Chapter 29

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Translator: Anne

Editor: Miqi

Proofreader: Ani

The emperor frowned slightly. At that moment, a woman sitting below the empress’ seat rose. She bowed and said with a smile, “Imperial Father, Imperial Mother, forgive this concubine. His Highness and Prince Rui are very close and they remember the Imperial Father’s teachings. However, official matters mustn’t be delayed. Before this concubine came out today, His Highness had an urgent matter to attend to, so he allowed this concubine to go first. This concubine’s sister, Qiao Rong, came from barbarous lands. She said she didn’t want to be ridiculed by Imperial Father, Imperial Mother and her candidate sisters, and that she wouldn’t dare to go out until she had dressed up a little.”

When the woman spoke, everyone directed their gazes toward her, and she received no less attention than that given to the empress. Not only because of her elegant eyebrows and her stunning smile, but because of her identity.

This woman was none other than Dongling’s crown princess, Qiao Mei.

“Well, the crown prince always handles matters appropriately,” the emperor’s face cleared up as he nodded. The empress pursed her lips and was about to speak, but Qiao Mei discerned what the empress was thinking from her facial expression and said, “why doesn’t this concubine go out and see if His Highness has arrived?”

She was waiting for the emperor’s reply, but her eyes caught the man in front of her, Prince Xian?

She was waiting for the emperor’s reply, when her eyes met the intrigued gaze of the man in front of her. She was taken aback. Was that… Prince Xian?

******

In front of Prince Rui’s mansion, Wang Mang chose “Jinghao Chengtong”, so Qiao Chu had no choice but to choose “Jingming Baojian.”

The crowd was waiting expectantly.

The crowd was chaotic with anticipation.

…

“Look.”

“Eleven to five.”

……

Compared to the crowd’s excitement, Wang Mang looked calm and smiled, “the winner has been decided.

Twenty draws and it was already 11 to 5; even if the other person tried to catch up, recovery was already impossible!

Si Da chimed in, “Master, there’s still half a cup of tea before the Concubine Selection begins.”

“Master, there’s still enough time left to have some tea before the competition begins.”

“Alright.”

The corners of Qiao Chu’s lips raised as she brushed past Wang Mang and the Ceremonial Officials. She walked briskly into Prince Rui’s Mansion. Si Da and Meiren followed her closely.

The sun was bright and dazzling as the crowd trembled and broke the pending silence.

“That young man has won!”

“He defeated the Imperial Censor.”

The winner had been decided; the boy in green had won.

Eunuch Mo was still frowning. Wang Mang gently waved his sleeves and walked back to the prince’s palanquin with a wry smile. “Your Highness, Wang Mang is untalented and has failed to meet your expectations.”

Wang Mang quickly walked back to the prince’s palanquin with a wry smile, his robes gently flowing behind him

Before the prince could answer, a palace eunuch frantically ran out of the courtyard and reported urgently, “Your Highness, it’s almost time. The emperor wants you to go inside as soon as possible.”

The curtain was lifted, and a tall figure clad in a snow-white jade robe stepped out from the palanquin. The crowd was only able to gaze upon his back as he turned and stepped through the entrance. Fan Rusu and Eunuch Mo hurriedly followed.

“Crown prince!”

The closing gate could not muffle the surging cries of the people. In Prince Rui’s garden, Fan Rusu stared blankly in astonishment. The three youths had disappeared.

At that moment, Wang Mang apologized again, and the prince smiled and asked rhetorically, “Wang Mang, weren’t you aware of the fact that you would lose the game, even before you had to choose a side?”

Fan Rusu was shocked—how could that be possible?

Footnotes

(1) Reference