Chapter 11
A group of people were standing noisily at the palace gate. During the free search, no one wanted to be the first to step forward. If someone stood out and made a big mistake, they would be considered stupid and would not only make things difficult for others, but it would be a waste of time and effort.
Jiang Shiyu observed the others calmly. Everyone subconsciously stood in groups of three or four, following their relationships. Zhou Su, a tech geek, held a beaker in hand, his clothes stained with various strangely colored reagents. He was talking to Sui Ningzhou, who played a business tycoon. The gold chain around his neck was so dazzling that it hurt his eyes. Next to them was a guard commander, Peng Yiqing, who worked in the same company as Jiang Shiyu.
Peng Yiqing happened to look up, met Jiang Shiyu's gaze, and smiled at him gently.
Jiang Shiyu nonchalantly averted his gaze and continued to observe another group of people. The detective had a Sherlock Holmes-like style. Wang Rong's entire outfit was plaid, and standing next to the thief Feng Zhuo, it was a very eye-catching combination in terms of status. Wang Yujie was the civilian leader, and his dormitory mate Ouyang Lin had been drawn as a cabinet minister. The four of them were also chatting.
Zheng Yanye and Luo Wenxi disliked each other, but they both stayed by his side. Zheng Yanye was about to come over to talk to him when Luo Wenxi pulled him aside and interrupted him. Jiang Shiyu couldn't help but want to laugh.
Finally, someone broke the stalemate. Wang Rong, living up to his detective identity, spoke first: "Let's search the palace first. Maybe we can find clues to the treasure."
Wang Yujie followed closely behind: "But we are not familiar with the palace. The palace is so big, where was the jewel stolen? Let's ask our prince to lead the way."
Jiang Shiyu felt his eyelids twitching when he opened his mouth, and sure enough, all eyes were on him the next second.
"Okay." Jiang Shiyu slowly adjusted the lace on his cuffs, "Then everyone follow me closely."
*
The corridor leading to the council chamber was exceptionally long, and the towering stained glass windows reduced the eerie feeling, but it was still a bit scary. Jiang Shiyu walked in front and heard Sui Ningzhou whisper behind him, "Is there any NPC coming out to scare us?"
Before Sui Ningzhou could get an answer to his question, the knight statue at the corner suddenly moved, and the crowd instantly screamed in fear. Zheng Yan screamed the loudest. He closed his eyes and reached for Jiang Shiyu, muttering, "Xiaoyu, I'll protect you."
Jiang Shiyu: ...
It might be more believable if you put down the corner of my clothes first and then say this.
Luo Wenxi saw Zheng Yan clinging to Jiang Shiyu like an octopus. Based on the principle that he couldn't get close to Jiang Shiyu and no one else could, he grabbed him and brought him in front of him, saying with a fake smile, "I'll protect you, Yan Ye."
Zheng Yanye: ...
Suddenly I wasn't afraid anymore.
The Iron-masked Knight stood before them, speaking slowly and clearly: "Only those who pass the trial can move forward. Those who succeed in the challenge will gain clues about the Knight."
Clues? Everyone instantly perked up. Now they had to face the challenge.
Zhou Su asked, "Does everyone have to participate, or can we just send a representative?"
“Just choose your team.”
He continued, "What kind of challenge is that?"
"That's where the Knights excel."
The knight's greatest strength? Everyone subconsciously looked at Peng Yiqing, the leader of the Imperial Guards. He too looked puzzled. After a long pause, he said uncertainly, "Perhaps a competition of physical strength?"
With everyone's unanimous approval, Feng Zhuo said that he was a student with sports expertise before and volunteered to take on the challenge. He confidently approached the knight as a group of people watched him go. However, the knight's next words surprised everyone.
"We play brain teasers," Knight said.
Feng Zhuo: ...
Everyone: ...
Let the athletes compete in IQ. Do you, the program crew, treat us like aliens?
There were three questions, but Feng Zhuo lived up to everyone's expectations and couldn't figure out any of them. It was only after Jiang Shiyu whispered a hint beside him that he managed to answer the last one as the countdown started. Even the NPC couldn't help laughing.
Knight: "You boring people, you barely passed the test, but you only got one clue."
Wang Yujie curled his lips: "Why only one?"
Feng Zhuo retorted mercilessly: "Yi Tiao is already very impressive, if you can do it, go ahead."
He opened the note in his hand, which read: There may be more than one thief.
Feng Zhuo was quick to speak and immediately began to speculate based on the clues: "I just took the initiative to prove myself, Wang Yujie, and you are still complaining about me. Are you trying to throw dirty water on me?"
"You..." Wang Yujie's face flushed. Fortunately, Jiang Shiyu came to the rescue at the right time. The little prince said in a gentle and clear voice: "Okay, okay, let's complete the other challenges first, and then we can discuss the identity last."
Jiang Shiyu was like a true prince, making people follow him willingly as soon as he opened his mouth. They soon encountered the next NPC - the palace cook.
When the cook stopped them, the fish in her arms still had a strange light in her eyes: "Do any of you know how to cook fish?"
Her tone combined with the props give the impression that this fish cooking is really a dish or that they are fish.
Peng Yiqing spoke first: "Is this a test of our recipes? Does anyone know how to cook?" Seeing no one answer, he continued: "I cook for myself occasionally. If you trust me, I'd like to give it a try."
"Why don't I do it?" Luo Wenxi pushed up his glasses. "I've opened a food blogger account before and often stayed in the kitchen section. I'm quite experienced in this."
Luo Wenxi came to the cook, but the NPC shook his head: "It takes two people to start the challenge."
He subconsciously looked at Jiang Shiyu, wanting to invite him to join him, but Jiang Shiyu didn't receive his flirting. Instead, Zheng Yan gritted his teeth and stood over reluctantly: "I'll go with you."
Luo Wenxi: ...
Okay.
He also sneered in return: "Then don't hold me back."
When they were tied together for the three-legged race, Zheng Yan and Luo Wenxi saw the same disgust in each other's eyes. Without communicating, they had to pick up all the ingredients needed to cook fish in the kitchen within the specified time.
A big test of tacit understanding.
The moment they were most in sync was when they heard the rules and were thankful Jiang Shiyu wasn't allowed to join with another person. As for the game itself, it was a complete mess. Deciding the direction was their first hurdle. Zheng Yan went right while Luo Wenxi went left, so they had to adjust and start again, with one person moving forward while the other moved backward.
It was even more difficult to pick up the ingredients without being able to speak. Zheng Yan's brows were furrowed as he looked at the watercress in the frame. On the other side, Luo Wenxi looked at the half-framed chopped peppers and shook his head. They both thought to themselves: What is this!
Jiang Shiyu was watching from the side and was laughing so hard that his eyes almost died.
The two of them busied themselves with only half the task. The cook looked at the various ingredients in the box and criticized them dissatisfiedly, saying, "You've barely passed, but there are no more clues."
"How can this be enough to cook?"
Before the others started to "attack" the two people who came on the field, Luo Wenxi and Zheng Yan started attacking each other.
Zheng Yanye: "This is the strength of a food blogger."
Luo Wenxi was not to be outdone: "It's better than someone who just grabbed a handful of garlic sprouts and threw them into the basket."
Zheng Yanye: "Isn't that a green onion?"
…
He is worthy of being the prince.
The whole audience burst into laughter, and Jiang Shiyu's face turned red from laughing. Although he didn't get any clues, it was still worth it to watch a comedy.
The last NPC to challenge was the palace's steward, who looked at Jiang Shiyu lovingly and said, "Your Highness the Prince has grown so much."
Jiang Shiyu blinked and pleaded softly, "Uncle Butler, it's been a long time since we last met. Could you let me take my guests over?"
The butler leaned forward and gave a court salute: "Your Highness's request is certainly acceptable."
???
Is this okay? ?
Wang Yujie had already prepared to watch Jiang Shiyu have fun. He thought the NPC in the last level must be a boss-level one, so it should be easy to make Jiang Shiyu look foolish. However, he didn't expect that some people could pass the level directly with just a slight request.
Why? Just because Jiang Shiyu is pretty?
As if seeing through his thoughts, the butler smiled slightly: "I am obsessed with looks, beauty is my passport."
It’s true.
How could Jiang Shiyu always get preferential treatment? Wang Yujie was furious. He winked at Ouyang Lin, who understood and asked casually, "Prince, why didn't you ask about the clue? Don't you want to know?"
The next second he immediately apologized: "That's not what I meant, Shi Yu, have you forgotten?"
"Yes." Jiang Shiyu watched him show off his tea art. It was just acting, he could do it too. He was also panicked and at a loss. "I just forgot. Luckily you reminded me."
"Uncle housekeeper, do you have any clues for us?"
The butler performed another court salute: "Then everyone will complete a challenge together."
Jiang Shiyu stood at the end of the team. The last level was a very common lip-syncing game. There were constant bursts of laughter coming from the front. It seemed that someone's answer was too outrageous, so wouldn't it be even more outrageous when it came to him?
He looked at Zheng Yanye's back, praying that this man would be more reliable.
He was lost in thought for a while, and Zheng Yan had turned around. He first made the number three with his hands. After Jiang Shiyu nodded, he began to look at his mouth shape. Zheng Yan also shouted "lollipop" in a loud voice, and added a gesture of holding it with both hands.
Jiang Shiyu looked at it for a while, full of confidence, made an OK gesture and began to announce his answer: Hug me.
It was completely different from the correct "bubble gum", and the whole audience burst into laughter again.
Jiang Shiyu was dissatisfied: "Zheng Yan also opened both arms, if not to hug what is it?"
Zheng Yan was also unconvinced: "The person in front was talking about lollipops. At least I heard the word 'candy'."
As the first person, Wang Rong accurately attacked the last two "non-stick pans": "Even if the last two people made mistakes, do we still have to fight for the last and second place?"
Jiang Shiyu: ...He doesn’t want to be the last one.
He grabbed the corner of Zheng Yanye's clothes and started his attack again: "I really don't understand what you said."
Zheng Yan also felt elated for a second. Who could stop him? He couldn't stop it anyway. Isn't he the worst in the whole stadium? He was doomed.
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