Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Starting to Play Dirty

Shen Ruoxi shook her head and laughed, “No, I can’t use inner strength. Isn’t this bullying?”

Pei Xuan was taken aback, “Your master still hasn’t lifted that seal for you?”

“Indeed,” Shen Ruoxi didn’t answer directly.

For five hours being unable to use inner strength is practically the same as the seal not being lifted.

Lan Jue suggested, “Why don’t I team up with Ruoxi, and you with Ji, and we compete?”

Pei Xuan burst into laughter, “Cousin Jue, aren’t you just asking for trouble? If we win, it wouldn’t even be a fair victory!”

Lan Jue smiled faintly, “You tell me, how long should the time limit be? And what’s the prize for winning? Enough chitchat, who knows who will win or lose?”

Given that, Pei Xuan didn’t say much more, “Let’s set a one-hour limit. If Ji and I win, Ruoxi gives us each a bottle of Little Spirit Pill. But if you win, Cousin Jue, what do you want?”

Lan Jue said straight away, “I want Ji’s Cold Frost, and you give Snow-Stepping to Ruoxi.”

Both agreed in unison, “No problem.”

Hearing this, Shen Ruoxi couldn’t help but smile, “Cousin, your plan is really precise. If we lose, I have to bear the punishment for both of us?”

Pei Xuan teased with a smile, “Then don’t team up with Cousin Jue. You can choose either one of us.”

Lan Jue’s heart tightened, just as he was about to rebut, Shen Ruoxi smiled faintly, “I choose Cousin Jue, you two are definitely going to lose, Xuan, don’t forget about Snow-Stepping!”

That is a prized steed she had been wanting for a long time, only her cousin understands her.

Lan Jue let out a long sigh of relief.

Pei Xuan laughed heartily, “Hahaha! No problem, if you win, Snow-Stepping is yours, but I think we’re going to win for sure!”

The Yang Family and Zou Family were laughing so hard they couldn’t close their mouths.

“Mom, I want to catch fish. I just saw some small fish in the stream,” said Xiang’er.

“Alright, let’s go then.”

Watching them go to catch fish, Pei Xuan reminded, “Remember, it’s one hour! Ji, let’s go!”

Watching Xu Ji and Pei Xuan ride away, Lan Jue didn’t move, he suppressed the flutter in his heart and smiled softly, “Ruoxi, cousin is getting old, can’t ride horses anymore, let’s just walk around.”

Shen Ruoxi couldn’t help but laugh, “Cousin Jue, are you trying to make me lose? You know how much time I’d need to make those two bottles of Little Spirit Pill?”

Lan Jue, full of confidence, gently said, “When has cousin ever lied to you? Let’s go over there and chat.”

“Alright.”

“Ruoxi, what are your plans next?”

Shen Mansion is currently in a mess, but Shen Ruoxi didn’t want to talk much to make him worry, “First, keep Shen Mansion standing, other matters can be discussed later.”

“You’re a girl, don’t work too hard.”

“It’s okay, with Ji and the others helping me, I won’t be tired.”

Lan Jue’s eyes showed a hint of loneliness, “Don’t you want cousin to help you too?”

“They have free time, but you need to participate in the Spring Examination, prepare well, and strive to be the top scorer.”

“Actually participating in the Spring Examination…” Lan Jue hesitated.

Shen Ruoxi was a little puzzled, “Huh? What’s wrong with participating in the Spring Examination?”

She had really forgotten, when she was small, she used to say that she disliked uneducated people, hoping that her brothers would read more and not always be fighting and killing.

Actually, these weren’t Shen Ruoxi’s own thoughts, but her mother’s wish.

Her mother’s husband and father’s brothers were military generals, she hoped her sons could pursue literature, and not get involved in martial matters.

Therefore, when she was little, she naturally followed her mother’s idea, hoping that the boys she knew could all become top exam scorers.

She had long forgotten these words, but Lan Jue remembered them well.

Even though he’s a princely heir and doesn’t need to participate in the Spring and Autumn Examinations, he still wants her to know that her cousin can also fight for the title of top scorer for her.

“Nothing, if cousin really stands out in the Spring Examination, can cousin ask you for a gift?”

“Of course! Cousin Jue, if you can rank in the top three in the Spring Examination, I’ll give you anything you want!”

Before she could finish speaking, her forehead was lightly tapped.

Shen Ruoxi looked at Lan Jue in confusion, only to see him laughing softly, “You say you’ll give anything, aren’t you afraid you can’t afford it?”

Shen Ruoxi thought for a moment, “I don’t have ten thousand pieces of gold, and even if I did, I can’t easily give it to you, the whole Shen Mansion needs money, but anything else should be fine, what do you want?”

Lan Jue couldn’t hold back his laughter, “Let’s talk when cousin becomes the top scorer.”

He was already handsome, and his smile at the moment was absolutely mesmerizing, Shen Ruoxi found herself staring a bit.

“Alright.”

After speaking, she looked at Lan Jue again, and as he was caught off guard, she laughed, “Cousin, I just remembered what my mother used to say. Among all the noble young men in Capital City, who can compare to Cousin Jue in terms of elegance and talent? I really don’t know which girl will be so lucky in the future.”

Lan Jue’s heart was pounding like a drum, his fingers clenched tightly, nearly turning pale.

His eyes flashed with an indescribable emotion, and only after a long while did he manage to say, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Shen Ruoxi felt particularly cheerful, she laughed and said to Lan Jue, “Cousin, if we don’t go hunting soon, we really will lose.”

Lan Jue’s heart was as if it turned into a pool of water, he stood up, restrained the urge to hold her hand, and smiled slightly, “Let’s go.”

“Where to?” Shen Ruoxi asked curiously.

“Just follow cousin,” Lan Jue replied.

Shen Ruoxi nodded, and the two walked side by side.

Lan Jue carefully observed the surroundings as they walked, finally discovering some traces.

“Shh…” he softly signaled.

Shen Ruoxi immediately stopped, seeing two pheasants relaxing not far away, foraging for food.

Lan Jue quickly drew his bow, aimed at the target, and released an arrow, the arrow flew swiftly, precisely hitting the two pheasants, they fell to the ground.

Shen Ruoxi ran excitedly to pick up the pheasants, her eyes flashing with mischief, she smiled and said to Lan Jue, “Cousin Jue, just these two pheasants, can they compare to what Ji and Xuan will catch?”

Lan Jue shook his head and laughed, “This definitely can’t compare, but don’t they have eggs? Come along, cousin.”

Sure enough, in a secluded patch of grass, they found a nest of pheasant eggs, over twenty eggs in total.

Shen Ruoxi laughed until she was leaning back and forth, looking at Lan Jue, she joked, “Cousin Jue, are you being too sly? Does this count?”

“Why wouldn’t it count? Quickly put them in the bamboo basket, those two will surely catch a lot, we still need to find another nest.” Lan Jue replied.

Although Shen Ruoxi felt Lan Jue was being a bit sneaky, thinking about Xu Ji and Pei Xuan’s expressions filled her with anticipation, eager to see what they’d say.

“Alright!” she replied excitedly.

As expected, they found another nest of eggs, this time with twenty-one eggs.

Shen Ruoxi thought to herself, surely we’ve won this time, no matter how impressive they are, they can’t have caught more than forty.

“That’s enough, let’s take a break.” Lan Jue said with satisfaction.

Lan Jue had just found a dry place, and before he could sit comfortably, a chill surged over him, making him shiver all over.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep