Zhuge Hualuan truly deserves the title of the most beautiful woman in the world. Every movement she makes is like the most exquisite and perfect painting in a masterpiece, like a fairy emerging from the green mountains and clear waters. Her clothes flutter, her long hair is serene and black, her eyebrows are like paintings, her skin is like jade, and her lips are like cinnabar. Standing beside the white-haired old man, this graceful and ethereal woman appears even more youthful and radiant!
The people who came to watch the competition, especially the men, were all in high spirits and excited as if they had been given chicken blood. They jumped up and down, shouting and screaming. The name Zhuge Hualuan swept the entire venue in an instant!
"Your Highness, this way please. The viewing seats for the Southern Dynasty are arranged here." The stewards greeted the guests with great courtesy and enthusiasm.
"No need," said Zhuge Huahun, his voice hoarse, as he walked with a smile toward an old man who had already stood up. "I'm going to see those old fogies." He laughed loudly, "Hahaha, it's been so many years since we old codgers have seen each other! I didn't expect you all to still be alive like me!"
"Yes, how could we dare to die before you if you don't die first? We're afraid you'll feel embarrassed, little brother. We're worried that if we leave first, what will happen to you, the youngest, all alone?" Chess Saint Zhan Hainan rarely joked, but seeing his high spirits and smiling face, we knew he was genuinely happy.
The calligrapher Tong Yunxiao couldn't help but laugh excitedly, "Yes, I was thinking that when I came to the Southern Dynasty this time, I had to meet you, little guy."
Zhuge Huahun sneered, "I'm an old man, how come I'm still a little kid in your eyes? Don't forget, if it weren't for this damn awkward ranking of qin, qi, shu, hua, I would be ranked third among the four of us. Yunxiao, you should call me Third Brother. Humph, that old madman got a good deal. He's the youngest but has the highest seniority."
"Damn it, let's have a competition with them. Let's see who's the best. Whoever comes in first is the boss." General Murong couldn't help but chime in. After he finished speaking, he thought he was right. He chuckled and shamelessly said, "Why don't you little guys all recognize me as your big brother? I'll protect you and divide you into first, second, third, and fourth. I guarantee you'll be convinced."
All three of them despised General Murong's opportunistic behavior, but before they could speak, Murong Qianxue couldn't help but mutter to herself, "Shameless old man, he can't even count how many beads are on an abacus, yet he's telling people to number one, two, three, four. He's a disgrace."
"What nonsense are you spouting, you brat? When have I ever been unable to count? Go find an abacus, and I'll count it for you." General Murong, his face fierce, turned around and shouted defiantly. The person who hadn't heard what Murong Qianxue was saying before was suddenly made to hear everything by his loud voice.
The old men grinned and winked, mercilessly mocking General Murong for not knowing how to count, which infuriated General Murong, who glared and puffed out his beard.
"Hey, can you stop being so shameless? I'm the big brother of these kids, their big brother! It's not your place, you rude old man, to divide them into one, two, three, four, five." Suddenly, a loud, impatient, and dissatisfied shout came from the air, startling tens of thousands of people in the audience who looked up sharply to find out where the voice came from.
The sound seemed both distant and incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, a figure rushed down from the horizon, falling swiftly and fiercely, about to strike the elderly people.
The elderly people below were initially excited and delighted to hear the sound, but they were so frightened by the sudden figure falling down that they all started cursing.
"Get out of here, you old geezer!" the Painting Sage roared, running as he shouted, his previous masterly demeanor completely vanishing.
"You really are an old codger! Can't you be normal for once?" the chess master roared, retreating repeatedly, afraid that the man would hit him.
Only the calligraphy master, Master Tong, remained calm. He stood there, slowly smiling at the figure that was about to hit him, and said, "I am wearing golden silk armor."
This remark immediately drew angry shouts and curses from the person who was about to bump into him: "You old devil! I knew you were the worst, so cunning and wicked. I'm going to fall!"
The newcomer had clearly lost control of his body. The mention of the golden silk armor startled him, causing him to change direction. However, he was already out of control and was about to fall to the ground, suffering a miserable crash. Suddenly, a clear, cold voice came from behind Elder Tong: "Seven bowls, go!"
Qi Wan obediently stood up and rushed out like a shooting star. The petite little girl grabbed the old man's arm in front of everyone's stunned gazes. However, before Qi Wan could catch the old man completely, the old man used a little leverage and nimbly somersaulted and landed steadily on the ground.
The dramatic scene vanished in the blink of an eye. Yet, the entire arena remained completely silent.
The old man, dressed in tattered black clothes like an old beggar, with white hair and a white beard, his face flushed red with rage and his beard trembling, pointed at the three men who didn't care about his life and cursed, "Have you no conscience at all? You don't even care whether I live or die? I'm your boss, your leader! You heartless bastards, are you really going to watch me fall to my death? Huh?!"
The old man before them was none other than the Qin Saint who had gifted Luo Zhiheng the zither during the competition that day!
But he was now furious, all his composure and masterly demeanor gone. He glared and cursed the three prominent figures mercilessly. After venting his anger, he changed his tone and said to Qi Wan with a mixture of surprise and admiration, "Young lady, you have impressive arm strength!"
He fell from a great height, and this little girl, without any fear, reached out and caught him. She even managed to catch him without any apparent injury. Her arm strength is amazing. If it were anyone else, they would probably be lying on the ground crying and clutching their broken arm by now.
Qi Wan gave a shy, goofy laugh and scratched his head sheepishly.
Seeing that Qi Wan was neither arrogant nor humble, and was rather amusingly simple-minded, the Qin Saint quickly searched his body but found nothing of value. He could only open one of the two boxes he carried with him and take out an exquisite and sparkling gold hairpin. The hairpin was finely crafted, and the hairpin itself was a rare bird, perfectly formed and lifelike, clearly a priceless treasure.
Qin Sheng smiled and handed the hairpin to Qi Wan, saying, "Young lady, you were kind enough to save me from being hurt. Please accept this little trinket as a token of my gratitude."
Qi Wan was startled by the glittering gold hairpin, and thought to herself: "So beautiful, so beautiful! Miss will definitely like it!"
But Qi Wan didn't dare to take it. She quickly waved her hand, but she was tongue-tied and didn't know how to speak, so she could only look helplessly at Mu Yunhe.
The Qin Saint laughed and said, "Is that your master? It's alright, just take it. This is my way of expressing my gratitude. Since your master asked you to help me, he must be a kind and righteous person and won't blame you."
"He's not my master! My master is the young lady!" Qi Wan suddenly became quite eloquent, shouting righteously, but then didn't know what else to say, her face flushed with unease. 159.
Qin Sheng was taken aback, and Zhuge Huahun's mocking voice interrupted from the side: "Oh dear, even the eldest has his bad start. But you old thing, do you have no shame? You actually carry around such girly things and just give them to young girls. No wonder they won't want them."
"That's right, look at the boss, he's a monster! He even dares to smile at that young girl, he might scare her to death!" Zhan Hainan said gloatingly.
"It's been a long time. I never thought you'd fall for someone else. I heard you even gave away the Dragon and Phoenix Zither. I no longer believe there's any true love in this world." Old Master Tong's aged voice was filled with resentment as he spoke coldly.
"What? This old bastard actually gave away the Dragon and Phoenix Zither? Are you kidding me! Qin Jinzhao! How could you do this to my sister?!" Zhuge Huahun suddenly roared furiously, and impulsively tried to attack someone.
The old folks were making a ruckus, creating a chaotic mess. The magnificent scene became eerily quiet. It was supposed to be a tragic ancient battlefield, but these old guys, who suddenly seemed like playful children, made it lively and cheerful.
The Qin Saint roared, his face flushed red, "What nonsense are you spouting? I will never betray Hua Qing in my entire life! It's just that the Dragon and Phoenix Qin are like mandarin ducks and golden eagles, a match made in heaven. Now that the Phoenix Qin is gone, what's the point of keeping the Dragon Qin? I might as well give it to someone destined for it, so that that person can also find a love that transcends time. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
The Qin Saint looked at the three men with utter disdain and said, "Do you think I'm as shallow and shameless as you? I have high morals and noble sentiments, and I'm willing to help more lovers find their happy ending. Besides, you didn't see that girl. I had complete confidence in giving her that qin. If I hadn't had something come up, I would definitely have seen her in the finals. But it's the same now, anyway, she's the champion. Hahaha, I have good judgment."
Tong Yunxiao paused, turning his head to look at Mu Yunhe. Mu Yunhe had just looked up as well; his face was obscured by shadows, but a hint of surprise and a smile played on his lips. 16022365
Could this old man be the one who gifted Luo Zhiheng the zither? That zither has such a story behind it? Why didn't Aheng tell him? Or did Aheng himself not know? But that zither actually symbolizes love? Although Mu Yunhe didn't understand what love was, he knew what love was: a man and a woman spending their lives together, happily ever after. At this moment, he couldn't help but feel his heart surge with emotion.
Did Ah Heng know the meaning behind this zither, which is why she gave it to him? Was Ah Heng too shy to tell him? But could Ah Heng be implying that she wants to be with him, to be with him for life?
Mu Yunhe felt as if he were instantly filled with energy and excitement, his narrow eyes brightening even in the shadows. He felt an overwhelming urge to see Luo Zhiheng, and it was at this moment that he suddenly realized how much he missed her. It had been more than two days since he last saw her.
Mu Yunhe couldn't help but recall the words his secret guard had brought back earlier. Between his gentle older sister in his memory and his wife who was by his side day and night, he ultimately chose to believe his wife.
Aheng's decisions are always correct, and she always has her own thoughts and judgments. Being in the palace, the only thing that can truly restrain Aheng is probably her sister. Even with the Emperor and Empress, Luo Zhiheng's fearless nature would prevent her from yielding, and her wet nurse is no pushover either. If necessary, Aheng can definitely break free by resisting.
But Aheng didn't, which means Aheng is wary of something. Mu Yunhe thought about it over and over, and the only thing Aheng is wary of is probably his sister. Aheng probably doesn't want to fall out with his sister and doesn't want him to be caught in the middle, so he's enduring it.
The light of happiness in Mu Yunhe's eyes dimmed. He couldn't understand what was wrong with his sister. Was it really her who restricted Aheng's freedom? The thought of his own sister treating Luo Zhiheng badly filled Mu Yunhe with mixed feelings—difficulty, sadness, anxiety, and worry all came over him.
Zhuge Huahun's voice interrupted Mu Yunhe's thoughts: "Hmph, you're smart enough to know your place. But since you've allowed me to give the zither away, that person must gain my approval, otherwise they must return my sister's Dragon and Phoenix Zither. After all, not everyone in this world is qualified to possess that zither. Even if you are my brother-in-law and my sworn brother, you can't just give my sister's things away to a bunch of shrimp soldiers and crab generals."
No one in the world knows that the Four Sages of Qin (music), Qi (chess), Shu (calligraphy), and Hua (painting) were originally four sworn brothers of different genders! And the Sage of Qin and the Sage of Hua were even related by marriage!
The Qin Saint laughed wildly and said confidently, "Brother, don't worry, I'll make you completely convinced when I set my sights on this person! These two treasures, this gold hairpin, I went through a lot of trouble to get them, just to please my future little apprentice."
"You want to take her as your disciple? You even give her gifts? Just who is she, to be so arrogant?" Zhuge Huahun was so shocked he almost vomited blood. This narcissistic old geezer, Qin Sheng, was actually so eager to be with someone? Who exactly was that person?
Mu Yunhe's heart skipped a beat, and his expression turned somewhat strange. The Qin Saint actually wanted to take Aheng as his disciple? This was originally a good thing, but Aheng's mischievous and clever nature meant that few people could handle her. He was afraid that the Qin Saint was going to have a hard time.
First update! Hua Sha is back!! Haha, sorry everyone, the internet and electricity just got back on. There will be more updates later, and yesterday's Hua Sha will be made up for today, so don't worry. At least 23,000 words today! Love you all! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets! Group kisses!
200. A battle begins before anyone is even seen! Two women clash! (Second chapter)
Updated: 2013-07-24 16:17:11 Word Count: 7790
The sage of calligraphy, Tong Yunxiao, made no attempt to hide his pride. He hadn't expected Luo Zhiheng to be so impressive, that this arrogant and conceited old man would go to such lengths to try and win her over. He wondered if the old man would still be so arrogant and smug if he knew that the best disciple he had his eye on was his granddaughter-in-law.
"It's not as simple as him taking on an apprentice. Can't you see he's practically begging and sucking up to her? But she might not even be willing to become his apprentice," Old Master Tong said sarcastically. He couldn't reveal his relationship with Luo Zhiheng yet. The old madman Qin Sheng was always crazy and never considered the consequences. He probably didn't know that Luo Zhiheng was his granddaughter-in-law. He could use this to mock Qin Sheng later.
"What do you know? You old codger, you've never had a prized disciple in your entire life. You're jealous that I've found a good student, aren't you? I know you. You're a cunning old man, full of bad intentions, yet you pretend to be a saint. Disgusting!" the Qin Saint roared.
The Chess Saint knew who the Music Saint was referring to, and he felt extremely uncomfortable. His expression changed, and he gave the composed Calligraphy Saint a cold glance. What's with the smugness? Does Luo Zhiheng have even the slightest, most trivial relationship with you? 159.
With a cold snort, the Chess Saint said to the Qin Saint with a serious smile, "Don't overestimate yourself. Your two treasures are indeed treasures, but do you think these two little things can bribe that little girl? The little girl is very cunning. Whether she will even take a liking to your things is another matter. Just the fact that her future development is limitless is enough to make even this old man feel inferior. I wouldn't even dare to have the presumptuous thought of taking her as my disciple. You old codger, you think too highly of yourself."
The Qin Saint faced all attacks without flinching, and even laughed smugly, "You guys are all too jealous, envious of me, huh? Keep envious. Since she accepted my qin, she has already agreed to be my disciple. I'm warning you, if any of you dare to ruin my plans, be careful, I won't let you off."
Because very few people in the world recognize the Dragon and Phoenix Zither, and even fewer knew it was the Dragon and Phoenix Zither on the day of the competition, the news remained only among insiders and never spread. The Zither Saint, having identified a specific person, acted decisively, demonstrating a clear advantage over others.
"Hmph!" The Chess Saint and the Calligraphy Saint both snorted coldly in unison.
The Qin Saint was right; they were indeed envious and jealous. Luo Zhiheng's chess and calligraphy skills were stunning and beautiful, arousing their admiration for her talent. However, given Luo Zhiheng's special status, they couldn't openly have any contact with her, which allowed the Qin Saint to seize the opportunity and gain the upper hand. It was truly infuriating.
"Who are you talking about? I'm getting more and more confused! You all know who it is? Tell me quickly!" Zhuge Huahun asked anxiously. He was so curious about who could receive such high praise and unanimous approval from his three elder brothers. This person was either a dragon among men or a hero on earth. If he could, he would love to snatch this person from the Qin Saint and thoroughly crush the Qin Saint's brother-in-law's arrogance.
The Qin Saint was straightforward but not stupid. He realized what was going on and knew his brother-in-law, the Painting Saint, well. So he didn't dare say too much. What if the old man tried to take it from him again?
"It's nothing, go cool off somewhere else," the Qin Saint coaxed, which made the others laugh. The Qin Saint then pushed the hairpin forward and said, "Little girl, take it. I don't owe anyone any favors."
"Yes, take it. He doesn't owe anyone favors, he just loves to throw them around." The Calligrapher said with a half-smile. Originally, her family was too weak to be worthy of their powerful clan's granddaughter-in-law. If she could really be associated with the Music Saint, her status would naturally be extraordinary, which would also bring some honor to Mu Yunhe.
Qi Wan was so frightened that she waved her hands repeatedly, looking at Mu Yunhe helplessly, thinking to herself, "Young Prince, please speak quickly! Qi Wan dares not take other people's things casually, or the young lady will be angry."
Before Mu Yunhe could speak, Zhuge Hualuan, who had been standing quietly and smiling beside Zhuge Huahun, said to Mu Yunhe: "Even if this person is not this young lady's master, she listens to you, so you can be considered half her master. Since the Qin Saint Ancestor has spoken up, it wouldn't be good to refuse. This... young master? Why not let this young lady accept it readily?"
Zhuge Hualuan was extremely curious about Mu Yunhe, who was hidden in the cloak. This man had been extremely quiet from the beginning, almost making one overlook his presence, yet he was also impossible to ignore. His mere cool voice was enough to pique Zhuge Hualuan's curiosity even more; the voice sounded like that of a young man, but she didn't know why he was hiding himself. What surprised Zhuge Hualuan most was that this man hadn't looked at her even once from beginning to end!
That doesn't make sense!
She didn't know from what age it started, but wherever she appeared, everyone's eyes were inevitably drawn to her. She was never narcissistic, but the title of the most beautiful woman in the world was truly well-deserved. This was the first time in her life she had encountered a man who didn't look at her. Zhuge Hualuan wondered, "Is this man blind? So he can't see what she looks like?"
Zhuge Huahun was quite surprised. Was it appropriate for his proud and aloof granddaughter to speak to a man so readily? This action made him glance at Mu Yunhe, who had been sitting quietly there. Sitting next to the Calligraphy Sage, was he related to the Calligraphy Sage? He must be a junior of the Calligraphy Sage.
Mu Yunhe frowned slightly. He could feel the woman's probing gaze, but he disliked being scrutinized. He didn't want to answer her, but he had to speak out because of his ancestor, the Sage of Calligraphy.
However, just a second before he could speak, a bright and clear voice cut straight in, laughing but with a hidden dagger in its words: "The most beautiful woman in the world truly lives up to her reputation. Even I, Murong Qianxue, am humbled by her. I imagine my good-for-nothing sister would exclaim 'There is still true beauty in the world!' But my sister will be here in a while. My brother-in-law is preoccupied with his beloved wife and has no time for us playful women. If Miss Zhuge doesn't mind, please speak to me."
Murong Qianxue's words were incredibly clever, taking the implied meaning to its extreme. She implied that Mu Yunhe was already taken, and outsiders shouldn't touch him. He has a wife, and a beloved one at that. Regardless of whether you, the beautiful Zhuge, have any improper intentions or not, you should stay far, far, far away!
Murong Qianxue had personally witnessed Mu Yunhe's beauty; he was an absolute stunner! What was Zhuge Hualuan compared to Mu Yunhe? Mu Yunhe was destined to be the most handsome man in the world. If he were to be entangled with the most beautiful woman in the land, the consequences would be unimaginable. She had personally witnessed the unwavering and passionate love between Luo Zhiheng and Mu Yunhe. Having finally found a truly loving couple, how could she allow any dangerous person to approach? Besides, she was also doing it for the sake of the beautiful Zhuge. Mu Yunhe was an even more dangerous person; if you didn't get close, you might get blown to pieces by Luo Zhiheng's thunderbolt!
"Qianxue! What nonsense are you spouting? You always meddle in everything!" General Murong felt utterly humiliated and couldn't help but scold her. Why was she so nosy? Where was her ladylike demeanor? Luo Zhiheng's husband, Luo Zhiheng herself, wasn't even showing up to worry, yet this outsider was defending him. What kind of behavior was this?
Zhuge Hualuan's pretty face flushed red and then paled. She was an extremely intelligent woman and naturally understood the meaning behind Murong Qianxue's words. However, she was only curious about this person and had no other intentions. Now, to be misunderstood and warned like this, the proud and arrogant Zhuge Hualuan felt very indignant and wronged.
"May I ask who this young lady is? I was merely offering a friendly reminder; perhaps you shouldn't be too impulsive, lest misunderstandings arise. After all, I, Zhuge Hualuan, am not a woman of my word." Zhuge Hualuan's voice was gentle, but her words were sharp. She wasn't one to be trifled with!
These words were quite serious; they were clearly implying that Murong Qianxue had insulted her reputation. The eyes of the group of elderly people darkened slightly, each with their own thoughts.
You're not a promiscuous woman, but I'm afraid that after seeing Mu Yunhe's face, you'll become promiscuous and inhuman!
Murong Qianxue was thinking arrogantly, but suddenly she was lightly kicked. She turned her head angrily and saw that it was her dear older brother. Murong Qianxue's face immediately became extremely arrogant, and she imitated Luo Zhiheng's arrogant manner, saying haughtily, "I never said you were a casual woman. I just wanted to make friends, did you have to make such a fuss? Miss Zhuge Hualuan has really opened my eyes."
"Murong Qianxue!" General Murong wished he could kick this troublesome girl who was spouting nonsense right back to her hometown! Could she be any more arrogant? This is the whole world! In front of the whole world!! If she keeps being so sharp-tongued, will she still want to get married in the future?
"Oh dear, alright, I won't say I'm awake now that I'm drinking tea, right? Seriously, why don't you hurry up and keep an eye on your own man? What's with all the mystery?" Murong Qianxue muttered, holding her teacup with a nonchalant expression.
Zhuge Hualuan was thoroughly humiliated by Murong Qianxue. She felt resentful and embarrassed, truly believing the people of the Mu Dynasty to be of extremely low quality. That such people could even come to watch the competition showed how the Silver Moon Kingdom was getting worse and worse.
"What's with all this squawking and yelling from a bunch of little girls? We old men should have a good chat," the chess master said with a smile.
The group of old guys didn't really take the rivalry between the two girls seriously. After all, they were all at that age and had seen through everything, so watching them was actually quite entertaining.
A few more chairs and tea tables were added to the group of the Sage of Calligraphy and the Sage of Chess. Several elderly men sat down, and Zhuge Huahun, still unwilling to give up, pressed the Sage of Qin, whose apprentice he was planning to pursue, "What kind of person is he? Is he a noble young master from some family? Or a fine young man from a poor family? Tell me quickly."
The Sage of Qin (a type of zither) remained silent, keeping everyone in suspense. The Sage of Calligraphy smiled faintly, a hint of smugness on his face. The Sage of Chess, however, remained cold and resentful.
For a moment, no one paid any attention to Zhuge Huahun, which angered him. He then feigned anger and said, "So you all have something good but won't share it with me. Do you think I want to steal that person? Don't worry, I have no intention of teaching disciples. Don't you see I have a granddaughter who is not yet married? How many ordinary people are worthy of my talented and beautiful granddaughter? If my brother-in-law takes a liking to that person and he is truly talented, as long as he is good-looking, then I will betroth Huahun to him. I trust my brother-in-law's judgment."
"puff!!"
Murong Qianxue had just taken a sip of fragrant tea into her mouth when she spat it all out before she could even swallow. She stared blankly at the old men looking over, her mind replaying the same few thoughts over and over…