V2C45

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Translator: Anne

Editor: Miqich

Proofreader: Ani

Prince Rui’s Mansion, in Cangzhou Garden.

Qiao Chu placed the calligraphy brush down. The Ceremonial Officials nodded, and Si Da and Meiren were overjoyed knowing the first round was finally over. They helped Qiao Chu step forward.

The time for the second round of the competition was limited to one shichen. The five women who had won the previous round were placed in five different areas in the garden. They all started at the same point, but each path taken was different. There were various riddles written on lanterns that served as roadblocks along the way; everyone had to solve them in order to reach the pavilion where the Emperor was situated. Each candidate had the option to bring a maximum of five relatives along with them to help solve the riddles.

After they reached the pavilion by the means of different routes, the Emperor would then award each candidate with a character scroll. This character scroll was known as—the General’s Order.

With the General’s Order, they could ask the Emperor for the support of the military. After acquiring the character scroll, each candidate would be required to draw as many soldiers as possible within the remaining time. The two women who drew the most soldiers would enter the final round of the competition.

This round was of great significance.

Before the competition, the Emperor had declared something that took everyone by surprise.

It turned out that, on that day, Prince Rui had requested the permission of the Royal Court for him to go to war. At once, the Emperor refused to give his consent. However, on the next day, to everyone’s surprise, the Emperor issued an imperial edict that permitted the wheelchair-bound eighth prince to lead the military on an expedition to the West. This had been because Prince Rui seized the General’s Order that evening.

Emperor Rong Rui said indifferently, “You must certainly not know that, on that evening, I gave this test to Prince Rui.”

How much time had Emperor Rong Rui given Prince Rui to paint on that scroll? At most, a night. However, at sunrise, in the morning court, Prince Rui had obtained 100,000 soldiers and horses!

Si Da raised her head, gazed into the distance, and said with hatred, “That person over there, with five people, is so greedy! We only have three people! I hope they have lots of misfortune! Whoever solves the most riddles will have enough time left to draw the most soldiers, and thus they would have a higher chance at winning!”

Meiren’s stomach churned. She said coldly, “With intelligence like yours, what help would it even be if Master was able to have ten people?”

“Meiren, do you want to fight?”

“Can you even fight me?”

“…”

“Darlings, could you please,” Qiao Chu pinched the space between her eyebrows, “just shut up?!”

Si Da and Meiren mutually snuck glances at each other and immediately stopped quarreling.

Qiao Chu glanced around. Everybody was like her, except for Wang Yuzhi who instead brought her father, her brother, and several domestic slaves.

However, the people the other candidates had brought with them were very distinguished. Wang Yuzhi brought Imperial Tutor Wang and Wang Mang; Lan Linling requested for the Empress and Prince Xian; and Qiao Rong was accompanied by the Crown Prince and his wife. They were all important people.

Qiao Chu heaved a faint sigh; right before her eyes, the two of them began to persistently quarrel again.

Si Da suddenly said, “Master, when you receive the General’s Order, it doesn’t matter if you draw terribly or not; just draw as fast as you can. This time the competition is about quantity, not quality. You mustn’t paint like you’d normally do at home; so perfectly and meticulously that you can’t even finish two strokes in half a day!”

Qiao Chu shrugged her shoulders, “Although it takes me a long time to paint, it’s not because I want it to look perfect.”

Si Da’s almond-shaped eyes opened wide and Meiren, who was slightly curious, asked, “Then, what was the reason?”

“Well, I’m not that great of a painter.”

“Then we’re screwed!”

Apart from that sentence, Si Da and Meiren were both speechless.