âAlthough my elder brother doesnât serve in the court, he has succeeded to our fatherâs title and receives grainforrations every month, who could be rendered as the official of the court. Besides, during the Dragon Boat Festivals before, we have always had seats in the front. Why not this year?â
âThe officials in the court have increased year by year, while the seats are mostly fixed. They canât add more. In order to make sure those officials who are really doing things for the country and their families can appreciate the dragon boat race, of course those holdovers would be removed out of the list.â
said Song Qingyan smilingly, with all gloat in her eyes: Murong Ye is just a coxcomb who is having neither civil nor martial virtues. He is not qualified to sit with those meritorious officials at all. Itâs already his luck to be delisted till now.
âReally?â said Murong Xue while leering at Song Qingyan, then said word by word, âQingyan my cousin, you are always staying in your boudoir, how is it possible you are so familiar with things in the court?â
âThatâs because the one who undertakes the dragon boat race is my uncle!â Song Qingyan raised her chin, with all arrogance in her eyes.
Murong Xue raised her head and looked at the high platform. The one who was issuing orders was exactly Du Yi, Song Qingyanâs uncleâŚ
âMy uncle told me thereâs no seats for you and Murong Ye there. So you donât have to go ask for an insult. Go to the stand in the southeast to watch the raceâŚâ said Song Qingyan arrogantly, with all contempt under her eyes.
The stand in the southeast was quite small, remote and had bad view. Standing there to watch the race?
âWhen others have undertaken the dragon boat race, me and my brother always have our seats, while after Du Yi takes it over, our seats are gone. You are abusing public power for your personal grudgeâŚâ
mumbled Murong Xue with a voice that could be heard by those nearby. Then the crowd all turned their heads and sized Song Qingyan up, making her feel quite uneasy. She then plumped out, âWhat nonsense are you talking about? Your brother is a dandy, ignorant and incompetent, who has never done anything useful for the court, while my second uncle has made great contributions for the country. Shouldnât you and your bother offer your seats to him?â
Murong Xue was a little stunned. Then she suddenly remembered that Murong Jian and his wife had been away from the capital for ten years, so their seats had already been taken. Now if they wanted to watch the dragon boat race, they had to edge out two people. Instead of edging out officials with lower positions, they snatched her and her brotherâs!
âSo this isnât personal, but a turtledove takes over the nest of a magpie!â
âMurong Xue, watch your language!â said Song Qingyan angrily, âThey are not a turtledove and you are not a magpie! Those two seats belonged to them.â
âYes, yes, yes. His Excellency Murong Jian is noble and dignified who has made great contributions, while my brother is still young, simple-minded, who has been tricked into cockfight, gambling, and nearly the whorehouse. He is a total dandy, who has no right to compare with His Excellency Murong Jian at all. Those two seats should belong to himâŚâ said Murong Xue flatly with kind of unnoticeable ridicule under her eyesâŚ
The way people looked at her was with all sympathy, parents both gone, no one caring about her, family properties being coveted, elder brother wasted, and she herself was weak and sickly⌠And now she finally got a chance to watch the dragon boat race at the Skywater Lake, her seat got snatched awayâŚPoor Murong XueâŚ
Now Song Qingyanâs attention was all on Murong Xue, so she didnât notice the crowdâs reaction at all. On seeing her âcompromisedâ, she said wearing a cocky expression, âYou are smart! Not bad, huh?â
Now people all laid their eyes with disdain, contempt on Song Qingyan. She and her uncle had snatched things from Song Qingyan, but it looked like Murong Xue was playing the bad. So shameless!
âQingyan, what nonsense are you talking about? Ye and Xueâs seats are in the front. I didnât take them.â Du Yi strode towards them, wearing a dreadful expression on that handsome face.
They had planned to let Murong Jian take Murong Yeâs seat without telling her so as to humiliate her. But Song Qingyan made it known to all! All the officials soon would know they conspired to bully Murong Ye and Murong Xue whose parents had died when they were young. So stupid!
Song Qingyan was stunned, âBut, uncle, you just saidâŚâ
âShut up! I know what I said. You donât have to remind me!â Du Yi cut in while glaring at her: Itâs good as long as they know themselves. How could she spit it out? Such a good plan is screwed up. Frozen stupid!
Being scolded by different people in one day made Song Qingyan both sad and upset, with her beautiful eyes filled with tearsâŚ
Du Yi just ignored her and turned to Murong Xue, saying smilingly, âXue, your seat is right over there. Come with meâŚâ
âNo, thanks. Itâs true me and my brother have done nothing for Qingyan City, while Lord Murong Jian has indeed done a lot. He deserves to sit there. And if he can enjoy the dragon boat race to the full, he could make greater contributions for the country and its civiliansâŚâ said Murong Xue with sarcastic smiles,
âYou must be kiddingâŚâ Du Yi forced a smile, thinking: Now Murong Ye and Murong Xueâs seat could be empty or others can take them but not Murong Jian and his wife. Otherwise, it tells people they snatched their seats Murong Xue claimed.
The plan of using Murong Jian to replace Murong Ye failed again. It was all Song Qingyanâs fault. That stupid blockhead! Can not do anything right!
âBut if you donât sit here, where are you gonna watch the dragon boat race?â
Murong Xue looked around. The stand in southeast was too remote. She couldnât see anything there. So that was a choice, âWhere is the pleasure boat of the Dukeâs Mansion? Mu Liufeng said I could watch the race on their boat?â
Actually she also didnât want to be with Murong Xue in the front.
Du Yi was a little surprised. During the dragon boat race, no personal pleasure boat was allowed to be on the lake, but with only a few exceptions. The pleasure boat of the Dukeâs Mansion was one of them, which represented His Majestyâs favor and their transcendent status and power!
Mu Liufeng was the son of the Dukeâs Mansion, the future the duke. He usually came and went without a trace. Few people could have a chance to see him. Since when Murong Xue became so close with him?
With a slice of his white robe flying at the corner of his eyes, Du Yi suddenly came to himself. Then he saw Ouyang Shaochen walked before Murong Xue, looking a little gloomy, held Murong Xueâs wrist and walked away at a quick pace.
Murong Xue was confused, âWhere are you taking me to?â
âA place where you can watch the dragon boat race!â responded Ouyang Shaochen without turning back.
Murong Xue blinked, asking, âIs it the pleasure boat of the Dukeâs Mansion?â\n