Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 845 - 15: Bribery

In the blink of an eye, five days passed.

Tomorrow is the day of the competition.

That evening, after Li Xingsheng and Ling Yuezi finished dinner, he urged her to rest, "I’ll sleep on the small couch, I won’t sleep in the bed tonight."

Ling Yuezi raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

The sun must be rising from the west?

She recalled what the old aunties in the village used to say, better believe pigs can climb trees than believe a man won’t climb into a woman’s bed.

Li Xingsheng looked at her, eyes melancholy, "If you invite me to bed..."

"There’s no ’if,’ I won’t invite you." Ling Yuezi sneered.

These past few days, day and night, he kept bothering her, and now he wants to enjoy another night?

Dream on!

Li Xingsheng sighed, full of grievance, "Alright then."

Ling Yuezi stifled a laugh.

Li Xingsheng went to bathe first, tidied himself up, and indeed lay down on the small couch.

The small couch was just a few steps away from the bed.

But the bed had a canopy, and from outside the canopy, the bed wasn’t visible.

After bathing, Ling Yuezi glanced at the small couch, raised her eyebrow, blew out the candle, climbed onto the bed, and drew down the canopy.

Li Xingsheng’s gaze followed her movements ever since she entered the room, only retracting it once the canopy was drawn.

He rested his head on his hand, observing his nose, his nose observing his lips, his lips observing his heart.

His legs crossed habitually, unable to sleep.

After about fifteen minutes, Li Xingsheng couldn’t bear it and looked towards the canopy, lightly coughing, "Is your waist sore? Should I give it a rub?"

Ling Yuezi’s waist was indeed sore, she was just stretching her hands to rub it.

"No need." Ling Yuezi gritted her teeth.

Since childhood, she practiced martial arts, never had a sore waist, yet these past few days he bothered her so much it became sore!

How odd!

"My waist is a bit sore, can you... help me rub it?" Li Xingsheng reached to rub his waist, sighing.

"Rub it yourself!" Ling Yuezi covered her ears, he promised not to bother her, yet here he was again.

"Can’t reach, my arms are sore." Li Xingsheng sighed again.

Ling Yuezi felt like laughing in anger, "Find a back scratcher."

"Can’t find it, it’s dark." Li Xingsheng complained, "Never mind, I’ll scratch myself..."

It was unclear whether he turned over or got off the couch to find something, in any case, Ling Yuezi heard a loud thud outside the canopy.

Immediately followed by Li Xingsheng’s wretched cry, "It hurts..."

Ling Yuezi closed her eyes speechlessly, had to lift the canopy to look.

The room was without candlelight, dark and hard to see.

Ling Yuezi groped to put on her shoes, walked towards the direction of the sound, "Sheng Lang..."

Her foot kicked something.

Ling Yuezi was about to reach out to touch it when Li Xingsheng pulled her into his arms.

"You scared me!" Ling Yuezi complained, "Why aren’t you sleeping properly, what’s your fuss?"

"The couch is too narrow, I turned over and accidentally fell, never expected my wife to be so concerned about me." Li Xingsheng hugged Ling Yuezi, chuckling.

Ling Yuezi pushed his hand, "Let go of me, get up, can’t sleep on the floor, it’s too cold."

Li Xingsheng buried his head in her hair, "Just a moment..."

Ling Yuezi said irritably, "How long is a moment? I want to sleep now..."

"Just a little while..." Li Xingsheng murmured.

Soon enough, while hugging, Li Xingsheng started undoing Ling Yuezi’s clothes.

Ling Yuezi, angry, punched him, "Not on the floor..."

"Then how about the bed?"

Ling Yuezi scratched him in anger, "I have to compete tomorrow, if you bother me like this, what if I lose tomorrow? Losing normally is one thing, but this is for the Great General position, losing would give the Regent King a handle against me; he’d claim my incompetency."

Li Xingsheng placed her back on the couch, "Don’t worry, no one will beat you."

Ling Yuezi sniffed coldly, "Trying to coax me again."

But in her heart she cursed this rascal, actually on the couch!

This place is so small!

Li Xingsheng caressed her face, "Not coaxing you, tomorrow’s competition, Lou Chengye and I are also participating. From my investigations, no one can defeat me! Well, except my wife."

Ling Yuezi was in a daze, upon hearing this, she cleared up a bit, "You signed up too?"

"Yes, how could I let others duel with you? What if they hurt you?" Li Xingsheng smiled, "The only fight is between us, like now..."

Right now they were indeed fighting!

With no canopy to shield, Ling Yuezi felt both angry and shy, "You... you must defeat them, whatever happens... I cannot... lose..."

"Rest assured, my wife."

.

Tomorrow at 5 AM, just as dawn breaks, the two must get up.

Li Xingsheng was very sensible and didn’t keep pestering Ling Yuezi.

He carried her to bed, and the two lay down side by side.

Both were tired and had a good night’s sleep.

The next day, Li Xingsheng got up first; he still needed to go to the inn to discuss matters with Lou Chengye, and then head to the training field.

As Li Xingsheng was dressing, Ling Yuezi also woke up, drowsily saying, "You’re leaving?"

"Yes, we’ll meet at the training field later. The sky hasn’t yet cleared, so sleep a bit more. When the time comes, Ah Qing and Ah Lan will come and call you." Li Xingsheng straightened his clothes, walked to the bedside to embrace her for a while before reluctantly leaving.

Ling Yuezi vaguely responded.

Yet, after Li Xingsheng left, she also immediately got out of bed.

Ah Qing heard her call and pushed the door open to enter the bedroom.

As usual, Ah Qing would first look at her complexion, "Princess looks better today than usual."

Ling Yuezi sneered inwardly, no wonder she looked good; she slept well because Li Xingsheng only bothered her once last night.

But it was on a small bed barely two and a half feet wide!

Ling Yuezi turned to look at that small bed where one could roll onto the ground if they turned over, thinking about the awkwardness and worry of last night, she rolled her eyes in anger.

This man, in just a few days, has learned such tricks!

-

Ling Yuezi took her preferred bow and arrow, mounted the horse she had known for many years, and with Ah Qing, Ah Lan, and four other maids, proceeded to the training field.

Li Xingsheng returned to the inn at dawn.

Lou Chengye, disturbed from sleep, yawned and complained, "Second Brother, starting to stay out all night?"

Li Xingsheng snorted coldly, "Where did you learn this nickname talk? Get up, to the training field!"

Lou Chengye rubbed his eyes and got out of bed.

The two had breakfast and rushed to the training field on horseback.

-

After breakfast, Ling Yuezi first went to see her brother Ling Xingyun.

Ling Xingyun would head to the training field with the officials, while Ling Yuezi would go alone.

"Sister, will you certainly win?" Ling Xingyun asked worriedly, holding Ling Yuezi’s hand.

Ling Yuezi confidently said, "Brother, your sister wouldn’t do anything without confidence, rest assured. For the both of us, for our Nanyue, I will not lose."

Ling Xingyun listened to Ling Yuezi’s confident words, saw her determined eyes, and nodded, "I also believe in Sister."

-

As Ling Yuezi rode out the palace gates, the Regent King happened to leave the Imperial Palace by carriage.

He lifted the curtain and gazed at the heroic woman on horseback, smiling, "Does Princess Yue have confidence to win?"

Ling Yuezi turned back, her eyes glancing faintly, "Is the Regent King implying he has set traps for this Princess to increase the difficulty on purpose?"

At this time, many people gathered at the palace gates.

There were eunuchs leaving the palace together, and palace guards about to head to the training field to maintain order.

Everyone heard Ling Yuezi’s words and thought about the recent rumors in the Capital regarding the Regent King, their looks toward him became more intriguing.

The Regent King’s face colored in anger, coldly huffed, lowered the carriage curtain, and ordered the driver to speed away.

Ling Yuezi smirked, riding off as well.

-

Today’s martial contest, one of the chief examiners was the Regent King, followed by the Chief of Staff from the Ministry of War, Prime Minister Lv, Captain Luo, and Xi Shangliao.

Other than the Regent King, Ling Yuezi had secretly visited the rest.

Thus, Ling Yuezi had not the slightest worry about today’s martial contest.

Furthermore, Li Xingsheng was there to help.

As for Li Xingsheng, he hadn’t appeared openly before others; no one recognized him.

His presence on the field raised no suspicion.

When Ling Yuezi arrived at the training field, Li Xingsheng was already there. He and Lou Chengye were sitting on horseback, waiting at the entrance, as if specially waiting for Ling Yuezi.

Li Xingsheng seemed to not want much attention, disguised himself.

He glued a small mustache on his face, dressed shabbier than usual.

Lou Chengye also applied something on his face, making the fair round face smudged with yellow and black.

Upon seeing their new appearance, Ling Yuezi couldn’t help but twitch her lips.

Only when Ling Yuezi entered the training field did the two ride off.

There were 120 people signing up.

Following the format of eight individuals per group, there were fifteen matches.

After one round, the fifteen winners would compete again.

Ultimately, of course, Li Xingsheng won.

The official ceremoniously announced Li Xingsheng’s alias, "Next match, Sheng Erlang versus Princess Yue! Winner will assume the Great General position!"

Li Xingsheng gleefully stroked the fake mustache, smilingly cupped hands to the audience below, "I will surely win! Thank you all for your support!"

Ah Qing and Ah Lan had long recognized him, but pretended not to know, both rolled their eyes.

Ah Qing sneered, "Such a cheeky kid, winning a few country bumpkins and thinks he’s a deity? Pah, doesn’t understand the height of heaven or thickness of earth!"

"Just wait; the Princess will definitely beat him so bad he’ll be searching for his teeth!" Ah Lan also scoffed.

The Regent King glanced at the two and quietly instructed a confidant beside him, "Go find that Sheng Erlang! Tell him, he must not lose to Princess Yue. If he wins, however much silver he wants, this king will give it! But if he loses, his life will be forfeit!"