CHAPTER 534: CHAPTER 286 ALREADY KNEW_2

The Emperor spoke as well, saying that since the Xiongnu proposed the competition, they should show their true skills and not hold back. If they didn’t dare to display their full abilities, then there was no point in competing.

Hu Yanping hurriedly said that in the upcoming contests, they would demonstrate their true skills and absolutely not hold back.

The next competition featured the Xiongnu Royal Court’s most elite cavalry brought by Hu Yanping.

The Xiongnu sent a man who wasn’t particularly strong-looking. He appeared to be in his twenties.

On the Great Zhou side, it was Shen Hu’s Deputy General.

Both men sat on horseback. The Xiongnu man wielded the uniquely curved blade of the Xiongnu, while Shen Hu’s Deputy General held a sword.

Neither rushed at the other but instead watched each other with cold, sharp gazes.

Zhao Yao seemed to see lightning and thunder between them.

The Xiongnu man moved first, charging at Shen Hu’s Deputy General with his blade.

Shen Hu’s Deputy General met him calmly and steadily.

The collision of blade and sword produced a sharp metallic sound.

The Xiongnu man was incredibly fierce, with each move being deadly.

Shen Hu’s Deputy General remained unperturbed, deftly neutralizing the Xiongnu’s attacks.

Within less than ten exchanges, the Xiongnu’s curved blade fell to the ground, and he was thrown from his horse.

Hu Yanping and the others couldn’t believe they had lost.

The cheers and applause from the Great Zhou side were continuous.

Next, it was three against three.

The Xiongnu came aggressively, but ultimately they were knocked to the ground by the three warriors of Great Zhou.

Then, five against five. During this match, a formation was used.

The Xiongnu thought they would win this time, but unfortunately, they still lost.

The final round was ten against ten.

The Xiongnu still lost to the people of Great Zhou.

Hu Yanping and the others could not believe they lost every single match, and so disgracefully, too.

The Emperor looked at Hu Yanping and said very graciously that if they wanted to compete again, Great Zhou would continue to accompany them.

Chu Ying mocked Hu Yanping, asking if they hadn’t shown their true skills earlier, which was why they lost so miserably.

Song Dekang said if the Xiongnu were not convinced, they could continue the contests.

Hu Yanping naturally could not accept this outcome, hoping to continue competing with Great Zhou.

The Emperor readily agreed to his request.

Thus, both sides competed again, seven against seven.

This time, the Xiongnu didn’t fall off their horses as quickly as before, but in the end, all the Xiongnu were dismounted, while two from Great Zhou remained on horseback.

The Emperor kindly asked Hu Yanping whether they wanted to compete again.

Hu Yanping’s face looked very unpleasant for a moment but quickly recovered. He forced a smile and said they were completely convinced of their loss.

After the contests ended, Hu Yanping and the others did not stay long at the Imperial Palace and quickly returned to the hostel.

As soon as they returned to the hostel, Hu Yanping angrily berated Yitu and the others for being useless and losing miserably.

Wuwei sat on the side, gloating.

Yitu and the others were deeply ashamed by Hu Yanping’s scolding. In fact, their inner shock was no less than Hu Yanping’s. They never expected the people of Great Zhou to be so powerful. They had never imagined losing to the Central Plains people.

Previously, they hadn’t held back and used all their strength, yet they were still defeated by the people of Great Zhou.

Hu Yanping, having lived for half his life, had never felt so humiliated as today.

Wuwei interrupted Hu Yanping’s outburst: "Left Great General, no amount of scolding will help."

Hu Yanping saw Wuwei’s calm expression, and his eyes momentarily became very sharp.

"Wuwei, what do you mean?"

"Left Great General, I have always advised you all not to underestimate the people of Great Zhou, but regrettably, none of you listened." Wuwei fearlessly met Hu Yanping’s gaze. "Now that you’ve lost to the Great Zhou, have you realized your mistake?"

Hu Yanping was rendered speechless by Wuwei’s question. He wore a gloomy expression and said nothing.

"Today’s contest was just the tip of the iceberg of Great Zhou’s power. The true strength of Great Zhou is likely much more than this." Unlike Hu Yanping and the others, Wuwei wasn’t angry; he was very calm. "This is the reason the Left Virtuous King opposes attacking Great Zhou."

He further said, "The Chanyu and the Right Virtuous King thought Great Zhou was like Da Xia before it, that a slight intimidation would leave Great Zhou scrambling in fear, then obediently sending us wealth and grain. Now, after what you’ve seen, do you still think Great Zhou resembles Da Xia?"

With a dark face, Hu Yanping reluctantly said, "We underestimated Great Zhou." At this moment, Hu Yanping dared not look down on Great Zhou in the slightest. "Great Zhou is more formidable than we imagined."