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墨書 Inktalez
Ouyang Zixin had just begun to relax when a sudden flash of insight struck her mind, reminding her that she seemed to have forgotten something very important.
"Where did Yun Tianmo go?" On her first day of marriage, he was not by her side.
Before Liu Ying could respond, the Housekeeper interjected, "Your Highness, you should have your breakfast first. The Prince has gone out for some matters and asked that you must not let yourself go hungry. I have already instructed someone to prepare it; please head to the front hall."
Although the Housekeeper appeared to be a kind-hearted person, Ouyang Zixin was still not accustomed to having someone around telling her what she should do. So she persistently looked at Liu Ying and said, "I tend to forget things when I wake up. Tell me, is there something important happening today?"
Liu Ying nodded; today was indeed an important day—
The competition was about to begin!
"What the heck! Yun Tianmo didn’t call me!" Ouyang Zixin suddenly slapped her forehead, finally recalling what she had forgotten. The competition she had been looking forward to for so many days was starting today, and she had overslept...
"Let’s go, I want to see!" Ouyang Zixin said as she headed outside. As she passed by the Housekeeper, she paused slightly and said, "You go ahead with your work, I won’t need breakfast today. We can discuss other matters when I return."
"Understood."
She had expected the Housekeeper to stop her but was surprised when she readily agreed.
Ouyang Zixin nodded in satisfaction and left.
————————————
In front of the Imperial Palace of the Departed Nation, soldiers stood in neat rows, and the honor guard was positioned at the front, appearing spirited under the blazing sun.
"Whoosh—"
"Boom boom boom!"
The sound of drums and horns echoed through the sky as the square was filled with a crowd. Although it was bustling with people, it remained orderly. Upon closer inspection, one would notice that these onlookers were not ordinary commoners but rather well-dressed young nobles.
At the front of the square stood a high platform covered with a large red carpet. There were already seats arranged on the platform for people to sit, but there were only three of them. At this moment, the platform was still empty; no one was present except for soldiers guarding the entrance to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering.
As the music played in unison, a large open space in the middle of the square began to fill with people who appeared somewhat older yet seemed to hold significant status. They stood quietly in approximately three groups without knowing what they were waiting for.
"Silence!"
The sound of drums was interrupted as the crowd looked up towards the source of the voice, revealing a figure in eunuch attire, slightly plump, appearing at one corner of the high platform. Due to the glaring sunlight, many could only guess who this person might be based on their silhouette.
"Do we even need to guess? It's obviously Li Feng," whispered a noble youth. "In such an occasion, how could it possibly be an ordinary eunuch? Besides, look at the sash around his waist; that's a gift from the Sovereign."
"I have heard of him, but I've never seen him in person," another noble remarked. They had certainly heard of Li Feng's name, but few had actually encountered him.
"The Sovereign has arrived!" The person on the high platform was indeed Li Feng.
As his voice fell, the bustling square instantly fell silent, with not a single murmur to be heard. Even the rustling of clothing as someone shifted slightly to escape the scorching sun was clearly audible. This demonstrated just how serious and solemn the occasion was.
Moments later, Nan Gong Yao appeared in view, dressed formally. He walked at the front, followed by two others whose faces were obscured.
"Could it be the Sovereigns of Cloud Nation and Dream Nation?" someone speculated.
"Impossible! Although this competition is important, it's unlikely for the Sovereigns of all three kingdoms to gather in Exiled Nation," came a rebuttal immediately.
The one who had speculated reconsidered and agreed; if Exiled Nation were to employ some tactics and manage to take down those two nations, it would be too late for regrets.
"Look, those two seem quite young," someone squinted and observed closely. Unlike Nan Gong Yao, who was older, the two following him were clearly younger. What could possibly qualify them to sit on that high platform alongside Nan Gong Yao?
It should be noted that the Capital of the Departed Nation currently gathered Nobility from all three kingdoms. Those older and respected individuals were lined up in the center of the square; it was remarkable that young people could ascend to such heights, making those of similar age below feel envious.
"See? One is dressed in Dream Nation attire and the other in Cloud Nation attire; they must be some minor princes or something."
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement. If they were indeed princes or lords, it made sense since representatives from the other two nations were also needed.
The murmurs quickly subsided as Nan Gong Yao stepped forward, clearly about to speak. The crowd held their breath in anticipation.
"Today's competition concerns all three kingdoms and is of utmost importance. I hope everyone treats it with caution and avoids any disturbances!" Nan Gong Yao's sharp gaze swept across the crowd. The youths who had been whispering earlier quickly lowered their heads, feeling somewhat guilty. However, Nan Gong Yao's gaze did not linger on them but paused momentarily when looking at a group of elders standing in an open area of the square.
But it was only for a brief moment.
Nan Gong Yao had a strong chance of winning today's competition; as long as no outrageous tactics were employed, he could tolerate it.
For instance, he ultimately did not hold a grudge against Ouyang Hao for secretly marrying off his daughter to a prince from Cloud Nation before the competition; he merely sighed about his son's lack of fortune.
Nan Gong Yao's words were brief, and after speaking, he turned around and gestured for the two young men behind him to take their seats.
As the three of them sat down, Li Feng quickly announced the start of the drawing for the competition. Then, they saw the people lined up in the square slowly moving forward toward the platform below.
"Hey, do you think there will be something... hmm?"
"You're so talkative! Just watch carefully," a man said, only to be interrupted by someone next to him who spat out, "Some things are better kept to yourself!"
---
"So many people?!" Ouyang Zixin exclaimed, her mouth agape. She knew the competition was important, but she didn't expect such a large crowd on the very first day.
Weren't the common folks warned not to go out casually? Where did all these people come from?
"Miss, those people on the outskirts are mostly young nobles who often travel outside, along with some noble ladies. Look over there," someone pointed out. Not far from the crowd was a simple platform where it seemed all the women were gathered, separated from the men.
Ouyang Zixin couldn't help but be astonished. She never imagined that the Capital of the Departed Nation had so many nobles; no wonder it was built so grandly.
"But how am I supposed to find Yun Tianmo in all this?" Looking at the sea of heads, Ouyang Zixin felt dizzy.
(To be continued.)
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