Chapter 1049 - Was She Accepting Her Defeat Beforehand?

"Sister Xue, are you comfortable in this. If there is a problem, we can ask someone to come once to help you with it." Xiao Meng asked as she saw Li Xue getting ready for the rehearsals. 

Li Xue shook her head before checking down her epee. "I am comfortable, Meng Meng. Don't worry." She said and the girl looked down at the sword that has Li Xue's all attention. 

"Then Sister Xue does this sword has an issue? You are looking at it like it has some problem. We can always let anyone check it for you. Wait, let me call someone." Still feeling worried, Xiao Meng didn't want to leave anything without confirming. Something in her sixth sense was warning her again and again, and that flickering doubt in her heart was scaring her to the bottom of her core. 

Li Xue looked up at her and a tug on her brows appeared. "Meng Meng, I said I am fine. Why are you getting scared so much? As for this sword, there is nothing wrong with it. I was just looking at it and making my grip comfortable around it. Nothing else. It has been years since I last held it in my hand so I have almost forgotten the feel of it." 

She said, trying to calm the assistant down. She knew no matter what she says, the girl would just not feel right until the rehearsals would finally be done without any harm. But was that even possible? 

As Li Xue thought of that, her eyes went to look on the other side of the stage where Shen Bingling was sitting with her girls. Just a glance at their smiling confident faces was enough to let her know that to some extent, Xiao Meng's worry was not for nothing. Something would definitely be coming her way. 

"Ms. Li Xue, if you are ready, we can begin." Someone came to ask, making Li Xue once again smile politely. 

Nodding, she didn't ask to prolong it any longer. "Sure, we can begin it now. I am ready." She said as looking at Xiao Meng she asked for her fencing mask. 

Xiao Meng at once understood and gave the mask that has been kept on the side all this while. "Sister Xue, best of luck. I will cheer for you." She encouraged even though, down her heart, she was still not convinced. At the moment, she has simply determined herself that even for a second if she feels that the game is not going according to the rules, she would rush all the way to the queen to ask her to do them justice. 

Li Xue nodded with a smile and then taking the mask under her arms, climbed up the raised platform. In the meantime, Shen Bingling also came with Li Na and two other girls following from behind. 

Xiao Meng looked at them and was immediately intimidated. Li Na smirked looking at her like that and purposely spoke in a confident tone, "Sister Bingling, you would be the best again. But I have a request for you. Please go easy on Ms. Li Xue. Otherwise, it would be tough for her poor assistant to carry her all the way to the hospital." 

Others laughed, while Shen Bingling didn't pass any comment. Her eyes just matched with Xiao Meng who was looking at them with some fear. 

"P-Princess Shen, this is just a game. Please don't break any rule of it or we might as well not go easy on you." Though she knew she wasn't too capable to speak like that, Xiao Meng still tried her best to come firm. But her effort was only laughed at by the other girls. 

"Haha … did you see that? Now even a menial assistant is coming forward to scare us." Li Na said, letting out a mocking chuckle. "Aren't you overestimating yourself? What we said doesn't mean we are going to play some dirty tricks. But at least look where you stand. Your Sister Xue is just a basic learner of fencing while our Sister Bingling has been the ace of the game. Do you think this is some kind of joke? Since she has taken the audacity to stand in front of us, let me see how far she can go." 

"You …" Xiao Meng wanted to refute but she was snapped shut the other moment.

"Quiet! Haven't you heard that not everyone can talk to a princess? Know your limits." Li Na snapped as turning arrogantly, she smiled at Shen Bingling to wish her luck once again. "Sister Bingling, I am sure after today's rehearsal itself, that woman won't be able to stand in front of you."

Shen Bingling didn't say anything but the sharpness in her eyes was enough to let Li Na know that she has almost guessed her plans. The princess was going to scare Li Xue so much today that from tomorrow, she, herself, won't be coming to take the part. 

"Don't cause any ruckus here. I will go up first." Shen Bingling said as climbing up the stage, she walked to stand in front of Li Xue. 

When found her standing at the front, Li Xue smiled at her. "Princess Shen, I have heard a lot about your fencing skill. Never thought that ever I would get a chance to look at you so closely doing this." She said and from her words, it felt like she was purposely buttering Shen Bingling to go easy on her. 

Shen Bingling felt it too and feeling the boast up, she smirked, getting all arrogant at once. "Who said you would get a chance to look at me closely playing this? Heh! You are here to play with me and I never give a chance to my opponents to look at me playing." She said and Li Xue's smile grew more at her words. 

Shaking her head, she denied, "Haha … not to worry about that Princess Shen. My eyes have been sharp since birth. I am sure even during our rigorous practice, I will be able to learn a few things from you. Just go a bit easy on me today, or I might not be there to sustain your game tomorrow." She said and her words like that confused all the people standing out the stage. 

Was Li Xue accepting her defeat beforehand? Wasn't this just a rehearsal? But her fears look explainable as well, after all, in the game of fencing, Shen Bingling was no simple.