The figure visibly froze upon hearing Ouyang Yue's words, but did not raise its head. It continued to sigh helplessly, shaking its head in silence, and continued pacing back and forth...
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Chen's strange behavior and was too lazy to pay attention to her. She quickly pulled down the bed curtains again and snorted coldly, "I'm going to sleep. You leave right now, or don't blame me for being impolite."
The footsteps in the room stopped, then resumed shortly. Baili Chen approached the bedside with extremely light steps. Ouyang Yue, however, was far from asleep, lying on the bed with a furrowed brow, gazing indifferently at the bedside. After a while, a tall figure stood before the bed. The figure hesitated for a long time before slowly pulling back the bed curtains a small gap. A pair of eyes peeked out, followed by half a face framed by the eyes, and finally a full face. Baili Chen peeked out from behind the bed curtains, the first thing he saw being Ouyang Yue's extremely cold face. He couldn't help but purse his lips, a hint of grievance on his face, and said, "My wife~"
Ouyang Yue looked at him expressionlessly without saying a word. Baili Chen was somewhat at a loss, his protruding head shrinking back slightly before peeking back again. He pouted unhappily, looking weakly at Ouyang Yue. He was already incomparably handsome, and with that "you've bullied me" expression, anyone else would feel guilty. However, this method was completely ineffective in front of Ouyang Yue. She simply continued to look at Baili Chen coldly, even revealing a slight sneer. Baili Chen knew that Ouyang Yue was angry, but considering his purpose today, he absolutely could not leave unceremoniously.
Baili Chen pursed his lips slightly, his eyes flickering as he looked at Ouyang Yue. Then, his eyes became misty and foggy. Was he crying?
Ouyang Yue couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Baili Chen crying? That's a joke. What's this guy up to now? She had previously made a three-point agreement with him: after returning to the capital, he was not allowed to barge into the General's Mansion at will, and even more so, he was not allowed to come and see her casually. With this shameless person, if she didn't take a firm stance, she wouldn't be able to control him. But now, looking at that three-point agreement, it was clear that it wasn't very effective.
Ouyang Yue, of course, was unaware that Baili Chen had initially felt he was being too persistent, which had made Ouyang Yue somewhat resentful. It was time for him to show his sincerity. He had originally intended to keep his word, but the appearance of Xuan Yuan Chaohua had put too much pressure on him. He and Xuan Yuan Chaohua had known each other since childhood, and neither of them had ever been willing to concede to the other. At the same time, they both knew each other's strength better than anyone else; Xuan Yuan Chaohua was his equal. If Xuan Yuan Chaohua got there first, even he wasn't confident he could ultimately win Ouyang Yue's heart. How could he not be anxious? After much thought, he realized he still needed to ask his wife for a promise.
Baili Chen looked at Ouyang Yue as if he was about to cry, his lips pressed into a thin line. He looked weakly at Ouyang Yue, appearing pitiful as if he had been bullied. However, the latter still looked at Baili Chen indifferently. Would this guy be bullied? He should be laughing all the way to the bank if he didn't bully others.
Baili Chen's lips moved slightly, his voice trembling, "Wife, I'm sorry... I missed you so much that I couldn't help but come to see you. Please don't be angry." Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow. It was rare to see Baili Chen acting like such a submissive wife. No matter how exaggerated his acting was before, he would never stoop to this kind of act. Baili Chen suddenly flung open the bed curtains and thrust himself inside. Ouyang Yue, however, raised an eyebrow and reached out to slap Baili Chen's face. Baili Chen looked completely unprepared and was stunned. Ouyang Yue's palm was only half a finger's distance from his face. If he had taken another step closer, the slap would have landed directly.
Baili Chen narrowed his eyes, curled his lips into a smile, and said, "Mwah," "Pop," pouting as he gave him a kiss.
Ouyang Yue suddenly felt a soft, ticklish sensation in her palm, which made her instinctively pull her hand away. Baili Chen was still pouting and trying to kiss her again. Ouyang Yue said coldly, "Have you forgotten our three rules? What are you doing in the General's Mansion so late at night, in my room? Go back now."
Baili Chen shrugged, saying helplessly, "My wife, you must know how I feel. A day apart from you feels like three autumns. After so many days apart, I feel my hair has turned white, and my heart has aged. If I didn't see you soon, I'd be going to meet the King of Hell. But there's no other way. With such a beautiful woman like you by my side, I can't die so young; I'd regret it for generations. So, I had no choice but to sneak a peek at you at night, just a glimpse, just to put my mind at ease. But you're really something, my wife." Baili Chen scratched his head sheepishly. "I was still hesitating about coming, but before I could even make up my mind, you spotted me. It seems I really can't do anything bad; I can't escape your sharp eyes."
Ouyang Yue didn't speak, but just looked at Baili Chen indifferently. Baili Chen hunched his shoulders, lowered his eyes, and gently leaned in. Then the bed curtains fell, and Baili Chen went straight to the bedside and sat down. Ouyang Yue frowned: "What exactly do you want to do? I said I was going to sleep. Go back now. I don't want to see you lately."
A hint of gloom flickered in Baili Chen's eyes. Did he not want to see him now, but instead had to see that bastard Xuan Yuan Chaohua? Baili Chen felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, and he clenched his fist slightly as he said, "Wife, please have pity on me. You have no idea how much I miss you."
Ouyang Yue squinted at him. Pitiful? Did this guy need to be pitied? This kind of guy who sneaks into women's boudoirs at night should have been caught and beaten to death long ago. She hadn't done anything, which was already being very kind to him, and he still dared to make these other demands: "What, Seventh Prince, you're quite skilled at sneaking into women's boudoirs at night? Whenever you get caught, do you like to put on this pitiful expression to gain sympathy? How many people have you fooled with this trick? Unfortunately, I don't buy it. What other tricks does the Seventh Prince plan to use to make me fall for it now?" Ouyang Yue's face was full of sarcasm. Of course, she didn't know that Baili Chen came tonight entirely because he was burning with jealousy. She only felt that the three rules they had made when they first agreed to them had been agreed to, but now he changed them at will, which was completely disrespectful to her. Of course, she was also angry.
Baili Chen's face darkened, and he snorted, "What, in your heart I'm the kind of person who likes to fawn over pretty ladies? Am I that indiscriminate?"
Ouyang Yue sneered but remained silent, only glancing at Baili Chen with a faint expression that clearly conveyed the same meaning. Baili Chen's face darkened. Could it be that she had truly fallen for Xuan Yuan Chaohua, hence her coldness towards him? Baili Chen felt a surge of anger. Their trust over the past year, though Ouyang Yue had always denied it, had clearly reached the point where they would marry no one but him. He was determined to have Ouyang Yue and would never allow her to escape.
A glint flashed in Baili Chen's eyes, and he suddenly turned and pressed down on Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue snorted coldly and suddenly blocked with her arm, sweeping towards Baili Chen. Baili Chen leaned back quickly and then reached out to grab her. Ouyang Yue twisted her body, and her other hand flashed out quickly. Baili Chen hurriedly tried to block, but the bright white light flashed, and he was slightly stunned. The next moment, the dagger in Ouyang Yue's hand was already coldly pressed against his neck. Baili Chen's body stiffened, and he stared at Ouyang Yue in disbelief: "You actually used this thing to fight me."
Ouyang Yue paused for a moment when she saw his expression, but said coldly, "Since you don't know how to respect me, I'll teach you."
Baili Chen harbored an unconcealable rage and sneered, "Ouyang Yue, who do you think you are? How dare you treat me like this? Do you think I don't have the ability to take you down? If I want you, it will be effortless for me."
Ouyang Yue also sneered: "Fine, you can try and see if you have the ability. At worst, we'll all perish together. I'm not afraid of that. I've always hated being threatened, no one can."
Baili Chen recalled their time in the cave. Although Ouyang Yue was always cold back then, it was nothing like her current indifference. They spent every day together, and he thought Yue'er must have gotten used to him being by her side. But back in the capital, she acted as if they had never been through anything together, making him make a pact not to see her. She suppressed her urge to see her and waited for an opportunity. Was his longing for her all laughable?
He was willing to wait, knowing Yue'er still harbored some shyness, and she was only fourteen. His desire for her was too intense; he didn't want to take her before marriage, fearing it would cause her trouble, and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself. But he hadn't expected to hear that someone wanted to take advantage of her. How could he sit still? He only wanted a promise from her tonight, but what was she doing? She stared at him coldly, as if his actions were some heinous crime. Back on Mount Tian, they had slept together, embraced each other—why wasn't she overly wary then? Was it really because she had taken a liking to Xuan Yuan Chao Hua?
Baili Chen's face was ashen, unaware of Ouyang Yue's thoughts. Ouyang Yue, in turn, was unaware that Baili Chen had broken into her room that night out of jealousy. She only felt that Baili Chen was being disrespectful to her.
In her past life, she was a person of high status. Even some important figures in the country wouldn't treat her arrogantly or boss her around. She possessed the strength to command absolute respect. Here, however, not only did she face various struggles and conspiracies immediately upon her rebirth, but she also failed to protect Su'er. Didn't she feel any regret? Regret for coming here? Regret for being too reckless? Moreover, her thoughts couldn't be shared with outsiders; no one would understand. However, she wasn't truly cold-blooded. Baili Chen's appearance had stirred a small ripple in her heart. She admitted that their trip to Tianshan had indeed made her feel favorably towards Baili Chen, but that didn't mean Baili Chen could disrespect her.
Did he think her words were just empty talk? Were their three-point agreement meaningless? Did someone like this even deserve her consideration for their relationship? He was so domineering now. She knew that when a man pursued a woman, he treated her like a treasure, but once he had her, he could easily treat her like trash. So, she shouldn't so easily abandon her pride. Besides, she was here, where the standards for women were extremely high. Even when a man and woman held hands, people would practically accuse them of having an affair. What did Baili Chen take her for? A prostitute? Where was his respect?
Actually, this was also one of Ouyang Yue's flaws. In her previous life, she was too hardworking, constantly striving throughout her life, and never thought about romance or love between men and women. Dating? What was that? She never took it seriously, otherwise she wouldn't have chosen to have a child through IVF. Besides, with her modern mindset, talking to a man was perfectly normal. How could she have imagined that Baili Chen was so angry just because she had spoken to Xuan Yuan Chao Hua alone during the day? The only possibility she could think of was that Baili Chen had stood her up.
The two stared at each other coldly, their eyes flashing with anger that seemed to crackle in the air, creating an atmosphere more tense than ever before.
"Do you really like him that much?" After a long while, Baili Chen suddenly spoke. His voice was somewhat low, and there seemed to be an undercurrent flowing in his eyes as he looked at Ouyang Yue.
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Chen with a puzzled expression, not understanding what was going on, but remained silent. Her expression was very calm. Seeing this, Baili Chen couldn't help but mock, a wicked smile curving his lips: "But don't forget, you're already mine. I won't give you the chance to fall into someone else's arms. You don't have that chance." Baili Chen grabbed Ouyang Yue's slender waist. "I've seen every part of your body. If necessary, I wouldn't mind making you truly mine."
In her past life, Ouyang Yue had heard countless such threats, but she always made those who threatened her suffer terribly. She was never afraid. She sneered, "How could I not know the Seventh Prince's strength? I have every reason to believe that a treacherous villain like you is capable of anything. You want it? Fine, you can have it now. But afterwards, get as far away from me as possible. Otherwise, I'll kill you every time I see you. Unless you're confident you can always be on guard and prevent me from getting close, I will show no mercy and kill you!" Ouyang Yue's expression was indescribably cold; no one who saw it would think she was joking.
Baili Chen's face was extremely ugly: "How could you treat me like this? Don't you care about what happened before?"
Ouyang Yue looked at him coldly: "I saved you back then, so I've repaid all the favors I owed you. I gave you the Heavenly Snow Lotus to cure the Gu, and you gave me something of equal value in return. We don't owe each other anything now, so you have no right to ask me for anything, understand?"
"If you're not qualified, does that mean you're not qualified to love me either!" Baili Chen suddenly roared. "You...you really fell in love with him at first sight? What a joke! Regardless of status, martial arts skills, or talent, I'm confident I'm no less than her. You...you even spent over a year with me in Tianshan, looking at a handsome man like me every day. How could you possibly fall in love with him? What a joke! I don't believe it!"
Enraged, Baili Chen wrapped his arms around Ouyang Yue's waist and bit her hard. Ouyang Yue was startled by Baili Chen's roar. She was initially puzzled, but then she was startled. Her mind involuntarily recalled the incident earlier that day when she had sent Xuan Yuan Chaohua away. She thought about how Baili Chen had kept his promise to her for so many days, and his strange appearance tonight seemed to be related to the daytime events. Her moment of surprise gave Baili Chen an opportunity. He flipped over onto the bed and pressed down on Ouyang Yue, his lips attacking hers fiercely. Ouyang Yue's lips immediately turned a vibrant red.
Baili Chen no longer wanted to be gentle. The thought of Ouyang Yue nestled in Xuan Yuan Chaohua's arms, chatting and laughing softly, filled him with rage. No, he would never allow such a thing to happen, absolutely not. Even if Yue'er wanted to, he would imprison her for life and never let her leave!
Baili Chen's face turned cold, and his kisses continued to move down from her lips to her neck, behind her ears, and then slowly down again. Wherever they touched, the force made Ouyang Yue tremble. But Baili Chen didn't want to stop there. His kisses became more forceful, and they reached her chest. His hands slid gently down her stomach.
Ouyang Yue's body suddenly trembled, her mind reeling, and she uttered a low cry: "No!"
"Are you still going to reject me?" Baili Chen looked hurt and sad as he looked at Ouyang Yue. Was their year-long relationship really less valuable than a single meeting with Xuan Yuan Chao Hua? He absolutely could not accept such a defeat.
Ouyang Yue angrily raised her hand and slapped Baili Chen hard across the face. Baili Chen pursed her lips, gritted her teeth, and glared at Ouyang Yue. Ignoring her disheveled clothes, Ouyang Yue coldly returned her gaze: "What do you take me for? A prostitute from a brothel, or a foolish woman with no taste? I really misjudged you. I used to have a little bit of goodwill towards you, but now it's all gone."
"Yeah, your heart has turned to someone else, so you don't care about me anymore," Baili Chen said sullenly, turning his head away with a cold snort.
Ouyang Yue angrily retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about? I've never even met Xuan Yuan Chaohua before. Would I have such feelings for him? Do you think I'm the kind of person who falls in love with every girl I meet? Get out of here. I don't want to see you now, no, I never want to see you again."
Baili Chen was taken aback, his eyes lighting up as he hurriedly asked, "You don't have feelings for Xuan Yuan Chaohua? Then why did you see him off with such a smile? Weren't you a little tempted by his abilities and looks? You weren't even that nice to me..." Ouyang Yue stared coldly at Baili Chen, who didn't dare say anything more, stammering, "Wife, I was just too angry. I was jealous. You seem to like him much more than me, and I was afraid you'd fall for someone else and leave me. You don't know how worried I was when I heard that. I... I couldn't stand it anymore, so I came to ask for confirmation. But you were so cold to me. I felt bad, I acted impulsively. I was wrong, wife, please don't be angry..." Baili Chen was truly a man who could let go easily. Just a moment ago he was furious, but now he had a smiling face, pleading for forgiveness with a strong sense of appeasement.
Ouyang Yue snorted coldly: "I can't bear that. In your eyes, I'm no different from those promiscuous women in brothels. I'm a woman who falls in love with every man she sees and has no self-respect. I can't bear the Seventh Prince's favor. Seventh Prince, please leave. We have nothing to talk about."
Baili Chen said with a bitter face, "Wife, I was wrong. Please forgive me this time. I care about you too much. I was jealous. Please forgive me this time. I won't do it again next time."
Ouyang Yue snorted, "You can leave now, I'm going to sleep." After saying that, she turned around, facing away from Baili Chen, and closed her eyes to sleep.
Baili Chen stared blankly. He had never apologized so earnestly before, but his dear wife was not buying it at all. Baili Chen pursed his lips, panting heavily with anxiety. But after a while, his eyes lit up.
Ouyang Yue only felt a rustling sound behind her, and the next moment she felt something hard against her back. Ouyang Yue was stunned and turned her head in surprise, only to see Baili Chen's face, which was as bright as a hundred flowers in bloom, already pressed against her. Angered, she raised her leg and kicked Baili Chen in the groin. Baili Chen broke out in a cold sweat and immediately squeezed his legs together, barely managing to trap Ouyang Yue's legs. He almost ruined her. He looked at Ouyang Yue with a wronged expression and said, "Wife, how could you be so cruel? If you use any more force, you will regret it later."
Ouyang Yue glared at him angrily: "No, I will never regret crippling a scoundrel like you. I will only be overjoyed. This is a noble act of saving countless young girls in the world."
Baili Chen pouted and said, "My wife, I only have you as my woman. How could I have countless young girls in the world? Although I'm embarrassed, but... but I've never touched a woman before, except for you. You, as the emperor, hugged and kissed me all the time. You've done this and that to me. Other women wouldn't dare to want me anymore. You've already labeled me, haven't you? Let's not talk about others, let's just talk about our own affairs."
Ouyang Yue sneered and poked Baili Chen's forehead with her finger, but then she realized what was going on. She hadn't expected Baili Chen to actually be upset about her seeing Xuan Yuan Chaohua off earlier that day. This guy was incredibly jealous! What was all this about? She couldn't help but say, "Never been with a woman? You're a prince, do you think I'd believe that? And all this talk about labels? I have no relation to you whatsoever. Stop trying to confuse me; it won't work."
Baili Chen's head twitched as Ouyang Yue tapped his finger, but he wasn't angry. He smiled and said, "Wife, I know I misunderstood you. You're definitely going to be angry. You can scold or hit me however you want, but don't say it's okay. I'm all yours now. What am I going to do if you don't want me?"
Ouyang Yue snorted, "I don't want you, but a bunch of people will be fighting over you. Now that you've been cured of the poison, you don't need to pretend to be sick anymore. As long as this news gets out, the Emperor will have countless petitions and notes on his desk tomorrow. You're not afraid that no one will want you. Stop pretending with me. Do you think I'm stupid?"
“My wife, you’re the smartest person. Who would be a fool? You’re right, but I only love you. No matter how beautiful they are, I won’t like them.” Baili Chen felt bitter inside. He was burning with jealousy, blinded by it all. He had gone to so much trouble to make his wife less resistant to him. He knew her personality well enough. Who was Xuan Yuan Chaohua? How could she possibly fall in love with him at first sight? Hmph, it was probably Xuan Yuan Chaohua who deliberately had his wife escort him, creating a misunderstanding to make a preemptive strike. Little did he know, Xuan Yuan Chaohua had made his move long before him; he had no chance. However, while Xuan Yuan Chaohua’s misunderstanding was cleared up, he was now in trouble. He knew how angry his wife must be after saying so many hurtful things. It would be incredibly difficult to appease her.
"Oh? So in your heart, everyone else is a celestial being descended to earth? Then what am I? Hmm, the ugliest woman in the world, a woman without virtue, a vicious woman, is that it? Alas, I'm really sorry, that's just who I am, I've offended the Seventh Prince's eyes." Ouyang Yue glanced at Baili Chen, humming a monotonous tune, which made Baili Chen's lips twitch.
"My wife, please don't be angry. You know perfectly well that's not what I meant. I was just praising you."
"Oh, thank you very much, but unfortunately I don't need it," Ouyang Yue said calmly, raising an eyebrow.
"My dear wife~ what do you want from me to forgive me? I know I was wrong. I was just too worried about you, and I was afraid you'd like someone else and leave me. Please don't be angry with me anymore, okay?" Baili Chen blinked. His eyes were naturally bright and dark, and the way he pouted and blinked was actually quite adorable. Ouyang Yue immediately felt a chill. Baili Chen was a man, and he was acting cute? How embarrassing!
"I said I needed to rest, why are you so annoying? When will you stop?"
Baili Chen said directly, "I'll warm the bed with my wife. You can sleep peacefully, I won't disturb you."
Ouyang Yue couldn't help but roll her eyes. How could she sleep with him there? "Alright, just leave already. Are you trying to stop me from sleeping? It'll be dawn soon if I wait any longer."
"Then my wife forgives me?" Baili Chen asked hurriedly.
"Ah, you can go back now." Ouyang Yue could only say helplessly. Baili Chen's eyes lit up, and he planted a big kiss on Ouyang Yue's cheek. The latter stared at him with wide eyes. Baili Chen also knew better and quickly got out of bed, smiling as he looked at Ouyang Yue: "Wife, that's great. I'll go back now. Sleep well, my wife." He sighed with some regret as he spoke. Actually, he really wanted to sleep with his wife.
Ouyang Yue snorted coldly and turned to lie down to rest. But as soon as Baili Chen left, she sighed. How did she end up being entangled with such a scoundrel? It was truly a headache. This body was only fourteen years old; who knew what the future held? Besides, Baili Chen had wronged her without even asking what happened. It was too easy for him to forgive her so easily.
snort!
Two days later, at the city gate.
Two horses suddenly galloped in. "Whoa!" The horses stopped abruptly, and the woman in the carriage smiled at the two women who had stopped at the city gate, saying, "Ru Shuang, have you been waiting long?"
Li Rushuang, who had been somewhat bored, turned her head and immediately smiled, "I just arrived too! Let me see, Yue'er, you're getting more and more beautiful." Li Rushuang laughed and jumped off her horse. Ouyang Yue also jumped off her horse, and Li Rushuang immediately reached out and hugged her. This was a very rare gesture at this time, but it made Ouyang Yue smile. Li Rushuang was considered her best friend here, so seeing her naturally made her very happy.
"Ru Shuang, it's been a year since we last met. How are you?"
"Oh, I'm perfectly fine. It's you who suffered so much. That Rui Yuhuan is utterly unreasonable. She stole your favor and forced you to leave the capital. She's so hateful! I even wanted to take some people to her house and beat her up, but my mother was afraid I'd cause trouble, so she locked me up at home." Li Rushuang was still very angry as she spoke. When she first heard the news, her first reaction was indeed to take some people to the General's Mansion to vent her anger on Ouyang Yue. However, knowing her personality, she was afraid something serious might happen, so her mother locked her up at home and wouldn't let her go out. Otherwise, she really didn't know what might have happened.
Ouyang Yue smiled. As for what happened that year, because it involved Baili Chen's Gu poison and the Red Maple Mountain, Ouyang Yue wouldn't talk about it casually. Since so many people misunderstood, let them misunderstand. Anyway, not all the rumors were false, some were true. She said, "I feel bad for making you worry too."
"Hey, what are you saying? It's normal for a friend to be concerned, but thank goodness you're back, otherwise I would have gone crazy. Are you... alright?" Li Rushuang stared intently at Ouyang Yue, asking worriedly.
Ouyang Yue patted her shoulder and smiled, "Don't worry, I'm fine. When I hid, I didn't actually go too far from the capital. Don't worry, I'm alright."
Li Rushuang nodded and said, "Then I'm relieved. Alright, let's talk on the way. Get on the horse."
"Okay, let's go." Then Ouyang Yue, along with Dongxue and Li Rushuang, along with her maid, mounted their horses and galloped out of the city.
Originally, Li Rushuang had sent an invitation to Ouyang Yue to go out, and Ouyang Yue had agreed at the time. However, due to matters at the manor, she did not accept the invitation immediately. Now that things had settled down a bit, she sent Dongxue with a letter, and Li Rushuang invited Ouyang Yue to go out today.
"Ru Shuang, what exactly is this horse race you mentioned?" When I sent a letter to Li Ru Shuang, she replied that she wanted to go and see the horse race. Actually, Ouyang Yue didn't have many friends or social circles in the capital, so she didn't know about the entertainment venues frequented by noble young men and women. Li Ru Shuang only learned about it by chance. Since they both liked horseback riding, they naturally wanted to go and see it.
Li Rushuang, having inquired about the past, said, "This racetrack was originally started by two merchants competing for shops and land. Later, more merchants joined in, and it flourished. Eventually, it was bought out by two playboy sons, who then built an estate on the outskirts of the city, where they kept over a hundred horses. Through their promotion, it attracted the interest of many playboys, and soon the news spread among the noble young masters and ladies."
"It's not surprising that these young noblemen like me, but why do those young ladies from prestigious families like me?" Ouyang Yue wondered. All the young ladies from prestigious families she had met were very reserved, always preferring to appear gentle, dignified, and delicate. These qualities didn't match what they considered to be rough horse racing, so they probably wouldn't like it.
Li Rushuang couldn't help but laugh sarcastically, explaining, "Yue'er, you should know that the beauty pageant in Langya Continent is about to begin, right?"
“It’s been less than half a year, it’s almost here.” Ouyang Yue nodded. Because this beauty pageant is a grand event for the Langya Continent, many countries participate. So, it doesn’t usually have a specific location. Each time it’s held, it rotates among the participating major countries. This year, the Great Zhou Dynasty is hosting the event. She has also heard that the court has sent the Ministry of Rites to start preparing for it. It’s estimated that the participants from the major countries will arrive one or two months from now, and the capital city will be very lively then.
“I know you’ve never been interested in beauty pageants, so you haven’t looked into them. The reason why the horse race is so popular with the young ladies of the capital is actually because of the beauty pageant,” Li Rushuang explained. Ouyang Yue was somewhat surprised. Li Rushuang continued, “The beauty pageant on the Langya Continent includes both literary and martial arts categories. The participating ladies must be proficient in poetry, songs, calligraphy, painting, music, chess, and even horsemanship and archery to have a chance of winning the championship.”
"This beauty pageant has quite a few categories." It's not much different from modern beauty pageants; it's all about overall qualities.
"Yes, but the goals set for this competition are very high. Although the champions of each year are all quite good, there are only a few who truly shine because the events are too numerous and varied. Although many young ladies from prestigious families are talented, it's impossible to find so many people who are both literate and skilled in martial arts. So later, the competition was slightly modified, and the conditions were relaxed a bit, but the events remained the same. Some substitute ladies were allowed to compete, but these competitions wouldn't be the most important ones; they would only be some auxiliary events, such as horse racing. Because of this change in the competition, many young ladies felt more at ease, but finding substitutes was still not easy. The horse racing meet would recommend some people, and some prestigious families would also train their own, but they also needed to compete and test their abilities. So the suburban horse racing meet became a place for exchange."
Ouyang Yue nodded, understanding. The four riders were all quite skilled and fast, and soon they arrived at the outskirts. Upon arriving at the horse racing club, Ouyang Yue was slightly taken aback. The horse racing club was very large, at least several hundred meters in length, surrounded by walls that stretched as far as the eye could see. Two imposing stone lions stood before the entrance, and the lacquered red gate was over two meters high. The words "Horse Racing Club" hung above the gate, and four men stood below, greeting the arriving guests. One of them, upon seeing Ouyang Yue and her companions, immediately greeted them with a smile, saying, "Ladies, welcome to the horse racing club. Please come in."
Ouyang Yue, Li Rushuang, and the other three dismounted. Li Rushuang tossed the reins to him and said, "Make a record of our horses."
The attendant immediately said, "I wonder if the two ladies want to register their horses for a race?"
Horses are not allowed to run around on horseback in the racecourse, otherwise it could easily cause unrest. Therefore, registration is required regardless of whether you are participating in the race. Of course, if you are planning to participate in the race, the racecourse staff will make separate arrangements. Li Rushuang and Ouyang Yue exchanged glances and smiled: "That's quite interesting. Go ahead and get on. We'd like to have some fun too."
"Alright, please follow me to register." Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang then followed the attendant inside to register. After the horses were arranged, the two went to the racecourse. The racecourse was divided into three parts: the front yard, which was for reception and other matters; the middle yard, which was the racecourse; and the back yard, which was where the horses were stored.
As soon as the two arrived at the racecourse, they were about to find a place to sit down and watch others compete when Li Rushuang suddenly exclaimed "Eh!" Ouyang Yue looked in the direction of her gaze, but the corners of her mouth twitched involuntarily.
But then, three people walked in from the left of where they were sitting. One was dressed in black with a cold face, another was dressed in pink and smiling while waving a fan, and the third was dressed in a noble silver-white robe. They were none other than Dai Yu, Leng Caiwen, and Baili Chen. However, Ouyang Yue noticed that Baili Chen was looking at one spot with a cold expression. She turned her gaze and saw that on the other side, Xuan Yuan Chaohua, dressed in a gray robe and standing ramrod straight, was walking in with two black-clad attendants. Both of them were clearly heading towards Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang's seats!
For Baili Chen, there's a saying: rivals in love are always extremely hostile when they meet!
☆、129、A favor, a tit-for-tat response!
Xuan Yuanchaohua naturally noticed Baili Chen's furious appearance, but he didn't seem to care much. He simply walked towards Ouyang Yue with a cold expression, and after stopping, he smiled and said, "Third Miss Ouyang, we meet again."
Ouyang Yue could only reply indifferently, "General Xuanyuan," and said nothing more. At this moment, Baili Chen, Dai Yu, and Leng Caiwen walked over. Baili Chen took a step forward and blocked Xuanyuan Chaohua's way, saying, "Oh, so it's General Xuanyuan. You've finished your official duties this time, so why are you chatting here in such a leisurely manner? It's really unexpected."
Xuanyuan Chaohua glanced at Baili Chen and said indifferently, "Oh, can't I even take a stroll in my spare time? Whatever the Seventh Prince is doing here, that's what I'll do."
Baili Chen narrowed his eyes, his smile growing colder as he looked at Xuan Yuan Chaohua. He then smiled, his expression utterly indifferent. What was he here for? He was here to see his wife, of course. Baili Chen's aura grew even colder as he stared at Xuan Yuan Chaohua, a turbulent undercurrent swirling between them.
Upon seeing this, Li Rushuang was stunned and asked, "Who is that person? How dare he speak to the Seventh Prince like that? And judging from their appearance, they don't seem to have a good relationship. How did they get back? What is their relationship?" Li Rushuang couldn't help but ask Ouyang Yue.