Fan Xian's heart trembled, but his face remained respectful. He lowered his eyes, avoiding the young Emperor's gaze, but he was too embarrassed to look at the empress dowager. The old faces of the grand tutor and the Prime Minister were meaningless, so his gaze naturally fell on the table next to the grand tutor.
That table was empty. He didn't know which official had not arrived yet. Just as she was thinking, a person walked out from behind a pillar by the Chang Palace pool. He bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor in the hall, and then very naturally sat down at that table. A palace maid had already gone to pour wine.
This man was dressed in black. He was tall and slender, full of power. His eyes were as calm as an ancient well, bottomless. The strangest thing was that he wore a chain around his waist. He carried two curved knives with him as he entered the hall. This man was quite daring!
Fan Xian sucked in a breath of cold air. He tilted his head and asked Lin Jing, "Who is this? To be able to sit next to the grand tutor and bring knives into the palace, he must be an incredible person. "
Lin Jing quietly introduced him. "This is Imperial Advisor Ku He's first disciple, Sir Lang Tiao. He is the commander of the imperial guards in the palace, but I've heard that in recent years he has mainly been in charge of the Emperor's martial cultivation. He doesn't really manage affairs."
Fan Xian made an "oh" sound, as if he had just understood. With a hint of shock, he said, "So this is Miss Haitang's senior disciple. No wonder he has such a high status."
At this moment, Lang Tiao's calm gaze had already landed on Fan Xian's face.
Fan Xian smiled and raised the wine cup in his hand in a friendly gesture. He gestured to Lang Tiao, his lips slightly parted, and soundlessly said two words: "Hello."
Lang Tiao frowned. No one knew what he was thinking. After a moment's hesitation, he finally raised the cup in his hand and drank with Fan Xian from a distance.
Lin Jing quietly said to Fan Xian, "Sir, this man really should be on good terms with you. It's a pity that you have to leave for home the day after tomorrow. This is your first time meeting him."
Fan Xian put on a look of pity, but in his heart, he was wondering if Lang Tiao would recognize him. As he pondered this, Lang Tiao was also puzzled. The expression of the young official of the Kingdom of Qing was so natural, and did not seem to be fake at all. Could it be that Shen Zhong had guessed correctly? That the black-clothed man on the cliff was Chen Pingping's shadow guard, and not Commissioner Fan?
Fan Xian's heart was calm. He swept his gaze over all the tables in the hall and asked, "Why don't I see Master Shen?"
Lin Jing replied: "Although Shen Zhong is the Provost of the Discipline Commission, his rank is not high enough to enter the Imperial Palace. Moreover, today is the Empress Dowager's birthday, so he must be in charge of all matters in Shangjing."
Fan Xian nodded and didn't say anything more. After a while, the ceremonial music in the palace gradually began, the sound of bamboo and string instruments played a magnificent feeling, there were dancers dancing in the hall, clear light appeared on the ceiling, the birthday banquet officially began.
First, the Emperor raised his cup to the Empress Dowager and congratulated her on her birthday. Then, the officials below him knelt in order to wish her well. Fan Xian, as a foreign official, sat at the head of the table, and with Lin Jing at his side, secretly reminded him what to do, he passed this stage smoothly.
Wine, fruits and vegetables were brought to the hands of beautiful palace maids, quietly and gracefully placed on each table. Every time a palace maid came to serve him, Fan Xian would always turn slightly and smile in acknowledgment. In the eyes of the Northern Qi officials, this was unavoidably a bit artificial, but there were also those who liked him more and more, feeling that this outstanding figure of the younger generation was indeed extraordinary.
Fan Xian, on the other hand, looked at the soft eyebrows of the palace maids, and felt very uneasy. The young Emperor spent every day with these beautiful girls, and yet he had not become a licentious youth. There was indeed something wrong with this.
— — —
Although the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet was not an ordinary old lady's birthday, there was not much of a difference. It was just that the guests were of a higher class, and the wine and dishes were of a higher level. Naturally, the after-dinner entertainment was also … a bit of a headache. This was definitely not the kind of entertainment that Aunt Li, west of Erdaohe Village on Mount Tieling, would have thought of for her 50th birthday.
Fan Xian rubbed his temples, a warm smile on his face, but in his heart, he had already begun to curse.
Gentle girls now liked to call themselves "old mothers" to be forthright, boorish men now liked to smile shyly to be disgusting, pig butchers liked to eat their neighbor's vegetables, and old nannies with flowers on their heads, who could not get married, liked to go around being matchmakers. People all liked to get close to the things they were least good at, and liked to do the things they were least good at. According to psychology, if you lacked something, you would unconsciously emphasize it.
So, under the leadership of the Emperor, the Kingdom of Qing, which had always been famous for its martial arts, began to walk the road of scholarly governance. Even though there were military generals and martial experts in the capital, poetry competitions were popular. In the palace, Imperial Concubine Shu was fond of literature, so she was favored. The Second Prince was well-versed in the classics, and won the hearts of the people. Then, out of nowhere, the immortal poet Fan Xian appeared, immediately attracting the gazes and admiration of all scholars.
Northern Qi, which had always been the center of literature, was now striving to become stronger. Poetry competitions were no longer popular, but rather preferred to play duels. Instead, they gave up on words and used fists to reason. As a result, the Qing diplomatic mission's entrance was littered with small scimitars. The number of Northern Qi experts who wanted to challenge Fan Xian could form a line from the diplomatic mission's entrance all the way to the valley of Mount Yan.
Fan Xian shut himself in, and when he did, he traveled with Haitang. With great difficulty, he had avoided the tragic fate of fighting in the arena every day. Unexpectedly, before he was about to return home, in this great hall, he could no longer avoid it.
…
…
"Master Fan, what do you think of this proposal?" The Empress Dowager smiled and turned her gaze to the table where Fan Xian sat. Although it was a question, her tone was unquestionable.
Fan Xian shivered slightly. Earlier, one of the Northern Qi generals had proposed a duel. Although it was a nice way to talk about martial arts, everyone knew that the Northern Qi officials knew that there was nothing they could do about the so-called immortal poet in literature. They were prepared to humiliate him, and for some reason, the Empress Dowager seemed to dislike him.
He stood up and swept his gaze across the hall. Suddenly, he smiled and said, "Empress Dowager, I do not have the strength to truss a chicken. Let's forget about it."
There was a roar of laughter in the hall. No one believed Fan Xian's words. The news of Fan Xian killing Cheng Jushu and beating Ye Ling with a black fist had long since spread throughout the world. He was publicly recognized as a rare man who excelled in both the pen and the sword. The officials had not expected the Southern envoy to be so cowardly.
The Empress Dowager said calmly, "You are too modest, Master Fan." She said a few more words, not allowing Fan Xian to refuse.
Fan Xian's eyelid twitched. No wonder in the transmigration novels he had read in his previous life, all the transmigrators followed Lord Wei's glorious tradition and called the Empress Dowager an old whore. If he gave in now, he would lose face for the court. When he returned to the south, it would be difficult to explain to his father and the old cripple. He did not know what kind of sinister slander would be unleashed in Xinyang.
So he smiled and took half a step back, cupping his hands in acknowledgment.
The Empress Dowager's eyes brightened, but the Emperor, who sat next to her, looked worried. He asked with concern, "Minister Fan, if you are not feeling well, let's forget about it."
Although Fan Xian had only chatted with the Emperor a few times, and he had long held a grudge against him, he could hear the genuine concern in his words. He thought of the fact that the Emperor was, after all, the Emperor. He could not help but feel touched. He raised his head and said in a clear voice, "Your Majesty, even if my blood splatters in front of the hall, let it be a celebration of the Empress Dowager's birthday."
These words were neither fish nor fowl, and greatly violated etiquette. They immediately spoiled the atmosphere, and the Empress Dowager's face darkened. The Emperor laughed, finding it very interesting. This Fan Xian was indeed gentle on the outside, but stubborn on the inside and unwilling to be taken advantage of. He waved his hand and said, "These words have gone too far. Since it is a competition, naturally it should be stopped when it is appropriate."
The Emperor's eyes grew cold. He looked at the officials in the hall and said, "If anyone is unable to control the strength of their attack, then it is best that they do not come out and make a fool of themselves." These words first stopped those who were prepared to hurt him by accident.
The officials felt a chill in their hearts. They realized that the speed at which this young Emperor had matured over the years was astonishing. The Emperor's power was growing stronger and stronger. Even stranger … why was His Majesty treating Fan Xian so well? Was this our Emperor, or the Emperor of the Kingdom of Qing?
…
…
As soon as the words were spoken, a general walked in from outside the side hall. He bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. In a low voice, he said, "I, Cheng Puzhu, wish to learn from Master Fan of the Kingdom of Qing."
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly. The Emperor was aware of Cheng Puzhu's level. He was Lang Tiao's martial nephew, and could be considered a student of the Tianyi Faction. He was currently serving in the Imperial Guard, and had probably heard an order from his superiors, so he had come to compete. The Emperor had learned from Haitang that Fan Xian was already at the beginning of the ninth-level, while Cheng Puzhu was only at the seventh-level. Why … The Emperor glanced at Lang Tiao, his martial master, and found that Lang Tiao was sitting calmly in his seat, his face expressionless.
Cheng Puzhu bowed to Fan Xian and said in a low voice, "Master Fan, you are a master of both the pen and the sword, and your name shakes the world. I ask for your guidance, Master Fan."
Fan Xian smiled and also glanced at Lang Tiao. He knew that the competition in the palace today was not because he was competitive. Rather, it was because Lang Tiao wanted to see his fighting style before he returned home. After he had arrived in Northern Qi, he had not fought in front of anyone. Lang Tiao must still have some doubts about the matter at the cliff.
He cupped his hands towards Cheng Puzhu. "Lord Cheng?"
Cheng Puzhu replied in a low voice, "Indeed."
Fan Xian said, "You are not a match for me." He then sat down.
…
…
The officials were in an uproar, thinking that Fan Xian was a bit too arrogant. Just as they were thinking this, they heard a steady voice. "I ask for your guidance, Lord Cheng."
Cheng Puzhu was fuming, but then he saw the bodyguard behind Fan Xian take a step forward and stand in front of him. Sunlight shone down from the ceiling of the palace, scattering a clear light. The palace was incomparably bright, so he could clearly see the boundless murderous intent contained in the bodyguard's plain face.
It was only one step. Gao Da had only taken one step forward, but his entire person had changed. Before, he had been an unremarkable bodyguard, hidden in Fan Xian's shadow. Now that he had taken a step forward, he seemed to have the air of a grandmaster. There was no wind in the palace, but Gao Da's zhenqi flowed through his body, causing his clothes to flutter slightly.
Fan Xian used the cover of the table to sit on the floor, holding a small wine cup with two fingers. His eyes narrowed, he used his peripheral vision to observe Lang Tiao's expression.
Lang Tiao seemed uninterested in what was happening. He held a pair of chopsticks in his hand, picking at the dishes on his plate. But Fan Xian's eyes were sharp, and he saw Lang Tiao's chin move slightly. This... was a sign of agreement.
Cheng Puzhu took a deep breath. He looked at Gao Da in front of him. Everyone in Shangjing knew that he was an expert bodyguard of the southern diplomatic mission. He had once subdued General Tan Wu, a subordinate of General Shang Shan, in one move. He was a true master!
But things had come to this, and Cheng Puzhu could not back down. He shouted, "Your Majesty, please permit me to use my saber!"
Although the young Emperor admired Fan Xian, he was no fool. He knew that he was the Emperor of Northern Qi, and he rather admired this general's courage and power. With a look of approval, he said, "Permitted... General Cheng, do your best. This is purely a martial competition. Do not think of it as the face of the court. Whether you win or lose, I will reward you."
The empress dowager looked at her son, her eyes full of disapproval. But the young Emperor smiled, as if he did not see his mother's gaze.
The two brothers, Lin Wen and Lin Jing, were extremely nervous. They were about to leave for home, so how could they cause such a ruckus in the palace? If they won, Northern Qi would lose face, and that would not be good. If they won, the Qing court would lose face, and that would be even worse! But the officials of the Kingdom of Qing had developed a natural ruthlessness over the decades. Seeing the other side's provocation, even though they were civil officials, they were truly angry. They said to Gao Da, "Guard Gao, don't go overboard."
Talk of victory before the battle. Fan Xian glanced at the two deputies beside him and laughed bitterly. He thought to himself that these two were even more arrogant than him. Turning his head toward the Emperor on the dragon chair, he said, "Your Majesty, please allow my subordinate to bring a knife into the Palace."
The Emperor smiled at him and waved his hand.
Outside the palace, it was known that there would be a martial competition. Today was the empress dowager's birthday banquet, so the palace had been lax. Furthermore, the Emperor had given his approval, so the officials who had been eating in the side hall all rushed to the entrance of the palace, casting their eager gazes upon the field.
A young eunuch fetched Gao Da's long saber from the palace's corner door and handed it to the eunuch in front of the palace. Fan Xian saw Wang Qinian standing at the entrance of the palace, sneakily looking in their direction. He couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. He wondered if Wang Qinian's hands were itching to return to his old profession and search for something in the palace.
Gao Da gripped the hilt of the long saber with both hands, and his entire mental state immediately entered a very strange state. The power from before was gone, and the oppressive feeling no longer existed. All that was left on the field … seemed to be only one saber. Even though it was one man and one saber, in the eyes of a spectator, there was still only one saber.
Lang Tao put down his chopsticks and looked at the unique long saber in Gao Da's hands. He seemed to have thought of something, and his brows furrowed slightly.
— — —
Cheng Puzhu and Gao Da stood facing each other. Looking at their opponent, who was standing steadily, they cast aside all distracting thoughts. Taking a deep breath, they slowly pulled out the curved saber from its sheath. The blade scraped against the mouth of the sheath, making a hot-blooded metallic sound.
Gao Da still did not move. Holding the long saber with both hands, his entire body leaned a few inches to the right.
Cheng Puzhu slowly circulated his zhenqi, pouring it into his wrist. He felt as if his forearm had become one with the curved saber. Only then did he raise the blade slightly. He was Lang Tao's disciple nephew, and belonged to Ku He's faction. Although he was only a seventh-level martial artist, he had the self-confidence that his master had bestowed upon him. His opponent could be arrogant, but he would not.
The saber flashed like snow!
The distance of several feet between the two masters seemed to not exist. In a flash, it disappeared! In the next moment, Cheng Puzhu had already appeared in front of Gao Da. The two were very close, as if their faces were touching, and their bodies were touching!
And that snow-like saber light came from Cheng Puzhu's hand. The curved saber was strangely hanging upside down. He raised it high, and the tip of the saber was aimed straight for Gao Da's left shoulder!
The distance between the two was too close. Even Cheng Puzhu could only hang the curved saber upside down, using this treacherous and unpredictable method to stab. Furthermore, Gao Da was holding the long saber with both hands. At this moment, there was no way he could unsheathe it. Even if he did, there was no way he could use it at such a short distance.
Cheng Puzhu lived up to his reputation as an extraordinary master. In a short time, he had relied on his opponent's weapon to come up with a plan to subdue him.
The officials were slightly startled. It seemed that they were about to see blood spurt from Gao Da's shoulder.
Fan Xian frowned slightly. It seemed that he had not expected Cheng Puzhu's attack to be as swift as lightning.
…
…
Crack! An extremely unpleasant sound rang out. Immediately after, there was a shattering sound, followed by another muffled sound. In the next moment, the empress dowager, the Emperor, and the officials watching from outside, all watched in shock as a figure was sent flying!
Cheng Puzhu landed heavily on the ground. His face was covered in blood. It seemed that he had suffered a grievous injury!
The crowd thought that Gao Da had used zhenqi to send Cheng Puzhu flying, and they couldn't help but be shocked. To send a seventh-level master flying with zhenqi, other than the four grandmasters, perhaps only a few ninth-level masters could do so. And Gao Da … was only a bodyguard of the Qing diplomatic mission!
Only the martial masters present could clearly see what had happened. When Cheng Puzhu's curved saber came down, Gao Da did not draw it. Instead, he held the long saber with both hands and brought it down!
The hilt of the long saber was about an inch wide, and it was this small area of the hilt that met the tip of Cheng Puzhu's curved saber!
The long saber in Gao Da's hands was as tall as a man. As he raised the saber, the scabbard stood firmly on the ground.
So when the tip of the curved saber pierced the hilt, it was as if all of Cheng Puzhu's zhenqi and power had been transferred through the long saber in Gao Da's hand to the bluestone floor beneath his feet. Gao Da remained uninvolved. He watched as Cheng Puzhu's attack, which he had been preparing for a long time, collided head-on with the ground.
In the future, even if you were a grandmaster, so what?
…
…
In that instant, Cheng Puzhu felt an extremely powerful force pass through the tip of the saber, making it hard for him to breathe.
And at that moment, Gao Da put down his saber and cupped his fists. His arms seemed to form a circle, and he turned to the left. The steel-like tip of his right elbow struck Cheng Puzhu's chin heavily. The blow was so powerful that it knocked out his opponent's teeth and split his lips. Blood flowed freely. Gao Da had been merciful, otherwise this blow would have killed Cheng Puzhu.
Rather than saying that Cheng Puzhu had been defeated by Gao Da, it would be better to say that he had been defeated by the earth.
— — —
A eunuch had already helped Cheng Puzhu out of the room for treatment. Gao Da calmly bowed to the Emperor and the empress dowager, pulled out his long saber, and slowly retreated behind Fan Xian. With a crack, the bluestone floor where they had fought earlier began to crack inch by inch. Only now did the officials in the hall realize that the unsheathed long saber had been driven into the bluestone by Cheng Puzhu's curved saber. What kind of power was this?
Understanding that Gao Da had used a trick, the officials began to talk among themselves, but they didn't say anything.
Fan Xian looked at the expressions of the Northern Qi officials and smiled a little self-deprecatingly. In their eyes, this smile was a little repulsive. Fan Xian handed his cup of wine to Gao Da behind him.
Gao Da was slightly taken aback. He took the cup and drained it in one gulp. "Thank you for the wine, sir. Thank you for your guidance." He didn't know what guidance Fan Xian had given him.
Fan Xian smiled. "It should be to thank the empress dowager for bestowing …"
Before he could finish, he realized that the hall had suddenly fallen silent, including the officials and eunuchs outside the hall. Because … Lang Tiao had spoken.
Lang Tiao smiled at Fan Xian. "Sir Fan's little tricks truly live up to their reputation. I didn't expect even your bodyguard to understand them." Having said this, he stood up and gently took off his outer robe, handing it to a palace maid behind him, revealing the two curved sabers at his waist.
The hall buzzed!
Sir Lang Tiao was about to appear! Lang Tiao was the first disciple of the Imperial Advisor and the Emperor's martial teacher. The officials in Beijing had not seen him in action for many years. Who would have thought that he would make an exception for the people of Qing today?
The officials turned their burning gazes to Lang Tiao, but because of his special status, they didn't dare say anything.
…
…
Before Lang Tiao had walked out, Fan Xian had already laughed and waved his hand. "I'm no match for you." Earlier, he had directly said that Cheng Puzhu was no match for him. Now, he admitted that he was no match for him. In the ears of the Northern Qi people, he seemed somewhat open and aboveboard.
Lang Tiao smiled. "Whether or not I'm a match, we'll only know after we fight."
Fan Xian's heart trembled. He knew that if he really did fight with this ace, first, if he didn't use his hidden crossbow, poison needles, and aphrodisiac powder, then he wouldn't be able to last more than three rounds. Second, if Lang Tiao really did confirm that he was the man at the edge of the cliff, given Ku He's endless concealment of the temple, he would probably be hunted down.
His brows furrowed tightly, but he knew that Lang Tiao had given the Qing people enough face by personally challenging them. He could not let Gao Da fight again. Just as his heart was gradually hardening and he was about to act, he heard a voice. "Senior brother, let me do it."
Fan Xian was happy. Very happy.
The people of Northern Qi were also happy, and those watching were even happier.
…
…
Haitang slowly walked out from behind the Empress Dowager and bowed slightly to Lang Tiao. "Elder brother, let me do it."
Seeing that it was her, Lang Tiao's expression softened. "That's fine, of course … but you have to be careful of Sir Fan's … methods."
Haitang bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, but didn't say anything. She walked in front of Fan Xian and smiled. "Are you coming?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" The two of them didn't feel like they were talking to each other like children playing house.
Of course, the people of Northern Qi, who had surrounded the great hall in three layers, didn't notice. Even the officials of the Qing diplomatic mission didn't notice. Everyone had sunk into some kind of anticipation. This kind of anticipation had already surpassed victory and defeat, and surpassed the prestige of the two countries. They simply wanted to see what would happen in a moment.
One was the immortal poet of Qing, skilled in both the pen and the sword. He had become the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council at the tender age of less than 20, Fan Xian.
The other was the Northern Qi Goddess, the youngest superior ninth-level ace after Ku He. She was a legendary Tianmai, and was believed to be the most likely to become the fifth Great Grandmaster, Haitang.
Both of them were the most famous of the younger generation. It was rumored that the two of them had traveled around Shangjing, forgetting to return home. It seemed that they appreciated each other. This also proved that the two of them were indeed on the same level.
The two of them were finally going to meet.
…
…
After some time, Wang Qinian, who was standing guard at the door to the great hall, yawned. Looking at the young man and woman fighting in the hall, he muttered, "Who are they trying to fool?"
A eunuch next to him said indignantly, "They're actually faking a fight in front of the great hall! Lady Haitang, how could you bear to disappoint us onlookers? "
Wang Qinian said unhappily, "I didn't take your money, so naturally they weren't acting seriously. So what if it was a fake fight? Based on their status, I'm afraid even His Majesty the Emperor would be too embarrassed to expose them. "
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
