Few in the audience responded, but everyone wore the same look of doubt, gazing at Liang Xiao.
The Great Qian Iron Guard might become the absolute mainstay of the Great Qian nation.
How could such an elite force be led by a scholar incapable of fighting on the battlefield?
Liang Xiao did not react with the embarrassment the crowd might have expected. Instead, he smiled calmly and nodded, "A good question!"
"My Lord, may I say a word?" Yue Qingtian asked timidly.
Liang Xiao nodded. "You may go first. Be mindful of your words."
Yue Qingtian acknowledged this, stepped forward, took the twin iron halberds from his back, gripped them, and let out a roar that echoed throughout the field.
"I am my Lord's personal guard, the captain of the Qingtian Guard, Yue Qingtian. When we take to the battlefield, I will risk my life to protect my Lord!"
This towering figure finally drew the attention of the Iron Guards.
What a magnificent physique, clearly that of a fierce warrior!
Nan Jiyun added, "Earlier, I sparred with Captain Yue and admitted defeat!"
The crowd showed solemn respect, no longer daring to doubt Yue Qingtian's martial prowess.
Nan Jiyun was unmatched in the barracks with his iron spear!
Only Liang Xiao, Lü Changhe, and Chen Shaoling silently scorned Nan Jiyun: this fellow usually spoke the most cowardly words, but on the battlefield, he took down enemies one by one with his spear.
Just as everyone was being impressed by Yue Qingtian's imposing presence, Liang Xiao spoke. "You all worry about my safety, and I understand. General Nan, may I borrow your bow and arrows?"
The crowd was puzzled.
Nan Jiyun did not hesitate, taking off the Yellow Heaven-Shaking Bow and quiver from his back and handing them to Liang Xiao.
Under the bewildered gaze of the crowd, Liang Xiao produced an archer's thumb ring from his treasure pouch and an arrow from the quiver. He nocked the arrow and drew the bow on the spot.
Watching Liang Xiao draw the Heaven-Shaking Bow, Nan Jiyun, Lü Changhe, and Lü Yi's expressions changed simultaneously.
This Heaven-Shaking Bow was far more than a mere three-stone bow!
He had drawn it so easily??
"Whoosh!"
The arrow shot out into the distance, seemingly aimlessly, eventually losing its momentum and falling to the ground.
Liang Xiao shot five arrows in succession in different directions.
"What is he doing?" the crowd looked confused.
No aim, no target, was this just for fun?
"Embarrassing himself! He's obviously trying to show off and failed!" Dugu Yuncheng and others in the distance scoffed.
Chen Shaoling furrowed his brows, unsure what Liang Xiao was up to.
They had watched Liang Xiao practice archery before, and he had hit the bullseye!
Now, he was shooting randomly without any pattern?
Only Nan Jiyun seemed thoughtful.
Lü Yi was about to remind Liang Xiao to mind his image when he heard Liang Xiao say, "Watch me hit the golden log directly above the main gate of the training field with just one arrow."
Everyone followed the direction of Liang Xiao's arrow and looked up. Directly above the main gate of the training field, there was indeed a golden log, less than an inch in diameter and less than two inches long.
"The training field gate is at least 150 paces away!" the crowd was skeptical, thinking Liang Xiao was joking.
With his archery skill just displayed, could he hit such a small target from 150 paces away?
Nan Jiyun, who understood the difficulty of drawing the Heaven-Shaking Bow the most, remained silent, quietly watching Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao drew the Heaven-Shaking Bow, seemingly with even greater ease than he had.
But his accuracy just now was questionable…
The entire field fell silent, everyone wanting to see what trick Liang Xiao was playing.
Liang Xiao slowly took another arrow, drew the Heaven-Shaking Bow again, and locked his gaze onto the golden log.
"Whoosh!"
The crowd heard a sound of air being rent, and upon looking, saw that the arrow had pierced the golden log, lodging itself right in the center!
The field fell into a brief, dead silence, then erupted in earth-shattering cheers: "Good!"
Dugu Yuncheng's eyes widened, as if witnessing the most incredible sight of his life!
Hitting the target from a hundred paces was nothing more than this!
Liang Xiao's expression remained unchanged. He took another arrow and shot… the second arrow pushed the first one out, embedding itself in the center of the log in its place!
Thunderous applause filled the field!
They understood, of course, that Liang Xiao was proving that his first shot was not a fluke…
Nan Jiyun also recovered from his shock and exclaimed with a sigh, "This subordinate understands! The Marquis of Anguo was merely familiarizing himself with this bow and arrows just now!"
The crowd suddenly realized and sighed in admiration again, "So that's how it is!"
In just a few practice shots, he could roughly master the power of a formidable bow. It was truly incredible!
Lü Yi and Lü Changhe were stunned, exclaiming in disbelief, "Marvelous…"
General Tian had never used a bow and arrow, and Nan Jiyun dared not guarantee he could hit such a distant and small target with a single shot! If Liang Xiao truly was General Tian, why hadn't he brought his bow and arrows back then?
Jian Qinwan and Chen Shaoling were shocked, and even Liang Zhan, the retainer Liang Xiao had brought, stood frozen.
While scholars of Great Qian studied the Six Arts, could any ordinary scholar possess such archery skills??
Once they recovered, Jian Qinwan and Chen Shaoling couldn't help but mutter under their breaths. Even Nan Jiyun, with his stern demeanor, narrowed his eyes.
With Liang Xiao's skill, he had asked Nan Jiyun for pointers before?
Simply shameless!
"A flower thief is still a flower thief, full of schemes, always deceiving people…" Jian Qinwan’s gaze was wistful, yet her heart was filled with joy.
Such archery skills, if not unparalleled in this era, were at least top-tier!
"Commander, we submit! We are convinced!" The soldiers below cheered incessantly.
Setting aside his martial arts prowess, this archery skill alone was enough for Liang Xiao to protect himself on the battlefield. It was not impossible for him to occasionally kill an enemy general with a shot!
Dugu Yuncheng, who had been waiting for Liang Xiao to fail so he could humiliate him, could only leave with a grim expression, flicking his sleeves!
Liang Xiao smiled and remained silent, returning the Heaven-Shaking Bow to Nan Jiyun.
Nan Jiyun held the bow, wanting to speak but hesitating.
"General Nan, there's no need to gift me one. I don't use bows as frequently as you do," Liang Xiao finally said.
His target was the Qin Saint's Sunset Bow!
Nan Jiyun smiled and put away the bow and arrows, cupping his hands in admiration again.
In this brief roll call, no one in the entire legion questioned Liang Xiao anymore; everyone listened attentively.
Liang Xiao then continued, "I heard that armies of various countries experience the phenomenon of 'camp howling'."
The crowd was taken aback.
Camp howling was when soldiers, due to various reasons causing excessive stress, would eventually cry out, howl, or scream at night, a troublesome phenomenon that was difficult to eradicate.
The Northern Border barracks sometimes experienced camp howling. While it didn't lead to mutiny, it was quite troublesome to deal with.
Liang Xiao announced loudly, "When there's no outlet for release, the pressure can become too great. I've thought of a method. I shall teach you a military song. You can sing it during your free time; it might be effective."
"A military song?" The crowd was surprised and uncertain.
"Why say there are no clothes, when we share the same armor…" The soldiers of the Northern Border barracks sometimes recited these poems, but this was not exactly a song.
After asking everyone to be quiet, Liang Xiao sang loudly, with great passion!
[The wolf smoke rises, the land looks north, the dragon banner rolls, the horses whinny, sword qi like frost. Hearts like the vast Yellow River, for twenty years of sweeping through, who can contend? Hatred boils, the long saber points forward, how many loyal souls buried in foreign lands? Why regret a hundred deaths to repay the homeland? To sigh, to have nothing more to say, tears of blood fill the eyes.
Hooves gallop south, men gaze north, men gaze north, grass turns yellow, dust flies. I wish to defend the land and reclaim the borders, our mighty Great Qian shall make all directions—come and pay tribute!]
Liang Xiao's impassioned singing echoed through the training field. The expressions of the crowd shifted from initial confusion to shock, and then to excitement.
By the time Liang Xiao finished, the soldiers' eyes were red, and they cheered with choked sobs.
Jian Qinwan and Chen Shaoling even shed tears!
How many loyal souls were buried in foreign lands? Half of the disciples of the Heavenly Mountain had gone to the Helan Mountains to fight the barbarians, sacrificing themselves for the country, dying heroically, with not a single survivor!
Lü Yi's eyes were red as he sighed several times and asked, "This song is truly stirring and blood-boiling. Does it have a name?"
"Jing Zhong Bao Guo!"