Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 293 Chinese Succubus, Great Hero Di Qing
Li Zhaoting picked up his paintbrush and began to paint.

Mei Zhu grinds ink for Li Zhaoting.

Feng Suzhen held a handful of melon seeds in her hand and was cracking them open with Princess Pipa, making a crunching sound.

The north wind blew, and the world was shrouded in a vast expanse of gray.

All sound disappeared.

Only Yuanbao remained to passionately voice Chu Liuxiang.

What an intelligent and perceptive dog!

Such a precious and intelligent treasure was used to poison people and test medicines; Shi Guanyin was truly wasting its potential.

Li Zhaoting was inspired and completed the painting in one go, without stopping from beginning to end. The painting came to life on the paper.

"Chu Liuxiang's Roaring Defeat" illustration

He emphasized his mixed feelings of laughter and tears, his joy at learning that the three women were safe and sound, and his loneliness at learning that the three women and Black Pearl were so close. He tugged at the corners of his mouth, but only managed a bitter smile, and every muscle in his body was twitching.

Hu Tiehua sighed, glanced at Chu Liuxiang, and forced a smile, "It seems this young prince is more capable than I imagined. You old scoundrel, this time..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ji Bingyan punched him to the ground.

"No one will think you are mute if you don't speak!"

Ji Bingyan scratched her head, her face full of helplessness.

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "Green Beard, when you meet the three ladies, hand these paintings to them in order. I've marked them, so don't get them wrong. This is your reward."

Li Zhaoting demonstrated a sword technique.

A glint flashed in Qinghuzi's eyes.

Green Beard is skilled in battlefield martial arts, adept at charging into battle, riding a horse, and drawing a bow, but not skilled in江湖 (jianghu) combat.

Li Zhaoting's casual swordsmanship surpassed Qing Huzi's entire life's learning and was worth studying for twenty years.

Hu Tiehua angrily retorted, "You surnamed Li! A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated! Why did you insult Chu Liuxiang!"

When did I insult him?

What do these paintings mean?

"Of course, it's to help Chu Xiangshuai coax the girl."

"Nonsense, utter nonsense."

"Hu Tiehua, how about we make a bet? If I'm not talking nonsense, you'll do me a favor. If I'm talking nonsense, I'll give you a hundred jars of fine wine."

"Any kind of alcohol is fine?"

"The wine aged for two hundred years in the Zhexianlou cellar, the fine wines of the imperial palace, the monkey wine from the desert hills—as long as you can name it, I can gather a hundred jars."

"We have an agreement: what you ask me to do must not violate the code of the martial arts world, and must not involve arson, murder, or looting!"

"We will never violate the code of chivalry!"

"A gentleman's word!"

"Hurry up and whip your horse!"

"Snapped!"

The two of them high-fived each other as an oath.

Hu Tiehua waited for Li Zhaoting to refute him, and Li Zhaoting said with a smile: "Men are often more jealous than women, but if my wife and Princess Pipa were to sleep in the same bed, I certainly wouldn't be jealous."

"What nonsense are you talking about? What can women do with each other? Who the hell gets jealous like that?"

"It's Chu Xiangshuai!"

Li Zhaoting quickly drew a picture.

When Li Zhaoting was handling the case in Jinan, he met Black Pearl once, but the case was urgent and he didn't pay much attention to her, though he vaguely remembered her figure and features.

Black Pearl is clearly a "prince," but Li Zhaoting painted her in women's clothing. However, no matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem out of place. Green Beard praised, "Li Jianshen's painting skills are truly superb. The young prince will be very happy to see this painting. It's truly a divine skill!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Liuxiang seemed to awaken from a dream.

"Is Black Pearl a woman?"

"My master only has one daughter, who was raised as a boy from childhood and is called the Little Prince. Doesn't General Chu know this? Didn't the Little Prince tell you?"

"I...I...Oh no!"

Chu Liuxiang felt as if ten million alpacas were running through his mind, shouting "Idiot!" as they ran, while three thousand crows flew overhead, shouting "Idiot!"
"What exactly is going on?"

Chu Liuxiang looked at Li Zhaoting pleadingly.

Li Zhaoting picked up his brush and painted two more pictures.

The joy of learning Black Pearl's identity.

My mind is completely muddled and I'm totally confused.

Li Zhaoting used his inner energy to dry the painting, left a small note on it, recording the conversation they had just had, and then drank two sips of yogurt soup, signaling Chu Liuxiang to listen carefully.

Do you often leave alone?

"Yes!"

Are the three girls very worried about you?

"Yes!"

"You always make those three worry?"

"Yes!"

Why should they wait for you at home?

"They...have nowhere to go."

“Even Yuanbao needs to go out for a walk, how do you know they have nowhere to go? You’re just used to them waiting for you at home and making them worry about you.”

Since that's the case, they've decided to use their own methods against you, making you search for them, making you worry about the three of them, and letting you experience the taste of worry.

These paintings of mine are recorded in real time.

Green Beard took the painting back, so that his three confidantes could see how worried and busy he was for them. The once dashing and handsome Chu Xiangshuai had become unshaven, surrounded by a cold and quiet atmosphere, all alone and lonely.

Upon seeing this scene, even the deepest resentment will vanish without a trace, leaving only gentle tenderness; the steel that has been tempered a hundredfold will cease to exist!
Brother Chu, you don't understand women.

Li Zhaoting opened his mouth smugly, but Meizhu stuffed the rolled pancake into his mouth and complained, "You're such a grown man, do you still need to be fed? Master, you're so lazy!"

Chu Liuxiang's face was filled with tears.

Hu Tiehua buried his head in the sandpit.

Ji Bingyan asked, "I don't understand. Even if Su Rongrong and the others harbored resentment and wanted to play tricks on Chu Liuxiang, how did Black Pearl manage to persuade the three of them? Why did Black Pearl help them? Was she also waiting for someone at home?"

"The young girl, in the throes of first love, spent half a year traveling the world with Chu Xiangshuai and fell in love with him. But Chu Xiangshuai treated her like a man. How could she bear it?"
Chu Xiangshuai was renowned in the martial arts world for his romantic and dashing style. He was one of the most knowledgeable and romantic men in the martial arts world when it came to women. Yet, after all this time, he still couldn't tell whether she was a man or a woman!

If it were me, I would have exploded long ago!

We'll definitely make Xiang Shuai suffer a bit.

Green Beard, these paintings are for Black Pearl.

Let her see the look on Xiang Shuai's face, like a defeated dog.

Calm down!
Don't stoop to the level of that old bug.

Li Zhaoting lay lazily on the recliner in a relaxed, Ge You-style pose, enjoying being fed by Mei Zhu.

Chu Liuxiang thought being an ostrich was pretty good.

At least you can bury your head in the sand.

Chu Liuxiang didn't recognize Black Pearl as a woman, not because he had poor eyesight, but because Black Pearl had been raised as a boy since childhood. The yellow sands and deserts tempered her body and mind, so she didn't have the fragrance of a beautiful woman. She was bold and magnanimous in her actions, and Chu Liuxiang thought Black Pearl had a feminine appearance and had no other thoughts.

Thinking of this, I felt even more like crying but had no tears left.

"Brother Li, you knew all along?"

"Ok!"

Why didn't you tell me?

"You didn't ask me!"

"You're deliberately misleading me!"

"I'm trying to help you!"

"help me?"

"I just explained it once."

"Brother Li! Thank you so much!"

Chu Liuxiang gritted his teeth, vowing that when he returned, he would go to the Li family mansion in Jinling, steal everything from them, leaving not even a pair of underwear! Li Zhaoting patted Hu Tiehua on the shoulder: "Didn't I win the bet? I want you to honor your bet."

"What do you want me to do?"

Hu Tiehua subconsciously took two steps back.

Li Zhaoting's skill level is too high, and his abilities are too strong.

Hu Tiehua was worried that Li Zhaoting would ruin her life.

"Go to the Huashan Sect and apologize with a bundle of thorns on your back. Explain your relationship with Gao Yanan clearly. If you want to marry Gao Yanan, bring her in with a grand wedding procession. If you don't want to marry her, break it off completely. A real man should not be indecisive. How many seven-year periods does a woman have? Don't let them go to waste!"

"I...I...this..."

"Did you lose the bet?"

"Yes!"

"Does my request violate morality?"

"It is entirely in accordance with morality!"

"Aren't you a cowardly son of a bitch who refuses to pay his debts and doesn't keep his word?"

"Change your request!"

“No change, Hu Tiehua. You either continue to swindle and cheat people with the name of a bastard, or you go to Mount Hua. There is no other choice. You have the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.”

Li Zhaoting's index and middle fingers are joined together to form a sword shape.

Hu Tiehua looked at Chu Liuxiang and Ji Bingyan.

Ji Bingyan gave a cold snort.

Chu Liuxiang turned his face away and didn't say a word.

This was 100% Hu Tiehua's fault.

Proposing today, running away tomorrow—where does that leave Gao Yanan's face? You need to give me an explanation!
If you can't give an explanation, just go die!
Li Zhaoting grabbed Hu Tiehua by the collar, threw him out of the oasis, and clapped his hands: "It's quiet now! Let's continue talking about Chu Xiangshuai's matter, this matter..."

There's nothing more to say about this!

Chu Liuxiang declared, "I am blind and deaf!"
Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "The best way to maintain family harmony is to travel together. Whether it's a carefree trip or a playful fight, it's more enjoyable than being an immortal!"

Feng Suzhen glanced sideways at Li Zhaoting.

Li Zhaoting kept his eyes straight ahead and his expression remained unchanged.

Once the rebels are defeated, you can return to the Kingdom of Kucha.

The King of Kucha was already impatient.

Di Qing accompanied him as a bodyguard.

Green Beard returned to the tribe with the drawing, and Chu Liuxiang followed cautiously behind, first observing the expressions of Su Rongrong and the other two women before deciding whether to reveal himself.

Ji Bingyan followed them to the Kingdom of Kucha.

Great chaos is always followed by great order.

This is an opportunity to make a profit.

Ji Bingyan was able to become a super-rich person in the Western Regions in just seven years because she was sharp enough to seize every money-making opportunity and achieve win-win cooperation.

……

Li Zhaoting looked at Di Qing with curiosity.

In terms of reputation, Li Zhaoting, who is famous throughout the world, is a martial arts master, but he is Di Qing, the famous general with a blackened face recorded in history. People of later generations admire Di Qing to some extent. It's fortunate that this is the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song. If it were the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song, seeing the young Yue Fei, all the sword and spear masters would want to join the army and go straight to the enemy's capital!
"Why do you look at me like that, young master?"

Di Qing was promoted and recommended by Li Nanxing, and he was very polite to Li Zhaoting. Li Zhaoting smiled and said, "My father said you are best at using a knife. Have you studied any knife manuals?"

"He only knows some battlefield martial arts."

"I have a sword manual; I'll give it to you!"

Li Zhaoting handed the "Eight Methods of Well" to Di Qing.

This was the case of the Goguryeo delegation. The Seventh Prince bribed Li Zhaoting to curry favor with him. Li Zhaoting didn't like using a knife, while Bai Yutang and others preferred martial arts techniques, which were not suitable for swordsmanship.

Kou Zhong's swordsmanship was honed in the martial arts world, but this swordsmanship is essentially a military strategy. In contrast, a famous general like Di Qing is more suited to the Eight Methods of the Well.

"Thank you for your generous gift, young master."

"A fine sword is given to a hero, and a precious saber to a valiant general. Your future feats of charging into battle, recovering Yan and Yun, expanding the territory, and establishing great achievements will be the best way to thank you."

"Reclaim Yan and Yun, and expand our territory!"

Di Qing was filled with excitement and his expression was impassioned.

These divine skills and wondrous methods are not to be passed on to more than six ears.

But he is Di Qing!

Even if Di Qing wanted to learn the Divine Blade Slash, Li Zhaoting would try to consult with Yu Luosha. It's like having a spear manual in your hand, and the young Yue Fei coming to learn it.

I'm reluctant to give it to others.

It was given to Di Qing, who used it to charge into battle, slay generals and seize flags, giving him an unparalleled sense of satisfaction.

This sense of accomplishment is hard to describe in words.

Perhaps this could be considered... a Chinese succubus?
Nothing happened along the way, so Di Qing flipped through the manuals. Kou Zhong wasn't very educated, and the martial arts manuals were all written in plain language. Apart from military strategy, he could understand everything else.

Coincidentally, Di Qing might not understand martial arts techniques, but he could understand military strategy at a glance. Using military strategy as a foundation, he reversed the steps of martial arts and quickly grasped 40-50% of it.

If you really don't understand, you can ask Li Zhaoting for help.

"Young master, what is the meaning of this move?"

"Look up, what do you see?"

"sun!"

"A lone plume of smoke rises straight from the desert, the setting sun hangs round over the long river!" These are lines from Wang Wei's poem, and also refer to two basic martial arts techniques, as well as the Xuanwu Formation commonly used in military campaigns...

"Black Tortoise, Tortoise and Snake, Round and Straight, Offense and Defense! So that's how it is, thank you for your guidance, young master! And here! It's clearly a sweeping attack, but the strike is a vertical slash!"

"To strike unexpectedly and catch the enemy off guard, I shout 'Sweep the army' before making a move. The opponent thinks I'm sweeping the enemy horizontally and leaps up to dodge, but they don't expect me to slash vertically."

The enemy couldn't dodge in time, his forehead hit the blade, and he was cleaved in two, dying with his eyes wide open. This tactic can only be used once; if you use it too often, people will be wary of you.

I don't understand military strategy, but I know that the art of war is to win by using the orthodox and the unorthodox. The way to win is to be upright and honorable. This is a strange trick to turn defeat into victory in desperate situations.

It can be used as a trump card; don't use it lightly!

"What does this move mean? The sword manual says to use the forces of Yin and Yang to deflect force, but how can swordsmanship deflect force?"

"The interplay of Yin and Yang forms Tai Chi."

"Wudang Tai Chi Profound Skill?"

"At martial arts schools run by outer disciples of Wudang, you can learn relevant knowledge by paying a few dozen taels of silver in tuition, and you can learn the Yin-Yang Technique by paying one or two hundred taels of silver in tuition."

I'll use boxing as an example.

The Yin and Yang principles of boxing encompass positive and negative, soft and hard, hard and gentle, extension and flexion, up and down, left and right, front and back, and so on.

Extending is yang, bending is yin;
Above is yang, below is yin.

In Sanshou (free fighting), swallowing techniques are paramount, and attacks are launched with force, like a snake sucking its prey.

When joining hands, the first step is to use the spitting technique, employing gentle force to sink in, like a cow spitting out grass.

All must be cold, quick, fast, and crisp.

It has four front sides and four corners.

When facing the enemy, one must charge straight at their corner.

If it's a head-on collision, it's a clash of brute force. If you're young and weak, and your internal strength isn't as good as your opponent's, you'll definitely suffer. But if you lead troops into battle, the brave will win in a narrow encounter, and you can gain the upper hand.

Few people practice Tai Chi Yin and Yang; the interplay of inhalation and exhalation, opening and closing, reveals the interplay of strength and gentleness.

You can freely choose between positive and negative positions; why worry about changes in movement and stillness?
The two methods of mutual generation and restraint are applied in turn, and the essence of advancement lies in movement.

How do we distinguish between light and heavy, real and unreal? Subtly reveal the light within the heavy, without holding back even a trace.

Try hitting me!

Li Zhaoting's right hand formed a hidden knife stance, while Di Qing raised his palm like a knife and slashed at Li Zhaoting's left shoulder. Li Zhaoting gently deflected Di Qing's force with an arc of his right hand.

"do you understand?"

"I understand about 50-60%."

"Now it's my turn to attack."

Li Zhaoting pointed a finger at Di Qing.

(End of this chapter)