An Unexpected Bet

"Royal Brother!" Huangfu Lingxuan's face was filled with defiance, her expression showing clear dissatisfaction. It would have been one thing to lose to anyone else, but this was Tantai Huang! Not only had she bullied her cousin, but she had also bewitched Chu Changge. Furthermore, how could that poem of hers, "Gazing at the Latrine from Afar," possibly win first place? It was truly the biggest joke in the world!

Tantai Huang looked at her leisurely. This princess did not know if she was truly stupid or just acting stupid. Since Huangfu Xuan had already declared her the winner, what was the use of standing up to protest now? Would the Emperor actually contradict his own words in front of the entire world? Wouldn't that be slapping his own face?

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Huangfu Xuan cast his gaze upon her and spoke coldly, "Princess Qinghuang composed that line. Can you match it?" How disgusting. Even if he were beaten to death, he would never be able to match it!

Both Dongling and Beiming were powerful empires, so they naturally did not fear Beiming's authority. Since the Emperor of Dongling had spoken, it meant that indeed, no one could match that line. Thus, the ministers who had been feeling uneasy immediately calmed down.

"Imperial Brother..." Huangfu Lingxuan had a thousand, ten thousand grievances in her heart! But she had to admit that she could not match that line either.

"If you cannot match it, sit down! As a princess, shouting and causing a scene in the grand hall—what kind of decorum is this!" Huangfu Xuan barked coldly.

Only then did Huangfu Lingxuan realize she had been too impulsive and had failed to prioritize her royal brother's dignity. A sovereign's word was an imperial decree; whether right or wrong, there was absolutely no taking it back. Her jumping up like that was no different from flouting imperial authority! She quickly knelt down. "This sister knows her mistake. I beg Royal Brother's forgiveness!"

"Very well, it is only a poetry gathering after all. My Prince's Manor has a piece of Qingniao Huancui. Lingxuan, just send someone to fetch it. It is by no means inferior to the Thousand-Leaf Guanyin!" Huangfu Ye spoke up to smooth things over.

The Qingniao Huancui was the seventh-ranked jade artifact in the world, naturally far better than the Thousand-Leaf Guanyin. Everyone could not help but exclaim inwardly that the Huangfu family was indeed filthy rich and incredibly generous!

Huangfu Lingxuan bowed her head and said, "Thank you, Imperial Uncle!"

Meanwhile, Tantai Ji stood to the side, staring at Huangfu Ye in a slight daze. Imperial Uncle... he should have been their Prince Uncle!

This momentary distraction naturally did not escape Tantai Huang's eyes. Her royal brother actually had times when he lost himself in thought? However, this Huangfu Ye and her royal brother did indeed look remarkably alike!

Jun Jinglan, sitting opposite them, only offered a faint smile. Tantai Ji's reaction was entirely within his expectations. Immediately after, his eyes darkened slightly as he cast a glance at Tantai Huang, clearly reminding her of their agreement!

Tantai Huang met his gaze, her eyes darting left and right as she pretended not to notice.

Right at this moment, Huangfu Xuan spoke, "This Thousand-Leaf Guanyin belongs to the Princess of Mobei!"

As he spoke, a maidservant brought the tray to Tantai Huang. She did not stand on ceremony, accepting it and hanging it around her neck. It was indeed identical to the one from her past life. She cast a grateful look toward Jun Jinglan; this piece of jade was far too important to her! To win first place based on her poem "Gazing at the Latrine" was pure fantasy; the others would certainly not have agreed. Now, to help her, he had offended quite a few people. She owed him this favor!

"My lords, you must be tired. The banquet is adjourned!" Huangfu Xuan announced coldly.

The envoy from Nanqi could not suppress his curiosity. "Emperor of Dongling, may I ask what the last two lines of Princess Qinghuang's poem are? Could we perhaps hear them?"

Huangfu Xuan was about to speak, but as he opened his mouth, he found it too difficult to utter! Ridiculous! How could he possibly say such lines out loud? He said coldly, "We are tired. It is better to let Princess Qinghuang speak them herself!"

With that, he was the first to leave. He truly felt that after looking at that poem, he would not want to eat for several days! After all, right now, aside from feeling nauseous, he was still nauseous!

Everyone looked at each other in confusion. Feeling that there was no more point to staying, they prepared to leave. Jun Jinglan stood up, walked slowly to Tantai Huang, and smiled. "Princess, this Crown Prince has won!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone who was stepping out of the palace hall stopped in their tracks, pricking up their ears to eavesdrop on the gossip! Won what?

"I never betted with you!" Tantai Huang said with a sly smile. When the two of them had spoken earlier, they had only mentioned the stakes; she had never actually agreed to the bet. However, could he please stay a bit further away from her? Seeing his face so close, she felt like she was going to have a nosebleed!

Jun Jinglan arched his handsome brows, his narrow eyes half-closing as he looked at Tantai Huang calmly. Suddenly, he smiled. He had long known she would be this dishonest! "Then as a return favor, how about the princess tells this Crown Prince the second half of that poem?"

Huangfu Xuan already knew, yet he did not. This feeling was truly uncomfortable.

Tantai Huang was about to speak when, out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly saw Xiao Xing glaring at her and shaking its rear. She naturally remembered how she had been pranked in the latrine until she was nearly dehydrated. She snorted, "This princess does not want to say!"

"Then if this Crown Prince guesses it, how about the princess fulfills her promise?" He folded his arms, his thin lips curving slightly as he offered the condition with great interest.

Fulfilling the promise meant marrying him if she lost the bet, as they had discussed earlier. But Tantai Huang was certain that as long as Huangfu Xuan did not speak, absolutely no one else could guess the poem. And given Huangfu Xuan's complicated relationship with this fiend, Huangfu Xuan would definitely not tell him! Furthermore, if anyone claimed this fiend actually wanted to marry her, she wouldn't believe it even if she were beaten to death! Therefore, Tantai Huang nodded very clearly, "Fine! I agree!"

"No backing out?" He raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Absolutely no backing out!"

"Ah..." The Crown Prince, in an exceptionally good mood, turned and walked away. Xiao Xing proudly raised its rear and hurriedly followed him.

Meanwhile, Tantai Ji frowned slightly, casting a glance at Tantai Huang as he warned her again, "Stay away from Jun Jinglan in the future!"

"I know!" Even if her royal brother didn't say so, she would still stay away from him. He was too dangerous! But... Xiao Xing, just you wait!

...

Halfway back, Xiao Meng spoke up with dissatisfaction, "Master, that Third Princess of Mobei is really too much, daring to tease you! There are countless beauties in this world, why do you care so much about her?"

"Indeed, there are countless beauties in this world! But she is the only one who dares to tease me and actually succeeds!" Jun Jinglan smiled faintly, looking up at the sky in a very good mood. The feelings in his heart toward that woman, which had been hazy, were gradually becoming clearer.

Xiao Meng was speechless. Master, are you looking for abuse, or are you abusing yourself? Recalling what had just happened, he took a breath and asked, "Master, can you really match Princess Qinghuang's poem?"

"I cannot, but someone certainly can! If even she cannot, then there is probably no one else in this world who can!" He narrowed his eyes, looking into the far distance.

Xiao Meng followed his gaze, his heart stirring as he spoke, "Are you referring to... Madam?" Madam was the adoptive mother of the Crown Prince. Her ideas were also strange and eccentric; perhaps she really could!

Jun Jinglan smiled. "Indeed, my adoptive mother! Go and fetch the Haidongqing. I will send a message to her. Speaking of which, it has been a long time since I last saw them!"

With that, he slowly returned to his palace.

Hearing this, Xiao Meng quickly and excitedly sent someone to fetch the Haidongqing, wiping away tears of excitement as he did so. Speaking of which, he also hadn't seen his old master in a long time...

Meanwhile, Xiao Xing followed Jun Jinglan in an extremely displeased manner. "Awoo!" Master, I want to eat Tianshan Holy Fruit!

Jun Jinglan did not respond.

"Awoo! Awoo!" Did you hear me? Master Xing wants to eat Tianshan Holy Fruit!

Jun Jinglan still did not respond.

Master Xing instantly grew furious. It ran up to him, turned its rear toward him, and barked, "Awoo!" If you don't feed me, Master Xing will fart on you!

Jun Jinglan stared at its rear for a moment, then suddenly said, "After you went to the latrine, did you wipe your rear clean?"

Hearing this, Xiao Xing quickly clutched its rear and jumped up, running to the side to check! Its rear wasn't wiped clean?! By the time it held its tail and fussed for a long while, only to realize it had actually wiped it clean, Jun Jinglan had already vanished. It cried out to the heavens, realizing it had been tricked! "Awoo-ooo-ooo..." Master, you wronged me...

...

Tantai Huang happily wore her jade pendant as she followed Tantai Ji back to the palace. Upon returning, she closed her doors and slept until dusk. Suddenly, a burst of laughter echoed from inside the chamber, sounding like a vengeful ghost... Xiao Xing, you dared to give me laxatives. Today, I will play you to death!

"Ahahaha... Ohohoho..."

The guards shuddered in unison. The princess's laughter was too terrifying. What was she planning to do?

Meanwhile, far away, Xiao Xing, who was still wiping its tears after checking its rear, suddenly shivered and looked around alertly... Who is plotting against Master Xing again?