"Everyone who can pass the literary test and the first half of the martial arts test, standing here, is the leader among the younger generation of our Jingguo..."
According to convention, before starting the final link, the official in charge of the Ministry of Rites needs to make a stylized speech.
Li Yi had never seen the official from the Ministry of Etiquette. He glanced around just now. There were many old faces, but more new faces.
He had been away for five years, and countless officials in the court had been promoted or demoted. The eyes of the surrounding officials and dignitaries swept over him and came back, but there were two eyes that were always on him.
Those were two glances in the same direction.
Having been in a high position for a long time, Mingzhu already has a hint of supreme majesty in her body. This kind of majesty is not found in the carefree Li Xuan.
All the youthfulness and tenderness were no longer visible on Shouning's face. She wore a palace dress, sat next to Mingzhu, lightly applied pink and white, and kept looking in this direction.
Li Xuan turned his head, looked at Shouning and Mingzhu, and asked, "Why are you not in a hurry? Do you know something?"
No one answered him.
The official from the Ministry of Rites has reached the end: "The first half of the martial arts test is over. In the second half of the martial arts test, Princess Shouning will personally test you..."
What was just conducted was only the first half of the martial arts test. Only those who passed the first half would have the opportunity to accept the test of Princess Shouning.
The princess's test is very simple. The person who can beat her is the prince-in-law.
If no one wins, or if more than one person wins, the decision will be made jointly by the Queen Mother and the Dowager Concubine.
Shouning walked down from above, holding a sword in one hand.
A young man in the crowd walked to the palace, held a long knife in his hand, saluted her respectfully, and said, "Your Highness, I have offended you!"
There was a burst of whispers among the courtiers.
"He is a junior from the Zheng family. No wonder he can pass two levels in a row and is standing here."
"This generation of the Zheng family has produced an all-rounder in both civil and military affairs."
"I wonder if he can beat Her Highness the Princess. If he can marry Princess Shouning, the prosperity of the Zheng family will be just around the corner..."
…
While the officials were talking in low voices, the official from the Ministry of Rites struck the gong to signal the start of the competition.
The young man quickly drew his sword at the same moment the gong rang. When he competed for the martial arts competition last year, he was defeated by Princess Shouning dressed in men's clothing by three moves. During this year, he practiced diligently and
My strength has greatly improved, and I think the outcome is between 50 and 50.
Clang!
He drew the sword very quickly, but Shouning was faster than him.
He drew the sword halfway, and a white shadow flashed before his eyes. When he came to his senses, a cold long sword was already placed on his neck.
Seeing this scene, a fat man who had just sat up from the ground lay down again.
Among the nine people, several people couldn't help but trembled and took half a step back.
"I..., I lost." The young man tilted his head, looked at the sword on his neck in disbelief, and said with difficulty.
All the officials were also stunned for a while.
Looking at the situation, these people who managed to pass the literary test may not be able to pass the Princess Shouning martial arts test at all.
This junior member of the Zheng family is already considered a rare all-rounder in both civil and military fields. People like him cannot always be perfect in both civil and military fields...
And he is already the outstanding leader among these ten people.
Shouning took back his sword, simply threw it on the ground and said, "Next one."
After the official from the Ministry of Rites came to his senses, he immediately said: "The next one is Peng Er."
No one responded.
A eunuch walked over, took a look, and said, "Peng Er has fainted."
The person who fainted naturally could not compete with the princess, so he was treated as a waiver. The official of the Ministry of Etiquette crossed out Peng Er's name and said: "The next one..."
"I abstain..." A young man said hurriedly: "I am no match for Her Royal Highness, I abstain..."
Many people present shook their heads one after another.
If you are not an opponent, you are not an opponent, but if you don't even have the courage to take action, it would be a bit too timid.
This time, it is not just about selecting a consort for Princess Shouning, the officials in the court also want to see if there is anyone with both ability and political integrity among these people who can be promoted in the future...
Obviously, this young man's behavior of abstaining from voting has disappointed those who have taken a fancy to him.
Above, watching those people being eliminated by Shouning, when only two people were left, the Queen Mother shook her head and said: "This child... should have taken the martial arts test first and then the literary test. She and Mingzhu Xiwu are so
After so many years, how can these young juniors be her opponents?"
Beside her, Concubine Yan smiled slightly and said, "This is not necessarily true..."
Seeing those people being eliminated by Princess Shouning one after another with thunderous means, the official of the Ministry of Etiquette stood in the main hall with a look of helplessness and said: "The next one is Muzi."
Li Yi was not the last one. He didn't know how the lineup was arranged. There was another person behind him.
Shouning thought for a while, walked to the official of the Ministry of Etiquette, pointed at the last person, and said, "I'll compete with him first."
The official from the Ministry of Rites was startled, "Your Highness, this..."
"No, right? If not, I won't compete..."
"Okay, okay..." How dare this official of the Ministry of Rites say no? What's the difficulty in changing the order of the competition? If His Highness doesn't compete at this time, it will be a major mistake for the Ministry of Rites. He will not be skinned by the Minister afterwards.
That's weird...
He looked at the list again and said, "The next one is Long Tao."
The courtiers didn't know what Her Royal Highness the Princess and the official from the Ministry of Rites said. They were just a little surprised by the sudden change in the order of the competition and didn't take it to heart.
The young man who came up last was a frail scholar. He looked at Shouning and said in a trembling voice: "Please, Your Highness, please show mercy."
"I won't hit you!" Shouning thought for a moment and said, "How about you abstain..."
The expression on the young man's face became solemn and he said: "A man should face difficulties and retreat. Even if he is not your Highness's opponent, Long will give it a try."
The eyes of some people around him lit up slightly.
"It's quite courageous..."
"It's good to do something you know you can't do..."
"It's an honor to be defeated, but I don't know how much better than the previous ones..."
…
Shouning looked at him, nodded, picked up the long sword that he had put down after the first match, and said, "Then you take action. In order to respect you, I will not show mercy..."
The young man's heart trembled when he thought about the fate of those who had just been eliminated, and then looked at the sword she picked up.
The next moment, a look of determination appeared on his face, and he strode forward to meet him.
So what if you fail? To shrink out of fear is more shameful than failure!
Plop!
Suddenly his feet stumbled and he fell to the ground.
He hugged his ankles, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, "My feet are sprained..."
Contestant No. 9 was carried down for treatment because he accidentally sprained his foot. When he was carried off, he had a disappointed look on his face, as if if it hadn't been for his sprained foot, I would never have flinched.
At this point, among the ten people, only one person named Muzi remained.
Of course, this does not mean that he is the prince-in-law. If he fails to pass the Princess Shouning test like the previous ones, his fate will be no different from the previous ones.
Those people who had been eliminated couldn't help but look at him.
As long as he loses, they still have a chance.
The official from the Ministry of Rites cleared his throat and said, "The next one is Muzi."
Li Yi took a few steps forward and stood in the hall, looking at the woman opposite.
Shouning was also looking at him, his expression a little absent-minded, and he stood there in a daze.
She just looked at it.
After a long time, the official from the Ministry of Etiquette walked up to Shouning, cleared his throat, and whispered: "Princess, the competition has begun..."
Shouning looked away and nodded.
He held a long sword in his hand and strode towards the palace.
Her feet suddenly gave way, her body swayed, and the long sword in her hand was thrown to the ground.
"My ankle is sprained..." She stabilized her figure, limped to Li Yi's side, raised her head, her eyes filled with mist, and said, "I give up."