"Let's go!"
Cen Hai's voice rang out, and the group set off from the palace gates toward the hunting grounds. Gu Heng had declared that he would reward the first-place winner handsomely for this hunt.
"Your Majesty, I, Lady Li, pay my respects." The first person summoned to Gu Heng's carriage on the way was Consort Li, the eldest daughter of the Grand Tutor's family.
"How is the Grand Tutor's health these days?" Gu Heng's lips curled up as he grasped Consort Li's soft, boneless hand. "I have been wanting to visit him, but I haven't had the time."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." Consort Li looked at Gu Heng gratefully. "My grandfather is doing well."
The old Grand Tutor was getting on in years, but Consort Li's father was of mediocre talent, so he could only send her into the palace to win over Gu Heng.
Consort Li was well-versed in all the Four Books and Five Classics, and chatted and laughed with Gu Heng.
Cen Hai, standing outside the carriage, subtly stretched his neck. This Consort Li was likely about to gain the Emperor's favor.
On the other side...
Huo Xiang, disguised as a guard, stood behind Jiang Yu. Jiang Yu was acting out of character today, not wearing the phoenix robe that symbolized her status as empress, but instead wearing a purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with only a jade hairpin in her hair.
"Mr. Huo?"
Jiang Yu took a few steps forward, but seeing that Gu Lin was not following, she turned her head and asked.
This scene left Gu Lin completely stunned.
Like a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without any artifice, this is the essence of beauty.
"You're here." Gu Linqing coughed a few times, concealing the darkness in his eyes.
"This autumn hunt is going to be a tough battle for me, Mr. Huo. I'm entrusting my safety to you." Jiang Yu said softly. Not only Gu Lin, but all of her secret guards were dispatched for this autumn hunt.
"I swear to protect Your Majesty with my life."
......
"I am late."
Many ministers and their wives were already seated inside the tent, including Consort Gu. Jiang Yu walked in slowly, her skin as white as snow, so beautiful that it was hard to look away.
"Where is Consort Li?"
"Your Majesty, Consort Li has gone hunting with His Majesty." Jiang Yu deliberately drew out her words, and her smile became even more genuine. "It's good that His Majesty has someone by his side."
Every so often, a young eunuch would come to report on the current hunting situation. Jiang Yu stayed in the tent entertaining his family. The first day was for free archery practice, and the results were not counted in the final score.
By evening, Gu Heng had not come to see Jiang Yu, but instead directly summoned Consort Li for his favor.
Only then did everyone realize what was going on. Was the Emperor disrespecting the Empress?
"Your Majesty anticipated this, didn't you?" Gu Lin's expression was resolute, the night breeze gently caressing his face.
The two maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far. Jiang Yu looked up at the sky, thinking how fresh the air was in the outskirts of Beijing.
"I don't care about such trivial matters."
What I care about is Ayan's throne.
Gu Lin's gaze remained fixed on Jiang Yu. "The princes will also be coming to the hunting grounds tomorrow. Is Your Highness ready?"
"Huo Xiang".
Jiang Yu murmured softly, "I always felt that you shouldn't have this kind of face."
"Your Majesty is joking."
Huo Xiang reached out and gently patted his cheek. "My body and hair are given to me by my parents, and I am powerless to change that."
"That's enough." Jiang Yu turned and walked into the tent, preparing herself mentally for tomorrow.
The next day, when Gu Qingling appeared before everyone with a longbow in hand, the atmosphere of the hunt reached its climax.
As soon as the gongs and drums sounded, the young men mounted their horses, each followed by a follower, mainly to pick up the prey they had shot.
Gu Qingling and Gu Qingyan exchanged a glance, then mounted their horses and followed the main group, while Gu Lin, with a reassuring look in his eyes, followed behind Gu Qingyan.
Only Gu Qingfeng remained.
"Mother, your child..."
Inside the tent, Gu Qingfeng hadn't finished speaking when he began to tremble, "Quick...quickly give me the medicine..."
Mo Wu quickly opened the ointment. The moment the ointment touched Gu Qingfeng's skin, a cool and refreshing sensation rushed to his head. Gu Qingfeng's fingers curled up in comfort, and his consciousness became somewhat scattered.
[Gu Qingfeng's appearance just now... Father seemed to have described it almost exactly the same way.]
But Father saw it by accident during the war with the Di people.
Jiang Yu's expression turned serious. "Is this a newly opened plaster?"
"Your Majesty, this is a plaster prescribed by the divine physician who treated His Highness the Crown Prince." Mo Wu looked at Gu Qingfeng with anxiety, "This servant is speaking presumptuously, but in just ten days, the Second Prince has become dependent on this plaster."
"Bring this ointment here so I can take a look."
Jiang Yu squeezed out a small piece of ointment, and Wan Ji immediately understood and put it into his sleeve. He was determined to find out the truth about this.
According to Father, people who look like this will eventually die emaciated. Who exactly is this so-called miracle doctor?
In just a few moments, many thoughts flashed through Jiang Yu's mind.
"Who else knows about the Second Prince's situation?"
"Your Majesty, this servant has only told you."
......
Inside the hunting grounds, Gu Qingling, who had originally planned to show off her skills, grew increasingly pale.
For some reason, whenever he tried to aim at his prey, the prey would inexplicably move, and then his arrows would start to miss.
"Mr. Huo..."
Gu Qingyan turned to look at Gu Lin behind him. Gu Lin looked completely innocent. Gu Qingyan immediately realized what was going on, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. Then, Gu Qingyan also began to miss his shots repeatedly.
The deeper you go into the hunting grounds, the louder the noises around you become.
Gu Lin drew the arrow from his back and shot it decisively in a certain direction, then pretended that he had missed.
The expert who had been secretly arranged to assassinate Gu Qingyan was killed with a single arrow.
As the sun set, everyone returned home laden with their spoils, except for Gu Qingling and Gu Qingyan.
"Why did Ling'er only shoot so few things?"
Gu Heng almost lost his temper. He wanted Ling'er to make him proud, not to embarrass him along with Gu Qingyan!
Gu Heng looked behind Gu Qingling but didn't see Gu Qingyan. Gu Heng's anger subsided a little. Had that person succeeded?
Before Gu Heng could even ask, Gu Qingyan returned on horseback.
"Father."
Gu Lin behind him lowered his eyes. He could hit the bullseye every time he was blindfolded in this kind of hunt.
"Why did you only hunt so few?"
Gu Heng flicked his sleeves, and the boy who was originally overjoyed to have won first place dared not say much. But Gu Qingyan spoke calmly, "Your son is incompetent."
"Get out of my sight!"
On the way back to the camp, Gu Qingyan quietly approached Gu Lin, his eyes full of smiles, "Brother Huo, you deliberately angered my father."
"To vent the anger of the Third Prince and the Empress."
Gu Linduan appeared completely harmless, showing no regard for Ling Shan and Ling Hai, who were currently cleaning up the mess at the hunting grounds.
"Brother Huo, your arrow just now missed, didn't it?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com