(Two chapters in one, updated together today and tomorrow)

...

Time flies by, four seasons of cold and summer come and go, four seasons of spring and autumn, and the Doguland Almanac has also turned from the year 516 of the Huoyao calendar to the year 520 of the Huoyao calendar.

In the past four years, Doguland has undergone earth-shaking changes under the New Deal.

The land monopoly was broken, and all the noble lands in the territory were bought back by the royal family and redistributed to every household. Everyone who once had to rely on others now has their own place to belong.

The currency system is unified. The purchase scope restrictions of gold moon, silver moon, copper moon and iron moon, as well as the class system represented behind them, will forever become history. Currency types are only distinguished by denomination, and there is no longer any distinction between high and low.

Brand-new schools and public libraries have sprung up all over the kingdom. Educational subsidies and admission standards have been unified. Regardless of nobles and poor families, regardless of men, women, old and young, whether full-time or part-time, everyone has the opportunity to acquire knowledge.

place.

At the same time as the education reform, the old official selection system was overturned. Official positions at all levels no longer enjoy family inheritance. Instead, talents are selected through fair examinations to attract aspiring people from all over the world.

In the past four years, countless capable people have entered the palace through their own efforts and held important positions in the kingdom's administrative agencies at all levels. They are like sparks blooming everywhere, burning across the kingdom with the force of a prairie fire, burning the deep-rooted weeds, waiting for the end.

The coming spring breeze.

Under the great changes, there may still be various problems in Dogurand, but the old era will surely become history, and everything is moving towards a new era.

...

As for the palace, according to palace rules, the reserve team of the royal guards meets every four years.

Conduct a personnel reorganization to ensure that there is enough fresh blood to replenish the official imperial guards when they are injured or retired.

Now is the booting season, which coincides with the recruitment of reserve personnel. The candidates who have passed the selection process not long ago have arrived in the royal city, waiting for the final test.

As usual, Solandel took time out to come to the site for a review today.

Solandel, who was born in the 500th year of the Fire Moon Calendar, is already 20 years old this year. Compared with when she first ascended the throne, her appearance has changed a lot. All the childishness she once had has faded away, replaced by heroic spirit, valor, and a frown.

Everything looks like a queen.

Lorna was standing behind Solandel at this time, with two badges on her chest, one symbolizing the "King's Blade" and the other symbolizing the "Leader of Regnorm".

Regarding the King's Blade title that should belong to "the strongest in the kingdom", in fact, Lorna has never officially competed with Kino, and she doesn't know who is the strongest among them today.

It's just that Kino never cared about titles, and this badge had special meaning to Lorna, so he naturally gave it to her.

Not long after Solandel sat down, slow footsteps sounded from the background, and a figure sat in the seat next to the regent.

According to the law, the "Regent" is a special position, usually established to assist the monarch during his minor period. After the monarch reaches adulthood, he should be removed and replaced by the "King's left hand" and "King's right hand" with divided powers.

However, Solandel did not follow this rule when she became an adult, because Kino's position in the kingdom was too important and everything could not be done without him, so the position of regent was always attached to him.

….

This is not,

Some time ago, there was a battle report from the border guards, and desert horse bandits were harassing the border again. Kino personally went to inspect the border defenses. He was away for more than ten days and only came back late last night.

"Long time no see. We've only been apart for a dozen days, but it feels like I haven't seen you for several years." Solandel looked at Kino's side face and suddenly snickered for some reason.

Kino looked over: "What's wrong?"

Solandel said in a joking tone: "It's okay, it's just that in my impression, your appearance has never changed over the years... You seem to never grow old."

Chino joked: "Although I'm older than you, I'm not old enough to describe you, right?"

While the two were having an interesting conversation, the palace selection began. There were 97 candidates who passed the provincial test this time.

According to the elimination rate of more than 90% in previous years, I am afraid that there will be less than 10 people left this time.

The person responsible for testing the candidates is the chief imperial guard, and this time the chief imperial guard is very interesting. It is none other than Shangguan Xue.

This quota was designated by Kino, because as a monarch who has seized power, the royal guards around Solandel are not the confidants she has trained personally, and they will eventually have to be replaced slowly with fresh blood.

As for how to train new people, it is really a test for the chief imperial guard.

The earliest people who followed Kino died and left, and only Hanyi, Niko, Shangguan Ba, and Shangguan Xue were left.

Hanyi is a person in the dark. Shadows are invisible and everywhere, and it is not suitable to go out and do things in the sun.

Neeko has an introverted personality, which became more and more obvious after Roman's death, which is contrary to the strong character required of the chief guard.

Let alone a person like Guanba whose IQ is only at 8 years old.

In the end, Shangguan Xue became the candidate for Qino. Although this girl was petite and did not look majestic, she was actually extremely strong inside.

Just imagine, how many people can feel calm in front of the enemy who wants to destroy their family?

Ye Lingchen, the grandson of the Far East Emperor, planned to kill Shangguan Xue's family. She endured the humiliation without saying a word and just worked as a personal guard under Ye Lingchen for 10 years. She also hid her hatred for 10 years. Finally, she seized the opportunity to rebel and push her enemies away.

Towards death.

This kind of resilience is extremely rare. In addition, as a three-clawed golden dragon, she has trained many new onmyojis and has experience in cultivating newcomers, so she naturally became the best candidate.

At this time, Shangguan Xue took off her Onmyoji robe and stood in the center of the training ground wearing the uniform of an imperial guard. The Doguland-style clothes paired with her small face of oriental origin made her look quite exotic.

Soon, the first candidate entered the venue under the leadership of the guards. He was a well-groomed young man. He walked up to Shangguan Xue and stood with his head held high in a military posture. He looked quite elegant.

Those who can reach the palace through layers of selection must be elites from all over the world, with clean backgrounds, up to standard physical fitness, and no flaws in appearance. After all, the royal guards represent the image of the kingdom, and we cannot allow some crooked melons to accompany the queen every day.

Shangguan Xue walked around the candidate, looking up and down with cold eyes, and suddenly a whip struck his feet.

"Bang!" A harsh sound sounded, echoing in the training ground.

….

This candidate has a very good psychological quality. He was caught off guard and was not frightened at all. His military posture did not appear at all.

Loose.

Shangguan Xue asked coldly: "What is under your feet?"

The candidate was a little puzzled. He looked down and saw nothing but whip marks on the ground. He hesitated for a moment and tentatively answered: "Land?"

Shangguan Xue: "What land?"

This stumped the candidate and asked him, "What kind of land should we divide the land into?" He was speechless for a moment and couldn't answer.

Shangguan Xue did not show off and gave the answer directly: "The land under your feet is the royal land. Doguland regards the queen as its king, and the land under your feet is also great because of her."

"Now, answer me a question, why are you here?"

The candidate answered without hesitation: "In order to become a royal guard and protect Her Majesty the Queen."

He looked beyond Shangguan Xue to Solandel on the stage, and said deeply: "I am willing to sacrifice my life for her!"

Solandel's appearance is not a secret and is often published in major newspapers. However, mere words and ink cannot outline one tenth of her true beauty.

Now he was looking at Solandel, and Solandel was also looking at him. The intersection of their eyes made the young heart start to throb, and there was also an unconcealable longing in his eyes.

The candidate didn't know that just that moment of longing made all his previous efforts come to naught.

"Will you sacrifice your life for her?" Shangguan Xue's eyes gradually turned cold, "Have you ever been on the battlefield?"

Candidate: "Yes, I was a soldier of the Molten Iron Legion, ranking as a captain of thousands."

Shangguan Xue: "Have you ever killed anyone?"

Candidate: "I have killed, I have beheaded a total of 87 enemies, and killed and wounded over a hundred others."

Shangguan Xue: "Have you ever lost a battle?"

candidate

Interviewer: "No, I fought with the legion in 54 battles, big and small, without losing a single one."

Shangguan Xue: "Have you ever faced death?"

This time, the candidates were silent.

Before he had time to think of more meritorious deeds worthy of boasting, he suddenly found that the cold wind was blowing around him, and a huge Yin-Yang magic circle appeared on the ground beneath his feet. Countless energy flows surged around Shangguan Xue, condensing into a series of Qingxuan sharp swords.

.

Shangguan Xue's eyes were cold, the hem of his clothes rustled in the wind, and his voice was filled with deadly killing intent: "Have you ever been stabbed through your body by a sharp blade?"

"Pfft——" A Qingxuan sharp sword suddenly pierced through the air and penetrated the candidate's abdominal cavity. He froze in place in shock, staring blankly at the blood that continued to pour out of his body.

Shangguan Xue: "Have you ever heard the sound of bones being rubbed against a blade?"

The Qingxuan sharp sword twisted in the candidate's abdominal cavity, constantly stirring the internal organs, and the bones made a twisting sound during the squeeze, which was harsher than any other noise.

The candidate had blood dripping from his mouth and looked at Shangguan Xue in horror: "You...what are you doing?!..."

Shangguanxue didn't answer him, just like the god of death who judged life, he kept asking questions:

"Have you ever seen all your comrades die in front of you?"

"Was there a person rolling among the corpses?"

"Have you ever let out a helpless cry when dying?

"Have you ever seen the enemy's contemptuous eyes as they trample you under their feet and reap your lives?"

….

The candidate's mouth and nose were bleeding continuously. He tried to cover it, but he couldn't cover it at all. The passing life force made him fall to the ground softly, with despair on his face: "Why...why...why.
To be continued...