It was dead silent on the field. The people of Liang were speechless.
They looked at the young woman in red on the field. Sunlight shone on her face as she stood gallantly.
At this moment, they all had the same thought - who said women are inferior to men, who said women without talent are virtuous?
Even the people from Ye were silenced. Lord Shi walked directly to Qin Chuyuan’s side.
“Lord Qin, may I send my son who has not yet come of age to the Qin residence and have him become a disciple of Little Flower to follow her and learn from her?”
“Rest assured, if the boy misbehaves, feel free to punish and scold him without regard for my face. He will not complain one bit.”
Qin Chuyuan looked at Lord Shi with an expressionless face and coldly said, "Your face?"
"Uh..."
Lord Shi was at a loss for words. He still seemed to lack some standing before Qin Chuyuan, but for his son's sake, he had to thicken his skin and get closer.
"Yes, my face should still be worth a little something, right?" Lord Shi looked at Qin Chuyuan with hopeful eyes.
The guards around them also looked toward Qin Chuyuan. They too wanted to become disciples of General Gong.
"Little Flower will decide her own matters."
"Then it's settled. If Little Flower agrees, you must not interfere."
Qin Chuyuan did not respond. He realized he knew too little about Little Flower. Besides his family background, he seemed to have nothing to match Little Flower. What right did he have now to decide for Little Flower?
The King of Liang looked at Gong Xiaohua in the field and became dispirited.
Could it be that Ye's army was now becoming strong at a speed beyond their imagination?
If they allied with Ye, would Ye become another ferocious lion in the future?
Ah, it would be great if this woman was from their Liang kingdom.
If the prince and others knew the King of Liang's thoughts, they would surely forcedly laugh. An eccentric like Gong Xiaohua was one in a million even in the great Ye kingdom.
However, they did not dare to say this in front of the King of Liang. Whether they could form an alliance now depended entirely on Little Flower.
"Your Majesty?" The Grand Eunuch standing next to the King of Liang softly reminded him.
"Your Majesty?"
"What is it?" Only after calling him twice did the King of Liang react.
"It's time to announce the next competition."
"Right, I remember now. Horse racing. Let it begin."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
When Liang announced the next tactical competition would be horse racing, the people of Ye could not believe it.
Lord Shi looked at the Grand Eunuch and asked again, "Sir, how is horse racing considered a tactic? Is there some mistake?"
"It is horse racing. Do not underestimate it. It tests the generals' ability to select horses. If you do not wish to compete, you may withdraw." Having said this, he turned and left.
"This Liang is simply too brazen. How could we possibly get to pick the best horses?" Lord Shi complained.
His voice was not low, and the Liang Grand Eunuch who had not gone far heard it.
"My Lord, please watch your words. All the racing horses in the palace are top-quality horses from tributes across the country. They are comparable to one another."
Lord Shi did not expect to be caught red-handed. He wanted to say more but was stopped by Gong Xiaohua.
She also did not expect the opponent's tactical competition to require horse racing. Curiously, she asked, "Have you not heard the story of Tian Ji's horse racing?"
"We have not." They thought about it and replied.
The story of Tian Ji's horse racing originated in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods and was recorded in Sima Qian's Historical Records compiled during the Han Dynasty.
The current dynasty occurred after the Qin Dynasty. The Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were before Qin. The story of Tian Ji's horse racing should have already spread by now.
Could it be that Sima Qian did not exist in this world, so stories from hundreds of years ago were already forgotten?!
Gong Xiaohua was at a loss for words. She was handed an easy win, so who could blame her?
In the end, Ye won the competition again, of course.
The King of Liang's expression changed again and again. They had lost all three competitions, even in the projects they took the most pride in. His face was extremely ugly as he left.
Before leaving, he did not forget to order the Grand Eunuch to summon the civil and military officials to the Hall of State Affairs.
In the Hall of State Affairs, the King of Liang looked at the officials and Third Prince before him and erupted in anger.
"So this is what you boast as the number one fierce general and the number one archer? And the undefeated horse racing? Ridiculous. All defeated by a mere girl."
The atmosphere was oppressive. The Liang officials did not dare make a sound, fearing they might inadvertently draw the King's ire and suffer his wrath.
"Your Majesty, what about the alliance with Ye?" One official cautiously inquired.
The King of Liang looked at him as if he were a fool. He angrily scolded, "As the ruler of a nation, are words spoken allowed to be withdrawn?"
Today, he finally saw clearly what kind of people his court officials were.
The official did not dare ask further, as all could see the King was furious. Anyone who spoke up would be punished.
After a long while, the King's anger subsided. He calmly said, "I always thought our Liang kingdom's military strength has been improving rapidly. It seems I was too self-assured. The alliance between Liang and Ye needs reevaluation. Do you have any opinions?"
"Your Majesty, we have no opinions," the officials unanimously replied. Only those wishing for death would dare oppose.
"Where are the Ye envoys?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, they are waiting in the side hall." The Grand Eunuch next to him said.
"Summon them in."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After the competitions ended, Qin Chuyuan and the others had been waiting in the side hall for another summons.
"The might of Ye's generals is indeed extraordinary. Today, we have witnessed it. This king can agree to the alliance, but Ye may become another great power in the future. Liang does not wish to slay a vicious lion only to face a fierce tiger."
"King of Liang, please be assured. Ye is not bellicose. I can guarantee Ye will never attack Liang in the future as long as Liang does not offend my great Ye."
"Hahaha, excellent."
Suddenly, a commotion could be heard outside.
"What is causing the disturbance outside?" the King of Liang asked.
Soon, a eunuch came in to report: "Reporting to Your Majesty, it is the Jianan Principality Princess wishing to see Your Majesty."
"What is she here for at this time? Send her away."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
However, before the eunuch left, Jianan Principality Princess charged right in.
She marched into the great hall, straight to the King of Liang, and pointed at Qin Chuyuan, "Your Majesty, if the two nations ally, there must be one more condition - he must marry me."
"Jianan, this concerns the great affairs of two nations. Do not make trouble." Lord Gao hurriedly came to stop her.
He had told her of the rejection of the marriage proposal a few days ago and thought she had given up. He did not expect this to all be pretense.
Today, she recklessly came to the palace to find His Majesty.
Jianan Principality Princess dodged Lord Gao.
"Your Majesty, alliances between nations have always used marriage to solidify the relationship."
"Your Majesty, the Princess's words are reasonable. If the two nations ally, marriage is indeed needed to seal it," one official spoke up.
The King shot him a cold glance, and the official tactfully kept silent and withdrew.
The King then looked to Jianan, "Stop this nonsense. The alliance has nothing to do with you. Return first."
"I will not leave. Your Majesty, do not forget your promise to me."
"I..." The King was at a loss for words. He did make that promise to allow Jianan Principality Princess to choose her husband freely, no matter who he was. Now he wished he could take back the promise from years ago.
