Chapter 27: Catching a Wild Mandarin Duck? The Wild Mandarin Duck Was Actually Me
He Zhaojun followed the horse hoof prints and chased Shao Shang until they came to a tall tower[11]. She glanced at the horse tied to the side and realized that Shao Shang must be climbing up.
Arriving at the foot of the tower, He Zhaojun was in a dilemma. She knew she couldn't catch up with Shao Shang, and going up rashly would only alert the enemy. Her only option was to drop the jade pendant on Ling Buzhi's path at the perfect time.
She barely watched the figure flashing inside the tower, and when she heard a voice asking "Who?", Shao Shang was discovered eavesdropping and fled in panic, leaving behind the jade pendant.
He Zhaojun untied the tendon wrapped around her waist and draped it over her arm, forming a makeshift slingshot. She hung the jade pendant from it, aimed it at the gap between the window lattices, and suddenly let go. Like a flying bird, the jade pendant, inscribed with Cheng Shaoshang's nickname, dove headfirst into the tower.
"I can only help you up to this point. If the jade pendant is of poor quality and breaks into pieces and becomes shattered and you can't pick it up, don't blame me!" He Zhaojun muttered to herself. The wound on her back had already split open due to the force she exerted, and bloodstains were gradually appearing on her light-colored clothes.
After a few breaths, Ling Buyi was seen holding Cheng Shaoshang outside the tower. The two were about to fall. He Zhaojun was watching them intently, not knowing that she had been discovered by Ling Buyi who was on the high place.
"Everything seems to be back on track. We have to go back before they find out!" In order to cover up the bloodstains behind her, she took Cheng Shaoshang's cloak and put it on her shoulders.
But the injury on her back prevented her from even getting on the horse. She climbed up several times, leaned down against the horse, and then the horse threw her on its back before slowly walking back.
As she slowed down, the Third Prince, who had just finished his plot but was interrupted early, caught up with her from behind.
"Whose little girl is this? She can't ride a horse faster than anyone else. Oh, it turns out she is General He's daughter, He Zhaojun!" Wen Ziduan said sarcastically.
The third prince wanted to see He Zhaojun's frustrated expression, so he caught up with her, but found that He Zhaojun was pale, sitting on the horse shakily, and her hands could no longer hold the reins tightly.
"He Zhaojun! He Zhaojun! Wake up!" Wen Ziduan's heart was burning with anxiety. Seeing blood flowing down He Zhaojun's sleeves, he jumped onto He Zhaojun's horse and held her in his arms.
He Zhaojun felt a gentle breeze on her face and slowly opened her eyes, realizing she was in Wen Ziduan's arms. "The Third Prince's riding skills are superb, and he's incredibly steady on horseback. I've seen it, quite manly... ahem."
"Shut up! It's already this time, and you're still joking with me? Who hurt you? I'll skin him alive and pull out his tendons!" Wen Ziduan was extremely anxious. He rode his horse all the way, but he didn't dare to go too fast, for fear that He Zhaojun wouldn't be able to bear it.
He Zhaojun smiled and said, "Third Prince, there's no need to make a fuss. I was just trying to show off my horsemanship and accidentally ruptured my wound. If you put me down, it would be troublesome if Master Lou saw me."
Wen Ziduan felt He Zhaojun in his arms, her breath fading, as if she were about to fall. He felt indescribably angry, hating her for not taking care of her body and showing off her strength even though her injuries hadn't healed. He hated himself even more for dragging her to this festival even though he knew her old injuries hadn't healed.
"It's all my fault! Don't struggle anymore, I'll send you back to the tent." He Zhaojun was speechless after hearing this, but she remembered that seeing blood at a ceremony was a very unlucky thing. Cheng Song was injured in order to save Wan Qiqi and was almost punished by Emperor Wen.
She almost fell off the horse. Wen Ziduan didn't dare to help her or hug her, so he simply held her in his arms, let her lie on his shoulders, and sat in his arms, like a child, and carried her into the tent.
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