Chapter 89 Don’t Think That She Would Lower Her Noble Head! 2

Yu Lanxuan smiled complacently to herself. Her small awl-like face looked at Zi You full of worry. She begged softly, "Don't, jiejie! Apologize to Gongzhu. It will be unlucky for you to anger her."

Zi You looked at her mockingly. She coldly said, "How did your mother raise such a cowardly and unfilial daughter like you? Your mother is insulted and you apologize to her? Hah!"

Zi You then went from the pavilion to stand in front of Shangguan Lingluo. She clearly enunciated, "So what if it's a gongzhu? A gongzhu can casually insult someone's mother for no reason? Mu Zi You may be an official's daughter with no title and no power but Mu Zi You will not let her mother be insulted and cower under someone's authority. A gentleman can be killed, but not dishonored! Although Mu Zi You may not have 1/10,000th of her mother's talents, but if she cowardly retreats today, then she is descended from a military family in vain. Fourth Gongzhu, what do you want to compete in? Bring it on. If I, Mu Zi You, flinch even a tiny bit, then I am a coward!"

Dignity must be defended and her mother should be not insulted! The person in front of her was a gongzhu but even if it was the Emperor, Zi You would not be fearful and cowardly.

As a descendant of a military family, if she wasn't brave, then could she be counted as a solder's daughter? On the battlefield in the future, she would only be a cowardly deserter.

Her previous life's tolerance and weakness were exchanged for betrayal and humiliation.

In this lifetime, no one should think that she would lower her noble head!

With Zi You's words, the gongzis and xiaojies in the garden looked stunned.

The cold pride and unyielding spirit her tiny body emitted made everyone feel respect.

In this moment, everyone forgot that Zi You was only a twelve-year-old girl. In this moment, she was like a bright star in a dark sky: shiny and dazzling. No one counld touch her.

Even Shangguan LingRan felt that his hard-as-iron heart cracked a little bit. The sound of the crack was so soft that only he heard it.

What an upright girl! He originally thought she only knew how to sneakily trick people. He didn't think that in the face of authority, she would have a man's unshakeable spirit.

Taizi, Third Wangzi, and Second Wangzi were also impressed.

Taizi and Third Wangzi were especially affected. If they were slightly stunned by Zi You's outstanding appearance, then at this moment, their interest in Zi You was not only for her appearance.

It was difficult for such a woman to not be noticed and not impress. After all, she was not afraid of imperial authority and death. Not to mention women, but there were few men who were like this.

Regarding Second Wangzi, this was Zi You's first time seeing him. He was more handsome than Taizi and Third Wangzi. But it was a pity that he was in a wheelchair. He was crippled.

So when Zi You first came in, her eyes swept over him once. They did not contain contempt, sympathy, or pity, but a trace of breathtaking beauty.

This glance made Second Wangzi Shangguan Boyu deeply remember her.

Speaking of which, Second Wangzi Shangguan Boyu was quite pitiful.

Loving the house meant loving the crow inside the house. Therefore, the Emperor also loved the Second Wangzi born from De Fei.

De Fei's father was the Chief Left Imperial Censor: Lu Wenzhi. Imperial Censor Lu was upstanding, honest, and very loyal to the Emperor. The Emperor also thought highly of him.

When De Fei was pregnant, she was repeatedly poisoned. She gave birth to Second Wangzi with great difficulties.

When Second Wangzi was born, he was a healthy child. But when he was twelve years old and hunting with the Emperor, his horse was startled. He fell off the horse, injured his lumbar vertebra, and became a paraplegic.

The Emperor executed the people who managed the horse. But the real mastermind was still not found.

Second Wangzi was originally a sunny, cheerful boy, very clever and cute. But after the accident, he gradually became silent and gloomy. His temper was peevish and violent.

He did not socialize with anyone. If he was slightly unhappy, he would beat and kill servants. He gradually lost his Fuwang's love.

Unless there was a major festival or banquet, he would never show up.

He was only here today because Duke Anguo fu was the Empress Dowager's maiden family.

And the Empress Dowager was the only one besides his mother and grandfather Imperial Censor Lu who cares about him.

Zi You's words made him very satisfied. It was because Shangguan Lingluo never put him, her brother, in her eyes. She always secretly called him "damned rubbish."

He clenched his fists tightly. He hoped that Zi You would win against and make a fool out of Shangguan Lingluo.

Fourth Gongzhu was angered until she almost fainted. Since childhood, no matter who she insulted, no one had ever embarrassed her in public.

She was not afraid of competing, but being forced to compete made her extremely displeased.

If she competed, she lost face. If she didn't compete, she lost even more face. If she lost, her face would be thrown!

Looking at the current situation, if she didn't compete, Mu Zi You would certainly not spare her. Only if she competed and won would she regain her dignity.

Shangguan Lingluo shouted, "Let's compete then! You think Bengong is scared of you? If Bengong wins, you must kneel and crawl like a dog below Bengong's legs."

The original charming little guniang, due to her ferocious face and hands on her hips, was uglier than even a market shrew.

Zi You lazily and confidently smiled. "Okay, if Chennu loses, Chennu will be at the disposal of Gongzhu. If Chennu wins, Gongzhu must keep her word and apologize to Chennu publicly. Which gongzi or xiaojie here is willing to bear witness?"

Her beautiful dark purple eyes blinked. Her charming smile on her charming face was like a gleaming reflection of the sun, capable of hooking someone's soul.

Zhao HongXiang was also here. He was scared into a cold sweat by Zi You's words. When she looked over, he quickly lowered his head. Then he hid behind the back of the person who came with him: Ministry of Works official's son, Wu Simao.

Zi You saw him. She secretly scolded, "Coward!"

Second Wangzi in his wheelchair gloomily said, "I'll be the witness."

Shangguan Lingluo saw that even the damned cripple was willing to bear witness for Mu Zi You. Her anger burst forward and she scolded, "Mind your own business, damned cripple!"

Zi You coldly ridiculed, "A paralyzed body is nothing to be afraid of. The scariest thing is a twisted soul. A paralysis of the brain is more frightening than paralysis of the body."

Shangguan LingRan revealed a charmingly evil smile. He went to the middle of the garden and lazily said, "Mu Zi You, don't be too aggressive. Compete then. A verbal agreement means nothing. Let's put it down on paper. This Shizi has…"

He tore and pulled and with difficulty obtained a piece of cloth from his silvery white brocade robe. He went in front of Shangguan Lingluo. He lazily and evilly laughed. "Fourth meimei, quickly write the bet down. If she wants to renege, she won't be able to."He picked up Shangguan Lingluo's right hand. Like magic, he pulled out a gemstone-studded and decorative small knife. He used the dagger to cut Shangguan Lingluo's right index finger.

The blade was blunt. It went across Shangguan Lingluo's finger multiple times, causing her to desperately scream and cry in pain before finally drawing blood.

Shangguan LingRan ignored her. As he was squeezing blood out, he said deviously, "Really, fourth meimei? You are a gongzhu and you can't even compare to a chennu? Isn't it just two drops of blood? It's to write down the bet. No matter who lost, she can't renege. Or are you afraid to lose, fourth meimei? Don't lose the imperial family's face! The imperial family cannot afford to lose to that person. Fourth meimei, you have to be brave. Gege will cheer for you. You must not lose to that tigress from a so-called military family."

Shangguan Lingluo was in so much pain she broke out in a cold sweat. She wanted to break free, but had no way to pull her right arm away from Shangguan LingRan's grasp. She angrily and loudly scolded, "It's paining to death! Shangguan LingRan, what's wrong with you? Writing what blood letter? You idiot!"

Shangguan LingRan completely ignored her. He held her bleeding hand and wrote on his torn-off satin. "I, Shangguan Lingluo, voluntarily compete with Mu Zi You in various forms of talents. If I lose, I will apologize to Mu Zi You. If I win, Mu Zi You is willing to be at the mercy of Fourth Gongzhu."

After he finished writing, he pressed Shagguang Lingluo's fingerprints against the satin. Then he threw the satin to Zi You. "Hey! It's your turn to write now…"

He looked around and finally said to Taizi, "Taizi is here. Since fourth meimei doesn't want her second brother to bear witness, why don't Taizi work a bit and bear witness?"

He devilishly and charmingly smiled at Taizi Shangguan Pengxuan. "I wonder if Taizi gege is willing to shed two drops of blood for Lingluo meimei?"

Taizi was like a gentleman. He calmly and gently smiled. "There's no problem. Once Mu Xiaojie finishes, this Taizi will bear witness."

Zi You looked at Taizi. He was wearing a bright yellow long robe, with a golden dragon and blue pattern. His black hair was gathered in a gold-inlaid crown. His slender body stood straight. His handsome face revealed his inherent nobility and elegance. Although he was not as heaven-defying as that dandy, he could still be considered a handsome man.

Taizi saw her look over. He slightly smiled and nodded.

Zi You was beautiful but cold as ice. She waved her hand. Then she took off a hairpin from her hair. Her face didn't change as she directed it towards her fingertips. She didn't even frown.

Blood gushed out from her finger. She wrote flowingly on the satin. Then she had ShiYun hand it to the Taizi.

Taizi took a look and was secretly startled. The little yatou's writing was like geese flying. Her bold and vigorous calligraphy concealed a strong sense of character. It would not lose out to most men.

Shangguan Lingluo completely did not expect that a dignified gongzhu, because of a cheap mouth, would be embarrassed and put on the spot by an official's daughter.

Even if she won the competition, Mu Zi You would still not be afraid of her. One could think that even if Mu Zi You was defeated trying to defend her mother's honor, she would be considered honorable in defeat!

But she herself must win and could only win. Otherwise, she need not ever leave the Palace again and have others laugh at her.

Shangguan Lingluo was so angry her liver hurt. Even her face was distorted. She said fiercely, "One round each in zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, and dance. Winner wins three out of five rounds. Help from outsiders and substitutions are not allowed."

Even till now Shangguan Lingluo didn't think she was trying to win by luck. Yu Lanxuan told her that Mu Zi You didn't know anything or have any talents. So there was no need to be afraid of her. Could a dignified gongzhu like her, who practiced and learned these skills since childhood, lose to a vulgar descendant from a military family?

A devilishly enchanting smile appeared on Zi You's face again. She mocked, "Who will be the judge? You are a gongzhu. Who would dare to judge that you lost? So, for fairness, let the judge be animals. When playing chess, a game is obviously won or lost. No one can deny the results. When playing the zither, let's see who can entice the birds over. The person who attracts the most birds over wins. When it comes to calligraphy and painting, chrysanthem in autumn will obviously be the subject. Whoever can bring butterflies over will be the winner. The same with song and dance. Whoever can have the birds singing and butterflies dancing, Mu Zi You is willing to be at her disposal."

Zi You wanted to try out her spiritual power. She wanted to see if she could use it with a change of environment and in front of people. She sang and danced in her own Hundred Herb Garden. If she used spiritual power, she could attract some little birds and butterflies.

Shangguan LingRan jumped out again. He revealed a devilishly charming smile. "This is a good idea. Or you would say my fourth meimei is cheating if she wins."

Shangguan Lingluo looked at Shagguan LingRan. She almost spat out blood in anger. Good my a*s! Who actually has the ability to attract birds and butterflies? Wouldn't that be an immortal? What was this cheap yatou thinking? She actually came up with such a terrible idea? Bengong doesn't believe that you have this ability. Aren't you just trying to scare me?

Shangguan Lingluo was both alarmed and filled with hatred. Her gaze at Taizi was filled with pleading. Taizi gege, you must not agree to this cheap yatou's proposal!

The first round was chess. Shangguan Lingluo suggested the first round to be chess because her chess skills were personally taught by Taizi. Even the Emperor was full of praise for Taizi's chess skills.

But once she played with Zi You, Shangguan Lingluo quickly lost the intiative. She was forced to retreat by Zi You and could only resist, but not fight back.

Zi You looked at Shangguan Lingluo wrinkling her forehead, Shangguan LingRan scratching his head, and Taizi deeply frowning. She secretly sneered.

No matter how good your chess skills are, they're just good on paper. But I learned mine from grandfather. I not only used military tactics but practiced them with uncle and the slaves. Although I cannot fight on the battlefield, but my skills are still better than yours that have no real combat experience, right?

Sure enough, before a quarter of an hour later, Shangguan Lingluo lost all her pieces and was utterly defeated.

This was something the arrogant gongzhu did not expect. Her powdered face turned from white to red. Her almond eyes seemed to be able to spray fire.

The outcome had been decided. Those who knew chess could tell that the black pieces were surrounded to death by the white pieces.

Shangguan Lingluo could only gnash her teeth. "The second round is calligraphy. Bengong does not believe that Bengong will lose this."

Taizi stepped out to say, "How about this? Let's combine this round with poetry. You each write a qilu [verse form of eight lines of seven syllables, with rhymes on alternative lines] about autumn. This Taizi will judge. Mu Xiaojie wouldn't not trust this Taizi, right?"

I really don't trust you. Just looking at Shangguan Lingluo's unruliness and willfulness, no one can rest assured with your personal integrity.

But if you want to be biased in public and damage your own reputation, then it's not my problem.

Zi You was inwardly two-faced, but nodded on the outside. "Chennu believes that Taizi will be an impartial judge."

Shangguan Lingluo was secretly happy. Last night, Taizi gege gave her a welcoming autumn qilu. This was Taizi gege helping her win.

Shangguan Lingluo shyly looked once at Taizi. She leaned down and unhurriedly wrote. When she finished she saw Zi You still fighting with the brush. She smiled proudly.

If Bengong loses this round to you, then Bengong doesn't need to live anymore.

Fifteen minutes later, Zi You finished writing.

Someone immediately handed their scrolls to Taizi. Taizi read and was immediately stunned. Zi You's calligraphic style was the extremely difficult and now lost Plum Blossom Seal Script.

Putting aside her poetry, compared to Shangguan Lingluo's Zanhua Regular Script, just Zi You's calligraphy alone won hands down.

Plum Blossom Seal Script's underlying foundation on paper was to naturally embed plum blossoms within the characters. One glance would seem like the characters were flying. Another glance would seem like plum blossoms were blooming. Seal script was originally very difficult to read. Adding plum blossom embellishment to it made it even more difficult to read, thereby increasing its sense of mysteriousness.

Plum Blossom Seal Script was not simple "calligraphy." It was strict in its usage of "Lift the brush against the wind, use the brush with the wind, and retrieve the brush around the wind."

The ancients loved beauty, even in writing. The Plum Blossom Seal Script was created for that purpose, with its meaningful cultural significance. "Flowers from a distance, words from nearby, flowers contain words, words contain flowers, flowers and words are one, words are bold and vigorous." The words and plum blossoms were ingeniously melded together. Plum Blossom Seal Script was the epitome of the country's ancient calligraphy.

Taizi actually could not read all of what Zi You wrote. But he could not admit that he couldn't recognize the characters. Therefore, he pretended to consider for a long time. He sighed, "Ai… this is hard for this Taizi to judge. In regards to calligraphy, Mu Xiaojie's is more exquisite than fourth meimei's. But fourth meimei only used one-third of Mu Xiaojie's time to create a welcoming autumn qilu. If fourth meimei lost, there would be some injustice? Ai…"