Hearing these words, Li Yan glanced at Li Yu and Li Shan before saying, "It's nothing to worry about. If things really are as Uncle Guoxin described—that the enemy forces were successfully held off these past few times—even if battles arise ahead, they'll likely be only minor skirmishes. After so many failed sieges on the county—so many casualties without ever taking the city—the enemy must be wary of Marshal Hong. They surely know that unless a new commander takes charge, or unless nature itself intervenes or a breach occurs from within the city, their chances of a full-scale invasion are dim. Marshal Hong and his counselors are hardened veterans who've seen it all, so we shouldn't expect a massive force to advance easily."
At these words, Li Guoxin looked at Li Yan in genuine surprise. As the young man had explained, Meng State hadn't launched any major offensives against Qing Mountain Pass for nearly a year—only the occasional small cavalry raid. That Li Yan could articulate all this with such clarity showed a maturity far beyond that of his peers.
"Very well said, young brother," the squad leader chimed in. "Our Marshal Hong and General Ji are among the finest warriors and strategists of our time. Those rabble from Meng State have tried attacking with great forces four or five times now—and each time, General Ji has even managed to seize the enemy's deputy commander's head, utterly shattering their nerve. Our own troops now often take the fight to them, leaving those foes to lament their misfortune."
Just then, a voice rang out from ahead. Unbeknownst to them, they had reached the city gate. A dozen armored soldiers stood in neat formation along both sides of the entrance. In the center, one man stood out—a figure carrying a sword at his side, clad in armor with a distinctive red streak atop his helmet. Of average build with a rugged, unshaven face, his strong, hawkish nose and piercing eyes fixed on the group as he positioned himself perfectly to block the gate. It was clear he was the leader.
It turned out that the very man who'd just spoken was now regarding Li Yan with a hint of surprise. Although Li Yan's slender frame and plain, homespun clothes marked him as a country lad of barely sixteen or seventeen, he was no pampered city scion whose refined family background would have made such insights commonplace. In this northern gate—where travelers are usually local villagers or humble merchants rather than elite city youths—the leader found Li Yan's appearance and thoughtful words most intriguing, so he began to speak.
Noticing the leader's gaze upon him, Li Yan immediately sprang from the carriage, bowed deeply, and said, "Please forgive my careless words, sir." He had been drilled in proper etiquette by the village tutor, who stressed that they must never behave like uncultured barbarians. Even though the villagers were all familiar faces and farmers who often exchanged rough language, the old scholar was strict with the youth—and that was a point of pride for him.
The leader, his curiosity now satisfied, didn't press further. Instead, he turned to Li Guoxin and asked, "What brings you all into the city today?"
By that time, Li Guoxin had already halted the carriage and approached the imposing leader respectfully. Bowing, he said, "Reporting to you, sir, I am the village chief of Li Family Village in Da Qing Mountain. Here is the official permit." With both hands, he presented the prepared permit and added, "We have come with several youths—some to serve as apprentices and one to enlist in the army."
The leader took the permit, examined it, and nodded, "Everything is in order." Then, hearing the words "enlist in the army," he chuckled and asked, "But is he joining the Imperial Guard?"
Immediately, Li Guoxin replied, "Exactly."
The man continued, "Among these youths, then, who is the one enlisting?"
Pointing at Li Yan, Li Guoxin explained, "Sir, only this one is enlisting; the other two are becoming apprentices."
At that, the leader turned his gaze directly toward Li Yan and said, "Oh, so it's you. You, little one, have shown quite a bit of insight in your earlier talk. Enlistment certainly seems fitting—Marshal Hong values men with brains as well as brawn, and he always needs strong soldiers."
Humbled, Li Yan bowed once more and said, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."
The leader waved a dismissive hand and said, "Then hurry along. The Imperial Guard is recruiting only 150 soldiers this time—and it's already the second day. Recruitment here moves swiftly; we expect the quotas to be filled by today. After all, the Guard, being a support unit, rarely sees bloodshed and even receives slightly less pay than frontline troops."
After a brief pause, he added to Li Yan, "My name is Liu Chengyong, captain of the third squad of the Zhan Bing Camp. In the future, we might very well cross paths."
Li Yan was struck by how affable the men in the camp could be—it was a surprise, as he always thought them rough and no-nonsense. Not daring to ask further, he simply said, "Captain Liu, if I am fortunate enough to be accepted into the camp, please instruct me accordingly."
Liu Chengyong laughed warmly, "Very well, very well." He then returned the permit to Li Guoxin, stepped aside to clear the passage, and gestured for them to proceed into the city.
Li Guoxin gathered up the permit, tucked it safely inside his robe, and thanked the leader. He then called for Li Yan to return to the carriage and set off slowly toward the city gate. Yet inside, his mind churned with doubts over Captain Liu's words. He knew all too well that these soldiers, hardened by countless bloody encounters, were not ones to offer courtesy lightly. At best, they would simply mutter an "oh" as they let someone pass—in the worst cases, they might find an excuse to rough someone up, or even detain them for days unless a bribe was paid. With such thoughts weighing on him, Li Guoxin no longer lingered and hurried the carriage into the city.
As their group finally passed through the city gates, a low-ranking soldier nearby asked Captain Liu with genuine curiosity, "Captain Liu, why are you treating that country lad with such courtesy?"
Liu Chengyong cast him a steady glance and replied coolly, "In our military, when it comes to fighting, Marshal Hong calls the shots. But ever since General Ji rescued Marshal Hong when he was besieged by the enemy—and as if touched by a divine hand, he seized the enemy's deputy commander's head—General Ji has been the one deterring our foes. For the past two years, whenever recruitment has taken place, he's personally gone to the training grounds to test every applicant—especially those who are literate." His tone held genuine puzzlement; although the number of enlistees was limited, ever since family subsidies had been introduced, scores of candidates had applied. Even so, the fact that General Ji insisted on personally testing each one's physical condition was a huge task, and that struck him as rather odd.
At that moment, another soldier interjected, "Yes, I've heard that General Ji plans to select a worthy candidate to be his heir in martial prowess. That's something to envy indeed—General Ji's skills are almost otherworldly. Otherwise, how could he have decapitated a general amid thousands of soldiers and even brought back Marshal Hong with a full unit? Whoever masters such technique would have the world at their feet. But alas, no one in our camp has yet caught his eye. I also heard that early last year, he chose a promising apprentice from one of the squads in the main force. That kind of candidate is rare—a mere foot soldier in an army of hundreds of thousands, with nothing extraordinary about him except that only a few close comrades and his immediate squad leader knew him well. Later, General Ji took him back to cultivate his skills. Sadly, it is said that because the lad was uneducated and couldn't fully grasp the flow of his meridians, he made a fatal error while practicing inner strength—lost in the depths of his training, he perished in a state of inner turmoil. Some say his body swelled and darkened in a most terrifying manner. Such is the sheer dominance of General Ji's martial arts."
At these words, several soldiers nearby murmured that they had heard similar tales, and a few began whispering among themselves.
Liu Chengyong frowned at the chattering group and snapped, "Quiet! It's forbidden to discuss General Ji's matters