In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era, I wrote my will in the examination hall.

Chapter 49 Betting on the Glory of Our Fathers

Yang Yan stared intently at Yang Xuangan and Yuwen Zhiji, then raised his hand in greeting.

"Brother Yang, Brother Yuwen. What's going on? Are you gentlemen planning to personally stage a 'fratricidal' drama for me?"

When Yang Xuangan and Yuwen Zhiji saw that face, they knew something was amiss. But no matter how arrogant and disdainful they were, they had to suppress their anger.

The person before them was, after all, the eldest grandson of the emperor, a member of the imperial clan who had been granted the title of Prince of the County. They were not comparable to him!

Yang Xuangan gritted his teeth, the veins on his hand gripping the knife bulging, and remained frozen for a moment.

He snorted coldly, and with a flick of his wrist, he sheathed his sword with a "whoosh".

Yuwen Zhiji's expression changed instantly, adopting a forced smile as he dismounted and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, Prince Changning."

His gaze darted back and forth between Yang Yan and Li Mi, carrying a hint of probing and a touch of malice: "You're here too? What a coincidence. It seems... Li Mi's sudden outburst was perhaps at His Highness's behest?"

These words were laced with barbs, directly accusing Yang Yan of "forming cliques for personal gain" and "sowing discord."

Upon hearing this, Yang Yan smiled gently, his eyes so clear they were unfathomable.

"Brother Yuwen, you jest."

"I only came here to see the soldiers of the Sui Dynasty, but I never expected..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group of ragged soldiers before finally settling on Yuwen Zhiji's magnificent purple robe. He said in a low voice, "But what I've witnessed is an even more spectacular 'glory of a military family' than what's on stage."

On the training ground, the wind seemed to stand still for a moment.

Yang Yan's voice was not loud, and could even be described as somewhat lukewarm, as he glanced at the three people in the center.

First, it was Yang Xuangan with a gloomy expression, then Yuwen Zhiji with a glint in his eyes, and finally it landed on Li Mi, whose face was full of resentment.

"Which of your fathers was not a pillar supporting the heavens of my Great Sui Dynasty?"

"Not to mention the Duke of Yue's sweeping conquest of Jiangnan and unification of the north and south, the Left Guard General defended the north against the Turks, and the Duke of Pushan, though a civil official, fought valiantly on the battlefield. Their swords were pointed at the enemy, to carve a path to survival for the Great Sui Dynasty!"

His tone suddenly turned cold: "And what about you? You're here, on this sacred training ground, drawing your swords against your own people?"

Yang Xuangan's hand holding the knife trembled slightly, and the muscles at the corners of his eyes twitched uncontrollably. Yuwen Zhiji, on the other hand, subconsciously shrank his neck, avoiding Yang Yan's piercing gaze.

"Conflicts of interest should be resolved in an appropriate manner."

Yang Yan put his hands behind his back and looked around. The guards who had been silent before now raised their heads and stared intently at the Prince of Changning.

"To fight like street thugs on the training ground—whose face will be lost if word gets out? Your own face? Your father's face? Or... the face of the entire noble class of our Great Sui Dynasty?!"

These words were too harsh.

It elevated this battle of egos to the level of family honor and even class dignity.

If a messy fight were to break out here today, tomorrow the Censorate's impeachments would pour into the Taiji Palace like snowflakes. At that time, not only would they be punished, but their families would also be disgraced and reprimanded by the Emperor for "failing to educate their children properly."

Yang Xuangan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging violence in his chest.

Although he was arrogant and impulsive, and considered himself unparalleled in the world, he was not the kind of brainless fool.

"Then, in Your Highness's opinion, what should be done about this matter?"

Yang Xuangan asked in a muffled voice, his sword sheathed with a clang, but his hawk-like eyes remained fixed on Li Mi, clearly still furious.

"It's very simple."

Seeing that the time was right, Yang Yan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile of complete control. That smile held the composure of a hunter watching his prey fall into his trap.

"Since this is a military dispute, let's follow military rules. Arguing is the most useless thing; it only makes us look worse."

"Seven days later, it will be the same training ground."

"Each of you shall send three men. Do not compare family backgrounds or verbal skills, but only the art of killing in the army."

"Archery, hand-to-hand combat, weapons, mounted hunting, and mounted battle, a total of five rounds, best of three."

Yang Yan's gaze swept back and forth across the three faces, his tone becoming lighter, yet even more alluring:

"Of course, we'll stop here. As for the prize... the loser will have to apologize with a bundle of thorns on his back right here on the training ground, in front of all the guards."

He paused deliberately, his eyes turning slightly mocking: "After all, this is a matter of pride among us younger generation. This act of 'bearing thorns to apologize' only represents an individual's submission to the other side, and has nothing to do with the family. I think you are all sons of military families; you should have this much sense of responsibility, right?"

"In this way, we have both determined who is superior and maintained dignity, and it further demonstrates the martial spirit of the men of our Great Sui Dynasty. What do you all think?"

Finally, he gently patted his chest, making a definitive statement: "I, Yang Yan, will be the notary for this matter."

This proposal was like an invisible yet resilient net, instantly trapping Yang Xuangan and Yuwen Zhiji within it.

reject?

That means he was afraid of Li Mi and admitted that he was a coward who only knew how to bully others. How could he hold his head high in the circle of nobles in Daxing City in the future?

promise?

Yang Xuangan was naturally not afraid. He had practiced martial arts since childhood and possessed extraordinary strength. He was not inferior even to veteran generals in the army. Dealing with Li Mi would be a piece of cake.

But Yuwen Zhiji's expression instantly turned ugly.

His eyes darted around nervously, and he inwardly groaned.

He knew his own limitations. He was good at bullying ordinary people, but if it came down to a real fight on the training ground, he probably wouldn't even be able to withstand one of Li Mi's hands.

To publicly apologize with thorns on his back would be worse than killing him!

"This..." Yuwen Zhiji was about to make an excuse to refuse when he felt the contemptuous look from Yang Xuangan beside him, as well as the "he really is a coward" look from the surrounding soldiers.

We're in a bind!

But he was quick-witted. Since His Highness said "each send three people" and didn't say that he had to participate himself, he figured that His Highness should.

Yuwen Zhiji clasped his hands in a fist and said loudly, "Very well! Since His Highness the Prince of Changning has such an interest, how could we dare not comply?"

Then, he changed the subject, his eyes turning sinister as he looked at Li Mi:

"However, I have caught a cold these past few days and may not be able to give my all. But the Yuwen family has never lacked courageous men! In three days, my elder brother Yuwen Huaji will take my place in the battle!"

Upon hearing this, a series of gasps of astonishment could be faintly heard from all around.

Yuwen Huaji!

That was a truly ruthless character. His personal bravery was in no way inferior to Yang Xuangan's, and he was also known for his cunning and viciousness. He even held a position in the Imperial Guard.

Making the older brother fight the younger brother is shameless, but it's within the rules.

Yang Xuangan simply nodded proudly: "I, Yang Xuangan, am one of them."

At this moment, all eyes were on Li Mi.

The pressure came crashing down like a mountain in an instant.

Li Mi stood there, his face somewhat stiff.

Looking at Yuwen Zhiji's smug smile and then at Yang Xuangan's battle-ready expression, a bitter feeling welled up in his heart.

What kind of nonsense is this?

Li Mi was well-versed in military strategy from a young age, possessing profound knowledge of tactics. He aspired to be a "reincarnation of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi," a commander who could strategize and win battles from afar!

How did he end up on this stage with just a few words from the Prince of Changning, where he's supposed to act like a brute and fight someone with his fists and strength?

If it comes to troop deployment and sand table simulation, what does Li Mi have to fear?

But if it's a contest of individual martial prowess...