Chapter 42

Back at the seats, Nan Baoyi coyly rushed into Old Madam’s embrace, “Grandmother…”

Old Madam was grinning from ear to ear, throwing praises all around, “At first when Jiaojiao’er said she wanted to participate in the Spring Flower Festival competition, I thought she was only kidding and did not allow her to come. Unexpectedly, she actually got first prize! This child is smart like her mother.”

Nan Guang sat behind, looking stupidly, his face turned pale.

His two gold, his spending money, it’s all gone. What was he going to do?!

Madam Liu bit her lip hard and clenched her fist to resist the urge to tear apart Nan Baoyi alive.

Her one thousand gold was gone just like that, that was her entire net worth!

Madam Cheng and Madam Chang were equally embarrassed.

Although they were from an official’s family, they were still not as wealthy as the Nan residence.

To them, one thousand gold was a very big amount. At least they could still buy a lot of jewelry, you can still hear the money clinking if you throw that money into the water. They never thought that it was gone just like that!

They also thought of the Nan residence betting tens of thousands of gold on Nan Baoyi.

The odds were twenty to one, such an easy profit!

They were not the only ones who were envious, other people also secretly envied them.

Why does it seem that the Nan family could earn money no matter what they do?

Although they were not fortunate in having a governor in the family, their money fortune was too good!

It really made a lot of people envious!

Nan Baoyi and Nan Baozhu gathered together to look at the sandalwood box containing her reward.

Besides a hundred gold ingots, there was a rather good quality calligraphy set and even an exquisite ancient lucky coin.

Nan Baoyi generously gave the ingot to Nan Baozhu, “This is for Zhuzhu for good luck. This calligraphy set, I will give to Big Sister. In our residence, Big Sister’s the only girl willing to write.”

Nan Baozhu grinned widely while taking the ingot and showed off to other girls.

Nan Baoyi held the lucky coin and secretly looked at Xiao Yi.

She did not know when did the young man change into a narrow sleeved robe with dark gold cloud patterns embroidered on his neckline and cuffs. Although he had a handsome appearance, his vibe was still extremely cold and serious.

As though he could feel her glancing at him, he looked over coldly.

Nan Baoyi hurriedly lowered her head, pretending nothing was happening and fiddled with the fruit bowl on the table.

She wanted to give him the lucky coin but he was so cold she could not bring herself to do it at the moment.

Suddenly there were curious comments around them:

“Who brought over soldiers here, what are they trying to do?”

“Are they carrying real swords and carbine? It’s scary just looking at them!”

“Look, they seemed like they are forming a battle formation!”

Nan Baoyi looked over. High on the platform, two hundred soldiers gradually gathered together.

Situ Lin smoothed his beard and smiled, “Long snake formation. Under my command, my deputy general is an expert in this long snake formation. Using this formation, we have captured countless enemy soldiers alive. Xiao Yi is familiar with books about war, what do you think of my soldiers’ formation?”

Xiao Yi gazed upon them.

The deputy general was a veteran, displaying a formation that was powerful and adaptable like a huge python ready for attack anytime.

He nodded, “Very good.”

Situ Lin patted on his shoulder, “You can choose from anyone here, pick ten people that you want, and break the formation.”

The entire place was filled with uproar!

The audience only knew now that the adoptive son of the Nan residence was about to challenge an army of more than two hundred people!

Several examiners rushed over and persuaded, “The Spring Flower Festival competition is about participating and having fun, we dare not have any fatal accidents. What do you mean ten people breaking up a battle formation, most of the people here are dignitaries and has never been on the battlefield, what formation is there to break, isn’t this just creating trouble?!”

“That’s right!” An old retired general frowned, “General Situ, everyone knew that your long snake formation is the best and no one on the battlefield was able to break the formation for years. Aren’t you trying to make things difficult for this young man?”

Situ Lin smiled and did not say anything.

The Nan family was in a hopeless situation. Since the Old Madam wanted him to help the Nan family, then they would need to show him something that would fully convince him to do so.

If Xiao Yi was a young man worth nurturing, then he would not mind guiding and supporting him.

But if Xiao Yi was only a good looking man with no substance, then the Nan family had no one to rely on and their family’s decline was irrevocable, not worth it for him to offend the other dignitaries for them.

Xiao Yi’s face was as usual.

He glanced across the seats. All the rich sons of the dignitaries avoided and no one wanted to break the formation with him.

He smirked.

He had never thought of picking anyone from this group of useless people.

He casually said, “There’s no need for ten people…breaking the formation, two people would be enough.”

Everyone was stunned!

Situ Lin could not help but scolded, “Xiao Yi, you have to think clearly!”

The young man walked leisurely towards the high platform, “Nan Jiaojiao, follow me.”

Nan Baoyi stared blankly.

The young man’s figure from behind was straight and steady, the sun shining over his back. He looked like a black blade that was just unsheathed, not pretending to hide his sharp edges, sweeping everything in sight.

The scene in front gradually coincided with the previous life.

In the previous life, Xiao Yi had led soldiers to war numerous times.

At that time, she was just like the other maids in the palace, secretly peeping at him while lying on the palace floor upstairs.

She listened to the palace maids discussing how the emperor’s teacher swept across thousands of men in the army, how invincible he was, how his good looks were incomparable. If anyone could become the female master of the emperor’s teacher’s residence, how happy and good that would be…

Too many palace maids wanted to peep at Xiao Yi. It was very crowded and she was actually pushed and fell down from the second floor!

She screamed out in fear but fell right into Xiao Yi’s arms.

She was extremely ugly in her previous life. Those deputy generals and maids thought that she did it on purpose to gain his attention and so everyone mocked and laughed out.

She was so embarrassed she wanted to hide in a hole in the ground. But Xiao Yi did not laugh.

He held her as though he did not remember this was the sister who humiliated him countless of times when she was young and asked cooly, “You want to go into battle with me?”

At that time, how did she answer him?

Her memory was a little blur.

But that was the last time she saw Xiao Yi. She died amid of cunning plans set in the palace without waiting for him to return from battle in triumph.

Nan Baoyi was still lost in thought. Xiao Yi climbed onto a horse, “Nan Jiaojiao.”

Nan Baoyi hurried over to the high platform.

Xiao Yi lifted her up to the horse and she sat firmly in front of him.

Nan Baoyi quietly turned her head around and looked at him.

The young man’s outline was smooth and handsome but not lacking in heroic spirit. His narrow eyes had a cold and stern manner, his nose was beautifully curved, his heroic posture was outstanding.

She said softly, “Second Brother, you knew that I will hold you back, why did you still pick me?”

Xiao Yi looked at her calmly.

The little girl was tender and beautiful. Her innocent-looking eyes made him have the urge to protect her firmly in his hands.

As though if he did not bring her along, he would never be able to see her again.

“I feel assured with you by my side.”

He drew a pike with black red tassels from the weapon rack and pulled a beautiful spear at ease.

He raised his eyes, staring at the ever-changing long snake formation.

He said, “Nan Jiaojiao, sit still.”

The galloping horse disappeared from its original place as fast as lightning, sweeping towards the horizon like the sound of thunder!