Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 44 Conspiracy

Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Conspiracy

Zhang Jingmiao came to find Fengyu after listening to Lin Yu Yan’s words, her gaze evasive, not daring to look directly at Fengyu. Nervously, she said, "Fengyu, Yu Yan is looking for you. To... today she went too far; she wants to apologize to you."

Fang Lingjun burst into laughter. "Now, this is interesting—the sun rising from the west?"

"You... you better hurry and come with me." Zhang Jingmiao shouted anxiously.

"My legs hurt, I’m too lazy to move," Fengyu replied, her smile as gentle as warmth. "Lin Yu Yan’s apology—I accept it. Please convey my words to her; there’s no need for a face-to-face meeting."

Zhang Jingmiao hadn’t expected Fengyu’s refusal. "Her father is the Minister of War; don’t be ungrateful and implicate your father."

Fang Lingjun slammed the table as she stood up. "General Wude defends the border, safeguarding the dynasty—I’d love to know what Lin the Minister, basking in luxury here in the Capital City, intends to do to him."

Fang Lingjun’s voice was so loud that many heard it, and whispers spread amongst the crowd. Zhang Jingmiao’s face turned pale, clearly outclassed in both status and presence, her eyes reddening in frustration.

"What is Lin Yu Yan anyway, using family lineage to oppress people? Yet, this lady here is the legitimate daughter of a first-rank Marquis. When have you ever seen me use my background to suppress anyone?" Fang Lingjun placed her hands on her hips and pointed disdainfully into the distance at Lin Yu Yan. "Fengyu isn’t going anywhere; she’s staying right here by my side. If they’ve got the guts, tell them to come over here and apologize."

King Qi and Lin Cheng, along with Xie Xun, were seated not far from Fang Lingjun and could hear the conversation unfolding. Lin Cheng almost crushed his wine cup in his hand, his gaze dark and fierce. Fengyu truly had some audacity—leaning on Fang Lingjun’s influence, openly taking Yu Yan’s top spot, and still daring to dismiss Lin Yu Yan afterward. Truly shameless.

Fengyu, soft and seemingly innocent, tugged at Fang Lingjun. "Junjun, don’t be angry. Zhang Miss, why don’t you tell Lin Yu Yan that I’ve not seen my father or mother for two years now? If Minister Lin could arrange for their return and reunite our family, I would be forever grateful."

These words placed Minister Lin directly over the proverbial flames.

"Get lost already; don’t embarrass yourself here!" Unable to endure any longer, Lin Cheng slammed his wine cup down and shouted furiously at Zhang Jingmiao. Terrified, she turned and ran away in tears. Lin Cheng suppressed his rage, glaring at Feng San with veiled hostility. "Miss Feng San has such a sharp tongue—truly formidable!"

Fang Lingjun was displeased. "Clearly, it was I who rebuked all of you. Why are you being sarcastic at Fengyu? Fengyu is naïve and innocent—only expressing longing for her parents. Tell me, what did she do wrong?"

Xie Xun chuckled; this exchange of quick wit was thoroughly amusing. This black-hearted lotus hiding behind someone else, stirring the pot—her skill was fully honed.

Lin Cheng merely felt his face burning, as if someone had slapped him.

King Qi stepped up to mediate. "Junjun, young girls shouldn’t be so volatile. Lin Cheng didn’t say much—have some fruits to cool off."

"Cousin, are you blind? Lin Yu Yan bullied Fengyu when no one was around to defend her. Before the banquet began, she nearly collided with Fengyu in a way that could have killed her—and not one of you said a word. Now you’re stepping up to play the good guy?" Fang Lingjun proceeded to indiscriminately attack the three of them. "A bunch of crows."

King Qi: "..."

Xie Xun: "..."

Lin Cheng sprang to his feet, restrained by King Qi, who calmed him with a light tap and returned his words to him. "Junjun is young and reckless, spoiled by her upbringing—set aside your anger and don’t stoop to her level."

Lin Cheng cast a dark gaze toward Fengyu, took a gulp of strong liquor, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. He and his sister had never endured this kind of humiliation before—it was all brought upon by Fengyu; she was the root of all evil.

Princess Xue Lan pulled Fang Lingjun away, pouring her a cup of fruit tea. Seeing this, Fengyu knew when to tactfully retreat, winking playfully at her ally. Fang Lingjun paired perfectly with her like an expert duet partner—what Fengyu couldn’t say, Fang Lingjun could bring to light unabashedly.

Fang Lingjun whispered secretly, "Lin Yu Yan must be plotting some sort of malicious scheme; she wouldn’t apologize unless she’s up to no good. I’d write my name backward if it weren’t the truth."

Fengyu thought to herself—Lingjun really nailed it. Princess Xue Lan envied their seamless camaraderie. Fengyu glanced at the distance; Lin Yu Yan, as expected, was already unleashing fury on Zhang Jingmiao.

The final round of mounted archery was beginning. The prizes for this round were intriguing—it was a team challenge with an added twist: anyone could challenge the top male and female archers. Should they win, they could take their prize.

In past mounted archery banquets, the top archers—both male and female—were often predetermined. In the third round, they would usually team up to ensure their prizes remained secure. Today, however, it was Lin Cheng and Fengyu competing, and collaboration between them was utterly out of the question.

Moreover, Fengyu might not even find a partner for the team challenge. Lin Yu Yan issued a challenge to Fengyu—today, even if she let Fengyu escape earlier, she would retrieve the jade bracelet now.

"Ah, I got so caught up in the moment that I forgot about the third round," Fang Lingjun and Fengyu both realized belatedly. Fang Lingjun glanced at the bracelet reluctantly. "Lin Yu Yan will definitely team up with Lin Cheng—this bracelet hasn’t even warmed in my possession yet."

Lin Cheng stood up and said flatly, "Fengyu, find someone for the third match, won’t you?"

He was already heading to the field in preparation, while Fengyu found herself in a dilemma. Fang Lingjun went to recruit some familiar young gentlemen, but none dared to partner with Fengyu—they all feared Lin Cheng’s influence and authority.

Lin Cheng was different from the other youths. A few years older, he held a position at the Ministry of War and commanded the Forbidden Army. These young gentlemen, sheltered by their families and yet uninvolved in official positions, couldn’t compare.

Fengyu, undaunted by challenges, had already clashed with Lin Yu Yan. Most of them sided with Lin Yu Yan and looked down on Fengyu—even those whose opinions of her had slightly shifted.

Their archery skills couldn’t rival Lin Cheng’s. If they were to compete, they’d undoubtedly lose—why risk offending the Lin siblings in the process?

"Giving up even before competing—what cowards!" Fang Lingjun lamented her lack of a male identity. The group of young men flushed with awkward expressions under her rebuke. Fengyu’s peripheral glance shifted to Xie Xun—could he really only hit giant watermelons?

"Zhang Boxin, do you dare team up with Fengyu?"

Zhang Boxin hesitated uneasily, wavered for a moment, and eventually shook his head. "It’s a guaranteed loss anyway—forget it."

"If you’re going to live to eighty and die eventually, why not just slit your throat now?"

The crowd: "..."

Lin Yu Yan rode her horse arrogantly, circling in front of Fengyu. "Fengyu, no one dares to team up with you. Be sensible and hand over the bracelet willingly."

Those friendly with Lin Yu Yan taunted Fengyu. Li Pengfei jeered, "Fengyu, if you truly can’t find anyone, this young master can make up the numbers."

Fang Lingjun stomped onto the stage angrily and turned to King Qi. "Cousin, you get up there!"

"Your cousin isn’t skilled in archery or horse riding!"

Fengyu stood up, approached Xie Xun, and raised two fingers. "Two thousand."

Xie Xun knew she was referring to two thousand shi of grain. With a teasing smirk, equal parts nonchalant and amused, he quipped, "This marquis is only worth two thousand?"

"Win and I’ll make it five thousand," Fengyu generously conceded. She knew only grain could tempt the young marquis, given how close he was to emptying Yanyang’s granaries.

Lin Yu Yan, previously haughty, turned green with jealousy upon seeing Fengyu convince Xie Xun. "Shameless—daring to flirt with the little marquis. Just watch how this ends for you!"

"The little marquis doesn’t like mounted archery—there’s no way he’d help her, right?"

"Why does she always enjoy embarrassing herself like this? Doesn’t she know the little marquis fell off his horse once and despises mounted archery now?"

"Just wait to see the little marquis lose patience—it’ll be entertaining."