I am born a beauty, and I am supreme

Chapter 15

"Yes, sir!" The secretary was startled and immediately turned around and ran out of the pavilion.

Chu Zhen clenched his fist, and a small note slid out from his sleeve, bearing only four words: Northern Frontier Incident.

Why...why is this happening...?

When I received this item.

I couldn't believe it myself! I thought it was just someone's prank.

Chu Zhen gritted her teeth, her once jade-like face now contorted into a hideous grimace.

"Hopefully, it's not too late!"

※※※※※

On that day, as night fell in Shundu, taking advantage of the twilight, the troops of the Nine Gates Commander marched out and opened the Wu Gate, which had not been used for nearly ten years.

The people watched in shock and discussion, only to see General Chu Gexing, the Tiger General, leading a troop of valiant warriors clad in iron armor and swords at their waists, galloping out of the city with the speed and ferocity of tigers. Judging from the attire of the iron-armored soldiers behind him and the swift and fierce movements they made, they were none other than the renowned "Ironclad Guards," the personal guards that Lord Chu had brought back from the East Sea. Following behind the Iron Guards was a long, winding procession of 20,000 troops from Shundu.

Without warning, the army marched out of the city, causing a ruckus that lasted until nearly midnight.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the city, in an attic, someone unfolded a fan and chuckled, "I wondered how long he could hold out... but his reaction wasn't too slow after all..."

Her face, as bright as the moon, was set against a fiery red dress, making her look as beautiful as a flower under the lamplight.

※※※※※

Chronology of Major Events in the State of Shun:

In the fourth year of Emperor Shun's reign (1144), as winter approached, the remnants of the Manji remnants, who had been pursued to the depths of the northern frontier by General Tianqi years before, resurfaced, burning and killing villages, attacking prefectures and counties, and plundering winter provisions. Fortunately, my Grand Secretary Chu, with foresight, uttered the famous saying, "The Emperor's weight is greater than the weight of Shun's territory; the heads of his subjects are greater than the weight of Shun's people's lives," and acted first and reported later, decisively dispatching General Chu Ge, the Tiger General, to the northern frontier, thus averting the tragedy of the bloodbath in the four northern prefectures. This event is known in history as the Northern Frontier Incident!

On the same day, the newly appointed top scholar, Le Yan, was appointed as a fifth-rank imperial bodyguard.

—Only historians can record this.

Chapter Sixteen: A Romantic Encounter

"To celebrate my official appointment at court tomorrow, today..." Hongxiu gestured and said with great enthusiasm, "Let Xiao Di treat us!"

"Young master's trick is called bullying honest people," the maid whispered.

"Little Di is honest? Haha." Mo Hua laughed.

The sword-wielding youth at the door slightly opened his eyes, gave a cold snort, and then closed them again, automatically ignoring the person who was shouting.

"Give me some face, young people should have some vigor," Tang Leyan strolled over, stretched out her fan, and lifted Xiao Di's chin. "Come on, give this young master a smile."

“Young master… my sword says he’s bored today.” Xiao Di’s eyes darted sideways, his slender eyebrows carrying a hint of murderous intent.

"That joke is hilarious," Tang Leyan coughed and chuckled dryly. "Actually, if it's about treating people... of course, it should be this young master who does it." Turning her head, she met the greedy eyes of Shishu and Mohua, and the thought of having to bleed made her feel an intense pang of heartache.

"But I heard that after what happened last time, Manyuelou has already designated the newly appointed top scholar as a person they refuse to visit." Shishu touched her face.

Mo Hua nodded: "Yes, because Full Moon Pavilion is an outstanding representative of Shundu Hotels. With him doing this, the others..."

"Does anyone not want the honored scholar himself to grace us with his presence? This is outrageous!" The scholar, enraged over his meal, shouted, "Follow me! I want to see who dares to say that I, the dignified scholar and a fifth-rank official serving the Emperor, am some kind of 'refusal to visit'!"

※※※※※

A bleak autumn wind blew through the streets of Shun Kingdom.

The autumn wind howled, swirling a leaf or two past my feet. On the entire street, only a homeless stray dog passed by, barking twice at a group of people.

"At least there's something that cares about us. There's still hope in life." Tang Leyan murmured to herself, waving lovingly at the little dog. "Come here, I'll give you a bone."

The dog let out a "woof," realizing the scam had been exposed, and the peach blossoms fell away.

"What a clever and quick-witted dog!" Shi Shu exclaimed.

"I can tell at a glance that someone is making empty promises," Mo Hua sneered.

"Young Master has quite the nerve." Shi Shu shrank back and leaned against Mo Hua.

"Yes, the effect is comparable to the Wind God. Wherever it goes, every restaurant closes down, and the temperature drops significantly," Mo Hua said, shivering.

Only Xiao Di remained unfazed.

Tang Leyan put her hand on Xiao Di's shoulder: "Xiao Di, I've realized that you're the only one who treats me the best."

Xiao Di snorted and turned her head away: "They've already said what I wanted to say."

Tang Leyan: "..."

※※※※※

"Hey, isn't this the newly crowned champion?" A familiar voice came from behind.

Tang Leyan frowned reflexively: What... that voice...

The sound of armor clanging filled the air as a white horse appeared before them, carrying a rider whose figure was dashing and whose face was radiant with happiness. Even Shi Shu and Mo Hua, amidst the bleak autumn wind, couldn't help but feel their hearts blossom with joy.

Upon hearing this voice, Xiao Di's expression grew even colder.

Tang Leyan turned around: "So it's the Nine Gates Admiral. What a pleasure to meet you. It's true what they say, 'enemies are destined to meet.'"

"Not at all, not at all. In my opinion, it is clearly fate that brought us together from a thousand miles away." The man on horseback looked down at the person on the ground, smiling warmly like a spring breeze.

Tang Leyan gave a forced smile: "The Nine Gates Admiral is really joking. Does he really think he's a beautiful lady?"

“That’s fine,” Chu Gexing said with his smile. “If the newly appointed top scholar really thinks he’s a groom eager to get married, I’d be happy to offer myself in his company.”

"What an honor it is for me, Your Majesty." He was already gritting his teeth.

"You're welcome. Speaking of which, the temperature has suddenly dropped today. Why isn't the top scholar staying at home enjoying the company of beautiful women, instead of running out into the streets to starve?"

"Yes, I felt too stuffy at home, so I came out to get some fresh air."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a fierce autumn wind swept by, and the leaves and sand in the wind rushed and hit people's faces.

"Ptooey, ptooey." Tang Leyan covered her face with her fan and spat the sand in her mouth to the side.

"Your Excellency is in high spirits, even eating sand with such gusto," Chu Gexing said slowly, swung his peacock blue cloak behind him to cover his face.

"The Nine Gates Admiral is here to inspect the city, isn't he? How dedicated! I won't keep you any longer, please come in." Tang Leyan pushed aside and bowed, holding her fan.

He thought to himself: Why aren't you leaving yet? Are you here to patrol the city or to cause trouble?

You timed this so accurately, I'm starting to suspect you're deliberately trying to embarrass me.

※※※※※

"So this is the Nine Gates Admiral who raped the young master."

"One word: beautiful! Two words: very beautiful! Three words:..."

"I know, it is very beautiful."

"The answer is perfectly acceptable."

"It's a match made in heaven, a perfect couple." The "male" naturally refers to Tang Leyan, and the "female"... just look at Chu Gexing's stunningly beautiful face and you'll know.

"Judging from the Nine Gates Admiral's expression, he seems quite interested in our young master."

"Hehe, hehe..."

"Cough, cough!" Tang Leyan coughed loudly twice, really wanting to find something to stuff the two girls' mouths shut.

※※※※※

Chu Gexing had very sharp ears, and naturally heard every word of the conversation between Shishu and Mohua. He leaned down and whispered with a slight smile, "So... I once 'forced' the top scholar... What should I do? Should I take responsibility for the top scholar?"

Whispering and laughing together—to onlookers, this scene appeared incredibly ambiguous.

Even with Tang Leyan's honed shamelessness, she couldn't resist at this moment, and her handsome face slowly flushed red.

Chu Gexing grew increasingly smug, but when he raised his head, he slightly restrained his arrogance and said in a gentle voice, "As the saying goes, better to meet by chance than by meeting by appointment. The weather is so bad today, and we have just happened to meet the top scholar. How about... I invite the top scholar to my home for a small gathering and a drink?"

These words were spoken in a gentle and refined manner, their lingering sound so captivating that even the raging autumn wind seemed to retreat, its noise diminishing.

"Oh no!" That was Tang Leyan's voice.

"Good, very good!" came the voices of Shi Shu and Mo Hua at the same time.

The three people stared intently at each other, and the one who was defeated... was naturally the one in red.

Because we all know that the minority must submit to the majority.

Chapter Seventeen: The Bridal Chamber

Chu Gexing, the Nine Gates Admiral known as a "workaholic" and always "dutiful," suddenly skipped work on a bleak autumn day.

The admiral, dismounting, affectionately linked arms with a man in red, and they walked side-by-side like buddies towards the admiral's mansion, leaving his men standing there staring at each other in bewilderment. His commander, a clever man, had recently uttered the famous line, "Life is truly as damn lonely as snow," which had been widely praised and circulated among the officials and commanders of Shundu, and deeply admired by several discerning readers—a rare honor for a professional extra. At this moment, the commander, watching the admiral's departing figure, sensed a hint of undeniable flair in the man's steady steps. Nodding and smiling, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he uttered: "Ah~~~~~ Winter has come, can spring be far behind?"

A certain innocent blond poet in a faraway country shuddered. Before he could even utter the line, "That was clearly my line," he was already killed on the spot by the unscrupulous author.

After a satisfying meal, we listened to the howling wind outside the window, but the room was warm and cozy.

The table was a mess of cups and plates, as if swept away by a gust of wind. Beside it stood a beautiful young maid, who would occasionally smile sweetly and say, "Miss, would you like another drink?" Her fair hands held the wine pot, making the viewer's eyes glaze over with intoxication.

At this moment, one can't help but think of a saying:

"Oh dear, it's true what they say, when you're full and warm, you think about sex..." The maidservant sighed contentedly, rubbing her belly.

“Shishu, don’t speak so bluntly,” Mo Hua nudged her from the side, “Sitting with you is ruining my image.”

"Anyway, the person isn't here now, so what's there to be afraid of?"

"Why hasn't the Admiral returned yet? Could it be that he's preparing to... leave?"

"What are you preparing?" Tang Leyan asked, waving her fan.

The two of them looked at her with smiles.

"After a hearty meal and drinks, it's time to go to the bridal chamber."

"You two, is this considered betraying your master for personal gain?" Tang Leyan sat in the head seat, fanning herself as she looked at Shi Shumo, who sat opposite her.

“Young master, you ate quite a lot just now. You might as well say you voluntarily sold yourself for food.” Shi Shu hurriedly jumped up and considerately poured tea for him.

"Quick-tongued, believe it or not, I'll sell you out first." He slowly picked up the tea, took a sniff, and thought, "Hmm... not bad, excellent pre-Qingming Longjing."

"Well, someone has to come and buy them!" Shi Shu said with a forced smile. "We're not as sought-after as the young master, are we?"

"You, you, you..."

"Young master, to be honest, that admiral is quite something. He's beautiful, a real beauty, and I've also inquired about his family background. He's from a respectable and wealthy family. If you marry into the family, you'll just have to eat and drink all day long." The maidservant suddenly became very professional.

Tang Leyan sized up the naughty maid and thought that if she had another mole on the corner of her mouth, she could immediately obtain a professional ice man's license.