Chapter 61: How about using Lord Xie's sword and a promise from your Chen County Xie clan as the wager?

"Isn't this outright cheating?"

"If you can't afford to play, then don't play!"

Guo Hongwen watched Xie Ang tangled up, looking just like a street thug gambler on Chang'an.

He lost and wouldn't admit it, insisting on trying another round to turn the tide.

"Indeed!"

Tian Yuze, seeing this, let out a cold snort and added, "A respectable scion of the Chen County Xie clan, and yet he can stoop to such a level!"

"Losing is losing; why keep clinging on?"

"Thinking of it makes one laugh!"

Liu Xushi arched a cold brow, shook his head, and said with extreme disappointment.

Once upon a time, she still held these Jiangnan aristocratic families in high regard…

At this moment, the filter shattered all over the ground.

"The Chen County Xie clan is no more than this—empty fame, undeserving of being a Jiangnan aristocratic house!"

"Hahaha!"

The Chang'an Shijia scions burst into uproarious laughter.

Mocking jeers toward Xie Ang, toward the Chen County Xie clan, and toward the Jiangnan families rose and fell.

"You… you all!"

Xie Ang felt his qi surge, blocked at his chest, his cheeks burning hot, and he raised his hand to point at the audience below.

Born of a top Great Clan, he had never endured such a humiliating disgrace.

"Xie Ang, stop the nonsense!"

Wang Can's face turned iron‑blue, almost the color of pork liver, and he flung his sleeve aside, shouting sternly, "Step down already!"

While Chen Yan was basking in the limelight, Xie Ang truly threw people away.

Moreover, he discarded not only his own family but also their Jiangnan lineage.

"Uncle Wang, give me another chance…"

Xie Ang still refused to give up, clasped his fist toward Wang Can, and said gravely, "I will definitely win!"

His words were stubborn to the point of extremity.

He resembled a gambler who had lost everything yet still wanted to bet another hand, convinced he could turn the tide…

"Brother Wang, the young talents of your Xiao Liang are truly outstanding, each one!" Yuwen Heng lightly pinched his lower beard and said meaningfully.

Open praise, hidden belittlement—pure mockery.

Their talent may be scant, but their shamelessness and indecency surpass each other.

Yuwen Heng wasn't in a hurry; after all, he was watching the Liang Kingdom's joke.

The more Xie Ang made a scene, the more jokes about Xiao Liang arose.

"Let the Grand Marshal be embarrassed!"

Wang Can's old face flushed red, he bowed to Yuwen Heng with an apologetic smile, then turned to Xie Ang and scolded, "Step down quickly!"

At that moment, Wang Can truly became angry!

"Lord Wang, hold on!"

Chen Yan raised his hand, interrupted Wang Can, and said with amusement, "Brother Xie, since you want to play, I shall gladly accompany!"

"Really?"

Xie Ang, who had been ready to withdraw in gloom, suddenly saw hope flare in his eyes.

He never expected that the ever‑victorious Chen Yan would actually agree to another round…

Yuwen Heng exchanged a glance with Yu Jie, instantly reaching an understanding that they had no intention of blocking it.

"Indeed!"

Chen Yan nodded, stating firmly.

He paused briefly, then shifted his tone, continuing, "But merely dueling like this is truly dull; we need some stakes to spice it up!"

As he spoke, he raised a finger and gave it a gentle shake.

Showing off before others is secondary; after all these pretenses, Chen Yan has already reclaimed Great Zhou's reputation.

Now the main thing is to be practical, to have benefit; we can't just duel for nothing, right?

"What stakes do you want?" Xie Ang asked without hesitation.

His eyes burned with heat.

He looked decidedly confident.

"In former years, Xie Hu howled at Heavy Gift, dealing a massive defeat to the Former Yan army at the Huai River…"

Chen Yan smiled calmly, and said evenly, "How about using Lord Xie's sword and a promise from your Chen County Xie clan as the wager?"

More than ninety years ago, during Emperor Xuanwu of Former Yan, a force of 350,000 troops was mobilized, advancing by land and water, vowing to annihilate Liang in one stroke and unify north and south.

Yet the Xie clan's tiger general won against superior numbers, delivering a crushing defeat at the Huai River, losing over half his troops and commanders.

And that legendary figure's sword was kept in the Xie clan's Ancestral Hall.

Of course, Chen Yan's request for that item was merely a pretext…

What he truly wanted was the promise—the Chen County Xie clan's promise!

"You want Lord Xie's sword?"

Xie Ang laughed, replying coldly, "Chen Yan, you really are making a lion's big request!"

"Brother Xie, just tell me whether you bet or not?"

Chen Yan was unfazed, shrugged, and said playfully, "If you lack the courage, step down quickly, lest you completely ruin the Xie clan's prestige!"

"What a crude provocation!"

Xie Ang gave a sideways glance and let out a cold snort.

With such vulgar and unabashed provocation, how could he possibly not see through it?

But after a brief pause, he still asked, "I wager Lord Xie's pendant sword; what will you put up?"

Simple as it is, it still charged forward.

"My grandfather's horse whip from his campaigns!" Chen Yan lifted his head and declared loudly.

A pendant sword and a horse whip are equivalent items.

Their worth lies not in value but in meaning.

Of course, Chen Laoyezi's items are all in the Weiguo Gongfu, so Chen Yan is making a zero‑cost trade.

Even if he loses, it doesn't matter; after all, it's to catch Chen Tongyuan and…

"Fine!"

Xie Ang's gaze hardened, his fist clenched, "I, Xie Ang, bet against you!"

Seeing this, Xie Xizhi stepped forward quickly and warned, "Brother Xie, don't act rashly!"

That's not a common trinket; that's Lord Xie's pendant sword!

It holds an unusual significance for the Xie clan of Chen County…

How could it serve as a wager?

"Xizhi, don't stop me!"

Xie Ang, resolute, pushed past Xie Xizhi, stared straight at Chen Yan, and Dark Hawk said, "Today I must see how far the unparalleled prodigy of Zhou State can go!"

"Brother Xie, bring out the strange item!"

Chen Yan lifted his hand and smiled, "I'm also eager to know exactly what it is...."

Obviously, Chen Yan was extremely curious as well.

What kind of marvel could make this Xie scion gamble everything like that?

"Bring it forward!" Xie Ang gestured and shouted.

Immediately, a Xie servant, carrying a tray, stepped between the two.

"Brother Chen, please take a look!"

Xie Ang looked at the object on the tray, his eyes blazing, and introduced, "This is called the nine‑locked jade linked ring!"

"It is a beautiful jade obtained at the cost of our jade craftsmen's lives, and painstakingly carved into this ring."

"It consists of nine jade bracelets linked together, each interlocking perfectly, seamless and naturally formed...."

Xie Ang's demeanor was proud.

His words were full of confidence.

Because even in Xiao Liang, in the capital Jiankang where great families gather, no one could decipher it.

After the nine‑locked jade linked ring was taken out, the faces of those present in Xiao Liang relaxed considerably.

Chen Yan examined the exceedingly familiar object, pursed his lips, and tentatively asked, "So you intend for me to dismantle this nine‑locked jade linked ring, right?"

"Exactly!"

Xie Ang nodded and raised his voice, "If you can dismantle it, I, Xie Ang, will concede and stop the entanglement!"

"Second Brother, have you thought of a way to break it?" Pei Suiwan pondered briefly, found nothing, then lightly pursed his red lips, turned to Pei Xilou, and asked.

Pei Xilou folded his fan, stared intently, and slowly uttered a single word: "Difficult!"

"Third Brother Du, what about you?" Pei Suiwan looked again at Du Jinghuai.

"In a short time, I have no ideas!" Du Jinghuai shook his head and sighed.

For such a marvel, not only is an immediate solution unlikely, even ten days or half a month of nonstop study would be extremely difficult.

Yuwen Heng examined the supremely confident Xie Ang and thought, "This thing is probably meant to trouble the Court, but by a twist of fate it's being used against A Yan..."

"I wonder if this kid has any countermeasure...."

Yuwen Heng did not doubt Chen Yan's ability.

But solving it on the spot is far beyond what anyone can manage....

"Brother Chen, how about a incense‑stick's worth of thinking time?" Xie Ang's mouth curled with a hint of defiance as he raised his hand and asked.

But Chen Yan only gave a contemptuous smile and replied straight, "No need!"

"Breaking a nine‑locked jade linked ring still requires effort and thought?"