Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

When Du Shiniang heard Zhou Chengquan tell her to stop interfering in the women's football match between the Song and Jin kingdoms, she immediately became furious. Turning her back to Zhou Chengquan, she said unhappily, "Lin Chong and I have put in a lot of effort to form the Song Kingdom's women's football team. First, we went to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment district) and used a trick to rescue Pan Jinghe. Then we burned down the Mingfu Cave and killed Ning Zhanyan. We also persuaded Chai Nianci to give up her idea of ​​becoming a nun. Do you think anyone could have accomplished these things?"

“Shi Niang, I know you’ve put a lot of effort into recruiting the Song Dynasty’s women’s Cuju team, but this matter concerns the Emperor’s decree and the Song Dynasty’s territory. If you’re not careful, it could lead to your death. Just be a good girl and leave this mess to Lin Chong and Wu Song. Don’t worry about it! And don’t bother with Gao Can anymore.” Zhou Chengquan turned Du Shiniang’s face to meet her eyes and said to her with a serious expression.

"General Zhou, are you saying this because you lack confidence in me and Lin Chong and the others?" Du Shiniang asked Zhou Chengquan with a slightly annoyed frown.

“Yes! I have no confidence in you. That day, when Xiao Minghao made things difficult for you in the temple and tried to dissuade the Emperor from appointing the five female Cuju team members you recommended, I happened to be outside the city reviewing new recruits. Otherwise, I would never have agreed to let you play Cuju against Shen Daoyuan. Shen Daoyuan and Gao Can are both Cuju masters, and you are women, how could you possibly beat them?” Zhou Chengquan patiently persuaded Du Shiniang, “I’m afraid that after this match, the Emperor will find that the five of you female team members are not good at Cuju, and then he will punish you and Lin Chong for failing to do your job properly.”

Seeing Zhou Chengquan's worried expression, Du Shiniang was moved. She realized that General Zhou was worried about her football match with Shen Daoyuan and feared that she would be bullied if she got too close to Gao Can. However, there was no turning back now. Since she had accepted the imperial edict and gone to great lengths to get five sisters involved, how could she abandon them and become a hands-off manager?

So, Du Shiniang helped Zhou Chengquan put on his undergarments and outer robe, and stood in front of him to carefully fasten his belt. Then she looked up at him and said, "General Zhou, the football match that Lord Shen and I agreed on was originally a mixed-gender match. The team pairings will be decided by drawing lots on the day, so it's hard to say who will win or lose. Besides, I mediated the misunderstanding between Lord Shen and Miss Chai, so he is somewhat grateful to me. However, he mentioned that Gao Can encouraged me to issue a football challenge to him. I'll have to find out the real purpose behind that myself."

"So Shen Daoyuan and you reached this agreement in private, but why did Gao Can encourage you to play Cuju with Shen Daoyuan? Was he also testing the strength of your female Cuju players, or did he have other purposes?" Zhou Chengquan asked Du Shiniang with a puzzled look.

Du Shiniang sighed softly and led Zhou Chengquan out of the side room. The two sat on lacquered wooden carved chairs in the outer room. Du Shiniang said to Zhou Chengquan, "I think Gao Can is too cunning. I don't quite understand his thoughts. However, he doesn't let me play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) myself, but only lets me assist Lin Chong. It seems that you and he both want to protect me."

"What? Have you developed feelings for Gao Can during these days you've spent together?" Zhou Chengquan raised an eyebrow and questioned Du Shiniang in a stiff tone. Du Shiniang was in no hurry to answer and instead instructed the maid Dongmei, who was waiting in the room, to serve hot tea.

After drinking the hot tea, Zhou Chengquan still pressed Du Shiniang about what she had just said: "Shiniang, I asked you about your attitude towards Gao Can, and you haven't answered me yet."

"Well, I just feel that General Zhou's advice to me earlier not to get involved in the women's football team was more out of self-interest. He's afraid I'll get too close to Gao Can and Lin Chong. How am I supposed to respond to you? My Zixiang Pavilion is open for business, and all the people who come and go are high-ranking officials and nobles. When they come, shouldn't I greet them? Besides, isn't my interaction with these people also for General Zhou's sake to gather information and win people's hearts? It's just Gao Can, yet you, a dignified General of Zhenbei, care so much about him. What can I say? What can I do?" Du Shiniang said this with a tone full of grievance, wiping her reddened eyes with a handkerchief as if she was about to shed tears.

Zhou Chengquan couldn't bear to see Du Shiniang looking so aggrieved, so he immediately took her hand and placed it in his palm, saying gently, "Shiniang, the reason I told you not to get involved in the women's football team wasn't out of selfishness, but because I didn't want you to take any risks. The court is currently divided into three factions fighting each other. One faction, led by the Left Prime Minister, advocates making peace with the Jin Kingdom by sending money and treasures; another faction, led by Shen Daoyuan, advocates taking strong measures against the Jin Kingdom, believing that war is necessary if needed; and yet another faction, led by Gao Qiu, advocates resolving the conflict with the Jin Kingdom through means other than force. That's why he persuaded His Majesty to agree to a football match with the Jin Kingdom, betting three cities on it."

"On the surface, I have no connection with these three parties, but in reality, I have a very good personal relationship with Lord Shen, so I support him. I think the conflict between the Song and Jin states should be resolved on the battlefield, not on the football field, and the heavy responsibility of the country should not be placed on the shoulders of you women."

Upon hearing this, Du Shiniang's expression immediately darkened. Looking at Zhou Chengquan, she said defiantly, "General Zhou, your last sentence is looking down on us women, isn't it? You think we women can't bring glory to the country, and can only stay in the deep courtyards to give birth and manage household chores, right?"

"That's not it, it's just that I... sigh! I, Zhou Chengquan, am a military man, a rough fellow, I can't reason with you!" Seeing Du Shiniang's unconvinced look, Zhou Chengquan lowered his head and stammered a few words to her before suddenly saying to Dongmei standing next to him, "Go and invite Instructor Lin over quickly."

Seeing that the atmosphere between Zhou Chengquan and Du Shiniang seemed unpleasant, Dongmei, who could almost feel the tension rising in the room, quickly invited Lin Chong over.

As soon as Lin Chong stepped into the room, he saw Du Shiniang and Zhou Chengquan sitting on chairs on either side of a table. Both of them had their faces turned to the wall and were ignoring each other. It was clear that they were arguing and neither of them was willing to give in.

Lin Chong was the first to bow to Zhou Chengquan and said, "General Zhou, it's been a long time. I wonder how you are doing?" Zhou Chengquan quickly replied coldly, "Not good! I've been so busy training the new recruits that I've had to stay in the camp outside the city. Today, I finally managed to come to Zixiang Pavilion, only to be treated with such a cold shoulder."

When Lin Chong saw Zhou Chengquan deliberately shift his chin slightly towards Du Shiniang as he spoke his last sentence, a glint of light flashed in his eyes. He then looked at Zhou Chengquan, who knew Lin Chong understood why he had been summoned and was preparing to help persuade Du Shiniang. So Zhou Chengquan coughed lightly and complained to Lin Chong:

"Instructor Lin, I just advised Du Shiniang to stop interfering in your women's football team, because I was worried she was overworking herself and that Gao Can was also trying to take advantage of her. But she absolutely refused to agree and even threw a little tantrum at me. Don't you think Shiniang is being a bit unreasonable?"

Upon hearing that Du Shiniang's argument with Zhou Chengquan stemmed from the women's football team, Lin Chong quickly glanced at her to see how she wanted him to deal with Zhou Chengquan. Du Shiniang winked at Lin Chong a few times, then pursed her lips. Lin Chong didn't quite understand Du Shiniang's meaning, but he knew she wouldn't back down from dealing with the Jin Kingdom's women's football team.

"General Zhou," Lin Chong explained to Zhou Chengquan, "I believe Du Shiniang played a crucial role in recruiting the Song Dynasty women's Cuju team. Lin Chong only assisted from the sidelines. It was Shiniang's courage and wisdom that enabled her to persuade Chen Jinhuan, Chai Nianci, and others to join our women's Cuju team. Moreover, Du Rushuang and the others are women, and it's not appropriate for me to interfere in their personal matters. Therefore, having Du Shiniang mediate between me and the female team members was the most suitable approach." Lin Chong elaborated on Du Shiniang's important role in the Song Dynasty women's Cuju team, hoping Zhou Chengquan would understand Du Shiniang's importance.

After listening to Lin Chong's words, Zhou Chengquan knew that Lin Chong was siding with Du Shiniang and speaking up for her. He said somewhat displeasedly, "Coach Lin, does this Song Kingdom women's football team really not need Du Shiniang? I see that Zhou Zou Xiaoyan has made Gao Can quite happy. She was once a wife and mother, and she has a gentle and sensible personality. I think she can completely replace Shiniang to help you mediate the conflicts between you and the female players. It doesn't necessarily have to be Shiniang."

Without hesitation, Lin Chong looked at Zhou Chengquan and said, "General Zhou, Lin Chong must have Shi Niang!" After he finished speaking, he stared into Du Shiniang's eyes, trying to see her true reaction.

Du Shiniang's heart skipped a beat upon hearing Lin Chong's words, but her face showed no sign of panic. However, she thought to herself, Lin Chong's words seemed to have a double meaning. What did he mean by "I can't live without her"? He was clearly using the women's football team incident to imply his feelings for her. But in the current situation, wasn't Lin Chong afraid that Zhou Chengquan would discover their affair? Had this man gone mad?

Just as Du Shiniang was filled with emotion, Zhou Chengquan's face had already darkened, and the atmosphere in the room became cold and terrifying, like dark clouds churning in the sky before a storm. Suddenly, Zhou Chengquan stepped forward and grabbed Lin Chong by the collar, demanding in a stern voice, "Lin Chong, do you really think you can hide what's going on between you and Du Shiniang from me?"

Lin Chong and Zhou Chengquan locked eyes. Lin Chong's gaze was firm and resolute. He bit his lip and said loudly again, "Lin Chong will say it again: I must have Du Shiniang! No one can replace her in my heart!"

"Fine! Lin Chong, you've got some nerve, openly trying to steal my woman. I think you've been in Zixiang Pavilion for too long and have forgotten your place. Without my protection, you're nothing but a fugitive who's committed a crime. What right do you have to train the Song Dynasty's women's football team?" Zhou Chengquan said angrily, then punched Lin Chong hard in the left cheek.