Starting with helping Zhao Kai ascend the throne in the snow

Before long, a minor official reported to Zhao Kai that the auspicious time had arrived.

"Brother Shen, today it all depends on you," Zhao Kai said to Shen Qing with a broad smile. The martial arts examination was the first major event the Yue Prince's Mansion had undertaken after taking over Yuezhou, and it absolutely could not afford any mistakes, otherwise the entire Yue Prince's Mansion would become a laughing stock for the whole world.

Shen Qing nodded upon hearing this, then gave Xuan Yuan Qingfeng a reassuring look before striding to the side of the platform and bowing to the surrounding crowd.

"Everyone, please be quiet and listen to me. I am Shen Qing, and I have been appointed as the Chief Secretary of the Yue King's Palace, in charge of all matters related to this martial arts examination. I hereby announce that the first Yuezhou Martial Arts Examination shall now begin."

As Shen Qing finished speaking, he waved his hand downwards, and the local militia who had been standing around the ten arenas immediately made way for them. Behind them appeared ten desks, with a clerk responsible for registering names sitting behind each desk.

"As you can see, to participate in the martial arts examination, you must first register your name. Here is some good news: Yuezhou will break with convention and not be restricted by gender. Whether you are a hero or a heroine, as long as you are willing to participate in the martial arts examination, you can register."

As Shen Qing finished speaking, a huge uproar erupted at the scene. It should be known that men and women have always been unequal since ancient times. Apart from a few positions in the imperial palace that required women to hold office, there were very few ways for women to become officials in the world. The arrival of the Yue Prince's Mansion was too sudden, which made all the chivalrous women who were originally uninvolved excited. Whether it was true or not, at least at this moment, these chivalrous women felt that their goodwill towards the Yue Prince's Mansion had increased and that they had been respected.

However, every coin has two sides. While the news that the Yue Prince's Mansion allowed women to participate in the martial arts examination was approved by the female warriors present, it also aroused the dissatisfaction of many chauvinistic heroes, many of whom did not want to be trampled underfoot by women. Some even maliciously speculated that the Yue Prince's Mansion was not holding a martial arts examination at all, but rather using the name of the examination to select concubines.

After the noise subsided, Shen Qing continued, "Of course, there is one small requirement for participating in the martial arts examination: you cannot be over 50 years old."

"Why can anyone over 50 participate? The Yue Prince's Mansion can't let this go unanswered." As soon as Shen Qing finished speaking, an elderly man with gray hair raised his nine-ringed sword and loudly questioned him in dissatisfaction.

Although he had only come with the intention of watching the spectacle, upon hearing the Yue Prince's demands, which involved his age, he felt compelled to give an explanation. "I can choose not to participate, but you can't prevent me from participating."

As the old man began to question, many older martial artists in the room chimed in, creating a chaotic scene. Shen Qing waved his hand several times, but could not quell the noise.

"Quiet down, all of you." Just then, Li Chungang's cold voice, like a thunderclap, echoed in everyone's ears, suppressing all other sounds and bringing the scene back to silence.

Shen Qing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and gave Li Chungang a grateful look. In critical moments, it was still necessary to rely on the senior to keep things in order.

Shen Qing then said with a smile, "Everyone wants to know why people over 50 are not allowed to participate. Well, let me tell you why. The purpose of the Yue Prince's Mansion in holding the martial arts examination is to select a group of military officers who can lead troops into battle. Once you are over 50, the hidden injuries accumulated in your youth will begin to show. So how can you adapt to leading troops into battle at this age? It's better to stay at home and enjoy your retirement."

"Of course, if any senior insists on giving it a try, that's not impossible. The Yue Prince's Mansion values ​​fairness and impartiality the most. This is Hong Biao, a guest elder of the Xuanyuan family and a first-grade Vajra Realm martial artist. If you can gain his approval, then the Yue Prince's Mansion can make an exception and let you join."

At thirty, one stands firm; at forty, one is free from doubt; at fifty, one knows the mandate of Heaven. The average lifespan of ordinary people in the snowy region is around fifty or sixty years, hence the saying that "it is rare for a person to live to seventy."

Most of the martial artists present were second-rate individuals, so after reaching the age of fifty, their physical functions would decline to varying degrees. Some martial artists who had overexerted themselves in their early years of practicing external martial arts would even experience physical backlash at this age, with some becoming bedridden and suffering unbearable pain.

The martial arts examination is for selecting talent, not for opening a charity. This is the first time the Yue Prince's Mansion has held a martial arts examination, so Shen Qing lowered the age limit to 50. Once things get on track, the requirements for younger people will become more and more stringent.

With Hong Biao, a first-rank martial artist, as a shield, the older martial artists, though still unwilling, dared not cause any more trouble.

"It's just participating in a lousy martial arts examination, yet the Yue Prince's Mansion is making all these demands..."

"Yeah, I made a wasted trip..."

"Just tell us everything the Prince of Yue's demands are..."

"I think it's just a joke..."

Just then, sarcastic voices began to emerge from the crowd, clearly indicating that someone was stirring up trouble.

Shen Qing's expression changed, and his gaze turned icy as he looked in the direction from which the voice came, but he couldn't quite see who was sowing discord.

"Those wearing hats in the third row at eight o'clock on the left, and those with double forks at four o'clock on the right... Should I take action and bring them up here?" Just then, Han Shengxuan's cold voice rang out beside Shen Qing. He had appeared on the platform at some point, his emotionless eyes fixed on the figures below who had started causing trouble.

As Zhao Kai's master who had watched him grow up since childhood, Han Shengxuan's relationship with him was like that of father and son, transcending the simple master-servant relationship. Naturally, he would not tolerate anyone disrupting the martial arts examination.

Shen Qing hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and rejected Han Shengxuan's suggestion. "Mr. Han, please don't make a move yet. Their little tricks are not worth worrying about."

This scene was exactly what Shen Qing had anticipated. These people were merely making sarcastic remarks; even if they were arrested, they couldn't be convicted. It would only alert the enemy, so it was better to remain still and wait for the person in the shadows to make a bigger move.

Shen Qing immediately stepped forward again and said loudly, "Fellow martial arts enthusiasts, this year's martial arts competition has only this one requirement: anyone under the age of 50 can participate. There will absolutely be no other conditions."

"Lord Shen, may I participate?" Just then, a one-legged middle-aged man with a cane in the front row said with a sneer.

Upon hearing the voice, everyone looked over and discovered that it was none other than Li Gang, the Copper Crutch, who was quite famous in the martial arts world. Immediately, they began to discuss among themselves. Li Gang had lost a leg in his childhood and replaced it with a copper crutch. He had developed considerable martial arts skills and was only in his thirties, which perfectly met the requirements of the Yue Prince's Mansion.

However, because he lost a leg at a young age, he suffered much ridicule in the martial arts world, which made him eccentric and capricious. His open appearance now clearly showed he wanted to see the Yue Prince's mansion make a fool of itself. It was just unclear whether this was due to his personality or instigated by others.

Several pairs of eyes in the crowd looked at Shen Qing with amusement after Li Gang stepped forward, wondering how the Yue Prince's Mansion would handle the situation. Shen Qing had just said that there were no other conditions, and if Li Gang was not allowed to participate now, the Yue Prince's Mansion's reputation would be worthless.