Chapter 396 Crouching Young Tigers and Tigress (2/2)

As the champion band of the Art and Literature section from last year, no one could argue their performance.

Inside the throne room, many calligraphists exhibited their thought and insight through their writing and calligraphies. Each student wrote a quote or a word as they explained its hidden meaning.

Many public school representatives joined this competition. Among the students, Liu Ye, the champion of last year, participated in the game to defend his title as well. Sima Lang also joined as the representative of the royal academy under Lu Zhi.

In the end, Liu Ye won the 1st prize again with a quote, ”Adults are Overgrown Children.”

In the afternoon, it was a debate competition between children who aspired to be strategists.

Sima Yi was the champion of last year's contest, even though he was forced to compete by Sima Fang. This year, he was also forced to defend his title and the prestige of Sima Clan.

Tong used a fictional scenario, which represented the Battle of Guandu in his other timeline to be the question of this debate. However, he changed the names of all historical characters, so none of the students could connect this battle to their timeline.

All students had to cooperate as one. In this test, they had to come up with the right strategies to defeat Yuan Shao as Cao Cao.

Tong laid out the whole map along with all details about granaries, military camps, soldiers, generals, and weaponry.

Te Langpu and Tong were the judges of this debate. Since they knew the results of this battle in the other timeline, they understood which strategy would work and which would not.

For this competition, Liu Ye and Liu Xie also participated in the debate, challenging Sima Yi's title.

Liu Ye and Liu Xie came up with a strategy that they would use the firepower of repeating crossbows to mow down all Yuan Shao's forces in direct combat. Most of the other competitors emphasized on ambushing tactics or hit-and-run tactics. On the contrary, Sima Yi had another idea.

As if he was Guo Jia in the other timeline, he pinpointed Yuan Shao's weaknesses, the granaries and food supply of the million-man army. He avoided all direct combat against Yuan Shao while he sabotaged Yuan Shao's personal assets, such as sending fake news, conning Yuan Shao's officers, and seducing Zhang He and Gao Lan into rebelling against their lord.

As Tong had expected, Sima Yi's performance outshone all young strategists. Many observers in this debate were astonished by his talent, and his fame spread among the lower employees' circles. Although the teenage did not come here with his freewill, Tong was impressed nonetheless.

Sima Yi's ideas even brought attention to all Tong's strategists in the clan chat when Xun Yu relayed the details. Even Ju Shou, Xun You, and Jia Xu found it challenging in this fiction scenario.

Sima Fang also observed this debate on the sideline. As the sponsor who forcefully sent Sima Yi into the competition, he would not miss the show.

Still, Sima Fang noticed the similarity between the debate subject and borders between Tong's country and Cao Cao.

'Is his majesty trying to wage war with Cao Cao? This fiction scenario's territories look so much like ours and Cao Cao's forces.'

The strategy competition took longer than the schedule since everyone interested in Sima Yi's strategies. Even adults formed groups and studied the tactics among themselves. Several scholars also sweated, feeling jealous of the children that they had this chance, wanting to participate in the debate, too.

After careful consideration, Tong announced Sima Yi as the winner of the strategist contest.

Instead of being happy, Sima Yi grumbled and secretly cursed at Tong. However, when Zhang Min came to celebrate with him, his facial expression changed into a lovestruck-teenage. The two went out shopping together using Sima Yi's hard-earned prizes.

.

Late afternoon came the main event, the martial art competition.

Last year, Zhang Min was the champion of this tournament. She won not because of her status as the eldest princess, but she had mastered one of Tong's skills, overclock mode, since she was seven.

With her extra speed and reaction, not many adults could square with her longer than 20 moves. All the children were no match for her.

This year, Liu Xie, Cao Ang, and Liu Xie's sole follower participated in this competition. Several martial art schools also sent their best students here, hoping to score a title and spread their fame.

Zhang Min came back from a date with Sima Yi just to defend her title. The latter followed after the little girl around as if he was her puppy, which made Sima Fang grimaced.

After two hours of the preliminary matches and tournament matches, two finalists were decided.

The first one was the previous champion, the princess Zhang Min.

And the other one was called by his nicknamed, ”Wenchang.”

Zhang Min took her long pole stick and pointed at Wenchang with a grin.

”I won't hold back! Make sure you use my father's overclock this time.”

Wenchang sighed. He might have received some guidance from Tong when he first entered the academy, but he really had not mastered the ability yet.

He glanced at the emperor in reluctant.

Tong noticed this teenager's nervousness. He nodded at Wenchang.

”Do your best, Wenchang! If you hold back because she's my daughter, you'll be in the world of pain!”

Wenchang revealed a wry smile on his face.

”What a cruel emperor. I might be crippled after this.”

The referee gave his signal.

”FIGHT!”

The little girl, Zhang Min, disappeared from where she had stood. She reappeared before Wenchang as she thrust her weapon.

*WHOOSH*

The pole stick missed! Wenchang left an afterimage as he side-stepped.

”Forgive me, princess.”

”Eh!?”

Wenchang activated his overclock mode, and everything became a slow-motion to him.

*POEK*

Wenchang's wooden sword slammed onto Zhang Min's waist, which forced her to tumble from pain.

Tong sighed and shook his head as he had predicted it. His daughter would not be able to handle this future historical figure with his legacy skills.

The reason that Tong taught Wenchang was not because he was the best student in the academy. He knew about this teenager's potential.

The referees jumped onto the tournament stage and stopped the match. The victor and the new champion had been decided.

”WINNER, WEI YAN, WEI WENCHANG!”

Wenchang was the style name of a great general of Shu Kingdom in the other timeline, Wei Yan.