I started out with seven husbands, and I worked hard to support my family while crying.

Chapter 531: This is quite a bet!

Upon seeing this, the surrounding people began to whisper among themselves and discuss the matter.

"This is quite a bet. The Lingxi Pavilion is Miss Fang's life's work. This scholar is too ruthless."

"Yes, but that jade pendant does look quite precious. This competition is getting more and more interesting."

Fang Xiaoxiao listened quietly to the sycophantic scholar's words, her eyes showing no fear, but rather a hint of coldness.

She glanced at the jade pendant, then at the arrogant, sycophantic scholar, a slight smirk playing on her lips. "Fine, I accept. But what if you lose?"

The sycophantic scholar was momentarily intimidated by Fang Xiaoxiao's imposing manner, but he quickly regained his arrogant demeanor. He gritted his teeth and said, "If I lose, I... I'll give you all the books in my family's library!" He thought to himself that he was quite accomplished in painting and would definitely win this time, so giving away those books wouldn't be a pity.

Fang Xiaoxiao nodded, her eyes firm, and said, "Okay, it's a deal then!"

At this moment, sunlight shone through the clouds onto the two of them, and a fierce painting duel was about to begin, with a tense and exciting atmosphere filling the air.

Fang Xiaoxiao agreed without hesitation, and her decisive manner surprised everyone present.

Meanwhile, her four husbands—the former general of the Dayu Dynasty, Long Jinyan; the former young prime minister, Murong Changqing; the second prince of the enemy country, Ouyang Tuoba; and Zhou Wenjian, the son of the former Minister of Revenue—instantly showed worried expressions, exchanging glances with uneasy faces.

At that moment, a few dark clouds drifted in from the originally clear sky, blocking the scorching sun and making the area somewhat dim.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees, as if they too were nervous about the upcoming competition.

Long Jinyan, the former general who once dominated the battlefield, now had his brows furrowed and his heroic face full of anxiety.

He couldn't help but step forward, grabbing Fang Xiaoxiao's sleeve with his strong hand, and said urgently, "Wife, this is no joke! The Lingxi Pavilion is your life's work. We've never seen you paint before. What if... what if you lose? Don't act rashly!" His voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable concern.

Murong Changqing, the former young prime minister, was once known for his unparalleled wisdom and resourcefulness, but he has lost his composure.

He frowned slightly, his eyes filled with worry, and chimed in, "Yes, my wife, that scholar seems quite confident in his painting skills, and the stakes are so high. We should be cautious. We mustn't lose something important because of a moment of anger."

His words were calm, but they could not hide the worry in his heart.

Ouyang Tuoba, the second prince of an enemy state, usually had an unruly demeanor, but at this moment he looked very nervous.

He stepped forward, a hint of anxiety in his eyes: "Wife, this competition is too risky. That scholar has ulterior motives. If you are not absolutely certain, you must not act rashly." His tone carried a touch of domineering concern.

Zhou Wenjian, the son of the former Minister of Revenue, was no longer the gentle and refined man he once was.

He bit his lip lightly, his eyes filled with anxiety, and said softly, "My wife, we don't want to see you fail. We really have no idea about this painting. We hope you will think it over carefully."

The four husbands all spoke up, trying their best to dissuade Fang Xiaoxiao, fearing that she would lose Lingxi Pavilion due to a moment of impulsiveness.

Princess Li Wan'er walked to Fang Xiaoxiao's side with a worried expression, gently took her hand, and said with a hint of anxiety in her voice, "Xiaoxiao, I know you have backbone, but this painting competition is too risky. That scholar took out his ancestral jade pendant as a wager, so he must have come prepared. If you are not confident, don't force yourself. Let's give up this round."

Fang Xiaoxiao looked at the people around her who were worried about her, and smiled mysteriously with a slight upturn of her lips.

She blinked, her eyes sparkling with confidence. She gently patted Long Jinyan's large hand, then grasped the hands of Murong Changqing, Ouyang Tuoba, and Zhou Wenjian in turn. Finally, she returned the hand of Princess Li Wan'er, reassuring her, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Although I haven't shown my painting skills much before, I'm not entirely without confidence."

Seeing the continued confusion and worry on everyone's faces, Fang Xiaoxiao leaned closer and lowered her voice, saying, "To be honest, although I don't understand what they call 'art of painting,' I do know how to sketch. Sketching is definitely different from their painting, and it might give them a big surprise!"

At this point, Fang Xiaoxiao winked mischievously, her face beaming with a confident smile.

After hearing her words, the worry on Long Jinyan and the others' faces eased slightly, but they were still somewhat skeptical.

"My lady, is this sketch really going to work?" Long Jinyan couldn't help but ask, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Fang Xiaoxiao nodded heavily and said firmly, "Don't worry, trust me!"

At that moment, a gust of wind suddenly swept by, blowing dust up and causing the tree branches to shake violently.

The sycophantic scholar, seeing Fang Xiaoxiao's confident demeanor, felt a sense of unease, but he still forced himself to remain calm, gave a cold snort, and prepared for the upcoming painting competition.

The air around them seemed to freeze, filled with tension as everyone eagerly awaited the start of the painting duel.

The painting competition finally began, and the atmosphere in the already tense venue became even more solemn.

The dark clouds in the sky seemed to have gathered again, completely blocking out the sunlight and shrouding the entire field in gloom, as if foreshadowing that the match would not go so smoothly.

A sinister glint flashed in the sycophantic scholar's eyes. Taking advantage of the crowd's inattention, he secretly broke the painting tools that Fang Xiaoxiao was about to use.

His movements were furtive, and after he finished, a barely perceptible smug smile appeared on his face, as if victory was already in his grasp.

Princess Li Wan'er had been paying close attention to the competition and keenly noticed the sycophantic scholar's subtle actions. Her eyes widened instantly, and a look of surprise appeared on her face. She subconsciously covered her mouth, wanting to remind Fang Xiaoxiao, but she was afraid of affecting the competition.

Fang Xiaoxiao noticed Li Wan'er's unusual behavior and saw her damaged painting tools, but she simply waved her hand gently, indicating that Li Wan'er didn't need to worry.

Her face showed no sign of panic; she remained calm, as if everything was within her expectations.