The next morning, after sending off Grand Prince and Long Xuanmo to the morning court, Yang Mengchen ordered someone to call for He Junyuan and Mu Jin, "Consolidate all the funds we can mobilize within the mansion today for me. I have a big use for them."
Although He Junyuan and Mu Jin had their doubts, they still respectfully complied and went to tally up the finances of the Prince Mansion and Yang Mengchen’s private assets.
"What has gotten into you to start tallying up your family’s wealth all of a sudden?" Chu Dieyi asked, puzzled.
Lifting the floral tea from the table for a light sip, Yang Mengchen replied with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Qi Qiuxin convinced Qi Zonghao to go to the Emperor and request for me to join the contest."
"A princess actually coveting a married man, she’s simply shameless!" Chu Dieyi, having been at the banquet the night before, was well aware of Qi Qiuxin’s actions, and her face showed undisguised disgust and scorn, "What are the events in the contest anyway?"
"They include poetry, calligraphy, painting, musical performance, dance, equestrian archery, as well as chess and arithmetic," Yang Mengchen said with a meaningful expression.
Chu Dieyi was initially taken aback, then her eyes twinkled with joy, and she burst into hearty laughter, "This time the Qi family sibling is really going to shoot themselves in the foot, hahaha..." She suddenly stopped laughing, "Ah Meng, which is the largest casino in The Capital? And lend me another five hundred thousand taels of silver."
Seeing Chu Dieyi’s eagerness, Sister Jin and several others wore good-natured expressions, pondering to themselves.
Yang Mengchen glanced at Bai He, who immediately went into the inner chamber and soon came out, handing a stack of silver notes to Chu Dieyi.
"Ah Meng, you are so good to me!" Chu Dieyi tucked it into her bosom, then looked at Yang Mengchen with a sly smile, "Ah Meng, should we go all out and hype it up? We don’t have to push the odds to thirty-to-one, but at least fifteen, twenty-to-one. By then, we’ll make a fortune! And Ah Yi and the Yulin Army can have better days too."
Yang Mengchen nodded, "I have already arranged everything, just waiting for the Emperor’s decree to spread the word. Shunfeng Casino has a better reputation, so place your bet there."
"I’ll follow your advice," Chu Dieyi replied gleefully.
As the two were talking, He Junyuan led Eunuch Sun Chuanmao to the hall.
"Why has Eunuch Sun come?" Yang Mengchen asked, feigning ignorance.
"The Emperor has summoned Princess Chen to the palace for a matter," Sun Chuanmao glanced at Chu Dieyi sitting beside Yang Mengchen and mused to himself that the relationship between Princess Chen and Madam Shao was indeed close, as rumored. He then said with a smile, "The Second Prince of Xiliang has requested for Princess Chen to join the contest, and the Emperor has summoned Princess Chen into the palace to discuss." freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Yang Mengchen pretended to have just realized the situation and after instructing Chu Dieyi to stay for lunch, went to change into her palace attire before heading to the Imperial Palace with Sister Jin and Hai Tang Mo Mei.
At the gate of Prince Mansion, Yang Mengchen was about to board the carriage when she saw Meng Jingqi and others slowly approaching, so she turned and smiled, "I have a small matter to attend to at the Imperial Palace. You all can wait here at the mansion, I will return shortly." After saying this, she instructed He Junyuan to take good care of Meng Jingqi and the others.
"We have been here several days and have yet to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress. Today we have some free time, so we’ll accompany you to the palace," Meng Jingqi said, smiling.
Seeing the profound look in Meng Jingqi’s eyes, Yang Mengchen instantly understood and was touched, giving a gentle nod.
Upon reaching the palace gate, Xiahou Muyang and Wu Zhenglie arrived on horseback, each guarding a carriage, having been called by Long Xuanmo with the Emperor’s permission.
After exchanging greetings, the group entered the Inner Palace Gate and walked to Jinluan Hall.
The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, with several princes and high officials from Dong Chu on his left, and Qi Zonghao with his sister and the judges from various countries for the contest on his right.
Before the Emperor could speak, Long Xuanmo stepped forward, took Yang Mengchen by the hand, and led her back to her seat, not forgetting to glare fiercely at Meng Jingqi.
The Dong Chu natives and Xiahou Muyang’s group maintained their composure, long accustomed to Long Xuanmo’s constant shows of affection.
Qi Zonghao, with his handsome and refined appearance, carried a touch of deep and mysterious light in his eyes.
Staring intently at Yang Mengchen, his gaze seemed as though he wished to devour her alive, yet when he turned to look at Long Xuanmo, Qi Qiuxin’s eyes were filled with a fervent and obsessive look.
Meanwhile, Prince Duan and Prince Jing had different thoughts, none of which showed on the surface.
The Emperor ordered the Palace Attendants to set seats for Meng Jingqi and the others, then looked at Yang Mengchen affectionately, "Jiujiu, the Second Prince of Xiliang and Princess Qiuxin have requested that you participate in the contest. Do you agree?"
This year’s contest had Momo and Yuyu in the men’s competition, and he wasn’t worried about that. What concerned him was the women’s side. Although the three female participants from Dong Chu excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, they were still slightly less skilled compared to the contestants from other countries, and he had braced himself for another devastating defeat.
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