Why not share good things? You're going to marry your granddaughter to her?
When did Luo Zhiheng become a thing? And when did she acquire the skill to get married?
Murong Qianxue couldn't hold back any longer. Her smile grew wider and wider as she looked at the shy Zhuge Hualuan and imagined her nestled in Luo Zhiheng's arms. Finally, she burst into laughter, laughing so hard she was doubled over, completely disregarding her image. In short, she just found it hilarious.
It wasn't just her; even General Murong, who was usually so cold and aloof in front of outsiders, couldn't help but twitch his lips, clenching his fist to cover his mouth and hide the uncontrollable curve of his lips.
To say they were exaggerating would be an understatement; the Qin Sage laughed uproariously, slapping the table and his legs, his white beard trembling violently. Everyone who knew who the Qin Sage was referring to couldn't help but laugh. The Calligraphy Sage was more of a laughing-crying figure, while the Chess Sage sighed inwardly, 'What a mess!'
Zhuge Hualuan was initially surprised and embarrassed when she heard about her marriage. She also felt admiration and curiosity towards the person who was praised by the three sages. However, the group's reaction made her feel confused and embarrassed. Did they think that she, Zhuge Hualuan, was not good enough for that young master?
"What are you laughing at? What? Does my painting not deserve the person my brother-in-law has his eye on?" Zhuge Huahun said angrily, dissatisfied.
"No, no! They're a perfect match, absolutely a perfect match! But, if they were together, wouldn't it be a bit against all reason? Besides, my disciple's personality is too eccentric; he's probably not good at... matters with women." The Qin Saint, with a mischievous grin, said with a deliberately ambiguous laugh.
Zhuge Huahun finally smiled. Upon reflection, it truly was a brilliant idea. If Hua Luan married that man, wouldn't the Dragon and Phoenix Zither be able to return legitimately? Moreover, they could gain a valuable asset and curb the arrogance of those three old men. What had started as a casual remark had now become a serious matter for Zhuge Huahun. He found this plan incredibly feasible.
"It doesn't matter if he doesn't understand matters between men and women, as long as he's a good person. Will he come today? I'll have to give him a good test then. A good man can't just play the zither; he also needs to be able to paint, and ideally, he should be both literate and skilled in martial arts. Only then will he be worthy of Hua Luan." Before even glancing at his birth details, Zhuge Huahun was already making plans.
He naturally regarded this talented person as a man, after all, no one could have imagined that someone with such great talent and who was praised by so many sages would be a woman who was raised in seclusion and married.
The scene instantly spiraled out of control, with everyone laughing so hard their insides were almost twisted, among them Murong Qianxue and Qin Sheng laughing the loudest.
Saint's face didn't hide his thoughts. Mu Yunhe, however, was shrouded in a gloomy, cold aura. He finally looked up at Zhuge Hualuan, but that glance, hidden beneath the hood, was sinister, cold, and ruthless!
He was so ruthless that he wished he could destroy Zhuge Hualuan immediately!
This old bastard dares to put all sorts of nonsense alongside his Ah Heng! There was that Miss Sun before, which was troublesome enough, but that was Ah Heng's own doing, done for the sake of the competition. But this guy has a powerful background; what if he really takes a liking to Ah Heng? He won't let anyone covet Ah Heng, man or woman, anyone who dares to approach will be killed without mercy!
Zhuge Hualuan felt the other person's gaze and her scalp tingled. She looked over in surprise and just then saw Mu Yunhe slowly lower his head. Zhuge Hualuan was very puzzled as to why this person was looking at her with such a cold gaze.
"Hua Luan, find a place to sit down too," Zhuge Huahun said gently.
"Yes, Ancestor." Zhuge Hualuan glanced at the table and, next to her ancestor, was about to sit after the Sage of Calligraphy and the Sage of Qin. She didn't know why, but subconsciously she walked towards Mu Yunhe. She felt that this man was inexplicably dangerous, and although she couldn't see his face, she still walked towards him.
Murong Qianxue had been watching her closely, and when she saw that her footsteps were clearly heading towards Mu Yunhe, she immediately jumped up and rushed over.
"Qianxue!" General Murong had barely opened his mouth when Old General Murong immediately retorted angrily, "Why are you keeping her so restrained? Let her do whatever she wants. What are you doing having a little girl with a bunch of old men like us?"
General Murong quickly shut his mouth, but his eyes kept glancing worriedly at his younger sister. This angered the old general, who said angrily, "Behave yourself. If you keep protecting her like this, people who don't know the situation will think you're her father."
"That's about right, she was raised by her grandson..." General Murong muttered with a hint of pride, but was slapped hard on the forehead by the other general, his pride and smugness completely vanishing.
"What are you doing?" Zhuge Hualuan was startled, then a sharp glint flashed in her eyes as she raised her voice.
The seat she wanted was snatched up by Murong Qianxue, who even arrogantly raised her face in a defiant manner. How could there be such an annoying woman?
Murong Qianxue said with an embarrassed look, "I want to talk to my brother-in-law about my sister. I'm really sorry, but why don't you sit over there?"
"I'm also quite embarrassed. I just wanted to sit here and soak up the rich cultural atmosphere, not the heavy martial arts vibe." Zhuge Hualuan was no pushover either; with a wave of her hand, she summoned a waiter to add another chair, right to Mu Yunhe's right. However, she sat down next to Mu Yunhe under Murong Qianxue's angry glare. She even raised an eyebrow and sneered at Murong Qianxue with a smug look.
In an instant, the two stunning beauties flanked Mu Yunhe on either side. The three of them exuded an aura of fiery passion, icy demeanor, and profound inner strength!
Murong Qianxue's fiery anger flared, while Mu Yunhe exuded a chilling aura that terrified both women. Zhuge Hualuan, however, was defiant out of spite, refusing to back down or leave despite her fear. She and Murong Qianxue were locked in a fierce battle.
Xiao Xizi pulled the bewildered Qi Wan back, muttering, "Get away quickly, it's dangerous!"
"We can't stray too far. That strange woman is dangerous. We must protect the young prince," Qi Wan whispered, frightened by Xiao Xizi's nervousness.
Xiao Xizi glared at him: "Are you stupid? Those two women are obviously not good people. Only the Little Princess can handle this situation. Let's hide far away first, so that when the Little Princess comes, blood will splatter all over us and it will be bad luck."
"Why is there blood as soon as the young lady arrives?" Qi Wan was extremely confused, still clutching the gold hairpin that Qin Sheng had forcibly shoved into his hand, and almost disfigured himself while scratching his head.
Startled, Xiao Xizi quickly grabbed her hand, displaying a smug air of "I'm very knowledgeable, you've asked me anything" and said, "Haven't you heard the saying 'three women make a drama'? Three women with bad tempers together can easily start a war."
Qi Wan suddenly shouted angrily, "You said my young lady has a bad temper!" 16022365
"Hmm?" Mu Yunhe snorted coldly upon hearing this, the long, drawn-out tone extremely dangerous and chilling. The two women beside him shuddered and involuntarily moved a little further away from him.
"No, no! I didn't say Your Highness had a bad temper! I just said Your Highness has a really good personality, really, really good! Ha, hahaha..." Xiao Xizi was on the verge of tears, hurriedly trying to salvage the situation. She was really going to be killed by Qi Wan's heartless, loud voice.
"Your Majesty?" Zhuge Hualuan's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help but glance at the man beside her again. What was the relationship between this man and the "Your Majesty" her servant had just mentioned? It seemed he cared a lot about this "Your Majesty." Was that incredibly strong girl the "Your Majesty's" maid? Yet she obeyed him. So who was this person? Could he be the Crown Prince of the Mu Dynasty? No, wait, wasn't His Highness the Crown Prince of the Mu Dynasty leading troops at the front lines?
For a moment, no one could figure it out, but the contest between the two girls began. The older men in front chatted enthusiastically, talking about all sorts of things, while the younger men behind them were on the verge of conflict, disliking each other.
Many more high-ranking figures from various countries arrived one after another, but the grand scene failed to generate any further excitement. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the four saints. Perhaps once these four were all present, the competition would no longer be a simple contest of the world, but a showdown of the pinnacle! People began to look forward not only to the women's competition, but also to seeing the saints display their talents.
When several more princes arrived from the Silvermoon Kingdom, the strength of the Silvermoon Kingdom's organizers became immediately apparent. These princes were distributed among various kingdoms, but they were clearly several ranks below the World King.
An extremely handsome yet somewhat frail-looking man said softly, "Brother, the elder is over there. Shall we go and greet him?"
The King glanced sideways at the Qin Saint, who was talking animatedly, and smiled faintly: "No need for now. Let him show off as much as he wants. I'm not going to go out of my way to please him."
The King's words left the other princes looking embarrassed. They thought to themselves, "You don't need to curry favor, but can we afford not to?" That was the difference in status. The King's noble position was oppressive and suffocating. The only one who could rival the King, Emperor Xian, was absent. They had arrived with the champions from various countries, but judging from the timid and hesitant manner of these girls, they were clearly not up to par. Perhaps it would be acceptable in their own countries, but in such a grand occasion, it was far too humiliating.
"Is this the young lady who won the championship that my royal brother brought?" a man asked somewhat shyly. He glanced at Luo Ning Shuang sitting behind him, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.
“It’s not her,” the King said calmly, his voice somewhat cold. “She hasn’t arrived yet.”
"Oh! She's still not here? What are you doing? The pass is about to open soon, and if you don't come soon, you'll be late. After the three drumbeats, she'll be automatically eliminated, and it'll be a waste of her time even if she comes." The man said anxiously for the king.
They were extremely nervous. For so many years, King Shi hadn't led anyone to participate in the World Tournament. Even the legendary, nine-time champion had never appeared in the tournament. Now, suddenly, someone had joined them. Their chances of winning were already low, and this made them even more uncertain. First came Emperor Xian, now King Shi. One controlled the world's wealth, the other the world's military—were they even allowed to survive?
"She will come, she definitely will!" The king was not angry, his tone was calm but carried a murderous aura, and the noisy voices around him immediately fell silent!
The male favorites brought by the two princes also quieted down. It turned out the brothers all shared the same hobby: they all loved men.
Suddenly, the announcement of the winner rang out again, announcing the arrival of the champion of this year's Southern Dynasty's First Talent Competition.
"The Bai family of the Southern Dynasty, Bai Mingzhu, Bai Mingyue have arrived!"
Bai Mingzhu was very popular, but Bai Mingyue was even more popular. The only difference was that Bai Mingzhu was a woman, and Bai Mingyue was a man. The brother and sister entered with an air of superiority. As the host country's champion of this year's competition, Bai Mingzhu arrived late, hoping to attract attention without being impolite.
Bai Mingzhu followed the prince of Silver Moon Kingdom forward to pay his respects to the King. The prince arrogantly smiled and said, "Greetings to Your Majesty. This is Bai Mingzhu, the champion of the Southern Dynasty under the jurisdiction of the First Emperor. Whether Emperor Xian will come or not this year, he will have his younger brother preside over the ceremony in his place."
"Hmph." The King snorted lightly, not even glancing at the smiling Bai Mingzhu.
"Sixth... Brother, you're late! So many of us have been waiting for you," another prince said with a smile.
"Not too late, not too late. Everyone's here just in time, isn't that right? I heard there are many important figures here too? This year's competition is sure to be spectacular. It's just that Your Highness hasn't participated for so many years. If there's anything you don't understand, Your Highness can ask me. Of course, this is a competition, and the brothers won't let Your Highness win. Is that the champion Your Highness brought? What a stunning woman." The Sixth Prince started with a provocation, as if he already knew that the Prince was bound to lose.
"The outcome is still uncertain, so don't get too excited," the King said with a cold, ambiguous smile.
"Then let's begin. Let's have a competition and let our younger brothers witness the champion chosen by our elder brother, the Prince Shi." The Sixth Prince smiled but pressed on relentlessly.
Second update! 14,000 words already! More updates to come, my darlings, cheer for Huasha! Love you all! Group kisses! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets!
201 Luo Zhiheng, go into battle!! (Third update)
Updated: 2013-07-24 18:28:12 Word Count: 6701
"Don't worry, the one our royal brother brought hasn't arrived yet. Perhaps our royal brother hasn't participated in this competition for many years and isn't familiar with the rules. Let's wait a little longer," a prince said understandingly.
There are only four kings here, but apart from the World King, the other three are clearly on the same side. They reject the World King, so obviously, Luo Zhiheng, the contestant, has become the target of their rejection.
The king knew nothing about it, but he showed no sign of anger. He smiled and said, "There's no need for special treatment. I believe she won't disappoint me. Just start according to the schedule. If she can arrive on time, that's her good fortune. If she can't make it, that's fate."
"I knew Your Majesty was the most understanding person, so I'll have someone take charge." The Sixth Prince didn't stand on ceremony and, after instructing the steward, sat down to the Prince of Shi's left. He also casually put his arm around a handsome man.
Looking at the two men behind them, Luo Ningshuang felt nothing but horrification and utter disgust! Men embracing men, and all of them were so handsome? Was there no justice in the world?
"What? This young lady harbors a great grudge against us? Has she taken a fancy to one of these male concubines? It's alright, just say it. Since you are the Emperor's honored guest, you are naturally an honored guest of us brothers as well." The Sixth Prince looked at Luo Ning Shuang with a teasing expression, lingering on her face for a moment, then frowned slightly. Why did this face feel so familiar? But something seemed to be missing, and he couldn't quite place it.
Luo Ningshuang, a young woman in her prime, had never been so flirtatious, no matter how ruthless she was. Her face was flushed, and her anger was rising. However, she could not offend the group of people in front of her, but she did not want to lose her dignity and pride. So she stiffly smiled and said, "This humble woman is not so fortunate. You princes should enjoy it yourselves."
"Tsk tsk, worldly women, having two women on each side isn't a crime. Looks like another pitiful woman deeply poisoned by worldly men's ideas. Don't you think so, Your Majesty?" The Sixth Prince raised an eyebrow at the Prince with an ambiguous expression.
"Hmph." The King snorted coldly, sitting there lazily, seemingly nonchalant. But only he knew that if Luo Zhiheng arrived late and was eliminated, he would lose face big time, and his younger brothers would probably laugh at him for the rest of their lives. Participating in the Grand Tournament only once every ten years, yet Luo Zhiheng was failing at this crucial moment—what difference was there between that and deserting the battlefield?
What's most infuriating is that this is Emperor Xian's territory; he can't rashly enter the palace to seize her. He can only hope that Luo Zhiheng is smart enough not to cause any trouble, otherwise… hmph!
Even before the competition began, the audience was already excited, and everyone was ready for the grand event. The competition took place on a battlefield, a vast expanse of yellow sand. The enormous arena had become a large martial arts arena, but since this was not enough to reflect the status of the participants, there were small platforms at each of the four corners of the arena, symbolizing the status of each participant, where only one person could fight at a time.
The world is vast, and small countries and vassal states cannot be counted. The Silver Moon Kingdom is very selective and only holds the First Talent Competition in the major countries. There are only four major countries in the world, so there are only four champions in the competition. Including the previous champion, there are a total of five people.
But these five people are all highly accomplished, capable of becoming nobles in high positions. After the Grand Tournament, their status will rise even higher, and the Grand Champion could even become an Empress! Of course, people believe that this year's champion was greatly misrepresented, such as Luo Zhiheng.
"Quiet!" The master of ceremonies for today's Grand Competition was none other than Madam Song from the Mu Dynasty. Dressed in magnificent attire, she stood in the center of the arena and shouted, "Thank you all for coming today. The Grand Competition for the Most Talented Person in the World thanks you all for your presence. As you all know, the rules are clear. Without further ado, let's invite the four champions selected from various countries to the stage!"
Applause erupted instantly, and three elegantly dressed women of different appearances gracefully entered the crowd. They slowly walked onto the platform and stood in three different locations—east, west, south, and north—waving and greeting the people around them with great poise, which drew even louder cheers.
However, gradually, the cheers turned into skepticism. Looking at the suspended platform to the north, the crowd was bewildered and puzzled, and began to whisper amongst themselves. It was already this late, and she still hadn't appeared; the woman immediately gave everyone the impression of having a terrible sense of time, leaving a bad impression.
This competition attracted widespread attention, with over 100,000 people on the battlefield. Pairs of eyes looked around, and soon all eyes fell on the white-clad woman who was sitting calmly behind the King.
"That's strange. Why isn't the champion of the Mu Dynasty going up yet? What is she waiting for?" Zhuge Hualuan muttered to herself in surprise. She had obviously also seen Luo Ningshuang sitting right in front of her.
"What kind of eyesight do you have? If you don't know, don't just assume someone is who they are, okay?" Murong Qianxue said sarcastically.
"Hmph, of course I don't know anyone from your Mu Dynasty. Among the people I know, there are very few who are not punctual," Zhuge Hualuan sneered.
"She's definitely back! Not only will she win the title of number one in the world, but she'll also defeat you!" Murong Qianxue declared confidently. Whether her expectations of Luo Zhiheng were too high or she was just trying to spite Zhuge Hualuan, only she knew.
"You mean she's not here? Haha, someone so unpunctual... She should come first, and we'll see if she can participate in the competition." Zhuge Hualuan finally couldn't help but reveal a contemptuous look.
"You!" Murong Qianxue wanted to speak up for Luo Zhiheng, but the sound of gongs and drums suddenly rang out fiercely, and she was so angry that she could only shut up. But looking at Mu Yunhe, who had been silent all along, she suddenly couldn't stand him no matter what.
What's wrong with this man? Luo Zhiheng had protected him so much before, and no one dared to say a word against him. Now that it's Luo Zhiheng's turn, Mu Yunhe hasn't said a single word in her defense. That's too much! She glared fiercely at Mu Yunhe.
But little did Murong Qianxue know that Mu Yunhe would never intervene in a fight between girls. If Luo Zhiheng were arguing with someone here, he would have already started beating them up. But what did it matter to him? Although Murong Qianxue was siding with Luo Zhiheng, Mu Yunhe still chose to remain silent, but this did not mean that he would tolerate Zhuge Hualuan's contempt for Luo Zhiheng.
The drums and gongs sounded fiercely, each strike resonating in the hearts of the people, creating a tense and solemn atmosphere. The entire venue quickly fell silent.
Madam Song looked at the empty seat; she knew who it belonged to.
Luo Zhiheng! But why isn't she here yet? The time is almost up, the competition is about to begin, and once the three drumbeats sound, even if Luo Zhiheng comes, she will be disqualified.
Madam Song couldn't help but gather her thoughts, glancing at the incense table behind her. Only half an incense stick's worth of time remained. What could they possibly accomplish in such a short time? She could only hope that Luo Zhiheng could arrive in time; otherwise, it would be the entire royal family of the Silver Moon Kingdom who would lose face.
Complaints arose from the crowd. For some reason, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: the champion from the Mu Dynasty knew he was not good enough and was so frightened by the grand scene that he ran away at the last minute!
What a terrifying accusation! It branded Luo Zhiheng as a deserter. If she truly didn't come, she feared she would be scorned for the rest of her life. Yet, this accusation grew faster and more numerous, a tidal wave of voices sweeping across the entire arena: Luo Zhiheng had deserted, and the Mu Dynasty had produced a deserter!
Amidst the chaotic discussions, there was nothing but contempt and laughter. In a military superpower like the Mu Dynasty, a deserter had actually emerged—wasn't that ridiculous? What was even more ridiculous was that Luo Zhiheng's father was a soldier; a child from a military family, and yet he was a deserter!
As the discussions grew increasingly heated, the faces of the Mu Dynasty officials and the King of the World turned completely gloomy.