The first segment of the ceremony had ended, and the king and queen took their leave. After they left, the second segment – the disciples from each sect associating with each other – began.
Among all the Nine Jade Palace disciples, Shao Zhengyang was the most excited one. As soon as the king and queen left, he went around to mingle.
Tan Yubing turned to talk to Lu Mingshu. She was itching to leave, but the chaperones were still around, and it wasn’t polite to leave before them.
Outside of expectations, Lu Mingshu was very easygoing. Other than chatting with Tan Yubing, she focused on the delicacies on the table.
Zhongzhou had abundant resources, and they paid particular attention to their food. The opening ceremony was an important event, so the feast provided the best food in Zhongzhou. Exotic delicacies and mouthwatering dishes were everywhere.
“Tastes good, huh?” a familiar female voice rang in Lu Mingshu’s ear.
Lu Mingshu looked up.
State Master Jia Yan was standing in front of her, crossing her arms.
Lu Mingshu nodded, “Yeah. The name is not in vain; Zhongzhou’s delicacies are indeed excellent.”
“You…!” State Master Jia Yan saw red upon hearing Lu Mingshu. This country bumpkin, can’t she tell that I’m mocking her?
Calming herself down, Jia Yan returned to her egocentric self, “Lu Mingshu, it’s important to know one’s limitations. You have heard of this phrase, right?”
Lu Mingshu looked at her silently, waiting for her to continue.
As they made eye contact, State Master Jia Yan was once again fired up. As soon as she knew about Lu Mingshu, she disliked her. She’s just a country bumpkin from Xichuan. What gives her the right to act big and look down on everything? So what if she’s the Eldest Miss of Nine Jade Palace? Nine Jade Palace is just a tiny sect in China.
State Master Jia Yan continued coldly, “What’s not yours will never be yours, so there’s no point in forcing it, right?”
Tan Yubing looked at her with worry, but Lu Mingshu smiled to reassure her, “State Master Jia Yan, didn’t we make things clear that night?”
“Make clear what?” State Master Jia Yan gave her a death glare, “Did you make a promise or something?”
Lu Mingshu furrowed her eyebrows, “State Master, I don’t owe you anything, so why would I make any kind of promise?”
“Anyway,” Lu Mingshu continued, “You should go find the one who actually has a say in this rather than me. I don’t have a say in this matter.”
“Are… are you lecturing me?” State Master Jia Yan nearly blew her top. She increased her volume. “What if I just want to find trouble with you? What are you gonna do about it?”
“I should be the one asking State Master,” Lu Mingshu smiled. “What does State Master want?”
State Master Jia Yan suddenly came to Nine Jade Palace’s area and acted like she was here for a fight. The scene attracted the attention of a few other areas, and they were all staring at them as if they were watching a show. Jia Yan couldn’t take the stare; “Lu Mingshu, are you up for a bet?”
Lu Mingshu’s eyes lit up, “What does State Master wish to bet?”
State Master Jia Yan once again had a proud look on her face. “I heard that you’re confident in your abilities, am I right?”
“I’m only average.”
“Aiming to get into the New Ranking, huh?”
“So?”
“Let’s have a bet then,” Jia Yan finally got to her point, “to see if you can enter the New Generation Ranking! If you lose, you should never leech onto Cousin. If you win, I’ll never find trouble with you ever again.”
Lu Mingshu kept quiet.
“Hey!” State Master Jia Yan shouted. “What do you say?”
Lu Mingshu sneered, “Why should I accept this bet?”
State Master Jia Yan looked as if she was about to kill, “Why not? You don’t dare?”
Lu Mingshu remained unmoved, “A bet should have corresponding stakes. If I lose, the State Master will benefit, but if I win, I get nothing. Since that’s the case, why should I agree?”
“What do you mean you get nothing?” State Master Jia Yan pressed her, “If you win, I will never find trouble with you ever again!”
“Heh.”
“Wipe that freaking smile off your face!”
Lu Mingshu started slowly, “In the past, I read a book about a bandit who lives in a dangerous forest. He forces every passerby to pay a toll, and if they disobey, he would rob them. The State Master has a similar way of acting!”
State Master Jia Yan stared blankly at her for a while before screaming in her face, “Did you just freaking compare me to a bandit?!”
“Eldest Miss!” Yin Hong shouted at her as soon as she heard this, “Is that how you speak to the State Master?”
Lu Mingshu turned to glare at her.
Yin Hong plastered a smile on her face, “State Master, our Eldest Miss is just making a joke. Please forgive her.”
“Joke? Who the hell asked for your opinion?” State Master Jia Yan sneered. She turned and screamed into Lu Mingshu’s face once again, “So what the hell do you want then, Lu Mingshu?”
Lu Mingshu looked like she was in deep thought, then she slowly replied, “I will accept this bet if…”
“If?”
“The stakes are changed to something that’s fair.”
State Master Jia Yan calmed herself down and replied calmly, “Name your price.”
Lu Mingshu smiled, “If I lose, I’ll do what State Master says, but If I win, I hope that State Master would kindly pay me a small gambling fee.”
“Gambling fee?” State Master Jia Yan furrowed her brows.
“State Master’s a part of royalty, I’m sure it’s just a small thing to you, right? Or can State Master not afford it?”
Seeing Lu Mingshu’s smirk, Jia Yan was so fired up that she agreed without thinking, “Whatever the hell you want! How much?”
Lu Mingshu smiled, “Since State Master raised this bet, the stakes should match your status, right? Gold and silver are too normal… how about mystic crystals?”
“Of course!”
Jia Yan owned plenty of mystic crystals.
Lu Mingshu added on, “One or two is too little. How about we bet a hundred?”
Upon hearing that, the spectators all took a deep breath.
A hundred mystic crystals was a huge sum of money! It was hard to get a single mystic crystal in the Harmonization Realm, even if one had a great fortune. Being able to gain ten and get your own mustard seed pouch was already good enough; a hundred was impossible for most, and it was enough to last a lifetime.
Yin Hong looked at Lu Mingshu with envy. Mystic crystals in the Nine Jade Palace were only given to Elders, and her pay was only three or four per month. A hundred would take at least three years for her to achieve. Moreover, one required crystals for cultivation.
“This…” State Master Jia Yan hesitated. Yes, she was rich, but if she wanted to use such a huge amount of money, she would need her father’s permission.
Lu Mingshu acted as if she was concerned, “If it’s inconvenient for State Master, then we could lower the amount.”
As they made eye contact, State Master Jia Yan agreed without demur. “A hundred then – so be it! It’s chump change!”
“Awesome! The State Master is indeed generous,” Lu Mingshu held out her hand. “A word spoken…?”
“…can never be taken back!” Jia Yan shook her hand.
There was no backing out.
On their way back, State Master Jia Yan’s servant girl pouted, “State Master, didn’t you say that she rejected Alioth Star-Lord? Why did you raise this bet? If she loses, nothing happens, but if she wins, State Master would have to pay a hundred mystic crystals. State Master is at such a disadvantage!”
“Hah!” Jia Yan smirked. “That’s why I’m betting. Because she rejected Cousin, Cousin will still think about her even though he has no feelings for her. But what would Cousin think when he learns that she used herself as a stake? No matter how generous he is, he’s sure to loathe her, so the result doesn’t really matter, because I’m the winner at the end of the day.”
A hundred mystic crystals in exchange for Cousin to loathe her – more than worth it.
The servant girl suddenly saw the light. She looked at Jia Yan in admiration, “So that’s it! State Master is indeed something!”
On the other hand, Tan Yubing looked at Lu Mingshu, eyes filled with worry; “Junior Niece Lu, why did you make a bet with her? What if you lose?”
“If I don’t bet, State Master Jia Yan would never leave me alone.” She smiled, “And even if I lose the bet, there’s nothing to lose in the first place.”
There was something else that Lu Mingshu didn’t mention. When the Qilin Festival was over, she was planning to not head back to the Nine Jade Palace, and to travel around, what she lacked the most was money. Moreover, State Master Jia Yan delivered herself on a silver platter – why should Lu Mingshu reject?