Chapter 445 The Current Legendary Battle (New January, please guarantee the minimum monthly ticket)
Outside the Martial Arts Hall, the empress's sedan chair was parked quietly, the horse's tail was swinging and the steed was snorting loudly.
After Mo Chou finished handling the affairs of the Imperial Kitchen Bureau, she arrived here with the palace maid holding the lantern and frowned, "Your Majesty hasn't come out yet?"
A female official nodded respectfully:
"Reporting to Zhaorong, His Majesty has gone in to discuss matters with Lord Zhao and has ordered us to wait here."
It’s been so long... Mo Chou thought for a moment, stepped over the threshold of the Martial Arts Hall, but when she was about to enter the backyard, two priests raised their hands and politely stopped her.
"Zhaorong, please stop. His Majesty has ordered that you must not disturb her." said a servant.
Mo Chou bit her lip and nodded, "I'll wait here."
…
backyard.
"That's enough for now. Now that you have mastered the method of moving the energy channels, that's enough."
After another round of teaching ended, Xu Zhenguan said softly.
"...I am stupid. Do you want me to teach you again?"
“…What do you think?”
Zhao Duan smiled awkwardly, withdrew, holding a peach branch in his hand, and said:
"Your Majesty is busy with many things every day. I roughly understand what you have said."
As the two of them distanced themselves, the slightly burning temperature on Xu Zhenguan's face quickly subsided. She took a deep breath, dropped the peach blossom branch in her hand, and said with a reserved "hmm".
"It's not easy to master this technique. Follow this sword technique and try to cut down the peach blossoms on the tree from a distance."
Isn't this simple? Zhao Duan flicked his wrist, and amidst the low sound of breaking wind, a field of peach blossoms fell from above his head.
Xu Zhenguan smiled:
"When you have practiced to the point where your sword is silent, and the peach blossoms, though cut, remain entangled on the branches and refuse to fall, then you will be considered a master."
Cut it off and don't let it fall? What a harsh requirement... Zhao Duan's mouth twitched, but he nodded.
"I understand."
As he spoke, he actually sat cross-legged on the ground, quietly appreciating the essence of the swordsmanship taught by Zhenbao. From time to time, he picked up the peach blossom branch and waved it twice, then put it down and pondered again.
"I will also stay here tonight. If you have any questions, you can come and ask."
Xu Zhenguan suddenly said, then he moved lightly with lotus steps and went into the inner hall not far away to sit and breathe.
He has the attitude of a master.
But she had thought that with the slippery character of this young imperial guard, he would find all kinds of problems with swordsmanship every once in a while, come to her for advice, and take the opportunity to take advantage of her.
But she miscalculated. For the next hour, Zhao Duan did not leave the backyard and actually started to practice hard.
Was it to impress him? To improve quickly, to surprise him? To astonish him? Xu Zhenguan recalled the passages from the few vernacular novels he had read as a child, trying to guess what he was thinking.
With the corners of his mouth slightly raised, he shook his head and laughed, then simply sat cross-legged and began to meditate.
"Although the Peach Blossom Sword Technique is not complicated, it was created by Emperor Taizu. How much progress can one make in one night?"
As the night deepened, darkness fell like a thick quilt over the palace.
Before she knew it, dawn had broken. When the sky turned pale, the empress's eyelashes trembled. She opened her eyes and was shocked to realize that a whole night had passed.
"This guy, did he really practice all night?"
Xu Zhenguan muttered in his heart, slowly stood up, pushed open the door to the backyard, and saw the faint mist under the dim morning light.
Zhao Duan was still sitting in the same position as last night, cross-legged under the huge peach tree, with the peach wood "sword" across his knees, his eyes closed, and his head slightly lowered, as if he had fallen asleep.
This guy... fell asleep like this... The empress twitched the corner of her mouth, sighed helplessly, and felt a little disappointed. She then walked over and tried to wake him up and go back to the room to sleep.
However, at this moment, a gentle breeze blew into the backyard, and countless peach blossoms on the lush treetops fell like heavy snow.
In the blink of an eye, the ground was covered with debris, leaving only a few remnants on the bare tree trunks.
Xu Zhenguan's beautiful eyes widened slightly as she looked at the scene in astonishment.
"Your Majesty?" Zhao Duan woke up from his nap, rubbed his dark circles, looked at the peach blossoms scattered on his shoulders, raised his face and smiled brightly:
"I did it."
A moment later.
After waiting in the front yard all night, Mo Chou, who was sitting on the steps with her arms around her knees, was awakened. In a daze, she saw the Queen of Yu State walking out gracefully.
"Your Majesty? Are you up?" Mo Chou asked with infinite resentment.
Xu Zhenguan didn't notice her, and murmured:
"What a strange thing, what a strange thing..."
…
…
The arrival of Qingshan disciples eventually attracted the attention of many people, especially those in the officialdom of the capital.
Especially the practitioners in the city, they are particularly concerned about this competition between the two major martial arts traditions.
In a private room of an elegant teahouse, Xue Shence and Yuan Li also talked about this matter during a social dinner.
"Master Xue, as a master in the army, who do you think will win the competition in the palace?"
Yuan Li, the leader of the Qingliu Party, picked up a piece of cod with his chopsticks and asked curiously.
Xue Shence was born as a military officer, and even at a private banquet, he always sat upright and dignified. Upon hearing this, he glanced at Yuan Qingyi and said lightly:
"Does Lord Yuan have no confidence in the palace offerings?"
Yuan Li smiled and said with emotion:
"I'm not well versed in martial arts, and I don't understand the difference between them as well as Lord Xue does, but I know how to judge people. I heard that those disciples from Qingshan are coming with such a strong momentum, I'm sure they're very confident. Fortunately, a few days ago, Young Master Zhao used some tactics to give them a few warnings, and they finally calmed down. Although the two sides have been sparring constantly these days, there's no more tension."
Xue Shence sighed:
"I've heard that Qingshan's generation is full of talented people. Not to mention Wu Xiankui, who is striving to break the void and attempt to become a human immortal, there are many powerful fighters from the bottom of the water. On the other hand, among the royal family... only Zhao Shaobao is more famous. Unfortunately, he came too early to compete. Even if he managed to enter the high level of the Divine Chapter, it would be difficult to turn the tide... In this kind of competition, it is impossible to use the Taia Sword."
The implication: the royal family is going to lose.
Yuan Li nodded slightly without expressing any opinion, and there was silence in the box for a moment.
Xue Shence took the initiative to bring up a new topic: "Mr. Yuan has been extremely busy these days."
Yuan Li gave a wry smile. "Last year, a new policy was issued, and a number of local officials were executed. The court had to draw up a list of new appointments and dismissals. It's been going on since the beginning of the year until now, and it's finally been roughly finalized."
Xue Shence asked curiously, "Could it be that the Prime Minister is obstructing this?"
Li Yanfu is in charge of the Ministry of Personnel. Even though the "new cabinet" has taken away all the power, when it comes to official evaluation, promotion, appointment and dismissal, the Li Party cannot be avoided.
Yuan Li nodded, then shook his head:
"But not entirely. All newly appointed officials must shoulder the responsibility of promoting the new policy. The rest of the area is not so bad, but the two areas involving Huaishui and Jiancheng in the south must be dealt with seriously. The Jiancheng Dao Canal Transport Governor has been urging them for several months. What can Your Majesty do?"
"Don't you know they're short of people? But the more urgent the situation, the more we need to screen them. The burden of selecting new local officials falls on our Censorate."
Xue Shence's eyes showed sympathy and he raised his glass to toast:
"Mr. Yuan has worked hard for the country, so drink this cup to the full."
Yuan Li smiled and raised her glass in return:
"I hope nothing unexpected happens."
…
Jizhao nunnery.
After spring, the lotus lake in the courtyard thaws, the grass gradually turns green, and the weather becomes warmer.
Prajna Bodhisattva, wearing only a light gauze monk's robe, sat quietly by the pond, listening to the nun's report.
Her bare feet were soaked in the water, with golden carp circling and kissing between her fingers. Her monk's robe was open, revealing her white skin. She held a wooden comb in her hand, gently combing her long hair.
"...Buddha, this is the fifth time I have begged you to go south."
The nun said softly.
Prajna Bodhisattva remained silent for a long time before he sighed softly, squinting his eyes and enjoying the warm spring light.
"I really don't want to move."
Following the Buddhist debate, the status of Prajna Bodhisattva in Shenlong Temple rose rapidly.
After Master Dajing defected, the monks in the temple who were originally affiliated with Dajing lost their support. After weighing the pros and cons, they all defected to Prajna.
While it greatly increased her power, it also brought her a lot of trouble.
Shenlong Temple was the main Buddhist temple of the Yu State, and there were also temples scattered throughout the local areas.
A considerable part of them were originally controlled by the Great Pure Master, but now have become his "political legacy".
Against the backdrop of the empress's "ban on Buddhism", Shenlong Temple was still able to hold on thanks to its solid foundation, but local temples were in a state of panic.
Therefore, as the new leader of "Zen Buddhism", Prajna Bodhisattva had to go south to meet with and appease monks in temples across the country.
To prevent the new "Zen Buddhism" from collapsing... Prajna Bodhisattva is lazy and doesn't like fighting. He has refused several times, and this is the fifth time.
"Forget it. If you don't agree, they will come to bother you again. And tell me what I mean. I will go south in a few days." Prajna said helplessly.
The young nun breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a smile, "Buddha, have mercy on you."
Prajna Bodhisattva smiled and casually asked about other things:
"Has Princess Yunyang been making trouble these days?"
The nun said, "She's not making so much noise anymore. She seems to have calmed down a lot. Maybe it's all thanks to the Dharma talk that Master Bianji gave her last time."
Bian Ji was preaching... Prajna Bodhisattva smiled and said:
"Yes, Yunyang was abandoned in Jizhao Temple by the emperor in the palace. She was unable to see men and was feeling suffocated, so she started to make a fuss. A handsome monk like Bianji must have satisfied her cravings."
The little nun's face turned red when she heard the fierce words coming out of the Bodhisattva's mouth.
Prajna looked down at her with a smile: "Why, are you also interested in Bian Ji?"
"No...how could it be...Buddha..."
Prajna laughed heartily. Strangely enough, a woman's laughter is not elegant, but on her, it was particularly harmonious and beautiful.
"My Zen method doesn't emphasize the prohibition of those corrupt precepts. What are you afraid of?"
The little nun hesitated, then suddenly mustered up the courage to ask:
"What does the Bodhisattva think of Master Bian Ji?"
"He..." Prajna Bodhisattva, who was born with a pair of Buddhist wisdom eyes, sneered:
"The greatest treachery appears to be loyalty."
After a pause, she said sadly, "Not as good as Zhao Duan."
…
…
Inside the palace, the competition between the priests and Qingshan's disciples continued day by day, but except for the first day, there were not many twists and turns in the following days.
Zhao Duan comprehended the Peach Blossom Sword overnight, which surprised Xu Zhenguan and made him feel that he was worthy of being the one chosen by "Longpo".
The speed at which he learned the martial arts of the Xu royal family was incredible, but when he thought about the secret assistance of Longpo, it could be barely explained.
However, Zhao Duan knew that he had fallen behind in his studies, so he secluded himself for half a month and practiced hard day and night. He was surprised to find that the Peach Blossom Sword Technique was consistent with the "Kai Tian" sword technique that Lao Xu taught him at the end of the "Martial God Picture".
There was a faint sense of connection between the beginning and the end, and a sense of circulation of energy, which made him wonder whether the Kaitian Sword Move was one of the Peach Blossom Sword Techniques.
The more I practice and comprehend it, the deeper my understanding becomes, and I feel like I am in a state of "flow" immersed in the world of martial arts.
On the seventh day, his cultivation level successfully reached the upper level of the Divine Chapter as Zhenbao had said.
After repeated consolidation over the next few days, his strength made another substantial leap, but unfortunately it was still far from the "worldly" realm.
Thus, the time came to the fifteenth day, which was also the agreed day for the martial arts test.
…
Early in the morning, in the Martial Arts Hall.
Zhao Duan ate slowly until he was about 70% full. When he walked out of the room, he saw that the servants headed by Tang Jinzhong were already standing in several rows in the courtyard.
The troops are in good order.
Everyone's face was filled with solemnity and killing intent.
"Don't be so serious, relax, it's just a duel."
Zhao Duan smiled:
"Besides, it's not like most of you need to fight. Just smile. Don't surrender before the fight even begins."
The eunuchs tried hard to force smiles, but their smiles were uglier than crying.
After several days of discussion and repeated evaluation, everyone clearly realized the gap between the two sides.
"There are three people on the other side. We will play three games. It will be acceptable if we win one." Zhao Duan comforted.
The ministers grimaced. They were playing at home. Even if they didn't win three games, they should at least win two. Otherwise, wouldn't that be a disgrace to His Majesty? But... could they do it? No one was confident.
Originally, some people still placed their hopes on Zhao Shaobao, thinking that if he could perform the same sword skills as the one that broke through the armor on the first day, there might be a chance of a turnaround.
But when everyone caught a glimpse of Zhao Duan's empty hands, without even a sword, they understood that Zhao Shaobao would not take action today.
…
The venue for the competition was chosen to be the Peach Garden in the imperial palace.
As the name suggests, it is a garden planted with peach trees and is mainly composed of a hill-like slope backed by the city wall, surrounded by a fence.
There is a large open space in the garden. It is said that six hundred years ago, after the queen died, the then Emperor Taizu often came to Taoyuan to relax and practice martial arts.
When Zhao Duan led a group of depressed and stressed priests over the fence and into the center of Taoyuan, he found that Qingshan disciples had already arrived.
Chai Keqiao was still dressed as a woodcutter, standing calmly with a look of strong confidence.
Qiye's injuries have healed. A swordsman with his eyes blindfolded in black stands beside him. The scabbard in his hand is as black as an inkstone. The sword is named "Gu Yan".
Xiao Ran, wearing a conical hat, has a slim figure, and the cloth tied around his waist flutters gently in the wind.
She stood there holding a sword, her eyes fixed on Zhao Duan fiercely, the corners of her mouth slowly rising, and she actually made a provocative "neck-wiping" gesture in the air.
"Grand Tutor Dong? Privy Councilor Xue? I haven't seen you for a few days." Zhao Duan was calm and not nervous at all.
His eyes swept over the trio, and then he looked at the familiar spectators in the peach garden in surprise.
Today, Dong Xuan, who is in his octogenarian years, led Han Zhou, Wang You, Guo Jieyuan and other scholars from the Xiuwenguan to gather here. It seemed that they came here to join in the fun because they were close to the imperial city.
As for the Privy Council members headed by Xue Shence, and the military officers in charge of the imperial guards in the palace, they were unwilling to miss this competition because they were "military warriors".
"Young Master Zhao looks even better than before."
"Haha, we are here to watch the fun today, but we are looking forward to your methods."
A group of military officers and cabinet scholars greeted them with smiles, which made the Qingshan trio frown.
"A martial arts competition has become like attending court." Qiye snorted.
Chai Keqiao suddenly looked outside the Peach Garden and said, "Your Majesty has arrived."
As expected, after Zhao Duan exchanged greetings with a group of colleagues, he turned around and saw a group of people walking towards him.
The palace maids around cleared the way, and the most conspicuous person was naturally the Queen of Yu, who possessed the attributes of both a fairy in heaven and an emperor on earth.
Beside her, on the left and right, followed her old acquaintance Mo Chou and Hai Chunlin, who was wearing a bright red python robe.
"Your Majesty!"
Everyone saluted.
Xu Zhenguan nodded slightly and said with a smile:
"After a hundred years, today is the day for our Yu Kingdom's royal family to once again test their skills with Qingshan's disciples..."
The empress seemed to have been prepared. Zhao Duan listened to the opening speech in the crowd, but it went in one ear and out the other.
Today's competition was not as grand as the Buddhist and Taoist competitions, which attracted the entire capital to watch.
It only happened in the Peach Garden of the Imperial Palace, with more than a hundred people watching, but its significance to the royal family of the State of Yu was perhaps even greater than the former.
"Every martial arts test between Qingshan and the imperial family will not only be recorded in history books, but will also be passed on to the martial arts world. For the next hundred years, they will be remembered by generations of martial artists..."
Zhao Duan's ears seemed to echo with the words that Eunuch Hai had said to him yesterday.
The whole person couldn't help but be infected by the solemn atmosphere and became a little serious.
He looked around and suddenly realized that what he was experiencing now was the legendary battle.
Thanks to Jun Lin Tian Xia for 3,000 coins, Zhi Zhu Zai Wu for 500 coins, Jing Lei 128 for 500 coins, moodygumiho, Kenshin, and rurudo101 for their 100 coins.
(End of this chapter)
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