Perhaps because the reward was so tempting, many girls were eager to try, and quite a few people gathered around.
However, many people backed out at the last minute, since several of the girls who were the first to approach were from the Hehuan Sect, and each of them was fair-skinned and beautiful.
Song Juan and Su Ying were also hesitant.
An Yirou quietly asked An Zhengzheng, "Sister, isn't that Uncle?"
Lin Huai'an's shop in Ghost City sells religious artifacts.
An Zhengzheng lowered her eyes slightly, not explaining much, but instead asking her, "Should we take them with us to register?"
"But..." Doesn't my sister dislike these kinds of occasions where appearances are judged?
An Zhengzheng could tell that An Yirou really wanted to participate, so she comforted her, saying, "Go if you want to."
With her sister's permission, An Yirou took Song Juan and Su Ying with her and went.
An Zhengzheng carefully observed the people who went to participate. Most of them were women with delicate features, and they should mostly be from the Hehuan Sect.
After all, this kind of competition is their forte.
A woman dressed as a married woman stood there, looking very hesitant.
An Zhengzheng walked over and asked, "Aren't you going to participate?"
The woman's clothes were already very old-fashioned, and she said with a bitter expression, "...I want to go, but how can I compare to a young girl?"
An Zhengzheng could tell that she seemed to be having some difficulties.
She asked, "Sister-in-law, you've misunderstood. There are all kinds of women in the world, and none of them are without their own unique qualities. Since the requirements for this competition are unusual, the judging criteria might also be different."
The woman was somewhat tempted, but looking at the group of young girls, she dared not make a move.
An Zhengzheng said casually, "The reward is quite good. Although they are all medium-grade pills and talismans, there are also magical artifacts. All in all, it is what an ordinary family can accumulate in half a month."
"Anyway, there's no loss if I don't get selected, and I don't even have to pay the registration fee."
That made a lot of sense, and the woman realized it too. She slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Yes!"
Even several female cultivators around him who weren't particularly attractive were tempted.
The woman then glanced at An Zhengzheng, and was startled the next second. What an outstanding girl!
Before she could finish speaking, An Zhengzheng said, "I won't participate, so you can go without worry, sister-in-law."
The woman looked embarrassed and ashamed of her earlier thoughts. After thanking An Zhengzheng, she actually went to register.
An Zhengzheng watched the female cultivators who went to register, and then remained silent.
Several maids came out of the Hundred Maidens Pavilion and put a veil over An Zhengzheng's face to cover her features.
If An Yirou had looked over, she would have recognized her as a maid from the manor.
An Zhengzheng entered the Hundred Women's Pavilion through the back door.
An Mao had been sitting there waiting for a long time, and as soon as he saw An Zhengzheng come in, he even put his tea aside.
“Father.” An Zhengzheng took off her veil, handed it to a maid, and stepped forward to bow.
"If we do everything as you say today, are you really confident that you can take over the Hundred Women Pavilion?"
An Mao had previously announced that the An family wanted their daughter to inherit the family business, which led to him being summoned by the clan for a lengthy discussion.
Everyone is urging him to have a son soon, or if that doesn't work, to adopt a son from the clan. They can't keep saying such outrageous things to outsiders; it's not proper.
He did not agree, so now there is some resistance to the An family's third branch within the clan.
"Isn't the Hundred Women's Pavilion under the clan's name?"
"No, it's not here. It's the 90,000 spirit stones you left for your father... I haven't used much of it yet."
As An Zhengzheng said, this money should not be put into the clan's public account, since it was not earned from the An family's business, and it is fine to register it in An Zhengzheng's name.
Shops under a daughter's name are usually used as part of her dowry. Generally, the family isn't worried about anyone transferring assets... Everyone knows that once a daughter is married, she's like water spilled from a cup; if the money goes to her, it's essentially going to outsiders!
This actually gave An Zhengzheng a chance.
"Father, don't worry," An Zhengzheng said confidently.
An Mao was skeptical, but what could he do? He had impulsively given away all his most treasured possessions.
Then the steward came over and said, "Master Lin wants the young lady to come over."
"Go quickly." An Mao waved his hand.
An Zhengzheng took her leave and went to the next room, where she used magic to change her clothes and put on a veil.
The steward led her out of the main gate of the Hundred Women's Pavilion and toward Lin Huai'an's location.
This veil is a high-level magical artifact; those outside cannot see An Zhengzheng's face, and even spells cannot help them. An Zhengzheng, however, can see clearly from the outside.
There were already about a dozen women standing on the stage, and many people below were watching the spectacle, secretly commenting on who would win.
"The third girl is the most beautiful. She is tall, has fair skin, and walks with the grace of a willow in the breeze."
"Hello, Miss Number One, your eyes are so bright and sparkling..."
Everyone is freely making judgments.
To An Zhengzheng's surprise, Zhou Xu was also down there, but he looked indifferent and only glanced at the familiar An Yirou, Song Juan and Su Ying above.
It seems they are still looking for someone.
"Please be patient, everyone. The beauty pageant is about to begin... Please remember the faces of these girls!"
"This is girl number one..."
Lin Huai'an came out to host the event, introducing the girls participating in the competition one by one, and also taking the time to record the moment with a photo stone.
"This is girl number two..."
"This is... um?" He was stunned when he got to An Yirou's name!
And what's with this unreliable niece?!
"Hehe, Uncle..." An Yirou laughed a little guilty.
Lin Huai'an: "..."
Forget it, whatever! His sister's daughters are all so mischievous.
Why would the perfectly good second young lady go to participate in a street beauty pageant?
He gritted his teeth and recited An Yirou's number and name, then continued reciting the rest.
When the announcement was finished, there were thirteen girls on the stage, one of whom was plump and had a much larger face.
To be precise, there were two others who weren't exactly girls, but were already married, and both had their hair tied up in buns.
Lin Huai'an felt helpless, but still forced a smile and said, "Please invite the manager behind the scenes of our Hundred Women Pavilion to come out and make some preparations for the girls in the competition."
These words surprised everyone in the audience.
"Prepare? What preparations?"
An Zhengzheng walked out wearing a veil, followed by two maids, each carrying a plate.
Zhou Xu recognized An Zhengzheng almost immediately.
His heart suddenly calmed down, and his eyes stopped searching for anything.
An Zhengzheng carefully examined the girl in front of her.
"Bring out the dark green gardenia-patterned robe," An Zhengzheng instructed the maid on her left.
The clothes were in the treasure bag, which contained hundreds of clothes that An Zhengzheng's mother, Lin Jing, had arranged for her over the years, as well as all the fashionable clothes from the An family shop that An Mao had brought.
An Zhengzheng then instructed that the appropriate jewelry be brought out.
Let the girls change into them themselves.
Changing clothes in the cultivation world is very simple; you just need to cast a spell, and there's nothing to hide from others.
When they arrived at An Yirou and the others' place, they were very surprised.
That voice... it's Sister Zhengzheng!
But seeing that she was wearing a veil, none of them recognized her.
An Zhengzheng distributed clothes and jewelry to all thirteen girls.
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