"Not entirely." Shen Lixue turned her head, avoiding Dongfang Heng's deeply affectionate eyes: "I also want to take this opportunity to show off my musical skills!"
Dongfang Heng's lips curled slightly, and a hint of joy appeared in his usually cold eyes. The young woman beside him was not one to show off. Her jade-like fingers lightly touched the last string of the zither: "This zither is quite ordinary. I'll have someone send a new one over tomorrow!"
"No need." Shen Lixue shook her head: "The prize for the champion is an ice-stringed guqin. If you send another guqin, I won't have anywhere to put it!"
Dongfang Heng was taken aback: "Didn't you just say the prize was a divine medicine? How did it turn into the Ice String Ancient Zither?"
"The wooden sign at Jiaowei Qin Workshop reads that the prizes for the competition are an Ice-Stringed Guqin and ten thousand taels of gold, and the bottle of divine medicine is described as an unexpected surprise."
Shen Lixue explained, picking up the teacup beside her and taking a small sip. The rising steam obscured the expression in Dongfang Heng's deep eyes: "An unexpected surprise? How could the competition have such a strange rule?"
Shen Lixue put down her teacup: "I'm also curious, but I've already seen that bottle of medicine, so it shouldn't be fake. Besides, Jiaowei Qin Workshop is very famous, so there's no need for them to fake it and damage their own reputation. As for the Ice String Guqin and the ten thousand taels of gold, they will be brought out on the day of the competition."
"This competition is packed with experts from Qingyan. Just do your best and don't overwork yourself!" Dongfang Heng pondered for a moment and gently reminded him.
"I know!" Shen Lixue nodded, her slender hand about to touch the strings of the zither again, when suddenly her body felt light, and she was carried to the bedside by Dongfang Heng.
Shen Lixue was startled and grabbed Dongfang Heng's collar tightly: "Dongfang Heng, what are you doing?"
"I just finished some things and I'm a little tired. You don't look like you had a lunch break either. Let's go together!" Dongfang Heng didn't care that his collar was being pulled tight. He carried Shen Lixue and strode forward.
Shen Lixue glared at Dongfang Heng: "The competition starts in three days, I need to practice the zither!"
"You're tired and need to rest. There's no need to rush practicing the piano!" As he spoke, Dongfang Heng walked to the bedside, lay down on the bed, held Shen Lixue tightly, and closed his eyes.
Warm breath sprayed on her hair, but Shen Lixue was wide awake. She wanted to practice the piano, but Dongfang Heng was holding her too tightly, and she couldn't break free at all. She punched him a few times.
After the banquet, Dongfang Heng would appear in the inner room of the bamboo garden at irregular intervals. Shen Lixue would be sleeping soundly, but when she woke up, there would suddenly be someone beside her. If she didn't have a strong tolerance for such things, she would definitely scream on the spot.
When Dongfang Heng wakes up, I need to have a serious talk with him. They haven't fully established a romantic relationship yet, so I shouldn't come in and out of her room so casually.
Shen Lixue closed her eyes, contemplating her contest with Dongfang Heng. A faint, refreshing fragrance gradually wafted through the air, and a powerful heartbeat resounded in her ears. Shen Lixue's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her breathing gradually became even.
Shen Lixue was asleep, but Dongfang Heng, who was also fast asleep, opened his eyes, looked at Shen Lixue's peaceful sleeping face, reached out and covered her ears, and coldly ordered towards the window: "Zimo, go and investigate what exactly happened at the Jiaowei Qin Workshop's competition."
If it were a normal competition, all the requirements would be written out. However, it secretly added a note that the winner must accept a surprise. Although Shen Lixue had already seen that the surprise in the note was a bottle of divine medicine, Dongfang Heng still felt that something was amiss.
Zi Mo accepted the order and left. Dongfang Heng lowered his hands and embraced Shen Lixue. His jade-like fingers gently touched Shen Lixue's beautiful and delicate face, and his dark eyes shone like obsidian. No matter when or where, he would never let her be in danger. He would investigate the matter of Jiaowei Qin Workshop thoroughly.
Post station
"Shen Lixue has signed up for the zither skills competition?" The Southern Border Crown Prince, who looked like a dumpling, lay on the bed, smiling strangely, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turning up slightly.
"Yes, Shen Lixue has taken the bait!" Su Yuting's gentle smile was tinged with coldness and sharpness.
"Shen Lixue has fallen into the trap, so our plan is half successful!" As proud as Qin Ruoyan was, she looked at Su Yuting with more admiration. She was really too smart. Her plan was so perfect that no one could find any flaws. Once the plan succeeded, Shen Lixue would be doomed.
"The other half of the plan is the most difficult to implement. Miss Su, are you confident?" The Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang stiffened his neck and looked at Su Yuting. Even he had to admire the perfection of the plan after it was proposed. However, deep down, he felt a bit more wary of this beautiful but venomous woman.
Su Yuting smiled slightly, brimming with confidence, a sharp glint in her beautiful eyes: "Your Highness, please rest assured, now that I have devised a plan, I am confident it will succeed!"
A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. Shen Lixue would ultimately be defeated by her.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was already the day before the competition.
After practicing the zither all day, Shen Lixue's body was a little stiff. She got up and went outside, walking slowly along the bluestone path.
Night had fallen, and wisps of smoke rose from every chimney, signaling dinner time. A fragrant aroma wafted on the breeze, and Shen Lixue suddenly realized that she had walked to the kitchen.
Yan Yue stood at the door, holding an empty food box, and urged anxiously, "Auntie, are the dishes ready? Is the rice ready? Is the soup ready? Miss is waiting to eat!"
"Right away, right away, just a little while longer, it'll be ready soon!" came the cook's quick reply from the kitchen.
Yan Yue sighed, "Auntie, you've said it so many times, when will it finally be alright? If Miss goes hungry, we servants can't bear the responsibility!"
"Miss Yan Yue, the soup that Miss ordered is nourishing. The more tender and cooked it is, the better. If you take a bowl back half-cooked, Miss won't be able to eat it. I just checked, and it will be at its most delicious when cooked for half a cup of tea. You should fill the dishes and rice first. By the time you're done, the soup will be ready too!" The plump cook stood at the door, earnestly advising her.
Yan Yue sighed again: "Remember to start stewing early tomorrow. We can't afford to delay Miss's mealtime!"
"Don't worry, don't worry, I'll definitely stew it early tomorrow. Hurry up and serve the rice and dishes!" Yan Yue didn't delve into the matter. The cook smiled broadly and warmly invited her to go in and serve the rice and dishes.
Shen Lixue shook her head and slowly walked back. Getting a meal had been so troublesome. There were still two cups of tea's worth of tea left before her mealtime. A maid's sweet voice sounded behind her: "Granny, is Fourth Miss's soup ready yet?"
"Look at the time, it's almost ready. It's next to the young lady's soup. Handle it carefully, don't spill it!"
Hearing the voices of maids and nannies, Shen Lixue glanced into the kitchen through the back window as she passed by. She saw Xiao Tu, a maid from Yunyuan, take out a packet of white powder and quickly pour it into a bowl of soup.
Shen Lixue suddenly stopped walking, narrowed her snowy eyes, and looked at Xiao Tu through the slightly open window. She was the only one in the small stewing room, while the nanny and Yan Yue were serving the dishes outside.
Perhaps because it was her first time doing something like this, Xiao Tu's hands trembled slightly as she picked up a chopstick, trying to stir the powder she had added to the soup. Suddenly, a voice called out from outside: "Miss Xiao Tu, after you've finished serving the soup, come and serve the vegetables!"
Xiao Tu's hand trembled in fright, and the chopsticks fell to the ground. Perhaps she was too scared, she picked them up, stirred them casually a few times, and then quickly ran outside, shouting, "Coming, coming!"
Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Shen Lixue leaped into the kitchen and quickly went to the soup. The soup that had been spiked was the eight-treasure porridge she had ordered. A cold smile appeared on her lips. Shen Caiyun was really overestimating herself.
Xiao Tu was very nervous when she did something naughty. Before the powder was fully stirred, Shen Lixue picked up a spoon from the side, quickly scooped out large pieces of powder, poured them into Shen Caiyun's soup, and stirred them rapidly.
Shen Caiyun ordered lotus seed porridge, which has some similar ingredients to eight-treasure porridge. Shen Lixue only ladled in a little soup and stirred it well, so that it was not visible to the naked eye.
She threw down her spoon, glanced at the lotus seed porridge with added ingredients, smiled coldly, leaped out of the window, and gracefully walked towards the bamboo garden.
Xiao Tu and Yan Yue entered the small room one after the other, carrying the master's soup into the food box.
After leaving the kitchen, Xiao Tu carried the food box and ran quickly, soon arriving at Yun Garden. Shen Caiyun was practicing the zither in the inner room. Seeing Xiao Tu enter, a cold and expectant glint flashed in her eyes, and she lowered her voice, asking, "Did you succeed?"
"This servant will not disappoint Miss!" Xiao Tu said softly, still somewhat dazed by the fear she felt in the small kitchen. She took the food out of the food box and placed it on the table one by one: "Please eat, Miss!"
"Well done, this jade bracelet is yours!" Shen Caiyun's eyes lit up, and she took off the jade bracelet from her wrist and placed it in front of Xiao Tu.