Chapter 7: The Dispute of the Ball Society
Remember, the ball must be passed steadily to Er Ge, and we need not concern ourselves with the rest! Xu San clearly harbored a blind admiration for Gao Qiu, and after the sixteen team members gathered, he shouted loudly.
With a heart full of anxiety, he finally met his group of teammates. All of them were young adults in their twenties and thirties, dressed in neat blue shirts, and their gazes towards him held a hint of admiration. Upon seeing this, he had no choice but to muster the courage to engage in a few exchanges. He then used the excuse of not having touched a ball for several days, took a soccer ball, and ran off to a secluded area to practice.
Suddenly, there was bloodshed on the field, and the subsequent match made the Bateng Society somewhat anxious. No matter how they played, the ball kept hitting the net and bouncing back, resulting in a full quarter of an hour without any score. The originally self-satisfied owner of the Baxian Building, Pan Desheng, could no longer sit still, shouting and raging on the sidelines. It should be noted that as long as Long Qing scored again, this match would come to an end.
Although the ancient jiuqiu is quite different from the modern version, after just a few bounces, Gao Qiu immediately found his sense of the ball, feeling a surge of joy in his heart. The ball his master had him practice with back then was hand-stitched and rather crude in craftsmanship. In contrast, this ancient jiuqiu is made from dozens of pieces of cowhide, providing a tangible feel when bounced on the foot. Caught up in the excitement, and being in the Northern Song Dynasty at this moment, he seemed to return to the feeling of practicing ball during his childhood, instantly casting aside his master's warnings and teachings from that time. He employed all his skills—shoulder, head, back, and feet—playing with great delight.
However, just as the ball was about to hit the ground, a burly man suddenly charged out from the opposing side, roaring as he struck the ball with his knee, sending it soaring at an angle. Nearby, a young man with a delicate appearance quickly hooked the ball with his foot, securely catching it, and then passed it to another player. After a complete round, this time the Bateng Club also sent the ball over the net, scoring a point.
"You useless fools, get up quickly!" As victory slipped through his fingers, Zhu Bowen rushed to the sidelines in a fit of rage, shouting, "If you lose, the Longqing Society will never be able to establish itself in Bianjing again. Even if you have to die on the field, you must win this match for me! Gao Erlang, get these people moving!"
Upon hearing these harsh words, Gao Qiu felt a surge of intense anger rushing to his head. If it weren't for the fact that they were still in the midst of a competition, he would have loved to drag the detestable Zhu Bowen out and give him a good beating. However, reason restrained his impulse. He cast a glance at the spirited members of the Ba Teng team, then turned his gaze back to his own teammates.
Er Lang, do you have confidence in this battle?
With the sound of a gong, the first cuju match in the Great Song Dynasty officially commenced with Gao Qiu's arrival. The match was conducted under a best-of-five system, where the first side to score three points would be declared the winner, making the competition exceptionally fierce. Although it was merely an informal match among the common folk, there were several onlookers gathered at the sidelines, including a few elegantly poised women.
Gao Qiu looked at the small ball hole, and after a moment of joy, he was genuinely startled. Although he had seen this type of door-like goal before, he had not practiced for a long time, and the outcome was uncertain. Moreover, from what he had heard, the former Gao Qiu was the best player here; if he were to embarrass himself today, would that not raise unnecessary doubts among others
After one round, Gao Qiu truly understood that the Song Dynasty's cuju emphasized skill and precision, with almost no physical confrontation, which took him a moment to adjust to. However, after a few rounds, he gradually regained his previous feel for the ball, and the flashy moves he had once abandoned began to resurface before him. When it was his turn to kick, he deliberately showcased a few tricks, eliciting a round of gasps, and then suddenly sent the ball over the net with a powerful kick. The force was tremendous, and after passing through the air, a man on the opposing side who attempted to receive it was struck hard in the face, causing blood to seep from his forehead.
Until the very moment before the official match, the members of the Bateng Society arrived late. Observing these individuals clad in bright red jackets casually toying with the jujube balls, their skills were indeed exquisite, causing Gao Qiu to feel a sudden pang of anxiety in his heart, reducing his confidence from eight parts to five. After testing the ball earlier, he and Tushuben believed that as long as their teammates worked together wholeheartedly, they could triumph over their opponents; however, it now seemed far from that simple.
Well, as expected of Gao Erlang, your skills are indeed extraordinary
Ten strings of cash! Gao Qiu could not help but feel a twitch in his eyelids. He knew that his predecessor had left him a huge mess to clean up, and it was impossible to do so without money. Moreover, it seemed that gambling in the Great Song was not illegal, and with two wealthy merchants willing to take the losses, why should he push the money away?
"Second Brother, you have finally arrived!" The first to rush over to greet him was Xu San, who pointed at a few people standing by the sidelines and said proudly, "Everyone has been waiting for you for quite a while. Without you as the team leader, it won't be easy to earn the prize money! That Ba Teng, having just formed their team, dares to challenge us. Today, we must make them feel the consequences!"
Upon hearing the sudden exclamation of admiration, Gao Qiu immediately withdrew the ball and turned his head. He saw a middle-aged man in white, looking at him with a smile that was not quite a smile. The man was slightly plump, with a friendly demeanor in his eyes, but a hooked nose added a touch of sinister to his otherwise pleasant appearance. Gao Qiu knew that as an impostor, he was unfamiliar with the members of the Longqing Society, so he deliberately remained silent, his eyes scanning the man from side to side.
Just when everyone thought Long Qing was certain of victory, Gao Qiu suddenly noticed that several of his teammates had an unusual expression. He was about to ask when these individuals suddenly clutched their stomachs and fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Coincidentally, at that moment, the opposing team nearly kicked the ball over the net several times. According to the rules, if Long Qing's side failed to catch the ball, they would be declared the loser in an instant
The kickoff was made by the Longqing Society. The round ball was passed among the players and soon reached Gao Qiu's foot. He aimed at the opponent's gap through his "flirtatious eyes" and unexpectedly kicked it with a swift motion. The ball soared through the air and successfully crossed the net, earning the first point. His teammates immediately erupted in cheers.
Boss Zhu, I cannot guarantee a win. In short, everyone will give their all, and if we still lose, it can only be deemed fate. Although the temptation of ten guan is great, he still spoke cautiously. After laughing it off, he quickly made his escape and sought out the youngest teammate to inquire about the competition rules.
Zhu Bowen's words evidently provoked the few players who had fallen to the ground. After a brief moment, they staggered to their feet one by one. At that moment, the opponent's ball barely crossed the net. Despite their unsteady steps and unstable bodies, they still forced themselves to build the ball with their knees. When the ball reached Gao Qiao's feet, all five or six of them could no longer hold on, each gasping for breath on the ground, their eyes fixed intently on Gao Qiao's movements, hope clearly evident in their expressions. Despite their unsteady steps and unstable bodies, they still forced themselves to build the ball with their knees. When the ball reached Gao Qiao's feet, all five or six of them could no longer hold on, each gasping for breath on the ground, their eyes fixed intently on Gao Qiao's movements, hope clearly evident in their expressions
During the Song Dynasty, cuju was not a competitive match with two goals; it generally employed a single goal or even no goal at all. The match between the Longqing Society and the Bateng Society was conducted with a single goal system. When Gao Qiu arrived at the field, he saw a solitary goal standing in the center. The two goalposts were about ten meters high and three to four meters wide, resembling a door panel that blocked most of the view, while the net in the middle was only about one meter high, with a hole of several decimeters at the top, referred to as the "flirtatious eye." When Gao Qiu arrived at the field, he saw a solitary goal standing in the center. The two goalposts were about ten meters high and three to four meters wide, resembling a door panel that blocked most of the view, while the net in the middle was only about one meter high, with a hole of several decimeters at the top, referred to as the "flirtatious eye."
The middle-aged man was momentarily taken aback; he did not expect the once arrogant Gao Qiu to be so low-key. For a while, he was at a loss for words. After a long pause, he managed to chuckle twice: "I didn't expect that after a month, Er Lang has suddenly become humble. To be honest, although the Nabateng Society is not well-known, its members are all skilled individuals whom Pan Desheng from the Eight Immortals Restaurant has hired at a high price, and their strength should not be underestimated. This competition is crucial for the future of my Qingfeng Building; if we lose, the shop at the north end of Quyuan Street will belong to him. To be frank, although the Nabateng Society is not well-known, its members are all skilled individuals whom Pan Desheng from the Eight Immortals Restaurant has hired at a high price, and their strength should not be underestimated. This competition is crucial for the future of my Qingfeng Building; if we lose, the shop at the north end of Quyuan Street will belong to him. If we can win this time, in addition to the agreed reward of thirty guan, I, Zhu Bowen, will give you an additional ten guan as a token of gratitude. What do you think?"
It is difficult to say precisely about the activities on the field; it is merely a matter of doing one's best. Gao Qiu did not know this person at all and understood that saying too much at this moment could lead to mistakes, so he simply responded succinctly.
Gao Qiu had long noticed Pan Desheng's repeated smirks from outside the field, and he could not help but understand the underlying filth. He immediately attributed the losses of his own side to the deceitful tactics of the opponent. In a fit of rage, he kicked his left foot sideways and forcefully struck the edge of the ball. With an overwhelming spin, the ball shot like lightning into the goal, striking three people before finally landing quietly.