Dun Yan said dryly, "This, my Young Mistress didn't say. She just found something in a broken golden hairpin."
"What's so good about a broken hairpin …" Dan Ying reacted and realized what she was talking about. "Wait, you just said it was in a golden hairpin? Where did it come from? "
Dun Yan replied, "It was left behind by that person."
Dan Ying narrowed his eyes. That person? He stood up and straightened his clothes that were wrinkled from the rush. "Let's go. Let's go see Yao Yingxue together."
Li Yingying, who was about to leave, saw Dan Ying turn around again and her heart tightened. However, this time, Dan Ying didn't even look at her and just followed Dun Yan. This made Dan Ying nervous and slowly relieved. Thinking about it, they probably wouldn't come looking for her again.
Mei 'er saw Li Yingxue standing by the door in a daze and couldn't help but call out with concern, "Young Mistress?"
Li Yingxue came back to her senses and shook her head. She said nothing and then said, "Let's go to the Imperial Garden. After today, we might not be able to walk around the palace."
Mei 'er didn't understand, but she was an honest person. If her mistress didn't say anything, she wouldn't ask. She helped Li Yingxue to the Imperial Garden and said that September was a good time to admire osmanthus flowers. She asked Li Yingxue if she wanted to go to the osmanthus garden.
Li Yingxue smiled and said, "Just in time. Let's go pick some and make some osmanthus cakes."
It was Wei Lingquan's turn to send her family out of the city. Wei Hanchuan looked at his sister who was dressed up as a noblewoman and felt both sad and happy. In the end, he cupped his hands and bowed solemnly, "Hanchuan thanks the Princess for her righteousness!"
Wei Lingquan's eyes were red. She stretched out her hands and stopped him halfway. Her face under the veil became blurred. "As the Princess of Liu Kingdom, Lingquan has done everything she can for Liu Kingdom."
Wei Hanchuan stood up and looked at King Youran who was outside the pavilion. He said, "Sister, live well with King Youran in the future. I've been watching coldly these days. The Emperor of Da Qing is dealing with the aristocratic families. Sister, you don't have to be too anxious to integrate into the circle of noblewomen. It's more important to calm down and adapt to life in the prince's residence."
Wei Lingquan nodded. Wei Hanchuan bowed again, got up and walked down the pavilion. He bowed to King Youran again and said, "Please take care of Lingquan."
Luo Shuang Li also hurriedly returned the greeting, saying: "Princess Ling Quan has a gentle temperament, and is quite liked by Imperial Mother. Prince Hanchuan, please be at ease."
"Thank you, King Youran." Having received the assurance, Wei Hanchuan bowed for the fourth time today, fulfilling the last of his sibling relationship with Wei Lingquan. Finally, he turned around and boarded the carriage.
Looking at the fleet of carriages that was much simpler than when they first arrived, Wei Lingquan stared blankly. Even though his vision was blurred by tears, he still stared blankly until the fleet of carriages went further and further away, finally becoming small dots.
Luo Shuangli walked to her side and reached out to help her gather her cloak, saying: "Wangfei, the wind is strong here, we should go back."
Wei Lingquan tilted her head and looked at the thin and weak man. She nodded and sat on the carriage of King Youran's Mansion along with his arm which was barely enough to hold her. Although her pretty face was still sad, she was thinking about what Wei Hanchuan said to her just now. Combined with the conversation between the two daughters-in-law of the Yang Family, she had a rough idea.
However, King Youran was still young and not yet 20 years old, and the Yang Family had been ostracized by various forces because of the five daughters-in-law. In addition, they had formed their own faction in the imperial court with the most solid blood ties, faintly showing a kind of detached "hermit's style". In addition, it was not strange that she, Princess Youran, was not familiar with the customs of the capital and rarely went out.
Since the envoy of the Liu Kingdom had left, there was no reason for the two from the Yuan Kingdom to stay. However, fate was always wonderful in this world. The Yuan Kingdom did not sincerely want to make peace. They just saw that the Liu Kingdom was close to Da Qing because of the famine, and the Yuan Kingdom did not have the strength to swallow Da Qing, so they could only suppress some thoughts that they should not have for the time being.
However, the Monarch of the Yuan Kingdom, Wanyan Langhuang, proposed a new martial arts competition before leaving. As for why it was said to be new, it was because the Yuan Kingdom would only send one person, and this person was Wanyan Langhuang's biological sister, Lady Jia Jia. There were many women in Da Qing who practiced martial arts. Just in Luoshuanga's harem, there were Consort Yan, Bai Suyan, and Concubine Zhao, Jo Cang-il.
Of course, the Liu Kingdom maintained their usual arrogance and left some harsh words. The general idea was that the Yuan Kingdom would only send Lady Jia Jia, and the winner would be decided in three rounds. Da Qing could pick three people to fight her, but Da Qing could not really pick three people to fight. After all, this was a ceremonial event, and it was to give face to both countries.
Because it was a martial arts competition between women, the Ministry of Rites of Da Qing had a headache. According to their usual logic, matters between women should be considered as a harem activity. This should be placed in the harem and handed over to the harem and the Ministry of Rites to handle. However, this was a diplomatic interaction between the two countries.
The officials of the Ministry of Rites gathered together and discussed for a long time before they decided on a plan that was half harem and half front court. The half front court would be the location of the martial arts competition in front of the Wan Guo Palace, where the guests were received. The half back court would be the harem's fifth-rank concubines and concubines would be present, and a screen would be used to block the view of the officials of the front court.
In the end, unexpectedly, Luoshuanga did not choose the two female generals. Instead, he chose someone that no one expected. She was currently the highest-ranking woman in the harem — a second-rank mistress, Lady Wen Yu of Wen Clan.
When the decree was issued, everyone in the front court and the harem asked the same question in a rare moment of tacit understanding: Lady Wen Yu knows martial arts?
When the Wen family received this decree, they only felt that the sky had fallen. Lady Wen Yu had been raised in the family for more than ten years. The men of the Wen family only knew some flowery martial arts, not to mention a woman in the harem. This was clearly a trap set by His Majesty!
In the harem, everyone was very surprised, including Bai Suyan herself. Originally, she had thought that it would be her. After all, Concubine Zhao had been seriously injured previously. It was fine for her to walk for a while, but it was difficult for her to run a few steps, much less use martial arts. Thus, it was natural that everyone thought it would be Bai Suyan, including herself. In the past two days, she had even practiced swordsmanship in the courtyard, which she had not done in a long time.
However, some people, such as guipin Ning, still remembered that Consort Yan had just experienced a serious illness and her health was not very good. Furthermore, she had not used martial arts in three years. It was hard to say who would win against Lady Jiajia.
However, no one had thought that His Majesty would trap Lady Wen Yu, who no one knew or had never seen fight before. "Is His Majesty planning to directly lose to Lady Jiajia?" In Liuying Hall, Chun guipin spilled out her thoughts.
In the past few days, Bai Suyan had practiced swordsmanship. Perhaps they found it novel, so Chun guipin and Liang guipin came over to watch. Even Mu fei of Xuexiu Palace had brought everyone in the palace to set up a table and prepared their own tea and snacks. They watched with great interest, causing Bai Suyan to silently roll her eyes a few times.
"Consort Yan, does this Lady Wen Yu have a chance of winning?" Jin guipin had caught a glimpse of Lady Jiajia's martial arts. As an outsider, she did not know the level of the other's martial arts. However, to be able to send two young and strong people flying with one whip, she had some real skills.
Bai Suyan furrowed her brows and said, "Ben gong has never seen Lady Wen Yu fight, so it's hard to judge."
When these words came out, the atmosphere in the hall became heavy. Although at the beginning, the people of the hougong had only treated this matter as a diplomatic activity to watch, there was no reason to give up victory so easily.
Mu fei said, "How about Consort Yan and Lady Wen Yu exchange a few blows?"
Bai Suyan was slightly hesitant. Based on her understanding of Luoshuanga, he was not the kind of person who would make meaningless decisions. He was a ruthless person who was not willing to admit defeat even when he saw the coffin. She did not believe that he would give up so easily. However, even though she had not interacted with Lady Wen Yu for long, she really did not see that this person knew martial arts.
There was one person who was calm and at ease. It was Zhao guipin who could come out and walk. She laughed loudly and said, "What are you thinking so much for? You will know when the time comes."
En, when the time comes, they will know … my ass! The imperial concubines present forcibly suppressed the vulgarities they almost blurted out. When the time comes, would it be too late?
Then they looked at Bai Suyan and Zhao guipin, their gazes all carried a hint of complaint. Why can't you two fight at this time?
Zhao guipin was thick-skinned and did not care at all. She even had the mood to call for the palace servants to fill up the plate of pastries she had finished eating. Bai Suyan was slightly upset. She stroked her sword that had not been unsheathed for a long time. Her heart was also filled with mixed feelings. In these three years, because she had been undercover in the Mu family, she could not reveal her martial arts. Later, because she had been hindered by the affairs of the hougong, it had been a long time since she had practiced martial arts without distraction.
As a soldier, it was already a shame that she could not display her value on the battlefield. Now, she could not even display her full potential in a ceremonial setting. How cruel was this to Bai Suyan?
Speaking of which, Lady Wen Yu had probed or questioned everyone in the hougong. Her response was to close the doors and decline all visitors. She expressed to the outside world: Ben gong is very tired. Ben gong needs to rest. Don't disturb Ben gong.
Thus, in the midst of everyone's uneasiness and even exaggeratedly ashen faces, the day of the martial arts competition finally arrived. When everyone saw Lady Wen Yu's attire, they did not have much hope. Which martial arts competitor would wear such a heavy ceremonial robe like her? The ornaments on her head were complicated and gorgeous. When the time came, would she be able to run in the arena?
On the Yuan country's side, at the beginning, their gazes were also on Bai Suyan and Jo Cang-il, the two former generals. These two people were not unfamiliar to them. Even though Madame Jia Jia had not fought with Bai Suyan before, the other people of the Yuan country had encountered her before. However, Lady Wen Yu had appeared out of nowhere. Da Qing was truly a place of crouching tigers and hidden dragons.
An unfamiliar enemy was far more difficult to deal with than an opponent you were familiar with!
Madame Jia Jia was originally prepared for battle, but when she saw the heavy and inconvenient makeup on the other side, she became disdainful. Did this Da Qing Emperor really think that she was an ordinary weak woman? This kind of delicate and weak woman couldn't even withstand a single whip from her!
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
