It was merely a selection for a deputy commander, yet Emperor Mingxian personally oversaw the process, demonstrating just how important this position was. Moreover, this deputy commander position was contested among powerful families, led by the five great families. Other smaller families naturally harbored hopes, and some even secretly considered switching sides. If they could obtain the deputy commander position and increase their family's power, they could continue to rely on their original powerful families. In that case, they would not only have protection but also experience rapid growth within their own clan. Why wouldn't they do it?
This is why not only Emperor Mingxian attached great importance to it, but also the major families of the Great Zhou Dynasty. This time, Emperor Mingxian personally reviewed the candidates, and even brought two concubines from the harem: the currently favored Consort Fenyan, and Consort Zhang, the birth mother of Princess Baili Cai. As for the princes, they were all present, except for the recently deceased Fifth Prince. They included Crown Prince Baili Cheng, Third Prince Baili Jian, Fourth Prince Baili Chang, Seventh Prince Baili Chen, and Ninth Prince Baili Mao, as well as the female relatives of each prince's family: Crown Prince's concubine Lin Yingying, Third Prince's concubine Sun Meng'er, Fourth Prince's concubine Bai Ying, Seventh Prince's principal wife Ouyang Yue, and Ninth Prince's principal wife Leng Caidie. The families of the five major clans also brought many of their cousins. Some officials, though not participating, were simply there to watch the spectacle. This selection of deputy commanders was handled with extraordinary solemnity.
The competition venue is located in a royal garden on the outskirts of Beijing. This royal garden covers a large area. The entire inner garden is a garden when viewed from above. The area from the main gate to the central hall is formed by two semi-circular gardens joined together. The central hall is where many guest rooms are located. The area from the back hall to the outside is a large open space, which is surrounded by dense bamboo on all four sides. The back of the courtyard is adjacent to half a mountain, which was later expanded for landscaping. The selection competition is now being held in that large open space in the back hall, which at first glance looks more than two or three hundred square meters. So even with so many people here, it does not feel cramped at all.
On the contrary, the courtyard was surrounded by green bamboo, and a row of bright yellow coltsfoot trees in front of it bloomed in the winter, adding a touch of life to the courtyard.
Several tents were temporarily set up in the courtyard, with a viewing platform about one meter high erected in the middle, forming a four-sided enclosure so that people could watch from different angles, making it look very formal.
The seating arrangement was naturally determined by Emperor Mingxian, Consort Fen, Consort Zhang, and then the Crown Prince, according to their rank. The Prince Zhi's residence and the Prince Chen's residence were seated in the same tent. When Baili Chen helped Ouyang Yue in, Baili Zhi was sitting in the tent enjoying tea. Sun Meng'er, who was sitting next to him, had a proud smile on her lips. When she saw Ouyang Yue enter, her eyes swept over Ouyang Yue's stomach, and a hint of jealousy flashed across her face.
Surprisingly, Baili Zhi didn't show any signs of mourning. He looked at Baili Chen and said, "Seventh Brother is here. Please have a seat." The two walked over, and Baili Zhi couldn't help but turn to look at Ouyang Yue, lowering his eyes slightly as he asked, "How is Seventh Sister-in-law?"
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Third Brother. The baby has been in the correct position for more than three months. Apart from being a little sleepy, there are no other problems."
Sun Meng'er couldn't help but laugh, but the smile was not very natural, and her words were inevitably a bit sarcastic: "Oh, Princess Chen is really blessed. Didn't you hear that she has a noisy son and a quiet daughter? Princess Chen's reaction is so calm now, could this pregnancy be..." She said, looking surprised.
Ouyang Yue smiled and stroked her belly, "It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, I just want to give birth to him. I thank Consort Sun for her concern." As she spoke, her eyes seemed to casually sweep over Ouyang Yue's belly, instantly silencing Sun Meng'er's unfinished words. No matter how much she wanted to mock Ouyang Yue, it was still better than not being pregnant at all. She had married into the Prince Zhi's mansion almost a year earlier than Ouyang Yue's wedding, and now she hadn't heard a word from her. Sun Meng'er had even contacted her family long ago, searching for fertility-enhancing drugs. She had originally planned to try some methods if she saw Ouyang Yue, but once she saw Ouyang Yue, she couldn't stop talking. Now she was too ashamed to ask.
Baili Zhi looked at Ouyang Yue's belly, a slight glint in his eyes: "It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, you guys are so open-minded." Sun Meng'er had already perked up her ears to listen.
Ouyang Yue laughed: "Third brother, your wife and the prince were both quite lonely when they were young, so as long as this child is happy, that's all that matters. We haven't thought about anything else."
Sun Meng'er pursed her lips, not expecting that. Would she believe it? This was Emperor Mingxian's first grandson or granddaughter, which was of a different significance. She was the thorn in the side of many people, and they would find it difficult to let this child grow up safely!
Outside, all those participating in the selection had entered the venue. In the tent to the north sat Emperor Mingxian, Consort Fen, Consort Zhang, and others. On the other two sides, from top to bottom, sat princes and ministers. In the tent to the south, sat the contestants who had come to participate in the competition today. Naturally, the people from the five great families were the most likely to win the championship.
The Lin family sent two sons from the eldest branch of the family and the eldest son from the second branch to participate. The Ning family sent four talented sons from the side branches. The Leng family sent Ning Caixi, the eldest son from the second branch, and Leng Caixin and Ding Caihe, the two sons from the third branch. The Bai family did not participate because of its small number of members. The Sun family sent the third son from the eldest branch, who can be said to have a very impressive background.
Everyone knows that the Sun family originated from military families, just like the Bai family. There are officials in the court who forbid the soldiers and officers trained by the Sun family from their time. The Bai family rose to fame earlier, but due to gradual decline, the Sun family is now the foremost military family among the five great families. The Sun family has never abandoned its traditions and has always maintained strict requirements for its male members, primarily focusing on military careers. The Sun family's former fame was not solely due to Consort Sun; the Sun family also possessed its own unique abilities. Although the current head of the Sun family is Consort Sun's father, the old master is gradually aging, and the affairs of the family are increasingly falling to the eldest son of the main branch. Sun Bocheng has three sons and one daughter. His three sons are all highly accomplished and are now renowned junior generals in the army, possessing both talent and ability. Among the three sons, the eldest, Sun Hai, is the most composed and reserved, and is known as a strategist. The second son, Sun Quan, is the best in martial arts, and is also the most brave, domineering, and skilled in battle. The third son, Sun Ming, is the most talented, and it is said that he is first-rate in both literature and martial arts. Some people have long hailed him as the second General Xuanyuan. The eldest daughter is none other than Sun Meng'er, who married the concubine of Baili Zhi. The four children have always been the pride of Sun Bocheng. The fact that the Sun family has sent all three of the eldest sons to the position this time shows how determined the Sun family is to obtain this deputy commander's position.
Emperor Mingxian squinted at the contestants below, who were all fully prepared for the competition, and said with a smile to Fenyan beside him, "Look at these young men from noble families, each one of them is so dashing and talented in both literature and martial arts. How can the Great Zhou Dynasty not prosper?"
Fenyan wasn't sure whether Emperor Mingxian's words were sarcastic or gratifying, so she just smiled and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive my rudeness. My baby just kicked me twice, and I haven't had time to appreciate the talents of the various noble families yet."
Emperor Mingxian was taken aback and said with a hint of nervousness, "How are you? Did the kick hurt you? My dear consort, you should go back and rest for a while."
Pinky smiled, her beauty as radiant as a flower: "His Majesty is alright now. This is all normal. It's something that has given birth, isn't it Consort Zhang?"
Today, Fenyan is dressed in a gorgeous pink dress with a five-longevity design. Although she wears few hair ornaments, a single gold hairpin inlaid with broken pearls is worth more than ten of others'. The two hairpins are paired together, which do not add weight to her head but are still elegant and refined. In comparison, Consort Zhang is dressed much more plainly in a gold-inlaid jade brocade dress, with a row of pearl and jade hairpins in a semi-circle on her head. It is slightly luxurious but not very original.
Consort Zhang wasn't the most beautiful woman in the palace. After the death of Consort Sun, who was once the most beautiful woman in the six palaces, Consort Fenyan's beauty was easily considered the best. Consort Zhang was the kind of beautiful woman whose beauty grew on you. It was only because of Consort Sun's death and the recent incidents involving two pregnant concubines that Emperor Mingxian remembered her. Thanks to Fenyan's pregnancy, she had been able to see Emperor Mingxian more often recently, and thanks to Fenyan, the two had a good relationship in the palace. Consort Zhang smiled gently, neither overly enthusiastic nor lacking in propriety: "Your Majesty, what Consort Fenyan says is true. This means the child is healthy. Before long, Consort Fenyan will surely give Your Majesty a healthy and lively prince."
Emperor Mingxian laughed heartily: "Consort Zhang has such a clever tongue. But the baby hasn't been born yet, so how do we know if it's a boy or a girl? But I like what you're saying. It's been a long time since the palace has been this lively. The Empress Dowager was telling me yesterday how much she wants to hold another grandson."
Fenyan and Consort Zhang didn't respond, but smiled reservedly. Fenyan's face was still flushed with shyness, and her charming appearance made Emperor Mingxian's eyes flicker. He grabbed Fenyan's hand and stroked it twice, looking eager. Consort Zhang pretended to look outside at the commotion, but she was extremely embarrassed. She really shouldn't have listened to Cai'er and come along.
"Your Majesty." At this moment, Fu Shun called out from outside. Emperor Mingxian put down Fenyan's hand and said, "Come in, what is it?"
Fu Shun bowed slightly and said with utmost respect, "Your Majesty, I have just received news that the Holy King of Miao territory is coming soon."
Emperor Mingxian was taken aback: "What is the Miao Jiang Holy King doing here in my selection process for deputy commander?!" Emperor Mingxian showed displeasure on his face. This was an internal matter of the Great Zhou Dynasty court. Others should have kept their distance. Smart people would avoid getting close for fear of incurring Emperor Mingxian's wrath. It was really puzzling that the Miao Jiang Holy King was still trying to get close.
"Alright, I understand. If the Holy King of Miao Jiang arrives, please invite him in." Emperor Mingxian didn't say anything more, waved his hand in a gesture of goodwill, and left. Fenyan smiled and said, "Your Majesty, please have a cup of tea."
The Emperor nodded, his face expressionless. Fenyan stared at him for a while, but couldn't glean anything from him.
Leaving aside the matter of Emperor Mingxian, all the contestants had arrived at the arena, and it was time for the competition. Emperor Mingxian wouldn't waste time waiting for the Miao Jiang Holy King, so he waved his hand and the battles outside began. The rules of the competition were actually quite simple. The 135 contestants would first fight two against one to determine the winner, but this was no ordinary competition. Since Emperor Mingxian was personally selecting the participants, there wasn't much time. The preliminary rounds required the opponent to subdue their opponent within ten moves. If they couldn't do it within ten moves, they would have to use their ultimate moves to fight until a winner emerged. Then, they would advance step by step, and finally, after selecting ten people, they would be required to use a gauntlet tactic to test their adaptability when facing different types of enemies. Overall, the rules of this selection competition were quite sophisticated.
Because Emperor Mingxian's rules were so strange—one had to subdue the opponent within ten moves, or else both sides would have to use their ultimate moves until the very end—it seemed simple but was actually extremely dangerous. Within those ten moves, there was no time to observe the opponent, no chance to use tricks; one had to use ruthless moves from the start, otherwise the opponent would gain the upper hand. The final duel was even more so; a single mistake could leave one crippled or dead. Perhaps Emperor Mingxian was recently very disappointed with the palace guards. In previous years, the selection process always ended with a brief mention of "just enough," but this time, Emperor Mingxian only had the palace servants read out the rules, saying nothing else. Everyone understood that Emperor Mingxian wanted to find the strongest person to ensure their safety. These people were risking their lives; they knew that if they could obtain this deputy commander position, Emperor Mingxian would value them more than before, and if they performed well, wouldn't they rise rapidly in rank?
"Ha! Die!"
"Bang!"
The two swordsmen were fighting fiercely on the field, their swords flashing and shouts echoing throughout, creating a very intense atmosphere.
"Bang!" Finally, one of them delivered a swift flying thrust, knocking the sword out of the opponent's hand before the opponent could react, ending the match.
"Prince Zhi, Prince Chen, Princess Chen, Baili Gan requests an audience." As the match ended, Baili Gan's voice rang out at the same time. Baili Zhi waved his hand, and servants greeted Baili Gan as he entered. However, Baili Gan was not the only one who came; Baili Nan, who was following behind with his head bowed, also appeared. The two bowed to Baili Zhi and the others. Baili Zhi said, "Sit down."
Prince Nade also had a tent, clearly indicating that Baili Gan had come specifically for this purpose. As soon as Baili Gan sat down, he said with a smile, "Sitting with my old man is really quite boring. He hasn't said a word for a long time. I was bored, so I came out to chat with the two princes."
Baili Zhi looked at Baili Gan and shook his head helplessly: "Cousin Gan is still so carefree and irresponsible. No wonder the Imperial Uncle is worried."
Baili Gan waved his hand and said, "Oh dear, look at what my cousin is saying. I call this being at ease."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow. Baili Gan had seemed so familiar with Baili Chen before, but now he seemed to get along better with Baili Zhi. However, it was only because Baili Chen had never given him a friendly look. Ouyang Yue couldn't help but glance at Baili Nan, who had lowered her head after greeting her. At this moment, Baili Nan was slightly twisting the handkerchief in her hand. She carefully raised her head and saw Ouyang Yue looking at her. Her heart tightened, and she immediately lowered her head. Ouyang Yue smiled faintly and turned her gaze away from her.
Baili Nan bit his lip slightly, his face showing a hesitant expression, but in the end he didn't say anything.
"The Holy King of Miao Jiang has arrived!" Just then, an announcement came from outside. At this moment, a new round of competition had just ended on the stage, and everyone was stunned upon hearing this. As soon as the announcement ended, a group of people walked out from the entrance of the inner and outer halls. Leading them was the Holy King of Miao Jiang, who wore a long, bright red cloak. His long black hair was casually tied up and half-draped down his back, and the vivid totems on his face were faintly visible, adding to his allure and mystery. Apart from Emperor Mingxian, everyone else came out of the tent and bowed. The Holy King of Miao Jiang was led by two guards, followed by two maids and four guards. All six of them wore the unique patterned clothing of Miao Jiang and walked respectfully behind him.
Emperor Mingxian laughed heartily: "With the arrival of the Holy King, this selection process will surely be even more exciting."
The Miao King smiled and said, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? I was just bored at the post station and couldn't think of anywhere to go for a while. When I heard that the selection of deputy commanders was being held here, I came uninvited. I hope Your Majesty will not take offense."
Emperor Mingxian laughed heartily, "What's there to blame or not? It's their good fortune to be able to demonstrate the abilities of the new generation of talents of our Great Zhou Dynasty in front of the Holy King. This is a good thing indeed."
The Miao Jiang Holy King smiled, his eyes sweeping over the various tents, a smile playing on his lips. Naturally, the Miao Jiang Holy King would enter Emperor Mingxian's tent. Originally, Fenyan and Consort Zhang, who were sitting on either side of Emperor Mingxian, were on the right, while the Miao Jiang Holy King sat on the left, with a perfect view of the competition outside.
Emperor Mingxian's competition format was very interesting and intense. Before long, Emperor Mingxian and the Holy King of Miaojiang were chatting happily about the competition. However, the preliminary selection of 135 people could not be completed in a short time. After watching a few matches, some people had already lost interest. At this time, Ouyang Yue held her belly and said, "Your Highness, I am a little tired from sitting. I would like to move around."
Baili Chen immediately stood up: "No need, Your Highness, please accompany the Third Prince or the Prince of De's heir. I'm just taking a short walk and will be back soon." Then he mouthed "I need to pee" to Baili Chen. How could Ouyang Yue say such a thing to Baili Zhi? Baili Chen understood and said to Dongxue and Chuncao, "You two carefully accompany the Princess."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Ouyang Yue apologized to Baili Zhi and Baili Gan. Sun Meng'er's face almost showed a lazy donkey with a lot of excrement and urine. Ouyang Yue was too lazy to pay attention to her. As soon as Ouyang Yue stepped out of the tent, Baili Nan also left under an excuse. Baili Chen's eyes flashed and then disappeared.
As soon as she left the outer courtyard, Ouyang Yue found a place to use the restroom and then prepared to go back. However, she saw Baili Nan waiting there with a maid. Chuncao, who was supporting Ouyang Yue, noticed the look in Ouyang Yue's eyes and helped her brush past. Baili Nan was stunned when he saw this and sneered, "Princess Consort Chen turned around and left when she saw me. Is she afraid or guilty?"
Ouyang Yue just sneered when she heard this, and ignored Baili Nan as she walked forward. Baili Nan felt like he had punched a cotton ball, and he felt even more uncomfortable. He took two quick steps and said, "Princess Consort Chen, please wait. I have something to say."
Ouyang Yue paused slightly but did not turn around: "If it's something trivial, Princess Nan, then forget it. I'm very busy and don't have time for that."
Baili Nan quickly walked a few steps and stopped in front of Ouyang Yue. Looking at Ouyang Yue, his eyes were somewhat complicated. He couldn't help but say, "After returning to the manor that day, my father, who had never spoken harshly to me before, not only scolded me but also hit me, telling me that it was wrong." Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow but didn't speak. Baili Nan bit his lip slightly and still said, "At that time, I was like I was possessed and couldn't control myself at all. After my father scolded me, I also reflected on my actions. I am very sorry for what happened back then, and I hope that Princess Consort Chen can forgive me."
Baili Nan apologized in a very humble tone, but Ouyang Yue didn't react for a long time. Baili Nan felt a little depressed and said through gritted teeth, "I was indeed wrong. I knew I shouldn't have said those things. You and Young Master Leng are completely innocent, but I was blinded by greed. I am truly guilty beyond redemption."
Ouyang Yue suddenly asked, "Will Princess Nan die?" Baili Nan was stunned. "What do you mean?"
Ouyang Yue said indifferently, "What's the point of saying all this if you're not going to die?"
Baili Nan's expression changed drastically: "You! I only misspoke, are you still going to keep bothering me like this?"
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Nan and said, "I know you don't really want to apologize. Maybe someone forced you, or maybe you had no choice. But since you still hold a grudge against me, then let's not talk about apologizing. It sounds ironic to me. Anyway, we'll keep to ourselves from now on. Why should Princess Nan play these hypocritical games with me? It's really not like you."
Baili Nan's expression changed slightly, and something seemed to be flowing in his eyes: "You are really smart, and you are so good at analyzing others. No wonder so many people like you."
Ouyang Yue glanced at Baili Nan and said, "Does Princess Nan think this is a good thing? I don't think so. If possible, I would like to cut off all the suitors I have except for the Prince. You are honey to me but poison to me. Women are all stupid creatures. Why do women make things difficult for each other? Isn't the root of everything just men?"
As she spoke, Ouyang Yue started to leave, leaving Baili Nan standing there in a daze. Suddenly, she smiled bitterly: "I am ultimately inferior to you, not even a tenth as good. Yes, the root of the problem is men. If I could win Leng Caiwen's heart, who would I be afraid of? You're right, I was really stupid!"
The maid who had come with Baili Nan was startled and asked cautiously, "Princess, are you alright?"
Baili Nan glanced at her indifferently: "What could this princess possibly have to do? Let's go back to my father's place. Go and inform him that I'm not going to see Prince Zhi or Prince Chen."
"Yes, Miss!" the maid replied, and after escorting Baili Nan to the tent where Prince De was, she went to reply to the letter. However, when she returned, Ouyang Yue had not yet returned.
Ouyang Yue didn't go back immediately. She wandered around the courtyard. She didn't want to go back yet. Baili Nan had made her feel a little depressed. However, she wouldn't stay too long. After wandering around, she was about to turn back when a handsome man in red came to greet her. Who else could it be but the Holy King of Miao Jiang? Ouyang Yue was slightly taken aback and bowed slightly: "Greetings, Holy King of Miao Jiang."
"So you are Princess Consort Chen. No need for formalities." Yu Xiaoyao looked at Ouyang Yue, a slight smile playing on his lips. His lips were a deep, vibrant red, and the slight smile, combined with the tattoo on his face, made him even more alluring than a woman.
"Propriety cannot be disregarded. Your Majesty, please do as you please. This princess is returning." Ouyang Yue nodded slightly and was about to leave when Yu Xiaoyao, as an elder, reached out to stop her.
"Holy King of Miao Territory, what are you doing!" Chuncao immediately rebuked him, as Yu Xiaoyao's actions were truly rude.
The Miao King was not angry when Chuncao scolded him. He just smiled at Ouyang Yue and said, "I just have a few words to say to Princess Chen. Why are you so nervous? Am I that scary?" Chuncao and Dongxue, however, were very serious and cold as ice.
Yu Xiaoyao completely ignored the two of them, his eyes scanning Ouyang Yue back and forth. If it were anyone else, they would have felt extremely uncomfortable being stared at, but Ouyang Yue simply smiled faintly and quietly returned his gaze. Yu Xiaoyao's eyes were full of amusement: "From the first time I saw Princess Chen, I had a feeling of déjà vu. I wonder if Princess Chen has the same thought as me?"
Ouyang Yue's heart skipped a beat, but she showed no sign of it on her face: "What are you saying, Your Majesty? I have always lived in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and Your Majesty is the Supreme King of Miao Jiang, holding a high position and great power. How could we possibly have the opportunity to meet?"
"Princess Consort Chen? That would make me seem presumptuous. But this feeling is inexplicable, yet it exists nonetheless. It's really strange. I have indeed never met Princess Consort Chen before, but I always feel that there is someone in the distance who is connected to me. Princess Consort Chen, what do you think of this feeling? Why is it?" Yu Xiaoyao chuckled softly, his enchanting eyes slightly twitching as he looked at Ouyang Yue with a complex and profound expression.
Ouyang Yue clenched her hands tightly beneath her sleeves, suppressing a strange tremor in her heart. For some reason, she felt a little panicked. She should have received all the memories of this body. Was there something she didn't know? Otherwise, what was this strange tremor? She didn't like this uncontrollable feeling!
"Even the Holy King doesn't know, so how could I, a mere woman, possibly know? The Holy King, please leave. I am a little tired and will not chat any longer." With a nod, she turned and left without looking back.
Yu Xiaoyao looked at Ouyang Yue and chuckled, "Has Princess Consort Chen been feeling unwell lately?"
Ouyang Yue suddenly turned around: "What does the Holy King mean by this?"
Yu Xiaoyao's smile became even more sinister, but a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes that no outsider could detect. Ouyang Yue didn't notice it. Or was it...? "What does Princess Consort Chen think? Please don't misunderstand, I absolutely did not poison you."
Ouyang Yue frowned, giving Yu Xiaoyao a cold glance before leaving without looking back. Yu Xiaoyao was even more surprised. An ordinary person, upon hearing such a thing, would surely be anxiously asking questions, because his statement that he hadn't poisoned her seemed like an admission of guilt. Ouyang Yue, however, refrained from asking. This woman was truly strange. Of course, he wasn't lying; he genuinely hadn't poisoned Ouyang Yue, but… heh heh…
On the other side, Lin Yingying stopped Fenyan and dismissed the palace servants. Lin Yingying smiled and said, "I heard that Consort Fen and Princess Chen have been getting very close lately."
Fen Yan remained calm and unmoved, saying, "Since both of us are pregnant, we naturally get along better. Is this what Consort Lin wanted to ask me?"
Lin Yingying smiled and said, "Pink Consort is an extremely clever person, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to take the opportunity to get rid of Consort Sun back then."
Fenyan's expression changed for a moment, but it only made Lin Yingying's smile deepen. Fenyan took a breath and said, "What exactly does Consort Lin want to say?"
"Back then, Consort Fen and Princess Chen cooperated only to get rid of Consort Sun. In the end, it was Empress Dowager who made it happen. Shouldn't Consort Fen thank Empress Dowager? Or rather, since we have the same goal, shouldn't this be a friendly cooperative relationship?" Lin Yingying extended an olive branch again. Now, Consort Fen is the most influential person in the palace.
A hint of sarcasm flashed in Fenyan's eyes: "Consort Lin, I only want to live a peaceful life in the palace. I haven't thought about anything else. I've been out for quite a while now, so I'll head back first. Consort Lin, please make yourself at home." She turned and left.
Seeing this, Lin Yingying smiled meaningfully: "The Pink Concubine will come looking for me sooner or later." As she spoke, she gently stroked her belly, her eyes filled with determination.
What happened outside the arena was unknown to those inside. When Ouyang Yue returned to the tent, there were two more people inside: Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Dai Yu. The group was chatting and laughing happily. In front of outsiders, even Xuan Yuan Chaohua had to bow to Ouyang Yue. Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Brother, there's no need for such formalities."
Xuanyuan Chaohua has returned to the border. The selected deputy commander may be related to him in politics in the future, so Xuanyuan Chaohua attaches great importance to this. The preliminary selection has ended, and fifty people will be selected. Then, twenty contestants will be selected through pairing. Ten will be selected from the semi-finals to compete in the final.
Of these fifty people, all the favorites from the five major families naturally advanced smoothly. Next, they would compete in pairs, and the order of the competition would be determined by drawing lots according to Emperor Mingxian's instructions to shuffle the order. Among them, two pairs of matches were particularly noteworthy: Sun Ming from the Sun family and Leng Caixi from the second branch of the Leng family, and Lin Changjian, the eldest son of the first branch of the Lin family, and Ning Zhuanghuai, a renowned member of a collateral branch of the Ning family.
No one expected that in this competition of fifty to twenty, the five major families would meet. Naturally, it was quite anticipated. However, one of their matches was in the middle and the other was scheduled to be played later. Because of the high expectations for these two matches, the previous matches seemed less interesting. Finally, the first showdown between the five major families arrived.
Lin Changjian, the eldest son of the Lin family's main branch, and Ning Zhuanghuai, a member of a collateral branch of the Ning family, are worlds apart in terms of status. Lin Changjian has a high chance of becoming the future head of the Lin family, while Ning Zhuanghuai is merely a member of the main branch, still existing within the main family. However, despite being a member of the collateral branch, Ning Zhuanghuai is quite capable. According to seniority, Ning Zhuanghuai's father was a son born to a concubine in the generation of Ning Xishan's great-grandfather. A son born to a concubine is considered a member of the collateral branch after being separated from the main branch, and thus cannot receive all the protection of the main family. Ning Zhuanghuai's family did not live a wealthy life. However, Ning Zhuanghuai was extremely talented, unlike the empty-headed Ning Zhuangxue who came to the General's Mansion as a teacher. He possessed genuine talent and was very strict with himself from a young age. Furthermore, his exceptional physique made him very suitable for martial arts. Originally, the Ning family did not value Ning Zhuanghuai, but... As Ning Zhuanghuai gradually made a name for himself, the Ning family, having never had a direct descendant, placed great importance on him. With the Ning family's focused cultivation, Zhuanghuai has now been an official in the court for a year and has already risen to the rank of seventh-grade Yihui Xiaowei. Lin Changjian was originally groomed to be the head of the Lin family, but the Lin family is now the number one family in the Great Zhou Dynasty, with a very deep foundation. Family students must cultivate both literary and martial arts. As the eldest son of the eldest branch, if he doesn't have some ability, he cannot gain the respect of his subordinates. The two can be considered evenly matched in power.
This competition, which narrowed down the contestants from five to twenty, was a significant expansion compared to the preliminary rounds. The contestants were required to defeat their opponents within thirty moves, or they would have to fight to the death with their ultimate moves. Lin Changjian, true to his name, used a sword, while Ning Zhuanghuai used a knife. The sword and knife were, in a sense, from the same lineage. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses. The sword was agile and small yet sharp, while the knife was powerful and resounding. The first five moves were a trial phase, but the competition officially began from the sixth move onwards.
Inside the tent, Xuan Yuan Chaohua swirled the wine in his hand: "We don't need thirty moves, ten more moves and the outcome will be decided."
Ouyang Yue looked on thoughtfully, then smiled and said, "Young Master Lin's sword practice is ultimately limited to the Lin family compound. Ning Zhuanghuai, on the other hand, has been practicing real combat ever since he entered the court as an official. This is probably an advantage of having a humble background." Because Ning Zhuanghuai came from a humble background, he had to fight his way up all the way. The thickness of his blade was earned through hard work. If Lin Changjian had entered the court as an official, his starting point would definitely have been higher than Ning Zhuanghuai's. He had experienced far fewer hardships, so his training in martial arts would certainly not have been as profound as Ning Zhuanghuai's.
Baili Zhi glanced at Ouyang Yue; he knew very well that Ouyang Yue knew martial arts. The others smiled at Ouyang Yue's accurate analysis, with Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Baili Chen both smiling smugly. Ever since Baili Gan, Xuan Yuan Chaohua, and Dai Yu arrived, Sun Meng'er had remained silent, unable to join the conversation about men. She hadn't expected Ouyang Yue to be so good at pretending; she had actually guessed correctly! It was infuriating; compared to Ouyang Yue, didn't she look inferior?
Sun Meng'er had a cold face, but she found it extremely tragically that no matter how hard she tried to listen, her head was only getting more and more confused, and she ended up getting herself all confused. Looking at Ouyang Yue and the others chatting and laughing with such confidence, Sun Meng'er was so angry that her nose almost twisted, but she could only feel resentment in her heart.
Just as Xuan Yuan Chaohua had predicted, Lin Zhuanghuai struck Lin Changjian with a heavy blow before the match ended, sending him flying off the stage. The match was over, and Lin Changjian left with a livid face. Most of the subsequent matches were fairly predictable, and the match between Sun Ming and Leng Caixi, which everyone had been looking forward to, began.
Seeing this, Sun Meng'er was finally delighted and raised her voice slightly, saying, "Third Brother has been known as a genius since he was a child. However, he was always traveling and studying martial arts outside in his early years and rarely returned to the capital. If it weren't for that, with Third Brother's literary talent and martial arts skills, the title of 'top talent' would never have been stolen by anyone else."
As everyone was chatting happily, Sun Meng'er's words slightly changed the atmosphere in the tent. The top scholar was none other than the Leng family. It was normal for the five great families to be constantly vying for fame and dislike each other. However, the people in the tent all had a good relationship with Leng Caiwen. Sun Meng'er bluntly said that Leng Caiwen's title of scholar was stolen, stolen from her third brother Sun Ming. No matter how you heard it, it was unpleasant to hear.
Baili Zhi picked up his wine cup and took a sip, not even glancing at Sun Meng'er, who was currently beaming with pride. Everyone else was disgusted by Sun Meng'er's behavior. Ouyang Yue smiled and fiddled with the incense burner that had been temporarily placed beside her: "Stealing? Ha, so in Consort Sun's eyes, all the noble young masters and ladies of the capital, and all the common people, are blind and stupid? They can't even tell who is outstanding or not, and they let a thief become the top talent. Tsk tsk tsk, the acting Minister is ranked at such a young age and has become the Minister of Rites. Are others blind and stupid to have chosen him? Oh dear, does that mean Father Emperor is also blind and stupid? How can such a hypocritical person, someone who steals others' talent, be allowed to serve in the court? I really should have a good talk with Father Emperor. Next time when selecting ministers, we should take a good look. If we let a thief in, it will damage the reputation of the Great Zhou Dynasty."