Chapter 22

Before the words had even finished, a young man stood up, drew his sword, and sneered. "Brat, if you want a one-on-one, let's do it. Do you think I'm afraid of you? Look at your greasy face and powdered cheeks, can you even hold a sword steady? If you get hurt later, don't cry and run to your mother."

The young men around him burst into laughter, while the young men from the Northwest Gang were riled up and stood up one by one.

"A bunch of poor devils, does that thing in your hand even qualify as a sword? Do you need me to lend you one?"

"Rude and uneducated scum, daring to challenge your elders. I'll teach you a lesson today."

Before Liang Xiao could react, a sudden brawl broke out, with the Northwest Gang and the Southwest Gang fighting each other. Some were still restrained, just rolling up their sleeves, while others were more aggressive, pulling out knives and swords. Some even took out crossbows, setting up formations to cover each other, attacking and defending with a serious demeanor. The agreed one-on-one had long been forgotten.

This had to be attributed to the military service system and the relaxed weapon restrictions of the Han Dynasty.

The Han Dynasty implemented universal conscription, with men being registered at the age of twenty and starting military service at twenty-three. They trained for a year locally, then served a year in the capital or at the border, and afterward became reservists, ready to be called up at any time, organized by local authorities, and trained during the off-season. The government also held annual inspections of the troops to assess the results of the year's training.

The main training content included two aspects: individual combat skills, such as proficiency with swords, spears, bows, and shields, and tactical formations, focusing on coordination. Regular training kept their skills sharp, and they could be quickly mobilized for battle when needed.

On the other hand, the Han Dynasty had relatively relaxed rules about carrying weapons. Ordinary knives and swords were no problem, and even powerful crossbows were carried by some, despite repeated bans by the court, which were often ignored. Liang Xiao himself had a small crossbow that he carried with him every day, and no one tried to confiscate it.

Although these young men had not undergone formal training, they were familiar with the concepts from their surroundings. When the fight suddenly broke out, they organized themselves well, not at all inferior.

In comparison, the Northwest Gang was stronger. First, these young men came from better-off families and were physically robust. Second, many of their families had taken in wandering knights and fugitives from various regions, from whom they learned genuine killing techniques. Compared to the Southwest Gang, who only knew basic martial skills, they had a clear advantage.

This was also why the Northwest Gang always looked down on others.

The battle had barely begun when the Southwest Gang could no longer hold their ground. Their formation was disrupted, and they fled in all directions. The Northwest Gang, unwilling to let up, scattered and chased them all over the mountain. For a moment, Mount Jin Kui was bustling with activity, and even Tu Niu couldn't resist joining the fray. He grabbed the most aggressive young man in brocade and beat him mercilessly, only to be pulled away and beaten by several other young men in brocade, howling in pain.

The scene was lively and intense, and although the number of participants was not large, the momentum was strong.

Zhongli Qi sat at a distance, very calm. He had seen such scenes too many times and was used to them. He only cared about Liang Xiao and Tu Niu. Liang Xiao was sitting in a tree, out of danger, and Tu Niu, despite his loud cries, broke through the encirclement with his brute strength. Zhongli Qi thus had the leisure to sit and watch the show.

A few others were as relaxed as Zhongli Qi. Five burly young men surrounded a young man in brocade, occupying a high ground and watching with great interest. The young man was about fifteen or sixteen, wearing a cap, with clear features and bright eyes. He crossed his arms, eyes fixed on the intense battle, occasionally talking to the young men around him.

Liang Xiao sat in the tree, feeling very lonely and depressed.

You bunch of scene-stealers, I'm the main character here. This is the carefully planned setup I created. How did it become your stage? Audiences are just audiences; can't you have a bit of professional ethics?

Hu Lai was just as depressed.

In Hu Lai's plan, this was originally a private matter, and he didn't intend to make a big fuss. The time set was the hour of You, and he planned to leave the city after sunset. At that time, the city gates would be closing, and he knew the guards at the West Gate, so he could return at any time. Others, however, would rush back to avoid being locked out, and no one would notice him.

However, his plans were foiled. Someone had spread the word, and within half a day, almost every young man in the city knew he was going to have a one-on-one with Liang Xiao at Mount Jin Kui.

Hu Lai originally didn't want to pay attention to them, but as more and more people headed to Mount Jin Kui, he couldn't keep his cool.

If he didn't go, wouldn't people think he was afraid and fleeing the scene?

Hu Lai couldn't afford to lose face, so he brought his followers to Mount Jin Kui. When he arrived, seeing the young men chasing and fleeing all over the mountain, he was even more furious. How could there be so many people, and why were they fighting each other? Was this his duel with Liang Xiao, or a group fight?

Like Liang Xiao, Hu Lai felt his scene was being stolen.

"Everyone, stop!" Hu Lai roared, his face flushed with effort.

The young men, who were fighting enthusiastically, stopped at his shout. Seeing the main event about to start, they looked at each other with mutual disdain, shouting that they would continue later, and gathered in small groups to watch the show.

Hu Lai was satisfied. He glanced at Liang Xiao, who was sitting in the tree, and frowned. "Come down. Do you have a pair of monkey arms, or do you want to be a monkey?"

Liang Xiao remained unmoved. He was in the highest position and had the clearest view. When Hu Lai arrived, Zhongli Qi also came and sat at the spot where Tu Niu had ambushed him, only thirty steps from the battlefield, ready to help at any moment.

Liang Xiao felt reassured. With this expert watching the battle, Hu Lai wouldn't have much of a chance to act out. However, he also noticed Hu Lai's followers. They were all agile and fierce-looking, clearly not good people.

What made Liang Xiao most uneasy was a young man in his early twenties. He was quiet and cold, but his eyes were sharp. While many of Hu Lai's followers carried bows and swords, he only had a bow and arrows, no other weapons.

Clearly, he was very confident in his archery skills, which is why he dared to go without a knife or sword for self-defense.

Liang Xiao was on high alert but showed no sign of it on his face. Hearing Hu Lai's call, he laughed. "Hu Lai, you proposed the duel, and you chose the time and place. I came as agreed, but you were late. Isn't that a bit impolite?"

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