Chapter 225: Changliu Country
Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Changliu Country
Mo Lingwei waved his hand coldly, signaling for everyone to be seated.
He then looked at Shen Ningning and sneered. "See that? You’re late. The stands are almost full."
A hurt expression appeared on Shen Ningning’s delicate, rosy face.
She pouted and looked at the large, four-tiered spectator stand behind Mo Lingwei.
The stand was packed to the brim, with only a few scattered empty seats. Those, however, were wedged between brawny, hulking men, and Shen Ningning had no desire to sit there.
Only the front row, where the Crown Prince’s exclusive seat was located, had plenty of empty space.
But she was too embarrassed to ask, fearing it would displease Mo Lingwei.
Just then, a cheerful voice called out, "Shen Ningning, over here!"
The little girl and Mo Lingwei looked over in unison.
In the second row, Lu Shaoyuan was happily waving his arm.
He called out loudly, "Hurry, I saved you a good seat!"
Shen Ningning’s face broke into a sweet smile. But when she turned to look at Mo Lingwei, her expression became cautious.
"Brother, thank you for bringing me. I’m going to go sit down now. The matches are about to begin."
With that, the little girl pattered over to Lu Shaoyuan and sat down beside him.
Beneath Mo Lingwei’s sharp, icy brow, the gaze in his slender eyes turned colder than the surrounding snow!
He flicked his sleeve and strode to his own seat, his aura dark and dangerous.
Just before the event began, Chen Shaobei came looking for the Crown Prince.
When he saw that the seat next to him, which had been specially arranged for Shen Ningning, was empty, Chen Shaobei froze for a moment.
He then looked up and saw Lu Shaoyuan taking out three or four paper-wrapped packages.
"Ningning, here are some snacks for you to eat while you watch. I’ve got melon seeds in my pocket, too. Just help yourself."
"Thank you, Shao Yuan. Wasn’t it heavy carrying all this?"
"Not at all. My brother got me in."
The two sat not far behind Mo Lingwei, separated by a few potted dwarf plum trees.
The sound of their cheerful chatter reached Mo Lingwei’s ears, causing the Crown Prince’s pale, jade-like face to grow even more dangerously moody.
Mo Lingwei leaned back in his chair, propping his head on his hand, his slender eyes filled with raw irritation.
Chen Shaobei gave a helpless smile, stepped forward, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, we can begin now."
Mo Lingwei shot him a glance. "Find a way to make Shen Ningning come sit with me. Otherwise, we’re not starting today."
’If it weren’t for Shen Ningning, he wouldn’t have bothered coming to an event like this in the first place.’
Chen Shaobei felt a major headache coming on.
’How am I supposed to arrange that?’
But an order from the Crown Prince was an order he had to carry out. "A royal command must never be defied"—that was his family’s creed.
Chen Shaobei thought for a moment, then nodded. "Please wait a moment, Your Highness."
He turned and walked away.
Just as Lu Shaoyuan was taking out a waterskin and telling Shen Ningning, "I brought you some hot water. It’s freezing out, so drink plenty."
At that moment, the crowd in the stands erupted in gasps of surprise.
"Look! What is Young General Chen bringing in? Is that a bear?"
"Are you blind? Those are wolves! That’s the Black Wolf King, Princess Funing’s little pet, ennobled by the Emperor himself as the Wolf Prince."
Shen Ningning’s eyes flew wide as she looked over.
Sure enough, she saw Chen Shaobei leading Chen Ye in, with Black Wolf King and Wolf Three following behind. The wolves’ gazes swept left and right, cold and feral.
The two wolves were enormous, their fur jet-black. Well-fed and cared for by Shen Ningning, they had powerful frames and well-defined muscles that rippled with a strength that was impossible to ignore.
They were several times larger than any common wolf.
Shen Ningning hurried down from the stands. "Why did you bring Langlang here?"
The moment Black Wolf King and Wolf Three saw their Xiao Ningning, they immediately crowded around her.
Chen Shaobei smiled gently. "I noticed the Commandery Princess’s carriage was parked outside and saw Chen Ye was still with it."
"Today’s tournament is sure to be exciting. Since the Commandery Princess brought him and the Wolf King along, I didn’t think they should miss out, so I brought them all inside."
Wolf Three nuzzled its head against Shen Ningning’s small hand and let out a couple of soft whimpers, as if begging for attention.
’So many people! This is so exciting! Too bad I can’t eat any of them.’
’But maybe I can scavenge some scraps later. If someone gets killed on the fighting stage, I could sneak a bite or two.’
Shen Ningning cupped Wolf Three’s large head in her small hands and gave it a rub. "Alright, since you’re all here, you can stay and watch."
"But, Langlang, Wolf Three, you have to be well-behaved. No running around, okay?"
Black Wolf King and Wolf Three both nodded, so Shen Ningning started leading them toward the stands.
However, the people sitting closest were already scared out of their wits.
Shen Ningning knew it was only natural for people to be afraid.
She turned and gave Chen Shaobei a troubled look.
Chen Shaobei ambled over. "Don’t worry, Commandery Princess. Allow me to ask His Highness."
Shen Ningning’s gaze immediately shifted to Mo Lingwei. The aloof and noble Crown Prince was sitting perfectly straight, holding a cup of hot tea and savoring it slowly.
Chen Shaobei went over and murmured a few words to him.
Mo Lingwei turned to glance at Shen Ningning before saying, "Let her and the wolves come over here."
Chen Shaobei returned to relay the message. "Commandery Princess, you and the wolves should sit with the Crown Prince. There is ample space over there."
Shen Ningning heard this and thought, ’That’s the perfect solution.’
’Otherwise, my Langlangs wouldn’t have anywhere to lie down.’
The Black Wolf King, however, began to let out a continuous stream of angry snorts as soon as it saw Mo Lingwei.
It plopped down right between Mo Lingwei and Shen Ningning.
Wolf Three, meanwhile, lay down to the little girl’s left.
Without a word, Mo Lingwei pushed the seasonal fruits and pastries from the table in front of him over to Shen Ningning.
The little girl’s bright eyes filled with confusion. As she looked at him, he said flatly, "I have no appetite. You eat it."
Shen Ningning instantly broke into a sweet smile. "Okay!"
’She glanced down—they were all her favorites! This is great!’
A gong sounded, followed by three resounding beats of a drum.
The lively tournament had begun!
While snacking on a persimmon, Shen Ningning watched the two combatants on the stage exchange blows. It didn’t take long for a winner to emerge.
Cheers rose and fell throughout the stands.
Soon, it was Jiang Zhi’s turn on the stage.
Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she wore practical, dark brown fighting attire that made her look sharp and deadly.
While the others had weapons, she alone took the stage bare-fisted.
The referee reminded her to select a weapon.
But Jiang Zhi shook her head. "There’s no need. My fists are my weapons."
Shen Ningning was the first to applaud. "Yes!"
The rest of the crowd in the stands was dead silent.
’The match hasn’t even started, and she’s cheering already?’
However, they then saw Mo Lingwei casually applaud as well.
The crowd, like a field of weather vanes, immediately followed suit, erupting in a tidal wave of cheers for Jiang Zhi. She felt a surge of strength course through her!
Jiang Zhi went through several rounds of opponents, but she remained standing victorious on the stage.
Whether her opponents wielded swords, sabers, or staves, she deflected their attacks with her bare fists.
The principle of the Unstoppable Fist was to allow the weak to overcome the strong, and to make the strong even stronger.
Shen Ningning would periodically shout with excitement for Jiang Zhi, and Mo Lingwei would quietly order someone to bring her more hot tea.
After defeating a dozen opponents, Jiang Zhi finally faced a man dressed in black.
The man was short and slight, with a thin, drooping mustache that was as narrow as his eyes.
He stared at Jiang Zhi and raised two long sabers. "Your guidance, please!"
Then, he lunged, launching the first attack.
Chen Shaobei watched from below the stage for a moment, his brow slowly furrowing.
’Something about this man’s saber technique... it isn’t right.’
Jiang Zhi moved with the fluid grace of a dragon, initially only defending without striking back.
But once she had a feel for her opponent’s patterns, she immediately launched her counteroffensive!
Every punch whistled through the air, every blow landing squarely on flesh!
With a sharp CRACK, Jiang Zhi found an opening and struck the man’s wrist.
The impact sent a shock through his hand, and his long saber clattered to the floor.
Jiang Zhi followed up instantly with another punch, striking the man in the chest.
He spat out a mouthful of blood with a "PFFT" and collapsed to the ground.
Jiang Zhi’s fierce aura instantly vanished. She cupped her fist in a gesture of respect. "This was meant to be a spar to first blood. My apologies, brother."
She stepped forward and offered a hand to help the man up, but a cold light suddenly flashed from his palm.
Chen Shaobei’s face changed first. "Watch out!" he roared. "He has a hidden weapon!"
It was too late for Jiang Zhi to dodge. The hidden weapon struck her in the shoulder blade, and she cried out, clutching the wound as she staggered backward.
Chen Shaobei and the surrounding soldiers of the Zhenbei Army rushed forward at once.
Jiang Zhi gritted her teeth, her face pale as she glared at the man. "The match was over, and you launch a sneak attack! What kind of coward are you?"
The man in black just smiled, his accent strange. "In your Cangyun Country, you have this custom of ’stopping before causing real harm.’"
"But in my country, Changliu, our rule is that all is fair in war. As long as you’re on this stage, a loss... is a loss!"
The crowd in the stands gasped in shock.
This man was from Changliu Country! Changliu was a tiny nation, beaten into submission by Cangyun Country years ago. They hadn’t dared to cause trouble since.
Who would have thought that after a few years of peace, they would start stirring up trouble again.
The crowd grew furious. "Who the hell do you think you are, causing trouble in our Cangyun Country!"
Mo Lingwei’s eyes were dangerously cold. He raised his voice and commanded, "Seize this pirate and behead him."
The man in black, however, showed no fear. He cupped his hands. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, please do not be hasty. Why not let me finish what I have to say?"
"I entered the tournament today out of personal interest, but my true purpose is singular. I came seeking Princess Funing."
He raised his hand and pointed directly at Shen Ningning.
The entire arena erupted in an uproar.