Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

After the banquet, Gao Can, slightly drunk, got into the carriage. Lu Minggu then asked Gao Can in a low voice inside the carriage, "Sir, what did that man surnamed Ning say to you just now? What favor did you promise to do for him?"

Gao Can, with one hand supporting his chin and his eyes half-closed in a drowsy voice, said, "This Ning fellow is indeed courageous! It was worth recommending him for the position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. I never thought that Ning Weizhi, the upright official praised by everyone in the capital, would be so distracted by a woman."

"Sir, I don't understand what you're saying. I want to ask what favor you promised to do for Ning Weizhi?" Lu Minggu was even more confused after hearing Gao Can's words, and asked him directly about what had just happened.

"Alright, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. To tell you the truth, Ning Weizhi not only wants to recommend Pan Jinghe to be a member of the Song State Women's Cuju team at tomorrow's morning court, but he also wants to overturn the case against his future father-in-law, Pan Rongjie." The advisor said, pursing his lips, his tone tinged with helplessness. "But I think this matter will definitely offend the Emperor, and overturning the case won't be easy!"

Du Shiniang was indeed extremely happy tonight; her face was flushed from drinking. Lin Chong helped her to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. Just as Lin Chong was about to get some hangover soup, he saw a man dressed in a black python robe standing at the door. As he approached, he recognized the man as General Zhou Chengquan, the General Who Guards the North.

“General Zhou, we were just holding a celebration banquet for the women’s Cuju team’s official appointment by His Majesty. Shi Niang has had too much to drink and is not quite sober. If you need anything, General Zhou, please come and see her tomorrow morning,” Lin Chong said respectfully to Zhou Chengquan. In Lin Chong’s memory, Zhou Chengquan rarely entered Du Shiniang’s room without the maids of Zixiang Pavilion informing him, so he felt that Zhou Chengquan’s appearance tonight must be for something important to discuss with Du Shiniang.

"Oh? Why didn't you invite me to your victory celebration?" Zhou Chengquan said gruffly to Lin Chong, hands on his hips, as if he were about to interrogate him.

"No! General Zhou, you've misunderstood. The host of tonight's victory celebration banquet isn't Shi Niang, but Gao Can. This fellow said that you don't officially manage the Zi Xiang Ge Women's Cuju Team, which is why he didn't invite you to our victory celebration banquet," Lin Chong patiently explained.

"Heh! Gao Can, that liar! You actually believed his nonsense, thinking that you guys played a game of Cuju with the Jin envoy Mohat in the palace, and that made His Majesty so pleased that he agreed to appoint you as representatives of the Song Dynasty women's Cuju team?" Zhou Chengquan said to Lin Chong in a sarcastic tone, while poking Lin Chong's chest with his finger.

Seeing this, Lin Chong was somewhat puzzled. He wondered if Zhou Chengquan was jealous of Gao Can's merit in front of Du Shiniang, making him a benefactor of their Zixiang Pavilion, and feared that Gao Can would seize his actual control of the pavilion. But no! Zhou Chengquan was calm and experienced; he would never do something like accusing him out of jealousy of Gao Can. Lin Chong asked Zhou Chengquan suspiciously, "Wasn't the Emperor's bestowal of titles upon us the result of Gao Can's and our own efforts?"

"Advisor? With your meager football skills?" Zhou Chengquan looked at Lin Chong with disdain, then glanced at Du Shiniang lying on the bed behind him. He sighed and said, "Ah! I didn't expect Instructor Lin to be as naive as when Advisor Gao tricked me into going to jail. I don't want to explain this to you; I just want to talk to Shiniang. You can leave now!"

“General Zhou, Shi Niang is indeed drunk and cannot hold her liquor. Could you come again tomorrow morning, or tell me first…” Lin Chong hurriedly supported Zhou Chengquan’s shoulder, trying to persuade him not to discuss important matters with Du Shi Niang at this time, but Zhou Chengquan interrupted him.

"Lin Chong, get out of Du Shiniang's room! I'm staying there tonight. You better get out of here!" Zhou Chengquan's face was so dark it could drip ink. He said this to Lin Chong in a righteous tone, leaving no room for argument.

"Zhou Chengquan, you can't take advantage of her! Shi Niang doesn't want to serve you, and you already knew her feelings! Tonight, I won't let you touch a single hair on Shi Niang's head. She's my woman," Lin Chong said through gritted teeth, deciding to directly warn Zhou Chengquan.

"When did Du Shiniang become your woman? Didn't she always tell me that she was her own master and wouldn't rely on any man? Even if she had been intimate with you before, it was probably just a fleeting affair." Zhou Chengquan sneered at Lin Chong with half-closed eyes. "All I want is a fleeting affair with her, it has nothing to do with you! Besides, I'm confident that Shiniang will willingly serve me tonight."

Lin Chong was furious. He drew a soft sword from his waist and thrust it straight at Zhou Chengquan's chest. Zhou Chengquan nimbly dodged it and shouted loudly to his guards, "Long Yi, Long Er, why don't you quickly ask Instructor Lin to leave!"

No sooner had Zhou Chengquan finished speaking than Long Yi and Long Er rushed in to fight Lin Chong. Lin Chong had already fought them before and knew that these two were skilled in martial arts, so he quickly unleashed his killing moves to deal with them. Seeing Lin Chong's attack, Long Yi and Long Er exchanged a glance. Long Er secretly took out a handkerchief from his pocket and scattered the soft tendons he had hidden inside at Lin Chong.

Lin Chong was caught off guard and was knocked unconscious by the drug powder on the spot. Long Yi and Long Er quickly carried Lin Chong away. Zhou Chengquan approached Du Shiniang and saw her lying on her side by the bed. He gently patted her back and whispered to her, "Shiniang, stop pretending! I know you can hold your liquor well. You won't be easily drunk by Gao Can and the others."

"Shi Niang, get up quickly, this general has something important to discuss with you!" Zhou Chengquan patted Du Shiniang's bottom again when he saw that she did not turn around.

"General Zhou, you're bullying Shi Niang again!" Du Shiniang yawned lazily, then turned to face Zhou Chengquan, speaking in a coquettish voice. At the same time, without waiting for Zhou Chengquan's reply, Du Shiniang sat up straight.

"What did you do to Brother Lin? Is he alright?" Du Shiniang asked Zhou Chengquan with a worried expression. She had indeed been pretending to be drunk, intending to have some fun with Lin Chong, but Zhou Chengquan saw through her act immediately. Worried about Lin Chong, she had no choice but to face Zhou Chengquan alone.

Du Shiniang wasn't afraid of Zhou Chengquan taking advantage of her while she was drunk, because she knew that all Zhou Chengquan wanted was for her to willingly submit to him and be devoted to only him. Unfortunately, Du Shiniang had already decided on Lin Chong in her heart, so she could only repeatedly reject Zhou Chengquan's attempts to please her.

"Don't worry! I promised you before that I wouldn't take Lin Chong's life, and I will keep my promise. Besides, he is now the head coach of the Song Kingdom Women's Cuju Team appointed by the Emperor. How could I dare to touch him?" Zhou Chengquan lowered his head and approached Du Shiniang's face, his nose almost touching hers, and said to her.

Sensing the danger of the man's approach, Du Shiniang quickly pulled her face far away from Zhou Chengquan before tentatively asking, "I vaguely heard you say that the reason His Majesty appointed us as members of the Song Dynasty's women's Cuju team was not because of Gao Can, nor because we won against the Jin Dynasty envoy Mohat in Cuju at the palace. So what was it for?"

Seeing Du Shiniang's puzzled expression and her bright, sparkling eyes, Zhou Chengquan couldn't help but gently stroke her lips and softly say to her, "Shiniang, I must return to guard the border tomorrow. Because of the assassination of the Jin envoy, the Jin army has already amassed troops outside Yanmen Pass, and His Majesty has ordered me to return to the border immediately."

After listening to Zhou Chengquan's words, Du Shiniang lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, finally understanding. It turned out that Zhou Chengquan's earlier act of taking her away from the Ministry of Justice prison was indeed a deal with the Emperor. That deal must have been that Emperor Huizong requested Zhou Chengquan to return to the border to guard the frontier. After all, if a general holding significant military power stayed in the capital for too long, the Emperor sitting on the throne would feel uneasy.

"General Zhou, did you rescue me from the Ministry of Justice because you promised His Majesty you would return to guard Yanmen Pass?" Du Shiniang felt she still wanted to ask Zhou Chengquan herself, so she asked him softly.

“Yes! At that time, His Majesty required that if I wanted to get you out of prison, I had to promise to return to Yanmen Pass to guard it for three years and not return to the capital without an imperial edict.” Zhou Chengquan answered casually, as if he were talking about a family matter. But only those who had been to the border knew how strong the sandstorms were and how harsh the conditions were. Compared with the prosperity of the capital, it was like the difference between hell and heaven.

Zhou Chengquan had a grand mansion in the capital, along with wives, concubines, and children. To forbid him from returning to the capital for three years was, in fact, extremely inhumane and harsh. Just how much did Emperor Huizong fear Zhou Chengquan's military power! Thinking of this, Du Shiniang looked at Zhou Chengquan with pity.