LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS
/ LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS 460 The Competition
He couldn't blame his wife who tried hard these past few days. But there are certain things even someone like his wife cannot master or even be average at. His wife who couldn't even grasp the concept of embroidery for two decades even under the patient teachings of her mother, cannot be expected to master it in two weeks. Certainly her skills would never match those women who grew up only learning and mastering those useless skills.
The competition was arranged in the Imperial Palace since it was the concubine celebration process for the Prince.
The day of the competition Xing dressed Chenglei herself. Donning a royal blue robe with silver cloud brocade, he looked dapper. He rarely wore bright colours and with his pale complexion, he looked more handsome than ever. Xing did his hair and fixed it with a white jade coronet with emerald fixed, that she carved herself completing his look that would be comparable to an immortal.
Xing was humming a happy tune as she was dressing him but Chenglei felt like he was being groomed for sacrifice.
Why is she not worried even a bit?
"Ah, you are too handsome, hubby. No wonder everyone wants you", Xing stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips, with her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Xing, don't abandon me, okay?", his eyes were slightly misty and he really looked like a puppy about to be abandoned.
"Oh, my Prince! Why would I? It all depends on you. Now go and wait for me",she sent him out for her to get ready. But he stayed watching her getting ready. He always gets amazed looking at her.
As they did her makeup, he did her eyebrows and as usual painted a flower in her forehead. And like every other time, he could see her blush.
"Out!", she pushed him away as she changed her dress and he left reluctantly and waited for her arrival.
Chenglei looked at Xing walking with their sins in both sides with awe. With her royal blue brocaded Palace robe with golden embroidered peonies and her hairstyle with a chunky phoenix headdress, she looked majestic. She never liked to wear more jewels but she was wearing exquisite jewellery, this time that exemplified her beauty without being gaudy. Her Amber eyes shone with determination, her red lips had a proud smile and her slender waist swayed as she walked with her blushed cheeks gave the aura of a pure maiden.
A proud peacock! A pure lotus!
Who'd believe she has two sons? Which woman in this kingdom have this much charisma? Which one could even stand by her side without getting ashamed? Which one could hold a candle to her?
My woman! She is someone who doesn't need to say a word but could make everyone around her feel ashamed to even be in her presence.
For Xing, she knew her beauty is a great weapon and an armour too. War between females is more brutal than the warfield but she knows how to handle both. Since she is going to war for her husband, she will go all out.
"Daddy!"
"Dada!"
His sons ran towards him and he saw ten maids along with Xiao Mei following his wife.
She is going all out today!
Chenglei was happy. It is rare she dresses up this fine and shows off. She is entitled to. And who else is worthy to walk beside her other than him? Even the Heavens failed to separate them. This silly competition is nothing!
They reached the Palace just moments before the arrival of the Emperor and everyone stood up and bowed to the family entering. Everyone with a daughter of age was present in the hall and the hall was filled with the families of the eligible maidens.
The entire hall was shocked seeing Prince Jin attending the competition with his wife and sons. They've all heard that the Consort is a jealous woman who won't allow her husband to have concubines.
But why is she here? To create trouble? Will there be drama here?
Xing bowed back to her father who was bowing to her and he looked at her proudly. She patted her brother who was by her father's side to stop bowing. Seiren was present too to see how this turns out and she shook her head gritting her teeth and he laughed silently seeing her frown. She didn't care about anyone else.
'There is no need for the entire family to wear matching clothes, is it?', Seiren thought as he looked at the family.
'And those embroidery... Should they be this obvious?'
The kids also wore royal blue brocaded robes with silver and gold. Chenglei had silver embroidery, she had gold embroidered in her clothes and their sons had both gold and silver in their robes.
' Lord Tang! She really cannot hold back. Once a Lord, always a Lord', Seiren smiled in his heart.
Everyone looked at the extravagance of the family of Prince Jin. Who wouldn't want to even have a little part of that life?
A handsome man with a gentle wife. Two sons, one a carbon copy of his father and the other a copy of his mother. A perfect family to be envied of!
Some really wanted a part of their wealth, some the status they held and some jealous ones just wanted to break that perfect little family.
They were giving out ribbons for the participants and Xing walked straight to the cute girl supplying the ribbons and she trembled seeing the Consort asking for the ribbons and knelt immediately.
"This... The Consort cannot participate in this competition since this is a competition for maidens", Official Lei stepped forward and spoke. He felt his stomach in knots seeing the Consort going to participate.
Everyone knows the Consort is good at a lot of things. Huang AoTian bragged, showing the Jade ring, his daughter personally carved and gifted for his last birthday to every official in the Palace.
If she could be that good at jade carving, how good would she be in embroidery?
"Do I look that old to be not a maiden?", Xing smiled making the official uncomfortable.
She is too beautiful!
But he sensed a burning glare at his back and he knew who it would be and he didn't want to mess with him by leering at his wife. He wanted his support for his family.
Before he could answer, the Emperor's arrival was announced and everyone knelt. Everyone except Xing and Chenglei.
"I thought this is an open competition. Was there any restrictions?", Xing asked the Emperor who had Consort Jiang by his side, directly without even bowing to him and everyone was shocked by her brazen behaviour.
She was swirling a pendant in her hands. Her simple act had an indescribable charm to it as her slender fingers twirled and her lips were twisted to a mocking curl.
Those who noticed it knew it was the White Tiger Token which was awarded to her for saving the Emperor's life.
Is she actually rebuking the Emperor for forgetting his life saving debt and causing trouble in her marriage?
"It is an open competition", the Emperor's eyes had a hint of guilt seeing her sharp eyes. But he swallowed it and sat in his throne, with Consort Jiang by his side and she smiled sweetly at Xing with a small nod.
He had arranged this competition for the purpose of her attendance. So she must participate.
With the Emperor's admittance, most of the participants already got disheartened. It only the Consort's beauty is incomparable to them, she is talented too. How is it possible for them to win?
This was Xing's plan when she dressed prettily that day. Making the enemy doubt themselves is winning half the battle and she knew she could achieve that just by her looks.
"Fine...", Xing smiled at everyone and she looked at a woman sitting in front of her, well aware that she is the concubine of Official Lei, "You could compete too, pretty! "
Xing saw her struggling to keep on sitting. She really wanted to get up but she knew her husband is glaring at her. Everyone looked at official Lei with a mocking glare.
His concubine is actually willing to leave him and compete to become the concubine of Prince Jin... How pathetic! What a cuckold!
Xing with a smirk, picked up the ribbon herself and pinned it on herself before going to the competition area. There were small stalls separated with curtains for privacy of each competitor and keep from copying the others.
The Emperor gave a theme of "Night" for embroidering.
Chenglei sat there with his sons by his side and even to his surprise, both of them behaved like good boys sitting properly and waiting for their mother.
"Daddy! Why does this place smell weird?", Little Xinxin said and he didn't control the volume of his speech and everyone looked at him.
"It's perfume", Chenglei's eyes were gentle as he answered his son and everyone etched that sight in their hearts. A rare sight where Prince Jin is not cold and aloof.
"Mummy's perfume smells nice. I wish mother comes back soon", Xinxin replied his father and then sat quietly as if he was holding his breath.
The competition time was two hours and the others waiting for it to be over were bored. The Emperor looked at little Xinxin and waved him to come to him. He resembled his second son and it is hard for him to meet his nephews.
Little Xinxin stood up and politely bowed to the Emperor and looked at his father asking his permission to get to the Emperor. Their sons knew of all the etiquettes but rarely follows them at home bit will follow everything to the tee when in public. They learned this habit from their mother.
Chenglei looked at his brother who was asking Little Xinxin to sit by his side on the throne and sighed.
'What a dumb brother! Did he forget he is not sitting in a chair but a throne and not even his sons can sit on the throne? Idiot!'
Sensing his brother's glare, the Emperor winced. His brother is really mad at him for this competition and he didn't even attend the court the past two weeks.
"Xinxin, the Emperor is teasing you. That is not your throne", Chenglei said softy to Xinxin, promptimg him to sit and he turned and glared at the Emperor making him realise the blunder he made.
Chenglei always had it in his heart that Little Xinxin is the Crown Prince of the Water Kingdom and one day he will have to send him back to his father. And that's why he said, 'Not your throne'. His throne is in the Water Kingdom.
'Not your throne? Not YOUR throne? Prince Jin said this? What does that even mean?', some officials discussed among themselves.
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The competition ended and the finished clothes were brought to the Emperor. For anonymity, they placed each competitors cloth on a tray where the name of the competitor was written and placed it in front of the Emperor. Everyone were provided with cloth to embroider, threads and needs too so that everyone had equal opportunity. 😂
The Emperor was confident in choosing the winner of the competition. He just have to look for the worst embroidery and pick it since it definitely would Mingxia's. There will be no one as terrible as her in embroidery like Mingxia. He has seen her best work. There was no hope of improvement. His wife was smart as he reminded him that.
The Emperor looked at the embroidered cloths in front him. Many had captured the beauty of the night pretty well. One was too pretty with the embroidery of a lake with even the reflection of the moon was fine to perfection.
Well, too bad.! You are not Mingxia!
As he went through each price, his face paled.
'No way! What should I do now? How could there be another one terrible like Mingxia? '
The Emperor panicked seeing two pieces with absolute terrible embroidery.
Chenglei could figure out his brother's plan only after he was waiting here and he actually appreciated his brother.
It is not to look for the best but to look for the worst!
But why is he getting pale now?
He got anxious and he gripped his younger son in his lap hard.
Could there be another terrible piece there?
While these two were panicking there was another person who was smiling because she had a fifty percentage chance for herself. She had guessed the Emperor's intent after he allowed the Consort to participate and she took a peek at her work before copying it.
Now there are two pieces, equally terrible in front of the Emperor.
How will he judge?
Chapter end
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