Luo Keer actually felt relieved when she saw Luo Qianqian was selected as Master Lingtian’s disciple, she was genuinely more rest assured she would make the cut. She was better at lute-playing, chess, calligraphy, and painting — accomplishments of a female scholar of the old school — than Luo Qianqian.
The first round was poem writing, Luo Keer submitted her poem to Shu Jian with great confidence. Seeing how cocky Luo Keer was, Shu Jian shook his head, Luo Keer left him a deep impression just now, he didn’t appreciate this girl’s personality, he found her too nasty
Soon there came the result.
Luo Keer didn’t make the cut, her mind went blank after she was told the news.
‘That’s impossible, I write great poems, I, out of everyone, should make the cut!’ thought Luo Keer indignantly.
But luckily, Luo Yuyan made the cut.
Luo Yuyan felt glad that she didn’t join Luo Keer and screamed at Luo Qianqian, look at where that led Luo Keer to!
“This isn’t fair! Luo Qianqian made the cut, and I did not? This doesn’t make any sense, Shu Jian, can you double check with Master Lingtian? I’m sure there’s some misunderstanding here!”
Luo Keer felt so embarrassed for she had already boasted to her friends that for sure she would become Master Lingtian’s disciple, and now she didn’t even make it to the second round!
She refused to become the laughing stock!
Seeing that, Luo Yuyan covered her mouth and laughed, she took pleasure in Luo Keer’s misfortune for she knew Luo Keer and her mother planned to win favor from father. She was just happy their plan had died on the vine.
There was nothing she could do about the fact that Luo Qianqian had already made the cut, but she was happy that Luo Keer had not.
‘Humph, father would loathe you and your mother even more from now on! Daughter of concubine, how dare you to snatch father’s favor from me!’
Shu Jian withdrew his arm that was caught by Luo Keer, “Miss. Luo, please behave yourself, our Master Lingtian values personality more than status,” Shu Jian paused and, “and… and your personality… …”
Shu Jian stopped right there, he didn’t want to ruffle this Luo Keer’s feature and have a scene.
However, everyone understood what Shu Jian was about to say and laughed.
Shu Jian thought he was already granting special favor to Luo Keer by not disqualifying her at the first round, Master Lingtian would never take an arrogant person like her as his disciple.
Luo Keer blinked her big eyes, ‘Wait, what? Personality? Is he making oblique accusations against me?’
Shu Jian didn’t give her much time to think and arranged other servants to escort the others who didn’t make the cut out.
Luo Keer wouldn’t take no for an answer, she followed Shu Jian and kept looking at him with her big puppy eyes, guess who wanted to set up a honey-trap?
However, Luo Keer was looking for the wrong guy. Shu Jian had served Master Lingtian since he was little, and he was well-travelled, he had seen various and diverse beauties, no way would he fall for Luo Keer.
Shu Jian sighed, ‘Luo Keer and Luo Qianqian are sisters, why are they so different?’
“Shu Jian, could you please give me one more chance, pretty please?” Luo Keer played all cute at Shu Jian, mimicking her mom at Prime Minister Luo.
“Miss. Luo, do you want me to make you leave?” Shu Jian asked, you could hear there was some threatening undertone despite the smile on his face.
Luo Keer looked around, there were so many guards walking back and forth.
She stamped on her feet, “Fine, whatever, I’m not interested anyways!”
Shu Jian was speechless.
That was one ruthless girl!
This blew other applicants away, too.
“That Luo Keer is the third daughter of Prime Minister Luo’s, yeah? Hmm, looks like Prime Minister Luo didn’t discipline her well, where are her manners?”
“I know, right? She defamed her own sister, she wished she could ask people to change the rules for her, she is not just mannerless, I thinks she lacks common sense in general!”
“Yep, I need to tell my friends never marry a girl like her!”
Little did Luo Keer thought she paid a double penalty at this test, she didn’t make the cut and she would have such a hard time finding a matching marriage in the future.
Suddenly Murong Xue who was talking with Luo Qianqian and Tong’er blushed crimson for her stomach growled.
“Mrs. Lingtian, I’m so hungry… ..” said Murong Xue in a low voice.
“Hungry? Do you feel like going to the kitchen with me? We can cook together?”
“Sounds great!” Murong Xue of course was more than interested to try new things, she had never entered the kitchen before.
Neither had Luo Qianqian.
But Luo Qianqian thought she could help with making a fire, she knew she’d better keep an arm’s length from the pot.
Murong Xue wanted to contribute too, she volunteered to prepare the rice seeing her sister-in-law was busy making a fire.
Tong’er nodded and said, “Thank you for the help, but feel free to drop it if you think it’s too much.”
Murong Xue dived in the kitchen with excitement.
Tong’er had been sick for so long, this was the first time that she went to the kitchen for at least a decade.
Clack.
“Sorry, Mrs. Lingtian, I’ve broken a plate.” apologized Murong Xue, the followed the sound of another plate falling on the ground.
The plate first fell on Luo Qianqian’s shoulder who was squatting on the ground trying to make a fire and fell on to the ground.
At the same time, Master Lingtian, Murong Yun and Su Liancheng were walking back.
Hearing the clacking, the three exchanged a look and halted.
“What are the ladies doing in the kitchen? Changing the decoration?” asked Su Liancheng, trying to suppress his laughter.
The other two were silent.
Then there came another crackling and three ladies’ screaming.
Su Liancheng stamped on his feet, “Oh no!”
The other two flashed into the kitchen.
Su Liancheng followed them promptly.