Chapter 64
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Two days of preparation quickly passed. On the starting morning, the entire Imperial Academy was immersed in a festive atmosphere. Everyone was busy, and it continued until news arrived that members of the royal family had arrived.
People immediately rushed to the main gate to welcome them. Lin Qingyang, who had transmigrated, had never witnessed such a scene before and was quite curious. Standing with Qi Yan, he looked around as they awaited the arrival. The male students today all seemed spirited.
In the crowd, Lin Qingyang could easily spot Chu Lishu and Xu Wenze standing together. Unlike the other students, Chu Lishu, although present in the lively crowd, seemed as if he were in a different space. His face bore no expression as if the excitement around him had nothing to do with him.
Lin Qingyang withdrew his gaze, a bit hesitant to look too much at Chu Lishu’s expression at the moment. He feared overinterpreting it, leading to unnecessary worries and compassion. In the end, the male lead might just be contemplating how to handle the opponents, as such a mindset aligns with the original logic of the male lead.
Shifting his attention, he turned to the female students. Most of them had applied light makeup, appearing more charming than usual. They exuded delicacy everywhere, as the majority of female students came here with the goal of securing a happy marriage that would benefit their families. If they could catch the eyes of the princes, that would be ideal.
“Look, it’s a rare and beautiful sight. A multitude of beauties competing for attention. Your sisters have also dressed up,” Qi Yan teased.
Lin Qingyang only glanced briefly at the girls from Marquis An Nan’s residence, who had indeed dressed up a bit.
However, like the other men, Lin Qingyang’s attention was quickly captured by the two beauties from the Imperial Academy, Cao Wanying and Pei Qianyu.
Pei Qianyu actually looked quite similar to Pei Jin, but Pei Jin focused on enhancing her masculine features, so she concealed some aspects. On the other hand, Pei Qianyu had no reservations, stunningly beautiful, not vulgar but dazzling. Today, she exuded a dazzling brilliance, revealing confidence and pride that overshadowed the crowd from the inside out.
As for Cao Wanying, she had a completely different style. Without deliberate embellishment, her features were picturesque, like a clear lotus emerging from the water, graceful and elegant. With just a step, she became a painting of a beautiful woman from the ancient capital. Beautiful but not aggressive, her gaze was gentle and clear, and she listened with a light smile to the laughter of the women beside her.
If Pei Qianyu was the type to stun at first sight, Cao Wanying became more beautiful the longer you looked.
Today, everyone paid more attention to Cao Wanying because Pei Qianyu often attended classes with them, while Cao Wanying was rarely seen.
Given her current reputation as the top female talent in the capital, she didn’t need to study here at all. However, her grandfather, Mr. Cao, came over, and she accompanied him. The head master allowed her to attend classes freely. Most of the time, she stayed in her own courtyard or with Mr. Cao, rather than studying with everyone else.
In the spirit of “earning every time you see it,” everyone couldn’t help but take a look at the top female talent.
In terms of appearance, Cao Wanying was actually the type that Lin Qingyang liked, but he dared not harbor any thoughts. After all, in novels without a queen and an unclear female protagonist, Cao Wanying’s status as the future Imperial Noble Consort was extraordinary. She was closer to the identity of the male lead’s legal wife, a true sister-in-law.
So, he only dared to admire from a distance.
“What are you looking at? So focused.” Suddenly, a voice sounded from behind.
Lin Qingyang was startled, turned around, and looked back. He naturally recognized the voice of Chu Lishu. Feeling inexplicably guilty, after all, he was sneakily looking at someone’s future wife.
“How did you come over?” Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu in surprise.
Chu Lishu tilted his head and asked, “Isn’t this position not fixed?”
Looking at Chu Lishu’s completely natural expression, it was as if the secluded expression Lin Qingyang had just seen was an illusion.
Qi Yan greeted Chu Lishu and Xu Wenze with a smile, “We are looking at the ladies’ side, trying to see who is the most beautiful!”
Xu Wenze shook his head with a smile, not participating in such a boring discussion.
But Chu Lishu looked at Lin Qingyang and asked, “Do you find anyone very beautiful?” Last time, Lin Qingyang seemed to find the courtesan at the Chunxiang Building very beautiful. Sometimes, Lin Qingyang’s behavior seemed to be somewhat ambiguous in terms of gender.
Lin Qingyang didn’t dare to admit it. He was about to deny it, but his teammate Qi Yan betrayed him. “I think Pei Qianyu looks the best. Qingyang thinks Cao Wanying is more in line with his aesthetics.”
Chu Lishu instinctively turned his head in the direction of Cao Wanying. Although he already knew what that woman looked like, the fact that she could captivate Lin Qingyang, who usually liked men, must have been quite stunning today. However, after Chu Lishu looked at her, he didn’t feel anything special.
But when he withdrew his gaze, he saw Lin Qingyang in front of him looking at him nervously.
Chu Lishu: ????
“What’s wrong?”
Seeing that Chu Lishu didn’t show any emotional changes, Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but ask curiously, “What do you think… about her?”
Chu Lishu’s eyes flashed, and he realized that earlier Cao Wanying had praised one of his writings, leading to some rumors. Could it be that Lin Qingyang also cared about these things?
Is he feeling jealous?
Chu Lishu appeared casual, “Average…” He had no interest in contemplating romantic relationships and even less interest in the beauty of the fairer sex.
Lin Qingyang looked shocked. Did the male lead have an issue with his aesthetic sense? How could he describe such beauty as ‘average’?
Truly, male leads in non-romantic plots were terrifying; they were completely uninterested in matters of beauty and solely focused on their careers.
Soon, a grand procession of sounds came from below the steps.
When the royal procession appeared, everyone respectfully bowed their heads. Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but sneak a glance. The royal entourage’s grandeur was indeed impressive.
Surrounded by palace attendants and protected by guards, as everyone ascended the final section of the stone steps, the eunuch began to loudly announce.
Crown Prince Yuan Ye, the eldest Prince Yuan Shuo, and the third Prince Yuan Yu, all had arrived.
Only Xu Wenze’s representative, the fourth Prince, Yuan Han, couldn’t come out of the palace due to his young age.
Lin Qingyang hadn’t clearly seen the faces of the royal family members yet; the head master led everyone in a bow. However, Lin Qingyang saw the expression on Chu Lishu’s face – it was devoid of any emotion.
It seemed as if those people had no connection with him at all. He made respectful bows, flawless in his etiquette. If it were Lin Qingyang himself, he probably couldn’t achieve such a calm and composed demeanor. After all, he used to stand among them, waiting for everyone to bow. The tremendous disparity, most ordinary people would find it challenging to digest.
“No need for formalities, everyone doesn’t need to be so restrained. We, brothers, just came to join the fun,” said Crown Prince Yuan Ye, his voice steady, showing a down-to-earth demeanor.
Upon hearing this, everyone naturally stood upright.
Now, Lin Qingyang could finally see the faces of the royal family members.
Supporting the head master was the Crown Prince Yuan Ye, who was also Chu Lishu’s sibling.
Upon seeing Yuan Ye for the first time, Lin Qingyang felt a sense of disappointment. In the original story, Yuan Ran was supposed to be the most handsome man in the world. However, as Lin Qingyang’s memories of Yuan Ran’s appearance were vague, he wasn’t sure exactly how the main character looked. Logically, the two brothers shouldn’t have had much difference in their looks. Still, compared to Lin Qingyang’s imagined world’s most beautiful man, Yuan Ye fell a bit short.
Yuan Ye did have an exquisite and noble appearance, with delicate features and slightly feminine elegance. His habit of lowering his brows added a sense of depth and steadiness, but the expression in his eyes revealed an air of arrogance and pride, lacking the true composure and restraint that Lin Qingyang had imagined.
Standing behind him, one tall and one short, both dressed in splendid attire, were the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince.
The Eldest Prince was the oldest among them, and he had the most robust physique, suggesting regular martial arts practice. With a handsome face that leaned towards a fierce demeanor, he had a habit of slightly tilting his neck, as if sizing people up with his chin.
On the other hand, the Third Prince was comparatively slender, with the typical physique of a sixteen-year-old. However, he possessed the most handsome appearance among the siblings. Rumor had it that the Third Prince resembled the current emperor the most, both in appearance and temperament. Consequently, he enjoyed favoritism. His eyes sparkled with cleverness and agility. As he glanced over the crowd, his gaze carried a playful smile, giving the impression of extreme docility.
However, when Mr. Cao appeared in their field of vision, the Third Prince unexpectedly took a step ahead of the Crown Prince and approached, shaking hands with Mr. Cao.
“Mr. Cao, long time no see. I have missed you. Father always mentions you whenever he checks our studies. It would be great if you were still teaching us in the palace.”
In the past, before the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince officially held the title of prince, they would approach the imperial palace to receive education from Mr. Cao alongside Yuan Ran and Yuan Ye. Mr. Cao was considered the tutor for the entire imperial family, highlighting his esteemed position.
The Third Prince took the initiative, causing the Crown Prince to lose face momentarily. However, the Crown Prince maintained composure and quickly engaged in conversation with Mr. Cao. On the other hand, the Eldest Prince seemed disinterested, looking around aimlessly and appearing quite bored.
After a friendly exchange, the head master invited everyone inside.
Others began preparing for the cuju match.
As everyone was getting ready, Lin Qingyang changed into sportswear and hurried to the cuju field. However, halfway there, someone rushed over with a report.
Upon hearing the news, Qi Yan was furious. He immediately told others to go ahead and took Lin Qingyang and Xu Wenze with him, rushing off.
“What’s going on?” Lin Qingyang and Xu Wenze exchanged glances and quickly inquired.
Qi Yan, swearing angrily, expressed his resentment, “Someone is treating our match as a gambling event.”
Lin Qingyang promptly stopped, “Isn’t this quite normal? What’s there to be in such a hurry about?”
Xu Wenze also thought it wasn’t a big deal and there was no need to make a fuss.
But Qi Yan seemed as if he had been insulted, “No! No one is betting on us to win at all! I can’t tolerate this. I don’t care; the three of us must bet on ourselves.”
And so, Xu Wenze and Lin Qingyang were both dragged by Qi Yan to a secret little gambling den.
Some students were loudly saying, “Place your bets, hurry up, the match is about to start.”
A group of students gathered around the betting table, discussing and watching.
Qi Yan pushed through the crowd, looked up, and was almost outraged.
On a board, there were four options.
The first three were naturally the names of the three team captains, while the last one read, “Qi Yan’s team or other circumstances.”
Qi Yan directly grabbed the collar of the bookmaker, pointing to the last option, “What do you mean? Am I, Qi Yan, not worthy of having an exclusive option? What do you mean by ‘other circumstances’?”
The bookmaker student naturally didn’t dare to offend Qi Yan. He smiled and said, “Originally, it was just for you, but since no one placed a bet, I had no choice but to add another option for ‘other circumstances.’ For example, heavy rain, multiple injuries, or any situation where the match can’t continue.”
Qi Yan was so angry that his hair was about to stand on end. His chances of winning were now on par with unexpected events?
Xu Wenze amusingly looked at Lin Qingyang.
Lin Qingyang rolled his eyes, pushed Qi Yan, and said, “Forget it, it’s all the same. You want to bet, right? Go ahead, don’t waste time.”
The opposing bookmaker forced a smile.
Qi Yan could only take out his own account book under his option and wrote: Qi Yan, one hundred taels.
Is this guy sure he’s not giving away money for free?
Lin Qingyang and Xu Wenze didn’t want to play the fool with him. Though they contributed as much as they could, it didn’t mean they wanted to be taken advantage of.
So, the two of them exchanged glances, each writing twenty taels.
After finishing, Xu Wenze suddenly felt that something was off as if the number of sheets of paper was wrong. He flipped through it and found that the amount was indeed not right.
Meanwhile, the bookmaker was still persuading Qi Yan, “Ah, after adding this option, someone placed a large bet, considering it as betting on your victory. Now, looking at it, the total bet for your group is about the same as the first three groups. Consider it regaining face.”
To catch up with the bets of the first three groups, how much was placed?
“Is there actually a bigger fool than Qi Yan?” Lin Qingyang laughed, but then Xu Wenze patted him on the shoulder and pointed to the account book.
When Lin Qingyang looked down, he was dumbfounded.
Qi Yan also noticed and exclaimed, “Haha, it’s still Chu Lishu showing camaraderie – five hundred taels, that’s a real man!”
Lin Qingyang’s mouth twitched: … Although he knew that the male lead had his own little treasury, is it really necessary to do this? Wouldn’t it be enough to offer moral support? Why rush to be a fat lamb waiting to be slaughtered!
Lin Qingyang found it hard to imagine the looks others gave Chu Lishu when he placed his bet. Probably similar to how people look at a fool.
In no time, the three arrived at the cuju field. Qi Yan looked confident, Xu Wenze smiled, but Lin Qingyang wore an expression of frustration.
When they arrived, the stands around were already full of people. The front high platform was still empty, probably waiting for their group to assemble before the people came over.
Qi Yan had already started rallying everyone. Lin Qingyang listened while glancing at the scoreboard. Chu Lishu had been chosen as the scorekeeper, sitting below the scoreboard.
Lin Qingyang thought of going over to say a few words, but watching the wind play with the few strands of black hair that fell beside Chu Lishu’s ears, he felt he was dressed a bit too lightly. If he didn’t engage in physical activity and sat alone under the scoreboard, exposed to the wind for a long time, it could get quite cold.
After some consideration, Lin Qingyang asked Shuncai, who was standing in the corner of the stands, to fetch Chu Lishu’s outer robe and cover him with it to prevent him from catching a cold.
Shuncai immediately went to handle it. When Chu Lishu received the robe and glanced over, they exchanged a look. Chu Lishu then gave him a faint smile—the smile of a well-fed lamb.
Well, Lin Qingyang thought, he was here to support them after all. It wouldn’t be right to complain any further.
As the surrounding cheers grew louder, the princes each walked towards the high platform and took their seats. Prince Yuan Ye drew lots, determining the matchups for the morning’s two matches. The winners of these two matches would compete for the championship in the afternoon.
In the first match, Cheng Yi faced Wang Tong’en, and in the second match, Qi Yan would compete against Pei Jin.
If you love what Ciacia is doing, then consider showing your support by supporting a cup of tea for her at Kofi. If you can’t wait for the next release chapter, subscribe to advanced chapters membership on her Kofi to get access to up to 10 chapters!
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
