PDLP Chapter 133: Failure of the Competition
Chapter 133: Failure of the Competition
When Qiao Shinian woke up, she found that there was no one around her. She was at a loss and couldn't remember where she was for a moment.
Everything in front of me was so unfamiliar. It took me a long while to realize that this was not Jingqing Palace, nor was it a modern home. This was Prince Xian’s Mansion.
She took a deep breath and stood up to look for someone. She was confused from her sleep just now.
"Is anyone there?" She walked towards the door, asking for someone to guide her.
"Miss, you're awake. Do you want some water?" The little maid hurriedly came out from the shadow of the wall and asked in a soft voice.
Qiao Shinian's slightly flustered heart calmed down a little, and she asked in confusion: "Where is Mu Qingchen?"
"The prince is in the study, would you like to go?" asked the little maid.
Qiao Shinian stood in the sun, not knowing for a moment whether he should go or not. He went last time because Mu Qingchen invited him. Would it be appropriate to go again now?
Generally speaking, study rooms were important places in ancient times and outsiders were not allowed to approach.
"Did Mu Qingchen say anything? Like asking me to go find him when I wake up, or asking me to wait for him here?"
"The prince only said that he would send someone to inform him after you woke up, and he didn't leave any other words." The little maid was extremely respectful to Qiao Shinian.
Qiao Shinian walked towards the shade and waved to the little maid to follow.
"Um...when did he leave?" Qiao Shinian asked.
"I don't know. When I came here, the prince was already in the study."
"Oh~, what's your name? I seem to have seen you before." Qiao Shinian looked at the maid and felt that she looked familiar.
"In reply to the young lady's question, I am Hehuan. The last time you and His Royal Highness the Thirteenth Prince stayed overnight at the palace, it was I who did the washing and dressing for you." Hehuan said.
Qiao Shinian nodded and asked, "Are there gardenias in this courtyard? I can always smell a faint fragrance."
She smiled and introduced Qiao Shinian: "Miss, you can go with me to have a look. There are several gardenias in full bloom in this courtyard. They are very fragrant."
Qiao Shinian followed Hehuan to the other side of the yard and saw a bunch of small white flowers swaying gently in the breeze under the sun, emitting fragrance.
Qiao Shinian did not go closer. She could imagine how strong the fragrance of that bunch of gardenias would be. She set her eyes on the tree beside her.
“Is that a locust tree?”
"To answer your question, young lady, that is a wisteria tree. Because its flowering season has passed, only the green leaves are left." When Hehuan talked about the wisteria tree, his eyes curved, as if he was recalling the beautiful string of flowers.
"Oh." Qiao Shinian walked back, she estimated that Mu Qingchen should be back.
There seem to be a lot of flowers and plants in this yard, and it doesn't look like a place where people live.
Thinking about the living quarters, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed about what she had said before. Fortunately, Mu Qingchen didn't ask any more questions, and the matter was resolved during the meal.
But now that he thought of this, Qiao Shinian really had to pay attention to his future residence and consider safety issues.
"What are you thinking about? You look absent-minded." Mu Qingchen waved He Huan away.
Qiao Shinian suddenly came back to her senses. She asked in confusion, "Why did you change clothes again?"
Mu Qingchen smiled and said softly, "I was just practicing calligraphy and accidentally got some ink stains."
"Oh, are we setting off for the outer city now?" Qiao Shinian didn't ask any more questions. The color of this suit was the same as the one he wore in the morning, gray-blue, but the pattern embroidered on the outer shirt was different. This one was embroidered with bamboo in gold thread.
"You can play for a while before going. It's still early and the ceremony is still being prepared." Mu Qingchen asked. At this time, his heart had already returned to its usual calm and peaceful state.
Qiao Shinian shook his head: "Not yet, is there anything you want to do?"
Mu Qingchen thought for a moment and asked, "Well, come with me to the study to read a book, okay? If you feel bored, then do what you want to do."
"Okay, then you read the book. Can you lend me Qingyu for a while? Let him listen to me?" Qiao Shinian didn't dare to expect Mu Qingchen to answer some trivial questions for her. She turned her attention to Qingyu, who often accompanied Mu Qingchen on his travels.
She felt that Qingyu was most likely also a peerless master. After all, to protect the safety of a prince, ordinary skills would not be enough.
It requires very strong skills. She suddenly thought of the scene where Mu Qingchen took her flying, and suddenly she felt a little excited.
Mu Qingchen was a little confused, but still nodded in agreement: "Okay, I'll let Qingyu obey your orders."
"Thank you!" Qiao Shinian said to Mu Qingchen gratefully.
Just like that, Mu Qingchen sat in the study, while Qiao Shinian pulled Qingyu to an open space and stared at each other.
"Can you fly?" When Qiao Shinian asked this question, Qingyu nodded. She never expected that the following development would be like this.
"Since you can fly, it means you are an expert. Can you fight with me? I want to see how far I can go after practicing for so long!"
"Ah?" Qingyu was confused. He was a little puzzled: "Miss Qiao, you also know Kung Fu?!"
"Well... it's hard to say whether this is considered kung fu compared to what you think of as kung fu." Qiao Shinian got ready and said, "Just use normal attacks, don't use internal force or anything like that."
"Ah?" Qingyu turned around and looked around in embarrassment, and found that those guys who were secretly observing this place had all hidden away at the same time.
Qiao Shinian looked at Qingyu and saw that she didn't make any moves. She thought for a moment and said, "Oh, by the way, wait for me, wait for me to take out the things I have, or you might lose your equipment while you're fighting!"
"Ah?" Qingyu saw Qiao Shinian take off the silver bracelet he had just bought, take out his purse and put it down, and then take off the silver hairpin on his head that didn't look very good.
"Okay, come on, just attack me normally and I'll try to fight back." Qiao Shinian needed to determine how far he could go with the self-defense skills he had learned for half a year, and whether he could defend against one or two moves.
Qingyu wanted to cry but had no tears. What was going on? He thought Qiao Shinian was looking for him to ask about his prince! How did it turn out like this?
If he accidentally hurts her, will she be able to see the sun tomorrow?
Thinking of this, he blinked in a certain direction, signaling the man to go find Mu Qingchen to save him.
Seeing Qingyu standing there with an embarrassed look on her face, Qiao Shinian tried again, "I promise, any injury I get has nothing to do with you. You just..."
Halfway through her speech, she shut up and went to pick up something on the ground with a bit of disappointment. Qingyu was unwilling to help, so why bother making things difficult for him?
Seeing Qiao Shinian picking up the things on the ground, Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief. He walked up to Qiao Shinian with an embarrassed look on his face: "Miss Qiao, it's not that I don't want to help you, it's just this matter..."
"It's okay." Qiao Shinian turned and smiled at Qingyu, "Such an impolite request is indeed very embarrassing. I just thought of this and wanted to find someone to practice it with."
Qingyu looked at Qiao Shinian's lost look and tried to say something. After thinking for a while, she said, "If Miss Qiao wants to learn Kung Fu, why don't you ask the prince? My prince is very powerful!"
"It's just a small matter, so I won't bother your prince." Qiao Shinian shook her head, wondering if there were any martial arts schools in this era. She would go to a martial arts school next time she left the palace.