Chapter Thirty-Two: An Epic Confrontation

Li Qingning nodded.

"Very well, I trust you. However, you’ve exhausted so much of your energy; tomorrow..."

"Don't worry about it."

Xie Ning waved his hand, cutting her off.

"To deal with him, I don't even need to be at my peak. I’ll go back, get some sleep, and I’ll still crush him tomorrow just the same."

His carefree, nonchalant attitude left Li Qingning feeling both annoyed and amused. This guy, it seemed, would never understand the meaning of humility.

The Empress Dowager watched the two of them acting intimate, and the nameless fire in her heart was ignited once more. She took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her rage, and spoke to Li Qingzhi in an unquestionable tone.

"Your Majesty, this matter is settled. You must personally preside over tomorrow’s poetry gathering. I want everyone to know that the Prince Consort of our Great Qi is certainly no charlatan who only understands crooked ways."

Li Qingzhi looked at his mother, then at his sister and future brother-in-law, his young face filled with distress. Although he was young, he could tell that his mother and his imperial sister were at loggerheads. He didn't want to offend either of them.

"Mother, Sister..."

He had just started to speak when Li Qingning spoke calmly.

"Fine. You must go."

She only said one sentence, but it was firm and resolute. She looked at the Empress Dowager with steady eyes.

"Since Mother wishes to see, then tomorrow, I shall let Mother see clearly."

The Empress Dowager’s lips trembled with fury.

"Fine, very well, Li Qingning. You truly are a good daughter to me."

She laughed out of extreme anger and flicked her sleeve.

"Let’s go."

With that, surrounded by palace attendants, she stormed out of the Ancestral Hall.

...

The news spread like wildfire across the entire city of Jian'an.

Her Imperial Highness the Eldest Princess was to choose her consort in the Imperial Garden. There were two candidates: the first scholar of the capital, Yuwen Yue, the son of the Chancellor; and the other, the notorious Xie Ning, heir to the Marquis of Dingyuan, who had just demonstrated supernatural abilities.

The two would compete through poetry, and the winner would become the most distinguished man in Great Qi.

Once the news broke, the entire city of Jian'an erupted. In every street, alley, teahouse, and tavern, everyone was discussing it.

"Have you heard? There will be quite a spectacle in the Imperial Garden tomorrow."

"Young Master Yuwen and that Xie Ning are going to duel for the sake of the Eldest Princess."

"My god, what kind of good fortune did Xie Ning stumble upon to earn the favor of the Eldest Princess?"

"Favor, my foot! I heard he was playing tricks in the Ancestral Hall and deceived the Princess."

"Exactly, he's just a fraud. A good-for-nothing like him, how could he ever be mentioned in the same breath as Young Master Yuwen?"

"Young Master Yuwen is the pride of our Great Qi. His poetry is divine, and even the great scholars of our time sing his praises."

"And what can Xie Ning do? Get chased by Princess Tuntun’s pack?"

"Hahahaha!"

Public opinion was almost entirely on Yuwen Yue's side. In the eyes of the citizens and scholars of Jian'an, for Xie Ning to compete in poetry against Yuwen Yue was like a firefly trying to compete with the moon—an act of profound arrogance. Numerous gambling dens had even opened books on the matter. The odds for a Yuwen Yue victory were 1 to 1.1, while the odds for a Xie Ning victory were as high as 1 to 100. Even so, very few people placed bets on Xie Ning. Everyone felt that this was a contest without suspense.

Yuwen Yue would definitely win. Xie Ning would definitely lose. And he would lose miserably.

At the Marquis of Dingyuan’s residence, Jia Yibo listened to his subordinate’s report, a gloating smile appearing on his face.

"Good, very good. That little beast is becoming more and more suicidal. He actually dares to compete with Yuwen Yue in poetry? Who does he think he is? The incarnation of the god of literature? Hahaha!"

Jia Yibo’s mood couldn't have been better. He wished for nothing more than for Xie Ning to die. Now that Xie Ning was running toward his own doom in such a humiliating way, he felt like applauding.

"My Lord, then tomorrow..." the butler asked tentatively.

"We go, of course we go." Jia Yibo slapped the table, his face twisted in a ferocious grin. "How could I miss such a wonderful show? Tomorrow, I want to see with my own eyes how that little beast is trampled underfoot by Yuwen Yue and mocked by the world. I want him to know the consequences of offending me, Jia Yibo."

Meanwhile, at the Prince Jing residence, Princess Tuntun, Li Rushu, heard the report from her maid, and a complicated expression appeared on her chubby face. She sat down on her custom-reinforced chair, which gave a groan of protest under the weight.

"That Xie Ning is actually that capable..." she muttered to herself.

She hadn't expected that the man she considered to be in the palm of her hand would become involved with the Eldest Princess and cause such a stir.

Repairing the spiritual tablets of the late Emperor? Supernatural means? How did that sound so much like a story from a cheap novel?

"Princess, shall we still try to take him?" the maid asked cautiously.

"Take him?" Li Rushu rolled her eyes. "Forget it. Now that he’s caught the eye of the Eldest Princess, who would dare try to take him?"

"However..." her tone shifted, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in her eyes, which were almost squeezed shut by her flesh. "We must go see this spectacle. I want to see exactly what kind of three-headed, six-armed monster this Xie Ning is. If he really loses to Yuwen Yue and gets dumped by the Princess, perhaps... this Princess might still have a chance."

She touched her fleshy chin and wore a meaningful smile.

Overnight, the undercurrents surged. The entire city of Jian'an focused its gaze on the Imperial Garden the next day. Everyone, with their own hidden agendas, looked forward to this monumental duel.

As for Xie Ning, one of the main protagonists of the event, he was currently sleeping soundly in the luxury guest room provided by Li Qingning. He slept so sweetly that he was almost drooling, as if everything in the outside world had nothing to do with him.

At the first light of dawn the next day, the entire city of Jian'an stirred from its slumber. Countless citizens swarmed toward the Imperial City from all directions. Even if they couldn't enter the Imperial Garden, just watching from afar and catching the news was enough. As for the nobles, officials, and scholars qualified to enter the palace, they were dressed and ready early, preparing to witness this historic moment.

At the Eldest Princess’s residence, Xie Ning stretched his limbs and climbed out of the soft, comfortable bed. He felt refreshed and invigorated; the energy he had expended yesterday had been fully restored.

The Innate Bagua Map was truly incredible. Not only could it fight and save lives, but it could also act as a power bank.

Comfortable. It was truly comfortable.