Xiao Huaijin remained calm, ignoring Yelü Qi's provocation.
Shen Yunjiao, who was not far away, looked at him and felt a sense of foreboding.
The contest began, and Yelü Qi, wielding a curved sword in his right hand, slashed at Xiao Huaijin with lightning speed.
Xiao Huaijin stood with his sword in hand, his boots slightly turning as he stepped on the ground. When Yelü Qi attacked head-on, he slightly sidestepped to avoid him.
"Your Highness is quite skilled." Yelü Qi became more interested and charged forward with even greater effort.
Xiao Huaijin's soft sword was long, thin, and tough, and like a snake flicking its tongue, it quickly darted in front of Yelü Qi.
The two sides instantly clashed, their silver swords gleaming with a chilling light, adding to the solemn atmosphere and creating a palpable sense of killing intent.
The drums beat continuously, and the atmosphere in the stadium was enthusiastic and exciting.
Yelü Qi subtly moved his wrist, unexpectedly reversing his previous strategy. Instead of using his curved blade to attack Xiao Huaijin's face, he stabbed directly into his abdomen.
Yelü Qi used all his skills, not like a martial arts contest, but rather he really wanted to kill Xiao Huaijin on the ground, leaving no stone unturned in every move.
Xiao Huaijin, under Yelü Qi's oppression, gradually became arrogant and was forced to the sidelines.
The envoys standing behind Yelü Qi were mesmerized, cheering and letting out long, mournful cries.
Shen Yunjiao's palms were sweating; she was terrified and felt like she was sitting on pins and needles watching this competition.
Yelü Qi was truly cunning; knowing full well that Xiao Huaijin had suffered an abdominal injury, he deliberately attacked that spot.
Soon, Xiao Huaijin was indeed unable to withstand Yelü Qi's fierce attack. Not only was his sword thrown away, but Yelü Qi also stabbed him mercilessly in the right shoulder.
"Yu Zhi!"
"cousin!"
Two voices rang out simultaneously from outside the field, and Chu Xiyue and He Lan immediately stood up and ran to the training ground.
Chu Xiyue helped up Xiao Huaijin, whose mouth was bleeding and face was pale, while Helan ran to Yelü Qi's side and told her brother in the Northern Hu language that others could not understand to stop in time.
Where no one could see, Shen Yunjiao's face turned pale, her lips pressed tightly together, and her nails dug deeply into the flesh of her palms.
A moment of silence fell over the entire room.
No one expected that the Crown Prince, who had led troops into battle at the age of sixteen and was a great conqueror, would actually lose to the Northern Hu people.
Everyone's face showed extreme disappointment.
Xiao Huaijin coldly brushed away Chu Xiyue's hand that was trying to support him.
He looked up, searching for only one person's gaze.
When Xiao Huaijin saw that Shen Yunjiao's face showed only anxiety and worry, and no disappointment, his eyes flickered before he turned to Yelü Qi and said, "The competition is over. Yelü Qi, your strength is indeed remarkable. I am convinced of my defeat."
Yelü Qi smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness." His gaze swept over the tents and landed on Chen Yunjiao, but her heart and eyes were filled with Xiao Huaijin.
Yelü Qi's brows instantly darkened.
Emperor Zhaowu then summoned the two men back to the tent.
He gave Xiao Huaijin a deep look, snorted coldly, and then said to Yelü Qi, "It seems that my son is not even one-tenth as good as you, Yelü Qi."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Huaijin's breathing became rapid, and he quickly knelt down, saying, "Your subject is guilty."
Emperor Zhaowu gave Xiao Huaijin a mocking look and then said, "Get up. You lost the competition, so be it. Go back and train hard. Don't waste your energy on other things and embarrass Dayong."
Emperor Zhaowu's words were as cold and sharp as a knife, piercing Xiao Huaijin's chest.
He looked up blankly, staring at the disgust and annoyance on his biological father's face, and felt a pang of pain in his heart.
Xiao Huaijin, pale-faced, rose and replied, "Your subject will obey Your Majesty's teachings."
Yelü Qi's gaze swept between the two men for a moment, and seeing Xiao Huaijin stand up, he smiled and said, "When I was competing with His Highness the Crown Prince just now, I said that if I won, His Highness would give me a good fortune. Does that still stand?"
Xiao Huaijin replied calmly, "Of course it counts."
Yelü Qi smiled and turned to Emperor Zhaowu, saying, "Your Majesty, the Dayong Dynasty and the Northern Hu have been irreconcilable enemies since ten years ago. The Northern Hu have always held the Dayong Dynasty in awe and submission, and Your Majesty must be well aware of this."
It sounded rather strange that Yelü Qi, who had captured two border cities of neighboring countries three months earlier, would say such a thing.
Emperor Zhaowu knew that the Northern Hu had been unable to be conquered for so long because of this second prince.
However, the second prince was not of the legitimate royal bloodline of the Northern Hu, but was born to the Northern Hu king and a servant.
The Northern Hu royal family valued the purity of bloodlines even more than the Dayong royal family.
Therefore, no matter how capable Yelü Qi was, he could not become the King of the Northern Hu.
Therefore, Emperor Zhaowu was not very wary of Yelü Qi. He looked at Yelü Qi and said, "If the Northern Hu can behave themselves and not harass the border of Dayong, Dayong will naturally be willing to be on good terms with the Northern Hu."
“This is also what our Northern Hu King was thinking.” Yelü Qi clenched his fist, placed it on his right chest, bowed to Emperor Zhaowu, and then said, “Originally, Your Majesty and my father intended to marry Princess Anle of Dayong to my elder brother, but I heard that Princess Anle suddenly fell ill with a strange disease.”
Emperor Zhaowu sighed and said, "You're right. I was just about to tell you Northern Hu about this. I'm afraid this marriage will have to be called off."
“If Dayong does not form a marriage alliance with the Northern Hu, the Northern Hu will inevitably live in constant fear. Why not Your Majesty bestow another marriage today?” Yelü Qi glanced at Xiao Huaijin and replied.
Xiao Huaijin's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He turned to look at Yelü Qi, his eyes filled with inquiry.
Unexpectedly, Yelü Qi smiled at him and then knelt down, earnestly proclaiming to Emperor Zhaowu, "If Your Majesty could grant His Highness the Crown Prince and my sister Helan a marriage, the relationship between the two dynasties would surely be more harmonious, and the Northern Hu would definitely be loyal to Dayong."
"This is the prize I want from His Highness the Crown Prince."
There was an uproar, and the high-ranking officials in the imperial tent looked at each other in bewilderment.
Throughout history, no one has ever been heard of seeking a marriage for their sister, let alone being so bold as to ask the emperor for help.
Upon hearing Yelü Qi's words, Consort Shu's eyes lit up instantly. She smiled and said, "Princess Helan is pure and beautiful, and she and Jin'er are a perfect match."
Upon hearing Consort Shu's words, Emperor Zhaowu burst into hearty laughter, "Excellent! Let the princess marry into Dayong and become Jin'er's Crown Princess. It will be a beautiful story. From now on, the Northern Hu and Dayong can be allies as close as brothers."
When Helan learned that she was going to become the Crown Princess, she was overjoyed and quickly stepped forward to kneel down with her brother to thank Emperor Zhaowu.
However, Xiao Huaijin, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, "Your subject does not wish to marry Helan."
He raised his eyes, his gaze as cold as ice, and slowly replied, word by word, "Your subject already has someone he loves."
"I will marry no one but her."
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