Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Martial Imperial Examination

After Li Wenyuan left, Cheng Yaojin carefully opened the wooden box handed to him, peeling away the sealing wax. Only then did he realize that Li Wenyuan’s claim—that the Tianshan Snow Lotus must be kept in an ice cellar to preserve its medicinal properties—was no exaggeration. Inside the seemingly large wooden box lay an abundance of ice. Resting atop the ice was a palm-sized blossom with white petals—the very Snow Lotus described by the doctor earlier.

Since the doctor had assured him that this flower could cure his mother’s illness, Cheng Yaojin wasted no further words with Li Wenyuan. He took several Snow Lotuses and brewed them in water for his mother to drink. As expected, her complexion improved markedly after taking the remedy. Though she remained somewhat unwell, her symptoms were far less severe than before.

Time slipped by, and soon the day of the martial imperial examination arrived. Qin Qiong had just risen, washed his face, and rinsed his mouth, then dressed and went out to the courtyard for his final practice. As he pushed open the door, he saw Cheng Yaojin sitting on the steps, clutching his axe and frowning in deep thought. Qin Qiong laughed and said, “You’re usually not so diligent in training. How is it that, with the exam today, you’re up even earlier than me, sitting here lost in thought?”

Cheng Yaojin was startled by Qin Qiong’s sudden words. Turning to see it was him, he managed a wry smile. “Last night, after serving my mother her medicine, I returned to my room and fell into an unusually deep sleep. In my dream, an old man taught me a set of extraordinary axe techniques. When I awoke, I realized it had only been a dream. I dressed and came out to practice the techniques, but you know how slow-witted I am. I’ve never had much talent for martial arts. Now, I can only recall the first three moves of that exquisite set, and that’s why I’m sitting here fretting.”

Hearing that Cheng Yaojin had learned axe techniques in a dream, Qin Qiong grew curious. Straightening his robe and carrying his spear, he said, “Come on, Iron Ox, spar with me. Let me see these three axe moves you remember and their supposed brilliance.”

The two mounted their horses and began to spar in the courtyard. Seeing Qin Qiong ready, Cheng Yaojin urged his horse forward, raised his long axe, and unleashed the first move, “Splitting Mount Hua,” directly at Qin Qiong. Qin Qiong saw the heavy force of the axe and dared not underestimate it. He quickly lifted his spear to block. At that moment, Cheng Yaojin, noticing Qin Qiong’s attempt to parry, suddenly shifted his shoulders to halt the downward swing and transitioned to a thrust with the axe, aiming straight at Qin Qiong. Qin Qiong, unable to change his stance in time, could only use the “Iron Bridge” technique to evade the thrust.

As the two horses passed each other, Qin Qiong had just finished his evasive move and straightened up, but before he could turn his horse, he heard a rush of wind behind him—Cheng Yaojin, swinging his axe in a sweeping motion at Qin Qiong’s back. Qin Qiong listened for the wind and swung his spear behind him to parry. The clash of metal rang out, and a surge of force numbed Qin Qiong’s hands. Cheng Yaojin withdrew his axe, smiled somewhat sheepishly, and said, “These are the only three moves I remember from the old man in my dream.”

Qin Qiong hung his spear back on his horse, rubbing his numb hands. Looking at Cheng Yaojin, he said, “Even just these three moves are enough for you to place in the martial examination. Remember this: when fighting, adapt to your opponent, counter moves as they come. That’s the best strategy. Don’t rigidly follow the sequence of these three techniques.”

Soon, daylight brightened, and at Li Wenyuan’s nod, the first martial imperial examination in the Western Regions officially began. The exam started with the stone lock lifting test to determine eligibility. Only those who could lift the stone lock proceeded to the subsequent tests: foot archery, foot combat, mounted archery, and mounted combat. Those unable to lift the stone lock could instead take the military strategy exam and later serve as staff officers in the army. Thanks to Li Wenyuan’s meticulous arrangements, even with hundreds of candidates from across the country, the process was orderly and free of chaos.

After several days of examinations, the spring martial imperial examination concluded. One hundred top scorers were selected for each of the infantry, cavalry, and staff officer categories. Those who failed could teach physical education at schools to conscripted children, awaiting the next martial exam.

Some highly skilled candidates had already been recruited by the court, and many were unwilling to serve in the remote Western Regions. Thus, Qin Qiong, with years of military experience, naturally won first place in the exam. Cheng Yaojin, aided by Qin Qiong’s guidance and his own insight, relied on his three axe moves to secure seventy-third place in the foot combat category. These candidates were assigned to the Eagle Command in the counties of Zhangye and Wuwei, awaiting their posts.

Yet none of this concerned Li Wenyuan at the moment. What he cared most about was the news delivered by Night Owl on behalf of Manager Jin soon after the exam began: the long-desired flintlock rifle had finally been successfully prototyped by Manager Jin and his craftsmen.

Li Wenyuan picked up the rifle before him, scrutinizing it from top to bottom. The flintlock was much as he’d imagined—using flint to strike metal, generating sparks that ignited the powder in the flash pan, firing the projectile. The rifle in his hands was not yet loaded, but its ignition mechanism was sound. The stock was made from spruce wood, abundant in Wuwei, and crafted by a skilled woodworker from Li Wenyuan’s rough sketch.

As for the most crucial component besides the firing mechanism—the barrel—Li Wenyuan had only given Manager Jin a passage from the ancient treatise “The Exploitation of the Works of Nature”: “When forging a bird gun, first use an iron rod as thick as a chopstick for the cold core, wrap it in red-hot iron and hammer it. Make three joints, join them while red-hot, strike to fit tightly. Then, with a four-sided steel awl as thick as a chopstick, bore through to make it bright and smooth, ensuring powder flows unobstructed.”

Relying on these words, Manager Jin and several former royal craftsmen—masters of their trade—managed to create the first flintlock rifle of this era.