Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

Xiao Minghao entered the palace with a helpless and irritable mood, but he did not expect to run into Gao Can, who was beaming with pride, as soon as he stepped into the palace gate. He knew that Gao Can had been staying at Tingyuxuan in Zixiang Pavilion for the past few days. Thinking of his cuckolded hat, he gritted his teeth and regretted not insisting on fighting Gao Can to the death on the football field in the palace that day and forcibly taking Zou Xiaoyan away.

Xiao Minghao's face was gloomy. Only when he saw the Emperor did the jar of jealousy in his heart close up again, concealing his hatred and resentment towards Gao Can. Xiao Minghao pleaded with Emperor Huizong, saying, "Your Majesty, I don't think lending this 'Netherworld Orb' to the Jin envoy for three days is a big deal. The Jin people are currently stationed on our border. If we can use a 'Netherworld Orb' to quell their anger, it might be a shortcut for the two countries to restore good relations. After all, war will cause bloodshed and suffering for the people of both countries."

"Lord Xiao, you also know that the Underworld Sphere is a major event concerning the diplomatic relations between the Jin and Song kingdoms. Is it really appropriate to hand over such an important piece of evidence to the Jin envoy?" Senior Advisor questioned Xiao Minghao with righteous indignation.

“Lord Gao, when I was working in the Ministry of Rites, I was on good terms with Emperor Huizong of Song, which is why he asked me to act as his guarantor for the Mingqiu. However, you are working in the Ministry of Justice, so it seems that matters of diplomatic relations between the Jin and Song dynasties are not under your jurisdiction, right?” Xiao Minghao coldly replied to Advisor Gao.

"Lord Xiao also knows that one should not meddle in matters outside one's jurisdiction. Now that you are no longer in the Ministry of Rites, is it appropriate for you to still be involved in the affairs of the Jin envoy?" Senior Advisor retorted.

When Emperor Huizong saw his two favorite ministers arguing fiercely in front of him, he couldn't help but rub his forehead. Were these two rascals, surnamed Xiao and Gao, playing the good cop/bad cop role in front of the Jin people? He immediately scolded them, "Advisor Gao, Xiao Minghao, you two shut up! If you keep arguing, drag them out of the South Gate and each receive thirty strokes of the cane."

After exchanging a rare, unspoken glance with Xiao Minghao, Gao and Xiao both fell silent and knelt before Emperor Huizong to beg for forgiveness. Mohart and his interpreter, seeing this, turned pale. Mohart shouted at Emperor Huizong, and the interpreter quickly translated, "Your Majesty, please do not blame Lord Xiao. He is Mohart's friend. The matter of borrowing the celestial orb was my own suggestion and has nothing to do with state affairs."

Upon hearing the interpreter's words, Emperor Huizong was momentarily at a loss for words. What did he mean by saying that borrowing the celestial orb was unrelated to state affairs? Mohat was clearly making excuses; if the official route was blocked, he was trying to take a smuggled route—only a fool would believe that. However, judging from Mohat's expression earlier, he knew that Mohat genuinely wanted to borrow the celestial orb to study. How could he deal with this troublesome Jin envoy?

"By the way, Gao Can is the most eloquent of all. Why not let him come up with a plan to make Mohart back down?" With that thought, Emperor Huizong waved for Gao Can to come forward. Then he whispered his request in Gao Can's ear. Gao Can lowered his head and pondered silently for a moment before coming up with an idea.

The high-ranking official straightened the wrinkles in his official robes, walked slowly to Mohat and his interpreter, and said to them unhurriedly, "Your Excellency, His Majesty and I just discussed it and felt that this sphere of the underworld is very important and should not be lent to anyone unrelated to the case. However, since you are an envoy of the Jin Kingdom, it would be fine for you to take a look at the evidence. But just now, it seemed that you wanted to see the sphere of the underworld more than just look at it; you wanted to study its manufacturing process and methods."

The interpreter quickly relayed the senior advisor's words to Mohart. Mohart scratched his head, unsure whether the senior advisor intended to help him or was simply looking for an excuse to refuse. Seeing Mohart's puzzled expression, the senior advisor gave a sly smile, pulled Mohart and the interpreter aside, and whispered:

"Lord Mo, I just discussed a plan with His Majesty. We would like to have the coach of your Jin Kingdom's women's Cuju team compete against Lin Chong, the coach of our Song Kingdom's women's Cuju team. If your coach wins, then Lord Mo can study this ghost ball artifact for seven days. I wonder if Lord Mo dares to accept this challenge?"

After understanding the senior advisor's words, Mohart excitedly pulled the translator aside and asked him to convey his sincerity: "I am an envoy of the Jin Kingdom, appointed on short notice. I am here in the Song Kingdom as the head coach of our women's Cuju team. Who is Lin Chong? Who cares who he is? I am not afraid to compete with him in Cuju!"

Just as the senior advisor was about to praise Mohart's bravery, Xiao Minghao pulled Mohart and the interpreter aside to a grove of bamboo for a quiet discussion. The advisor watched the three from a distance and noticed Mohart nodding repeatedly as he listened to Xiao Minghao, seemingly quite pleased with his suggestion. What did Xiao Minghao say to Mohart? What was this traitor up to?

After a while, Xiao Minghao and the others returned to Gao Can and Emperor Huizong. Xiao Minghao reported to Emperor Huizong: "Your Majesty, I just introduced Lin Chong to Lord Mohart. Because of Lin Chong's special status, he was once the instructor of our imperial guards and is now the instructor of the Zixiang Pavilion women's Cuju team. However, I do not know when the Zixiang Pavilion women's Cuju team was appointed by Your Majesty and became the women's Cuju team representing our Great Song Dynasty."

"If I remember correctly, the bet between Lord Shen Daoyuan and Du Shiniang in the last Imperial Cuju match is still unresolved. The assassins have made a mess of the match. Your Majesty has not recognized Lin Chong and the women's Cuju team he trained, so I think it is inappropriate for Lord Gao to suggest that Lin Chong play Cuju against Lord Mo of the Jin Kingdom."

After hearing Xiao Minghao's words, Emperor Huizong glanced at Gao Can, then at Mohat, and was momentarily at a loss for how to handle this awkward situation. Gao Can, seeing this, immediately stepped forward and loudly berated Xiao Minghao: "Lord Xiao, are you a traitor? How dare you speak for the Jin people? And repeatedly help the Jin delegation make things difficult for your own people!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghao was furious and pointed at Gao Can's nose, retorting, "You, surnamed Gao, don't make false accusations! I was just upholding the friendly relations between the Song and Jin dynasties. How did I betray my country? What I just said about Lin Chong and the Zixiang Pavilion women's Cuju team, was it false? His Majesty did not declare a winner or loser in the Cuju match at the palace that day."

"Enough! You two shut up!" Emperor Huizong of Song impatiently and sternly stopped the verbal sparring between Gao Can and Xiao Minghao. He felt a headache coming on. Could these two really unite against a common enemy? Did they want the Jin people to watch two high-ranking Song officials arguing or even fighting on the spot?

Just as Emperor Huizong was troubled, a charming figure approached him. It was none other than Consort Luo, Chen Jinhuan, the beauty who had invited him to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) that day. Chen Jinhuan was wearing a bright red Cuju outfit, the same one she had worn at the Cuju match in the imperial palace that day. Emperor Huizong suddenly remembered that he was supposed to play Cuju with his beauty today, but now it had been ruined by the Jin people. His face turned ashen.

"Your Majesty, I've been waiting for you for ages. Why are you chatting with Lord Gao and Lord Xiao here? Have you forgotten your promise to play Cuju with me?" Chen Jinhuan stepped forward enthusiastically, put her arm around Emperor Huizong's waist, and said to him in a soft, coquettish voice.

"My beloved concubine, I haven't forgotten our appointment, but the Jin envoy suddenly came to borrow something from me. I didn't want to lend it to them, so they started acting like they didn't want to. I'm having a headache about how to handle this. Could you give me some advice?" Emperor Huizong complained to Chen Jinhuan. After saying that, he hugged her slender waist and whispered in her ear about Gao Can's suggestion and Xiao Minghao's doubts.

Upon hearing Emperor Huizong's words, Chen Jinhuan pursed her lips and whispered in his ear, "Your Majesty, this is simple. Why don't you just bestow titles upon Lin Chong and his women's Cuju team on the spot? Isn't what Lord Xiao was talking about just a matter of status? Your Majesty can just issue an edict to bestow titles immediately."

Emperor Huizong shook his head slightly and said helplessly to Chen Jinhuan, "This matter is not as simple as you think. If I officially appoint Lin Chong and your good sisters as the coaches and players of the Song Dynasty's women's Cuju team today, then one day they will represent our Great Song Dynasty in a battle against the Jin Dynasty's women's Cuju team. That is a gamble involving three cities. I must act with caution!"

"Your Majesty, didn't you already see the football skills of your concubine, Chai Nianci, Pan Jinghe, and other sisters at the last palace football tournament? Are we not strong enough to represent the Song Dynasty against the Jin people?" Chen Jinhuan said to Emperor Huizong of Song in a serious tone, and then pouted to express her dissatisfaction.

Seeing the proud expression on his young wife's face, Emperor Huizong couldn't help but subtly criticize her and her sisters. Moreover, his concubine Luo's goal in the Cuju match that day was incredibly brilliant; he himself had been mesmerized. However, Emperor Huizong still hesitated to formally bestow titles upon Lin Chong and his women's Cuju team. He felt that his advisor's suggestion of arranging a Cuju match between Lin Chong and Mohat was a trap. Was he perhaps trying to force him to acknowledge Lin Chong and his women's Cuju team as the official representatives of the Song Dynasty's women's Cuju team?