Chapter 320: One-Up

Chapter 320: Overpowering

Luo Jingshen hadn't expected anyone to dare question him. He turned around and met Mu Rongyue's pale, stubborn face.

She was clearly frightened, her shoulders trembling, yet she still stood up for Ji Zihang.

Luo Jingshen sneered inwardly. Ji Zihang had just embarrassed him earlier, so how could he possibly give him a high score now?

The eighty-five points he gave were already out of consideration for Ji Qingqing.

Luo Jingshen said in a deep voice: "Among commoners with large families, who doesn't already have several beds? They can't very well make their children sleep on the floor, can they?"

"So I find this folding bed to be impressive in appearance but weak in substance. It has its uses, but it's not enough to truly benefit the people."

Mu Rongyue was instantly speechless.

For a moment, she couldn't find any words to refute Luo Jingshen.

After all, what he said was quite reasonable.

Mu Rongyue bit her lip and said softly: "Your Highness the Crown Prince, please forgive me. I, your subject's daughter, was too rash!"

"No need to apologize for being rash. Why don't you, Miss Murong, introduce your design?"

Mu Rongyue was slightly taken aback. She raised her head and looked at Luo Jingshen.

She said: "By order, shouldn't the second be Princess Ye?"

Ji Yuntang's mouth twitched. She was just a bystander—how did she get dragged into this again?

However, she did admire this girl's courage.

Ji Zihang hadn't said anything, yet she actually stood up to challenge Luo Jingshen for his sake.

Didn't she know that Luo Jingshen was notoriously petty?

Ji Yuntang didn't want to watch them argue back and forth, so she said: "It doesn't matter who goes first or second. Since the Crown Prince has already spoken, Miss Murong, please go first."

Mu Rongyue's gaze darkened. Her hands clenched tightly, and she grew even more resentful toward Ji Yuntang.

She had already planned to go on stage later, giving herself more time to prepare. But now Ji Yuntang had forced her to be second.

Mu Rongyue's heart was in turmoil. She gritted her teeth and stood up, introducing her design incoherently: "I… your subject's daughter, the thing I designed is called the Versatile Drawer."

"I… th-the reason I thought of this drawer is because there are many small items in my own room. Sometimes I put them down casually and can't find them later, and searching for them wastes a lot of time."

"S-so I designed this to conveniently store small things."

As she spoke, her voice grew quieter and quieter, her scalp tingling with nervousness.

She felt certain she would be eliminated this time.

But to her surprise, as soon as she finished, Mei Zhuyu was the first to stand up.

"The Versatile Drawer—this item is very flexible and convenient for storing small objects. When not in use, it can be placed as a decoration without taking up space."

"I, the Director of this establishment, find Miss Murong's design quite good."

Mei Zhuyu directly gave her ninety-five points. Mu Rongyue was stunned!

She hadn't expected that, even though she never once mentioned the common people, nor matters of food, clothing, shelter, or transportation, she could still earn Director Mei's approval.

She couldn't contain her excitement. She immediately thanked him: "Your subject's daughter thanks Director Mei."

At that moment, Mu Rongyue had completely put Ji Zihang out of her mind.

She didn't notice Ji Zihang's face, darker than charcoal, but Luo Jingshen certainly did.

He sneered inwardly. Watching someone who had just boasted score higher than Ji Zihang, he wondered what Ji Zihang must be thinking.

Luo Jingshen said directly: "I also find that the thing Miss Murong designed is far more useful than what Third Young Master Ji designed."

"I give Miss Murong ninety-three points. I hope you will continue to work hard and bring honor to the Royal Academy."

Having gained approval from two major figures, Mu Rongyue's excitement was beyond measure. She felt she might be the chosen one.

Originally, she had signed up for the competition entirely because Ji Zihang had registered, and she wanted to follow him so he could see her literary talent and worth.

But now, Mu Rongyue felt that she was in no way inferior to Ji Zihang, and might even surpass him.

After all, in the arithmetic round just now, her score had been comparable to his.

The more she thought about it, the more Mu Rongyue believed that she might really become Dongchen Kingdom's first female laureate.

At this thought, she said with a blush: "Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince. Your subject's daughter will continue to work hard."

Seeing this scene, Ji Qingqing's eyes blazed with anger. She almost crushed the teacup in her hand.

"That bitch Mu Rongyue, what does she think she's doing?"

"If it weren't for me and my third brother, what right would she have to sign up for the Canglang Poetry Talk? She doesn't even show gratitude, and now she dares to stab my third brother in the back?"

And Luo Jingshen—Ji Qingqing couldn't understand. It had been agreed before that Luo Jingshen would help Ji Zihang win the championship.

But now, he seemed more like he was working against Ji Zihang.

Cui Liu comforted her: "Second Miss, let that bitch Mu Rongyue be arrogant a little longer. With Third Young Master's score, he's already advanced to the next round. The exam questions will only get harder. Your servant believes she can't possibly beat Third Young Master."

Ji Qingqing said viciously: "If Mu Rongyue really dares to use my third brother as a stepping stone to rise, I will make her pay."

In her view, since Mu Rongyue liked Ji Zihang, she should yield her scores to him and use her own shortcomings to highlight his excellence.

That was what she should do.

Instead, she was showing off everywhere, making Ji Zihang feel humiliated.

In the future, when people talked, they would only say that Ji Zihang, that favored son of heaven, couldn't even compare to a young girl like Mu Rongyue.

The Marquis of Yongning's mansion couldn't afford such a disgrace.

Next, the other examinees also introduced their designs one by one.

Jiang Yunhang designed a waterwheel. He introduced: "In our country, the dry season lasts long each year, making it difficult for commoners to access water for daily use. They must go to distant mountains to fetch water, often making several trips back and forth just to fill their household water jars. Lifting water relies entirely on brute force."

"This waterwheel uses a water turbine in the lift tube to easily draw water up from the well below. It saves a great deal of manual labor for the water fetcher and also reduces the time spent drawing water."

After Jiang Yunhang finished, Cheng Rushan commented: "Young Master Jiang's waterwheel, starting from the difficulty commoners face in getting water, helps reduce their burden during the process of fetching water. I find it excellent and very practical."

"I think that when this contraption is built, the commoners will be sincerely grateful to you for this design."

Jiang Yunhang smiled warmly. There was no pride or arrogance in being given a high score; instead, he remained very humble.

He said in a gentle voice: "To be able to lighten the burden on the common people is the greatest honor of my life. I dare not ask for anything else."

Cheng Rushan was even more satisfied with his attitude. He liked the humility and eagerness to delve into research that Jiang Yunhang displayed.

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