"Conditions?"
"Your Majesty need not be nervous. The conditions I propose are by no means difficult or harsh.
To be frank, although I am the Crown Prince, I have been studying abroad and have not yet married.
If our Eastern Isles achieve victory, I wish to request the hand of one of your country's princesses, to forge an eternal friendship between our nations."
Upon hearing that it was merely a request for a princess, the New Emperor's heart, which had been suspended in mid-air, finally settled back into place.
However, Prince Andre of the Chille Kingdom's envoy could not contain himself and stood up first, speaking in a hurried manner:
"Your Imperial Majesty of Great Xia, your country has a saying, 'first come, first served.'
Princess Yongning was first taken a liking to by this prince, and it is only right that I should be the first to request her hand!
This prince is also single. Although our Chille Kingdom does not forge swords, we have gold mines and can purchase them from the Eastern Isles!
Therefore, this prince earnestly implores His Majesty the Emperor of Great Xia to bestow Princess Yongning in marriage upon this prince. This is a matter that even Guanyin Bodhisattva has witnessed!"
"What the hell!
Who do you think you are? Am I, this princess, going to marry you no matter what?
Why don't you take a look at yourself in a puddle of urine? With your unhuman, non-ghostly appearance, you dare to ask for this princess's hand? You're no better than a toad dreaming of eating swan meat!
Do you believe this princess will have her brother chase you out of here right now?
And you say Guanyin Bodhisattva witnessed it. Tell me, why didn't Guanyin Bodhisattva just take away this dimwit of yours?"
"Yongning, do not be impertinent."
The New Emperor issued a perfunctory reprimand, with no actual punishment.
Prince Andre, who had been thoroughly berated, did not appear dejected. Instead, he became even more emboldened and confessed:
"My uncle told me that women of Great Xia are thin-skinned and easily shy, and that one must listen to them in reverse.
Therefore, this prince will certainly not fail Princess Yongning in her heartfelt intentions!"
"Good heavens, is this person perhaps gravely ill?
Si Yun, don't hold me back. If I don't tear this person into eight pieces today, I'll write my four characters 'Princess Yongning' backward!"
Glancing at the incessantly clamoring Yongning, the New Emperor shifted his gaze back to the Crown Prince of the Eastern Isles and said plainly:
"I have just ascended the throne, and no princess has yet given birth.
And among all the unmarried princesses in Great Xia, there is only Princess Yongning. I presume the Crown Prince of the Eastern Isles has just seen her.
Therefore..."
Although the New Emperor did not finish his sentence, his implied meaning was extremely clear.
However, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Isles, upon hearing this, shook his head and said:
"Your Majesty misunderstands.
What this prince wishes to request is not this lively and forthright Princess Yongning, but Princess Changle, who so easily solved the Seven Apertures Exquisite Lock."
As the Crown Prince of the Eastern Isles' words fell, several sharp gazes fell upon him.
The most chilling and piercing among them belonged to the Empress, whose expression was as cold as frost from her elevated position.
If eyes could kill, then the Empress's icy gaze, filled with murderous intent, would have killed the Crown Prince of the Eastern Isles countless times over.
Lin Qingge, who had not expected him to set his sights on her, blinked her eyes. She had initially wanted to curse him back like Yongning, but finding it beneath her, she curled her lips and said:
"This princess thanks the Crown Prince of the Eastern Isles for his favor.
However, Great Xia is full of talented individuals. Even if we were to intentionally hold back, the chance of us losing the competition is exceedingly slim."
"While that may be so, this prince still wishes to give it a try."
The New Emperor, who wished for the Eastern Isles to win but did not wish for them to win, responded with a deep, single word:
"Agreed!"
After negotiation between both sides, the competition adopted a best-of-five format.
As if to give the Eastern Isles a show of dominance, Great Xia's first participant was the God of War, Xiao Zhanbei.
The result was without suspense; Xiao Zhanbei won.
Compared to the jubilant crowd, Lin Qingge's brow was furrowed enough to crush a fly.
"Good heavens, is he playing a game of Tian Ji's horse race here?"
As the saying goes: outsiders watch the excitement, insiders see the skill.
Although Lin Qingge was not a master, she could tell that the first participant from the Eastern Isles was incredibly weak.
"Given Fu Xun's modus operandi, he wouldn't make a bet he wasn't sure of. Therefore, he must have thoroughly investigated the situation of Great Xia beforehand."
Leng Ningyue said with a frown, her killing intent already stirred.
Great Xia's second participant was the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Zhang Ziliang.
Although General Zhang Ziliang was in his prime, his opponent was no ordinary person. After dozens of rounds of fighting, Zhang Ziliang, in a moment of carelessness, was forced outside the circle.
The third participant was also from the Imperial Guards.
Lin Qingge also recognized this person; he was a confidant of the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Zhang Ziliang, and the vanguard cavalry officer Lu Huaiying, with whom she had briefly interacted during the case of stolen relief silver.
He should now be the Imperial Guards' Cavalry Commandant, Lu Huaiying, Lord Lu.
Despite being General Zhang Ziliang's subordinate, Lu Huaiying's martial prowess was more than a notch above the former's.
Soon, the score was brought to two to one.
The next to participate was Yan Tinghao, who volunteered himself.
On the Eastern Isles' side, it was the Crown Prince himself.
"Sister Ningyue, do you think that傻狍子 Yan Tinghao can win?"
"Judging solely by martial strength, the two should be evenly matched, or perhaps Constable Yan has a slight advantage.
However, if we consider strategy and schemes, Constable Yan would likely have no chance of winning."
The competition officially began.
The Crown Prince of the Eastern Isles' martial skills were indeed good, but Yan Tinghao was not lacking either.
The two sides fought fiercely for a long time. Just as Yan Tinghao, who had a slight edge, suddenly stopped his movements, he was kicked out of the circle by the Crown Prince of the Eastern Isles.
...
Before Lin Qingge could even question this foolish deer, who she considered a complete failure, Yan Tinghao rushed over without regard.
"M-Miss, that Eastern Isles Crown Prince just now said... said that Madam was originally a woman.
Your subordinate was too surprised and couldn't react in time, which is why I lost.
However, your subordinate has thought it through on the way here.
That was clearly a trap set by the Eastern Isles Crown Prince to distract your subordinate!
After all, Madam's chest is as flat as a washboard, so how could she possibly be a woman?"
Yan Tinghao spoke with such conviction, as if he felt he was very clever, a hint of pride on his face.
...
Lin Qingge, who wished she could skin and bone this foolish deer on the spot, forced herself to take several deep breaths, suppressing the urge to stew him.
At this moment, the New Emperor slowly stood up from his seat.
From his posture, it seemed he was about to participate in the final match himself.
However, a voice, so cold it seemed to drop icicles, rang out from beside the New Emperor:
"No need to trouble Your Majesty. I will take the next match."