Winning and Losing

Although the bet was "Huan Nu defeats Young Master Yu in three moves," Shangguan Yu Shi struck first, and her opening move caused Gu Shenwei to misjudge.

Her left shoulder dipped slightly, and Gu Shenwei mistook it for "Flat Ground Thunder." In this move, both fists were feints; the real attack was the subsequent kick. His counter was to lean back and use his hands to trap her leg, throwing her.

However, Shangguan Yu Shi used "Left Sweep Right Brush" instead. Both palms were real strikes, swift as lightning. Gu Shenwei was a step behind and almost lost the game entirely.

Fortunately, after sparring with He Nu for over ten days, his reactions were much faster than before. He adapted to the situation, immediately retreating. Though he didn't get hit, he looked quite disheveled.

The onlookers were not shocked, but utterly confused. Huan Nu's arrogant tone had made them think he was truly hiding his strength, but he turned out to be so easily defeated. Some quick-witted individuals suspected this was Huan Nu deliberately trying to please Shangguan Yu Shi after being humiliated.

Shangguan Fei turned his head and shot an angry glance at Shangguan Hongye. Shangguan Hongye was also stunned, his fists clenched, his face flushed red. He didn't know whether to continue cheering for Huan Nu or to go up and beat him soundly.

Shangguan Yu Shi gave her opponent no chance to recover. She was burning with rage and determined to defeat, or even cripple, this dog-like slave within three moves. Before her momentum had ended, she suddenly leaped into the air, spinning around for a counter-kick.

This move was "Turn Heaven Pull Sun," one of the five moves Xue Niang had predicted. Gu Shenwei had already practiced the counter-move until it was second nature. The only problem was that he had lost the initiative with the first move. Now, with his body unsteady, it would be difficult to respond calmly.

He should have dropped into a low stance, letting his opponent fly over his head, and then used her momentum to push her away.

If this counter-move had been executed perfectly, Shangguan Yu Shi would have flown into the crowd and fallen. However, Gu Shenwei's move was a fraction of a second too late, and his posture wasn't fully correct. He didn't push his opponent away; instead, she grabbed his arm as she turned.

The crowd gasped, thinking Huan Nu was in for a terrible fate. Shangguan Yu Shi's attacks were always ruthless and unforgiving. This time, she was sure to use a bone-breaking move.

The next sequence of events happened in a flash. Huan Nu's footwork was erratic, his hands flailed wildly, and it looked like he was about to be injured and fall. But in the blink of an eye, it was the dominant Young Master Yu who fell.

Gu Shenwei pressed down on one of Shangguan Yu Shi's arms. Before his master could give the order, he immediately let go, retreated three steps, and stood with his hands at his sides, signaling the end of the match.

Shangguan Fei and the others immediately jumped up excitedly, "We won, we won!"

Although Shangguan Yu Shi fell, she was unharmed. She pushed off the ground with her palm and leaped up, but her face was so red it looked like it would bleed. She said sternly, "You cheated, let's go again."

Before Gu Shenwei could speak, Shangguan Fei rushed forward, "All's fair in war. A win is a win, you can't go back on your word."

Shangguan Yu Shi was furious and stepped forward, fists raised, ready to fight Shangguan Fei. Shangguan Ru quickly rushed over and pulled the two apart, "Wait, wait, the outcome isn't decided yet?"

"How is it not decided? Didn't she fall?"

"But what move was that?"

Shangguan Ru's question silenced the surrounding people. The two had fought so quickly that no one had kept count.

Shangguan Fei yanked Huan Nu out from behind him, "Was that the third move? Quick, tell me, was it?"

"No, I knocked Young Master Yu down on the fourth move. I lost."

Gu Shenwei was telling the truth.

Shangguan Yu Shi had grabbed his arm then and used "Break Gold Hand." With a series of coordinated forceful movements, if successful, Gu Shenwei's arm would have been permanently disabled.

Break Gold Hand was extremely vicious, but it happened to be within Xue Niang's chosen five moves. Gu Shenwei didn't even have to think. He ducked under her arm, neutralizing Shangguan Yu Shi's chained force, and simultaneously stood in front of her, reaching for her chest with his other hand.

Breaking the martial arts of Golden Peng Fortress was not easy. However, Shangguan Yu Shi was a young girl. No matter how boyish her attire and demeanor, she was still a girl at heart. Xue Niang had therefore tailored several "underhanded" moves specifically for her.

This move, "Chest Attack," had flustered He Nu during practice, causing her to retreat and let go every time. Gu Shenwei had only ever used half the move, never fully executing it. Xue Niang had even reprimanded them for it.

But Shangguan Yu Shi was not He Nu and knew nothing of this move. Gu Shenwei's turn to neutralize "Break Gold Hand" had already caught her off guard. Therefore, when Gu Shenwei reached for her chest, she didn't recoil like He Nu!

Now it was Gu Shenwei's turn to be caught off guard. In a flash, he could only retract his hand, but using Shangguan Yu Shi's moment of stunned hesitation, he grabbed her arm from behind.

Shangguan Yu Shi, having made one mistake and nearly suffered humiliation, was furious. Once she reacted, she immediately advanced instead of retreating, unleashing the close-quarters, vicious move "Shatter Ladder Kick."

This move treated the opponent's body as a wooden ladder. By pulling on the enemy's wrist, one used it as leverage to deliver several kicks from bottom to top. If the force was sufficient, each kick could break bones.

Although this move was sinister, it had few opportunities to be used. Xue Niang had deliberated for a long time before including it in the five moves.

As soon as Shangguan Yu Shi exerted force on her hand, Gu Shenwei guessed she was about to use this move. This time, he had the initiative and could no longer be lenient. As her first kick was about to be launched, leaving her lower body unstable, he pulled hard. The two brushed past each other. Shangguan Yu Shi lost her balance, and Gu Shenwei had already spun around and pinned her down.

These moves happened too quickly, and the two were entangled. To the onlookers, it seemed like only one move had occurred. In reality, it had reached the fourth move. Only Shangguan Ru saw the sequence clearly.

The tide of battle turned in an instant, causing great controversy. Gu Shenwei was just a slave, and his own admission of defeat was not enough. Shangguan Fei glared at him and pushed him aside, "No, they weren't separated, so it still counts as one move."

"Four moves are four moves, it doesn't matter if they were separated or not!"

The twins, taking center stage, argued on behalf of their respective sides. Shangguan Ru forgot that she and her brother were on the same side in the bet and argued wholeheartedly for Shangguan Yu Shi.

The two protagonists of the match were separated by a group of bickering school children, facing each other from a distance, one with a blank expression, the other suppressing her anger.

Gu Shenwei's objective had largely been achieved. The outcome of the bet was not important. He had defeated Shangguan Yu Shi, certainly leaving a deep impression on everyone. Shangguan Ru was siding with her cousin now, but she would remember Huan Nu even more vividly later.

The two groups of children continued to argue. Finally, the old schoolmaster himself intervened, brandishing his ruler. Those who needed to go inside went in, and those who needed to go out left the courtyard. Order was finally restored.

Qing Nu's face turned dark. "You truly don't fear death, do you? Fine, you're tough. Young Master Yu spared your life last time; let's see if you're as lucky this time."

Gu Shenwei lowered his head and remained silent. Arguing with Qing Nu was pointless. This man wasn't high on his revenge list.

"Get lost! Go back to your bandit's den!"

In his anger, Qing Nu became less polite even to the Eighth Young Madam.

Gu Shenwei "obediently" left. Shangguan Yu Shi and Qing Nu didn't want him anywhere near the Ninth Young Master, but he was confident that Shangguan Ru would call him back to her side again.

He returned to the stone house and lay on the kang, recalling the events of the morning. He had exacted a small revenge on Shangguan Yu Shi, but it was far from enough. Deeper and more profound hatred lay hidden in his heart. One day, he would personally kill this little devil, and those twins as well.

Thinking of killing Shangguan Ru, he hesitated for a moment, but then his heart turned cold. His mind was filled only with hatred; there was no room for mercy or sympathy.

The morning's match triggered a series of repercussions. The first person to go mad was Shangguan Hongye. Before class ended, he ran to the stone house. Not only had he lost the bet, but he had also offended Shangguan Fei. All his anger was directed at Huan Nu.

"Dog slave! Brat! You dare to trick me? I'll beat you to death right now!"

Shangguan Hongye rolled up his sleeves, ready to strike. He didn't care how strong this slave's martial arts were. A slave was a slave; a master could beat him if he pleased.

To deal with someone like Shangguan Hongye, Xue Niang didn't need to teach Gu Shenwei any methods to break through his defenses. Gu Shenwei didn't even need to anticipate the other party's moves; one move was enough to force him to bend over, his face pressed against the edge of the heated brick bed.

Shangguan Hongye made a huge mistake by coming alone without his Little Book Boy.

"You, you, you, let me go quickly!"

Gu Shenwei released his grip, took two steps back, and coldly watched the fellow who was all bluster and no bravery. He had already thought of a way to deal with him.

"You dare hit me?" Shangguan Hongye turned around, his arms resting on the edge of the bed, half-squatting, half-standing, his face full of terror.

Gu Shenwei took a package from the rolled-up bedding and threw it at Shangguan Hongye. "However much you lost, I'll pay it for you."

Shangguan Hongye opened the package and glanced at it hastily. There were white and yellow items, shining brilliantly. Not only was it enough to cover his gambling debts, but there was also plenty left over. However, the money came from a slave, and he didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"This, this isn't about money. The young master said he wants to teach me a good lesson, and you too, he won't let you off." Shangguan Hongye clutched the package tightly, his tone no longer as angry as it was at the beginning.

Gu Shenwei wasn't worried about the young master; Shangguan Fei would forget about this matter within three days.

"The courtyard knows things have gone missing and is investigating thoroughly."

Shangguan Hongye was startled. He was the Unrivaled King's nephew. If it became known that he took silverware from a slave, and that silverware was stolen, it would be a complete disgrace.

He began to regret participating in Huan Nu's little scheme, but he couldn't bring himself to let go of the package he had already received.

"The items are stored with you, so you can use them as you please, but you have to leave me some too."

Shangguan Hongye stuffed the package into his chest, not caring that it was bulging. "Don't worry, after paying off the gambling debts, we'll split the rest fifty-fifty."

Once he decided that money came first, Shangguan Hongye no longer found Huan Nu so detestable. Fearing he would go back on his word, he stumbled out before the other could issue a guest order, nearly knocking over Old Zhang who was just entering the room.

Old Zhang stared at the flustered young man running away, his eyes wide with surprise. "Isn't that... Isn't that..." Then, his years of cautious principles made him close his mouth in time. He put down the lunchbox, took out his own portion, and without asking anything, walked out of the stone house again to eat with his beloved horses in the stable.

Having resolved one problem, Gu Shenwei was still not completely at ease. Shangguan Yushi would not let this matter rest. Whether it was today or tomorrow, she would come to demand an explanation.