CHAPTER 81: THE SHANSHI FESTIVAL CHALLENGE

Meanwhile, in Yue Mingxuan’s courtyard, the atmosphere was filled with joy.

Sui He was helping Yue Mingxuan wash his back while pouring warm water with flower petals over him.

"Prince, will this really make your skin better?" she asked with a hint of disbelief in her tone.

Yue Mingxuan playfully frowned. "Sui He, are you questioning my abilities?"

Sui He pouted but kept working. "But Prince, you couldn’t do anything before. How come now it seems like you can do everything?"

After sticking out his tongue, Yue Mingxuan laughed and explained, "Do you know what ’wise by seeming foolish’ means? To amaze everyone suddenly... Because I pretend I can’t do anything, they don’t bother putting effort into me. If they knew I could do everything, it would be a disaster for me."

Although he was lying, Yue Mingxuan felt no guilt.

What else could he do?

Should he tell Sui He that he had transmigrated from another world?

He definitely didn’t want to become roast pork.

Sui He’s eyes lit up with confidence. "Then I’m relieved. During the Shanshi Festival, you’ll surely beat them all and become the Flower God of the festival!"

"What?" Yue Mingxuan was taken aback.

Shanshi Festival? Why had he never heard of it?

From Sui He’s words, it sounded like there would be some kind of competition.

He had never been good at things like this.

Apart from a short period of gymnastics training as a child, he really didn’t know anything.

He turned around stiffly and cautiously asked Sui He who looked at him full of expectation, "You mean... there’s a competition during the Shanshi Festival?"

Sui He gave him a look that clearly said, Prince, you didn’t know?

"Yes! Shanshi Festival is a famous festival across the four kingdoms. On this day, unmarried Girl and Ger would go on stage to perform their skills and be judged by the people. The first place will be crowned the Flower God of that year."

"What if I don’t go?" Yue Mingxuan asked quietly.

He really didn’t want to go.

A stiff and modern born person like him being forced to dance as part of a talent contest?

He groaned inwardly.

If only he had learned to play the guqin instead.

Sui He glanced at her master and let out a quiet sigh.

She already knew why Yue Mingxuan didn’t want to go.

In previous years, he had been forced to participate and his painted face looked like a messy palette on stage.

He was often booed off before he could even perform.

Over time, he had simply acted like he had forgotten the festival even existed.

Thinking of Yue Mingxuan’s past "miserable" experiences, Sui He felt a little guilty for mentioning it. "Actually, it’s not a big deal if you don’t go. At most, the people might talk a little, then it will be over. That so-called one-of-a-kind jewelry made by Sword Forge Villa isn’t actually all that precious."

Hearing this, Yue Mingxuan’s eyes lit up, as if he had discovered a new world. Curious, he asked, "Sword Forge Villa? From the name, it sounds like they make weapons. How do they make jewelry too?"

Sui He who is still gently rubbing his body with fragrant oil explained, "Sword Forge Villa is the most prestigious faction in the world. In the martial world, anyone who can use their weapons considers it an honor. They gather the finest craftsmen from all four kingdoms and they can make anything. Every year for the Shanshi Festival, they make jewelry that was so rare that it’s almost impossible to get. Not only are the materials precious, but the craftsmanship is also unique in the world."

"So you mean this prize is really valuable," Yue Mingxuan said, her eyes sparkling at the words ’almost impossible to get’.

If he could get a set of that jewelry, he could easily trade it for a fortune in gold.

Sui He didn’t notice his excitement and continued her explanation. "It should be very valuable, yes, but no one sells it, so how valuable it truly is, no one knows. I heard that even the richest daughter of the Fang family offered ten thousand taels of gold and still couldn’t get one. There are plenty of imitations on the market, though."

Ten thousand taels of gold... Ten thousand taels of gold...

Yue Mingxuan could already imagine piles of glittering gold calling out to him, completely forgetting that just five minutes ago, he had admitted to himself that he could never win the festival.

"I’ve decided! I’m entering the Shanshi Festival!" Overcome with excitement, Yue Mingxuan climbed out of the bath and declared boldly, "For gold, I’ll risk it all!"

Sui He whis watching her master announce participation for the sake of gold could only laugh and cry at the same time.

She looked at Yue Mingxuan in his black outfit with a hint of worry. "Master, is this really a good idea?"

After tightening the straps of his night outfit, Yue Mingxuan said, "What’s bad about it? Sometimes you have to use unconventional methods. You know the saying: it doesn’t matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat."

"But Master, this is cheating!" Sui He wanted to shout but held back, instead helping him arrange his long black hair into a Taoist-style topknot.

Yue Mingxuan straightened his clothes and inwardly groaned.

Three days ago, he had boldly promised to enter this year’s talent competition at the festival and Sui He had immediately put him through a talent test.

Dance—no.

Guqin—no.

Flute—no.

Not even composing poetry worked.

Seeing the disappointment in Sui He’s eyes, he felt he had truly earned the title of useless prince.

Through some indirect inquiries, Yue Mingxuan had learned that the talent competition for the Shanshi Festival would be based on questions secretly stored in Concubine Keshun’s bedchamber.

Exhausted from Sui He’s intense training, he immediately decided to sneak into Concubine Keshun’s bedchamber at night.

The purpose?