As two of the most beautiful women in a sea of beautiful women, countless pairs of eyes were now set upon them.
Second Madame nodded. "Yes, that's right. You need not trouble yourself with the queue. We'll enroll on your behalf!"
As they spoke, Second Madame's turn had arrived. Stepping forward, Second Madame enrolled for both Hua Mengshi and Hua Qiyue before submitting her own enrollment.
Beside them, the servants were having endless discussions. Hua Qiyue had begun receiving all kinds of sweeping looks from the crowd.
Hua Qiyue's lips curved slightly. Lvxin's eyes widened in surprise as her innocent mind finally caught up. "Miss... I think I understand..."
Hua Qiyue glanced nonchalantly at Second Madame's cheerful face. The woman looked as if she had just stumbled upon the best luck in the world.
Of course, she and her daughter both assumed that she was about to die. Why would they not be happy?
Someone in the crowd had overheard the conversation between Second Madame and Hua Mengshi, which led to a round of laughter and sarcastic remarks.
" This worthless piece of thrash can't even get her Qi flowing smoothly, and yet she still wants to participate in the tournament? Looks like the Ji family's going to have to prepare a coffin!" came the snide voice of a woman. Hua Qiyue turned around and eyed the source of the voice.
It was a lavishly dressed woman, clearly of exceptional status, but Hua Qiyue did not know who the woman was. Noticing Hua Qiyue's stare, the woman began laughing arrogantly. "What are you looking at, trash? That's right, I'm talking to you! Remember my name well — Ouyang Liuer.?"
Hua Qiyue had heard that name before. Ouyang Liuer was Minister Ouyang's precious daughter, a spoiled girl who had started bossing people around at a young age. In the capital, she was notorious for being disrespectful and devious.
The number of people that Ouyang Liuer had pissed off was astronomical, but she got away with it due to her father's position.
Hua Qiyue smiled at Ouyang Liuer. "Ah, I see it's Miss Ouyang. I've heard so much about you!"
The crowd gave each other sidelong glances. This wasn't the reaction they'd expected.
According to the stories they had heard, Hua Qiyue lacked inner strength, or strength of any kind, for that matter. But the Hua Qiyue before them was composed and self-assured. Daughters of prominent families often possessed this kind of disposition, but not her.
Next to Hua Qiyue, Ouyang Liuer's arrogance had suddenly made her seem like the lesser of the two women, despite their reputations.
Ouyang Liuer's expression alternated between flushed and pale. She laughed humorlessly. "Hua Qiyue, I can't believe you're brave enough to enroll in the tournament. Your days are numbered!"
"Oh, wow. Could it be that Miss Ouyang is someone greater than Master Xuanji? She can even predict the number of days I have left! Impressive, indeed!" Hua Qiyue was smiling like a flower.
Master Xuanji was highly respected and admired by everyone in the capital. How could this vulgar, disrespectful woman possibly be in the same league as the handsome and enigmatic Master Xuanji?
The crowd began giving Ouyang Liuer contemptuous looks.
When Ouyang Liuer felt the strange looks from the crowd, she stomped her foot vehemently. Initially, she had been planning to show off in front of the crowd in order to win the admiration of the sons of government officials.
What she had not expected was to have herself ridiculed and rendered speechless.
Ouyang Liuer stared daggers at Hua Qiyue, as if flames would burst out of her eyes any second.
After bidding farewell to Second Madame and Hua Mengshi, Hua Qiyue got on the carriage with Lvxin and headed back to the mansion.
In the carriage, Hua Qiyue parted the blinds slightly to look out the window. Brilliant sunshine streaked in, though the light felt surprisingly refreshing due to the presence of the freezing wind, which would whisk away every last drop of the sweltering heat from one's heart.
With pursed lips, Hua Qiyue gazed at the approaching Dong Hai Restaurant and felt a sudden twinge in her heart.
She thought she could no longer feel such emotions, but she was wrong.
Hua Qiyue shifted her eyes towards the second floor of the building. She caught sight of a familiar figure almost instantly.
Tremors shook Hua Qiyue's body. Her hands clenched into fists as her long nails dug into the meat of her palms.
Hua Qiyue's eyes met a pair of familiar, dark eyes. Standing in that balcony was none other than Zhou Zhicheng. He was still as handsome and alluring as he had been in the past.
Zhou Zhicheng had seen Hua Qiyue and was stunned by her beauty, too.
Hua Qiyue beauty was akin to white lilies in a pond or the plum blossoms found in snowy mountains. Her entire appearance radiated pride and dignity.
Hua Qiyue's lips curved into a restrained smile. She pulled her hand away, letting the blinds fall back together.
Hua Qiyue's palms were drenched in sweat. Hatred surged through her heart in waves. She would not be moved by that handsome face ever again.
On the balcony, Zhou Zhicheng was still staring dumbly at the carriage as it rolled away.
"Butler Wu, that carriage…" Zhou Zhicheng said as he tore his gaze away from the carriage, "Which mansion does it belong to?"
Dong Hai Restaurant was a very popular restaurant, and Butler Wu was a highly knowledgeable person who knew lots of people.
Butler Wu glanced at the retreating carriage. "I believe that carriage belongs to Hua Mansion."
Zhou Zhicheng had met Hua Mengshi and Hua Xiaoyi before. After all, most daughters from prominent families were good-for-nothings who only knew about eating and looking pretty.
"I see..." A slight feeling of sadness formed in Zhou Zhicheng's heart. That carriage most likely belonged to Hua Qiyue, Hua Mansion's legitimate daughter. But he was already betrothed to the Princess.
"Young master, you're due for a visit to Hua Mansion in twelve days," said Butler Wu. "What gifts should we prepare?"
Zhou Zhicheng narrowed his eyes as he watched the carriage vanish around a bend. Having noticed Zhou Zhicheng's intense focus on the carriage, Butler Wu lowered his voice and said, "Young master, Princess Huizhen is… a jealous woman."
Princess Huizhen was indeed a jealous woman. After Rong Qiyue's death, all the female servants in the house were tortured, left either disfigured or blind.
Zhou Zhicheng knew who was behind the tortures, of course. He just didn't want it directed at him.
That snapped him out of it.
"Well, I guess any gift will do. Just double the amount of the usual gifts. That way, both us and the Hua family look good."
Butler Wu nodded in satisfaction. The young master had risen quickly among the official ranks. Being the servant of such a man would surely be advantageous.
When Hua Qiyue arrived at the mansion, she saw Hua Xiaoyi at the corridor entertaining birds. When Hua Xiaoyi noticed Hua Qiyue's presence, her lips pulled into a cold and mocking smile.
"Big sister, I heard you've enrolled in the tournament."
Hua Xiaoyi's female servants looked at each other nervously, though they did not have the courage to stop their mistress.
Third Madame had ordered them to keep an eye on Hua Xiaoyi and prevent her from any forms of mischief, and mocking Hua Qiyue certainly fell into that category. But they fear Hua Xiaoyi more than her mother.
"Of course. Didn't you go, as well?" Hua Qiyue smiled casually, though her brows betrayed small signs of uneasiness.
Hua Xiaoyi released a mocking laugh. "Of course, I enrolled. I asked my servant to do it for me. Big sis, you're really such a fool, being so willing to die!"
She laughed impudently, completely unbefitting of her station.
Hua Qiyue glanced at the other woman casually. Then, she noticed the tea that Duo-er, one of Hua Xiaoyi's servant girls, was carrying. The tea looked hot, as if it had just been made.
From her memories, Hua Qiyue knew that Duo-er was an obedient servant who always did Hua Xiaoyi's bidding. She used to torture her on Hua Xiaoyi's orders.
The worst instance was when Duo-er had pushed her down a well in a remote part of the mansion. Then she'd even tossed down a giant piece of rock.
Luckily, the rock had hit only Hua Qiyue's feet. Hua Xiaoyi had then issued her a new order — this time, Duo-er was asked to pour an entire basin of hot water into the well. Hua Qiyue had protected her head with both hands, so only her back and hands were scalded.
Hua Qiyue smiled coldly and moved her finger. A strand of invisible spiritual energy shot towards Duo-er. Duo Er's body shook and her eyes glazed over. All of a sudden, Duo-er poured the hot tea that she had been carrying straight into Hua Xiaoyi's face!
Everyone present was stupefied. Having seen what had just happened, Third Madame and an entourage of servants rushed over, scared out of their wits!
The ensuing sound was a combination of screams of horror and ear-piercing shrieks. Hua Xiaoyi felt as if the tea was burning her entire face to a crisp!
Duo-er stood there as if in a trance before she turning and running away. Third Madame bared her teeth savagely. "Catch Duo-er! That bitch... she dared to hurt my child!"
Hua Xiaoyi knelt on the floor. She covered her face with both hands and started wailing. "Ah, ah... my face. My face..."
Third Madame's face had turned bloodless. She rushed towards Hua Xiaoyi, pulling the younger woman to her feet. "Get the doctor! Quickly!"
Hua Qiyue no longer cared to stay and watch. She ambled forward casually and went on her way. Lvxin snapped back to reality and realized that her palms had been sweating.
She didn't know why Duo-er would suddenly pour hot tea onto Hua Xiaoyi, though she had to admit that it was satisfying. Duo-er and her kind were responsible for much of the bullying that Lvxin had experienced over the years.
The long corridor had turned into a mess. Cuihua Court, on the other hand, was silent.
Hua Qiyue stepped into the main hall then went stock still. In front of her stood a man in green clothes.