cold clothes

Thinking back to the selection competition at Xiuyun Lake during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the two handsome men who appeared at Langxuan Pavilion were incredibly talented and their skills were amazing. The magnificent zither music that could stop the clouds from moving and the three thousand sword shadows that could cut through the wind and snow made Leng Yi think that such a handsome man should be aloof and not sell his body. Unexpectedly, the one who played the zither fell to the ground in an instant.

It's still by riding, oh my god.

"You guys! Call me when you're done!" Leng Yi shouted frantically, blindfolded, and quickly slipped out.

Unexpectedly, Yun Qiu's loud laughter immediately followed, "This little girl can be shy, she seems to know quite a bit."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand anything!" Leng Yi immediately stopped and retorted.

"Alright, hurry up, the little girl needs me." Yun Qiu said to the man beneath her, and then moved quickly. The man understood, and soon, accompanied by indescribable water sounds, the two stopped, leaving only a gradually calming panting. The air was filled with a mixed scent, ambiguous and hard to distinguish.

The two then calmly put on their clothes, as if it were as ordinary as eating and drinking, and they weren't afraid of being seen.

Leng Yi kept her eyes covered, too afraid to look. Suddenly, a strange-smelling wind blew towards her, startling her. When she opened her eyes, she saw a tall man wearing only underwear brushing past her face. The man's belt was not fastened, revealing his chest and abdominal muscles, which were still glistening with sweat. Because of the height difference between Leng Yi and him, the first thing Leng Yi noticed was the visual impact of the man's six-pack abs.

"Ah!" Leng Yi screamed in fright.

The handsome guy didn't even glance at her before walking away. Leng Yi couldn't help but think to herself, "Wearing so little, isn't he afraid of turning into an ice pop the moment he steps outside?"

"Hehehe." Leng Yi's embarrassed appearance elicited Yun Qiu's silvery laughter. Leng Yi asked, both ashamed and annoyed, "What are you laughing at! You and him... are you allowed to do this kind of thing?"

"No, but it can't really interfere with anything. This is a brothel. Isn't it normal for men and women to have sex here?" Yun Qiu said, lazily stretching her waist and arms, as if she was tired from the intense exercise just now.

Leng Yi was suddenly captivated by Yun Qiu's slender waist and quickly looked away from her. "You should get dressed quickly. There's no need to flaunt your courtesan charm in front of a young girl."

Yun Qiu wasn't dressed properly, only wearing an outer garment, her proud chest and legs half-exposed. Of course, what Leng Yi found most unbearable was the traces left on Yun Qiu's body, and the scent that kept emanating from her.

"I want him back after you leave," Yun Qiu said with a charming smile.

"..." Leng Yi remained silent.

"I was just kidding. What do you want to say?" Yun Qiu changed the subject.

Leng Yi didn't care about Yun Qiu's affair with the men of Langxuan Pavilion. Since that was the case, she cut to the chase. "Do you know about the rewards and punishments for the year-end exams? I've kept my promise to you, so what about what you promised..."

"Oh, I heard about this this morning. The first place winner gets to perform on stage during the Lantern Festival. Haha—this is the reward Xia Hua is hoping for. She really wants to be famous in the streets and alleys of the capital like you."

"That's none of my business. All I need is for you to guarantee I won't be last." Leng Yi said coldly, "As for Xia Hua being first, so be it. If she's satisfied, she shouldn't bother me anymore."

Leng Yi extended her hand to Yun Qiu: "The exam questions for the big test were customized by you, right? Have you finalized them?"

Yun Qiu suddenly laughed: "You came to see me just because you wanted test questions?"

"Otherwise what? Didn't you promise to help me cheat?" Leng Yi raised an eyebrow impatiently.

"Hahaha, cheating is too much trouble." Yun Qiu covered her mouth and laughed, a glint of light flashing in her peach blossom eyes. "Since it's a game of choosing four out of five, wouldn't it be easy to just kick one person out?"

Leng Yi's expression gradually turned serious. "You mean using tricks?"

"Yes."

Leng Yi hesitated. She didn't refute Yun Qiu's point of view because she knew that scheming against others was currently her most effective method. She wasn't exactly an upright person, otherwise she wouldn't have agreed to Yun Qiu's request to harm Qing Chun, but she wasn't that ruthless either... Although she didn't like the four girls after spending several months with them, they hadn't done anything to hurt her. Besides, they were all just ten-year-old children, and Leng Yi couldn't bring herself to harm them.

In the end, Leng Yi shook her head: "No, besides, you can just cheat for me, and I can also win over Nuandong and Liuxia."

"Thinking so naively will only lead to trouble," Yun Qiu said, then sighed, "Although I'm very sad, I probably won't be able to help you during the big exam."

Leng Yi was slightly angry: "What did you say?"

Yunqiu: "I'm pregnant."

"What did you say?" Leng Yi was dumbfounded.

"Are you aware of the recent rumors circulating about the Duke's mansion?"

"How could I possibly know, since I never leave my house!"

"Legend has it that a wandering Taoist priest came to the gate of the Duke's mansion and saw auspicious five-colored clouds in the sky above the mansion, which was a sign of the birth of a blessed child. The Taoist priest was invited into the mansion and took the pulses of all the Wang family's daughters-in-law, but none of them were pregnant. This matter has become a recent strange tale."

"Are you implying that Fu Zi from the Duke's mansion is in your belly?" Leng Yi raised an eyebrow.

"You're so clever! That's right, I'm pregnant..."

“I think that Taoist priest was very likely bribed by you, and it’s not certain whether you’re pregnant or not,” Leng Yi glanced at Yun Qiu’s slender waist. “Even if you are pregnant, it’s most likely that Qing You’s child.”

Yun Qiu's face stiffened, her peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, and her gaze sent a chill down Leng Yi's spine. However, she quickly concealed her dangerous look and said cheerfully, "You were able to guess this. You're a born schemer. In that case, why not just eliminate your opponent in secret?"

"Don't change the subject again. According to our deal, you have a responsibility to help me pass the big test," Leng Yi said impatiently. Talking to someone like Yun Qiu was exhausting.

"Also, the man from just now was named Huai Lou, you've got it wrong."

Leng Yi's rationality was about to snap. She gritted her teeth and said, "I apologized to him for admitting my mistake, but why are you beating around the bush?"

"You're so fierce," Yun Qiu looked at Leng Yi with a panicked expression, then her expression turned helpless: "Fine, I'll tell you everything, after all, you should be one of us now."

Yun Qiu said, "I should apologize to you. I can't help you pass the big exam, but you don't need to worry because you will definitely be fine. You are the person that Mother Hu is using to replace Xia Hua. Even if you want to leave Zhuoyu Pavilion, it's impossible."

"So what Xia Hua said is true?" Leng Yi was slightly surprised. She had always thought that Xia Hua was having a persecution mania, but Xia Hua was the most beautiful and talented among them. What was Hu Mama's intention in replacing the best girl?

"Why did Aunt Hu do this?" Leng Yi asked.

"It's simple. She doesn't want Xia Hua to be the top courtesan. She treats Xia Hua like her own daughter, unlike us, who are just tools to be sacrificed at any time," Yun Qiu said calmly.

Leng Yi sensed a hint of desolation in Yun Qiu's words, and everything became clear. It turned out that Mother Hu wanted to protect Xia Hua under her wing, like a nursing mother bird protecting her chicks.

Although she didn't get the answer she wanted, Leng Yi had no more questions. So she bid farewell to Yun Qiu, who gave her a parting word: "You will definitely become the most beautiful courtesan."

Leng Yi said, "It sounds like you're cursing me."

This sentence was indeed like a curse; misfortune blessed her from beginning to end, and the incantations that fate had etched for her spread densely all over her body.

-

November arrived quickly, and the weather grew colder and colder. Before the snow on the ground could melt, another snowfall would fall, covering the earth in a blanket of white. It was too cold to go outside, so the doors and windows of Zhuoyu Pavilion were tightly shut, and glowing red stoves were lit throughout the house.

The atmosphere at Zhuoyu Pavilion during this period was dull, heavy, and oppressive. The five people were each doing their own thing and ignoring each other, not exchanging a single word.

There is only one united front: ostracizing Xia Hua. Previously, Leng Yi was constantly being ridiculed and ostracized by Xia Hua and her team. Now, the tables have turned, but Leng Yi feels no sense of revenge.

When Weifeng and Nongyue took a bath together in the evening, they chatted and laughed. But when they saw Xia Hua enter the bathhouse, their expressions changed and they stopped talking. They finished bathing and left immediately.

Xia Hua's face turned pale and then red, and from then on, she never stepped into the bathroom while they were taking a bath again.

Seeing Xia Hua's dejected appearance, Wei Feng felt very smug. She had always watched Xia Hua flaunt her power and prestige, and now she was finally able to get her revenge. However, she was also a little uneasy because her status was always a grade lower than Xia Hua's, and even lower than Nong Yue Wu Xue.

When Xia Hua was still a noble young lady, her parents sent her to be Xia Hua's maid. This was because Xia Hua's grandfather was a great benefactor to her parents, and her father had sworn that the whole family was willing to serve the Xie family. Her father kept his promise and not only sent his daughter away, but also died for the Xie family in the disaster five years ago.

I am Xia Hua's servant, and I am willing to die for her.

At the tender age of five, she uttered this vow, and as she grew older through numerous trials and tribulations, the thought of it filled her with dread. Why was she Xia Hua's servant? She was the only daughter of the Valiant Cavalry General, and should have been loved by her parents and lived a carefree life. Why did things turn out this way?

The Xie family's grand facade collapsed overnight, and she and Xia Hua lost everything. So why is she still Xia Hua's servant? She is now on equal footing with her, both of them future courtesans!

"So..." Breeze trembled slightly, "I must become the most beautiful courtesan, and never return to a state of inferiority!"

"What are you saying, Breeze?" Nongyue walked over and asked her.

"Ah, oh, nothing, just thinking about lotus leaf chicken in the summer," Breeze said blankly.

Nongyue teased her, "Winter isn't even over yet and you're already thinking about lotus leaf chicken in the summer? What a glutton!"

Weifeng had never dared to reveal her true feelings because she was terrified. She knew that if she showed even the slightest sign of disobedience, Hu Mama would make her wish she were dead. After ostracizing Xia Hua with Nongyue for a few days, she began to feel fear and wanted to reconcile with Xia Hua, but she also truly hated Xia Hua.

The twisted vines grew wildly, and one day her path was blocked. Breeze looked at the person in confusion, "Why is Granny Qin blocking my way?"

"Miss Breeze, I have something I'd like to discuss with you." Granny Qin's face was full of fawning wrinkles.

"What is it?" Breeze asked curiously.

"Miss, let's talk in a quiet place."

Granny Qin pulled her into an empty room and closed the door. Seeing her acting so mysteriously, Wei Feng became even more curious. Granny Qin whispered in her ear, "I know that Miss must be worried about the big exam. I'm here to offer you some advice."

What strategies do you have?

"Hehe, Miss, you see, the big exam is based on ranking, right? The first place gets a reward, and the last place gets a punishment, right? It's naturally difficult to become the first place, but it's much easier not to be the last place, as long as one person is eliminated."

"What you said is as good as nothing at all," Breeze said disdainfully.

"Miss, you don't understand. Sometimes the outcome of a game isn't on the chessboard, but outside of it. Eliminating an opponent doesn't necessarily happen during the game; it can happen outside of it..."

Breeze's heart clenched, pounding rapidly. "You want me to harm someone? But if I get caught, Aunt Hu will definitely not let me off the hook."

"I'll help you! To be honest, I've always felt that Miss Breeze is the most suitable candidate to be the top courtesan; none of the other ladies can compare to you!"

"Really?" Breeze's eyes lit up.

Seeing that she was wavering, Granny Qin pressed on: "Of course, especially since Ningbi is no match for you at all. Why should she cut in halfway and compete with you for the title of the most beautiful courtesan? She shouldn't even be here! So we should eliminate her."

"Yes! Eliminating her is only right!" Breeze clenched his fist, his eyes blazing with wildfire.

"Hehe, let me tell you my plan slowly..."

Breeze and Granny Qin whispered to each other in the room. More than one person next to them covered their mouths and overheard most of their plot before quietly slipping away.

-

At noon, Leng Yi was the first to return to the dormitory and collapsed into her blankets.

Bored, she started practicing sword dancing again. As her basic skills improved, she was able to perform a decent sword flourish. However, due to lack of stamina, she could not lift the sword after only a few moves and went back to bed to rest.

Before she could catch her breath, she heard the door open. Leng Yi straightened up and saw that Nong Yue had returned.

Leng Yi was quite surprised that she came back so early, and said, "You're back quite early today."

"Training is so tiring, I sometimes want to take a break," Nongyue replied with her usual smile.

"Oh." Leng Yi nodded, saying nothing more. She and Nong Yue didn't have much to talk about anyway. She tidied her clothes and prepared to go to sleep.

Suddenly Leng Yi stopped, because Nong Yue was sitting by her bedside. Leng Yi was puzzled and looked at her with a questioning look.

Nongyue responded to Lengyi's gaze with a sweet smile, but the smile gradually turned awkward as Lengyi's doubts deepened. Seeing that Lengyi had no intention of speaking, she said, "There's something I want to discuss with you."

Not negotiable.

"You said."

Nongyue's eyes sharpened: "Since that's the case, I'll get straight to the point. I want to join forces with Lengyi to expel Xiahua from Zhuoyu Pavilion."