114 Being pretty is not enough. Being skilled is still lacking. You need a brain as well! Part I
After that day, Bai Yu did not see Ouyang Feilong again. She only heard about him from others in the Yue family. Seven days later, the black dragon donned his mask once more and led the troop to the border.
Bai Yu did not see Ouyang Feilong off. It was not because he was cold or she was neglectful, but because they both had their own duties to see to. He, as the commander-general, had to protect the motherland. She, as a woman, had to practice for the Meihua Lady competition that her mother had high hopes for.
Knowing that Ouyang Feilong would bring victory, she chose to focus on what she could do and waited for the news from him. Even though, deep inside, she feared that everything would go according to the storyline.
From what she knew, Ouyang Feilong was lured in by the ploy that was used to catch him specifically. Da Chu sacrificed thousands of its soldiers in that battle only to catch the commander-general. Chu Zhaoran displayed his ruthlessness here in his willingness to throw away the lives of his men for one man. His actions were heard throughout the two nations.
The royal decree then came, assigning Ouyang Mingxian as acting commander-general and ordering him to head to the battlefront with one hundred thousand soldiers and royal doctors, including Bai Hua. Still, the soldiers’ morale, which had plummeted after the loss of their general, did not recover on his arrival.
Bai Yu did not know much about the details or what happened next. She was the villainess, and in order to best immerse herself in her role, she chose not to know information that was not to her character’s knowledge. Her dedication was one of the reasons why she was a successful actress. And as a highly successful actress, she did not have much time to watch the series she starred in. As a result, she did not know anything beyond what Bai Yu in the story knew, which was that Ouyang Feilong went missing for a while, then Da Yang triumphed with him as part of the army. As for the other details that she did not know, she could only hope that it would not be something too severe...
At least she hoped his beautiful face would be unscathed.
“What are you worried about?”
“Take a guess.” Bai Yu waggled her eyebrow at the newcomer. It was an unseemly action for a lady, though Yue Nan only laughed and lightly shook his head at her mischievousness. Sometimes she was sweet, sometimes playful. Her demeanor when they were alone was different from when she was under the gaze of other family members.
.....
Beautiful. Affable. Refined. Calm. At first glance, it might seem that she was a master of masks, but as the three-eyed seer, he knew that all of them were her true nature. All of them were Bai Yu, who had been forged through various lifetimes.
“War,” he answered, as he sat down next to his younger cousin, who had been sitting and sighing in the garden. Her eyes gazed at the bright full moon while her two arms were tightly hugging her body to protect it against the cold. As days went on and the season started to change, the weather was getting colder and colder. Despite knowing so, Bai Yu did not bring a hand warmer outside with her. Yue Nan took off his cloak and gently put it on her shoulder.
“Thank you, brother,” she said, averting her eyes away from the moon to look at the man, who was similarly glowing with a silver light. His blue eyes were tender. Bai Yu smiled. “What I’m worried about the most is the fate after that.”
“You’ve already changed it considerably.”
“That’s the problem. I’m afraid that it’ll change until I don’t know anything anymore.”
“Fate has always been a curious joker.” His eyes turned upward to the moon. “But rest assured. Everything will end well.”
Bai Yu fell silent. She knew that the fate of heaven could not be revealed. The person in front of her had to hide everything and take the role of an indifferent observer, knowing how everything would start and end. She knew how much her biaoge had to endure, so she never thought to ask anything that would trouble him again, including the many times Yue Nan had been secretly summoned to the palace lately.
“When will you go back?”
“When everything comes to an end.”
And when would it end? After the war? After she married? Or...after the Emperor died?
“Bai Yu?”
“Yes?”
“Are you angry at biaoge?” Bai Yu stared at him in confusion.
“Despite already knowing what you’ve come back here to face, I came to you so late, and I can’t tell you anything. Aren’t you angry?”
Bai Yu shook her head. “I had thought that I’d have to fight fate alone...” She calmly spoke. “But now that I know I have you, I feel more relieved than angry. If someday I can’t take it anymore and shout ‘F*ck’, at least there’s you who know what it means.”
Yue Nan laughed. He gently stroked her head.
“I may not be familiar with your world when you were Yoknapha, but I understand your personality. Once, I was worried that you might not be able to get used to living here. But now I know...” He gazed lovingly at her. “Both Yoknapha and Bai Yu are my dear sister. Nothing can change that.”
At least sorrow had not destroyed your heart beyond repair.
At least hatred had not turned you into a wildfire.
At least fate would change now.
At least he would not have to see that person die again.
—————–
The royal magic cultivation institute sent out invitations to young ladies, inviting them to participate in the competition for the title of Meihua Lady. Not everyone could join the competition because the competitors would have to be evaluated by the institute and deemed eligible first. The choice was up to them whether to accept the invitation or not. Bai Yu received the invitation several days ago. The process would be the same as last year, where she, the current Meihua Lady, would appear only for the final round to defend her title from the last two participants.
It had been seven full days since the qualifying round. Bai Yu stayed in the Yue mansion and kept to herself, not going out or appearing in public anywhere, not even at the anonymous master’s shop that had expanded its business as its popularity shot up. Customers crowded the shop, and there was already a one-year waiting list.
Her reputation was on the rise, along with the shop’s. It drew people from far and wide to flock to the capital of Da Yang, all expecting to view the beauty of the current Meihua Lady as well as the final round of the competition.
The nation was in a stressful period because of the war, so this competition was a great distraction for the people. The attention that this year’s competition received even made the Emperor order a new festival to be organized. Thus, the ‘Meihua viewing festival’ was born. Both merchants and performers headed for Da Yang in great spirits, while Da Yang citizens and foreigners greatly enjoyed the festival. They all praised the Emperor, who was generous even in such a bleak time.
Families of soldiers were also happy. These small entertainments boosted morale within the army. Plum blossom teas brewed by the royal chefs were sent to the soldiers in the army, involving them in this festive atmosphere as well.
An Emperor must protect the smiles of his subjects. This was the pay that was worth Ouyang Hongxian’s lifetime of work.
“You’re too careless.”
“You’re underestimating me too much.”
“I just don’t want the Meihua Lady title from you.”
“What about ‘my’ Qin Wang? Do you still want him?”
Follow current nov𝒆ls on freew(𝒆)bnov𝒆l.(c)om