As is customary, after the sacrificial ceremony, Emperor Chongde delivered a speech:
"The annual autumn hunt is not only to pay tribute to our ancestors and pray for favorable weather in the coming year, but also a time for the noble daughters and ladies of our Great Qi to display their talents!"
"Whoever wins today will be richly rewarded by me!"
Amidst cheers and the resounding beat of gongs and drums, the hunt officially began.
Hearing the commotion, Chi Yan, who was in the dense forest, frowned.
The person next to him asked in confusion, "Has the hunt begun? So quickly?" After speaking, he asked for his opinion, "Commander, what should we do with that man?"
Chi Yan's expression turned slightly cold, his eyes flashing with icy light as he enunciated each word clearly: "Keep a close eye on him! Catch the thief red-handed."
...
The hunt began, and everyone mounted their horses and galloped into the dense forest. The thunderous sound of hooves instantly startled a flock of birds perched on the branches into flight!
Shen Tangning was among them, but she lagged behind and wasn't as enthusiastic as the others, her eyes searching for something in the crowd.
She was searching for Chi Yan. If she could find him first, that would be even better. If not, she could only pin her hopes on Shen Ci.
Shen Ci, however, encountered some trouble.
Pei Mingzhu was keeping him occupied, preventing him from paying attention. Her eyes gleamed with ambition as she took an arrow and held it in her hand: "Young Master Shen, I can't wait any longer. Shall we have a match?"
"I'm sorry, Miss Pei, I have some things to attend to right now..."
Before Shen Ci could finish explaining, Pei Mingzhu frowned, her eyes filled with suspicion: "You're not just making excuses, are you? What, you look down on me and don't want to compete with me?"
She pursed her lips in displeasure, suppressing her emotions. "Shen Ci, I'm not like those delicate noble ladies! You don't need to hold back. I grew up on horseback. You might not be able to beat me in a real archery contest!"
Shen Ci felt a strange unease. Normally, he might have thought she was just being genuine, but right now he was preoccupied with something and getting anxious, so her words sounded rather harsh.
She was born into a general's mansion, and due to the influence of her upbringing, she had a straightforward and generous personality. But what wrong did those pampered noble ladies do?
Take her older sister, for example. They are all proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They each have their own strengths, and there is no such thing as one being superior to the other.
Although he felt uncomfortable, Shen Ci still maintained his manners and patiently explained to her, "I have some important business to discuss with my brother-in-law. It's not too late to compare with you when I get back."
Pei Mingzhu, however, took his words as an excuse and her face turned cold: "If you don't want to compete, then don't compete. Why bother with these excuses to fob me off? Shen Ci, I misjudged you! You're no different from those hypocritical young masters from noble families; you still look down on women!"
Shen Ci was somewhat taken aback upon hearing this. When had he ever looked down on women?
Just then, an arrow grazed Pei Mingzhu's shoulder and embedded itself hard in the tree behind her. The arrowhead pierced through a bird and fell to the ground.
Pei Mingzhu's eyes flashed with surprise. She looked up and saw Shen Tangning slowly putting away his bow and arrows, his expression carrying a faint coldness.
"Miss Pei, how about I challenge you to a contest?"
She was dressed in a red riding outfit with silver-white silk trim and embroidered patterns on the cuffs. The cinched waist accentuated her slender figure, and her hair was styled in a bun, giving her a dashing and heroic appearance.
Pei Mingzhu's expression shifted a few times before she forced a smile: "Isn't this inappropriate?"
Shen Tangning slightly raised her chin and chuckled ambiguously: "What, does Miss Pei look down on me? My horsemanship and archery may not be as good as yours, but they're not bad either."
Her eyes were clear and bright, as if they could see into people's hearts and expose the filth deep within them.
Pei Mingzhu pursed her lips, her competitive spirit also stirred: "Let's compete then."
She refused to believe that she could lose to Shen Tangning.
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