On March 17, the 48th year of Kangxi, the second day after Cao Yan arrived in Beijing, it was also the day he reported to the guard camp.

As a rule, a new guard on duty like Cao Yan needs to be verified by the assistant leader, deputy commander, and commander of the banner where he is located, and then issue a document before sending it to the guard camp. However, before Cao Zhong arrived in Beijing, all kinds of relevant procedures had already been handled by Cao Zhong, and even the waist card on duty had been received. As long as Cao Yan takes these and reports to the guards, he will be considered to be on duty.

The duty of this guard battalion is the gate guard, to put it bluntly, it is to watch the gate, which is divided into inner and outer classes, and is on duty in the inner court, such as guarding the inner right gate, Shenwu Gate, and Qianqing Gate for the inner class; Those who are on duty at the Taihe Gate in the outer court are on duty. Each time he was on duty for six days, the first four days in the Old Summer Palace and the last two days in the Forbidden City. After each shift, they can rest for six days. Although the duty time is six days, because there are several shifts of guards, each shift actually only guards the door for two hours.

There were still two or three hundred meters away from the noon gate, so Cao Yan dismounted and sent Xiaoman to wait in place, while he stepped forward on foot.

There were guards guarding the gate at noon, and after checking Cao Yan's waist card, he was let in. After entering the noon gate, turn right into the Concord Gate again, and then go north along the Yong Road, turn left after passing the Arrow Pavilion, and come out of the Jingyun Gate is the Qianqing Palace Square. The room on the left side of the square is the guard office, where the Minister on duty and the pen sticker type work. The route was inquired about by Cao Yan and memorized by heart.

*

In the guard office, the minister on duty today is the commander of the military camp, Guisheng, who followed Kangxi Nan on patrol two years ago. Therefore, when I heard that people called themselves "lowly Lan Ling guard Cao Yan", I felt a little familiar. He looked at Cao Yan, and he could vaguely see the shadow of his childhood.

Guisheng said with a smile: "Long live the Lord asked a few days ago, I thought it would be a few days before you could take up your post!" As he spoke, he arranged a pen paste to collect and file all the documents brought by Cao Yan, and asked him to open the cabinet and take out the waist card in the left grid above.

Guisheng handed the waist card to Cao Yan: "Long live the Lord directly called your name and made you a third-class guard." Today, when I was on duty for you to report, I transferred you to my name. Wait for a while in the outer shift first, and then transfer you to the inner shift when you are familiar with the rules! ”

Cao Yan bowed down and replied: "The humble position is all arranged by the adult!" ”

Guisheng saw that Cao Yan was a little restrained, and waved his hand: "Your father and your uncle are my predecessors, I am like your nephew in my heart, and I will be a long son in the future, so you don't have to be so restrained, find a chair to sit on!" ”

Although Cao Yan responded in his mouth, it was not easy to take it big, and he sat on half of his ass on a chair by the door, and lowered his head to pretend to be obedient.

Guisheng nodded secretly in his heart, the Cao family is extremely prominent in Jiangnan, but its family education is extraordinary, and this Cao Yan does not have the arrogance and rudeness of a gentleman. After asking about the vacancy status of the leaders of each class of the pen sticker, Guisheng called someone to call a guard chief and pointed Cao Yan to them.

Cao Yan stood up and saw his chief.

Nashi was in his thirties, tall and mighty, glanced at Cao Yan, and saw that he was very reluctant to see that he was sven and did not have the demeanor of a martial artist.

The guards are all first-class guards, don't look at them in the palace, but they are all third-grade officials, and they are at the same level as Yin of Shuntian Mansion.

When Gui Sheng saw Nashi's long expression, he knew that he must have looked down on Cao Yan because of his appearance, so he said: "Detehei, don't you admire the archery skills of Master Cao Yin, who has set nine consecutive shots?" I also regret that I didn't have the opportunity to compete with him. 'Lao Tzu is a hero', if you are a colleague with his eldest son, you will definitely be able to achieve your wish. ”

Detehei just heard the leader say that this newcomer's subordinate is called Cao Yin, and now he knows that it is the son of Cao Yin, his face is a little happy, his eyes are a little more fanatical, and the big hand like a small dustpan has already grabbed Cao Yin's arm: "Xiao Cao, it turned out to be you, the one who praised both civil and military in person!" Haha, I almost slackened, brother, don't blame! ”

"Your Excellency is welcome!" Cao Yan said it tactfully, but he rolled his eyes in his heart, it seems that his father is still the idol of this elder. However, even if he worships his father again, he doesn't need to transfer that fanaticism to himself, does he want to pull himself to compare archery?

What are you really afraid of, what are you coming, Detehei has already spoken in the next sentence: "Let's go, go to the military barracks and school field, let's have a good competition." After speaking, Cao Yan was not allowed to refuse, and took Cao Yan's arm out, and did not forget to smile and turn back and say: "Your commander, I want to be forgiving!" ”

"You bastard, you've been thinking about fighting all day long!" Guisheng scolded with a smile.

This guard camp also rotates in the Forbidden City, but it is slightly different from the guard camp, they are guarding the Forbidden City. To put it bluntly, they were looking at the whole of the palace, and the guard camp was looking at some of the gates. Although the guards of the guard camp are distinct from the guard camp, sometimes the supervisors are in charge of each other. For example, this noble promotion has two official positions, one is the Minister of the Interior, who commands the guards; One is the commander of the guard barracks, the one who leads the guard barracks.

*

Outside the Donghua Gate, the school field of the military barracks.

In addition to the soldiers of the guard camp, there were also many guards who had not yet left the palace. It seems that many people know Detehei, some are called "Lao Hei", and some are called "Lao De". There is that lively, knowing that this Detehei likes to fight fiercely, and often brings people to this school field to compete, so they all come around.

"Old Black, who are you comparing to?" Someone asked.

"Lao De, the other party is from that battalion, and there are not many people who dare to argue with you now!" Someone is talking about it.

"Why hasn't the other party come, don't you want to give face?" Someone drove the rice to make a fuss.

Although everyone's eyes were fine, and they all saw that Detehei was followed by a beautiful young man, everyone didn't take him to heart except that they thought that this young man was handsome. In the guard camp, in addition to real warriors like Dethei, there are also many lords' sons who rely on their fathers and ancestors to do errands. In their hearts, they naturally regard Cao Yan as the latter.

"What's the noise, why don't you go find two pairs of bows with two or one and a half stones!" Detehei is accustomed to using a two-stone bow, but looking at Cao Yan, who is a little thin, he still changed his words and asked someone to find a stone and a half bow.

When the bow and arrows were brought, Detehei handed one of the bows and a barrel of arrows to Cao Yan, and picked up the other bow himself.

The onlookers were in an uproar: "What, why is this kid?" ”

"Lao Hei, you really can't find anyone, look for the master!"

All kinds of voices rang out, and all kinds of contemptuous and questioning eyes looked at Cao Yan.

Cao Yan was a little tired of his boss, but he didn't want to teach him a lesson. With so many pairs of eyes staring, why bother to be in the limelight, be low-key, low-key. Likewise, he doesn't intend to throw in the towel outright. After all, if you mix with these men in the future, if you don't show some real skills, you will be looked down upon.

After Detehei and Cao Yan each shot three arrows one after another, the doubts on the side were lowered. Everyone can see that this young man has some real kung fu in his hands. Detehei shot first, and after shooting, he looked at Cao Yan's movements, and saw that he drew the arrow and the bow skillfully, and his arm was steady when he pulled the string, knowing that he had practiced hard, he nodded with satisfaction.

When he saw the arrow on the target, Deter's face darkened. He was a little uncomfortable with this stone and a half bow, and he was anxious to see Cao Yan shoot arrows, but the last one was not well controlled, and he deviated slightly from the bullseye by half an inch. On Cao's target, there are also two medium bullseyes, one of which is about an inch away from the bull's-eye.

Although Detehei is aggressive, he is not the kind of person who thinks that "Lao Tzu is invincible in the world", because Cao Yan is the son of Cao Yin and can shoot arrows, so he preconceived that Cao Yin has superb archery skills and he must be invincible. Now seeing that he is no more, no less, only a little bit more than himself, Detehei is angry in his heart, thinking that at this time, Cao Yan looks down on him as an opponent and deliberately lets him.

Immediately, Detehei threw the bow in his hand to the ground and shouted to the surrounding crowd: "Find another pair of two stone bows for the master!" After roaring, he stared at Cao Yin: "If you dare to lose, you are not worthy of being Cao Yin's son, you are very good!" ”

No matter how well Cao Yan cultivates, he is also a little annoyed, it seems that he must win today, otherwise he will not have to raise his head to be a man in the guard camp in the future. His surname is unassuming, but he doesn't have a habit of pretending to be a grandson.

Detehei changed his accustomed two-stone bow, tried it, and the feeling was just right, and he raised his chin at Cao Yan: "You shoot first!" ”

Cao Yan was tired of Detehei's rudeness, so he didn't bother to talk to him, so he took three arrows and shot them. There are no shows, but they are all right on the bull's-eye.

Dete's black face was a little better, he held his breath, and shot three arrows with full concentration, which also hit the bull's-eye.

There was a cheer all around, and Cao Yan's three arrows shot out again, but they all hit the bull's-eye.

Deteblack followed with three arrows, and although he also hit the bull's-eye, he squeezed out two of the arrows in front of him.

Detehei looked at Cao Yan's arrow target, only to see the dense tail of the arrow, covering the bull's-eye tightly. Nine arrows were on the target, and none of them squeezed out of the target, which shows the strength of their penetration and the ingenuity of the angle.

Dete was convinced: "Change the target, this time let's shoot in a row!" ”

"No!" Cao Yan put down the bow in his hand and replied very dryly. Damn, this reckless man, you like to find someone to compete without getting in the way, it's not right to find me. He was full of slander in his heart.

When Detehei heard this, he thought that Cao Yan was planning to do it again, and he wanted to scold people when he opened his mouth. Cao Yan was afraid that he would pollute his ears again, so he said: "When I go out to see Zhenzhang in the future, is it juggling here?" ”

Detehei saw Cao Yan's expression faintly, and it seemed to make sense when he heard his words, and he looked at the guards who were making noise everywhere, but it was like watching a big show. Looking at Cao Yan again, from entering the field to the present, he is not arrogant in victory, not annoyed in defeat, not very old, but calm and calm, not as impetuous as other young people.

"Okay, Xiao Cao, archery skills are good, Lao De is convinced!" Detehei put down his bow and arrows, stepped forward and patted Cao Yan on the shoulder.

Looking around, seeing that Cao Yan won Detehei steadily, they all sighed and almost looked away. The strongest man in the army admires the most, although Cao Yan's appearance is much worse than that of the strong, but he has real kung fu in his hands. Therefore, many people asked: "This young man is good, hey, whose offspring?" ”

Detehei looked at everyone and introduced with a little pride: "This is the newly arrived third-class guard Cao Yan, and it will be ours in the future!" ”