Chapter 134: Arm Wrestling

Hearing her master say this, a slightly awkward expression crossed Li Yuetchen's face.

At the same time, she was screaming madly on the inside: Master, why on earth did you have to jinx yourself like that? Now look at this—you tried to show off and got slapped right across the face instead. How embarrassing is that?

While ranting inwardly, on the outside she maintained the picture of an obedient child, flashing a sweet smile: "Alright, disciple understands."

Fu Lai, standing nearby, felt a strong urge to laugh. Yet given the circumstances, laughing was out of the question, so he could only turn his back and pretend to study the weather.

In truth, his slightly trembling shoulders completely betrayed him.

At noon, Liu Rengui had her stay for lunch and took the opportunity to discuss several crucial points to keep in mind during practical combat training.

"Although Your Highness is blessed with divine strength, you must not rely on it excessively. You still need to practice your techniques more. Only through seamless coordination can you unleash your maximum combat power," Liu Rengui critiqued.

Li Yuetchen nodded: "Rest assured, Master, disciple will remember."

After the meal, Li Yuetchen returned to the palace by carriage.

On the way back, she could not help thinking that in the future, she would have to find someone else to serve as her sparring partner.

After all, her master was no longer young. Forcefully dragging him in to spar with her might accidentally send him off to the afterlife if she wasn't careful.

Therefore, Li Yuetchen decided she would only seek out her master when she needed her progress tested, and even then, she would have to hold back significantly during sparring to prevent accidentally committing the heinous crime of regicide against her own teacher.

After all, this was the Great Tang, not the Hidden Leaf Village, and such dramatic events were better avoided.

……

Back in the palace, Li Yuetchen looked at the spears, staves, and hammers displayed in her hall, and gestured for Fu Lai to come over.

"Go to the Bureau of Palace Attire and fetch some raw cotton padding or animal fur, make a cover out of it, and then……"

The general idea was to wrap these two weapons in soft materials so that she would be unlikely to injure anyone while sparring.

To be honest, Li Yuetchen felt that purely in terms of raw strength, even the well-trained guards of the palace gates were no match for her.

Thus, even if she recruited them as sparring partners, proper protective measures were essential; otherwise, nobody would ever dare to spar with her again.

Fu Lai acknowledged the order with a bow and turned to leave.

After a moment of thought, Li Yuetchen brought Xiao He along and set off for the Imperial City.

Arriving at the palace gates, Li Yuetchen beckoned to the sentry on duty: "You, come here!"

The guard looked to his left and right, confirming the summons was meant for him, and hurriedly ran over to bow respectfully: "What are Your Highness's instructions?"

"Find the person in the Gate Guard detachment who is the strongest at arm-wrestling and bring him here!" Li Yuetchen ordered.

The guard opposite her looked momentarily bewildered, failing to process the command at first. After a few seconds, he stammered in reply: "This…… answering Your Highness, there are quite a few with great strength, but as for who is the strongest……"

"Then have them compete against each other first, and bring me the winner!" Li Yuetchen waved her hand, then leisurely walked over to a nearby pavilion and sat down.

"Understood! Please wait a moment, Your Highness!"

Though clueless about what the princess intended to do, the soldier immediately ran off to summon men.

The Gate Guards were responsible for garrisoning the imperial palace, and their quarters were close by. In less than twenty minutes, the previous soldier returned with another fully armored guard.

This man appeared to be just over one hundred and seventy centimeters tall, but possessed a sturdy, broad-shouldered build—the very picture of someone blessed with formidable physical strength.

Approaching Li Yuetchen, he bowed respectfully and spoke in a booming voice: "Your Highness, this humble subordinate is the strongest man among the Gate Guards. What are your commands, Your Highness; just name it!"

Li Yuetchen looked him up and down, nodded with slight satisfaction, and tapped gently on the stone table before her: "Come, sit down!"

"How would this subordinate dare to sit at the same table as Your Highness? If there are orders, Your Highness need only state them!"

"I told you to sit, so sit!" Li Yuetchen lifted her chin and gestured toward the seat opposite her.

After a brief hesitation, the man obediently entered the pavilion and took a seat.

"Do you have a name?"

"Replying to Your Highness, this subordinate is named Geng Yunqiang, style name Hongfeng."

Li Yuetchen nodded and directly placed her right arm on the table: "Come, let's arm-wrestle!"

Hearing this, Geng Yunqiang visibly froze. He looked up at her delicate, fair hand resting on the table, then scrambled to his feet in a panic: "Please do not joke with this subordinate, Your Highness. This matter……"

"Stop chattering! Sit down quickly!" Li Yuetchen waved him back into his seat. "I called you here precisely for this!"

Hearing the seriousness in her tone, Geng Yunqiang glanced at her earnest expression, then back at the small, fair hand with its faintly blushing fingernails, yet still shook his head: "Your Highness, this is truly out of the question! With Your Highness's precious body of thousand gold, how could we touch you casually……"

"Do you intend to obey my words or not?" Li Yuetchen raised an eyebrow. "If you defy me, you will likewise be charged with the crime of disrespect! No more nonsense, hurry up!"

Prompted by her urging, Geng Yunqiang opened his mouth, but ultimately sat back down and bowed respectfully: "Then…… this subordinate shall offend."

Simultaneously, he wondered inwardly which wire in the princess's brain had snapped today, that she actually wanted to arm-wrestle with a grown man like him.

Figuring he would just let her play along for a moment, Geng Yunqiang gently raised his right hand and placed it on the table, matching his palm against her small hand.

Unable to bear his fussiness, Li Yuetchen grabbed his hand directly: "Come on, use your strength!"

……

Geng Yunqiang had no choice, yet he dared not exert a sudden, heavy pressure downwards; if he accidentally snapped the princess's wrist, his head would no longer belong to him.

Thus, he could only apply a tiny bit of force to press down, but it wouldn't budge.

He added just a fraction more force, and still it wouldn't budge.

Knowing the man's reservations, Li Yuetchen did not rush him, letting him incrementally increase the pressure.

When he reached twenty percent of his full strength, Geng Yunqiang's expression shifted—this Highness's physical constitution was truly extraordinary!

At forty percent strength, he thought: *My goodness, for a young girl to possess such power, she is a naturally gifted martial arts prodigy!*

However, when he reached sixty percent strength and Li Yuetchen's arm remained completely motionless, Geng Yunqiang's expression finally changed entirely.

One had to bear in mind that he possessed the greatest strength among all the Gate Guards. Normally, when arm-wrestling his peers, utilizing sixty or seventy percent of his strength was quite sufficient.

Yet this Highness's wrist had not budged an inch, and she still wore a faint, relaxed smile on her face, looking entirely at ease.

And she was a female!

Furthermore, she was merely an eight-year-old child!

Geng Yunqiang widened his eyes, staring at the princess before him in sheer disbelief.

A smile playing on her lips, Li Yuetchen nodded gently and said: "Continue!"

Reaching this point, Geng Yunqiang's heart settled, and he finally understood what the princess was up to today.

Without another word, he increased his effort to eighty percent strength.

Li Yuetchen's arm trembled slightly, but she immediately recovered her posture. Still, it was evident that she too had begun to ramp up her power.

Sensing the force transmitting from the palm of her hand, Li Yuetchen nodded: "Again!"

"Then Your Highness, this subordinate is going to use his full strength!"

"Come on!"

Geng Yunqiang nodded: "Offence taken!"

The moment his words fell, he poured brute force into his arm, unleashing his maximum strength.

Li Yuetchen likewise summoned all her might to push back.

For a moment, their locked arms remained deadlocked in place, tilting toward neither side.

As the opposing forces escalated, the veins on the back of Geng Yunqiang's hand began to bulge slightly.

Turning to Li Yuetchen, aside from her fair right hand turning somewhat flushed, there were no other signs of strain.

Yet judging by her slightly reddened cheeks, she had likewise exhausted every ounce of her strength.

Both parties deployed their utmost power in an attempt to pin the other down, yet remained locked in a stalemate.

After lasting for roughly a dozen seconds, Geng Yunqiang's stamina began to wane slightly, and he gradually started to be overpowered by Li Yuetchen.

Their clasped hands trembled faintly as they slowly began to tilt toward Geng Yunqiang's side.

Once tilted past a certain angle, Li Yuetchen gritted her teeth fiercely and pressed down with all her might.

*Bang!*

With a dull thud, Geng Yunqiang's hand was firmly slammed against the stone table.

"Hoo—"

Li Yuetchen released her grip, exhaling lightly while shaking out her right hand, which felt somewhat swollen from prolonged blood congestion.

Yet her pretty face carried a smile she could not suppress; even though she had anticipated the outcome, she was still thrilled by her own achievement.

Opposite her, Geng Yunqiang also shook his reddened arm, stood up, and bowed respectfully: "Your Highness possesses divine strength! This subordinate is in awe!"

While his words professed admiration, his face clearly bore a look of absolute incredulity.

Because this event completely defied his understanding.

For an eight-year-old girl to wield such terrifying might was simply unimaginable.

Even if one practiced martial arts from inside their mother's womb, reaching this level should have been impossible, right?

Not caring about such thoughts, Li Yuetchen waved a hand and said: "Very well, you may return. Geng Hongfeng, was it? Next time there's any good fun, I'll keep you in mind!"

"This subordinate thanks Your Highness!" Geng Yunqiang bowed in acknowledgement.

……

Upon returning to Anfudian Palace, Li Yuetchen could not suppress her lingering excitement.

*I am blessed with divine strength by nature, number one under heaven! Hahaha……*

Thinking this, she rolled back and forth repeatedly across the cushions, much like a certain furry animal.

Princess Yiyang and Shangguan Wan'er, who were playing a game of go nearby, could not help exchanging glances, each reading a trace of bewilderment in the other's eyes.

Shortly after, both turned their heads simultaneously to look at Xiao He.

"This…… just now……?"

After a moment's hesitation, Xiao He decided to tell them the truth anyway. Since the incident had occurred right there in the small pavilion within the Imperial City with people coming and going, keeping it under wraps was utterly impossible.

The guards on duty had witnessed the entire arm-wrestling match between Li Yuetchen and Geng Yunqiang with their own eyes.

She estimated that the affair would spread throughout the entire Gate Guard garrison before long, and by tomorrow at the latest, the majority of eunuchs and palace maids within the inner court would know of it.

Having heard Xiao He's explanation, Princess Yiyang raised a hand to press against her brow: "Chen'er has thoroughly made a name for herself this time……"

……

Meanwhile, Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi and Empress Wu Zetian in Renshou Palace received the news almost instantaneously.

"This girl! She truly deserves a lesson!" Wu Zetian pulled a long face. "To actually arm-wrestle with a common soldier in broad daylight, what kind of decorum is that?"

Li Zhi, however, merely chuckled and waved a hand, leisurely twirling the health balls in his palm: "Meiniang need not vex yourself. On the contrary, this is a good thing."

"How so?" Wu Zetian turned her head to look at him.

"The newspaper is on the verge of publication, and this undertaking is bound to trigger massive ripples across the court. By then, various factions will all wish to have a hand in it. With Chen'er planted right at the eye of this vortex, the more wild a fuss she kicks up, the harder it will be for them to find an opening……"

At this point, the smile on Li Zhi's face widened further: "There is no need for us to interfere in this matter. Let her toss and turn as she pleases."

"But Chen'er is still young after all, she……" Wu Zetian's expression carried a hint of worry.

Li Zhi smiled, beckoned her closer, and gently stroked the back of her hand: "Rest assured, should things blow up too big, I shall cover for her!"

……

The news of Princess Taiping's divine strength swept through the entire imperial palace by the following day.

Li Yuetchen cared not in the least about this; keeping such an exploit hidden was impossible anyway.

Instead, her attention was captured by Fu Lai, who returned the next day bearing the finest spears, staves, and double hammers.

The tips of the spears and staves were wrapped in multiple layers of cloth, stuffed with animal fur between every single layer, ensuring that even a direct thrust into a human body would cause zero injury.

The pair of hammers had undergone identical treatment, wrapped in an even greater thickness of padding.

And truth be told, the hammers now genuinely gave off a vibe reminiscent of Li Yuanba. Each hammerhead was a full circle larger than Fu Lai's head.

Disregarding the prerequisite that they were padded with fabric, viewing them from afar might actually prove quite intimidating.

Li Yuetchen picked them up to test them; the weight had barely changed, remaining as light as ever.

The advantage was that as long as she restrained her strength somewhat, striking someone would definitely not hurt.

Thinking this, she tapped herself on the forehead a few times; it felt soft and yielded no solid impact.

The following morning, Li Yuetchen had Fu Lai carry her hammers, spears, and staves out to the Gate Guard garrison stationed outside the Imperial City.

Seeing the princess arrive, the duty officer rushed over to bow: "Greetings, Your Highness."

"At ease. Take me to see your training grounds."

"Understood! Please follow me, Your Highness."

Following the soldier into the garrison compound and rounding a couple of corners, she beheld a throng of Gate Guards engaged in drills upon the plaza.

The news of Li Yuetchen arm-wrestling Geng Yunqiang two days prior had already swept through the ranks, prompting the soldiers to lift their heads in curiosity as the princess approached, wondering what business brought her here today.

Li Yuetchen paced a circle around the training soldiers, nodding approvingly: "Among you all, is Geng Hongfeng the strongest?"

"Replying to Your Highness, indeed he is!"

"Summon him here!" Li Yuetchen waved a hand.

The soldier assented and immediately turned to fetch Geng Yunqiang.

Following their arm-wrestling match, Li Yuetchen had quietly inquired and learned that Geng Yunqiang held the rank of a Gate Guard Central郎将 (Zhonglangjiang), qualifying him as a top-tier martial expert within the inner palace.

Such a man was unequivocally the optimal choice to serve as her sparring partner.

Before long, Geng Yunqiang trotted over behind the soldier, bowing respectfully: "This subordinate pays respects to Her Highness the Princess!"

"At ease."

Li Yuetchen raised a hand: "My visit today is to ask whether you are willing to serve as my sparring partner?"

A hesitant expression crossed Geng Yunqiang's face: "Your Highness, practical combat training is quite unlike arm-wrestling. Although it is not a matter of real blades and spears, should an accidental injury occur……"

"Have no fear." Li Yuetchen waved a hand dismissively. "Since this is martial training, I naturally harbor mental preparations. Even if an injury truly occurs, you shall not be charged with any crime!"