After the music ended, the Minister of Rites, Su Quan, bowed and received the imperial scroll from Crown Prince Xia Zhiyuan, then stepped forward to loudly read the competition’s procedures and explain the first round’s content.
According to Su Quan’s explanation, the first round was time-limited to one incense stick’s burning time. Each contestant had a jewelry box-sized mechanism in front of them containing a turtle shell. The first six to retrieve the turtle shell would advance to the next round.
The twelve contestants showed various reactions – some looking down at the box, some glancing up at the platform, others looking around.
After Su Quan finished, the ceremonial official signaled and announced the competition’s start. The glass hourglass on the platform flipped, beginning the timing.
The twelve contestants began moving. I carefully observed, trying to identify which one was my brother, my palms sweating nervously.
Father squinted, straining to look toward the twelve wooden houses. Mother couldn’t wait and tugged his sleeve: “Old man, can you see where our son is?”
“Yes, yes! Where is big brother?” As the sun grew stronger, my little sister shielded her eyes and stood up on tiptoe, looking intently.
An Jin discreetly held my hand under his wide sleeve. “The ‘Geng’ number house is where big brother is.”
Everyone immediately understood, four pairs of eyes fixed directly on the Geng-numbered house.
Big brother, truly a disciple trained by the Tang Sect’s master, was incredibly diligent. He moved calmly and precisely, his hands nimble, unlocking the wooden box and retrieving the turtle shell. Only three contestants had opened their boxes, and he was the fourth.
The bronze gong at the Geng-numbered house rang, and we collectively exhaled in relief.
“Big brother is awesome!” My little sister clapped excitedly, hugging mother. An Jin and I exchanged smiles.
The top six were quickly confirmed, with the other six eliminated.
I was startled and turned to look, only to find it was Ding Hao. However, after examination by two judges, they announced that Ding Hao had violated the rules during the decryption process by using a knife to damage the box, thus rendering his attempt invalid.
Ding Hao left the scene dejected. At this moment, a gong sounded, signaling the arrival of Geng Hao, my elder brother!
I suddenly realized my back was covered in cold sweat. An Jin also breathed a sigh of relief, patting my hand: “Big brother won again.”
Little sister collapsed into her chair, murmuring: “That was too nerve-wracking…”
Mother was confident: “Don’t worry, I know my son! He will definitely win.”
The final three practitioners entered the final round. One was my elder brother, Geng Hao, and the other two were Yi Hao and Xin Hao.
Yi Hao was relatively short, while Xin Hao was tall, with a python-skin sword sheath at his waist.
That python-skin sword sheath immediately made me understand his identity – Mo Qu, the dark-faced attendant beside Yan Huo.
I was extremely anxious. My brother had learned mechanical arts at the last minute; how could he possibly compete with Mo Qu, a genuine Mohist disciple? I sighed, praying for divine protection.
The third competition was the mechanical room challenge.
The three practitioners entered three sealed mechanical rooms. Whoever could solve the mechanism and exit first would win the crown. The difficulty was naturally a step higher than the previous box challenge.
The time limit was one hour.
An Jin quietly said to me: “Don’t worry.”
I looked at him with questions. He nodded confidently. I felt slightly reassured.
More than half an hour later, the three practitioners were ranked. The first to exit was not my brother, nor Mo Qu, but surprisingly Yi Hao. My brother came second, and Mo Qu was last, exiting with a calm demeanor.
Yan Huo had once again made me owe him a favor. Despite Mo Qu’s mercy, my brother still lost.
Little sister burst into tears.
Chapter Thirty-Six: Embarrassing Moments in the Study
The mechanical arts competition had concluded, with Mo Qu and my brother leaving the stage.
The White Crane Plain was jubilant, with everyone curious about Yi Hao’s origins. The ceremonial official announced: “Please, Yi Hao practitioner, come forward to pay respects—”
My brother had changed out of his hemp clothing and returned to us. Mother and little sister immediately hugged his arms to comfort him. However, his expression was not discouraged, instead intently watching Yi Hao approaching the high platform.
Yi Hao slowly ascended the steps, bowing to the three kingdoms’ royal families, and removed the veil.
Beneath the veil was a beautiful, charming face with a gentle smile. Even from a distance, I could see the emperor and empress’s smiles stiffening.
“Neither male nor female,” Mother grumbled. “How can they compare to our A Wang?”
I coughed, sensing Mother would soon regret her impulsive words. My brother looked embarrassed. “Mother, she is—”
“Miao Yin pays respects to Your Majesty and the Empress,” she announced loudly. “Thanks to Your Majesty and the Empress’s blessings, Miao Yin could bring glory to our great Qi Kingdom.”
The ultimate victor was my future sister-in-law, Xue Miao Yin.
This statement caused a public uproar. Various gazes converged on the graceful and beautiful woman on the stage.
Although the customs of the Great Qi Kingdom were considered relatively open, they could not compare to the gender equality tradition of Nanrui. In the perception of Qi Kingdom people, a proper young lady should be like Su Hui: elegant, reserved, empathetic, who would never directly express her desires, but instead…
The queen’s expression clearly showed some anger, while the emperor looked troubled. “This matter—” The Second Princess of Nanrui suddenly clapped and said loudly: “Good! I never expected Qi Kingdom to have such a bold and uninhibited woman. Your Majesty, this is a beautiful thing. Why not fulfill the wishes of these two lovers?” “Princess Zhaoyue speaks wisely,” Yan Huo put down his wine cup and nodded slightly: “I heard that Your Majesty promised before the competition to grant the Qi Kingdom champion one wish. Surely Your Majesty would be pleased to fulfill this lady’s wish?”
With the support of the royal families of Nanrui and Xiliang, the situation suddenly became favorable for Miao Yin. The Qi Emperor was caught in a dilemma, and the Crown Prince also spoke: “Miss Xue shows great courage. This son also requests that the Emperor fulfill this marriage.”
With public opinion unanimous, the Qi Emperor could no longer refuse, and could only order Su Quan to summon her elder brother. The elder brother and Xue Miao Yin exchanged a tacit glance, declaring their intentions before the Qi Emperor, willing to marry each other.
The Qi Emperor had no choice but to allow this marriage under everyone’s watchful eyes.
Finally, everyone was happy. My younger sister wiped away her tears, jumping and cheering, and even my father laughed heartily, repeatedly expressing his amazement. Only my mother seemed not to have reacted, standing there in a daze, and it took me a long time to gradually bring her back to her senses, still unable to believe this unexpected blessing.
The major life event of my elder brother, the difficult problem hanging over our entire family, was finally resolved. Although the process was somewhat bumpy, the ending was quite satisfactory. After the competition, my brother sent Miao Yin back to the Cao residence, prepared a big feast at home, and brought a jar of bamboo leaf green wine. After drinking two cups, he collapsed on the table, eyes closed, giggling foolishly.
