Chapter 18 King Heng complains

"Zhu Xin, bring me my riding clothes!"

Shen Lingshu was in high spirits. She packed the small backpack that she had asked Zhuxin to sew for her before she set off. She stuffed things into it one by one: wound medicine, hemostatic medicine, water, pancakes, and finally, she also prepared some chili powder for self-defense.

"Master, this small backpack is really good for storing these small things, they won't fall out." Zhu Xin watched Shen Lingshu change into a horse-faced skirt with apricot long sleeves on the upper body and a twined grape pattern, which looked very beautiful.

Her lower body was a dark-colored horse-faced skirt, paired with a small backpack she made herself, a sachet of insect repellent hanging around her waist, and a dagger for self-defense tied to her feet.

"Master, what do you bring chili powder for?" Zhu Xin looked at the packets of chili powder in confusion.

"It will be of great use!" Shen Lingshu said mysteriously. When she led Zhuxin out of the tent and came to Concubine Fang, she saw that Concubine Fang and Hai Jiaren had changed their clothes.

Concubine Fang was wearing a bright red riding suit, and Lady Hai was wearing green...

“…”

The corners of Shen Lingshu's mouth twitched as she looked at the pearl hairpins on their heads. Were they going out for a trip or an outing?

"Since Aunt Shen is here, let's go hunting together in the mountains."

Concubine Fang reminded them, "Let me be frank. Hunting in the mountains is dangerous. If you don't want to go, speak up now."

"I'm going. It's a rare trip to the hunting grounds. If I don't go hunting in the mountains, what's the point?"

Hai Jiaren was the first to speak, and she deliberately glanced at Shen Lingshu: “If Aunt Shen is afraid, don’t go.”

"Did I say I wasn't going?"

Shen Lingshu gave her a meaningful look. Hai Jiaren's method of provoking her was a little too clumsy.

"Just go, it's no big deal." Hai Jiaren's eyes were evasive, and she always felt that Shen Lingshu saw through her thoughts.

"The maid stays here and follows me with the horse."

Concubine Fang spoke and led them to the foot of the hunting mountain. She took the quiver, mounted her horse, and started walking towards the hunting ground. This was her first time hunting!

"The south is where the emperor and the princes hunt. You must not go the wrong way."

Concubine Fang warned: "There are large wild animals over there. Be careful not to hunt them and become their food!"

"Don't worry, I won't go wrong."

Shen Lingshu smiled brightly, but cursed the national quintessence in her heart. Concubine Fang really had no good intentions: she had clearly inquired and knew that the north was where the emperor and the prince were hunting, but she told her the opposite direction?

…

In the northern hunting ground, a little sika deer shuttled through the forest.

The emperor took out an arrow from the quiver behind him, put the string on it and shot it. The arrow hit the body of the sika deer accurately, and the deer ran away in fright.

With a "whoosh", another arrow shot over and hit the deer's head. The deer fell to the ground with its body stiff and twitching.

"I got it."

The crown prince's triumphant voice echoed as he rode over, dismounted, and smiled at the emperor, "Father, you are wise and never miss a shot!"

The emperor's dignified face showed no expression. He raised his eyelids slightly and said, "The prince's archery skills have improved a lot."

"I have practiced archery day and night, and finally lived up to my father's expectations."

The prince's face was filled with joy as he said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. I am willing to share your worries with you regarding this little beast."

"I am very pleased that the Crown Prince is willing to share my worries."

The emperor looked at the sika deer with an arrow in its head not far away, and heard the prince's excited voice in his ears: "Father, it is a blessing for me to share your worries. Today, I will definitely hunt a king deer and present it to you."

"I will wait for the prince's deer king."

The Emperor looked at the Crown Prince's youthful, energetic face, and saw him riding away on his horse, ambitious to hunt the Deer King. He asked, "Eunuch Feng, how old is the Crown Prince this year?"

"To answer your Majesty, it's exactly thirty." Eunuch Feng replied with a bow.

The emperor watched the prince disappear into the forest. He lost interest in hunting and threw the bow in Eunuch Feng's hands, saying, "Go back now."

"yes."

Eunuch Feng held the bow carefully with his head lowered.

…

"Why are you following me?" Shen Lingshu asked expressionlessly, looking at Hai Jiaren who had followed her all the way.

"The concubine is with the prince's concubine. We don't know anyone in this mountain. We should travel together so that we can take care of each other." Hai Jiaren raised her lips and smiled, as if she was not the one who cursed a few days ago.

"Is Aunt Hai afraid?" Shen Lingshu raised her eyebrows.

"I'm not afraid!"

Hai Jiaren said this with her neck stiffened.

"Then don't follow me, otherwise, if we encounter prey, will it be yours or mine?" Shen Lingshu squeezed the horse's belly, grabbed the reins, and increased the horse's speed.

Shen Lingshu, who already had some basic skills, had made a lot of progress in learning horse riding from Prince Lin in the past few days.

"Aunt Shen! Shen Lingshu."

Hai Jiaren watched Shen Lingshu rush forward and hurriedly spurred her horse to follow. Shen Lingshu turned back and heard the sound of Hai Jiaren chasing after her. She frowned slightly and said, "We have to think of a way to get rid of her!"

Not far away, a white rabbit was running. Shen Lingshu's eyes lit up, and she stopped, took out her bow and arrow, and strung the arrow...

call out.

Shen Lingshu's arrows were empty.

"Haha, Aunt Shen, your archery skills are too poor. Look at me." Hai Jiaren followed closely behind, and with one arrow, the white rabbit immediately turned into a red rabbit.

"Auntie Chen, you have to learn from me." Hai Jiaren raised her head proudly.

"The palace is not short of wild rabbits, what it lacks is favor." Shen Lingshu raised her eyebrows, and with just one sentence, Hai Jiaren was like a defeated rooster!

Then, Hai Jiaren raised her head proudly again: "Then let's see who gets pregnant first? Who will become the concubine first!"

"I will definitely get pregnant before you!"

Hai Jiaren's eyes were filled with determination, as her mother had given birth to three sons and four daughters!

She will definitely get pregnant just like her mother did with just one touch!

"Then let's wait and see?" Shen Lingshu was too lazy to say these words. Pregnancy is a matter of time, and the grace of saving a life is not always available!

While Hai Jiaren was picking up the rabbit, Shen Lingshu prepared to ride away on horseback.

"Aunt Shen, please don't leave."

Hai Jiaren hurriedly chased forward, and seemed to have completely forgotten that she was holding the arrow in her hand. She fell forward with a sudden movement, and the arrow in her hand pierced the horse's leg.

"Hiss~"

The injured horse let out a long cry to the sky and ran back madly.

"Hai Jiaren, you hurt me!"

As Shen Lingshu exclaimed, Hai Jiaren looked at the arrow on the horse's butt with an innocent look and shouted, "I didn't, it was an accident!"

The wind was blowing, and Shen Lingshu deliberately drove the horse to gallop towards the north.

…

"Go and see what's going on up ahead."

The emperor and his personal guards were wandering around the hunting ground. He saw something happening ahead from afar, so he sent someone to ask.

"yes."

The guard responded and immediately went forward to investigate. Soon, the guard returned and reported: "Your Majesty, Prince Heng is injured and his wound is being bandaged."

"oh?"

The emperor rode forward.

"Father, Father, please make the decision for me!"

Prince Heng saw the emperor coming from afar and tumbled and crawled, crying, "It was clearly me who saw the Deer King first. My elder brother was chasing the wild boar. Who knew that when my elder brother saw the Deer King, he chased him instead, causing me to be hit by the wild boar."