Chapter 408: I could do it too if I were up there! [Thanks! Bow again! Owed update]

Tilting his head to watch Xu Zaijing, who was walking dejectedly toward the stairs and disappearing at the stairwell,

Zhao Fang withdrew his gaze and looked at the Emperor, saying, "Father, you should have let Jing-ge'er try. To drop down right in front of them like that—how imposing! How exhilarating!"

The Emperor gave Zhao Fang a look of annoyance and said, "Imposing? Exhilarating?! Jing-ge'er is wearing such heavy armor; what if he had jumped down and injured his knees?"

Hearing this, Zhao Fang was stunned for a moment, a look of regret appearing in his eyes.

Watching his son's expression, the Emperor stroked his beard and said, "Hmph! Young people don't know how to cherish their own bodies. By the time they're old and understand, it's too late!"

Zhao Fang pursed his lips and nodded heavily, saying, "Father is right!"

The Emperor nodded, looking quite pleased with himself.

Behind the Jinglong Gate tower,

On the stairs descending the city wall,

Xu Zaijing walked while doing chest-expanding exercises, thinking to himself: His Majesty's benevolence is right; when one is young, one must take care of one's body!

Although it wouldn't have mattered if I had jumped down, it wouldn't be good to set a bad example for the children watching the excitement on the street below.

Thinking of this, Xu Zaijing had already descended the city wall.

After one turn, he entered the city gate tunnel.

Xu Zaijing looked at the former Bai Gao Emperor, Liang Yifu, who was looking at him with some fear in his eyes, and smiled very friendlily.

Seeing Xu Zaijing's smile, Liang Yifu also forced a smile with great effort.

Meanwhile, the expression on the face of Zhai Jue Zhejue Zhongding, who stood behind Liang Yifu, was one of urgency.

As Xu Zaijing walked in, he hurriedly bowed and cupped his hands, saying, "Fifth Young Master, they are all still young. I beg you, please show mercy!"

Raising his head to look at Xu Zaijing's expression, Zhai Jue Zhejue Zhongding stammered, "Fifth Young Master, you..."

"Zhejue Zhongding, I thought that after what happened in Xingqing Prefecture, no one else would jump out."

"They... they weren't in the palace at the time, so naturally, they haven't witnessed the Fifth Young Master's divine might."

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "After so many days on the road, they still don't know?"

"Do they not know, or do they not believe?"

Zhai Jue Zhejue Zhongding bowed and remained silent.

"His Majesty is merciful and told me not to take any lives. Rest assured."

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing had already passed Liang Yifu and Zhai Jue.

Followed by officials from the Ministry of Rites, Xu Zaijing walked seven or eight steps and arrived before the kneeling Bai Gao captives.

Among the captives, those who had seen Xu Zaijing fight in the Bai Gao palace hurriedly shifted to the side when they saw him coming, as if wanting to stay further away from him.

Xu Zaijing paid no mind to this, first bowing and cupping his hands toward the top-tier marquises and dukes of Great Zhou sitting in the colorful tents on both sides.

At this moment, the shouts of "Beat them to death!" from the Bianjing commoners in the distance could still be heard.

"Xu family lad, hit them harder!"

The shout of the Marquis of Xiangyang came through.

Xu Zaijing smiled and nodded.

Then, Xu Zaijing glanced at two youths standing among the Bai Gao captives who were much older than him,

And then looked down at the others kneeling on the ground—some raising their heads to look at him with resentment, others lowering their heads and clenching their fists against the ground—and said loudly, "Don't hold it in. Anyone who harbors resentment in their hearts can stand up today."

"Whether it's two or ten, I'll fight them all the same."

The Ministry of Rites official glanced at Xu Zaijing and faithfully translated these two sentences.

After the translation,

Three more kneeling youths stood up directly.

Watching the Bai Gao youths among those still kneeling, who were being held back by their fathers and elder brothers on either side and could not stand up, Xu Zaijing said again:

"Are there any more?"

The official translated it.

A moment later,

Xu Zaijing could vaguely hear the sound of clothes being torn.

Watching the youth who ultimately failed to stand up despite the desperate efforts of his father and brother to stop him,

Xu Zaijing shook his head.

"It seems there are no more. Cavalry or infantry, you choose."

The official translated it.

The several Bai Gao youths who had stood up looked at each other and began to chatter in the Bai Gao language.

The Ministry of Rites official at Xu Zaijing's side translated in real-time behind him: "Fifth Young Master, they say your foot combat is too formidable, and your horse is also powerful, so they want to compete with you... empty-handed."

"Hmm, they've reached a consensus."

The Jinglong Gate faced south and backed north.

Not far below the city tower was the colorful tent where the marquises and dukes were located.

On both sides of the main street north of the colorful tent, very close to the edge, stood the Western Army cavalry, horses stationed and standing at attention.

North of the cavalry, outside the Imperial Guard soldiers, stood the many Bianjing commoners along the street.

Because the cavalry was very close to the edge and did not block the view, the commoners could also see what was happening below the city tower.

By the street, on the roof of a carriage, a middle-aged man dressed in decent clothing stood, pointing his finger and counting the people who had walked out from among the kneeling Bai Gao captives.

"One, two... five. Tsk, why are there only five people!"

Beside the carriage where this middle-aged man stood, a young man looked up and asked, "Master, do I still need to go get the medicine chest?"

The middle-aged man clicked his tongue and shook his head: "Forget it. The medical officers prepared by the Ministry of Rites can handle it! Our bone-setting skills won't be needed."

After saying this,

Within the middle-aged man's field of vision, he saw someone walk to the edge of the Imperial Guard and the commoners in front of him and stand still.

Before long, laughter came from that direction.

Someone beside the carriage patted the person in front on the shoulder, asking what had happened.

Others asked the people on the floor above behind them.

"Master, what's wrong?"

The young man looked forward anxiously, but could only see heads.

The 'Master' on the carriage roof listened intently and said: "Xu family's Fifth Young Master is going to fight those five Bai Gao villains empty-handed."

"Do they not know the record of Fifth Young Master Xu's wrestling in the palace before?"

The 'Master' waved his hand: "Eh, wrestling and combat are two different things, and wrestling is one-on-one."

"Whoa, Fifth Young Master has retreated those dozen steps and is starting to remove his armor."

'One Pot of Tea' teahouse,

Beside the second-floor railing,

Zhang family's Fifth Young Lady stood there, holding Chai Zhengzheng with one hand and Gu Tingyi with the other.

Fifth Young Lady glanced at the middle-aged man standing on the carriage roof below on the right, then turned her head to look toward the Jinglong Gate on the left.

The kneeling Bai Gao captives there had already been ordered by the Emperor to stand up and retreat to both sides.

In the center, ten steps away from the city tower,

Xu Zaijing was stretching out his arms, with Qingyun and Alan, who had walked over to help him remove his armor, at his side.

Five other Great Zhou warriors were removing their own arm guards not far from Xu Zaijing.

Chai Zhengzheng, beside Fifth Young Lady, had bright eyes, watching Xu Zaijing in the distance, who was clad in armor. Her eyes were filled with brilliance, and there was a trace of expectation in her gaze.

Watching Xu Zaijing remove his armor with Qingyun's help, Chai Zhengzheng muttered in a voice that only she could hear: "Remove the waist guard, take off the thigh armor, the tail-feather guard, dismantle the abdominal plate, remove the skirt armor, take off the shoulder guards, and finally remove the chest armor and inner armor..."

As if controlled by her voice,

The armor on Xu Zaijing's body was removed piece by piece by Qingyun in the order Chai Zhengzheng had muttered.

"!!!"

Chai Zhengzheng's eyes widened suddenly.

"Ouch!"

After Zhang family's Fifth Young Lady cried out, she looked at Chai Zhengzheng beside her with some grievance: "Zhengzheng, why are you gripping my hand so hard?"

Chai Zhengzheng's eyes were filled with panic. After looking around, she said: "Ah? I... I'm a little scared!"

The grievance in Fifth Young Lady's eyes vanished:

"You aren't even the one going onto the field, what are you scared of! Zhengzheng, have you forgotten what I told you about how Jing-ge'er won several matches in a row when he went into the palace to pay New Year's greetings a few years ago?"

The sound of Zhang family's Fifth Young Lady speaking came through.

On Chai Zhengzheng's other side, Rong Feiyan's body stiffened, then she leaned forward and tilted her head to continue watching the Jinglong Gate direction. Her facial expression could not be seen, but her feet, wearing cloud-patterned shoes under a skirt with exquisite embroidery, could not help but tiptoe involuntarily.

Chai Zhengzheng withdrew her gaze from the ring-lock armor that someone was wearing almost against their skin and said: "But, listening to what that person below said just now from afar, it's not without reason!"

Fifth Young Lady was momentarily speechless: "This, this, rest assured, Jing-ge'er is very formidable! Sigh! The ring-lock armor Jing-ge'er is wearing looks so exquisite!"

Chai Zhengzheng: "Cough! Hmm, it really is!"

Fifth Young Lady looked at Xu Zaijing below the city tower, who was left with only arm guards on his body, and said: "Zhengzheng, I couldn't tell on ordinary days, but you actually have quite a bit of research on armor; the names and order of the armor you said were actually all correct."

Chai Zhengzheng glanced at Fifth Young Lady's ear: "Ah?... Is that so? I read it in a book too."

"Zhengzheng, doesn't your family still have a piece of armor from when Great Zhou pacified Yanzhou?" Gu Tingyi, who was at the side, said.

Fifth Young Lady looked over with eyes full of surprise and said: "Zhengzheng, you must let me see it when you have the chance!"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded forcefully with a smile.

"It's starting!"

Rong Feiyan, who had been staring at the Jinglong Gate direction, said.

The several young ladies stopped talking and hurriedly looked over there.

Below the Jinglong Gate tower,

A Bai Gao youth looked at the Great Zhou Imperial Guard who was removing his arm guards for him and said: "Give us the chest armor too."

The Ministry of Rites official translated the sentence.

Hearing this,

The Imperial Guard soldier glared at the Bai Gao person with a look that said, 'Are you looking for a beating?'

On the city tower,

Zhang Fangyan, who heard this sentence, said: "Fifth Young Master?"

Xu Zaijing lifted his chin and said: "Give it to them!"

The Marquis of Xiangyang, who was watching the battle from the colorful tent nearby, stood up at once and said: "Are you stupid, you lad?"

The Duke of England, however, looked at Xu Zaijing with a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

The Duke of Lian stroked his beard.

This exchange of words, after reaching the vicinity of the commoners watching from afar, triggered another burst of uproar and shouts of warning for Xu Zaijing.

After the Imperial Guard soldier let his comrade help remove his chest armor, he glared fiercely at the Bai Gao person again, then turned to help another comrade remove his chest armor.

Once all five Great Zhou Imperial Guards had removed their chest armor and retreated to the side,

While the Bai Gao people were putting on the chest armor,

Xu Zaijing walked slowly toward them while saying: "I promised to let you wear chest armor, but I didn't say I'd wait for you to put it on before beating you."

Before the Ministry of Rites official could translate,

Some of the Bai Gao captives who understood Great Zhou language and had retreated to the sides hurriedly shouted urgently.

In the colorful tent,

The Duke of Qi was comforting his father-in-law, the Marquis of Xiangyang, who was so angry he couldn't speak.

Xu Zaijing's words came through,

The Marquis of Xiangyang paused, looked at the Duke of England and the Duke of Lian, who now had smiles on their faces, and after sitting down resentfully and leaning back in his chair, said: "Stinking brat! Truly cunning and vicious!"

The Duke of Qi: "Father-in-law, 'cunning and vicious' is used for enemies; Fifth Young Master is just acting according to circumstances."

"Go away."

"Yes."

City tower,

The Emperor, sitting on the dragon throne, leaning forward with his chest out to watch the scene below the tower, smiled and shook his head.

Zhao Fang, who was standing to the side and leaning forward, looked at Zhang Fangyan, the Grand Chancellor, and the Chief Eunuch, who were all smiling on the city wall, and his eyes grew even brighter as he looked at Xu Zaijing.

At this time, of the five pieces of chest armor, the Bai Gao people had only put on two.

After the five people spoke a few words at high speed, the two wearing chest armor and arm guards walked quickly toward Xu Zaijing.

The remaining three hurriedly helped each other put on the chest armor.

The two walking over quickly neither kicked nor threw punches at Xu Zaijing, but just stood in front of Xu Zaijing with their hands slightly extended in an offensive posture.

Their goal was also to block Xu Zaijing and let the Bai Gao people behind them put on their chest armor.

Xu Zaijing didn't say much either; he stepped forward with a quick pad and kicked out.

The Bai Gao person reacted very quickly, moving his hands to grab Xu Zaijing's raised foot.

When the Bai Gao person's attention was on Xu Zaijing's foot, before he could react to what was happening, he felt a jolt in his chest, and his whole body lost balance, feeling as if his feet were suspended in mid-air.

The ground in his field of vision was moving rapidly.

The ground can move?

Before his brain could figure it out, he felt his feet touch the ground. The Bai Gao person hurriedly tried to stabilize his form, but after stumbling several steps, he couldn't stand still. After the world spun, he felt a heat on his back, followed immediately by intense pain.

"Whoa!"

He also heard huge gasps of surprise all around.

Lying on the ground, looking at the blue sky above, the Great Zhou Imperial Guard looking down at him, and the surging crowd of people beside the guard watching him,

The Bai Gao person wanted to sit up, but felt intense pain in his chest and couldn't exert any strength.

In the colorful tent nearby,

The Marquis of Xiangyang tilted his head and looked at his son-in-law, the Duke of Qi: "Was that person just kicked into the air?"

The Duke of Qi looked at the situation on the field and hurriedly nodded.

On the field,

One of the two Bai Gao people who had put on the chest armor,

Unable to care about feeling the disappearance of his companion,

Years of martial arts training made him raise his arm as a conditioned reflex,

Immediately, his forearm felt pain, and the leather buckle fixing the arm guard slammed into his face.

The intense pain in his cheekbone made his eyes twitch involuntarily.

"Uh..."

Feeling the foreign object sensation between his jaw and throat, he looked down and saw the pattern of Xu Zaijing's arm guard stopped below his chin.

Just a moment ago, if the fist under his jaw hadn't stopped, he should be lying on the ground clutching his neck right now.

Before the Bai Gao person who had survived the ordeal could think of how to show goodwill, he felt his neck and thigh tighten, followed by the sensation of being suspended and the intense pain of his back hitting the ground.

Watching Xu Zaijing in front of the gate tower first kick one person flying, then stop his fist under another Bai Gao person's jaw, and then grab the Bai Gao person's neck and leg clothes with lightning speed to slam him onto the ground.

Fifth Young Lady beside Chai Zhengzheng pointed at Xu Zaijing happily and said: "Zhengzheng, I told you so!"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded while watching Xu Zaijing hold another Bai Gao person who had put on chest armor in his arms.

And the remaining two Bai Gao people were still busy tying chest armor for their companions.

Xu Zaijing in Chai Zhengzheng's field of vision didn't rush forward either; after standing and waiting for a while, he loosened his arms and let the Bai Gao person in his arms, who was as limp as mud, slide to the ground.

In front of Jinglong Gate,

Another burst of shouts from the Bai Gao people came through.

Chai Zhengzheng's thoughts were not on it at all.

"Before, at the Golden Sheep Mountain Stronghold, did he also slaughter everyone like this?"

"No, no, at that time he was wearing armor, with a long spear and a bow and arrow..."

Thinking of this, Chai Zhengzheng took a deep breath.

When Xu Zaijing was drawing his bow and wielding his spear in the stronghold, Chai Zhengzheng and the Gao family siblings were being tied up in the house with their eyes covered, so they hadn't seen it.

Rong Feiyan, beside Chai Zhengzheng,

After Xu Zaijing knocked down the last Bai Gao person, she, like the commoners on the street below, cheered happily.

On the building beside the street,

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Gu Tingye watched Xu Zaijing, who had finished the job, and slapped the wooden railing in front of him resentfully, shouting: "I could do it too if I were up there! Why does Fifth Young Master get all the limelight!"

"I hate it!"

Amidst the cheers of the commoners,

Xu Zaijing turned around and bowed to the Emperor, Zhao Fang, Zhang Fangyan, and others on the city tower.

And not far behind him, the first Bai Gao youth who had been kicked flying had already been helped up.

Looking at the torn clothes and bloody back from sliding on the ground, the nearby Imperial Guards couldn't help but curl their lips.

And among the Bai Gao captives,

The Bai Gao youth who had been held back by his father and brother and hadn't stood up just now,

Watching the first youth who had been kicked flying being helped over from afar,

Then tilted his head to look at the Bai Gao person who had been choked unconscious by Xu Zaijing and was now being treated with acupuncture by a Great Zhou medical officer,

And after looking at Zhai Jue Zhejue Zhongding, who was sighing incessantly, he swallowed his saliva.

He looked at his father and brother beside him with shame.

All matters outside Jinglong Gate had concluded.

The Emperor returned to the palace with the officials.

The Imperial Guard soldiers maintaining order remained.

And the Bai Gao people knelt outside Jinglong Gate once again.

Actually, they didn't have to kneel; they could have walked into the palace to pay their respects after waiting below the city tower for the Emperor to return to the palace.

But now...

Let's just kneel for now.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 409 =====