At this moment, Luo Zhiheng's name swept across the entire venue!
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207 The cheerful old folks! A private talk! (Bonus chapter for 27,000 votes)
Updated: 2013-07-26 18:17:00 Word Count: 5702
Luo Zhiheng's victory was without suspense because of this painting. Even those who opposed Luo Zhiheng had to admit at this moment that Luo Zhiheng's first place was well-deserved.
"Great! Hahaha, old man, it seems we should go back and celebrate. No matter how the next match goes, this one was truly exciting and a beautiful victory!" General Murong laughed heartily, putting his arm around Old Tong's shoulder as if they were old buddies, and laughed loudly.
Old Master Tong could no longer maintain his nonchalant expression, and said with a smile, "Alright, let's have a simple celebration here first. When we return to our country, I will personally host a banquet and invite you, old man, for a drink."
"I, an old man, will also have a few cups of this wine, to share in the joy," the Chess Saint said with a smile. 16.
The elderly men, their hair white, walked very slowly, yet with an imposing presence; their status made them the center of attention wherever they went. However, they all approached Luo Zhiheng, smiling at her. Old Tong said, "Don't you recognize me yet? I'm Mu Yunhe's great-grandfather. Good child, this one match has already brought honor to us old folks. The results of the rest of the competitions aren't important; don't feel pressured, just do your best."
Although Luo Zhiheng wasn't exactly flattered, she was still quite surprised. She had met the Qin Saint, the Chess Saint, and General Murong, but she had never actually met the Calligraphy Saint, Old Master Tong. During the Mu Dynasty's competition, a group of old men sat there, and she had no idea who was who. But she did know that the ancestor of Mu Yunhe's maternal family was the Calligraphy Saint.
"Heng'er greets the Ancestor." Luo Zhiheng's expression changed quickly and naturally. She hurriedly bowed, but her movements were not chaotic or flustered. Her face showed more filial piety and less false flattery, making her look refreshing and exceptionally pleasant.
Old Master Tong nodded with a light laugh. He was increasingly satisfied with Luo Zhiheng. She was a girl with a very strong charm. Once people discovered her by chance, they couldn't help but explore her talents. As she gradually revealed her various talents, she became more and more radiant.
"We're all family, no need for so much formality. You couldn't come, but come back with me," Old Master Tong said kindly, straightening his back. Zhiyin considered returning.
"I will obey the ancestor's instructions." Luo Zhiheng was extremely obedient. Her slightly bowed head and the gentle smile on her lips made her look like a well-bred lady from an old noble family, with a natural elegance.
"Young lady, we meet again," Chess Saint Zhan Hainan couldn't help but say, but his tone towards Luo Zhiheng lacked the condescension and affection of an elder towards a junior. Instead, it was an equal and comfortable tone. Luo Zhiheng's skillful moves had earned the Chess Saint's special attention, and he naturally didn't mind treating her like a close friend despite their age difference. He was very much looking forward to playing a game of chess with this girl himself.
Luo Zhiheng chuckled and bowed, saying, "Yes, I've met you, sir."
"Hmph! Don't be fooled by their smiles. A bunch of old fogies from university. They didn't trust you just now. I was the one who came up to support you first. Don't forget me." General Murong said, blowing his beard and glaring.
“That’s right, even if you don’t know anyone else, you should know my ancestor. He’s been cheering you on the whole way. You can rest assured, my ancestor is the most righteous. Look how much closer he is to you now than to me. If anyone dares to bully you, he might even stand up for you.” Murong Qianxue jumped out from the crowd, grabbed Luo Zhiheng’s hand, and teased her with a smile.
"Of course, Heng'er thanks all the ancestors for their kindness and will do her best." Luo Zhiheng was also very happy to see Murong Qianxue.
"You scared me to death! Could you have made it any more thrilling? But thankfully you won this round. I knew I hadn't misjudged you, Heng'er." Murong Qianxue laughed loudly, hooking her arm around Luo Zhiheng's shoulder without any regard for her image.
Luo Zhiheng felt helpless at her cheesy "Heng'er" and joked, "Isn't it better to be a little thrilling? Your arrival is more exciting for me, and you didn't even tell me beforehand."
"I wanted to surprise you. Hey, just focus on the competition. I'll keep an eye on your precious girl for you. I'll make sure she's well taken care of and no vixen can get close to her." Murong Qianxue said softly with a half-smile.
Luo Zhiheng remained impassive, but her gaze was sharp: "So you let another woman hold my precious darling?" She glanced at the distraught Zhuge Hualuan before her. Ever since this woman had seen her painting, she had been like this, always looking at her with a scrutinizing gaze. Naturally, she never turned a blind eye.
Murong Qianxue grumbled discontentedly, "That woman practically threw herself at you! I'm so angry! Don't worry, I'll definitely keep a close eye on this match. If I hadn't been distracted and worried about you, I would never have let that vixen get close to your man. But what's so pretty about that woman? She's been crowned the most beautiful woman in the world! I think she's not even as pretty as you! That arrow you shot just now was absolutely stunning!"
"I don't know if she's the most beautiful woman in the world, but I do know that you can't judge a book by its cover. If you only see her skin, you might call her a vixen; but if I see her bones, I'd say she's a woman of hidden depths. Qianxue, do you believe me? This woman I'm going to challenge last will definitely surprise us all," Luo Zhiheng said softly, but with absolute certainty.
Murong Qianxue smiled and nudged her, saying, "Why do you say that? She's so gentle and delicate, and she's good at painting. What else is outstanding about her besides her looks and painting skills? But you're quite confident. You know you'll be able to fight to the end?"
"There was no other way. I had no other choice. Defeat meant death! So I could only win." Luo Zhiheng stated this tragic fact with ease and joy. Murong Qianxue remained silent.
"Silence! In the first round of the two matches, Bai Mingzhu won the first group, and Princess Baihe is eliminated! In the second group, Luo Zhiheng won, and Princess Aman is eliminated! The competition will now continue. Please leave the arena if you are not a participant." Madam Song said loudly from the referee's stand. Her voice resounded throughout the arena without needing to be amplified.
"That woman's skills are quite formidable, be careful. I'll cheer you on. Also, your man is always watching you. He didn't even glance at that vixen. Oh dear, when we get back, I'm going to ask you for your husband-taming techniques!" Murong Qianxue muttered to Madam Song, then shamelessly finished speaking, gripping Luo Zhiheng's hand tightly before striding away triumphantly! She looked as if she had won a victory.
Luo Zhiheng's mood soared because of her companion's presence. She turned to look in Mu Yunhe's direction. At this moment, Mu Yunhe was standing outside the arena. He had not taken off his cloak, so she could not see his face or expression. However, she seemed to feel the gentle and focused gaze from Mu Yunhe through the warm sunlight. It was the pure, shy, and awkward smile from her memory!
Amidst the endless yellow sand and the clamor of voices, they gazed at each other across the distance. The intense sunlight dyed the air golden, and they remained silent in this golden distance, yet their hearts were close to one another.
Luo Zhiheng pulled off a major upset, igniting a frenzy in the very first match.
Princess Aman was devastated, her face turning deathly pale. Leaving the arena meant her arduous journey, overcoming countless obstacles, had come to an end, and she was no longer a contender for the championship. She stared at Luo Zhiheng in disbelief. Luo Zhiheng smiled at her naturally and calmly. In that instant, Princess Aman finally understood a single word!
Disdain!
It turns out that Luo Zhiheng wasn't refusing to compete; it's just that throughout this contest, Luo Zhiheng always knew what her advantages and the outcome would be. Therefore, she remained calm and composed, and she didn't waste any expressions or words on unimportant people. Did she actually despise her, the princess of the Western Barbarian Kingdom, from beginning to end?
"Luo Zhiheng, perhaps you're right, the avenger we agreed upon is this princess! But don't be too smug. I didn't lose to you today; it's just that I'm not good at painting. We'll see. I'm looking forward to our battle tomorrow! I won't hold back then." Princess Aman approached Luo Zhiheng with a sinister look and said coldly.
"Don't worry, I will definitely be there on time. And when I am, I will not hold back." Luo Zhiheng retorted calmly. As she turned to leave, she whispered, "Actually, I'm not very good at painting either."
"You!" Princess Aman turned around abruptly, her expression one of uncontrollable rage. Luo Zhiheng's words were a blatant, naked contempt and mockery!
"Princess Aman, please leave immediately!" Madam Song said sternly. Princess Aman glared defiantly at the nude photo and stormed off. 16434188
In an instant, only Luo Zhiheng and Bai Mingzhu remained on the field.
Bai Mingzhu harbors inexplicable hostility towards Luo Zhiheng, while Luo Zhiheng harbors secret murderous intent towards Bai Mingzhu.
The two harrowing assassination attempts on her way here were something Luo Zhiheng would never forget. The Bai family of the Southern Dynasty had become her target, and in today's confrontation with Bai Mingzhu, Luo Zhiheng would show no mercy. The Bai family's assassinations were ruthless, vicious, and inexplicable; she wouldn't act rashly until she understood their motives, but she would certainly not sit idly by and wait to die. The Bai family inexplicably made her nervous, and she would make sure their arrogance was thoroughly crushed today!
"I've long admired Miss Luo's name. It's unprecedented for a married woman to participate in the First Talent Competition. Such a favor is probably unique to you in the last hundred years." Bai Mingzhu's words were full of sarcasm and provocation.
Luo Zhiheng raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Although I am already married, I am still a virgin. The competition organizers wouldn't be so foolish as to ruin their own reputation. It's better for someone like me to be chaste than those who are no longer virgins before marriage but pretend to be celebrating the Spring Festival to deceive the competition organizers into participating. Don't you agree, Miss Bai?"
"What do you mean?" Bai Mingzhu immediately flew into a rage, her face turning bright red. Although she dared to mock Luo Zhiheng like this, she was still a virgin. How could she save face if Luo Zhiheng spoke like that? If word got out, there would probably be bad rumors about her.
"It's nothing, I was just telling a joke. Miss Bai, there's no need to rush. We'll be rivals soon. Anyway, I'd like to ask Miss Bai for a favor. When you get back, please send my regards to your ancestors for eighteen generations, as well as to the current head of your Bai family. Tell them that Luo Zhiheng has given her regards and that she will personally pay a visit another day." Luo Zhiheng said meaningfully, arms crossed.
Bai Mingzhu was a little alarmed by her words. Could it be that Luo Zhiheng knew something? Besides, Luo Zhiheng wasn't a member of the Bai family, so why would she insult the Bai family's ancestors who had been dead for many years? Bai Mingzhu quickly glanced at her younger brother, Bai Mingyue, sitting in the audience, and her tense heart relaxed again. As long as Mingyue was there, no one could do anything to the Bai family. When Mingyue achieved his great ambition and wiped out all those who dared to despise the Bai family, including Luo Zhiheng!
"No need for a visit. The Bai family never pays attention to losers. Once you leave here today, you will have lost your right to enter the Bai family." Bai Mingzhu spoke with great confidence and arrogance.
Luo Zhiheng won a match today, but that might just be an accident. The painting was indeed good, she had to admit, but the better Luo Zhiheng performed, the more she disliked and envied her. She was determined to win today, to make Luo Zhiheng a defeated dog.
"You can say that after you win," Luo Zhiheng said with a disdainful smile, ignoring her.
"The next competition is the second round. The rules are free choice; you can choose to compete in whatever you are good at. As long as you can showcase your talent, there are no restrictions. You two will have the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to prepare and rest. The competition will begin after that time." After Madam Song finished speaking, she couldn't wait to walk towards the Prince. She hadn't even had a chance to properly look at the painting.
Luo Zhiheng and Bai Mingzhu entered the rooms designated for the participants to rest and prepare. The two rooms resembled two yurts, simple yet fully furnished. After they separated, the wet nurse entered Luo Zhiheng's room and handed her another bundle.
"How are you, Miss? You were painting with your right hand, but you still need to be careful with your wound," the nanny said worriedly.
"Don't worry, Nanny, I know what I'm doing. This cut may be deep, but it's just a talent competition; it won't reopen the wound." Luo Zhiheng opened the package, took out the clothes inside, and exclaimed in surprise, "What's this?!"
"These were prepared by Her Majesty the Empress. You suddenly wanted a dress with a special style, and I didn't know where to find one. It was Her Majesty the Empress who said she had a set, so I brought it to you. Young Miss, are you confident you can beat that Bai Mingzhu? When I went to buy those wooden frames, I inquired and learned that Bai Mingzhu is a truly talented woman, someone who can rival Zhuge Hualuan. With just these things, are you sure you can manage?" the wet nurse said with rare concern.
Luo Zhiheng smiled like a cat that had just stolen some cream, and said mysteriously, "Do you know why I'm able to win every time without any real trouble? It's all about catching them off guard! I, the Chess Saint, don't have any particularly outstanding talents. You know that I rely more on clever tricks than anything else. Except for this match where I was genuinely serious, luck and the shock effect of surprise are my only keys to victory. I'll use the same method in this second match. Only by completely catching them off guard can I capture their hearts and emotions. Once I've got their emotions under control, winning will be a piece of cake, won't it?"
The wet nurse was an extremely intelligent and shrewd person. She sensed that Luo Zhiheng's words were somewhat similar to the mind-reading techniques of the Miao region, but she was very surprised that Luo Zhiheng would know such unorthodox methods. Although the young lady had become very outstanding and excellent, she also seemed quite unfamiliar. Sometimes, the wet nurse even felt that this young lady was no longer the same young lady she used to be. It seemed necessary to find some time to talk to the young lady.
Luo Zhiheng was nervously preparing. When the time came, she went out wearing a large cloak with the hood covering her forehead, revealing her delicate face. Only her face was exposed, making people wonder what she was wearing under the fiery red cloak.
When Madam Song stood on the referee's stand and shouted, her voice was a little unsteady. She kept looking at Luo Zhiheng as she spoke: "This competition is free play. You can choose anything you need from here, or use things you have prepared yourself to assist you in the competition, but nothing that can harm others is allowed. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready, Madam," Bai Mingzhu said with a confident smile.
Luo Zhiheng said, "What I need is a zither, and the auxiliary equipment is also ready."
Madam Song's usually proud and aloof face miraculously showed a smile, and she nodded, saying, "Alright, there is no time limit for this competition. You can perform freely. The judges will score you based on your individual talents. You two will draw lots to decide who goes first. The one who draws the longer one goes first."
The two approached Madam Song. Bai Mingzhu, without any hesitation, chose a weapon first and then looked at Luo Zhiheng with a smug expression, as if her first choice meant she would win.
Luo Zhiheng remained calm, not even glancing at her. She took the other one from Madam Song's hand, and comparing the two, she noticed that Bai Mingzhu's was longer; she took it first.
Bai Mingzhu raised an eyebrow smugly. Luo Zhiheng found it hilarious; it was just a performance, what was there to be proud of?
"Bai Mingzhu will perform first!" Madam Song announced.
The entire room fell silent!
Luo Zhiheng walked to a seat and sat down patiently. The wet nurse was no longer by her side. She quietly went to the pharaohs of the Mu Dynasty, found General Murong, and whispered something to him.
General Murong's face shifted between surprise, astonishment, and bewilderment before he finally asked gravely, "Will this work?"
“Alright, if the young lady says so, then so be it. The young lady says that as long as you give the word, she can get it done.” The nanny trusted Luo Zhiheng’s words very much. She added, “The young lady also said that now is the time for her to rely on you to support her. Whether this competition is successful or not depends on you.”
General Murong paused for a moment, then found it very exciting. After a long silence, seeing Luo Zhiheng sitting calmly in the distance without looking at her, while everyone else was looking at him curiously, General Murong gritted his teeth and slapped his thigh, saying, "Fine! I'll get involved, but let's make it clear first, if she can't win this match, don't blame me for turning from her supporter into a thug and beating up this naughty girl!"
The woman smiled and said, "Since the young lady has said so, please go ahead."
While the two were whispering to each other mysteriously, Bai Mingzhu had already begun her performance, which was her musical skills!
208 Idiot, you've been tricked! The Empress and Princess have arrived!
Updated: 2013-07-27 13:05:07 Word Count: 7631
After Luo Zhiheng clearly stated that she needed a zither, Bai Mingzhu actually chose to play it as well. If Bai Mingzhu had wanted to perform her zither skills beforehand, that would be understandable. But if Bai Mingzhu only wanted to suppress Luo Zhiheng and acted on a whim, then she was far too confident.
Luo's Chaozhu. But it must be said that Bai Mingzhu's piano skills are indeed superb. Although it was not a self-composed piece, she played a piece with a distinct and grand style. This piece is obviously very complicated and difficult to play. To play this piece well, one should also have a feeling, a sense of desolation of wanting but not being able to, and lifelong regret.
Unfortunately, Bai Mingzhu couldn't quite capture the full emotion and sentiment of the piece. However, her performance was still remarkably brilliant and vivid. The entire audience listened intently, and anyone familiar with the piece couldn't help but feel a deep respect for Bai Mingzhu and a profound love for the music, simply because its composer was none other than the "Sage of the Qin"!
Luo Zhiheng didn't know the piece, but she had powerful backing. The moment the Prince heard it, he sensed something was wrong. To dare play this piece, especially in front of the Qin Saint, Bai Mingzhu's intentions were no different from Luo Zhiheng's earlier attempt to manipulate the Prince—both were playing the celebrity card. The Prince immediately sent his subordinates to inform Luo Zhiheng of the piece's origin, clearly warning her to be careful.
Luo Zhiheng raised an eyebrow and happened to look up at Bai Mingzhu. Just then, Bai Mingzhu also looked up at her, her expression revealing obvious smugness and provocation. She was telling Luo Zhiheng without any attempt to hide it, "I'm going to put you down. You want to perform your zither skills? Then I'll show you my zither skills too and make you lose miserably!"
Luo Zhiheng's expression turned strange. She looked at Bai Mingzhu with a half-smile, her eyes filled with cunning. Her face was not clearly visible under her hood. She slightly raised her head to look at the Prince, her smile full of confidence and pride. Meeting the Prince's cold eyes, she laughed carefree.
"Damn it! That Bai Mingzhu is going too far! Her servants clearly prepared writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones. She was clearly going to demonstrate calligraphy, but she changed it to playing the zither at the last minute. She must have known that Heng'er was going to perform the zither, so she did this on purpose. It's too much!" Murong Qianxue angrily grabbed the hem of Qiwan's clothes and said fiercely.
Qi Wan stared longingly at her clothes, her eyes brimming with tears, wondering if the young lady would make her a new set of such beautiful clothes if this outfit was ruined.
"It's truly shameful! How come the Bai family still can't shake this habit after all these years? They want to snatch what others have, young and old alike—like father, like son." Zhuge Huahun actually spoke up, his first words filled with disdain for the Bai family. He didn't usually have any particular opinion about the Bai family, but their shameful behavior was known to all. Luo Zhiheng's painting had amazed him, so he couldn't help but speak up for her.
Old Master Tong frowned slightly. Although competitions are supposed to be free, Bai Mingzhu's original intention was clearly to showcase her calligraphy. This last-minute change was obviously intentional, an undisguised provocation and attempt to suppress Luo Zhiheng. This kind of behavior could indeed be described as despicable.
Although everyone told Luo Zhiheng not to be nervous during the competition, that didn't mean she could tolerate such blatant bullying. Old Master Tong was also quite angry.
The usually hot-tempered General Murong was surprisingly calm this time, stroking his beard with a smile and shaking his head as he said, "Idiot!"
Everyone was surprised. Who was this old man calling an idiot?