The Underdog Romance of the Scholar and the Beauty

When Zhang Sheng stepped forward, an eerie silence fell over the entire hall.

All eyes focused on him, filled with disbelief.

"Isn't... isn't this that poor scholar who only knows how to recite sappy poems?"

"Him? What can he do? Talk Sun Feihu into retreating with his silver tongue?"

"He's truly gone mad, willing to risk his life just to marry the Prime Minister's daughter."

The murmurs rose and fell, full of contempt and mockery.

Old Lady Cui was also stunned. She never imagined that while those burly warriors and self-important gentry remained silent, it would be this frail scholar whom she looked down upon the most who would step forward.

"You?" she examined Zhang Sheng, her eyes full of doubt. "You're just a scholar with no strength to speak of. What strategy could you possibly have to repel the enemy?"

Zhang Sheng raised his head, looking directly into Old Lady Cui's eyes, his expression composed and unruffled.

"It's true that this student lacks physical strength, but to defeat an enemy, one needn't necessarily resort to swords and spears." He turned to the abbot and asked, "Abbot, may I ask if the bandits outside the temple have merely surrounded us without attacking?"

The abbot nodded: "That's right. They're only shouting insults, but haven't launched an assault on the temple gate."

"That's exactly it," Zhang Sheng said confidently. "Though Sun Feihu is a bandit, he knows that Pujiu Temple enjoys flourishing incense offerings and has connections with various powers. If he were to launch a forceful attack, he would earn the notorious reputation of massacring a Buddhist sacred site, which would be disadvantageous to him. His strategy of surrounding without attacking means he's trying to force us to surrender, to voluntarily hand over Miss Yingying. This indicates he has reservations."

He paused, his clear voice echoing throughout the hall:

"Since he has reservations, we can exploit this. I have a plan that might break this siege."

"Oh? Quickly, let us hear it!" The previously silent abbot's eyes flashed with a glimmer of hope.

Zhang Sheng smiled slightly and slowly revealed his strategy.

"I have a classmate and good friend, surnamed Du, given name Que, known as the 'White Horse General,' who currently commands an army of one hundred thousand, stationed at Puguan, a hundred li from here. If we can deliver a call for help to him and request military assistance, Sun Feihu's rabble of five thousand will surely crumble!"

This news invigorated everyone's spirits. With the imperial army as backup, this plan had merit!

But soon, a new problem arose. A warrior monk frowned and said: "Young Master Zhang, you make it sound so easy. The temple is now completely surrounded, not even a bird could fly out, let alone a messenger!"

"This is precisely the key to my strategy," Zhang Sheng looked at the warrior monk and said, "We don't need to send someone breaking through. We need to put on a show."

"A show?" Everyone was more confused.

"Exactly," Zhang Sheng's eyes sparkled with wisdom. "Our first step is to make Sun Feihu believe that we've been frightened into submission and are ready to surrender."

He turned to Old Lady Cui and said: "I request that Lady Cui write a letter, earnestly telling Sun Feihu that you're willing to betroth your daughter to him, but need three days to prepare the dowry and ceremony, to maintain the dignity of the Prime Minister's household. Meanwhile, ask the temple's monks to cease all resistance, and even open the temple gate slightly, to create the appearance of preparing to welcome him."

"What?!" Old Lady Cui was shocked. "Wouldn't that be... letting the wolf into the house?"

"This is a delaying tactic," Zhang Sheng explained. "Sun Feihu desires beauty, not a battle to the death. By showing weakness, we play right into his psychology, and he will surely lower his guard. These three days will be our golden opportunity to seek help."

He then revealed the second step: "When Sun Feihu relaxes his vigilance, I will write a letter asking for help. Then, we'll ask the most skilled warrior monk in the temple to descend at night from the steepest cliff at the back of the mountain using a rope. The guard there will surely be at its weakest. Once beyond the encirclement, riding at full gallop, he can reach Puguan within a day! Upon receiving the letter, General Du will dispatch troops within a day and a half at most. Coming and going, three days is more than enough time!"

This plan, with each step carefully connected, incorporating both psychological tactics and specific action plans, left everyone dumbfounded.

They looked at the refined scholar before them as if looking at a commanding general. Who could have imagined that such courage and strategy were hidden within his delicate frame?

After listening, the abbot put his palms together in respect, his eyes full of admiration: "Amitabha! Benefactor Zhang's plan is truly brilliant! It combines the strategy of overconfident troops with the method of secretly moving troops through Chencang. Excellent!"

Even Old Lady Cui was impressed. Looking at Zhang Sheng's confident expression, the doubt and contempt in her heart wavered for the first time.

Could it be... that this poor scholar could really create a miracle?

Hongniang stood beside Yingying, her heart pounding rapidly. She excitedly grabbed Yingying's hand and whispered: "Miss, Miss, did you hear that! Master Zhang is amazing! He's like a deity descended from heaven!"

Yingying's heart was already filled with immense shock and pride.

When everyone else was at a loss, when her mother was even willing to trade her like a commodity, it was he, only he, who like a ray of light, cut through all the darkness and despair.

At this moment, looking at the figure speaking eloquently in the center of the hall, she felt he was taller and more radiant than any prince or nobleman in the world.

This man was worthy of entrusting her life to.