Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

The thought that his plan, painstakingly devised by Gao Qiu and his son for over a year to force Emperor Huizong of Song to abdicate through a football match between the Song and Jin dynasties, might be ruined by Ning Zhanyan, made the Wolf King's eyes turn bloodshot with rage. Ning Zhanyan had actually betrayed and sold him out! He had to kill him with his own hands! The Wolf King gritted his teeth in hatred, wanting nothing more than to chop Ning Zhanyan to pieces and feed him to the dogs.

However, the Wolf King then remembered that Ning Zhanyan had just been struck by his poisoned arrow. He figured Ning Zhanyan wouldn't see the moon that night. That poison was a rare and potent concoction developed over many years by Jin Dynasty sorcerers; those poisoned by it rarely survived more than twelve hours. And the sorcerer who knew how to concoct the antidote had just immolated himself. Ning Zhanyan was doomed!

In the short few hours that the Wolf King pondered, Emperor Huizong of Song had secretly exchanged clothes with Ning Weizhi in a tent, preparing to slip away unnoticed.

It turned out that when Xiao Minghao led Emperor Huizong to escape, they happened to pass by the tent where Ning Weizhi was tending to Pan Jinghe's wounds. Ning Weizhi pulled them into the tent and suggested that Emperor Huizong take off his dragon robe and exchange clothes with him to escape. This way, he could distract the wolf king and allow Emperor Huizong to sneak away.

Seeing Ning Weizhi's loyalty and willingness to act as his substitute, Emperor Huizong patted him on the shoulder gratefully and said, "Minister Ning, I never expected you to be so loyal to me. If I had survived this ordeal, I would have promoted you and given you an important position!"

"Your Majesty, this is my duty. I am doing this not only for Your Majesty, but also for the people of Song. I do not want the Jin people to oppress our people. Time is running out, so please hurry and flee with Xiaohe in the direction where Instructor Lin and the others are. Lord Xiao and I will distract the Wolf King," Ning Weizhi urged Emperor Huizong.

After changing his clothes, Emperor Huizong promised Xiao Minghao, "Minister Xiao, you risked your life to save me today. How about I let you take over the position of Left Chancellor from your father-in-law in the future? After all, you are more courageous and resourceful than him."

"Your Majesty, I thank you first! Thank you for your appreciation!" Xiao Minghao was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude. Pan Jinghe saw Xiao Minghao's smug look and cursed inwardly, "Smug! Compared to your fiancé, you are far inferior. All you know is to take advantage of kindness."

So, Xiao Minghao pulled Ning Weizhi and continued running towards the palace gate of the Cuju field, while Pan Jinghe led Emperor Huizong towards Lin Chong and the others. Yelü Wen recognized Pan Jinghe and didn't think much of it when he saw him hurriedly pulling a man in official robes past his control area. He was just puzzled by the man's low-cut official hat and his deliberate averting his gaze.

Du Shiniang was a meticulous person, and she immediately noticed something amiss with the man Pan Jinghe was holding. Looking closely in the afternoon sunlight, she recognized him from his profile as Emperor Huizong of Song, not Ning Weizhi.

However, she only whispered something to Lin Chong and discussed with him in hushed tones how to get Emperor Huizong away from Cuju as soon as possible. Yelü heard Du Shiniang and Lin Chong whispering to each other and interrupted them, saying, "Du Shiniang, what are you trying to do now? You just said you were hungry, didn't I send someone to bring you some food?"

Seeing that Yelü Wen had fallen for her trick, Du Shiniang suddenly squatted down, clutched her stomach, and cried out, "Ouch! My stomach hurts! I must have eaten too much. I can't take it! It hurts so much that tears are streaming down my face."

Seeing this, Lin Chong quickly helped her up and sat her down to sit beside him, asking gently, "Shi Niang, you shouldn't have eaten so many oranges just now. They're cold in nature, you shouldn't overindulge. Should I ask Lord Yelü to find the imperial physician to take a look at you?"

"I can't trouble Lord Yelü... Let Lord Ning Weizhi take a look at me, didn't he come with Miss Pan? It hurts so much! Please let him come and take a look at me." Du Shiniang said while crying out in pain, which made Lin Chong's face turn red with anxiety. He gently rubbed her stomach a few times with his hands.

Yelü Wen thought it wasn't a big deal to have Ning Weizhi check Du Shiniang's stomachache, so he agreed. Emperor Huizong, disguised as Ning Weizhi, was somewhat stunned. He wasn't the real Ning Weizhi; how could he know how to treat illnesses? But not wanting Yelü Wen to suspect anything, he approached Du Shiniang and Lin Chong, whispering to Du Shiniang, "Shiniang, it is I. You and Lin Chong must not make a sound. If you really need medical attention, why not invite the real imperial physician?"

Du Shiniang squinted at Emperor Huizong and said, "Your Majesty, I was just pretending to have a stomachache. I was just asking you how you plan to escape. Ouch! It hurts so much!" After saying that, Du Shiniang cried out in pain for her stomach twice more.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Huizong realized that Du Shiniang and Lin Chong wanted to help him, and he lowered his guard. However, he was unsure how to escape the football field. So he said to Du Shiniang, "I have no idea! It was my two beloved ministers, Xiao Minghao and Ning Weizhi, who saved me just now. They told me to escape with you."

Du Shiniang realized that the emperor had indeed come to seek their help, so she gave Lin Chong a wink. Lin Chong quickly looked at Yelü Wen and said loudly, "Lord Yelü, Lord Ning examined Shiniang and said that she should apply a warm ointment to her abdomen, but the ointment needs to be obtained from the palace's medical office. Could you let me go with Lord Ning to get the medicine? We'll be back in a little while."

Upon hearing Lin Chong's words, Yelü glanced at Du Shiniang, who was clutching her stomach and crying out in pain, her face contorted. He himself was knowledgeable in medicine, and seeing Du Shiniang's pale face and cold sweat, and noting that the woman had indeed eaten a lot of oranges, he felt they weren't lying. Besides, sending Ning Weizhi and Lin Chong to fetch the medicine wouldn't affect the overall situation; he only needed someone to accompany them. Therefore, he readily agreed.

At this moment, Du Rushuang also came over. She walked to Du Shiniang's side and asked with concern, "Sister, I heard you had an upset stomach. How are you now? Have you seen a doctor?"

"Shuang'er, my stomach really hurts! Luckily, Lord Ning took a look at it, and Brother Lin will go with him to the Imperial Physician's Office to get some ointment in a little while... Help me! Ouch! It hurts so much! Help!" Du Shiniang said painfully, holding Du Rushuang's hand.

Upon hearing this, Du Rushuang glanced at the man beside Lin Chong. How could she not recognize her cousin, Ning Weizhi? Just one glance was enough to frighten her into immediately lowering her eyes and avoiding his gaze. She forced herself to calm down before saying to Emperor Huizong, "Thank you, Lord Ning, for treating my sister!"

Emperor Huizong had just exchanged a glance with Du Rushuang when he realized that she must have recognized him. Fearing that he might give himself away, he hurriedly replied, "Miss Du, you're too kind!"

Lin Chong sensed something amiss. Ning Weizhi and Ning Zhanshuang (Du Rushuang) were cousins, and they had already recognized each other. Yelü Wen couldn't afford to let Emperor Huizong hear his address to Du Rushuang. To prevent Emperor Huizong from making things worse, Lin Chong decisively grabbed his hand and urged him to leave: "Lord Ning, let's hurry to the Imperial Medical Bureau. Shi Niang's stomachache needs immediate treatment!"

Seeing Lin Chong hurriedly pull Emperor Huizong away from him, Yelü Wen noticed something amiss in the interaction between Du Rushuang and Ning Weizhi. Knowing Du Rushuang as he did, he realized she shouldn't have been so cold to her cousin. Their attitudes were far too polite; Ning Weizhi even addressed Du Rushuang as "Miss Du" instead of "cousin" or "Shuang'er." This was too strange! Unless the Ning Weizhi before him wasn't the real "Ning Weizhi," but rather…

"Lin Chong, stop right there!"

"Ning Weizhi, I still have some questions for you to ask, don't go yet!" Ning Weizhi shouted as she chased after the two.

Lin Chong grabbed Emperor Huizong and ran forward without looking back. He knew that Yelü Wen might have already discovered that Emperor Huizong was not Ning Weizhi. He had to get the emperor away from the football field immediately.

Yelü Wen ran for a while and caught up with Lin Chong. Lin Chong immediately threw a punch at Yelü Wen. Yelü Wen quickly drew his sword and fought back. Emperor Huizong of Song dared not stop and ran forward alone.

Upon seeing that Emperor Huizong had fled alone, Yelü Wen quickly forced Lin Chong aside with his sword, took out a red flag from his robes, and frantically waved it three times towards the palace gate of the Cuju field. A dozen or so imperial guards were stationed at the palace gate. Seeing Yelü Wen's signal from afar, they immediately became alert, drawing their broadswords and keeping a close watch on the palace gate.