Beside the Sitting in Seclusion Pavilion in the rear garden of the Fan Clan villa, the once vividly colored Purple Bamboo, Red Bamboo, Xiang Consort Bamboo, Qinsi Bamboo, Jade Bamboo, and Dragon-Scale Bamboo looked somewhat dull. A layer of fine twigs and broken leaves covered the ground. The heavy snowfall before the New Year had relieved the drought across the Three Wu, and spring bamboo shoots were breaking through the soil, brimming with life.
There was a level patch of lawn beside the Sitting in Seclusion Pavilion. The spring grass had yet to sprout, leaving it withered and yellow. Ran Sheng and Liu Laozhi went onto the lawn and agreed to a wrestling match, with Fan Ning as referee.
Wrestling, known in ancient times as the "Game of Chiyou," had a long history. By the Eastern Han, it had separated from boxing and was also known as grappling or sumo. During the Wei-Jin period, it was extremely popular both in the army and among the common people. The state of Wei had a famous wrestler named Deng Zhan, whom Cao Pi praised as "skilled with his arms, able to face naked blades empty-handed." The judo and karate of later ages both originated from this.
Ran Sheng had never practiced wrestling before joining the Western Headquarters. After enlisting, he practiced mounted archery every day, and wrestling was also widespread in the army, where skilled wrestlers commanded great respect among the soldiers. At first, Ran Sheng knew only brute force and had no technique to speak of, yet few could match him. After all, technique could only prove effective when the difference in strength was not too great. Otherwise, with his great strength and long arms, Ran Sheng needed only to seize someone and swing them, and no technique would help. But