If I send you to join the army and marry a woman, will you conquer the Empress?

Early morning, at the residence of the Marquis of Loyalty.

Qin Feng slowly stood up. Thanks to his talent [Dragon Spirit and Tiger Might], last night's fierce battle had not left him exhausted; on the contrary, he was even more energetic than before.

He took down the iron bow hanging on the wall. It was a relic left by his father, Qin Zhan. The bow was heavy and covered with the marks of time.

He then picked up the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Blade, a gift from the Emperor, from the table. Its scabbard was ancient and simple. With a gentle pull, a flash of cold light appeared, reflecting on his calm face.

Outside the door, Bai Wanqing, the sister-in-law, and the Shangguan sisters were already waiting.

"Xiao Feng, be careful."

Bai Wanqing straightened his collar, her gentle words full of concern.

Shangguan Wan handed over a handkerchief and said softly, "Husband, I wish you great success."

Qin Feng felt a warmth in his heart and nodded emphatically.

"rest assured."

He turned around and strode out of the Marquis's residence.

……

Imperial Martial Arts Arena.

Today, this place is the focus of the entire Great Xia Dynasty.

A sea of ​​people, banners waving, and drums beating thunderously.

The high viewing platform was filled with dignitaries and nobles from all walks of life, and even some old generals who usually kept to themselves were present today.

The military examination was a grand ceremony for the imperial court to select military talents, and it was also the best way for factions in the army to replenish their ranks with fresh blood.

When Qin Feng appeared in the contestants' area dressed in a tight-fitting outfit and carrying an iron bow, he immediately attracted countless gazes.

Whispers and buzzes filled the air.

"Look, that's Qin Feng! The newly promoted Marquis of Loyalty and Valor!"

"Is that him? I heard that he defeated Yang Lie, the 'White Horse Silver Spear Little Tyrant,' in one move on Suzaku Street. I wonder if it's true or not."

"More than that! The poem 'Why shouldn't a man carry a Wu hook?' at Wenchang Pavilion was written by him! He was truly a man of both literary and martial talents, a genius of unparalleled genius!"

"Hmph, I think it's mostly bragging! A penniless nobody, how could he be that powerful? Nobody believes that!"

……

Qin Feng ignored these discussions, focusing instead on moving his hands and feet and adjusting his breathing.

"Brother Qin!"

Suddenly, a clear and melodious call came from behind.

Qin Feng turned around and saw a familiar figure walking quickly towards him.

The newcomer was dressed in a moon-white long robe, with a jade belt around his waist and a folding fan in his hand; he was none other than Xia Yingtai, disguised as a man.

Although she wore a human skin mask to deliberately conceal her stunning beauty, her innate nobility and heroic bearing could not be hidden.

Behind her, Commander Lü remained as imposing as an iron tower, never leaving her side.

"Brother Xia, what brings you here?"

Qin Feng was somewhat surprised.

"Of course I'm here to cheer on Brother Qin!"

Xia Yingtai smiled and handed over a delicate white jade bottle.

"This is?"

"Drink this tiger bone and dragon blood wine, a secret recipe from the palace. It will greatly benefit your competition later."

Thank you.

Qin Feng didn't stand on ceremony; he uncorked the bottle and took a swig.

A spicy, warm current surged from his throat into his abdomen, then transformed into a powerful heat that spread throughout his limbs and bones, filling his entire body with explosive power.

Seeing that he had drunk it, Xia Yingtai explained, "This small bottle of wine is made from rare and precious ingredients. There are hundred-year-old ginseng from the mountains outside the Great Wall and thousand-year-old snow-capped lingzhi mushrooms... It's priceless."

She held up one finger and gestured.

"That one sip you just took was almost enough to wipe out several generations' worth of savings for an average family."

Good guy!

Qin Feng clicked his tongue in amazement. As expected of a product of the royal family, they were indeed wealthy and powerful.

With that one sip, I'm afraid I've swallowed a small mountain of gold.

……

Not far away, on the high viewing platform.

The Yun siblings were prominently featured.

Yun Feiyang looked down at Qin Feng, a sinister smile creeping across his face.

He lowered his voice and said to his younger sister beside him, "Little sister, just watch, today is the day Qin Feng will be utterly disgraced!" The higher he stands, the harder he will fall!

Yun Qingya frowned slightly and remained silent.

For some reason, watching Qin Feng chatting intimately with that handsome "Young Master Xia" made her feel inexplicably irritated.

Just then, a huge commotion suddenly broke out at the entrance of the training ground.

"Get out of my way! All of you, get out of my way!"

A squad of heavily armored guards, wielding long halberds, forcefully pushed through the crowded throng, clearing a path for themselves.

The sound of horses' hooves was rapid.

Immediately afterwards, a magnificent Akhal-Teke horse rode in with its head held high.

On horseback sat an extremely young young general.

He was about twenty years old, wearing a dazzling set of silver armor. He had a handsome face, but his face was full of arrogant disdain for everyone.

He rode on his horse, slowly scanning the entire arena. His gaze swept over all the contestants, his undisguised contempt as if he were looking at a group of ants.

"A bunch of chickens and dogs, do they even deserve to compete with me? They're just wasting my time."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire training ground.

The entire venue fell silent for a moment, followed by a deafening roar of gasps!

"My God! That's Champion Marquis... Lin Xiao!"

"Lin Wudi, who has defeated everyone in the capital, why would he participate in the martial arts examination? Hasn't he always looked down on such things?!"

"It's over! He's here. Is there any chance for anyone else to win the martial arts championship?"

……

Lin Xiao!

This name seemed to possess a magical power, causing the entire training ground to erupt in excitement!

Xia Yingtai leaned close to Qin Feng's ear and whispered, "This is Lin Xiao, the hereditary Marquis of Champion."

"The Lin family commands 100,000 border troops in the north, wielding immense power. He himself is a disciple of Xiao Tianze, the greatest martial artist in Great Xia, the 'Martial Emperor,' making him an absolute martial arts prodigy!"

Qin Feng understood.

Xia Yingtai looked at the proud figure in the arena and said, "The Marquis of Champion is indeed quite capable. He should have no problem winning second place in this martial arts examination."

The runner-up is the second-place finisher.

A contestant who had been eavesdropping nearby was so shocked by what he heard that he couldn't close his mouth.

"Young master, are you saying... even the Marquis of Champion can only be second place? Then, looking at the entire capital, who else is qualified to win?"

"Ha ha!"

Xia Yingtai smiled proudly, opened her folding fan with a whoosh, and pointed it at Qin Feng beside her.

"Is there even a need to ask? It's naturally my sworn brother, Qin Feng!"

These words were crisp and clear, instantly shifting everyone's attention from champion Hou Linxiao to Qin Feng.

In the distance, the guards who were clearing the way for Lin Xiao had very sharp ears and immediately heard these words, which made them furious.

"presumptuous!"

"How dare you!"

"What kind of thing dares to insult my lord!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two guards drew their swords without hesitation, the gleaming blades pointing directly at Xia Yingtai, their killing intent palpable.

"Kneel down and apologize to the Marquis, or die!"

……

Upon seeing this, Commander Lü's expression darkened, and the knuckles of his hand gripping the halberd cracked, his imposing aura poised to be unleashed.

However, Qin Feng was faster. He took a step forward, completely shielding Xia Yingtai behind him, and faced the two long swords that gleamed with cold light alone, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Just a few words and they're already threatening to kill? Is this the style of the Marquis of Champion's mansion?"

Qin Feng spoke coldly: "The knives in your hands are not used to make a name for yourselves on the battlefield, but to intimidate your unarmed compatriots. You have truly tarnished the reputation of the Great Xia soldiers!"

These words left the two guards blushing with shame and indignation, yet they had no way to refute them.

Just then, a cold voice came from the horse.

"Step back."

It is champion Hou Linxiao.

He rode his horse slowly forward, looking down at Qin Feng with undisguised contempt.

"You're Qin Feng, the one who wrote sentimental poems?"

He looked Qin Feng up and down as if he were examining a piece of merchandise.

"A true man should earn his reputation through swords and spears, not through empty words! Your little bit of talent is nothing but self-promotion!"

Lin Xiao reined in the horse, pointed the whip at Qin Feng, and declared, word by word:

"Today, right here in this training ground, I will personally defeat you and show everyone that you are nothing but a worthless fraud!"

Qin Feng met his downward gaze and calmly replied with one sentence:

"If you cut me in half, I'll fight you to the bitter end!"