After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"What does this mean?!"

Cao Du's eyes were bloodshot. Looking at Zeng Qimei's pale face, he couldn't help but take a few steps back and angrily shouted at Da Chun.

The officials of the Southern Dynasty also slammed their fists on the table and questioned Dachun and Rostov about what this meant.

People were also shouting, "Quickly, quickly capture the murderer!" and "Protect Prince Xin!"

Qin Yuanyao hurriedly went inside the beaded curtain and reported to Zhu Cuiwei what had just happened on the training ground.

Zhu Cuiwei's face turned deathly pale in an instant, and her fingers trembled uncontrollably.

Looking through the beaded curtain at Zeng Qimei lying on the ground, Zhu Cuiwei's heart almost stopped. It was as if the person lying on the ground was not Zeng Qimei, but a young doctor. However, when she thought that Zeng Qimei also had a wife and children, Zhu Cuiwei felt even more grief.

"This Westerners' musket competition... is so ruthless and decisive..."

Qin Yuanyao was also covered in cold sweat, her eyes filled with fear and trembling. Just moments ago, she had been complaining in her heart that someone was unwilling to take action, but now she was filled with lingering fear... What if the person lying on the ground was the Grand Prince Consort...? Qin Yuanyao felt a chill run down her spine, and tears welled up in her eyes... This had nothing to do with His Highness... If it were because of her momentary instigation that such a talented person had died in such an absurd competition, she would probably have already regretted it to the point of taking her own life.

Dachun and Rostov exchanged a glance, sighed in unison, and stood up, saying, "Gentlemen, these two are heroes, they are warriors. You must not tarnish the reputation of warriors..."

King Qi and Dou Yuan were stunned. Dead? Pedro just died like that?

Look at Thomas.

At this moment, Thomas simply stepped forward, held Pedro's head in his arms, made the sign of the cross on his chest, and muttered something under his breath, without shouting or making a scene.

Rostov also stepped forward.

Like Thomas, he made the sign of the cross on his chest and muttered incantations.

The fat interpreter stepped forward and said they were praying to the Father, that the warrior's soul would go to heaven. The crowd felt no comfort, only a chill.

Then, after Rostov nodded to him, the fat interpreter explained the rules of the Westerners' musket competition... stand back to back and then walk together to opposite sides.

When they reached a certain number... this time, the musketeers drew lines on both sides, walked about twenty feet each, and then turned around and fired in unison.

Whoever gets shot loses.

Upon hearing this ruthless and decisive rule, the officials of the Southern Dynasty were stunned into silence.

The young nobles and princes who had previously clamored to go to war were now pale-faced and filled with lingering fear.

They thought it meant hitting a tree or a rock, and whoever missed would lose face.

Who would have thought... that it would lead to his death?

This is not a fight between swords and spears, but a fight with firearms... one hit means certain death.

Once this crucial point is understood, the entire room falls silent.

The eunuchs carrying the person into the palace looked hesitant.

After Cao Du waved his hand, the leading eunuch said that the remaining two musketeers, Danzhu and Anatoli, said that only one of them could survive. They wanted to ask if there were any other warriors who dared to fight them. If not, then it would be the two of them who would have to fight each other directly.

Upon hearing such resolute words, everyone's mouths went dry.

Li Chunge glanced at his son, Li Hanchen, and saw that his son's face was blank and covered in cold sweat. He dared not get up again. Li Chunge felt relieved. He thought that reckless courage was not advisable, and he did not think his son was not brave.

Just as the room fell silent, a burly man from the Korean delegation stood up and said with a smile, "A contest is interesting, what is there to fear about life and death?" The man's voice was loud and clear, drawing the attention of everyone present.

Upon seeing the North Korean ambassador, Park Si-seo, it turned out to be Choi Do-yoon, the deputy general accompanying their delegation.

Choi Do-yoon pointed to the three treasures on the wooden platform and said with a smile, "Your Highness, gentlemen, if Choi Do-yoon were to fight those two musketeers and win by sheer luck, I wonder if I could obtain these three treasures?" His Chinese was surprisingly fluent.

Cao Du waved his hand and immediately said, "If the brave warrior wishes to go, then of course he may."

Park Si-seo laughed and said, "Since our brave warriors are willing to go, how can our dynasty not offer a reward?"

Park Si-seo lowered his head and took off a string of precious Buddhist beads hanging around his neck, saying that these were made of agarwood and had been blessed by the abbot of Tongdosa Temple. He offered them as a lucky charm to celebrate the victorious warrior.

Choi Do-yoon was overjoyed and ordered someone to fetch a musket from the Korean delegation's carriage.

The officials of the Southern Dynasty felt a complex mix of gratitude and embarrassment upon witnessing this scene.

Zhu Xianze's pupils narrowed, and he slowly exhaled, inwardly groaning. If it were a competition or something, calling Qu Wen would be fine, but when it came to life and death, he dared not do it.

Just as Cui Daoyun sent someone to fetch the muskets, a member of the Japanese delegation stood up. He didn't understand Chinese and just mumbled something in Japanese.

Upon hearing this, the Japanese ambassador, Tokugawa Yasuhiro, first cursed in Japanese, but it seemed that the young Japanese man was too insistent. Tokugawa Yasuhiro had no choice but to stand up and ask in broken Chinese, bowing, "Could Japan also send someone to compete with your countries?"

The Japanese arquebuses actually had their own unique features, and in many aspects they were no less advanced than those of the Liang Dynasty and the Northern Dynasties.

Dachun chuckled and said, "Since your son is interested, our dynasty will naturally not refuse." Rostov also smiled and welcomed him.

Upon hearing this, the Southern Dynasty officials realized that this young Japanese man was actually the son of Tokugawa Yasuhiro! Everyone was immediately surprised.

Seeing that they had all agreed, and since only the Rakshasa Kingdom and the Northern Dynasty people remained on the field, Cao Du naturally agreed as well.

Deconyan then took out his own sword and placed it alongside the prizes from various countries.

Choi Do-yoon carried a Korean musket, while a young Japanese man surnamed Deok-kang excitedly carried a Japanese musket as they headed to the drill ground.

Not long after.

A gentle night breeze was blowing.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Then, a few more gunshots rang out in quick succession.

Park Si-seo stood up, craning her neck in anticipation.

Dekangyan, however, remained calm and composed.

Before long, the eunuchs brought up two stretchers.

Cui Daoyun was defeated by Danzhu.

De Conley lost to Anatoly.

Choi Do-yoon was shot in the throat and died. Park Si-seo knelt down, held his hand, and couldn't help but sigh with regret.

Deconley, however, was shot in the lungs and seemed to still be breathing, but Deconyan didn't even look at him and just kept drinking his wine.

De Conley's face turned deathly pale. He glanced at his father, his face trembling uncontrollably. After gritting his teeth, he pulled a short sword from his waist and stabbed it into his abdomen... The sharp Japanese sword pierced his abdomen, and blood gushed out. No one could stop him in time, and they could only watch helplessly as the young man fell silent in an instant.

Only then did Tokugawa, his eyes red, raise his glass and shout something like "Banzai" in Japanese...

Cao Du was shocked and sighed inwardly, but he didn't know what to say.

The campfire flickered on the training ground.

A sudden noise came from the second courtyard.

Cao Du was taken aback and sent someone to inquire about the situation. It turned out that the officials in the second and third courtyards had heard the gunshots and, not knowing what had happened, rushed over to ask. After hearing the explanation from the Prince's Mansion and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they were all furious and said they wanted to volunteer to fight and teach the Northern Dynasty people and the Rakshasa people a lesson. They even nominated two military officers.

Zhu Cuiwei specifically ordered that the stretchers in the field not be removed.

When the two military officers, who were proficient in firearms, took the stage, the courtiers saw that the two regarded the corpses on the ground as nothing, without glancing at them or changing their expressions, and they couldn't help but cheer.

Zhu Cuiwei solemnly explained the rules to the two men, who laughed and said that Your Highness could rest assured.

Zhu Cuiwei pondered for a long time, and seeing that the two were extremely determined, she ordered that a set of priceless jade artifacts and a set of gold artifacts depicting Chang'e flying to the moon be added to the prizes.

After Nadanzhu and Anatoli finished loading their weapons.

The two men then took the best firearms from the Ministry of Works that Cao Du had given them and went onto the field without looking back.

It's a pity.

After several more gunshots, one of the two was killed and the other wounded. Fortunately, the wounded man was only injured in the arm. Cao Du quickly ordered the imperial physician to treat the wounded man.

After these two lost their matches, the Southern Dynasty was somewhat dejected and did not send anyone else to the match.

Even though military officers kept coming back to volunteer for the second round, it was still a war of attrition, which was despicable... Moreover, the problem with firearms was probably the bigger issue. The wounded officers said that if they used muskets, they would be no match for them. The guns were not as fast as theirs and could not be accurate. It was only then that everyone noticed that Zeng Qimei... had not even been able to fire a shot.

Just as Cao Du, his face ashen, was about to suggest that Danzhu and Anatoli settle their differences,

The Northern Dynasty delegation let out a soft laugh.

Nilon stood up with a smile and said directly:

"Gentlemen, doesn't your dynasty have a renowned musketeer? Why isn't he here?"

"Could it be that this man dared to shoot our unarmed captain when he was holding your dynasty's firearms, but now that he sees our firearms, he's so scared that he's running away like a rabbit..." The Northern Dynasty man's light laughter suddenly turned into loud laughter.

Cao Du frowned, his expression darkening, and said bluntly, "What does the Vice Envoy mean? Please speak plainly."

Nilon chuckled and pointed at Ning Nan, who was seated at the end of the table, and sneered, "The other day, your Ning Baixuan killed our Qianzong Mu Lang in the street... You all don't think our dynasty has forgotten about this, do you?"

In an instant.

Behind the beaded curtain.

Zhu Cuiwei felt a chill run through her body, and her heart suddenly clenched.