Chapter 51
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Most of the time, the Fifth Prince was the instigator of these physical contests like wrestling and arm-wrestling. It appeared as though this child had an endless well of energy to unleash.
Xue Yao usually didn’t want the chubby cub to participate in such “brawling” activities, fearing that his “fighting genes” might be triggered.
Even though they had to participate today, Xue Yao still didn’t want the chubby cub to engage with others.
Xue Yao decided to step in himself. Firstly, to ensure that the Seventh Prince wouldn’t suffer from other injuries, and secondly, to target pressure points without relying on luck.
However—
“Line up, Sixth Brother.” The Seventh Prince had already chosen his opponent.
“Your Highness, spar with me first!” Xue Yao stood in front of the Seventh Prince, unwilling to give up the fight.
The Seventh Prince pointed towards the crowd gathered in the west and said to Xue Yao, “Go take your position, and don’t blink. Watch your grandpa achieve consecutive victories.”
Xue Yao: “……”
Who gave this chubby cub so much confidence?
Today, the old father was determined to display his skills and impart a dynamic lesson to this youngster, teaching him the virtue of humility.
“Your Highness won’t spar with me, could it be that you’re afraid?” Xue Yao provoked.
The Seventh Prince let out a light laugh, as if he had heard a joke, and gracefully bypassed Xue Yao, heading towards the center of the crowd. He gave a casual response, “Yes, yes, yes, your grandpa is afraid of you.”
Xue Yao: “……”
Perhaps he had been too gentle with the chubby cub in the past. Today was the time to reveal his true strength!
“Oh, Seventh Brother, you also want to showcase your skills today?” The Fifth Prince had just finished three rounds, wiped his sweat-soaked forehead with his sleeve, and walked over. He pointed to a group of guards on the opposite side. “Select an opponent first, but remember, no crying if you fall, and don’t lure Eldest Brother over.”
“Want Sixth Brother.” The Seventh Prince’s choice was clear.
“But Sixth Brother isn’t participating! He’s discussing matters with Eldest Brother over there, can’t you see?” The Fifth Prince explained solemnly, “There are rules to this competition. In the first round, you must first pass the guards’ test. If you succeed, then you can choose your opponent.”
Sixth Brother wasn’t participating?
The Seventh Prince turned to look at Xue Yao.
Xue Yao smiled and found an excuse, “Ah, I misspoke earlier. It was the Fifth Prince who won several rounds. He’s exceptionally formidable.”
“Ah,” the Fifth Prince pretended to be humble, “Just a small matter!”
The Seventh Prince’s expression immediately turned indifferent. As long as Sixth Brother didn’t steal the spotlight, it was fine.
However, upholding the traditional cultural notion of “since you’ve come, you should participate,” the chubby cub casually pointed to one of the guards and beckoned him over, preparing to put on a little show of strength in front of Silly Yaoyao.
Xue Yao, hearing about the rule of “passing the guards’ test first” from the Fifth Prince, didn’t want to go against it and could only place his hopes in the selected guard.
Before the contest began, Xue Yao deliberately approached the guard and whispered, “During the match, kick an inch below His Highness’ navel, and he’ll admit defeat. His Highness has a bit of a belly, so don’t kick the wrong spot.”
The guard responded with alarm, “I dare not!”
“What’s there to be afraid of? If you deliberately go easy on him, the Seventh Prince will be displeased,” Xue Yao bluffed, “In front of the Fifth Prince, if you can’t beat a child, whether you genuinely lack skill or are pretending, there won’t be any opportunities for advancement in the future. We both know the Fifth Prince’s temperament. If you hesitate, it won’t bode well for you inside and outside the palace. Even the Seventh Prince won’t respect you. Think it through carefully. Put on your best performance, and His Highness won’t mistreat you.”
The guard was a straightforward man, not as crafty as Xue Yao. But swayed by his words, he found some logic in them. He entered the arena with a determined air, his eyes fixed on the “Seventh Prince’s weak point” as mentioned by Xue Yao.
The Seventh Prince, observing Xue Yao’s hushed conversation with the guard, thought it was a reminder for the guard to go easy on him.
He didn’t mind either way. He was certain that Fifth Brother wouldn’t hold back, and he was still bound to steal the limelight in a moment.
As the contest began, the Seventh Prince didn’t take it seriously. After all, Yaoyao had instructed him to go easy. With a casual shove, the guard would fall in line with the act.
However, His Highness misjudged Yaoyao’s intentions. Several attempts to strike the guard missed entirely.
To his surprise, the guard adopted a combative stance, displaying swift leg techniques and relentless kicks, forcing the Seventh Prince to repeatedly retreat, nearly backing into the crowd.
The onlooking attendants quickly stepped back, clearing the arena.
This situation left the Seventh Prince deeply embarrassed.
His Highness’ chubby baby face darkened, his eyes narrowing, with only the guard’s defiant figure left in his light-colored irises.
The guard, seeing the young prince standing motionless and fearing he might have kicked too hard, attempted to halt his momentum, but it was too late. He watched in sheer panic as his foot sailed toward the prince.
However, just moments before the impact, the young prince suddenly crouched and leaped, coiling his legs and raising his knee, placing one foot onto the leg the guard had kicked out. Seizing the opportunity, he pushed off forcefully.
In an instant, the guard saw a blur, and the young prince was now crouched before him. He raised his left arm and abruptly aimed his elbow toward the guard’s neck, then quickly adjusted the angle, perhaps to avoid causing severe harm, and struck the guard’s left shoulder.
With a muffled “thud”, the guard felt as if he had been struck by a sledgehammer. He tumbled from mid-air and landed on the ground, his posterior going numb.
The attendants who had been cheering became suddenly silent in an instant.
Perhaps it was the astonishing display of skill by the Seventh Prince for the first time that left everyone in shock.
Or maybe it was the first time they witnessed such nimbleness from the chubby cub.
Amidst this shocked crowd was Xue Yao.
What had just happened?
That leap, rising more than a meter off the ground and using someone’s leg as a stepping stone, was it really the handiwork of the chubby cub he had nurtured?
He must be dreaming…
The quest of unblocking the Ren and Du meridians clearly hadn’t been completed. How could the chubby cub possess such agility?
This didn’t make sense!
Nevertheless, this seemingly irrational event had undeniably occurred.
The Fifth Prince was the first to snap out of it, rushing to help the fallen guard to his feet.
Xue Yao quickly regained his composure, hastening to inquire if the guard was injured and soothing his nerves for a moment. He then took out a small silver ingot and rewarded the guard.
Though he hadn’t managed to kick the chubby cub, it was clear that the guard had given his best effort and deserved recognition.
The guard accepted the reward and withdrew.
The Fifth Prince remained standing in his place, a puzzled expression on his face. He glanced at his Seventh Brother, then looked at Xue Yao in disbelief, as if he were silently asking him, “Did you switch my little brother with someone else?”
Xue Yao exchanged a “I didn’t expect this either” glance with the Fifth Prince, but he was quickly pulled behind by the Seventh Prince.
The Seventh Prince didn’t like others staring at Yaoyao so intently, feeling that they might be here to take advantage. He coolly reminded his Fifth Brother, “Yaoyao won’t reward you.”
Fifth Prince: “……”
He wasn’t just standing there expecting a reward!
The onlooking attendants gradually snapped out of their shock and suddenly erupted into cheers.
The deafening cheers even drew the Third Prince out of his tent.
After a servant was dispatched to gather information, the Third Prince learned of the Seventh Prince’s remarkable performance. He burst into laughter and confidently strolled into the crowd.
“How can I miss out on this contest?” The Third Prince raised his chin, walked into the arena with his hands behind his back, and looked mockingly at the recently celebrated Seventh Prince. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Third Brother arrived a bit late and missed the sight of your grandeur. How about you and I have a competition to show how much progress you’ve made over the years?”
The Seventh Prince remained expressionless and didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to his Fifth Brother, seeking help with his eyes.
He detested his Third Brother but didn’t dare to confront him directly. Shadows from his early years haunted the Seventh Prince, making him inclined to avoid any confrontation.
“There hasn’t been any progress.” The Fifth Prince interposed himself in front of the Seventh Prince and smiled at the Third Prince. “I was just trying to encourage Seventh Brother, making some noise for fun! Third Brother, you’re too strong, and Seventh Brother is still young. It would be a disaster if he got hurt by accident. How about I spar with you for a few moves instead?”
“What’s wrong with being strong? Can’t I control my strength?” The Third Prince gave a stern look and ordered, “Step aside.”
The Seventh Prince lowered his head and discreetly glanced at Xue Yao, hoping to signal him to slip away and find the Eldest Prince to come to their rescue.
Xue Yao naturally understood the Seventh Prince’s intention.
Under normal circumstances, there would be no need for the chubby cub to signal Xue Yao. He would have dashed off to tattle to the Eldest Prince immediately.
But at this very moment.
The Third Prince, the villain who had unblocked the Seventh Prince’s Ren and Du meridians, appeared before Xue Yao like a timely intervention.
There was no time to waste. This was the moment!
Xue Yao deliberately ignored the chubby cub’s plea for help and stared at the Third Prince with a solemn expression, never taking his eyes off him.
The Third Prince also knew that someone might go to the Eldest Prince to report the situation. Beating up his younger brother had to be swift and decisive, so without further ado, he pushed aside the Fifth Prince and got ready to take action!
The attending servants and readers-in-waiting were now completely silent.
The Seventh Prince had no way to avoid it. He was pushed into a corner and reluctantly engaged in a confrontation with the Third Prince.
In fact, judging from the chubby cub’s earlier display of skills, he might not necessarily lose to the Third Prince in a real fight.
Xue Yao was quite concerned. Having missed the prime training period from the age of seven or eight, the Third Prince might no longer be a match for the chubby cub.
However, once the contest began, the Seventh Prince didn’t take the initiative to attack. Instead, he evaded and dodged around, his expression unchanging. It was as if he was waiting for the Third Prince to lose his temper and leave on his own.
Xue Yao observed for a while and noticed that while the Third Prince possessed great strength, his reflexes were significantly slower than the Seventh Prince’s. It was clear he couldn’t land a hit.
The atmosphere around became increasingly awkward and quiet.
The Third Prince’s expression grew more and more furious.
This couldn’t go on like this. There would be no result.
Xue Yao was worried that if the Third Prince couldn’t land a hit, he might become infuriated, give up the opportunity to complete the quest, and turn his anger towards the Seventh Prince. So, he silently turned and tried to slip out of the crowd, planning to seek help from the Eldest Prince.
Unexpectedly, at that very moment, the Third Prince turned his head and saw Xue Yao trying to squeeze out. He wanted to instruct a servant to fetch some water, and coincidentally, he caught Xue Yao trying to leave.
This wasn’t the first time the Third Prince had seen Xue Yao going to fetch reinforcements. He exploded in anger, rushed forward in three quick strides, and grabbed Xue Yao by the back of his neck. “Where do you think you’re going, you brat? You want to spar with me too!”
The Third Prince lifted Xue Yao and tossed him into the arena. When Xue Yao raised his head, he saw the Third Prince’s hand coming down in a swift slap!
Not wanting to provoke the Third Prince further, Xue Yao furrowed his brow and closed his eyes, preparing to endure the slap. However, the slap never landed.
When he opened his eyes, he found the Seventh Prince standing tall, blocking the way with his left hand, intercepting the Third Prince’s slap.
The Third Prince was momentarily stunned, not expecting Old Seventh to step in voluntarily!
Suddenly, his excitement surged. The Third Prince swiftly retracted his arm, kicking up with all his might, sending a powerful kick aimed at the little mongrel.
With the distance being too close and the reaction time too short, the Seventh Prince still showed no intention of counterattacking.
In the blink of an eye, His Highness’ mind only registered two thoughts — dodge and “Silly Yaoyao is still behind.”
Finally, the Third Prince’s kick landed solidly in the Seventh Prince’s abdomen, sending both the Seventh Prince and Xue Yao flying through the air and crashing to the ground.
Shielded by the solid body of the chubby cub, Xue Yao felt as if that powerful kick had struck his heart as he tumbled to the ground. In that instant, his ears rang with a piercing noise.
This kick was much heavier than he had anticipated. When it struck the chubby cub, it left Xue Yao in a dazed and bewildered state.
Ignoring his aching body from the brawl, Xue Yao struggled to get up and went to check on the chubby cub’s injuries.
The ringing in his ears gradually subsided, and all the panicked cries around him became inaudible. In Xue Yao’s eyes, all he could see was the chubby cub’s pale and bewildered little face. In his ears, there was only the chaotic sound of breathing.
The Fifth Prince roared in anger.
The Third Prince, still wearing a smug smile, squinted at the Fifth Prince and taunted, “What do you want?”
The Fifth Prince’s eye twitched, repressing his anger. “Third Brother, this is going too far. If Seventh Brother was seriously injured…”
“I’m impatient too. Old Seventh kept bouncing around and avoiding me. It was really annoying,” the Third Prince said with a triumphant grin. “If he had just fought me properly, I wouldn’t have gone all out. Don’t you think so?”
Watching the unrepentant expression on the Third Prince’s face, the trembling in the Fifth Prince’s eyes gradually stopped, replaced by a look of hopelessness and sadness.
“Bang!“
Caught off guard, the Third Prince was punched in the nose by his Fifth Brother and tumbled to the ground.
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