Taiheiki

Chapter 113 Competition
Although the camp was surrounded by mountains and forests, it had convenient water transportation. Astute merchants from Yuzhang arrived, bringing with them food, livestock, cloth, salt, and other necessities, in exchange for mountain goods like ironware, pine nuts, honey, furs, and medicinal herbs. Over time, the camp became a sizable market, held every seven days. Many surrounding residents regularly came to sell their mountain goods in exchange for goods. Thatched huts and dugouts sprang up outside the camp, and many migrants settled in these areas, earning a living by doing odd jobs and chores.

As time went on, the benches on the highland stand grew larger and larger. Among them were elders and leaders from the villages participating in the alliance, as well as merchants. They all wore their finest attire, striving to appear respectable and dignified. Some had inscribed their names and those of their villages on a newly cast bronze tripod the day before. The tripod was small, weighing only thirty kilograms, and was crafted from the first batch of ore brought back by the prospectors. Though uneducated, each of them vaguely sensed the profound meaning behind this ceremony, and their hearts were filled with anxiety and anticipation for the future.

With a resounding horn blast, Wei Cong, accompanied by Ayun and surrounded by his subordinates, emerged from the tent. To his right stood Lu Ping, the guest, and her four Yellow Turban guards. The people in the stands quickly rose and bowed to Wei Cong. Wei Cong raised his right hand, signaling everyone to rise: "Rise, my guests! No need to be polite. Everyone, take your seats. Don't waste time! Today's game is about to begin!"

Everyone sat down. Wei Cong chose the center couch. Ayun sat to his left, and Lu Ping sat on the other side. His officers and attendants stood or sat on either side and behind him. Lu Ping looked around and said with a smile, "Lord Wei, it seems you've found yourself quite a large group of subjects in this mountain valley!"

"Are you making fun of me for being a country bumpkin?" Wei Cong laughed nonchalantly.

"That's also the king, isn't it?" Lu Ping smiled, covering her mouth. "But if there's a better choice, why not choose it?"

"I don't think there's anything wrong with being the king of these country bumpkins!" Wei Cong smiled. "At least I still have some here. What about you? Besides, Master Liu has already made such a big fuss, but you're staying here to watch the fun. Aren't you anxious?"

"Why should we rush?" Lu Ping said with a smile, "The more trouble Master Liu makes, the more the imperial power will be concentrated on him. The more empty my side will be, and the more convenient it will be for me to act next. Besides, I have capable companions. They can carry out their plan even without me."

"Are you saying that there are other people starting an uprising?" Wei Cong's face changed slightly.

"Revolt? Yeah, I like that word!" Lu Ping laughed. "Yes, to be more precise, he's the 'general'. After all, I'm a woman, and the soldiers wouldn't like a female general. They'd think it was unlucky. It's such a shame, the general position was originally reserved for you!"

"I've already said that I won't be this general!" Wei Cong shook his head. He felt a little sad and hesitated before asking, "What's his name?"

"Jiao He, he's a famous bandit leader in Danyang County, Yangzhou, with over a thousand elite soldiers under his command. Last year, I recruited him to join the sect and made him the commander of the Danyang region. After you declined the appointment as a general, I appointed him General Pingnan, commanding the followers of Danyang, Yuzhang, Jiujiang, and Lujiang counties! How is it? Do you regret it?"

"Who regrets it! I'm just asking!" Wei Cong snorted coldly. At this time, a long horn sounded from below: "No more talking, the competition has begun, just concentrate on watching the competition!" He turned his gaze to the venue below.

As the long trumpet sound ended, the announcer began to announce the rules and rewards of the competition to the audience and participants. He was a fat man with a loud voice and ruddy complexion. The competition included three events: archery, crossbow shooting, and spear shooting. The first place in each competition would be rewarded with 10,000 coins, the second place would be rewarded with 5,000 coins, and the third place would be rewarded with 3,000 coins. In addition, the top ten would also be rewarded with high-quality military weapons and armor.

"The general has made a generous donation, and the warriors are skilled in martial arts. Their generosity is praised, and their martial prowess is admired!" the lecturer shouted at the top of his voice, and the audience erupted in deafening cheers. A line of trumpeters, standing behind the lecturer, blew a majestic melody. When all was quiet, the contestants took to the field, circled the field, and then stood in the open space next to the right gate, awaiting their turn.

"You are so generous! You just give away such good armor!" Lu Ping had a very good eye and could clearly see the iron armor placed next to the podium as a prize. She couldn't help but feel a little sad.

"Anyway, they all work for me, so why should I be reluctant to let them go?" Wei Cong smiled.

"Humph!" Lu Ping snorted coldly and turned her head away. At this time, cheers came from the field and the spear competition began. Her attention returned to the field. Similar to the real fighting on the field, this kind of competition was very fast, and the winner was often decided in a few moves. Although the participants wore thickly padded leather armor and the spears in their hands were wrapped with thick cloth, people were still injured from time to time. However, the audience was not afraid of blood, and even cheered loudly for the fierce competition and threw copper coins into the field. This surprised Wei Cong. By noon, there were only two people left in the spear competition. They were about to compete for the most generous prizes.
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"Brother Yuan, go up and show these country bumpkins what true spearmanship is!" Qian Wen waited for Yuan Tian to tighten his belt and handed him the spear. "This spear is eight feet long. The shaft is made of the elm tree, smooth, thick, and heavy. The last two feet are steel. The slender leaf-shaped spearhead narrows to a wicked point, looking sharp enough to shave with. To prevent unnecessary casualties during the competition, the spear tips are wrapped with thick cloth soaked in lime. Both contestants wear thickly padded leather armor. The winner is determined by the number and location of white spots on their bodies after the competition.

"I hope I can live up to Brother Qian's expectations!" Yuan Tian took the spear and tossed it around a few times. The spear seemed to come alive, moving in his hand. His opponent was a true giant, the spear in his hand four feet longer than Yuan Tian's, and he was two heads taller than Yuan Tian. He stood there like a huge rock, leaning his spear into the dirt in front of him. This momentum made the soldiers cheering Yuan Tian lower their voices several degrees.

The referee glanced at both sides. Once he was sure everything was ready, he turned and nodded to the trumpeters. A burst of rapid blasts silenced the audience. Everyone—from the spiky-faced, short-haired mountain slaves to the elders perched on the dais—held their breath, awaiting the start of the bout. Then he waved his arm downward and stepped back, leaving the center field open for the two men.

Yuan Tian stepped forward, and his opponent pulled out a spear from the dirt and moved forward. The two men stopped when they were about five meters apart, each holding a spear horizontally, moving in circles while looking for an opportunity to attack. Yuan Tian thrust his spear forward, but the big man on the opposite side easily blocked the spear head, pushed it aside, and then thrust back with force. Yuan Tian avoided it unscathed. The spear thrust forward again, and the opponent blocked the spear with his backhand, but Yuan Tian quickly retracted it, and then thrust again. This time the spear tip passed across the enemy's chest, leaving a white mark, and the onlookers cheered.

The big man grumbled incoherently. He charged forward with heavy steps, the side of his spear slashing at Yuan Tian's head. Yuan Tian easily dodged the blow and spun to the side. His steps were as light and quick as if greased. He backhanded the spear and stabbed the enemy in the thigh, where there was no armor to protect him. The big man roared in pain, turned around, and glared at Yuan Tian fiercely.

"That's ridiculous! If this were a battlefield, the little guy would have already won!" Lu Ping in the stands shook her head. "Why keep fighting?"

"This is a celebration!" Wei Cong said with a smile, "We have to make it fun for the audience, right? Besides, don't you think it's getting more and more interesting?"

Inside the arena, Yuan Tian was already unleashing his fury. His spear thrust in and out like a forked snake's tongue, feinting at the lower body while actually attacking the upper body, piercing the groin, heart, and shoulder. The large man's counterattacks were rarely effective, evidently demonstrating that despite his immense strength, he didn't know how to capitalize on it. Yuan Tian continued to circle, stab, and retreat, distracting his opponent's movements.

The stalemate lasted for a long time. They moved back and forth across the field, circling endlessly. The big man's spear missed again and again, while Yuan Tian's spear pierced his arm, thigh, and even twice his back. On the battlefield, Yuan Tian would have killed his opponent seventeen or eighteen times. Even with the thick cloth wrapped around the spearhead, the stings would have been painful. But the big man remained silent, like a mute, throwing himself into the battle with all his might.

The spectators gradually quieted down. Initially, they were cheering for Yuan Tian's impressive spearmanship, but gradually, they began to sense the large man's incredible strength and tenacity. Some began cheering for him, and then more and more joined in. The referee hesitated, wondering whether to stop the match and declare Yuan Tian the winner. But then, glancing at the hourglass, he decided that time was running out anyway, so he decided to wait until it naturally ended, avoiding interrupting the match and potentially causing displeasure among the audience.

Yuan Tian could hear his opponent's cheers, which made him anxious and determined to end the fight quickly. He used the corner of his eye to confirm the direction of the sun, then moved his position so that the sunlight would directly hit his opponent's face. The big man subconsciously closed his eyes to avoid the glare. Yuan Tian's spear shot out like lightning, piercing his opponent's chest. But to Yuan Tian's surprise, the clumsy-looking big man actually grabbed the spear with his backhand, pulled it hard, brought him in front of him, and then punched him in the face. He saw black and knew nothing.

The sudden turn of events caused the spectators to gasp in surprise. The referee stepped forward, raised the arm of the only man standing in the arena, and declared him the final winner. He and the awakened Yuan Tian were brought before Wei Cong, who studied the burly man with great interest. He was more than half a head taller than him, with shoulders at least an elbow wider than his own. Standing there, he looked like a small mountain. He had witnessed the previous fight clearly. If it had happened on the battlefield, Yuan Tian would have killed his opponent at least a dozen times. But rules were rules, and once established, they must be followed.

"I watched your competition just now. No matter how it went, you were the one standing in the middle of the field in the end! So, tell us your name and receive the first-place reward!"

The big man knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice, "My surname is Meng, and I am from Mengjia Village in the north of the mountain. My family was poor when I was young, and my father died early, so I don't have a name. Because there is a big mulberry tree in front of my door, the villagers call me Meng Sangshu!"

"Meng Sangshu?" Wei Cong frowned, then pondered for a moment before saying, "You are a sturdy man with a strong character. You are definitely not someone who would live your whole life in a poor alley. A good man should have lofty aspirations, build achievements, and let his reputation be passed down to future generations. Why not change your name to Meng Gaogong?"

"Thank you, General, for the name!" The man kowtowed repeatedly. Wei Cong ordered someone to bring ten thousand coins, iron armor, and a steel sword, and had Meng Gaogong put them on. Indeed, he looked mighty and powerful. Wei Cong said with a smile, "Looking at you, who says there aren't talented people among the common people? Gaogong, are you willing to stay and serve me?"

"I am willing to die for the general!" said Meng Gaogong.

"Okay! You'll stay with me for now!" Wei Cong said with a smile. He then turned to the gloomy Yuan Tian and said, "Originally, the first place today should have been yours, but rules are rules, so you can only be second!"

"My lord, you are right!" Yuan Tian gave a wry smile. He accepted the reward and stepped aside.

After the spearmanship competition, it was time for archery and crossbow shooting. Compared to spearmanship, the latter two were more popular among these mountain dwellers. After all, their homes were in the wilderness, surrounded by wild beasts that often attacked their fields and injured people. Bows and crossbows were something they lived with day and night, and even children and women could bend and shoot.

Yet, precisely because of this, the fame and skill of each skilled archer were known to everyone within a radius of dozens of miles. Therefore, when the spectators heard the names of the competitors announced, they exclaimed in amazement and cheered. However, some young men, upon learning they would be competing against these renowned archers, voluntarily withdrew, lest they be embarrassed by a match destined for failure. As a result, the list of participants in the archery competition was reduced to just sixty-four.

Although there were fewer people vying for the prize and honor, Wei Cong carefully observed the archers about to begin the competition. Several of them wore crimson robes, clearly his own soldiers. Then he looked at the remaining men, all of whom were calm and composed, clearly veterans.

(End of this chapter)