Martial Arts Showdown: My Wife Asked Me to Be the Champion

Chapter 108 Yang Yan! Qingya! Nanqin!

Chapter 108 Yang Yan! Qingya! Nanqin!

"Ah~~ That feels so good~~"

Xu Qingya lay in the large pool in the bathroom, stretching out her arms and legs, completely relaxed, letting the water wash over her body and take away the fatigue from working overtime all night.

Back then, the Marquis of the East had his princess stolen by that old bastard, the late emperor. He was determined to take revenge and used self-destructive behavior and pleasure-seeking to bide his time.

Although he couldn't hide it from the late emperor, who always knew what the Marquis of Dongfang was thinking, he still couldn't skimp on the rewards he deserved, and the Marquis's mansion was built to be magnificent.

The pavilions, terraces, towers, rockeries, and covered walkways are all exquisitely elegant, and the interiors are even more hidden. A single bathroom alone cost sixty to seventy thousand taels of silver.

The skilled craftsmen of the Hua family laid pipes and used various spiral structures to artificially create a "hot spring pool," and the warm water in the pool was actually "living water."

The bathroom also has a unique temperature control device that can expel water vapor in time to ensure a comfortable temperature. As long as there is enough charcoal, it is no different from a real hot spring.

The bath was made of white marble, decorated with pebbles, and had a chair for easy seating. There was also a small chair behind it for the maids to scrub their backs.

Xu Qingya lay sprawled out, while Yang Yan and Qin Nanqin, one on each side, wiped his back.

"Yan'er, did you just learn this back-rubbing technique? It's truly amazing!"

"I—I read a few books—"

"Reading? What kind of book?"

"That's it—that's it—"

"Let me see it!"

"You really don't know when to stop! You've been working so hard for over a month, and you still have the mind to think about these things?"

"This is called 'water nourishing wood,' and as long as I soak in the pool, my energy is inexhaustible!"

Xu Qingya reached out and hugged Yang Yan and Qin Nanqin, enjoying himself immensely with them on either side.

Yang Yan and Xu Qingya had been intimate, and having not seen each other for over a month, they naturally missed each other dearly. As Yang Yan's maid, Qin Nanqin could not be said to have been prepared in advance; to be precise, she was—eager to wait!

Looking at Xu Qingya's handsome and bright face and his solid and perfect physique, and feeling the strong masculine aura emanating from Xu Qingya, she felt that Xu Qingya was deeply infatuated with her, both inside and out.

"Master~~"

Compared to Yang Yan's gentleness, Qin Nanqin, who has made a living catching snakes since childhood, has a wildness hidden deep in her bones, and inadvertently rediscovers her old profession of "catching snakes".

Xu Qingya, embracing the beauty, unrestrainedly released his physical instincts. The "Yi Wood Heart Method" and "Weak Water Three Thousand" blended perfectly, naturally entering a state of complete self-forgetfulness and oneness with nature.

In a daze, Xu Qingya felt like a galloping steed, running freely among high mountains and steep valleys, with white clouds overhead and streams flowing around him. Every cell in his body was exuding wildness, like the smoke of war, even the moon was obscured.

Yang Yan and Qin Nanqin could not hear any sound. They felt like snowmen, hardened by the cold wind and frost. But spring came, and the warm sunshine shone on them, slowly and persistently melting them. Head, body, then limbs, and finally heart, until they completely turned into a puddle of water, soft and shapeless, evaporating into clouds.

The next morning.

Xu Qingya opened his eyes. Yang Yan and Qin Nanqin were lying on either side of him, their faces flushed. When she sensed that Xu Qingya had woken up, Qin Nanqin tried to get up, but she had worked too hard last night and had no strength left.

"Nanqin, don't rush to get up. I'm not one of those lazy good-for-nothings who can't even tell the difference between grains. I grew up in the mountains and I'm used to washing up by myself."

"My lord, you are no longer a chivalrous knight-errant, but the Marquis of Jing'an of the imperial court. If you do everything yourself, your wife will be laughed at."

If even the lady is being laughed at, then we maids have no reason to stay. We might as well be sold off to Lingnan and go there to sell sweet soup!

I've heard people say that countless heroes have been sold off in Lingnan, enough to form ten gangs!

Qin Nanqin rolled her eyes at Xu Qingya, thinking to herself, "You do everything yourself, what use am I to you? Only by getting you used to being waited on and having everything done for you can you take me with you wherever you go!"

This is something Qin Nanqin read in a book. In her dream, she joined a faction called "All the maids in the world unite as one family," and was given a secret manual compiled by Shuang'er, Zuo Shi, and Mei Zhu.

—From "The Palace Intrigue of the Hot House: Two Hundred Essential Skills for a Maid's Survival"

The most important point is to get your master used to being waited on, turning him into a lazy bum who can't do anything and can't distinguish between grains, so that he can never be separated from them.

It's hard to learn good things, but it's easy to learn bad things!

Xu Qingya used to do everything himself, but now that he has maids to serve him, after enjoying it a few times, his laziness will grow stronger and stronger, and he will eventually get used to being served by maids.

But not today!

Qin Nanqin has no strength left.

Fortunately, Xu Qingya had been working hard for a month, not resting and recuperating for a month; otherwise, they probably would have had to ask some of their best friends for help overnight!

Yang Yan said softly, "Husband, the Demonic Sect Leader hasn't left the capital. When I was chasing King Chaser, he suddenly appeared and taught me a lightness skill, which seems to be the Demonic Sect Leader's direct lineage. Could there be something wrong with this? What scheme does Jade Rakshasa have up his sleeve?"

Qin Nanqin rolled her eyes at Yang Yan. Her young lady really didn't know how to flirt. At this time, even if she didn't have the energy to do morning exercises, she could still say some sweet words. What good would it do to say something like "leader of the demonic sect" or "teaching lightness skills"?

Yu Luosha, the leader of the Demonic Cult, is a figure standing at the pinnacle of martial arts, the number one master of the demonic path. Note that he is not the number one master of the Demonic Cult, nor the number one master of the Demonic Sect, but the number one master of the demonic path. He is the leader of all evil, heretical, and unorthodox sects. Most people like him are mentally unstable and have some minor problems.

This isn't an insult, nor does it mean anything else; it's just the truth. It would be truly abnormal for a supreme grandmaster of the Myriad Demon Source Stream and the Myriad Demon Limitless to follow the rules in everything; it would mean that this guy has gone mad.

Even masters of the righteous path are no exception.

At the pinnacle of this world, where are the normal people?

Zhang Sanfeng studied the Turtle Breathing Technique in the back mountains of Wudang. It is said that once mastered, one could remain in seclusion for half a year, like an animal hibernating, and skip several hundred meals.

The Sweeping Monk was so engrossed in sweeping that he couldn't extricate himself. Everyone knew that Shaolin had a supreme grandmaster, but no one knew who he was, not even the abbot.

Huang Shang had no interest in martial arts. His life philosophy was to write books and establish his own theories. He wanted to become a scholar in the Hanlin Academy and was currently collecting ancient books and studying the history of the Three Kingdoms.

Guan Qi, nobody knows where he is. When he's normal, he's crazy, and when he's crazy, he seems more normal than anyone else. Apart from Xu Qingya, probably no one can understand what Guan Qi says.

The old eunuch, Sunflower, is currently researching the profound truths of the transformation of heaven and man and the growth of all things at the lowest level of the Heavenly Prison, striving to further his cultivation so he can seek revenge on Huang Shang.

Yingyuan, the foremost master of the Tantric sect, was an unparalleled genius who was on the verge of shattering the void at the age of eighteen. After stepping into the Heavenly Gate, he voluntarily retreated and subsequently forgot his martial arts skills.

There are very few normal people among those recorded.

Those not recorded are also not normal people.

The fact that there are no records of it indicates something even more abnormal.

What's so important about teaching martial arts?

Ten years ago, Huang Shang threw the Nine Yin Manual into the martial arts world, letting martial arts masters fight over it. He would casually teach a few of his unique skills to any junior martial arts practitioners he found pleasing.

In Qin Nanqin's opinion, a master of Yu Luocha's level is not something Yang Yan and Xu Qingya can even consider. There is no need to bother with him. Huang Shang should be the one to focus on him. Anyway, Huang Shang has nothing to do all day. Finding someone to fight can help him loosen up his muscles.

Xu Qingya shared the same thought.

When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up!

From any perspective, it's not my place to shoulder this burden; I might as well comfortably enjoy the present moment.

Yang Yan said coquettishly, "You heartless bastard! I was worried that Yu Luocha was plotting against you, so I asked him a few questions, and you don't even appreciate it?"

Do you know how intimidating this guy is? I'm getting annoyed by all his questions—"

"Are you tired of asking? What's next?"

"Yu Luosha told me that if I dared to ask him any more nonsense questions, he would make me eat ten catties of pork fat and ten catties of mutton tail fat. If I continued to be stubborn, he would make pork fat rice, add a catty of white sugar, and pour it all into my mouth to make me feel nauseous!"

"Hiss~~"

Xu Qingya gasped!

No wonder he is the leader of the Demonic Sect.

Even their pranks are so creative.

Xu Qingya asked, "Yan'er, what question did you ask him that made Yu Luocha so angry?"

Yang Yan pointed to her mouth.

Having received her "speaking fee," Yang Yan stretched slightly to find a more comfortable position before slowly saying, "I asked Yu Luosha if Xu Qingya is her biological son—hehe!"

"What does 'Jade Rakshasa' mean?"

"Yu Luosha said it was absolutely impossible. You are neither his biological son nor his godson. If you dare to kneel on the ground and worship your godfather, he will beat you out with sticks. I think his performance was a bit over the top. He was definitely holding back."

"I've thought of a possibility!"

Xu Qingya's lips twitched, thinking to himself that if he were to guess boldly and confidently, he would actually have a few reliable guesses.

"What's possible?"

"Do you think that if Yu Luocha isn't my father, could he be my grandfather, or my maternal grandfather?"

"Impossible, the age doesn't match!"

"Then I'll tell you something even more outrageous: Jade Rakshasa isn't my father, he's very likely my mother!"

"Get lost!"

Yang Yan flew into a rage and kicked Xu Qingya off the bed. "Are you even speaking human language?"

If Jade Rakshasa hears this, the little bit of delicious food I just mentioned will become your three meals a day!

With the leader of the Demonic Sect interfering, Xu Qingya knew he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. He calmly got up, but as soon as he left the bedroom, he received a bolt from the blue—Liu Qingci had been punished for disrespecting the emperor and was confined to his home for three days!

According to the message from Mi Cangqiong, the main reason Liu Qingci was confined was that Xu Qingya and Liu Qingci stole roast duck and didn't leave one for Liu Dinghuan!

Xu Qingya: The Emperor, a dignified ruler, imprisoned a prince for a roast duck? You've never eaten roast duck before! No, wait! I don't think I've ever! The ducks in the Imperial Kitchen are raised to be quite lean, perfect for making braised duck and beef jerky!

When making roast duck, the shredded meat can fill the gaps between your teeth.

This raises a question: making braised duck is understandable, but what on earth is making "beef jerky"?

Duck meat has fibers very similar to beef. Soaking duck meat in butter can impart a beef flavor, making it so realistic that it can almost be mistaken for beef jerky.

In this day and age, the duck industry is not very developed, and there isn't much duck meat available.

A thousand years later, when the ducks were ready for market, the first thing they were done was to have their feathers plucked by clothing factories to make down jackets. Then, shops that made braised dishes bought their duck feet, duck tongues, duck intestines, duck heads, and duck necks. The least valuable part was the duck meat.

There is a large surplus of duck meat. Some of it is used to make cheap roast ducks sold on the street for around 20 yuan a piece, while others are sent to food processing plants. The meat soaked in mutton fat is fake mutton, and the meat soaked in beef fat is fake beef. These products are readily available in the market.

The ducks used for roast duck are all force-fed ducks specially raised on duck farms. They are rich in fat, and after roasting, the skin is crispy and the duck meat is tender and juicy.

Even though Liu Dinghuan, as the emperor, had such an empty storehouse that he had to catch mice to eat meat, he still had plenty of delicacies. He had tasted famous dishes from all over the country.

The only thing I've never had is delicious roast duck.

The most crucial thing is—there's no one to explain it!

Xu Qingya rubbed his chin, thinking to himself that this was all Mi Cangqiong's fault. If it weren't for that big mouth telling the emperor, how would the emperor have known about these things?

Helpless, Xu Qingya, adhering to the principle of treating everyone equally, went to the imperial kitchen to select ingredients after breakfast and made a roast duck for Liu Dinghuan. She couldn't just slice it; she had to cut it in front of her.

While slicing the roast duck, he explained the process, then rolled it up and carefully fed it to the Queen.

Liu Dinghuan chuckled: "My dear minister, this morning at court someone accused you of bewitching the emperor, possessing the beauty of Meixi, Daji, and Baosi. I wonder what your opinion is?"

Xu Qingya rolled her eyes, thinking to herself, "If I wasn't worried about you throwing a tantrum, I would still be taking a nap!"

Xu Qingya hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, whether a nine-tailed fox is good or bad depends not on the fox itself, but on whether the ruler is wise. If it encounters a ruler like Jie of Xia, Zhou of Yin, or You of Zhou, it is an omen of national destruction."

However, if one encounters an emperor like Yu the Great, King Wen of Zhou, or Your Majesty, it is an auspicious sign for the times.

Whether it brings good fortune or misfortune is entirely in His Majesty's control.

Your Majesty holds the reins of power and treads upon the universe. Whether I am an auspicious omen or a demon depends entirely on Your Majesty's appointment. Your Majesty has entrusted me with the task of providing disaster relief, and the results are evident to all.

Those officials who impeach the emperor for bewitching him are just looking for trouble; why should Your Majesty bother with them?

I believe I have a clear conscience!

Xu Qingya looked at Liu Dinghuan with a righteous indignation.

Holding a rolled-up roast duck in his hand.

Liu Dinghuan, his mouth smeared with black grime, casually picked up a lotus leaf cake to wipe his mouth, and said with a beaming smile, "Minister Xu is truly eloquent. However, with Minister Xu's abilities, he is indeed a blessing to the nation and a boon to the people!"

Xu Qingya pleaded cautiously, "Your Majesty, Qingci was just greedy and stole a few bites—"

Liu Dinghuan waved his hand: "Minister Xu, do you think I'm being petty and deliberately confining Qingci? Qingci is a prince, a prince of equal rank, who seems to never concern himself with state affairs, but in reality, he has a very high prestige, especially in the military. Do you understand now?"

"Uh—I don't understand!"

"If I don't confine her, someone will accuse her of plotting against me and poisoning me!"

"Is it really that bad?"

"Most of the censors and officials in the court are from the reign of the previous emperor. They are not very good at doing practical work, but they are very good at making trouble and distorting the truth."

"Why not dismiss them from their posts?"

"They are still quite capable; they can point out my mistakes so that I won't act recklessly."

"Is there an Enke this year?"

"Minister Xu, you are so perceptive!"

Liu Dinghuan didn't dismiss those censors not because he couldn't find fault with them, but because he didn't have enough talent under his command. How many talented people could be recruited in one imperial examination? And how many of these successful candidates were actually protégés of court officials?

First, hold a special imperial examination, then another special imperial examination, with Zhuge Zhengwo as the chief examiner. This serves two purposes: first, to silence the censors and officials, and second, to select suitable talents.

These talented individuals should be sent out of the prefectures to gain experience. After two or three years of training, they should be gradually promoted based on their performance, replacing the old officials little by little, so as to avoid causing turmoil in the court.

"Doesn't Your Majesty feel tired?"

"Does Minister Xu intend to take his place?"

"Absolutely not! I'm afraid I'll work myself to death! I'd give up on myself in two months at most, indulging in wine and women. If I became emperor, I'd have to select concubines every day!"

With no one else around, Xu Qingya spoke rather recklessly. Liu Dinghuan didn't mind, giving Xu Qingya a slight glare and muttering to himself, "Pervert!"