The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 65 Qi Yan Arrives
"Those who refine the spirit possess incredible abilities. Is it possible to invite such people?" Cao Yongliang asked.

"Whether we can invite them or not, let's give it a try and see. If it doesn't work, we'll think of other ways," Cheng Xiu said.

“Then let’s give it a try. Also, the personal guard assessment is in a few days. I’m afraid we won’t be able to stop that kid Han Qing.” Cao Yongliang frowned.

"If we can stop him, we will; if we can't, we can only give up. Even if Han Qing becomes a force to be reckoned with, it will be several years from now. There's no point in thinking about it so much." Cheng Xiu was quite open-minded.

Cao Yongliang nodded slightly: "Alright, let's take it one step at a time."

"I've heard that the person in charge of this personal guard assessment is quite special; she is a female general named Qi Yan, the daughter of General Qi. Is that true?" Cheng Xiu asked.

"That's true. I've heard that this woman has a bad temper, so we'll have to be careful," Cao Yongliang said.

...

Baiyun County.

A thousand miles away, on a flat official road, a group of soldiers walked at a leisurely pace, holding high a large banner with the character "齐" (Qi).

At the front of this group of soldiers, a woman in heavy armor with a burly figure was the most eye-catching. She held a rope in her left hand, carried a huge and heavy spiked club in her right hand, and had a blade of grass in her mouth. She exuded a fierce aura, and the guards who followed her on both sides looked at her with awe.

This person is Qi Yan, the only female general in Qi Wufeng's army in Shu.

"Stop! Rest here!" Qi Yan waved his hand and shouted, making the eardrums of the guards around him ache.

The soldiers dismounted and rested on an open ground nearby.

Qi Yan also dismounted and leaned against a large rock, squinting at the horizon, with a spiked club about half a person's height standing beside him.

She took out a jade pendant from her bosom and played with it repeatedly in her hand, seemingly deep in thought.

A soldier who was close to him dared to ask, "Sir, it's just a personal guard assessment. With your status, why do you need to go in person? We can go."

Qi Yan glanced at the towering Black Mountain in the distance: "I came here in person to find a younger brother who has been separated from me for many years. Also, the barbarians have been very well-behaved lately, and there haven't been any battles. I'm stuck in the army, and I'm so bored. I'm itching to teach them a lesson."

"Younger brother?" the man asked in confusion. He had been with Qi Yan for so many years, and this was the first time he had ever heard this.

"Shut up! Don't ask questions you shouldn't, or I'll beat you up!" Qi Yan had a bad temper and would get angry at the slightest provocation, glaring at him fiercely.

Everyone around shuddered. Everyone knew that their general was a violent maniac who would resort to violence at the slightest provocation. Moreover, he was born with superhuman strength; a normal person could break their bones with just one slap.

Qi Yan had no intention of continuing the conversation. She took out the jade pendant from her bosom, rubbed it for a while, and then stood up and shouted, "Let's go!"

The soldiers rose one by one, mounted their horses in unison, and gazed intently toward Baiyun County. They turned and asked, "How far are we from Baiyun County?"

“My lord, if we travel at full speed, it will only take two to three days!” one of them replied.

"Alright! Then let's ride at full speed!" Qi Yan shouted, suddenly spurring his horse forward and galloping towards Baiyun County.

She carried a document containing detailed information on all martial artists in Shu who met the requirements for the Imperial Guard assessment this year, and a young man named Han Qing from Baiyun County successfully caught her attention.

She felt that after searching for so many years, it seemed that this time she was finally going to find something.

...

yamen.

At dawn, wisps of cold mist drifted through the streets. The government offices were bustling with activity as the peasant uprising that had threatened to storm the city was finally resolved.

If Qi Chong hadn't reacted quickly and sealed the breach in time, allowing only a small number of refugees to rush into the city, this incident would likely have escalated significantly, causing widespread devastation throughout the county.

In these turbulent times, every constable in the yamen was assigned many tasks, working from morning till night without a break, and Han Qing was no exception.

However, he had other plans for today. "Han Qing, are you ready?"

As Han Qing entered the courtyard of the soap shop, he heard Yang Wu's shouts coming from the front.

"Don't worry, Master, I've already made all the preparations!" Han Qing replied loudly, his words brimming with confidence.

Today will be the assessment of his personal guards. He has already broken through the limits of the third realm, and his opponent is also a military warrior in the third realm of the Body Dao realm. He does not believe that he will lose.

"Alright, I believe in you too!" Yang Wu patted him on the shoulder.

"Han Qing, if you become successful in the future, don't forget me!" Ma Er leaned closer.

"Don't worry, Brother Ma, I'll remember all the pears you treated me to." Han Qing cupped his hands in greeting.

Yang Wu glared at Ma Er: "You're so talkative! It's your turn to patrol the cells today, so hurry up and go!"

"Haha, I'm going right now." Ma Er winked at Han Qing, then turned and hurried toward the prison cell.

After dismissing Ma Er, Yang Wu glanced around and his gaze fell on Han Qing.

"Come with me. This time, the Imperial Guard assessment will be held at the military camp in the south of the city. In addition to you, there is another person from the yamen who will also participate. Furthermore, all the qualified martial artists from Baiyun County and even the surrounding thirteen counties will come to compete."

This time the situation is special. I heard that they are recruiting two ranks of personal guards, namely Class A and Class B.

The first-class category follows the requirements of previous years: one must have surpassed the third realm in physical cultivation and be no older than eighteen. Those selected are geniuses that are rare in every county town.

The conditions for Category B are more lenient, but the requirements for realm remain the same, and the age must not exceed thirty-five years old.

First-class bodyguards receive intensive training, while second-class bodyguards are only used as immediate combat force; there is a significant difference between the two.

"Han Qing, perform well. If you can pass the first-class bodyguard assessment, you will rise to the top in one step. At least you will be able to leave this small place of Baiyun County. In the future, you will follow in General Qi's footsteps and have a brighter future!" Yang Wu said.

Han Qing nodded slightly, his gaze firm. He was ambitious, and with such a powerful treasure as the Seven Killings Stele to help him, he would be a complete waste if he didn't even dare to have ambition.

An hour later, the two arrived at the military camp in the south of the city, where five hundred soldiers were stationed. Under normal circumstances, these soldiers would not take action, and they would only be mobilized in times of crisis.

The two passed through two gates and entered a spacious courtyard, where there were many soldiers and many unfamiliar faces.

Han Qing glanced around and found some familiar faces among these unfamiliar ones, such as Li Tai and Mu Dachun.

There were also some people whose faces looked familiar, but whose names he couldn't recall. They came from the Chai Gang, the Fishing Gang, and various martial arts schools in the city.

These people had worked with him to capture the Yin-Yang Scholar, but they hadn't said a word to him.

"These people are all talented martial artists from various powerful forces in the surrounding thirteen counties. There are many hidden talents among them. Han Qing, are you afraid?" Yang Wu joked.

"I'm not afraid! He who conquers himself is strong! My only opponent is myself!" Han Qing said in a deep voice.

By focusing on himself and constantly pushing his limits, he believes that as long as he continues to improve, he will one day become a top expert and be able to defeat all formidable enemies.

"Good, it's good that you're not timid. Some people don't have the mental fortitude to perform well in big situations. I've seen people like that before, but I'm quite confident in you," Yang Wu said with a smile.

"Han Qing will certainly live up to your expectations!" Han Qing said loudly.

"Alright! You wait here, I'll go and receive General Qi." Yang Wu said this and turned to leave.

Han Qing strode towards the crowd, and in an instant, many eyes fell on him.

It's Sanjiang! A bittersweet story, it will be available for purchase next Wednesday, with 10 chapters released and at least 8 words per day. Thank you to every reader for your support. Also, do you have any monthly tickets? Throw them at me, I'll be overwhelmed!
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(End of this chapter)