Zhao Hu was the leader of Yuan Cong's faction in the military. He had followed Xiao Ruxun from the beginning of Xiao Ruxun's rise to power. His status was the highest in the military.
The other two leaders of Yuan Cong's faction were responsible for the artillery and police respectively. They did not seem to be enough to compete in the military.
Ma Wei was the representative of the younger generation. He had risen in the campaign against the Dong Wu Country and was the leader of the Ma Family Generals in the military.
His status was only second to the leaders of Yuan Cong's faction. He had led Vermillion Bird Camp and had made great contributions. So he did not give an inch when facing Zhao Hu.
This was almost a battle between two major factions in the military.
Xiao Ruxun had appointed Wang Hui as the judge of this competition because Wang Hui wasn't just an important member of Yuan Cong's faction, he had also won a great victory together with Ma Wei in the northwest. He wasn't just a hero to Yuan Cong's faction, he was also Ma Wei's friend. He was a person that both sides could accept.
Xiao Ruxun was only here to watch the battle and cheer for both sides. She did not support anyone, nor did she favor anyone.
Zhao Hu and Ma Wei followed beside Xiao Ruxun and accompanied Xiao Ruxun to watch the battle.
The first battle of the competition was a horse battle. It was divided into individual horse battles and group horse battles. In the individual horse battle, Azure Dragon Camp and Vermillion Bird Camp would each choose their strongest three riders to fight. It could not be a general. They could only choose middle and lower ranking officers and soldiers.
Xiao Ruxun announced the start of the competition. The three strongest riders of Azure Dragon Camp and Vermillion Bird Camp swung long wooden sticks wrapped in cloth and started to fight.
In order to avoid being heavily injured, both sides still had to wear protective gear. This was not a battle to the death, but in the eyes of Zhao Hu and Ma Wei, this was about the same as a battle to the death. Ma Wei and Zhao Hu ordered the people in their troops — if they could not kill, then kill!
As soon as the war drums sounded, the two cavalrymen charged at each other in the huge open space surrounded by tens of thousands of people. They fought to the death with each other using the skills that they were best at on horseback. It was a marvelous battle.
Soon, the outcome of the three matches was decided. The Azure Dragon Camp, which had a stronger military force, won the match. Two wins and one loss. Zhao Hu's face was smiling like a blooming chrysanthemum, which was very funny. Ma Wei's expression was as ugly as if a family member had died.
"Ma Zi, did you see that? This is a true cavalry! "
Zhao Hu could not help but mock Ma Wei.
Ma Wei was furious. "Old Tiger Head! Don't be so arrogant! I'm telling you! The best in group battles were the cavalry! War is fought as a whole, not as an individual! "
"Humph! Whole? I'm even less afraid of you in a group battle! "
Zhao Hu and Ma Wei glared fiercely at each other. Xiao Ruxun smiled helplessly but did not plan on saying anything.
Soon, the group battle began. Both sides sent out one hundred cavalrymen to start a cavalry group battle, competing on tactics and combat ability. The Azure Dragon Camp and the Vermillion Bird Camp each sent out their strongest one hundred cavalrymen. Both sides sent out their strongest middle-level cavalry officer as the commander. They fought with all their might.
This battle was fought to the boiling point. The war drums rumbled, and the roars of the soldiers watching the battle were earth-shaking. Those who did not know would really think that an ultimate battle of life and death was happening here.
In the end, Zhao Hu still won. Zhao Hu looked proudly at Ma Wei whose face had turned the color of a pig's liver and taunted Ma Wei. Ma Wei was so angry he was panting heavily. If it wasn't that Xiao Ruxun was at the side, Ma Wei would have the impulse to pull out his blade and have a bloody battle with Zhao Hu.
"Old Tiger Head! Don't be too proud! This is the first match! "
"The first match? I'm going to destroy all of you! "
The two glared viciously at each other. Seeing that they were about to fight, Xiao Ruxun hurriedly moved to block the two.
"Alright, alright, what did I say? Competition is second, friendship is first. This is an exchange competition, not a battle. Victory and defeat are not so important. No matter who wins or loses, you are not allowed to glare at each other! Do you understand? "
Xiao Ruxun used the authority of an emperor to stop the two from continuing to quarrel. The two snorted out of respect for Xiao Ruxun, sat back in their seats, and continued to watch the competition.
In the cavalry battle, Vermillion Bird Camp had lost completely. They could not lose in the infantry battle. The infantry battle was a battle of formations. Gunners and blade and shield soldiers would form formations to fight against each other. It was a simulation of war and could best reflect the strength of the two sides. Both sides sent out five hundred soldiers to fight each other until the sky darkened.
In the end, Vermillion Bird Camp used the price of three hundred and sixty-seven people to "kill" the five hundred people of Azure Dragon Camp and obtained victory.
This time, it was Ma Wei's turn to have a good time. Looking at Zhao Hu's face, which had turned as red as a pig's liver, Ma Wei laughed heartily. He kept mocking Zhao Hu, saying that he was just an empty shell and that there was no use in just having a cavalry.
This time, it was terrible. Zhao Hu was so angry that he wanted to fight Ma Wei but was stopped by Xiao Ruxun again.
"Two generals, how can you fight in front of so many people? Sit down! If you dare to do this again, I'll take away your pay! "
Xiao Ruxun could not allow the two to really fight and could only forcefully stop them like this.
The competition continued. This round was a battle of cannon soldiers. Accuracy was not considered with muskets, but the speed of consecutive shots and the familiarity of three section strikes. This was the rule that Xiao Ruxun had set down. It was not based on accuracy, but on the number of shots a platoon of soldiers could fire in a set amount of time.
This tested the familiarity of the cannon soldiers with using the musket, if they knew the entire process by heart, if they were skilled cannon soldiers and so on.
In the end, the Vermillion Bird Camp cannon soldiers that were more familiar with firearms after the successive battles in Sichuan won. They shot six more times than the cannon soldiers of Azure Dragon Camp and obtained the status of the victor.
Ma Wei happily leaned back in his chair and glanced sideways at Zhao Hu who was panting heavily.
Xiao Ruxun looked at Zhao Hu's hands tightly gripping the armrests of his chair and feared that he would break the armrests of his chair.
It was no wonder that Zhao Hu was so angry. The competition was between two armies, but the people watching were not just from the two armies. Basically, people from all parts of the court had come to watch. He had lost face to the entire court. In the future, he wouldn't be able to raise his head when he walked, wouldn't dare to speak loudly, and wouldn't know what to say when he saw Ma Wei.
How humiliating was that?
Zhao Hu included the training of infantry and cannon soldiers in the next year's key training program.
Coincidentally, Ma Wei also included the training of cavalry in the next year's key training program.
Both sides had their own dissatisfaction and decisions.
In the following battle between archers, accuracy had to be considered. Each side prepared a target and competed in accuracy to see who could shoot more accurately.
Xiao Ruxun introduced the concept of ten rings and had both sides send out their strongest archers to compete. Not only were there individual competitions, there were also group competitions and individual and group moving target competitions. The competition was very comprehensive.
Zhao Hu and Ma Wei each held a Monocular and stared hard at the arena. They would yell for a while and then yell for a while. They were in a state of extreme excitement, and there was no need to mention how excited they were.
In the end, Zhao Hu's Azure Dragon Camp won. They won three out of four competitions. Zhao Hu felt elated and proud as he looked at Ma Wei, whose face had turned green.
Ma Wei hadn't thought that he would lose to Zhao Hu in the archery event and was so angry that he panted heavily.
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