After Exile, I Married the Amnesiac General [Rebirth] Chapter 14

The next day, it was finally the day of the military competition.

Early in the morning, Pei Er put on the armor that the other wounded soldiers had lent him and was raising his hand to fasten the clasps.

Chen Qing stood beside him, kindly pounding his shoulders and kneading his arms, lowering his voice to say, “Don’t worry. I’ve already spoken to the brothers I know. If any of them end up facing you, they’ll definitely go easy and make sure you get into the finals. I mean, even if you can’t beat Centurion Jiang, you can’t lose too miserably. Whatever you do, don’t get eliminated before you even qualify to face him. That would be way too embarrassing.”

Pei Er had been lost in thoughts of Li Chanxiu. Hearing this, he cast Chen Qing a faint glance and said, “No need.”

Chen Qing sighed. “You’re just stubborn. I’m telling you, that Centurion Jiang won’t be easy to beat.”

“Chen Erleng, if you don’t know how to speak, then speak less,” Zhang He, lying by the tent entrance, shouted in dissatisfaction upon hearing his words.

These past few days, everyone in the wounded soldiers’ camp had been cheering Pei Er on. Knowing that he had made a wager with Centurion Jiang, whoever won would marry Miss Shen, anyone who could help had done so. Some lent him armor, some explained the rules of past competitions, others told him how to guard against dirty tricks…

Zhang Hu had also voluntarily acted as Pei Er’s sparring partner. His build was similar to Centurion Jiang’s, and he felt himself suitable. But in truth, his fighting style was upright and straightforward, very different from Centurion Jiang’s, and of little practical use to Pei Er.

Still, Pei Er appreciated the goodwill.

Although everyone felt that Pei Er’s chances of beating Centurion Jiang were slim, the only one who bluntly said it aloud was Chen Qing.

Under the condemning gazes of the others, Chen Qing coughed dryly. “Well… even so, I placed a bet on Pei Er to win!”

“What? You placed a bet?”

“Where did you bet?”

“Count me in!”

The wounded soldiers’ camp instantly grew noisy again. But Pei Er gazed absentmindedly outside the tent, 

Three days now, and Miss Shen still hadn’t come…

***

The site of the military competition was set at the drill ground where soldiers trained daily and where troops were mustered in wartime.

At this moment, the north wind swept the earth, and the camp banners snapped loudly.

Wooden railings had been erected around the drill ground. Nearly a thousand soldiers stood in the center, facing off in pairs, forming more than a dozen square formations.

Dozens of soldiers stood atop a high platform, blowing horns at the same time. The deep, resonant horn calls echoed across the northern land, long and mournful.

General Chen, clad in armor, ascended the high platform together with several officers from the camp.

Instantly, the soldiers on the outer perimeter raised their weapons high and shouted in unison. In the center of the field, the soldiers participating in the competition also clenched their fists and roared, their voices shaking heaven and earth.

Pei Er stood among the crowd, likewise raising his fist, yet his gaze drifted unconsciously beyond the field.

Outside the drill ground, quite a few exiled women stood beyond the railings, watching from afar. Among them were not a few young women. Presumably, because of the marriage decree, they had come to take this opportunity to look for a brave and good-looking match.

Li Chanxiu had suffered chills all day yesterday and only fell asleep at the hour of Yin. When he woke today, although his hands and feet were warm, the moment he left the bed he still could not help shivering.

He boiled himself a bowl of ginger soup and drank it, then added another thick, gray padded robe. Feeling less cold, he finally felt at ease enough to lift the door curtain and step outside.

But as soon as he reached the open air, a gust of cold wind made him shudder.

He hurriedly tucked his hands into his sleeves, stamped his feet, and walked quickly toward the drill ground.

Once he got moving, he would warm up. Move and you’ll warm up, he silently recited, his steps quickening more and more.

Upon reaching the outer perimeter of the drill ground, he saw Aunt Xu and Little Ah Yun already there. Seeing him arrive, the two quickly made space for him.

“Why so late? We almost thought you weren’t coming,” Aunt Xu said.

Li Chanxiu shook his head. “I woke a bit late today.”

After speaking, his gaze turned toward the field, searching for Pei Er’s figure.

Aunt Xu sighed beside him. “Ai, that young lady is really too carefree. She doesn’t even take such an important matter to heart. I heard that a few days ago Centurion Jiang stirred up trouble again, went to find Pei Er, and even made a wager with him…”

Li Chanxiu listened with half an ear, his thoughts entirely on the drill ground. Finally, he spotted Pei Er standing in the southeastern part of the field, and a smile unconsciously curved his lips.

It was strange, though all the soldiers wore the same armor, Pei Er seemed to stand straighter than the rest, his bearing like green pines and bamboo, conspicuous and distinct. So many people were on the field, yet with only a few glances, he had found him.

At this moment, Pei Er finally saw him as well. The tense expression he had maintained loosened at last. The heavy stone that had been weighing on his heart these past days seemed lifted away. His mood lightened abruptly, and the straight line of his lips unconsciously curved upward.

Clenching his fist, he suddenly shouted loudly like the other soldiers, yet his gaze fell straight in Li Chanxiu’s direction.

The soldier beside him was startled by his sudden shout and could not help lowering his voice. “Brother, why so fired up all of a sudden? Careful you don’t shout your voice hoarse.”

Pei Er seemed not to hear. He only saw that Miss Shen was smiling at him, that Miss Shen was waving at him…

His shout grew louder still.

On the high platform, General Chen had already taken his seat.

Looking at the high-spirited soldiers below, he was greatly satisfied and raised a hand to quiet the shouting.

The winter military competition served two purposes: to select talent and to drill the troops.

The Hu people in the north often rode south in autumn and winter. But Yongfeng Town was a small place, not a strategic stronghold. In winter, it mostly suffered minor harassment from small enemy groups, with no major battles.

The northern lands were cold. Without warfare and without drilling, these soldiers would grow lax.

General Chen looked down at the crowd with satisfaction and signaled to the herald.

With a “clang,” a bronze gong sounded.

The herald strode down and announced the rules of the competition.

This competition was divided into three events. In the morning, they would compete in unarmed combat; in the afternoon, in mounted archery.

Mounted archery itself was divided into two parts. One was regular target shooting to test archery skill. The other involved a prize personally provided by General Chen, tied to the tip of a pine tree halfway up a small hill not far away.

The participating soldiers would ride toward it. Whoever first shot down the prize would be champion. During the process, they could grapple, obstruct others, or even cooperate. This tested horsemanship, archery, martial skill, and all-around ability.

For now, they would begin with the first event. After finishing the announcement, the herald quickly returned to the platform to report.

General Chen smiled throughout. Only when his gaze swept past Commandant Jiang did the smile fade slightly. He announced, “Begin.”

As his voice fell, with another “clang,” the bronze gong rang again.

The herald shouted loudly, “Begin!”

“Wuu—” A row of horns sounded long in the north wind, echoing across the land.

Below, the soldiers facing off in pairs immediately grappled and struck at one another. Shouts shook the ground, and the air filled with cries of encouragement and roaring cheers.

Pei Er was facing a somewhat thin and weak little soldier. The soldier rushed forward and hooked his leg in a trip, but before he could trip the other party, the other side fell to the ground with a “thud” first, crying out in pain, “I can’t do it anymore, it hurts to death!”

Pei Er: “……”

Just as he was rendered speechless, the little soldier blinked at him and lowered his voice, saying, “Brother Pei, remember to tell Brother Qing that I fell very convincingly.”

Then he started wailing “Ow!” again, probably one of the people Chen Qing had mentioned earlier, those he had already spoken to.

Pei Er: “……” Meddlesome.

Winning by this method, Miss Shen wouldn’t even get to see his bravery.

Fortunately, the opponents he met next all fought him properly and seriously.

Pei Er looked lean and thin, but his moves were swift, his techniques varied, and his strikes heavy. Under his hands, the opponents could barely last more than a few exchanges before being defeated.

On the drill ground, although nearly a thousand people were competing, they fought in pairs, and anyone who lost twice had to step down. After just a little over an hour, only a little more than twenty people remained on the field.

But the soldiers all knew that what came next would be the real spectacle. The shouting instead grew louder, each of them looking excited.

Chen Qing dragged his lame leg over to watch as well. Because he was a wounded soldier, he hadn’t participated in the ceremony and could only watch from outside the railing.

At this moment, he held a bronze tray piled with copper coins. Standing outside the railing, he called out to the soldiers inside, “Come, come, place your bets! Bet on who’ll take first place in the first event. Bet on Centurion Jiang, odds are one to two. Zhang Hu is one to ten, come, come, place your bets…”

“Me, me! I’ll bet two copper coins on Centurion Jiang to win!”

“I’ll bet on him too, ten copper coins!”

“And me…”

Several soldiers took out copper coins one after another and stretched their hands over. Gambling was forbidden in the army, but placing a little money like today wasn’t prohibited.

Chen Qing immediately beamed with joy. While collecting the money, he said to the little soldier behind him, “Erzi, quickly write it all down.”

Just as he was enjoying himself, someone suddenly shouted, “Chen Qing, didn’t you say you were betting on Pei Er to win? Why does it say here you bet fifty copper coins on Centurion Jiang?”

Chen Qing turned around and saw it was a companion from the wounded soldiers’ camp. He quickly argued, “I did bet! I bet five copper coins on Pei Er, didn’t you see?”

“But you also bet fifty copper coins on Centurion Jiang!”

“…Well, that is,” Chen Qing switched to an awkward laugh and explained, “I bet on Pei Er out of brotherly loyalty, I bet knowing full well he’d lose. But betting on Centurion Jiang is simply because I can’t go against money. Loyalty has to be considered, but money also has to be earned. Right?”

“What are Pei Er’s odds?” Suddenly, a slightly hoarse voice sounded.

Chen Qing turned around, let out a “Yo,” and said in surprise, “Miss Shen, you came too?”

Then he began to speak up for Pei Er’s longing: “Miss Shen, you don’t know, these past few days you didn’t go to the wounded soldiers’ camp, Pei Er hasn’t been thinking of tea or food…”

“I asked you what Pei Er’s odds are,” Li Chansiu interrupted.

Chen Qing scratched his head, quickly took the ledger from Erzi, glanced at it, and said, “One to fifty. Not many people know him.”

Li Chansiu smiled, took out a small piece of broken silver, and said, “Bet on Pei Er.”

“Yo!” Chen Qing exclaimed in surprise. He weighed it in his hand and said, “This little piece must be worth two or three hundred copper coins. All on Pei Er?”

“All on him.”

Chen Qing immediately beamed with delight. “Miss Shen truly has loyalty.”

After all, she came from an official family. It seemed that even though Miss Shen had fallen into misfortune, she still had some money on her.

A soldier nearby couldn’t help asking, “Who’s Pei Er?”

“He’s the one on the field who, like Centurion Jiang, hasn’t lost once.”

“What? Then I’ll bet three copper coins on him too.”

“……”

In the center of the drill ground, whether by coincidence or deliberate arrangement, Pei Er and Centurion Jiang had not faced each other. Only after both had won seven or eight matches in a row did they finally enter the final showdown.

On the high platform, seeing that Centurion Jiang had won consecutive battles without losing from start to finish, someone smiled and flattered Commandant Jiang, “Your younger brother is truly brave. Looks like he’ll take first place again this year.”

Jiang He only smiled without speaking. After glancing at General Chen in the seat of honor, he feigned modesty and said, “It’s all thanks to General Chen’s excellent instruction.”

General Chen looked at him and said with a smile, “Not at all,” but felt a wave of displeasure in his heart.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on Pei Er, who stood opposite Centurion Jiang, and his expression brightened. “What’s this man called? I think I saw him win quite a few matches just now.”

Physician Hu was also on the viewing platform and quickly lowered his voice. “General, he is that Pei Er.”

“Pei Er?” Interest appeared on General Chen’s face. “So it’s him. I’ve seen him win repeatedly. Perhaps he also has a chance of victory.”

The others quickly echoed his words.

Yet General Chen himself, who had spoken that sentence, felt regret in his heart.

So it was Pei Er. He still had some impression of this man. If he remembered correctly, the other party was the only soldier who survived the grain escort mission. With injuries like that before, he surely hadn’t fully recovered. Even if his skills were good and he could defeat others for the moment, against someone like Jiang Chong, strong and robust, trained in martial arts since childhood, he would likely find it difficult to win.

Especially since both had already fought so many matches. With injuries on his body, Pei Er would grow fatigued more easily than Jiang Chong.

As he was thinking this, below, Pei Er and Centurion Jiang had already moved swiftly.

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