The prefecture capital's drill ground was situated to the south, several times larger than the one in Jiangyin County. Enclosed by walls of blue-gray stone, an expansive open flat ground stretched across the center.
To the east, a raised viewing platform had been erected, set with tables and chairs—seats designated for presiding officials like the Xuzhou Prefect and Vice Prefect.
Below the platform sat the commoners and constables like Gu Qingyun.
Gu Qingyun sat in the front row, watching the excited spectators with a slight twitch of her lips. Who knew who had come up with this scheme, but they were actually selling tickets.
Any citizen wishing to enter and watch the constables compete had to pay according to where they sat to see the events up close. The cheapest seats cost five copper coins, while the most expensive went for a full tael of silver.
The drill ground could accommodate several thousand people, so the reward money for the constables likely came straight from ticket sales.
She had no idea what genius had devised this, but how was it any different from a modern concert? The only difference was that the constables were the monkeys on display.
Head Constable Liu and the others came once every three years and were already accustomed to it, but it was Gu Qingyun’s first time, and she found it somewhat novel.
Head Constable Liu secretly tugged Gu Qingyun’s sleeve and nodded toward a certain direction.
“Qingyun, look over there. That dark-faced fellow in the lead is the head constable of Changyun County, named Chu Yang.
“Just like your Uncle Liu here, he’s a head constable. Changyun County takes second place every tournament, and his martial prowess is formidable. I couldn't beat him—I was defeated in just four or five exchanges.”
Gu Qingyun looked in the direction he indicated. The dark-faced man was tall and burly, standing well over eight chi tall.
With broad shoulders and a thick back, his muscles bulged under his clothes as he talked and laughed heartily with the men beside him.
Judging by that physique, he clearly possessed immense strength. He looked to be in his late twenties, so it was only natural that Head Constable Liu had lost to him.
“Look over that way. That’s Qian Lie, the head constable of third-place Yumen County.
“He’s not a brute-force type, but his Qinggong is remarkably swift and his footwork is lightning-fast. Slippery as an eel, he can wear down opponents on the arena stage until they collapse from exhaustion.
“Hey, their county has a female constable this year too! Qingyun, looks like you’ve got competition.”
The speaker was Zhang San, another veteran competitor who had attended the previous tournament.
Wu Yong leaned in from the side and chimed in softly,
“I didn’t attend last time; Wang Hu and the others went. Since they aren't here this time, our county is probably going to end up near the bottom.
“Don’t feel pressured, Qingyun. Head Constable Liu and the others placed fifth from the bottom last time. As long as we don’t finish dead last, we won't lose face. The County Magistrate probably already expects as much.”
Dark lines of exasperation covered Gu Qingyun’s face.
“If we do that, won’t the spectators 【boo】 us?”
Her gaze fell upon the female constable. The woman had a slender figure and fair, delicate features, with a pair of short swords sheathed at her waist. Clad in crisp white martial attire, she looked valiant and heroic.
Gu Qingyun admired her quite a bit. Her family had to be fairly well-off for her to dare wear white. White was notoriously hard to keep clean! Constables ended up caked in dust and dirt every single day, so keeping that spotless would waste an awful lot of scented soap.
Who said there were no martial experts in ancient times? These people were all experts, weren't they? Gu Qingyun let her mind wander. Seeing that Head Constable Liu didn't continue introducing the others, she quickly asked,
“Uncle Liu, you haven’t mentioned first place yet.”
Head Constable Liu wore a crestfallen look.
“Qingyun, first place naturally belongs to the prefecture capital’s constables. That doesn't even need mentioning.
“Just look for the character 【Prefecture】 on their uniforms so you don't fight the wrong person. In these competitions, worldly wisdom and tact come into play. You’ve still got plenty to learn.”
“Don’t stress yourself out, either. We don’t care about that bit of prize silver this year—not that we could win it even if we cared, so it’s better not to think about it at all.
“For us, participation is what matters. Over the next few days, all of our meals are covered by the prefecture capital, so as long as we eat enough to get our money’s worth before heading back, that’ll do.”
Gu Qingyun: “...” She was truly at a loss for words.
After a moment, the resounding clang of a bronze gong echoed across the grounds. Gu Qingyun and the constables from the fifteen counties stood up, each team lining up in their marked formation, their eyes fixed intently upon the Prefect seated on the high platform.
Dressed in a scarlet official robe and official cap, the Prefect looked solemn and dignified. After delivering a short speech, he declared the start of the tournament.
The first event was an endurance run. Each competitor had five-kilogram sandbags strapped to their hands, waist, and legs, and they were to run twenty laps around the open ground in the center to determine the top three.
Once Gu Qingyun and the others were strapped and ready, a man rose from the platform. Going by his attire, he was a Registrar.
“Constables, all of you are the finest elites from your respective counties! Endurance is the bedrock upon which every constable must stand.
“Hunting down killers, capturing thieves, escorting prisoners, and long-distance pursuits all demand stamina. Give it your all!”
After offering a few words of encouragement, the Registrar waved his arm.
“Begin!”
The bronze gong clanged once more, and seventy-five constables bolted forward like loosed arrows.
Running at the front, just as expected, were the three head constables from the prefecture capital, Changyun County, and Yumen County, while Head Constable Liu and the Jiangyin County group lagged behind.
Gu Qingyun glanced back. Sure enough, they were running fifth from the rear. They truly didn’t want to exert a shred of extra effort, aiming only to maintain last year's ranking.
Gu Qingyun took a deep breath. This wouldn't do. When she went home, if her grandma, her mother, Xiao Guai, and the others asked about it and learned she had finished near the bottom, wouldn't her towering heroic image crumble to dust?
She spoke up directly:
“Uncle Liu, you guys jog slowly in the back. I’m heading up front!”
Without waiting for Head Constable Liu and the others to respond, she surged forward in pursuit. Constable Liu tried to call out to stop her from behind, but she was already gone.
At first, the runners ahead maintained a brisk pace, but Gu Qingyun steadily increased her speed, quietly overtaking several people before anyone realized what was happening.
Soon, some constables with weaker stamina began to slow down, but Gu Qingyun maintained her pace without flagging.
Gradually, the only runners ahead of her were the top three head constables from the previous tournament and the female constable from today.
The female constable was remarkably agile with exceptional foot speed. Gu Qingyun could tell at a glance that she specialized in Qinggong, which was truly rare.
Bearing Head Constable Liu’s warning in mind not to overtake the prefecture head constable ahead, Gu Qingyun kept her pace steady and trailed not far behind him—one lap, then two.
She continued trailing him like that until the final lap, when the prefecture head constable suddenly kicked into high gear and surged forward.
Gu Qingyun raised an eyebrow. This prefecture head constable really did have some skill; he wasn't just coasting on his reputation.
Her expression never wavered. When he accelerated, she accelerated; when he slowed, she slowed, firmly staying right behind him and maintaining second place.
Several laps behind, Head Constable Liu and the others caught sight of her and were utterly stunned. Wu Yong stood with his mouth agape.
“Good grief... I knew Qingyun had great strength and was capable, but I never dreamed she was this formidable!
“Looks like our county might be the dark horse this year! If Lord Magistrate hears of this, who knows how much praise he’ll shower upon us!”
“You certainly love putting a feather in your own cap. If not for Qingyun, could us old bones ever be a dark horse?
“Sigh, Qingyun hasn’t been with us long enough, and mounted archery is her weak point. I wonder how she’ll fare in the other events,” Head Constable Liu sighed.
“Come on, don't overthink it. You can't measure Qingyun by ordinary standards. Tsk-tsk, if she really takes a spot, we’ll be returning home in glory this time!”
Gu Qingyun had no idea her colleagues were spinning such elaborate thoughts. Right now, she was in the middle of a full-out sprint, trailing only ten-odd meters behind the prefecture head constable.
“You're quite something, female constable, but first place is definitely mine!”
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