Book 14: Chapter 68
Slimeball Among Slimeballs Among Slimeballs (Part 4)
Chariotry is a contest of speed between horses – was everything Jin Zhaoying told Su Xiao in regards to the contest. Although Jin Zhaoying – or rather, Li Jingan – wasn’t an expert equestrian, her lack of expertise wasn’t an obstacle to her understanding the key concepts of a topic. She was right when she said the essence of chariotry was “speed”.
Compared to other events, chariotry’s overarching concept was simple – reach the destination before anyone else. As for the other rules, Li Jingan couldn’t be bothered expanding on them.
Contestants were allowed to make brocade flags or decorate their chariots as much as they fancied. The students of Daren Academy were creative, many of whom collected things to enhance their appearance. Nevertheless, owing to a lack of proficiency and interest in equestrian, their chariots were rather dull.
It was rare for any Daren Academy students who grew up in the capital to have an interest in equestrian. Martial arts was a special course for students, so the majority only engaged enough for the health benefits. It was viewed as a waste of time, after all, for those seeking civil servant roles after imperial exams. Other students who had other aspirations considered it unnecessary, as well. As for the rich second-generation kids, the only things they would personally move themselves for were eating and using the bathroom.
It was quite enough to see there were a fair number of students willing to pick up archery when it was so hard to find students interested in martial arts as it was. As for horse riding, it was so seldom required for them, not to mention it required an extensive time investment that didn’t pay off in terms of progress rate. Young masters of wealthy families could all ride horses, so why would they relive the hardship of learning to ride a horse in their childhood a second time at the academy?
In addition, travel in Nanjing was predominately water routes, so boats were utilised more often than horses, not to mention people from the southern region were never as skilled as the population in the north, and then the population in the north paled in comparison to Beijiang’s citizens. Growing up in the capital, Shen Yiren wouldn’t have been remotely close to her level if she didn’t have the tutelage of Ye Yun.
Daren Academy maintained it as an item in the idol contest because of its place in the traditional Six Arts.
In summary, chariotry was an event that was purely skilled based and devoid of any colour.
“Drug them?” For a moment, Su Xiao questioned if the Tang Ye standing before him was Ming Feizhen posing as Tang Ye.
Tang Ye nodded. “Yes.”
“We can’t do that. We’ll be disqualified from the entire contest if we infringe on the rules, not to mention the horses are innocent.”
Tang Ye shrugged. “You were the one who asked me what I’d do if I was Big Bro.”
“That… is true…”
Neither Su Xiao nor Tang Ye excelled on horseback. Su Xiao, as someone from Suzhou, only knew the very basics. That was why he was hoping there’d be some trick to helping him increase their odds of winning. Since both of them were the honest type, they had to try using Ming Feizhen’s brain.
“Big Brother Ming sure has no morals, drugging poor horses.”
“If we don’t drug them, the only option remaining is to create obstacles.”
Su Xiao didn’t know how to react to hearing Tang Ye brazenly mention cheating.
“In what way?”
Tang Ye wagged his hands. “Nothing complicated. Just forcing them to dismount.”
“… What if they try it back?”
“Throw hands.”
“Wouldn’t it just be a fight, then?”
“You have a better idea? We will lose in a race for sure, which would mean that we’d have to dominate the martial arts contest. There will be only us two, so our chances of winning will be slimmer. On horseback, though, I’m confident I can dismount over half of our competitors.”
Being from the north, Tang Ye wasn’t as skilled as Che Gulu in equestrian, but he wouldn’t be poorer than Xun Feng’s trio. Plus, Tang Ye would excel in horseback warfare, a situation where many variables could change at a lightning pace, thanks to his martial arts prowess and fast reactions.
“Xiao Han, don’t give it too much thought. We’re not really breaking the rules. Beyond the border, Beijiang people ride horse primarily to engage in combat. Horseback combat is part of horse riding, so we’re technically reflecting our equestrian skills in the contest.”
Su Xiao stared at Tang Ye, who could distort logic with a straight face now, in disbelief.
Big Brother Ming must’ve brainwashed him!
***
“Drug them?” Ling Shaoxuan furrowed his brows upon hearing the suggestion from Cold Mountain Temple’s respected monk. “How? Where? What sort of drug? Can we kill them?”
Not only did Ling Shaoxuan jump on the wagon almost instantly, but he wasn’t even aware that Xun Feng referred to drugging the horses.
“No way,” softly voiced Bai Yumo. “Although they are bad, how can you poison them? Don’t you feel any shame suggesting something so wicked as a monk?”
“I never said we have to go as far as poisoning them. We only have to feed them a small amount of drugs. Besides, I never said it was for human beings.”
Bai Yumo lifelessly listened to the conversation for she was flat out of ideas – and was still mentally broken from the scolding she copped from the lady who worked in the kitchen. The lady dragged her to kitchen after the archery competition, where the head chef tearfully admitted he stole the food. Had it not been for him, Bai Yumo wouldn’t have been freed. Of course, she also had to write an oath that she was still working on. She deserved praise for not crying.
Aware that Bai Yumo wouldn’t be any hope, Xun Feng went over to Ling Shaoxuan to engage in whisper.
“Oooh, nice! I like it. Let’s do that,” enthused Ling Shaoxuan.𝒇𝙧𝐞ℯ𝒘e𝚋n𝚘𝙫𝐞𝑙. c𝐨m
Bai Yumo saw more than friendly conversation as she watched the two. She saw a handsome monk lean in close to a young man and whisper. Then the young man smiled mischievously. She swallowed and promised herself to share the news with her best friend – Ling Shaoxuan’s eldest sister.
***
The total contestants who signed up chariotry didn’t even match one-tenth of those in archery. Further, not one of them looked enthusiastic about it – except for the one who knew he was the best at it. Che Gulu resembled a general looking down at his fallen foes.
Picking his nose behind Che Gulu, Bai Ju casually questioned, “Gulu, what’s your plan?”
“Hahaha, leave them in the dust. Who can beat me?”
As soon as the gong rang, Che Gulu tapped his horse before anyone even realised the race had commenced. His horse loaded up, raised its head and neighed. Next, it foamed at the mouth and collapsed on the ground. Before Che Gulu could make sense of the situation, he felt a foot crash into his face and branches scratch him as he went rolling into the shrubs.
The idol contests plainest event kicked off.