novelraw Chapter 771 - 750 Listening to the Teachings
Chapter 771 - 750 Listening to the Teachings
Fang Lingjun injured her rib, but fortunately, it wasn’t too severe. Dugu Jing claimed he went all out, yet the moment they clashed, he realized Fang Lingjun’s capabilities and held back slightly. If he had truly gone all out, her rib would most likely have been broken. Mrs. Fang sat with a somber expression, her face dark with displeasure, but Fang Lingjun comforted her instead, "Mother, it’s not that painful. Don’t be upset."
"Duke Wu’an is reckless and absurd!"
To injure Fang Lingjun so heavily in front of everyone was not only a blow to her dignity but also made it clear to those present how much he despised her. If he were so unwilling to marry into the family, why had he repeatedly invited them to visit?
Fang Lingjun said, "He is a Beiman, and the Fourth Princess mentioned that Beiman women engage in martial matches with men in the same way. Besides, I agreed to spar with him voluntarily, Mother, don’t bother arguing with a brute."
"You’ve been hurt by him and still speak on his behalf!"
"I’m not speaking on his behalf; the Beiman Royal Family has been walking a difficult path since their surrender. It’s rare for them to maintain good relations with our family, so let’s not let this incident sour things." Fang Lingjun’s words weren’t meant to defend Dugu Jing—she was still angry at his recklessness—but she didn’t want to make things hard for her elders. Her father was eager to build ties with Prince Jingbei, hoping the Beiman Royal Family would quickly integrate into Beining.
"Does it still hurt?"
Fang Lingjun’s delicate face grew pale; she was still in significant pain, yet she shook her head. Just then, a servant from the front hall came to report, "Madam, Young Miss, Duke Wu’an has personally come to the door, bringing gifts to apologize for accidentally injuring the young lady earlier today."
"He still dares to show his face!" Mrs. Fang was furious. Her daughter, whom she had raised with utmost care, had never suffered even the slightest harm since childhood, and now, she had come close to fainting from the pain. Overwhelmed by her love for her daughter, Mrs. Fang spoke harshly, "Throw him out! We won’t see him."
"Mother!" Fang Lingjun tugged at her sleeve, coquettishly pleading, "Ayu explained this back at the academy. Don’t make things difficult for her."
Mrs. Fang left angrily. Fang Lingjun sent Qiangwei to follow her, instructing her to intervene should Madam say anything overly harsh. Once everyone had left, Fang Lingjun curled up, her eyes reddened from the pain. Her rib area had turned an ugly shade of black and was intensely sore to even the lightest touch. Quietly, she vowed to herself that she would seek revenge!
The general and Fang Chuning also returned, and the matter didn’t seem too difficult to resolve. Having spent time in Beiman, Fang Chuning was well-acquainted with Beiman customs and understood that Dugu Jing likely hadn’t injured Fang Lingjun intentionally. While he found the marriage proposal a tad awkward, he wouldn’t sabotage it. Knowing Dugu Jing’s character, he doubted the man would feel guilty for injuring Fang Lingjun. The fact that Dugu Jing had brought valuable gifts to apologize suggested that he wasn’t entirely opposed to the marriage. After all, when Xie Xun had once purposely approached Lin Yunong for a meeting, Dugu Jing had secretly observed and decided against it. Now, him personally coming to apologize showed he was willing to foster relations.
The general, though he deeply loved his daughter, decided not to make things difficult for Dugu Jing after Fang Chuning explained the Beiman customs. However, when a father scrutinizes a future son-in-law, dissatisfaction only grows stronger over time.
He accepted the gifts and then invited Dugu Jing to stay for drinks.
The Fang Family, being military generals, had a sizeable training ground. After several rounds of drinking with Fang Chuning and Xiaoqi, the general excused himself, claiming he was itching to spar and proposed a friendly match with Dugu Jing.
Fang Chuning, "..."
The general’s approach to raising daughters compared to sons truly couldn’t have been more different.
Though his daughter had been wronged, he outwardly expressed understanding and refrained from troubling Dugu Jing. Yet, after a few drinks, he still couldn’t resist the urge to pummel him. Fang Chuning silently considered that while his father, stationed in Jiangnan for years, trained diligently with his spear every day, he would inevitably lag behind due to his age, especially in hand-to-hand combat.
Dugu Jing, on the other hand, was a youthful martial artist at the peak of his vitality. If Dugu Jing was discerning enough to recognize he had offended the Fang Family and purposely held back to take a few punches, both sides could gracefully find their way out of the predicament. But if Dugu Jing were clueless and lacked social finesse, striking down the general in front of the younger generation, it would lead to irreparable consequences.
Dugu Jing had come alone to apologize, without Prince Jingbei’s company or anyone else to advise him. It wouldn’t be appropriate for anyone here to counsel him directly, nor was there any certainty he would listen if they tried.
Fang Chuning, having grown familiar with the men of the Dugu Family, feared Dugu Jing might act impulsively and escalate the situation by striking down his father. Such a scene would be nothing short of disastrous.
"Father, I’d like to spar with Duke Wu’an. Why not let me take this opportunity instead?" Fang Chuning stepped forward, but as he spoke, a thought struck him, making him pause for a moment.
He had sparred countless times with Dugu Jing while disguising himself as Lan Ningzhen, and they were well-acquainted with each other’s skills. If Dugu Jing were to recognize him, it would cause serious trouble.
Although they had fought many battles on opposing sides in the Ningzhou Battlefield, they had never directly faced one another in single combat. War is about strategy and clashes, not duels. If Dugu Jing were to expose that he was Lan Ningzhen and had once married Xie Jue under oath, it would undoubtedly ignite a huge scandal. Moreover, the Lan Family’s treachery would tarnish their name.
Noticing Fang Chuning’s hesitation, Xiaoqi swiftly intervened with a witty smile. "Duke Wu’an has had much to drink tonight. If he goes up against my brother, even a victory wouldn’t be honorable. I’ve long admired Duke Wu’an’s reputation. Brother, why not leave this chance to me and let me witness Duke Wu’an’s skills firsthand?"
Xiaoqi’s timely suggestion saved Fang Chuning from his dilemma. Fang Chuning looked towards the general, who silently approved.
Fang Chuning stood back with his hands folded, observing the match. Xiaoqi, who had been training diligently of late, wielded his spear with impressive vigor, exuding the brave energy of a young warrior unafraid of challenges. Yet his many flaws were evident; while his spear techniques were fierce, his lack of experience left him vulnerable, and his shortcomings were impossible to conceal.
Dugu Jing, even slightly tipsy, easily outmatched and defeated Xiaoqi. However, Xiaoqi’s youth rendered the loss inconsequential, leaving the Fang Family’s reputation intact. But neither the general nor Fang Chuning anticipated what happened next: Xiaoqi did lose, but his aggressive, all-offensive style caught Dugu Jing off guard. A quick strike of the spear managed to hit Dugu Jing’s stomach. Having already indulged in rounds of drinks with the three Fang family men, his reaction was half a beat slower. Despite Xiaoqi’s defeat, he regained a bit of honor for Fang Lingjun’s earlier mishap.
After that round, it was no longer appropriate for Fang Chuning to spar with Dugu Jing—such a move would seem too frivolous. Thus, the general tactfully concluded the matter. "Xiaoqi, if you feel inspired in the future, you can spar more often with Duke Wu’an. He has much to teach you."
"Yes, Father!" Xiaoqi, despite his loss, graciously bowed to Dugu Jing. "Duke Wu’an is indeed as valiant as his reputation claims; I wholeheartedly admit my defeat!"
Dugu Jing, though victorious, felt a faint ache in his torso. As a military general, such pain was entirely manageable. He smiled lightly. "It would be my honor."
Thus, the storm that had seemed tumultuous dissipated rather gently. Fang Lingjun received a chest of Beiman gemstones as her compensation gift. With the noblewomen in the capital increasingly favoring grand, ornate adornments, Fang Lingjun, who had previously preferred understated elegance, now followed the trends of the day. The dazzling array of gemstones from Dugu Jing’s apology chest was enough to dissolve her resentment.
Fengyu, upon learning that Dugu Jing had come to apologize and sparred with Xiaoqi, asked Xie Xun with a smile, "Was this your instruction?"
"Of course. He’s quite teachable—otherwise, with his nature, how could he agree to come apologize? I even instructed him that if the general were to spar with him, he should make sure not to foolishly harm anyone and pretend to lose instead. That way, it would show sincerity for his apology. After much persuasion, he agreed. Who would have thought Xiaoqi would step up instead? According to Dugu Jing, there’s no reason to feign a loss to Xiaoqi," Xie Xun groused, clearly unimpressed. "He half-listened as always. If he’d obediently pretended to be drunk and taken a beating from Xiaoqi, the general might’ve calmed down and even invited him to stay for dinner!"
Fengyu, "..."