Chapter 315: Sports Meet Events (Part 6) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
The outdoor gathering was a lively and impressive event.
Use wooden stakes and hemp rope to enclose it.
Commoners could only watch the game from outside the ropes.
A bonfire was lit every five steps (about six meters) inside the area.
By the light of the roaring campfire, the common people could clearly see the actions of the contestants in the arena. Shen Tang also curiously crawled to the front row—staying in the back row meant having to stand on tiptoe, which made the viewing experience less effective—there was a pair of contestants wrestling on a thick wooden board.
Both men were burly, strong men.
One of his arms was as thick as an ordinary person's thigh; when he exerted force, his muscles bulged, making onlookers envious.
but--
"He's still a bit short of Gong Xichou and the others." Gong Xichou's physique, hehe, everyone who sees it would say it's good. Shen Tang even wished she could twist his head off and replace it with her own.
However, she pinched her biceps in disappointment and sighed.
Not to mention Gong Xichou, she couldn't even compare to the contestants offstage; she was destined to never have such a beautiful figure in her lifetime.
Lost in thought, one of them was tackled by the other.
The onlookers cheered.
The winner smiled and waved.
At the same time, he gracefully helped his defeated opponent up.
"Anyone else want to come up and challenge me?"
He stood on a makeshift wooden platform.
He confidently and loudly challenged the other contestants.
No one came forward to challenge them even after they asked three times.
Shen Tang could tell at a glance that this was a "favorite to win the championship".
Curious, he asked the commoner beside him, "Who is this person?"
The smiles on the faces of the common people had not yet faded.
The two of them were wrestling just now, and he was shouting quite loudly.
"I don't know, I only know it's the 18th."
Each participant has their own ranking number.
This was also to make it easier for ordinary people to support their favorite contestants—compared to simple serial numbers, contestant names are not easy to remember—after confirming their participation in the competition, contestants would receive their own waist tag, a small wooden board the size of a palm.
Shen Tang silently memorized the number eighteen.
I'll have someone ask them later if they're one of our own.
After a while, Number Eighteen still hadn't seen a challenger and was getting a little bored. Just as he was about to go down, he heard a deep, steady male voice that Shen Tang recognized very well. Number Eighteen was also a martial artist, and upon hearing the newcomer's aura, his expression turned serious.
The visitor said, "Twenty-three, please enlighten me."
Shen Tang smiled as soon as he saw the person.
Hey, isn't this Tanuki, whom we haven't seen in a long time?
The common people had little impression of Twenty-Three. The few supporters were mainly due to Tanuki's tall stature, which at first glance was a size larger than Eighteen. Tanuki had a significant advantage in size, but wrestling also requires skill. Eighteen had been wrestling all the other contestants these past few days, and her skills were very experienced. Tanuki, on the other hand, was clearly a novice.
Number 18 clearly knows Tanuki.
He said, "Let's agree on the rules first: no martial arts."
Lili nodded and tucked her sleeves in.
The response was brief: "I know."
Number 18 took a deep breath and adjusted his breathing rhythm.
He was actually an elite member of General Zhao Feng's private retinue, and his rank was at least second-class. Although he was nothing compared to those martial arts geniuses, it was enough for him to become a small squad leader in the private retinue, in charge of a few people.
General Zhao Feng himself greatly admires Li Li.
He would offer a few pointers every now and then.
As a squad leader, Number Eighteen had naturally met with Li Li and exchanged a few words with him. He was well aware of Li Li's innate superhuman strength; he could fight even a third-class warrior like Zan Niao to a standstill, while he, a second-class upper-class warrior, would only get beaten up if he encountered him.
Thankfully, this is wrestling, not unrestricted fighting.
In terms of skill, I might not necessarily lose.
The two exchanged greetings and then assumed their stances.
He had his left foot forward and his right foot back, maintaining a stable center of gravity.
The onlookers thought he would remain calm, observe the enemy's movements, and strike later. But to their surprise, a gong sounded, and Number Eighteen, who was favored and had the upper hand, launched the first attack. The onlookers were momentarily stunned as Number Eighteen slipped forward with his left foot.
It was so fast that it almost left a blur.
He approached Tanuki.
He tried to hook his left foot around the left heel of the 23rd person.
If the surprise attack succeeds, he can use his left hand to support the back of the neck and push to the right, while his right hand grabs the left ankle, causing the upper body to lose its balance. With another push, he will gain the upper hand. However, Tanuki clearly knew his intention and dodged quickly.
While dodging, they also launched a swift attack.
The onlookers were on tenterhooks.
"Number 18!"
"Number 18! Number 18!"
"Push down Twenty-Three! Charge! That's it!"
"Sigh, they dodged it again! What a pity!"
The guy next to Shen Tang was yelling encouragement at the top of his lungs, waving his handkerchief, which greatly hurt Shen Tang's ears. Her eardrums were throbbing and buzzing. She had no choice but to raise her hand to cover the ear in the direction the guy was facing and tilt her head in the opposite direction to avoid being hit in the face by his handkerchief. But she forgot that there was someone on her other side, whose voice was just as loud.
"Aaaaaah—I'm going to fall! I'm going to fall! Counterattack!"
"Twenty-three!!!"
Shen Tang covered her ears with her hands, her expression blank.
Not only from the sides, but also from behind, there was excited shoving.
On the stage, Lili had already stepped back with her right foot into a left bow stance.
Its center of gravity is extremely stable.
No matter how much No. 18 attacked, he remained completely unmoved.
At the same time, we will seize every opportunity to turn defense into offense.
Before long, the two had exchanged thirty or forty blows, attracting the attention of the other contestants who all turned to watch the spectacle. Opportunities are always fleeting, and victory or defeat can be decided in a split second. In a flash, Number Eighteen's expression showed a moment of frustration, but Tanuki had already reached out with lightning speed, sliding forward with her right foot and slipping her left arm under Number Eighteen's armpit.
Shen Tang said, "Oh, Li Li is going to win."
Sure enough, the next moment, Number 18 was thrown to the ground, his shoulders hitting the ground, and his counterattack was restrained by Tanuki Power.
"I lost."
Number 18 surrendered decisively.
Tanuki loosened her grip, slightly out of breath.
His forehead was also covered with a fine layer of sweat.
He reached out and pulled Number 18 up from the ground.
He asked, "Want to play another round?"
Number 18 smiled wryly: "I thought I could easily win the first place, but I didn't expect to run into this roadblock."
At the same time, it signaled to strike the gong again.
The tension wasn't as strong this time as it was last time.
It was less of a duel and more of a mentorship between Number Eighteen and Number Twenty-Three—Tan Li, after all, was a self-taught individual, possessing only brute strength and self-developed techniques, which were quite rudimentary. If it weren't for his exceptional talent, learning and mastering the skills through combat, Number Eighteen might not have lost. Number Eighteen wasn't stingy either, and was happy to help Tan Li refine his techniques.
Although it lacks the element of gunpowder, it is still highly entertaining.
The difference is that Tanuki has more supporters.
Shen Tang watched three performances.
Number 18 lost faster and faster each time.
The last time, number 18 simply waved his hand and refused.
"I'm not coming anymore, I'm not coming anymore, it's no fun losing."
He knew that someone who could be appreciated by General Zhao Feng was no ordinary person, but he didn't expect this guy to be so powerful even without using martial arts.
A smile appeared on Tanuki's serious face.
"Shall I go downstairs and offer you a drink?"
"really?"
Number 18's eyes lit up at the mention of alcohol.
The wines at Fugu Department Store are all in limited supply.
A top-quality wine.
If you go too late, they'll be gone.
He managed to snag two drinks on the 18th, and even shared them with his brothers. He only got a few sips himself and wasn't satisfied at all.
As a prominent figure under Shen Jun, Li Li must have plenty of wine; I've really gotten a good deal this time.
"It's not the wine from Fugu Department Store."
Lili made a special explanation.
He didn't manage to grab any of the wine either.
"That's fine, let's go—let's go have a drink!"
He wrapped his long arm around Tanuki and shoved him impatiently, afraid that if he was late, the free wine would fly away.
Tanuki was about to laugh, and then—
He couldn't laugh anymore.
"Holy crap, hey buddy behind me, don't push me!"
In the crowd, a short figure was pushed forward by those behind him, forced to tumble over a rope, and staggered a couple of steps before regaining his balance. The older man sitting in the corner banging the gong saw this person emerge and sneered, "Want a challenge?"
Shen Tang: "..."
Does she look like she's here to take on a challenge?
Shen Tang explained, "I was pushed out."
Is she wrestling with Lili?
His thighs aren't even as thick as someone else's arms.
The person banging the gong was right next to her and naturally saw it, so he smiled and reminded her, "Go back quickly, commoners are not allowed to cross the rope."
"Crossing the rope will result in a fine of three coins."
This is also to prevent some emotionally charged civilians from running out and getting accidentally injured by the contestants.
Tanuki had excellent night vision and could see the person's identity even without the light of the campfire, and looked astonished.
He was about to blurt out the words "My Lord".
Shen Tang raised her hand to stop her.
At the same time, he straightened his mask.
She didn't want to reveal her identity and disturb others who were watching the spectacle; she herself would also feel uncomfortable: "Did you bring any money?"
Tanuki naturally brought it along.
However, the purse only contained about twenty coins.
Shen Tang borrowed three coins from him to pay the "fine".
Squeezing through the crowd, once there were fewer people around, Lili asked in a low voice, "Why did you come out alone, my lord?"
"Why won't it work?"
Li Li said, "Master, the safety of the public is of utmost importance."
Even if you run away, you need to bring two guards with you.
Shen Tang complained, "They're not three-year-olds who need an adult to accompany them when they go out. Let alone this Fugu City, which is under my jurisdiction, even elsewhere, is it any different for bad guys to run into me than to bump into the King of Hell? They should be worried about the bad guys..."
Lili: "..."
Just think about our lord's abilities...
That's absolutely true.
Shen Tang didn't want to spoil Li Li's drinking with his friends, so she waved him away, saying, "I'm just wandering around to see if there's anything I need. You two have fun."
Some things are only visible to ordinary people.
Shen Tang, bearing the title of Shen Jun, cannot see this.
Li Li nodded knowingly.
"Lend me some money, I'll pay you back later."
She said it without blushing at all.
Shen Tang was truly poor.
The phrase "penniless" perfectly describes her.
Because she had run away on short notice and no one had prepared any pocket money for her, she had to search every possible place on her body, finally finding the money in her inner sleeve pocket. She also managed to get a discount by showering the shopkeeper with a string of auspicious phrases. Since the shopkeeper didn't know her true identity, she felt no guilt whatsoever.
Tanuki, who was borrowing money from her lord for the first time: "..."
The two poor bastards divided the remaining copper coins between them.
Number 18 remained silent throughout.
He only had one question—
Who's paying for the drinks later?
He didn't want to be detained for drinking without paying.
Looking at the remaining assets and noticing the subtle look in Number Eighteen's eyes, Li Li couldn't help but feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Luckily, her skin was dark, otherwise it would have been truly shameful.
Number 18 asked, "Going drinking again?"
Li Li said, "I have a few more slips of paper."
As the reputation of Fugu Department Store grew day by day, some shops in Fugu City also acknowledged the value of the "trades," allowing commoners to exchange them for goods. However, the discounts weren't as generous as those offered by Fugu Department Store, and commoners needed to pay a little extra out of pocket. Li Li estimated that he could barely afford to treat himself to a meal.
He said, "Let's go drink!"
Upon hearing this, Number 18 felt uneasy.
Kang Shi, who was enjoying a rare moment of leisure, shared the same sentiment. He was pausing at a stall, engrossed in looking at the trinkets, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around…
Nobody here?
"Ji Shou!"
Kang Shi bowed slightly. "Oh, it's my lord."
"How come my lord has only one person?"
Shen Tang saw Kang Shi from a great distance.
The moment Shen Tang saw him, her eyes lit up and a plan suddenly came to her mind – a way to make money.
"I came out for some fresh air after finishing my work. You and Lili both asked the same question right away. What could possibly happen to me alone?"
Kang Shi said, "No, I'm worried about what might happen to others."
Those who are family members know their own affairs best.
Kang Shi did not believe that Fugu City had any warriors with the courage and courage to rival Gong Xichou and Zhai Le. Otherwise, falling into the hands of the lord would be like sending someone to their death from afar, a small gift but a great sentiment.
Shen Tang: "..."
She chose to skip over this unpleasant topic.
His gaze fell on Kang Shi's money bag.
"Does Ji Shou have any extra money?"
Kang Shi twirled the emptied money pouch.
He gestured for his lord to see for himself.
Judging from the sound, he probably has more copper coins than Shen Tang. It's impossible for them to be rich; poverty is their core culture. If their lord is poor, how can the people below possibly be rich?
Shen Tang pouted: "Then what are you looking at?"
Kang Shi said, "It doesn't cost any money to watch it."
If I really like something, I can go back and get the money to buy it later.
Shen Tang cleared her throat deliberately, coughing heavily twice, unsure how to begin. Seeing her hesitation, Kang Shi, noticing she seemed to want to say something but was too embarrassed to speak, took the initiative and asked, "Does my lord have any orders?"
"Hehe—" Shen Tang chuckled, stretching out her hand to pat his shoulder, her smile somewhat mischievous, "Since we're both short on cash, Ji Shou, how about we go and get some money to spend? I just saw a hidden gambling den..."
Kang Shi sighed, “If my lord is short of money, I can just go back and get some. Why bother with those things? Gambling is not a good thing. If my cousin finds out, he will make trouble for me again.”
Shen Tang spoke with conviction, his skin as thick as a city wall, impervious to cuts and spears: "If you don't tell, and I don't tell, how will Yuan Liang know? Besides, the money in the gamblers' hands will eventually be taken by the bookies. Rather than letting the gambling dens profit, it's better to let the two of us benefit, which can indirectly benefit the vast majority of ordinary people in Fugu City, don't you think?"
Kang Shi: "..."
They could see right through their lord's ulterior motives.
My lord definitely wants to make money by using his scholarly ways, but—has my lord considered that once the two of them sit at the gambling table, he himself will be the one who loses every time he gambles?
Kang Shi calmly replied, "Since my lord has given the order, I dare not disobey."
_(:з)∠)_
Some comments expressed disagreement with the term "common people".
This term is not derogatory; it simply refers to commoners without official rank or title.
Similar descriptive terms include Limin (initially referring to slaves, later referring to commoners) and Qianshou (during wartime, the Qin state favored black, and commoners often wore black headscarves).
The term "common people" in the Warring States period referred to nobles, as in the phrase "Pingzhang common people," but there is no specific historical context in the text.
The terms "common people" and "commoners" are used interchangeably.
P.S.: It's almost the end of the month, and I'd love to receive your monthly votes!
(End of this chapter)
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