In a moment of critical urgency, Zhao Junyao stepped forward and kicked both the Fifth Master and the Sixth Master in the back.
The Seventh Master rolled on the ground once and got up. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth carelessly and stared sharply at the two so-called elder brothers opposite him.
After each receiving a kick, the Fifth Master and the Sixth Master lay half-prostrate on the ground nearby, their complexions deathly pale.
Zhao Junyao glared at them and shouted angrily, "How dare you!"
The Fifth Master and the Sixth Master quickly schemed and hurriedly stepped forward to remedy the situation.
"Imperial Brother, calm your anger! Imperial Brother, calm your anger!"
"We... we were just practicing wrestling with Little Seventh!"
"Isn’t that right, Little Seventh?" the Fifth Master asked with a warm but fake smile.
The Sixth Master, snapping out of his daze, hastily nodded as well.
"Yes... yes, Imperial Brother!"
"We were just practicing wrestling with Little Seventh!"
"Tomorrow... isn’t it the martial arts examination? We brothers were feeling a bit eager, so we decided to practice in advance."
Zhao Junyan looked at the two elder brothers before him, their faces adorned with false smiles, their expressions changing faster than one could flip the pages of a book. He sneered inwardly but didn’t expose them, simply going along with their lie.
"Yes, Imperial Brother. I was practicing wrestling with my two elder brothers!"
"Fifth Brother and Sixth Brother also said they’d like to try their skills in the arena tomorrow!"
Seeing the slight, sly smile at the corner of Zhao Junyan’s mouth, Zhao Junyao decided to play along. His expression quickly softened as he pretended to believe them, then said with a smile, "So that’s how it is. Good!"
"Truly worthy of being the Royal Family’s Offspring!"
"Little Fifth and Little Sixth, you’ve really grown. In that case, Imperial Brother will grant you your wish!"
After speaking, he turned to Li Shengan and ordered, "Have their names added!"
Then he looked back at the two, a satisfied expression on his face, and said, "No matter the result tomorrow, I will be proud of you both!"
With that, he patted their shoulders and strode away. Li Shengan acknowledged the order and followed.
Both the Fifth Master and Sixth Master were now scared witless.
Imperial Brother was so swift and decisive, leaving no room for anyone to interject!
Enter the Martial Stage? This is no joke!
They disliked martial arts and were always distracted during training at the schoolyard. They couldn’t ride horses, shoot arrows, box, or wrestle. They had only gained the upper hand in the fight earlier by bullying someone younger and outnumbered, and by using some dirty tricks. Otherwise, they genuinely couldn’t have won.
If they entered the Martial Stage at their current skill level, wouldn’t they be beaten black and blue?
The more the two of them thought about it, the more terrified they became. Shivering, they had no idea what to do.
The Seventh Master stood by, gloating at their misfortune. "Wow, you two brothers are truly amazing; even Imperial Brother praised you! Don’t worry, I’ll definitely come cheer for you tomorrow!"
With that, he nonchalantly turned and left with a flourish!
「...」
The evening meal was taken in silence, as was tradition. After the imperial dishes were cleared, Zhao Junyao, his expression somber, asked Zhao Junyan, "Why were you fighting earlier?"
Although genuine affection was rare in the Royal Family, fraternal strife was certainly not a good thing.
Zhao Junyan stood before him, head bowed. He thought for a moment, then declared righteously, "They insulted my mother, calling her a whore!"
"Imperial Brother, my mother is not a whore!" As he spoke, his emotions grew more agitated, and his eyes reddened.
His mother had merely been of low status, but no matter how humble her origins, she had borne him for the late Emperor. Why couldn’t people acknowledge that? How could they call her lowly?
Zhao Junyao looked at the somewhat agitated youth and remained silent for a long time. He knew all the hardships his seventh brother had suffered over the years. Simply because his mother was a Palace Maid, the boy had endured countless instances of scorn, insidious plots, and treacherous traps. If Zhao Junyao hadn’t supported him, both openly and covertly, this child likely wouldn’t have survived to this day.
"Imperial Brother, why is it that just because their mothers hold a higher status, they can insult people at will?" Zhao Junyan choked out, his eyes red, his heart feeling as if it were being twisted by a knife. "It’s one thing for them to insult me, but why humiliate my deceased mother? What wrong could a dead person have done?"
Tears welled in his eyes, swirling, but moments later, he fiercely blinked them back.
Imperial Brother said I’m a man; I cannot cry!
Zhao Junyao looked at Zhao Junyan, his own heart aching.
His mother did nothing wrong, and how could a child like him be at fault?
He sighed, stepped forward, and patted Zhao Junyan’s head. "There, there. Imperial Brother has already punished them for you. If there’s nothing else, you should head back. Get some rest and go to sleep early. When you wake up, everything will be better."
Zhao Junyan looked up at his Imperial Brother. The anger and resentment in his eyes gradually dissipated. After a moment, he nodded. "Yes!"
He then cupped his fist in a salute and departed.
Zhao Junyao stood by the door, watching his desolate, retreating figure, and remained silent for a long time.
「...」
「The next day.」
Just after the Yin Hour, as dawn was breaking, the eastern sky showed the pale light of early morning. On the Martial Arts Platform, all preparations were complete, and the war drums thundered like approaching storm clouds.