Chapter 401: Intense rivalry (2/2)

“Then hurry up and hunt. If all the fish are caught, your lord shall reward you all handsomely!” Jun Yixie declared, raising his voice. Naturally, Baili Mingxiang heard every word, but she didn’t even deign to lift her head to look at them. As before, she remained crouched on the ice as she swept its surface with her hands. Behind her, Long Feiye, Han Yunxi, and General Baili remained silent as they waited, watching patiently.

Soon enough, there was another stomp as a second fisherman found a small fisheye as well.

“Someone come, cast the nets!” Jun Yixie waved his hand as a team of workers came hurrying over. More time passed until another kerthunk revealed the discovered of the third fisheye, again discovered by Old Yu.

Jun Yixie and Ouyang Ningruo ended up sitting side by side on the shore. The former was munching carefreely on his roasted fish, his expression wanton and insufferably arrogant as he looked disdainfully at Long Feiye and the rest. Meanwhile, Ouyang Ningruo wore the hint of a smile at the corners of his lips, very pleased with the fishermen’s progress. Ten workers had already started gathering nets from the first fisheye, their arms straining from the effort of pulling it out. A net filled to the brim with flopping fish was left to rest on the ice, making for an extremely shocking sight!

While they were gathering their abundant harvest, two fishermen found two other fisheyes at the exact same time and stomped on the ice in unison. Everyone on the team was happy to hear the sound. Although these two turned out to be small fisheyes as well, they’d already gotten their fifth hole! On the other side, Baili Mingxiang hadn’t found a single one. With the fish all crowded together like this, five fisheyes were already considered a heavy sum. It was quite possible that this section of the lake had no more fisheyes at all.

Long Feiye looked coldly at their enthusiastic fishing as his pupils turned even frostier than the ice. Han Yunxi had her sights set on Baili Mingxiang, who by now was sprawled against the lake with her ear pressed to its surface, as if listening for something. Han Yunxi didn’t understand what she was doing, but she knew that Baili Mingxiang’s body wouldn’t be able to take the cold for long. Ice was cold to begin with, but Baili Mingxiang was still casting her life aside to lie on its surface. If she collapsed, there’d be no one to find fisheyes on their side at all. Even General Baili had begun to grow anxious at the sight.

Although he believed in his daughter’s skills, the opposing side had several very capable fishermen as well. In fact, he realized he’d underestimated the others’ strength. He had never expected to run into Jun Yixie either, and was planning to have Baili Mingxiang take her time searching the lake. It wasn’t like they were in a rush. He was even considering switching locations on the lake for Baili Mingxiang, but wouldn’t that just make them a laughingstock? That was no different than fleeing in defeat.

Still, if they didn’t change their location soon, what would they do if all the fisheyes had been found in this location already? Then wouldn’t his daughter be spending her efforts in vain while sacrificing her own body?

Kerthunk! There went the sixth stomp, credited yet again to Old Yu. Another small fisheye had been found. Finally, General Baili lost his cool and said, “Your Highness, should we change places? I’m worried that Mingxiang’s body won’t be able to take it.”

“She knows better than anyone whether we should change places or not,” Long Feiye said coldly, still calmly surveying the scenes of fishing across the lake. General Baili found himself in a difficult position. His Highness Duke of Qin had no understanding of Baili Mingxiang’s personality, but he, as her father did. She would force herself to keep going so as to not lose a single hint of face for His Highness. Without another choice, General Baili cast a glance at Han Yunxi. She too, was worried about Baili Mingxiang straining herself in vain and losing sight of the big picture. She was about to speak up when Baili Mingixiang suddenly rose to her feet, her red, chilly frozen framed with joy.

Baili Mingxiang was so happy that she almost forgot herself and met Long Feiye’s eyes squarely. Loudly, she declared, “Your Highness, I’ve found it! I’ve found a medium fisheye!”

Medium fisheye!

In a flash, everyone’s eyes looked over–including the large crowd of people standing at Jun Yixie’s side. For an expert, finding small fisheyes were easy, but medium fisheyes were quite difficult! A single medium fisheye was equal to ten small ones!

“Good!” Long Feiye looked at Baili Mingixang and spoke but a single word, but his eyes in Baili Mingxiang’s view was giving her affirmation. Baili Mingxiang stood in place and even felt a little at a loss. She’d done it. She’d finally done it. Aside from the Beauty’s Blood, she’d managed to make him look at her a little longer and take up a little more space in his memories.

“Make a hole in the ice and release the nets!” Han Yunxi shouted, her cold eyes sweeping past Jun Yixie. They’d made such a big fuss, but all their holes so far couldn’t be compared to a single one from Baili Mingxiang! What was with that showing off?

“Someone come, quickly!” General Baili was all too excited and glad. His daughter hadn’t lost face for her or His Highness Duke of Qin! Thank goodness he didn’t raise the issue of changing locations, or else they would have suffered losses.

Jun Yixie viciously tossed aside the roasted fish in his hands and rose to his feet. “Ouyang Ningruo, don’t tell your lord that you want to change places now!”

Typically speaking, there wouldn’t be another medium fisheye within 100 meters of the first. But immediately after Jun Yixie spoke, the fisherman Old Yu suddenly starting shouting. “Master! Master, hurry over here, quick. I’ve found it! I’ve found it!”

Ouyang Ningruo’s gaze turned shrewd as he headed over, with a puzzled Jun Yixie following in his wake.

Just what…has Old Yu discovered?

1. Old Yu (老余) – lao Yu, in which Yu means “extra, surplus.” As an added pun, it’s also pronounced the same way as 鱼(yu), or fish.