While all parties were either ecstatic or in a panic, Guo Mo had already picked up the yellow gelding and returned to the "Peach Blossom Island" where he had been away for half a month.
The more times he visited, the more Guo Mo could feel the rapid changes in "Peach Blossom Island".
The desertedness and aloofness of the past can no longer be seen, and more popularity and solemnity have been added.
About ten miles away from "Peach Blossom Island", there is also an island called "Xiaozhou", which is slightly smaller in area than "Peach Blossom Island".
Previously, Wu Mianfeng ordered his people to be stationed on the "Xiaozhou", and a small water village had been built on the side facing the "Peach Blossom Island". Zhang Damengzi had several boats that docked here all year round.
Some houses have also been built on the island, which are scattered in an orderly manner, and dozens of people have already moved in.
Inside the island, there is actually an area of 100 acres, which is slightly flat. Some herbs are planted there, and more than 20 horses are kept here.
Yang Tiexin took little Yang Guo to "Peach Blossom Island" early, Mu Nianci gradually recovered, and Huang Rong placed them in "Songfeng Pavilion".
It is relatively quiet here, and it is convenient to get to and from Fulongju.
On this day, Guo Mo was checking Zhang Shijie's homework in the study room outside, and Wu Nantian was also studying beside him.
The outer study, which is separate from the study in Guo Mo's back house, is the study in the west courtyard of "Fulong Residence" and is used to teach apprentices.
Later, it was named "Yu Ying Tang" by "Dongxie" Huang Yaoshi.
Guo Mo liked this great disciple more and more.
Study and practice martial arts, conduct yourself and do things in a disciplined manner.
The most important thing is that, despite his age and maturity, Nan Tian seems to be born with the ability to lead. Nan Tian already follows his lead, and he is like an embryo with both civil and military skills.
Guo Mo even gave Zhang Shijie the "Green Sword" he obtained this time, and told him the legendary story of this sword, which made Zhang Shijie very excited.
I swear that I will live up to my master's expectations and that my sword will not be covered in dust.
Onlookers were filled with envy. Even "Dongxie" Huang Yaoshi couldn't put it down holding the "Green Sword".
"Sister-in-law, the Sixth Master is here, and he's bringing a boy with him. The one who's receiving him is already watching tea at Lingqing Pavilion."
Lawrence Lu walked in and said softly.
It has been more than ten days since Hu Yanfeng and her son were released from prison. Counting the days, it is time for Master Six to arrive.
"Shijie, Nantian, you guys go out with me first."
After hearing the master's instructions, the two put down the books in their hands and looked at each other, secretly delighted.
A group of four people entered "Lingqing Pavilion". Quan Jinfa and Huang Rong from "Business Hero Hidden" were already sitting there. Behind Quan Jinfa, there was a young man standing.
This young man has a tiger-like appearance, with slightly dark skin, thick eyebrows and big eyes. He is a little taller than Nan Tian, and he also holds a spear in his hand.
The spear is a bit too long, made entirely of iron-pointed steel. The spear shaft is one foot long, the spear tip is eight inches long, and the blade has double edges, in the shape of a snake.
Is this the "Zhangba Snake Spear Spear"? It seems that this boy is Hu Yande.
Guo Mo knew everything about the imperial court's rewards, and he was the one who proposed many of them. What's more, every few days, Lu Chengfeng would send someone to deliver important news.
"Master Six——"
"I've met the Sixth Master——"
Guo Mo took his apprentices to give him a gold medal gift.
"Mo'er, how are you preparing for the 'Martial Arts'? Have your shooting skills improved? Haha——"
Guo Mo's skills in bow and arrow have always been criticized by him.
As early as in the desert, Guo Mo learned everything quickly from a young age, far beyond what Guo Jing could compare to.
However, Guo Mo was far inferior to his eldest brother Guo Jing in riding and shooting skills, and he was often "made fun of" by several masters.
"Haha, it's okay. I will definitely not lose to Big Brother next time I meet him."
Guo Mo didn't feel embarrassed when he heard Master Six's teasing, he was used to it anyway.
However, what he said himself was not entirely a joke.
Recently, in order to prepare for the upcoming "martial arts competition", I have really worked hard on bows and arrows, and my progress has been considerable.
In particular, Guo Mo was inspired by the "luck" technique of the "Coiling Dragon Stick Technique".
He discovered that this kind of "luck" technique was different from the internal strength he practiced. It also had miraculous effects on archery and horse riding.
During daily practice, I moved the target 200 paces away, but I could still hit the red heart with a hit rate of over 90%.
"Sixth Master is not at Yuanyang Villa to receive blessings, so why do you think of Peach Blossom Island? It seems that I just went to visit you not long ago, right?"
Looking at the Sixth Master, who still looked a little confused, Guo Mo asked knowingly.
Of course Quan Jinfa knew that his apprentice was joking with him.
"Mo'er, I'm here today as my master. I have nothing else to do. I just want to send you my apprentice. De'er, go over and kneel down to become your master."
The "Xia Yin in the Bustling City" didn't even give Guo Mo a chance to refuse, and directly ordered Hu Yan Dedao.
Hu Yande is also a sincere kid. Recently, he and Quan Jinfa have gotten along very harmoniously. After hearing Quan Jinfa's words, he walked over and bowed his head.
As early as when he was living in the prison, Quan Jinfa had already begun to teach Hu Yande the "Seven Styles of the Desert", and after living in "Yuanyang Villa" for ten days, he also started to teach him the "Huyan Spear Technique".
In the past, Hu Yande had no strength, but now he has an authentic practice method, which he cherishes very much and works extra hard at.
A natural warrior's entry into the realm is always beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
It has been less than two months since I practiced the "Seven Styles of the Desert".
Hu Yande has completed the first level of "Desert Mote" and has begun to enter the second level of "Wind Passing and Jingrisi", while "Business Hero Hidden" Quan Jinfa himself has just broken through to the fifth level of "The Flying Geese Leaving a Sound"
That's all.
Quan Jinfa felt that she could no longer keep this child by her side. Staying for one more day would be delaying him.
After discussing with Hu Yanfeng, he personally brought Hu Yande to see Guo Mo.
Although Hu Yanfeng was also very reluctant to leave his son.
However, given the opportunity to revive the Huyan family and considering his son's future, he finally agreed with tears in his eyes.
Looking at Hu Yande who was already kneeling on the ground, Guo Mo was speechless for a while.
"Master Six, you are really..."
Huang Rong has not heard Guo Mo talk about Hu Yande, but now that she is pregnant, it is the time when maternal love is overflowing. She usually dotes on her two apprentices, Zhang Shijie and Wu Nantian.
Seeing the two apprentices studying and practicing martial arts hard, he often cooked delicious food for them.
As for Yang Guo, the youngest disciple, even if Mu Nianci was there, Huang Rong did not miss him and sent him some rare food every now and then.
Now seeing another apprentice coming in, before Guo Mo nodded, she, the master's wife, stepped forward and helped Hu Yande up. She was almost as tall as Huang Rong.
"What's your name? The master's wife has agreed to accept you."
When Hu Yande heard this, he was overjoyed and knelt down to kowtow to Huang Rong again.
"Reporting to Master, my name is Hu Yande. I will be eleven years old soon. My disciple kowtows to you."
When he arrived, Hu Yanfeng and Quan Jinfa told him many times that they must succeed in becoming a disciple this time, and Hu Yande firmly remembered it in his heart.
"Okay, you have grown so tall at the age of eleven. You are taller than Nan Tian. Shijie, Nan Tian, all of you, come here and meet the new junior brother."
Seeing Huang Rong's behavior, Guo Mo was speechless again.
Quan Jinfa discovered for the first time that this little girl Huang Rong was actually so "reasonable". How did she make her "angry" back then?
Since Huang Rong agreed, Guo Mo naturally had no reason to go back on his words. He originally had a good impression of Hu Yande as soon as he saw him.
"Guanying, please go to the Songfeng Pavilion and invite their grandparents and grandson. Then go to the inner house and ask your senior master and the others to come over at noon. Oh, please ask your second senior aunt and fifth senior aunt to come too.
"
Now that I have decided to accept Hu Yande as my disciple, I will hold a formal ceremony. Besides, Xiao Yang Guo has only said it verbally before, so let’s formally accept him together this time.
Lu Guanying was enthused by this, but he knew that it was impossible for him, and he had to pass on the "Peach Blossom Island" lineage.
At noon, a banquet was held in the "Lingqing Pavilion" and everyone gathered together.
"Dongxie" Huang Yaoshi, Feng Heng and "Business Hero Yin" all have blond hair, and the three of them are sitting upright.
It wasn't just Guo Mo himself who became the apprentice, Huang Rong had always accepted apprentices with him, so their apprentices naturally had two heritages.
After careful consideration, Guo Mo made the final definition of the order of these apprentices.
The eldest disciple, Zhang Shijie, is twelve years old; the second disciple, Wu Nantian, is in his early thirteen years; the third disciple, Hu Yande, is about to be eleven years old; and the fourth disciple, Yang Guo, is only one year and four months old.
Although the main purpose today was to welcome Yande in, several apprentices collectively paid tribute to Guo Mo and Huang Rong. Even little Yang Guo was looked after by Lu Guanying and kowtowed to the master.
With Guo Mo's abilities and status, it is inevitable that he will not be able to truly inherit and carry forward the legacy of the "Seven Monsters of Jiangnan" or "Peach Blossom Island". These subsequent disciples may become the leading figures in the sect in the future.
After the apprenticeship ceremony, "Business Hero Hidden" Quan Jinfa returned to "Yuanyang Villa". It's time to buy some property in Jiaxing. In the future, people from the desert will have something to do when they come back.
Hu Yande quickly integrated in and studied literature together in the "Yuying Hall" in the morning. He now has almost zero foundation. Huang Rong once again served as the "initial teacher" and taught alone.
In the afternoon, we went to the martial arts field behind the island together.
He had just come into contact with equestrian, and Lu Guanying taught him how to ride. He spent most of his time practicing "Huyan Spear Technique".
Due to his limited height and strength, Hu Yande could not use the "Snake Spear Spear" for the time being, so Guo Mo found him a big iron spear.
Yang Tiexin, who came to "Peach Blossom Island", took on the task of teaching these young people marksmanship on a whim.
Lu Guanying, Zhang Shijie, and Wu Nantian all learned the "Yang Family Marksmanship" from him, while Guo Mo studied the "Huyan Marksmanship" and corrected Hu Yande's mistakes in his practice from time to time.
Based on Hu Yande's characteristics, Guo Mo decided to let him practice the master's "Seven Styles of the Desert" in terms of internal strength. At the same time, he also began to train him like Wu Nantian before.
As for the palm technique, first teach him the "Chaoyang Palm", and then teach him the subsequent techniques after he has mastered it.
With one more apprentice, the atmosphere of martial arts training becomes even better.
The three of them lived and ate together. Every day before dawn, they would get up consciously and practice in the martial arts field in the second-floor courtyard.
Guo Mo has also maintained the habit of morning exercises. Every time he arrives, the third primary school has been practicing for a long time, and even Lu Guanying is there.
On the twenty-eighth day of the winter lunar month, in a few days it would be the day of the "martial arts" competition in Lin'an City. Guo Mo took Lu Guanying and said goodbye to everyone.
Huang Rong originally wanted to go with her. She was almost four months pregnant and her reaction was no longer as strong as before. It was not yet time to show her pregnancy.
However, Guo Mo was extremely nervous since he found out she was pregnant with twins.
He would not let her get involved in anything dangerous. He repeatedly asked her not to enter the kitchen, and even taught a few apprentices to read. He also limited the time.
I also designed a lounge chair myself, had it made by craftsmen, and covered it with a thick quilt, making it comfortable and warm in winter.
That night, Guo Mo and Lu Guanying stayed at the home of Nanshan Woodcutter, the fourth master.
The scale of this "Martial Arts" competition is far greater than in the past. Each prefecture and prefecture has ten quotas, and each place has twenty quotas for each person.
Although not all places were able to send enough people, the number of participants who finally came to Beijing still exceeded 2,000, and there were more people in the active military than recommended by each prefecture.
The Privy Council and the Ministry of War even dispatched five thousand soldiers to strengthen the security maintenance of Lin'an City.
During the "Martial Arts" competition, Lin'an City rarely implemented a "curfew."
After the second watch, all restaurants, bars and brothels are not allowed to operate, and no pedestrians are allowed on the streets.
There were more than two thousand people participating in the competition alone, and tens of thousands of relatives and friends came to watch the fun and take advantage of the opportunity to do small business.
Suddenly, the business in Lin'an City was unprecedentedly popular, and restaurants, hotels, and hotels were the most popular places.
Guo Mo naturally didn't have to worry about this. Looking at the news about the "martial arts" sent by Lu Chengfeng in his hand, Guo Mo was also a little excited.
Such a grand occasion, if the "Martial Arts Examination" can be like this every year, the martial arts trend in the Song Dynasty will be popular!
The format of the competition remains unchanged, and is still composed of archery, strategy, and horse racing.
Due to the large number of people, archery was held at the teaching military field in the south of Lin'an City.
They are all the best ones selected from various places. The distance of shooting on foot is directly raised to 60 steps, while the shooting distance on horseback starts from 120 steps.
This time Guo Mo didn't miss again, and his arrows hit the bull's-eye both on foot and on horseback.
According to the announced results, there are three people who can do this. The names of the other two are not yet known.
In the competition in Lin'an, there is no elimination in the archery process, but the scores are recorded truthfully based on the results.
The next day's policy discussion was arranged to be held in the "Gongyuan". It was difficult to find a place to accommodate so many people elsewhere.
The policy theory is very simple, "details the comparison of strengths between the Song and Jin countries and the strategy to defeat the Jin Dynasty".
For Guo Mo, this was simply a sub-question. After all, he had been studying the "Wu Mu's Suicide Note" for so long, and its original name was "The Key to Breaking Gold."
After the two rounds of competition, there will be a two-day break to wait for the results of the policy discussion.
After the decision-making results come out, the top 500 will be ranked based on the comprehensive results of the first two rounds.
In principle, all of these five hundred people can stay and join the army, but they have to go through a third horse battle to determine the fifty who will be on the list and the ten who will be the "disciples of the emperor."
Those who were not among the five hundred and who were originally in the army returned to their respective places.
Those recommended by the prefecture can also go through the normal recruitment process and sign up to join the army.
For others, the two days of rest are a time of anxious waiting, because most people’s journey to “martial arts” is over.
But Guo Mo really rested. Apart from eating and sleeping, he and Lu Guanying went for a walk in the West Lake.
Two days later, the list of 500 people was announced.
In order not to affect the performance of the third game, only the list of promoted players was announced, but the specific ranking was not announced.
Those who are on the list are naturally happy to prepare for the third horse battle that is about to take place.
Among those who failed, some wanted to return to the original army, some were thinking of signing up to join the army, some just left, and more people stayed to watch the third competition.
Horse battles are even more limited, especially since there are still 500 people participating. Even at the teaching military field in the south of the city, a maximum of 20 battles can be arranged at one time.
There were only two rounds in the morning, and only the 125 winners were eligible to enter the third round in the afternoon.
Guo Mo won easily and still maintained his consistent style of "falling in five moves".
"Guanying, how are you?"
After a lunch break of more than half an hour, the third round of competition began.
"Fortunately, it's just that the second person was a little troublesome just now. He is a strong soldier in the army and has rich fighting experience. It's a pity that he met me so early."
After following Guo Mo for a long time, have you learned to be so immodest?
"You'd better be careful. The next competition will be more difficult. You don't want to end up not in the top fifty."
Before long, the rules for the third game were announced.
From this moment on, everyone uses real weapons.
Swords, guns, swords and halberds, axes, hooks and forks, boring sticks, whips, maces and hammers... Eighteen kinds of weapons are lined up on the weapon rack, of various models and weights.
.
From one to one hundred and twenty-five, each person draws a number plate.
The examiner randomly selects a number from the list. This round is a bye and automatically enters the next round.
The remaining people will be drawn with the first number, and each will decide on his fate, and they will fight against each other.
The one who had a bye was No. 68, a middle-aged man with a slightly short beard and a shallow scar on his face. He was not very happy to see that he had a bye.
Guo Mo was No. 35 and drew No. 101.
The other person was a man in his twenties, with an imposing manner, as if he had just stepped out of the military.
"please--"
The other party said "please" to Guo Mo, and Guo Mo also raised his fist.
Guo Mo still chose a gun, which weighed about thirty kilograms. He planned to use his newly-trained "Huyan Spear Technique" to meet heroes from all walks of life.
The other party used a Daguan Dao. Seeing that Guo Mo was unwilling to take action first, he urged his horse forward and swung the Daguan Dao to chop.
The sword arrived just as the wind was blowing. Guo Mo raised the gun horizontally, "raising the fire to the sky", and with a slight force, the sword hit the gun barrel.
"嘡啷啷——"
The opponent's sword was shattered by more than four feet, and it was barely able to let go, but the tiger's mouth was shattered.
When the man saw Guo Mo, he just smiled and knew that he was no match for him.
Gritting his teeth, he swung the sword again, but no longer touched Guo Mo's gun, and greeted Guo Mo and his horse.
A general is very particular about protecting his body from above and his horse from below. Naturally, Guo Mo couldn't let him hurt his horse.
The two horses circled and fought together.
After fighting together, Guo Mo watched with cold eyes. This man was considered to be proficient in swordsmanship. He could draw and retract his sword cleanly, making him a capable general.
To paraphrase Lawrence Lu, "It's a pity that you met me so early."
After more than a dozen rounds, Guo Mo knocked his sword away, and the steel gun was pointed at the opponent's chest.
"I lost--"
There was a sadness in the man's eyes.
"You're not bad. The 'Martial Arts Examination' is over. If you don't want to go back to the original army, you can stay and find me. My name is Guo Mo."
Soon the top fifty were competed for, and Guo Mo had another competition.
The opponent is not as strong as the person just now. It seems that luck is also crucial sometimes.
If all the first fifty people in the horse race are taken, they will be considered as the people on the list for this year.
Combining the archery and strategy discussions in the first two games, the rankings of fifty people were comprehensively ranked. The top ten won the title of "Disciple of the Emperor" and were promoted to a higher rank.
And these top ten will have to compete in front of the emperor tomorrow for the top three in this "martial arts competition".
"Everyone, how do you think I performed today?"
Hiding in the crowd, an old man with white beard and eyebrows asked the people next to him.
"Hmph, it's boring. It's better to watch other people's battles."
"We have to find a way to let this kid work hard tomorrow and go back -"