Capítulo 40: Let's bet
The night sky was illuminated by the lights coming from the beautiful lanterns by the lake. Qing Guang clutched the sheathed weapon that was given to her by her older brother. Breathing in, she tried to calm down.
Qing Guang had black hanfu with white hems. The hanfu she wore was a hanfu specially made for dancing and it fluttered easily when the wind blew. Unlike other girls who used complicated hairstyle, she tied her hair to the back and with a white ribbon instead. Some of her shorter hair was let loose and formed contrast on her icy cold face.
Just two more people and it would be her turn to dance. The young girl that was currently on stage was just finishing her dance, receiving a huge round of applause.
Everyone shouted, "As expected of the second miss of the Qing family!"
"A very enchanting dance!"
"So beautiful, ah!"
The cheers caused the ice princess to furrow her brows. The air around her turned chiller. She looked up, only to be met with Qing Li's gaze.
Qing Li had a victorious smirk on her face. Qing Guang's gaze turned colder, dearly wishing that she could freeze that wicked girl in place.
Qing Bo watched his younger twin sister from afar in the audience stand. His eyes were sharp, so he knew right away the cause for the change on her face.
Qing Bo was the type of person who was very proud and confident in his sister. He was sure that his sister could reach the top three, but for some reason, he was feeling insecure. He felt that something bad was going to happen and could not shake that feeling. The horse riding competition was over, ending with him getting first place. He wondered that if Hu Ye wasn't injured and had participated, would he still have been the one to get first place?
Hu Ye came from a military family and was trained since he was young so it was quite a hot top of discussion as to why he wasn't here at the competition to participate or at least watch. By now everyone knew of his long absence and incurable sickness.
Qing Li's eyes flicked away from Qing Guang's when the servants came up to her. They seemed to whisper something to the voluptuous girl.
Qing Guang did not want her concentration to be broken any longer because of the annoying piggy. She turned and walked next to the stage as she waited for her turn.
The competition was held on the shore of a lake. The stage was on top of the lake surface and the audience seats were on the shore.
The stage was made by strong materials and was supported by four legs that went to the bottom of the lake so it does not touch the lake surface directly. It does not have fences but was very wide so people can freely dance without worrying about falling to the lake.
The stage was a bit far from Qing Guang and QIng Bo's seat. The seats were arranged according to grades, some being for guest and VIPs too.
Because this school was for the elites, there was only one class per grade, and only a few people per class. Qing Guang's own class consisted of less than twenty people, and only seven of them were girls, including Hu Cheng Se and herself, so there weren't too many competitors, which should have made anyone feel at ease; however, the numbers were not the issue here. Since everyone was an elite, they received educations since young and were the best of the bunch anywhere.
The girl who queued after Qing Li was also a great dancer. Although her dance was not as glamorous and extravagant as Qing Li's, it was still something to see. Her performance was also finished with a round of applause.
"First Young Miss of the Qing Residence, Qing Guang!" The announcer called.
Qing Guang slowly went up to the stage. Her movement was light and it was almost impossible to hear her footsteps.
The audience went silent, all of them filled with anticipation. Most were anticipating her downfall. In this capital, who did not know that the First Young Miss of the Qing Residence was a horrible dancer? If there was someone who didn't know, they must have been living under a rock.
"I bet ten taels that she will fall on stage." A rich merchant son overjoyed. He was the same age as Qing Guang, therefore also her classmate.
"I'm betting twenty taels." His friend smirked. "It's rare for you to make a bet, you must be very confident, eh."
"Ahahah, of course. I will place a higher bet. Thirty."
"Thirty-five."
"Fine, I bet fifty taels that her movement will be more like a chicken than human." The merchant son laughed. "But if were are betting on the same side, it is not betting at all."
"Yeah, but there is no way that anyone here is foolish enough to bet on the other side." His friend cheered.
"Should we announce this to search for an opponent?"
"That is unnecessary, my friend." Qing Bo, who heard their whole exchange, did not fret. Instead, a huge devilish smirk spread across his face. "I bet sixty taels that she will amaze all of you and win the top three."
The two jolted, finally realizing that Qing Bo shifted his seat when Qing Guang went up to the stage in order to see her better, and now he was sitting right behind them.
"Qing Young Master!"
"How about it? Sixty for me, fifty for you and another fifty for your friend?" Qing Bo offered.
"Hmm…" The merchant son was a calculative fellow. "If you win, you will get one hundred taels from us, but if we win, we need to split your sixty taels. That means only thirty taels for me even though I gambled fifty…" Fifty tales was actually not a small sum at all.
"So? Are you scared?" Qing Bo raised his brow.
"Well…" The merchant son looked at Qing Guang's icy face on the stage, awaiting her signal from the judges to begin dancing.
"If you are scared, we don't need to do this. I will take my sixty taels back.
"Ah, don't!" The merchant son glanced at his friend, who gave him a nod. "We will take it, this bet."
"Alright, then..." Qing Bo suddenly halted his sentence.
Qing Guang, who was onstage, seemed to have vaguely heard or guessed their conversation and was sending signals to her brother. Qing Bo immediately understood what she planned and played along by saying, "Truthfully, my sister, seems to be feeling unwell lately, so I will withdraw from this bet."
"Eh?" The merchant son tilted his head and his eyes widened. He might be rich but he was obsessed with money. "But, but..."
The judges suddenly gave the signal but Qing Guang did not move. The music already started but she just stood there like a statue. The watching crowd whispered and pointed.
"Look, the Qing Young Miss must have lost her gut. She is too nervous to move!" The merchant son's friend whispered.
The merchant son jolted; he already set his eyes on Qing Bo's fortune so he would not let him go easily. Not while knowing that Qing Guang had an even higher possibility of losing now.
"I… I bet eighty taels that Qing Guang will not get to top three!" The merchant chased after Qing Bo, trying to tempt him with the raise.
"No." Qing Bo was firm.
"Then ninety."
"No."
"Tch!" The merchant son would regret it if he did not get Qing Bo's money. "Fine, one hundred and twenty taels! Twice your bet, how about that?"
With this merchant son, Qing Bo did not want to push too far or he might back away, realizing that Qing Bo was playing him.
"En, I accept this bet," Qing Bo finally said.
Just like that, the bet was made. Though the merchant son got what he wanted, he looked very unhappy at this turn of events. He could only console himself by thinking of the great fortune that was about to come.
Qing Bo sent a signal back to Qing Guang.
Qing Guang inwardly smirked and started to dance on the next beat.
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