Chapter 11: Autumn Hunting Arrives, King's Order Follows

The autumn breeze brought a chill, rustling through the palace's sycamore leaves, scattering them golden. But none of this autumnal comfort permeated the laundry room. Yun Zhi was kneeling on the bluestone slab, vigorously pounding a basin of thick wool blankets. The cold water soaked her trouser legs, chilling her to the bone against her legs. The whiplash on her back hadn't fully healed, and every effort pierced the pain. The cold sweat on her forehead trickled down her cheeks, dripping into the basin, creating ripples.

"Yunzhi! Hurry up! If you don't finish pounding this blanket before sunset, you won't get to eat tonight!" The housekeeper's voice boomed from the corridor, its tone undisguised. "Have you heard? The Emperor is going to the enclosure for the autumn hunt, and he's asked the prince to bring his family along. The palace is busy packing, and you're still dawdling here!"

Autumn Hunt? Yun Zhi paused her pounding, a wave of emotion welling up in her heart. Back when she was at the Imperial Tutor's Mansion, she'd accompanied her father to the Royal Autumn Hunt. Banners fluttered in the enclosure, knights galloped on horseback. Back then, she'd been a pampered young lady, enjoying a sweet-scented osmanthus cake while sitting in the stands. Now, she was a slave, worried about eating even after beating the blankets.

She curled her lips in self-mockery and was about to continue beating when a little girl in a green maid's uniform ran in quickly, saying breathlessly, "Sister Yunzhi, I'm calling you from the front yard! They said the prince has some instructions!"

Prince? Xiao Jin?

Yun Zhi's heart sank, and the mallet in her hand clattered into the basin. She hadn't done anything wrong recently, so why would Xiao Jin suddenly come looking for her? Could it be that Lin Wanru or Su Yurou had said something bad behind her back again?

"What are you still standing there for? Go quickly!" The housekeeper pushed her, her tone tinged with gloating. "Don't keep the prince waiting anxiously. Watch out for yourself!"

Yun Zhi bit her lip, got up from the ground, dusted herself off, and followed the little girl to the front yard. As they passed the garden, they saw the maids and servants busy moving luggage. Gold-painted boxes were piled in a row, containing Lin Wanru and Su Yurou's belongings. Cloaks embroidered with delicate patterns, jewelry boxes adorned with pearls, the dazzling array of things formed a glaring contrast with her washed-out gray clothes.

As I reached the main hall door, I heard Lin Wanru's gentle voice coming from inside: "Your Highness, for this autumn hunt, I specially prepared your favorite almond cakes, as well as your usual bow and arrow sheath, all packed in that rosewood box."

"Your Highness, I have also prepared some medicine to dispel the cold. It is cold in the enclosure at night. If you feel uncomfortable, you can ask the maid to make it for you at any time." Su Yurou's voice also sounded, so gentle that water could drip out of it.

Yun Zhi took a deep breath, pushed the door open and walked in, bowing her head and saying, "I pay my respects to the prince, to the princess, and to the concubine."

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly grew cold. Lin Wanru sat next to Xiao Jin, holding a round fan in her hand. Her eyes pierced Yun Zhi with undisguised disdain, like a knife. "Oh, isn't this the most 'capable' servant in our palace? How come you have time to come to the front yard? Have you finished all the work in the laundry room?"

Su Yurou also smiled, but her tone was a bit hypocritical and concerned: "Sister, please get up quickly. The ground is cold. But why did you come here dressed like this? If the people in the palace saw us, they would think that we are mistreating our servants."

Yun Zhi ignored their ridicule, just lowered her head and waited for Xiao Jin to speak.

Xiao Jin sat in the chair at the head of the group, dressed in a dark blue uniform. He held a memorial in his hand, his eyes fixed on it, as if he hadn't heard their conversation. A moment later, he put the memorial down, his gaze finally settling on Yun Zhi. His tone was calm and composed, without a trace of emotion: "You'll be coming along on this autumn hunt."

"What?"

Not only Yun Zhi, but even Lin Wanru and Su Yurou were stunned and cried out in unison.

Lin Wanru was the first to react. The smile on her face instantly disappeared, and her tone was filled with disbelief: "Your Highness! How could she, a convict, go with you on the Autumn Hunt? The Autumn Hunt is a royal event, and the people accompanying are all prominent figures. Wouldn't it be a disgrace to you, Your Highness, if she went?"

Su Yurou also echoed, her voice a little aggrieved, "Yes, Your Highness, my sister has a special status. If other princes and nobles saw this, they would probably gossip. Besides, the princess and I have already arranged for a maid to accompany us, so why should we bother you?"

They had never imagined that Xiao Jin would actually let Yun Zhi, a substitute criminal slave, go with him on the Autumn Hunt! The Autumn Hunt was a rare opportunity to show off their status. Not only could they see the Emperor, but they could also interact with the ladies of other powerful families. They had long been looking forward to this opportunity, wanting to show off in front of everyone. How could they let Yun Zhi, such an eyesore, go with them?

More importantly, Yun Zhi's face, which looks very much like Shen Qingyue, might cause some disturbance if it were seen by others at the Autumn Hunt, especially by the Emperor. At that time, would Xiao Jin's attention be more inclined towards Yun Zhi?

When they thought of this, Lin Wanru and Su Yurou felt even worse, and their eyes were filled with deep jealousy when they looked at Yun Zhi.

Yun Zhi was also confused. Why would Xiao Jin let her go on the Autumn Hunt? She was just a servant, a convict slave. Going with her would only cause her trouble, and she might even be humiliated again. What on earth did he want to do?

She raised her head and looked at Xiao Jin in confusion, but saw that he ignored Lin Wanru and Su Yurou's objections and simply said calmly: "I have my reasons for letting her go. I will arrange her identity, so you don't need to worry about it."

His tone was filled with unquestionable majesty. No matter how dissatisfied Lin Wanru and Su Yurou were, they dared not refute him. They could only lower their heads unwillingly. However, they had already started thinking in their hearts that when they arrived at the paddock, they must cause some trouble for Yun Zhi so that she would give up.

Xiao Jin didn't look at them again, his gaze returned to Yun Zhi: "Go back and pack up, we'll leave early tomorrow morning. Don't bring too much stuff, it's a burden."

"Yes." Yun Zhi could only agree, but her heart was full of doubts and vigilance - Xiao Jin's sudden "special" treatment of her could not be a good thing, and she had to deal with it carefully.

She turned and walked out of the main hall. Just as she reached the corridor, she heard Lin Wanru's low voice behind her: "Sister, what do you think the prince means by this? He actually let that criminal slave go with him!"

"What else could it mean?" Lin Wanru's voice was a little gritted. "Isn't it because that criminal slave looks like Shen Qingyue? The prince wants to keep her by his side so he can see 'Shen Qingyue' at any time! Humph, she's just a fake, and you think you can compete with me? When we get to the enclosure, I'll make sure she knows what the rules are and what her duties are!"

Yun Zhi paused, a hint of a sneer rising in her heart—as expected, Lin Wanru wouldn't let her go. But it didn't matter. She had long been accustomed to such difficulties. She would fight back against any adversity and would not be easily defeated.

Back in the commissary, Yun Zhi packed her belongings briefly—there wasn't much to pack, really. Just a few coarse clothes, the bottle of medicine Xie Heng had given her, and the white porcelain medicine bottle the mysterious man had left behind. She carefully placed the bottle in her arms, keeping it close to her body. It was her only "reliability" now.

Just as she was about to sit down and rest after packing, a servant came in with a package. He threw the package on the ground in front of her and said impatiently, "This is what the prince gave you. He said it's for tomorrow's autumn hunt. Try it on quickly. If it doesn't fit, ask someone to alter it."

Yun Zhi was stunned for a moment before opening the package. Inside was a dark-colored riding suit made of high-quality brocade, soft yet sturdy. The hem and cuffs were embroidered with subtle patterns, the stitching fine and detailed, and it was obvious it was of considerable value. It was a world of difference from the coarse cloth she usually wore.

She picked up the riding clothes and compared them with her body - the shoulder width and waist length were just right, as if they were tailor-made.

How come it fits so well?

Yun Zhi was filled with confusion. Her figure wasn't particularly ideal, especially after all the hardships she'd endured, she'd lost a lot of weight, yet the riding gear fit her perfectly. Even she didn't know her exact measurements, so how could Xiao Jin know?

Could it be... that he had noticed her accidentally?

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she forced it down. Impossible. How could Xiao Jin, who hated her so much, have paid attention to her size? Perhaps it was just a coincidence that the palace had some ready-made riding gear in her size.

But she still had a strange feeling in her heart, remembering the mysterious figure who applied medicine to her in the servants' room last time, and the faint sigh - could it be that Xiao Jin really had a different kind of concern for her?

She shook her head, dismissing these unrealistic thoughts. No matter what Xiao Jin's purpose was in giving her the riding gear, she couldn't take it lightly. The riding gear might be "candy," but behind the "candy" there might be a sharper "knife."

She took her riding clothes and walked to the mirror—the mirror was broken, revealing only a blurry outline. She put them on and tugged at the hem. It was indeed a perfect fit, accentuating her otherwise thin figure with a touch of sleekness. Her face remained pale, though, and the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye, against the dark fabric, looked both strikingly bright and cold.

"Hmph, no matter how nicely you dress, you're still a criminal slave!" A maidservant's sneering voice came from outside the door. It was Lin Wanru's personal maidservant. "The princess said that when we leave tomorrow, you will be responsible for taking care of the princess and concubine's luggage, and serving the prince's horses. If anything goes wrong, you will be in trouble!"

After saying that, the maid left, leaving Yunzhi standing alone in front of the mirror.

She looked at herself in the mirror, dressed in her dark riding uniform, feeling a mixture of emotions. There was wariness, doubt, and a subtle hint of anticipation—perhaps the autumn hunt would be an opportunity to escape the oppressive confines of the palace and perhaps find some clues about the injustice at the Imperial Tutor's Mansion.

No matter what Xiao Jin's purpose is, she must seize this opportunity and live well, for herself and for her deceased family.

The next morning, the palace's motorcade set off on time. Xiao Jin rode a black steed in front, his posture erect and his eyes cold. Lin Wanru and Su Yurou sat in the ornately decorated carriage, occasionally drawing aside the curtains and casting jealous glances at Yun Zhi, who followed beside them.

Yun Zhi, wearing her dark riding uniform and holding Xiao Jin's horse reins, followed behind the team. The riding uniform fit her perfectly and made movement easy, but her heart was always tense - she knew that this autumn hunt would not be peaceful.

As they passed a forest, Xiao Jin suddenly reined in his horse and looked back. His gaze swept across the convoy, finally landing on Yun Zhi. He paused for a moment, then quickly turned back and continued on his horse.

The glance was brief and emotionless, yet it made Yun Zhi's heart skip a beat. She stared at Xiao Jin's back, her doubts growing deeper—why on earth had he asked her to wear this riding gear? Why had he asked her to come with him to the Autumn Hunt?

These questions, like a tangled mess, were entangled in her mind, making her stay alert throughout the rest of the journey.

What she didn't know was that in the carriage behind her, Lin Wanru and Su Yurou were exchanging glances with a calculating smile on their lips - the paddock was so big, it would be too easy to find an opportunity to "teach Yun Zhi a lesson".

This autumn hunt was destined to be a war without the smoke of gunpowder, and Yun Zhi had already stood at the forefront of this war.