No one was paying Chu Hean's presence among the competitors any special attention. And a cursory look around showed that Ru Long was nowhere to be seen, with or without a mask or veil to disguise his identity.
On the level below Chu Yun's and Xiao Zai's viewing platform, Min Sezhui was sitting beside Tan Ruo, Minister Song, and a contingent of other courtiers. Chu Yun could only see the top of her head, and the butterfly pins sticking out of her delicate hairdo.
She had no idea that Chu Hean was competing because of her. Maybe it would actually do her some good to know, she who always found herself lacking, that someone else thought she was competition.
Her time in the royal harem had destroyed her self-esteem, Chu Yun was running out of ideas about how to build it back. He just knew it didn't have to do with teaching her how to play weiqi or the guqin.
