Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 105 The Mission is Assassinated, the Universe's Number One Phobias

Memorizing or copying poems can indeed backfire.

For example, when Yelü Yancai was about to recite the line "Since ancient times, autumn has been a season of sorrow and desolation," someone said that the rhyme should fall on summer and that he should use a story from the Three Kingdoms period.

Without genuine talent and skills, one's flaws will be exposed in just a few words, leading to disgrace and ruin.

Feng Suzhen was truly talented and learned.

His words flowed eloquently, his tongue sang like lotus blossoms, and his witty remarks were endless.

From poetry and prose to classical texts and the Book of Changes, Yelü Yancai was a learned man who had studied diligently for decades and had a very solid foundation, but his talent was often lacking.

Feng Suzhen reacted quickly, composing a poem in seven steps.

Yelü Yancai often spends more time.

Although there are no time rules like in Go, each game takes more time, which creates psychological pressure. As the pressure increases, it eventually wears you down.

Sure enough, when it was Yelü Yancai's turn, he used the wrong allusion: "Yellow leaves flutter and startle the summer, golden spears were once stained with old dust, if only Heaven could pity my graying temples..."

At this point, Yelü Yan immediately stopped talking.

The two had agreed beforehand that the timeline would be from Dong Zhuo's tyranny to the unification of the three kingdoms under the Jin dynasty. Yelü Yan only used the Yellow Turban Rebellion as a reference, so he immediately stopped talking and admitted defeat.

Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose.

When it came to playing the zither, Yelü Yancai voluntarily admitted defeat.

When it came to composing poetry, Yelü Yancai conceded defeat once again.

Next up is the calligraphy competition.

Both of them wrote in the Yan style of calligraphy.

Yelü Yancai's calligraphy is steady and dignified.

Feng Suzhen's calligraphy is vigorous and well-structured.

In terms of the shape of the characters, the two are equally matched.

In terms of meaning, Feng Suzhen is superior.

The strength and grace of Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan!

Learning Yan style calligraphy is not about blindly imitating it, but about understanding the character of Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan, adding your own interpretation. The form is the flesh and blood, but the meaning is the true bones and sinews. It is easy to draw the skin of a tiger but difficult to draw its bones. In the examination of calligraphy, the meaning is obviously the highest priority.

Without needing to score, Yelü Yancai voluntarily admitted defeat.

Although there is no first place in literature and no second place in martial arts, the difference between the two is very obvious. Arguing and refusing to admit defeat will only make him look like a clown. Why ruin his reputation?
The next competition will be a game of chess.

Logically, they should have played Go. Yelü Yancai's Go skills were superior to Liu Changying's, and he had a very high chance of winning. However, in order to achieve a surprising victory, he chose to play Chinese chess.

In Yelü Yancai's view, Feng Suzhen must have studied the chess manual and his strategies in the past two days.

If the top experts of the Imperial Academy were to study together, the flaws in Yelü Yancai's chess moves would inevitably be discovered. Playing Go would be less safe than playing Chinese chess. Besides, everyone knows that Yelü Yancai is highly skilled in Go, so playing Chinese chess would be a way of showing deference and promoting his reputation.

Feng Suzhen took the red card and went first.

The opening move was a "cannon at the corner of the strategist's position".

"Mr. Yelü, please!"

Yelü Yancai opened with a central cannon, and Feng Suzhen responded with a knight's jump, but due to the previous cannon move at the corner, the cannon was hampered by the knight's movement, and she voluntarily gave up the central pawn.

Yelü Yan accepted the move without hesitation and then used the rear cannon and the front cannon to form a chain cannon. He then retreated the cannon. Although Feng Suzhen had the first move, she was restrained step by step. With this move of retreating the cannon, she actually had the opportunity to capture the chariot.

Feng Suzhen's chess skills seemed to be lacking; she didn't see Yelü Yancai's killing move. Yelü Yancai decisively moved the front cannon to attack the chariot, and then the rear cannon checked the enemy.

With just this one step, we gain an absolute advantage.

Feng Suzhen seemed to panic, making careless moves. She moved her chariot to block Yelü Yancai's horse. Yelü Yancai thought he was sure to win this game. Just then, Feng Suzhen suddenly pulled her cannon over. Unbeknownst to Yelü Yancai, she used two cannons and a chariot to attack Yelü Yancai's left flank at the same time. Not only could she capture the chariot, but she also had the double cannon checkmate.

Looking up, Feng Suzhen was no longer flustered as before. She looked at the chessboard calmly and composedly. From this moment on, the chessboard was under Feng Suzhen's control.

The opening move involves abandoning short positions in the first two moves and then abandoning rooks in the fourth, all to create a deadly trap that leads to relentless destruction.

This was taught to Feng Suzhen by Li Zhaoting.

The two played chess when they had nothing to do. Li Zhaoting used this move to beat Feng Suzhen several times. The chariot is the most valuable piece on the chessboard, and no one can resist its temptation.

Who would have thought that what seemed like a novice's mistake was actually a sacrificial attack, a deceptive tactic? If this were set up in a martial arts game, one could live a life of ease with it.

This chess strategy comes from the "Chess Immortal" Zhong Zhen.

When it moves, it's like a series of flying knives.

As the deadlock formed, Yelü Yan had no choice but to sacrifice pieces to protect his general, hoping that the reduced number of pieces would give him a chance to catch his breath.

This is impossible.

In Chinese chess, there is an offensive strategy called "Three Pieces Return to the Side," which means that the rook, knight, and cannon have all crossed the river and are attacking simultaneously from the left or right side. This strategy also applies to the chessboard.

Yelü Yancai could only watch helplessly as Feng Suzhen captured his chariot, horse, and cannon, turning his overwhelming advantage into a disastrous situation. He closed his eyes and resigned.

"Young Master Feng, your skill is truly superb! I wonder whose chess style this is? I am truly impressed!"

"My master's surname is Li, and his given name is Nanxing."

Feng Suzhen's words were not nonsense or deception. When Li Zhaoting taught Feng Suzhen, some theories from later generations were about shifting the blame to the father and making him take the blame.

Where did the chess notation come from? My dad told me!

Where did the poems come from? My dad wrote them!

What else can your dad do?
My dad also sells jade and amulets!

Now that things have come to this, Yelü Yancai has already suffered a crushing defeat in terms of talent and learning. If he were to return like this, it would be quite embarrassing. He can only grit his teeth and compete in the last event.

The six arts of a gentleman are rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics!
Two of the competitions were about martial arts skills.

Yelü Yancai was focused on his studies and not very skilled in martial arts, but as a Khitan nobleman, archery was his instinct. The two moved to the training ground to compete in archery, a best-of-three contest: one round against a fixed target, one round against a moving target, and the final round was a duel between the two, to be stopped at the last possible moment to avoid killing anyone.

Li Zhaoting covered his eyes, unable to bear looking at it.

I have a 20% chance of winning in terms of talent and learning.

The odds of winning in a martial arts contest are approximately zero.

The scene was absolutely brutal.

Feng Suzhen easily won with a barrage of arrows.

Yelü Yancai's face turned pale, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Thinking of his decades of hard study and the consequences of this defeat, Yelü Yancai vomited blood and collapsed to the ground.

The Imperial Medical Academy hurriedly took him away for treatment.

Zhao Zhen said, "I never expected that our Great Song Dynasty would have such outstanding talents. Why is Grand Tutor Feng Shaomin not on this year's list of candidates for the imperial examination? Could it be that someone is bending the law for personal gain?"

Zhuge Zhengwo was completely dumbfounded.

Others may not know why, but don't you?
Grand Tutor Pang earnestly advised, "Your Majesty, the imperial examinations must be fair and just. If Feng Shaomin is granted the qualification directly because of his outstanding performance, it will cause dissatisfaction among scholars throughout the land. In the long run, this may create a new shortcut to success, which would be detrimental to the country!"

Grand Tutor Hua said, "I second that proposal!"

Zhuge Zhengwo said, "I second that opinion!"

It is acceptable to reward "Feng Shaomin".

It is absolutely unacceptable to let Feng Shaomin participate in the imperial examination.

Zhao Zhen waved his hand: "In that case, let Feng Shaomin come forward to receive his title. I will reward him handsomely."

Feng Suzhen glanced at Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen looked at Feng Suzhen with a smug expression.

Is my painting valuable?

wrong!

You recognized me a long time ago!

No wonder they say Zou Ji satirized King Qi for accepting advice!

You two are really capable!

Zhao Zhen chuckled and said, "Feng Shaomin, I really like your calligraphy. Go and write a calligraphy piece for me to take back and admire carefully. Bring me a brush and ink."

"Your Majesty, which article should we write?"

"Zou Ji persuades King Qi to accept advice!"

"Uh... This humble subject obeys the decree!"

Feng Suzhen recited the text from memory with a bitter face. Grand Tutor Hua drafted an imperial edict beside her, and after it was written, he handed it to Zhao Zhen for review, allowing Zhao Zhen to personally affix the imperial seal.

This was at Zhuge Zhengwo's insistence.

It can be seen as a symbol of the struggle for imperial power.

At times like these, we must never relinquish power.

All those eunuchs who hold the imperial eunuch title and those who hold the imperial seal should be sent as far away as possible. These matters should be handled by Grand Tutor Hua, Grand Tutor Pang, Zhuge Zhengwo, and Yuan Shisanxian, with the final decision always being made by Zhao Zhen.

After Feng Suzhen finished writing the calligraphy, she dried it with her inner energy and presented it to the chief eunuch Guo Huai. Guo Huai put the calligraphy away, read out the imperial edict, and sent a large number of rewards.

"Feng Shaomin" is a non-existent person.

Li Zhaoting had no official rank.

Directly appointing officials is against the rules.

This is the Imperial Academy, filled with students eager to make a name for themselves, and masters of deceiving the court into flogging.

The rewards were nothing more than gold, fertile land, houses, silk and other valuables. However, since Feng Suzhen had previously mentioned that her master was Li Nanxing, Zhao Zhen took the opportunity to say that Li Nanxing was loyal and decided to pardon him.

If you want to come back, you can come back and serve as an official.

If you don't want to come back, you can become a special envoy of the Song Dynasty.

—A special envoy sent to Dali!

The lively literary competition has come to an end.

The Imperial College achieved a great victory.

Feng Shaomin was a well-known figure in the capital.

Countless people pestered Gongsun Ce, asking about Feng Shaomin's background, marital status, and even offering him a dowry of three thousand strings of cash, asking if he would be willing to become their son-in-law.

Even the Eighth Prince was asking people to search for him.

Feng Shaomin is young and handsome, learned and talented, neither arrogant nor humble, of excellent character, and has not yet achieved official rank. If he were to be married into the family as a prince consort, there would be no one more suitable than him.

Tianxiang should like Feng Shaomin, right?
The Eighth Prince rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

The students of the Imperial Academy held Feng Shaomin in high esteem.

Since Feng Shaomin would not participate in the imperial examinations, and the top student did not take the exams, it was as if he had given up a spot.

The sheer audacity of this year's examination papers was astounding; in an effort to curry favor with the chief examiner, they even fabricated stories like "A Few Things About Grand Tutor Pang and My Mother."

We're so grateful to have been so kind as to have one less spot available!

Given Feng Shaomin's performance and the emperor's favor towards him, if he participated in the imperial examination, he would certainly be among the top three, if not the top scholar.

Reciprocating kindness is something that should be highly praised.

Some people are happy and some are worried!
Yelü Yancai was on the verge of tears. Losing to Feng Suzhen was not a life-or-death matter. The problem was that Yelü Yancai had failed and lost face for the Khitan. If he returned to the Liao Kingdom to promote academy education, he would face severe resistance.

The Khitans didn't like these things, but if Yelü Yancai won a great victory and rode on the momentum of that victory, even if they didn't like Yelü Yancai, they would still give him face.

Now, there's nothing at all!
The loser has no right to ask for anything!

Even more distressed than Yelü Yancai was the gambling addict, who thought he could make a fortune but ended up losing everything.

I should mention this.

There are several types of betting options for this type of competition.

First, it's about betting on whether you'll win or lose.

The winners are Yelü Yancai and Feng Shaomin!

Secondly, there's the score of the bet.

The scores are 5 to 0, 4 to 1, and 3 to 2!

Which game did you lose, 4 to 1?
This type of betting game has five different betting options.

Which two games did you lose, 3 to 2?

This type of betting game has ten different betting options.

That makes a total of twenty different betting options.

The team with the fewest positions is 5 to 0.

Who would have thought that Yelü Yancai, who marched south in a grand procession, would be defeated 5-0!

Many people thought Feng Shaomin would lose.

Feng Suzhen won a resounding 5-0 victory, leaving 99% of the gamblers penniless and devastated.

Is there a winner?

Of course there are.

Ling Chuchu, Bao Zheng's confidante, placed a bet of two hundred taels of silver to show her support for Feng Suzhen. With the odds of 1 to 20, she made a fortune.

Princess Tianxiang originally wanted to join in, but unfortunately she didn't have any change and had to bet gold. The casino dared not accept her bets and she could only leave disappointed.

……

Zuixian Tower.

Li Zhaoting invited his friends to drink and celebrate his success.

Bao Zheng, Gongsun Ce, Ling Chuchu, Zhan Zhao, and Princess Tianxiang were all invited. Zhan Zhao and the Five Rats sat at one table, and he bought them a large table of snacks.

Li Zhaoting and the others chatted and laughed, having a great time.

Gongsun Ce was the first to complain: "Buyi, you two have really ruined me. You have no idea. Now, every time I go out, at least twenty people block my way and ask me who Feng Shaomin is. Even the Eighth Prince has come!"

Li Zhaoting said, "That's easy. Just say that Feng Shaomin is already married, and that will put an end to any other people's thoughts!"

Which family's daughter did Feng Shaomin marry?

"The daughter of Duan Zhengchun, the Prince of Zhennan in Dali!"

Do you think anyone would believe that?

“The Prince of Zhennan was a womanizer; he didn’t even know how many daughters he had, so he just made one up.”

"Really?"

"Let me put it this way! In the capital city of Dali, families with beautiful wives guard against them like thieves. There's a place called Wanjie Valley, with a sign outside that says anyone with the surname Duan who enters the valley will die. That's to warn people about Duan Zhengchun."

"Did you manage to defend against it?"

"Duan Zhengchun had a tunnel dug!"

At this point, a chorus of boos erupted.

Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce are upright gentlemen, and Ling Chuchu and Princess Tianxiang are very interested in this. They pester Li Zhaoting to tell them more so they can brag about it later!
"Commoner, what do you think of the delegation? I think they're all strange, especially the ones from Izumo!"

Gongsun Ce keenly sensed that the Izumo Kingdom delegation was hiding many secrets, especially Princess Lixiu.

Princess Tianxiang shook the sugarcane: "I think the Liao delegation has the biggest problem. Yelü Yan is the one who attracts attention, while Yelü Juncai is the backbone."

Bao Zheng analyzed, "When I went to the palace to meet the emperor, I met the Goguryeo delegation. I think they were the strangest, very strange from top to bottom."

All three of them looked at Li Zhaoting at the same time.

"Buyi, what do you think?"

"I suspect there's something fishy about this!"

"Nonsense! Everyone knows something's fishy!"

Tianxiang retorted with dissatisfaction.

Li Zhaoting coughed twice: "Ahem, I share the same opinion as Bao Zheng. I think the Goguryeo delegation is the strangest. It's not a normal delegation at all."

Ling Chuchu laughed and said, "What's wrong with it? Does it mean that a murder will occur if Brother Bao just glances at you?"

The group exchanged smiles and began drinking and chatting.

The next morning, screams were heard from Tongwen Hall.

The crown prince of Goguryeo was assassinated!

The King of Goguryeo had seven sons, five of whom died young, leaving only two who grew up healthy. Now that the crown prince has been killed, this matter must be handled with utmost care.

(End of this chapter)