Chapter 2094 — New Rules for the Tournament

"Old Master Han, come and sit—we were waiting for you alone!" Old Master Zhao smiled faintly and called out with feigned warmth.

Since Han Tianba had come, he showed no fear and took a seat on one of the empty chairs.

"Well then, now that Old Master Han has arrived, our Hidden Family Summit may begin!" Old Master Zhao nodded and began in an unhurried, expansive tone: "Everyone knows that our Hidden Family Summit is, in truth, meant to give the younger members of each family a chance to be tested, and to urge them on to ever better results. I won't waste words on the rest!"

"Ha ha, indeed! Old Master Han here is hardly attending his first summit, so there's no need for such introductions. Why don't we get straight to the rules and the events of this year's Hidden Family Summit?" Old Master You chimed in.

"Quite right. The rules of the last summit had their loopholes. The Hidden Han Family forfeited every single match and never once took the field—that really isn't right. If every hidden family simply refused to compete, what meaning would this trial have left?" said Old Master Zhao.

Han Tianba sneered inwardly. He had long since obtained intelligence that this year's Hidden Family Summit was aimed squarely at his family, and he had learned something of these rules in advance.

"True enough. But at the last summit the Hidden Han Family were newcomers, so treating it as an observation was all very well. This year, that can no longer stand!" Old Master Tang put in.

"Therefore, we have discussed this year's rules among ourselves and made some slight adjustments!" said Old Master Zhao. "That is to say—in every event, every family and sect must take part. Even if you forfeit, you must still place your stake. This way we prevent anyone from playing the opportunist, staking only on the events their own house excels in, and so upsetting the fairness of the contest!"

Fairness? Old Master Han thought to himself. Your rules may sound fair enough, but for the Hidden Han Family they are the height of unfairness!

"Exactly. Rules must be constantly perfected before they can be fair!" Old Master Zhuang nodded in agreement.

"In this contest, every family must place a stake whether or not it enters the competition—even in forfeiting, a stake must be laid!" said Old Master Zhao. "Let me explain the rules of this contest in detail!"

"Very well, we are all ears!" said Old Master Pi.

Watching these men chime in and play off one another, Han Tianba found them utterly hypocritical. Thank goodness Wei Zhao was there to help; otherwise Han Tianba would have died of sheer fury.

"In every match, each family puts up one treasure as the wager—whether competing or forfeiting, the stake must be laid!" Old Master Zhao explained. "The winner of each match takes all the other stakes except those of the families that placed second and third; and the second- and third-place families may, once the match is over, take back what is theirs!

The first-place family, moreover, has the right of exchange. For instance, if it has its eye on something held by the second- or third-place family, it may exchange any one item from the stakes for it, and the second- and third-place families may not refuse!

Families placing outside the top three, and families that forfeited, have no right to redeem their stakes and no right of exchange!

Of course, if every family forfeits, or if all the families that did not forfeit lose their matches, then each family simply takes back what is its own, and the contest is void!"

The rule was simple enough; once Old Master Zhao had laid it out, everyone understood. To put it plainly, it was a scheme for everyone to gang up on the Han Family—hardly surprising. The rule had been drawn up by all of them together, with Han Tianba alone excluded.

Han Tianba himself had pieced together the gist of it through other channels, and hearing it now only filled in the details—chiefly the explanations concerning second and third place.

"Does anyone have any objection to these rules?" Old Master Zhao asked.

Han Tianba was left speechless. You all made these rules together—what damned objection could there be? And even if I had one, would you ever accept it?

"Good. Since there are no objections, let us proceed to the first match—the motor race!" Watching Han Tianba's stifled expression, Old Master Zhao felt greatly pleased. He had thought that bringing in Wei Zhao gave them some confidence; now it seemed there was nothing to it after all!

That Wei Zhao might be much spoken of, but in a set contest like this, he was hardly likely to be so formidable!

"Mm, this is meant as a trial for the younger generation of each house. We old fellows shouldn't waste their time!" said Old Master Yu. "Since this is a contest to spur on the young disciples, let us begin now!"

"Naturally. Old Yu is a man of great prestige and virtue—no one objects, I take it?" Old Master Zhao asked.

Since the Yu Family's old ancestor had spoken, who would dare raise an objection?

"Good. Since there are no objections, everyone go back and make ready. Bring your competing disciples and your stakes to the council hall at one o'clock this afternoon, and from there we shall go together to the winding mountain road behind our Zhao estate for the motor race!" said Old Master Zhao.

With Old Master Zhao's words concluded, the old masters and sect leaders all departed, returning to their respective lodgings to prepare for the afternoon's contest.

Though first place had already been decided in advance, second and third place had not. So those families not marked for first place all pondered whether they might seize second or third—enough, at least, to keep their stakes and avoid a loss!

In other words, these hidden families and sects, though united in their resolve to bring down the Hidden Han Family, were in fact still rivals among themselves. Whichever house took the most second and third places would be the greatest winner of all!

Han Tianba returned to his lodgings, and Han Xiaohu rose at once to greet him: "Grandfather, how did it go?"

"Just as we expected—the rules are much as we heard in advance. Even forfeiting means staking something!" said Han Tianba. "Thank goodness we prepared early. With Mr. Lin stepping in, we'd surely have lost badly otherwise!"

"So it's true!" Han Xiaohu nodded. "When does the first match begin? Which event is it?"

"One o'clock this afternoon, in the council hall. The event is the motor race!" said Han Tianba. "We'll go over together this afternoon—and bring a treasure with us!"