On the other side, Fan Xian's movements were clumsy. He held his palms horizontally and vertically, chopping back and forth like a kitchen knife. How could there be any nimbleness? Every time he struck out with his palm, there was a strong gust of wind that whistled and cut through the air. It looked overbearing, but each palm struck the air around Haitang. He had no intention of touching the girl's skin at all. He only lifted the corners of Haitang's coarse clothes.
What technique was this? This was the technique Wu Bai always used when he went on stage to sing with an electric fan in front of him. This was the technique Stephen Chow threw newspaper pieces in front of the fan and unbuttoned the pajamas of the main characters!
Haitang's clothes were like clouds. She smiled amidst the wind from the palms. On the long imperial platform, accompanied by water and light, she was as ethereal as a fairy. She floated as if she wanted to ride the clouds and fly away. Occasionally, she would point to the east, then to the west. No one knew where she was pointing to. This was not a trick of pointing to the east or striking to the west. It was a young girl's way of commanding troops.
The two of them fought like this for who knew how many rounds, but there was not the slightest hint of smoke or fire. Since they did not think of blood, their attacks were naturally light. It was like a vegetarian meal in a temple that did not even bear to use soybean oil. It was so light that it was nauseating.
…
…
Even a young eunuch could see that the two masters were pretending to fight, not to mention the old foxes and young foxes in the hall. Some of the officials' eyes had long since widened. They had not expected Haitang and Fan Xian to be so thick-skinned as to not care about the face of the court at all.
The empress dowager looked at the long platform in the hall and the two figures in the clear light. She could not help but snort coldly. Although she did not lose her composure, the fine lines at the corner of her eyes were full of hidden anger. Instead, it was the young Emperor who watched Fan Xian and Fan Xian float around in the clear light and could not help but laugh.
Lang Tiao's face was calm as he watched the scene unfold. He knew that Fan Xian's seemingly clumsy attack was actually a very powerful Coffin-Breaker. But that was a martial art passed down through the generations of the Ye family in the capital. How did this Fan kid learn it?
Inside and outside the hall, the expectant crowd was finally disappointed. After watching for so long, some people could not help but yawn. The eunuch in front could not help but shake his head. "Who knows how long this will last? In any case, there is no winner or loser."
Wang Qinian also shook his head regretfully. "I think someone is going to stop it soon."
The young eunuch didn't believe it and shook his head. "The officials in the hall are all shrewd people. Who would step forward?"
Wang Qinian started to argue with him. Finally, they got excited and started to bet on when the two people dancing on the long imperial platform would stop. Several people on the side saw that they were fighting excitedly, so they also came over and placed their own bets. One cart of sea urchins, two cucumbers, and all kinds of strange bets were placed.
— —
"Impudent!"
Finally, a minister looked at the Empress Dowager's increasingly gloomy face and couldn't bear it any longer. He slammed the table and stood up, angrily rebuking, "What are you doing at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet? Are you trying to deceive me? "
These words were not beautiful, just like a stupid child who cried out that the emperor was running around naked. No matter how ugly the world was, whoever cried out the truth first would be an extremely unlikable fellow. Just like today, even though he knew that Fan Xian and Haitang were playing the Chong Ling swordplay, he didn't cry out. The Empress Dowager could still thicken her face and watch. After all, it was her birthday today. Watching young children dance was not a big deal.
But this minister's cry was deceiving the emperor. Wasn't that forcing the Empress Dowager to fly into a rage? So the Empress Dowager prepared to fly into a rage. She looked coldly at the minister, countless thoughts running through her mind. She wanted to tear his lips apart.
The Emperor was still smiling.
In the pool, the two people on the imperial platform acted as if they hadn't heard the cheers of the audience. They acted seriously. Haitang floated back and forth, Fan Xian walked like a dragon or a tiger. The girl's figure was clear and beautiful, and little Fan Xian's appearance was handsome. It was really a good fight. In just a moment, they had fought from the imperial platform to the front of the palace behind it. They were only a few feet away from the dragon chair, and they stopped in front of the minister's table.
Fan Xian's palm turned into a kitchen knife and chopped down viciously on the empty chopping board. He let out a cry, as if he had missed.
Haitang's posture in the air was slightly sluggish. Two fingers of her right hand stabbed out like a sword. With a swish, she was about to strike Fan Xian's chest.
No one knew how the two of them changed positions, but in the next moment, the wind from their palms and fingers did not strike anyone's body. Instead, with a swish, they surged forward.
Behind them was the minister's seat.
The minister was aghast. With Haitang and Fan Xian attacking at the same time, even if Imperial Advisor Ku He were here, he would still have to temporarily avoid the brunt of the attack.
…
…
The short table was instantly shattered into countless pieces. The wine jug on the table cracked and the dishes fell. The smell of wine and oil filled the air, staining the minister's head and face. His brow was covered with cauliflower, his mouth was full of radish, and a few strands of golden mushrooms hung from his ears. The soup and water had washed his face. He was as miserable as one could imagine.
The hall immediately quieted down. Only now did the ministers realize that Miss Haitang and the Southern Emperor's envoy were sometimes troublemakers. For the sake of their own reputation, it was best not to say anything more.
Fan Xian and Haitang stopped fighting at the same time. Separated by a few steps, they looked at each other and smiled.
Haitang bowed slightly to the Empress Dowager. "Master Fan, your Coffin-Breaker technique is impressive. My daughter did not respond properly and thus affected you. I hope the Empress Dowager will forgive me. People can make mistakes … "
Fan Xian's face was also full of self-blame. He waved his right hand. "A horse can make a mistake."
The Empress Dowager loved Haitang dearly and did not want to blame her. Besides, today was her birthday banquet, and making a scene to liven up the atmosphere was not bad. It was a pity that the southern envoy had not suffered. But seeing Fan Xian's self-deprecating words, the Empress Dowager could not help but smile faintly.
The Emperor also laughed strangely, and the ministers also laughed awkwardly. Only the true masters of the martial way knew that the seemingly joking fight actually contained some of the thoughts of the two young masters. The Coffin-Breaker seemed crude, but it was actually stern. Haitang's finger sword seemed gentle, but it was actually fierce. The long dance on the imperial platform was also a kind of competition. But in the end, it seemed that Fan Xian had still lost.
Now that the fake fight was over, the clear light from the roof still shrouded the secluded hall. Fan Xian and Haitang stood in the clear light. Their faces looked incomparably gentle in the light. The half-moon lantern that had fallen from the roof of the hall was reflected in the pool.
This competition could be said to be a true laughing contest. The bright river and the moon shamed the palace.
— — — —
Night gradually enveloped the depths of the Palace. The half moon slowly climbed up from behind the green mountain behind the Palace, spilling its warm and faint light into the Northern Qi Palace. The long black eaves and the grey and white palace walls reflected a beautiful figure at the beginning of the night.
The ministers in front of the main hall were retreating out of the palace. Many guards could be seen around the palace, and there were also eunuchs waiting on the road. The speed at which the courtiers retreated was extremely fast. In a short while, the Imperial Palace regained its tranquility. There were no longer any miscellaneous people on the empty square. It only took the time it took to burn a stick of incense to turn from bustling to extremely quiet.
After the banquet ended, the empress dowager rubbed her temples and returned to her bedroom. Fan Xian was left behind by the Emperor of Northern Qi, waiting in Huaying Palace. The palace was incomparably quiet. The faint scent of incense wafted into his nose. Fan Xian sat with his eyes closed. The Emperor of Northern Qi should be in the empress dowager's palace, fulfilling his filial duties. He didn't know why he was waiting here.
The palace maids brought him tea and fruit. Fan Xian smiled and thanked them one by one. He found that the palace maids were all very charming, especially the slight shyness in their eyes, which made his heart flutter.
But when he thought of the young Emperor leaving him in the palace, and how the Emperor seemed to have some problems in certain areas, Fan Xian's heart trembled.
"His Majesty has something he needs your help with, Master Fan." The other girl, who was looking down, seemed to have guessed his fear and said calmly. The one who spoke was Haitang. Fan Xian was staying in the palace as a guest, so she had to be half a host. The girl thought of the scene in the hall earlier and felt a little dazed and amused. Why was it that when she was with Fan Xian, she always seemed more presumptuous than usual?
Fan Xian smiled and didn't explain.
A eunuch shouted something from outside the palace. A series of hurried footsteps approached Huaying Palace. Fan Xian thought, why the rush? What does this young emperor want me to do for him? He is the Emperor of the Nine and Five. Apart from unifying the world, there is nothing he can't do.
While Fan Xian was full of questions, the young Emperor had already stepped into Huaying Palace. With a wave of his hand, he stopped Fan Xian and Haitang from paying their respects. With his right hand, he took off his outer robe and threw it to a young eunuch who followed behind him. Only the thin yellow robe was left, and he looked very spirited. Then, the Emperor sat down on the couch. With a push of his feet, a eunuch carefully took off his boots, revealing his feet, which were only wrapped in thin socks.
Perhaps Haitang was used to seeing the Emperor in private, so she wasn't surprised. Fan Xian was a bit surprised that the Northern Qi Emperor had revealed such a private side in front of him. He didn't hide his surprise. Turning his gaze toward the soft couch, he even, intentionally or unintentionally, tapped the Emperor's chest and feet a few times.
Not big, not small.
Not big, not small.
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