The Slender Waist-Chapter 372 - 264: Exhausting All Strategies
On the platform in the center of the Council Hall, a giant checkerboard had been drawn, and many spectators gathered around to watch.
The noise from the crowd was deafening.
At that time, people were suffering, feeling empty and bored with their monotonous lives, and they saw no hope for the future, which is why games were widely popular.
This kind of competition was different from the kind that required peace and solitude to restore paintings. For the majority, the pleasure in that was incomprehensible, but this competition could easily evoke excitement in the depths of their hearts...
How thrilling and fiery was a match between two nations?
No one wanted to miss the opportunity to watch it in person; nearly everyone in the Council Hall had gathered on the platform.
The most skilled martial artist from Qi was Xie Congguang.
But Xiao Cheng did not send him to the match; instead, he called a young officer.
Firstly, because Xie Congguang was an old general—although his strength might match his opponents’, when it came to stamina, he was no match for the young Pei Jue.
He knew better than to compete against Pei Jue if he couldn’t win.
Secondly, Xiao Cheng was confident in his plans. The outcome of the challenge posed by Jin would not affect the final result; he was not afraid of losing this round.
The gongs and drums sounded.
The arena fell silent.
Envoys and attendants from both nations faced each other in a standoff.
Pei Jue stood in the chilling wind, expressionless.
"General Pei, please."
The young officer from Qi also bore the surname Xie and was a close follower of Xie Congguang.
As a military officer who had often heard of Pei Jue’s deeds, he cupped his fists in respect as a junior should and looked at him with much admiration in his eyes.
Pei Jue returned the gesture with a fist salute of his own.
"Please."
The young Xie, known as "General Black Bear," was broad and sturdy, clearly a man of great physical strength. He had warmed up early and was fully prepared. In such cold weather, he was stripped to the waist with a sash tied around him. He headed over to a stone piece, lifted it with force, and walked towards the massive board.
On the stone piece was inscribed the weight: one hundred.
Pei Jue was much taller than this "Black Bear General," but in terms of build, he didn’t look as "robust." When compared, he appeared slimmer and more elegant. He hadn’t stripped to his waist but slowly untied his cloak, tossing it to Zuo Zhong, and walked toward the playing pieces in his soft armor.
His pace was neither fast nor slow, but every step he took made the hearts of onlookers race with tension.
Sometimes, the impact of a person’s presence isn’t determined by appearance, and Pei Jue’s good looks didn’t interfere with the intimidating force he radiated.
Just like that, he walked towards the heaviest "stone piece" at the edge of the field, slightly bent down, grabbed the iron ring on the stone, and effortlessly lifted it...
On the piece was inscribed the weight: two hundred.
A murmur of astonishment swept across the field.
Jiu You was so excited that he began to pump his fist in the air.
"Unrivalled in strength, who dares to challenge?"
Zuo Zhong pulled him aside and shook his head.
Jiu You chuckled softly, "Couldn’t help it."
The open area in the center of the Council Hall where the competition took place allowed all to watch the battle, some from a distance, others closer, forming a large circle.
Feng Yun also stood watching the contest from beyond the cordon of Imperial Guards.
Having seen Pei Jue move a giant rock effortlessly by himself, a rock four men could not carry, back in Bingzhou, she wasn’t too worried about the outcome of this competition...
It was just that she felt a bit sorry for Pei Jue’s back...
If she had known that Jin would require him to show such strength in front of everyone today, she would have asked him to conserve his energy last night; she wouldn’t have let him exert himself so late into the night, leaving him with little sleep and then having to perform such physical tasks—who could endure that?
The cheers from the field were unending.
A man who exerted such effort held a unique masculine charm. Her gaze followed the crowd and settled upon Li Sangruo.
Li Sangruo didn’t notice her; her gaze was entirely focused on Pei Jue in the center of the field, so intense it seemed to shine.
"The Great General will prevail!"
She cared greatly about her pride; having lost one round earlier, she needed Pei Jue to save face for her.
Therefore, amidst the thunderous applause, she showed a rare loss of composure. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkled with emotion, forgetting her status as the Empress Dowager.
Tang Shaogong cleared his throat softly and approached her.
"Have you thought about what to do if Qi wins two in a row?"
Li Sangruo’s mood was disrupted by him, and her face darkened.
"What can I do? Xinzhou was originally Qi’s land. Having gained five cities, Dajin hasn’t suffered a loss, and besides..."
She cast a glance at Tang Shaogong, "I’ve said before, the loser can also make a request of the victor..."
Normally devoid of expression, Tang Shaogong couldn’t help but show some concern upon hearing Li Sangruo’s words, his brows furrowing slightly.
"So have you prepared your conditions for the request?"
Li Sangruo, thinking of Prime Minister Li, and casting another glance at Pei Jue on the field, sighed softly.
"Uncle Shaogong, you are putting me in a difficult position. I’m not one to make decisions on my own; this matter requires a discussion with my ministers to reach a verdict."
Tang Shaogong’s gaze too settled on the center of the field.
Pei Jue, holding a giant rock, stood with such steadiness, his face so solemn, that once again, a tumultuous clamor filled the hall.
He looked into the light in Li Sangruo’s eyes, and said indifferently,
"Xinzhou was conquered by Pei Jue. When he fought for it, he ignored the Imperial Court’s orders and acted on his own. Why, Your Highness, do you think he would obey an order to willingly hand over Xinzhou?"
Li Sangruo felt a jolt in her mind.
In her view, Tang Shaogong was truly detestable; he knew exactly how to rub salt into her wounds.
Ever since Fang Fucai was no longer by her side, Li Sangruo felt discomfort every day. She was so used to his attendance that suddenly having someone else in his place, she adapted to nothing...
Her face sunk, and her delight faded by more than half.
There was no doubt that Pei Jue would win this round, but the decisive round’s topic was set by Qi Country, and with Xiao Cheng’s intelligence, there was no chance he would give Jin a chance to succeed.
This was entirely different from what she had planned in advance.
If Jin won, they would gain Xinzhou, and her record as a ruling Empress Dowager would be admirable, cementing her legacy as a wise Empress Dowager in the annals of history, renowned through the ages. Then, waiting for Xiao Cheng to ask for Feng Yun, she could do a favor by agreeing first, forcing Pei Jue to comply.
Wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone?
Who could have expected that the problems would arise from Yunchuan?
Her cousin...
Thinking back to the previous round they had lost, Li Sangruo felt irritated, yet she couldn’t find a single fault with Chunyu Yan.
Before the questions were set, she had subtly informed Chunyu Yan of what each envoy was capable of. In the realm of calligraphy and painting, Shao Cheng could also be considered proficient; Chunyu Yan had not let him down...
As for Xiao Cheng...
Li Sangruo saw Xiao Cheng, sitting composedly at the front of the Qi formation.
With an elegant demeanor and a sovereign grace that was captivating, he seemed a figure straight out of a painting – yet despite his handsome appearance, she felt an inexplicable chill in her heart at this moment...
Was it really a coincidence they met in the passageway?
Could it be he was there to persuade her to agree to determine the outcome with three questions, without a fight, rightfully reclaiming Xinzhou?
Could it be that she had misjudged?
That what he wanted was not Feng Shi Er Niang?
"The General has won!"
A sky-piercing shout pulled Li Sangruo back to reality.
At this moment, the field was thunderous with cheer.
Not only did Jin rejoice, but even those from Qi offered their genteel congratulations.
Since it was all within expectations, they were quite composed.
Feng Yun approached and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Pei Jue.
He was tall, and she toiled to reach, "Lower your head please."
Pei Jue glanced at her, his lashes fluttering slightly. In the presence of envoys from both nations, the tall, aloof Great General lowered his head, allowing a woman to wipe his neck and forehead, patting the dust off his shoulders. The imposing Great General suddenly turned into an obedient large dog, a tamed beast bowing down – a sight that would move anyone.
"Hmph!"
Li Sangruo stood up abruptly, flinging her sleeve, and left with her maidservants.
The Empress Dowager of Jin’s display caused the lively atmosphere of the competition to shift abruptly.
Jin’s envoys were embarrassed, while those from Qi could hardly conceal their interest.
Feng Yun, as if blind to others, only had eyes for this "ferocious beast."
"Tired?" she asked.
Walking back and forth with the giant stone, no doubt he was not at ease.
Tired in both heart and body.
Pei Jue was surrounded by onlookers but showed little expression.
"Done." He exchanged a glance with Feng Yun and turned his head, catching Chunyu Yan’s gaze in the crowd.
"Princely Heir can announce the next question now."
Chunyu Yan’s lips curled up, "Congratulations, Great General."
His tone was cool and somewhat peculiar. Seeing Feng Yun, he wasn’t as usual, rushing to be intimate. He seemed extremely distant, as if a different person.
Chunyu Yan moved toward the center, announcing in his capacity as the mediator.
"The second round, ’Advancing to Success,’ Jin wins." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖
The reaction from the crowd this time was significantly less enthusiastic than the previous victory.
Everyone awaited the decisive Qi topic...
Chunyu Yan’s smile lingered on his lips, and after a long while, he turned and had the suspended beam’s questions brought forward, his fine garments showcasing lavish elegance.
"The third round is Qi’s question. It is called: ’Unfailing Strategies.’"
If the Jin’s question was a test of martial ability, then Qi’s question was a test of literary prowess.
Qi would set up checkpoints on this field, and to open each barrier, one must answer a question correctly. Twenty barriers meant twenty mathematical questions; both Jin and Qi would advance towards each other, and whoever arrived at the endpoint first and seized the prize, would be the victor.
