Chapter 152: 152. The Surprise of the Tenth Place (Second Update)
Translator: 549690339
Martial Arts Tournament Day.
As soon as Su Liang saw Ning Jing in the morning, she was told that Nian Jincheng had come over last night.
“He finally recovered? How delightful!” Su Liang wasn’t too surprised. Ning Jing had mentioned this outcome before.
Ning Jing took out a wooden hairpin, “This is from him for you.”
Su Liang was slightly puzzled. What was the purpose of giving her a hairpin?
“I have one too,” Ning Jing said.
Su Liang took it and laughed lightly, “Then the one he gave me must be an afterthought; the main gift is for you.”
Ning Jing didn’t mention that the two hairpins were clearly a pair and only conveyed half of Nian Jincheng’s message, “He said he’s looking forward to you becoming the Martial Arts Champion.”
“Everyone is saying that, I suddenly feel the pressure,” Su Liang said calmly.
“Also,” Ning Jing continued, “he said he was very hungry and used the hairpin to exchange for your cookies and ate them, so you have to reimburse me.”
Su Liang: … They were clearly good friends for many years, why was it her responsibility to compensate when Nian Jincheng ate Ning Jing’s cookies? Was this reasonable?
“Let’s talk about it after your competition, there’s no hurry,” Ning Jing finished speaking and left, not giving Su Liang a chance to refuse.
Su Liang waved her fist at Ning Jing’s back, thinking she wouldn’t mind making cookies; since Ning Jing loved star-shaped ones, she would deliberately make crescent-shaped ones for him without a single star!
Before they even finished breakfast, their friends arrived, more excited and eager than Su Liang, who was the competitor.
Worth mentioning was the newcomer, Duanmu Chel s cousin, Lian Shun, who arrived shortly after the others.
The lively atmosphere became somewhat delicate.
“Brother Ning, is this your friend?” Lin Xueqing purposely asked Ning Jing.
Ning Jing nodded, “Yes.”
Lian Shun was dumbfounded, since when did he become Ning Jing’s friend?
As a result, everyone else gathered around Su Liang, while Lian Shun, identified as “Ning Jing’s friend,” stood quietly beside Ning Jing like two statues…
To break the awkwardness, Lian Shun took the initiative to speak up, saying something he deeply regretted afterward, “Can I call you by your name? You can call me whatever you like.”
“Okay,” Ning Jing nodded, “Lian Shanshan.”
Lian Shun was directly choked by his own saliva, coughing furiously and causing everyone to look over at his face. which was turning red and black-
Lin Xueqing whispered, “Su, is Ning Jing’s friend ill? His face looks strange!”
The quick-witted Zhengzheng laughed, “He’s sick!”
Lian Shun forced a smile, “Little cutie, what’s your name?”
Ning Jing interjected, “Zhengzheng, this uncle is called Lian Shanshan.”
Zhengzheng called out loudly, “Uncle Shanshan!”
Everyone couldn’t help but chuckle.
Honestly, aside from the embarrassment of his name, Lian Shun felt the awkwardness of forcibly joining this group of people had been dispelled, and he even wondered if Ning Jing had intentionally given him a way out.
However, Lian Shun still could not accept being called Lian Shanshan by Ning Jing.
When Duanmu Che called him Lian Ershan, he always had to hit back; being called Shanshan sounded too feminine!
Lian Shun cleared his throat, “Can I call you Ning Liqing then?”
Ning Jing nodded, “Sure.”
Lian Shun: … Liqing Bishan sounds a hundred times better! What on earth was his grandfather thinking, giving him such a name? It’s supposed to imply stability, but it’s entirely unsuitable!
Even Ning Jing took the initiative to admit that Lian Shun was her friend. Although Qin Yujin and Lin Xueqing had some reservations about Lian Shun’s infamous reputation, they didn’t show it on their faces. After all, rumors can sometimes be unreliable.
Lian Shun came prepared to be rejected and driven away, as he wasn’t invited, but the result was much better than expected.
However, he actually wanted Su Liang to acknowledge him as a friend even more.
“Let’s go! My father and my brothers have already gone straight to the Battle Arena!” urged Lin Xueqing, fearing they would be late.
Lateness would result in disqualification for the Military Exam, and the emperor himself might even attend the competition today.
The servant Wan Hui sent to find Yang Yu returned yesterday, bringing a letter from Yang Yu.
Yang Family’s business encountered some troubles, but with the help of Wan Family and Ning Family, things have temporarily stabilized. She is expected to arrive at the capital city in half a month.
Accompanying the letter was a “Top Scholar Battle Robe” that Yang Yu had specially commissioned for Su Liang by the best embroiderer in the Yang Family. The robe was made of a low-profile, luxurious black fabric with exquisite and intricate embroidery, and it fit her perfectly.
Lian Shun was amazed by Su Liang’s attire today. Although she didn’t wear makeup and her hairstyle was still as simple as ever.
When they arrived at the Battle Arena, it was already packed with people.
It was said that the princes and princesses have already arrived, and the emperor had yet to arrive. The drawing of lots would start soon.
Su Liang heard someone shouting from behind her, “Miss Nian Ruxue has arrived!”
She turned around and saw Nian Ruxue, dressed in white men’s outfit and wearing a mask, getting off the carriage. Nian Jincheng dismounted, and another person, Nian Jinxing, also came down from the carriage. Nian Jinxing walked beside Nian Ruxue, like a protective brother.
Nian Jincheng followed silently behind them.
Ten exclusive seats were set up on the spectator’s side for the ten martial artists competing today to wait for their turn.
Luo Rong arrived early and greeted Su Liang as he saw her.
“You go ahead, I’ll take care of Ning Jing, ” Xing Yusheng said with a smile.
Qin Yujin pulled Lin Xueqing to sit next to Old Master Qin.
Under Duanmu Che’s gaze, Lian Shun sat down, only to hear him ask, “You ran over there all this way, did they even pay attention to you?”
Lian Shun’s face suddenly stiffened, “I messed up! I was so distracted by Ning
Jing that I forgot to tell her something important!”
Lian Shun tried to go find Ning Jing, but Marquis Zhong Xin’s seats were two rows apart, and the matter couldn’t be relayed by someone else. Moreover, it was even more inappropriate to talk privately with Su Liang in public.
“Cousin, when will you leave?” Duanmu Che asked. Lian Shun pinched Duanmu Che’s leg and snorted, “Leave? I’m not leaving!”
“Is it because of Su Liang?” Duanmu Che asked.
Lian Shun nodded, “Yes, what about it?”
Duanmu Che glanced at Su Liang, who was talking and laughing with Luo Rong. For some reason, he felt extremely annoyed and snorted coldly, “She’s very good at dealing with men. You, who are good at dealing with women, may not be as skilled as her.”
Lian Shun frowned and whispered, “Duanmu Che, for the sake of being cousins, I won’t hold the previous matter against you. But don’t let me think that you’re losing your rationality and spouting nonsense because of prejudice and baseless speculation! Remember, you only suspect Su Liang is a spy, not confirmed. Before there’s definitive evidence, it’s best if you shut up! If I hear that kind of thing again, don’t blame me for turning on you!”
Duanmu Che’s face stiffened, and he lowered his head, suppressing the anger in his heart, “If you haven’t confirmed whether she’s a spy or not, why do you like her?”
Lian Shun snorted, “You think she’s a spy, so you should find evidence. Before you find it, there’s nothing wrong with her. Is this principle difficult? According to you, everyone is suspected of being a spy, so don’t bother living!”
Duanmu Che had no words to refute, he took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and realized that his remarks about Su Liang earlier were indeed too excessive. But he didn’t know why, when he heard Lian Shun say that he was going to pursue Su Liang, he felt extremely repulsive and couldn’t control his emotions.
Lian Shun looked at Ning Jing again, who was eating small biscuits from Zhengzheng’s little pouch…
Forget it. Lian Shun thought that since things had reached this point, whether he mentioned that matter ahead of time or not, the outcome would not change much.
Nian Ruxue arrived the latest, leaving an empty seat next to Su Liang.
“Miss Nian, the fourth daughter.” Su Liang had already learned from Ning Jing that this person was actually the fifth daughter of the Nian Family. Qin Yujin once mentioned that she was more beautiful than Nian Ruxue.
Su Liang took the initiative to greet her, but “Nian Ruxue” coldly glanced at her and didn’t respond.
Su Liang didn’t care.
Emperor Duanmu Yi arrived, followed by several concubines. The crown prince was accompanying a tall woman wearing a half-mask with bright and gorgeous clothes, her attire quite different from that of Qian Country’s women.
This person was Man Ya, the famous female general of Yin Country and even the world. She was also the envoy sent by Yin Country to Qian Country for peace talks and was rumored to be the future crown princess of Yin Country.
Man Ya’s sharp gaze swept over the area where Su Liang and Nian Ruxue were sitting, with an undisguised provocative intent.
Suddenly, Su Liang felt that the appearance of this enemy female general might lead to unexpected situations in the Military Exam finals.
This was also the first time Su Liang saw Emperor Duanmu Yi of Qian Country. He possessed a very majestic imperial presence.
After a series of bows and salutations, it was time for the drawing of lots.
In the past, the competition was one-on-one, but this year, under Duanmu Chen’s suggestion, the rules of the finals had changed, and there was no need for a draw.
This was a temporary announcement; aside from Su Liang, the other martial artists in the competition only learned about it just now.
And the new rules were exactly what Su Liang and Duanmu Chen had proposed.
The first round of the finals had turned into a ten-person melee — everyone was in.
Not only were the martial artists stunned, but the audience was also at a loss.
This had never happened before.
“How interesting! I’m looking forward to it,” Man Ya laughed heartily.
The selection rules were as follows: the first one to be knocked off the Combat Stage would rank tenth, the second one to be knocked off would rank ninth…
and so on. The round would end when there were only three people left on the Combat Stage. They would be the top three.
Afterward, the final ranking match of the top three would take place.
No matter what the martial artists thought, the audience preferred the excitement brought by these novel rules.
Melee battles would not only test their martial arts skills but also their mental strategies.
As long as they could stand on the Combat Stage till the end, they would be considered skillful.
Gao Jiabao, who had faced Su Liang in the previous ranking matches, nodded his head slightly as he passed by her. Su Liang responded with a smile.
“Nian Ruxue” said coldly, “Miss Su, did you already know about the new rules and ally yourself with others? Isn’t that unfair?”
Su Liang was speechless. Although she did know about the new rules beforehand, she hadn’t formed any alliances. It would be easy to form alliances: she had saved Luo Rong’s life and had exchanged medical skills with Gao Jiabao’s grandfather, who greatly admired her.
As for Nian Ruting, who was pretending to be Nian Ruxue, Su Liang could only say that she was really going all out for Nian Ruxue to become the Martial Arts Champion!
Su Liang didn’t pay any attention to Nian Ruting; she didn’t believe that Nian Ruting would dare to start a fight before the competition even began.
This year’s Military Exam was very special, not only because of the new rules but also because there was an enemy female general sitting in the watching seats, who must have been waiting to see the jokes played by the two participating women from Qian Country.
The last time Duanmu Chen had Chang’an bring a message to Su Liang, he urged her to do her best in the competition. The Martial Arts Champion of this year’s exam must be even more favored by the Emperor than those of previous years.
After the drumbeat, all ten martial artists stood on the Combat Stage. For the melee battle, Su Liang chose her most adept Twin Blades because defense was of utmost importance.
Man Ya suddenly asked Duanmu Yi, “Emperor Qian, why is that woman wearing a mask and men’s clothes? Is it because she feels ashamed to be a woman or that she is too ugly to be seen?”
Man Ya’s voice was very bright and clear, reaching everyone’s ears.
Duanmu Ao quickly stepped in to defend his betrothed imperial concubine, explaining that Nian Ruxue was too beautiful, and she was afraid that the men who fought against her would be lenient with her, which was why she dressed as a man and wore a mask.
Hearing this, Man Ya burst into laughter, “Just how beautiful is she? To think that the men on the battlefield would be mesmerized by her beauty! Are all eight of the most outstanding martial artists you’ve chosen in Qian Country known for their chivalry? How admirable!”
With this remark, the eight men on the Combat Stage felt ridiculed.
However, they were all seasoned in martial arts, having finally found a chance to shine. They had worked hard up until now, and none of them would let a woman win during a martial arts competition. This was no child’s play.
Duanmu Ao’s face darkened, “She’s dressed as a man for the convenience of the competition! She can’t wear a long skirt!”
Man Ya smiled sarcastically, “The other beauty is wearing women’s clothing, and she looks very beautiful and seems comfortable. I really want to ask her where she bought it to get one for myself.”
Su Liang was suddenly mentioned by Man Ya, and everyone’s eyes fell on her.
Upon seeing her, people were amazed. Her ink-colored figure could easily be drowned in a pile of men, but when you really saw her, you couldn’t move your eyes away. She was cold, noble, and composed.
In comparison, Nian Ruxue appeared even more pretentious.
However, Man Ya’s mockery towards Nian Ruxue came to an end when Duanmu Yi announced, “There is no requirement for attire or wearing a mask in the Military Exam. Let’s begin!”
Yet, Man Ya’s brief remarks were actually planting enemies for Nian Ruxue. If those eight men harbored grudges, during the chaos of the upcoming melee, they might very well target her.
Duanmu Ao realized the problem and voiced his objection on behalf of Nian
Ruxue, “Father, General Man Ya’s words just now were very disadvantageous to
Miss Nian! Why don’t we change back to the original rules?”
Duanmu Yi’s face darkened, “In the Battle Arena, everyone must rely on their own skills! People’s favor is also a part of one’s strength! Don’t say any more!”
Duanmu Chen’s cold sneer flashed by in the corner of his mouth. He hadn’t expected Man Ya to suddenly target Nian Ruxue, but he was happy to watch the drama unfold.
Zhengzheng leaned on old Madam Nian, saying cheerfully, ‘My aunt is the strongest! ”
As old Madam Nian thought of Xing Yusheng and Lin Xueqing getting married soon and her soon-to-be great-grandchild, she nodded in agreement with Zhengzheng’s affectionate remark, “Zhengzheng is right.”
After three drum beats, the melee began.
Nian Ruting knew the situation was unfavorable to her, so she deliberately stood next to Su Liang.
However, as soon as the battle started, Su Liang changed her footing and engaged with Gao Jiabao, forming their own small circle.
Gao Jiabao had changed weapons, no longer using a whip, but a long stick that Su Liang had originally planned to use against Nian Ruxue in the final.
Meanwhile, the other seven men formed a tacit agreement and began to besiege Nian Ruting!
Today, those who could stand on the Combat Stage were not only skilled in martial arts, but also had quick wits.
In fact, not all seven of them had their eyes on “Nian Ruxue” at first, but in this situation, it was a self-preservation method to just go with the flow and see if they could eliminate her from the competition. If they didn’t target Nian Ruxue, they might be the ones besieged themselves.
As a result, there would always be a situation where the moment two people targeted the same person, a third and fourth person would join in to quickly eliminate the singled-out individual from the competition.
Temporary alliances might be unreliable, but useful.
Su Liang chose Gao Jiabao not because she wanted to take him down, but to convey the intention of forming an alliance.
To fight with four arms is harder than fighting with two.
A quarter of an hour later, the tenth-place finisher in the Martial Exam was born – it was “Nian Ruxue” who was knocked off the Combat Stage first.
This outcome surprised many people because before the start, Nian Ruxue had been the hot favorite to become the Top Scholar. Many people had placed bets on her and they would lose a lot this time.
The “troublemaker” Man Ya was all smiles, “Actually, my initial intention was to remind Miss Nian to take off her mask. Maybe a man would really find her good-looking and show mercy to her! What a pity, her swordsmanship was so beautiful, and I haven’t seen enough. Emperor Qian, could you invite Miss Nian to perform a sword dance at tonight’s banquet?”
Man Ya took the opportunity to viciously step on Nian Ruxue, and everyone could see she had ulterior motives. But who could blame Nian Ruxue for not being able to make a stand? In martial arts competitions, losing means losing.
Duanmu Yi nodded, “Alright.”
“Now, I am most looking forward to the performance of that little beauty. If she wins Top Scholar, I want to go and compete with her. Emperor Qian won’t mind, right?” Man Ya’s gaze fell on Su Liang once more.
Duanmu Yi’s eyes slightly narrowed, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, “We’ll discuss it after the results are settled.”
Lian Shun looked at “Nian Ruxue” who had returned to the spectator seats and whispered to Duanmu Che, “We agreed that, for the sake of Qian Country’s face, if she became Top Scholar, we wouldn’t verify her identity. If Su Liang becomes Top Scholar, we’ll have them verify their true identity in public. Who would have thought this woman would lose so quickly! What now?”
Duanmu Che whispered back, “Father has already agreed and won’t break his word. As long as Su Liang becomes the Top Scholar, we’ll publicly verify their identities, and if Nian Ruxue is proven fake, she’ll die.”
Lian Shun smirked, “I can’t wait! Su Xiaoliang must be Top Scholar! Then we’ll knock down that annoying woman from Yin Country!”
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