In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era, I wrote my will in the examination hall.

"Oh? We're here already!?"

Yang Yan's heart skipped a beat, feeling as if he had won the lottery jackpot, and his breathing became rapid.

"That's wonderful! Quickly! No, I'll go myself!"

He disregarded any princely decorum and strode quickly toward the study in the side hall.

The moment the door was pushed open, a chilling aura rushed out.

The study was not decorated with any glittering gold or jewels; only a burly man stood quietly in the center.

The man was dressed in a faded coarse cloth outfit and straw sandals, and he did not wear any weapons at his waist—entering the Prince's mansion naturally required disarming.

But the way he stood there was like a peerless heavy sword hidden in its sheath.

His complexion was slightly yellow, like bronze, exuding a resolute air of weathering the elements.

His eyebrows were like swords, slanting upwards towards his temples. His eyes, though slightly lowered to show respect, occasionally revealed a sharp glint, like a tiger patrolling the mountains, making people dare not look directly at him.

Although he was travel-worn and poorly dressed, he possessed an aura of unapproachability, as if a thousand troops would not dare to cross the line if he stood there.

Is this... the legendary man?

These are the door gods that have been pasted on doors for thousands of years to ward off evil spirits and are considered one of the pinnacles of the Tang Dynasty's military strength.

It was he who sent people to search all over Licheng in Qizhou that finally found him—Qin Qiong, Qin Shubao!

The candlelight in the study flickered, bursting into a single flame.

Upon hearing footsteps, the man turned around abruptly, creating a gust of wind.

When he saw the newcomer's scarlet casual clothes, which were only worn by members of the royal family, his deep, ancient eyes narrowed sharply, and he immediately knelt heavily on one knee, clasping his hands in a salute.

"Qin Qiong from Licheng, Qizhou, pays respects to His Highness the Prince of Changning!"

The voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the not-so-spacious study, causing the books on the shelves to tremble slightly.

Without the slightest hesitation, Yang Yan strode forward, and just as his knees were about to touch the ground, he reached out and grabbed Qin Qiong's thick, tree-trunk-like arms.

Heavi and muscular, these are the arms that will one day wield double maces and take the head of a general from among thousands of soldiers!

"Uncle Bao, there's no need for such formalities!"

Yang Yan tightened his grip, his eyes burning with the fervor of someone gazing at a rare treasure, his voice betraying his genuine excitement: "Please rise! To see a righteous man like you today is like rain after a long drought; finding you took me a great deal of effort!"

Qin Shubao felt an irresistible yet warm force coming towards him, and he involuntarily straightened up.

A slight thought crossed his mind, and a hint of surprise and bewilderment flashed in his eyes.

He was originally a minor bandit-catching officer in Qizhou. Although he was skilled in martial arts, his upright nature offended the local powerful figures, leaving him in a desperate situation.

Hearing that the Prince of Changning had sent people to search for him from afar, he came with the intention of trying anything, or even to find out the truth.

After all, the royal family and relatives were high above them, and they never really looked at these lowly warriors.

Unexpectedly, this rumored eldest grandson of the emperor was so young, and his words were devoid of any air of arrogance.

"Your Highness...Your Highness is too kind."

Qin Shubao lowered his head slightly, concealing the surprise in his eyes, and spoke respectfully yet humbly: "Shubao is but a lowly warrior, a humble man. How could I possibly be worthy of Your Highness's high regard? Furthermore, I wonder how Your Highness, far away in the capital, came to know of such a lowly name as mine?"

This was Qin Qiong's biggest question.

Daxing City is thousands of miles away from Qizhou, and he is not from a noble family. How could his name have entered the inner palace?

Looking at the slightly yellow yet resolute face before him, Yang Yan's lips curled into a well-prepared, enigmatic smile.

As a time traveler, he naturally couldn't say, "I grew up reading the Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties."

"Qin Shubao, you're being too modest."

Yang Yan released his grip, stood with his hands behind his back, staring intently at him, and slowly uttered a sentence: "Do you remember, in the winter of the sixteenth year of the Kaihuang era, during the martial arts competition in the Forbidden Garden of Luoyang?"

Qin Qiong shuddered and suddenly looked up.

"At that time, on the icy river, a frightened horse went out of control, and the carriage was about to capsize." Yang Yan's voice echoed in the quiet study, as if taking people back to that thrilling moment.

"At that time, everyone was in an uproar, but there was only one person who, alone with the carriage, used his own flesh and blood to hold onto the runaway horse and slide more than ten feet on the ice to save the people in the carriage."

Qin Qiong's pupils contracted sharply.

It was a trivial matter in his military career. At the time, he was just a lowly soldier who quietly left after saving the person without even accepting a reward.

"Do you know who's sitting in that carriage?" Yang Yan stepped closer, staring intently at Qin Qiong. "That's my uncle, the Governor of Shouzhou and Prince of Hejian, Yang Hong!"

"In his private letter to me, Uncle Wang specifically mentioned that scene. He wrote: 'He has the spirit of an ancient hero, and his courage and decisiveness are unmatched in the army. It is a pity that he was hidden among the ranks and did not have his time.'"

This was, of course, fabricated by Yang Yan. Yang Hong did indeed stay in Luoyang and did like to recruit brave warriors, but he was currently unaware of the situation in Daxing, which was perfect for "gilding" Qin Qiong's reputation.

Before Qin Qiong could even process this information, Yang Yan dropped a second bombshell.

"and……"

Yang Yan turned and walked to the desk, pretending to rummage through a pile of memorials, and casually said, "When the Ministry of War's Department of Military Affairs (or 'Ministry of War's Department of Military Affairs') evaluates the merits of the soldiers throughout the country, there is a 'Record of Outstanding Talents' that is not made public. It is specifically for those soldiers who have outstanding military achievements or abilities, but are unable to be promoted due to their family background. Your name is in it."

"Under the name of Qin Qiong from Licheng, Qizhou, there is a vermilion annotation: 'He remains calm in the face of danger, is skilled with the horse spear, and possesses both strength and courage, making him a suitable candidate for leading the charge.'"

Yang Yan turned around, pointed to his head, and laughed, "As the eldest son of the Crown Prince, though born of a concubine and facing difficult circumstances, my eyes have always been fixed on the heroes and valiant men of this world. Tell me, shouldn't I seek you out?"

His words, though partly true and partly false, were logically sound and impeccable.

Qin Qiong felt a surge of heat rush to his chest.

So... I haven't been forgotten after all!

It turns out that someone actually saw and remembered the desperate struggle in the freezing cold and hard documents of the Ministry of War!

A scholar will die for one who understands him.

In this era that values ​​lineage and social standing, a simple "I have high hopes for you" carries immense weight for a martial artist from a humble background.

Qin Qiong took a deep breath, his eyes slightly red, and knelt down heavily again, this time, his head pounding deeply into the ground.

"This humble servant is terrified! Your Highness's kindness in recognizing and appreciating my talents is something I could never repay, even if I were to die a thousand deaths! If Your Highness has any orders, my life belongs to you!"

"Fine! That's exactly what I wanted to hear!"

Yang Yan laughed loudly. Now that the emotional groundwork had been laid, it was time to get down to business.

"Shubao, I don't want to hide it from you."

Yang Yan helped Qin Qiong up and made him sit on the lower stool, while he himself sat opposite him, his expression becoming solemn.

Now that you have entered the capital, I will give you two choices.