Chapter Fifty: Preparing for the Martial Examination

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Pei Min quietly chuckled upon seeing Xue Ne’s meticulousness, sensing both the esteem and care Xue Ne held for him.

Xue Ne rubbed his hands eagerly, his eyes sparkling with excitement. A traditional soldier through and through, he had grown up following his father, Xue Rengui, amidst military camps. Like the legendary Ma Yuan, his dream was to die wrapped in his horse’s hide on the battlefield. Even at the age of sixty-four, he felt no sign of old age or desire for retirement. He never referred to himself as aged and disliked others calling him an old general. The campaign to seize Liaodong and Liaoxi was critical, and to stabilize the situation, he had no choice but to execute two commanders and six lieutenants.

Being punished and demoted was something Xue Ne had mentally prepared for. Yet, once stripped of his post and left idle, he felt restless and deeply uncomfortable.

Today, after Pei Min’s analysis, Xue Ne glimpsed a promising future. His ambitions rekindled, his eyes no longer fixed on a corner of the Northeast but turned toward the Northwest, toward the vast expanse of the Western Regions.

“By the way!” After composing himself for a while, Xue Ne suddenly remembered something and asked, “The military examinations should be starting soon, right?”

Pei Min nodded. “Very soon. The Ministry of War is already preparing; the exams will begin at the end of this month.” The military examination truly flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties, though it was established in the Tang dynasty, actually a whim of Empress Wu Zetian. The nation paid little attention to it, and the system was not well-defined, always yielding precedence to the civil examinations. Hence, the military exams were held only after the civil exams were fully completed.

“Then there’s still some time!” Xue Ne asked, “How are your preparations?”

Pei Min shook his head. “Not great. The recent period focused mainly on the civil exams, and after passing those, I have been busy with various affairs. I’ve neglected the military exams quite a bit. Archery and martial skills aren’t much of an issue for me. However, cavalry skills and horseback archery are my weaknesses. As for bearing weight, my strength and explosive power have improved significantly recently. As long as the stone lock weight isn’t too exaggerated, it shouldn’t be a big problem.”

Xue Ne pondered for a moment and said, “When I gave you the military exam qualification, I wanted to offer you another chance. Even if you failed the civil exams, you could still make a mark with your martial prowess. The military exams are far less prestigious than the civil ones. Now that you’ve topped the civil exams, you’ve already achieved great success. The military exams could be skipped.”

Pei Min considered this for a moment, then resolutely raised his head. “Since I have the qualification, whether I pass or not, I must at least try. I don’t care about losing face if I fail. But lacking the courage to even attempt it—that’s a barrier I cannot overcome.”

Xue Ne had spoken casually, but Pei Min’s answer made him slap his thigh in approval. “A true man should be like this. Facing obstacles and overcoming them is what defines a real man. Retreating at the critical moment only earns contempt. There are still over twenty days left, aren’t there? Since you have nothing else to do, you’ll stay here with me these next twenty days. I will personally teach you horsemanship and archery. If you’re willing to endure hardship, I can’t guarantee you’ll pass the military exams, but transforming you entirely is no problem.”

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Pei Min was overjoyed. “With the Grand Commander personally mentoring me, what more could I ask for?”

Xue Ne waved his hand. “I’m officially retired now; the title ‘Grand Commander’ feels awkward to hear. Besides, whenever I hear those three words, I think of those two fools, Cui Xuandao and Li Sijing, and it just makes me furious.”

Pei Min recalled how Xue Ne had called himself “Grandfather” earlier and was moved to smile. “Then I shall call you Grandpa Xue…”

Xue Ne was momentarily stunned, then looked Pei Min up and down before clasping his hands and smiling. “That’s good, that’s good. None of my unworthy descendants can hold their own, none compare to you. Having a grandson as sharp and farsighted as you would be a blessing.”

Though his sons and grandsons were not lacking, the Xue family, a lineage of generals, had reached its peak during Xue Rengui’s era. Though Xue Ne did not quite equal his father, he had not brought disgrace either. Yet none of his descendants were suited to be generals; they had taken other paths, mostly becoming regional governors and magistrates controlling local power.

Because of this, Xue Ne often scolded the younger generation at family gatherings, earning both respect and fear as the family patriarch. Still, no one in the Xue family, not his sons, grandsons, nor even his brothers’ descendants like Xue Shenhuo, Xue Chuqing, Xue Chuzhen, and Xue Chuyu, showed outstanding military talent. Pei Min, young as he was, had repeatedly demonstrated strategic insight and accurately judged the broader situation, making Xue Ne sometimes feel inferior. He often thought how wonderful it would be if his descendants possessed Pei Min’s talents.

Having an exceptional grandchild was a fine consolation for the family’s “lack.”

“Come! There is a training ground in this mansion, right? Let me first see your foundation and teach accordingly,” said Xue Ne, a man of swift and decisive military habit, rising straight to his feet.

Pei Min replied, “Of course there is, Grandpa Xue, please follow me!”

He led Xue Ne to the training ground.

Seeing the grand scale of the grounds, Xue Ne was taken aback and smiled. “This is impressive—bigger than the one at my own mansion. There’s even a dedicated archery and horseback riding area. We’ll be spending most of the next two weeks here.”

He quickly strode toward the corner archery range.

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Near the wall at the archery range stood a dozen deep brown composite bows, neatly arranged.

Xue Ne casually picked up a strong bow and effortlessly drew it to full draw. Releasing the string, he closed his eyes to listen. “Bang!” The bowstring’s reverberation trembled continuously. It took several breaths before the vibrations ceased.

“A fine bow!” Xue Ne opened his eyes and praised, then looked at Pei Min approaching and said, “You’ve prepared well.”

Pei Min answered, “I couldn’t have gathered so many good bows at once. If I’m not mistaken, these bows must have been left by Xue Shao long ago. I don’t know much about fine bows, but after more than thirty years, these bows still look pristine. It’s clear they are top-quality. Recently, when I was reorganizing the house, I found these composite bows. Because there’s a rain shelter, they weren’t exposed to sun or rain, so apart from some dust, they’re intact. The arrows, however, had mostly rotted, so I replenished them knowing the military exams were near, preparing for training. I didn’t expect they’d be used so soon.”

Xue Ne’s eyes showed surprise. After a pause, he nodded. “These are top-grade composite bows. Making a composite bow is complicated. The Classic of Craftsmen says: ‘Bow makers gather six materials at the right time, then skillfully combine them.’ It means a fine composite bow takes at least three years to make. Even after a hundred years, with proper care, it remains as good as new.”

He tossed the strong bow in his hand to Pei Min. “Try it.”

“Alright!” Pei Min took the bow, hung the quiver over his shoulder, estimated the distance—about a hundred paces—and conservatively stepped forward ten paces. Drawing the bow into a full crescent shape, he aimed at the target, steadied his gaze for a moment, then released his fingers…