"..."
Xiaoyao waited for quite a while before discovering a serious problem.
"Excuse me, am I a team of one person?"
Xiaoyao actually had no one to team up with him - he was all alone, while everyone else had already paired up. Well, had already formed teams.
"Sorry, we have someone who didn't show up, so no one can partner with you. You can go find another person." Someone responded to Xiaoyao's question.
"It's fine, I was just asking. I don't need to team up." Xiaoyao said very casually. Since he was just going through the motions anyway, wasn't it all the same.
"It should be intentional - they want to embarrass the little servant." Nangong Suxin said.
"Do you even need to say that. Obviously, it's because of that Han Qin just now. That woman is too petty." Young Miss said very unhappily.
"Should we help?" Third Miss asked very caringly.
"No need. This guy knows everything anyway. It would be hard for them to make things difficult for him. What I'm most afraid of is this guy just wanting to mess around up there - then he'll lose all face." Young Miss said helplessly.
"Messing around isn't really a problem. What's worrying is if others intentionally make things difficult. Third Sister, you go up - they invited you anyway." Nangong Suxin frowned, then told Third Miss to go up.
"That works. Susu, defeat them completely." Young Miss agreed. She didn't care much about this either.
However, some people found it a bit strange. Young Miss's behavior wasn't strange, but Nangong Suxin was strange - for a mere servant, she actually let her precious Third Sister go up and show herself in public. This was definitely something worth doubting.
When Third Miss went on stage, both on and off the platform erupted in exclamation. No one expected Third Miss to appear at this moment, and what was even more surprising was yet to come.
"I'll partner with you." Third Miss said to Xiaoyao.
What was going on? Why would Third Miss come up, and it looked like she was here to help the low-ranking servant in front of her.
Just as everyone was extremely surprised, something that made people's jaws drop happened—
Xiaoyao frowned and said: "No need, I'm fine by myself."
"..."
Damn, this guy really didn't know his place. For Third Miss to lower herself to partner with him was already his honor, yet he actually refused. Looking at his expression, he even seemed quite dissatisfied.
He originally just came here to mess around. Later, even if something went wrong, he wouldn't answer anything. Now that Third Miss had come up, didn't that mean he couldn't just muddle through like this.
"Sorry, I'm getting in your way." Third Miss said apologetically. She didn't seem angry.
"This..." Xiaoyao felt a bit embarrassed.
"Third Sister, don't apologize to this little servant. Don't mind his attitude." Nangong Suxin shouted from below, and her shout made everyone lean toward believing one thing.
That is, Third Miss didn't come to help Xiaoyao - she probably wanted to come make friends through literature herself.
Yes, it must be like this. Otherwise, how could Third Miss stand up for a mere servant, and moreover, everyone could see that this servant belonged to the Mo family, not her Nangong family.
At this moment, Xiaoyao suddenly became inconspicuous. He was just Third Miss's green leaf, and a dispensable green leaf at that.
Because of this, Xiaoyao was once again ignored. Even if he performed outstandingly this time, others would think it was Third Miss who taught him.
This wasn't bad either. With cover, he could shoot arrows from behind, and maybe even get this competition's grand prize. He heard this time's grand prize was quite good.
Xiaoyao looked toward a small exquisite box on a table. He believed the contents were worth quite a bit.
Every year's lantern festival grand prize was something very good. What Xiaoyao was most interested in was that the prizes were generally rare books.
"Since Third Miss has come, we'll have to give our all too." Han Qin looked at Third Miss and said somewhat proudly.
"Please enlighten me." Third Miss replied with a light bow.
"Then let's begin. The rules are simple - as long as you stump your opponent with a question while being able to answer theirs, you win. Choose opponents freely, switch freely. If you lose, get off the stage."
Literary competitions were generally turn-based - you pose a question, I pose a question. Generally not too intense, proceeding very peacefully.
"Third Miss, let's wait first. Let them go first, and we'll only answer when someone questions us." Xiaoyao stopped Third Miss from going to find opponents. He wouldn't do unnecessary things.
This was his habit - if something could be completed with thirty percent effort, he absolutely wouldn't use one bit more. Perhaps this was also a kind of laziness, but this kind of laziness wouldn't be defined as laziness by anyone.
"Oh, that's right." Third Miss smiled. Fewer exchanges meant less chance of being noticed, and she also didn't like being overly noticed.
However, their wish was dashed. From the beginning, they were targeted - someone had already come to "duel" with them.
Third Miss's reputation for talent was very loud here. For her to be ignored was basically impossible, moreover, Han Qin wouldn't let Third Miss be ignored either.
Whether it was to let people test the waters or something else, although Xiaoyao's pair faced opponent after opponent, they never encountered Han Qin's group.
Group after group faced Xiaoyao's team - to be precise, faced Third Miss. In no more than three rounds, they were all defeated by Third Miss.
Undeniably, Third Miss's literary cultivation was very strong and solid. Except for some extremely obscure topics she didn't know, she had read everything else and put in considerable effort.
Watching Third Miss elegantly speak various refined words was an enjoyment for everyone, and now Xiaoyao had to admit that Young Miss's taste was really good. This Third Miss was indeed very good, and most importantly, she was literary, not martial.
At this moment, Young Miss's gaze needn't be mentioned - it was quite "lascivious."
Han Qin's face was getting darker and darker. She discovered that her spotlight had been completely stolen by Third Miss, and she had become a green leaf for contrast.
Originally, she thought that even if Third Miss's literary skills were stronger than hers, she should still be more popular because her figure and clothing were more seductive and attractive.
And Third Miss was always in plain white clothes with no makeup, her elegant appearance refreshing but not seductive.
What she didn't expect was that when Third Miss entered her element, that elegance, that refined transcendence immediately became everyone's focus, with her appeal soaring.
This wasn't all - Han Qin was also paying attention to Third Miss's responses and discovered that her opponent's ability was higher than her own. If she wanted to win, she'd definitely need to use surprise tactics.
At this time, Xiaoyao was very comfortable because from beginning to end, he hadn't done anything. He had gotten so idle that he started eating chestnuts again, feeding Chi Chi on the side.
This scene made people speechless, and at the same time, everyone felt that Xiaoyao was just a "prop" for going through the motions, and a decorative one at that - completely useless.
It didn't matter. How people below viewed him didn't matter. Anyway, he'd complete his mission soon and get those ten taels of silver.
"Chi Chi, later should I buy you another ten catties of chestnuts, or how about a bag of peanuts? Now we have money, we can be extravagant occasionally." Xiaoyao completely detached himself from the literary competition on the platform, eating and chatting very leisurely with Chi Chi.
"..." Third Miss was silent for a moment, glanced at Xiaoyao, then continued her literary competition.
Perhaps at this moment, Third Miss regretted a little - regretted coming up for such a servant. This servant had no conscience. Even if he couldn't help, he should at least cheer her on from the side. How could he rest and eat on the side.
Also, you call buying peanuts extravagant?
"Chi Chi." Chi Chi was very excited though. It had no other thoughts - as long as there was food, it was happy.
Soon, only two groups remained on the platform: one was Third Miss and one "irrelevant person," the other was Han Qin and Qingyun City's first talented scholar.
Finally, the final battle was about to begin. The most exciting part was about to be performed.
Almost everyone was very excited, looking at Third Miss and the others - most importantly perhaps still looking at Third Miss. Everyone wanted to continue hearing Third Miss's voice, wanted to see her elegance, see her refined transcendence, like a fairy beyond the mundane world.
Han Qin knew she had failed badly this time. Originally wanting to overshadow Third Miss, she unexpectedly ended up enhancing Third Miss's reputation instead. No, I must make her lose face.
How to make her lose face? Han Qin was considering, constantly considering.
Just then, a small incident occurred that made Han Qin's eyes light up. She knew what she should do.
"Chi Chi, you little glutton, give me back my hat." Xiaoyao's little leather cap had accidentally been knocked off by Chi Chi, who was now holding it in its mouth and running around everywhere.
"..."
Almost everyone saw Xiaoyao's head - it was completely bald...
"How is this little servant a little baldy?" Nangong Suxin asked in surprise.
"This guy previously pretended to be a monk..." Young Miss replied somewhat helplessly.
"..."
Pretended to be a monk? What kind of act was this...
On stage, Xiaoyao had already caught Chi Chi, taken back his little leather cap and put it on, then proceeded to torment Chi Chi. This made many girls unhappy, scolding Xiaoyao for abusing the cute little animal. Even Third Miss couldn't bear it and spoke up telling Xiaoyao not to bully Chi Chi.
Xiaoyao nodded, saying he wouldn't bully it anymore, then lifted his foot and kicked Chi Chi like a ball.
"..."
Xiaoyao suddenly felt many resentful gazes directed at him, but he completely didn't take it to heart. Gazes couldn't kill people.
Soon the gazes changed from resentful to envious, jealous, and hateful, because Chi Chi had jumped back and was acting cute and charming around Xiaoyao, obviously trying to please him.
(End of Chapter)