Chapter 23 Holding her extremely tightly
The moment she stepped onto the streets of the capital, Shen Panyan felt as if she had instantly entered another bustling world.
The wide street was brightly lit, like a miniature version of the stars in the sky, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Following the sound of voices, the spectacular lion dance and iron flower performance drew gasps and applause from the crowd. In an instant, the place was bustling with noise, drums and gongs, creating a lively and exciting atmosphere.
Shen Panyan was initially very excited, but after stepping onto the long street, she hesitated.
There were just too many people on the street. As far as the eye could see, there were heads everywhere. Nothing fun or interesting was visible.
Shen Panyan was already shy, and seeing so many people made her lose her courage.
Shen Panyan took a small step back and tugged at Lin Xiao's clothes. "Lin Xiao, why don't we go back?"
There are too many people on the street.
"Does the princess really want to go back?" Lin Xiao looked at her, still remembering her expectant eyes. "If the princess wishes to go, I can take you away from the crowd."
Shen Panyan nodded hesitantly, then shook her head. "Forget it, Lin Xiao."
She still felt there were too many people.
Let's go back!
“Okay.” Remembering the princess’s somewhat timid nature, Lin Xiao did not hesitate.
Just then, the crowd on the street suddenly became noisy, and Shen Panyan stopped in her tracks and looked back.
What happened?
A procession wearing ferocious masks and carrying weapons or torches, singing and dancing, came from the palace and paraded through the long street. The surrounding crowds were excited and their cheeks were flushed.
What is that?
Everyone rushed to the sides of the street, jostling to make room for the procession.
Shen Panyan stood there, not yet able to react, when she felt her waist tighten and her body was suddenly pulled into a broad, warm embrace.
There were too many people. The two of them were squeezed in the middle of the crowd, jostling and pushing. All they could see were strangers, shouts, screams, and a cacophony of noise.
Shen Panyan had never seen such a scene before, and she couldn't help but become nervous, her knuckles gripping Lin Xiao's clothes tightly.
"Lin, Linxiao..."
The moment she finished speaking, Shen Panyan felt her waist being pulled even tighter.
"Princess, do not be afraid, I am here." Lin Xiao's voice came from above, steady and reassuring.
At this moment, Shen Panyan belatedly realized that she was being held in Lin Xiao's arms. Looking up, she could see his smooth, sharp jawline and pale red lips. The orange-yellow light fell on him, creating an interplay of light and shadow that gave off a deep and mysterious feeling, inexplicably making her gasp for breath.
Shen Panyan blushed and quickly lowered her head, not daring to look any longer.
She shifted her body slightly, but was then pulled even tighter in the next moment.
"Princess, don't move around. There are too many people around."
Lin Xiao's voice reached her ears, and Shen Panyan immediately stopped moving.
However, being held so tightly in Lin Xiao's arms made her feel inexplicably short of breath.
To say she disliked it wouldn't be so simple. Unlike the last time she fell off the cliff, when she didn't feel anything was wrong, this time... she just felt very uncomfortable. It was the first time she had ever been held so tightly by a man.
He was so close to her that she could hear his strong, powerful heartbeat.
Shen Panyan subconsciously held her breath, her mind going completely blank.
Don't overthink it. Lin Xiao is doing this to protect you. There are so many people around. If he doesn't hold you tight, you might get lost in the crowd. He's doing this for your own good... Shen Panyan kept telling herself this in her mind until she felt a little better.
"Princess, what's wrong?"
Suddenly, Lin Xiao's voice rang out again.
"I......"
Hearing his voice, Shen Panyan snapped out of her daze and realized that the throng of people had dispersed sometime earlier, leaving only a few scattered individuals on the street. Lin Xiao had loosened his grip on her, but she was still clutching his clothes tightly...
Her cheeks flushed crimson in an instant, and her fingertips felt as if they had been burned. She quickly let go, stabbing herself, "I, I'm fine..."
Shen Panyan rambled on, trying to change the subject, "Just now, just now it was... it was a bit hot, what was that? Why did so many people suddenly appear..."
Lin Xiao: "That's Nuo dance. Every New Year's Eve, royal guards would perform as shamans in a procession in the capital to drive away evil spirits."
"Is that so...? I...I didn't even know..."
"It's normal that the princess doesn't know because she's not in the capital most of the year."
"Mmm..." she responded softly.
After a few words of conversation, Shen Panyan felt less uncomfortable. She avoided Lin Xiao's gaze and looked elsewhere.
At this moment, the streets are adorned with colorful lights, dazzling and vibrant, bustling and lively.
Most of the people in the capital had gone to watch the Nuo dance, and the streets were now deserted. Shen Panyan pursed her lips, feeling it would be a pity to go back like this.
"Lin Xiao, how about we go for a walk?"
Shen Panyan turned her head and looked at him earnestly. Feeling that she had gone back on her word, she quickly added, "If you don't want to go, then let's go back!"
"I'm fine with anything." Lin Xiao was a little confused as to why the princess would say that, and looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"Where would the princess like to go?"
"I...I don't know either." Shen Panyan bit her lip and shook her head. "This is my first time spending the New Year in the capital. Lin Xiao, do you know any fun places to go?"
By the end, her gaze towards him was filled with anticipation.
Lin Xiao thought for a moment and shook his head, "No, in previous years, during the holidays, I was either on a mission outside or responsible for protecting His Majesty's safety. I never had time to stay in the bustling city."
"Huh?" Shen Panyan's face fell. "Father is too stingy. It's already New Year's Eve, and he still won't give you a holiday."
Lin Xiao: ......
He said with some helplessness, "That's not how it is. This is my duty, and it has nothing to do with Your Majesty."
Shen Panyan ignored her, "It's New Year's Eve today, and I didn't ask Mu Ying and the others to come with me!"
"It's clearly Father Emperor who's stingy!"
"Princess....."
Lin Xiao wanted to explain, but Shen Panyan's voice rang out, "Alright! You don't need to say anything more. If Father won't give you a holiday, I will."
Shen Panyan thought for a moment, then suddenly looked at him with a smile, "Today, let's not talk about our status, we're just travel companions. Don't call me princess anymore, just call me by my name. By the way, Lin Xiao, do you know my name?"
Lin Xiao hesitated.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Shen Panyan spoke up herself, "You probably don't know, my name is Shen Panyan, Shen-pan-yan, it's the 'panyan' in 'half smoke, half rain' by the stream bridge, Lin Xiao, do you remember?"
Lin Xiao stared at her, seemingly stunned, before finally nodding after a long while.
Shen Panyan smiled and said, "It's good that you've remembered it. Let's go, Lin Xiao."
After saying that, she reached out and gently grasped his wrist, and walked towards the most brightly lit area.
“I once heard from the palace maids that the lantern market in the capital was very lively during the New Year’s festival.”
"How about we go check out the lantern market together?"
Today, she wore a pomegranate red jacket and skirt, which made her already fair skin look even more like jade, delicate and beautiful. Under the lamplight, she looked radiant and lively.
Lin Xiao was pulled along by her, following behind her. After a long while, he finally responded, "...Okay."
This year's lantern market was held by the lake, with all kinds of beautiful lanterns hanging along the entire street, attracting throngs of people and creating a lively atmosphere.
The lake reflects the lights of the night sky, dazzling and beautiful. In the center of the lake is an extremely ornate painted boat. As the music of string and wind instruments begins, dancers gracefully perform, while the onlookers clink glasses, smiles on their faces, and enjoy themselves immensely.
Besides that, the most eye-catching thing is the arena by the lake.
Thump thump thump!
Someone was beating a gong and drum when a middle-aged man dressed in brocade robes walked onto the stage and bowed to the crowd.
"Thanks to the kindness of all my fellow villagers, my Qiandengfang hereby accepts this challenge today..."
Shen Panyan paused to watch for a while and discovered that it was a traditional competition held at the Lantern Market. The winner would receive a sandalwood twin flower basket lantern, a thousand taels of silver, a bolt of brocade, and a meal at the largest restaurant in the capital. The rewards were incredibly generous.
However, the second and third place winners did not receive such good treatment; they only received a slightly more ornate lantern and 500 and 300 taels of silver respectively.
The rewards are generous, but winning this competition is no easy feat. First comes the written test, followed by the martial arts test. However, two people can participate together as a team, so there are quite a few participants, making it the most lively event in the lantern market.
Shen Panyan also took a fancy to the sandalwood twin flower basket lantern. The lantern was made of sandalwood and inlaid with white jade plaques all over, which were carved with various flowers. Looking up, the mouth of the bottle was filled with large blooming twin hibiscus flowers, which were enchanting. Even in the palace, she rarely saw such an exquisite yet simple lantern.
While palace artifacts are often magnificent, sometimes their excessive pursuit of complexity and opulence results in a loss of simple and elegant beauty. This lantern, however, is quite well-made, striking a perfect balance between exquisite craftsmanship and simplicity. Any more or less would have made it less beautiful.
Shen Panyan was intrigued and turned to Lin Xiao, "Lin Xiao, why don't we also participate in the competition?"
"Does the princess like that lantern?"
He promised to call her by her name, but he still called her "Princess."
Shen Panyan sighed inwardly, but knowing that was just his nature, she didn't insist and nodded, "Mm."
"I'll take the written exam, and you take the martial arts exam, okay?"
She gently tugged at his sleeve, looking at him with bright eyes.
Lin Xiao's gaze fell upon her, "...Isn't the princess worried that I will fail?"
Shen Panyan blinked. "How could that be? You are Lin Xiao."
After saying that, she spoke in a voice so soft that only the two of them could hear clearly: "An Jiu, the ninth-ranked guard, how could his skills be lacking?"
After saying that, she raised her eyebrows and said, "Aren't you worried that I will fail? After all, there is still the written test to take."
“The princess will not fail.” He said this without hesitation.
“That’s it. Neither of us will fail. This lantern will surely be ours.” Shen Panyan clenched her fist.
"Let's go! Lin Xiao, let's go register too!"
After saying that, she pulled him toward the registration area.
The arena was crowded with people, and the two were at the back of the line, but they didn't have to wait long before it was their turn.
"Please write down your names." The manager handed two slips of paper to the two men.
Shen Panyan naturally wouldn't write her real name, so she only wrote the character "Yan". As for Lin Xiao, his handwriting was so bad that she simply wrote it for him.
The steward carefully put away the note, took out a wooden plaque, pasted it on, and handed it to the two men.
"Please accept this, and wait a moment."
Shen Panyan held the wooden plaque, looked at it curiously, and stood beside Lin Xiao to wait.
There weren't actually that many people participating in the competition. Even though two people were allowed to participate together, the difficulty was still quite high. Most of the participants were knowledgeable people, and everyone was mindful of their status, so apart from those they knew well, no one whispered to each other.
This was Shen Panyan's first time participating in such a competition. After a moment of excitement, she keenly sensed that Lin Xiao seemed to be acting a little strange.
It seems he hasn't said a word since the registration process began.
He was too quiet, unusually so.
"What's wrong, Lin Xiao?"
She looked up, her brows furrowed with worry.
"You don't want to participate, do you?" Shen Panyan suddenly realized that she had been asking Lin Xiao all along, but Lin Xiao had never said that he wanted to participate in such an event.
Thinking of this, Shen Panyan was filled with regret.
She quickly said, "If you don't want to go, then we won't go."
Lin Xiao: "No."
"Then why did you suddenly stop talking?"
"I was just thinking about some things..."
“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to force yourself.” Shen Panyan looked at him seriously. “I’ve already said that today we won’t talk about status, we’re just having fun together.”
"If you don't want to go, then we won't go."
At this point, Shen Panyan suddenly realized something.
Lin Xiao is a secret guard. He spends most of his time in the shadows and is best at concealing himself and minimizing his presence. Such a lively and attention-grabbing event is like stripping him naked and having everyone stare at him.
She... how come she only realized it now... A strong sense of guilt welled up in her heart, and Shen Panyan immediately began to apologize hastily.
"Yes, I'm sorry, Lin Xiao, I didn't think of those things..." Shen Panyan clutched his clothes tightly, her eyes misting over. "We're not going, Lin Xiao, I'm sorry..."
"Why should the princess apologize to her subordinates?" Lin Xiao frowned slightly. "You are a princess, you do not need to apologize to your subordinates."
“I…” Shen Panyan felt even more guilty. “Even if I am a princess, I should not disregard your feelings.”
"I'm sorry, Lin Xiao, I was arrogant... I promise I will never treat you like that again!!"
Since Qiu Shuang left, Lin Xiao has been very obedient to me. Although he occasionally disobeys me, in truth, he is the person who listens to me the most.
Therefore, she subconsciously ignored his feelings.
"Lin Xiao, we're not going!!"
She reached out and grabbed him, "Let's go look around somewhere else!"
Lin Xiao asked, puzzled, "But Princess, didn't you want lanterns?"
"No matter how beautiful the lantern is, it's just a lantern, an inanimate object. To me, you are more important!"
Lin Xiao was completely taken aback by the princess's words. A look of surprise flashed across his eyes, and he remained silent for a long time, unsure of how to respond.
He abruptly changed the subject, "Is the princess hungry? Would you like some cakes?"
Shen Panyan paused for a moment, thinking he was hungry, but too embarrassed to say so, so she nodded, "Okay!"
There were pancakes for sale by the roadside. Lin Xiao walked up to the stall and ordered a pancake. The stall owner worked quickly, and soon the steaming pancake was freshly made.
"Please take this, guest!"
The lotus leaves wrapped the cakes, which were filled with a rich aroma of wheat and meat. Just smelling them made one's mouth water.
Lin Xiao took the cake and handed it to Chen Panyan.
"Aren't you going to eat?"
Lin Xiao shook his head.
I'm not hungry.
Does she eat alone?
This won't do.
Shen Panyan thought for a moment, then cut the pancake in her hand in two and handed it to him.
"What's wrong, Princess?" Lin Xiao was stunned.
“Half for each of us!” Shen Panyan said with a smile.
Lin Xiao pursed his lips, wanting to say something, but in the end he said nothing and silently accepted it.
After walking for so long, Chen Panyan was indeed a little hungry. She ate in small bites, her cheeks bulging as she ate.
Looking at her, Lin Xiao inexplicably felt that the pancake in his hand had become very fragrant.
After finishing the cake, her fingertips were stained with oil. Just as Shen Panyan was about to take out her embroidered handkerchief to wipe them, a hand moved faster than her, "Princess, use this!"
Shen Panyan looked up, surprised to see him.
Where did Lin Xiao get the handkerchief?
Does he even need a handkerchief?
But this was their private matter, and she shouldn't pry. "Thank you!"
She felt embarrassed to return the handkerchief that had been soiled, so she planned to keep it and return it to him after washing it clean, but Lin Xiao had already taken it from her hand.
"Where does the princess wish to go next?"
He really didn't want to participate in the lantern festival competition; it was very difficult for him to adapt to, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.
Shen Panyan was taken aback when she saw him take the handkerchief from her hand so naturally.
"Everything is fine..."
Just then, the competition on the stage was about to begin, and the sound of gongs rang out continuously.
The middle-aged man stood on the stage and launched into another long speech. Shen Panyan looked at the sandalwood hibiscus flower basket lamp, a hint of regret flashing in her eyes.
Just as the two turned to leave, suddenly...
"Miss Chen!"
Who is calling her?
Shen Panyan looked back.
Zhao Wenyao was standing by the lake, with Zhao Yun beside her, who looked reluctant.
"It really is you! I thought I was seeing things!!"
Upon seeing her, Zhao Wenyao could not contain her joy and strode towards her.
She wanted to get closer to her and affectionately take her arm, but an arm suddenly blocked her way, preventing her from moving any further.
Zhao Wenyao paused, looked up, and saw that it was the same black-clad guard from last time.
Helpless, she could only bow in greeting, and Zhao Yun beside her followed suit.
"Greetings, Princess Mingyue."
"Get up!"
Zhao Wenyao stood up, her face full of joy. "I just saw the princess and thought that she must be traveling incognito. I didn't want to disturb your enjoyment, so I called you by your name. Please don't be angry, princess."
"It's alright, just call me Miss Shen." Shen Panyan didn't care about such a small matter.
"Miss Zhao, is there something you need from me?" She didn't really want to see the two of them, and her words were somewhat perfunctory.
"I wonder if Your Highness would allow your guards to make way?" Zhao Wenyao pointed at Lin Xiao.
Although he had already withdrawn his arm, he was still standing there. She couldn't very well walk around him to talk to the princess; that would be too inappropriate.
Shen Panyan hesitated for a moment, "Lin Xiao, please step aside first."
When the princess gave the order, Lin Xiao naturally dared not disobey.
"yes."
He took a step back, but not too far away from her. If Zhao Wenyao tried to touch the princess again, he could still stop her immediately.
Seeing how wary he was of her, Zhao Wenyao was annoyed, but she put on a smile and asked, "Princess, are you here to participate in the lantern festival competition?"
"What a coincidence! My younger brother is also participating in the competition, but I'm not very interested and don't want to participate. I was just having a headache about who my younger brother would be competing with. It's so great to see the princess now."
Having said that, she pulled Zhao Yun out from behind her, her face full of enthusiasm, "Princess, this year's sandalwood hibiscus flower basket lanterns are so beautiful, made by the most famous craftsman in the capital. Everyone is trying their best to win this auspicious prize. I've long heard that Your Highness is very talented in literature, and my younger brother is also quite skilled in martial arts. Why don't Your Highness and my younger brother go and participate in the competition together?"
Seeing her younger brother's reluctant expression, Zhao Wenyao was immediately furious. She secretly pinched him and winked at him, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and invite the princess to participate in the competition!"
Zhao Yun's face changed drastically. "Sis, sis, be gentle!"
Chen Panyan: "..."
"Miss Zhao, please don't force him. I have no intention of participating in the competition either."
After saying that, she turned and left, saying, "Lin Xiao, let's go!"
Upon seeing this, Zhao Wenyao immediately became anxious, slapped her foolish younger brother hard, and lowered her voice, "Aren't you going to go and bring the princess back? Do you really want to marry Princess Chengle?"
"Father has temporarily postponed the arranged marriage due to pressure from His Majesty. Instead, you should focus on developing a relationship with Princess Chengle first. Otherwise, you'll have to marry her next spring. If you continue to act so unwilling, I will never help you again!"
Lin Xiao suddenly stopped.
Shen Panyan looked at him with a puzzled expression, "What's wrong, Lin Xiao?"
Lin Xiao's voice was somewhat cold, "It's nothing, Princess."
"From now on, you must not have any further contact with the Zhao family."
Shen Panyan nodded obediently, "Okay."
Zhao Yun was unwilling to get married in the first place. His dream was to become a great general who could conquer battlefields. But now His Majesty wanted him to get married, his father and mother also wanted him to get married, and Princess Chengle kept threatening him... He was extremely annoyed.
But the arranged marriage was already set in stone and he couldn't change it. If he really had to marry the princess, he still felt that marrying Princess Mingyue would be better.
Therefore, Zhao Yun had no choice but to suppress his irritation and quickly catch up with Shen Panyan.
"My lord..." He had just bowed when a figure blocked his way.
Lin Xiao coldly said, "Don't block my way, get out of here!"
Zhao Yun: "You—!"
Zhao Yun was already irritable and angry. He was always flamboyant and couldn't stand this.
"I haven't finished speaking yet, what right do you, a servant, have to interrupt? Don't you know any manners!"
Shen Panyan's face turned cold. "Young Master Zhao, if you can't speak properly, then don't speak."
"Lin Xiao, let's go!"
Zhao Wenyao, who had hurriedly followed, was furious upon seeing this scene. She slapped him and scolded, "Are you stupid? Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner. What kind of face do you have for the princess?"
Zhao Yun: "Sister...I..."
"What do you mean, 'what ...'? Hurry up and apologize to them!"
Frustrated, Zhao Yun had no choice but to chase after them.
Shen Panyan was already unhappy, and when she heard Zhao Wenyao's words behind her, she felt as if a heavy stone was stuck in her heart, and her pace quickened.
Lin Xiao, who was following behind her, immediately noticed that something was wrong with her mood.
“Princess, you don’t need to take those words to heart….”
However, before he could finish speaking, Zhao Yun caught up and stopped in front of him.
Zhao Yun cupped his hands in apology, his attitude not particularly serious. "I apologize. I was being rude just now. I hope this brother will forgive me and not take it to heart."
Lin Xiao glanced at him, chuckled, and said nothing.
Their attitude is clearly one of disapproval.
"You—" Zhao Yunqiang suppressed his temper and apologized to him, but he still had this attitude. He was immediately enraged and sneered.
"I'm only giving you face because I see your loyalty and because of the princess. Don't push your luck." After saying that, he took a deep breath, not wanting to argue with him anymore.
"Today is New Year's Eve, I won't argue with a servant like you."
Having said that, he looked at Shen Panyan and bowed respectfully, "Princess, on this auspicious night of the lantern festival, I humbly invite you to join me in a duel."
Shen Panyan frowned subconsciously, and was about to refuse when Zhao Wenyao came over again, smiling and persuading, "Just now by the lake, I saw that the princess liked that lamp. Why don't you go with my brother? It would be a good omen, and it would mean that everything will go smoothly and all your wishes will come true next year."
"Princess, you spend most of your time in the royal villa and probably don't know that the lantern market in the capital is most lively on this day of the year. It only happens once a year, and the lanterns given as rewards are different every year. This year's flower basket lanterns are even more beautiful than in previous years. Wouldn't it be a pity to miss it?"
Shen Panyan really liked that lamp, but it was absolutely impossible for her to be with Zhao Yun, as she didn't like him.
However, she was not good at refusing people, and the refusal she was about to say was interrupted by Zhao Wenyao, and it got stuck in her throat. She couldn't say it anymore, and she subconsciously looked at Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao stepped forward and coldly refused on her behalf, "The princess does not need it."
This guard keeps popping up, it's really annoying. Zhao Yun sneered, "Is it that the princess doesn't need it, or are you making decisions for the princess on your own?"
"The princess rarely stays in the capital and seldom experiences the festive atmosphere. Could it be that you, as her guard, are too weak to win the championship and are afraid of losing face in front of us, which is why you have repeatedly obstructed her?"
Lin Xiao's gaze fell on him, and he smiled sarcastically, "You're just a general who can't even walk steadily. What strength do you have that makes me afraid and ashamed?"
"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Zhao Yun was furious, veins throbbing on his forehead. "I haven't even settled accounts with you for what happened that day, and now you've jumped out on your own. Let me see what you're capable of!"
"There's no better time than today. You and I will step onto the stage together, and I'll see what strength you have to dare to spout such arrogant words."
"Could it be that you got beaten to a pulp in the ring and are now crawling on the ground crying for your parents when you get home?"
Zhao Wenyao sighed, rubbing her forehead: ......
Her silly younger brother, when he gets anxious, doesn't care about the occasion.
She reached out to stop him from going crazy, but Zhao Yun was unwilling to do so now.
He was already holding back a lot of anger, and now that he had a place to vent it, he naturally wanted to let it all out.
Shen Panyan never expected that the two would start arguing like this. She quickly tugged at Lin Xiao's sleeve and shook her head at him.
Lin Xiao said calmly, "I never agreed to let you go to the arena."
"Princess, let's go."
Shen Panyan nodded, "Okay."
Zhao Yun felt aggrieved.
His words were like punching cotton. Watching the man turn and leave, he gritted his teeth and said, "As the princess's guard, do you really think you can just ignore whatever the princess wants?"
"The princess was so good to you, and this is how you repay her? You can't even win her a lamp?"
In the end, he mocked, "Your loyalty is nothing special."
Lin Xiao's figure suddenly stopped, his expression extremely cold.
Shen Panyan looked at him with some anxiety in her eyes, "Lin Xiao, don't listen to his nonsense, I'm fine."
Zhao Yun: "The princess liked that lamp so much just now, even we outsiders saw it. As the princess's guard, how could you not see it?"
"You don't even dare to step onto a mere entertainment arena, so how can you talk about protecting the princess's safety? I think you should go home, wash up, and go to sleep. Let His Majesty send someone else!"
Lin Xiao suddenly turned around, his gaze falling on him, his eyes seemingly filled with ice and snow, "Since you've made such a fool of yourself, I'll grant your wish."
"Ha! How arrogant! We'll find out who wins and who loses in the ring. Whoever loses will kneel down and kowtow to the other!"
Lin Xiao scoffed, "Fine, I'll be waiting for you to kowtow to me."
Zhao Wenyao: ......
Now things have gotten complicated. What was originally planned as inviting the princess to participate in the arena competition has turned into them competing against each other.
But Zhao Yun had already made his statement, so she couldn't very well contradict him to his face.
No matter how she thought about it, Zhao Wenyao was still furious and secretly stomped on his foot.
idiot!
Zhao Yun grimaced, but dared not refute, and could only mutter something under his breath.
"Sis, don't be angry!"
He could tell that Princess Mingyue didn't like him. Princess Chengle was already enough of a bother for him, and his sister still wanted him to fawn over her. He wasn't going to do that.
Most importantly, he really disliked the guard who was with Princess Mingyue.
The last time he fell in the wrestling match, he was the one who made him the laughingstock in the capital.
This grudge will be avenged!
The four of them returned to the lantern festival arena. It was only the first round, so there was still time.
This round is a written test.
Before stepping onto the stage, Shen Panyan looked at Lin Xiao with worry and anxiety, "Lin Xiao, are you really okay?"
Lin Xiao: "Princess, don't worry, I'm fine."
Seeing that his expression was indeed normal, Shen Panyan suppressed her unease and smiled, "Go for it! Lin Xiao, I believe in you, you can definitely win the championship!"
After going around in circles, they unexpectedly ended up participating in the lantern festival competition.
Originally, she just liked the lamp; whether she got it or not wasn't really important. But now, she had to have it!
She didn't want Lin Xiao to kneel and kowtow to others; she absolutely couldn't hold him back in the written exam.
Shen Panyan clenched her fists secretly, walked to her table, and sat down on the floor.
"Please listen to the question. The question is: 'Water and sky melt together, the oars linger.' Please answer the next line."
Is it a question about answering with poems?
Shen Panyan's heart, which had been pounding, finally settled. She wasn't afraid of answering questions about poetry. In her spare time, she had read many poems, and even the more obscure ones, she knew them.
He picked up a pen and wrote a poem on the slip of paper in front of him. Not long after, someone came to take the paper away.
Before long, the manager announced the winner of this round. Seeing her name on the list, Shen Panyan felt a little relieved.
After the written test, the martial arts test followed.
This martial arts competition is an archery contest.
Whoever hits the target the most times with the most accurate arrows wins.
Lin Xiao reached out and picked up the bow and arrow, nocked the wooden arrow, and Zhao Yun, who was standing next to him, looked at him and sneered, "Not everyone can handle a bow and arrow. If you don't know how, you might as well admit defeat now. Maybe I'll be in a good mood and just let you kowtow once."
Lin Xiao didn't even glance at him, and didn't say a word to him.
Zhao Yun: ......
He gave a cold laugh and said nothing more.
With a whooshing sound, the wooden arrow landed firmly on the target with a "bang".
Zhao Yun raised an eyebrow.
They have some ability.
He put away his initial contempt and began to take it seriously.
After three arrows, the two were evenly matched, and the battle was considered a draw.
After two rounds, many of the participants were eliminated, but the four of them remained extremely stable.
Whether it was picking up a pen or dropping an arrow, there was no hesitation.
This inevitably aroused everyone's curiosity: "Who are those four people?"
“I do know two of them; they are the eldest daughter of the Zhenguo General’s Mansion and her younger brother, General Zhao.” As he spoke, the man’s voice lowered a little. “They are the general who caused such a stir a few days ago by tripping and falling.”
"Oh, it was him!" The bystanders suddenly realized.
"Yes, yes, that's him."
The topic of the wrestling general sparked everyone's interest, and they began to discuss it in hushed tones, occasionally bursting into laughter. Zhao Yun, whose martial arts skills were extremely high, could not help but hear the conversation about him, and his face immediately darkened.
He took a deep breath and told himself that he was in a contest and that once he won, he would make those who had wronged him pay. For now, he shouldn't let anything else distract him, but his hand gripping the bow and arrow was so tight that it turned white.
Damn it, I still can't stand it!
The thought of being ridiculed by everyone and being forced by his sister to apologize to him filled Zhao Yun with resentment.
Since we can't do it openly, let's do it covertly.
Just as Lin Xiao made his move, Zhao Yun twitched his fingertips, and a tiny pebble shot out towards his arrow.
"Bang!"
As the sound rang out, the arrow missed the bullseye.
Lin Xiao raised his eyes and looked at Zhao Yun.
Zhao Yun smiled at him, "Oh dear, this arrow went astray!"
Lin Xiao: "Ha!"
When it was Zhao Yun's turn, his arrow hit the target directly. He had been on guard the whole time, but he still didn't see how Lin Xiao made his move.
This time, Zhao Yunrang was finally certain of one thing: the one who caused him to fall for no reason and become the laughing stock of the entire capital was him.
"So it really was you who did what happened last time!"
Lin Xiao: "What did you say?"
"Still pretending to be stupid!" Zhao Yun was furious.
The thought of being forced to apologize by his sister fueled his anger even more.
"I'd like to see if you can still win next!"
Shen Panyan had been watching this area closely, and when she saw that one of the two had missed the target and the other had hit it, her heart skipped a beat.
Could they be secretly fighting each other?
Zhao Wenyao knew that she could no longer control her younger brother, so she simply became a hands-off manager and stood by.
With others present, she couldn't openly address her by name, so she said, "Miss Chen, your guard's martial arts are quite impressive!"
Shen Panyan replied absentmindedly, "Well, Lin Xiao's martial arts skills are naturally excellent."
"His name is Lin Xiao?" Zhao Wenyao only noticed Lin Xiao's name now, and nodded thoughtfully. "It suits his personality quite well."
Seeing that Shen Panyan seemed to care a lot about Lin Xiao, she suddenly became curious and leaned closer, "You care about him a lot?"
"Huh?" She suddenly leaned closer, startling Shen Panyan so much that she dropped her pen. "No, no, you misunderstood. Lin Xiao is actually a very good person, and he's been very good to me..."
"As a servant, isn't it only right to be good to your master?" Zhao Wenyao asked, puzzled.
Besides, she didn't say anything, so why did Princess Mingyue suddenly look so nervous?
A bold thought flashed through her mind: "Could it be that you like him?"
Chen Panyan: ......
She was quite speechless. "Miss Zhao, you can't just say things like that."
“I don’t like it…” Zhao Wenyao nodded. “Then what do you think of my brother? I’m telling the truth.”
“I don’t like him, I even hate him a little.” Shen Panyan shook her head. “What I said is true.”
Hearing this, Zhao Wenyao couldn't help but sigh.
Her foolish younger brother is just asking for trouble. Now look what's happened; he's left a very bad impression on Princess Mingyue, causing her to dislike him.
She couldn't handle this anymore, so she decided to go home and let her parents worry about it.
“It’s normal that you don’t like him. He often does stupid things, and he’s arrogant and can’t stand being provoked. That’s why Father thought of letting him get married.”
This time, she didn't speak up for her younger brother, which startled Shen Panyan, who looked at her in surprise.
Zhao Wenyao smiled and said, "Are you surprised that I didn't say anything good about him?"
“…Hmm.” Shen Panyan nodded, her impression of her improving slightly.
“I’m just his sister, not his parents, so how can I always side with him? But I didn’t lie to you before. Apart from this one flaw, he’s pretty good. If the princess wants to marry, my brother is really a good choice.”
Chen Panyan: ......
She gave her a rather speechless look and decided to ignore her.
But Zhao Wenyao is a very outgoing person; otherwise, she wouldn't have said those things to her on their first meeting.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Zhao Wenyao's gaze fell on the note in front of her and she said to herself, "Miss Chen, your handwriting is very beautiful!"
".....Thanks."
"You're welcome. Actually, I quite like you. You have a good personality, unlike that other one. I get annoyed as soon as I see her."
"......"
"By the way, didn't you go back to the Royal Villa? Why are you still in the capital?"
"...Something came up."
"Oh, so you know about my brother and that person?"
"......."
"Don't be angry. Although we intended to use you as a shield, we absolutely respect your opinion. Besides, this matter is a win-win situation for us. As for that person, none of us in the General's Mansion actually have that kind of intention. We have only been respectful to her because of our status."
"..." Shen Panyan didn't really want to hear it. "...Could you please stop talking?"
"Ah, sorry, I talked a bit too much today."
Zhao Wenyao was quiet for a while, sitting there listlessly, and then started talking to her again.
Suddenly, she discovered something very interesting.
"Huh?!"
"Miss Chen, your guards are quite skilled! They even overpowered my younger brother!"
Shen Panyan looked up and realized that the two of them were fighting.
-----------------------
The author's note: "By the stream bridge, half mist and half rain, a fisherman lies drunk, unheard." This is from Huang Tingjian's poem "Bodhisattva's Charm: By the Stream Bridge, Half Mist and Half Rain" (Song Dynasty).
Smoke and water vapor filled the air beside the stream bridge, and no one went to call out to the old fisherman who was drunk and asleep.
I really love this imagery in the poem. I wonder if any other babies feel the same way? [shy][shy]
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