Duan Jin's people chosen by Ye Suijin were all satisfactory.
Duan Jin had been clever since he was little, and understood her very well, knowing her needs and requirements. Besides, the people below understood the thoughts and tricks of the people below better than the masters, and those he had screened were all just right.
Ye Suijin asked the steward to take the children away to teach them manners, and said to Duan Jin, "Come, let me check your skills."
Duan Jin straightened his back: "Yes."
There was a big parade ground in the Ye Family Fort, and a small parade ground in the Ye Mansion as well. With such good weather, Duan Jin thought Ye Suijin would go to the parade ground to test his martial arts. Unexpectedly, Ye Suijin took him to the practice room.
She also had the door of the practice room guarded.
Duan Jin felt inexplicably nervous.
The attendant offered two long spears with spear heads wrapped in hemp cloth.
Martial artists often learned more than one weapon, and there was a saying that "Eighteen Martial Arts", referring to the martial arts of using different weapons.
Ye Suijin had extraordinary bones and tendons, and she had truly mastered the eighteen martial arts. Duan Jin's talent had also been praised by her many times.
But the family studies passed down in the Ye Family were spears, also known as Ye Family Spears.
The reason why Duan Jin would be nervous was because the practice room was where martial arts were taught.
Ye Family Spear Techniques were not secret, in fact most people in Ye Family Fort knew them. The moves did not need to be kept secret, but the subtleties and key points did need to be kept secret.
Therefore, martial arts lessons were usually not allowed to be watched by others.
Today Ye Suijin had closed the door of the practice room and had people standing guard outside, obviously it was not as simple as the "test" Duan Jin had imagined.
Ye Family Spears used Nine-bend Spears. Nine-bend Spears were one zhang and one chi long, spears used for cavalry battles. Ye Family spear techniques were cavalry techniques, battle array techniques.
Ye Suijin did not bring spears on this trip out, because there was no need, sabers were enough.
She took the long spear in her hand and stroked it.
Originally in the imperial harem she did have spears at first, she even had swords and sabers, at that time she could sit in the Golden Hall with Zhao Jingwen and discuss state affairs together. But as Mr. Yang said, once she lost the Ye Family Army, how long could she sit there? Afterwards, she was forced to retire to the inner palace, and later the imperial censor impeached her, and Zhao Jingwen confiscated her swords, spears and halberds.
In the end, she was only allowed to keep a waxwood stick for daily practice.
The sound of breaking wind rose, and the long spear spun smoothly in Ye Suijin's hand, unfolding the starting position.
Ye Suijin looked up at Duan Jin.
Duan Jin suddenly felt that the person in front of him was a stranger.
He had grown up by Ye Suijin's side, and unlike others, his sword and spear skills were all personally taught by Ye Suijin. He was too familiar with Ye Suijin!
Just now in that instant, the feeling Ye Suijin gave him was like a sudden gust of cold wind in the face.
What was going on?
Before he could think carefully, Duan Jin took a deep breath, spun his spear, and also unfolded the starting position.
Ye Suijin crooked her finger.
Duan Jin shouted "Watch the spear", shook his spear, and dots of phantom shadows attacked Ye Suijin!
The sound of spear shafts clashing rose rapidly in the short few breaths.
Although the spear heads were wrapped to prevent injury, the shafts of both spears were of bright silver, and when rubbed, sparks flew everywhere!
After a few moves, Ye Suijin blocked Duan Jin's offensive with her spear, Duan Jin exerted force pressing down, and she instantly felt a force of a thousand catties coming from the spear shaft.
When she first picked up Duan Jin, the steward had arranged for the child to run errands and do chores in the miscellaneous courtyard. Ye Suijin happened to see the little child able to lift an axe to chop firewood, and discovered that although the child looked thin and frail, he had great strength.
On a whim she taught him martial arts, and discovered the child had excellent bone structure, and could learn anything with just one lesson.
She then kept Duan Jin by her side and raised him.
Now he had grown so big, with astonishing strength.
Ye Suijin shouted loudly, shook her arms, and bounced Duan Jin's spear back.
Her silver spear moved like a swimming dragon, blocking, capturing, stabbing, thrusting, encircling, pointing, pouncing, all aimed at fatal points.
If on horseback, it would be life or death within a tiny space.
Duan Jin shook his spirit, and his silver spear whistled with the wind, not yielding one bit.
It was fine to let the young masters win when sparring with them, but now this was Ye Suijin's test, how could he yield in a test.
If the mistress thought he had been lazy in practicing and unskilled in the arts, it would be terrible.
After dozens of moves with crisp clashing sounds, Ye Suijin suddenly shouted: "Be careful!"
Duan Jin was alerted, and retreated early due to the warning, but even so, the tip of Ye Suijin's spear still grazed past his throat, even rubbing against his adam's apple on the protruding cloth!
This move!
He had never seen it before!
Was this Ye Family Spear Technique? Could this be...
In an instant Duan Jin bent his waist back to dodge this spear. Using the spear shaft as support on the ground, he somersaulted back to retreat, avoiding this spear. After landing, he looked at Ye Suijin in shock and puzzlement.
Ye Suijin's spear did not withdraw, the spear tip pointing at Duan Jin, trembling slightly. The thrilling instant just now still lingered in the air.
Duan Jin was so clever, in a flash he understood what was going on: "Mistress!"
The corner of Ye Suijin's mouth curved up in a smile. She withdrew her spear, and asked Duan Jin: "Do you know what that move just now was?"
Duan Jin was excited: "Return Horse Spear!"
Many people in Ye Family Fort knew Ye Family Spear Technique, not just clansmen, but also many servants for generations and children born in the household.
Like Duan Jin who was raised from childhood, he also learned.
But Return Horse Spear was not taught outside. Not even to the side branches and cadet houses, only the main lineage.
This generation, the main lineage only had Ye Suijin alone. Even Fourth Uncle Ye's house was no longer considered the main lineage, only the main household.
Only Ye Suijin alone knew Return Horse Spear. No, everyone actually thought Ye Suijin didn't know it either. Because she was female, in theory, Return Horse Spear was only passed down to sons not daughters.
Tenth Son had privately told him before, that they brothers had all speculated whether Ye Suijin had actually learned Return Horse Spear or not.
Because Ye Suijin's father passed away suddenly from illness, before he passed away, he did not teach Return Horse Spear to Fourth Uncle Ye, the closest male cousin by blood.
If Ye Suijin also didn't know it, then Return Horse Spear would be lost.
Now Duan Jin knew, Ye Family Return Horse Spear was not lost. The old Fort Lord really cherished his only daughter, and broke family rules, secretly teaching it to her.
This was great, it added another chip in Ye Suijin's hand, she had nothing to fear now.
While Duan Jin was happy for Ye Suijin, Ye Suijin took off the cloth wrapped around the spear head: "Watch closely."
Duan Jin opened his eyes wide, not even daring to blink.
The spear tip glimmered, drawing bizarre and sharp trajectories in the air at a cunning angle, reaping invisible lives.
One move.
Two moves.
Three moves.
...
How were there even fourth and fifth moves?
Wasn't it said to be Return Horse Three Spears?
Ye Suijin withdrew her spear, seeing Duan Jin's surprised expression, she told him: "Return Horse Spear has five moves total. Three moves are passed down, the last two moves are for the Fort Lord's protection. Not passed down until the time comes."
Duan Jin did not dare speak.
Such secrets, even Third Son Ye and Fourth Uncle Ye might not necessarily know, why was she telling him?
"Jin." Ye Suijin said, "Today, I'm teaching you all five moves of Return Horse Spear."
Although he had vaguely guessed, Duan Jin was still shocked: "Mistress?"
He stared at Ye Suijin, needing to understand clearly: "Why? On what basis?" He suddenly paused, speaking rapidly: "Did Noble Lord Zhao learn it too?"
Zhao Jingwen's spear skills were also personally taught by Ye Suijin.
Dead memories jumped up to attack her.
Ye Suijin put her hand on Duan Jin's shoulder, staring into his eyes: "Don't compare with him, he's not worthy."
Zhao Jingwen stepped over the corpses of the Ye Family Army to ascend the throne.
Duan Jin proved with his life that the Ye Family Army still existed.
Those memories Ye Suijin had already suppressed in her heart in her previous life jumped up again to frantically attack her.
Those regrets and pains from lonely nights deep within the palace walls that she had already forgotten and resigned to many years ago now jumped up to attack her again.
She had taught Zhao Jingwen.
Worried about his safety outside, before Zhao Jingwen left Ye Family Fort, she secretly taught him the three moves of Return Horse Spear.
Even the brothers didn't know it.
She had always painfully regretted it afterwards.
Because martial arts needed to be memorized with the body, the earlier it was learned, and the more diligently it was practiced, the more deeply the body would remember, and the faster the reactions would be.
If the brothers had all learned earlier, or practiced more diligently, perhaps in the fleeting moment on the battlefield they could have escaped with their lives. Perhaps some could have lived.
The Ye main household would not have declined to this extent.
Although Duan Jin learned it all later, all five moves, that was afterwards.
But this was another reason Zhao Jingwen scorned him - Ye Suijin had only taught Zhao Jingwen three moves, but taught Duan Jin the two life-saving moves for the Fort Lord as well.
He had also asked: "On what basis?"
"Duan Jin." Ye Suijin held Duan Jin's face in her hands, staring into his eyes. "In a few days, I will teach all three moves of the hui ma san qiang to the main Ye family descendants. I won't teach Zhao Jingwen any, not even one move."
"But you, I will teach you all five moves."
"You will always be by my side from now on, protecting my safety, accompanying me into battle to kill enemies and win achievements."
She looked into his eyes.
The young man's eyes were clear and confused, filled with bewilderment and incomprehension.
She knew he could not understand at this moment.
She pressed Duan Jin's head down, with her forehead against his.
"It doesn't matter if you don't want to be my younger brother."
"Then be my general!"
"I will make you rise through the ranks to become a cavalier general!"
"I want you to live a long life! Attain the Three Ducal Ministers! Leave your name in history!"
Why? Just because General Duan Jin was the essence of the Ye family army! As long as Duan Jin lives, the Ye family army lives!
...
Forehead against forehead.
The heat passed through their skin.
Breathing was audible.
She could see his eyelashes trembling.
In his life so far, Duan Jin had never been so intimate with any woman, let alone Ye Suijin!
In the past, he was short, having to crane his neck to look up at her.
She was older than him. She had raised him. In the past when he looked at her, she was first his master, then like a mother, and also like an elder sister.
Later, just these last two years, he had suddenly grown from that child who only knew to foolishly eat candy at her wedding.
He had become taller than her. When he looked at her now, she was still his master, but no longer like a mother or sister.
She began appearing in his dreams.
At first he was extremely alarmed. He felt it was sacrilegious.
But later, if she did not appear in his dreams for a night, he could not sleep well.
So she came to his dreams every night after that.
Duan Jin's heart was about to leap out of his chest.
His hands opened and clenched into fists, opened and clenched into fists!
His blood vessels seemed about to burst, his body on the verge of losing control.
But in the end, he still remembered his status. He tightly clenched his fists until the veins bulged out on the backs of his hands, getting himself under control.
"Master. I..." Duan Jin's throat moved as he swallowed hard.
Forcibly suppressing all the heat, he made himself remain calm.
"I will learn well!"
"I won't be any damn general."
"Duan Jin will be the young servant to my master for life."
...
That day, the messenger from Ye's Fort had extended an invitation for the Ningxiang County Prefect to visit Ye's Fort as a guest. The Ningxiang Prefect was anxious for many days, until he finally received the formal written invitation.
By now, the summer harvest was basically completed. It seemed Ye's Fort had also freed up their hands, since the summer harvest was a major undertaking that kept everyone busy.
But this feeling that "Ye's Fort must be up to something" grew even stronger.
The Rong County Prefect came again, "Brother Yuan Tao, what should we do about this? Should we go or not?"
If they went, they feared being held accountable.
"Go, nothing good will come of it." The Ningxiang Prefect stated the obvious, "Don't go, even less good will come of it."
He said, "I stand by what I said before, let nature take its course."
What concerned him was, "Did Ma Jinhui also receive an invitation? Will he go or not?"
They had already heard about the confrontation between Ma Jinhui of Nanyang County and Ye's Fort. The woman of Ye's Fort did not give him any face, greatly damaging his prestige. Not only Nanyang, even the commoners under their two counties were having stray thoughts.
"These officials are actually from the previous dynasty"—the common folk seemed to have realized.
Inertia was broken.
"Ma Jinhui is not on the same road as us." The Rong County Prefect told him, "I have news on my end that he is determined to marry his daughter into Fangcheng."
The Ningxiang Prefect sighed, "Nothing more than wolves devouring tigers."
The Rong County Prefect continued to waver, "Why don't we watch a little longer and not commit too early. What if Ma Jinhui can suppress them?"
The Ningxiang Prefect said, "Then I'll hang up my boots and return home."
Du Jingzhong's group in Fangcheng had too notorious a reputation. No matter what, he could not tolerate being associated with those people.
In comparison, Ye's Fort...was not too bad actually.
When the two County Prefects received the invitations, Third Son Ye was in Fangcheng.
Du Jingzhong did not remember Xiang Da very well. Hearing he was from Xuanhua, he assumed Xiang Da had come to defect to him. Meeting face-to-face, he looked vaguely familiar, and was indeed an old acquaintance.
But the main guest was a young man, tall and handsome, with a steadfast air in his brows and eyes.
After exchanging pleasantries, Xiang Da introduced him, "Brother Du, this is the third young master of the fourth branch of Ye's Fort in Dengzhou."
Third Son Ye clasped his fist, "Greetings, General."
Du Jingzhong had just settled the marriage alliance with Ma Jinhui, precisely to help him oppose Ye's Fort. He smiled, "Why has Young Master Ye honored this lowly place with his presence?"
Third Son Ye put on a frank and honest face, "My father admires the general's famous name, and has specially sent me to pay you a visit."
It was not proper to be blunt with guests, so Du Jingzhong held a banquet to entertain his old friends and honored guest.
A group of men toasted and drank, and also called out many beautiful women to sing and dance. Most of those women had numb expressions and sorrowful eyes. Their dance skills were not particularly polished, but their clothes were thin and revealing, clearly gentlewomen who had been seized by force.
Third Son Ye understood at a glance.
As the men drank, their speech and behavior became lewd. They casually pulled those women over to humiliate and take advantage of them, as if it was normal. Third Son Ye was extremely disgusted inside, but endured it for the task Ye Suijin had entrusted him.
After enduring for a while, unable to take it any longer, he signaled Xiang Da with his eyes.
Xiang Da started showcasing his acting skills, unpromptedly praising, "Big brother is even more impressive today than back in the Xuanhua army days. Little brother is truly envious." Du Jingzhong knew the main course was coming. He put on a pretense, "Not at all. My worthy younger brother must be enjoying success in Ye's Fort now."
Xiang Da slapped his thigh, "Big brother doesn't know, I should be successful, alas!"
Du Jingzhong glanced at him askance.
Third Son Ye said, "It's because my father and I don't have ability that a woman presses down on our heads."
Du Jingzhong's interest was piqued. "What is going on?"
Xiang Da said, "Does big brother know, San Lang's father is the cousin of the previous generation master of Ye's Fort, the current master's own paternal uncle. In principle, the position of fort master should have gone to San Lang's father since the former fort master had no son."
Xiang Da then told Du Jingzhong about how Ye Suijin and her clansmen fought over Ye's Fort back then, and the showdown at the Re Xiaoli fight club when she brought in a son-in-law.
When he got to the exciting parts, he gesticulated and spit as he spoke, making it seem as if they were there witnessing the internal chaos in that family back then.
Third Son Ye thought to himself, good heavens, when not in our presence, they really spoke about his family in such "lively" terms.
If not for private discussions like this, how could there be such vivid storytelling.
He very much wanted to slap his forehead, but with great effort controlled himself and put on an indignant expression, nodding along.
Du Jingzhong cursed, "Outrageous that she rules the roost like a hen!"
Third Son Ye said, "My father says the same, but the family's troops are currently under her control."
Du Jingzhong smiled with satisfaction.
Third Son Ye stood and bowed, "San Lang has come on my father's orders to earnestly beseech the general for assistance. Fangcheng is poor and barren compared to Dengzhou's prosperity. My father is willing to invite the general to Nanyang for sustenance."
Du Jingzhong waved his hand. "Nanyang is already in my pocket."
Third Son Ye and Xiang Da looked at each other in bafflement. "What do you mean?"
Du Jingzhong was very proud of arranging a marriage with the scholar-official and bragged, "The Nanyang county magistrate just agreed to marry my son to his daughter."
He said, "I won't deceive the young master, this in-law has long been displeased with your Ye's Fort, and also wanted me to conquer you. Fortunately you have come, otherwise when blades meet, it would be most unjust."
Just as Sixth Sister said, Ma Jinhui was colluding with Fangcheng for no good.
Third Son Ye pretended to be confused, "We have never formed enmity with Magistrate Ma."
Du Jingzhong told him what he had heard, "You damaged his face, and he hates you for it."
Third Son Ye said, "That was all done by my female cousin alone. She fears that as a woman she cannot control the crowd, so uses ruthless methods to intimidate us."
The more the two sides talked, the more "invested" they became, discussing together how to overthrow Ye Suijin, and let Fourth Uncle Ye take over the fort, so Du Jingzhong could also enjoy the bounty of Dengzhou.
Only Du Jingzhong said, "Nanyang is already mine, no longer relevant. Find me another place."
It just so happened Third Son Ye said, "I cannot make decisions, my father must come to discuss with the general personally."
Du Jingzhong also felt Third Son Ye was too young. It would be more reassuring if Fourth Uncle Ye came in person, so he readily agreed.
Xiang Da diligently poured wine. "Drink, drink!"
