Chapter 8: Cuju (1)

Gao Yuan gently lifted the ball, making a quick change of direction to easily maneuver past Wang Bao. Immediately after, Wang Hu rushed over, and Gao Yuan flicked his foot, sending the ball through the gap between Wang Hu's legs, while Gao Yuan also sidestepped and passed by Wang Hu.

At this moment, both sides on the field were fiercely competing for the ball, while the cheers and shouts from the soldiers outside the field rose and fell, creating a lively atmosphere. However, from the perspective of the highland, both sides were merely kicking chaotically, with little to no formation or strategy in play. Most players, after gaining possession of the ball, would kick it forward with great force, resulting in the ball mostly flying back and forth in the air. A few individuals waited at the front, ready to kick the ball hard between the two wooden posts. However, from the highland's viewpoint, both sides were simply engaged in a chaotic kicking match, lacking any semblance of tactical organization, as most players would kick the ball forward with great force after seizing it, leading to the ball predominantly soaring through the air, while a few individuals stood ready at the front to kick it fiercely between the two wooden posts.

Yuan Xuandao: "He is just an ordinary person, nothing remarkable about him."

Li Yinghong thought for a moment and felt that Gao Yuan made a valid point. After all, she had not seen Gao Yuan play football just now, and she did not have much confidence in him. If she could win by herself after a while, there would be no need for Gao Yuan to come on. If she was unable to defeat her opponent, it would not be too late to let Gao Yuan play then.

Li Mu waved his hand and said, "Everyone, please take a seat. There's no need to be polite."

Thus, in the Zhao army camp, a cuju match would be held every few days, with representatives sent from each battalion. The competition between the front battalion and the central battalion was the most intense. However, the front battalion had two soldiers who were quite skilled at cuju, namely Wang Hu, who had just provoked Du Yi, and his brother Wang Bao. Over the past month, the two sides had competed three times, with the central battalion losing each time.

Wang Hu laughed heartily and said, "Is that so? Then let's meet on the field in a little while."

General Yuan chuckled and said, "Is that so? I must take a good look." As he spoke, he ascended the viewing platform accompanied by several guards

However, the front camp indeed possesses superior skills, particularly the brothers Wang Hu and Wang Bao, who stand out remarkably. The two of them wait at the front for the ball to be kicked over from the back, and then they fiercely compete for it. Once they gain possession of the ball, they make minimal adjustments before immediately kicking it between the two wooden posts, which resembles a long pass or cross. The balls coming from the back are captured by the brothers about seventy to eighty percent of the time. This is not to say that their skills are better than those of others, but rather because both brothers are tall and strong, giving them a significant advantage in competing and pushing against others. The balls coming from the back are captured by the brothers about seventy to eighty percent of the time. This is not to say that their skills are better than those of others, but rather because both brothers are tall and strong, giving them a significant advantage in competing and pushing against others.

The match lasted for about twenty minutes. This time, Wang Bao utilized his weight advantage in the front camp, pushing aside the defender Du Yi, seizing the ball, and scoring another goal for the front camp, while also capturing a flag. As a result, the central camp was left with only one flag. The soldiers of the central camp were dejected, while those of the front camp were elated, appearing to be on the verge of victory. Du Yi hurriedly approached Li Yinghong, saying: "Miss, let Mr. Gao take the field; otherwise, we will run out of time." The soldiers of the central camp were dejected, while those of the front camp were elated, appearing to be on the verge of victory. Du Yi hurriedly approached Li Yinghong, saying: "Miss, let Mr. Gao take the field; otherwise, we will run out of time."

On the other side of the stands, a large group of people also approached, all dressed in tight-fitting short garments. The leader, clad in armor, appeared to be around fifty years old and was smiling as he looked at Li Yinghong

At this moment, Li Yinghong looked at Gaoyuan and said, "Can you do it? We have already lost to the front camp three times; we cannot afford to lose this match."

Li Yinghong and Du Yi led the participating soldiers into the arena, while Gao Yuan and other soldiers watched the match from the sidelines. On the other side, Wang Hu also brought his team onto the field. The two sides spread out on the field, and with a command from Li Mu, the cuju match began. The players exchanged moves back and forth, with the ball flying and rolling across the field, while the soldiers outside cheered and encouraged both sides, creating a very lively atmosphere

Li Mu smiled and said, "One should not judge a person by their appearance"

Li Mu was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said, "Oh, I didn't expect you to also enjoy playing cuju, well, I am quite eager to see it in a while." After saying this, he led Zhao Xuan and the guards up to the stands, where the people on the stands also paid their respects, saying, "General."

Plateau Road: "Thank you for your kindness, General, but I would prefer to watch with them. Perhaps after a while, I might also take the field to play."

Li Yinghong said: "General Yuan, just you wait and see, today we will definitely be able to win against your front camp."

This series of actions was remarkably natural and fluid, particularly the dribbling past Wang Hu, which not only showcased skillful technique but also carried a hint of teasing the opponent. Moreover, these were techniques that the other soldiers had never witnessed before, thus eliciting a chorus of cheers from the soldiers watching.

At this moment, the brothers Wang Hu and Wang Bao were waiting at the front. Seeing that Gao Yuan was controlling the ball and slowly advancing, unlike others who kicked it forward with a big kick, they immediately closed in to steal the ball. Wang Bao was a step ahead, rushing up and extending his foot to poke the ball.

In this era, the game of cuju fundamentally lacks specific rules; it is simply played by kicking the ball with the feet, and the use of hands is prohibited. Other rules can be negotiated on the spot. Currently, a point is scored by kicking the ball between two wooden posts, and one can remove a flag from the opponent. Successfully removing three flags counts as a victory. If it becomes too late and neither side has removed three flags, the side with the most flags is declared the winner.

General Yuan's soldiers remained below the stage. A tall man stepped forward and laughed, "Miss, Du Yi, would you like us to let you have a banner in the front camp first? We could even give you two banners if you prefer." After he spoke, the soldiers from the front camp behind him burst into laughter.

Many soldiers of Zhao Jun are now aware of the origins of the plateau, and thus, when they see him make his appearance, it sparks a wave of discussion. Du and Tu Shuyi said: "Mr. Gao, it all depends on you."

As a result, this advantage caused the soldiers of the central camp to suffer greatly. Shortly after the match began, Wang Hu was the first to seize the ball in the front court, forcefully pushing aside his defending opponent and scoring a goal, thereby raising the first flag for the forward camp. Meanwhile, the two brothers repeatedly intercepted the ball in the front court, creating several dangerous situations. Later, although the central camp made every effort to counterattack, they struggled to pose a sufficient threat to the opposing team due to the absence of tall players like the brothers Wang Hu and Wang Bao in the front.

After passing by the brothers Wang Hu and Wang Bao, Gao Yuan was almost at the halfway line, so he began to accelerate. With his legs moving in a left-right motion, he swiftly maneuvered around five or six players. In fact, Gao Yuan's skills were largely showy, but no one in this era had ever seen such a style of play. As a result, many were caught off guard by Gao Yuan, and a number of people didn't even clearly see his movements; they only felt a blur before realizing they had been left behind by him. However, no one in this era had ever seen such a style of play, and many were caught off guard by Gao Yuan, with a number of people not even clearly seeing his movements; they only felt a blur before realizing they had been left behind by him

In just a few blinks of an eye, Gao Yuan had already breached most of the front line of the enemy camp, leaving only the last two individuals. They both lunged at Gao Yuan simultaneously. However, Gao Yuan deftly flicked the ball, rolling it past the left side of the two, while he himself maneuvered through the gap between them, tracing an arc and executing a beautiful dribble to bypass the opponent's final line of defense

At this moment, the plateau also evokes a sense of returning to the barracks, where the various units are at odds with one another, competing fiercely. Such situations were common in that era. Therefore, I thought to myself, "Although I can kick a little, I am not very familiar with the rules of cuju. I will observe from the sidelines for now. If you need me, I will join the game later"

Du Yi was also unwilling to show weakness and said: "Wang Hu, don't act so arrogant. This time, we will definitely win against you at the front lines of the military camp."

At this moment, there were no opponents left in front of the plateau. The plateau advanced two steps forward and effortlessly sent the ball between the two posts

Li Yinghong, due to her petite stature, weaves in and out of the crowd, darting around the venue with great agility. However, her inability to hold onto the ball in front renders her agility ineffective.

At this time, the armies of various countries were generally divided into five divisions: front, rear, left, right, and center. The main general sometimes also served as the commander of the center army. In the current Zhao army, Li Mu concurrently held the position of commander of the center army, with Yuan Xuan as the commander of the front army, Chen Zi as the commander of the rear army, Yao Shaosi as the commander of the left army, and Ji Sunfeng as the commander of the right army. At this moment, they had all gathered in the viewing platform.

Li Mu smiled and said, "Ying Hong, are you going to take the stage again?"

In a cuju match, there is no concept of a halftime kickoff; therefore, Gao Yuan directly took the cuju from the end line of the central camp, controlling the ball himself as he jogged forward.

Gao Yuan nodded and said, "I will do my best"

At this moment, the cuju match on the field had already begun. The size of the cuju field in this era is similar to that of a modern football field. At each end, there are two wooden poles, approximately five meters high and ten meters wide, which serve as the goal, although there is no crossbar. Between the two wooden poles, three small flags are inserted. The number of players on each side is sixteen. Additionally, the sidelines are already filled with soldiers, numbering in the thousands.

Li Mu nodded and said, "It is him."

After everyone had taken their seats, Yuan Xuancai said, "General, is that young man just now the celestial general you brought back?"

Li Yinghong said: "Yes, Father, you just watch from the stage. This time we will definitely win against the front military camp."

Li Mu chuckled and said, "Alright, I will take a good look." He then turned to Gao Yuan and said, "Gao Yuan, are you coming to watch them play cuju as well? Let's go up to the stage together to watch.

At that moment, at https://wwwhetushu.com, Li Mu arrived at the viewing platform with Zhao Xuan and a group of guards. Gao Yuan, Du Yi, and others hurriedly paid their respects, saying, "General." Meanwhile, Li Yinghong said, "Father." In fact, Li Mu had already been conferred the title of Duke of Wu'an and could be referred to as "Your Grace," but within the military camp, the soldiers still addressed him as "General."

On the sidelines, Gao Yuan watched the match while inquiring with the soldiers nearby. It turned out that a cuju match was being held in the military camp, which is a common practice in various countries. Given the limited entertainment activities in this era, there are even fewer options within the military camp. Soldiers cannot train all day long; it would be somewhat better if they were engaged in battles against enemy forces. However, the fear lies in such a standoff situation, where most soldiers are filled with excess energy with no outlet for release, making them prone to feelings of impatience, irritability, fatigue, and unease.

Although Li Yinghong is a girl, she is naturally lively and active. Since childhood, she has enjoyed horseback riding and martial arts training, acquiring impressive skills. At only sixteen years old, she is already considered a proficient swordsman. Therefore, during this campaign, Li Mu brought her along to let her experience the true battlefield. In the military camp, Li Yinghong also developed a fondness for kicking cuju, and she personally participates every time. However, after losing three consecutive matches, the atmosphere in the central camp is tense. Li Yinghong personally went to each camp to select players, determined to win this match today. In the military camp, Li Yinghong also developed a fondness for kicking cuju, and she personally participates every time. However, after losing three consecutive matches, the atmosphere in the central camp is tense. Li Yinghong personally went to each camp to select players, determined to win this match today.

Li Yinghong currently has no other options and can only treat a dead horse as if it were alive. He nodded and immediately requested a change of personnel. At this moment, Gao Yuan also had a general idea in his mind, thus he confidently walked into the arena.

Therefore, organizing some competitive activities during training can not only allow soldiers to exercise and release excess energy, but also help cultivate their competitive awareness and spirit of rivalry, while simultaneously strengthening the cohesion among the soldiers. Cuju is the most ideal activity, as it provides sufficient physical exertion and intensity, yet is not as direct as martial arts or fighting, thus preserving harmony.