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In the end, seven individuals won lanterns.
The elder smiled and announced, "Everyone, seven teams have advanced to the second round. Please co up to the stage for the poetry competition."
He then looked at the participants who were alone and added, "You need to form teams of two to ensure fairness in the competition."
Ji San tugged at Wei Yuanling's sleeve, "Brother Wei, team up with . That zither is truly a fine instrunt."
Wei Yuanling replied bluntly, "No!"
At that mont, Su Yue approached Jun Mo, curtsied gracefully, and said in a sweet voice, "Your Highness, Prince Jing, I still need a teammate. I’ve heard of Your Highness’s exceptional talent. Could you…"
Before she could finish, Jun Mo uttered two words, "I cannot."
Su Yue’s expression stiffened, but she quickly forced a smile and said, "It was presumptuous of . Soone as noble as Your Highness shouldn’t participate in such common activities."
Jun Mo, dressed in white robes with a deep purple outer layer, stood under the lanterns, his jade-like face calm and composed. He remained silent.
Su Yue then turned to Wei Yuanling.
"Cousin, could you help ?"
Wei Yuanling replied coldly, "I’m not going. Find soone else."
Su Yue’s face darkened as she glanced at the flower ball atop the wooden fra.
She was confident in her poetry skills, but winning the flower ball required soone with good physical prowess. What should she do?
"Miss Su, may I have the honor of being your teammate?"
Su Yue turned around, her face lighting up with joy.
When Su Li heard this voice, her heart was already in turmoil.
Jun Hui!
She hadn’t expected to encounter her enemy under such circumstances. Su Li looked at Jun Hui.
It had to be admitted that the royal family had no ugly offspring.
Outwardly, he was indeed elegant and well-spoken.
Who would have thought that beneath that facade lay a wolfish ambition, cunning and treacherous!
Afraid of drawing suspicion, Su Li quickly averted her gaze, looking at the ground.
Jun Hui seed to sense sothing and glanced in Su Li’s direction but found nothing unusual and turned his attention back.
The crowd bowed in greeting.
"No need for formalities, everyone, be at ease."
Jun Hui smiled and looked at Jun Mo, "Seventh Brother, you’re here too? Then I’ll join in the fun."
Jun Mo cupped his hands in greeting, "Sixth Brother."
Jun Hui nodded, smiling at Wei Yuanling and Ji Huaizhou.
His subordinates had inford him that the young lady of the Wei family was participating in the flower ball competition. Rembering his mother’s words, he decided to co and make a good impression.
But seeing that Miss Wei had already tead up with her cousin, he decided to pair up with soone else.
He would showcase his talent and, at the right mont, let her win. Winning Miss Wei’s heart would be a piece of cake.
Su Yue approached shyly and curtsied, "Your Highness, are you really going to participate?"
Jun Hui smiled, "That depends on whether Miss Su will give this opportunity."
Su Yue blushed and said softly, "It would be my honor."
Although Jun Hui was a prince without much imperial favor, he was known for his virtuous reputation and gentle deanor. Su Yue was no match for him.
Jun Hui’s gentleness was different from Jun Mo’s. While Jun Mo was also gentle and polite, there was an inexplicable sense of distance.
Jun Hui, on the other hand, made people feel equal when speaking to him, without any airs of a prince.
Ji Huaizhou said, "What should we do? I still need a teammate."
Su Li wanted to create an opportunity for the two and pulled Wei Yuanyao over, "Cousin, why don’t you team up with Young Master Ji?"
Wei Yuanyao asked, "What about you?"
Just as Su Li was about to call for Moyun, a gentle voice spoke up.
"This prince will team up with Miss Su."
Su Li looked over in surprise, and Jun Mo smiled at her.
Su Yue quickly shot a glare at Su Li, cursing inwardly, "Even with a ruined face, she’s still a vixen!"
Earlier, she could excuse Jun Mo’s refusal by saying he didn’t like crowds. But now he had agreed to team up with Su Li. Wasn’t this a slap in her face?
Wei Yuanling looked at his sister and Ji Huaizhou, then at his cousin and Jun Mo.
He felt he should stop this, or else the family’s prized cabbage might be in danger, but he had no good reason.
After all, winning the flower ball required soone with good physical skills. If his cousin and sister tead up, neither of them could win.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he was about to speak to Jun Mo but was stopped by the latter’s smiling gaze. He felt an inexplicable sense of threat.
He dared not voice his thoughts and could only watch as the four of them stepped onto the stage.
The sight of such talented and beautiful individuals excited the crowd. Was this a poetry competition or a beauty contest?
Once all seven teams were on stage, the elder announced loudly, "Alright, everyone is here. Let’s begin the second round, the poetry competition."
"The rules are simple. I will give a the, and the team that can co up with the most verses will win. This round will determine the top three teams to advance to the next round."
"Since today is the Hundred Flowers Festival, our the will be ‘flowers.’ Let’s begin."
Standing on the far left, Wei Yuanyao recited without hesitation, "The rhino rests in the shade of flowers, the waves carry the miasma’s hue."
Su Li followed effortlessly, "The night is long, the wine is gone, the lantern’s fla grows long, the lantern’s fla falls to the ground and onto the bed."
Su Yue also responded easily, "The willow branches cannot be tied, the flower buds refuse to bloom."
The other participants were equally impressive.
"With earnestness, I turn my head, outside the wall, a few branches of flowers."
…
The back-and-forth exchanges thrilled the audience.
"They’re truly amazing!"
"Wasn’t the eldest Miss Su said to be useless? She seems full of talent."
"Indeed, rumors can’t be trusted."
"Do you think the rumor about her disfigurent is also false?"
"That’s true. At a banquet once, the wind lifted Miss Su’s veil, and many people saw it."
"Ah, what a pity."
"Miss Su Yue truly lives up to her reputation as a talented lady. Look how effortlessly she answers."
"Don’t you think the pairs on stage look well-matched?"
"What are you saying! That ugly girl doesn’t deserve our Prince Jing!"
"Exactly! Are you blind?"
…
Both on and off the stage, the atmosphere was electric.
As the competition progressed, the pace of composing poetry gradually slowed.
Unsurprisingly, the final three teams were Su Li, Su Yue, and Wei Yuanyao.
Su Yue glanced at Su Li in shock.
Since when had Su Li beco so skilled at poetry? She had to think before answering, while Su Li responded effortlessly each ti.
The second round had been dominated by the won, but the third round would rely entirely on the n.
Wei Yuanyao looked at the three n, feeling a bit nervous.
Losing to Prince Jing would be acceptable—the zither would still go to her cousin. But she really didn’t want to lose to Prince Hui.
As the elder struck the gong, the three equally outstanding n leaped toward the wooden fra.
Originally, Jun Hui had planned to let Wei Yuanyao see him go easy on Ji Huaizhou to win her favor. But upon seeing Jun Mo, his competitive spirit was ignited.
Because his mother’s family was of low status, he, as the elder brother, had not been granted a princely title, while Jun Mo had been nad Prince Jing ahead of him. How could he accept this?
On the wooden fra, the three n clashed, none willing to yield.
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