Chapter 570: Let's Fight! Let's Fight! (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

A thoroughly enjoyable sparring match has come to an end.

Zhao Wei was already drenched in sweat, her hair damp and clinging to her forehead and temples. She was too tired to get up; her muscles ached yet felt exhilarating. Physically exhausted, her mind was at its peak of excitement. Only after her breathing had calmed slightly did she turn to look at Lu Ji.

Lu Ji, who was panting like a dog not long ago, has now sat up and is wiping away sweat with a clean towel.

Zhao Wei lay on her side like an Arhat, supporting her cheek with one hand.

"Tsk, it's really unfair to the Martial Arts Warriors."

She was still panting, while the other person had already recovered their strength.

Lu Ji agreed wholeheartedly: "It's definitely a bargain."

Her current level of martial courage isn't high, not much different from an ordinary person. It's just that she has a solid foundation in martial arts from childhood, and like Zhao Wei, she comes from a military family, which allows them to spar and exchange blows. However, once her stamina is depleted, the difference between having martial courage and not becomes apparent. She doesn't do anything; simply regulating her breathing allows her martial energy to circulate spontaneously, nourishing her meridians.

Despite the muscle pain, Zhao Wei grimaced and sat up. As soon as she was settled, she noticed that Lu Ji's clothes were loose and slightly open. From her angle, she could see that he was wearing a strangely styled undergarment. Zhao Wei chuckled.

"You're so big, why are you still wearing a maternity dress?"

Isn't it said that real men aren't afraid to expose their chests and breasts?

Who said that?

You can find out by asking Xu Quan.

However—Lu Ji's bellyband seemed to have delicate patterns embroidered on it, making it look strangely like a delicate bellyband worn by young ladies in their boudoirs.

"It's precisely because we're getting older that we need to wear them even more."

Lu Ji remained expressionless as he tightened his collar.

"Otherwise it would be inconvenient and impolite."

Zhao Wei nodded: "That's true. Not everyone is as shameless as Xu Wenshi, able to remain so even under the scrutiny of so many eyes..."

As he spoke, he suddenly turned his head and stared at Lu Ji for a closer look.

Lu Ji felt extremely uncomfortable under the suspicious gaze.

What are you doing?

Zhao Wei: "I just suddenly remembered that when you and Xu Wenshi were about the same age, your body types were quite different..."

Lu Ji: "..."

A man and a woman are naturally different. Even if they both cultivate martial spirit, they each enhance their own natural skeletal structure. The latter is always more slender and proportionally more balanced than the former. And we don't see Captain Bai standing nine feet tall with two feet at the shoulders.

Zhao Wei still couldn't forget Lu Ji's strangely shaped bellyband. After regaining some strength, she sparred twice more, but the more she thought about it, the more bothered she became. If she hadn't paid attention, it would have been fine, but once she did, she noticed many unnatural things. The soldiers under Commandant Bai's command seemed to have a different build than her father's troops. Individually, they didn't seem like much, but when placed together…

Something feels off.

After parting ways with Lu Ji, she returned to her temporary lodgings covered in mud and sweat, only to find Xu Quan about to knock on the door. He turned around and was immediately struck by her appearance, pinching his nose with slight disdain: "You still remember you're a woman?"

Zhao Wei put her hands on her hips and pouted.

Who says a woman has to smell nice?

"Will I dress up for you to see?"

His eyes were filled with the words "Are you worthy?"

Xu Quan rolled his eyes rudely, tossed the package to her, and muttered, "Who cares? You dress up for yourself? If you want to stink to death, that's your business, just don't bother innocent bystanders..."

"What is this?"

Zhao Wei squeezed the package.

"Naturally, it's yours."

Zhao Wei wouldn't be returning anytime soon, but Zhao Feng, who loved his daughter dearly, couldn't bear to see her suffer outside. He had his wife pack her belongings early and leave them with Xu Jie. Xu Jie would send the things over as soon as he heard news of his daughter.

Xu Quan was merely acting as a middleman.

Zhao Wei opened it, glanced at it, then blushed and closed it again.

Good heavens, the top layer is a newly made bellyband.

"You didn't open it to look at it, did you?"

His eyes were filled with distrust of his friends.

Xu Quan was speechless: "...What are you thinking?"

Although Zhao Wei had grown considerably since childhood, in Xu Quan's eyes, he was still the same ancestor who would hang his trousers on a tree while he was bathing. Recalling every psychological trauma he harbored, none of them revealed Zhao Wei's innocence!

Zhao Wei hugged the package tightly.

Suddenly remembering something, he leaned closer and asked Xu Quan.

"Xu Wenshi, would you embroider while holding your belly?"

Xu Quan instinctively tried to grab his collar.

Then he thought that he wasn't afraid of her since he was fully armored.

"What man would do that?"

Then came suspicion: "Whose belly were you peeking at?"

Fortunately, this guy wasn't a martial arts expert.

Otherwise, countless respectable women and men would lose their chastity.

"I didn't peek; I saw it by accident."

Xu Quan frowned, trying to recall who Zhao Wei was close to.

"The ancestor of Lu?"

Based on his observations over the past few days, it was clear that the lord and his men wanted Zhao Wei to stay; otherwise, they wouldn't have had Lu Ji, a mere deputy, sparring with Zhao Wei all day long. As for what they wanted from keeping Zhao Wei, Xu Quan didn't think much about it, nor did he want to delve into the details.

Anyway, they didn't have any good intentions.

He should do more and say less, just as his cousin had said.

"Xu Wenshi, don't you think Zhizong..."

"What's wrong?"

Zhao Wei asked uncertainly, "Sometimes you act like a girl?"

but--

Which girl is as tall as Lu Ji?

Xu Quan breathed a sigh of relief, finally realizing: "What do you mean by occasionally acting like a girl? Hasn't she always been a girl? Although comrades don't distinguish between men and women, this kind of thing... it's inappropriate for an outsider like me to hear it. This is the last time."

Zhao Wei's expression went blank for a moment.

In a flash, my mind raced.

"That, that—Commander Bai—"

Xu Quan nodded slowly but firmly.

Zhao Wei: "..."

In that instant, she seemed to hear something shatter.

Xu Quan added insult to injury: "You can tell if someone is a man or a woman just by looking at their face, right? When did you become unable to distinguish between men and women?"

Zhao Wei: "...But, but she..."

Xu Quan spoke up for her, saying, "But she's a martial arts expert?"

"How could a martial arts master with such courage be..."

Xu Quan: "How could it be a woman?"

Seeing the government carriage appear in the distance, Xu Quan knew that Qi Shan or Liao Jia had finished their shift. He said meaningfully, "It was impossible before, but it's not certain now or in the future. Dawei, I've always thought you have a lot of talent in martial arts."

Fortunately, it's not too late now.

He nodded to Liao Jia, who peeked out from behind the carriage curtain, as a greeting, then mounted his warhorse and went off to attend to his business.

What is he doing here?

Liao Jia got off the carriage, exhausted.

I had just steadied myself when a half-open package was stuffed into my arms. Then a gust of wind swept past, and all I could see was the other person's back.

"You lost your shoes while running!"

Liao Jia, with her sharp eyes, noticed the shoe that Zhao Wei had run off with. Feeling uneasy, she followed. Seeing that Zhao Wei's destination was Lu Ji's house, she quickly guessed what was going on—that Zhao Wei had finally discovered the truth and was therefore eager to find Lu Ji to verify it.

"So eager?" Liao Jia chuckled.

How can I not be impatient?

Zhao Wei felt her heart pounding like a drum, her body burning with heat, and the sound of her blood boiling echoing in her ears. Even the sound of knocking on the door became the prelude to realizing her dream.

When will I lose my shoes while running? When will my feet be stained with blood?

She doesn't care anymore.

"Lu Zhizong, I have something I want to ask you."

"What do you want to ask?" Lu Ji asked calmly.

"You're really... a woman? I don't believe it!"

What will it take for you to believe?

Lu Ji finished asking.

Lu Ji lowered his head.

Lu Ji saw a claw on his chest.

He teased, "Don't believe me? Didn't you figure it out?"

Zhao Wei stiffly withdrew her hand.

Liao Jia, who was watching from afar: "..."

Fortunately, a messenger bluebird landed on his shoulder at that moment, preventing Liao Jia from being too embarrassed.

The government urgently summoned him.

(。＿。｀)

The test results showed a coagulation disorder, which is really worrying.

PS: The chapter comments haven't returned to normal yet, and I've seen several more comments in the backend regarding the ending of the previous chapter, so I'm responding to them all at once—

Firstly, I've never believed that admirable qualities like decisiveness, perseverance, and courage are exclusive to men. Female characters also experience joy and sorrow, possessing both human strengths and weaknesses. The existence of female villains doesn't equate to misogyny. It's the person, not the gender, who has flaws.

Secondly, the love of beauty is human nature, regardless of gender. I don't think the pursuit of beauty is unique to women; for example, the target audience for velvet flowers in the text is mostly male scholars.

If you think that women pursuing beauty for the sake of the opposite sex is derogatory, I think that's a stereotype and gender bias (this concept was already addressed in the story of Yu Zi's mother, Yu Meiren: pleasing oneself, not pleasing others). Loving beauty is for one's own enjoyment, not for attracting a mate. Does becoming a martial arts master mean a woman has to be undressed? Does dressing up diminish her heroic spirit and ability?

The difference between men and women lies in physiology and genes, not in these external preferences.

To vehemently deny the diversity of women is to be overly critical. Women can be resolute and brave, delicate and beautiful, cunning and treacherous, or kind and pure... They are people, not products made from molds; what they become depends on their environment and their own character.

Thirdly, the claim that women's money is easy to earn is based on the judgment of the target consumer group (of course, the sales results of the velvet flower section were mostly male consumers, because of the custom of wearing flowers in one's hair).

(End of this chapter)