Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

On the football field, three men and three women were engaged in a fierce battle. Mohart's fierceness forced Lin Chong to use his internal strength to resist him. This Jin man was tall and strong, and he kicked the ball with great force. Lin Chong did not dare to directly steal the football from his feet. Instead, he moved to his left and right to force him to slow down his control of the ball and prevent him from moving forward smoothly.

Since Mohart took over, Emperor Huizong of Song handed over the initiative to him, merely watching from the sidelines. He intended to test Lin Chong, to see if his Cuju skills could rival Mohart's. He felt that his advisor's suggestion to establish a women's Cuju team for Lin Chong wasn't unreasonable, but he needed a way to save face, given that he had previously arrested Du Shiniang and Lin Chong in connection with the assassination of the Jin envoy, and had also issued warrants for the arrest of Wu Song and Du Rushuang.

Emperors always value their reputation; they couldn't afford to stab someone in the back and then offer them two sweet treats. The advisor, seeing Emperor Huizong's thoughts, didn't step forward to help Mohat, letting him play the hero alone. Chen Jinhuan and Chai Nianci, petite and a head and a half shorter than Mohat, were no match for the Jin man's ferocity. Fearing physical harm from a collision, they merely watched intently as Lin Chong and Mohat clashed.

Mohat quickly scored two goals, and Xiao Minghao applauded and cheered for him from the sidelines. Two other Jin people also cheered for Mohat in Jin language. Mohat's face was full of pride, and he stood tall and proud, like a majestic lion dominating the vast grassland, awe-inspiring and arrogant.

After conceding two goals in a row, Lin Chong pulled Chai Nianci and Chen Jinhuan aside to discuss countermeasures. Chen Jinhuan couldn't help but smile slightly after hearing Lin Chong's plan, while Chai Nianci frowned, looking quite troubled, and whispered to Lin Chong to confirm, "Coach Lin, are we really going to do this in a bit?"

"This is the only way. I'll distract the Jin people, and you two try to score. But you must protect yourselves, otherwise if you get injured, His Majesty will punish me." Lin Chong gently patted Chen Jinhuan and Chai Nianci on the shoulder, encouraging them.

Once again on the field, Mohart, with an arrogant air, didn't even glance at Lin Chong, and simply snatched the football from Chen Jinhuan's feet as if it were his own backyard. Chen Jinhuan glanced helplessly at Lin Chong, who quickly chased after Mohart, using his left foot to flick the football stuck to Mohart's right ankle.

Mohart dodged and changed the direction of the ball. Lin Chong missed his left kick and pretended to slip, trying to fall towards Mohart. Seeing this, Mohart gritted his teeth and roughly shoved Lin Chong away. Just as Lin Chong was about to fall to the ground, he suddenly changed position, bent down, and went to pull Mohart's belt.

Mohart was taken aback and quickly bent down to hold Lin Chong's mischievous hand. Lin Chong smiled slightly, blinked, and called out to Mohart, "Lord Mohart, your belt is loose. I was just reminding you."

Mohart, of course, couldn't understand Lin Chong's words. He only realized that when he stopped to stop Lin Chong's shameless behavior, the football at his feet had been swiftly stolen from him by a woman behind him. He turned around and saw the woman rushing towards his team's goal. Wasn't that the same Luo Pin?

Incredibly, the woman's footwork in stealing the football was so agile and swift, her movements as fluid as a nimble oriole cleverly snatching a piece of succulent meat right under the nose of a vigilant eagle.

After realizing what had happened, Mohart angrily charged towards Chen Jinhuan. Lin Chong quickly followed him, trying to stop him, and blocked Mohart's path with his body. Mohart's eyes flashed red, and the muscles on his face became ferocious and terrifying with anger. He cursed Lin Chong in the Jin language: "You cheated! You Song people are so cunning."

"All's fair in war! Your Excellency." Lin Chong seemed to have guessed what Mohart was going to say about him, and surprisingly, he replied without batting an eye, his voice so loud that even Emperor Huizong, who was not far away, could hear it. Emperor Huizong whispered to his advisor, "Lin Chong is right. All's fair in war!"

"Yes! Does His Majesty also admire Lin Chong?" Gao Can asked Emperor Huizong tentatively. Emperor Huizong did not answer Gao Can's question, but instead jogged after Chen Jinhuan and shouted to her, "My dear concubine, keep going! I'm here to protect you."

"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!" Chen Jinhuan continued running towards the goal without looking back. Mohart quickly quickened his pace to block the goal and stretched out his arms to stop Chen Jinhuan's attack. Chen Jinhuan was not in a hurry. She protected the football between her feet and gave Chai Nianci a wink.

Mohat's attention was entirely focused on Chen Jinhuan's feet. He wanted to use his bulky body to block Chen Jinhuan's ball with his own. Suddenly, Chen Jinhuan made a feint, kicking the ball diagonally into the air. Chai Nianci jumped up and headed the ball into the opponent's goal.

Mohat was tricked by Chen Jinhuan and was too slow to turn around, so he could only watch helplessly as Chai Nianci headed the ball into the goal. Upon seeing the goal, Chen Jinhuan and Chai Nianci excitedly embraced. Lin Chong, watching from the side, loudly praised the two girls' beautiful teamwork: "What a wonderful pass, Buddha's Bead!"

Seeing Mohat cursing Chen Jinhuan and Chai Nianci in Jin language after losing the game, Xiao Minghao quickly stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder, comforting him, "Lord Mo, they only scored one goal back, you don't need to be angry!"

Gao Can approached Emperor Huizong and Chen Jinhuan, and said to Chen Jinhuan in a flattering tone, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! You and Miss Chai both played that ball very well." Although Emperor Huizong was used to Gao Qiu and his son's flattery and praise, this was the first time he had heard Gao Can praise his Consort Luo. He was overjoyed, even more so than if he had scored the goal himself.

"I believe that Consort Luo and her group will turn the tide and win. What do you think, Minister Gao?" Emperor Huizong asked Minister Gao deliberately, his eyes filled with admiration and affection as he spoke. Minister Gao, of course, was eager to please, and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty has a discerning eye. Consort Luo and her group are highly skilled in Cuju (ancient Chinese football), and they will surely win this match."

Emperor Huizong nodded slightly in satisfaction, inadvertently casting an approving glance at Lin Chong. The emperor felt that Lin Chong must have instructed Consort Luo and Chai Nianci beforehand, otherwise they wouldn't have cooperated so seamlessly.

Although Mohat couldn't understand the Song language, he was furious when he saw Emperor Huizong and Gao Can's expressions of appreciation for Chen Jinhuan and her team's goal. He said to Xiao Minghao and the interpreter, "I'm not convinced! Just now, neither His Majesty nor Gao Can cooperated with me to win the ball; I was left to fight those two women and one man alone. It's unfair! They ganged up on me to isolate me, and that Lin Chong even tricked me to distract me. I protest!"

After hearing the translator relay Mohart's protest, Xiao Minghao offered his suggestion to Emperor Huizong: "Your Majesty, I feel that Lord Gao did not help Lord Mo just now. How about I take over? I will make sure Lord Mo loses convincingly later."

"You? Do you think you play better at Cuju than I do? Everyone in the court knows that Lord Xiao's Cuju skills are only half-baked. Are you going to embarrass yourself by going on the field?" Gao Can mocked him mercilessly after hearing Xiao Minghao's words.

"Don't underestimate me, you surnamed Gao!"

"I underestimated you, so what can you do to me?"

“Advisor Gao, you clearly stood by and did not help the Jin envoy. Do you think everyone is blind and can’t see that you actually wanted to help Lin Chong and the others? You are on their side.”

Emperor Huizong saw Gao Can and Xiao Minghao arguing again, which gave him a headache. So he said to Xiao Minghao, "Minister Xiao, please stop arguing with Minister Gao. I grant you permission to replace Minister Gao. Also, I'm tired and don't want to play Cuju anymore."

"Eunuch Liu, summon Lord Shen to the palace to play Cuju for me. Wasn't he just requesting an audience outside the palace gates?" Emperor Huizong called out to Liu Guangyu, who was standing not far away. Liu Guangyu quickly ordered a eunuch beside him to summon Shen Daoyuan. Gao Jian, seeing that Emperor Huizong wanted him to withdraw from the Cuju match, and that he should withdraw as well, had nothing more to say. He simply rolled his eyes at Xiao Minghao, indicating his dissatisfaction.