4 Chapter 4

From what she could hear Liu Jilian could only assume that this competition between their two kingdoms was not as simple as it seemed, their Zhou kingdom, and an unknown Xiang kingdom, she felt tense, if this was going to be a mandatory martial arts competition would she not die immediately?

Martial arts?

Cultivation?

Literary Arts?

When did she ever learn any of these?

She hadn't sensed anything magical about this world, no weird animals no odd powers, she could only assume that martial arts just referred vaguely to fighting skills.

Her limbs were as weak as twigs and her proficiency in literary Arts was literally zero how could she possibly participate?

"Jilian... Focus on the literary Arts, don't bother about the martial arts..." Her father said shocking her out of her trance.

She bowed slightly, "Yes, father..." More than likely her father didn't have high expectations for her, she could only assume her other sisters were not old enough to participate so he could only send the two of them this year.

"You may leave" she bowed and turned to leave the hall while her sister stayed behind, she racked her brains on the walk back to her courtyard and decided to settle on singing and painting since they were the two things she was sure she could practice to a good quality before the tournament.

She didn't have to win, she just had to not lose face. Back at the hall, Liu Wen looked up at her father with a concerned expression. "Father... I'm afraid that first older sister is not very good when it comes to the arts, is it really ok if she attends the tournament? Won't she lose face and feel humiliated?" This older sister of hers did not deserve to go for such an event, what would she do if a prince falls in love with her?

"Don't bother yourself, go, and rest!"

Liu Jilian hated exercising, but she felt uneasy knowing she was unable to defend herself in a world where martial artists were running rampant. so she forced herself to exercise lightly, emphasis on lightly. She could barely throw a stone without feeling like she was going to collapse, naturally, she wasn't satisfied with this "delicate" body, it was completely useless, it's shocking enough to not have the strength to trust a chicken but she was also fed by her maids at every meal. It wasn't too bad seeing that she did not have the faintest idea on how to use chopsticks and could only slowly learn from observing the maids.

She felt like a grown baby, everything was done for her and she was pampered to death like a princess yet her physique was below average, was she anorexic? It was hard to tell seeing that she couldn't see any ghastly bones popping out of her body.

It took a few meals for her to notice that her diet was vegetarian, she didn't ask about it but was rather suspicious if she was being maltreated or if it was on her own volition.

After looking around and seeing a buddha shrine with a set of exquisite prayer beads. She took them in her hand and subconsciously shuffled through the beads, it was convenient that the young miss was religious before her death, so was she before she woke up in this ridiculous body.

She set up a daily routine for herself, turning away any visitors that came for her, even refusing an invitation from the emperor with the excuse of ill health, she didn't have time to bother herself with the trivia of the imperial harem, according to 21st-century Chinese drama you could die without ever knowing how if the emperor takes interest in you.

She didn't want to kid herself, she wasn't intelligent or creative like other reincarnated protagonists she was mediocre, only a fourth-year med student, she wouldn't be able to help herself outside these walls.

Honestly, now that she sat down and thought through her situation she realized how stupid she was, what was she thinking when she approached the emperor!? Where did she get such courage? Maybe after death, there was a sudden adrenaline rush?

"Gosh," she said under her breath, it was was mid-morning and there was nothing to do, she had decided to try out martial arts but she realized the effort it would take and decided to just settle for literary Arts, it's ok to not have the strength to trust a chicken, everyone is valuable. She nodded to herself ignoring her laziness and instead started plucking at the weird instrument they had called a Guzheng?

Guzheng.

Damn, she should've learned Chinese, not Romanian.

Oddly enough she could understand the language and speak however her reading and writing were really terrible.

"That sounds beautiful miss! What piece are you playing?" Mei li asked in excitement, Julian didn't reply, she wasn't doing anything in particular just trying to see if this was similar to western instruments.

Seeing the young miss didn't want to talk the young maid didn't push for a conversation but instead subtly retreated leaving the young miss. Julian sighed in frustration, she'd have to ask for a tutor she just couldn't understand how this is meant to be played.

She didn't need to win just not lose face, but why did she feel impending doom if she messes things up?