Fu Meier's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, but she shook her head in disbelief: "No, no, she is definitely not Li Rushuang. How could Li Rushuang look like this? Judging from Li Rushuang's appearance, this is impossible. Who are you from? Do you know this is the imperial palace? How dare you spout such nonsense? Do you have a death wish? Stop trying to defend Li Rushuang and let that cowardly little person come out."
Fu Meier voiced the sentiments of many, with Mu Cuiwei being the most vocal. She had witnessed Li Rushuang's disfigurement at the racetrack, and it was Fu Meier's substitute rider who had attacked her, not her. All the conflict occurred between the Li and Fu families, and she was happy to watch the show. How could an ugly woman like Li Rushuang compare to her? She was only slightly less famous; in terms of beauty, she was far superior to Li Rushuang. Li Rushuang's disfigurement only fueled her inexplicable vanity. If anyone didn't want Li Rushuang to become beautiful, Fu Meier was first, and Mu Cuiwei was second. She snapped out of her daze and angrily rebuked Li Rushuang, "Who are you? How dare you impersonate Li Rushuang? This is the palace! You're spouting nonsense like this; you'll be severely punished!"
"How dare you! Who on earth is spouting such nonsense here?" Madam Cheng glared angrily, "You're all pointing your fingers at my son and accusing him. What gives you the right? You're all daughters of officials, and my son is no less than any of you. Oh, wait, Miss Fu is just the daughter of a royal merchant. Compared to many of you daughters of officials, her status is several levels lower. The other young ladies here are somewhat understandable, but who are you? Isn't this blatant disrespect? Heh heh heh, even putting Miss Fu aside, you're all telling my son that she offended the royal family. What evidence do you have? Such malicious slander is framing someone else. I could sue you for bullying the weak, spouting nonsense, and malicious oppression."
The ladies and gentlemen who had initially intended to criticize Li Rushuang were now too frightened to retort. Besides, they hadn't been the ones to speak first; if anything happened, there was always Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei. They were simply happy to watch the show. Some, however, were unconvinced and looked at Fu Meier with mocking eyes. Fu Meier was merely the daughter of a royal merchant. In the social hierarchy of officials, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants were ranked last. Fu Meier was far inferior to these daughters of officials. Yet, Fu Meier had somehow gained the favor of some young men because of her beauty and talent, and had been elevated to one of the "Three Beauties." Although she was only ranked last, none of them had the right to be called that.
This person was naturally prone to comparison, and many here felt they were more talented and beautiful, and of higher status than Fu Meier. In truth, they didn't think they were inferior to Fu Meier; in fact, they felt they were more qualified. Naturally, they were extremely jealous. They had previously mocked Li Rushuang to highlight their own excellence, and their jealousy of Fu Meier similarly fueled their feelings of comparison and arrogance.
Fu Meier blushed at Cheng Shi's words. Although the Fu family was very prestigious in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and even sought favors from famous court officials, they were looked down upon by these people in private. She believed that with her talent, beauty, and wisdom, and being the legitimate daughter of the family, she would be the most beautiful of the three if she weren't a merchant's daughter. What was Ning Xihe of the Ning family? She looked down on her. If it weren't for Ning Xihe's backing from the Ning family, how could she be superior to her? "Madam Li, what do you mean by this? Are you threatening us, or are you embarrassed and angry because we guessed right?"
Cheng smiled coldly: "Oh, Miss Fu has been denying Ru Shuang's identity ever since she walked in. I'm curious, why are you so hostile to Ru Shuang? I believe that all the ladies and gentlemen in this courtyard are kind-hearted and benevolent. They must feel sorry for Ru Shuang when she was once a shining pearl."
Cheng's compliment immediately surprised the others in the garden. If they didn't feel sorry for her, wouldn't they be malicious and not kind people? They weren't involved in the matter, so what harm would it do to say a few more words? Of course, they all said, "Madam Li is right. Miss Li has changed her ways. We are happy for her too."
"Yes, yes, Miss Li is getting more and more beautiful, that's a good thing."
"That's right..."
The room was immediately filled with flattery, as if afraid that if Cheng Shi glanced at her, she would be seen as one of those unkind people, and Fu Meier was immediately left standing there, extremely embarrassed.
Ouyang Yue watched coldly. This Cheng Shi looked like the wife of a military general, and she was also cheerful and without any scheming. However, the more than ten years she had lived longer than Fu Meier had not been wasted. Compared to her ability to bully people, Fu Meier was clearly a step behind. Now that she had won the approval of so many people in the back garden, wouldn't Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei have been a laughing stock just now?
Fu Meier gritted her teeth and glared at Cheng Shi, but Cheng Shi snorted coldly: "I just don't understand. My own daughter, is there anyone here who knows her better than me? Would I just bring a fake daughter to this palace? Do you think I don't know the consequences? I've watched Ru Shuang change little by little over the past six months. I can guarantee that the person standing next to me is my biological daughter, Li Ru Shuang. If anyone dares to question this, let them confront me. I'm willing to discuss this with her until we get to the bottom of it."
Since Cheng Shi said so, there couldn't be any more problems. The others looked at Li Rushuang with surprise. Most of them had seen Li Rushuang before. Although she had become much whiter, could she have changed so much? They were somewhat skeptical. Finally, they all looked at the pink lotus between Li Rushuang's eyebrows. Upon closer inspection, they couldn't help but show their amazement. The lotus seemed to be in full bloom. It was so beautiful! In addition, Li Rushuang had become much whiter, which, combined with the pink lotus, made her complexion appear even more rosy and her eyes even brighter. It would be strange if she wasn't beautiful.
Many ladies and young women were taken aback, and some even considered giving it a try.
Ouyang Yue's lips curled slightly, her eyes sparkling. Today, Ouyang Yue wore a green dress, without any elaborate adornments. She was there to play a supporting role, naturally not wanting to overshadow Li Rushuang, and it seemed she was quite satisfied with the outcome.
Little did Ouyang Yue know that her deliberate attempt to keep a low profile had not been effective; at least, the few people who were supposed to be paying attention to her never turned their gaze away.
Today, Li Rushuang was dressed in pink, while Ouyang Yue was dressed in green. From a distance, they resembled a flower and a blade of grass. The flower was naturally beautiful and fragrant, while the grass, seemingly ordinary, was quite intriguing. Just like before, those who knew Ouyang Yue always focused their attention on her before judging Li Rushuang's identity. Ouyang Yue had a pretty face and large, bright eyes. Especially now, with a slight movement of her eyes, her face seemed to come alive. If Li Rushuang was as beautiful and ethereal as a lotus flower today, then the deliberately low-key Ouyang Yue was like a fairy among the flowers and grass. Who was more beautiful depended on who the people present preferred.
Baili Chen smiled broadly. He thought his wife looked especially beautiful today, and her deliberate low-key demeanor saved her trouble. Not bad, not bad.
On the other side, Xuan Yuan Chaohua, accompanied by several subordinates, was talking with someone. He had already stopped and was watching Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang enter. At this moment, he smiled indulgently, even his usually cold and hard face softened considerably. Indeed, since meeting Ouyang Yue, Xuan Yuan Chaohua's face had shown a tenderness that was absolutely unique to him. Although his subordinates had known for some time, they couldn't help but wonder what Ouyang Yue's identity was. Judging from the level of their master's concern, it seemed that the Xuan Yuan family would soon have a mistress.
Fu Meier was quite bullied. Seeing everyone agreeing with her, her chest trembled, but she only spoke with a cold face: "So this is really Miss Li. I really didn't expect it because Miss Li has changed so much. I am truly ashamed."
Cheng couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's nothing. If I hadn't watched Ru Shuang's changes every day for the past six months, she would probably be the same as you all. But Ru Shuang's beauty is also thanks to Miss Fu."
Fu Meier was stunned: "Because of me, what... what's going on?"
Cheng's lips curled up slightly: "Miss Fu, don't you know best what it's about?"
Fu Meier's face paled instantly, as if she had just thought of something, and she glared at Li Rushuang with eyes that seemed to be coated with venom. The others, who had overheard their conversation, began to whisper among themselves: "Hey, do you know what Madam Li and Miss Fu were talking about earlier..."
"I'm not entirely sure."
"Hmm, could it be..."
"What...what..."
Seeing this, Cheng smiled and said, "It looks like the banquet is about to begin. Let's walk slowly over there." She was speaking to Li Rushuang. Today, in order to make Li Rushuang perform well, Cheng had specifically told Li Rushuang not to speak when they arrived here and to observe the situation. Li Rushuang was secretly delighted to see Fu Meier's ugly face and nodded with a smile.
The entire garden rushed over in a flash. Fu Meier squinted and whispered a few words to Mu Cuiwei, then quickly ran to Li Rushuang, smiling as she said, "Congratulations, Miss Li, on regaining your beauty! Miss Li has always been a straightforward and trustworthy woman, and now you are even more outstanding." It was quite unusual for Fu Meier to praise someone like that, and Ouyang Yue, Cheng Shi, and Li Rushuang all looked at her.
Li Rushuang said calmly, "Miss Fu, there's no need to beat around the bush. Just say it directly."
Fu Meier nodded immediately: "Do you still remember the race between Miss Li and me? Although I messed up the race that day, Miss Li still lost." Li Rushuang's eyes turned slightly cold as she said, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Fu Meier curled her lips: "I remember the bet I made with Miss Li. One part was that whoever lost wouldn't be allowed to participate in the beauty pageant. Does Miss Li still remember?" From the moment Fu Meier saw Li Rushuang, she had a bad feeling. She felt that Li Rushuang was a formidable rival. If Li Rushuang were to compete, who knew which person who only cared about appearances would choose Li Rushuang instead of her? Although she was confident in her own talent and looks, even if she didn't want to admit it, Li Rushuang was now absolutely on par with her. She had to find a way to eliminate any factors that might hinder her.
Li Rushuang's face was cold, but she gave a cold laugh: "Miss Fu, do you think everyone is like you, judging others by their own petty standards? How laughable! But you can rest assured, I have no interest in competing for this beauty, and you don't need to feel threatened by me in the competition. Although, if we really wanted to compete, you wouldn't stand a chance. How should I put it? I'm a woman of gentlemanly conduct. If I lose, I lose. I won't play tricks or do anything despicable." After saying that, Li Rushuang tossed her head and left with Cheng Shi.
Fu Meier stood there, her hands clenched into fists, her brows furrowed, too angry to come to her senses for a long time. She closed her eyes, and only opened them after a while, her eyes flashing with a cold light.
As Cheng and her entourage arrived at the main banquet hall, a eunuch came out to announce that there were actually two banquets in the palace today. The grand banquet hall was hosted by the Empress Dowager, along with the Empress and the concubines of the harem, inviting all the young ladies of the city. The other small hall was hosted by the Emperor himself, mainly to entertain the officials and gentry who had accompanied their wives and daughters. The main focus of today's event was the young ladies who were about to participate in the beauty pageant.
Inside the main hall, the families of the various households were seated according to their rank, arranged by their status as officials, merchants, and nobles, and by their rank as imperial relatives. Each household had a table to sit at. At this time, the Empress Dowager and the others had not yet returned. The ladies and young ladies of the various households had just taken their seats when the eunuch announced loudly, "The Empress Dowager, the Empress, the Second Princess, the Fourth Princess, and the Fifth Princess have arrived. Kneel!"
Everyone immediately knelt beside the table, heads bowed, not daring to look up. Soon, those dressed in phoenix robes of the Empress Dowager and the Empress, as well as the various concubines in formal attire according to their rank, slowly and obediently walked out. The Empress Dowager went directly to the highest position in the hall and sat down, with the Empress and Consort Sun sitting on either side. Five or six other concubines of higher rank sat quietly in two rows below them. The Empress Dowager then looked at the people kneeling on the ground and smiled, "Get up, all of you. I invited you here today for a gathering, so there's no need to be so polite. Just make yourselves at home."
The Empress Dowager said this, but who dared to be impolite? After thanking her, they all lowered their heads and returned to their seats.
The Empress Dowager's gaze swept across the faces of the women, and she said with a kind smile, "Hmm, not bad. Our Great Zhou is a land of outstanding people and beautiful women. Look at the young ladies in each household, they are all as beautiful as flowers, more charming than flowers themselves. This is a good omen." The Empress Dowager immediately got to the point, and everyone straightened up to listen, with smiles appearing on their faces as appropriate.
Originally, the royal family didn't place much importance on this so-called beauty pageant, but for the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was a matter they couldn't afford to lose face. They might not care about the competition, but they couldn't afford to lose face. It was truly embarrassing that the Four Realms hadn't produced a renowned beauty in twenty years. Judging from the Empress Dowager's expression, someone had to emerge this year, or they would likely face her wrath. This had been discussed in various residences beforehand, so no one dared to be presumptuous and everyone was now acting with extreme caution.
The Empress Dowager looked at it and simply raised her eyebrows, saying, "In recent years, I have heard that there is a ranking of commoners in the capital, and three beautiful women have emerged from one side of the capital. Are they all in the palace?"
At this moment, the Empress lowered her voice and said, "Mother, now only two of the three beauties remain, and one of them has passed away."
The Empress Dowager frowned slightly. It was a pity that they died at such a time. However, she wouldn't dwell on such matters. After all, countless people died in the capital every day. The Empress Dowager didn't care about unimportant people. If it weren't for the upcoming beauty pageant, someone of the Empress Dowager's status wouldn't have cared even if all three of the Three Beauties died in a single day: "Oh, who among the Three Beauties is in the palace? Come up and let me see them."
At the same time, two slender figures emerged from two different places, one near the Empress Dowager and the other in the latter half.
"Your humble servant Ning Xihe pays respects to the Empress Dowager, the Empress, the Princess, and all the ladies."
"This humble woman, Fu Meier, pays her respects to the Empress Dowager, the Empress, the Princess, and all the ladies."
Ning Xihe, the second daughter of the Ning family and the current head of the household, and Fu Meier, the eldest daughter of the first imperial merchant family, each possessed their own unique charm. Ning Xihe, true to her name, was refreshingly elegant, while Fu Meier was radiantly beautiful. Both were striking beauties, and the Empress Dowager was quite pleased with them. However, her gaze subtly swept towards Li Rushuang, clearly indicating that the Empress Dowager was more interested in her. To be noticed by the Empress Dowager at this banquet would be a great honor. Even if one didn't ultimately win the title of "Beauty of the Night," catching the Empress Dowager's eye would be a cause for great joy. The Empress Dowager rarely left her residence, making it difficult even for some elderly noblewomen to meet her, let alone others. This was an extremely rare opportunity.
Fortunately, the Empress Dowager has gathered everyone here today, which is a perfect opportunity to showcase their talents. The young ladies from various households have put in a lot of effort in dressing up, but compared to them, Li Rushuang is more distinctive.
"Oh, not bad, not bad at all. You all deserve the title of 'three beauties'. You are all very good. Would you like to participate in the beauty pageant?"
"Your Majesty, I would like to give it a try." Ning Xihe didn't say much, her tone was clear and pleasant to listen to.
"Your Majesty, I have participated and am confident of making it into the top ten." Fu Meier's voice was soft and charming, yet her words were firm and resolute. The Empress Dowager was slightly taken aback, but then smiled and looked at her: "Good, good, indeed you are full of confidence. This is the spirit of our Great Zhou Dynasty. Our Great Zhou Dynasty has gathered many talented people, so we should have the confidence to win the crown. Our Great Zhou Dynasty has also had champions in previous competitions, and quite a few of them. This time, naturally, our Great Zhou Dynasty will also win the crown."
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's words, the hall fell silent. Listening to her, they felt pressure. Fu Meier, who had been confident in herself, was still unsure of winning the championship. However, winning first place would bring both glory and numerous benefits. Among the young ladies of the capital, the "Three Beauties" were considered the most outstanding. The "Three Talents" and "Three Beauties" were originally chosen by deliberately ignoring members of the imperial family. In reality, among the princes, each was exceptionally talented. Anyone with even a sliver of hope for the throne would strive to excel in the Imperial Academy. The "Three Talents" list was far from sufficient. Compared to the princes, while there were many princesses, truly talented ones were few and far between.
There are six princesses in the current dynasty. The third princess is deceased. The eldest princess, Baili Xian, although talented and virtuous, married young. Since the selection of the "Three Talents and Three Beauties" has always been reserved for unmarried young men and women, she was naturally ineligible. The second princess, Baili Jing, is the daughter of the current empress. Although beautiful, she is ruthless and dislikes studying, so her talent is not particularly outstanding. The fourth princess, Baili Cai, is timid and cowardly, always running errands for Baili Jing, and is somewhat unrefined. The fifth princess, Baile, is the daughter of Consort Sun and is the emperor's favorite princess. She has been willful since childhood, likes to oppose the second princess, Baili Jing, and has many tricks up her sleeve. However, in terms of talent, she is probably not as good as some noble ladies. The youngest, the sixth princess, Baili Yan, is just the daughter of a palace maid. It is said that she has a good relationship with the seventh prince, but unfortunately, she has the lowest status in the palace. Therefore, the royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty almost never sends princesses to participate in the competition.
If Fu Meier could win first place in the beauty pageant, her status and position would rise dramatically. Normally, as the legitimate daughter of a royal merchant, marrying a prince would be difficult, but if she won, her chances would be much greater. Coupled with her family's immense wealth, she felt there was a very high possibility of a relationship with the Seventh Prince. She couldn't help but say, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will do my best."
Fu Meier's words were very confident but also seemed overly arrogant. The other ladies and young women present were somewhat dissatisfied, but the Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction and said, "Well said. How can the noble ladies of my Great Zhou Dynasty not even have this much confidence? If they don't even have this much confidence, then they can forget about winning the championship. I like Miss Fu's confidence."
"Yes, Your Majesty is right. Miss Fu is full of confidence and gives her all in the competition, so she naturally has a better chance of winning the championship."
"Miss Fu truly lives up to her reputation as having three beautiful features..."
Everyone praised her, and Ning Xihe, kneeling before the hall, couldn't help but turn to look at Fu Meier. A faint smile played on her lips, but a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes. A lowly merchant's daughter dared to compete with her for this beauty? How absurd! However, Ning Xihe only glanced at her before turning away. The Empress Dowager, seeing this, smiled even more inscrutablely. The more competitive the internal affairs, the more effort they would put in. She deliberately elevated Fu Meier to incite resentment among the petty officials from other households in the hall. The more resentful they were, the more they would fight tooth and nail for Fu Meier. A lukewarm approach wouldn't produce talent, and that was her true purpose. In this era, whoever won the crown was a subject of her Great Zhou Dynasty, that was all that mattered.
"Alright, you two can go back to your seats now." The Empress Dowager waved her hand, and Ning Xihe and Fu Meier immediately retreated to their seats respectfully. The Empress Dowager glanced around again, but at this moment, Baili Jing, who was sitting under the Empress, suddenly turned her eyes to Li Rushuang and couldn't help but exclaim, "Grandmother, Mother, did you see the woman over there? Her makeup is so exquisite."
As soon as Baili Jing appeared, all eyes in the entire hall turned to Li Rushuang. The Empress Dowager had also seen her long ago and smiled, "Yes, she is indeed quite beautiful. She is a sight to behold. I wonder which family's daughter she is."
Cheng and Li Rushuang immediately knelt down: "Your wife is the wife of Li Gang, Minister of War. Her maiden name is Cheng."
"Your subject, Li Rushuang, pays her respects to the Empress Dowager, the Empress, the Princess, and all the ladies."
The Empress Dowager and the Empress were clearly taken aback. Since they knew about the three beauties of the capital, they must also know about the three talents and three ugliest people. Li Rushuang was one of the three ugliest people. It was rumored that her face was as black as a block of clay, but that was completely different from what she looked like now. The Empress Dowager smiled with emotion and said, "Indeed, the rumors are not credible. Looking at Miss Li's elegant face, she is not like the rumors. I have become vulgar too."
The Empress smiled, her surprise hidden in her eyes: "It's actually Miss Li! The change is so great that even I am amazed. Indeed, a girl changes a lot as she grows up." The Empress Dowager didn't attend banquets much before, but the Empress, as the mistress of the harem, couldn't miss many banquets in the palace. She had seen Li Rushuang many times, and she was amazed that she had changed so much in less than a year. The Empress praised her.
Baili Jing's eyes turned slightly cold: "So it's Miss Li. You've changed so much, it's truly unexpected. Just now, I was thinking, if such a beauty participated in a beauty pageant, our Great Zhou Dynasty's chances of winning would be even greater." Ouyang Yue's brows suddenly furrowed, and she looked up slightly, seeing a hint of malice flash in Baili Jing's eyes, while her smile widened and her eyes narrowed. Baili Jing spoke again, "However, it's a pity. I heard that Miss Li doesn't seem very interested in this beauty pageant, and even declared she wouldn't participate. It's truly regrettable. Otherwise, with Miss Li's current beauty, our Great Zhou might have made it into the top ten more times, which would have been a great honor. What a pity, what a pity."
Li Rushuang's face suddenly stiffened, because everyone in the hall had sensed that the Empress Dowager's expression was somewhat off, and they all lowered their heads and dared not speak.
Today, the Empress Dowager has gathered everyone for a persuasive event. Although those present in this hall are all preparing to participate in the beauty pageant, some, knowing their own lack of talent, don't want to embarrass themselves and are hesitant. However, the Empress Dowager's unwavering determination to win today has made even the hesitant dare not refuse. If you don't participate, are you trying to embarrass the Empress Dowager? Besides, you've already attended today's palace banquet. The Empress Dowager hasn't attended these mundane banquets for many years, and today she specially hosted one. If you don't attend, are you slapping the Empress Dowager in the face?
Furthermore, since Li Rushuang has changed her appearance, anyone would think that she has a chance to make it into the rankings if she participates. Although she may not win the championship, there are only a few countries in the Langya Continent. If half or more of the top ten are from the same country, wouldn't that be something to be proud of? Therefore, the Empress Dowager's actions today are partly driven by the idea that the more the merrier. If Li Rushuang really thinks like Baili Jing, looking down on the beauty pageant and the Empress Dowager, then she's incredibly audacious and has a death wish!
Li Rushuang clenched her fists tightly, cold sweat dripping from her forehead. Although she was usually cheerful and carefree, it didn't mean she was stupid. In this situation, her status as the legitimate daughter of the Minister of War was completely useless. Sitting above her was the Empress Dowager, the most noble woman in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Did she dare to disobey? She suddenly understood why Fu Meier had deliberately run to her and made her promise those words—it was a trap. She also knew that Mu Cuiwei always obeyed the Second Princess, and Fu Meier was on good terms with Mu Cuiwei. Baili Jing's sudden words were probably the work of Fu Meier and Mu Cuiwei.
In fact, Li Rushuang did not know that although Baili Jing did not participate in the beauty pageant, there were quite a few young ladies from various families who depended on her. Among them were people from her circle who shone brightly in the beauty pageant, which would also enhance her reputation and give her leverage to make demands. She did not want to see young ladies other than her steal the spotlight. Even if Li Rushuang did not participate, she still had to get back at Fu Meier for losing face in the garden.
The Empress Dowager's voice was noticeably colder as she said, "Oh, Miss Li, why are you unwilling to participate in the beauty pageant? Is there some difficulty? Why don't you tell me, so that I can help you think it over?"
Li Rushuang's body became noticeably stiffer, and the Fifth Princess Baili Le laughed as she looked at her: "Grandmother, Miss Li must have some unspeakable reason. It's unlikely that she deliberately didn't want to participate." Baili Jing glanced at Baili Le. Ming Shi and the other two loved to be at odds, so Baili Le certainly couldn't deliberately speak up for her. It was probably also to suppress Li Rushuang.
Li Rushuang felt as if she had been soaked in water, and was in great discomfort. Cheng Shi also felt a pang of anxiety and immediately thought of an explanation. Ouyang Yue glanced at the people seated above and suddenly said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I know why Rushuang is not participating."
The Empress Dowager was taken aback, and then noticed Ouyang Yue, who was not far from Li Rushuang. According to Ouyang Zhide's official rank, Ouyang Yue was much higher than Li Rushuang. The Empress looked at Ouyang Yue and whispered, "Mother, she is the legitimate daughter of General Guide, Ouyang Zhide, the third young lady of the General's Mansion. She and Li Rushuang were originally known as the three ugliest women in the capital, and she was the first one."
A hint of doubt flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes. She looked at the young girl, whose face was also quite regular, and upon closer inspection, her features were very delicate. Moreover... The Empress Dowager frowned slightly. She felt that this girl looked very familiar. Was this girl one of the three ugliest women in the capital? The Empress Dowager asked with a smile, "Oh, you know. Then tell me why."
Ouyang Yue pursed her lips slightly, looking somewhat embarrassed, but still spoke up: "Your Majesty, actually, Ru Shuang is a little afraid."
"Afraid? Why should we be afraid? Winning the beauty pageant is a great honor. We should be happy. What is there to be afraid of?" The Empress Dowager was somewhat puzzled.
Fu Meier was a little nervous at this moment. She knew that Ouyang Yue was outspoken, but now that the Empress Dowager and the Empress were in the main hall, she dared not interrupt in front of such noble people. She just twisted her handkerchief in her hand and felt uneasy.
Ouyang Yue pouted: "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is kind-hearted and lives deep in the palace, so you naturally wouldn't be involved in worldly affairs. You probably wouldn't believe it, but Ru Shuang was disfigured half a year ago."
"Disfigured?" The Empress Dowager's usually calm face showed surprise. "What exactly happened?"
Ouyang Yue sighed, "Actually, this is a long story. I was there too. Ru Shuang and I had arranged to go to the racetrack. We usually enjoy martial arts and swordsmanship, so we weren't very confident about this beauty pageant. Ru Shuang said that as citizens of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and with our fathers serving the court, although we can't serve the country like men, we are still duty-bound to do anything we can. These are the only things I'm good at, so Ru Shuang suggested that we go to the racetrack to practice our horsemanship. Maybe if we met in the beauty pageant, we could advance by chance. Even if there's only a small possibility, we should give it a try. But it was just a coincidence that we met Miss Fu and Miss Mu at the racetrack. Later, Ru Shuang felt that her horsemanship training lacked pressure, so she accepted Miss Fu's bet and 'personally' rode against Miss Fu and Miss Mu's 'proxy riders' in the race."
Ouyang Yue's words were truly vivid and full of flattery, making it seem as if participating in the beauty pageant was an obligation of every citizen of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Empress Dowager beamed with joy, and even the Empress couldn't help but glance at Ouyang Yue a few times. Cheng Shi, who had been tense, relaxed and gently held Li Rushuang's hand to help her relax. Li Rushuang breathed a sigh of relief. She trusted Yue'er completely; as long as Yue'er wanted to, this matter was probably settled.
Ouyang Yue spoke with a radiant smile, but suddenly her expression changed. She said, "Ru Shuang's riding skills were honed in the military camp from a young age. Our Great Zhou Dynasty is strong and powerful, with generals who are all capable of handling their own affairs. Ru Shuang grew up with Uncle Li in the military camp, so her riding skills are naturally superb. At the start of the competition, Ru Shuang was the first to ride. The crowd cheered, wave after wave. I've never seen such a lively scene before; it was truly exhilarating. It was also the first time I'd seen Ru Shuang so radiant and heroic. But after running more than half the distance, perhaps Miss Fu's substitute rider was too eager to win. She was about to whip her horse, but for some reason, the whip didn't strike backward; instead, it lashed forward, throwing the focused Ru Shuang to the ground. The substitute rider then won. Ru Shuang and Miss Fu had previously agreed that whoever lost would no longer be allowed to participate in beauty pageants."
"Oh, that's not all. Ru Shuang hasn't recovered from the blow of defeat yet. I was too far away to see clearly at the time, but I saw the whip whipping around so fast that it left a trail of light in the air. It was so fast! I don't know how it was done, but when Ru Shuang rolled on the ground, even though she was wearing a veil, there were cuts on her eyebrows and the corners of her eyes. She looked quite frightening. I immediately asked the doctor at the racetrack to take a look, and the doctor said that Ru Shuang's face was probably ruined."
"Hiss!" Everyone present seemed to be back in the same situation when they heard Ouyang Yue's words. Recalling the scene, they couldn't help but feel sorry for Li Rushuang. Many of the young ladies even covered their faces with their hands after hearing the story. As women, they could understand how Li Rushuang felt when she was disfigured. They couldn't help but feel a mix of jealousy and sympathy for her when she suddenly became beautiful.
The Empress Dowager and the others were also startled: "Your Majesty, although Ru Shuang shouldn't have agreed to Miss Fu's bet and couldn't participate in the beauty pageant, Ru Shuang grew up in the military camp and witnessed the admirable loyalty and promises of the valiant soldiers of our Great Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, she has always valued promises and never regrets her word. Moreover, Ru Shuang never imagined that she would become beautiful one day. When she learned that she was disfigured, she cried bitterly and fell ill. Although Ru Shuang was somewhat unwilling, she had to keep her promise to Miss Fu. Besides, she had an instinctive fear of this beauty pageant. With Ru Shuang's excellent skills, how could she dare to participate if she ended up disfigured?"
Fu Meier's face paled instantly. What was the Empress Dowager's purpose in holding this banquet today? Ouyang Yue's revelation of the bet was a blatant slap in the face to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was so eager for the noble ladies of the Great Zhou Dynasty to attend, yet she had forbidden Li Rushuang from participating. Was this an act of defiance against the Empress Dowager? The Empress Dowager's eyes turned cold, her previous smile long gone. Fu Meier trembled as she tried to explain, but at that moment, Baili Jing suddenly said, "Wait a minute, if Li Rushuang is disfigured, then why is her face pale again?"
Li Rushuang raised her head and took a deep breath: "Empress Dowager, Empress, Princess and all ladies, I would never dare to utter a single falsehood. Half a year ago, my face was indeed disfigured. At that time, I even wanted to die. However, there is always a way out. By chance, I entered a cosmetics shop and then my life changed."
The Empress Dowager couldn't help but ask curiously, "What kind of shop is so magical?"
Li Rushuang solemnly said, "The name of that shop is Beauty Pavilion. Their slogan is, 'There are no ugly women in the world. As long as you dare to climb up and enter, you will become a beauty in half a year!'"
"What? Someone actually dares to say such a boastful thing?" Many people were surprised, but they were also shocked and curious.
Ouyang Yue's lips curled slightly; that Beauty Pavilion was indeed her property!
☆, 134, The Holy King of Miao Territory! (Begging for monthly votes!)
Everyone in the hall couldn't help but be curious about the Beauty Pavilion that Li Rushuang mentioned, after all, it was a fact that Li Rushuang had become more beautiful in half a year. Baili Jing frowned and looked at Li Rushuang, and couldn't help but sneer: "Oh, so Miss Li's success is all thanks to this so-called Beauty Pavilion." Baili Jing pretended to be deep in thought as she looked at Li Rushuang, "But this princess doesn't know if it's true or not."
Li Rushuang was taken aback and said, "This... Your Highness, this is true, but if Your Highness does not believe it, I do not know how to prove it."
“Oh, this princess does have a way to prove it.” Baili Jing looked at the Empress Dowager and said, “Grandmother, Miss Li has changed so much in just six months, it’s really unbelievable. I think it’s necessary to verify whether Miss Li changed herself or is pretending. Grandmother’s authority is not something anyone can defy.”