Giant Ship Across the Song Dynasty: My Supplies Come from My Motherland

Chapter 73, Feeling Frustrated? Come on, let's fight!

Not long after Li Qingzhao left, Lin Zhou put one foot on a stool and said, "To be honest, I didn't get enough of a fight the last two times. Why did they call me a traitor? Why? And why did I only fight two? I fought them and they only fought two? This time, none of you are allowed to help me. I'm going to fight ten! Damn it, I'm not having it."

After saying that, he rolled up his sleeves and said, "Someone, issue a challenge! Three days from now, in the afternoon, on the riverbank outside the city, let them bring their men and have a fair fight."

"This..." Lu You said somewhat embarrassedly, "This... they weren't wrong to scold us, after all, we were helping the Jurchens."

"Nonsense!" Lin Zhou slammed his hand on the table. "I refuse to accept this! A fight to the death on the riverbank—whoever loses is a traitor, a piece of trash who doesn't deserve the title of Han Chinese. Let's ask them if they have the guts!"

Tang Wan, her face beaming, declared, "I'm here to issue the challenge."

Yangti sniffed, "I'll call for reinforcements! The people of Jin are not to be outdone."

Lu You pursed his lips and said nothing more, just sat there watching them fool around.

Tang Wan wrote in delicate small regular script, but what she wrote was full of malice: "I have heard that you and others often insult my elder brother Lin Zhou with the stigma of being a traitor, and even insult my husband Lu You. Your foul words are unbearable to hear, and your behavior is truly not that of a gentleman."

We had no desire to get entangled with such petty people, but you have been so aggressive, repeatedly defaming people in the streets and provoking us at banquets.

I hereby issue this declaration of war to set the record straight and to settle our grievances.

Time: Three days later, at noon.

Location: Outside Lin'an City, on the Sanli River beach.

Note: This is a personal grudge, unrelated to nationality. Only those who participated in the verbal altercation and physical fight on that day, and those who invited others to join the fight, are permitted to participate. Unrelated parties should not intervene.

Fist and kicks have no eyes; let fate decide. Afterwards, regardless of victory or defeat, the matter is over, and no further entanglement, legal action, or retaliation is permitted.

If you consider yourselves the backbone of the Song people, not the kind of cowards who only dare to gossip behind people's backs and cower when faced with the truth, then please come as agreed.

If you dare not, please spread the word far and wide: never again utter the word "traitor," lest you become a laughingstock. There are no cowards among the true Chinese people. In three days, on the riverbank, let's settle this once and for all.

After reading it, Lin Zhou pointed to the top and added: "Add a line: 'Loser eats the dust, treat everyone like a dog!'"

"Okay!"

"Wan'er...you..."

Seeing his wife so excited, Lu You exclaimed "Oh dear!" but then silently got up and picked out a long, gold-plated staff that reached his eyebrows...

That night, dozens of challenge letters were quietly placed on the table of the young people of the Song Dynasty. If it were an ordinary challenge, they would simply be mocking the barbarity of these Jin people.

But the line "There are no cowards among the true Chinese" and Lin Zhou's later addition, "The loser eats dust, and is treated like a dog when they meet," are truly unbearable.

"How can we tolerate this?!" The grandson of the Minister of War, in the teahouse, smashed his cup on the ground: "This is an insult to the Great Song Dynasty, that no one is worthy of our respect!"

"Let's fight them!"

"Dry!"

The group was quite agitated, and at this moment, some of the more astute people spoke up: "Last time you were attacked three times and beaten twenty-seven times, you're probably going to be embarrassed this time."

"Brother Pei'an, then what do you suggest? Are we really going to be cowards? Men of the Great Song Dynasty also have courage!"

"Let's go and beg those of the Kokuki family's companions tomorrow."

"Them?" The Minister of War's grandson's eyes widened. "We usually keep a clear distinction between ourselves and them. Wouldn't it be even more humiliating to ask them for help now?"

The young man named Pei'an closed his fan and sighed, "Aren't the Jurchens just bullying us because we're powerless? Do they dare to issue a challenge to those military officers? At this moment, what's the point of distinguishing between civil and military officials? It's better to swallow your pride and beg them than to be humiliated by those Jurchens and traitors."

"Fine! I accept it, I'll go tomorrow."

The next day, the young masters who had always looked down on the sons of military officers shamelessly came to the door of the military officer's house, a house they would never normally even glance at.

The people inside didn't know why they had come, until someone blushed and handed over the letter of challenge.

After reading it, the boy inside felt his blood boil, cursed the golden dog, and turned to fetch swords, spears, and armor.

This invitation to a brawl, conducted behind the parents' backs, quickly spread throughout Lin'an City, and even Xu Cheng received an invitation.

The number of people who agreed to the meeting exceeded 100 in a single day, and everyone started preparing at home, all to get revenge.

"Father……"

Cheng'er was different from the others. Although he was a military general, he was also responsible for maintaining order in the imperial city. He eventually handed the challenge to the Marquis. The Marquis took the challenge, glanced at it, and frowned: "Nonsense! This is utter nonsense!"

"Father, now that this has been delivered to me, should I accept it?"

Sihou paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, finally turning back to return the challenge to Xu Cheng: "I will pretend I know nothing about this matter."

His attitude was naturally the attitude of most of the military officers in Lin'an, and even most of the officials. It was impossible for them not to know that things had escalated to this point, but they had gone so far as to bully him. Who could tolerate this?

If anyone doesn't go, they'll be gossiped about and cursed behind their backs. On the battlefield, suing for peace can at least be justified by the claim of protecting the people's livelihood and the nation's interests, and for ushering in a century of peace. But suing for peace on the riverbank? That's utterly shameless!

The matter even reached the Emperor's ears the following evening; Ninth Sister Zhao Gou knew about it. He held the challenge letter in the garden, glancing at the old eunuch standing beside him: "Nonsense."

"Your Majesty, this matter has escalated significantly, with over a hundred people from both sides already responding to the challenge."

"It's just children playing around." Zhao Gou gritted his teeth. "But these Jurchens are really going too far."

"Your Majesty, what should we do now?"

"What can we do?" Zhao Gou threw the challenge letter aside, both amused and exasperated. "How can Your Majesty concern yourself with such a ridiculous matter? Let them fight, just make sure no one dies."

"The authorities won't stop it?"

"Which side should I stop? How should I stop them? And if I do stop them, how will they judge me?" Zhao Gou demanded sharply. "Do they think my reputation is too good?"

"Your Majesty..."

"Go," Zhao Gou waved his hand. "That's enough. Just pretend I know nothing about it."

Just then, an announcement came from outside that Qin Hui was requesting an audience, but Zhao Gou was seething with anger. He probably knew that Qin Hui had come to stop the matter, so he simply turned away and said, "I won't see him."

Qin Hui was rebuffed and immediately realized that the Emperor knew about the matter. Helpless, he left the palace and returned to his residence. After thinking for a long time, he set off again for the "Bold and Despicable" villa.

After all, the provocation was started by the Jin prince, and the one who tied the knot must untie it.

"Let them fight, let the children fight." Prince Rui didn't care: "They deserve to be beaten to death."

"Your Highness!" Qin Hui flicked his sleeves. "This matter is of utmost importance. What will we do if something goes wrong?"

"Oh...that's right." Prince Rui patted his thigh as he sat down: "Give each of them a set of rattan armor, it's on me."

"Your Highness!"

"Alright." Prince Rui ignored Qin Hui's words and simply waved his hand: "If we don't fight this battle, the children will never have peace. The loser eats the dust! Hahahaha..."

"Your Highness...you've seen it too?"

"Yes, I saw it too." Prince Rui laughed heartily. "That's great, that's great. I'm planning to sneak over and join the fun in a couple of days."

Qin Hui sighed deeply, bowed weakly to Prince Rui, and then turned and left. "Go ahead and do it!"

At this moment, the challenge letter from the Song Dynasty was already placed in front of Lin Zhou and his group. It was not very sarcastic, but simply stated: If you want to fight, then fight. The loser will eat dust!

"Hey, Soft Egg Bun's got some backbone, huh?" Lin Zhou spat, arms crossed. "Hey Lamb Trotter, how many people did you get on your end?"

"We have gathered 105 warriors under the age of 24, and with the three of us, that makes a total of 108."

"Great numbers!" Lin Zhou slapped his thigh. "Let's do it!"