Chapter 52: Yun Qingwu
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
The scholars stared, their mouths agape with shock. Nobody dared to believe what was happening.
Did he want to live anymore?
He actually provoked Meng Yushu? Not only did he provoke Meng Yushu, he even took away the fruits placed in front of Yan Xiu? What an act of killing two birds with one stone!
Most importantly, this youth seemed to be savouring it without a care for the world.
Isn’t this too cocky?
Meng Yushu’s expression turned black. When he saw clearly the youth sitting beside Yan Xiu, his face was so black that water could drip out of it.
That blue robe made with coarse cloth, the coarse cloth worn on his head, and the boots he wore on his feet that were polished so brightly it could almost give off light, was clear evidence that he was a country bumpkin from the village.
A country bumpkin, actually standing on his territory, under the gaze of everybody, causing him to fall to the ground?
He absolutely couldn’t stand this!
As he prepared to explode with rage, a soft wave of recitation sounded out at his ear.
"Act with courtesy, act with courtesy…"
Meng Yushu was taken aback, then realised that this sound came from Yan Xiu, who was sited beside the youth. At this moment, Yan Xiu’s expression was cold as ice, his two lips opening and closing continuously.
He was reciting that phrase "act with courtesy".
"Act with courtesy?" Meng Yushu frowned deeply. The hand gripping onto the sword at his waist almost turned white. What did Yan Xiu’s words mean? Is he asking him to act with courtesy?
But this person had stepped on his head, was he still supposed to be courteous?
All of a sudden, Meng Yushu thought of the main event of this Hundred Flower Gathering and his eyes instantly lit up as if he suddenly understood something. This is what he meant…
Once he thought of this, Meng Yushu stood up from the floor, lightly patted away the dirt from his buttocks and took a slight bow towards Yan Xiu and the youth.
"I am Meng Yushu, how can I address you?"
These words were naturally directed towards the youth, but when this scene reached the eyes of the surrounding scholars…
They were instantly baffled.
What was happening? He actually didn’t retaliate and unsheathe his sword? How can he stand this? Furthermore, he even asked for his name? Since when did Meng Yushu have such good temper?
They absolutely didn’t dare to believe.
At this moment, the youth was still chewing on the fruits, when he heard Meng Yushu’s question, he waved his hands and with a look of disdain, replied, "If you don’t have anything to say, leave. I am waiting to see the performance."
"..."
The surrounding scholars instantly felt as if someone had stuffed an egg in their mouths. They were completely lost for words. Who was this person dressed in a coarse robe? He actually didn’t even bother to reply Meng Yushu and instead asked him to leave?
This attitude, indeed… caused people to be unable to reply.
Meng Yushu was similarly stunned. Carefully sizing up this youth, he thought for a while and realised, there didn’t seem to be such a person in the Huai An County!
Just as he prepared to rage, he heard Yan Xiu begin to recite once again.
"Act with courtesy, act with courtesy…"
Meng Yushu’s expression changed again and again, his chest rising and falling furiously. After exactly fifteen minutes of restraint did he manage to hold back the anger rising inside him.
"Since young master have come to this Hundred Flower Gathering, you would definitely know that the main event of this gathering is centred around this word "Flower". How about we make a bet today?" Meng Yushu tried his best to keep his voice calm, but he still involuntarily gritted his teeth.
"Bet? Hmm… tell me more!" The youth’s expression seemed interested.
"Let’s compete who can unveil the veil of the beauty, shall we?" Meng Yushu twitched his mouth towards the high stage behind him with a challenging look.
"Beauty? There are beauties today?" The youth’s expression seemed slightly taken aback.
Meng Yushu instantly laughed coldly to himself. He was indeed a country bumpkin, he didn’t even know that the main event of the Hundred Flower Gathering was "Compete for Beauties"?
Betting with such a person, would it be losing his dignity?
But, since Yan Xiu continuously spoke of acting with courtesy, he would carry out matters according to the rules of the Hundred Flower Gathering, hopefully this Yan Xiu wouldn’t have any further opinions?
"How about it, does young master dare to accept this?"
"The winner is whoever unveils the beauty’s veil first?" The youth continued.
"Naturally!" Meng Yushu nodded.
Even though main competition of the Hundred Flower Gathering was for the beauties, but, it is centred about competing through language arts. If one wished to unveil the beauty, they had to display sufficient linguistic ability and win the hearts of the beauty in front of the crowd in order for her to unveil.
Meng Yushu didn’t believe that this country bumpkin in front of him would have any linguistic ability.
Furthermore, even if this country bumpkin really had some outstanding work of art, just based on his attire alone, it wouldn’t be possible at all to win the beauty’s heart.
Hence, this round of betting was a sure-win. Ever since the rules of the bet had been agreed upon, the results were already set.
"Sure!" The youth seemed to have not hesitated at all and nodded agreeably.
Meng Yushu was instantly delighted. This country bumpkin was indeed brave, he actually dared to bet with him? He couldn’t blame himself then.
"Since we made a bet, there should be a stake!" Meng Yushu patiently guided.
"Yes, you are right!" The youth nodded once again. He didn’t feel that there was a problem at all.
Meng Yushu felt that this was enough. Looking at the youth in front of him, he dug into his pockets and finally hesitated a little.
If he betted too much, it wouldn’t be good if this person decided to shrink away.
"How about we just bet a hundred taels of silver?" Meng Yushu probed.
"Sure!" The youth instantly smiled when he heard this.
"Alright, let’s invite Yan Xiu to be our witness, we will put out a hundred taels of silver each, and bet who can unveil the beauty’s veil first!" When Meng Yushu finished his sentence, he fished out a piece of hundred tael silver banknote and placed it in front of Yan Xiu.
Yan Xiu glanced, and his expression instantly became even colder, continuing to mumble, "Act with courtesy, act with courtesy…"
On the other hand, the youth took up the silver note with a delighted look.
"Can I invite young master to place down his silver note as well?" When Meng Yushu saw the youth take a look, but didn’t act, he became somewhat suspicious.
"Silver note? Oh… this isn’t a problem, just relax, anyway, I won’t lose!" When the youth heard, he waved his hands towards Meng Yushu, his face unconcerned.
Meng Yushu’s expression instantly darkened further.
What was the meaning of this? Betting without taking out the money? Cheat!
Just as he prepared to argue, he looked at Yan Xiu and instantly swallowed his words. He completely believed that with Yan Xiu as the witness, this person would definitely not play cheat.
Furthermore, in the Huai An County, there were indeed not many people who dared to play cheat against Meng Yushu.
"Hmph!" Meng Yushu huffed. Since the bet had already been confirmed, he didn’t bother quarrelling with the youth further and sat down alone a distance away.
"Meng Yushu actually made a bet with that person about who will unveil the beauty first?"
"This seems interesting, don’t tell me Meng Yushu didn’t notice the namelist of the Beauty competition today, and doesn’t know who today’s beauty is?"
When the scholars heard Meng Yushu and the youth’s conversation, they instantly began to discuss spiritedly.
At this very moment, on the River of Trust, a humongous three-story high decorated pleasure boat adorned with golden silk gradually cruised down the surface of the River of Trust. On the tip of the decorated pleasure boat, a golden flag printed with the words "Yun" danced in the wind.
Ripples spread across the water surface. This pleasure boat sailed between many other boats, yet, nobody would compare this to the rest of the boats.
Because, the owner of this pleasure boat, represented the highest of mountains, a mountain that simply nobody could summit.
"She… why would she come to the Huai An County?" Meng Yushu’s face, initially filled with confidence, instantly turned ugly when he saw this boat.
Similarly, he clearly knew who this pleasure boat represented. A woman of wonder that caused an infinite number of scholars in the Great Xia Dynasty to fall heads over tails for her. Violin, chess, reading, drawing, poetry, phrases, songs, essays, there was nothing she wasn’t proficient in. Most importantly, nobody had ever unveiled Yun Qingwu’s veil.
Furthermore, there was never a person who managed to set foot upon Yun Qingwu’s boat!
Of course, this ‘person’... referred to men!