The Imperial Concubine is the Most Favored in the Harem

The "elder brother" Noble Lady Chu had spoken of—Chu Xin—stood at the head of the white team, his attire differing subtly from the rest, marking him clearly as their leader.

He bore a striking resemblance to Noble Lady Chu, though more rugged in build. He too radiated an air of pride and bravado, his eyes, like his sister's, always tinged with condescension.

No doubt about it—they were siblings through and through.

Even without knowing their upbringing, one could guess from their demeanor what kind of family had raised them.

The white team was composed entirely of men from the northwest—many with fathers or uncles serving high-ranking posts in the Northwestern Army. Victory today wasn't a matter of pride—it was a mission.

At twenty-five, Chu Xin was the eldest among the participants, already a rising star within the Northwestern forces. His position as team leader was not questioned.

He now stood at the prow of the white team's dragon boat, raising his arm and bellowing:

"Men of the Northwest!"

"Here!"

"Today, we fight to prove our mettle before His Majesty! Let's not disgrace the honor of the Marquis of the West!"

"Yes!"

Their rallying cry echoed across the lake. Not to be outdone, the other teams raised chants of their own.

The atmosphere grew more electric by the second—faces flushed with fervor and adrenaline.

All, except for two.

Among the spirited crowd, Lin Xingzhi and Jiang Huanqing appeared completely out of place.

One was here to catch a glimpse of his sister. The other, merely accompanying his brother-in-arms. Their minds were on a different battlefield.

Lin Xingzhi's eyes never left the distant platform. Jiang Huanqing, though young, was sharp-tongued and perceptive. Watching Chu Xin flaunt his bravado with exaggerated flair, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"What a sight," he muttered dryly. "Xingzhi, your sister's up there, watching all of this. Meanwhile, look at that guy parading like the emperor himself. I'd wager his sister's even more insufferable in the palace."

Though he'd never stepped foot inside the palace, Jiang Huanqing had a keen grasp of its inner workings. Every comment struck where it mattered.

Lin Xingzhi gave him a glance and nodded slightly, acknowledging the truth in his words. Without another word, he turned his attention to preparing for the race.

Though both he and Jiang had been last-minute additions to the team, neither had slacked off during training. The sun-darkened sheen of their skin was proof enough of their hard work.

The Qing (blue) team wasn't flashy, nor were they a crowd favorite. In fact, few expected much from them.

And perhaps that was their advantage.

Without the pressure of expectation or obsession with victory, they remained calm and focused.

While other teams were still chanting and stirring themselves into a frenzy, the Qing team had already boarded their boat and closed their eyes—adjusting their breathing, tuning their ears to the rhythm of the waves and the beat of the drum.

That calm focus did not go unnoticed.

The emperor and the fourth prince—Yuwen Qian—exchanged glances, both eyes narrowing with quiet amusement.

The reason Yuwen Qian had been invited today was precisely to scout promising new recruits for the elite Huangjia (Imperial Armor) Regiment.

Brash, boastful types like those in the white team held little appeal for him. In his camp, the arrogant were liabilities.

As he swept his gaze across the frenzied teams, his attention lingered on the blue-clad men sitting in silence.

A small nod. Just a little longer… and we'll see.

The drums began to thunder. Each man gripped his oar. The race had begun.

Chu Xin, still riding high on adrenaline, surged forward at once. As expected, the white team leapt ahead—closely followed by the red team.

The two boats raced neck and neck, each striving to leave the other in its wake.

Meanwhile, the Qing team remained steady, placing third at the start. The rest quickly lagged behind, their coordination faltering early on.

At the helm of the white boat, Chu Xin set the pace. In training, he'd always been the rhythm anchor. But today, seeing the red team edging ahead, he snapped.

Snarling under his breath, he abandoned the drumbeat, ramping up his strokes.

That impulsive move shattered the team's synchronicity.

The rowers behind him, caught off guard, fumbled to match his erratic speed. The boat's rhythm fractured.

Just like a man sprinting full-force only to lose control of his limbs—chaos was inevitable.

The red team seized the advantage, pulling ahead by a full boat length. Chu Xin, unwilling to concede, roared back at his own team.

"Are you all blind? Row! ROW!"

His fury only made things worse. Several rowers panicked, hands trembling, nearly dropping their oars into the lake.

From the pavilion above, Noble Lady Chu's face turned white with rage. In complete disregard of etiquette, she leaned over the railing and screamed:

"Brother! Faster—row faster!"

Her outburst emboldened others. Soon, a chorus of shouts and shrieks broke out from the imperial ladies and noblewomen alike.

What had begun as a graceful dragon boat race descended into noisy mayhem.

Only the Qing team remained composed—gliding forward like a swift arrow, unified and focused.

The red team was still ahead, but not by much.

Back on the white boat, Chu Xin saw the crown slipping from his grasp. Enraged, he made a reckless move—jerking his oar sideways to ram into the red boat's stern.

The impact broke the red team's tail end, throwing their crew into disarray.

The red boat began to take on water, spiraling in circles as chaos spread to the neighboring purple and blue teams.

The destruction rippled across the lake.

"Ahh!"

Water poured into the red boat's hull. It wasn't long before the crew had no choice but to abandon ship.

One by one, men began leaping into the lake.

What was supposed to be an elegant showcase of skill had turned into a scene of flailing limbs and shattered vessels.

Chu Xin's face darkened with fury as he watched the Qing boat surge forward, unimpeded.

Moments later, a long, crisp sound rang out.

The first boat crossed the finish line.

And above, the spectators broke into thunderous applause.