"ah!"
"I knew Miss Ouyang would win."
"Hmph, you just voted for Princess Baili, didn't you? And you said you were sure to win."
“Well, Princess Baili is a member of the royal family. They are all people of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It doesn’t matter who we choose.”
"Yeah……"
The crowd laughed and chatted incessantly, creating chaos both on and off the stage.
Leng Caiwen slammed her fan on the table: "I was so nervous! Those people were actually walking around Ouyang Yue. I almost jumped up and punched them all. Were they blind?"
Dai Yu sighed, "Luckily I held you back, otherwise this competition would have turned into a bloody disaster."
"What do you know? I'm just angry." Leng Caiwen said angrily, then looked at Baili Chen with a puzzled expression: "Seventh Prince, why don't you have any reaction? How well did Miss Ouyang perform?"
Baili Chen suddenly turned his head, his eyes unusually sharp, which startled Leng Caiwen: "You can just tell me if it's good or not, you don't need to glare at me. If you don't like it, that's fine, I didn't say anything else."
"Hmm, very good, better than expected." Baili Chen said calmly, turning his head, which surprised Leng Caiwen: "You think it's good? Is that how it is? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were dissatisfied with the result of the competition. Are you angry because of those who deliberately didn't vote because they were afraid of losing the bet? Although they were indeed infuriating, at least the final result didn't change, right?"
Baili Chen remained silent, his lips pressed tightly together as he gazed at the unusually calm Ouyang Yue on the stage. Ouyang Yue's expression was serene, her smile perfectly timed, leaving no room for words, yet it inexplicably irritated Baili Chen.
"Bang!"
Just then, a sound suddenly came from the stage. Everyone stared in surprise and saw a woman in pink suddenly fall to the ground. Someone exclaimed, "Ah, Miss Ning Xihe has fainted."
"Quickly help Miss Ning down, hurry!" Immediately, a guard called for a female servant to help Ning Xihe down. Mr. Qi, who was announcing the results on the stage, was a little dumbfounded. He paused and said, "So, according to the number of votes, the final five who will advance are Miss Ouyang from the Great Zhou Dynasty, Princess Baili Nan from the Great Zhou Dynasty, Zi Si from Miao Jiang, Princess Da Gan Jiang Huan, and the last one is Miss Mu Cuiwei from the Great Zhou Dynasty. Miss Yan Xue'er from the Black Teeth Kingdom and Miss Ning Xihe from the Great Zhou Dynasty are eliminated."
Yan Xue'er was somewhat embarrassed. Ning Xihe, who had received the fewest votes, had been carried off the stage, leaving only Yan Xue'er as the eliminated contestant. Everyone's eyes were on her. Actually, all seven contestants' performances were quite good, arguably neck and neck. However, Yan Xue'er's performances had always been related to dance, which had become predictable and unsurprising, leading to her elimination. Ning Xihe's talent was indeed impressive, but she lost to Mr. Qi. Even if Ning Xihe's talent was exceptional, people only saw the fact that she lost, instinctively assuming her performance was inferior and that her defeat was understandable.
Ouyang Yue turned her head slightly to look in the direction where Ning Xihe was carried away. But was Ning Xihe really fainted or just pretending? Looking at Yan Xue'er's pale face on the stage, she seemed to understand why Ning Xihe had suddenly fainted. Judging from Yan Xue'er's expression, as if she wanted to find a hole to crawl into, she was indeed extremely embarrassed. It wasn't impossible for her to escape this embarrassment.
After the five contestants were selected, Mr. Qi hurriedly said, "The next two rounds, the five-to-three and the three-to-one, are all related to martial arts. However, the five-to-three round will test courage, while the three-to-one round will test interpersonal skills and teamwork. Teams can participate, and there can be assistants. The next two rounds will be very exciting, and I can't wait. However, in order for all the ladies to get some rest, the five-to-three round will be held in three days. Please stay tuned!"
Everyone was a little disappointed that they couldn't see the next match right away. They left after discussing it. Ouyang Yue stepped off the stage, packed up briefly, and then took Dongxue and Chuncao back to the General's Mansion. However, as soon as she entered the carriage they had prepared, she suddenly smelled a strange odor in the carriage. She immediately looked up alertly!
☆、141, Even the most virtuous woman can be swayed by a persistent suitor!
A vibrant and beautiful red datura flower sat quietly on the seat, its stem bent into a shape resembling a willow branch. Ouyang Yue suddenly realized that this shape was somewhat similar to the strange vines on the face of the Miao King.
Ouyang Yue squinted, not moving for a moment. At this moment, Dongxue lifted the curtain and came in. When she saw the datura flower on the seat, her eyes narrowed: "Someone has entered this carriage, Miss. Let's change to another one."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "It's just a flower. Doesn't that seem too cold and indifferent?"
Dongxue frowned and said, "But it's always better to be safe than sorry. There's no guarantee that something might happen. Everyone went to watch the competition, and this carriage was guarded by a special person. Being parked with many other carriages, it certainly had the potential to be targeted. I don't know what this flower means, but it's always necessary to take precautions."
“Yes, Miss, let’s change to another carriage. It won’t make a difference if we wait a little longer,” Chuncao quickly advised.
Ouyang Yue disagreed, but still nodded and said, "Alright, let's change to another carriage." Ning Shi suddenly felt very unwell when she came for the competition today, so she didn't come along. Now that she wants to change to another carriage, she really needs to find one.
"Oh, isn't this Miss Ouyang? What's wrong? Is there a problem with the carriage?" At this moment, a cheerful voice rang out from the side. Ouyang Yue turned her head and saw Yan Xue'er walking towards her with two maids, smiling. Dongxue immediately stepped aside to receive her, and Ouyang Yue gently held her shoulder. Dongxue whispered, "Miss, we don't know yet whether this carriage has anything to do with her."
"Even so, if someone comes to me, I can't just avoid them; that would be impolite. If you're scared, just stay to the side and keep a close eye on things." Seeing that Ouyang Yue had no intention of leaving, Dongxue could only nod, her eyes slightly narrowed as she watched Yan Xue'er and the three maids approach.
"There's a minor problem with the carriage, and I was just about to have the maid find another one."
Upon hearing this, Yan Xue'er's face lit up with joy as she said, "I'm going back to my residence anyway. If Miss Ouyang doesn't mind, how about I give her a ride?" Ouyang Yue looked at Yan Xue'er's excited expression, smiled slightly, and nodded. Yan Xue'er immediately said to the maids, "Go and prepare the carriage. I'll take Miss Ouyang there right away."
"Yes, Miss." The two maids glanced at Ouyang Yue, having witnessed the previous competition. This Miss Ouyang was truly skilled; even their well-known young lady, whose abilities they knew well, couldn't compare. They had initially thought their young lady would be upset about not making it into the top five, but now she seemed unaffected. The two maids were quite surprised. In the manor, their young lady had even neglected her meals and sleep for dancing; when had she become so carefree? Despite their thoughts, the two maids quickly went to prepare. Soon, Yan Xue'er's servants had prepared the carriage, and Yan Xue'er immediately and warmly invited Ouyang Yue to board.
Such enthusiasm made Ouyang Yue somewhat wary. When she had previously interacted with Yan Xue'er, she found her to be a very aloof person. Dongxue and Chuncao exchanged a glance, and Dongxue squeezed into the carriage to follow Ouyang Yue and keep an eye on Yan Xue'er.
Once inside the carriage, Yan Xue'er fell silent. Ouyang Yue didn't rush to say anything, simply remaining still. Yan Xue'er felt somewhat awkward and finally spoke, "I didn't know Miss Ouyang was such a skilled dancer. Seeing her today is truly an eye-opener." Yan Xue'er's eyes sparkled as she looked at Ouyang Yue, but Ouyang Yue couldn't see any falsehood in her gaze; it seemed to be genuine praise.
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Miss Yan is too kind. In terms of solid skills, how can I compare to Miss Yan? I just put some effort into the performance, so it looks a little better."
Upon hearing this, Yan Xue'er's gaze deepened as she looked at Ouyang Yue, and she nodded earnestly, saying, "No, others might say that, but I know that your skill level is no worse than mine. In that round of nine to seven competition, you didn't even use your full strength in your spins, otherwise you should have succeeded. Why did you give up? Were you deliberately letting me win?"
Ouyang Yue's smile deepened as she said, "No, I won't deliberately let anyone win. Miss Yan, don't underestimate yourself. You've been learning to dance for many years, and no layman can compare to you. I ask myself, if we were only comparing dance, I would probably lose today."
Yan Xue'er smiled faintly, sitting to the side and carefully observing Ouyang Yue, saying, "Before arriving in the Great Zhou Dynasty, I had already sent people to inquire about the information of the contestants from the five countries. However, because there were so many people, it wasn't easy to collect all the information. But I did manage to gather information on a few of the more famous and outstanding ones. When I gathered information on Miss Ouyang, it only said that you were a spoiled, talentless, and incompetent young lady. I didn't take you seriously at all. I never expected that you would be able to enter the top five of the Langya Continent Beauty Pageant. To be honest, Miss Ouyang, I'm afraid that ninety percent of the young ladies on the Langya Continent have been..." I was one of those preparing for this beauty pageant, and I'd always harbored ambitions and expectations for it. My prior research helped me win, and I was full of confidence. However, after participating, I realized it was truly a contest of fierce competition, with some like Miss Ouyang hiding their true abilities. All the rumors and gossip were unreliable until I saw them for myself. It's impossible not to feel a little disappointed that I didn't advance further, but seeing someone like Miss Ouyang, I felt my loss was worthwhile. I just didn't want to lose to anyone else.
In this competition where seven contestants were narrowed down to five, it was only natural that Ouyang Yue was able to advance by performing three talents at the same time. One of them, a dance, was also the reason why she defeated Yan Xue'er. She did not admit that her talents were inferior to those of the other contestants. Yan Xue'er looked at Ouyang Yue with sparkling eyes. Ouyang Yue raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "What do you mean by this, Miss Yan?"
"Miss Ouyang, are you confident that you can win the championship all the way?" Yan Xue'er stared at Ouyang Yue and asked bluntly.
Ouyang Yue pursed her lips: "The opponents in the next five rounds are all formidable. It's too early to talk about the champion. I'm afraid no one can be absolutely certain of victory."
Yan Xue'er shook her head: "Miss Ouyang, you can, as long as you want." Ouyang Yue looked at Yan Xue'er without speaking, but the latter gently curled her lips, "I just don't want to lose to anyone else. As long as you win the championship, at least I will feel that I only lost to you. I will continue to practice dancing. Maybe one day I will be confident that I can beat Miss Ouyang, and I will come to challenge you again."
"oh?"
Yan Xue'er continued, "As long as Miss Ouyang Yue keeps winning, I will challenge you again in the future. When I win, I will be the beauty pageant champion, and I won't have to compete in so many rounds, which is so troublesome. So I hope Miss Ouyang will win the championship."
Ouyang Yue found Yan Xue'er's logic amusing and chuckled without saying a word. After Yan Xue'er finished speaking, her face turned slightly red: "I always thought my dancing skills were unique and few could compare to me. Now I realize that there are always people better than you. If my master were still alive, I really hope you two could have a competition." Yan Xue'er said with some emotion.
Ouyang Yue stared at Yan Xue'er and suddenly laughed: "Miss Yan, has anyone ever told you that you are actually a dance fanatic?"
Yan Xue'er was stunned for a moment, then her face turned even redder. She sat to the side with her lips slightly pursed and did not say anything, which made Ouyang Yue laugh out loud: "Miss Yan is such a wonderful person. If it weren't for the carriage today, I would have missed it. I guess it's fate."
Yan Xue'er's face was flushed, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned as she smiled: "If it weren't for this incident, I wouldn't have known that Miss Ouyang was not as rumored. Not only was she not, but she was also surprisingly talented. I wonder if those people who spread these rumors before were blind."
Ouyang Yue sneered inwardly. Of course they were blind, because they hadn't seen the truth at all. They were misled by others. It was Ouyang Rou who deliberately spread the rumor. In fact, very few people had actually seen the original owner's arrogance and excess. This is the power of rumors spreading like wildfire.
Yan Xue'er sighed, "It's a pity I have to go back to China after the beauty pageant, otherwise I could have chatted with Miss Ouyang more. I'm really curious about your unique way of spinning, and the marks on your feet are even smaller than the arc of my spin. I'm really curious, I wonder if Miss Ouyang could tell me."
Looking at Yan Xue'er's expectant face, Ouyang Yue realized that this person truly loved dance. Was her former arrogance simply a characteristic of an artist? However, Yan Xue'er was genuinely pure and sincere, and Ouyang Yue was happy to befriend her: "Of course, actually, those special spinning methods require a foundation, it..." Ouyang Yue immediately launched into a long explanation, recounting some characteristics and training methods of ballet from her previous life. Yan Xue'er listened with rapt attention, only blushing when she heard that she would have to wear a very small dress. Ouyang paused, "But these are secondary; they can be replaced by perfect dance moves. Besides, the costume is just an external thing; what matters most is the soul of the dance and your dedication."
Yan Xue'er nodded repeatedly, but her smile was somewhat complicated as she said, "My teacher once said the same thing to me. I still have a lot to learn. Miss Ouyang, you taught me a lesson today, and I am very grateful to you."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Because Miss Yan is also sincere to me, I did all this willingly, so there is no need for thanks."
Yan Xue'er smiled at Ouyang Yue and said, "My greatest success in coming to this beauty pageant is making you my friend."
Ouyang Yue laughed: "Being able to make a friend like Miss Yan is also beyond my expectations."
Dongxue looked at Yan Xue'er for a long time, and only relaxed after confirming that she was indeed not in danger. She didn't expect that among these proud young ladies from various countries, there would be such a simple-minded one. It was quite rare.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was exceptionally lively...
That night, Ouyang Yue was dressed in a white dress with silver trim and red plum blossoms. She was leaning against a soft couch, holding a book in one hand and glancing out the window from time to time, with a rare look of tranquility on her face.
Just then, a sudden voice rang out in the room. Ouyang Yue frowned slightly, didn't even raise her head, turned a page in her hand, and said in a somewhat indifferent tone, "Why are you here again?"
The room fell silent for a moment, and then a person sat on the soft couch opposite Ouyang Yue. This person was dressed in a white brocade robe with silver embroidery. In the middle of the night, he swaggered into the general's mansion in this flamboyant outfit. I wonder if he changed into night clothes. Who else could it be but Baili Chen?
Baili Chen's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said, "I never expected that my wife and I would both be wearing white clothes with silver embroidery. It's really fate."
With a "whoosh," Ouyang Yue turned a page of her book but didn't look up at him. Baili Chen pursed his lips and said helplessly, "I couldn't help but come to see my wife. I was wrong. My wife can punish me however she wants."
Ouyang Yue sighed and finally lifted her head from the book, saying, "Why this time?"
Baili Chen said with dissatisfaction, "Does wanting to see my wife necessarily require some reason? Is it wrong to just miss you?" Ouyang Yue glanced at him without speaking. Baili Chen sighed, "I never intended for my wife to participate in the beauty pageant in the first place. You have no idea what people in the capital are saying about you now—that you're a celestial maiden descended to earth, the most talented young lady, and so on..."
“Isn’t it wonderful? If this happened to someone else, they would be overjoyed. How could I not fall into the same old trap and be moved and happy?” Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow and looked at Baili Chen. Baili Chen continued to sigh, “Yes, it’s just too wonderful. That’s why I was worried. Why was Third Brother there that day? My wife, you can’t be wrong, can you? He was clearly trying to get close to you.”
Ouyang Yue said, "When a prince gets married, let alone his wife, even his concubines would probably have to report to the emperor. Do you think it would be so easy for him to do that?"
Baili Chen plopped down next to Ouyang Yue, snatched her book, and said, "But once you have this idea, the variables become much greater."
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow: "So what do you mean? Are you suggesting I lose next?"
Baili Chen gazed at Ouyang Yue with eyes as dark as a deep well: "If only I could actually say it. My wife is so outstanding; having made it into the top five, how could she give up so easily?" Besides, he knew about the bet. For the sake of money, his wife probably wouldn't agree so easily. Did he think he was stupid? Doing things that his wife didn't like would hardly make her happy. Baili Chen then pulled Ouyang Yue into his arms, muttering, "I just feel so uneasy if I don't marry you soon. Holding you in my arms makes me feel less insecure. Before, my wife was one of the three ugliest women in the capital, so I had a better chance. But if I win the championship, how many more will compete with me? You know it's not easy for a prince to get married. I've already planned to propose to my father. If something changes, there will definitely be big problems, so of course I'm worried."
Ouyang Yue couldn't help but reach out and tap Baili Chen's forehead: "You're always overthinking things."
Baili Chen tilted his head, a smug look flashing across his face, then his expression turned serious as he grabbed Ouyang Yue's slender, jade-like fingers: "Of course it's not just wild imagination. Even if there's no external reason, I'm burning with desire right now and can't hold on much longer, my wife~"
Ouyang Yue slapped Baili Chen on the forehead. The latter cried out in pain, but instead used the momentum to twist his body and hug Ouyang Yue even tighter, rubbing his head against Ouyang Yue's shoulder and neck. Ouyang Yue turned her head and looked at him sideways: "Why do you look so lecherous? You're no different from those patrons in brothels."
Bai Lichen's smiling face suddenly darkened, and he said, "How can they be the same? I'm talking about my future wife. What are they? How can they be the same?"
Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow: "To me, they look exactly the same. Your lecherous expressions are indistinguishable to me."
Baili Chen narrowed his eyes, suddenly reached out and grabbed Ouyang Yue's head, pulling her directly into his arms. He then kissed her fiercely, saying, "Since you say so, my wife, then I'll play the part this time. But you're different from them. After I'm done, I'll redeem you and buy you into my household. You'll be with me every day, serving me every day. You'll be a thousand times happier than them. What do you think, my wife?" As he spoke, his lips lingered on Ouyang Yue's lips, their passion unending.
Ouyang Yue was panting heavily from the kisses when she suddenly felt something move on her leg. She abruptly pushed Baili Chen away, who blushed and looked somewhat aggrieved. Ouyang Yue, still slightly out of breath, glared at Baili Chen with displeasure. Sometimes she really regretted that she had transmigrated from the modern era; she was much more open-minded about these things. Otherwise, given her current status as an ancient lady, if Baili Chen had broken into her room at night, she would have had him thrown out long ago. He wouldn't have had the chance to act so recklessly. Besides, you can't spoil people; the less you talk to them, the more they take advantage of you.
Ouyang Yue smacked Baili Chen hard: "You're getting more and more outrageous."
Baili Chen immediately apologized, "My beloved woman is right in front of me. My self-control is indeed very weak. If I can remain indifferent in front of you, then I'm afraid I'm not up to it. I can't be a saint in front of you."
"Hmph, I forgot, you have a mouth that can talk the dead back to life."
Baili Chen felt very wronged: "No, my wife, you've misunderstood. I'm just stating the facts."
Ouyang Yue snorted: "Alright, it's so late, you should go home now, lest someone find out."
Baili Chen clung tightly to Ouyang Yue and snuggled closer: "I'm just worried. Besides, the upcoming competitions are all martial arts-based. I was so scared by the horse race where the top ten were narrowed down to nine. I'm afraid my wife might be in danger. I really don't want to leave your side."
Ouyang Yue glared at him: "You really don't trust my abilities? Do you think I'm someone who can be taken advantage of so easily? You should just leave."
Baili Chen sat stiffly in front of Ouyang Yue: "My wife has to give me some reassurance."
"What reassurance do you need? You are the seventh prince, who can compete with you? Don't forget that you are the emperor's most favored prince, who can beat you?" Ouyang Yue couldn't help but roll her eyes, but she didn't notice the fleeting darkness in Baili Chen's eyes. "That's hard to say."
"Then what do you want?" Ouyang Yue glanced at Baili Chen, who thought for a moment and smiled, "Although my wife can't marry now, I can't force her to, but if she wants to marry someone in the future, no matter who it is, she should tell me first, okay?" If the person isn't him, he can kill or kidnap them, depending on his mood.
Seeing the glint in Baili Chen's eyes, Ouyang Yue guessed that he must have some idea. Speechless, she said, "Fine, fine, I agree, okay? Now you can go."
Baili Chen immediately smiled, turned around and gave Ouyang Yue a quick kiss on the lips. He then turned and walked out, saying with a smile before leaving, "My wife, I'm waiting for you to say you're willing to marry me."
Ouyang Yue snorted. Baili Chen had already turned and left. Ouyang Yue continued flipping through her book, but she couldn't calm down. Looking at the moonlight outside, she suddenly said angrily, "That scoundrel, he's lying to me again about his promise." But then she looked down and touched her stomach. But Su'er had been gone for over a year…
Taking advantage of the moonlight, Baili Chen disappeared from the general's mansion in a few flips. He then climbed over a wall, where a man in black was standing straight waiting for him. Upon seeing Baili Chen come out, the man in black immediately stepped forward and said, "Master."
“Okay, let’s go back.” Baili Chen nodded and stepped forward first. But he suddenly noticed that the person behind him stopped. He turned around and saw Leng Sha standing outside the wall, looking slightly inside. His expression seemed to darken.
"What, are you unhappy that I came to the General's Mansion?" Leng Sha immediately lowered his head and said, "This subordinate dares not."
"Is that so? You clearly don't think that way." Baili Chen said with a stern face. Leng Sha was also helpless. He had recently discovered that his master was very different from his previous master. At least his previous master would never lower himself to do something like this. Didn't his master used to like to use force? If it didn't work, he would beat or kill you until you agreed. He was used to his cold-bloodedness. Now he was going to such lengths for a woman. He was really not used to it. It was just that Miss Ouyang was a little different. But it was not impossible for his master to just snatch her away. With his master's methods, it was not impossible to make Miss Ouyang obedient in the end.
Seeing Leng Sha's expression, Baili Chen, unusually kind, said, "You don't understand, do you? This is called romance. What's the point of forcibly taking a woman? I only feel a sense of accomplishment when I make my wife marry me willingly, understand? Besides, my wife is not comparable to those ordinary women. It's only right to spend more time on her. You haven't met her yet. You'll understand when you do."
Leng Sha's face darkened as he thought about his experiences following his master. He shook his head inwardly, wishing he had never met such a person. It would be better if he had never encountered someone like his master, who pretended to be stupid and shameless for a woman.
Baili Chen said with exasperation, "What do you know? Don't you know that even a fierce woman can be swayed by a persistent suitor? Before, my wife would beat me up whenever I got close to her, but now she's letting me take advantage of her. Can your blockhead compare to me? You don't understand anything."
Leng Sha gave Baili Chen a strange look. "Master, what you did was shameless, wasn't it? I have a feeling that Miss Ouyang was driven to desperation before agreeing to your approach." Baili Chen's face suddenly darkened. Leng Sha was being incredibly disrespectful. Did he think he didn't know how humiliating this was? That's why he only brought Leng Sha with him when he came out to handle this kind of matter. He said coldly, "Hmph, you don't know what's good for you. If you encounter something like this in the future, don't come asking for my opinion. I won't say anything."
Leng Sha's face darkened. He would never encounter someone as difficult as Miss Ouyang. He would rather be reborn into the womb. He would never want a woman like his master, who was willing to lose face to pursue her. He would never touch her: "Your subordinate dares not."
Baili Chen stared coldly at Leng Sha, "Watch you cry."