Redding wasn't the only one whose face gradually darkened.

Over the next half hour, the servants and guards brought by the various officials took turns appearing, and to everyone's surprise, they were all defeated.

What was initially expected has gradually turned into helplessness, and even despair.

"How can we possibly defeat him? Is our Great Qing really going to be humiliated by a man from the Northern Region?"

“It’s difficult. Even these people can’t defeat the opponent. If we want to win, we can only wait for the experts in the army to come…” Wang Tianze said subconsciously.

But after he finished speaking, he gave a helpless smile.

Having been tempered by war, there are indeed several outstanding generals in the army, but such people are all burdened with heavy responsibilities, so how could they possibly stay in the capital at this time?

"How infuriating! They're practically jumping all over our faces in the North."

Even these high-ranking officials, who were ministers of the six ministries, could not remain calm at this moment.

Looking at Ah Da on the ring, they felt as if he were a dark cloud hanging over everyone's hearts.

If the ministers were in such a state, the common people who witnessed the entire event were even more desperate.

At this moment, Cui Yuanzhao walked over with several people.

"Father, Brother Tang says he has a way to win."

Cui Renshi turned around in surprise, first looking at his good-for-nothing son, then at Tang Huan and the others who had followed him.

"You really have a way?"

"We can give it a try," Tang Huan said, not making any definitive statements.

Reading sneered, "Him? He can write a few lines of poetry, but if you really let him fight, he can't even beat Lei Bao, let alone that A Da up there. If you ask me, the reason we lost this competition is not because we are too weak, but because the other side is too strong. They came prepared and deliberately embarrassed us."

That's not wrong. People also realized that A-Da was definitely not an ordinary person from the Northern Region.

Even if the people of the Northern Regions are brave and skilled in battle, they could not possibly be this powerful.

“Perhaps he isn’t a businessman at all, it’s just a disguise…” Liu Danqing guessed.

"He is definitely not a businessman, much less a bodyguard of a businessman," Tang Huan affirmed.

"How do you know?" Redding retorted.

Tang Huan smiled but remained silent.

Cui Renshi said in a deep voice, "A'da is indeed not an ordinary person from the Northern Region. He is a guard by the side of that princess of the Northern Region, and his status is similar to that of Lin Wan'er by His Majesty's side."

Minister of Rites Xiao Ming exclaimed in shock, "Does this mean that the person at Wanfu Inn is...?"

“Yes, Gongyang Tingbai, the current princess of the Northern Region, anyone with a brain can figure that out with a little thought.” Tang Huan spoke bluntly and didn’t give these people any face.

He could tell that, apart from Cui Renshi and Wang Tianze, none of the other ministers present seemed to know this.

Perhaps Reading, who was close to Cui Renshi, had already received the news, but the rest of the people didn't even consider that possibility.

It's unclear whether they failed to investigate or simply didn't pay attention to the Northern Region.

Reading said in a deep voice, "Since they are the guards of that princess from the Northern Region, it is not surprising that they are very strong. It is understandable that we lost. It is not our fault."

"No, wrong, completely wrong!" Tang Huan retorted.

These words drew angry stares from Reading and the others.

Tang Huan disagreed and said directly, "The reason we lost is not because the opponent was too strong, but because you were too weak."

"Because we're weak? If you were to face that big guy in person, you'd probably be scared out of your wits in no time. You're just a scholar, don't try to show off here. You're good at writing poetry, but you're no good at fighting." Reading's attitude was tough.

This made Tang Huan shake his head helplessly and sigh, "Since everyone has said so, there's nothing I can do. But now that things have turned out this way, you all must be more embarrassed than I am, right?"

He chuckled softly, “You are the prime ministers and ministers, representing the face of Daqing.”

"Aren't you from Daqing?" Xiao Ming rebuked.

"But I am just a minor county magistrate. As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Since you are all stronger than me, you should bear even greater responsibility. Even if the Northern Region cannot find a match in the capital today, in the end, no one will blame me for the mistakes, right?"

A single sentence that struck a chord.

This is also the reason why these people put aside their past prejudices and came together.

Wang Tianze stopped the argument and solemnly asked, "Lord Tang, Yuan Zhao just said you have a way to win, is that true?"

"We can give it a try," Tang Huan said, offering another uncertain answer.

Several people scoffed at this.

Tang Huan didn't say much, but turned around and nodded to Li Daikui.

Li Daikui then came out and said to Tang Huan, "We've agreed that if I win, the money is mine."

Upon seeing that it was Li Da Kui, someone immediately deflated and said, "What can I, the Poet Immortal, do? In the end, I have to send my own guards to save the day? Do you think he can be a match for A Da?"

"If you think Da Kui isn't capable, why don't you take over?" Tang Huan asked with a smile.

The other party was immediately speechless.

This is no joke. All the guards in your homes have suffered a crushing defeat. Who would dare to go up and face that big guy?

Li Daikui walked forward step by step, unbuttoning his shirt as he did so.

Before stepping into the ring, he took off all his clothes from his upper body and left them below the ring.

"this……"

Liu Danqing stared at Li Daikui, momentarily stunned.

Li Daikui's bare upper body revealed strong, well-defined muscles, and more than a dozen hideous and terrifying knife scars of varying ages. The most severe scar even cut right across his chest and heart. It was only by sheer luck that he survived.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!