Minglong

Chapter 84 Golden Tower
Dusk and sunset.

Towering buildings stand along the banks of the inland river, and the bridges across the river and even the surrounding pavilions are already filled with crowds of people watching the excitement.

Jinlou is a well-known auction house in the capital. Due to its large venue, it is suitable for holding competitions and often hosts various activities, such as chess games, competitions, and beauty pageants, etc., which are suitable for both the general public and the elegant. It makes profits by selling tickets or acting as a banker.

The 'social death game' set up today was initiated by Wei Lu from Xueyingling, with Jinlou acting as the referee, and the person being challenged was Zhang Huaiyu from the Imperial College.

The two players are still young and are not considered top-tier figures in Daqian, but they both have extraordinary backgrounds.

Among them, Wei Lu is the grandson of Wei Wuyi, the number one martial artist in Daqian. If he fails to withstand the test and his true identity is revealed, he will be killed in public. Xueyingling will become a laughing stock in the martial arts world that day.

Zhang Huaiyu's master was Fan Li, the chief academician of the Imperial College, and his master's grandmaster was Shuangsheng Yeci, who was also the "Fan Jin Ye Gu" whom Xie Jinhuan learned since childhood. Mu Yunling of Danyang was his uncle.

As a direct descendant of Ye Sheng, if Zhang Huaiyu were to embarrass himself in public, the reputation of Confucianism would plummet.

Therefore, this socially fatal situation, to put it in a broader sense, can also be regarded as a sectarian dispute between martial arts and Confucianism!
In order to completely discredit both contestants, this competition was held in the open air, with the questions set by the Beijing Dandy Gang, who were full of tricks and had a lot of connections, and even used an 'echo drum' as a testing instrument.

The echo drum is an instrument used by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to assess immortal officials, primarily to test their ability to maintain a calm mind.

Emotions such as fear, excitement, tension, lust, etc. will cause subtle changes in the body. If the changes exceed the threshold, it will be like thunder and you will die in public!
In order to watch this wonderful show, the area around the Golden Building was already crowded with people before the competition even started.

Xie Jinhuan and the Prince of Dan went to the meeting together. They were on the viewing terrace at the top of the Golden Building, where they could have a bird's eye view of the entire scene within a radius of several miles.

Below the terrace fence, there was a gold-plated plaque with four large characters inscribed on it:

gentleman!

There is also a big red flower hanging there, awarded to today's winner.

Linghu Qingmo was feeding the coal briquettes with dried fish when he noticed a huge crowd of people below, some even climbing up a tree to look inside. He couldn't help but frown:

"With such a big scene, anyone who makes a fool of themselves in public will probably have their faith in Taoism shattered. It's just a matter of pride, why bother?"

The Prince of Dan, wearing a striking red robe, stood in the center, fanning himself as he spoke:

"It's Wei Lu who's determined to prove herself, so she's bound to lose this battle. Sister Ling'er can't come until the day after tomorrow, and she even sent a letter this morning, asking Brother Xie to stake some money for her if he plays. So, Brother Xie, do you want to go and give it a try? The Jinlou is almost closed."

Xie Jinhuan didn't expect that the landlord's wife, who was far away in Danyang, still remembered to participate in the gambling game, so he started to think about it.

He had just inquired about it. The entire competition required three levels. The first level was rewarded with ten taels of silver, the second level was rewarded with one hundred taels of silver, and whoever could hold on to the end of the third level would receive one thousand taels of silver.

The medicinal materials needed to refine the 'Shenglong Huohu Pills', even if there is a discount in Southern Xinjiang and the alchemist provides it for free, still require at least 20,000 snowflake silvers, and that does not include the rhizomes of the large-headed lotus.

With such a large sum of money in front of him, it was hard for him not to be tempted.

However, to be on the safe side, Xie Jinhuan still asked first:
"How are we going to compete later? Let the courtesan dance?"

Zhao De quickly shook his head and pointed at the idlers below with his fan:

"The Oiran can only test these common folk. Confucian gentlemen and martial arts prodigies all have hearts as strong as iron. How could they fall for her tricks? Therefore, this competition is a 'test of conscience'!"

Ask about the situation?

Xie Jinhuan examines his own heart:
I would rather let the world betray me than let the world betray me...

Three wives, four concubines, and five rooms...

……

I'm afraid this is impossible...

Xie Jinhuan frowned, and seeing that the Dan Prince seemed to know the inside story, he asked:
"Prince knows the test questions?"

Zhao De looked around and saw that there was no one outside, so he whispered:
“I have put a lot of effort into the content of the exam questions, but to prevent leaks, I cannot tell you the details.

"Anyway, there's no low-level tricks like the courtesan dancing; it only tests your 'concentration'. The first two levels are just appetizers, Brother Xie can pass them with his eyes closed.

"As for the third level, Brother Xie, don't worry. As long as you can muster the same ruthlessness and resilience as you did in the Huaijiang Bay battle, you'll definitely make it to the end. If you lose, it's definitely because you didn't give it your all."

Xie Jinhuan nodded slightly, also believing Zhao De's lies.

As long as he was sure there was no beauty barrier, he would naturally feel confident.

When it comes to remaining calm in the face of temptation, he is certainly not as good as a Confucian gentleman, but in other aspects, he does not believe that he can be crushed by others.

Even if I lose, it's not too embarrassing to face others...

It was not completely dark yet, so it would be inconvenient to go find Han Jingchuan too early, and it would not be convenient for him to leave during the fight.

Xie Jinhuan considered this for a moment and nodded:

"Since the prince thinks so highly of me, since I'm here, I should definitely give it a try. If I can pass, I can get some money for a meal."

Linghu Qingmo considered herself an iceberg beauty with a firm heart. Seeing that there were also girls participating in the competition, she continued:
"If you go, I'll try it too."

Zhao De smiled upon seeing this and waved his hand, saying, "Laifu, go add Brother Xie and Miss Linghu's names. By the way, help the princess and I each bet three thousand taels to support Master Xie. Put it on the palace's account!"

Xie Jinhuan might not be able to pass the level, so he raised his hand to stop him:
"No. I'm not sure of winning. If I really want to place a bet, a hundred or so taels would be enough..."

"Eh!"

Zhao De frowned and said earnestly:
"If Sister Ling'er brings it, how dare I cheat on you? If you really win, no matter how much I bet, she will ask me for the full prize money. If I can't give it to her, she will break my legs! Will you help me pay it when the time comes?"

How could I possibly help you?!

Seeing that Zhao De couldn't reject the landlady's bet, Xie Jinhuan, in order to end the defeat in a good way, reluctantly took out the money Wu Su had given him:

"In that case, I'll join in the fun, Prince, and bet five hundred taels on myself to win. If I'm not as skilled as the others, I hope the Prince and the Princess will forgive me."

Zhao De quickly said, "It's okay. No gambler loses every day. Just give it your all. If you lose, just think of it as your father paying you to learn from him!"

Linghu Qingmo was also ready to join in the fun, but she felt that her Dao heart was far less tenacious than Xie Jinhuan's. After thinking about it, she took out her small purse and threw it to Lai Fu:
"Please bet two hundred taels for me, and bet that Xie Jinhuan will win the championship!"

Seeing this, Yang Dabiao almost gnashed his teeth and took out an incredible "ingot of silver" from his belt:
"Don't be stingy, I'm betting everything I have! Have fun, but if you lose, I'll have to eat and drink with you from now on."

"Gooji!"

Meiqiu picked up a small dried fish and put it in Yang Dabiao's hand. It seemed that he was going all in!
Even the night demon that followed him like a shadow whispered in his ear:
"If you can hold on till the end today, I'll dance for you, the most sexy kind~"

I go……

Seeing all his friends and family all going all-in in support, Xie Jinhuan was deeply moved and his fighting spirit was ignited:
"I really want to test the iron will of a famous family's genius. Don't worry, even if I die today, I will die in the arena!"
-
The last ray of sunset in the sky slowly sank into the city.

The bustling streets on both sides of the inland river have also turned into a sea of ​​colorful lights.

Forty echo drums were placed on the river platform and even on the surrounding boats. Many of the green leaves who had signed up for the competition were already sitting cross-legged, and the faint sounds of the drums could be heard one after another:

"Gudong~Gudong..."

The stage space is not big, with only eight drums placed in a circle, reserved for competitive contestants. There are seven people seated, and there are even two fairy-like Taoist nuns.

As the initiator, Wei Lu from Xueyingling sat in a black robe facing the setting sun, with his eyes closed and his mind focused. The echo drum did not make any movement until a noise was heard around him, and then he opened his eyes and looked towards the river bank.

"I'm coming……"

"Master Zhang..."

……

The crowd on the riverbank parted, and a scholar in a green robe emerged. He looked to be in his early twenties. He hurried through the crowd, robe in hand, while apologizing as he passed.
"Sorry, sorry, I was playing chess with the teacher and forgot the time. I kept you waiting..."

He looked hurriedly, like a shy and introverted little scholar. Compared with Wei Lu who acted cool and aloof on the stage, he seemed to be from a completely different world.

As the grandson of the number one martial artist in Daqian, Wei Lu has no grudge against Confucianism and is not considered to be domineering in his daily life.

But the book "The Yanshi of Wei Wuyi" is really too damn excessive!

According to the records in the book, his grandfather started his family by selling hooks in Xirong...

He also touched Sikong Tianyuan's wife's buttocks, was tricked by Lu Wuzhen into calling him "Dad", and borrowed ten taels of silver from Monk Wuxin to help the lost in the world...

What’s even more outrageous is that Zhang Huaiyu, that bastard, was watching it right in front of him!
Wei Lu was able to hold back from drawing his sword and chopping this grandson, which showed his extraordinary determination. Seeing that the other party was still putting on a show, he spoke coldly:
"Stop pretending. We'll find out whether you're a hypocrite or a real villain soon. Come on stage now."

"Look at what Brother Wei said. He doesn't leave me any room for retreat."

Zhang Huaiyu jumped onto the round platform and sat down beside Wei Lu. He glanced around and found two other girls. He chatted again:
"All the astronomy students from the Imperial Observatory are here, and there are two girls here. I'm afraid Brother Wei and I will have no chance of getting the plaque."

Both women were wearing Taoist robes. Fearing that their emotions would be provoked, they sat cross-legged with their eyes closed, pinching the Ziwu Jue with their hands, without any reaction.

Wei Lu could no longer bear it. Seeing that everyone was present, he looked at the owner of the Jinlou Mansion:

"let's start."

Fan Guangyuan, the owner of Jinlou, was checking the roster that had just been delivered. Hearing the voice, he quickly responded:

"Young Master Wei, please wait a moment. A distinguished guest has just arrived..."

"Ok?"

Wei Lu's status was not low. When he found out that Zhang Huaiyu had come, Fan Guangyuan actually asked him to wait. He couldn't help but wonder which famous actor was coming to join in the fun.

Before he could ask, he heard a soft sound of breaking wind from the brightly lit five-story building:
Call ~
Everyone looked up and saw a startling white shadow leaping out of the five-story building. Its body was like a white dragon flying in the clouds, falling straight into the center of the platform!

boom~
After the muffled sound, the whole place fell silent...

……

(End of this chapter)