Unarmored | Chapter 44 | A Most Awkward Duel | Novela.app

Su Pingchuan was bearing down on them in an instant. Xiao Nanhui signaled for Yao Yi to pull his head back inside, giving one final instruction. "Stay hidden. Don't come out unless I call for you." Yao Yi understood immediately. Just as he pulled the small window shut, Su Pingchuan’s voice rang out. "Who goes there?" Xiao Nanhui didn't rush to answer. She waited until he was close before announcing herself. "Left General, it is I, Xiao Nanhui. Might I ask what urgent business brings the General through these parts in such a hurry?" Upon seeing Xiao Nanhui’s face, Su Pingchuan’s expression turned peculiar. Given their previous awkward encounters, it was hard to say if they were acquaintances or strangers. "So it is Officer Xiao. I have just received a secret report stating that a crowd has gathered on the northern slopes to engage in voyeurism and the harassment of women from the palace. I have come specifically to investigate." Xiao Nanhui offered a polite, composed smile, feigning confusion. "The palace women are surely within the palace walls. We are quite a distance even from the city gates. I fail to see how the 'harassment of palace women' mentioned in your report could apply here." Su Pingchuan let out a cold snort. "Does the crime of desecration require physical touch? Those women were selected specifically for His Majesty. For an outsider to even steal a glance from afar is a transgression." Xiao Nanhui nodded. "I see. In that case, please proceed quickly to apprehend the culprit, General. I shall not delay you further." With that, she immediately performed a brief salute and urged Jixiang and the carriage beside her to move on. "Hold it." Su Pingchuan’s black horse seemed to share its master’s mind; with a toss of its hooves, it blocked the path of Yao Yi’s carriage. "Why is Officer Xiao in such a rush? And who, pray tell, is inside this carriage?" "The person inside is a friend of mine. We have just returned from admiring the blossoms on the hill. Does Brother Pingchuan suspect me of harboring a criminal? I, Xiao Nanhui, give my word on the reputation of the Marquis of Qinghuai’s Manor that he is perfectly innocent." She was certain that by invoking the name of the Marquis of Qinghuai, the other party—no matter how much he wished to make things difficult—would not dare to openly cause a scene. "Since Officer Xiao has put it that way, it would be untoward of me to insist on searching the carriage." Xiao Nanhui laughed heartily. "Quite right, quite right. This friend of mine is a timid soul; he falls ill at the mere sight of blades. I ask Brother Pingchuan to show some leniency and let him return early..." "He may go, but you must stay." Xiao Nanhui froze, momentarily unable to fathom what he was up to. But given the situation, she couldn't worry about the details. Saving one was better than none. She quickly tapped on the carriage wall, signaling Yao Yi to make his escape. Su Pingchuan was as good as his word. Once Yao Yi’s carriage had vanished into the distance, he spoke coldly. "Just now, I gave ample face to the Marquis of Qinghuai’s Manor. Now, is Officer Xiao willing to return the favor to the Duke of Xuanyuan’s Manor?" *I’m already here, so just say what you want and be done with it!* Xiao Nanhui nodded with a beaming smile. "Naturally. I wonder what Brother Pingchuan requires of me...?" The veins at Su Pingchuan’s temples throbbed with every "Brother Pingchuan" she uttered. His voice sounded strained. "Cease calling me by those three words." Internally, she was howling with laughter, but her face remained tactfully pleasant. "Then... what is it that you require, Pingchuan?" Su Pingchuan choked again. After a long silence, as if he had given up on the matter of the address, he spoke in a low tone. "A fair and square duel between us. What do you say?" *Ha! So that’s what this was about.* Just this? As if she were afraid of him! "As Pingchuan wishes." *** Xiao Nanhui had fought countless duels in her life, but this was the first time someone had come looking for a fight with such an air of seeking justice for a grievance. At Su Pingchuan’s request, they found a clearing. As their masters prepared to spar, the two horses were led nearby. Su Pingchuan’s great black horse stood as still as a stone statue before an imperial tomb—imposing and motionless, gazing devoutly toward its master as if anticipating the outcome. Then there was Jixiang. From the moment she let go of the reins, the horse had its rear in the air and its nose to the ground, digging holes under every tree root it could find. Xiao Nanhui felt that, win or lose, the horse didn't care one bit whether she lived or died. Once the two had squared off, Su Pingchuan drew his sword with a sharp *shing*. Xiao Nanhui jumped slightly and swallowed hard. "I came out of the city today to accompany a friend. I do not have a weapon on me." Only then did Su Pingchuan slowly sheathe his sword. He looked around, found a tree branch, and tossed it to her. "I have heard that Officer Xiao studied under the Great General and uses spear techniques. This is a branch of white wax wood. It will have to do. I shall spar with you without drawing my blade. What do you think?" Xiao Nanhui looked at the scraggly branch in her hand, then at the fine sword in Su Pingchuan’s hand—clearly the work of a master smith. Her face was written all over with the words "not much," but considering Yao Yi probably hadn't made it back to the city yet, she could only steel herself and nod. "It will do, it will do." Su Pingchuan held his sword in one hand, tip pointing down, assuming a very peculiar and dangerous opening stance. "Though it is but a friendly spar, bumps and bruises are inevitable. Officer Xiao, do not blame me if I am a bit heavy-handed." She finally saw it clearly now. This man was nursing a grudge from ten years ago and was here to settle the score! But back then, she had only knocked out one of his teeth—and he was probably at the age where he was losing baby teeth anyway, right? Looking at him now, it felt like he wanted to hack her to death! "Wait." Xiao Nanhui shifted the stick from one hand to the other, her palms sweating. "We agreed this is a spar. No life-or-death struggle." Su Pingchuan’s eyes gleamed with a look that suggested he intended for her to never leave this place, yet he said, "Naturally." He then threw her a provocative look, the meaning of which was clear: *What? Are you afraid?* Before the words had even settled, he lunged forward. His speed made Xiao Nanhui’s heart tighten. His footwork didn't look like the rigid training of the military; it looked like the work of a master from the martial world. She gripped her stick tightly, her legs infused with strength. Spear techniques relied on using stillness to counter all changes. She remained rooted to the spot, her eyes narrowed as she tracked his movements. The scabbard struck the stick. She felt a jolt through her hand and quickly spun to deflect the force, though her palm still felt numb. This boy’s strength was truly immense. Xiao Nanhui felt he shouldn't be practicing swordsmanship at all; he should be wielding a seventy-pound Crescent Blade. After one round, though neither had won, Su Pingchuan clearly had the upper hand. He looked at Xiao Nanhui with a hint of smugness. "This is only the beginning. You’d best hold onto that stick tightly." The moment he spoke, he revealed his weakness. He was, after all, someone who couldn't keep his composure. She focused her mind and grew serious. Setting aside martial prowess, there was one area where Su Pingchuan could not compare to her: the focus and calm born of the battlefield. She had followed Xiao Zhun into battle for years and had seen life and death; a small spar like this could not rattle her emotions. After another ten rounds, she began to see through his patterns. Su Pingchuan’s movements were varied and his strikes were powerful, but he lacked the depth and cunning of an old rogue like Bailao. Specifically, when it came to underhanded tricks, he was quite out of his depth. Several times he tried to change his moves mid-strike, only for her to block him back. With his repeated attacks neutralized, Su Pingchuan grew visibly impatient. His previously perfect forms began to show openings. Xiao Nanhui’s eyes were like lightning; spotting a gap, she thrust the long stick forward with one hand. This move was originally intended for use when two riders met, designed to seize the initiative. A spear tip could hook the opponent's saddle and flip them right off their horse, followed by a finishing thrust. But Xiao Nanhui forgot they weren't on horseback. Her stick swept in with fierce momentum, cutting straight toward the inside of Su Pingchuan’s thigh. Su Pingchuan scrambled to evade the move, his inner thigh twisting awkwardly. There was a sharp *r-r-rip*, followed by a sudden chill between his legs. Xiao Nanhui stared blankly at the strip of fabric hanging from the end of her stick. She looked up at Su Pingchuan’s lower half and blinked, the realization dawning on her slowly. *Thank goodness, thank goodness, the undergarments are still intact.* On the other side, Su Pingchuan shifted his legs in disbelief, feeling only two thin flaps of cloth barely covering his lower body. When he realized what had happened, his handsome face turned red all the way to the base of his neck with incredible speed. Xiao Nanhui gave a couple of dry laughs, pulled the fabric off the stick, and held it out with both hands. "Um, do you want to see if you can... put this back on?" "Don't come any closer!" Su Pingchuan roared, retreating a dozen steps. He looked left and right, searching for a tree or a bush to hide behind, only to find they were in a wide-open clearing with nowhere to retreat. Xiao Nanhui’s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. A perfectly good duel had ended in such a fashion; she, too, was at a loss. "Regarding today’s spar... as long as Brother Pingchuan doesn't mention it, I will never speak of it to another soul..." Su Pingchuan, who was currently using a leafy branch to cover himself, glared at her fiercely upon hearing this. Xiao Nanhui smiled bitterly. She had hoped this spar would turn their swords into plowshares. Now, it had simply turned a grudge into an even deeper embarrassment. She called over Jixiang, who was busy eating mushrooms in the distance, and flipped onto the horse’s back. She still felt a bit guilty. "It’s probably inconvenient for you to move like that, isn't it? It’s a bit of a walk to the city gates, but not too far. I could go back to the city and fetch you a change of clothes. It would take half an hour at most..." "No need!" Su Pingchuan was so angry his breathing was ragged. It seemed that if he said one more word, a string of curses would fly out. Xiao Nanhui weighed her options and decided to leave him to his peace, spurring her horse away. After the horse had galloped a few hundred yards and the adrenaline of the spar had faded, she suddenly found herself afraid to look back. She was scared—scared that if she looked back, she might see something she wasn't supposed to see. What an embarrassing day. ***