Chapter 124 Between the Clouds (14) Entering Her Trap.
The Ling family occupied a large area in Qinyang, with their houses stretching out like a walled city.
Ling Cunyu's residence was also vast, but it was a nameless mansion.
Her father told her that there were powerful families to the east, whose descendants mostly occupied Qinyang, and that she should avoid their sharp edges. She thought to herself that this was too much of a betrayal; why couldn't she and her father share the same surname and be associated with their families?
A few years later, her father was imprisoned for disobeying powerful figures, and her mother took her to the Ling family mansion in the east.
The head of the Ling family did not appear. The person who received them and handled their father's affairs was just a student under Master Ling.
A few days later, her father was released. She remembered clearly that on that day, he seemed unable to meet her eyes. From then on, they tacitly never mentioned the east again.
Later, her father was ambitious and rose higher and higher in his career. At the age of thirteen, she received an invitation from the Ling family and had the opportunity to enter the Ling family school, which was coveted by countless people.
The Ling family members were always well-mannered and never lacked manners. But she knew they didn't take her seriously at all.
The existence of her father and her is a scandal that the Ling family of Qinyang needs to cover up.
Not long after, she ran away from home. She didn't want to be a writer; she was determined to become a female general whose name would be remembered for all time.
The military camp environment was both harsh and painful. When it was cold, the first ray of sunlight in the morning felt like a blessing from heaven, and her shivering body finally began to warm up. Her hands were covered in red sores from the cold, and when she gripped her weapon, she felt her skin and flesh tightly and stickily fused together with the external object, as if it were about to peel away from her bones.
Later, when war broke out, she was both terrified and excited; her blood seemed to flow like water, capable of carrying or capsizing a boat.
She persevered, and that's how she got to where she is today.
During her trip to Beijing to report on her work, she saw the Ling residence again.
Back at her lodgings, her subordinates presented her with an invitation from Lady Wei, inviting her to a spring banquet and outing.
Ling Cunyu had been in the capital for quite some time and naturally knew the purpose of the Marquis's banquet, so she originally disdained to attend. However, upon hearing that the talented Miss Ling Thirteen from the capital was also among the invitees, an inexplicable force compelled her to accept the invitation.
The weather was fine that day. Ling Cunyu arrived a little late. When the servants led him to the garden, before he even reached the end of the long corridor, he saw a young man drawing his bow and nocking an arrow not far away. Beside him were several young men dressed in brocade robes and jade belts, and behind the moon gate, women were scattered around watching, leaning against the wall.
The man hit the bullseye, then grinned and pulled at the other man, saying, "Young Master Wei, it's your turn!"
Then he saw the Prince of Wei being pulled by the arm, taking a few steps out of the crowd, smiling and saying "forgive me" but showing no remorse whatsoever, just listlessly. He was not in high spirits and was too lazy to deal with it.
Just then, the man who had pulled him turned his head and inadvertently caught sight of Ling Cunyu in the corridor. Having heard of the female general's return to the capital, he immediately recognized her beauty upon seeing her.
A gentle breeze was blowing, and the spring sunshine was bright. Wei Yuanzhan glanced at the woman on the corridor, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before turning away from the man's face. He chuckled and said, "I have an appointment, so I really have to go. Enjoy yourselves."
...
Upon seeing him again after many days, Ling Cunyu happily stepped forward and asked, "How is Prince Wei doing? I was fortunate enough not to witness Prince Wei's archery skills at the spring banquet that day. I wonder if you could show me your skills today?"
Wei Yuanzhan didn't have a strong impression of the face in front of him, but judging from her phoenix eyes, the fact that she looked to be in her early twenties, and her upright and neat posture, he guessed who she was.
"General Ling," he smiled gently, "I was quite rude that day, please forgive me."
The young man stood tall and graceful against the sunlight, his smile revealing both appropriate politeness and an undisguised cheerfulness.
Ling Cunyu's heart skipped a beat, but the smile on her lips remained: "How could it be considered impolite? They looked down on me because I am a woman, but fortunately, Prince Wei came to my rescue. I haven't even thanked him yet."
She didn't really care about what outsiders thought. She had been used to all sorts of gossip in the military, but Wei Yuanzhan's attitude was something new to her.
He ignored her words and replied, "I did have an appointment that day, so I can't be considered to have helped the general out of a predicament."
"Oh? It's military business?"
"It's a private matter," he said, and then fell silent.
Ling Cunyu felt a little regretful, but still said, "Is the Crown Prince's tent also up ahead? I'm just about to pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince, why don't we go together?"
Zhi Rou and Song Hanjin walked toward the Song family's tent, feeling a deep respect for the female general.
Song Hanjin glanced at her for a moment, then her eyes suddenly became wary: "Fourth sister, you don't want to join the army either, do you? I've already had enough of you, brother. If you have such thoughts, you'd better not talk to me anymore."
Zhi Rou looked at her and laughed, "Sister, you're really being unreasonable." She pulled her hand back and asked, "Where's Second Brother?"
She seemed completely unconcerned. Song Hanjin glanced at her and pursed her lips, casually mentioning Song Qizhang: "Perhaps he was taken away by my uncle to meet someone. Don't worry about him; hunting isn't his forte anyway, and he can't help you." With that, she stepped into the tent.
Xinghui and her servants followed behind, but did not go in; they waited outside.
Xu Yueyuan did not accompany them on this trip; only two young women were among the female guests. Song Hanjin sat down, clutching her clothes. It was still daytime, and the nine lanterns were already lit, casting shadows that were sometimes bright and sometimes dim.
Song Congzhao forbade Zhirou from drawing the bow. She had nothing to prepare. Seeing that her third sister was not in a hurry, she slowly paced around the tent with her hands behind her back, her fingertips seemingly tracing the bow's horn. When Song Hanjin suddenly asked her a question, she immediately drew the bow.
"Fourth sister, you said before that you would accompany me to Yuyang after you finished your business. Does that promise still stand?"
“Of course it counts.” Zhi Rou moved to sit next to Song Han Jin, smoothed her clothes, and poured herself a cup of tea.
When the two talked about Yu Yang last time, Song Hanjin didn't pay attention to the private matters she mentioned. Later, she thought about it and realized that her fourth sister's whereabouts were always mysterious, and she had seen her talking alone with her father in the courtyard several times, as if she had some secret. She couldn't help but become suspicious.
"Then can you tell me what exactly this unfinished business you mentioned is?" Song Hanjin turned her head to look at her.
A pair of clear, bright eyes, gleaming with a lively light, seemed to see into people's hearts. Zhi Rou tightened her grip on the teacup.
Song Hanjin knew that the usually quick-witted person had become dull, and she didn't want to say it.
"That's enough. My brother is upright and honest, and he will surely turn misfortune into good fortune. There is no need for me to go to the border to guard him. Don't worry, I won't ask you anymore."
Such a bland tone made Zhi Rou's heart ache slightly, and her eyebrows furrowed: "Is my sister angry with me?"
If I say yes, will you give in?
Under the calm gaze, Zhi Rou remained pursed. Before she could answer, Song Han Jin curled her lips into a slight smile and swayed her chin: "Look at you, you're becoming more and more like your father..."
Before she could finish speaking, a maidservant rushed in from outside the tent, interrupting her. She was someone close to Song Hanjin, and would never normally be so unruly.
Song Hanjin frowned and stood up: "What's wrong? You seem so impulsive."
The maid lowered her voice, her breathing still a little unsteady: "Third Miss, I... I just heard the Second Young Master's men return and say that the Second Young Master... the Second Young Master..."
"How is Second Brother?" Zhi Rou asked hurriedly.
"The second young master... has been detained."
She gave a very vague account of the cause and course of events, and Zhi Rou could only conclude that it was the work of the Duke of Wei's mansion. After a little speculation, she thought that it must be because her second brother had plotted against the eldest son of the Duke of Wei's mansion before in order to break off the engagement, and now that so much time had passed, the man had come for revenge.
"Do Father and Uncle know? Where are they?"
The maid shook her head. It was precisely because they couldn't find the master of the house that Song Qizhang's men had come to the Third Miss in desperation.
But what way could Song Hanjin possibly save him? It's not her place to get involved in a man's affairs.
Just then, a signal came from outside, and the group settled down; it was time to prepare for the hunt in the mountains.
Zhi Rou tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on the bow stand beside her.
"I think I just saw the Fourth Sister. She's going into the mountains too."
Lan Ye rode behind Wei Yuanzhan. They had traveled from the capital to here in four or five days. Although they had stopped briefly several times along the way, the women were eventually tired. However, the Fourth Miss still had the leisure to hunt, which made him sigh with admiration.
Upon hearing this, Wei Yuanzhan reined in his horse, his gaze fixed intently on the winding procession. The crowd was so dense that it was difficult to spot Zhi Rou.
"Where did you see it?" he asked.
"Just as I stepped out of the tent, I noticed Miss Song in her riding attire and thought it was quite unusual. Then, not far away, I spotted Miss Song the Fourth..."
Seeing Wei Yuanzhan raise an eyebrow, he quickly tried to cover it up, "I didn't have a chance to speak with His Highness..."
As the report was being relayed, a member of the Crown Prince's entourage rode over and smiled at Wei Yuanzhan, saying, "Is the Crown Prince waiting for us? Let's go, today we'll hunt a white deer to entertain Your Highness."
Wei Yuanzhan looked back for a moment, seemingly unwilling, before turning his gaze back.
The emperor traditionally chose autumn for his hunting expeditions, when the wild animals were plump and the weather was cool. The autumn military exercises were also held here, and the scale was grand, often taking more than a month.
This spring hunt was a last-minute decision by His Majesty. In the season of animal breeding, it is no easy task to hunt wild beasts that are not pregnant in order to win His Majesty's favor.
Zhi Rou should have obeyed her father's orders and stayed quietly in the tent, but she was worried that her second brother would be bullied by the people of the Duke of Wei's mansion, and she could not sit idly by and wait for death.
She frowned slightly.
Song Hanjin glanced at her and assumed she was still anxious because of Song Qizhang. After a moment of silence, she asked, "How confident are you, Fourth Sister?"
"There are too many hunting teams, and I've never been here before, so I'm not familiar with the terrain. I'll give it a try anyway."
Once inside the mountains, the moment the emperor gave the order, the sound of horses' hooves rose and fell in waves. Zhi Rou, with her hunting experience, was completely at odds with her conservative words in front of Song Hanjin. She spurred her horse to chase after the prey, and the soldiers behind her could hardly keep up with her, let alone Song Hanjin.
The wind howled across the fields, the gale stinging her pupils like fine needles. She blinked, catching a glimpse of a brown shadow flitting through the bushes. She quickly drew her bow and fired three arrows.
The last arrow was extremely fierce. With a heavy thud, Zhi Rou immediately dismounted and went forward to check.
Unexpectedly, another group arrived from the front. They glanced at the giant deer on the ground, then fixed their eyes on Zhi Rou. After only a moment, their eyebrows lifted and they laughed, "This is what I hunted. You can go now."
Zhi Rou subtly raised an eyebrow, stared at him for a moment, then lowered her butterfly-like eyelashes and pointed her bow at the deer in mid-air: "My arrow struck its eye and throat. How can you say you hunted it?"
The man felt a slight lump in his throat, and a heat slowly rose in his cheekbones. However, with his companion beside him, he felt deeply ashamed to lose to a woman.
The debate was about to continue when suddenly the sound of other horses galloping closer could be heard.
A sudden lightness settled in her heart, she stopped moving, and lowered her eyelashes. Her gaze went only up to her waist and below, when a pair of hooves stepped in, gradually coming to a stop, and the hem of her dark blue robe rested against the horse's flank.
She bowed and said, "Your Highness, the Imperial Grandson."
"Did you hunt this?" The Crown Prince looked at her with admiration and scrutiny. "I heard Huai Xian and my grandmother say that Miss Song's horsemanship and archery are both superb. Now that I see it, Huai Xian's words are true."
The Crown Prince recognized the Song family's arrow. To distinguish the archers, the fletching and arrowheads of arrows from different families were slightly different. He had seen Zhi Rou through the window in the Eastern Palace before, and by combining the arrow with the Song family's arrow, he knew the identity of the person before him.
Seeing this, the man who had been trying to take credit felt inexplicably guilty. After bowing to the Crown Prince, he never raised his head again.
The Crown Prince seemed not to have even glanced at his entourage, and with a smile, turned to the side and said to those behind him, "General Ling's words in the garden that day, now it seems, are they a bit difficult to establish?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Ling Cunyu's face flushed slightly.
On the day she arrived in the capital, she bumped into the youngest son of the Minister of War and a group of sixth-rank officials by the Qingzhu Bridge. They wanted to befriend her and invited her to the garden, but she retorted, "There are no strong bamboos in the garden."
These offensive words spread throughout the capital within a few days. Some busybodies added fuel to the fire, saying that the female general who had returned from the border insulted the weak and unbearable men of the capital.
The Crown Prince's words were not intended to embarrass her, but the others did not think so. They were waiting to see her make a fool of herself, but to their surprise, she replied very respectfully: "Your Highness is right, it was I who was disrespectful."
After saying that, he glanced at Zhi Rou without making a sound.
Just as Ling Cunyu was about to strike up a conversation, the Crown Prince's horse suddenly turned around, and before she could catch up, she saw Wei Yuanzhan ride his horse to Miss Song, smile silently, and sit on his horse to scrutinize her.
Zhi Rou had already seen Wei Yuanzhan.
He approached and said lightly, "The deer is already in your trap, why don't you take it?"
The words seemed to be addressed to her, but they were truly heard by the group of attendants behind her. They quickly sprang into action, rushing to retrieve the deer she had shot, while the man who had just tried to argue with her reluctantly mounted his horse and fled into the dense forest as if escaping.
A rustling sound arose around them, and Zhi Rou looked away. In the dappled light, Wei Yuanzhan's eyes seemed to be studded with stars. He lowered his bow towards her, and she, puzzled, reached out and grasped the bow tip as if possessed.
Immediately, a force pulled her forward from the bow. She staggered half a step, looked up at him in a daze, and saw him bend down and whisper a sentence in his ear.
"After the hunt, His Majesty will hold a banquet in front of the camp. Wait for me, I'll come find you."
After saying this, he spurred his horse and turned back, a slight smile still playing on his lips. The horse's hooves thudded twice on the ground, its tail flicked, and it turned around.
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