The Little Princess's Secret Guard - Chapter 23
Chapter 23: You’re Hugged Tightly
The moment she stepped onto the main street of the capital, Shen Pan-yan felt as if she had instantly entered another prosperous world.
The wide, long street was brilliantly lit, resembling a miniature of the stars in the sky, stretching out of sight.
Following the sound of voices, spectacular lion dance performances and iron flower displays drew gasps and applause from the crowd. For a time, the atmosphere was lively, with a cacophony of human voices and the thunderous sound of gongs and drums.
Shen Pan-yan had been full of anticipation, but as she stepped onto the long street, she felt a sudden urge to retreat.
There were simply too many people on the street. Looking ahead, it was a dense mass of heads—nothing but heads—obscuring anything fun or interesting.
Shen Pan-yan was already shy, and seeing so many people immediately made her lose her courage.
Shen Pan-yan 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 truly want to return?” Lin Xiao looked at her, remembering her expectant eyes. “If the Princess wishes to go, this subordinate can lead you to avoid the crowds.”
Shen Pan-yan hesitantly nodded, then shook her head. “Forget it, Lin Xiao.”
She still felt there were too many people.
“Let’s go back!”
“Alright.” Remembering the Princess’s slightly timid nature, Lin Xiao did not hesitate.
Just then, the crowd on the street suddenly became boisterous. Shen Pan-yan stopped and looked back.
What was happening?
She saw a procession wearing ferocious masks, carrying weapons or torches, singing and dancing, coming from the direction of the palace and parading down the main street. The surrounding spectators were excited and emotional, their faces flushed.
“What is that?”
Everyone quickly squeezed to the sides of the street, vying with each other to clear a space for the procession to pass.
Shen Pan-yan stood rooted to the spot. Before she could react, she felt a tightening around her waist and her body was suddenly pulled into a broad, warm embrace.
There were too many people, and the two of them were caught in the middle of the crowd, constantly being squeezed. All she could see were unfamiliar faces, shouting, screaming, and general chaos.
Shen Pan-yan had never experienced such a scene. She couldn’t help but feel nervous, her knuckles gripping Lin Xiao’s clothes tightly.
“Lin, Lin Xiao…”
As soon as she spoke, Shen Pan-yan felt her waist being hugged even tighter.
“Don’t be afraid, Princess. I am here,” Lin Xiao’s voice came from above, steady and reassuring.
It was only then that Shen Pan-yan belatedly realized she was being held tightly in Lin Xiao’s arms. Looking up, she could see his smooth, defined jawline and pale red lips. The orange-yellow lamplight fell upon him, overlapping in light and shadow, giving him a profound look that inexplicably caused her breath to hitch.
Shen Pan-yan’s face flushed. She quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at him anymore.
She shifted her body slightly, only to be hugged even tighter in the next moment.
“Princess, do not move unnecessarily. There are many people now.”
Lin Xiao’s voice reached her ear, and Shen Pan-yan immediately froze.
However, being held so tightly in Lin Xiao’s embrace made her feel inexplicably breathless.
To say she disliked it was untrue. Unlike the time they fell off the cliff, she hadn’t felt anything amiss then, but now… she was very unaccustomed to it. This was the first time she had been held so tightly by a man.
He was too close to her—so close that she could hear his strong, powerful heartbeat.
Shen Pan-yan instinctively held her breath, her mind a blank.
Don’t overthink it. Lin Xiao is doing this to protect me. There are many people now. If he doesn’t hold me tightly, I might get swept away and lost in the crowd. He’s doing this for my own good… Repeating this justification in her mind, Shen Pan-yan finally felt her breathing smooth out a bit.
“Princess, what is wrong?”
Suddenly, Lin Xiao’s voice sounded again.
“I…”
Hearing his voice, Shen Pan-yan snapped out of her daze. She realized that the surging crowd had dispersed at some point. Now, only a few scattered people remained on the street. Lin Xiao had already loosened his embrace, but she was still clutching his clothes tightly…
Her cheeks instantly turned crimson. Her fingertips felt burned, and she quickly let go. “I, I’m fine…”
Shen Pan-yan spoke incoherently to change the subject. “Just now, just now it was, it was a bit warm. What was that? Why did so many people suddenly come…”
Lin Xiao: “That was the Nuoyi Dance (Exorcism Dance). Every New Year’s Eve, Royal Guards perform as shamanistic gods and parade through the imperial city to drive away evil spirits.”
“Is, is that so… I, I didn’t know…”
“The Princess has not been in the capital for many years, so it is normal not to know.”
“Mm…” she replied softly.
After a few sentences of conversation, Shen Pan-yan felt less awkward. She avoided Lin Xiao’s gaze, looking elsewhere.
The street was now adorned with colorful lanterns, dazzling and brilliant, bustling and fervent.
Most of the capital’s populace had gone to follow the Nuoyi Dance, leaving the street quite empty. Shen Pan-yan pursed her lips, feeling it would be a shame to go back just like this.
“Lin Xiao, why don’t we still go for a stroll?”
Shen Pan-yan turned her head, looking at him with eager eyes. Feeling bad about changing her mind, she quickly added, “If you don’t want to go, then we can go back!”
“This subordinate is fine either way.” Lin Xiao was a little confused as to why the Princess would say this and glanced at her curiously.
“Where does the Princess wish to go?”
“I, I don’t know either.” Shen Pan-yan bit her lip and shook her head. “This is my first time spending the New Year in the capital. Lin Xiao, do you know of any fun places?”
By the end, her gaze towards him was filled with anticipation.
Lin Xiao thought for a moment and shook his head. “No. In previous New Years, this subordinate was either executing missions outside or responsible for protecting His Majesty’s safety. I never had time to spend in the busy city.”
“Ah?” Shen Pan-yan’s face fell. “Father is too stingy. It’s New Year’s Eve, and he won’t even give you a holiday.”
Lin Xiao: …….
He was slightly helpless. “That is not the case. This is this subordinate’s duty and has nothing to do with His Majesty.”
Shen Pan-yan wouldn’t listen. “It’s New Year’s Eve today, and I didn’t even ask Mu Ying and the others to follow me!”
“It’s clearly Father being stingy!”
“Princess…”
Lin Xiao tried to explain, but Shen Pan-yan’s voice already rang out. “Alright! You don’t need to say anything more. If Father won’t give you a holiday, I will give you one.”
Shen Pan-yan thought for a moment, then suddenly looked at him, smiling sweetly. “Today, we won’t talk about status, but just as companions out for a stroll. Don’t call me Princess anymore. Call me by my name. By the way, Lin Xiao, do you know my name?”
Lin Xiao looked hesitant.
Seeing that he didn’t answer, Shen Pan-yan said it herself. “You probably don’t know. My name is Shen Pan-yan. Shen—Pan—Yan. Pan as in the Pan of ‘half smoke, half rain by the creek bridge,’ and Yan as in smoke. Lin Xiao, do you remember?”
Lin Xiao looked at her, seemingly stunned. After a long while, he nodded.
Shen Pan-yan’s eyes curved in a smile. “It’s good that you remember. Let’s go, Lin Xiao.”
With that, she reached out and gently grabbed his wrist, walking towards the brightest lights.
“I heard the little palace maids say that the lantern market in the capital is very lively every New Year.”
“How about we go to the lantern market together?”
The padded skirt she wore today was pomegranate red. Her already fair complexion was like jade, radiant and exquisite. Against the backdrop of the lanterns, she looked bright and lively.
Lin Xiao was tugged along, following behind her. After a long while, he replied, “…Alright.”
This year’s lantern market was by the lake. The entire street was hung with all sorts of beautiful lanterns, and the crowd was like a woven tapestry, making it very lively.
The lake at night reflected the boundless lantern lights, splendid and beautiful. In the center of the lake was an extremely luxurious pleasure boat. As the sound of silk instruments and music began, dancing girls gracefully performed. The surrounding spectators clinked glasses and smiled happily, having a wonderful time.
Other than this, the most eye-catching attraction was the competition platform by the lake.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Someone beat the gong and drums. A middle-aged man in brocade clothes stepped onto the platform and bowed to the spectators.
“Thanks to the love of all you folks, my Thousand Lantern Workshop is hosting this competition today…”
Shen Pan-yan watched for a while and found that it was a traditional competition held by the lantern market. The winner who took the first place would receive a Zitan Siamese Flower Basket Lantern, one thousand taels of silver, and a roll of silk brocade. Furthermore, they would also get a meal at the capital’s largest restaurant. The reward was incredibly generous.
However, the second and third place winners did not have such good treatment, only receiving a slightly more ornate flower lantern and five hundred and three hundred taels of silver, respectively.
With such generous rewards, the difficulty of winning the competition was also considerable. It consisted of a literary test first, followed by a martial arts test. However, two people could participate together as a team. Thus, the number of participants was not small, making it the most lively activity at the lantern market.
Shen Pan-yan was also interested in the Zitan Siamese Flower Basket Lantern. That lantern had Zitan wood as its frame, with white jade plaques inlaid all around, depicting various flowers. Looking up, the neck of the vase was filled with large, blooming Siamese lotus flowers, radiantly blossoming. Even in the palace, she rarely saw such an exquisite yet not overly complicated lantern.
While palace products were luxurious, sometimes their excessive pursuit of complexity and grandeur sacrificed a simple and generous beauty. This lantern, however, was done very well, balancing exquisite detail with simplicity perfectly. Any more or less would not have looked as good.
Shen Pan-yan was tempted and turned to Lin Xiao. “Lin Xiao, why don’t we enter the competition too?”
“Does the Princess like that lantern?”
She had asked him to use her name, but he still called her Princess.
Shen Pan-yan sighed inwardly, knowing his nature was like this, so she didn’t insist and nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ll take the literary test, and you take the martial arts test, okay?”
She gently tugged at his sleeve, her eyes bright as she looked at him.
Lin Xiao looked down. “…Does the Princess not worry that this subordinate might fail?”
Shen Pan-yan blinked. “How could you? You are Lin Xiao.”
Then, she whispered in a voice only they could hear, “Dark Nine, the ninth-ranked personal guard. How could your skill be lacking?”
After speaking, she curved her eyebrows in a smile. “Don’t you worry that I might fail? After all, there’s a literary test.”
“The Princess will not fail.” He said this without hesitation.
“There you have it. Neither of us will fail. This lantern is definitely ours.” Shen Pan-yan clenched her fist.
“Go! Lin Xiao, let’s go sign up quickly!”
With that, she dragged him towards the registration area.
The competition area was crowded. The two were at the end of the line, but they didn’t have to wait long before it was their turn.
“Please write your names, both of you.” The manager produced two slips of paper and handed them to the pair.
Shen Pan-yan naturally couldn’t write her real name, so she only wrote the character Yan (ç…™). As for Lin Xiao, his handwriting was genuinely ugly, so she simply wrote it for him.
The manager collected the slips, attached wooden tags to them, and handed them back to the pair.
“Please keep these. Please wait nearby.”
Shen Pan-yan took the wooden tag, looked at it curiously, and stood by with Lin Xiao to wait.
The number of participants was not particularly large. Even though two people were allowed to participate together, the difficulty was still high. Most participants were learned people. Everyone maintained their composure, and no one conversed loudly except with those they knew well.
This was Shen Pan-yan’s first time participating in such a competition. After a burst of excitement, she keenly sensed that something seemed off with Lin Xiao.
It seemed he hadn’t spoken since they signed up.
He was too quiet—quiet to the point of being abnormal.
“What’s wrong, Lin Xiao?”
She looked up at him, a little worried.
“You don’t want to participate, do you?” Shen Pan-yan suddenly realized that she had been the one constantly demanding things of Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao had never said he wanted to participate in this kind of activity.
Upon realizing this, Shen Pan-yan was filled with remorse.
How could she have made a decision for Lin Xiao without asking? 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?”
“This subordinate was just thinking about something…”
“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to force yourself.” Shen Pan-yan looked at him seriously. “I said today we wouldn’t discuss status, only have fun together.”
“If you don’t want to go, then we won’t go.”
As she said this, Shen Pan-yan suddenly remembered something belatedly.
Lin Xiao was a personal guard. He lived in the darkness most of the time, and he was best at concealing himself and minimizing his presence. A lively, attention-grabbing activity like this was akin to stripping him naked and having everyone stare at him.
How could she have just realized this…? A wave of intense guilt washed over her, and Shen Pan-yan immediately began to apologize anxiously.
“I, I’m so sorry, Lin Xiao. I didn’t think about that…” Shen Pan-yan tightly clutched his clothes, her eyes glistening with moisture. “We’re not going. Lin Xiao, I’m sorry…”
“Why is the Princess apologizing to this subordinate?” Lin Xiao slightly frowned. “You are the Princess, you do not need to apologize to this subordinate.”
“I…” Shen Pan-yan felt even more guilty. “Even if I am the Princess, I shouldn’t disregard your feelings.”
“I’m sorry, Lin Xiao. I was presumptuous… I will definitely never treat you like this again!!”
Since Qiu Shuang left, Lin Xiao had been extremely obedient to her. Although he occasionally wouldn’t listen to her, truthfully, he was the person who listened to her the most.
Therefore, she had subconsciously overlooked his feelings.
“Lin Xiao, we’re not going!!”
She reached out and pulled him. “Let’s go somewhere else for a walk!”
Lin Xiao was confused. “But Princess, don’t you want the lantern?”
“No matter how beautiful the lantern is, it’s just a lantern, an inanimate object. To me, you are more important!”
Lin Xiao hadn’t expected the Princess to say such a thing. Surprise flashed in his eyes. He was silent for a long time, unsure how to respond to that statement.
He stiffly changed the subject. “Is the Princess hungry? Would you like a pancake?”
Shen Pan-yan was momentarily stunned. She thought he was hungry but too embarrassed to say it, so she nodded. “Okay!”
There was a pancake vendor right there by the road. Lin Xiao walked up to the stall and ordered a pancake. The vendor was quick, and soon, a steaming hot pancake was freshly made.
“Customer, please take this!”
The pancake was wrapped in a lotus leaf, giving off a rich aroma of wheat and meat. Just smelling it made her mouth water.
Lin Xiao took the pancake and handed it to Shen Pan-yan.
“You, aren’t you going to eat?”
Lin Xiao shook his head.
“Not hungry.”
Was she supposed to eat it all by herself?
How could that be?
Shen Pan-yan thought for a moment, split the pancake in her hand into two, and handed him half.
“Princess, what is this?” Lin Xiao was taken aback.
“One half each!” Shen Pan-yan smiled brightly.
Lin Xiao pursed his lips. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing, accepting it in silence.
Having walked for so long, Shen Pan-yan was indeed a little hungry. She ate small bites, her cheeks puffed up as she chewed.
Lin Xiao watched her, and inexplicably, the half-pancake in his hand suddenly smelled very appetizing too.
When the pancake was finished, her fingertips were stained with oil. Shen Pan-yan was about to take out her embroidered handkerchief to wipe them when a hand was faster than hers. “Princess, use this!”
Shen Pan-yan looked up, surprised.
Where did Lin Xiao get a handkerchief?
Also, did he need to use a handkerchief?
But that was his private business, and she shouldn’t ask. “Thank you!”
Since she had soiled his handkerchief, she felt awkward returning it right away and intended to keep it to wash before returning it. But Lin Xiao already took it from her hand.
“Where would the Princess like to go next?”
He truly did not want to participate in the lantern festival competition. It was very difficult for him to adapt to, like sitting on pins and needles.
Shen Pan-yan was still momentarily stunned, watching him naturally take the handkerchief from her hand.
“Anywhere is fine…”
Just then, the competition on the platform was about to begin, and the dong dong dong of the copper gongs rang out, non-stop.
The middle-aged man on the platform delivered another lengthy speech. Shen Pan-yan looked at the Zitan Lotus Flower Basket Lantern, a hint of regret flashing in her eyes.
Just as the two were about to turn and leave, suddenly.
“Miss Shen!”
Who was calling her?
Shen Pan-yan turned back.
She saw Zhao Wen-yao standing by the lake, accompanied by a reluctant-looking Zhao Yun.
“It really is you! I thought I was mistaken!”
The moment she saw her, Zhao Wen-yao couldn’t suppress the joy in her heart and strode towards her.
She had intended to get closer and intimately link arms with her, but an arm suddenly blocked her way, preventing her from advancing.
Zhao Wen-yao’s steps halted. She looked up and saw it was the same black-clad guard from last time.
Helpless, she had no choice but to curtsy, and Zhao Yun, by her side, did the same.
“Greetings to Princess Ming Yue.”
“Rise!”
Zhao Wen-yao stood up, her face full of delight. “Your Highness, I saw you just now and thought you were traveling incognito. I didn’t want to spoil your mood, so I called out your name. I hope the Princess will not be angry.”
“It’s nothing. Just call me Miss Shen.” Shen Pan-yan didn’t mind such trivial matters.
“Is there something you need, Miss Zhao?” She wasn’t particularly keen on seeing these two, so her tone was a little dismissive.
“Could the Princess ask her guard to step aside?” Zhao Wen-yao gestured to Lin Xiao.
Although he had retracted his arm, he was still standing there. She couldn’t very well walk around him to speak with the Princess, that would be too improper.
Shen Pan-yan hesitated. “Lin Xiao, please step aside for a moment.”
When the Princess spoke, Lin Xiao naturally complied.
“Yes.”
He stepped back, but not too far. If Zhao Wen-yao tried to touch the Princess again, as she had just done, he could still stop her immediately.
Seeing his guarded manner, Zhao Wen-yao was annoyed inside, but she maintained a smile on her face. “Princess, are you here to participate in the lantern festival competition?”
“What a coincidence! My younger brother is also participating. However, I’m not very interested and don’t wish to enter. I was just wondering who my brother could partner with. It’s truly wonderful to see the Princess.”
With that, she pulled Zhao Yun out from behind her, her expression eager. “Princess, this year’s Zitan Lotus Flower Basket Lantern is truly beautiful. It was made by the most famous artisan in the capital. Everyone is vying to win this lucky item. I’ve long heard that the Princess is highly cultured, and my brother’s martial arts are also quite good. How about the Princess enters the competition with my brother?”
After speaking, seeing her brother’s unwilling look, Zhao Wen-yao immediately became furious. She secretly pinched him and gave him a stern look. “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and invite the Princess to join the competition!”
Zhao Yun’s face changed. “Sis, Sis, be gentle!”
Shen Pan-yan: “……”
“Miss Zhao, please don’t force him. I have no intention of participating either.”
With that, she turned to leave. “Lin Xiao, let’s go!”
Zhao Wen-yao was instantly anxious. She slapped her foolish brother and lowered her voice. “Are you stupid? Even beating a dog depends on its owner! How can you disregard the Princess’s dignity like that?”
Zhao Yun: “Sis… I…”
“What ‘I’? Hurry up and go apologize to her!”
Zhao Yun felt wronged, but he had no choice but to chase after Shen Pan-yan.
Shen Pan-yan was already unhappy. Hearing Zhao Wen-yao’s words behind her, her heart felt heavy, like a large stone was pressing down. She quickened her pace.
Lin Xiao, who was following her, immediately noticed her change in mood.
“Princess, you don’t have 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, his attitude not entirely sincere. “My apologies. My words were rude just now. I hope this brother will be magnanimous and not take it to heart.”
Lin Xiao glanced at him, let out a chuckle, and said nothing.
His attitude clearly indicated that he was not being magnanimous.
“You—!” Zhao Yun had forced down his temper to apologize, and Lin Xiao’s attitude enraged him. He sneered.
“I am only willing to show you respect because I appreciate your loyalty and for the Princess’s sake. Don’t push your luck.” With that, he took a deep breath, not wanting to argue further.
“It is New Year’s Eve today. I won’t stoop to the level of a subordinate like you.”
Then, he looked at Shen Pan-yan and bowed respectfully. “Princess, during this beautiful lantern festival night, your subordinate ventures to invite you. May I have the honor of competing with you on the platform?”
Shen Pan-yan instinctively frowned. Just as she was about to refuse, Zhao Wen-yao walked over again, smiling persuasively. “I saw how much the Princess liked that lantern by the lake earlier. Why not partner with my younger brother, Princess, to win a lucky prize? It signifies everything going smoothly and all wishes coming true for the next year.”
“The Princess has lived in the Royal Villa for many years and may not know that the capital’s lantern market is at its liveliest today. It only happens once a year, and the prize lanterns are never repeated. This year’s flower basket lantern is even more beautiful than in previous years. Wouldn’t it be a pity to miss it?”
Shen Pan-yan truly liked that lantern, but partnering with Zhao Yun was out of the question; she disliked him.
However, she was not good at refusing people. The refusal she was about to make was interrupted by Zhao Wen-yao, and it got stuck in her throat, making it difficult to speak. She instinctively looked at Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao took a step forward and coldly refused for her. “The Princess does not need it.”
This guard constantly jumping in was truly annoying. Zhao Yun sneered. “Is it the Princess who doesn’t need it, or are you making decisions for the Princess without permission?”
“The Princess rarely stays in the capital and seldom experiences the city’s festivities. Could it be that you, as the Princess’s guard, are too incompetent and cannot win the championship for the Princess, and you are afraid of losing face in front of us, which is why you keep obstructing us?”
Lin Xiao’s gaze fell upon him, and he chuckled derisively. “Just a general who can’t even walk straight. What kind of ability do you have that I should be afraid of losing face over?”
“Good! Good! Good!” Zhao Yun was furious, and the veins on his forehead throbbed violently. “I haven’t settled the score with you from that day yet. Now you’ve jumped out yourself. Let me see what kind of skill you possess!”
“There’s no time like the present. Today, you and I will go onto the platform together. I want to see what ability you have to speak such arrogant words.”
“Are you afraid of being beaten to the ground and crawling home to cry to your daddy and mommy?”
Zhao Wen-yao rubbed her forehead: …….
This foolish brother of hers lost all sense of occasion when he got angry.
She reached out to stop his madness, but the current Zhao Yun wouldn’t listen.
He had been suppressing a fire inside, and now that he had an outlet, he naturally wanted to vent thoroughly.
Shen Pan-yan hadn’t expected the two of them to argue like this and quickly tugged at Lin Xiao’s sleeve, shaking her head at him.
Lin Xiao’s voice was flat. “I didn’t agree to go on the platform.”
“Princess, let’s go.”
Shen Pan-yan nodded. “Okay.”
Zhao Yun felt aggrieved.
His words were like punching cotton. Watching the retreating figure, he gritted his teeth and said, “As the Princess’s guard, do you ignore everything the Princess desires?”
“The Princess is so good to you, and this is how you repay her? You won’t even win a mere lantern for her?”
Towards the end, he mocked, “Your loyalty is nothing more than this.”
Lin Xiao’s figure suddenly stopped, his expression extremely cold.
Shen Pan-yan looked at him, her eyes anxious. “Lin Xiao, don’t listen to his nonsense. I don’t mind.”
Zhao Yun: “The Princess clearly liked that lantern so much just now. Even outsiders like us noticed it. As the Princess’s guard, didn’t you see it?”
“If you don’t even dare to enter a trivial entertainment competition, what makes you think you can protect the Princess’s safety? I suggest you go home, wash up, and sleep early, and let His Majesty replace you with someone else!”
Lin Xiao suddenly turned back, his gaze fixed on him, his eyes seemingly condensing ice and snow. “Since you’re so eager to humiliate yourself, I shall grant your wish.”
“Hah! Boastful! Who wins and who loses will be known on the platform! The loser will kneel and kowtow to the winner!”
Lin Xiao sneered. “Fine. I look forward to you kowtowing to me.”
Zhao Wen-yao: …….
Now they had gone and done it. The original plan to invite the Princess to join the competition had turned into the two of them competing against each other.
But Zhao Yun had already thrown down the gauntlet, and she couldn’t openly contradict him.
No matter how she looked at it, Zhao Wen-yao was furious. She secretly stomped hard on his foot.
Idiot!
Zhao Yun grimaced in pain but didn’t dare to argue, only mumbling under his breath.
“Sis, don’t be angry!”
He wasn’t blind. He could tell Princess Ming Yue didn’t like him. One Princess Cheng Le was already enough of a headache. His sister insisted on making him chase after someone who wouldn’t give him the time of day. He wasn’t going to do it.
Most importantly, he truly disliked that guard by Princess Ming Yue’s side.
That fall last time, which made him the laughingstock of the capital, must have been his doing.
He must have his revenge!
The four returned to the lantern competition platform. It was only the first round, so there was still time to enter.
This round was the literary test.
Before stepping onto the platform, Shen Pan-yan looked at Lin Xiao with worry and anxiety. “Lin Xiao, are you truly alright?”
Lin Xiao: “Princess, don’t worry. I am fine.”
Seeing that his expression truly showed no abnormality, Shen Pan-yan finally suppressed her unease and gave him a bright smile. “Good luck! Lin Xiao, I believe in you! You will definitely win the championship!”
After all the twists and turns, they ended up participating in the lantern festival competition anyway.
Originally, she just liked the lantern, and winning or losing wasn’t terribly important, but now, she absolutely had to win it!
She didn’t want Lin Xiao to kneel and kowtow to anyone. For the literary test, she definitely could not be his burden.
Shen Pan-yan secretly clenched her fists and walked to her desk, sitting cross-legged on the ground.
“Everyone, please listen to the question: The line is ‘Water and sky melt and merge; the painted oar is slow.’ Please provide the next line.”
It was a poetry challenge?
Shen Pan-yan’s anxious heart settled. She wasn’t afraid of poetry challenges. She had read many poems in her leisure time, even obscure ones.
She picked up the brush and wrote the line of poetry on the slip of paper in front of her. Not long after, someone came to collect the slips.
A short time later, the manager announced the winners of this round. Seeing her name listed, Shen Pan-yan felt a little relieved.
After the literary test came the martial arts test.
This martial arts test was archery.
Whoever hit the target most accurately and most frequently would win.
Lin Xiao reached out, picked up the bow and arrow, and nocked a wooden arrow. Zhao Yun looked at him and sneered. “Bows and arrows aren’t something everyone can handle. If you don’t know how, you should concede early. Maybe I’ll be in a good mood and only make you kowtow once.”
Lin Xiao didn’t even spare him a glance and didn’t respond at all.
Zhao Yun: …….
He gave a cold laugh and stopped talking.
With a whooshing sound, a thunk rang out, and the wooden arrow firmly hit the target.
Zhao Yun raised an eyebrow.
He has some skill.
He dropped his condescending attitude and began to take the competition seriously.
After three arrows, the strength of the two was evenly matched. This match was considered a tie.
After two rounds, many of the participants had been eliminated, but the four of them remained very steady.
They showed no hesitation, whether it was putting pen to paper or releasing an arrow.
This inevitably aroused the curiosity of the crowd. “Who are those four?”
“I know two of them: the eldest daughter of the Marquis Zhen-Guo’s Residence and her younger brother, General Zhao Jr.” Then, the person lowered their voice. “He’s the general who caused such a stir recently by falling.”
“So it’s him!” The others suddenly understood.
“Yes, yes, it’s him.”
Speaking of the “Falling General,” everyone became interested and began discussing in low voices, occasionally laughing. Zhao Yun was highly skilled in martial arts and could hear every word people were saying about him. His face immediately darkened.
He took a deep breath, telling himself that he was in the middle of a competition. Once he won, he would make the person who harmed him pay. For now, he shouldn’t be distracted by other things, but the hand gripping the bow was white from the force.
Damn it! I still can’t stand it!
The thought of being mocked by the crowd and being forced by his sister to apologize to him filled Zhao Yun with rage.
If he couldn’t do it openly, he would do it secretly.
Just as Lin Xiao was about to shoot, Zhao Yun subtly moved his fingers. A tiny pebble instantly shot out towards Lin Xiao’s arrow.
Bang!
With a sound, the arrow missed the bullseye.
Lin Xiao looked up at Zhao Yun.
Zhao Yun gave him a smile. “Oh dear, the arrow went astray!”
Lin Xiao: “Heh!”
When it was Zhao Yun’s turn, his arrow completely missed the target. He had been carefully guarding against Lin Xiao, yet he hadn’t seen how Lin Xiao had managed to shoot.
This incident fully confirmed for Zhao Yun that the unprovoked fall he had suffered earlier, which made him the laughingstock of the entire capital, was indeed Lin Xiao’s doing.
“It was you who caused the incident last time, as expected!”
Lin Xiao: “What incident are you talking about?”
“Still playing dumb!” Zhao Yun was furious.
The memory of being forced by his sister to apologize only fueled his anger further.
“I’d like to see if you can even hit the target next time!”
Shen Pan-yan had been watching them closely. Seeing that one missed the target and the other missed the board entirely, her heart sank.
Are they secretly fighting each other?!
Zhao Wen-yao also realized that she couldn’t control her brother anymore, so she completely gave up and became a spectator.
Since there were people around, she couldn’t openly call out Shen Pan-yan’s title and said, “Miss Shen, your guard’s martial arts are quite good!”
Shen Pan-yan was absent-minded. “Yes, Lin Xiao’s martial arts are naturally excellent.”
“His name is Lin Xiao?” Zhao Wen-yao only noticed Lin Xiao’s name now and nodded thoughtfully. “It suits his personality quite well.”
Seeing that Shen Pan-yan seemed very concerned about Lin Xiao, she suddenly became curious and leaned closer. “Do you care about him a lot?”
“Ah?” Zhao Wen-yao’s sudden closeness startled Shen Pan-yan, and she even dropped her pen. “No, no, you’ve misunderstood. Lin Xiao is actually very nice, and he’s good to me…”
“As a subordinate, isn’t it expected that he be good to his master?” Zhao Wen-yao was confused.
Besides, she hadn’t said anything offensive. Why was Princess Ming Yue suddenly so nervous?
A bold thought flashed through her mind. “Don’t tell me… you like him?”
Shen Pan-yan: …….
She was exasperated. “Miss Zhao, you shouldn’t spread rumors.”
“You don’t like him…” Zhao Wen-yao nodded. “Then what about my brother? I’m serious.”
“I don’t like him. In fact, I dislike him a little.” Shen Pan-yan shook her head. “I’m serious too.”
Hearing this, Zhao Wen-yao couldn’t help but sigh.
This foolish brother of hers was digging his own grave. Now, he had left a very bad impression on Princess Ming Yue, causing her to dislike him.
She felt she couldn’t manage this situation anymore and would leave it for her parents to worry about when they got home.
“It’s normal that you don’t like him. He often does stupid things, and he’s arrogant and can’t handle the slightest provocation. That’s why Father thought it would be better for him to get married.”
She wasn’t taking her brother’s side this time, which made Shen Pan-yan pause and look at her in surprise.
Zhao Wen-yao smiled. “Are you surprised that I didn’t say anything good about him?”
“…Yes.” Shen Pan-yan nodded, her impression of Zhao Wen-yao improving slightly.
“I’m just his sister, not his parent. I can’t always take his side. But I wasn’t lying before; aside from those flaws, he’s actually quite good. If the Princess decides to marry, my brother would be a very good choice.”
Shen Pan-yan: …….
She gave her an exasperated look and decided to ignore her.
But Zhao Wen-yao was naturally outgoing. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said such things to her on their first meeting.
Seeing Shen Pan-yan remain silent, Zhao Wen-yao’s gaze fell on the slip of paper in front of her, and she began talking to herself. “Oh, my! Miss Shen, your handwriting is very beautiful!”
“…Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I actually quite like you. You have a good personality, unlike that other one. I get annoyed just seeing 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 her?”
“…….”
“Don’t be angry. While we did use you as a shield, we absolutely respect your opinion. Besides, this situation is a win-win for us. As for her, no one in the General’s Residence actually wants her. We only treat her respectfully due to her status.”
“…….” Shen Pan-yan didn’t really want to listen. “…Can you stop talking?”
“Ah, my apologies. I’m a bit talkative today.”
Zhao Wen-yao was quiet for a while, sitting there feeling bored, and then started talking to her again.
Suddenly, she noticed something very interesting.
“Hey?!”
“Miss Shen, your guard is quite skilled! Even my brother is being suppressed!”
Shen Pan-yan quickly looked up and realized that the two had started fighting.