The Marquis Mansion’s Elite Class

Zhao Rong stood with her hands on her hips, one foot resting on the cuju ball, and threw a challenging smile at him. “Kid, today I’ll show you what this princess is made of!”

Zong Jincheng clenched his fists, his competitive spirit rising to its peak.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

A cuju match?

You’ve met your match!

The little devil king hooked his finger at her, then wagged his index finger in a taunting “you’re not good enough” gesture, upping the ante.

Zhao Rong tilted her head and with a burst of energy, fifteen young maids, all in their teens, lined up behind her.

She turned and said, “Don’t say I’m bullying you. We’re girls, and being five or six years older is perfectly reasonable.”

Zong Jincheng crossed his arms, his tone haughty. “Whatever. I won’t hold back.”

“Good, then let’s get started. We’re called the Princess Team. Have you thought of a name for your team?” Zhao Rong glanced behind him and suggested, “The Rogue Team?”

The young rogues: “…”

Sure, they had that reputation, but who’d be proud of it?

The little devil king snapped back, “The Young Masters Team! Who asked you to name us?”

“Oh, the Young Masters Team… still doesn’t sound as impressive as my Princess Team. Get ready to lose, boys!”

Zong Jincheng rolled his eyes and returned to his team to discuss their positions. He was the best cuju player among them, and Wei Xinglu and the others always followed his lead.

“Wei Xinglu, take the right flank; He Zheng, the left; Lu Fang, guard the left net; Brother, you stay in the center. I’ll take the striker position. Today, we’re going to score ten goals!”

“Got it!”

The Young Masters Team charged forward with unstoppable momentum, a dozen young boys advancing in unison.

Xu Wan sat in the stands, betting with Cui Zhi on who would win.

Cui Zhi, ever frugal, said, “I won’t bet more than ten coins.”

“Fine, ten coins it is,” Xu Wan looked up at her and sighed, “You’re the one who really knows how to manage this household.”

Cui Zhi remained unmoved, fully embracing her reputation as the frugal one.

“I’m betting on Young Master Cheng. He’s unbeatable in cuju among his peers.”

Xu Wan shook her head. “I’m betting on Princess Zhao Rong. If she didn’t have some skill, she wouldn’t dare challenge Jincheng. Plus, she’s six years older than him—don’t underestimate the advantage of age and physical strength.”

Cui Zhi stood firm. “I’m still betting on Young Master Cheng. He’s the strongest.”

Xu Wan raised an eyebrow and sat up straight. “Alright, alright, you’ve got me curious. Is this kid really that good at cuju?”

Cui Zhi corrected her, “He’s *extremely* good.”

As Cui Zhi’s words fell, the match began. The cuju ball passed from Wei Xinglu to He Zheng. The Princess Team fought hard to block, but the Young Masters Team’s offense was seamless, quickly passing the ball to the next player.

When it reached Zong Wenxiu, despite having crammed cuju knowledge and techniques overnight, he still struggled to keep up. The Princess Team intercepted the ball.

The Princess Team cheered excitedly, but their joy lasted less than two seconds. The little devil king swooped in, snatched the ball back, and the advantage returned to the Young Masters Team!

The little devil king took a moment to reassure his brother, “Don’t worry, I’ve got your back!”

Zong Wenxiu’s disappointment vanished, and he quickly joined the chase.

“Wow! Young Master Cheng is amazing! The Young Masters Team will win!” Shunzi’s cheers echoed across the cuju field.

Inspired by him, the other servants of the young masters joined in, and the chants gradually unified.

“Victory! Victory! The Young Masters Team will win!”

The ball returned to Zong Jincheng’s feet. He spun gracefully past Princess Zhao Rong, kicked the ball into the air, and sent it flying toward the goal.

“Goal!” The Young Masters Team erupted in cheers.

The cheerleaders did their part, waving flags and shouting.

Princess Zhao Rong glared at him, and Zong Jincheng taunted, “The Princess Team isn’t cutting it.”

“Ahhh, Zong Jincheng!!!” Zhao Rong screamed in frustration.

Xu Wan sighed and muttered, “I’m afraid they’ll end up fighting.”

Cui Zhi: “…” It wasn’t impossible.

On the cuju field, Zong Jincheng was like a returning king, dominating the game’s rhythm. Whenever the ball was at his feet, it was never intercepted. He spun, kicked with his knees, leaped into the air—every move was executed flawlessly, culminating in a perfect shot into the goal.

“Three goals! The Young Masters Team is leading by a landslide, unstoppable!”

Cui Zhi began to regret betting only ten coins. She had been too cautious.

Xu Wan coughed and said, “Watch, the princess is about to lose her temper.”

Zhao Rong grew more anxious as the game progressed, especially as Zong Jincheng kept scoring right beside her, using all sorts of unconventional techniques that added to her pressure.

Damn it, how is this kid so good at cuju?

Not only was Zhao Rong frustrated, but her teammates were too. Their princess usually just played casually in the palace—she had never faced such a serious match before. Her first real game was turning into a disaster.

Zong Jincheng showed no mercy. Rolling up his sleeves, he played with increasing confidence. With one final leap, he flipped mid-air and sent the ball soaring into the goal.

“Holy cow!” Xu Wan stood up in shock.

She had just been schooled by the little devil king.

“A cuju prodigy!” she couldn’t help but exclaim.

The cuju field erupted with even louder cheers.

“Young Master Zong is unstoppable! The Young Masters Team will win!”

“Insane! Absolutely insane! He’s terrifyingly good!”

Cui Zhi chuckled beside her. “Madam, you’re about to lose. I told you, Young Master Cheng is a master at these games—no mere show-off.”

On the field, Zong Jincheng spotted Xu Wan standing up. He turned to her, fist raised, as if showing off how amazing he was, exuding the confidence of a king ruling the cuju field.

Xu Wan was infected by his confidence and couldn’t help but remark, “So this kid’s confidence isn’t baseless after all.”

Having achieved success in other areas, he was confident he could excel in anything he tried. That confidence carried him through many fields, growing stronger with each victory.

Cui Zhi smiled and said, “Young Master Cheng is also very confident in his studies now. He excels at everything he does.”

Xu Wan chuckled. “A terrifying child.”

She watched the little devil king running across the cuju field, as free and joyful as a rabbit let out of its cage.

Beside him, Zong Wenxiu was also having fun. Though he often fumbled due to lack of experience, Zong Jincheng was always there to save the day, turning every close call into a brilliant scoring opportunity.

The goal, only slightly larger than the cuju ball, was constantly under attack by the Young Masters Team. Before long, they had scored five goals!

“The Young Masters Team! The Young Masters Team! The Young Masters Team!”

The cheerleading squad for the Young Masters Team grew larger, and even the spectators joined in to cheer them on. Meanwhile, the Princess Team remained scoreless, their faces dark with frustration.