Shut Up!

Zihou just gave a faint smile in response to Wei Ziyu's reaction. She was not at all surprised. This development was within her expectations. But now that his legs had already progressed thus far, it also meant that he would have to depend on his own efforts in order to see any future improvements.

In contrast to Zihou's calm demeanor, the people crowded outside the room were in a furor.

As much as they had believed in Zihou, they couldn't help being extremely moved on seeing the actual results before their very eyes.

They had complete faith now that Ziyu could feel his legs—he just had to undergo physiotherapy in order to recover fully!

Chu Lingye was momentarily dazed. He knew very well how serious Ziyu's injuries were. He had also helped to seek out countless doctors and tried all sorts of methods to help Ziyu recover then but to no avail.

And then so many years had passed that he already felt that perhaps Ziyu was destined to remain in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Now, Ziyu had a new chance at standing up again, and the one who achieved this miraculous result was not some super doctor or some magic pills—instead, it was his sister… who had possessed a terrible reputation all these years.

"Congratulations, Ziyu." Chu Lingye entered the room and gave Wei Ziyu a slight smile.

"Ye…" Wei Ziyu looked somewhat stunned at the sight of Chu Lingye. Since five years ago after his legs were paralyzed, they had not seen each other at all. He never expected to see him again on this very day!

"We have not seen each other for so long, but I'm heartened to I see that you have made such progress." Chu Lingye sighed in relief, even as a melancholy light flashed across his profound eyes.

"It's my fault that I have made you worry all these years." Wei Ziyu looked very agitated as his face filled with remorse. He had rejected Chu Lingye many times at the door because of his self-isolation over the past five years. As a result, he felt like he had let Chu Lingye down.

Chu Lingye and he were the same age and were two of the most talented and outstanding youths of their generation. They were not just cousins but also very good friends.

But now that they had met again, they realized they could no longer find that same sense of familiarity and camaraderie as before.

"Now that you have recovered, my worries have been worth it." Chu Lingye shook his head with a smile. He sat down by Wei Ziyu's side and gently patted his shoulder.

"The three of them have not spent any time together the past few years. Let's head off first and let them youngsters catch up." Zhao Xinrou suggested. Wei Shirong had no objections, and even Wei Guoting kept silent for a moment before also departing.

On seeing them head off, Zihou also tidied up her needles and prepared to leave. She was not that close to Chu Lingye and didn't have anything much to say to him. Although she had no ill-feelings toward Chu Lingye, he was definitely not someone she liked.

"Cousin…" Chu Lingye stood up and hurried after Zihou.

"Yes?" Zihou paused and turned around. She glanced expectantly at Chu Lingye.

"The Spring Pageant in three days' time… you must be careful."

Spring Pageant?

Zihou murmured the words to herself as she racked her memories regarding this event.

The so-called Spring Pageant was originally called the Skills Pageant. It was a popular custom that had started many years ago in Western Chu.

Every year during Springtime, the noble gentlemen from the elite families in West Capital would gather and pit their literary and martial arts skills against each other.

But as the years went by, the Skills Pageant gradually turned into a beauty competition between the noble ladies of the elite households. It became the Spring Pageant, where the most beautiful and talented young lady in West Capital was crowned.

Nowadays, it was compulsory for all the noble ladies to participate in the Spring Pageant, or they would be ostracized by the rest.

For the past few years, the Spring Pageant had always been held at the Elegance Restaurant.

"Alright, I will be careful." Zihou stared straight into Chu Lingye's eyes. She had no idea what Chu Lingye meant by his words, but she could guess he was implying something bad would happen to her then.

A courtyard on the outskirts of West Capital.

A tall and slender figure was standing under the moonlight. His smooth black robe looked as if it was one with the night. Just his back profile alone gave off a god-like aura, as well as a monarch's formidable authority.

"My lord, we have already gotten that girl's background information." A dark shadow flashed by, before appearing inside the courtyard.

The mysterious man slowly turned around, his jet-black hair flowing gently in the breeze. His face was half-hidden in the shadows, looking profoundly enigmatic.

His flawless jawline and tantalizing lips gleamed under the moonlight. It was a breathtaking and intoxicating sight. No one in this world would argue with the exceptional beauty of that face.

"That girl is called Wei Zihou, and she's the Young Mistress of the Martyr General's estate. I heard that not only is Wei Zihou an idiot, but she also has no cultivation skills at all. In addition, she's enamored with Chu Yixuan." Liu Ying made his report in a respectful manner. Even as the light in his eyes flickered, his face maintained expressionless.

"Wei Zihou!" The god-like man murmured to himself. A mystifying purple light flashed within his profound eyes!

…

Since the day Chu Lingye visited the estate, Zihou remained at home for three whole days.

Today was the Spring Pageant.

Although it was nighttime, Chang An Street was still bustling. Lanterns were hung up along the two sides of the street, lighting it up as bright as day.

The Elegance Restaurant was located in the busiest section of Chang An Street. It was surrounded by other restaurants, all sorts of retail shops, brothels, and moneylenders.

It was a lively scene at the Elegance Restaurant.

Luxurious horse carriages lined up to park in front of the restaurant, after which an exquisitely made-up lady or a well-dressed gentleman would step out.

"Tsk tsk, this Spring Pageant is too cool. If only I could enter…"

"Dream on! Today is the Spring Pageant, and only the noble ladies and gentlemen from the most elite families can enter the Elegance Restaurant."

"Zhen Xueyan from the Prime Minister's estate was crowned as the most beautiful and talented young lady in last year's pageant. I wonder who will win this year…"

"I feel that it will be Wei Zihou from the Martyr General's estate. Did you hear about her display at Chang An Street that day? She's so beautiful and powerful, this year's winner is definitely her!"

"That was just a rumor. I no longer believe in rumors! Wasn't it rumored that Seventh Prince is a kind and gentle prince charming? In the end, wasn't it revealed that he's just a despicable and petty man? So, we should take those rumors about Wei Zihou with a pinch of salt."

"…"

The Elegance Restaurant was surrounded by curious bystanders. They were all discussing this year's Spring Pageant, all with their own opinions.

It was already full capacity inside the Elegance Restaurant, as the Spring Pageant was about to commence very soon.

"I say, why haven't we seen Wei Zihou yet this year? In the past, didn't she always come very early to reserve a spot right next to Yixuan?" Jiang Mo gave Chu Yixuan an impish sideways glance.

He had, of course, heard about the stories concerning Wei Zihou's display on Chang An Street, but he didn't believe them at all. A useless fool changing her character and her appearance overnight? And gaining great powers?

"Shut up!" Chu Yixuan's good mood was instantly soured by the mention of Wei Zihou. His face turned black as ink.