Reborn Daughter: The Young Lady Wants to Make a Trouble

“Ready?” Li Wenmin asked nervously, his brow furrowed. He watched her pull her robe tighter and check her hair, her jaw turning from side to side. He tapped his fingers on the table as the maid adjusted her over-the-knee boots and fastened them into place.

"I'm ready." Li Xueyue smiled lightly, with excitement flashing in her eyes.

Li Wenmin sincerely hoped that she could be carefree like this forever. He prayed that the light would never escape her eyes and that she would never fall into despair.

However, it is such happy moments that scare him the most. Sometimes, happy memories can turn into nightmares that haunt us forever.

He had already lost one sister; he didn't need to lose another.

"You must know the rules, but in the martial arts competition, as long as you have the highest score, you win. The head is worth ten, and the rest is worth one." Li Wenmin said in a deep voice. He put his hands on her shoulders, turned her body, and checked every detail of her.

“Are you sure I can’t persuade you to give up this thing?” Li Wenmin said nervously while tying the string of his bun. He made sure it wouldn’t come loose when he scored a high kick.

"You're starting to look like Brother Chen," Xueyue teased, twisting and turning for him.

"There's nothing we can do. You bring out the worst in us." Li Wenmin sighed and pulled her into a hug. She blinked quickly at the bear hug, then smiled into his chest and patted his back.

"I'll be fine."

"You'd better do this." Li Wenmin warned, and then stepped back. "Do you remember how to block a head kick?"

"of course."

"Okay." Li Wenmin sighed, "Maybe you don't have to worry."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember the lottery? Whoever draws the shortest straw will go directly to the finals." Li Wenmin explained, then frowned. "Didn't you pay attention when the rules were announced?"

"No..." Xueyue said shyly. Under his disapproving look, she took a step back little by little.

"Next time you have to follow the rules, especially swordplay. Xiaoyue, I'm serious. Everyone pretends to be carefree, but they're really heartless."

The tables seemed to turn. He went from sleeping in class to telling her the rules. She wondered if it would snow tomorrow.

"I will try not to be dazed when the sword fighting rules are announced," Li Xueyue said firmly, nodding to emphasize her point.

Li Wenmin nodded and said, "You are the best."

In the distance, a loud and rhythmic roar sounded, signaling the start of the martial arts tournament.

The two exchanged a brief glance.

"I'll be looking forward to your victory." Li Wenmin smiled and finally squeezed her shoulder. "You'll do well."

"I know." Li Xueyue blinked, then walked out of the tent and joined the other women in line.

Xueyue was disappointed but not surprised that so few women participated in martial arts competitions. Few people took it as seriously as they did poetry or painting.

Finally, something caught her attention. Ning Huabing. She didn't see Xueyue come in, she was immersed in a daydream and didn't notice anything. Ning Huabing bit her lower lip and put one hand on her elbow to calm her nervousness.

"Well, this is interesting." Xueyue said to herself. She forced herself to look away and observe the arena. There were four mats set up in the huge space, probably to speed up the game. There were three rounds in total, and the last one was the final.

Xueyue was curious, and a eunuch confidently walked towards them carrying an unsuspecting black box. The same wooden stick protruded from the top of the box. What Li Wenmin was talking about was the lottery.

She watched each girl take out a stick with mixed emotions. Everyone wanted the draw to be shorter, because it would help save energy for the final fight. The matches were played back-to-back, with only a five-minute break in between.

Ning Huabing's eyes widened when he pulled out the stick, but he immediately covered them with his body. Whether it was a good or the worst beating, Xueyue couldn't tell.

As Xueyue pulled out the stick, she realized how the contest would go. On the other end of the stick was written the name of her rival. Wen Yaoqin. The commander's half-sister.

If she had a competitor at the end of her stick, it meant she didn't draw the shortest one. She didn't go straight to the finals, but someone definitely did.

"Miss Ning, you are so lucky!" The eunuch gave an order, and dozens of eyes turned to Ning Huabing, who had the shortest cane.

Ning Huabing forced a smile. She was actually looking forward to fighting with Xueyue - she just wanted to see if she could knock down the guard outside the tent.

"Congratulations." The eunuch nodded. He motioned her toward the path that led to the balcony, which had a perfect view of the game.

"Thank you." Ning Huabing turned around and whispered. Seeing Xueyue looking directly at her, she immediately retracted her gaze and looked for a familiar face in the crowd. In an instant, Bai Tianai came into her sight.

Bai Tianai nodded in approval, with a pleased smile on her face. Her finger moved slowly, pointing at someone, and then her thumb extended over her shoulder.

"Knock Li Xueyue to the ground."

Ning Huabing smiled bitterly and forced herself to nod inconspicuously. She needed to talk to Xueyue about the ordeal of this alliance. She was not sure how it should work.

"How interesting." Xueyue thought to herself as she watched the small conversation between Ning Huabing and Bai Tianai. She wondered whether it was better to use her full strength or only use half of her strength. If she showed her skills here, Bai Tianai would immediately be on guard, but if Xueyue forced herself to lose, then Bai Tianai would regard her as an easy opponent.

"Hmm..." Xueyue stroked her chin and tilted her head, weighing her options. It was always nice to sneak up on the enemy, but it was not satisfying. At times like this, she wished she wasn't an indecisive person who thought too much. Suddenly, her body shook violently. Someone was watching her cautiously. But who was it?

She looked around, searching for the reason for her uneasiness. She noticed that Wen Jinkai and the Fourth Prince were both looking at her. The twins, Duke and Duchess Lee, were doing the same. Their gazes were a mixture of neutral and positive emotions.

She turned her gaze to Bai Tian Ai, but it was not her. Someone was analyzing her from head to toe. She felt uneasy and a chill ran down her spine. Her intuition told her that this was definitely unnecessary attention. Little did she know that this came from the person who destined her for the worst.