Good news!!! I have an editor!!! So now there will be lesser mistakes and the flow of the story would be better 🙂
Will also be updating Chapter 37 & 38 too
Edited by Tnyhy & Larkspur (Updated 30th May 2022)
Chapter 39: Provoking
When Shen Miao exited the plum blossom forest, Gu Yu and Jing Zhe were finally relieved. Jing Zhe took a peek inside but did not see any figure, and thus asked doubtfully, “Why is there no one?”
Shen Miao also glanced back. The leaves of the forest were lush and gently swaying with the wind. How could anyone see any figure? Xie Jing Xing was someone who practiced martial arts and most probably could disappear by flying away.
She said, “Let’s leave.”
When they were back at the banquet, Feng An Ning ran over in a rush and complained, “Didn’t we agree for you to wait for me? Just a turn of the head and one was unable to see anyone. Upon returning, you were also not here. Where exactly did you go?”
“Seeing that the chrysanthemum blossomed well, I casually walked around.” Shen Miao raised her eyes and looked towards the stage, “Has it started?”
“You were gone for a long time. The picking up round for the male group is over.” Feng An Ning’s lips curled, “Now it is the male group’s turn for the selecting.”
The youths on stage were in the midst of competing. The first round of ‘drawing lots’ was over, but Shen Miao did not care about the results. The second round was ‘selection’, which was to select the areas that one was good at.
Shen Miao’s eyes fell on the other far left side of the banquet, at the aqua green-clad youth.
This youth was fit, dark and his facial features were not bad. It was only that his overly sturdy stature made him look rough. And even so he still chose to wear green robes, making his complexion seem even darker. Not only that, he still combed his hair up and bound it with a jade bamboo hairpin. Most likely he was trying to follow the example of a gentleman, but because he also wanted an appearance of wealth, his semblance was somewhat nondescript. In a nutshell, although he wanted to look distinguished but because he was trying to imitate someone else, he failed to gain the desired effect and looked tacky.
This was Gao Yan of the Historian Adviser Jing’s family. He was still young this year, not surpassing sixteen and his feathers had not even grown. Until after Fu Xiu Yi ascended to the throne, and because Gao Yan rode on Gao Jing’s wind as the latter’s status rose, he would act tyrannically in the Ding Capital and was extremely bold to even dare to covet Wan Yu.
As long as she thought of Wan Yu, who would suffer Gao Yan’s words of provocation, Shen Miao would become furious. She stared at Gao Yan as if watching a prey walking into a trap.
At that moment, Gao Yan thought about something and talked to Gao Jing with a look of joy on his face.
He was naturally happy as he had obtained such a uniquely worded essay since during the ‘drawing lots’ he had picked righteousness which resulted in a mediocre performance. He waited for the ‘selection’ to bring out this essay and then he would be able to startle the entire audience.
Shen Miao sneered in her heart. Go then, take this essay and go to Fu Xiu Yi’s side then! Enter officialdom before Gao Jing makes progress in his career. She believed that with Gao Yan’s high level of means and methods, he would be able to personally and single-handedly annihilate Historian Adviser Jing’s residence.
This was the big gift she was giving Historian Adviser Jing.
As for Pei Lang, she turned and looked at the man clad in a green robe sitting near Fu Xiu Yi. From now on, in this lifetime, you will start to slowly repay me for your past debts!
“Shen Miao, after the male group is done, it would be the female group’s ‘selection’. What will you choose?”
“Will not.” Shen Miao answered.
In the academy examinations, ‘drawing lots’ was a category that all students had to participate in. As for the ‘selection’ category, it depended on one’s wish and if one did not want to, one need not participate. Thus, in the ‘selection’ category of the academy examinations, it was a category that could easily show one’s abilities. If one had an area that one was naturally good at, then it could also be performed in this ‘selection’ category. Thus, in the ‘selection’ category, the crowd would have a higher level of enthusiasm because the performance would be the one in which they felt more confident.
If it was the previous Shen Miao that had no strength, she would not have participated in the ‘selection’ category as she would only make a fool of herself if she went up.
“Why?” Feng An Ning was somewhat disappointed and said, “Currently your painting is good, so there should also be improvements in the other categories. Why not simply show it off?”
“There is no need.” Shen Miao started fiddling with the chess game on the table again and replied Feng An Ning without even lifting her head, “There is no difference to me between being in the limelight or not. Moreover, I am not knowledgeable in the four scholarly arts and was only lucky just now.”
“You…” Feng An Ning was flustered and exasperated, “How can anyone say that of themselves?”
“Fifth Younger Sister.” A voice interrupted their conversation. They did not know when Shen Yue stood in front of them with a worried expression on her face, “Fifth Younger Sister, in the next round of ‘selection’, would you really not participate?”
“Could it be that Second Elder Sister wished for me to participate?” Shen Miao answered the question with another question.
Shen Yue was choked by her words. She did not know why Shen Miao seemed to be bent on shedding all pretence of cordiality recently, and it was making her really puzzled. Was it possible that the incident of falling into the water had made her lash out on the Second and Third Household? Although she was doubtful, Shen Miao had been undiscriminating her in quick succession, anger accumulated in her heart. She bit her lips and seemed to be somewhat aggrieved as she softly said, “I naturally hope that Fifth Younger Sister would participate. Just now that painting was done extremely well, so since Fifth Younger Sister possesses such great skills, why not continue to choose the topic ‘painting’ since everyone is still talking behind your back? If the next painting is drawn well, the rumours will be discredited.”
Shen Yue’s voice was not soft and since she was surrounded by young ladies and Furens, naturally, they clearly heard every single word. These words seemed to be nothing, but they voiced out the suspicions that everyone had in their hearts. Even though Shen Miao’s drawing of the white chrysanthemum had gotten the first rank, she had been an idiot for so many years. The perception in people’s hearts would not change easily, thus they did not believe that the painting came out from her and thought that there was someone at her side giving her pointers.
Shen Yue also thought so in her heart. So she thought that as long as in the second round Shen Miao draws another painting, without any helpful pointers, she would not be able to draw a good painting and would definitely make a fool of herself.
Feng An Ning heard the knack of it and immediately ridiculed, “Second Shen Young Lady spoke as if it is very easy. Painting pays particular attention to the desire of composition. Even if it was Second Young Lady, it would not be possible to draw two paintings continuously.” Shen Miao was only a student and not a master in painting and calligraphy.
“I only asked that after seeing Fifth Younger Sister’s improvement in skills.” Shen Yue smiled gently, “Just now such a good painting was able to be drawn, so why is it not possible to draw another one?
From beginning to end, Shen Miao did not raise her head and only placed a chess piece in the middle of the chess game before saying, “Not interested. You have worried.”
Shen Yue did not expect that Shen Miao would give such a lukewarm reply in front of so many people and was embarrassed for a moment. In this world, the most annoying thing was to dig a trap but the other party chose not to fall into it.
As Shen Miao was not even willing to accept her provocation in front of everyone’s suspicions, this made Shen Yue think that the intention behind that painting came not from Shen Miao. Thus, the thought of watching Shen Miao making a fool of herself ingrained deeply into her heart and she continued laughing after a pause, “Since Fifth Younger Sister insists then I would not say more.” She then turned around and returned to her seat.
Over at the male side of the banquet, Cai Lin had been secretly watching Shen Yue when he suddenly saw Shen Yue looking over from afar and seemingly smiled at him gently.
Cai Lin was startled following that, he was somewhat excited. But he saw Shen Yue bowing her head as if she was somewhat upset.
He suddenly felt anxious.
Thanks for the chapter! Shen Miao won’t fall so easily to provoking. I wonder what happened with the Jade Begonia?
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Thanks for supporting!!! Still in her hair 😛
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Thank you for the chapter! Shen Yue, you 2-face, don’t you worry, you’re going to go down. Shen Miao isn’t going to fall for your plots :p Looking forward to the men’s selection and my spider senses sense Cai Lin is going to cause issues.
Although I am surprised that no one took note of the change in hair ornamentation on Shen Miao, especially since she is currently under increased scrutiny …..
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Thanks for supporting!! Our Empress would find SY plots childish 😛 How can it bother her?
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Thank you for the chapter.
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Thanks for supporting!
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Congrats on getting an editor! Now there should be “fewer” mistakes 😉
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Thanks!!! Hope that the reading journey improves for u 🙂
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I wanna see when XJX fall in love in SM (>,<) but I don't know when maybe still far chapter.
Thank you for regularly update and reply every coment you're so kind (^^)
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Well… Its a long and gradual ride 🙂
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Go get them Shen Miao! 😋
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ALL HAIL SHEN MIAO!!!
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Why do I have the feeling that lovesick fool is going to do something to try to impress someone who doesn’t even know he exists?
I’m tempted to say he’ll blame our FMC and she’ll have to teach him a lesson.
On another note, I wonder if our MMC will take her advice and teach his brothers their place.
Thank you for the chapter!
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Spot on!! That fool is really a big fool to underestimate our SM and to impress someone like SY
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Thank you
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Thanks for supporting!!!
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Thank you so much!! 😘😘😘
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Thanks for supporting!!
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I guess our empress is trying to bring all the talents that were at Fu Xiu Yi’s side previously to her side and push all the trash to his side…. quite an interesting and devious plan. Why do I feel that Shen Yue is going to try using available Cai Lin to make our empress to participate in the selection…..And then our empress is going to wipe out everyone again 😂
Thanks for the translation 😊
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Thanks for supporting!!!
I actually like that plan of hers. It meant that FXY would have to suffer over a very very long period of time… Like dying from a million paper cuts. Its a much better form of torture 😛
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There’s something I’m curious about. Does FXY ever find out why she’d planned everything against him? The kinda complicated bit about a second attempt at life (and start over) is that the things the main character has a grudge over technically never happened. I want to see that regret but there’s no regret over something that never was. Haha I guess I want a scene where FXY feels bitter about himself or something like that. Very satisfying.
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Nope… FXY did not know but there is a scene of him being bitter 😛
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Can’t wait, then. Thank you.
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Thanks! Sisters can be terrible especially rich family. No love but full jealousy & envy.
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Thanks for supporting!!!
Big family = Family politics
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It does not matter, if your are rich or poor, jealousy and envy, reigns through out some / all sisters. You do good they hate you, you do bad they hate you.
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thank you very much for the update…… what happened to the gift? did she accept it or not???
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I guess its still on her head… Thanks for supporting!!!
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Thank you for the update!
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Thanks for supporting!!
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Thanks for the chapter!
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Thanks for your support!
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Thank you for the chapter~
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Thanks for supporting!!!
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Thanks for the chapter desu~
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Thanks for supporting!
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I noticed instead of chess game, Shen Miao is playing a chest game…. just wanted to point that out.
Anyway, Shen Yue is such a witch. I hate words like that – two faced hidden barbs within a concerned exterior. Gah.
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Pshhh… What a silly mistake I made… Just amended!!! Thanks for catching that
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“…Gu Yu and Jing Zhe could finally feel relieved. Jing Zhe took a peek inside and did not see any figure and thus asked doubtfully…”
Besides the first sentence, grammar wise everything was okay. Thanks for the chapter.
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Thanks for supporting!!!
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I had a feeling Cai Lin would have some kind of role since we’ve seen things from his perspective too much for him to just be a normal character, but I wonder how important he is. He seems utterly idiotic and undiscerning. xD If he likes SY, I mean. Haha.
Thank you for the translation!
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He is a small character in the overall novel but nevertheless, is important for the exam arc 😛
Thanks for supporting!!
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Who is cai lin again?
I don’t remember la
Utc+8:00, 8:48pm
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He is the guy who like Shen Yue… Just a small character 😛
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Thank you for the chapter. ^_^
I wander when SY two face will revealed and be humiliated todo max.
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Thanks for supporting!!! Her ending is not the first 😛
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Thanks for the chapter!
I keep forgetting who people are. Now I remember the other people, but not Cai Lin… aaai… no good. I’ll need to go check the people list, I guess.
*sigh*
If they really keep pushing her, she’s going to wreck them. SY, learn to step back, before it’s too late!
Oh wait, it was already too late now that round two has come about and your petty tricks have been revealed.
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Its funny how they are all on her list to get rid but they are now fighting to be the first one to be eliminated… 😛
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The probability of Cai Lin engaging Shen Mao to a match is high. Correct me if I’m mistaken, isn’t it the 3rd exam allows you to choose your opponent or something? And the theme doesn’t varies to the gender of both examines, so I foresee that Cai Lin and Shen Mao may play a chess game or something. Shen Mao keeps on playing a chess game since the start of the exam and it’s always being mentioned to the story. It’s almost the same as the phrase with the rabbit being caught, the fox grieving and hounds being cook. The author really likes foreshadowing.
Thanks again for your hardwork 😊😘
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Hmm…too bad, it wasn’t chess game but it is something else which is unexpectedly SM can do well
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I can’t wait for it. Sadly I can’t read Chinese raws 😔.
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Yes the 3rd part of the exams is as what you said but it would be different that expected or what will they be competing… But I can assure you that it is very VERY exciting 😛
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Then I’m looking forward to what it may be. Gambatte!
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Thank you for this chapter, I finally managed find time to read it lol!! 💖
Hmmm, I’m surprised she’s not going to participate in the selection, but then again, she’d have to do something that has to do with the four scholarly arts no? Especially since it’d be her alone, she’d have to do a spectacular performance instead of competing against other people.
And omggg!!! I called it, I knew SY’s admirer would challenge SM lol!! I truly wonder what he will choose to challenge SM in, chess?? I really hope it’s chess lol! I’m pretty that’s the other scholarly art that SM can do well! I really hope SM crushes him and SY is displeased lol!!!!! 😈
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Well… If others want her to participate she would definitely not do it… Our SM will not just do what others want her to do 😛
Thanks for supporting!!!
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I guess they won’t let her be… the third round would be the challenge and I doubt they would leave her alone…
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Guess I should clarify. Hire an editor who actually edits. This current editor is not fixing 90% of your mistakes. Don’t know if they are a “friend” who asked to do it or not, but they obviously don’t take it seriously and seem to just want their name on the top of the chapter.
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Tch what are they planning
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K, prediction time. Since the author is emphasizing Cai Lin’s obsession with Shen Yue, I predict that he’ll be a major factor in her downfall. As for Shen Qing, she could either go down with douchebag prince’s ship, or somehow get tied to prince Yu to spite her mother’s plans. I think her getting exactly what she deserves with Prince Ding is more poetic tho, since she almost drowned her cousin to death out of jealousy, so that’s what’ll likely happen.
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Thanks for the chapter!! And congrats on getting a editor! I always thought you did such a wonderful job just on your own, but help in any form is always appreciated, and a load off your shoulders is helpful as well! So welcome into to the fold Tnyhy!!
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