Chapter 41 "Second Miss, you have truly impressed me..."

The hunting ceremony was held on the second day. At the auspicious hour of the following day, the three armies lined up in formation, with swords and halberds like a forest. The scene was magnificent, and the sounds of the martial arts demonstration reverberated throughout Hualin Garden, continuing until the afternoon.

In Hualin Garden, there is a high platform called Xile Palace, built against the mountain. This is the emperor's resting place. The inner hall is magnificent, and the walls are decorated with carved bows, all of which are objects that the emperor loves.

Since His Majesty had arranged to go hunting in the forest with the Prince of Yan in the afternoon, Zhong Changjun followed the Emperor into the inner palace and took down a carved bow from the wall.

The spacious hall had its doors and windows wide open, and a mountain breeze gently blew in from outside, causing the curtains inside to sway softly, creating a cool and pleasant atmosphere.

Zhong Changjun carefully wiped the carved bow with a plain silk handkerchief. Yu Guangzhong saw the emperor standing beside the desk, casually flipping through the newly delivered memorials. Dressed in a black robe and imperial attire, his tall figure appeared even more majestic.

Zhong Changjun stepped forward and said, "After Miss Yuan arrived yesterday, I have already deployed more guards to patrol around her tent to watch over her."

The emperor didn't even lift his eyelids, only giving a faint "hmm," seemingly indifferent to the matter.

Zhong Changjun's forehead was covered in a fine sweat, and he could only focus on wiping the longbow in front of him. Yu Guangzhong's figure put down the memorial and turned to enter the inner hall.

Not long after, the emperor reappeared, now dressed in black military attire.

At that very moment, a palace attendant outside the hall announced that the Prince of Yan had arrived. The Emperor strode out.

Zhong Changjun quietly followed with that carved bow.

**

The wind caresses the grassy slope, and waves of green surge and roll.

After watching the martial arts demonstration, Yuan Chaolu returned to his tent. The demonstration was a grand event, and the sounds of battle still lingered outside the tent, with occasional commotion.

"Morning dew." A clear male voice sounded from outside the tent.

Pei Xi lifted the curtain and walked in: "The ceremony is over. How about I show you around Hualin Garden this afternoon? It'll be a good time to relax."

Yuan Chaolu initially wanted to decline, but seeing his gentle smile, she finally nodded: "Today, I saw you accompanying the Emperor from afar by the grassland. I just wonder if having you with me this afternoon would interfere with your official duties?"

Pei Xi said it was alright, led her out of the tent to the front of the horse, and then mounted his own horse. The two rode side by side into the woods.

Pei Xi said, "I brought the Snow Steed with me today. Since it's not a formal hunting day, let it rest for a while. When the ladies compete, will the Second Miss want to participate?"

Yuan Chaolu looked slightly surprised and smiled: "You brought Taxue? Although I am good at riding horses, my archery skills are mediocre."

“I’ll teach you later,” Pei Xi said.

“Okay.” Yuan Chaolu entered the forest with him. It was the first time she had ever seen a royal hunting formation. The so-called hunting involved soldiers driving wild animals into an encirclement and then driving them one by one into the forest, which required a great deal of manpower.

She and Pei Xi walked side by side, passing a lake at times and through lush trees at others, enjoying the beautiful scenery of Hualin Garden along the way.

In the woods, the two stopped, and Pei Xi drew his bow to teach her how to hunt, aiming the arrow at the grass.

"This is how you should nock a bow." He sat on his horse and first demonstrated to her how to shoot a hare.

As she drew her bow, he turned to correct her movement, supporting her arm from behind.

Yuan Chaolu pressed her bare shoulders against his chest, paused slightly, and felt his breath brushing against her from the side and behind. "It should be raised a little higher."

Yuan Chao's hand had been raised for too long and was sore that the arrow veered off course when it left the bowstring and fell into the grass, startling a rabbit which quickly fled and disappeared.

"It's alright." A low chuckle came from behind. "Just try a few more times."

He took an arrow from his quiver and handed it to her. Yuan Chaolu calmed herself, gradually focusing her attention, her gaze fixed on the swaying blades of grass in front of her.

At this moment, there were naturally more than just the two of them in the hunting forest.

Prince Xiao Luozhi of Yan was also accompanying the Emperor, smiling as he answered the Emperor's questions about his recent studies. As they passed a patch of grass, they heard familiar voices. He instinctively looked in the direction of the sound and saw Yuan Chao with an arrow nocked behind the swaying trees.

He reined in his horse, took a step closer, and finally saw clearly that the person who had been holding her arm and teaching her to shoot arrows was his own teacher.

The two were incredibly intimate. After she shot the arrow, she smiled and looked up at the man beside her. Dappled shadows fell on her cheeks, and her eyes shone with a honeyed light.

Xiao Luozhi was slightly lost in thought, and because of his sudden silence, the emperor naturally saw the scene of the two talking and laughing.

Xiao Luozhi snapped out of his daze and was about to walk with the emperor when he saw the emperor slowly raise the bow and arrow in his hand.

The longbow was pulled to its limit, taut and emitting a muffled clanging sound.

When Yuan Chaolu turned his head and saw him, Xiao Zhuo suddenly released the bowstring.

The long arrow had already flown out, turning swiftly like lightning, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.

Yuan Chaolu's pupils contracted sharply. With a "whoosh," the long arrow grazed past her ear and "thud," piercing into the jungle behind her.

A startled cry came from the jungle. Yuan Chaolu's face turned ashen. He saw the emperor slightly bow his head, his eyes narrowed, and his gaze held a provocative smile.

Pei Xi had just met the emperor and bowed, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty and the Prince of Yan."

The sound of horses' hooves was crisp as the Emperor rode forward step by step. "So it's Minister Pei and Miss Yuan."

The horse beneath him was tall and strong, breathing out hot air. Yuan Chaolu's gaze followed the horse's straight and slender legs and rose to see the man on horseback wearing a jade crown and military attire, as noble as a jade tree, with gold embroidery on his clothes shining brightly in the sunlight.

The Emperor's voice carried a slight smile: "Just now, I saw a shadow flitting through the woods from afar. I thought it was a wild beast and almost hurt you and the Second Miss."

Pei Xi cupped his hands and said, "I dare not."

"The forest is lush with trees. Minister Pei and the Second Miss should be careful not to be harmed by wild animals." After saying this, the Emperor reined in his horse and turned it away.

The Prince of Yan lagged behind, exchanged pleasantries with Pei Xi, and before leaving, glanced at Yuan Chaolu's face before catching up with the Emperor.

Because of this arrow, Yuan Chaolu lost all interest in continuing his studies and soon ended his day's archery and horsemanship training on the pretext that it was getting late.

She spurred her horse forward, but the image of the arrow flying towards her flashed before her eyes again. Just a moment ago, her heart clenched as if gripped by an invisible hand.

But while chatting and laughing with Pei Xi, she remained calm and showed no sign of anything amiss.

Given Pei Xi's keen insight and high position, it's hard to guarantee that he wouldn't notice the subtle clues in his recent interactions with the emperor.

She even considered whether to use illness as an excuse to avoid attending tonight's banquet.

Just as they were about to leave the woods, Yuan Chaolu suddenly saw a familiar figure.

On the grassland ahead, Helan Zhen, dressed in brightly colored riding attire, sat upright on his horse, holding a whip and leading a noblewoman, as if to enter the forest with her.

Yuan Chaolu asked, "Does Lord Pei know who the noble lady beside Miss Helan is?"

Pei Xi looked in the direction she was pointing and said, "That's Prime Minister Lu's niece, Miss Lu Runlan of the Lu family."

Lu Runlan.

Yuan Chaolu murmured the name, a slight smile playing on her lips: "So she is Miss Lu. I have long admired her talent and reputation, and today I finally get to meet her."

She looked at Pei Xi and said, "Lord Pei, you should go back first. I'll wander around here by myself a bit more."

"You can manage on your own? You don't need me to come with you anymore?"

Yuan Chaolu smiled and said, "No need, I won't go far."

Pei Xi stared at her for a long time before nodding and telling her to come back soon.

As the sound of hooves faded into the distance, Yuan Chaolu lightly spurred his horse and headed in the direction Helan Zhen had just entered the forest.

**

It was completely dark, but the main hall was brightly lit.

Tonight, the emperor is hosting a banquet for his ministers and members of powerful families at the Xile Terrace. The banquet is already halfway through, and the melodious chimes of the palace bells are playing. The dancers' skirts are flowing like clouds, and the atmosphere is harmonious.

The hall was filled with dazzling pearls, but one person in the hall could not fully immerse himself in the banquet.

The Prince of Yan would sometimes gaze out of the palace, and sometimes drink wine to hide his panic. When he heard a rumble of thunder outside the palace, he instinctively stood up.

Empress Dowager Lu, who was sitting behind the wine table next to the emperor, noticed the Prince of Yan's unusual behavior and sent someone to summon him.

Empress Dowager Lu asked, "Is something the matter? You've been so distracted since the banquet today?"

Xiao Luozhi did not answer, but looked at the emperor. After a long while, the emperor looked through the pearl on his crown and said, "Speak."

Xiao Luozhi took a deep breath and said, "It concerns Miss Yuan Er. Chaolu has not returned since she entered the forest at dusk. Lord Pei has already led people into the forest to search for her. Now that a heavy rain is coming, I am really worried."

Empress Dowager Lu leaned back in her chair and said casually, "There are thousands of guests in Hualin Garden. Perhaps she is chatting with someone somewhere. Besides, when she goes to the forest, she should bring her guards with her. If something really happens, why should we have to mobilize soldiers to search for her?"

Xiao Luozhi said, "Your subject wishes to go out and find the Second Miss."

Empress Dowager Lu disagreed: "Prince Yan."

Xiao Luozhi looked at the Emperor and said, “Brother, a torrential rain is coming. If we delay any longer, something unforeseen may happen. I request to lead a team into the forest.”

The emperor slowly brought the wine cup to his lips, but before he could speak, Xiao Luozhi, extremely anxious, pleaded again, "Your Majesty."

Empress Dowager Lu called out, "Your marriage to Miss Yuan has already been called off. It would be better to let Pei Xi handle this matter. It would be inappropriate for you to go again."

Xiao Luo was taken aback, his brows furrowing tightly.

Just as they were about to leave, they heard the emperor's drunken voice say, "She is your teacher's fiancée."

The Prince of Yan lowered his eyes, his hand trembling slightly as he bowed. Yes, it was because of his teacher's fiancée that he had hesitated until now and had not gone out to look for her.

Previously, the emperor had summoned Yuan Chaolu to the palace for instruction, but now that the marriage has been dissolved, the emperor is indifferent to Yuan Chaolu's safety.

He stood silently in the hall for a long time before finally descending the jade steps and walking towards the wine table. Just as he was about to sit down, he turned around and strode out of the hall without looking back.

Behind the table, the twelve pearls on the emperor's crown gently clinked together, casting shimmering light and shadow on his cheeks. Watching the Prince of Yan stride away, he swallowed the last of the wine in his cup.

**

The hunting forest was deep and secluded. As night fell, only sparse twilight filtered through the gaps in the treetops, illuminating Yuan Chaolu's path ahead.

As Yuan Chaolu walked through the forest, each step she took on the grass caused it to crack and pop, as if it would attract beasts lurking in the shadows behind her.

She was lost and couldn't tell which way to go.

It all started at dusk. She followed Helan Zhen, hiding in the forest, in order to see what the Lu family's young lady looked like. Soon the two parted ways, and Yuan Chaolu originally planned to leave as well, but unexpectedly overheard the Helan family's conspiracy.

He Lanzhen then instructed her servants to tamper with Miss Lu's carriage the next day.

"Tomorrow, my cousin will be traveling with Miss Lu in the same carriage to tour the capital. Remember to tamper with the carriage axle beforehand and tell him to be prepared to rescue Miss Lu."

"This... Miss Lu is of noble birth. If she were to be seriously injured, how could we bear the responsibility?"

“Lu Runlan has never agreed to the marriage alliance with the Helan family, so the family has no choice but to set up this scheme,” Helan Zhen said in a low voice. “Since they couldn’t openly ask for her hand in marriage, they had my cousin play the hero and save the beauty. This is also my brother’s idea; we have to promote the marriage alliance with the Lu family.”

He Lanzhen added, "After it's done, I will have my elders personally plead with the Lu family. This life-saving grace, even if it doesn't lead to a marriage, will at least bring us closer to the Lu family."

Helan Zhen stopped speaking abruptly, turned her head and looked into the depths of the forest, her gaze locking onto the bushes where Yuan Chaolu was hiding.

"Who's there!"

Yuan Chaolu wandered through the forest, using the trees as cover to shake off the Helan family. However, when she arrived at this place, it was completely dark, and the dark clouds gradually obscured the moonlight. She did not know where she was and could not find a way out.

Dark clouds obscured the sky, making the light even sparser.

The icy rain fell from the sky, piercing her clothes like silver needles. She struggled forward, leaning against a tree trunk, panting slightly. Her whole body was soaked. The ribbon that had been tied to a branch by the roadside to hold her hair back was now loose and stuck to her pale cheeks. Her vision was blurred by a misty haze.

As she braced herself to move forward, she heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes ahead.

Yuan Chaolu immediately became alert. While gripping the whistle bone in her hand, her right hand reached for the small celadon bottle hanging at her waist, where there was a specially made animal-repelling powder.

Her gaze was cold and sharp as she waited for the beast to emerge from behind the bushes.

Amidst the rustling of the bushes, she wasn't mistaken; there really was an animal. Then, a hog badger suddenly burst out of the forest, its massive body and mane standing on end like iron.

The badger saw people there, opened its eyes wide in anger, and pawed the ground with its hind legs, ready to pounce.

Yuan Chaolu used her fingertips to pry open the bottle, breaking the realgar powder inside, which immediately filled the air with a pungent mist.

Caught off guard, the badger's eyes were suddenly covered in the powder, causing it to let out a sharp howl and writhe wildly in the muddy grass.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yuan Chaolu decisively drew the dagger from her waist. The cold light flashed as she approached, but unexpectedly, the beast suddenly sprang up again, its two pairs of sharp fangs lunging straight at Yuan Chaolu.

Badgers are ferocious beasts, and there are precedents of them eating people.

This scene unfolded in the blink of an eye. Yuan Chaolu was prepared to fight to the death when suddenly a golden shadow broke through the air and pounced on the ferocious beast like lightning.

The badger fought with it, and the surrounding bushes were crushed and scattered with leaves.

It was the cheetah, Jinni, kept by the emperor.

Yuan Chaolu leaned against the tree trunk, watching the golden lion's front paws heavily stomp on the badger's back, biting its throat, and letting out low growls from its chest, like thunder.

Before long, the badger was limp and weak, howling as it tried to escape.

The golden lion slammed the badger heavily onto the muddy ground, revealing its menacing fangs. Although the badger was free, it still seemed ready to attack.

The golden lion shook off the grass clippings from its mane, returned to Yuan Chaolu's side, and paced back and forth. Its amber vertical pupils narrowed slightly as it stared intently at the badger, not allowing it to take a step forward.

Under the tense standoff, the badger's momentum finally weakened, and it fled into the bushes and disappeared.

"Jinni." Yuan Chaolu leaned against the tree trunk, and seeing it approach, he raised his hand to stroke its forehead. "What are you doing here, your master..."

Her fingertips curled slightly, knowing that if Jin Ni was there, that person must also be nearby.

Jin Ni tugged at her sleeve, and Yuan Chaolu looked up, hearing the sound of horses' hooves clattering over fallen leaves.

The emperor sat high on his horse, dressed in black military attire. His face was soaked by the rain, and raindrops slid down his nose. His gaze pierced through the heavy rain and landed directly on Yuan Chaolu.

Just like this afternoon, when he looked at her, his expression was arrogant yet held a hint of deep amusement.

"The banquet was in full swing, and the guests were enjoying themselves."

"Miss Yuan is here; it has been quite a search for her."

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Author's Note: Golden Lion: Guardian of the future mistress.