Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

The palace was heavily guarded. One squad of guards stood in formation outside Qixia Palace, changing shifts with another. Both squads were impeccably dressed, their spears gleaming coldly in the moonlight. Tonight, there was a full moon, its light spilling onto the rose bushes of Qixia Palace, making the blooming flowers appear exceptionally beautiful.

Commander Chen Ge of the Imperial Guards, clad in full armor, quietly approached Qixia Palace. After glancing around to make sure no one had noticed him, he scaled the wall and jumped into the palace courtyard. He then peered into the main room through the window. Suddenly, a woman's sweet voice reached his ears: "Sixth Prince, aren't you coming in? That tyrant has long since left."

Chen Ge chuckled, climbed through the window into the room, stood before the bed, and swiftly peeled the human skin off his face, placing it in his sleeve. Ning Zhanyan's original appearance was restored. Chen Jinhuan, wearing only a light pink gauze undergarment, excitedly threw herself into the man's arms. Ning Zhanyan held the woman tightly, but didn't reach out to hug her. Instead, he raised his hands and asked gently, "Jin'er, look what gift I brought you?"

"What's so mysterious?" Chen Jinhuan sat up straight from the man's arms and looked up at what he was holding. It was a blooming pink rose. A fragrance wafted over, making Chen Jinhuan a little confused. She asked in confusion, "Why did you think of giving me flowers?"

Ning Zhanyan handed the flower to Chen Jinhuan. He had removed the thorns beforehand, so it wasn't painful to the touch. Looking at Chen Jinhuan's delighted expression, he said sincerely, "Jin'er, congratulations on finally getting your revenge today!"

"I have to thank you for catching Zhang Liang for me, which gave me a witness. He was almost killed to silence him, but you saved his life on the spot, which made him confess about my sister." Chen Jinhuan placed the flowers on the pillow, wrapped her arms around Ning Zhanyan's neck, and leaned close to his face, almost touching his nose, to express her gratitude.

"Your ability to take revenge isn't solely due to my efforts. If Du Shiniang hadn't made a secret deal with Gao Can, forcing him to reveal that Consort Xian was your sister, your sister probably wouldn't have exposed her identity so easily," Ning Zhanyan said gently, rubbing his nose against the woman's slender, high nose.

“I know that Du Shiniang is my great benefactor, which is why I helped her and Gao Can exonerate Zhang Ruowen. She promised to help me take revenge in the Mingfu Cave, and she did just that. I will always remember Du Shiniang’s kindness and will repay her in the future.” Chen Jinhuan looked at Ning Zhanyan’s cheeks, which were a little red from wearing the human skin mask, and gently stroked his chin from his eyebrows as she spoke.

Ning Zhanyan, unable to resist the itch caused by Chen Jinhuan's loving caresses, grabbed her small hand and pounced on her, pinning her to the bed. Then, in a voice filled with desire, he asked her, "Jin'er, I'll tell you how you're going to repay Du Shiniang in a bit, but for now, you have to repay me first, okay?"

After the man finished speaking, he took off his outer robe. Chen Jinhuan blushed and went to untie the man's belt. Ning Zhanyan lowered the bed curtains and then leaned down to kiss the woman's two red lips. Their bodies were intertwined, and their hearts were pounding wildly. The room was filled with the sounds of spring, and the woman's panting breaths rose and fell continuously.

Tonight, Chen Jinhuan was filled with emotion. She was grateful to Ning Zhanyan for rescuing her from the Ministry of Justice prison and for helping him find witnesses. Thinking of how he had given up the power he had painstakingly built in the martial arts world outside the palace and was now willing to stay by her side as a commander of the Imperial Guards, her eyes reddened and she began to sob softly.

The man stopped what he was doing, thinking he had gone too far, so he gently nibbled on the woman's earlobe and asked in a hoarse voice, "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"No! I just feel like I owe you so much, maybe I can never repay it in this lifetime." Chen Jinhuan said in a hoarse voice, her eyes red and her head turned away from the man's lips. Ning Zhanyan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, gently stroking the woman's hair, and said in a seductive voice, "Jin'er, if you're afraid you can't repay my deep affection for you in this lifetime, then how about we stay together in the next life?"

Chen Jinhuan was stunned for a moment. She stroked Ning Zhanyan's firm chest muscles, her hand moving downwards to ignite his passion. Her eyes were alluring as she looked at Ning Zhanyan, but the words she breathed hot into his ear made him feel as hot as fire: "Sixth Brother, I am a greedy woman. How could I only want you for one lifetime? The next life, and the life after that... I want... you!"

Chen Jinhuan was a rare woman who took the initiative. He had been the one to force himself on her in the past, so tonight, the woman's initiative made Ning Zhanyan's blood boil. He felt as if he were falling into an abyss, as if he were climbing Mount Wu. The room was filled with enchanting atmosphere, and the candlelight on the dressing table by the bed crackled until it slowly died down at midnight.

The rose petals on the bed were already scattered and broken, their fragrance clinging to the woman's snow-white shoulders and back. Ning Zhanyan gently stroked her back, eliciting soft moans from her. A satisfied smile played on his lips as he turned her face to face with him, then lightly kissed the corner of her lips, speaking to her in a voice still tinged with desire:

"Jin'er, actually I have something important to discuss with you tonight. It's about the women's Cuju team that Lin Chong and Du Shiniang have formed."

Chen Jinhuan squinted, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead, and asked lazily, "What is it? Tell me before I fall asleep."

"After leaving the Imperial Study today, Gao Can told me that he wants Du Shiniang and Lin Chong to continue working on the Song Dynasty women's Cuju team project, since it involves a bet between three cities of the Song and Jin dynasties. He also said that the Jin Dynasty is dissatisfied with the Song Dynasty's investigation results regarding the assassination of its envoy and has already amassed troops outside the pass to declare war on our Great Song Dynasty." Ning Zhanyan roughly explained Gao Can's words to Chen Jinhuan.

"Isn't Gao Can working for the Wolf King? Why would he be so kind as to want to quell the conflict between Jin and Song? Do you think Shi Niang would agree to Gao Can's request?" Chen Jinhuan thought for a moment, then frowned and asked Ning Zhanyan.

“Du Shiniang is a woman of great righteousness. She went to great lengths to gather you, Chai Nianci, Pan Jinghe, and other women together for Cuju training. Wasn’t she hoping to use the Cuju match between the Jin and Song dynasties to quell the war between the two countries? I think we should support her. Besides, Du Shiniang avenged you, and we should repay her kindness.” Ning Zhanyan gently stroked the woman’s snow-white neck and patiently persuaded her.

"Of course I will help Du Shiniang, but that tyrannical emperor may not support the women's Cuju team led by Coach Lin. We women's Cuju team members are all facing our own difficulties now. For example, I am already a concubine, and I am afraid he will not allow me to continue playing Cuju on the field." Chen Jinhuan said to Ning Zhanyan with a touch of coquettishness.

“Jin’er, that tyrant is now infatuated with you. If you beg him and try to please him, I believe he will definitely grant you any request.” Ning Zhanyan gritted his teeth and said to Chen Jinhuan. After all, he was filled with resentment at sending his woman to another man, but he didn’t want to show it too obviously in front of Chen Jinhuan.

"I'll give it a try, but Zhang Ruowen lied to that tyrant today, saying that my body is not suitable for serving him in bed, so I'm not confident that I can please him." Chen Jinhuan pouted and muttered, then looked troubled, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked at Ning Zhanyan, feeling extremely aggrieved.