Doted By The Regent King-Chapter 498 - Jealousy

Compared to the seven or eight Guanyin maid statues everyone had seen, Wufu’s relief sculpture was like a refreshing stream, cutting through the throng of figures and easily capturing everyone’s attention with its unique presence.

As the saying goes, rarity is the jewel’s price. Among so many works, there was only one relief sculpture; it was hard not to notice it.

Realizing that the judges were standing before it for an extended period, and hearing the murmurs of the audience, Yu Zhen’s face darkened, and he looked over with a cold snort.

Stealing the spotlight, overreaching, let’s see how long your smugness lasts.

"Master, I truly didn’t expect that in such a short time the young lady would carve such a jade carving, how did she do it?" Su Luo asked in amazement.

Ah Jiu had long admired the work, saying, "Naturally, it was done through relentless effort, day and night."

It was not impossible to carve complex jade, but to do it well and with precision required immense focus, effort, and time.

Despite the time constraints she faced, she still managed to complete the sculpture, which spoke volumes about the dedication she put into it.

Su Luo listened and couldn’t help but marvel.

Ah Jiu’s gaze returned to Wufu, who was animatedly talking with Wen Congrui, and frowned; were these two too close for comfort?

Wen Congrui seemed to sense something, looked up, and upon seeing Ah Jiu was momentarily startled, then tilted his head slightly—who was that?

Suddenly recalling what Shopkeeper Lin had reported, the one who had come with Wufu this time was a friend called Ninth Master, who had helped her win the Peach Blossom Spring jade piece. Could it be him?

Their gazes met in midair, Ah Jiu glanced down with a cool nod, then shifted his eyes away.

Meanwhile, on the viewing platform, the last two pieces had been unveiled; one was an oval Jade Pendant with Madam Lou’s portrait carved on it. Despite its small size, it demanded close attention to the intricacies of human facial features.

Wufu gazed into the distance; like hers, it was carved from jadeite ice variety, the figure lively and lustrous.

The other was a Jade Token, another refreshing change from the rest.

All the entries had been evaluated by the judges, and it was now time for scoring. Contestant businesses could first approach the works before other merchants and jade carving enthusiasts arrived to view them.

Wufu genuinely loved carving and thus went forward. She revered her peers from the bottom of her heart and was eager to see others’ techniques. By comparing them to her own, she could identify her weaknesses, which was also a form of exchange and learning.

The judges had finished their evaluations, leaving no need for secrecy, and the entries were well known by everyone. What’s more, after the judges left to score, name tags of the competing businesses were placed in front of the works for identification.

In front of Wufu’s piece stood the most people, after all, Guanyin maid statues were common, but such a lifelike relief was rare, and it emphasized the craftsman’s skill.

Those at the forefront were the craftsmen from the Hundred Treasures Silver Building, who though not saying much, were inwardly unreconciled to being outdone by a mere child in competition. Now, seeing her work, their resentment likely dissolved into thin air. freewёbnoνel.com

Yu Zhen, observing the cluster of people at one spot, couldn’t hide his displeasure. That girl was nothing more than an opportunist, he thought. Why should these people look at her work with the same reverence as if it were an Ancient Divine Object? It was infuriating.

He absolutely refused to admit that it was jealousy, deep-seated jealousy.

Why on earth should a bratty little girl outshine him, a renowned teacher? Humph!

Wufu, unconcerned with his resentment, stood before the oval Jade Pendant, examining it closely with a magnifying glass and praising it highly.