Chapter 073: The Competition Site

Separated only by a wall, Xue Ze could hear the lively commotion in the courtyard. Following the sound, she realized the contest was about to begin.

It was a spacious courtyard. The nobles of the imperial court sat on a raised platform not far away, while the contestants were divided into male and female groups, each standing beneath either the red or blue stages.

The red stage was broader, with a diameter of only five meters—clearly set up for the women. The blue stage was narrower, roughly half the size of the red, seemingly designed to test the men's martial skills.

Each contestant bore a different expression, their attire varied, yet all exuded pride and confidence. They were evidently the elites of various sects. Dozens of men and eighteen women—quite a large number.

Xue Ze wondered why there were so many participants. From what she sensed, they possessed only brute strength or arrogant airs. How could they possibly face such cunning opponents?

Before she could dwell on these thoughts, she saw Ling’er and Yu Qixian rushing toward her.

“Oh… oh dear, I’m exhausted!” Ling’er leaned against the wall, panting, her face flushed, her brows tightly knit.

Yu Qixian seemed in better shape, working to steady his breath and maintain his composure.

Xue Ze turned to them and asked quietly, “Why are you in such a hurry? The contest hasn’t even started yet!”

“We came to see you! We couldn’t miss it. Thank you for leaving us a message!” Ling’er grinned, managing a few words before focusing on calming her inner energy; the recent sprint had left her breathless.

Xue Ze smiled. “No need to thank me. You took me around the city and brought me to the palace—there’s no need for ceremony between us.”

“What happened just now must have been to eliminate some participants. Yet there are still so many here. Miss, do you know when you’ll take the stage? If you wait too long, you might be left waiting for ages,” Yu Qixian remarked.

“That depends on the rules of the contest.”

Ling’er peered inside and chuckled. “Don’t worry. No matter when you go up, you’ll win the golden crown. Whatever the rules, I’ll go up first and block those ignorant little birds from the stage!”

“Why? Ling’er, what are you doing?”

Ling’er hesitated, then smiled awkwardly. “I’m doing this for their own good. Don’t think it’s rude. Look at them—so little talent, so little skill. They’re only here for fame and fortune, unaware of true danger. I’m just stopping them, so no one sacrifices themselves in vain.”

“But you just said you’re sure I’ll win. Why bother? Don’t you want to see them compete with me, or are you afraid I’ll lose?”

Ling’er burst out laughing, unable to control herself. “You’re overthinking it! How could they possibly match you? Not in any way! I just don’t want to hurt their feelings—seeing the vast gap might make them despondent. Isn’t that right, Brother Yu?”

Yu Qixian smiled gently. “Ling’er is right. These women could train for a thousand years and still not match you. Why let them arrive full of hope and leave in disappointment? Better to spare them the pain.”

“Oh?” Xue Ze considered this, glancing at the group of women. “In that case, I was being thoughtless.”

“Yes, yes! You nearly became the villain!” Ling’er exclaimed, excitedly standing beside Xue Ze, watching the other women. “Even if you only use thirty percent of your talent, you’ll still astonish everyone. Since you’re determined to win, spare them some suffering.”

Xue Ze looked at Ling’er and nodded. “Thank you both for the timely advice.”

Ling’er blushed, then turned to Yu Qixian, exchanging a glance full of pride and delight.

Soon, a eunuch announced in a loud voice, “The auspicious hour has arrived. The contest begins! The rules are as follows: participants will ascend the stage in order of arrival, surnames ranked as in the Hundred Family Surnames. Men must force their opponents off the stage; the last one standing wins the golden crown. Women will ascend one by one to perform a dance; the best shall claim the golden crown. As martial contests are inevitably violent, the women shall compete first. Fairness will be ensured by the collective judgment of the crowd and the appointed judges!”

The contestants lined up accordingly. Ling’er cheerfully shed her outer garment and squeezed past the other women to take the first spot.

“Who are you? Why are you taking my place?”

Ling’er looked at her disdainfully. “I got here first. If you’re not happy, too bad.”

“Everyone knows I was here first!”

Ling’er glanced at the watching eyes around her, then at the women behind. Realizing these contestants weren’t easily fooled, she pretended to chat with the woman and secretly scattered some hallucinogenic powder.

“Hey, tell me, didn’t we arrive together?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re first, and so am I, right?”

“Yes.”

“And… my surname comes before yours, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“There you have it! Everyone heard—I’ll be first!”

With that, Ling’er hopped onto the stage.

Standing atop the stage, Ling’er noticed He Yu among the women. She could only feel sorry for her; now He Yu could only watch her beloved from afar.

“Contestant, state your name!”

Ling’er thought for a moment, then replied loudly, “Zhao Xiaohua!”

The audience burst into laughter at the name, even members of the royal family turned to look.

“That girl on stage is dressed so strangely,” the Empress Dowager remarked.

Liu Li nodded, studying Ling’er carefully, then started in surprise. Is that Miss Qu? What is she doing here?

“Hey, everyone, enough laughing! Zhao Xiaohua comes from the martial world, so I won’t give a formal salute. I just want to say a few things: this contest seeks someone to solve a murder, so the winner must be both wise and brave, virtuous and talented. At the very least, the women must be able to protect themselves, possess exceptional skills or magic—not just a pretty face or dance technique. Am I right?”

The crowd nodded and cheered. The presiding eunuch glanced at the Empress Dowager, then replied, “Miss Zhao speaks well, but what can you do? Today’s contest is not a place for empty talk.”

“I know. The contest is for dance, and that’s why I’m first. The others are all gentle and beautiful, but in terms of talent and ability, they fall far short of a certain someone. I don’t want to see everyone struggle and leave empty-handed. Why not yield the stage? Save yourselves the trouble and preserve your dignity!”

“What are you saying? We came all this way; of course we want to compete before we leave!”

“Yes, whose side are you on? Do you expect us to believe you just like that?”

The crowd was full of protest, but Ling’er was delighted. “No need to get upset. If you’re not convinced, compete with me. That girl surpasses me a hundredfold—if you can’t even beat me, what hope do you have for the golden crown?”

Seeing this, Liu Li glanced at the Empress Dowager, who avoided his gaze and said to the eunuch, “Permission granted.”

“Miss Zhao, as you wish. Perform a dance first. If anyone is unconvinced, they may come up. If not, we’ll invite the candidate you mentioned to the stage.”

“Very well!”

Ling’er winked at Xue Ze. The sharp-eyed Liu Li noticed this, and hurried to find a better vantage point. Sure enough, Ling’er was clearing the field for her.

Liu Li found Feng Xing and whispered, “Feng Xing, find Gao Hai and tell him not to hide his skill tonight. He must go all out and win the golden crown!”

Feng Xing hesitated. “The Emperor originally wanted Lord Gao to scout the men’s abilities. If he wins outright, won’t that draw criticism?”

“No matter. Have him change his appearance to that of a wandering swordsman.”

Once Feng Xing departed, Liu Li cast a glance in that direction—careful to avoid staring, yet unable to resist stealing glances.

The crowd beneath the stage was large and dazzling, a gathering of the finest beauty and talent, but none could outshine her. No object or scene could compare to her presence...

To be apart is not to know the pain of longing; to meet again is to suffer from yearning that cannot be quelled.