"Have you told anyone else about this?"
"No. I didn't even tell you, Brother. How could I tell anyone else? I'm not that stupid. I want Brother Jing to live a good life more than anyone else."
As Lou Yueying spoke, she watched Jing Xunchè preparing on the dragon boat. He was still as dazzling as ever, and she could always accurately spot him in the crowd.
Only then did Lou Xingzhōu feel relieved. "Don't tell anyone, especially Father."
Lou Míngkòu had long wanted to kill Jing Xunchè. If he knew where Jing Xunchè was, he would surely never let him go.
Lou Yueying was full of doubts about Lou Xingzhōu's words and retorted, "Brother, why do you say so? Why can't I tell Father? Is Father some kind of fierce beast?"
She couldn't understand what Lou Xingzhōu meant. Father liked Jing Xunchè the most and would never let the Emperor know.
The dragon - boat race began, and everyone's attention returned to the competition. Mù Fēngqié had been keeping an eye on the Northern Ming dragon boat. The one beating the drum was actually Běi Mòxuě.
Beating the drum was not only a technical task but also a physically demanding one. Běi Mòxuě, a woman, could beat the drum. The strategy of Northern Ming was truly unfathomable.
At the start of the race, Yuán Yǔzé and Yuán Yǔchuān's dragon boats took the lead. Yuán Yǔzé always won first place in the race every year. Yuán Yǔhán wasn't interested in such things, so he had no enthusiasm for participating.
Soon, Jing Xunchè and Yuán Yǔhán's dragon boat fell behind. They advanced steadily at a leisurely pace, seemingly keeping a distance from the leading boats.
Before long, the fastest dragon boat had covered half the distance. Yuán Yǔzé and the Crown Prince's dragon boats were still far ahead, with Běi Mòxuě's dragon boat closely following.
Just when everyone thought the Crown Prince's dragon boat was sure to win, Běi Mòxuě suddenly leaped onto the drum and began her graceful dance.
Her movements caught everyone's attention. The drumbeats became chaotic due to her footwork, but their dragon boat didn't fall behind. Instead, it wasn't affected by the chaotic drumbeats, while the surrounding dragon boats were disrupted.
Even Yuán Yǔzé's dragon boat wasn't spared. Its prow deviated slightly, and Běi Mòxuě's dragon boat took the opportunity to catch up.
Jing Xunchè and Yuán Yǔhán both noticed something was wrong. If this continued, they would surely lose to Northern Ming, which would be a great humiliation!
"Brother Jing, no matter what, we must win. Do you have any confidence?" Yuán Yǔhán asked tentatively.
After all, he had never been very interested in the dragon - boat race over the years, so he wasn't familiar or good at it. But perhaps Jing Xunchè was.
Jing Xunchè curled his lips and said confidently, "I never intended to lose. Hold on tight!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the dragon boat shot forward like it had a motor. The people on the dragon boat were all Jing Xunchè's secret guards, so they cooperated very well. They quickly caught up from last place to the top three.
Běi Mòxuě naturally noticed this dark horse, but they were determined to win today. No matter who it was, they would be her defeated opponents!
Běi Mòxuě changed the gentle drumbeats to more intense ones, and her graceful dance speeded up. She was as soft as a butterfly fairy.
Although Jing Xunchè had made full preparations, he didn't expect Northern Ming to use such a method to disrupt their concentration. So their dragon boat was also affected.
With only a hundred meters to the finish line, Mù Fēngqié felt nervous. It seemed that Jing Xunchè was quite capable, but obviously everyone was now affected by Běi Mòxuě. If this continued, the result wouldn't be good.
She quickly stood up, knelt down, and asked, "Your Majesty, the Seventh Princess's dance is very beautiful. I also want to imitate her. May I?"
Although the Emperor loved beautiful women, at this critical moment, he had no interest in watching a dance. The most important thing now was to win this race. Otherwise, the face of the Qin Dynasty would be completely lost.
"Let's talk about the dance later," the Emperor said impatiently.
Mù Fēngqié had no choice but to pin her hopes on the Queen. She signaled the Queen with her eyes. The Queen received her look and was a bit hesitant but still chose to trust Mù Fēngqié.
"Your Majesty, since Princess Anning is interested, let her dance. We women don't understand the dragon - boat race. It can liven up the atmosphere for us," the Queen said gently.
"Your Majesty is right. I also want to watch a beautiful woman dance. My unborn prince in my belly also wants to watch. Your Majesty, please agree," a voice said.
Mù Fēngqié looked in surprise in the direction of the voice. The concubine who spoke seemed familiar. After thinking for a long time, she realized it was Concubine Zhang, whom she had once saved.
Sure enough, she was a smart woman. She seemed to be very favored now and was pregnant with the Emperor's prince. She was truly an extraordinary woman.
As if feeling the burning gaze on her face, Concubine Zhang looked up at Mù Fēngqié and smiled. She still remembered Mù Fēngqié's kindness and would naturally help her now.
Although the Emperor's attention was elsewhere, he no longer refused. "Fine, go and dance."
With the Emperor's permission, Mù Fēngqié immediately ran to the big drum at the finish line. Everyone gasped at her actions.
"Yìrú, what does Fēngqié want to do? She's not going to dance on that drum, is she?" Li Wǎntóng asked with wide - open eyes in disbelief.
Shěn Yìrú was also greatly surprised. She had gone to dance without a sound. The drum was so high, and she didn't know martial arts. What if she fell off?
"Your Majesty, look. I was right. Princess Anning is going to compete with the Seventh Princess. Anyway, the morale of our Qin Dynasty cannot be lost," Concubine Zhang said excitedly, pointing at Mù Fēngqié not far away.
Mù Fēngqié's single action caught everyone's attention. By then, she had climbed up and started her performance.
She had mastered eighteen martial arts skills since childhood. How could a mere dance trouble her?
Her steps landed on the big drum rhythmically, making a series of sounds. Běi Mòxuě heard another sound and only then realized that Mù Fēngqié was imitating her and dancing on the big drum.
"Damn it!" Běi Mòxuě roared.
The dance steps she had practiced for so long were disrupted. Then the dragon boat also started to deviate and spin in place. Běi Mòxuě was so angry that she couldn't concentrate, and her steps became even more unsteady.