The First Freestyle Fighting Tournament of the Great Yu Court

Ren Tianye and Xiao Mingzhao finished their discussion...

Actually, it wasn't a discussion.

It was completely Ren Tianye calling all the shots.

Once settled, the morning court session began, and all seven of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng were summoned inside.

Xiao Mingzhao sat alone on the dragon throne. Just below and to the side, Ren Tianye sat in a specially designated duke's chair, with civil and military officials lined up on both sides below him.

The Seven Heroes of Chifeng, all stripped of their armor, stood in the grand hall.

Xiao Mingzhao slowly spoke.

"You gathered an army of two hundred thousand, shaking an entire region. Now that you have led your forces to surrender, settling the matter without shedding a single drop of blood, We... are greatly pleased."

"Today, We shall grant you lands and noble titles, and elevate you with prominent official positions."

"To honor your generation and bring comfort to the three armies."

"Hear Our decree!"

This was something the Seven Heroes of Chifeng had long expected. After all, even if the Great Yu imperial court only wanted to temporarily appease them, they would certainly give them a massive reward.

As a result, the Seven Heroes of Chifeng remained quite calm.

They were all curious to hear what the court would offer.

"Xiao Lie!"

"Today, you are granted the title of Marquis of Guide, appointed as the General of Agile Cavalry, with a fiefdom of six thousand households."

Xiao Lie stepped forward to receive the decree, but there was little joy on his face.

General of Agile Cavalry and a fiefdom of six thousand households were both great favors, but he knew this was exchanged for his military power. After this wave of rewards, he would most likely be kept in the capital, no longer commanding troops.

It was merely an empty title with no real power.

"Cheng Shu!"

"You are granted the title of Marquis of Shuncheng, appointed as the Grand Minister of Agriculture, with a fiefdom of five thousand households."

The second brother, Cheng Shu, stepped forward to receive the decree, his expression mirroring that of the eldest, Xiao Lie.

The following few were all the same.

The third brother, Shen Xiao, was made Marquis of Polu, appointed as the General of Valiant Cavalry, with a fiefdom of three thousand households.

The fourth brother, Su Mo, was made Marquis of Zhinang, appointed as the Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and Supervising Secretary, with a fiefdom of two thousand five hundred households.

The fifth brother, Tang Yin, was made Marquis of Guannei, appointed as the Colonel Director of Retainers, with a fiefdom of one thousand five hundred households.

The sixth brother, Wen Liang, was made Marquis of Guannei, appointed as the Army Justiciar and Grand Imperial Physician, with a fiefdom of one thousand households.

The seventh brother, Zhao Cheng, was made Marquis of Zhongyi, appointed as the General of the Household, with a fiefdom of one thousand five hundred households.

The rewards for the seven were complete, but all of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng wore plain expressions. They all knew clearly in their hearts that these rewards were completely meaningless.

Compared to what they had wanted to give Bai Zixuan, it was far from enough.

In fact, it was worlds apart. It wasn't that the official ranks were too low, but that they carried absolutely no real authority.

Above in the royal court, there was utter silence.

The various ministers could also see the underlying trickery.

As a result, the atmosphere was slightly awkward.

Just as Pei Jingzhi wanted to take the lead in breaking the silence and congratulate the seven, Ren Tianye spoke up, saying, "You seven are pillars of the state. Her Majesty only granted you noble titles, and I feel dissatisfied on your behalf."

"How can heroic figures like yourselves only care about titles and neglect your family affairs?"

"Therefore, I have already pleaded with Her Majesty for one of you. I asked to arrange a good marriage for one of you, and Her Majesty will personally officiate the wedding!"

Xiao Mingzhao immediately smiled and said, "Indeed. I have heard of a woman named Bai Zixuan, who possesses outstanding beauty and noble character. She would be a perfect match for you. I intend to facilitate this marriage."

After these words were spoken, all the ministers in the court were completely dumbfounded.

After all, they were not fools. They could clearly see that Her Majesty and Duke Ren were joining forces to restrict the Seven Heroes of Chifeng, giving them high positions and glory, but no real power.

It had been going so well, so why suddenly...

...start playing matchmaker?

Did they not see that the Seven Heroes of Chifeng all looked displeased? At a time like this, shouldn't they use other methods to continue appeasing them?

Matchmaking? What kind of grand match would it take to satisfy them?

However, to the ministers' surprise, upon hearing the female emperor Xiao Mingzhao's words, the eyes of all seven of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng instantly lit up.

Every single one of them looked excited!

They all stared fixedly at the female emperor Xiao Mingzhao, waiting for the name to come from her mouth.

Xiao Mingzhao slowly opened her mouth and, following the script Ren Tianye had given her, enunciated a name word by word.

"Xiao Lie!"

"Having served long in the military, with profound bravery and strategy, as the head of a two-hundred-thousand-strong army, you recognize the mandate of heaven and consider the grand scheme. Furthermore, you possess an upright character and a dignified aura. You are a tiger general of the state, and the rightful match for Bai Zixuan!"

"I hereby specially decree..."

Before Xiao Mingzhao could even finish her sentence, Xiao Lie was trembling with excitement. With a thud, he dropped to his knees, looking as sincere and respectful as one could possibly be.

However, the other six of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng exploded.

"I do not agree to this marriage!"

"I don't agree either!"

"I firmly object!"

"I wouldn't agree even if you beat me to death!"

...

When the other six shouted, it was like a sudden clap of thunder on level ground, echoing and buzzing within the golden throne room.

It left all the ministers utterly bewildered.

Wait... why was their reaction so intense?

Wasn't this a bit too extreme?

This was tantamount to offending Her Majesty!

Were they really going to be this rigid?

They had just surrendered; even if they wanted to clash with the emperor, they should have waited a while!

But Xiao Mingzhao on the dragon throne and Ren Tianye seated to the side were unhurried, looking completely confident. Ren Tianye even put on a somewhat troubled expression and asked, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Her Majesty granting a marriage is a tremendous honor."

"Why do you disagree?"

"Xiao Lie, do you disagree as well?"

Xiao Lie immediately shouted, "I agree! I agree ten thousand times over! I agree a million times over! This humble general thanks Her Majesty and the Lord Duke for the marriage. This humble general will certainly..."

Before Xiao Lie could finish expressing his loyalty, the other six went crazy again.

"Certainly my foot!"

"Xiao Lie, you shameless bastard! Have you forgotten what Zixuan said? If you dare disobey Zixuan's words, she'll kick you out of the group, and you'll have no part in this anymore!"

"Xiao Lie, if you dare try to hog her for yourself again, I'll skin you alive today."

...

It had to be said that Bai Zixuan's previous warning was quite effective. It restored a shred of rationality to Xiao Lie's feverish brain. Left with no other choice, he could only say, "Then... then I... I just won't marry Zixuan."

Just as the other six breathed a sigh of relief, Ren Tianye immediately interrupted, "Insolence! This marriage was granted by Her Majesty. Do you think you can just reject an imperial marriage whenever you please?"

"Do you have any respect for our Great Yu imperial court?"

"Do you have any respect for Her Majesty?"

Xiao Mingzhao also nodded heavily. "Exactly!"

"Do you have any respect for the Lord Duke?"

"This is a favor the Lord Duke begged on your behalf."

Ren Tianye sighed and said, "Fine, fine. Xiao Lie, I won't make things difficult for you. Since you are unwilling to marry Bai Zixuan, then let it drop. However, Her Majesty's decree has already been issued, how can it be taken back?"

"If you are unwilling to marry her, naturally someone else will be."

Xiao Mingzhao also wore a cold expression. "Indeed. How can My words be taken back? The matter of marrying Bai Zixuan must be settled today. I cannot bear to see such a woman sleep in an empty bed. Would that not go against My good intentions?"

After speaking, she looked at Ren Tianye with an expression that practically screamed for praise.

Ren Tianye ignored her, instead sweeping his gaze over to the second brother, Cheng Shu.

"Marquis of Shuncheng, Cheng Shu, are you willing?"

"Me, me?" Cheng Shu was incredibly excited, yet a bit hesitant. After all, Xiao Lie becoming the target of public criticism was right before his eyes. "I, I, I..."

"It seems you are unwilling as well!" Ren Tianye didn't give him a chance to continue speaking, turning directly to the third brother, Shen Xiao: "What about you?"

"As long as you agree, Her Majesty will decree the marriage on the spot, and the wedding will be held for you tomorrow!"

"I am willing!" Shen Xiao was straightforward, immediately saying: "Your Majesty, Lord Duke, this lowly one is willing. I am willing to give up my fiefdom of three thousand households, asking only to marry Zixuan."

Ren Tianye nodded. "Such sincerity. It seems even if Bai Zixuan marries you, she won't suffer any grievances. I see it as a perfect match. Then... I request Your Majesty to decree the marriage!"

Xiao Mingzhao was just about to agree when the fourth brother, Su Mo, lost his composure. With a thud, he dropped to his knees: "Your Majesty, Lord Duke, I, Su Mo, am willing to abandon my fiefdom of two thousand five hundred households, and my titles of Guanglu Grandee and Supervising Secretary, to marry Bai Zixuan."

"Wow!" Ren Tianye exclaimed. "You are even more sincere. Then this Bai Zixuan absolutely must marry you."

The fifth brother, Tang Yin, banged his head against the floor with a loud thud: "Your Majesty, Lord Duke, I am willing to give up my fiefdom of one thousand five hundred households, my position as Colonel Director of Retainers, and the honorable title of Marquis of Guannei, to marry Zixuan."

The sixth brother, Wen Liang: "I am willing to give up everything, as long as I can marry Zixuan."

The seventh brother, Zhao Cheng: "Your Majesty, Lord Duke, I am willing to give up everything and fight to the death for the Lord Duke. I beg Your Majesty and the Lord Duke to decree the marriage!"

The eldest brother Xiao Lie and the second brother Cheng Shu, who had just refused earlier, also hurriedly knelt down, each shouting louder and more ruthlessly than the last.

"Being enfeoffed as a Marquis? I don't want it, I only want Zixuan!"

"I can even give up my life, I only want Zixuan and the child!"

...

The seven of them quickly began fiercely competing in an unexpected manner, and the rivalry escalated severely. Then... it was unclear who made the first move, but the most powerful eldest brother, Xiao Lie, was heard crying out.

"Ouch, holy shit, which bastard kicked me?"

"Fuck you, we agreed to all be with Zixuan for a lifetime, and you fucking dare to use dirty tricks? Take my Black Tiger Tears the Heart!"

"You're a fucking military doctor, and you dare to fight me? You guys might have forgotten, but back in the day, I stood with my hands in my pockets, knowing not what a worthy opponent was!"

"Come on, come on, all of you come at me together, you think I'll shy away from your edge?"

...

Inside the Golden Throne Room, it instantly turned into a farce.

The Seven Heroes of Chifeng stopped kneeling. Grabbing an opponent, they just threw iron fists.

As for who hit whom, it didn't matter. Anyway, the other six were all competitors; if they didn't beat them into submission, how could they win Bai Zixuan and Little Vajra?

Thus,

Under the dumbfounded gazes of the officials and the smiling face of Ren Tianye.

The First Free Combat Tournament officially began within the imperial court of the Great Yu Dynasty.

You dare use Twin Peaks Pierce the Ears? I'll use Hungry Tiger Pounces on its Prey!

You use Wild Horse Parts its Mane? I'll counter with White Snake Spits its Tongue!

What? You actually know how to use Forcefully Cleaving Mount Hua? Then see if you can block my Fierce Tiger Descends the Mountain!

The Seven Heroes of Chifeng all struck rather ruthlessly, making the Great Yu Dynasty's first free combat tournament intensely fierce and explosive right from the start, causing the Empress, Ren Tianye, and the ministers to involuntarily become spectators.

Ren Tianye watched with surging passion, immediately shaking his head and shouting.

"Oh holy shit, Xiao Lie, how could you let Cheng Shu kick you there? That's going to end your family line!"

"Su Mo, you're way too weak. He slapped you and you don't even dare to hit back? With your cowardly look, would Bai Zixuan ever fancy you?"

"Zhao Cheng, you call yourself a general, yet you don't fight back when hit? You know me, this Duke is not one to stir up trouble, but if this happened to me, I absolutely wouldn't stand for it."

"No, fighting is one thing, but why are you snatching the guards' swords? Are these swords something you can just grab?"

"Damn it, beat him up! Let him know there's always someone better out there."

"Let loose and beat him! Isn't Shen Xiao just a cavalryman? To put it bluntly, he's just a horse feeder, and he dares to act like a martial arts master in front of you? Show him some color!"

...

Under the frantic cheering and instigation of the spectator Ren Tianye, the battle in the arena reached a white-hot stage. The officials naturally wouldn't stand on the side of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng and very sensibly retreated to the corners, leaving the grand stage of the Golden Throne Room for the seven to show off.

Among the seven, in terms of sheer martial prowess, there were obvious strengths and weaknesses.

Indeed, after an all-out struggle, only one person remained standing on the field.

Xiao Lie!

Xiao Lie looked down on the crowd with the posture of having narrowly won by half a move.

Wherever he looked, there were only his brothers whom he had beaten to the ground!

Clap!

Clap!

Clap!

Ren Tianye's applause rang out.

Cheering for Xiao Lie.

This Xiao Lie was not simple!

The first time he fought in a free combat tournament in the Great Yu court, he won the championship!

And as the champion, there naturally had to be a reward.

"Xiao Lie, you are a true man!"

"That kick you gave Shen Xiao just now, this Duke saw it; it had power!"

"A heroic figure like you must be matched with Bai Zixuan!"

"Only a heroic figure like you is worthy of Bai Zixuan!"

Ren Tianye set the tone, turning to Xiao Mingzhao and saying, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, a woman like Bai Zixuan should marry a hero like Xiao Lie."

Xiao Mingzhao said, "The Lord Duke is right."

"Then..."

"It is decided!"

"Tonight, a wedding will be held for them!"

"I shall personally attend."

Xiao Lie knelt down in excitement: "Thank you, Your Majesty..."

Thud. The next second, he fainted on the ground.

However, he did not receive proper care from the imperial physicians. Ren Tianye merely had people send the Seven Heroes of Chifeng back to their respective mansions.

Then, Ren Tianye waited for news.

"Report, Lord Duke, the second brother of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng, Cheng Shu, dragging his heavily injured body, insists on leaving the city, saying he wants to mobilize his troops to deal with Xiao Lie!"

"Report, Lord Duke, the third brother of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng, Shen Xiao, also bounced up from his bed, snatched a horse, and charged toward Xiao Lie's mansion. It looks like he wants to duel Xiao Lie on horseback!"

"Report, Lord Duke, the sixth brother of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng, Wen Liang, has already started concocting poison upon waking up!"

...

Hearing report after report, Ren Tianye couldn't help but shake his head.

These Seven Heroes of Chifeng... they are all people of true temperament!

To turn against each other in the blink of an eye, the situation was ten thousand times better than he had anticipated.

Of course, Ren Tianye knew there was another key factor.

He asked, "What about Bai Zixuan? Is she still in the mansion?"

"Yes, Lord Duke, Bai Zixuan is still locked in the mansion, not allowed to see anyone. According to the requirements for a bride, she is isolated from everything."

Ren Tianye nodded.

Having controlled Bai Zixuan, there would be no problems.

Next, it was all up to the performance of the Seven Heroes of Chifeng.

Dragging their half-dead bodies and attacking each other, how long could they last?

...