Chapter 1714: Chapter 1707: To Join the Military, First Defeat the Men in the Military

Lin Sisi grit her teeth. Compared to her, their family lineage, natural talent, and diligence were indeed lacking!

But she argued, "They still have time and opportunities to hone themselves! When this general joined the military camp, I was only fourteen, yet I still went to the battlefield and won battles!"

"But they are not you!"

Lu Mian raised his voice. "However, I have heard that when General Lin was fourteen, she had already defeated the young General Shaoling in the army."

"So what?" Lin Sisi frowned slightly.

Lu Mian continued, "If they can also defeat today’s General Shaoling, then they could be comparable to General Lin. Otherwise, how could they enter the military and become officers?"

"You..." Lin Sisi gritted her teeth, realizing she hadn’t considered this!

Cunning civil officials!

Lin Aotian, seething with rage, stood up and cursed at Lu Mian, "They’re just a few young girls, and you want them to fight the martial champion of three years ago? You’re despicable and shameless!"

Lu Mian’s expression remained calm. "What difference does being a martial champion make? On the arena, only ability matters."

"And what abilities do you have as a civil official!" Lin Aotian’s face turned red as he roared in anger.

Lu Mian cupped his hands respectfully. "This official is unworthy, but I was the top scorer of the imperial exams. In the ten years since, I have risen to the fourth rank in the court."

The martial generals did not quite understand Lu Mian’s meaning, but the civil officials present were all impressed!

A top scorer of the imperial exams was already a rare talent in the royal court. For Lu Mian to have achieved a position that could take others thirty or forty years within only a decade was remarkable. If he were a martial general, it would be equivalent to being the great general of the Flying Rider.

It was just a pity that the martial generals failed to grasp how formidable Lu Mian was!

Among the Imperial Censors, one who looked down on generals like Lin Aotian deliberately provoked, "Great General Lin can nurture a generation of female generals, but can he cultivate a generation of civil officials?

Our Great Cheng Dynasty isn’t at war every year, you might as well save your energy!

Take more heed of Lord Lu’s wise counsel!"

"What nonsense are you spouting! Are generals useless in times of peace?" Lin Aotian was so furious that he nearly quarreled with the man on the spot.

It was Lin Sisi and Chu Jinling who stopped him.

Chu Jinling stepped forward in front of Lu Mian, smiling as he said, "Lord Lu, you are an exceptionally talented scholar with substantial achievements in governance. But may I ask, if Lin Yu and her group of three manage to defeat General Shaoling, would Lord Lu no longer oppose women joining the military?"

Lu Mian pressed his lips together slightly, locking eyes with Chu Jinling. Facing the faint smile in his gaze, Lu Mian refrained from answering hastily.

Leng Muling couldn’t resist standing up and loudly taunting Lu Mian, "Lord Lu, could it be that you’re afraid the girls might win?"

"Insolent!"

Lu Mian rebuked fiercely, "This is the royal court—how dare a woman speak out of turn?"

"Ah, Lord Lu, today we’re at the drill ground, not the royal court," Zhuo Junli sneered coldly.

He was thoroughly enjoying Lu Mian’s discomfort.

Provoked by Leng Muling, Lu Mian reacted hastily and declared, "If any one of them can defeat General Shaoling, only then will they have earned the qualification to join the military."

"Deal!" Chu Jinling turned to the civil officials behind Lu Mian. "Gentlemen, did you all hear that clearly?"

Behind Lu Mian, several scholars and Imperial Censors answered in unison, "This official heard it loud and clear."

Lu Mian had long anticipated this moment. General Shaoling, Qi Xuan, was already waiting at the drill ground.

But at this moment, Yang Xianhui, Fu Yuan, and Lin Yu were feeling rushed and apprehensive.

Yang Xianhui looked at Lin Yu, who was lying on the stretcher, and patted her shoulder. "I injured you. Don’t go up there. Ah Yuan and I will do it."

"But..." Lin Yu hesitated, "I’ve heard General Ye say that General Shaoling—Qi Xuan—was the martial champion three years ago and is incredibly skilled in martial arts! Can you... really manage it?"

"No matter how skilled he is, Ah Yuan and I are two people. We won’t lose too badly," Yang Xianhui said confidently, clenching her fist.

Her gaze toward Lin Yu was no longer scornful or hostile. Instead, she offered comforting words, "Don’t worry about us. Rest and recover. Watch us fight for the opportunity to join the military. Then the three of us will enter together!"

With grand vigor, Yang Xianhui extended her hand. Fu Yuan silently placed her hand atop hers.

Lin Yu, though struggling, lifted her hand to join theirs. "We... will strive together, enlist in the military, and become women as formidable as General Lin!"

This was the path they were carving out for themselves. They had to give it their all!

No hardship or obstacle would deter them.

Yang Xianhui patted Lin Yu’s shoulder. "Rest assured!"

She and Fu Yuan turned to prepare to face Qi Xuan.

Even though the two of them had braced themselves, knowing it would be nearly impossible to defeat Qi Xuan, they were still harshly taught a lesson once they stepped onto the dueling stage.

Qi Xuan’s height, strength, and martial skills far surpassed theirs.

Defeating him? They struggled even to defend themselves against his blows.

In the first round, Fu Yuan, unarmed, faced off against Qi Xuan. Without hesitation, he struck her off the stage, causing her to collapse on the ground, coughing up blood from internal injuries.

"Qi Xuan, stop this instant!"

Lin Sisi was overcome with anger as she rushed forward, pointing at Qi Xuan and berating him. "This is a duel, not a fight to the death!"

She had once been invincible in the military camp and knew of Qi Xuan’s skills. Yet he had been her defeated opponent.

Back then, despite their duels, she had never left Qi Xuan so wounded or humiliated!

But now, for a man like Qi Xuan to show such cruelty against women was utterly excessive!

"General Lin, I merely struck with full force to defeat my opponent. On the dueling ground, it’s only about friend or foe—there’s no such thing as mercy!" Qi Xuan, with his rugged features and a palm-sized scar on his face, replied firmly.

He would never forget how, when he first joined the military camp—before earning his martial champion title—Lin Sisi had defeated him. The humiliation of that moment had been unbearable!

The entire camp had mocked him for being unable to beat a woman.

Three years ago, becoming the martial champion had been his redemption!

Now, facing women in a duel once more, he was determined never to lose again!

He would make sure they lost!

He would utterly crush them!

Lin Sisi was so enraged that she instinctively wanted to leap onto the stage and defeat Qi Xuan herself.

But as she gathered her internal strength, she realized it was gone.

"Damn it!" Lin Sisi stamped her foot in frustration.

"Sisi, don’t be upset!"

Chu Jinling quickly stepped forward to steady her and pull her aside.

Lin Sisi watched with unease as Yang Xianhui stepped onto the stage to face Qi Xuan. "Fu Yuan’s martial arts are already very skilled, but Qi Xuan has trained rigorously for years and won the martial champion title. How could they possibly stand a chance?"

The differences in physical strength between men and women were already vast. While Yang Xianhui and the others were exceptionally skilled, they were still far from her former level of prowess.

Chu Jinling, calm and steady, told her, "We must accept the reality. If none of the three of them can defeat Qi Xuan, it simply means they lack the ability. And with insufficient ability, the path of enlisting in the military will be extraordinarily difficult."

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