The Realization of Being the Antagonist
Chapter 4
'Similar to how plants thrive under the sun's rays, He Yunxiao's infectious smile charms everyone in its path.'
The previous He Yunxiao was nothing but a villain with wicked thoughts, but now, he has transformed into a fine young man, born with the silver spoon, nurtured by the spring breeze, with principles as upright as his features. Such a change in demeanor from the inside out is quite terrifying.
Although the current He Yunxiao is trying hard to mimic some habits of his predecessor, his thoughts and inner qualities cannot be imitated. This results in his current smile having a remarkably positive impact. Anyone unfamiliar with him would think He Yunxiao is a patriotic and loyal young man serving the court. However, unfortunately, everyone in the capital city of Yinjing has already been forfront of He Yunxiao's misdeeds.
It's not because He Yunxiao is particularly wicked, but rather because he is easily recognizable, and whatever he does quickly spreads throughout the city. Even many young ladies, who scold He Yunxiao in the daytime for his lack of manners and arrogance, secretly buy some of his artwork to admire at night. He's truly the cream of the crop of Da qi.
As Du Yinyun stared at He Yunxiao's smile, she was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained her composure, turning her head to pretend to watch the martial arts competition below the viewing platform, appearing indifferent.
On the other hand, Jiang Wuyou glared at He Yunxiao and scolded, 'This is the martial arts observation platform, what mischief are you up to again? Are you not satisfied with your reputation as it is?'
Although her words directed at him were mere scolding, He Yunxiao felt warmth in his heart. Indeed, Sister Jiang, with her 80% favorability, knows that I who often act out of line and advises me to behave to protect my reputation. I know I'm in wrong this time, but I won't stop not now. Compared to tarnishing my reputation, Chu Xiaoxiao's dagger is obviously more terrifying! And it's a double-edged sword, neither I nor Sister Du can escape. Given the choice between two evils, I'm sorry, Sister Du, the humble man didn't mean to set you up.
He Yunxiao didn't directly respond to Jiang Wuyou's scolding, but pretended to be unable to move the table, pleading, 'Sister Jiang, please choose one quickly, I'll stop doing unnecessary things.' It's no easy feat to lift a table full of food, even for a martial artist.
Seeing He Yunxiao struggling, Jiang Wuyou softened her tone slightly and compromised, 'Put the food down. You can leave.' He Yunxiao quickly placed the table aside and then moved a chair to sit next to Jiang Wuyou.
Privately, Jiang Wuyou intended to give He Yunxiao some silver, but publicly, she still valued her reputation of a clear personage. Having an overly close relationship with He Yunxiao, whose "deeds are renowned throughout Daqi," is not a good thing in public.
Furthermore, Jiang Wuyou's mastery of dance is unparalleled, securing her place among the elite. Her accolades include formal recognition by the Ministry of Rites and a prestigious performance as the grand finale of last year's Empress Dowager's birthday gala, solidifying her reputation in Yinjing's high society.
As He Yunxiao took a seat beside her, Jiang Wuyou gave him a gentle shove, her tone tinged with irritation. "I told you to set the food down. Why are you yourself sitting?"
Feigning surprise, He Yunxiao responded with a playful smirk, "Huh? Aren't I too one of your dish, Sister?"
"Pfft."
A red-card girl nearby spit out the tea she had just sipped, while others on the martial arts observation platform couldn't help but chuckle. Jiang Wuyou pretended to be displeased, but the upward curve of her lips didn't betrayed her amusement. She lightly tapped He Yunxiao and teasingly scolded,
"You little scoundrel."
He Yunxiao, however, grinned and began serving food and pouring wine for Jiang Wuyou. Such cheesy flirtation wasn't something everyone could do or swallow. He dared to say such things purely because of his exceptionally handsome face and the 83% favorability he currently enjoyed with Jiang Wuyou.
The conversation between the duo to her left resonated regally within the hearing of Du Yinyun. As she savored a sip of her tea, an unexpected bitterness lingered on her tongue. Meanwhile, on the stage, Chu Fan had just emerged triumphant over his rival.
As the attendant with the gong announced, "The match is over," the five exquisite ladies on the observation platform commenced scoring the contestants. Previously, all eyes were on He Yunxiao, and the stage proceedings went unnoticed. Nevertheless, this proved inconsequential, as the focus was solely on whether Chu Fan emerged victorious or not. As long as Chu Fan's score surpassed that of his opponent, the outcome was satisfactory. After all, it was merely the inaugural round, and the outcome of this skirmish bore no weight on the final tally. It would be a different story when there were only a dozen or so contestants left vying for the top ten spots to advance to the next round , then the points would really have a meaning.
Jiang Wuyou casually wrote down "six" and "four" on the scorecard. Since each match was out of ten points, Chu Fan naturally got six points, while the other contestant got four.
He Yunxiao remarked, "Sister Jiang, your score is incorrect."
Curious, Jiang Wuyou asked, "Why is it incorrect?"
"In the previous match, although these two fought fiercely, if you look closely, Chu Fan used righteous swordsmanship* and held back. His opponent, on the other hand, used ruthless and vicious moves at every turn. Moreover, after the match, Chu Fan's clothes were unruffled, and his breath was steady, showing he still had plenty of energy left. But his opponent was panting heavily."
[T/N - My fellow readers if you are wondering, what the hell is " Righteous Swordmanship " then it allow me explain. It meant standard book Swordmanship not only that every back-handed trickary out even those what are a allowed in norms. Like You deflect opponent sword and go behind him it's a no-no. Simply you face opponent head on , he drop his sword then you wait for him pick up blah blah blah. ]
Jiang Wuyou's eyes lit up as she carefully considered He Yunxiao's observation, realizing he was right.
She was just surprised at how clearly He Yunxiao understood the situation, and instead of causing trouble, he spoke impartially and fairly.
"What about 'seven-three'?" she asked.
"At most, 'nine-one'," He Yunxiao replied. "But 'nine-one' isn't very auspicious. Warriors always care about their dignity. Sister, how about giving an 'eight-two'?"
"Why isn't 'nine-one' auspicious?" Jiang Wuyou asked, puzzled.
As a courtesan who frequently performed dances at the palace, she was particularly sensitive to matters of auspiciousness.
He Yunxiao awkwardly tugged at the corner of his mouth, unsure of how to explain. He had to resort to making something up to gloss over it. Fortunately, his Sister Jiang trusted him enough not to inquire further, so the matter was dropped.
The observation platform wasn't large, and the five girls were seated close together. He Yunxiao never made an effort to lower his voice when speaking. Consequently, the five identical scorecards were handed to the girl holding the gong to read aloud.
Du Yinyun's mood was quite complex. She never expected He Yunxiao to pay attention while she herself was neglecting to observe the match.
Moreover, not only did he pay attention, but he also spoke fairly and had reasonable justifications for his scoring. This was completely different from the usual rumors about him and his demeanor just now.....The previous He Yunxiao was a reckless and unreasonable young master who stubbornly stuck by Jiang Wuyou's side caring favor, but when it came to evaluating martial arts, he seemed like a scholarly teacher, citing classic texts* and making reasoned arguments that were convincing.
[T/N- most probably meant Yunxiao was quoted war/martial books when giving his opinion on the fight , ah this are thoughts of Du Yinyun.I am not sure with this myself]
Jiang Wuyou seemed to have seen through Du Yinyun's thoughts, perhaps because she herself had doubts.
" DEAR He , is the gentleman Chu in the arena your friend?"
He Yunxiao exclaimed, " Sister Jiang, I'm innocent! The swordsmanship Chu Fan used was also taught to me by my master when I was a child. Unfortunately, I was playful and didn't like to study, often failing my lessons. As a result, my master was often got complains of my father."
"When I see Chu using this swordsmanship, it reminds me of my master. It's just a pity that when I wanted to see my master again, but he was already gone..."
Entertainment in Daqi was much scarcer than in modern times, and coupled with He Yunxiao's sincere performance, although the story was cliché, it still stirred some emotions in the hearts of the girls present. Especially Du Yinyun, who felt it was almost directed to her.
In her childhood, she often complained about her father's strictness and his frequent absence for months on end. But when her father fell ill and the entire Du family fell apart, she felt her father's pressure, bitterness, and responsibility.
He Yunxiao's exaggerated cries brought Du Yinyun's thoughts back to reality. She stole a glance at the son of the Wuxing Marquis and felt a strange feeling in her heart.
He Yunxiao, growing up in a household of military officials, wasn't it difficult for you too?
Indeed, it was difficult. Holding Sister Jiang's hand while trying to observe Du Yinyun was really too difficult. After all, Jiang Jiejie's hand was so soft!
[Du Yinyin's goodwill towards He Yunxiao increased from 25 to 55.]
Holy crap? It increased by so much? Little sister is still too young. Just by showing a glimmer of talent and empathy, I harvested 30 favorability?
Then if I try harder tonight, Can't I reach 80 favorability and get the system reward?
He Yunxiao suddenly felt a chill down his spine, as if he saw Chu Xiaoxiao smiling at him with a as of holding a hatchet. Hold steady, don't panic! The top priority is to prevent this unlucky girl from going to see Chu Fan! Otherwise, someone will really die!
~~~Ending~~~
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