Chapter 19: Utter Nonsense
Compared to the people on both banks of the Luo River, those on the boat were even more bewildered.
The duel had already ended some time ago, yet Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong had not stepped down from the Naihe Bridge. Instead, they stood quietly at the other end, seemingly gazing at something.
Whether it was figures as prominent as Mao Qiuyu or the King of Linghai, or even Xu Shiji, they all assumed Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were strangers to each other. Moreover, they understood the hidden implications behind this battle on the Naihe Bridge, so they didn’t believe Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong would develop any mutual admiration through this sword debate. So why, right after the fight ended, could they stand together so calmly? And so close to each other? What were they doing now?
“What’s going on here?” Tang Thirty-Six said, looking at the two figures on the snow-covered bridge.
Mo Yu felt the same way. Recalling the night Xu Yourong had visited the National Academy, she grew increasingly suspicious and furrowed her brow slightly.
Tang Thirty-Six said irritably, “Whether they’re pretending to be lonely or imitating despair, can’t they at least consider the feelings of us spectators?”
Su Moyu asked from the side, “What feelings?”
Tang Thirty-Six pointed at Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong on the Naihe Bridge and said, “They just fought such an intense battle, both clearly injured, and now with tens of thousands of people staring at them, they still have the mood to enjoy the snow here? Don’t you think that’s too… you know?”
“You know” was a curse word.
The people on both banks of the Luo River and on the boat might have had different feelings, but no one else felt like cursing the way he did at that moment.
Because the scene on the Naihe Bridge at that moment was truly beautiful.
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…
Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong stood at the far end of the bridge, their backs to the large boat on the Luo River and the tens of thousands of people on both shores, as if they were no longer in this world.
After an unknown amount of time, Chen Changsheng looked up at her and said, “You…”
Xu Yourong didn’t look at him. She gazed upstream of the Luo River and said calmly, “Don’t speak.”
Chen Changsheng hesitated and said, “Then I…”
Xu Yourong raised an eyebrow slightly and said, “Didn’t I say don’t speak?”
Chen Changsheng lowered his head and said, “Oh.”
Xu Yourong watched a snowflake drifting before her and said, “Don’t tell anyone about us.”
Hadn’t she just said not to speak? Chen Changsheng only dared to think this in his mind. Then, considering her request, he felt puzzled.
“Huh?”
Xu Yourong suddenly asked, “Are you happy?”
Chen Changsheng answered honestly, “Mm.”
Xu Yourong turned to look at him, smiled, and said, “So silly.”
Chen Changsheng scratched his head and said, “Ah.”
“I’m leaving now,” Xu Yourong said.
Chen Changsheng was surprised and said anxiously, “Ah?”
Xu Yourong reached out, took the Zhai Sword, and walked toward the other end of the snow-covered bridge.
Chen Changsheng watched her figure gradually disappear into the wind and snow, completely at a loss for how to react.
He once again felt the same sensation he had experienced a few days ago at the Zhou Mausoleum.
Countless emotions surged over him like a tide.
This time, the tide no longer carried sorrow, but it was incredibly complex.
In a daze, he stood on the Naihe Bridge, watching the white crane fly away, then suddenly looked at the young Peng that resembled a pheasant.
In the wind and snow, that young Peng turned its head to glance at him, looking utterly mocking.
He turned back to face the Luo River, leaned against the railing, and lowered his head.
He didn’t cover his face with his hands, but he knew his cheeks were burning hot.
He didn’t cover his face also because there was now a small slip of paper in his hand.
This small slip of paper was secretly slipped into his hand by Xu Yourong when she took the Zhai Sword earlier.
In the Six Ivies, in the private schools and county academies of the provinces, when spring sunlight streamed through the windows, small slips of paper would constantly pass between desks.
Those slips of paper were like the spring light itself.
Today, amid wind and snow, in front of tens of thousands of people in the capital, he too had received a small slip of paper.
On the slip was written an address and a time.
Douhua Fish on Fushou Street.
After dusk today.
This was the first time Chen Changsheng had ever received such a small slip of paper.
Recalling the scholar-beauty novels he had read and Tang Thirty-Six’s usual teachings, he thought uncertainly, could this be what a date meant?
The wind and snow continued as before, and the Naihe Bridge gradually grew lively.
Xu Yourong conceded defeat and then left. This highly anticipated duel had finally come to an end.
Leaving aside what changes this battle on the Naihe Bridge might bring to the confrontation between the Li Palace and the imperial court, this fight would surely be recorded in history as the first encounter between the future Pope and Saintess, and would be mentioned countless times. For instance, many people right now wanted to know the details of this battle.
Especially Tang Thirty-Six.
He completely ignored the signals from the national religion cavalry and the Imperial Guard. Turning into a streak of smoke, he ran onto the Naihe Bridge, looked at Chen Changsheng, and asked breathlessly, “Who really won?”
Chen Changsheng was still in a daze. Hearing his question, he instinctively replied, “She didn’t lose.”
“I warned you not to go easy on her just because she’s pretty! And now look—you didn’t hold back in the fight, but you’re playing these word games. If she didn’t lose, does that mean you lost?” Tang Thirty-Six said angrily. “Xu Yourong has already admitted she lost, and you still want to fool me!”
Chen Changsheng didn’t understand why he was so furious. He thought, even if that were the case, shouldn’t you, as my friend, be happy?
“Since you could beat her, why did you make me bet on you losing before the fight? What were you thinking?”
Tang Thirty-Six was fuming just thinking about it and said, “Are you a pig!”
Only then did Chen Changsheng remember this matter, and then many other things. He said shamefacedly, “Yes, I’m a pig.”
Tang Thirty-Six was stunned. He finally noticed something was off with him. Chen Changsheng looked utterly dejected.
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Under the gaze of countless capital residents and amid the cheers from both sides of the streets, Chen Changsheng and the others returned to the National Academy.
Outside the academy walls, the taverns hung colorful lanterns high, and the sound of zithers played chaotically. The teachers and students, proud and joyful over the dean’s victory, were celebrating wildly there.
After returning to his room, however, Chen Changsheng didn’t come out for a long time.
Tang Thirty-Six, Su Moyu, and Xuanyuan Po stood downstairs, looking up at the window on the third floor, their faces full of suspicion.
Chen Changsheng had ultimately won this world-famous battle, and he had won beautifully, with no flaws to criticize. But why couldn’t they see much of the emotion a victor should have on his face? Even if his relationship with Xu Yourong had involved an engagement, and his feelings might be complicated, why was it so extreme?
What had happened on the Naihe Bridge? What problem had Chen Changsheng encountered?
“Making someone with a cleanliness obsession admit they’re a pig…”
Tang Thirty-Six stared at the window, his expression grave, and said, “This is clearly no simple matter.”
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