The government was sending out wives, and I ended up with a princess from the previous dynasty!

"Um..." Shen Li could only say after hearing Yi Qianxiao's question, "Actually, you know this person. It's Mr. Jia..."

"Are you talking about Mr. Jia from the Jinshi School?" Yi Qianxiao asked in surprise.

"Yes."

"I never expected that Mr. Jia would not only be able to forge weapons, but also possess such skills. He is indeed a man of great talent!" Yi Qianxiao exclaimed with admiration. "The people of the Jinshi Sect are truly extraordinary!"

As a result, Yi Qianxiao became even more attentive to the upcoming competition!

Besides her, the people who came this time included Shui Wushang, the great-grandson of the former Minister of War; Su Tan'er, the young lady of the Su Family Cloth Shop in Yilan County; Nangong Yu, the young lady of the Nangong Family in the north; and Li Hongyu from the Li Family Ranch, among others.

In fact, in the minds of these young ladies, the result of the competition was not important. No matter how powerful Shen Li's husband was, he could never be Liu Ruyan's match in the end.

These women were originally close friends who often held small gatherings, so they naturally knew how formidable Liu Ruyan was.

Who is Liu Ruyan?

She was one of the three most famous talented women in the Great Jing Dynasty!

Among her group of girlfriends, she is the most famous and the most talented!

Moreover, his ancestors were Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet of the Great Jing Dynasty. Regardless of their official rank, the very nature of their positions meant that they were advisors and chief strategists to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Jing Dynasty. Such people had already reached the pinnacle of scholarship!

Born into such a family, Liu Ruyan was exceptionally gifted and diligent from a young age. She could compose poems at the age of five, become a chess master at the age of seven, and discuss national affairs with elders at the age of nine with eloquence. Many of her poems are now being circulated among the people of the Great Jing Dynasty and even the Great Wu Dynasty!

Such an extraordinary woman has long been an idol of the literati of the Great Jing Dynasty!

Originally, Liu Ruyan had long since disdained such a contest, and Shen Li's people had tried to invite her once, but to no avail!

Finally, the Prince of Zhenbei personally visited Liu Ruyan with the manuscript of the Eight Steps of the Heavenly Dragon, which finally moved her!

Upon hearing that only Jia Daoshi possessed the final chapter, he began to have his own ideas.

Shen Li was very happy after inviting Liu Ruyan back!

When the time comes, we'll definitely make this arrogant "Li Bai" lose face big time!

Having been swindled out of his money several times, the Prince of Zhenbei had long harbored resentment in his heart!

Jia Daoshi was of course unaware of the situation in Shen Li's family.

As usual, he walked through the quaint streets to get to work.

This feeling is actually quite nice.

Soon, the door opened.

To his surprise, it was Xia Wanlian who opened the door.

"Madam, why are you the one opening the door for me today?"

Xia Wanlian hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mr. Li, I think you should give up today's competition."

"Oh? Does Madam not have confidence in me?" Jia Daoshi found it somewhat amusing; he hadn't expected the other party to say such a thing.

“Mr. Li, it’s not that I lack confidence in you, but your opponent is simply too strong,” Xia Wanlian said bluntly.

“It’s more interesting when the opponent is strong,” Jia Daoshi said with a slight smile.

She's a talented woman! Now that we've met her, how can we not give her a glimpse?

He has never met a talented woman from ancient times!

Seeing Jia Daoshi's insistence, Xia Wanlian had no choice but to nod slightly: "Since you insist, please come in!"

……

It's still the same plum blossom courtyard as last time.

However, this time the competition was held in the small hall that was previously used.

All the necessary tools have been prepared.

Guqin (a seven-stringed zither), Go (a game of chess), calligraphy and painting...

Several young women were vying for attention, whispering among themselves and sharing their joyful thoughts. Sometimes they laughed so hard they seemed to shake off their laughter, which was incredibly alluring.

They didn't seem to care about Jia Daoshi at all.

"Ahem! Someone's here!" Yi Qianxiao coughed lightly when she saw the figure in the courtyard.

Jia Daoshi never expected that there would be so many beautiful young women in the small hall!

At first glance, it looked like I'd stumbled upon the set of a Douyin (TikTok) video featuring a fairy-like woman in traditional Chinese style. One of the girls even looked remarkably like that Yao...

However, Jia Daoshi knew that this was in ancient times!

Jia Daoshi looked at the group of beautiful women, and the young ladies stared at him with wide eyes.

He wore a moon-white inner shirt over a light blue long robe, his hair was casually tied in a bun at the back of his head, and his skin was fair. The sunlight outside filtered through the plum blossom trees, dappling his body.

These young ladies have seen many handsome men, but it is truly rare to find someone with such an otherworldly aura as the man in front of them!

This is the result of Jia Daoshi's cultivation of the Dragon Elephant Divine Skill!

"This person is really good-looking!"

"Your Highness, it's a deal. I took a liking to this person first, so you can't try to take her from me!" Yi Qianxiao whispered in Shen Li's ear.

"Qianxiao, what are you saying! I have no interest in him!" Shen Li's cheeks flushed slightly!

As a member of the martial arts world, Yi Qianxiao was naturally unrestrained and passionate, daring to love and hate.

However, she also knew that the man in front of her had a beautiful wife who was also stunningly gorgeous, and that it would be extremely difficult for her to win her over.

"Tsk tsk! This gentleman looks far too young. I think he might be all show and no substance!"

Even if it's just a showpiece, it's still a gun! As long as it works!

"Tsk tsk! You little slut, are you getting all lovey-dovey?"

"Hey you two, can you please be a little quieter? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"

A group of young girls were gossiping and chattering. Xia Wanlian walked beside Jia Daoshi and said softly, "Sir, these girls are all A-Li's friends. Don't let her usual carefree attitude fool you; she's very warm and friendly. So when her friends heard that Miss Liu was coming to compete with you, they all came to join in the fun. If you don't like a crowd, I can suggest that the competition be rescheduled."

To be honest, Xia Wanlian was worried that if there were too many people, Jia Daoshi would lose and be very embarrassed.

Jia Daoshi, however, remained calm: "Madam, there's no need to worry. Everyone's here. It would be such a disappointment if I backed down at the last minute."

“Alright, since that’s the case, then this humble woman will do her part to bolster your reputation today.” Xia Wanlian nodded.

She knew that Jia Daoshi was a good poet, but she didn't really know much about him in other aspects. Seeing how calm he was now, she wanted to broaden her horizons.

"Ali."

Jia Daoshi stood in the courtyard and shouted something.

Shen Li stepped out, glanced at Jia Daoshi with a hint of provocation in her eyes, but finally bowed and said, "Shen Li greets you, sir."

"Judging from your posture, you must be very confident. I wonder which talented woman will challenge me next?" Jia Daoshi said with a smile.

As soon as the words were spoken, a woman stood up from among the group of young ladies. She was also dressed in a light blue dress, with an elegant demeanor and an air of scholarly refinement. Her gaze was both gentle and resolute.

Although her appearance is not particularly outstanding, her aura gives people a sense of awe and respect.

It was none other than Liu Ruyan, one of the three most talented women in the Great Jing Dynasty!