Flowers Bloom from Battlefield [Volume 1]

23. Spar

Yan proved to be proficient in choosing jewelries. It seemed like he knew everything in this store like the back of his hand. Ming Hui could freely choose anything she wanted and Yan ended up buying dozens of jewelries.

Jun Hua herself only picked one hairpin. She didn't have that much money to begin with, and her coming here was only to show face. Meeting with Prince Yan was an added bonus she didn't expect.

"You only bought one?" Yan asked.

"Yes, I just bought one on impulse since I rarely come to the capital," Jun Hua answered.

Yan nodded. "Hui'er, do you want to head back first? I want to go to training hall."

"I want to come, too."

"Okay, just stay behind me."

Ming Hui nodded her small head cheerfully. Yan smiled in return before turning his head towards Jun Hua.

"You want to go there too, right? Let's go together."

Jun Hua thought for a moment before accepting his offer. The training hall was not that far, and the cheerful Ming Hui kept on walking here and there. She seemed like a girl who had never gone outside before.

"Ming Hui has a weak body and she often stays in the palace. I rarely have time to take her out so she wants to make it to the fullest."

"I see."

Jun Hua stared at the girl jumping here and there to see everything. Somehow, she found the princess was quite strange, but she could not point her hand on what made her feel like that. The princess was just like any innocent girl out there.

However, Jun Hua could not continue observing Ming Hui, since Yan started to talk to her. Different with Soujin, Yan was really a talkative person. He often talked about daily things and other. Beside him, Jun Hua barely followed through as the topics were random. By the time they arrived, she hardly remembered what they talked about anymore.

"Soujin, have you arrived?" Yan said loudly.

A man came in their view. Soujin was wearing his training clothes and because he had been training himself since morning, his clothes were already drenched in sweat. With Soujin's handsome face, this appearance somehow looked extremely alluring.

"Yan, Ming Hui, and Jun Min," he greeted. "Why are you coming together?"

"I met this fellow when I brought my little sister for a walk. Since he has a sparring appointment with you today, I chose to come here with him."

Soujin stared at Yan. "After I finished sparing with Jun Min, you're next."

"Wait, why? I have not recovered yet from the beating you gave me before!"

No matter how much Yan protested, Soujin refused to listen to him. Beside him, Ming Hui let out a very girlish giggle and let her brother to get bullied. Jun Min also laughed as she didn't have any intention to help the poor Prince Yan.

"Never mind, let's play chess first Jun Min. This man is still in the middle of training."

With that, Yan dragged Jun Hua to the table and let the servants prepare the chess. Looking at the chess set in front of her, Jun Hua smiled. She was quite good at playing chess, now she wanted to know how good Yan skill was.

Soujin ignored the two of them as it was still early and the appointed time for their spar was in the afternoon. Ming Hui sat by her brother's side and watched as the two of them started playing.

After a couple of hours, four pairs of eyes were locked onto the chess board. Yan and Jun Hua have played a couple of times with the winner and the loser changed from time to time. Hearing them play, finally Soujin could not bear to watch from the side and decided join the fray. Even with him, the winner and the loser were still undecided.

"You're all truly talented," Ming Hui smiled. "It's already the time for lunch brother."

"I won't eat before I defeat him!" Yan eyes were glued to the chess board. This time he was facing Soujin. He had played with Soujin a few times before and as usual, they came into deadlock.

Jun Hua broke into sweat. She had not expected that playing chess can be so tiring. With Ming Hui's help, they finally dragged the two men from the chess board and ate some food.

"I won't lose to you," Yan said confidently.

Soujin snorted. "You're only a useless prince, there's no way you could beat me."

"Bring the chess board!"

Soujin only played one round with Yan before going to the training hall to spar with Jun Hua. Jun Hua came prepared, but she was still unable to hold on that long under the barrage of attacks Soujin gave. It seemed that Soujin was venting his rage over losing a round from Yan to the battle.

"Let's try once more."

This time Soujin went into a defensive stance, but Jun Hua didn't manage to beat him even after she used up all of her energy.

"You're such a little kid. Your strength is so low," Soujin commented.

Jun Hua could only glare back. Ming Hui handed him a towel.

"Use this. Don't mind brother Soujin. He's someone who cannot accept defeat."

"Thank you Princess Hui," Jun Hua could definitely see that. He only lost once from Yan, but that was enough to make his face turn dark. Yan would probably get beaten up later.

Ming Hui smiled. "Call me Ming Hui. You're third brother's friend, so it's alright to call me by my name."

Jun Hua nodded. She found Ming Hui and Yan's personalities were really similar. They were quite open only towards those who they trusted at a certain degree at least.

Yan stretched his body lazily. "Jun Min, I hear that you appeared at the academy to pick up your sister. Do you like being surrounded by girls so much? If you want, I could introduce you to a few girls."

Jun Hua felt her blood boil and her energy was returned. "Ming Hui, let me borrow your brother for a while. Soujin, are you still going to use the training hall?"

Soujin eyes flashed. Since his best friend was looking for trouble by himself, he could rest and watch the show. "No, you can use it."

"Prince Yan, let's spar."

"Wait! Why?" Yan yelled, but he stopped for a moment when he looked at the cold expression Jun Hua gave him. "I still haven't recovered yet!"

The yelling and scream of a prince were all they could hear that afternoon.