Chapter 246

Lin Rujun coldly smiled at the smug

Although she had been in the wrong to begin with, this person's unrelenting attitude genuinely stirred some anger in her.

"Young Marquis, please!" Lin Ru Jun slowly drew the sword at her waist and looked toward Cheng Ming.

Cheng Ming was instead slightly taken aback, and then his heart surged with an indescribable excitement.

Is she finally drawing her sword?

He had merely been provoking her to take the field; as for this wager, from Lin Ru Jun's perspective it seemed somewhat doubtful, but to him, this time he was serious.

The noble ladies of Shang Jing were all sycophants who fawned over dragons and phoenixes; they had all looked down on him before, but now seeing his health improve and him become a lieutenant of the Imperial Forest Army, they flocked to curry favor.

Cheng Ming instead felt a bit nauseated; he also knew that human nature is such—step on others to rise.

But looking at these showy women before him, he instantly felt a hint of disgust.

His mother anxiously urged his marriage, which he understood, but if she insisted on choosing a woman…

This coarse, blunt, strong-willed woman before him actually seemed somewhat more endearing to him than others.

His eyes flickered slightly, a smile touched his lips, but this tender smile was something even he didn't notice.

He lifted his robe's hem and strode gracefully into the arena, raising his hand to signal the guards on one side of the princess's residence.

"Someone! Bring the Young Master's sword over!"

"Ming'er!" the Grand Princess Ren He exclaimed, "Do not be rude!"

Grand Princess Ren He hadn't expected her son to act this way; she blinked, her face slightly startled, and hastily rose to her feet.

As for her own son, she knew him well: Cheng Ming might be hot‑tempered and sometimes act impulsively, but he was not someone who disregarded right and wrong.

In front of all these people, he actually wanted to duel the Lin family maiden; dueling was fine enough, but the wager after the match was to make Miss Lin his wife—what sort of nonsense is this?

The surrounding guests also chattered, wondering what play the Young Marquis was putting on.

One must know that the eldest legitimate daughter of the Lin family does not have a good reputation in Shang Jing.

Last time, following Gu Jiu Ling to Wuzhou, they rescued Prince Rui and brought him back.

Because of this, in Shang Jing it caused quite an uproar; the Lin family matriarch, furious, punished Lin Ru Jun with family discipline, yet this girl remained unruly and defiant.

Which young lady in Shang Jing is like her?

A girl who constantly practices martial arts, behaves crudely, and even wears a sword at her waist— the Lin family even worries that this eldest legitimate daughter may never marry.

Nowadays, none of the noble young masters in Shang Jing are willing to become engaged to the Lin family's legitimate daughter; to say so would be embarrassing.

Who would have thought the Young Marquis would outright name Lin Ru Jun as his wife, though the method of becoming his wife is rather odd— actually having to duel him in swordplay.

Grand Princess Ren He's reprimand failed to catch the Young Marquis's attention.

The Young Marquis slowly raised his hand; the guards on both sides hurriedly delivered his sword to him.

Holding his sword, he stepped into the arena, focused his gaze on Lin Ru Jun opposite him, the corners of his mouth slightly curved in a smile, his bearing also touched with a dash of suave charm.

Instantly, the guests' eyes all turned to the arena— some with surprise, some with secret delight, but mostly with schadenfreude.

Moreover, those ambitious young ladies looked at Lin Ru Jun with utter contempt in their eyes; so uncouth, could they possibly still hope to become the princess's daughter‑in‑law? Utter fantasy!

Lin Ru Jun paid no heed to the onlookers' gazes; had she cared, she would never have acted so recklessly before. She slowly lifted her sword tip, pointed it at Cheng Ming's face, and coldly smiled, saying, "Please, Young Marquis, draw your sword!"

Cheng Ming's face showed a lazy expression; he crossed his arms and said lightly, "Since I am to duel you, after all you are merely a woman—I cannot take advantage of you. How about I give you three moves?"

He also raised his sword tip, merely tilting it a few inches, showing a hint of wanting to go easy on her.

Lin Ru Jun's eyes flashed; a mocking hue crossed her pretty face.

"No need to hold back, thank you, Young Marquis."

As soon as the words "Young Marquis" left her lips, Cheng Ming had not yet reacted when Lin Ru Jun's sword thrust forward, aiming straight at his ribs.

Cheng Ming flipped and leapt up, dodging Lin Ru Jun's attack.

His sword turned and went straight for Lin Ru Jun's leg; she stepped back, performed a graceful turning side‑kick, and kicked straight at the Young Marquis's arm.

That move was exceptionally clean and swift; the onlookers couldn't help but break into a cold sweat, never expecting the Lin family maiden's swordsmanship to be so fierce!

Cheng Ming also silently praised her; this girl, after parting from him last time, had made remarkable progress in her sword technique— she truly is martial material.

He then unleashed a flurry of thrusts; given his great strength, Lin Ru Jun's arms were forced to bend, and she had to retreat three steps, at which point she furrowed her brows and let out a muffled groan.

That muffled groan might not be heard by the surrounding spectators, but it transmitted clearly into Cheng Ming's ears.

Cheng Ming's heart jolted; he had not wanted to hurt the woman before him.

After all, he felt some affection for Lin Ru Jun— how could he bear to wound her?

Who would have thought that seeing her groan, he wondered whether his force had been too great and injured her?

He hastily withdrew his sword a fraction, then stepped forward to check her condition— but Lin Ru Jun suddenly lashed out with a sword in mid‑motion, the move so bizarre that no one could hope to block it.

Lin Ru Jun first feigned weakness, then lured Cheng Ming into underestimating her, and immediately unleashed three consecutive uncanny moves, like surging storm waves, one after another, striking his face.

Cheng Ming was actually forced to retreat step by step by that strange, powerful sword technique— little did he know the sword wind was aimed straight at his leg.

With a thud, Cheng Ming fell straight to the ground, and Lin Ru Jun's icy sword tip was already pressed against his throat.

All fell silent; everyone stared in disbelief at Lin Ru Jun and Cheng Ming, never imagining the Lin family eldest daughter's martial prowess could be so formidable as to defeat the Young Marquis outright and knock him to the ground.

No one knew who started it, but loud applause rose, a wave of cheers spreading.

Lin Ru Jun's expression returned to its former calm composure, though a smile lingered at her lips, inevitably tinged with a little self‑satisfaction.

These few moves she learned from an ancient sword manual, having pondered them for over a month— how could Cheng Ming be her match?

She sheathed her sword, then bowed slightly toward Cheng Ming: "Young Marquis, I accept your concession."

"However, you have lost..."

Having said that, Lin Ru Jun turned and walked toward the flower hall; who would have thought that after just a few steps, Cheng Ming from behind caught up and seized her arm.

"Hold on! Even if I lost, I deserve an explanation, don't I?"