Male Lead Is Always That Heartless

Chapter 35

Hearing footsteps entering the hall, Gu Yi gathered loose hair on her shoulders. Consort Shu, after all, was the first beauty of the Great Mu Dynasty. Thus, she couldn’t be too shabby.

Gu Yi half-lay on the bed and hung her head to greet her, “Greetings to Consort Shu.” As the visitor approached, she smelled a strong aroma of cosmetics.

Consort Shu saw that Lady of Fairness Gu Jieyu was only wearing plain-colored middle clothes. She lowered her almond eyes, but her complexion was fine and rosy. She reached out to give false support: “Lady of Fairness Gu is injured; why do you need these false manners? Get up quickly.”

Gu Yi raised her head to look at the Consort Shu before her. She had bright red lips, carefully painted eyebrows and eyes, and a hibiscus flower on her forehead.

The beauty was so intense.

Gu Yi smiled, “Consort Shu has come to visit me. I’m grateful.”

Consort Shu pursed her lips and smiled, “Lady of Fairness is too polite. We’re sisters. No need to be formal. Where are you injured? Is it serious?”

Gu Yi opened the quilt, revealing the bandaged calf, wrapped in several layers of white gauze, “I injured in the leg, not a big problem.”

Consort Shu hummed. “The Emperor must be heartbroken because Sister Gu got attacked. Get well soon.”

Gu Yi felt strange. Why did Consort Shu mention the Emperor for no reason? If it was Consort De, she could understand because of the jealousy, but when it comes to Consort Shu — she felt strange.

She laughed dryly, “I will rest well and recover soon.”

Consort Shu saw her smiling face and said, “I only came to see you. Don’t bother much. Take a good rest.”

She turned to leave but suddenly stopped. “I have some painkillers in the Caiwei Hall. I’ll ask someone to send them to you after I return so Sister can suffer less.”

Gu Yi nodded, “Thank you, Consort.”

Only after Consort Shu left did Tao Jia return to her chamber with a face of relief.

Gu Yi couldn’t help but wonder, “What was the personality of Consort Shu that you met before?”

Tao Jia snorted. “Consort Shu rarely has a good reputation. They say she is arrogant as if she doesn’t care much about other people, but the Consort Shu I’ve met before is gentle and speaks little.”

It sounded like the Qi Shu in the book, the once-famous Lady in the capital—the favorite candidate for the Crown Princess. Unfortunately, Prince Heng died.

Aih.

Gu Yi didn’t dare to get too deeply involved with her, so she had to deal with her carefully. But did she come here today only to look at her legs?

In the middle of her rambling thoughts, there was another summons from outside the hall, “Talent Lady Zhao seeks an audience.”

Gu Yi beckoned and instructed Tao Jia, “Let her come in.”

Zhao Wan entered the chamber and bowed smoothly, “Greetings to Lady of Fairness.”

Gu Yi smiled, “No need to be polite. I was just about to send someone to call you.”

Zhao Wan: “Is it about the Cuiwan games?”

Gu Yi nodded, “I hurt my leg. I will rely on you in the next few days. I’m sorry for troubling you.”

Zhao Wan smiled and said, “This is my job, don’t worry.”

Gu Yi then dragged her back to discuss the Cuiwan Games maps again to ensure everything was in order. But Zhao Wan was worthy of being the female lead; she had carefully thought of every aspect.

“There are many palace concubines in the game. Let’s play a small count, only playing ten holes. Whoever concubine gets ten holes first will be the winner. What does Lady of Fairness think?”

Gu Yi, who wanted to team up with the female lead, immediately said: “Good idea! Let’s do it as you say!”

The female lead’s pill-popping was on, and she was able to win.

The female lead outshone in the Cuiwan Games and won the whole game in minutes. Each hole counted as a hundred taels; ten holes means a thousand taels!

Without the Consort De’s backstabbing, Gu Yi has seen her hope of becoming rich overnight!

Seeing Gu Yi’s overly eager eyes, Zhao Wan smiled coyly, “I will go to the imperial garden to see the layout of the venue according to the maps in the next few days, and if there is any doubt, then I will come back to ask for advice from Lady of Fairness?”

Gu Yi nodded, not forgetting to instruct, “Don’t forget to send the invitation to Luoying Hall for Consort De to review it.”

Zhao Wan said yes.

Gu Yi thought briefly and said slowly, “If you can, you can take the stick to practice first these days! I have a leg injury, so I’m inconvenient. Heluo Hall is relying on you!” Although there was a protagonist halo, she must play steadily.

Zhao Wan was surprised in her heart. Lady of Fairness Gu seemed extremely valued this game —

When she was young, she often played with her relatives at home, and her ball skills were good. “Lady of Fairness is right. A Wan will spend effort practicing these few days.”

“Very good!” Gu Yi excitedly held Zhao Wan’s hands, “If you need anything in the next few days, just let me know!”

Zhao Wan said yes, and her gaze fell on her injured leg. “Lady of Fairness, is your wound severe? There are still five days before the Cuiwan Games, and if you need it, you can order the crafter to make a cane for easier movement.”

Gu Yi waved, “Don’t worry. The crafters’s office has sent someone to deliver the cane drawing at noon today. The doctor said that I’ll be fine in a few days. Also, Cuiwan Games uses a two-handed stick, and I will do it according to my ability.”

Zhao Wan’s eyes flickered. Lady of Fairness Gu was injured last night and was promoted today. The crafter’s office even sent the cane drawing early in the morning. Everyone thought the Emperor promoted her to appease her, but she felt it was much more.

Zhao Wan faintly smiled, “Then, I’ll leave first. Recuperate well.”

*

On the day of the Cuiwan Games, the weather was unexpectedly good. The wind was calm, and the sun shone warmly. Gu Yi moved from the chamber to the outside of the Heluo Hall with her pearwood cane. The wound on her calf had gradually scabbed, but she walked with a slight limp, and the scar itched.

The sedan chair stopped outside the door, and Tao Jia helped her sit in it and staggered to the imperial garden.

According to the map, the ball holes were set in the middle of the field, and colorful flags were inserted next to them as markers. The baseline grid for hitting the ball was drawn with white stone powder. The distance between the base and the hole was thirty paces in most cases and sixty paces in the farthest. There were the simplest straight, flat distances, obstacles of flowers and trees, and up and down slopes built with earth between the base and the holes. Each player has ten sticks, and the difficulty of hitting the ball escalates from level to level. The winner is the one who strikes the ball into the holes the most. An extended wooden platform was in the middle to display the Cuiwan Games equipment.

After Gu Yi alighted the sedan chair, she looked around with great interest. On the stage were clubs of different thicknesses and shapes, shovels, etc., all of which could be used to hit balls in various terrain conditions. During these seasons, which changed from autumn to winter, wooden clubs were used to play the Cuiwan Games. The club was reinforced with beef tendons and glue, while the handle was bamboo. The whole set of clubs included ten pieces; the medium set had eight pieces, and the small set had less than eight pieces.

Cuiwan Games was based on rank; the four consorts could take the whole set, and because there was no one in the Imperial Concubine’s rank, the Lady of Fairness took the middle set while the rest of the Noble Ladies, Beauties, and Talent Ladies took the small set.

To hit a good ball, you need a good club. Even concubines in the same Palace could not borrow each other’s bats. Gu Yi felt that this rule of honor and inferiority was unfair. However, the female lead hit the scale of platinum with even bronze props. She was impressed! Getting rich overnight is no longer a dream!

Several gongs and drums resounded continuously. The palace attendant sang, “The Emperor has arrived!”

The crowd knelt. Gu Yi held her wooden staff, hung her head, and bowed.

“Rise.”

Gu Yi looked up and saw that Xiao Yan was dressed in black and did not wear a crown. He only tied his hair with a ribbon and wrapped his waist with a purple belt; he dressed very neatly.

Consort De stood half a step behind him with a smile. She wore a hibiscus bun and a vermillion-colored dress. “Your Majesty, today’s weather is good, and the rules in this garden are also good. I hope Luoying Hall can take the first place today.”

Xiao Yan smiled without saying anything. Lady of Fairness Gong said jokingly, “Consort De, you took last year’s first prize. Won’t you give it to your sisters this year?”

Consort De covered her mouth and chuckled, “Sister Gong, you’re joking. There are many new sisters this year, so there may be hidden tigers and dragons.”

Gu Yi thought to herself, that’s true!

But Consort Shu said, “In my opinion, this Cuiwan Games’ rules are thorough, which shows Sister Gu is good at this game. She may win the first prize.”

Consort Shu looked at Gu Yi with a beaming smile, “What does sister Gu say?”

Gu Yi was stunned. Sister Gu didn’t want to say anything!

Xiao Yan appropriately dropped his eyes on Gu Yi. He hadn’t seen her for a few days and saw that her face seemed to have lost some weight again, but her spirit was still good. On her face was the usual fake smile.

Gu Yi laughed dryly: “Consort Shu thinks too highly of me. I just referred to the game regulations given by Consort De. Besides, I injured my leg. These days, Talent Lady Zhao in Heluo Hall personally organized the Chuiwan Games.”

Consort Shu gave an ‘oh’ sound and raised an eyebrow, “Then my sister should indeed reward Talent Lady Zhao.”

Gu Yi had a flash of light and said, “I think it’s meaningless just to reward. I’m willing to raise money for today’s winner and offer fifty taels to the winner.”

Anyway, the female lead is on the same team as her. If she wins, she can get it back. She is the master of a palace. At that time, whether it is 50-50 or 80-20, it’s all up to her! If she gets a few more shareholders, she will become rich overnight!

Gu Yi thought about this, showed her teeth, and smiled, asking Consort Shu: “What does Consort Shu think?”

Consort Shu was surprised and laughed, “Sister believes that Talent Lady Zhao will win? In that case, I will also join the fun and offer one hundred taels. The winner will get it.”

As soon as Consort Shu said this, many palace concubines didn’t want to lose their face and wanted to raise the bet.

Xiao Yan saw the light in Gu Yi’s eyes, smiled, and said, “Then I’ll join. Five hundred taels, the winner gets it.”

In a moment, the winner will receive the original prize of 1000 taels and an additional thousand taels. More importantly, the Emperor added a prize—the holy heart!

Gu Yi was so happy that her face was about to split open. Haughtily, she hurriedly covered the corners of her mouth with an embroidered handkerchief, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s great favor.”