morale plummet, Zhuobutai drew his bow and arrow, stood up, and coldly stared at the approaching banner.

70 steps~
He drew the bowstring taut, aimed, and released.

A crescent-shaped arrow weighing five ounces whistled out, and in an instant, the flag bearer's head was gone. The headless corpse stood on the spot, gushing blood.

The banner did not fall.

Because a partner took over.

The great banner was driven firmly into the ground, yet it remained standing.

……

Zhuobutai coldly drew out an armor-piercing arrow and roared, "Whoever kills the enemy general will be rewarded with 500 taels of silver."

Under the reward, there must be a brave man.

Musketeers and archers on the city wall focused their fire on Wang Fuchen.

Amidst the hail of bullets, Wang Fuchen rolled left and right with his shield raised, using the ground obstacles and his sword to deflect arrows frequently, displaying a nimbleness unlike that of a fat man.

The guards who followed him fared much worse, with as many as 9% suffering casualties!
Wang Fuchen acted like a magnet, successfully drawing most of the battlefield's attention and creating opportunities for other soldiers. Soon, the siege ladders were filled with Wu infantry.

When the commander leads the charge, the entire team gains an additional 150 points of motivation.

……

Boom~
The battering rams, covered in wet cowhide, slammed into the city gate, each impact seeming to strike the heart of the defenders.

The final moment has arrived.

Wang Fuchen scrambled up the ladder to the top of the battlement and roared angrily.

"The hawk is here!"

Hahamu was so frightened that he turned and ran away, because he really knew Wang Fuchen. He had wrestled with Wang Fuchen when he was in the capital, and he was so confident in his strength that he couldn't even withstand a single blow.

Manchus rarely admired their enemies unless the enemy was truly, truly strong!

"kill!"

A group of Green Standard Army soldiers charged toward Wang Fuchen, spears held high.

Wang Fuchen grinned maliciously, used his shield to deflect two spears that were already in front of him, then swung his sword to cut off the heads of three spears before rolling in front of the crowd.

With sweeping, powerful movements, severed limbs flew through the air, and blood mist filled the sky.

There are many traitors in this world, but few dare to call themselves Lü Bu!

……

The next second, he set his sights on Zhuobutai.

General versus general!
Zhuobutai stood motionless, unusually calm. He drew the bowstring taut, aimed the arrow at Wang Fuchen, and the steel arrowhead gleamed coldly.

The two looked at each other.

Ten steps away.

suddenly~
Zhuobutai loosened his grip, and the armor-piercing arrow flew as fast as a shooting star.

As if divinely inspired, Wang Fuchen teleported on the spot, parried with his blade, and the arrow actually grazed past his armor—a true miracle.

Zhuobutai discarded his bow and arrows, drew his sword, and prepared to fight again.

Gold and iron clashed, and sparks flew everywhere.

In just three rounds, he was cleaved through the armor by the inhumanly brave Wang Fuchen, fell to the ground severely wounded, and bled profusely.

Wang Fuchen kicked aside his sword, squatted down, and laughed, "Do you recognize me, Ma Yaozi?"

"Shameless bastard."

Enraged, Wang Fuchen swung his sword and beheaded him, displaying his head high to the crowd, who cheered in unison.

"Horse hawk!"

"Hawk!!"

Flames soared into the sky within Pingxiang City. Wu's soldiers transformed into demons, breaking down doors to extort money and searching for women, their blades slashing relentlessly for two days and two nights!

As Zhuobutai said: Wu Jun is a disciple of the Manchu army and should not be underestimated.

……

Nanchang Prefecture was shrouded in gloom.

Soldiers moved back and forth, the city walls and cannons stood menacingly close.

"Who are you?"

“Pingxiang has fallen. The former governor of Hunan, Zhuo Butai, has been killed in battle. We risked our lives to break out of the siege and request an audience with the governor.”

"Hold on."

Haha Mu escaped Pingxiang with only a few dozen riders, fleeing like a stray dog.

suddenly~
He was drawn to the scholars queuing to enter the city.

"Hey, what are you scholars doing in the city?"

A scholar politely cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency, we are here to participate in the special imperial examination."

Haha, Mu was stunned.

"No, the imperial court is still holding a special imperial examination at this time??" "My lord, there is a notice over there. You can take your time to read it. I'll take my leave now."

The scholar politely bowed again, followed the group, and after passing through the inspection, filed into the city gate.

……

Nanchang Examination Hall.

The scholars were in an uproar.

"What? The test is now?"

"Yes."

"Grand Minister of Rites, this, this, this, how can we not hold a unified examination?"

The Jiangxi provincial education commissioner explained with a kind and benevolent expression.

"The war situation is tense, and the matter is urgent. Wouldn't it be better to pass the imperial examination as soon as possible, become an official, and serve the court? You are all learned men, and you are only one opportunity away from entering officialdom. Now, the opportunity is in front of you, so you must cherish it."

"Thank you, Grand Minister of Rites."

The scholars entered the examination hall and began answering the questions.

They were pleasantly surprised to find that the test questions were surprisingly simple, and anyone who studied hard could get a high score.

All the exams were finished in one day.

Jiangxi's education inspectors were grading papers on-site, their pens flying everywhere, clearly distracted.

The result of this provincial examination was that 31 people took the exam and 20 were admitted. What does that mean? It was definitely easier than getting a "Three Good Student" certificate in elementary school.

The scholars, however, had no doubts and were all secretly delighted, thinking they had gotten a good deal. They called their friends and drank and composed poems.

……

a few days later.

In the courtyard of the Nanchang Examination Hall, the hundred or so successful candidates who had been admitted to the imperial examinations chatted idly.

"Brother, have you heard? Wu the traitor has already conquered the entire Hunan province."

"Alas, the scholars of Hunan are in for a bad time."

"Yes, yes, my insight is brilliant."

"How to say?"

"The reason why so many people were admitted this year is because the quotas for the imperial examinations in provinces that had fallen into the hands of thieves were transferred to Jiangxi."

The rice ripened 3000 times, and the scholar issued a decree for the first time.

"So we really have to thank our colleagues from Hunan, Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou for giving us their precious spots."

They were chatting happily when a minor official hurried in.

"Gentlemen, please leave the city and board the ship to the capital."

"Huh? What are you going to the capital for?"

"To take the imperial examination."

"Also Enko?"

"Exactly."

"But we haven't attended the Deer Cry Banquet yet!"

"Gentlemen, this is a rare opportunity. Arrive in the capital as soon as possible and become an official. You all surely understand which is more important, the Deer Cry Banquet or an official career."

The scholars suppressed their smiles, bowed in thanks, and then immediately packed their bags and hurried out of the city.

At the city gate~
The successful candidate in the imperial examinations left the city, while the scholar entered. The two groups happened to brush past each other, and the gears of fate began to turn.

……

One bad news after another~
The prefect of Yuanzhou surrendered to the enemy.

Wu Jun greatly reinforced his troops, and Wang Fuchen braved arrows to personally go to the battlefield. Linjiang Prefecture was in imminent danger, and the smoke of war was getting closer and closer to Nanchang.

The Nanchang Imperial Examination Hall persisted in holding examinations.

Arriving there, one takes the exam; passing it means passing; passing it means going to the capital. As long as the candidate's Confucian scholarship isn't exceptionally poor, the Grand Minister of Rites will pass them with his eyes closed.

Nanchang suburban wharf.

A rider galloped in.

"The governor has ordered all newly appointed candidates to board the ship and head north immediately."

What if we don't have a big ship?

“Aren’t canal boats and fishing boats all boats? Linjiang Prefecture has already fallen. If you don’t leave now, it will be too late.”

Everyone was terrified and immediately boarded the ship.

As a group of small boats entered the middle of the river, the sound of cannons behind them suddenly intensified.

Everyone secretly rejoiced.
Suddenly, a poor old scholar stood at the bow of the fishing boat, tall and solemn, and recited aloud.

"Guo Jia's misfortune is the poets' fortune. Jiangxi's misfortune is our fortune."

The scholars on the surrounding boats outwardly showed disdain, but inwardly they greatly approved.

(End of this chapter)