This was akin to the description in “On Military Campaigns” by the famous scholar Lu Ji of the Western Jin Dynasty.

In the earlier incitements, Qiao Yan indeed emphasized the agility of the Tun cavalry, but the Yue cavalry, accustomed to mountainous terrain and crossing streams, also showed no inferiority.

Even when they weren’t the primary targets of the incoming wooden arrows, they demonstrated their ability to maneuver through perilous paths, shooting as they rode.

Especially the centurion of the Yue cavalry, who from the moment the Hu cavalry broke through the ranks, held his breath to prove that their unit was no less capable than the other two.

Equipped with specially crafted arrows similar to those given to the Changshui battalion, she bent her bow and silently aimed not to defend against incoming fire but to target the opposing commander, Wang Kuang!

This was the very plan suggested to her during a casual conversation with Guo Jia last night.

What greater achievement than breaking through enemy lines than eliminating their commander!

In the gaps between dodging arrows, She held her breath, and with focused precision, She let loose an arrow.

The soft-tipped arrow, marked with paint, struck Wang Kuang squarely in the neck!

Despite the diminished force upon impact, the smear of paint remained on him.

And thus—

The commander eliminated!

Although this didn’t mean the immediate end of the battle, considering the current advantage, there was no need for any futile resistance.

“Good!” Liu Hong immediately applauded, “Go reward that centurion from the Yue cavalry.”

Internal conflicts among the Northern Army’s five Divison did not diminish his royal authority.

After all, the victors among them still defended the capital with great importance.

But the elimination of Wang Kuang with this arrow was something Liu Hong truly enjoyed seeing.

Indeed!

Legitimately recommending a general’s candidate and then eliminating them under the pretext of battle disadvantage—no one could perceive it as targeting.

Speaking of which, who was the next opponent he prepared for Qiao Yan?

Guo Jia rubbed his nearly frozen hands and turned to see Qiao Yan still calmly composed in the cold wind, remarking admiringly about Qiao Yan’s physique.

“Wang Kuang’s army lacks strong commanders and is not numerous in battle.

Qiao Hou’s victory with a strong offensive formation in this battle is unsurprising. But in the next battle…” Guo Jia glanced in a certain direction, “the leader there may not be extraordinary, but his general seem formidable.”

Guo Jia addressing him as ‘general’ directly was quite significant.

Following Guo Jia’s voice, Qiao Yan looked over and saw his next opponent approaching.

Facing his opponent Dong Min, who also seemed poised for victory, Qiao Yan believed there was no other possibility for his opponent.

As Guo Jia had predicted, Dong Min’s own abilities were mediocre, and he wasn’t the core of his team.

This minor disconnect was insignificant compared to the team as a whole.

In this critical moment of conveying commands, it was the advancing general, Xu Rong, who emerged as the leader of the entire team.

Dong Min had indeed borrowed Xu Rong, a formidable leader, from his elder brother.

This Xu Rong was none other than Xu Rong, who stationed his troops at Yingyang.

He defeated Cao Cao and Bao Xin at the Battle of Bian River, and also triumphed over Sun Jian at the Battle of Liangdong.

He was a true seasoned general.

As for whether bringing Xu Rong was cheating—Qiao Yan had brought Dian Wei and Guo Jia himself.

With Xu Rong in the army, Dong Min’s influence undoubtedly grew significantly.

“Master Xiahao,” Qiao Yan observed calmly as the opponent’s troops regrouped without chaos, thinking to himself that Liangzhou was indeed a battlefield that tested generals’ mettle.

Xu Rong’s victories over Cao Cao and Sun Jian were not merely due to their unfavorable circumstances at the time. “The next battle will depend on you.”

Although surprised that Wang Kuang had lost to Qiao Yan, Dong Min nonchalantly threw a challenging look at Qiao Yan.

What a confident display of holding the winning cards…

Qiao Yan flexed his wrists twice, calmly returning a “hello” gesture to his opponent.

Liu Hong, watching from the high platform, couldn’t see the undercurrents below but was delighted by what he had witnessed today:

Qiao Yan’s victory over Wang Kuang and Jianshuo successfully advancing to the next round.

After returning to the palace, he even managed to sleep peacefully, a rare occasion.

After two days of rest, during the second round of matches, his attention was already focused on the scene where Qiao Yan was engaged in combat.

Sixteen candidates, after two rounds of pairing off, had dwindled to nine—essentially, the individuals he had chosen as the prefects of the West Garden Eight Division and General of the North.

If Qiao Yan could defeat Dong Min, it would undoubtedly remove a major headache for him.

If not, at most, it would secure a position for He Jin among them.

Judging by Dong Zhuo’s situation, whether Dong Min would truly obey He Jin’s commands remained uncertain.

Therefore, letting him in wouldn’t hurt.

Liu Hong couldn’t help but raise his expectations of Qiao Yan a bit without reason.

Her swift takeover of military affairs was somewhat unexpected.

But if…

In deep thought, Liu Hong was considering a more special scenario when he suddenly heard the drums announcing the start of the duel.

As he opened his eyes, he saw Dong Min’s troops, not led by Xu Rong as expected, but launching the attack first.

Under the leadership of Xu Rong, a fierce general, the Chángshuǐ Camp, already known for its exceptional bravery, now displayed astonishing momentum.

And it wasn’t just the Changshui Camp.

Although Xu Rong served under Dong Zhuo, he hailed from Liaodong and understood why the Tuqiyi of Yu Province, feared under Emperor Guangwu of Han, became a terror.

Under his command, these two forces launched a joint assault, matching the cavalry’s impressive aura shown by Qiao Yan the previous day.

In such a clash, the leadership of the generals would likely determine the outcome.

However, there was still some distance between the two sides.

Qiao Yan’s camp had already adjusted its formation:

Infantry, led by Dian Wei, marched shielded and disrupted with crossbow volleys, swiftly forming a phalanx ahead of the main army.

Without waiting for Xu Rong to exploit the advantage of his cavalry on the flanks, the enemy’s Yueqi Camp and Changshui Camp had already positioned themselves to guard the wings of their hooked formation.

The enemy’s flags changed with disciplined order, clearly under the command of their central general.

As they faced each other, he could barely discern the features under their helmets.

But the enemy’s main commander, wielding a shield as if a blade, possessed astonishing strength that demanded his attention.

Xu Rong quickly reined in his horse, dodging a leg attack from Dian Wei’s long shield.

He swung a long pole, but Dian Wei effortlessly held onto it, surprising Xu Rong.

Dian Wei’s prowess made him a formidable warrior, no wonder Qiao Yan dared to lead infantry at the forefront in such a battle.

However, just then, a sudden change occurred!

Amidst Xu Rong and Dian Wei’s struggle, a gap suddenly opened on Qiao Yan’s left flank.

The Tunqi Camp, not assigned to defend the flank, swiftly rode out under her command.

Despite the biting winter wind, her chestnut steed raced like wildfire, leading the charge without intent to engage Xu Rong.

Her target was none other than Dong Min!