Chapter 332: Chapter 299: Ji Fei’Er
"Yue Mei’Er!"
"Si Miaoxue!"
"What brings you here..." the two women said in unison.
"Alright, come in, both of you."
"Yes, my lord."
"Miaoxue, you go first later. I know you haven’t been back for a while, you must be longing terribly."
"Yue Mei’Er, you think I don’t know that you sneak over when I’m not here. My lord was with me first, his first time..."
These two women call each other "sister" and "little sister" in front of others, but behind the scenes, they’re always at each other’s throats. Now, even in front of him, they won’t stop.
What do they take him for?
"My lord, it’s rare that Miaoxue is back, how about letting her accompany you tonight? Mei’Er will stand guard outside?"
"Yue Mei’Er, don’t play your game of feigning retreat. I won’t fall for it." Si Miaoxue didn’t know what this woman was planning, but since she came, she wouldn’t easily give up her spot tonight.
"Hmph, my lord, let me help you undress!"
"Miaoxue, come sit." Lin Miao patted the spot next to him and gave a command. He did favor Si Miaoxue a bit more.
Although Yue Mei’Er was more open and knew how to please him in bed, Si Miaoxue was, after all, with him first, and even though she might have had other thoughts initially, ever since being with him, she’s been fully devoted.
Yue Mei’Er, on the other hand, was a bit more complicated and less pure.
With joy, Si Miaoxue lifted her skirt and walked over to sit next to Lin Miao, nestling against him like a little bird.
Yue Mei’Er pouted slightly in dissatisfaction, but suddenly felt a hand sliding up her leg, instantly making her eyes brim with a misty glaze.
My lord has become naughtier since we first met.
He never used to be so forward, but now he initiates the teasing.
Yue Mei’Er’s body was already sensitive and couldn’t handle teasing; a few gentle strokes left her overwhelmed and limp.
...
"My lord, I finally understand why Lianxin and Liansuo serve you together. Even with our Meridian Passage Realm cultivation, we’re no match for you..." Si Miaoxue said, panting heavily.
Yue Mei’Er was more at a loss than her; if Lin Miao hadn’t deliberately gone easy on her, she’d have paid a higher price today.
The Embrace Yang Skill was too powerful.
"Tell me, why did you both come back today of all days? What’s going on?" Lin Miao asked. Si Miaoxue and Yue Mei’Er seldom coordinate their returns, so something significant must have happened that brought them back at the same time.
"My lord, how about we talk while soaking in the bath?"
"Okay."
Lin Miao picked up Yue Mei’Er and went through a special corridor directly into the bath, designed from the start for convenience.
A pool of warm water was ready, with flower petals scattered on the surface. Lianxin was so thoughtful to think of this.
"No wonder my lord is so fond of Lianxin, she’s really good at what she does," Si Miaoxue couldn’t help but admire, finding the timing and water temperature precisely perfect.
Clearly, she had been waiting outside all along but held back from coming in.
"Miaoxue, what if we brought Lianxin in with us, wouldn’t that increase our chances?" Yue Mei’Er asked, recovering her strength in the warm water.
"Don’t drag me into your madness," Si Miaoxue spat out, shooting down Yue Mei’Er’s suggestion. She never imagined she’d end up sharing a man with Yue Mei’Er...
It was as if she’d turned into the person she had scorned a year ago, yet now, she found herself somewhat indulging in it. No wonder Master said that it’s hard for women to maintain their resolve. Once they fall, it’s faster than men.
"Lianxin, come in."
"My lord..."
"Didn’t you both say you wanted to try?" Lin Miao chuckled, interested in testing his own limits.
Upon hearing this, Yue Mei’Er was so startled that she submerged herself in the water.
...
"My lord, the marriage recruitment at the Embroidery House is out of control. Mr. Baili intended to limit it to Li Hen City, or at most the northwest martial world of Da Li, not expecting it to draw so many to Li Hen City..." Si Miaoxue said.
"What’s her plan?"
"Mr. Baili has promised Baili Yuyao to you and won’t go back on his word. Otherwise, our two families’ cooperation can’t continue," Si Miaoxue remarked.
"Was it her who brought you back?"
"Yes, and no. Mr. Baili knows you can’t go to Li Hen City, as it would expose your identity. She’s devised a plan."
"What method?"
"I will disguise myself as you to fight."
"That won’t work. Too many people in Dongshan City have seen me. As soon as I show my face, I’m sure I’ll be recognized," Lin Miao said.
"A person cannot appear in two places at once. You are practicing medicine every day in Dongshan City, so the person in Li Hen City is definitely not you. Mr. Baili means for me to take the stage for the martial arts contest as a pseudonymous identity of yours. As long as I win against everyone, naturally it will silence everyone," Si Miaoxue said, "But to do this, I need your nod of agreement."
"Miaoxue is truly devoted to the groom. Baili Yuyao is the number one beauty of Li Hen City. If the groom marries her, we’ll have another sister. Isn’t that nice, to have someone else to share the burdens?" Yue Mei’Er said.
"What is the matchmaking process?"
"First selection, second selection, and lastly, the martial arts contest to determine the winner!"
"The initial selection is based on age, background, and appearance. This is a matchmaking, not a competition. So, based on certain criteria, a portion with poor backgrounds or unclear origins and unattractive appearances are filtered out, which is naturally implied,"
"The second selection evaluates talents. This part involves a written exam, with questions set by Mr. Baili himself. The son-in-law of the sewing workshop must be well-versed in astronomy above and know geography below. He cannot be uneducated, no-goods. Finally, the top ten will enter the final round of the martial arts contest for marriage!"
"Ten people participate in the martial arts contest. Regardless of winning or losing, they will all receive a grand gift from the sewing workshop. Baili Yuyao will ultimately choose who will be her desirable husband, which she decides herself, and he doesn’t necessarily have to be the champion of the martial arts contest!"
Lin Miao nodded. Such rules are mostly advantageous to the sewing workshop, especially in the final round of the martial arts contest for marriage.
It’s not just the champion of the martial arts contest who becomes the favored son-in-law of the sewing workshop. This way, it broadens the sewing workshop’s choices, and young talents participating in the contest won’t go to extremes just for the first place.
Since being chosen as the first is not guaranteed, the intensity of the competition will naturally be much smaller, making it less likely for anyone to get hurt or die.
Of course, the sewing workshop will definitely give the top ten participants rich rewards. Otherwise, it couldn’t attract these people to participate.
The sewing workshop’s gain is sure to be much greater than its expense.
Actually, as long as Si Miaoxue gets into the top ten, then it’s as good as predetermined, this approach is easy to explain to outsiders and insiders.
At the minimum, everything is completely within the announced rules.
"You want to participate?"
"If you don’t nod, I can’t even get through the preliminary selection."
"Why is that?" Lin Miao was puzzled.
"I’m a woman; when they check identities, do you think the sewing workshop would be foolish enough to let me pass?" Si Miaoxue gave Lin Miao a blank stare.
Lin Miao grinned sheepishly. The sewing workshop does things meticulously; such details wouldn’t be overlooked. There were stories of women disguised as men to participate in martial arts contests for marriage before, and they clearly ended sadly.
If Si Miaoxue participated instead of Lin Miao, it might be deliberately overlooked in the first round...
"I’ve already registered under the identity of Lin Bei, as an ordinary disciple of Shanglin Temple from the Lin Clan in Dongshan." Si Miaoxue said, "If you disagree, then it’s not necessary to participate in the preliminary selection after registering. Just not showing up will automatically disqualify you, with no impact."
This was done first and reported later.
Even if the sewing workshop wanted to investigate this identity, there’s nothing to find out. Just informing Fahai at Shanglin Temple should make it no problem.
But if this identity is ultimately chosen, then all major forces will definitely want to trace this Lin Bei’s full ancestry.
Just what kind of person has managed to earn Baili Yuyao’s favor?
Since it’s a marital selection, the identity of the lucky one surely has to be announced in the end. Otherwise, the sewing workshop’s credibility would be questioned.
Si Miaoxue and Baili Bingyun can decide on their own, but Lin Miao must consider the consequences of Lin Bei’s identity being exposed.
The sewing workshop people might not investigate, but not so assuredly might others. Would those who lost simply not investigate?
Would they willingly let such a chance to skip several years of struggle be taken easily? In this world, those who preach martial virtue usually live the hardest.
"Master, my sister’s skill level is too high; why not let me try it? I am better at disguise than my sister," Yue Mei’Er also showed great interest in this matter and volunteered.
"Yue Mei’Er, this is my matter, and it’s not related to you. Do your own thing. About the shamaness matter, have you reported to the master?"
"I was just waiting for you to finish, then to tell the master," Yue Mei’Er pouted and muttered.
"What happened with the shamaness?"
"Ever since the shamaness entered Da Li’s territory, she was continuously intercepted by Da Li’s martial artists. The most recent was an encounter with the Seven Children of Lingxi from the Spirit Sword Sect at Little Dang Mountain. The Seven Children of Lingxi were seriously injured, and the shamaness along with Original Elder and two others went missing," Yue Mei’Er said.
"When did this happen?" Lin Miao asked.
"Five days ago."
"Five days, and you are only now reporting it to the master?" Si Miaoxue reprimanded unpleasantly.
"I had to confirm the information before reporting to the master. If we guessed wrong, it would mislead the master into making poor decisions. Little Dang Mountain is a thousand miles away; even if information is sent by eagle, it would take a day and night to convey. Our activities in Da Li are secret; how could it compare to those in Great Yue?" Yue Mei’Er retorted.
"What’s the skill level of the Seven Children of Lingxi?"
"The youngest wielding the Scarlet Flame Sword is at the Great Perfection of the Blood Fusion Realm," Si Miaoxue explained. "The eldest with the Black Abyss Sword at Upper Grade Meridian Passage Realm, the remaining five are at the Meridian Passage Realm, each wielding the White Mist Sword, Golden Scale Sword, Cyan Sky Sword, Frost Sword, and Twilight Sword. The seven can form the Seven-Star Sword Array, powerful beyond measure; if all were at Upper Grade Meridian Passage Realm, they could rival the Heavenly Origin!"
"Is there any trace of Ji Fei’Er?"
"Fei’Er is here too!" Yue Mei’Er exclaimed.
"She has the closest relation with the shamaness. If the shamaness came, wouldn’t she naturally?" Si Miaoxue glanced at Yue Mei’Er.
