"Besides, not all of you need to fight. Smile a little. Don't be like you're surrendering before the fight has even started."
The Tributor eunuchs tried to force a smile, but it was more unsightly than crying.
After several days of sparring, everyone repeatedly assessed the situation and clearly perceived the disparity between both sides.
"The opponents have three people. We will have three matches, and winning one would be acceptable," Zhao Douan comforted.
The Tributeurs wore bitter expressions; fighting on home turf, winning all three shouldn't be necessary, but they should at least take two matches, otherwise, wouldn't it disgrace His Majesty? But... can they achieve that? No one had confidence.
Originally, some placed their hope on Junior Guardian Zhao, thinking if he could execute the Armor-breaking sword skill like on the first day, there might be a turnaround.
But when they saw Zhao Douan's empty hands, without even carrying a sword, they knew that Junior Guardian Zhao would not make a move today.
The sparring location was chosen in the Peach Garden of the Imperial Palace.
As the name suggests, it was a garden filled with peach trees, centered on a small hill like a mound against the city wall, fenced off.
There was a vast open space within; it was said that six hundred years ago, after the Empress died, the Grand Ancestor Emperor often came to Peach Garden to unwind and practice martial arts.
When Zhao Douan led a group of dispirited and pressured Tributeurs over the fence into the center of the Peach Garden, they found the Qingshan Disciples already there.
Chai Keqiao was still dressed like a woodcutter, standing calmly, his demeanor filled with strong confidence.
Qi Ye's injury had already healed; the swordsman with black cloth over his eyes stood beside him, with the scabbard in his hand as black as an inkstone, and that Sword of Sickness was named "Ancient Inkstone."
Xiao Ran, wearing a straw hat, was slender, and the cloth strips tied around her waist fluttered lightly in the wind.
She stood holding her sword, her eyes sharply locked onto Zhao Douan, her lips slowly curved into a smirk, surprisingly making a provocative throat-cutting gesture across the distance.
"Grandmaster Dong? Minister Xue? Haven't seen you for some days," Zhao Douan remained calm, devoid of any tension.
His gaze swept over the trio, then surprisingly looked at familiar spectators in the Peach Garden.
Today, the aged Dong Xuan led scholars like Han Zhou, Wang You, Guo Jieyuan from the Xiuwen Pavilion gathered here, evidently joining for the excitement due to their proximity within the Imperial City.
As for Xue Shence and several others from the Privy Council, and the military officers from the imperial guard within the palace, as "military martial artists," they were not about to miss this martial contest.
"Junior Guardian Zhao looks even more eminent than before."
"Haha, we've come to watch the fun today, but we're eagerly awaiting to see your performance."
A group of military officers and cabinet scholars laughed and greeted, causing the Qingshan trio to frown.
"Such a decent contest, yet it feels like attending court," Qi Ye snorted.
Chai Keqiao suddenly looked towards the Peach Garden's entrance, "The Emperor has arrived."
Sure enough, after Zhao Douan exchanged pleasantries with his colleagues, he turned to see a grand procession approaching.
Palace attendants cleared the way, and the most prominent was the Empress of Yu Country, embodying both celestial fairy and mortal ruler.
Accompanying her, on the left and right, were the well-known Mo Chou, and Hai Chunlin in a bright red python robe.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Xu Zhenguan nodded gently, smiling:
"After a century, today marks another martial demonstration between my Yu Country's Royal Family and the Qingshan disciples..."
The Empress was evidently well-prepared, her opening speech briefly grazed Zhao Douan's consciousness, who let it pass from his left ear and out his right.
This match today was not as grand as the Buddhist Tao contest attracting the whole Capital's citizens.
It occurred solely within the Peach Garden of the Imperial Palace, observed by only a hundred people, yet for the Yu Country's Royal Family, it perhaps bore a greater significance than the former.
"Every historic contest between Qingshan and the Royal Family gets recorded in history books and spreads through the Martial World, remembered by generations of martial artists for the next century..."
Zhao Douan's ear seemed to echo with the words Eunuch Hai had told him yesterday.
He couldn't help but be affected by the solemn atmosphere, slightly becoming more earnest.
Glancing around, he suddenly realized; wasn't this, indeed, the battle that will be passed down through future generations?