Chapter 95: False Fighting and False Fighting about the Martial Arts Competition in front of the Temple

Fan Xian was fuming in his heart, but his face was respectful, and he lowered his eyes to avoid the gaze cast by the young emperor, but he was too embarrassed to look at the empress dowager next to him, and the two old leathery faces of the tai fu and the chancellor across the room weren’t much fun, so his gaze naturally landed on the table next to the tai fu.

That table is empty, do not know which adult, surprisingly this time has not come. Just thinking about it, a person walked over from behind the corridor pillar beside the long palace pool, saluted the empress dowager and the emperor in the middle of the hall, and then naturally sat down to that table, and there were palace maids who had gone ahead to pour the wine.

This person in a basalt suit, slender, full of power, his eyes are quiet as an ancient well, bottomless, the most strange is his waist wrapped in chains, even with two scimitar on the temple. This guy is so bold!

Fan Xian sucked in a breath of cold air, inclined his head and asked Lin Jing: ”Who is this man? To be able to sit at the head of the Taifu and bring a sword into the palace, I think he’s an extraordinary person.”

Lin Jing introduced in a low voice, “This is the first disciple of the State Master Bitter Lotus, Lord Wolf Peach, the Grand Commander of the Palace Forbidden Army, but I’ve heard that he’s mainly been in charge of the Emperor’s martial arts cultivation in recent years, and doesn’t really manage affairs anymore.”

Fan Xian let out a whoop and seemed to have just realized, saying with a slight hint of shock, “So this is Miss Haitang’s eldest senior brother, no wonder his status is so supreme.”

At this moment, Wolf Peach’s two gazes that had their own deep meaning within their serenity had already been cast onto Fan Xian’s face.

Fan Xian smiled, gesturally raising the wine glass in his hand, gesturing an invitation to Wolf Peach, his lips slightly parted as he wordlessly said two words, “Greetings.”

Wolf Peach frowned slightly, not knowing what he was thinking, and after a moment’s hesitation, he finally raised the cup in his hand and drank with Fan Xian from afar.

Lin Jing whispered beside Fan Xian, “My lord, this man should indeed be tied up, it’s just a pity that I’m departing for home the day after tomorrow, and I only met him for the first time today.”

Fan Xian wore a look of regret, but in his heart, he was thinking, “I wonder if Wolf Peach will recognize him. He was thinking in this compartment, Wolf Peach was also puzzled in that compartment, looking at the opposite side of the young official of the Qing country’s expression is so natural, a trace of it is not like hypocrisy, could it be that Shen Chong’s guess is justified, that the man in black on the edge of the cliff is Chen Pingping’s shadow guards, not the opposite side of this Fan Tisi?

Fan Xian’s heart was open, swept his eyes over the tables in the hall and asked, “Why haven’t I seen Lord Shen.”

Lin Jing responded, “Although Shen Chong is the Commanding Officer of the Zhenfu Division, his rank is not high enough to enter the temple, not to mention that today is the Empress Dowager’s birthday, so he must be in charge of all the guards in the upper capital.”

Fan Xian nodded and said nothing more. After a while, the ceremonial music in the palace was gradually made. The sound of silk and bamboo played brilliantly, and there were dancers dancing in the court, with clear light appearing at the top. The birthday banquet officially began.

First, the emperor toasted the empress dowager’s birthday, then the courtiers kneeled down to pray for the empress dowager’s birthday, Fan Xian sat in the first place as a foreign courtier, and had Lin Jing secretly instructing him how to act, so he smoothly passed through this hurdle.

Wine, fruits and vegetables were served in the hands of the beautiful palace maid, quietly but generously placed on each table, whenever there was a palace maid to serve, Fan Xian always slightly inclined, smiling to show his respect, which fell in the eyes of the Beiqi courtiers, not inevitably a bit of artifice, but there are people who will look at it more and more heartily happy, feeling that the young generation of the leading figure, really extraordinary.

Fan Xian is looking at those willow eyebrow smooth court ladies, the heart of the great uneasiness, the young emperor every day with these beautiful girls stay in a place, actually did not become a despicable young man, this thing, really some problems.

The empress dowager’s birthday banquet, although not the general old lady birthday, but in fact, the difference is not big, only is to come to the guests of high grade some, with the realm of wine and food on the some, naturally, after dinner after the program also seems …… headache some, this is definitely not the Tieling Daqingshan Erdaohe village west of that Li Da Niang over the fiftieth birthday when you can think of the program.

Fan Xian rubbed his temples, a gentle smile on his face, but in his heart he was already cursing.

The gentle girls now like to call themselves maids to play hoity-toity, the rude gentlemen now like to smile slightly shyly to play nausea, the butcher who kills pigs likes to eat the neighboring family’s veggies, and the old mamma who can’t get married with a single flower on her head likes to go around playing matchmaker. This person ah, all like to close to their own least good at things, most like to do their own least able to do things, according to psychology, you lack what, will subconsciously emphasize what.

So, has always been known for martial arts in the world of Qing now under the leadership of His Majesty, began to the road to the rule of literature, obviously a Kyoto, martial arts masters, but the popularity of the so-called poetry will be, the palace Shuji Princess hobby of literature, so favored, the second prince of the deep rule of the scriptures, quite popular, until the air out of the generation of poets FAN Xian, and immediately attracted the eyes of all the scholars and admiration.

And has always been the world’s literary center of northern qi, now is to develop strong, not popular poetry, but like to play duel, give up the mouth, change the fist reasoning. So the door of the South Qing mission was thrown a small scimitar, want to find Fan Xian martial arts masters from the door of the mission can be lined up all the way to the valley of Yan Mountain.

Fan Xian closed his door and traveled with Begonia, so it was not easy to avoid the tragic fate of fighting every day, but unexpectedly before he was about to return to his country, on top of this great hall, he could not avoid it.

“Lord Fan, what do you think of this proposal?” The Empress Dowager smiled, casting her gaze on the table where Fan Xian was sitting, and although it was a question, the tone was unquestionable.

Fan Xian was slightly flabbergasted, earlier, a military general from Northern Qi proposed a martial arts competition, although he said it in a nice way, it was just a sparring match for martial arts cultivation, but everyone knew that this Northern Qi’s group of ministers knew that there was no way to take the so-called generation of Poetry Immortals on top of literature, and this was ready to humiliate himself, and that Empress Dowager seemed to dislike herself for some reason.

He long stood up, his eyes swept once in the hall, suddenly opened his mouth and said with a smile, “Empress Dowager, the foreign minister’s hands have no power to bind chickens, it is better to be exempted from it.”

The temple coaxed a laugh, no one will believe Fan Xian’s words, Fan Xian killed Cheng Jushu, black fist beat Ye Ling’s deeds, has long been spread throughout the world, is recognized as a rare generation of both civil and military, the group of ministers really did not expect this Southland is actually so timid ambassador.

The empress dowager was full of calm and said, “Lord Fan is too modest.” She said a few more words, not allowing Fan Xian to refuse.

Fan Xian’s eyes skipped a bit, thinking that it was no wonder that in the traveler novels he read in his previous life, all the travelers upheld Lord Wei’s glorious tradition of shortening all the empress dowagers to old bitches-if he let himself go at this point, he would really lose face with the court, and would not be able to explain himself back in the south to his father and the old cripple, and I don’t know what kind of underhanded windy tricks he would play on Xinyang’s side again. What underhanded wind rumor trick.

So he smiled half a step back, arching his hand to respond.

The empress dowager’s eyes were bright, but the emperor sitting next to the empress dowager looked worried and asked with concern: “Fan Qing, if you are not feeling well, you should be excused.”

Although Fan Xian and this emperor only a few times chatting edge, and the heart of the early mustard, but heard his words in the very real concern, think of the other party is, after all, a nine to five, can not help but also some touch, raised his head and said aloud: “Your majesty, the foreign ministers even if the blood splattered in front of the temple, but also when it is for the empress dowager birthday congratulations on the blood gift flowers well.”

These words are unorthodox, a great violation of etiquette, immediately spoiled the atmosphere, and sure enough, the empress dowager’s face grimaced. The emperor laughed and found it extremely interesting, this Fan Xian ah, really is a gentle exterior, but inwardly stubborn and refuses to suffer the odd nature, waved his hand and said, “This is too much to say. Since it’s a competition, naturally it’s to the point.”

The emperor’s eyes were cold as he looked at the ministers in the hall and said, “Whoever asks themselves that they cannot control the strength of their strikes, then they should not come out to make a fool of themselves.” With these words, he first blocked those characters who were prepared to play mischief from striking out.

The ministers were aghast, realizing that this young emperor, the speed of maturity in these years is really fast and somewhat surprising, that the emperor’s power is growing and difficult to resist, what’s even more strange is …… that his majesty is so good to that Fan Xian. Is this our emperor, or is this the emperor of Qing?

In the middle of the conversation, there was a military general who came from outside the side hall, saluted the empress dowager and the emperor, and said in a deep voice: “I, Cheng Puzhu, would like to ask Lord Fan of Qing Guo for advice.”

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly. The Emperor knew the caliber of this Cheng Puzhu, the other party was Wolf Peach’s nephew, counting them all as students of the Tianyi Sect, and was now serving in the palace’s forbidden army, presumably having heard the summons from the higher peaks, and so had come to compete. The emperor knew from the mouth of Haitang that Fan Xian was already an expert at the beginning of the ninth grade, but Cheng Puzhu was only at the level of the seventh grade, why …… the emperor glanced at Wolf Peach, his own martial arts master, but found that Wolf Peach was sitting comfortably in the seat, with no half reaction on his face.

Cheng Puzhu bowed to Fan Xian again, and said in a deep voice, “Lord Fan’s reputation for both literature and martial arts has shaken the heavens, so Cheng Puzhu would like to ask for Lord Fan’s guidance.”

Fan Xian smiled and also glanced at Wolf Peach, knowing that today’s competition in this hall was not for the sake of competition, but that Wolf Peach wanted to grab a look at his style of striking before he returned to his own country; he hadn’t struck out in front of the crowd since his arrival in Beiqi, and Wolf Peach must have still had his doubts about what had happened on the edge of the cliff.

He arched his hand at Cheng Puzhu and said, “Lord Cheng?”

Cheng Puzhu answered in a deep voice, “Precisely.”

Fan Xian said, “You are no match for me.” Then he sat down.

The ministers clamored, thinking that this Fan Xian was a bit too arrogant. As they were thinking this, they heard a calm voice ring out, “Please instruct Lord Cheng.”

Cheng Puzhu was in the midst of his anger when he saw the guard behind Fan Xian step forward and stand in front of him. At that moment, the light of the sky struck down from the glass at the top of the hall, scattering it into a clear light, and the hall was incredibly bright, so it was clear to see the infinite killing intent contained in that guard’s simple face.

Just one step, Gouda just stepped forward, but his whole person changed greatly. Previously, he was just an inconspicuous guard, hidden in Fan Xian’s figure, but now he took a step forward, but it was actually a hidden master’s demeanor. At this time, there was no wind in the hall, but the flow of true qi on Gouda’s body caused his clothes to flutter slightly.

Fan Xian borrowed the cover of the table, half sitting on the ground, two fingers holding a small wine cup, eyes slightly narrowed, with the rest of the light to pay attention to the opposite side of the Wolf Peach’s expression.

Wolf Peach didn’t seem too interested in what was going on, and was holding chopsticks in his hands as he held the dishes on his plate. But Fan Xian had sharp eyes and still saw his jaw nod slightly, which …… was a sign of agreement.

Cheng Puzhu took a deep breath and looked at this Gouda in front of him. The people in Shangjing were clear that the other party was an expert guard of the Southern Dynasty’s mission, and had once restrained General Tan Wu, a subordinate of Admiral Uesugi, in a single move, so he could be considered a true expert!

But this was already the case, there was no time for Cheng Puzhu to back down, only to see him shouting, “Please allow me to use the sword, Your Majesty!”

Although the young emperor appreciated Fan Xian, but after all is not a fool, of course, know that they do is the emperor of Northern Qi, also quite appreciate the martial arts general’s courage and prestige, face with praise said, “Permitted …… General Cheng, put your heart into it, this time it is purely a martial arts sparring match, don’t see him as a face of the imperial court, regardless of the victory or defeat, I have a reward.”

The protagonist of the birthday banquet Empress Dowager glanced at her son, her eyes were full of disapproval, but the young emperor smiled and seemed not to see his mother’s eyes.

Lin Wen Lin Jing two brothers but tense and incomparable, thinking that they will soon depart to return to their country, how did they make such a mess in the palace again? If his side won, the Northern Qi people lost face, not good; if the other side won, their own Daqing dynasty lost face, even worse! But the Qing officials of these decades has long been raised a natural ruthlessness, see each other provocation, although it is a civil servant also moved to real anger, said to up to: “high guard, point to point, do not win too much.”

Before the battle, first said victory. Fan Xian looked at the two deputy ambassadors beside him and gave a bitter smile, thinking that these two were even more arrogant than himself, and turned his head to the emperor above the dragon chair and said, “Your Majesty, please allow the foreign minister’s subordinates to send the sword into the hall.”

The emperor looked at him with a smile and waved his hand.

Outside the hall, it was known that there would be a martial arts competition in the hall, this day was the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, so the palace was loosely regulated, and His Majesty had also given the nod, so the courtiers who had been having their meals in the side halls all flocked to the entrance of the hall, casting their eager gazes into the arena.

From the corner gate of the palace, the little eunuch fetched the long sword used by Gouda, handed it to the eunuch in front of the hall, and passed it to the hall. Fan Xian saw Wang Qinian is the entrance to the hall ghost head to this side, the heart can not help but a bit of flinching, thought the old king is not itchy, want to go back to his old job in the palace to touch some things right?

Back to this side, Gouda hands a grip on the hilt of the long knife, the whole person’s mental state suddenly into a very wonderful realm. The previous might is no longer, the sense of oppression no longer exists, and what …… is left in the field seems to be only one knife. Even if a person a knife, but in the eyes of the onlookers, but still only a knife.

Wolf Peach stopped, looked at the unique style of the long knife in the hands of Gouda, did not know what came to mind, the corner of the eyebrows slightly wrinkled.

Cheng Park Zhu stood opposite Gao Da, looking at the opponent who stood steadily, putting aside all the distracting thoughts in his mind, he took a breath and slowly drew the curved sword in its sheath, the blade rubbing against the mouth of the sheath, emitting a sound of metal that made people feel a sense of bloodshed.

Gao Da remained motionless, holding the long knife with both hands, and the whole person deviated a few inches to the right side.

Cheng Puzhu slowly mobilized his true qi and poured it into his wrist, feeling that his small arm seemed to have cooperated with the scimitar as one, before he slightly raised the blade’s surface. He is Wolf Peach’s nephew, Bitter Lotus a faction, although only seven products of the real, but there is a wave of confidence given by the division, the other party can be arrogant, but he will not.

Knife light like snow general bloom!

The distance of more than ten feet, between the two experts, as if it did not exist, disappeared in a flash! In the next moment, Cheng Puzhu had already appeared right in front of Gao Da, the two of them were extremely close to each other, as if they were face to face, body to body!

The light of the blade, like snow, came from the hand of Cheng Puzhu, the scimitar was strangely hanging upside down, he held the scimitar high, but the tip of the blade was stabbing straight at the left shoulder of Gouda!

The distance between the two is too close, even Cheng Park bamboo can only hang the scimitar upside down, with this very sinister and unpredictable way to stab, not to mention that Gao Da’s hands holding the long knife, at this time there is no chance of sheathing, even if the long knife is sheathed, there is no way to play a role in such a short distance.

Cheng Puzhu was indeed worthy of his master’s uncommon ability, and in a short period of time, with his judgment of the opponent’s weapon, he had set a plan to check the enemy.

The group of ministers were slightly startled, as if they were about to see blood coming out of Gouda’s shoulder.

Fan Xian frowned slightly, as if he hadn’t expected Cheng Puzhu’s strike to be as swift as the wind and thunder.

Lol! An extremely unpleasant sound rang out. Immediately afterward, a shattering rattle was followed by another muffled sound. In the next moment, the Empress Dowager Emperor between the halls, and the prying group of ministers outside the halls, were all filled with amazement as they watched a silhouette being sent flying!

Cheng Puzhu fell heavily to the ground, his face was covered in blood, and he looked extremely injured!

The crowd thought that Gouda had used his true qi to send Cheng Puzhu flying, and they were horrified. To be able to shock a seventh ranked expert away with only true qi, in addition to the four great masters, perhaps only a few top level ninth ranked upper powerhouses can do it, and Gouda …… is only a guard of the Southern Qing Envoy!

The only people in the arena who could see clearly what was happening were those martial arts experts. When Cheng Puzhu’s scimitar stabbed down, Gao Da actually did not draw his sword, but instead lifted the longsword with both hands and lifted it upwards!

The hilt of the long knife was about one inch in size, and it was this very small area of the hilt that was actually facing up to the tip of Sung Pak Bamboo’s scimitar!

The long knife in Gouda’s hand was as tall as a man, and as soon as he lifted the knife upright, the sheath stood firmly on the ground.

So when the tip of the scimitar stabbed the hilt, it was the same as saying that Cheng Puzhu’s whole body’s true qi and momentum, all using the long knife in Gao Da’s hand as a bridge, transferred to the piece of green stone floor under his feet. Gao Da was like staying out of the way, watching Cheng Puzhu’s long-prepared strike make a head-on collision with the earth.

In the future, the thickness of the earth, even if you are a great master, so what?

In that moment, Cheng Puzhu feel a strong and extreme power from the tip of the knife back, let him a moment breath suffocation.

At this moment, up to the knife clasped fists, arms as holding a circle in general, to the left a turn, the right hand like steel like elbow tip will be heavily hit in the Cheng Puzhu’s chin, this hit how powerful, suddenly hit the other side of the teeth fall lip crack, blood flow. This is still Gouda mercy, otherwise this blow alone, Cheng Park bamboo will be killed.

Instead of saying that Cheng Puzhu was defeated by the hands of Gouda, it is better to say that he was defeated by the hands of the earth.

There were eunuchs helping Cheng Puzhu to retreat for medical treatment, and Gao Da calmly bowed to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, drew his long sword, and slowly retreated behind Fan Xian. With a giggle, it was at this time that the lapis lazuli slabs of the previous sparring ground cracked open inch by inch. It was only then that the ministers in the hall realized that the unsheathed longsword had been driven into the lapis lazuli by Cheng Puzhu’s scimitar’s thrust, what kind of power was this?

Understanding that Gao Da was a trick, the ministers were talking, but they couldn’t say anything more.

Fan Xian looked at the Northern Qi ministers and smiled somewhat haughtily. In the eyes of the crowd, this smile was a bit too hateful. Fan Xian passed the wine cup he was drinking from behind him.

Gao Da was slightly stunned as he took the glass and drank it all in one gulp, “Thank you, Your Honor, for the wine, and thank you, Your Honor, for the guidance.” I wondered what Fan Xian had ever instructed him on.

Fan Xian smiled and said, “I should be thanking the Empress Dowager for giving ……”

The words didn’t finish, but he realized that the hall was suddenly quiet all of a sudden, including the courtiers and eunuchs outside the hall in general, because …… Wolf Peach had spoken.

Wolf Peach looked at Fan Xian with a smile and opened his mouth, “Lord Fan’s little tactics are truly renowned, and I can’t imagine that even Your Excellency’s guards are deeply aware of this.” After saying these words, he stood up with a long stride, gently unclasping his tunic and handing it over to the palace maid behind him, revealing the two linked curved swords at his waist.

There was a buzz in the palace!

Lord Wolf Peach was about to strike! As the first disciple of the State Master, His Majesty’s martial arts teacher, Wolf Peach, the courtiers of the Upper Capital had not seen him strike for many years, and they could not imagine that today he was going to make an exception for the Southern Qing people.

The group of ministers cast their burning gazes towards Wolf Peach, but because of the other party’s special status, they didn’t dare to say anything more.

Before Wolf Peach could step forward, Fan Xian was already laughing and waving his hand, “I am not your opponent.” Earlier, he had denounced Cheng Puzhu as not being his opponent, but at this time, he also admitted that he was not the other party’s opponent, and in the ears of the Beiqi people, he was somewhat bright and open-minded.

Wolf Peach, however, laughed and said, “Whether or not you are a rival, you always have to fight to know.”

Fan Xian’s heart flinched slightly, knowing that if he really fought with this expert, firstly, if he didn’t use his hidden crossbow and poisonous needles and aphrodisiacs and poisonous powders, he would definitely not be the opponent’s enemy; secondly, if he let the other party really confirm that he was the one by the cliff, in view of Bitter Lotus’s infinite concealment of the divine temple, he was afraid that he would end up being hunted down and killed.

His brows were furrowed, but he also knew that personally challenging with Wolf Peach’s identity had already given enough face to the Southern Qing people, and it was impossible for him to let Gao Da fight again. He was hardening inwardly and preparing to strike when he heard a voice, “Senior brother, I’ll do it.”

Fan Xian was happy, very happy.

The Northern Qi people were also happy, and those watching were even happier.

Haitang slowly and gracefully marched out from behind the Empress Dowager and gave a slight blessing to Wolf Peach, “Senior brother, I’ll do it.”

Wolf Peach saw that it was her, and with a gentle look on his face, he said, “Good, senior sister naturally …… just be careful of Lord Fan’s …… tactics.”

Haitang bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, and without saying anything, she walked up to Fan Xian and said with a smile, “Coming or not?”

“Come, why not?” The two of them didn’t realize that this conversation was like a child playing house.

Of course, the Northern Qi people who surrounded the hall did not notice, even the officials of the Southern Qing mission did not notice, everyone was in some kind of anticipation, this kind of anticipation has even exceeded the victory or defeat, exceeded the face of the two countries, but just want to see the scene that will happen later.

One is Fan Xian, the poet fairy of Southern Qing Dynasty, who is good at literature and martial arts, and has become the supervisor of the Supervisory Yuan at a young age of less than 20 years old.

One was the Heavenly Maiden of Northern Qi, the youngest master of the Ninth Grade after Bitter Lotus, the legendary Heavenly Veins, Haitang, who was considered the most likely to become the fifth Great Master.

Both of them were the best of the young generation with the greatest reputation in the world today, and it was rumored in the marketplace that these two had traveled around the Upper Capital City, seemingly sympathetic to each other, which also confirmed in another way that the two of them were indeed on the same tier of characters.

The two were finally going to face each other.

After an unknown amount of time, Wang Qinian, who was guarding the entrance of the main hall, yawned, looked at the two fighting young men and women in the hall, and grunted, “Who is this fooling?”

A eunuch beside him said indignantly, “Actually faking a fight in the middle of a match in front of the hall! Miss Haitang, how can you bear to disappoint us who are watching?”

Wang Qinian said in a bad mood, “I didn’t charge you spectators any silver, so naturally I didn’t act seriously, so what if I faked the fight? With the status of the two of them, I’m afraid His Majesty the Emperor would be too embarrassed to fake a fight.”