Chapter 65

The Autumn Hunt is an annual royal hunting event during the autumn season in this dynasty. The hunting ground is located in a place called Qu Zuo, situated northwest of the capital. During the hunt, there are soldiers specifically assigned to scout and locate herds of animals within the hunting area. Then, cavalry, led by commanders in charge of the hunt, encircle the areas where the herds are active and gradually shrink the perimeter. When the animals are finally concentrated in a single area, the Emperor and the nobles take turns shooting and hunting them.

In the end, a large-scale herd slaughter occurs, and the one who hunts the most is deemed the victor.

The royal hunt is not solely for leisure but also serves as military training. Jing Dynasty’s founder emperor included it in his instructions, establishing a fixed procedure for the Autumn Hunt every year to train soldiers in horsemanship and archery. A palace was built in Qu Zuo’s hunting ground to accommodate royal visits.

This time, the Empress also came along. Empress Lu is an elegant, dignified, and full-figured woman. While not as stunning as Consort Shu, she exudes a composed grace, embodying the air of a national matriarch. She took special care of Xiao Nanxi, assigning the West Garden for her to stay in.

Naturally, Nianxi stayed with the princess. The entire West Garden was vast, complete with a main hall and side halls, adorned with crimson doors, intricate railings, and jade-like carvings, all built in extraordinary splendor.

After settling down, Nianxi was watching Lan Zhi and Xing Yue unpack and organize the place when Xiao Nanxi, already brimming with excitement, said, “Come on, let’s go horseback riding.”

The main group had just arrived today; people and horses alike were exhausted, and the evening was meant for rest and recovery. But Xiao Nanxi, stepping down from the carriage, seemed reinvigorated, as though her energy channels had been unblocked. Not only did she feel restored, but she also couldn’t stay idle for even a moment.

The sun was about to set, bathing the distant mountains and fields in a dark golden light. Unlike the capital, dense forests and wild fields lay beyond the palace.

Though guards accompanied them, the view wasn’t as open as in broad daylight, which made Nianxi uneasy. She advised, “The evening is approaching, and His Majesty and Her Majesty, after their arduous journey, have just arrived at the palace for rest. Your Highness, it would be better not to disturb them with noise. Horseback riding can wait until tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, the outside was in a state of disarray.

With the arrival of the royal entourage, not including the army, a vast number of attendants and followers had to be accommodated. The palace couldn’t hold them all, so many tents of various sizes had been set up early around the palace, scattered like stars across the area.

Everywhere, people were busy settling in.

Although Xiao Nanxi had an eccentric personality, she wasn’t entirely unreasonable. Hearing this, she hesitated. Just then, a group of people turned the corner and approached them head-on.

Princess Deqing, Princess Xinchang, and a few young ladies from noble families came over, chatting and laughing. When they saw Xiao Nanxi and Nianxi, they asked with a smile, “Third Sister, what are you doing standing here? It’s so noisy outside. We’re heading to the side hall to play a game of pitch-pot. Why don’t you join us?”

Xiao Nanxi was naturally delighted and pulled Nianxi along with her.

The palace attendants had already prepared everything in the hall, including food and drinks, which were all arranged perfectly.

At banquets in the capital, games like pitch-pot, riddles, drinking games, and passing the flower were always popular for entertainment. Though Nianxi wasn’t particularly skilled, she wasn’t completely unfamiliar with them.

Everyone took their seats.

Princess Deqing, acting as the hostess of this small gathering, smiled and said, “Since we’ve just arrived today, it wouldn’t be appropriate to be too wild. Let’s just enjoy ourselves a little. Tomorrow, Father will host a grand banquet.”

Princess Xinchang, however, disagreed with a laugh. “We’re always cooped up in the capital. It’s rare to come out like this—we must make the most of it and have a good time!”

One of the young ladies chimed in, “Since we’re playing pitch-pot to entertain the guests, why not set some rules? Let’s limit it to ten throws. For every missed shot, one must drink a cup as a penalty. And whoever hits all ten targets should be rewarded with everyone in the room drinking three cups together!”

The speaker was Jiang Yuan, the daughter of Marquis Xindu.

Everyone was familiar with pitch-pot as a banquet game. While it was meant for fun, imposing such drinking penalties felt a bit demanding.

Princess Deqing, being older, was about to decline when Princess Xinchang interjected eagerly, “It’s rare to have this freedom. This is the best way!”

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, “In that case, why doesn’t Miss Wen take the lead?”

All the eyes of over ten people in the room immediately focused on Nianxi.

From the moment Nianxi saw Jiang Yuan, she had a vague premonition in her heart. This Miss Jiang was not unfamiliar to Nianxi at all. After the opening of Fusheng Banzhan, she had accompanied Xu Wanxin there several times. Every time they met, Jiang Yuan always looked at Nianxi with scrutiny and undisguised annoyance.

Nianxi asked herself, she had never offended Miss Jiang, so where did the hostility come from?

Until one day, Gu Ci left work early and waited for her outside. With her sharp eyes, Jiang Yuan spotted him and playfully hopped in front of Gu Ci, sweetly calling out, “Cousin!”

Gu Ci was taken aback, “What are you doing here?”

With a warm demeanor towards Gu Ci, Jiang Yuan asked in return, “What are you doing here?”

Gu Ci, who had always been disinterested in entangling with this cousin, straightforwardly said, “I’m waiting for someone.”

“Then I’ll wait for you,” Jiang Yuan was even more direct. “Cousin, I want to eat Fan Lou’s Eight Treasure Duck. Will you take me there?”

“You go with your girlfriends; put it on my tab.”

Jiang Yuan refused, stomping her foot and acting coquettishly. “Do I owe those two coins? I want you to accompany me to eat.”

She emphasized her words.

Only then did Gu Ci look down at her. He wasn’t someone with the cold and imposing demeanor of Pei Jian, but when he looked at people seriously, he naturally exuded the commanding presence of a nobleman. He calmly said, “It’s inconvenient.”

Jiang Yuan was furious. “I’ll tell Aunt that you’re bullying me!”

Jiang Yuan’s aunt was Madam Wang. Compared to the distant kinship between Pei Jian and Xu Wanxin, Gu Ci and Jiang Yuan were true cousins.

Wang Muyi and Nianxi stood by the window on the second floor, watching the scene below. While they couldn’t hear what was being said, they could roughly guess the situation.

Wang Muyi asked, “You’re not going down?”

“What for?” Nianxi walked back to the table, poured herself a cup of tea, and said casually, “It’s a conversation between cousins. Why should I go down and make myself unwelcome?”

“You’re acting strange.” Wang Muyi, whose perceptiveness was remarkable, stared at Nianxi and said, “Are you really unaware of how Gu Ci treats you? It’s obvious he’s being pestered by someone else right now. What are you afraid of?”

Nianxi was taken aback, her cousin’s words striking a chord. She wanted to deny it, but the words got stuck in her throat. Having gone through the situation with Cousin Xu, she was indeed a little scared. In her previous life, if it weren’t for her interference, the lovers wouldn’t have been separated, leaving all three with lifelong regrets. Now, when it came to this Cousin Jiang, she truly felt a bit timid.

Nianxi thought about it and then smiled. It was shortsightedness on her part. Living another lifetime, even if Gu Ci were a second Pei Jian, so what? Would she still foolishly wait in the same place?

She desired to love and be loved—it didn’t have to be any specific person. The world was vast; she would no longer stubbornly hold onto just one person. She had many options.

But Gu Ci, after all, was not Pei Jian.

The moment she appeared, Gu Ci immediately noticed her. He quickly walked forward a few steps to meet her, took her hand in his, and then said to Jiang Yuan, “I truly have pressing business. I had already made an appointment with Nian’er to visit the theater at Wazi.”

His tone was gentle. Even though he was speaking to Jiang Yuan, his gaze remained on Nianxi. “It’s not just today that I’m busy. I’m afraid I won’t have time on any future day either.”

The meaning behind his words couldn’t be more explicit.

Nianxi knew Gu Ci well. He was a kind and sensitive person. Even when faced with women who pursued him relentlessly, he would still show them basic respect—not out of misplaced kindness, but as a measured way of refusal.

Nianxi glanced at Jiang Yuan’s unpleasant expression and, following Gu Ci’s lead, said, “Since we’ve run into each other, why not invite Miss Jiang to join us? Did you book the usual private room?”

“I couldn’t get the larger one this time; it’s a bit smaller,” Gu Ci replied.

“Squeeze in a bit. Three people can surely fit,” Nianxi suggested.

“… It’s not impossible,” Gu Ci replied.

The two discussed this as though no one else was around, leaving Jiang Yuan completely ignored. Her face turned ashen, and unable to maintain her composure any longer, she interrupted, “No need. Who wants to watch some ridiculous play anyway?”

Having said that, she turned and left abruptly.

Once Jiang Yuan had left, Nianxi glanced at Gu Ci. Without needing her to say anything, Gu Ci hastily began to explain, “She’s my cousin. When we were young, my aunt often sent her to play at our house. I’ve always only seen her as a younger sister.”

Nianxi responded with a drawn-out “Oh” and added teasingly, “So she’s the childhood sweetheart kind of cousin?”

Gu Ci sensed that he might have misspoken and, fearing Nianxi might be upset, almost raised his hand to swear an oath. “It’s true that my aunt once considered linking our families through marriage, but I’ve always treated her as a relative and nothing more.”

He avoided mentioning “younger sister” again this time. “I already have you, my little Empress. How could I possibly have room to think about anyone else?”

Nianxi perked up her ears and leaned in closer, pretending not to hear. “What? What did you say?”

Gu Ci rarely blushed, but knowing he had misspoken, even the tips of his ears turned red. “It’s all nonsense from Qin Lang.”

Qin Lang’s original words were, “You practically worship your little Empress like a deity. Just look behind you—doesn’t that tail wagging with joy belong to her?”

Naturally, Gu Ci wouldn’t relay these words to Nianxi.

Nianxi didn’t need him to say it; she could roughly guess. Smiling brightly, she asked, “So, what did you say back?”

Gu Ci chuckled and replied, “I told Qin Lang, ‘I’m willing.'”

Nianxi could no longer pretend to be upset. She sighed softly, “Miss Jiang already didn’t like me before, and now she’ll resent me even more.”

Helping her into the carriage, Gu Ci climbed in himself. Frowning slightly, he remarked, “Why are you so greedy, young lady? Do you expect everyone to love you?”

He offered a solution, “I have plenty of love here. How about this: however much you lose over there, I’ll make it up to you tenfold.”

Nianxi couldn’t stop laughing. “You’re quite a nice person.”

Gu Ci couldn’t help but laugh as well, though he still maintained a serious tone, “Don’t mention it—it’s no trouble at all.”