The Bearing of Pine and Cypress, The First Warrior

Chapter 87 The Bearing of Pine and Cypress, the First Warrior

Inside the quiet dwelling, only Xie Daoyun, Qingxiao, and Aqi remained.

The blue silk curtain still hangs there, separated by a corner of the hut, the curtain as thin as smoke, or like a layer of blue mist.

Xie Daoyun sat behind the tent, holding the manuscript of her poem "Ode to the Winter Pine" in her hand. The paper was rattan paper from Shanxi, and the ink had dried completely, making each character clear and distinct.

Her gaze lingered for a moment on the lines "Braving the wind, one knows the strength of integrity; bearing the snow, one sees the sincerity of the heart," before she gently put the manuscript away.

The maid Qingxiao and the maid Aqi stood on either side of her, still behind her.

Xie Daoyun turned her head and glanced at Aqi indifferently, saying calmly, "You may go out and wait. There are no other men here. I wish to have some peace and quiet."

Aqi exchanged a glance with her, responded, and left Jinglu.

Xie Daoyun was annoyed by Aqi, a trusted confidante of Wang Ningzhi, who was essentially Wang Ningzhi's eyes and ears planted beside her. However, Xie Daoyun was, after all, a refined and cultured woman from a prominent family, and she would not easily lose her temper with this aunt.

However, she treated Aqi coldly.

With Aqi's departure, the atmosphere in Jinglu seemed to relax.

Xie Daoyun emerged from behind the blue silk curtain.

She adjusted the plain white silk robe on her shoulders, walked to the straight window, and gazed at the autumn sun outside. After a while, she turned around, walked to the low desk, and knelt down on the cushion.

This is the spot where Liang Shanbo sat; the cushions still seem to retain a slight warmth.

She lowered her head slightly and glanced at the inkstone in front of her. The ink in the inkstone was still wet; it was the ink that Liang Shanbo had used to write the poem.

She had Qingxiao kneel beside her and suddenly asked, "Qingxiao, you just saw Liang Shanbo. What did he look like?"

Qingxiao paused slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Everyone, that young master Liang is handsome and has a tall and straight figure. Although he is dressed in simple clothes and has no ornaments, he has an extraordinary demeanor."

As she spoke, Qingxiao unconsciously smiled and added, "It does resemble a pine tree."

Xie Daoyun didn't reply, turning her head away as if deep in thought. After a slight hesitation, she instructed Qingxiao, "Fetch a piece of paper from the carriage."

Qingxiao was a little puzzled, but she didn't ask. She just responded and got up to leave.

Before long, Qingxiao returned and presented Xie Daoyun with a piece of paper in both hands.

This stationery is not ordinary plain white rattan paper, but a light blue-green sheet of paper.

Xie Daoyun gently spread the letter on the table, smoothing out all four corners.

She picked up the brush that Liang Shanbo had just used, dipped it in the remaining ink in the inkstone, and then began to write.

Her calligraphy is in running script. She has practiced Wang Xizhi's style for a long time, but she does not imitate it completely. It has her own style, with clear and even strokes that are vigorous and elegant in structure.

She wrote four characters: "The posture of pine and cypress!"

These four words were what she wanted to give to Liang Shanbo.

In her eyes, this poor boy was like a pine tree, born in a secluded valley and growing on a cold rock, yet he never changed his posture or bent his joints. When the wind came, he faced it; when the snow came, he carried it. He was strong in the fierce wind and steadfast in his heart despite the heavy snow.

The phrase "the bearing of pine and cypress" means that a person possesses the character and integrity of pine and cypress.

Xie Daoyun had very high standards. Born into a prestigious family, she was renowned for her talent throughout Jiangzuo. Ordinary people were beneath her notice, and she rarely made promises to anyone. Yet today, she was willing to bestow these four words upon a poor young man she had just met, whose face she hadn't even seen clearly through a curtain.

After writing, she gently placed the pen on the inkstone and looked down at the four characters on the light blue paper.

The ink was not yet dry.

She looked at it and felt something was amiss.

If this letter is sent out, what will Liang Shanbo think? What will others think? What will Aqi think? And what will Wang Ningzhi think when he finds out?

After hesitating for a moment, she thought to herself, "If I observe his wrestling and archery skills and they are indeed quite good, then I will give him this letter. Otherwise, I will leave it ungiven."

Outside the back gate of the academy, the autumn grass in the fields had already turned yellow, and many of the foxtail grass and plantain had withered. In the distance, the pine forest was dark green, and the sound of the pine trees rustling in the wind surged in the air.

A group of people were standing in the field.

Xie Xuan, Meng Wenlang, and Liang Shanbo were all present, along with several attendants brought by Xie Xuan.

Beside Xie Xuan was an extremely burly man, none other than He Meng.

He Meng was Xie Xuan's trusted confidant and loyal follower for several years, serving him faithfully and devotedly. He was extremely tall and strong, with broad shoulders and thick arms, resembling an iron tower.

Xie Xuan pointed at Liang Shanbo and said to He Meng, "Lie Zhong, you fight him."

He Meng's gaze fell on Liang Shanbo, and he looked him up and down. The young man was tall and slender, and stood there upright, but he did not look strong.

Based on He Meng's experience in fighting with others over the years, a man of Liang Shanbo's stature would not be very strong, nor would he have a robust frame. Fighting with him would be like throwing an egg against a rock; he wouldn't even be considered a worthy opponent.

He Meng frowned, lowered his voice, and said to Xie Xuan, "Master, this is still a young man. I'm not careful with my movements; what if I hurt him?"

He was telling the truth, not being arrogant. He was Xie Xuanmo's number one warrior, always the one bullying others in the wrestling arena; no one could ever gain the upper hand against him. Now, to be made to wrestle with a sixteen-year-old boy, even if he won, he would probably be laughed at.

Xie Xuan looked at He Meng and said, "Be careful. Winning is fine, but don't hurt him."

The tone was ordinary, yet it sounded like a military order.

He Meng nodded, said no more, immediately took off his shirt, revealing his bare upper body, then neatly tied his belt back on, and stepped forward. Under the autumn sun, his muscles were bulging, and there were old scars on his shoulders and back.

Liang Shanbo calmly took off his upper garment and placed it on the grass beside him. Then he tied his belt tightly around his waist, stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute to He Meng, and remained composed.

Compared to He Meng, he was indeed much thinner. But once he took off his clothes, his body was strong and muscular, with broad shoulders and a firm waist. Although his muscles were not as bulging as He Meng's, they were clearly defined and taut against his bones.

He Meng sized up the young man's figure, feeling slightly surprised. This boy looked quiet and gentle, and without his clothes on, he didn't seem like a weak scholar. However, compared to himself, he was still far inferior, not even in the same league.

Without wasting words, he stepped forward a few paces, suddenly stretched out his right hand, his five fingers like iron hooks, and grabbed straight for Liang Shanbo's left arm. This grab was quick and ruthless, a signature grappling technique that had always worked in his fights. Before his opponent could even react, his wrist was firmly gripped, and with a pull and a trip, the person would be lying on the ground.

However, he missed his target.

Just as Liang Shanbo was about to make a firm grasp, his body suddenly shifted to the right, causing his fingertips to glide past the skin on his arm.

He Meng was slightly taken aback. Although he hadn't used his full strength in that grab, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to dodge it.

Without thinking twice, he reached out with his left hand again, this time aiming straight for Liang Shanbo's right shoulder.

Liang Shanbo shifted his body to the side, took a sliding step, and instantly changed his center of gravity, nimbly dodging the attack once again.

The autumn grass rustled softly beneath his feet before falling silent again.

He Meng's heart stirred, and he stopped testing the waters. He took a big step forward, opened his arms, and hugged Liang Shanbo around the waist. If the hug was secure, with his arm strength, he could easily lift the man up.

Liang Shanbo did not dodge anymore. Seeing the approaching force, he suddenly stretched out his hands and grabbed He Meng's arms, his fingers digging into the thick muscles of He Meng's forearms.

He Meng reacted quickly and grabbed Liang Shanbo's arms as well.

The two men held hands, frozen for a moment.

He Meng let out a low shout, like an angry lion, and suddenly exerted force with both arms, trying to flip Liang Shanbo over. As he exerted force, the muscles in his shoulders and back bulged, and the veins on his arms stood out.

Liang Shanbo's shoulder and back muscles suddenly tensed. He wasn't thrown over; his feet were firmly planted on the ground, and he actually withstood He Meng's overwhelming force.

The two remained locked in a stalemate, as if they were locked in a struggle, or perhaps a contest of invisible energy.

He Meng was shocked. The boy's strength was much greater than he had expected, surprisingly so.

He had thought the boy was just a sapling that he could uproot with one hand, but now that they had clashed, he realized that this was no sapling at all, but a mature pine tree deeply rooted in the soil, which could not be shaken.

He held back, using every trick in the book. He kept changing his footwork, trying to find an opening, and constantly changing the angle and force of his hands, pushing, pulling, dragging, and twisting. He used all the skills he had accumulated in wrestling over the years, trying to throw Liang Shanbo to the ground.

To his surprise, not only did he fail to succeed, but he also suddenly felt an enormous force coming from the other side. He felt his center of gravity being taken over by the other party in an instant, and his feet went light, making it impossible for him to stand steadily.

Liang Shanbo twisted his arm and thrust his waist forward, pulling He Meng diagonally. He Meng's towering body was lifted off the ground and then crashed heavily onto the grass.

A muffled "bang" was heard.

He Meng lay supine in the grass, limbs outstretched, staring at the high autumn sky with disbelief in his eyes. The sky was blue and the clouds were white, but his mind was completely blank.

The onlookers couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

Liang Shanbo stood beside He Meng, the autumn sun shining on his shoulders and back, his muscles covered with a thin layer of sweat. His breathing was slightly more rapid than before, but his expression remained calm.

He stretched out a hand toward He Meng, who was lying on the grass, without any smugness on his face.

He Meng stared blankly at the hand, then smiled and stretched out his own hand, only to be pulled up from the ground by Liang Shanbo.

Xie Xuan stood aside, hands behind his back, watching the entire contest unfold from beginning to end without missing a single moment.

He had expected Liang Shanbo to be a formidable opponent, but he never imagined that he could defeat He Meng, his most valiant warrior. This astonishment was no less than the shock he felt when testing Liang Shanbo's military strategy earlier.

He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Excellent! Truly a gifted individual!"

He Meng rubbed his aching shoulder and back, looked at Xie Xuan, then at Liang Shanbo, still somewhat dazed, and muttered, "I actually lost?"

He glanced at Liang Shanbo's not-so-robust physique, shook his head, and muttered to himself, "How can this young man be so strong!"

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